AN: And so comes CH13 folks. Kept you waiting huh? ;D Please read and review.
"Heh~" Roche muttered. "I'll admit, this is a really interesting to watch."
Within the confines of Roche and Caster's workshop, said Master and Servant duo were able to observe the ongoing event that took place in the castle garden thanks to the latter's abilities. At the moment, the King of Knights, Lancer, the King of Conquerors, and the Golden King were having a discussion with each other.
"Why don't you join them? I can easily handle things from here by myself."
"No, I think I'd feel bad about leaving you here alone." At this, Caster smiled before turning her attention back to the crystal ball floating in front of her.
If the Witch of Betrayal had anything to say about the Banquet that had occurred, it was that she felt somewhat left out. At the same time however, she felt that it would have also been a waste of time on her part since she had things to do.
"Master, about that thing I talked to you about..."
"Oh, wait, I'll get it!"
Turning around to look behind her, the hooded woman gazed at her current subject for the night as her master quickly ran up the stairs to the main room of their workshop.
Sieg, the homunculus that Rider had befriended, laid asleep upon a table with a white sheet over his body.
Two nights ago, she had summoned the Dragon of Colchis in order for Saber of Black to kill and take its heart. As it was merely a phantasmal beast that was summoned by a Servant, it would have eventually disappeared had it not been for her quick action. Being a magus from the Age of Gods taught her a good few tricks.
Thanks to that, the Witch of Betrayal now had a fresh dragon heart within her arsenal. Normally, it would have been useless to her in its current state, but with the presence of the young homunculi owned by Yggdmillennia, she now had options.
Believing that he was the best candidate to choose from due to his magic circuits being of high quality, Darnic had volunteered a homunculus that Rider of Black had befriended and named Sieg. As a homunculus who had only been recently created, his body and soul were still considered pure in essence. Transplanting the dragon heart into him should, in theory, go rather smoothly.
And it did actually. Thanks to Sieg's physiology, the aid of Saber of Black's Master and her own knowledge of magic surgery, the process was a smooth transition. Though Rider of Black had reservations regarding it, he decided to play along since so far there have yet been any signs of danger towards his friend.
'Such a softhearted fool that one is. Though I suppose softhearted fools are more likable than moronic fools...' She mused to herself.
After walking towards the stairs, Caster flicked her wrist. Quickly, a wall rose up and sealed away the room where the sleeping homunculi rested within.
Joining her Master upstairs, Roche came up to her with a piece of paper in his hands. Taking hold of it, perhaps now she could-
...!
All thoughts quickly disappeared from her mind as she looked up towards the ceiling as she felt the presence of a rather large entity coming their way. And from what she could sense, it was already very close in proximity towards the castle.
'What is this...?! Why didn't I sense it sooner?! I have to inform-'
"Wait, what is that...?"
Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard her Master's voice. Looking back towards her crystal ball, Caster's eyes widened in shock as she saw a gigantic flying fortress floating right above the castle.
Before Caster could even react, the castle began to shake rather violently, her crystal ball revealing the cause of which was that the fortress above them launched an enormous and powerful blast of pure mana at it. The Servant of Magic shielded herself and her Master from the stone material that began to fall from the ceiling as a result of the tremors.
When all was said and done, Caster returned her gaze towards her crystal ball.
'Did they make it...? I have to-'
Feeling another sensation come over her, Caster instinctively change the image being projected by the crystal ball in order to focus on another location within the castle premises. No sooner than she did it did the crystal ball began showing an image of the room where the Holy Grail was being held in.
"Isn't that Julian...?" Roche began in surprise.
Noting her Master's reaction, Caster saw for herself the boy known as Julian Ainsworth. Together with his Assassins, both were within the room with the latter creating what appeared to be a magic circle around the grail itself with the former instructing them. Just what on earth were they-
"...!?"
*CLANG*
Reacting as fast as she could, the hooded woman brought out her staff and used it to strike down the incoming projectile aimed at her Master's head. Seeing that he was safe, she glared as hard she could at the assailant.
"What's the meaning of this Assassin? You would dare attack my Master?!" She demanded as several Assassin Personas appeared before her with their weapons drawn.
She knew that Assassin had more than one of his personas nearby. It was one reason why she was able to react as fast as she could. But she didn't think that he would have so many of them watching over her. Presence Concealment truly was a troublesome skill.
"We do this under the order of our Master." One of them spoke. "And his order is for us to kill the both of you."
"Hmph, so you would dare betray us?"
The hooded sorceress half-expected this. Their Master alone was able to give off such a cold aura about himself that even she was wary of him. Add to Assassin's abilities, it was only a matter of time before he made a move. It looked like she was right in her assumptions.
"Betrayal is only applicable if the betrayer considered who they're betraying to have been their comrades." A second one stated with a smug tone. "In your case, we never did."
"However Caster, we are also here to make you an offer." A third one began. "Our orders may be to kill the both of you, but our Master has also offered an alternative."
"Oh? And that would be?" Caster asked.
"Kill your Master and join us willingly. Our Master and his allies have noted that as a magus from the Age of Gods, you would prove to be of great asset to their cause. You want it don't you? Considering your history, I believe you'd want to have a chance of another life. Our Masters can give you this as their goal is-"
"The salvation of humanity." The hooded woman finished for them. "Hmph, while honorable to a degree, I find myself laughing at anyone trying to attempt such a thing."
Gazing at Roche for a brief moment, she continued to speak.
"And under no circumstances will I bring harm to my Master. You all have some nerve to even suggest such a thing."
Even if she desired to have another chance at life, she had become rather fond of Roche, enough to ensure that she wouldn't betray him. She chuckled mentally to herself that perhaps she was being a tad softhearted, realizing that she now no longer had any real right to call Rider that herself.
"That's a shame then." The third Assassin replied.
"Perhaps," Caster shrugged. "Now then, begone from here."
"You think we go away simply because-"
*BOOM*
Before one of the Assassins had time to finish what he had to say, Caster raised her staff and quickly sent them flying across the room with a large blast of pure mana. It didn't kill him, but merely enough to silence him as Caster continued to speak.
"Oh my, did I hit someone?" The hooded woman giggled to herself. "Ah well, I suppose I should teach you fools what it means to take on a magus within their workshop. I believe it shall prove to be an entertaining way to pass the time. You lot should have just hid in the shadows, you may even stand a greater chance against me if so."
Levitating as she looked towards Roche, Caster spoke.
