Arturia brooded as students do while making her way through Japan's airport terminals. She was on her way to a private jet that would fly her to Italy with Shirou and Athena accompanying her wearing tourist attire. Each wore a pair of aviators over their heads while Artoria and Athena wore blue and white rimmed dresses and sandals.
Shirou wore a gray dress shirt over a simple white men's tank-top. Matching trousers and maroon coloured shoes were worn on his legs and feet. His expression screamed 'helpless' after being dragged around on Athena and Arturia's suggestion to go clothes shopping for their trip.
Arturia had been ecstatic at first, having Shirou and Athena try several of the latest modern fashion trends and designs as if they were celebrity models. And in a way, they practically became the center of attention wherever they went. Athena's features were perfect in every sense, refined elegance denoting every movement, while Shirou's was of a masculine husband-material appeal. Unfortunately, the tables turned on Arturia when Athena began advising her about Arturia's own sense of fashion…she was a tomboy.
Shorts over skirts, hats over braids, and a school one piece over a bikini.
No no no, it just couldn't do.
In the end, their current attire was the product of a whole morning's worth of time shopping, and only now that they were on the way to the private jet organized by the Blandeli family, did Arturia realize she'd forgotten something crucial.
Her family life.
Kay was already suspicious of her sudden 'sleep over' at a friend's place the past few days, and Arturia worried that it wouldn't be long before he started asking questions or god-forbid, get the rest of her family involved.
If not for Japan's History Compilation Committee facilitating proper track records to account for her sudden absences at Jounan Academy, her family would have long since gotten on her case. The current situation was at the top of the cake.
Even Arturia found it kind of forced for her to go on a sudden international exchange trip in the middle of final exam preparation periods, but this world moved on the whims of Campione. If Godou decided on a spontaneous trip to Italy with Erica, then that was what was going to happen.
Arturia, Shirou, and Athena were merely tag-alongs invited for the ride.
In front of the private jet, a group of men and women in business suits and dresses stood on either side of a red carpet rolled down from the jet's entrance. They bowed and inclined their heads the moment Arturia, Shirou, and Athena drew close, many unable to conceal the curiosity in their eyes, but not daring to voice it.
Understandably, they were still wary of Shirou and Athena, but it wasn't with quite the same wariness as other Heretic Gods. Logically speaking, if a Heretic God could stave off the Curse of Madness, then that left them less a Heretic, and more in line with their depicted selves in legend: bonafide Gods and Heroes of humanity.
The oldest records of heroes were in fact the legends of the Gods. If descended Gods didn't fall into madness, then they were essentially the very heroes revered in their myths, far more deserving of reverence than Campione waited on solely for their acts of violence.
The difference was inlaid here.
A Campione was a Campione because they defeated a figure descended from legend or history, but a Heretic God was a God through their actions glorified through time.
They were much more reliable if sane, and that was what the 'Eighth' Campione's Authority enabled.
"Thank you," Shirou said when a woman in a flight attendant's attire opened the way into the jet for him, Arturia, and Athena.
It was surreal to ever expect such courtesy from a Heretic God.
"M-My pleasure," the attendant stammered before resuming a professional demeanor and turning to address Arturia. "Please enter and take a seat inside. Lord Seventh is already boarded with Ms. Blandeli."
Arturia nodded stiffly after Athena elbowed her, stopping her from daring to reply with a casual answer. Instead, Athena demonstrated an aloof nod that he expected Arturia to mimic in elegance, if only just a fraction.
Shirou was one thing, but Athena had taken it upon herself to mold Arturia into someone she could be proud to call Preator, and that meant regality among all else.
Absent-minded as Athena currently was, it was a tragedy for Arturia that Athena's actions were more instinctual than thought out.
Even Shirou couldn't help Arturia here as Athena wasn't exactly trying to harm Arturia.
The truth? Even Shirou could be selfish.
In the times Athena managed to make a tomboy like the present Arturia act like a dignified lady or person in power, the image reminded Shirou fondly of Saber. He was more than happy to go along with this if it wasn't really doing much harm.
"Ms. Pendragon, over here!"
A voice called out to the group as they entered the private jet's lounge area.
Erica was waving at them with a noble's grace, Godou glued to her side and forced to put on an awkward smile.
"Godou, Blandeli," Arturia greeted, feeling just as awkward as Godou when the both of them had been at odds with each other rather recently.
