Confusion hit me when I woke up. This wasn't my room. This wasn't my bed. So where…
Slowly, it dawned on me that this was the living room, area, thing, in Johnathan's house. That's where I was. Johnathan's place. And… this was the couch. I'd slept here once previously. Right. I knew that.
But… why was I sleeping here now? Why did my entire body feel tense? …What were we doing last-
…Ah. Right. Last night was…
There. Now it was coming back to me. The battle, in all it's disastrous beauty… Last I remember… right, the priest had me. Evidently not anymore though, unless this was heaven. Or hell. Hell would have been most probable. Also most preferable, if both heaven and hell were to actually exist.
"Another… bag of electronics gone…" I groaned, slowly pulling myself up into a sitting position. "Need to stop losing them; I'm well off, yes, but not made of money…"
…Hold up. These weren't my clothes. Granted, they fit me. But lots of children's clothes fit me. Hell, I still had shirts and pants from high school that fit me to this day, and I was… 24 now? Think that's right… Judging by the look of the things, they were Johnathan's.
Why am I wearing Johnathan's clothes? What did the priest do again?
…Ah. Right: fire. Fire burns clothes. That must have been what happened. Makes sense.
"Now I just needed to know the time…"
Granted, I wasn't in a panic over it. I knew we were going out to battle last night, so I'd made sure to give myself an extra 24 hours on the timer, in case it had been needed. File wouldn't go out anywhere over the internet till tomorrow afternoon. …Providing I hadn't slept through an entire day, that is…
"…Ok, maybe I need to panic a little bit…" I chuckled slightly to myself, dragging myself to my feet.
The slight chuckle had hurt my throat a bit, but compared to trying to stand… Man, that shit had been nothing. Immediately, I fell back down onto the couch, gasping in pain. Ok, so I'm pretty banged up. Right. Good to know…
"…Ok, and again" I gritted my teeth. "One… two… three!"
Agh! Nope! Nope, nope, nope! Still not happening! There was a slight burning sensation all over now too, which sucked. I preferred the heat to the cold, yeah, but not like this! Absolutely not like this!
But sitting around here wasn't going to do anything for me. Come on, Nathan; just a bit of pain. You've felt worse. You've dealt with worse…
"Again… One, two-"
"Admirable determination, but you should stay put and rest for now."
The new voice startled me; broke my concentration. Turning my head towards the direction of the sound, I noticed Saber standing in the doorway.
"Saber… You're alive."
"Well, someone had to pull you out of there" Saber actually laughed a bit at my obvious observation. "Either we're both alive, or we're both dead. Personally, I'm hoping it's the former; would rather not have died again before achieving my goal."
"So, you're the one who saved me then… And the others?"
"They live, but they'll need time to rest and recover. Some… more so than others…"
The way Saber said that led me to believe that Johnathan was probably one of the worst off of our group.
…I mean, the guy's arm literally exploded with magical energy. I think? Regardless of what actually happened there, it can't have been a good thing. Or be easy to recover from...
"Ah, but really, it's Lancer you should be thanking. Were it not for him, you would be a pile of ash, and we wouldn't be speaking now."
"It was that bad, huh?"
"I was certain you were dead when I got back with you. So was Lancer and his master, but then…"
…Was Saber… fidgeting?
"Well, I wasn't around to see it; went right to my master's side as soon as I passed you over to those two. But from what Lancer told me… You had no pulse. Your skin was blistered and cracked all over; blood seeping out of you from basically everywhere. All the while, the flames were still burning. Real potent magecraft, that priest has. Haven't seen flames like that since Zhang Jiao."
"Flames to rival the 'General of Heaven'… You didn't catch fire also" I grinned slightly.
"You give Zhang Jiao too much credit: referring to him by the same title his followers did… And thankfully, no. But it felt like I was, the entire time I was carrying you. That was with holding you at arm's length, by the way."
"So then how am I still… well, here?"
"Lancer used his noble phantasm. Not that I was around to see it, but so I've been told. Apparently, his master didn't want to use a command spell for it either, which nearly put Lancer permanently out of commission."
"Took him out of the war, you mean?"
"Yes."
…Ah, the greed plays… I approve! Good work, Sortiara.
…But then, does that also mean I hadn't dreamt that? Lancer really did stab me? To save me, apparently? Then, if that hadn't been a dream, he really, really was the great Percival of Arthurian legend… Woo boy… He's going to be one tough opponent, for sure. Actually, they're all tough opponents, in their own right. Saladin, Liu Bei, Percival… Fuck my life…
"So, they're all sleeping now, then?"
