Welcome back everyone to the start of motherflipping CHAPTER 10!! (brings out the confetti and celebration noises).
And still 0 reviews... ,) it's ok.
And before you, that is reading this, (yes you, one of my like...6 followers of this fanfic) before you ask if I'm having lack of motivation or inspiration to write the story, it's quite the contrary. I should have told you this at the end of the previous chapter but...During this 'mini' hiatus, I've been changing home because now I'm in college...yep. So I wasn't having time for myself to write this chapter (wich I warn you, it may be the 2nd or 3dr longest chapter of the story right now.) since I had to search for some apartments in the city that were on rent, I had to buy quite literally almost of the house furniture. Pay the gas and electricity bills as well as make the contracts, study, yada yada yada.
What I'm saying is that this chapter is only coming out now not becuase lack of motivation but because of little to no time to write it. Thankfully I'm now installed in my new home and hope that my story doesn't become so frequent of this montly waits. But also hey, what a nice time to release the chapter eh? Bleach returned, HxH is returning later this month and so did my fanfiction. Hell I might have planned this to happen after all and didn't even knew it.
Now with the overly long introduction done, let's start it!
DISCLAIMER: All the Nasuverse characters belong to Nasu and are property of Type-Moon, with the exception of the OC's that belong to me, the author.
"Mash! Marie! Have you found Jea-" Ritsuka shouted to hear an answer but stopped when he got the answer right in front of him after walking into a open area of the forest.
They looked fine. The problem however, was in a fourth women just ahead a bit ahead of them. Ritsuka could feel she wasn't her to make friends or have a talk.
"Ritsuka,have you find them?" Peko arrived shortly after the last master of humanity alongside the other servants. They too saw the situation. "Is she also a servant?" Peko asked, taking cover behind his friend.
"Yes. But not a friendly one I'm afraid." Mozart took an ofensive posture, ready to battle if necessary.
Mash, being the one of the group who was more ahead, summoned her shield. "Do you work for the Dragon Witch?" Mash asked to the supposed enemy as Marie helped Jeanne get up.
The purple haired woman just nodded and let out a smile. It didn't seemed vile or sadistic, but also didn't looked friendly. "Yes, I am." She said calmly. "My name is Martha. Saint Martha. Servant of the Dragon Witch and a Rider class with Madness Enchantment. I guess this satisfies your answer well enough, lady of the shield."
Romani hologram appeard right next to Ritsuka. "Wow, wait! Saint Martha?! The REAL Saint Martha?!"
"Why the reaction doc?" Ritsuka asked, not looking directly at Romani. "Do you know her?"
"She was a biblical figure from 1st century AD! She was known for being a friend of the Messiah himself as well as defeating a powerful and evil dragon here in France. She's also a maiden like Jeanne!" Romani told them the information about their foe.
"She's really Saint Martha?" Jeanne peaked behind Mash, taking a look at Martha. "So even she fell to the Dragon Witch...Is her soul like mine?" Jeanne tought about the recent talk she had with the figure, who now was nowhere to be seen.
"I see you know of me very well. I'm a bit flattered to be honest." Martha let out a giggle. "I understand now. That girl Nala, wasn't actually talking alone but with this voice. After this, if I defeat them, I'll inform Master."
After making that note to herself, Martha went back to put her attention on her enemies. "I'm here just for one thing." She stared at Jeanne who stared back at her in return. "As a fellow saint, I want to see what you're capable of, Jeanne D'arc."
"Huh? You're challenging me?" Jeanne knew she wasn't in her full power. She couldn't even use her Ruler magic abillities. She feared to battle the other saint handicapped. The probability of losing was big.
"Yes." Martha then looked at the rest of Jeanne allies. "You are all welcome to try too. I want to see if you're capable to even strike down one of the Dragon Witch servants." Martha stated.
That was the confirmation that a battle was indeed, about to happen. Mash took a defensive posture as Jeanne and the other servants also got ready to fight. Ritsuka and Peko just stood nearby and on guard.
"Do you think we can beat her?" Peko asked behind Ritsuka. The master of humanity didn't know how to answer that exactly.
"Hrmm. We'll have to try." He responded to the boy on his back.
"I've heard Saint Martha is strong. She won't be an easy opponent." Romani's hologram was about to also watch the fight alongside Ritsuka and Peko.
Elizabeth was more confident than the three of them. "So what? She may be strong but we're clearly in advantage when it comes to numbers!" She referred how Martha was alone to fight five servants and a pseudo-one. It was true that it could help them a bit.
"Hehehe. You're quite the fool arent you?" A sadistic laugh echoed in the area. Elizabeth knew well who that laughter belonged to.
Two more people appeard near Martha. "So stupid when young." The white haired woman giggled to Elizabeth, who closed her fists in anger. She wasn't staring to just an enemy, but to her older self.
"And I see how miserable I've become. It makes me puke at the tought you're me." Elizabeth responded to the older woman.
"The feeling is the same here." The woman played a bit with her own hair. "Your presence is disturbing to me."
