Boyzilla: Yes, there are references to other series where Hakuno appears. And yes, the last part of the conflict happens.
Akasha Bloodriver: No, this Artoria is an Alter. It is distinct from the Artoria of F/SN (which is the "Rex Quodam" the King Who Reigned). This Artoria is the "Rex que Futuram", the King Who Will Reign. She doesn't remember Archer (or Iskandar) because it's not her they met.
Artoria recognizes Hakuno as the Sovereign of the Moon Cell... The feudal era and (therefore Camelot) recognizes a hierarchy between kings and... the Moon Cell is a power that surpasses even the gods. Even King Arthur is nothing compared to the ruler of this power.
Leo does not have Gawain, the world of Arpegio of Blue Steel does not know magic. It is a world parallel to that of Fate/Extra. The Leo of Arpegio of Blue Steel is a character with the same name, the same appearance, but a different story. He never met Hakuno in Seraph, for example.
The Revanche of the Aloads
The battle was lost for the Umbral Star camp. But if military victory proved impossible, there remained a simple way for Altera to win the war. The entire enemy's strength was based on the abilities and decisions of a single Master. Capturing Hakuno Kishinami would be enough to reverse the situation.
Obviously, it was a much easier thing to say than to do.
Two cruisers clashed at short range while "Attack-Type Programms" with a black armor jumped on the deck of the Fog's ship to face their fellow Moon Cell servicemen. The clash remained undecided, the Effigy armed with bows, spears, maces and spears fell in equal numbers on both sides. But the destroyed soldiers were almost instantly replaced by the Aggressors who remained out of the fray.
The fight threatened to last, a battle between two supercomputers capable of distorting reality and invoking armies of combat programs.
But they weren't the only ones caught in the fury of this titanic confrontation. Rider jumps on deck, rushing from a slide between the fighters. In her hands, her pistols slammed one opponent at a time. Bright as a blaze of fire, Drake dodged the attacks, leaping there, spinning here without ceasing to mock and laugh at the efforts of the enemies to stop her.
Another Servant then appeared in the melee, running so fast that she could not be followed with the naked eyes. She left behind a hazy silhouette. However, the "Attack-Type Programms" that took a few steps after she touched them stopped and collapsed... cleanly cut in half!
King Artoria Pendragon wields her invisible sword towards the enemy Aggressors, her beautiful face frozen by concentration. She pushed the blade forward and a golden bolt appeared amidst the whirlwind:
- Strike Air: Hammer of the Wind King!
It was as if an air tube materialized on the deck of the Black Ship. The Aggressors and the Effigy tore themselves from the ground, spinning violently before being rejected against the command tower. Most of the lower soldiers - rather fragile - immediately dissipated into purple particles. However, although damaged, the Aggressors began to rise... except that they were destroyed by a barrage of culverin cannonballs.
As the last defenders dispersed, Artoria turned to Rider, surrounded by open gunports in the air:
- Sir Francis, your assistance has been very helpful.
Drake grinned and said:
- Oh... you can drop the "Sir Drake" I'm not one of those great knights in polished armor in love with their big horses... the only polished metal I like is shinning gold coins.
Not a muscle moved in Artoria's face when she bowed seriously:
- I see... If you will excuse me, the battle is calling for me elsewhere.
Before King Artoria could leave the deck of the reconquered Regina Marina's ship, a virtual screen materialized in the air, showing the bust of Hakuno Kishinami. Their Master gave them a shy smile:
- Saber, Rider, excellent cooperation.
- That's normal, Master.
- You pay well, girlie; my pirate honor wants me to do a good job.
Kishinami nodded:
- Rider, continues to clean ships in this area.
- Tailor-made work for a pirate, girlie.
- Saber?
- Yes, Master?
The image of Hakuno was replaced by a plan of battle. In almost all sectors, the fight turned in favor of the allied forces. There was a flashing point on a large cruiser in the Black Fleet of Velber.
- Archer has spotted Darius III on this ship. He has engaged but is dominated. You have to help him.
- At your command, Master.
Artoria jumped overboard and ran to the surface of the waves. The blessing of the Lady of the Lake meant that no body of water could stand in her way.