"Miss Levesque and Lancer are, yes. Both of them severely needed it, and I don't believe either of them have woken up once yet since."
"And Johnathan?"
"Master is awake, but I've confined him to his bed for the time being. Not that he's pleased about it, but he hasn't tried to disobey the order. Yet…"
"Oh, laying down the law yourself now" I giggled. "Getting back into the swing of things, being an Emperor?"
"…You do realize I have yet to become Emperor in this form" Saber sighed.
"Yet you remember everything from your life?"
"Yes. Regardless of how we look or what form we take, Heroic Spirits remember the entirety of their lives."
"…So, you remember you become Emperor of Shu, and what you did as Emperor? Or… no… it's more like you're aware of your future, because as you are now, you've yet to actually do it yourself, in a way? …This… Huh… This is weird to think about."
"Imagine how us Heroic Spirits feel: having memories that we know are ours, yet don't feel like they belong to us. But we've gone off topic. For now, just rest. Trying to move will only make things worse, and I doubt Lancer will be pleased if you undo all he did to keep you alive."
"Understood. But, uh… you happen to know what time it is, Saber?"
"…Let me guess, your 'weapon'?"
"…Yeah… Kind of important to know."
"6:17 in the evening when I came and saw you trying to stand."
"…"
"…"
"…Day after-"
"Day after the fight, yes" Saber nodded. "You haven't slept through a whole day, which honestly surprises me. Didn't expect you to be the second one up, even if Lancer used a healing noble phantasm."
"…Was it really that bad?"
"As I said, you were dead. By the heavens, we all deemed you to be dead. I don't know if that means Lancer's noble phantasm can resurrect the dead, or if we were somehow wrong and you stubbornly clung to the last vestiges of life. But by all three of our accounts, you were a burning corpse, on the cusp of being turned to a pile of bloody cinders."
…Holy shit…
"…Then, it would appear I own my life to the both of you."
"I don't know where Lancer stands on the matter. Or his master. But I heard how you stepped into the line of fire. Saved both Lancer's master, as well as my own. Knowing that… consider us even."
Saber disappeared in an instant then. The wonders of spirit form. But, if what he said was true, and I had no real reason to doubt it was, then I wasn't in any major rush to get home and reset the timer. So long as I was up tomorrow morning and when back home, I'd be good.
So, I took Saber's advice and laid back down.
"…Now what" I quietly mused to myself, staring up at the ceiling.
I suppose sleeping would have been the go-to choice for many. Problem for me was that I never had any luck falling back asleep once I woke up; not till the end of the day, that is. Was never good with naps either, even as a kid. …Probably wasn't helped by the fact that, because I could function with only two hours of sleep, I saw sleeping more than that over a 24-hour period to be a waste of time.
"…Also lets me dodge the dreams… Last one was on what again? Something with the old team, I think...?"
I felt like I was forgetting something important. Not to do with the last dream I had, but with the present. But what was-
"Oh yes, before I misplace the thing."
Saber's voice coming out of nowhere snapped me back into focus. Walking around the couch, he placed a sword onto the table, just within arm's reach. My sword.
"When I pulled you out of the fight, you were cradling this like your life depended on it" Saber explained, turning to face me.
"How is it" I asked, quickly running over the sword with my eyes. "I'm no expert on sword quality, so I have no idea if it's been damaged, or cursed, or…"
"Far better shape than you, though I suppose that's not saying much. As far as I can tell there hasn't been a curse placed on it, but I'm no expert on magecraft."
"Could have fooled me with all the lightning zapping about" I smirked.
"Yes, well, that's the swords at work. Far more so than anything I myself contribute to the process, at any rate. As for your mysterious blade… well, I can tell it's magical, just like the masters could, but not in what way. Perhaps flame resistant, considering even the hilt's wrapping appears to be perfectly intact…"
Saber paused for a moment, glancing at the blade on the table.
"Well, whatever the case, it is very well made. Basic, perhaps, but very well made."
"And what wouldn't count as basic, compared to your twin thunder blades" I laughed slightly.
I wasn't expecting a serious answer, but Saber paused for another moment, apparently giving my comment some serious thought.
