Warning: Heavy Paraphrasing through-out the story.
Look here... Savior of Humanity... For we are impressed by your dedication in saving this world...
OUR world... and so we adhere our lives before you, the living and the dead...
for we serve with the one volition and that is to obey our Master... Even if our Master was the only one left...
Even if all your servants were to be perished... Even if the world is upside down...
Even if the humanity will be compose of only you... Even if the world abandoned you... Even if the world was against you...
as long as you remember US Contractor... OUR Contract...
we, the servants whose name forged upon the forgotten and lost... we, the servants who only exist in the alternate side of the world...
we, the servants forgotten by the reality ... no matter what, as long as you have the will to live... we will come for you...
Chapter 3: The Saber Wars
Suddenly I found myself in some foreign lands for unknown reasons. I need to double check the sky and the land and lo behold, it was genuine and anxiety finally built up inside of me. For some reasons, I think that I shouldn't be in here.
My worry was reinforced when Nero appeared not far from me, smiling, UMU.
Without her talking, I could sense that she was still speaking UMU.
"Umu, my friend Velvet, you are also here!" Red Saber said as she recognized me and started to walk at me elegantly. I was beginning to think that this is the Septem Singularity but Ritsuka said that they already finished the Septem Singularity though. I have this lingering suspicion that I'm in some sort of event. It was already too late when Nero hooked my arm with hers and pulled me to somewhere. Of course, I respectfully followed Nero as a result.
What was even more surprising was that, Tamamo-no-Mae also joined her. Archer was also present. Why are the EXTRA Servants are here? Could it be…?
"Saber Velvet, would you care to join me in our journey to the ends?" Nero said to me as she pulled my arms closer to her. Being with the trio, I felt that I am out of their group. Nevertheless, Nero insisted that she wanted me to join their ragtag group.
"Don't be silly, Red Saber, we're only checking the spaceship that landed not that far from us." Tamamo said as she gave Nero a condensing look. Speaking of the spaceship, could it be the spaceship they are talking to was X? The Saber Hunter? This is giving me a second thought.
Emiya was just there staring at me, then at the rest of the group but I have this fleeting thought that he too was curious after all.
"Yes, a spaceship that landed on my territory. We will be there to own it."
"… don't be ridiculous, Red Saber. It's not even your own land. We'll just check it there and all will be fine."
But not fine for me. I'm absolutely sure that MHX was a nut at attacking Sabers. I might have been laughing my ass out loud if I were the one playing the events but it is a nightmare when you knew that you are a Saber yourself. I don't know if comedy still applies to this world.
And oh, we are now approaching what I'm seeing was a spaceship dug into the earth with a perfect circle crater around it and four individuals near it.
I'm seeing the male Fujimaru and his Kouhai, Mashu Kyrelight. Also, Lily Artoria and MHX were sparring each other. Why didn't I take the hint when Artoria Lily was summoned several days before? Did my grasp of my reality already faulty at its best?
Nero was talking about she must be served with the best feast after the journey, mixed in with Tamamo and Archer, they were now talking about aliens, territory, negotiations and whatnots. I am content listening to them. I hope they do not catch me as a quiet one… it should be belonging to Uncool Gilles by the way.
MHX ceased training with Lily when her eyes were set on us immediately, predatory eyes. As if instincts on actions, I immediately separated myself from Nero as MHX literally blurred out of existence.
*CLANG*
"Diiiiiiieeeeeeeeeee! Red oneeeeeee!"
Nero brought out her burning Aestus Estus and slammed against MHX's Excalaser sword. Both were having an intense lockdown. Tamamo has her mirror out while smug Emiya has now projected out his black bow. Meanwhile, me here was still frozen on the ground. Armors out by the way.
I still have no idea if I can bring out my sword. If I have one…
Am I Saber or not?
Now Nero's group (I'd rather not involve with them…) we're now talking about how to deal with MHX, which means that Fujimaru and Shielder will also join them too. This is further reinforced when Mashu identified us as hostile (she also looked at me with recognition… how unfortunate.). Why oh why!? Even Fujimaru himself looked determined! What the hell.
I tried to look innocent. "I'm just been dragged here for no reason. Please don't mind me." That should be enough to left me …oh my God! I suddenly have a halberd in my hand! When did it came here? I literally screaming within my head and luckily my outward stature remained nonchalant. I am aware of 'magecraft' thingy and others but this made me shock all over.
I. Have. No. Experience. In. Medieval. Battle. Ever. Added that this is literally FGO only served to tighten my worries. There's no point in pretending anymore, and I kinda want to throw my weapon, but my hand just tightened its hold over the shaft. What the hell.