Only Shirou didn't seem to find the scenario odd and directly took a seat after giving Godou and Erica a curt nod.
"God Slayer," Athena then greeted Godou, not missing a beat before doing the same with Erica. "Slave."
S-Slave?
The warm smile on Erica's face grew strained, an awkward laugh escaping her lips as she tried to play the form of address down as a joke. On closer inspection, she was pinching Godou's side to stop him from glaring on Erica's behalf. If there was a type of person Godou heavily disliked, it was bullies. However, this amount of abuse Erica could take, especially when Athena didn't really mean anything by it and sat by Shirou's side as if there was nothing wrong.
Arturia and Shirou stared at Athena, but didn't say anything to avoid escalation.
Everyone may have perceived Athena's greeting as an insult, but only Erica knew that Athena wasn't trying to be insulting, but was instead just being literal.
The mark of the owl concealed on Erica's back could attest to this.
"Uhg, yes well," Erica amicably played the role of a charitable and forgiving host. "Do please make yourselves comfortable, Ms. Pendragon, Goddess Athena, and…?"
Shirou got the cue, but wouldn't give the answer they wanted. "Just Archer is fine," he said.
The fact that all other Heretic Gods under Arturia's influence were named in the report given by Japan's Committee except for Shirou led many to believe he was Arturia's trump card, which, in a sense, was actually very much true.
"What brings you to Italy?" Arturia tried to make small talk in light of Athena's words.
"A weekend retreat of debauchery," Erica answered immediately with a straight face.
"Erica!" Godou grew scandalized, trying not to balk under the sudden weight of Arturia's judging gaze.
"Then why invite us?"
"Debauchery," Erica hinted suggestively at Arturia, the way her eyes shifted towards Shirou not missed by Arturia who's cheeks suddenly flushed.
But really, the actual reason was to wind down. Given the stress and misunderstandings of the prior weeks, Erica hoped to use this opportunity to let past transgressions lie, and start off again on another foot. This was especially important considering Godou and Arturia were fellow Campione of Japan.
In the end, Erica had already talked about this with Godou, and as the former attacking side, they had to give concessions first.
"So ugh, you were a Campione all along?" Godou tried to make conversation.
"I guess," Arturia answered, her conscience twisting from the guilt of lying.
Erica and Shirou were the respective observants of the conversation.
"If it's not too much to ask, how did you go about slaying your first Heretic God?" Godou continued the back and forth while the humming of the jet's engine began preparations for take off.
"It just sort of happened," Arturia beat around the bush before shaking her head when Athena finally eased her standards on her. "Yeah- but I'm still normal though, I swear no matter what Athena says!"
Normal. Normal.
It was like sparks were going off inside Godou's eyes.
"It sort of just happened for me as well." He said eagerly as if meeting a fellow kindred. "I was just in the wrong place and in the wrong time and got caught up in it all, but I'm also still normal- no matter what Erica says!"
Godou and Arturia glanced at each other, seeing the same sort of resolve in the other's eyes. It was the light of understanding and mutual empathy.
"I think…we might be able to get along?" Godou tacitly approached in response to Arturia's slow nod.
"Speaking of which, Arturia, you have quite a unique Authority, don't you?" Erica cut in when the mood grew more amicable.
Arturia shifted her focus onto Erica who offered a few salted peanuts to quench one's appetite.
"What about it?" Arturia didn't decline the peanuts.
"In exchange of the general benefits of a Campione's constitution and abilities, your Authority allows you to ward away a Heretic God's Curse of Madness. It is both rather weak, and horridly strong based on the number of Heretic Gods you affiliate yourself with," Erica praised and analyzed.
From this standpoint, it was honestly rather understandable why Arturia would have chosen to remain low key until now, but with the strength of the current Heretic Gods contracted with her, there really was no need anymore.
"Ah, uhm, something like that," Arturia scratched her cheek with an index finger.
Erica nodded, but then threw another curveball.
"Then is it perhaps possible for your Heretic Gods to share their Authorities with each other?"
Oh? Shirou's eyes suddenly sharpened while listening from the side.
The conversation may sound friendly, but it may not be as simple as that. Battle experience clued Shirou in on what Erica was doing. Considering their first clash with each other in Jounan Academy, and the potential of Godou and Arturia becoming rival Campione, it was only natural that Erica was trying to feel them out.