"Please Miss Assassin, we're not here for a squabble but to support Miss Rider on the fight." The musketeer reminded to the Assassin. Marie immediatly recognized who they were.
"D'eon!" She shouted. "So you really are working for the Dragon Witch!"
The Saber servant smiled, seeing that Marie was able to remember them. "Greetings, ma reine. It's a pleasure to see your majesty again." D'eon frowned sadly however. "Despite of being on opposite sides." They drawn out their sword. "Anyways, that won't be an excuse to refuse this fight. I have orders to comply."
Marie sighed. "So it has to be this way..."
Ritsuka saw how the situation got more difficult with D'eon and Assassin addition on the enemy side. "They narrowed our numeral advantage." He hissed.
"But we still have it." Romani tried to cheer Ritsuka up. "We have two fighters for every one of them, so it's still manageable." For how positive Romani tried to be, things were about to get even more harder for their side.
*Roar*
"Hm? W-what was that noise?" Peko was startled by the sudden loud roar. "Please don't tell me..."
"Oh crap!" Romani cursed as he saw something on his monitor. "Ritsuka, Peko! I don't want to do an 180 now but things are..."
The ground shaked as thunderous and loud steps could be heard from the distance. They would louder and louder as they seemed to get closer. Martha was still maintaning her normal smile. She had just summoned her biggest weapon.
From behind the enemy trio, a huge monster like turtle being sprouted from the trees. Everyone that wasn't Martha's ally just watched in pure awe.
"That's..." Jeanne glared at the creature's face.
"...the dragon Saint Martha defeated in her legends." Mash concluded Jeanne's phrase.
"I present to you, the once tyrannical dragon who terrorized the people from the south of France, Terasque." Martha smile grew a bit. "Are you strong enough to beat this, servants?" Martha called them out. "Then please step forward. Specialy you, Saint Jeanne D'arc." Martha glared at Jeanne. She looked eager to see what the french maiden was capable of.
Ritsuka looked back at the hologram of Romani as if he was done with it. "Well, I guess the numeral advantage doesn't means anything now, does it?"
Romani started to comically cry while trying to laugh it off. "Why does everything tends to get worse?"
"I'm starting to think we didn't come to this place well prepared." Peko saw that once again, the odds while a bit more berable than last time, were still against them.
"Same here." Ritsuka added. "C'mon Ritsuka, keep your head clean and calm this time. You're the leader here..." Ritsuka knew that if he wanted to be a good master, he had to stay focus and give instructions to his partners.
"Alright! Mash!" Ritsuka called the pink haired shielder.
"Huh? What is it Senpai?" Mash turned her head to look at her master.
"You fight alongside Jeanne against Martha and Tarasque! Make sure that creature doesn't interfere on Jeanne's fight!" He ordered, altough his voice was a bit shaky.
Mash got a bit surprised to receive her master's first order but proceeded to smile confidently. "Sure master!" She nodded. "We can't lose hope now right at the beggining." She stayed closer to Jeanne. "Are you ready to fight Jeanne-san?" She asked to the saint.
"I may be..." Jeanne was unsure. The toughts of the figure still appearing in her mind.
"Stay sharp Jeanne!" Marie hold the saint's hand. "Believe in yourself as much as we believe in you. No time for doubts now."
Jeanne looked at her friend. "...you're right Marie. I can't fight with doubts at this moment." She then looked at Martha and tried to gather some confidence in herself. "I'll do my best!"
"I admit that it isn't very sophisticated for a queen like you to fight ,Marie." Mozart walked next to Marie. "So please..." He took out his violin. "...allow me to help you."
"You're welcome Mozart." Marie thanked the musician.
"Hmm. I see you already have an opponent in mind." Kiyohime observed on how focused Elizabeth was on her older self.
"Yeah." The girl said seriously, not even looking at Kiyohime who just giggled.
"Guess I can help you with it then."
Martha looked briefly at Assassin and D'eon. "You both know what to do. The saint is mine. The rest is all yours." She instructed.
Both complied and separated from Martha, passing by Mash and Jeanne and going to their respective fights.
"I'm happy that you were able to think on something Ritsuka." Romani talked about Ritsuka's order to Mash. "But I doubt Mash will be able to hold back Tarasque during the whole fight."
"It's the best strategy we have for now!" Peko responded to Romani. "We have to hope for Jeanne to beat Saint Martha fast."
"And something tells me that won't be the case." Romani analyzed both servants. " Jeanne altough of the Ruler class, isn't even capable of using her abilities. She's incomplete. Whereas Martha is more powerful because of the Mad Enhancement. Jeanne chances to win are small if we're being realistic."
"But how can you be so sure of that doc?" Peko argued. "Don't people say the strongest isn't always the one to win the fight sometimes?"
Romani rubbed his head. "Yeah...there was a few times across history were that happened. I just don-"
"Jeanne is skilled." Ritsuka interrupted the doctor. "Otherwise she wouldn't be known as this legendary saint. I believe in her." Ritsuka smiled with assurance to Romani.