Hakuno sighed and turned back into the command chair of the MN Surcouf. Part of her tension was released in a sigh. Her eyes went through the different screens. At a speed strictly impossible for a human being, the A.I. of the Moon Cell became the Mental Model of the Surcouf assimilated the different schemas, the graphs of allied losses, the estimates of enemy losses, as well as images of the drones that continued to roam the battlefield.
The Inheritor of the Moon agreed with resolve. Her side won thanks to the plan that she and Rider had pushed the Allies to adopt.
Kishinami turned to one of the plans that showed the development of confrontation in a local sector. With one thought, she made appear several tags on the map:
- Première Division de Croiseurs, Richelieu head to 066 to W.P. One and follow the route I have plotted. You bypass an enemy group to take it back.
The excited voice of Richelieu 3 replied:
- Well, little squirrel, after the battle I will have to hug you to thank you for being so adorable and also...
There was a confused noise and then an almost identical voice - but clearly more calm- resumed the word:
- Received Kishinami, Richelieu 1, over.
The victor of the Grail War blinked several times, wondering once again why people seemed so... strange when they were near her. Hakuno ends up shaking her head. This question could wait until the end of the battle. His attention focused on the clash between Archer and Darius III.
Why... why once again, did he face a monster of berserker?!
Part of Archer's soul was screaming in a mixture of fear and frustration. Yet, while he was barely dodging a mace blazing with green flames, his ironic smile only intensified. Yet he left a large part of his famous scarlet mantle to be charred in the operation. As he received himself on the ground the black monster swiveled on him to release a kick that propelled Archer ten meters further. Despite the protection of his Kevlar-like armor and his fully reinforced body, Nameless felt his ribs crack.
On his knees, he spat blood...
Images rushed into his head... Illya and Heracles in the forest of the Einsbern castle... The Seraph arena, Rani VIII and Lü Bu Fèngxian...
As Berserker, we usually invoked Servants who were too weak to fight even with legendary heroes like Achilles or King Arthur. They were mortals who had come to the rank of hero by performing uncompromisingly feats like nurse Florence Nightingale or serial killers like Jack the Ripper (1).
But a mocking fate (or Archer customary misfortune) wanted him always to fall upon great warriors who could be invoked like Berserker. With the agility and reflexes of a lifetime spent in combat, combined with the monstrous strength and endurance of their class, they were almost invincible opponents.
Besides, this Berserker had an army...
Wiping the blood on his lips with his sleeve, Archer dodged the attack of two skeletons carrying large rectangular shields and spears. In motion, he counterattacked. Kanshou and Bakuya sliced off the two monsters that dispersed into purple digital particles. Exept that, Darius III had already returned to him, swirling like a dervish waving torches in each hand.
Archer jumps high, dodging the charge.
- I'm the bone of my sword.
While he was still between heaven and earth, his pair of Chinese sabres disappeared in favor of a large black bow. Before touching down, Archer found time to launch a veritable barrage of arrows at his foes. Of course, Darius got away without a scratch (but one could not expect anything else with such a monster). On the other hand the army of the Immortals had not endured as well the attack... except that they were not called Immortals for nothing. A series of circles of violet light appeared on the devastated deck of the cruiser of the Regina Marina. A moment later other another bunch of skeletons' soldiers materialized.
Archer's smirking smile intensified. The Wrought Iron Hero murmured the second verse of his incantation:
- Steel is my body and fire is my blood.
Then, as a tide of opponents rushed at him, he made a wide gesture of the arm. And in space so swept swords materialized, pulverizing his enemies. Not mundane blades, but dozen of Nobles Phantasms.
Even Darius III seemed impressed. Straightened with all his stature, the black monster howled, bulging the torso and spreading his arms still armed with burning maces.
However, Nameless did not fight alone. He felt that his Master was trying to contact him. He opened his mind:
- Archer, Saber is on his way to meet you.
The next moment, his wounds closed while a second cast code strengthened his protection.
- Master, lately your decisions have been remarkably strategic. You have become a fearsome warlord.
The mental connection did not only communicate a telepathic voice, it also made it possible to exchange emotions in a rudimentary way. Archer smiles at the embarrassed shock caused by his compliment.