In this case, the inexplicable way Shirou was able to use unrelated Authorities against Godou was an obvious cause for concern for Erica and Godou as it directly countered Godou's Warrior Authority.
Erica likely pieced together that with the versatility of the Gods around Arturia, it was more likely for Shirou to have borrowed a fellow Heretic's Authority than for him to really possess both.
Shirou grunted.
Should he put a stop to this?
This was generally under Athena's jurisdiction. She alone could see a broader picture than what Shirou could hope to piece together for the long term. But-
"Athena?"
No answer. In fact, when Shirou glanced at her, it didn't seem as if Athena even noticed what was going on in her careful contemplation.
She wasn't quite acting like herself, focusing more on something she could sense in the distance. Her gaze was at times withering, and at others, chilly if not glacial as if she was thinking about something unpleasant. Considering that Athena was the one who insisted on visiting Italy, Shirou could hazard a guess that her current demeanor had something to do with this trip.
Unfortunately, Athena was a Goddess, and the word Goddess might as well be synonymous with both pride and divine levels of obstinance. It was a fool's gambit to bet on her sharing her troubles openly let alone willingly confiding with someone for help.
Blasphemous.
Athena crossed her arms, muted out the conversation, and continued to just stare out the window of the jet, leaving Shirou on his own to decide on what to do.
Staring at Arturia and how she'd begun to mature both as a Master, and as a person, Shirou decided to stop overthinking it. He would follow the will of his Master rather than direct it. That was his primary role as a Servant to begin with.
"I don't see why not?" Arturia just shrugged, causing Erica's expression to flicker with the sheer nonchalance of it.
To Arturia, it wasn't as if she knew how Shirou fought with Authorities or what she should or should not say. However, to Erica, she had to consider whether this was a trap, a bid to provide disinformation if Arturia ever viewed Godou as an enemy.
In the end, Erica wasn't sure and didn't end up getting much from the exchange. Therefore, she focused on other things.
She began to talk about the other Heretic Gods and how Arturia met them, to which Arturia became even more vague and ludicrous because she never actually met them and had to make everything up.
Of the known Heretic Gods under Arturia's influence, one was a Campione hard counter, Enkidu; the other a known Godslayer, Scathatch; another one a Nameless anomaly, Archer; and the rest were scarcely detailed in the report from Japan's History Compilation Committee.
Contending against Arturia was equivalent to provoking several Campione at once, but her weakness was also quite apparent. Even a normal mage could strike Arturia down if she was unguarded, but there was also inherent risk. Without Arturia, her contracted Heretic Gods could go berserk, not that other Campione in the world wouldn't see that as a bad thing.
They would be free Authorities to be usurped at that point, and Erica could not imagine an Authority that would be more coveted by Campione than Enkidu's.
The destruction left in wake of this outcome though was unimaginable, so Erica would rather avoid it.
Instead, throughout the flight to Italy, she began to think about which force or Campione would dare to oppose them if Arturia and Godou formed a cooperative alliance…
Operation Code Name: Pendragon, was set to begin.
As Godou and Erica had been the ones to facilitate the trip to Italy, it was only natural that they had made arrangements for accommodations.
The location was Sardinia, a quaint and idyllic part of Italy separated from the main coast as a large island. It was a tourism hotspot, and more importantly, a location which Godou had called in a favor from a family friend to help house them for the duration of the stay.
"If you would excuse me." Athena immediately said as the jet touched down and she exited onto the landing strip.
Arturia opened and closed her mouth, trying to reach out to Athena, but by then, the Goddess had faded away into motes of golden light. A sigh escaped Arturia's mouth, eliciting a grunt from Shirou who had exited beside her.
"Let her be." Shriou advised, knowing what Arturia had wanted to do. Just like Shirou, there was no way she hadn't noticed Athena's oddities. "Something must be on her mind."
Arturia considered it, but still felt somewhat antsy. To her, Shirou and Athena who did their utmost for her sake were her pillars of support and dear friends.
"You don't think we should help, or try to understand?" She reasoned only to be immediately rebuffed by reality.
"It's not about wanting to or not," Shirou answered bluntly, no longer able to sense where Athena had vanished. She was clearly doing it on purpose. "She's a God of Wisdom. If she didn't ask for help, it's because she either doesn't need it, or doesn't want it. To insist is to demean her, and various Greek and Roman myths can attest to what that sort of future would entail...but I;ve gotten a good grasp on you, Master."