"Yeah! I also think that too." Peko answered to Ritsuka. "She's an experienced fighter after all, isn't she? I'm sure she's able to defeat her adversary."
"Heh." Romani smirked. "You two think quite the same."
"I'd say it's because we want to think on the best outcome to this probably." Peko said, looking at the master of humanity. "As long as you don't lose hope, I wont lose it too."
Ritsuka smiled. "That's the spirit."
Onto the fights, Martha was staring with attention at Jeanne. The french maiden in return said nothing. They were both about to face each other. Both saints. Both maidens. One was clear to be in more higher spirits than the other.
"Fellow saint Jeanne D'arc..." Martha prepared her fists ,wich a 'crack' sound from it's bones could be heard, hold her staff, took a step forward and put herself in battle position. "...show me what you can do." The purple haired woman was calling Jeanne out to the fight.
"If you're really Saint Martha, then I can't let the Dragon Witch taint such a benevolent character like you. It pains me to see you doing evil." Jeanne pointed her sword to Martha. "I'll free you of those strings that are manipulating you."
"You're welcome to try ,Jeanne D'arc." Martha smirked.
The two jumped at each other and instantly clashed their weapons. Martha's staff feeling a lot heavier than Jeanne's sword.
"Grrgh! She's strong." Jeanne felt the weight of Martha's weapon. The clash was so strong that if Jeanne hadn't a tight grip on her sword, it would immediatly fly away from her hand upon the impact.
*Roar*
Tarasque sprinted torwards Jeanne. Even for such large and heavy creature, it moved quite fast.
"Jeanne-san! Watch out!" Mash jumped behind Jeanne, covering her back from the blow of Tarasque. With the feet well grounded, Mash was able to parry the blow, altough she lost a bit of balance.
"Nice one Mash!" Ritsuka cheered the shielder. "Now make sure it doesn't interfere!" He yelled to the demi-servant.
"Understood Master!" Mash dodged some of Tarasque blows and lured the beast away from Jeanne and Martha.
Marie and Mozart were both confronting D'eon, trying to stay in a long range combat as the musketeer was slicing the duo's attack and trying to get closer.
"I see that their abilities are up notch." Mozart told Marie, the eyes focused on D'eon. "It's quite amazing! I never expected it would come a day I would be able to meet them."
"I wished you both could've meet in a more friendly way." Marie sighed. "But oh well..." Marie summoned another crystal horse. "... nothing I can do about that now." She send the horse to D'eon who easily cut it in half.
"Stop resisting queen." D'eon said in a gentle tone. "The death will be totally painless if you don't struggle. I don't wish to make you suffer."
Marie smirked. Even as their enemy, D'eon still had a lor of respect for her. Good to see some chivalry remained in them. "Then sorry D'eon, but you will have to do it the hard way." She send another of her crystal horses to the musketeer.
"Guess I'm left with no choice so." D'eon jumped high enough to dodge Marie's attack. Landing on their feet, D'eon sprinted torwards Marie. "I'll make it quick so it can be almost painless."
Mozart however, stopped the musketeer advances with his baton. "I have to admit, I rarely use it as a sword. After all, it's purpose isn't to clash with other swords like yours, dear muskeeter." Mozart was able to stay on his feet long enough for D'eon to take a step back from the clash. "But if Marie is in serious danger, then I won't hesitate to use my instrument as a weapon!"
On the other fight, Elizabeth and Kiyohime were both lashing out at Assassin who just deflected their attacks. It was also being a verbally fight beetween Elizabeth and her older self.
"Eww. Am I really doomed to become this old hag? Your smell of blood isn't even a nice one!" Elizabeth insulted the older woman.
"Jealous for not having the same attributes as mine brat? Spending seocnds looking at you is enough to make me kill myself!" The woman smirked as she took proceeded to block Kiyohime's attack. "Erasing you will be the best decision I've ever made." The woman raised her hand, the fingernails glowing in a darkish purple aura. "Die now!" She waved her whole arm, her fingernails lashing out the attack that was meant to go to Elizabeth.
Luckily, the pink haired dragon girl was quick enough to dodge, the blow only being able to cut some bits of the lancer's hair. "H-How dare you?! Do you know how much I value my own hair?!" She screamed in fury.
"Hehehe. A stupid hair look to be honest." The Assassin woman touched her white hair. "I prefer the one I have now."
"Grghhhhhh! You mean, bastard, arrogant and sadistic bitch!" Elizabeth shouted. How she despised that woman.
"Going to have a tantrum now?" The assassin taunted Elizabeth even more. "The world isn't all rainbows and flowers girl. But I cant blame you if you think that way since you're such a stupid and naive brat."
The tension and hate between the two was growing by the second. They were like two chemicals that if joined together, would explode. Kiyohime was standing by the side, watching the squabble, being completely ignored by the two.
"Do they know I'm also here hearing everything?" She asked to herself while doing a deadpan face.
Jeanne tried to go toe to toe with Martha but her mind just wasn't there. The french saint quickly went the next seconds blocking punches from the other saint.