- You're not used to me being so direct. Yes, I know... What a nostalgic feeling... I haven't spoken that way in a long time. That must be the effect you have on me, Master.
Invincible, the army of the undead had once again gathered around the monstrous King of Kings. The assault was however blocked by a hurricane that carried the skeletons and broke them against the cruiser's command turret.
Artoria Pendragon had just arrived and she crashed next to Nameless who smiled at her in return:
- I have rarely been so happy to see you, Saber.
In spite of the Immortals gathering once again, the young woman glanced at him.
- Think nothing of it, Knight. It is normal to come to the aid of a warrior who - alone- stands up to such an army. However... I am astonished. It's not the first time you speak as if we knew each other. Believe that if you had come to Camelot, I would have remembered it. You wield the sword with purity, without arrogance. A man of your worth and nobility would have deserved a seat at the Round Table.
Archer shook his head without ceasing to smile:
- It's a long story. Let's say I met you... but I didn't meet you...
- I see, an Alter?
Archer nodded his head. Then, turning his eyes away from Artoria and faced the army led by Darius III before enunciating the third verse of his incantation:
- I have created over a thousand blades.
Then he materialized his favorite pair of swords before jumping into the fray, Artoria at his side. Striking the shots intended for their partner, counterattacking if the latter blocked, covering each other, the couple seemed in perfect osmosis. Instead of fighting, they seemed to dance together. The duo broke the ranks of the Immortal army, breaking them and dispersing them as if they were just twigs caught in a hurricane.
Invaded by a confused feeling, Hakuno turned her eyes away from the screen that showed the fight of Artoria and Nameless. Only in existence for a few months, the A.I. with the appearance of a teenager girl was not very good at deciphering her feelings... not to mention those of others.
She was just jealous.
But... didn't know what jealousy was.
Just that she no longer wanted to watch Archer fight and felt a strong irritation against her and the desire to be in Artoria's place.
More logical than emotional, she did not understand her reaction. However, it reminded her of the moment when Rin Tohsaka and Rani VIII had argued because they both had the idea to cook for her. Rin finally ran away crying...
Did she feel the same way?
That she became able to understand that she was now experiencing what Rin had felt was probably the best proof of Hakuno's emotional achievement.
Alas, a battle was not an ideal place to reflect on one's own emotions.
A violent shock shook the MN Surcouf. The lights wavered on board the submarine... Hakuno tended, conscious of being attacked.
Never before has a Master of any Grail War been so protected as Hakuno Kishinami. First, she was aboard a heavily armed submarine cruiser of the Fog. In addition, the aircraft carriers HMS Unicorn and MN Bearn were escorting her. Some of their aircraft were turning over the three ships to protect them from attack.
Only, struck by lightning, they exploded one after the other.
In the sky, a cart pulled by oxen was spinning among the fighter squadrons who were trying to intercept it.
The weapons forged by the Fog proved powerless against a Heroic Spirit.
Altera's scheme proved brilliant in its simplicity: to lure the Servants away from their Master by using Darius III as bait and then send Iskandar to seize the now vulnerable Regalia possessor.
Pulling on the reins of his war cart, the King of the Conqueror plunged on the MN Surcouf shouting:
- Light is at other end of the world- conquer! Via Expugnatio!
Calling aloud the name of his Noble Phantasm, the King of Macedonia released all the power of Zeus's chariot. Even reinforced by all the prana that Hakuno could collect, the Klein's field of the submarine could not resist the charge of Gordius Wheel preceded by a real rain of lightning arcs.
The energy shield broke.
A moment later, Iskandar dropped on the deck of the Surcouf, brandishing the Sword of the Cypriots. Effigy of the Moon Cell materialized and the King of the Conqueror rushed upon them to slash them with large reels.
Hakuno Kishinami was shaking like a leaf. Surrounded by a Klein's Field and an Effigy troop led by an Aggressor, she heard the crash of battle coming closer. Neither the "Attack-Type Programms" of the Moon Cell, nor the automatic defenses of the Surcouf could do more than slow down Iskandar.