A small smile tugged at Arturia's lips at the words, her heart fluttering. Merlin had been right in his relationship advice. This feeling made her feel as if she was on cloud nine.
"I'll keep an eye on her."
Shirou's voice echoed in Arturia's mind before he too faded into motes of golden light. However, unlike how Athena had just left, it still felt as if Shirou was still beside Arturia, just in spiritual form- something about an Authority of Clay letting him mold copies of himself that he could access using a combination of Athena's shared Authority and that of his own.
In any case, Arturia had no intention of telling all this to Erica and Godou who were somewhat taken aback by Shirou and Athena's departure. In a way, it was like a show of trust that she'd been left alone with them. At the same time, Erica felt pressured as it also served as a test.
Should Arturia be endangered in their care, she'd rather not imagine the consequences, let alone the fact that Arturia could summon her Heretic Gods instantly through her Authority. She'd demonstrated so in Alec's case already.
Tentatively, Erica contacted her family's personnel to send in a few more operatives to ensure a smooth journey until they reached the villa of the Witch of Sardinia, or the Scholar of the Gods. Few were as knowledgeable or as dependable as her, but somehow Godou was still of the illusion that she was just another of his grandfather's former flings.
"Ah, Godou's friends I presume?"
The woman who opened the door of a Sardinian sea-side villa was none other than Lucretia Zola herself. She had long brown hair that draped past her shoulders and she was presently wearing a light coloured sun-dress with loose slippers on her feet. A playful light flickered across her youthful features maintained through her magic, as she focused on Godou, and then finally on Arturia.
"Allow me to introduce myself," Lucretia humbly bowed her head as if caught in a scandal. "My name's Lucretia Zola- Godou's side mistress."
"That's not true! When are you going to stop with that?!"
Godou's reaction was all too predictable, the older woman covering her mouth with a hand to conceal her amusement at Godou's expense.
However, the 'I see, he really was that kind of person' expression making its way across Arturia's face actually terrified Godou.
"She's lying! LYING! Y-You have to believe me!"
Arturia didn't say a word, causing Godou to wilt into a salted fish by the entrance of the villa while Lucretia led Erica and Arturia in.
"I have your rooms prepared." Lucretia dutifully played host. It wasn't everyday that one's dwelling would accommodate not one Campione, but two. "Please feel free to drop your luggage off and freshen up. I'm thinking of a sea-side barbeque for tonight's dinner. Sardinia is known for its beaches, so I hope you'll all enjoy it."
"Yes, thank you ma'am," Arturia answered politely, her upbringing demanding it of her.
"Ma'am?" Lucretia stilled as if hitting a sore point. "Do I look that old?"
Arturia blushed in embarrassment, meaning no offense. Lucretia didn't even look twenty.
"I'm joking. Just call me Lucretia or Ms. Zola."
"Then Ms. Zola-"
Did she just click her tongue?
"Lucretia?"
"Why yes dear?" Lucretia grinned. Magic was helpful to conceal one's true age, but the truth that she was quite old was still a fact, and facts can hurt.
"Nothing." Arturia tucked her head between her shoulders.
Did Lucretia not like being called Ms. because it made her feel old? One look at Lucretia's cheery face, and Arturia couldn't help but believe so.
Feeling awkward, Arturia made a beeline towards her prepared room, leaving Godou, Erica, and Lucretia to solve their differences between the official girlfriend and the live-in mistress. If Arturia noticed Godou's pleading look for aid, she ignored it…the womanizer. She wouldn't be fooled.
Setting her bags aside and changing into more comfortable attire, Arturia eventually left her room to find an empty villa filled with various kinds of collected antiques from around the world. Godou and the others were nowhere to be found, leaving Arturia with little to do but peruse through her surroundings.
Honestly, it felt like she was walking through a history museum without description plaques to give context to the objects she was seeing. There was an ornamental pot from India, a large beast's fang from who knows where, and several oddly scented nicknacks. However, Arturia deviated from her impromptu wandering and drew the line when she reached a section of porcelain and straw dolls. Childhood horror movie trauma's never really fade.
In the end, Arturia ended up focusing on an almost translucent-like seashell the size of her palm left on display. The colouration and design didn't seem natural, but just staring at it left a feeling of mesmerization.
"Oh, are you interested in this old antique?"
A voice disrupted Arturia's thoughts.
"Careful though, I wouldn't stare at it for too long."