"A form of salvation. From yourself." The moments of her conversation with the mysterious figure echoed through her head, getting in the way of her fight. At the same time she wanted to think more about it, she would allow many openings for Martha to attack, being totally distracted.
"Pay attention!" Martha warned her own enemy as a knuckle was going straight to Jeanne's face.
"Ha!" Jeanne seemed to have got back to the battle in time as she dodged the fist by mere inches. But Martha wasn't done as she went to raise her left leg and kick it right into Jeanne's right side of the abdomen who then let enough space for Martha to kick Jeanne's stomach with her right knee.
"Blergh!" Jeanne coughed and spit out a bit of blood from her mouth as the sheer strenght of Martha's kick damaged her stomach.
"Jeanne!" Mash yelled, seeing her companion in distress. "Are you alright?" Mash didn't have the chance to check on Jeanne as Terasque still had Mash on his sight and attacked the shielder who's moment of distraction was almost fatal. The large creature sprinted and attacked Mash, taking the opportunity of the opening.
"Mash, watch out!" Peko shouted in the distance, seeing Mash vulnrable to Tarasque's attack.
"!!!" Mash turned her look at Tarasque who was now lowering it's claw at an incredible speed. Mash had little time to even put her shield to block the blow. Once the claw hit the shield, it almost flew away from Mash's grasp and the demi-servant lost her balance. "Damnit!" She cursed.
Ritsuka got immediatly preoccupied about his servant. "Mash!" It looked like things weren't going so well as they hoped so.
Has Mash was recovering from the blow, Tarasque was already preparing another.
"Crap, another one!" Romani watched in huge concern.
Thankfully, Mash was fast enough and did a huge somersault, getting out of the way of Tarasque's claw who this time only hit the ground. "Sorry for the lack of concentration Senpai!" Mash told Ritsuka with her eyes not ignoring her opponent. "I got careless!."
Ritsuka, Peko and Romani had all exhaled in relief. Mash still had her capabilities even if she wasn't a fully fledged servant.
Jeanne was having the most hard time of all the fights.
"What's the matter Saint Jeanne D'arc?" Martha delivered another punch that was blocked by Jeanne's flagpole. "Feeling tired?" Martha delivered another blow. "What's bothering you?" And she made another.
"This isn't natural of you!" And another.
"You want to defeat the Dragon Witch, dont you?" And another.
"Then why..." And another.
"are you so hesitant to fight?!" And another.
Jeanne was able to block all those attacks but it also took a great part of her stamina. Jeanne breathed shakily, her arms trembling a little from the blows she had blocked. Her legs were also about to give up. All her energy just seemed to have been dried up.
"Hmm..." Jeanne tried to take a step but instead, she fell to her knees.
"Your other half. The Dragon Witch. She was born from your denial of those emotions."
It was haunting Jeanne like a ghost. Never had she been so troubled through her entire life. She felt like her mind was just being messed with. She hated the sound of that voice infecting her head. Was that thing on her side or not? It clearly wasn't the same voices she heard when young. Was it trying to mess with her or not? Her mind felt like it could break at any time.
"Are you the real Jeanne D'arc?" Martha stood up and tall in front of the kneeling french saint. Her voice and face both serious.
Jeanne looked at the woman with eyes that told her that she didn't know how to answer that. She came to the point of even doubting herself.
"Because if you are, then it's quite the letdown. I expected more of you to be honest." Martha said coldly. "Why that weakness? Why you seem so lost fellow saint? The Jeanne D'arc I've heard about doesn't kneel after a few hits."
Jeanne stood silent, unable to answer. She didn't eveb understand why Saint Martha was talking with her instead of putting her down for good.
"So I ask you again. Are you really Jeanne D'arc?"
A huge pair of metal boots wandered through the forest, as the knights that were wearing it came back from their failed attempt at killing the Dragon Witch on her lair. They were all with faces of sadness and defeat, knowing that many of their compatriots and friends had died in a battle that ended up in doing little to no damage to the Dragon's Witch army. It was almost certainty that all of France was already doomed.
In the front of the group, a short black haired man with a well built face and black eyes wakked with his silver armor stenched with so much blood. No matter how many wyverns they killed, it would always have more. The man seemed to be the leader of the group of soldiers.
"How high were the losses?" The man asked in a almost dead tone to his companion that was standing on his left.
"We've lost approximetly 94 soldiers, including all the catapults and horses, General." The man responded with a sorrowful voice. The whole moral of those who had survived had vanished, convinced that they couldn't do anything more to save France and it's people.
"And how many of us are here right now?" The general asked to his fellow man.
"12 of us...general." The man answered.
Not even with an army over 100 men and skillful knights such as the general himself, were able to take care of the Dragon Witch. They were all squished like ants.
"The Dragon Witch...did the general saw her?" The man made a question to his superior.
The general himself took some seconds of silence, pretending to have just not heard what was asked of him, but he ended up responding anyways. "Yes I did..."