Even worse. Despite that I've already said to them that I don't want to join them. They literally waited for me to join the fight. Maybe they didn't understand the meaning but I'm flustered the longer they waited. Oh c'mon! I can't just let them ruin my reputation so I stood along with Nero's ragtag group.
Maybe I'll just pretend that I'm unconscious at the first strike. No, too obvious. Maybe two or three is sufficient enough. As long as MHX cannot penetrate my vital organs. I couldn't longer rule out MHX as a joke servant because Saber Wars part 2 happens. It's too far in the future to be worried about.
MHX is terrifying agile and that is what I'm worried about. Me as a player might took this as something harmless and that at the actual gameplay, the Nero ragtag group just retreated instead of faded out. That's something to be relieved on, right?
MHX started the battle with her spinning attack. It looked effective if not for a nauseous moment. It was sort of aesthetic – Oh my God! It's coming into my way. My body reaction was instantaneous; I blocked her attack with the shaft of my halberd and it luckily hold on to MHX's goddamn lightsaber. So lit! That's my reaction as an FGO who was having a taste of the fantasy called FGO. It even produces the same hum from Star Wars for God's sake. MHX was looking at me with determination and without even a bit, sniffed the air around us.
Did she just—
"I knew you are Saber, pink Saber!" Redundant. Very. MHX can literally smell what kind of class I am and that is literally creepy. Also, the title of pink Saber should belong to Okita, right? The clashing of our weapons was very Animesque. Sparks of fire where everywhere, even to the point of shaking. The only lacking here would be my obvious comeback.
"How come you know my class. X? I could have been a lancer, berserker, or hell a caster." Stupid comeback. What the hell I'm sputtering about? Horrifyingly, MHX was stunned from my stupid question and even have a moment of PTSD. What the hell?
"Ho. You can't fool me!" That took a half of an hour before she resumed to being the usual X. She pushed me back and I searched for my bodily balance as I retained my foot on the ground once more.
"That halberd IS a sword!"
"What."
"What."
I took a double take on my weapon before MHX charges to me once more. Clever X huh? At least, my mind was present at that time. I poke her current position, which cause her to retreat. As long as I have my own limited territory, I'm untouchable. It seemed that my hands can compete with X's agility. My knowledge of halberd could have come from me being a Servant because I didn't literally touch a halberd before. If I am a Saber, is this my weapon? That really racked my head. With a right footstep, I made a full swing before MHX could recover more grounds. It looked amazing by the way. The halberd felt light in the way I hold it but I knew it weighted several more to ordinary humans. The Saber Assassin jumped as high as she could beyond the sun in an eagle position. Also me being a Servant made me realized that I am immune looking straight to the eyes.
Did MHX thought the logic of it? Obviously not but never did I noticed that MHX was now wielding two swords. X is now being serious to me. What the heck?! Instinctively, I was now wearing a helmet for ultimate protection as the MHX was now coming to my way. I used the halberd in defense but little did I know MHX was being aided by the gravity.
*CLASH*
My halberd crumbled upon impact of her two legendary swords. Two f*cking legendary swords! I was now on the ground with the two swords pointing at my neck.
MHX won.
Nero was now introducing herself to Ritsuka's group, even though she was already his Servant. Tamamo-no-mae and Archer 'normally' for a Servant. They acted as if nothing happened earlier. For me, it was just meh. Me being defeated by MHX was enough, maybe. At least, I am glad that MHX did not continue any further and content from her victory. I admitted that my heart beat rapidly before it went steady, maybe it's because of my nature of being a Servant.
For all intents and purposes, MHX was just right beside me. She was awfully near to me that her breathing was fogging my armor and I kept on leaning away from her. MHX was very annoying to deal with if you are literally Saber, even if your life wasn't on line.
"It's good to see you too, Saber Velvet." Mashu greeted me in advance, and made me forget for a moment that MHX was right beside me. I just nodded at her confirmation. It was still weird that I am still lassoed into events too without mercy.
Nero was admiring Lily's training with MHX and that she was glad to hear it. The emperor of Rome also offered her the tutelage to train her too. MHX once again interrupted their conversation which made me felt relieved that the annoyance was removed from me. MHX also stated that all Sabers—except Lily—are considered enemy for her and doesn't deserve to train Lily, which is just ironic but I never questioned the plot of this event lest I'll be going crazy. Do I also qualify in training Lily? Not in a million years…
Nero also admitted that they were holding back because their opponent was Mash and Fujimaru themselves, which made me embarrassed for a lot of reasons.