"Master, be sure to stay near my side alright?"
"R-Right!" The young redhead replied nervously. Admittedly, he had believed that Caster would have gone through with Assassin's offer. After revealing that she didn't, he couldn't help but feel ashamed at himself a little.
Smiling, she turned and faced the Assassins with a determined look on her face. Snapping her fingers, several golems came to life along with several dragon-tooth warriors sprouting from the ground beneath.
She'd need to inform the others about this, but first she needed to take care of the problem in front of her.
"Don't be foolish Caster, you truly believe you'd be able to take us on?"
"Indeed, your Presence Concealment Skill would make it difficult for me to keep track of where you lot are... but,"
*ZAP*
A bolt of lightning from Caster's fingertips suddenly struck an empty space on the wall, revealing the presence of yet another Assassin, who was now dead on the ground. Such an action only caused the other personas to go on the alert as the Servant of Magic continued speaking.
"However Assassin, I did not simply waste my time here in the Castle simply doing what I was told my Darnic and Lancer." She began. "After all, these alliances we've struck with each other are but fleeting escapades. It would've been only a matter of time before we each turned against ourselves. As such preparations had to be made."
Knowing the implications of such a statement, Medea's smile grew even more as she saw Assassin being visibly shaken by the reveal. She then posed one last question to the Servant of the Shadows.
"Well then gentlemen, is there any one of you willing to dance with this lady?"
FATE/MAGNUS BELLUM
ACT II
Chapter 13:
Battle for the Grail I
"LUMINOSITE ETERNELLE!"
Raising her flag high, a brilliant wave of light completely surrounded all those present at the garden, something which was the result of the combined effect of her Noble Phantasm and Lancer of Red's own.
On its own, her flag had the power to protect anything within its range. However, it had its limits, and she knew that she would not be able to withstand such an attack on her own. Knowing this, she called for Lancer of Red's aid.
Perhaps it was a stroke of luck or even the Lord's intervention that had allowed the Greek Hero to have been summoned with the ability to use his shield.
Akhilleus Kosmos, the Miniature World Enclosed by the Azure Sky. A Noble Phantasm that had the ability to protect all within the world. It was one of the mightiest defenses that could be conceived by mankind. However, its range was rather limited. To compensate for this, she decided to use it together with her own Noble Phantasm.
The young saint had no idea if it would work, all she had to go on was faith. And her faith has been rewarded more than once, didn't it?
As soon as they both deployed their Noble Phantasms, the barrier that formed around the group was bombarded by beams of light.
Thanks to the faith of the girl who allowed herself to be a martyr, and the shield of the invincible hero of Greece, the group found themselves being protected.
Explosions rang out as those present to witness the event could only look on in wonder. As dangerous as they were, there was beauty in the scenery caused by the barrier protecting them from the beams of light. The combined might of Jeanne's flag and Achilles' shield doing their work in isolating them completely from harm.
That said, it only protected them. The castle itself began to suffer from the deflected blasts as parts of it crumbled away in destruction.
Soon the assault began to die down, ending a short moment later. With that, the barrier went down as all turned their gazes towards the fortress in the sky.
"Bastards nearly got us..." Kairi muttered under his breath. So this was that Kotomine kid was up to with Assassin? He knew he should have just popped him when he had the chance.
The young saint decided to take a moment to herself. Though the burden was lessened thanks to Lancer of Red's aid, she still expended quite a bit of mana in using her Noble Phantasm. She would need to prevent herself from performing anything too strenuous for the time being. Thankfully, since she and Arthur received their mana directly from the grail itself, it would only be a short moment.
That said, there was a system in place that prevented them from taking too much energy. It was a fail safe designed to ensure that, should a Ruler-Class Servant go rogue themselves, there was still the chance for the participants taking them down.
Back to the matter at hand, its quite obvious who was responsible for the current events. Looking up, she was able to identify the fortress as the Noble Phantasm of Assassin of Red. She could feel the presence of several other Servants with her, but two of them in particular felt disturbing to the young saint.
The first felt familiar, and Jeanne highly suspected it to be Berserker of Red. She always felt that it was rather strange how easily the Servant of Madness was taken down by Lancer of Black, with no disrespect intended towards the latter. Taking into consideration the existence of the Class-Cards, the possibility of facing Berserker of Red didn't actually surprise her as much as it should have.
The second one however was different. It was unlike any sensation she had felt before, for no other Servant she had encountered had gave off the feeling she was having right now. She couldn't explain it, but she was sure that whoever it was, they were going to be threat.
Her thoughts were interrupted as she felt another familiar sensation coming up them from above. Deciding to look up, the blonde-haired maiden widened her eyes in realization.
"That's...!"
Directing their gazes at what the young saint was referring to, they all saw a familiar figure flying out from the fortress and headed straight for the group.
Said figure's vehicle of choice happened to be a black fighter jet, one that they were riding atop on. Wearing armor as dark as the night sky and covered in a strange mist, the newcomer bellowed a loud roar as he laid his eyes upon his targets.
The Knight of the Lake had begun his assault.
"Is that a harrier?! Where the hell did he get something like that?!" The mercenary demanded incredulously.
"No time to wonder about that, here he comes!" Iskander declared as everyone readied themselves.
"RAAAAAAAAAAGH!"
The Black Knight cried out, launching a barrage of missiles, far more than what a standard harrier could hold, aimed at the castle.
"Hmph, worthless pieces of metal."
With but a simple statement, the missiles in the air exploded as they found themselves being impaled by several blades and arrows. Looking to the source, they saw Chiron with his bow at the ready and Archer of Red with ten portals of light floating behind him.
"I was wondering when that mongrel would show his face to me again." The latter smirked as he began walking towards the edge of the garden, observing that Berserker had begun to circle around the castle after seeing his initial attack fail.
"How interesting..."
He had known about fighter jets thanks to the grail providing him with information, but this was the first time he had seen one in person. If the King of Heroes had to say anything the one the Black Knight was using, it would be that it was incredibly fast for something that looked so messy in comparison to the flying machines of his time. Though it didn't stop him from wondering how it would compare to said machines.
With that, Gilgamesh began smirking to himself.
"Very well then, I shall play with you on your terms. This should prove to be a most entertaining duel."
Seeing that the Golden King was full intent on taking on the Black Knight, Reines sighed and said one thing only.
"Archer, be sure to take his head alright?"
"Hah! As if I need a little girl to tell me that!" He laughed.