Arturia glanced up and saw Lucretia approaching from the opposite side of the room.
"Why? Isn't it just a seashell?" Arturia asked, shifting her gaze away.
Lucretia merely hummed. "I'm an avid collector of old relics and treasures as you can see, and that particular piece is said to have been used as a focal point for an oferretory ritual."
Oh, so like a sacred object? Arturia felt that this was more up Athena's field, and naturally stopped paying attention to it.
If there was anything she'd learned, it was that she should steer clear from supernatural things she didn't understand.
"Godou and Erica not around?" Arturia couldn't see her fellow classmates anywhere.
"They're in the bath," Lucretia answered teasingly. "Why, want to join them?"
"No."
If Lucretia's goal was to drop Arturia's impression of Godou to rock bottom at Godou's expense, Lucretia was a master at it. But, unfortunately, she was just trying to ease Arturia's guard to sate her own curiosity.
"Enough about that then. I'm honestly more interested in that sword you're carrying?" Lucretia's eyes sparked with interest. "My collector senses are telling me that it's far from ordinary."
It was an understatement.
Lucretia had a hunch for exactly what it was after skimming through recent reports from the world's magic societies.
Few legends, if any, contained a sword with such selective preference, the most famous of which still resounded in popular media to this day. However, since other such swords could exist, until the Authority is used and confirmed, it is better to approach the topic as if the sword is an unrelated blade.
Lucretia considered her approach while Arturia answered stiffly.
"I picked it up." A childish response, one born from a woman inept at lying even for her life.
"You picked it up?" Lucretica resisted the urge to smile.
How cute, but Lucretia could tell that the explanation was far from that simple.
Lucretia's intuition as a witch of the highest order was warning her that lightly picking up or touching the sword on Arturia's person would elicit a haughty if not excruciatingly painful reaction.
More often than not, mortals do not choose the Authority, the Authority chooses the mortal. No human can possess an Authority lightly. Even Hime-Miko's have to have some sort of divine ancestry to qualify, and even then, it isn't without its dangers.
Even if Arturia was a Campione, a usurped Authority could never move without the intention of its owner, but this one did if rumors of what it did to Black Prince Alec were true. Therefore, it wasn't a usurped Authority but one that had its own mind and sentience. Rather than Arturia calling upon it for strength, it was the sword that seemed all too eager to respond.
This posed the question at the top of Lucretia's mind.
What qualified Arturia?
Better yet, what was Arturia?
"Well?" Lucretia couldn't help herself from insisting on an answer.
Arturia fidgeted, knowing from Athena that people would be actively trying to find Shirou's identity. Telling them that Shirou was the one who gave her the sword would not only lead to wrong assumptions, but when those assumptions were proven wrong, all that would be left was a greater mystery that would paint a larger target of interest on Shirou's back.
A Heretic God with an untold number of Authorities…
Just the premise that any Campione who could slay Shirou may lay claim to numerous Authorities was enough for Campione to ignore the common courtesy of not attacking their fellows lightly.
In the end, it was with this reasoning that Athena had managed to engrave this mentality into Arturia's mind.
"D-Does it matter? I picked it up, so I just picked it up," she stammered before growing stubborn.
In the end, she adopted another one of Athena's tactics. Their identities were Heretic Gods and Campione. Why would they ever need to explain themselves to their lessers?
No one could stop her from being obstinate or willful if she took a hardstance.
Arturia was growing more and more like Athena with every passing day.
Ah, in Athena we trust-
She blinked owlishly, recalling her studiousness and the upright nature of her upbringing.
No accursed fate, she wasn't supposed to be like this!
She rejected this character development. Objected! OBJECTED!
…And dammit if it wasn't effective.
Lucretia put on an intrigued smile, gently patted Arturia on the shoulder as if to say 'relax,' and directly changed the subject. Lucretia knew that she wasn't going to get anywhere now. Then, she talked about the scenery of Sardinia and the rich history and culture that surrounded it, followed by idle talk that soon let Arturia naturally ease her nerves.
It was a trap.
A witch as long lived as Lucretia, and someone as naive as Arturia, the match up was skewed from the beginning.
"Oh, and before you turn in for tonight's seaside diner, might I give you some advice?"
"A-Advice?" Arturia muttered, on guard.
"That sword which you 'picked up' appears overly attached to you," Lucretia pointed out, revealing that she'd been observing Arturia's sword the entire time.
"..."