"And was she like..." The soldier did not finish his sentence and instead decided to remain silent, knowing that shortly afterwards, his general would respond. After all, the appearence of the Dragon Witch had been causing so much turmoil in the entire country recently.
"Yes she was..." The general closed it's eyes, as if he was trying not to cry. "Oh Jeanne, how this could happen to you? What happened to that cheerful and radiant smile of yours?"
The general who was once a great friend of Jeanne D'arc, was one of the most affected and stunned by all this Dragon Witch thing. Just some time ago, he heard she had been burned by the Church that had accused her of sins against God. He knew it was all lies and the enemy simply paid it's way to get rid of Jeanne that had caused trouble to them during the war. The first days after the news made his mind go to dark places. Doing that to a beloved friend of his was driving him mad. But few days later rumours about her revival has the Dragon Witch started to appear. And now the man was confused.
He should feel happy that his friend had come back, but seeing and hearing the cases of her genocide across the land made him feel skeptical about if Jeanne was truly back, or it was all a hoax. Deep down, he knew that the true Jeanne, his friend, would never hurt or kill innocent people. So, filled with a bit of hope in him, the general swored to save the kingdom, it's people and kill the Dragon Witch, not letting all Jeanne's efforts in tglhe war go to waste.
But shortly after seeing the Dragon Witch's face, even if it was for a few moments, the general's hope had been crushed. Dragon Witch was really Jeanne. Twisted and corrupted with vengeance after her death.
Gilles de Rais, never tought Jeanne would fall for things such has hatred, let alone commit genocide. But guess he was wrong and Jeanne got revived to follow a path completely diffrent from the one before her death. Now all he and his soldiers could do, was wait for their ends.
"Hm? Wait men." Gilles de Rais came to a halt and ordered the rest do stop as well.
"What is it General de Rais?" One of his men asked.
"Can't you hear it?" Gilles de Rais was sure he had just heard something. Something that sounded like some clashes and commotion hapenning nearby. He had to investigate what it was. "Something is up ahead." He said to himself. "Stay alert men! We may have some company!" He signaled to the soldiers who went with their swords and shields in hand, unsure of what they could find.
As the general, Gilles de Rais went ahead, carefully looking on his step and pushing the branches of the trees aside. "May God help us if it's another attack of the Dragon Witch."
"Aaarhg!" Kiyohime screamed as her body was hit and made her fly some feet away from the fight, landing with her back on the floor.
"K-Kiyohime!!" Elizabeth looked at her damaged friend and then at the Assassin. "Damn you!" She growled angrily.
"My, are you worried?" The woman laughed sadistically. "Then I'll make sure to kill you together."
Things weren't looking good for the side of the master of humanity.
"Gggrgh!" Amadeus had just got his shoulder sliced by D'eon while trying to protect Marie.
"Amadeus!" The french queen went to his aid. "Are you ok?"
"I'm sorry Marie. I let my guard down for a moment." The man touched his wound. "I'll continue fighthing however." The musician slowly got up to his feet.
"You're will is admirable Monsieur Mozart." D'eon said, their sword still in hand. "I applaud your efforts."
"This...isn't looking good, at all." Ritsuka observed how the servants from their side were already with injuries and wounds on their body, while the enemy servants were almost unscratched from the fights. Winning here was looking impossible. Even Mash was getting exhausted of dodging and distracting Tarasque.
"At this rate we will lose!" Romani told what Ritsuka and Peko were already thinking about.
"And we won't be so lucky to have other servants to rescue us again this time." Peko said with a bit of fear. "What can we do now? The things can't end like this!"
Ritsuka stood watching, speechless of the way the battle was going against them even when he tried to give his best as a master. "We will lose in the end, right?" "Even when I tried, it was totally worthless..." Ritsuka closed his hands. "Why nothing works, even if I try too? We're just...completely inferior when compared to them."
Frustration invaded Ritsuka's eyes. "Damnit! Maybe it's because I'm the master here. If it was someone who really knew magecraft then...we wouldn't be like this." Ritsuka nibbled his inferior lip. "I'm a failure! I can't do anything rig-"
"You help so much people Ritsuka, and I'm proud of it. You are a blessing for those who need your help. Always stay like that, my dear."
Ritsuka gasped out of nowhere, like if a huge wind had just passed by his face , the voice he heard being familiar to him. He also gained a bit of a scare from Peko and Romani.
"R-Ritsuka? What was it? Are you ok?" Peko tried to call him out. However, Ritsuka himself was wondering about other thing, not paying attention to Peko's words.
"I know I can do more help here than just standing and giving orders. There's gotta be some way..." Ritsuka gazed at his allied servants.
"Do you have a plan Ritsuka?" Peko saw the quietness that the master of humanity was having. Peko could tell that Ritsuka's eyes at that moment were of someone who was thinking about what to do next to change the battle to their favour.
"Helloooooo? Ritsuka, you still in there?" Romani tried to take Ritsuka out of his own toughts.