With that, the Golden King casually took a step forward off the ledge.
As soon as he did, a golden platform with emerald wing like attachments to it suddenly raised itself from where Archer fell.
"The hell is that...!?" Kairi couldn't help but question. The night was filled with strange shit, and he had feeling this wasn't the end of it.
Vimana took to the stage, with the Golden King smiling as he was seated upon the throne in its center. Looking above, he called out to Berserker as the flying ship began to spread out its wings.
"Now! Entertain me Black Knight!"
"RAAAAAAAAAGH!"
Several explosions rang out in the air as both individuals zipped through the air faster than the eye could see, the Golden King firing off volleys of his weaponry against the Black Knight who countered with flares and missiles of his own.
Everyone couldn't believe what was happening right now. Not only was the Black Knight flying a fighter jet, but Archer of Red had something in his arsenal that proved to be capable of matching the former in terms of speed.
"Haha! Goldie sure does have a lot of stuff within that treasury of his. First it was weapons, then furniture, then wine, and now that thing? I'm really tempted to take it from him now~" Iskander declared with a grin as he materialized his Servant attire onto himself.
"Now isn't the time for that!" Waver stated. "We need to...!"
Before he could finish, he found himself silenced as suddenly numerous flying Dragon-Tooth warriors, well within the thousands or even more if he had to count, flew out of the fortress and made their descent towards the castle.
"Rider, Berserker, please go!" Jeanne cried out as she turned to both pink-haired individuals who smiled in response.
"Alright then, we shall take to the skies~!"
"Ah! Don't leave me behind like that!"
Soon as they appeared, Astolfo took to the skies with his hippogriff followed by Elizabeth as she manifested her dragon wings.
"Then I suppose I should follow them as well shouldn't I?" Iskander said.
Taking out his sword, he slashed the empty space in front of him as lightning cackled and brought forth his chariot, Gordius Wheel. No matter how many times passed, seeing it and the divine bulls that pulled it was never a bore for the King of Conquerors.
"Boy, leave the skies to both us and Archer." He began, glancing at Chiron who nodded as he took aim. "With these numbers, I think we can all agree on one thing. These guys are here for the Holy Grail."
"That much is obvious." Vlad responded as he summoned his spear. "Do as you wish King of Conquerors, the rest of us shall defend this castle."
"Please be careful." Jeanne stated as she called everyone's attention. "The Rogue Faction is here in full force. Should you encounter one of their Servants, do not hesitate to use everything in your arsenal to defeat them with. As Miss Tohsaka stated, they'll only truly be defeated by destroying the cards that serve as their Spiritual Cores."
"Will do young saint, and best of luck to you as well! Hyah!"
Lightning cackled once more as Rider's chariot took to the sky, plowing through the dragon-tooth warriors that got in his way while the others that passed him landed upon the ground with their weapons at the ready.
"Time to have a little fun!"
"Hell yeah!"
Charging in, both Achilles, Cu Chulainn grinned wildly as they began taking on the army that stood in front of them, the duo soon being joined by the rest of their fellow Servants as they began to mow down their foes in droves.
"Bastards are just lining themselves up!"
Taking out his shotgun and handgun, Kairi began firing away at the Dragon-Tooth Warriors. Soon he was joined by his fellow Masters in the defense of the castle. Though they were nothing compared to their Servants, they still had their own worth in comparison to the puppets that began their assault.
All except Caules, Reines, and Ayaka, the trio of which stood behind two golems that protected them.
Seeing that he should lend a hand as well, Waver reached into his coat and took out what appeared to be a...
"Is that a maid figurine...?"
Caules couldn't help but ask as he saw what most definitely a small maid figurine, though strangely it looked to be completely metallic in appearance with the exception of the clothes it was wearing.
"You be quiet. Keep your focus on your surroundings." Waver called out.
*SLASH*
Before Caules could say something in response, he heard the sound of bones breaking right behind him.
Looking back, he saw Ruler and the gray-haired girl wearing the black cloak standing there with a large scythe hefted on her shoulder. The remains of several Dragon-Tooth Warriors surrounding her.
"Now is not the time to be distracted." Jeanne spoke.
"Be alert." Gray quietly added.
"R-Right!"
"Gray, you and Shishigou be sure to keep him, Reines, and that girl Ayaka safe."
"Yes." Gray replied with a bow, the action of which resulted in her nearly hitting Caules with her scythe as the young man comically avoided it.
Waver had faith that Reines would be able to perform the task well. Ever since he took her on as an apprentice, the girl had been nothing short of performing well in whatever she was tasked with. And she was no stranger to combat either.
Turning his attention back to the figurine in his hands, Waver gently laid it down upon the ground spoke.
"Fervor, mei sanguis."
With that, the figurine suddenly began to shape shift into larger form. Its appearance was still that of that a young woman, but its hands and hair were turned into blades.
Volumen Hydrargyrum: Marrow of the Moon Spirit. The Mystic Code of the late Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, Waver's predecessor and former professor at the Clock Tower. Anything related to him brought nothing but bad memories to the long-haired man, which was why he always insisted that people refer to him as "El-Melloi II".
That said, Kayneth was someone of great talent, Volumen Hydrargyrum being a prime example of his legacy. Though when Waver got his hands on it, he decided to modify its appearance and abilities somewhat since he felt that the initial form was rather lacking.
As a result, it went from being a simple blob of mercury that could only follow basic commands into a maid golem that could perform a wider range of tasks. It usually served Reines when it wasn't with him, with the young head of the Archibald family having given it a new name as well. It also ended up developing something of a personality of its own thanks to having watched a certain movie about robots from the future.
As such, it ended up only responding when spoken to in a certain way. What was the command for eliminating the enemy?
"Trimmau, terminate them."
"Acknowledged."
Charging ahead, Trimmau dived into the chaos as it began destroying every single dragon-tooth warrior in its path.
"You will not take this castle!"
With a flick of her wrist, Fiore's mystic code activated as she was lifted off the ground. Raising two of its legs, balls of light began forming at their tips before erupting into a consecutive number of energy blasts.
"Whoa, the kid already managed to fix that thing. Better watch out." Kairi muttered in wonder as he stared at Caules, Reines, and Ayaka. "Like El-Melloi said, you three get behind Gray and Ruler. Right now, you're all liabilities since none of you can even fight that well."
Thanks to the their last meeting, the mercenary knew that Caules' combat abilities were below average when compared to the rest of his family. Reines being a pampered noble wouldn't have much experience in fighting either, and he could tell at a glance that the Tohsaka girl wasn't going to be any better considering that she was shaking in her boots.