"…The Blue Blade, perhaps? Certainly not a flashy weapon, but-"
"Wait! Couldn't the Blue Blade cut through, like, basically any armor-"
"As if it didn't exist in the first place" Saber actually smiled slightly. "Yes, it could. As I said, it's not a flashy weapon; won't see lightning, or any other works of magic or magecraft, coming out of it. It's just a remarkably well-made blade, but also not one I'd consider basic by any means."
"Yeah, no kidding…" I sighed. "Considering what little I do know about noble phantasms, I can't imagine how such a blade wouldn't translate into one. I mean, surely that thing must count as a noble phantasm. Right?"
"…I would think so, yes…"
An awkward pause began to set in, and for the life of me I couldn't figure out why. I thought we had a good conversation going...
…Then it hit me.
"Hold on… Doesn't Zhao Yun end up in possession of the Blue Blade?"
"…He did come to own it, yes."
…Bruh…
I just stared blankly at Saber. Taking that fact in. Running wild with it. Imagining Zhao Yun as…
"Well…" I muttered, returning to staring up at the ceiling. "Damn…"
Doesn't that mean Johnathan could have summoned Zhao Yun as a Saber servant? Don't get me wrong, I was ecstatic about having been able to meet Liu Bei. Or… at least an aspect of him. Wow… right… this really was an aspect, at least, of the Liu Bei. Same thing for the other servants… Mind blowing shit; doubt it'll ever really, fully, sink in for me…
But as competent as Saber may be with his swords, Liu Bei wasn't exactly remembered as a warrior. More so as a leader. Or con man, if you're one of those people… A leader's real strength would lay in their army, not really their personal martial prowess. I don't recall seeing any signs of Saber being able to summon an army, last I checked the book. I'll have to check again, but… Well, fortunately Rider hasn't summoned a massive army either; only those assassins. But if I recall correctly… the book didn't have all his noble phantasms filled out. …Worrying thought, but best kept in mind, rather than ignored.
Back on track though! Zhao Yun, however, was a warrior. A really, really competent warrior. Arguably, he was nerfed in Romance of the Three Kingdoms, of all things; that's how much of a bad ass he was in life. Personally, I referred to him the 'Lancelot of the East'. Granted, I really only knew Three Kingdoms era history when it comes to China; mostly a roman guy. Maybe there was someone else more deserving of such a… call it a title for now… But still! If he was summoned, as a Saber, with the Blue Blade…
Holy fuck, that'd be metal! Even as a Lancer or something, without the Blue Blade, it'd still be metal! Imagine being able to see Zhao Yun in action…
A/N
Found some time between classes to get this up earlier in the day! Speaking of though... schedule looks heavy Monday - Wednesday, so while I will try to keep uploads moving regularly, if you see nothing go up Monday - Wednesday anymore, I blame school!
But damn, Nathan pulling through (by the skin of his teeth, based on the sound of things). Must be one hell of a Noble Phantasm Lancer has...
Now, as to whether or not Nathan had a "life before his eyes moment", as per the latest review... well, I'll leave that up in the air for now, I think. Perhaps he was dead and willed himself back to life, away from the light. Or perhaps he was merely unconscious, deep within the crevices of his mind. Who can say for sure?
…Or perhaps Lancer's NP really can resurrect the dead. Who's to say we can trust Nathan and his viewpoint of things? This is Longinus after all: The Bleeding Lance. While it is remembered nowadays as mostly a holy relic with healing properties, it was originally depicted as a cursed relic. Is resurrection a blessing, or a curse? Is it both, perhaps? Provided that's what happened at all, that is...
All will be made clear with time, and perhaps that time is soon. But alas, tis also not this post xD
Outside of that though... a bit of teasing with Zhao Yun here. I admit, originally I was actually planning on having Zhao Yun as the Lancer for this, and have Johnathan be the master of Lancer. Make Percival the Saber; back in his youth, just when he was starting his training to be a knight. Thing was... well, I already had Rider, Caster and Berserker set in stone, and really... when you think about it, who in the roster would be able to stand up to Zhao Yun?! The guy's a monster; I'm not lying when I say that, despite all his fame nowadays from Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Dynasty Warriors (which is based off RotK) and the like, he was legitimately nerfed in terms of what he does, when compared to actual history of the time period. And that's saying something, for those of you who have read RotK like I have... He really is Liu Bei's 'Lancelot'.
I do have plans to use him though, in what I plan on doing after this here is done. So for those who are disappointed by me not using him here, worry not... he'll get his moment xD
As always, thanks to everyone reading!