"Yes I need a plan! A plan...a plan...a plan." He tried to think of a solution as his eyes passed by each fight. The fight who was calling his attention more was Jeanne's. "Jeanne is probably having some problems too. She doesn't have her Ruler abilities after all. She's weakened!" Ritsuka concluded. "If there was a way to make her be at full power...Think Ritsuka! Think!"
At that moment, Ritsuka remembered of a concept that could change the battle to their favour. "That's it!"
"Contract with servants?" Ritsuka had just heard a new topic from Dr.Romani while in the main room of Chaldea. Romani told him about how in the world of magecraft, those who summoned the Heroic Spirits known as servants, were seen as their masters and form some kind of contract.
"If given a chance, you can be able to make contracts with some servants during the journey. Servants need magical supply from their master to keep existing and fighting" Romani said.
"What's the benefits of that?" Ritsuka asked.
"Well, not only you become their master, you can also supply them with your mana. But the power the servant is capable to unleash depends on their master's level of mana." Romani put a hand on Ritsuka's shoulder. "Thankfully we can make Chaldea's supply generator pass through you, so that it becomes easier to make contracts." Romani then looked to the side apprehensively. "Altough, I wouldn't recommend it very much."
"Huh? Why?"
"It's too much energy consuming to someone with no mana like you. Mash is a demi-servant so it doesnt exactly count. So it may be too risky for you. Your body might not handle it."
"I see..."
"I'm sorry Doc but I have no choice but to make a contract right here and now!" Grabbing the pulse of his hand with the Command Seals, Rituska had already made his mind up.
"Jeanne! Make a contract with me and become my servant!" Ritsuka shouted almost in a demanding tone.
The french saint who was still on her knees, heard Ritsuka's words, causing a mix of shock and surprise on her. "What?" She turned her head to look at the master of humanity.
"Eh!?" Romani was in shock too. "F-Fujimaru, that's extremely dangerous! Your body will succumb! Dont do it!"
"It's either that or nothing! Jeanne wasn't summoned here as a fully fledged servant! By making a contract, she will have her Ruler abilities back as a proper servant, right?" Ritsuka explained himself to Romani.
"But if you do that you may die!" Peko warned him. "You can't die this early on the journey Ritsuka!"
Mash who was blocking Terasque's attacks was also hearing the exchange between the three at the back.
"You sure about this, senpai?" She asked a bit unsure.
"Yes I am Mash!" Ritsuka raised his hand with the Command Seals. "Jeanne! I beg you! Become my serv-"
Ritsuka stopped talking when he heard what sounded like footsteps. And by the huge and multiple sound of it, it was much probable that it wasn't just a single person who was about to appear.
From behind the trees, a small group of soldiers appeard. Upon the arrival, they all looked confused with what was happening in front of them.
"Backup?" Peko asked.
"Dont know exactly." Ritsuka answered. "At least they dont look to be sided with our enemy."
The soldier in the front of the group, Gilles de Rais, would be lying if he said he was expecting that the noises would come from all this fights and people. "What's this?" Gilles de Rais whispered. And then his eyes found her.
"No! It can't be! But I just saw her face not long ago!" Or so he tought. Things were more complex after all then what he imagined. "But that face...there is no doubt! It's her!"
Jeanne was also looking at the man, not expecting to encounter a long friend of her. "Gilles..."
A smile slowly appeard on the general's face. "Jeanne, it's you! I'm so ha-"
"Ggh!" Jeanne flinched in pain as a small stone was thrown by a soldier and hit her on the face right above her left eye.
"Die you bitch!" The soldier who had threw the stone exclaimed in anger, seeing Jeanne as her Dragon Witch counterpart.
"Jeanne!" Marie was about to go to the saint but was stopped by D'eon.
"Fuck you, witch!"
"You killed my family!"
"Burning you this time would be a death too good for you!"
"I'll slice your body to pieces, you scum!"
"You deserve worse than death Dragon Witch!"
"May both God and Devil curse you for eternity!"
And the soldiers wouldn't stop their rageful insults. No one could blame them. The things they've been through this last week had tired them both physically and mentally. And they all saw what supposedly was the person responsible for all their suffering. Killing the Dragon Witch would put all of their minds in peace.
"Stop that soldiers!" Gilles de Rais ordered them visibly angry. "She may look like it but she is not the Dragon Witch!"
The soldiers all looked at their general as if they just saw the most horrendous thing ever. "And so what?" One of them said. "It's clearly a trap she set to lure us in! I won't fall for it!"
All the other soldiers followed the same thinking of their companion.
"Let's kill her here and now! And if she refuses to die, then we'll make sure to give her a long and painful death!" The soldier raised his sword up in the sky, looking to the rest of the unit. "Who's with me?"
All the soldiers didn't waste a second and screamed a collective "yeah" in unison. The swords already in hand to attack their enemy.
"Wait! You don't understand it!" Gilles de Rais tried to calm them down but it was of no use.
"Seriosuly?! They had to be against us too?!" Ritsuka couldn't believe on how unlucky they were being. "And right when I was about to make a contract with Jeanne. I doubt she's ok with killing those soldiers. They'll clearly get in her way during the fight! What do we do now?" Ritsuka scratched his head.