"I'd normally take offense to that. But considering the situation, I'll allow it to pass." Reines stated with a huff, knowing better than to argue as did her two current colleagues.
"...!"
Stabbing his spear into the ground, several hundred stakes rose up from the earth and stabbed all enemies that surrounded Vlad. It was a futile gesture on part of his enemies
No sooner than when he did this did several flying warriors came from above weapons at the ready.
*SLASH*
Siegfried leaped into the air as he took down said enemies with a single swing from his sword.
Landing just as quickly, the Servant of Black found himself surrounded and being attacked on all fronts. Readying himself, Siegfried prepared to strike...
*SLASH* *SLASH*
Not that it mattered as Arthur and Mordred dispatched them together, the two blondes simply opting to give a silent look to one another before turning their gazes towards the invincible dragon-slayer.
"I thank you for your assistance, but it was not needed."
Turning his back, he once again swung his sword and struck down several incoming foes.
"Well, we are allies after all. Whether or not you'd need it doesn't really matter does it?" Arthur stated in response as he too swung his sword and took down another pair that came upon them.
As far as he knew, the Dragon-Tooth Warriors that they were fighting right now were slightly above in quality towards the ones that the Black Faction pulled out during their first battle against the Red Faction. The major difference being that their current opponents had the ability to fly and were far and beyond the thousands. He had to admit, he was slightly impressed with the numbers they were facing.
"Hmph! Don't apply that logic to me." Mordred commented as she destroyed another and stood back to back with both her father and Siegfried. "I'm just making sure that you realize that I won't allow myself to be outdone by you. Our last encounter still proves to be a bitter memory to me. When the time comes, I'll be taking your head for myself!"
Siegfried glanced at Mordred for a good few moments before smiling in recognition. Not long afterwards, the Saber trio began their assault.
*SHNNK*
Striking down another enemy, Vlad was about to continue with the rest when suddenly several dozen golems and dragon-tooth warriors appeared within the garden. Immediately, he was able to tell that it was Caster of Black's handiwork when he saw them engaging the enemy. He then began speaking aloud.
"Caster, it's about time you decided to join us in-What was that!?"
Suddenly, Vlad began to shout into the sky as the others briefly glanced at him.
"They would dare to turn on us...!?"
"My lord, what has happened?" Darnic inquired.
"Julian and Assassin have turned against us!" He revealed. "Caster is doing her best in protecting Roche against Assassin, but the boy himself is up to something within the room where the greater grail is located at!"
Hearing that, the Masters of Black, most especially Darnic, froze up in shock themselves. One of their own had betrayed them? The latter had been the most surprised of all should one care to look at his face before it turned into one of pure rage.
Julian was betraying him of all people!?
"Assassin...? I thought Archer had killed him off already." Reines muttered in surprise.
"Clearly we were mistaken." Waver commented in response, the same reaction which both Gray and Kairi shared as well.
Quickly realizing the situation, Darnic called out to both the young saint and the King of Knights, blasting away a dragon-tooth warrior that came close.
"Ruler! Part of your duty is to administrate punishment on those would dare go against the established rules of the Grail War is it not?" He inquired before continuing. "Then go and fulfill that duty! You should also take the King of Knights and his child with you just in case. The rest of us can handle things here."
"What?! Who are you to-" Mordred began in outrage.
"Save it for later! Right now, just do what the man says!" Kairi interrupted as the blonde-haired knight frowned in distaste.
Jeanne wanted to say something in response, but found logic within Lancer of Black's words to her. Looking towards Arthur, she saw him nod in agreement as well. For now, they had to make sure that the grail was safe and secure from their enemies reach.
"I understand... May the lord favor you all in this battle!"
Soon afterwards, the three Servants left and headed inside the castle followed by the Masters of Black and Red. Clicking her tongue once more, Mordred relented and followed the group herself as cast one last look at what she believed would have been an entertaining battle.
"Well then, I suppose it's time for me to get serious to compensate for their absence."
Smirking, Vlad once more stabbed his spear into the ground.
*SHNNK*
With that, every single dragon-tooth warrior within the reach found themselves being impaled and destroyed simultaneously. Looking back towards their fellow Lancer-Class Servant, both Achilles and Cu Chulainn had one thing to say.
"Show off."
Vlad merely ignored their comments. In in the end, it didn't really matter did it? He and the others then felt the presence of three powerful beings above them. Looking above, he smirked as he saw the Rogue Servants falling from the sky before landing on the terrain within the garden.
The first was someone recognized by both Gordes and Siegfried. With hair and skin white as snow wearing strange golden armor that had a cape made of up of flames, Karna stood unfazed by the looks being directed at him by his foes.
The other was the Rogue Rider that help saved the Black Knight the other night. Currently, he was wielding a scythe with a long grip that had a red cloth tied around it.
It was the third person that was a familiar face, to both Vlad and the rest, the former merely smirking as he once more came face-to-face with the last opponent he had fought since the Holy Grail War began.
"Berserker of Red."
"RAAAAGH!"
"This must be Julian's handiwork...!" Darnic muttered, remembering that Julian had interfered during the fight between Lancer and Berserker the other night.
"I guess this confirms that kid of yours is working with ours. Tch, teenagers...!" Kairi muttered with a slight smirk.
"It does not matter." Vlad interrupted. "Saber! Lancer!"
Siegfried quickly came to the side of his ally as he stood gazed upon the Rogue Lancer. He had seen a portion of what he could do during the first night, but now it seems he had the chance to see more. Karna held the same thoughts, wondering if Saber of Black would be able to put up a good fight against him. Now was their chance to find out.
On the other hand...
"Yeah?!" Both spearsman currently engaging the enemy ground forces called out, causing a silent yet incredulous reaction from their counterpart.
"He meant ours!" Kairi called out as Cu Chulainn shrugged while Achilles grinned and went towards his current allies.
"That's going to be a little confusing." Ayaka muttered. Maybe she should just call Lancer by his real name? No, no, there was a chance of that backfiring on her in the future even if she was neutral.
Standing together, the three Knight Class Servants stood together as they faced down the rogue trio.
"Now then, let's begin!"
*CLANG*
"Lancer, Rider, and Berserker have just engaged the enemy."
Atop the floating fortress, both Shirou and Semiramis watched the ensuing chaos unfold, the latter in particular using a crystal ball to more closely observe the ongoing battle that went on beneath them.