She swallowed and raised her hand where she saw a scarlet tattoo:
- By my first Mark of Command, Saber comes to me!
The Command Mark, the Joker of every Master made possible the impossible. Space and time fluctuated as the Moon Cell responded to the desire of the victor of the Grail War.
Artoria appeared in a flash of light.
Far from it, Archer had an ironic grimace when he saw the King of Knights disappear.
Obviously, everything was going too well to last.
On the other side, as crazy as Darius III was, the opportunity to triumph over his enemy had not escaped him. Turning his head back, the King of Kings made a tremendous roar. At once foul tentacles, with suction cups replaced by howling faces and loaded with skeletal arms, came out of the ground, while the Berserker found himself on the back of some sort of demonic war elephant at the head of the horde of dead which he commanded.
Archer is in a desperate situation?
That was a little routine for a Grail War veteran!
Nameless's ironic smile was accentuated, Artoria had allowed him to weaken the enemy and above all there remained only one verse to his song:
- So I pray, Unlimited Blade Work!
There was a flash of light. Suddenly the sea and the warships in full confrontation were replaced by sand dunes stretching infinitely in all directions, a desert... strewn with swords, like gravestones, each marking the place of the fall of a great warrior. In the sky flooded with smoke and ash, as far away as moons, huge gears were turning slowly.
- Welcome to my Reality Marble: Universe of the Endless Blade! One warrior... one sword cannot stand against an army of immortals!
Archer raised his arm and a shock shook his inner universe... the ground rose as if under the effect of an earthquake while a shadow advanced among the dunes to wrap the army of the Immortals.
- If one sword is not enough... take all my blades!
Archer lowered his arm.
In the sky, the shadow descended upon the living dead... swords by the hundreds... by the thousands... by the tens of thousands... a swarm of blades from all eras... from all lands... falling from the sky in a metallic crash.
Artoria ran on the waves, zigzagging between the burning ships, in the midst of the boiling water, swallowing the wrecks that were sinking in the dark depths of the ocean. But the King of the Knights did not pay attention to the fire that crossed in every direction, to the explosions and armies of the "Attack-Type Programms" who took the enemy ships at the collision.
She was only concerned about the teenager in school uniform in her arms. Hakuno turned her big eyes both fearful and confident towards the knight, and Artoria did not want to disappoint her.
Her instinct warned her... she jumped, dodging a flock of lightning.
In the sky, Gordius Wheel passed over them, accompanied by the thundering laughter of Iskandar:
- Always so handsome, King of the Knights. You would make a good recruit for my army, little girl. Still not decided to join me?!
- King of the Conquerors, I repeat, I would never serve a looter. The king's way is the protection of his nation, not the freedom to trample upon peoples to steal them.
In spite of her great mastery of her emotions, Artoria began to find it difficult to contain herself. She did not know Iskandar... even if the latter thought otherwise. However, the Conqueror had a gift to make her angry. And Artoria Pendragon doubted that the Alter he met enjoyed being called "little girl" more than she did.
The Rex que Futuram leapt forward accelerating abruptly, using Invisible Air to lower the atmospheric pressure and hence its resistance.
Of course, Zeus' chariot was not long lost, quickly returning to them. Still holding her Master against her chest, Saber avoided two more attacks.
Artoria was now in open water and its objective, white cliffs covered with green grass rushed towards them...
She leaped vertically and landed on the land smiling for the first time.
Like many national heroes, Artoria saw her powers amplified if she fought on her home soil.
King Arthur was back on the island of Britain to fulfill her prophecy.
Artoria put Kishinami behind her. The Master watched Gordius Wheel land nearby, causing dirt clods to gush under its wheels. So Iskandar pointed his sword at the King of the Knights... in a clear challenge. What the King of the Knights could not refuse. Well encamped on her legs, she took her sword with two hands.
Hakuno turned to Artoria:
- Noble Phantasm, now!
The King of the Knights did not argue. Liberated from Invisible Air, the Sword of the Promised Victory waved towards the sky wrapped in golden light... a torch that soon rose to a height of about ten meters, brighter than the sun.
- Ex...