Also MHX introduces herself ala chuunibyou way; how she's the envoy of justice from the future. Also glancing toward Archer, his eyes seemed to be shining every time he looked at the spaceship, which looked like a toy ship, not that I have an ounce of bravery to tell MHX. I guessed that he would like to repair her ship. Typical Emiya, making excuse in offering to give her a hand in fixing the ship. He also offered to train Lily too. His eyes also set upon me for some time, which made me nervous as usual.
Nero and Archer's insistence in training Lily just only made Lily happier and X having no choice, allowed them.
Then monsters happen. X said that her ship attracted monsters. Monster's with a shining, yellow ahoge similar to Saber. Yep, I didn't try to question further. I see no reason to go away from the ship, with X, Archer, Nero and Fujimaru. I knew they were a reliable bunch. I'm not confident of my Servant skills because this should be impossible.
I thought I should wait in the ship, just like how Tamamo-no-mae said that she's just a side character this time and how she just broke a 4th wall. Even I have no courage to broke some kind of wall. She retreated toward the ship where she knew there was an AC. It was a great plan though to just wait throughout the plot and wait for them to rayshift but fate seemed to have different plan for me.
I felt my armor collar being pulled, thus preventing me to walk toward the ship. I eventually looked at my back to see who's the culprit.
It was Emiya and he has a stern face. C'mon! I bet I knew what he was thinking.
"Oh no, you don't. Madam." He scolded me big time. Why? I'm also playing as a side character too! I kept quiet of my existence! As if Emiya read my thoughts, he said something. "It's because you're a Saber. Sabers together should join together in training."
I have creeping suspicion that Emiya wasn't Emiya enough and how he said was something out of logic: Emiya wasn't a Saber but for some reason I can't argue with it.
"Can't I just refuse?"
"No." Now Emiya was a doting brother. Why bother? Even though I have sufficient Servant strength, I can only fold my arms under my chest as I was dragged by Emiya reluctantly back to the training area. My armored boot heels left a trail. I'm not frustrated, really.
Emiya placed me beside, Lily like a lamppost. When I looked at Lily, she just smiled. Despite my overall reluctance, Lily's heavenly smile made me relent to do this stupid training. Yeah, even if I feel I don't need it, it actually will help me improve my fighting skills.
Our training lasted for an hour.
We kill monsters regularly that approach the ship. Why do they approach ship? I don't know, maybe ask them? Nah, that might lose my sanity further. They are also many types of monsters that regularly ran toward the ship but one thing that was strangely common to them was that they have a shining, yellow ahoge similar to Saber.
I won't even try to explain how it comes to this. What I want to know why was that how I just shrugged it off every time I struck a wyvern, beheaded were beings and etc. Blood and all and yet no stains upon my armor. Magic in the works folks and I'm not eve scared of them, no matter how they look terrifying! As if I was used to it. My halberd is back (I didn't even know how I can summon it in the first place…). Is this how my weapon looked? How… mundane for a Nasuverse… I have this creeping suspicion that this is not my NP, just skill. Confirmed, this is not my how my 'sword' look like.
Before anyone can see me judging my weapon…ESPECIALLY Emiya…Oh my God! He's approaching to me again! I also forgot that he can read any weapon history through glancing to any weapon alone! I hurriedly made my mundane weapon… disappear through the sheer force of will. Even though I really wanted to see what kind of Servant I am, I am more of a discreet person.
Yes, my weapon now crumbled in my hands and I successfully looked stupid. Am I the one who thinks that I look stupid now? Emiya still do not stop until he was in front of me. I smiled upon his arrival. I hope he didn't recognize me as stupid.
"Good job." He praised me.
I raised my eyebrow in suspicion. I even have the guts to look back and forth, whether his praise was meant for Lily but turns out Lily wasn't beside me anymore so I'm wondering why is it he was praising me now? What do he want from me?
Turns out it was a genuine praise, nothing more, nothing else. Still, I'm so suspicious about Emiya. I hope he didn't manage to gleam my private history in my halberd but his dubious glance has made me thought otherwise.
"I don't know if that's how you feint or the way you fight pretentiously but at least, can you fix your stance?" I felt the hair on the back of my neck stood when he reminded me of it. Of course, as a completely naïve individual, I knew what he was talking about.
I sucked at fighting and completely reliant on my newly discovered skill called instincts. I hope someone will be coming in order for Emiya to change his focus. He doesn't need to give attention to me.
Finally, two individuals approached the ship. It was Okita, the true Pink Saber and Paracelsus. They both seemed to be arguing over something but I'm too lazy to hear out the details.
As usual, MHX ambush them with her excalight saber.
Light ensues.
And…
And…
Medea.