"I see." The young man crossed his arms momentarily in thought before replying. "Atalanta, Robin Hood, provide them them covering fire if you would."
"Easier said than done."
Standing at two different points that gave them each a full view of the castle and the battle taking place within the area were Robin Hood and Atalanta, the former chewing on a small snack as he heard their leader speak through telepathy.
Seriously, a few moments after summoning and he was already being thrown into a battle like this? With the fact that he still had little to no idea just who the hell they were fighting as well the fact that he barely knew his allies as well. Just what did he do to piss off God so much that he found himself in his current predicament?
"Ah well, might as well get to work." He spoke, readying his crossbow. Before doing so, the rogue archer suddenly began smiling to himself as he called out to his ally using the telepathic link established by Assassin.
"Hey kitty, wanna have a little contest to see who can take down one of those guys first?"
"Don't you dare call me by that ridiculous name!" Atalanta demanded.
She was irritated by the fact that her ally retained his tendency to be annoying. Really now, just why did she have to get paired with him of all people?
Pulling back the bowstring of her weapon, several arrows manifested in the middle as the Chaste Huntress focused her sights upon the flying creature within the sky being rode upon by a certain pink haired warrior.
With a burst, the arrows flew and made their way towards the young paladin.
"Hah...!"
Astolfo charged the flying dragon-tooth warriors with his lance. There was an incredible amount of them, and combined with the fact that he had to dodge numerous blasts of magical energy aimed at him, the young paladin found himself in quite a pickle.
Luckily, there was a pause between the attacks, long enough to give him and the others some breathing space and collect their thoughts.
However, it didn't mean they could get close as they found themselves surrounded by numerous flying Dragon-Tooth Warriors. Really, there was just so many of them! Was this what the Red Faction felt when they had to go fight against their forces that night?
That said, he wasn't so much in danger so much as he found it a chore to be fighting so many. When the pinkette momentarily took a chance to observe his comrades, he noticed that they weren't troubled as much either. In fact, Berserker was doing fine on her own as she dodged and flew throughout the sky, most likely due to the fact that she was a smaller target compared to both the young paladin and the King of Conquerors.
"Ahahaha~! You're going to have to do a lot better than that you pigs~!"
Speaking of which, the latter was grinning wildly as he spurred his chariot onward, smashing away any foes in his path, while another who stood behind him, a warrior with a bow and arrow, shot down any opponent he could find.
'Wait a minute, where did that one come from...?'
Last he had known, the Red Faction only had Saber, Lancer, Archer, and Rider with them since Berserker of Red was killed by Lancer and both Caster and Assassin of Red had betrayed them along with one of their own. Yet, now there was another person together with the King of Conquerors and said person was clearly Servant as well as far as he could tell. Just how and when did he appear?
Before he could get his answer, an arrow flew directly at the pinkette's face.
"Gah...!"
Narrowly avoiding being struck in the head, the young paladin spurred the hippogriff into diving as he found himself being assaulted by a barrage of arrows.
Looking towards the source, he saw a woman with unusual colored hair aiming a bow at him while standing atop one of the fortresses' towers. He noted that what was most unusual about her was that she had what looked to be animal ears and a tail.
"Heh~! I guess she must be the one Ruler talked about earlier!"
Astolfo flew up and down as he and his mount dodged incoming barrages of arrows. Nearly all the shots aimed at them were near hits, it was astounding that the female archer could aim and shoot at him so accurately, but he supposed he should've expected that of the Archer-Class, most especially the Chaste Huntress of Arcadia herself.
"Come my friend! We shall engage the enemy!"
The young paladin spurred on his mount, the two diving towards their foe.
"Our dear Huntress has engaged Rider of Black." Semiramis stated.
"I see. Well, I have confidence in her ability to fight him off." Shirou replied. "What about Rider of Red and Berserker of Black?"
"They're trying to breakthrough our defenses, but have no such luck for now." The Assyrian Queen replied. "And as for our friends down below, they're keeping at bay the rest of the Red and Black Faction. Truly, it was fortunate that you were able to gather the catalysts needed to summon such heroes."
"That would only really apply to Lancer." The young priest shook his head. It looks like spending years of his life searching the globe for catalysts wasn't wasted after all. With the forces he had gathered, he was sure that even with Archer of Red's presence, the Red and Black Faction would find it difficult to oppose them.
Speaking of which, there was the matter of the remaining Class-Cards.
With the resources they had left, their group still had the ability to summon at least one more Servant using one of the cards. That said, the only catalysts that were left was a broken European broadsword and a Chinese spear whose blade had been quite rusted up. Thanks to not knowing who would be connected to such items, having acquired them through less than reliable sources, Shirou wasn't confident in their ability to summon a powerful Servant.
The young priest then shook his head, deciding that it wasn't time to think of such matters as he had to focus on the battle at hand.
"At any rate, what about Ruler and Saber? Do you have an idea of their locations?"
"No. As far as I can tell, they're not taking part in the conflict outside." The raven-haired beauty replied before pausing. "Oh, wait. Assassin just reported in. It seems like she, Saber, and Saber of Red are making their way towards the greater grail's chamber."
"I see." Given the current situation, it should've been obvious what Ruler was going to do from the moment the battle began.
With that, Shirou turned to leave as the raven-haired beauty began to smile at his retreating form.
"Oh? Finally taking to the battlefield yourself Master?" She said.
Smirking, the white-haired young man merely turned his head as he replied.
"Of course. It's about time I took matters into my own hands after all. I leave operations of this battle to you then Assassin."
"Yes, yes, you may count on me."
Standing in the center of the room, Shirou signaled his Servant as the Assyrian Queen flicked her wrist.
A magic circle glowed where the young man stood, shining brightly as light briefly enveloped the entire room.
As soon as it died down, Shirou was gone.
"Hey Ruler!"
Running through the hallways of the castle making their way towards the castle, the Knight of Treachery called out to the young Saint of Orleans.
"What is it?"
"Can't you just use a Command Spell to just order Assassin to commit suicide?" Mordred asked. "The same goes for that hag that owns that fortress!"
Indeed, with Jeanne's special privilege as Ruler, she would've been able to do such a thing. It would've simplified the situation of she would simply order Assassin of Red and Assassin of Black to take their own life, greatly reducing the fighting strength of the Rogue Faction.
However, there was one problem with such an idea...