"Let's go boys!" The soldier on the front yelled, motivating the ones who followed him behind. "We kill her here and put an end to this!"
All of them runned past Gilles de Rais, focusing solely on Jeanne and the mutual desire to kill her. Mozart, Marie, Elizabeth, Kiyohime and Mash were all occupied with their own battles. Jeanne now had to force herself to fight against Martha and the soldiers as well.
That was if nothing stopped the soldiers.
Almost unseen by them, a fast, small light pass in front of them with the speed of a bullet, making them stop instantly as their faces all shown signs of having no clue what they just had saw.
The small light wasn't down has it slowed down right above the clueless soldiers.
"Wha-what is this thing?" One of them asked, doubting what they were seeing was real.
"Mphmm!" Another soldier swung his sword to the light's direction. The small luminous object just moved it away easily from the sword's route. "Damnit." The soldier cursed in a low tone.
Soon, all the soldiers were trying to hit the small light with their swords, as if they were trying to hit on a pinata. Their curiosity was slowly transforming into frustration and irritation.
"What the hell is this thing?!"
"Maybe it's a firefly?"
"Fireflies shouldn't shine that brightly you moron! And were in the middle of the day!"
In the distance, Gilles de Rais watched his men swinging their swords around as if they were morons. The general could only hide his embarassment. "They know they're in the middle of a battle right?"
Ritsuka was also watching the occurrence, wondering where that light came from. Then he heard some small grunts next to him.
Looking at Peko, he saw that the boy was sweating over all his face as his arms stood stretched up front, with the index finger of his left hand pointing at the group of soldiers ahead, specifficaly on the small light. The index finger was shining brightly as if it had transformed in pure light.
"Peko...you...you're the one who made that?!" Ritsuka asked amazed.
"Y-yeah..." The boy let out a deep breath, talking with some difficulty has he was concentrating his low mana on the magic he had just crafted. "This...should slow them down." "I won't stand here just watching without helping anyone again!"
"Great job Peko!" Romani said happily. "This should be enough to make Jeanne solely focus on Martha."
"Ritsuka quick!...The contract!" It was clear that Peko was already making an effort to maintain the light active, has it was already starting to flicker.
"Oh! Right!" The master of humanity raised his hand of the command seals again. "Jeanne! Make a contract with me and become my servant!"
Martha looked at Ritsuka and then at the soldiers and Gilles de Rais. "I pity you Jeanne D'arc." She said in lament. "After everything you did and trying to save them a second time, they still despise you and hate you." She looked at the french saint.
"Doesnt that makes you feel wronged, vengeful, with dark desires of murder?" Martha tried to get a response from Jeanne. "Do you even think of yourself whorty to make a contract with that master over there? No matter how powerful you get if the mind still troubles you."
"I..." Jeanne looked at the ground. A million thoughts passing through her head. "I..." Images of her mother, father and siblings reminding her of simpler times. And then of Gilles. And Marie, and all of her friends and allies now. She just couldn't let them all down.
Gilles de Rais tried to speak with her. "Jeanne! Are you-"
"I've made my decision already!" She said out loud almost agressively, getting everyone's attention.
"Jeanne?" Marie stood still, her eyes seeing what would be Jeanne's next action. She wondered if her friend was ok.
"Ever since the beggining of this Singularity, my mind has been in conflict. Now I want to put that conflict to rest. At the end of this I want to know, the real me..." Jeanne said, putting her voice a tone a bit more calm.
"What does that mean Jeanne?" Ritsuka tried to understand her.
"It means I have decided to choose who I want to be right now..." Jeanne said in a serious tone, thinking about all those conversations she had with the voice in her head. All of her allies watched a bit nervously and uncomfortable. Even Peko managed to get enough strenght to look at Jeanne.
"And I want to be..." Jeanne raised her head to look eye to eye with Martha. Instead of doubtfulness, hesitation or even the sensation of being lost, the french saint's eyes were with a strong glimpse of courage and bravery.
Fate Apocrypha OST- Battle
"I want to be the Jeanne D'arc, Maid of Orleans, who will never lose her hope and save France and it's people by putting an end to the Dragon Witch!" Taking out her ragged cloth, Jeanne stood up with invigorated hope, her white and amethyst clothes finally revealed in all it's glory, no more hidding beneath the cloth. And from her left hand she wielded the flagpole wich it's flag was taking advantage of the wing. And in her right hand, the sword which she pointed at Martha. "Starting with you, Saint Martha!"
"Yes. There is no doubt..." Gilles de Rais saw Jeanne's statement and was almost moved to tears. "This is the real Jeanne D'arc that I've known for so long."
Marie smilled cheerfully. "Now that's the Jeanne D'arc I've always heard about!"
"Indeed. I see no more ugly feelings surrounding her now." Mozart stated.