As Zeus's chariot surrounded itself with lightning discharges, the voice of the King of the Conqueror clicked like thunder:
- Light is at other end of the world- conquer! Via Expugnatio!
- ... calibur!
Artoria lowered her sword and the world was wrapped in golden light.
Cut like a knife, part of the cliff collapsed into the waves. From the sky, one could clearly see the long trench opened by Excalibur. Leonardo B. Harwey was breathless at the sight of the power of the Sacred Sword. So this was the power of the legendary King Arthur ? Victory was assured with... Leo could not continue. On the contrary, he swallowed his saliva as the drone zoomed in on a humanoid climbing the breach... Iskandar! Apart from his ragged coat he did not seem to be injured. However Gordius Wheel had disappeared. Nevertheless, the fight was not over. The British Prime Minister sat down in his chair, keeping his eyes on the screen.
The King of the Conqueror scratched his head. At the other end of the telepathic link that bound him to all his soldiers, Waver Velvet insulted him heartily... and he was right. It was the third time he lost Gordius Wheel in a frontal assault against an enemy Servant... and the second time against King Arthur. "There is a limit to stupidity, you muscle-head! If it doesn't work... don't start over, it's obvious to anyone. But you're too stubborn to think before acting!" Waver swore again. The Macedonian king smiled widely, he had no trouble to imagine his friend offering to all a real pantomime of exasperation.
The expression of the Macedonian king became more neutral as he turned around. Crowned and wearing a long mantle with which the wind played, Artoria Pendargon faced him, her sword brandished... clearly visible and radiant with golden glory.
Iskandar drew his own blade:
- The time has come to show that your vision of the king is the right one, little girl!
- Indeed!
The two sovereigns rushed towards each other... In an instant lightning and gusts of wind broke out. They appeared in one place, then to another, their blows exchanged at a supersonic speed.
No normal human could follow the fight... which Hakuno was not:
- Parry... parry... attack... break... parry... skill!
The girl, with her hands clenched on her chest, did not just follow the fight... she had taken control. Her orders, the result of superior combat expertise between Servants, guided Artoria, allowing her to counter blows and counter-attack at the right time.
The King of the Conquerors had just launched an attack like Invisible Air: Barrier of the Wind King threw him to the ground.
The Macedonian recovered with difficulty, bled from several wounds and was visibly exhausted. He looked at his sword with a strange air and then planted it in the ground... before raising his hands with a big smile:
- I think I lost... but it was a good fight. Uh... you're recruiting, King of the Knights?
Artoria's eyes were reduced to thin cracks:
- You? At the Round Table? No, thank you...
The tension of the fight was loosening. It all ended with their victory, it was... there was a deaf shock and a geyser of crushed stones and clods of earth rose before them. A crater had suddenly opened... a prostrate shape occupied the bottom... despite its numerous wounds and torn clothing, Hakuno recognized Francis Drake.
Kishinami ran to her Servant, wanting to use a Cast Code to treat her but the Master was caught by Artoria who grabbed her by the waist and jumped back, taking the girl with her.
The reflexes of the King of the Knights had been dazzling. Where the Inheritor of the Moon had stood, a little woman with brown skin and long white hair covered with a veil was now standing. In her hands, she held the Sword of Mars, well recognizable by her tricolored light blade.
- I'm Altera. Hand me the Regalia!
Artoria interposed herself between the King of the Huns and her Master:
- Never!
Turning her sword to present its knob to the sky, the Scourge of God did not waste an unnecessary word:
- Teardrop Photon Ray!
Luminous pentacles appeared in the sky. Alera attacked directly with her Noble Phantasm, leaving no chance for Artoria - exhausted by a long battle- to counter-attack. The voice of Iskandar thundered then:
- Waver, come on!
Waver Velvet, Lord El-Melloi II, had been waiting for the opportunity to act since the battle began. At the edge of the magic circle that surrounded a bronze barrel, he proclaimed the last verse of a ritual:
- O Ephialtes and Otos, sons of Poseidon and Ephimedia, once again came to imprison Ares. May the revenge of the Aloads be carried out!