"Think about it for a moment." Arthur spoke up as the red knight looked towards him. "While my Master does indeed have Command Spells, so does the enemy Masters. Until we're certain that they can't counteract any order with a Command Spell of their own, we can't afford to waste any so carelessly."
Mordred frowned as her father finished saying his piece. She'd hate to admit it, but he was right.
*BOOM*
Stopping in their tracks, the trio looked to see the floor in front of them break apart as a blast of mana erupted from beneath it.
As soon as the dust began to clear, several figures appeared from within the newly formed hole, one of which was a hooded woman carrying a child in one arm while holding a staff with the other. As she landed on the floor, several figures in black wearing skull masks appeared as well.
"Caster of Black!" Jeanne quickly identified the former and the boy in her hands as her Master.
"Ah, so you're Ruler?" The Servant of Magic spoke with a tone of curiosity. "My apologies, but I'm quite busy at the moment. Perhaps you could lend me your aid?"
"Hmph! As if their presence would aid you now Caster." One of the Assassins arrogantly called out.
With that said, the numerous Assassins disappeared into darkness as the group quickly went on alert. All except Jeanne that is, the blonde-haired maiden having a calm expression on her face as she spoke to the others.
"Dammit, they all have Presence Concealment?" Mordred muttered to herself in grimace. With such a skill and proper use of it, one Assassin was hard enough to deal with. But one that could manifest as multiple individuals? What kind of joke is that?
"Everyone, please listen to my commands for now."
Her thoughts were interrupted when Jeanne called out to the group.
"What?! Why should I even-?!" Mordred began.
"Just listen and you'll find out!" Arthur reprimanded as the former glared at him.
"You'd really follow her orders just like that? Where has your pride gone father!"
She found it mildly insulting that her father would so easily obey the orders of a girl who was clearly even far less skilled than Mordred was as a warrior. Her father, the proud of King of Knights, now reduced to this? What nonsense!
Before she could say anything else, Jeanne shouted.
"Arthur, Mordred, behind you!"
*SLASH*
"Gargh...!"
Within the span of a moment, two of the Assassins went down as the two knights struck them down.
"To your left Mordred!
*SLASH*
The Knight of Treachery simply began smirking as she successfully severed the head of one of their opponents.
"Arthur, above!"
*STAB*
Doing as he was told, Arthur saw Assassin of Black materialize as he raised Excalibur, impaling the Servant of the Shadows and killing him instantly.
"Tch! So it was true that Ruler could sense our presence!" One of them cursed as they materialized. There was no point in remaining in spirit form if Ruler could just sense their presence anyway. So much for their Presence Concealment skill.
"..."
Mordred momentarily glanced at Ruler. She hadn't known about that, so that's why her father decided to listen to Ruler.
Still, it didn't sit right for her to see her father subservient to another even if it was the mediator of the Holy Grail War. Then again, perhaps she wasn't one to judge considering that she didn't really mind following her own Master all that much.
"Will you yield Assassin?"
Stepping forward, Jeanne drew her sword and pointed it towards the Servant of the Shadows.
"Hah! You must joking." One of them spoke out with a deep voice. "You underestimate us Ruler. You think we'd be deterred so easily?"
"No, but with our combined strength, even you with all your personas cannot win against us Hassan-I-Sabbah, or perhaps I would better off saying the name of the nineteenth person to uphold the name of the legendary assassin...?"
"Enough!" Another called out, anger tinting his voice. "We are all Hassan! Nothing more, nothing less! You'd do well to remember that girl!"
"Well then I ask you again Hassan-I-Sabbah. Will you yield?" The young saint calmly replied.
"Why are you even bothering to ask? Let's just kill them and be done with their troublesome presence." Mordred spoke up as stepped forward with Clarent at the ready. Such an action only caused some of the Hassans to flinch.
"Violence isn't always the solution." Jeanne replied. If she could, she wanted to ask Assassin of Black about the Rogue Faction.
"Perhaps, but I'm inclined to agree with Mordred." Arthur added as he raised Excalibur as well. "I speak from personal experience when I say this. You can never be too careful against those who like to strike from the shadows."
Jeanne didn't know if Arthur was actually referring to the Assassin-Class Servant of Holy Grail War he had last fought in, or if it was during his own lifetime as King. Perhaps he was referring to both at the same time.
"As if we'd ever choose to sur-"
Before one of the Hassans could finish speaking, his head suddenly exploding within a brief flash of light.
"Ah, so you choose to fight then? Very well, but I'm afraid we're short on time." Caster of Black began, her staff raised. "Ruler, Julian Ainsworth is just further below. Go on ahead and take that hole there as a shortcut. I can keep these miserable traitors at bay by myself."
"Calling as miserable traitors? Hah! Such words from the Witch of Betrayal herself!"
One of the Hassans laughed, causing Medea to smile as several magic circles and formulas appeared floating beside her. To top it off, several dragon-tooth warriors stood in front of the Servant of Magic.
"Oh? To hear that dreadful sounding title spoken in my presence... You truly wish to die don't you Assassin?"
Before any response could heard or even said, Medea went on with her assault.
As much as Jeanne wanted to aid her, there were more pressing matters. Silently wishing Caster good luck, she motioned for Arthur and Mordred to follow her as they leaped into the hole where Caster had emerged together.
*BOOM*
"Hahahaha! Now this truly is most entertaining battle Black Knight!"
The skies was filled with numerous explosions as both Archer of Red and Berserker fought with one another. To say that it looked like something straight out of an aerial battle between fighter jets wouldn't have been an exaggeration, especially since one of them actually flying a fighter jet.
"RAAAAAAAAAAGH!"
The Black Knight roared as fired off another salvo of missiles from behind the Golden King.
Smirking at this, Gilgamesh made the Vimana take a dive as the barrage followed him. He kept the act up until he reached ground level at the side of a mountain. At which, the Golden King quickly pulled up before he crashed whereas the missiles where unable to and exploded upon contact.
Quickly scanning the area, he found his foe maintaining distance.
"What's with this cowardly tactic? Come face me!"
Darting towards his location, Vimana quickly closed the distance between the two just as Berserker turned about to face them.
Ten portals opened up alongside the flying throne. With a flick of his wrist, ten weapons shot out and heading directly towards the Black Knight.
*TATATATATATATATATATATATA*
Machine guns began blasting away whatever they could hit. Seeing it in action, Gilgamesh merely smirked once more as several shields came out of the portals and floated right in front of Vimana, shielding him from the attack. The two fighters passed each other by as the red-eyed blonde spoke.