Two Medeas.
One is the younger healer Medea while the other is the mature Medea, both are arguing over Siegfried. I don't know how they managed appear near the ship but its not my job. I'm terribly waiting for this plot to end. It's a different story when I am the one who farms this events. Its exhausting when you can't even process the plot properly in your mind.
Also, MHX was laughing evilly like a mad Sith who conquered the galaxy. Also, new record for slaying two Saber Class within a short time.
Poor Lily, it seemed that she wanted to talk to them but MHX was just an evil grandmother to Lily's Rapunzel.
It made me relieved for sometimes because Emiya's attention was now on them. Also, when did I become thick-skinned? I know that they can be re-summoned again but still. MHX was really evil here. Nero really sympathized with X.
After that explanation and explanation, MHX's true job, Lily's dream, Emiya's explanation. to hell with explanation! I don't even know what they are saying!?
At least, I'm being left alone for the second time and admire the atmosphere until that Golden Boy, Steam Machine King and the Lightning Genius, yeah.
Sakata Kintoki, Babbage and Tesla approached the ship. X briefly recounts about the counterparts in her Servant Universe after she saw Tesla.
Surprise. Surprise. Emiya suggested that we attack them and Fujimaru agreed quickly in order to see Lily's improvement.
"Go on. Have some fun." I said as I tried to retreat to the ship, again.
I stand corrected. Emiya pulled me by the collar and threw me to them. I shrieked with great hilarity and that serves as a signal. Lily immediately fight them and Kintoki fought hard.
My halberd came out again and struck Tesla's head accidentally.
"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." I repeatedly apologized as I pulled my halberd back. He has now a large bump on his head (Luckily, he was hit by the blunt edge of my halber.). He was not amused.
*KZZZZZZZZT* Electrical arcs were thrown to me as I efficiently evaded them as I depended with my life and I hope my halberd was not a good conductor.
Fujimaru and Shielder faced off with Babbage. The rest serves as a support.
They are definitely Fujimaru's Servant, so why?
"That…was…golden…"
"Truly…nostalgic."
"…Captain..is…it."
Both the trio dissipated into golden dust. I swear, the plot did not even changed a bit even though I am now a present. Turns out they have the material necessary for fixing X's ship. It was absolutely coincidental.
Now, the rest of the Servants surrounded the Saber Assassin as they intently listened for her motives.
"It's ok. Go on, I'm just right here…" Lazy ass as I was, I was content leaning back on the ship and observe the beautiful skies but frowning Tamamo said otherwise as she unnecessarily pulled me to the ragtag group. "C'mon!" It's as if the fate itself wanted me to join their shenanigans.
X revealed that she came from the bleak future and came to the past, in order to decimate all of the Saber Class here in singularity and spare Lily from all of the destruction, hailing her as the chosen one. 'nough said. Some weird plot that can be used in animes.
Meanwhile, X noticed something strange and tried to protect Nero and was struck with another light saber. X was wounded and this is the best time Heroine Z appears, a recolored version of Heroine X. An imitation of Z as what she said.
What followed was a drama about to reveal.
Z was the sole cause of the broken space ship. X crumpled on the ground. Lily shouting with extreme emotions. Z then faced us. Z said some malicious words against Lily, intending for her to sabotage X's effort against Lily. She also complained how there were too many of us.
Lily's comeback against Z was so cool I have to clapped her with a tear on my face.
Z revealed a secret weapon and that is duplication of herself. I swear I heard the name of Dimension Vampire from her chants. Why didn't they tried to attack Z when she was still showing off her moves. It also made me look hypocrite but at least I'm a coward.
At last, this is the final battle! Lily will face-off the main Z just to show how much she grew from X's training. Even if I wanted to remove myself from the equation, I have no choice but to face Z's clones. At least I have the support from the Extella gang. I can easily hide my newbie status from their cool battle attacks.
To no one surprise, we managed to defeat Z. Lily managed to give Z the last strike needed to destroy, thus activating the domino effect; all of the clones disappear too. All that was left was a clean up and everything will be fine. Nero, Tamamo and Archer left the ship. I do not intend to join them to nowhere so I was content to stay with Ritsuka and waited for them to rayshift. I'm confident that I can find a way to the Chaldea after this event.
X recovered from Z's sneak attack, realized what was happening recently and thanked Lily and Fujimaru for this. I also heard that X will look forward one day to help Chaldea with their mission.
… and that's it! I don't know what happened after but I found myself back at the Chaldea again. It must have been a bad dream but Lily walking through the corridor prove that it was real.
At least, I survived the events ordeal. Don't know what will happen next.