Lucretia smiled while Arturia made a face.
"There is always meaning in Authority." Arturia being a female variant of the name Arthur, and the Pendragon surname that Arturia carried, wasn't lost on Lucretia. "Whether you know it or not, perhaps its hand is already at work from prolonged exposure."
Lucretia nodded her head and bid herself adieu.
"I hope you sleep well tonight, Arturia."
Arturia had turned in for the night, more exhausted from travel and personal thoughts than anything else. She'd been somewhat excited about seaside barbecue at first, but after having been spoiled by Shirou's cooking, nothing quite tasted as enjoyable anymore.
Honestly, if Arturia had asked Athena what sort of God she considered Shirou to be, it would be a hard choice between a God of Steel, or a bonafide God of Cuisine.
Shirou had been in part with Aturia throughout the day in spiritual form, and noticing her fatigue, even he had recommended her to rest despite the personal intrigue he had over Lucretia's words. Each Noble Phantasm he had carried with it an Authority that acted differently in this world. Caliburn was no exception, but in a way, Shirou could feel Caliburn's sentiments. It would never harm Arturia, so he honestly didn't take Lucretia's words to heart as much as he just grew curious about them.
In contrast, Arturia was even less inclined to listen, and frankly just ignored it.
In any case, she digressed.
She was just too tired to really think anymore.
Entering Lucretia's prepared room, she yawned, tucked herself beneath the sheets, and left Caliburn by her side like a child's stuffed toy.
Only Arturia knew that her status as a Campione was a ruse, and that she was still somehow able to wield a God's Authority; something that would ordinarily lead to dire consequences as human will was overpowered by Authority, but in her case, it wasn't quite the same.
A gentle light exuded from Caliburn, an unseen stream of it bathing over Arturia's form.
In Arturia's dreams, it was as if was walking on a bed of ephemeral clouds.
A voice whispers in the wind carried by a gentle breeze, followed by a sudden change in her environment. The clouds parted into fields of grass; the blurry haze of the sky replaced by streams of sunlight shining down over distant wheat fields and swaying reeds.
She didn't know this place, this hill, or this scenery.
Not once in her life had she been to such a place. Even further ahead were rows of old houses made of thatch and wood filled with people in rough wool trousers and tunics.
What was this? This feeling of nostalgia that assailed her with an overwhelming sense of both familiarity and loss?
The winds blew, forcing her to shield her eyes with her arms, and when she lowered them, the setting had changed once again. This time there were no wood and thatch houses, but merely a simple pedestal decorated with growing vines and vegetation denoting several years of neglect.
Before her and in arm's reach, was a sword in a stone.
She need only extend her hand.
Caliburn, what was it trying to tell her?
Somehow, someway, it was as if she could feel the gravity of the moment. This picture was a life's milestone, a crossroad that she couldn't nonchalantly decide with a shrug.
A blurred figure stood at Arturia's back, awaiting her decision, a field of flowers blooming.
There and then, the scene shifted again.
This time, a spitting image of herself appeared, back against a tree overlooking the stars and rolling hills of grass. She was asleep, her eyes shut fast with no signs of waking as if frozen in time. Gentle tresses of golden-blond hair drifted in the breeze, the gentle rise and fall of the woman's breath denoting the most pleasant of dreams filled with deep yearning.
Arturia had read about this, knew of this scene in Merlin's manuscript. The man eternally searching…and the woman who would wait for that eternity.
Saber. Arturia Pendragon.
This was the lucky Arturia that Shirou was really looking for.
Not her. No. Never her.
Feelings and resentment she'd been repressing mixed in with the memories and experiences she'd had with Shirou; the way he looked at her, the gentleness in which he cared for her, and the budding affection of the first love of her life.
Arturia had been putting it off again and again but…she was suddenly experiencing an ugly, ugly truth before the image of Saber.
Her eyes grew somewhat dark, dim and hollow.
…Why can't you just not exist?
An unbidden feeling of utter jealousy that somehow seeped in through the cracks.
.
.
.
In the waking world, the antique seashell Arturia had laid eyes upon before abruptly shattered, releasing a divine wisp that quickly faded away.
/-/
Greece, at the footsteps of the ruins of the Parthenon.
An absent-minded Athena abruptly craned her neck up in alarm from her perch, magic energy illuminating her eyes with an eerie silver.
It was just as she'd expected.
An owl hooted, and Athena's figure vanished in the next second.
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