"You'll have to do better than that Black Knight, it would be rather disappointing if hit and run tactics are all that you could manage in this situation."
As if having heard Archer's statement, Berserker quickly used the thrusters to stop in place and turn about much faster before giving chase. Now that he was much closer towards the Golden King, Berserker unleashed another salvo of machine gun blasts at the latter's flying throne as it began to fly erratically in order to dodge.
"Hahahaha! Not bad!"
Truth be told, he could've easily protected himself once more using any of his treasures. But, where was the fun in that? His current battle was by far the most entertainment he had experience since his summoning. It definitely made up from his inability to participate in the last assault thanks to Lancer defeating him in that wretched game.
And if he had to think about it, this was a rare occasion where he had to use Vimana in such a way. Thus, he had to savor the moment didn't he?
*BOOM*
Gilgamesh then began his counter-assault as he aimed his treasury behind him, firing off weapons that either missed or were shot down by the Black Knight through the use of his craft's machine guns.
"Yes, yes! Show me more Black Knight!"
Within the castle gardens...
"Hahaha!"
Charging straight at Karna, Achilles came in swinging like a madman with a smirk on his face.
*CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG*
Each attack was met blow per blow. This was the first time he had actually encountered someone who was capable of matching in such a way. Not only was the white-haired servant capable of keeping up with in both speed and strength, but he was also able to bypass his invincibility. As such, Achilles couldn't help but give off an ecstatic smile.
"Come on, come on, come on!"
As the two invincible heroes traded blows with one another, the force of their attacks were so strong that began to destroy their surroundings just with the air pressure alone. For the Masters who witnessed the event, they could barely keep up with what was happening. So fast were their movements that it felt like they weren't actually moving at all.
*CLANG* *CLANG*
Karna smiled as he continued to trade blows with his fellow Lancer Servant. If he could, he would've quite enjoyed the prospect of facing the Hero of Troy in true one-on-one battle with nothing else to bother them both. However, he didn't have that luxury. His current task was to hold off their enemies while Julian and his Assassins retrieved the grail. As such, he believed it most appropriate to unleash his true weapon.
Their weapons clashed once more, the green-haired spearsman smirking as he glared directly into his foe's eyes.
"Whoa!"
A burst of flames quickly made Achilles jump back as the golden spear that his opponent wielded was enveloped in them. The flames quickly grew in shape, and soon enough dispersed, revealing an entirely different weapon in its place.
Whatever the hell it was, the Hero of Troy couldn't help but feel a sense of dread and excitement at seeing the overly large spear. Perhaps now he should bring out his shield too?
"Haha! Looks like I really can't afford to hold back on you!"
"Agreed, shall we continue?"
Atop the castle buildings...
Another pair of heroes fought it out. Whoever Rider was, he was indeed someone of renown if he could keep pace with the likes of the dragon-slayer Siegfried. The sickle like spear in his hands was being put to good use, and he was moving incredibly fast as well. Almost as though he was even touching the ground.
"...!"
Siegfried felt something off and quickly avoided an incoming strike at his head. Said attack managed to leave a cut on his cheek however...
Placing a two fingers upon the wound, the Servant of the Sword quickly deduced that the weapon his opponent wielded had the ability to nullify magical defenses. And seeing as how the Armor of Fafnir could be considered as such, it meant that he was as defenseless as anyone else should he allow Rider to even strike him.
However, such a thought brought a smile to Siegfried's face. Even though his opponent could wound him, if he dodged, then there wouldn't have been any problems right?
*CLANG*
The dragon-slayer swung Balmung in an overhead strike, his opponent parrying the attack as the former flinched. The latter quickly appeared behind him, but Siegfried reacted fast enough that his sword sheath sufficed enough to block another strike from the masked Servant.
In the front courtyard...
"KAZIKLI BEY!"
Hundreds of spears and stakes rose from the ground only to be cut down by Berserker, the latter of which quickly closed the distance between them forcing Vlad to actually counter him with close-combat.
Unlike last time, the mad Servant was fighting differently. Vlad could tell that his attacks now had more precision to them. As such, Berserker was even deadlier than before. Did the Rogue Faction do something to make this possible?
"RAAAAGH!"
Berserker's halberd quickly transformed into a bow, and with it, a surge of power began to gather as the Lord Impaler realized what was about to happen.
"Tch!"
Vlad leaped a fair distance away from Berserker before stabbing his spear into the earth.
There, thousands of spears and stakes rose from the ground and quickly formed a shield around the Servant of the Spear.
*BOOM*
"Tch, so they've managed to reach us?"
Turning around, Julian frowned as he saw Jeanne, Arthur, and Mordred.
On cue, several Assassins manifested beside their Master who stood in front of the Greater Grail. The former trio raised their weapons, ready for combat should the situation escalate to that point.
"So you're the Master of Assassin?" Mordred commented as she looked over the young man. She had seen him earlier before when they first arrived at the castle. Even back then, she felt a rather nasty vibe coming from someone who looked rather ordinary. Perhaps it was the perpetual glare that he had that caused such a feeling.
Said look also made her feel half-tempted to just strike him down on the spot. But with Ruler here, she knew that she would have to wait as the latter wanted to speak first before taking any action, something that her father supported much to her chagrin.
"Master of Assassin, I ask that you stop what you're doing now!"
"And what exactly am I doing wrong?" Julian asked. "As far as I'm concerned, I am well within my rights to do as I please. After all, war has no rules."
"Even so, there's still a proper code of conduct one must conform themselves to in order to prevent even worse crimes from being committed." The young saint replied. "And by working together with the Rogue Servants, you have deemed yourself an enemy to the order of the Holy Grail War."
"Order of the Holy Grail War? Don't make me laugh." The young man scoffed as focused his attention back towards the grail and extended a hand towards it. "As much as I would like to discuss philosophy with a saint, I have more pressing issues to attend to."
"Bastard, don't treat us like we're nothing dammit!"
Clarent began glow with red lightning. Screw what Ruler was trying to do. As far as Mordred was concerned, the Assassin's Master was an enemy, and he dared to insult the group, specifically her, by turning his back on them. As such, he needed to die.
"Ah, wait!"
*THUMP*
Jeanne stopped in her tracks as she felt a strange sensation come over her. It felt familiar, and she was able to recognize it as such because she remembered first feeling it that night. As soon as she realized this, magical energy suddenly began to gather at the corner of the room, halting what Mordred was about to do due to wondering what was happening.