Ephialtes and Otos were known for two feats, during the war having opposed the Giants to the Gods, they had piled two mountains on top of each other to reach Olympus. More useful... at least in the context of this war, the Aloads brothers had imprisoned the god of war Ares in a bronze barrel. Now, Mars was the Roman name of the Greek god Ares... and Altera held his sword in her hand and stole his Noble Phantasm.
When the ray of light that constituted the attack called Teardrop Photon Ray appeared from the pentacles most of the participants were surprised to see the beam bend and leave off... to fall into the bronze barrel of the Aloads.
Waver smiles, proud of him:
- Never underestimate the power of Formalcraft, a good knowledge of mythology and a brain trained to solve complex problems.
Altera was stunned... which was the most emotional reaction Iskandar had ever seen. She quickly pulled herself together and turned an accusatory glance at the King of the Conqueror:
- You're a traitor!
The red colossus seemed surprised:
- Me?... No! I served you because you defeated me.
He pointed a massive finger at Artoria.
- Having been defeated by the King of the Knights, I am free again.
- Yet... you had planned to lose.
Iskandar shrugged his shoulders:
- I don't like Velber, Waver devised this plan and I applied it.
Altera glanced at her sword and turned to see two new Servants appear, Archer and Darius III. They were both in bad shape, but ready to fight if necessary. Her eyes drifted off... the naval battle was over and the Allied fleet was converging on her.
Her sword could no longer serve her...
She had no more allies...
She was surrounded by enemies...
For the first time the glass mask worn by Altera split... the young woman showed an expression of doubt and even terror. Iskandar approached and put a hand on the warrior's shoulder. His voice was sweet... a feat for this thundering giant:
- It's over, Altera, Velber has lost. This world will not be plundered by this monster.
- I... I have to fight!
- Is this the answer of Altera? Or that of Sefar, the White Titan created by Velber to destroy the worlds. Is this your answer or that of Attila, the King of the Huns, and the Scourge of God created by the shamans of this tribe from a fragment of Sefar? You can't forever let others decide who you are and what you want!
Each word of Iskandar had hit right and Altera showed a particularly troubled face. Her violent inner debate was read in her haggard eyes and her crisp features. Hakuno, who had just cured Drake, returned to them. She was the first to react by seeing the woman with bistre skin leap forward, sword brandished:
- Cast Code: Hack!
The King of the Huns cried out in pain as yellow lightning flashed around her. However, the last Master of the Moon Cell was not content to paralyze the enemy Servant. Focused on the Regalia, she gave orders, mouving back-up a stream of energy left by her Digital Spell. Her mind plunged inside Altera...
Velber's codes were surprisingly similar to those of the Moon Cell... writing in the same computer language. For Hakuno, everything was childlike simplicity. Altera was an artificial being. It was the Heroic Spirit of Attila... and as Iskandar had just revealed, it was created from a fragment of Sefar, the White Titan. Altera therefore inherited a program that could return her to this original form. That program literally put her under the control of the Umbral Star... Although Altera had a personality of her own, she was nothing more or less than a remote-controlled toy.
Supported by all the power of the Moon Cell, Hakuno's spirit fought its own battle against the power of Velber modifying... rewriting... lines of codes... cancelling commands... erasing... The monstrous star of destruction fought back by repairing, replacing, editing.
It was a duel of will.
However, it took place in the body and mind of Altera.
Between the dark entity that sought to repair the chains that forced her to serve, and the cute little Master who sought to free her, she chose the second...
Before losing consciousness, victim of the tension caused by the long struggle in the computer universe, Hakuno saw the black crystal chains formed by myriads of oppressive codes shatter and be scattered into purple particles by a bright light from the depths of Altera's soul.
(1) There are several Jack the Ripper in the Fateverse (and several Robin Hood by the way) the one Archer thinks is a Berserker that appears in Fate Strange Fake, and not the little girl of Fate Apocrypha.
Author's Note: Everything knows an end. And "Chimeric Lunar Sea of Steel" reaches hers. The next episode (a simple epilogue) will be the end of this story. Feel free to comment, this is your last opportunity.
I'm really surprised that I did so well. Don't forget that I am French and this is the first fiction I have ever written in English. I'd like to thank you all for sharing this little adventure with me.