Julian saw said event and clicked his tongue.
"Hmph, so he decides to join now of all times?"
Within a brief second, light enveloped the room. As soon as it began to die down, a person now at the center of where the event had begun.
Said person was a tan-skinned young man with white hair. He wore black priest clothes together with a red cape, a cross hanging from his neck. A smirk was visible on his face as he gazed at Jeanne, the young saint herself widening her eyes in shock as she was able to identify him on the spot.
"I believe this is the first time we've actually met, hasn't it Ruler?" He said as Jeanne was still caught up in her thoughts.
Was this the true reason as to why she was summoned by the grail? If so, then perhaps this was the reason why she had been plagued with irregularities such as the need for a physical body. But right now, that wasn't what was really catching her attention at the moment, for it was something else as she gazed at Arthur and confirmed her thoughts.
"You're...!"
The white knight couldn't help but react in shock as well. Why wouldn't he? For at the moment, he was being confronted by the existence of someone who shouldn't be there.
"Oh, so you remember me?" Shirou spoke as the smiling look on his face was replaced with one of honest surprise. "I suppose that saves me the trouble of introducing myself to you again after all these years. Quite convenient wouldn't you agree, King of Knights?"
"But how is this even possible?! How could you have survived after all this time?!" Arthur demanded. If he was still alive, then where did that leave that abomination?!
"Call it a blessing I suppose. Perhaps God himself is on my side and wishes for me to succeed?"
"Wait a minute, what the hell is going on!?" Mordred spoke up. Now she was honestly confused. Just was the newcomer? And why did her father react with such shock? That said, the priest managed to set off a few alarms within her. There was something about him that seemed off for some reason, but she couldn't tell why.
Before she could get any further answers, Jeanne stepped forward with her sword drawn and aimed directly at the white-haired priest.
"Now I see, so you really are the Ruler-Class Servant from the last original grail war over sixty years ago."
Blinking several times, it took a good few moments before Ruler's statement about her father taking part in a past grail war had registered itself within Mordred's mind. The red knight then proceeded to stare back and forth between the men, realizing that it was true thanks to their expressions.
"Ah, I see Saber has told you about that has he?"
"Amakusa Shirou Tokisada..."
Jeanne quietly spoke out the name of the hero who led the failed Shimabara Rebellion. A teen genius who was revered by Japanese Catholics as a Saint, though the Church itself has yet to recognize the young hero as such.
"That is not a name I heard spoken in such a long time." Shirou stated in response. "It brings up both nostalgic and painful memories if I do say so myself."
"Now it all makes sense, no wonder what Ayaka said that time felt so familiar." Arthur muttered to himself. However, Shirou heard his and smiled at him.
"I see, so that girl really did tell you everything she knew." He said with a hand under his chin. "Let me guess, she thinks I'm going to use the grail to brainwash humanity, doesn't she? Don't misunderstand, I believe Ayaka was mistaken in her belief of what I seek from the grail."
The white knight merely narrowed his eyes as he began to glare at the white-haired hero. From just a brief exchange of words, and he could already tell that the man standing in front of him hadn't at all changed all that much after all these years.
If so, then Arthur already knew what to expect.
'Be careful around him Jeanne, he's not one to be taken lightly.' He warned the young saint, who merely nodded her head slightly at this. Deciding in wanting to know more, she began to speak.
"Then enlighten us. Just what exactly do desire from the grail?"
Shirou merely smirked at Jeanne's question. Taking a moment, he then replied.
"My desire is simple really. It's nothing more than the elimination of Angra Mainyu, the source of all evils in this world."
Just outside of the front courtyard, beyond the gate where the Black Faction stood there ground and defended the castle from the Red Faction a few nights before, stood a young girl with blonde hair. Walking towards it, she began to smile. Speaking her thoughts aloud to herself.
"Ehehehe~! Now then, I wonder where Saber is~?"
Wondering where her darling prince could be, Sajyou Manaka decided to explore for now.
Atop a cliff overlooking the castle, a strange looking creature that resembled a cross between a dog and rabbit came upon the battle. Its fur was white as snow, somewhat curly int its appearance, and tied around its neck was a red ribbon and a small blue capelet. It sat there quietly, having decided to observe the young girl as she made her way into the complex.
The night had just begun...
END
Author's Note:
And so ends CH13. It's at least 6000 words shorter than the last one, but CH12 was basically two chapters for the price of one. I know that parts of this chapter will come off as rushed such as the fights between the factions, but I'm not one for overly long fight scenes between individuals, mostly because I'm not good enough to write long scenes and because I want to save said scenes for the later parts. If this chapter does come off as a jumbled mess, don't worry, I'll fix/improve on it as I always do in case some of you didn't notice that some of the previous chapters are being updated from time to time in their dialogue and text, which should result in a better flow for the story.
In regards to Medea in FMB. I've noticed that the former is actually not all that bad taking into account every entry about he throughout the franchise. Her actions in FSN being the result of her as a desperate person who really wanted her wish to come true. In FMB, she was summoned by a child who treats her far better than her dickhead master in FSN, and she has allies to make things easier for her. As a result, this version that I wrote is more friendly and cordial. It was the only conclusion I could come to.
For those who asked me questions last time, here's my answers to some. I said before I wouldn't be answering any more guest users, but you know what? I'm too much of nice guy to just up and ignore people, mostly when they pose questions that are actually worth answering.
Orpheus: Named it Magnus Bellum because it stands for Great (Magnus) War (Bellum) in Latin. I didn't add Arjuna because I said before I didn't want to include any Servants who were introduced in Fate/Grand Order first specifically. Take a look at my roster of Servants, and you'll see that all of them were first introduced elsewhere. That said, considering that I'm pondering the idea of FGO-esque sequel to FMB, Arjuna's probably going to appear there since he and Karna face off in the American Chapter of FGO. Speaking of which, I will not be taking any requests nor suggestions for that fic because I don't take such things from guest users anymore. Sorry XP
Oh, and before I forget, remember that thing we talked about with Atalanta and the Argonauts? Atalanta actually did take part in the Argo Expedition. There are two versions of said story for her, one where she participated, and one where she didn't because Jason felt that having only a single woman aboard may cause tension. In Nasuverse, she took part in it and does know Medea and Heracles. And considering that Medea is in this one... you get the idea.
Anyway, that's it for now. Again, please read and review.