"Haha...guess they weren't wrong...Jeanne D'arc is really a warrior..." Peko had reached his limit and almost passed out. Running completely out of mana, the small light occuping the soldiers vanished and the boy fell to the ground.
"Peko!" Ritsuka grabbed him to see if he was ok. Fortunately he was. "You can rest now, you did a good job." Ritsuka smilled proudly at the boy as if he was his own little brother.
"And you're right! This is the Jeanne D'arc everybody knows! Now..."
"He used almost all of his magic into creating that small light. He did the best he could Ritsuka." Romani said. "His vitals are stable and that's good." He smiled. "Now rest Peko. We will take care of the things from now on."
"Ritsuka." Jeanne called the master of humanity. "...No. Master, ready for the contract?" She turned her head to look at him, smilling.
"Yeah! Let's do it Jeanne!" He raised the command seals in the air.
"Hear me!" He said loudly.
Saint Martha seemed alarmed by this. "I can't let him finish the chant of the contract!" She went straight to Ritsuka immediatly. "I won't allow it!"
But Mash was also aware of Martha's intentions in time. The shielder blocked the corrupted saint with her shield by force. "And I won't allow you to stop him!" Mash said, holding back Martha's staff.
"Thou body shall become mine.
Thou sword will abide my fate." Ritsuka continued his chant
The assassin was displeased with the situation. "Tsk! Wyverns! Stop him!" She summoned an army of wyverns, just to be shortly attacked by Kiyohime and Elizabeth.
"You wish!" Kiyohime said smugly. "Dont stop Anchin-sama chant! That's rude!"
"Yeah! Cry about it hag!" Elizabeth taunted her older self.
"In accordance with the Holy Grail,
If thou shall obey this feeling, this reasoning."
Seeing the chant almost completed, Saint Martha muster all her strenght and pushed Mash out of the way. "This is the end for you!" Her staff started to brighten and two beams started to make shape in front of Ritsuka.
"This is my plenty
My prayers need no process
Pulverise my opponents!"
"Senpai run! She's aiming you!" Mash yelled in distress.
"Even if I can't fight, or save others, I'll share all this power to those who can!"
"Obey my command!
Then with this fate!"
The beams got fully charged. "There's nowhere to run now." Martha said in a threatening voice.
Ritsuka took a very deep breath.
"THOU SHALL BEAR OUR FLAG!" Ritsuka shouted the last part of the chant as loud as he could.
At the same moment, the beams got fired at his direction. And the master of humanity didn't turned to ashes because thankfully for him, Jeanne appeard right in front of him and with her flagpole, quickly destroyed the beams.
"He made it in time." Mash sighed in relief while Martha was obviously disgruntled.
"I, Jeanne D'arc, of the Ruler class, accept and recognize you, Ritsuka Fujimaru, as my master." Jeanne proclaimed, standing tall and in all her radiance.
"Now Saint Martha, as my opponent, I'll free you from the shackles of the Dragon Witch!" She drawned out her sword. "I'll won't let those feelings and toughts to cloud my mind and mess with me ever again. Whatever that voice or shadow has to say, I'll ignore it from now on."
Martha giggled at Jeanne's words. "Then I'd assume you don't feel hatred torwards those soldiers, right?"
"If they can stand togehter through their hate torwards me, even if misplaced, then I don't think it's bad at all. They've been through a lot already so, I guess their hatred of me is justified." Jeanne responded.
"Hm. Not a bad answer at all, I kinda like it you know?" Martha closed her eyes, still with her smile. "The other you would be pissed at me for it however. You're a very good person." As it seemed Martha would stay smilling and continue her conversation, she changed her mood and made the smile dissapear.
"So, I guess this it eh?" She asked to herself. "My part here is almost done. Now for the final part..." Martha looked at Jeanne agressively and her mana felt growing stronger. "Let's fight Jeanne D'arc! Prove me, that you have what it takes to defeat me, Saint Martha, violated by Madness Enchantment!"
Jeanne stood ready. "I won't falter like before, Saint Martha!"
And so the two saints clashed once again.
This time the fight was balanced. Both were changing blow after blow and blocking each other attacks.
"They're...fighting almost flawlessly..." Peko commented, tired from spending all of his existing mana. Luckily, the soldiers were occupied fighting some wyverns now.
"Yeah. They are both amazing fighters." Ritsuka commented. "But I believe Jeanne is stronger."
Jeanne dodged an attack from Martha and successfully hit her in a counter attack on the corrupted saint's right leg.
"Grgh!" Martha grunted in pain. "Guess it's time to give my everything. Tarasque!" Martha called out her dragon.
Tarasque ignored Mash as quickly as possible and went next to Martha. Jeanne felt what was coming wasn't good. But felt this may also be the corrupted saint's last attack.
"So you're unleashing it." Jeanne said to Martha, predicting what was her opponent next move
"You're correct Jeanne D'arc. I'm unleashing it...my Noble Phantasm!" She made a sign with her hand to Tarasque and the beast jumped as high as it could, wich was very very high. "Tremble and fall before the destriction of Saint Martha!" She yelled.
"This isn't looking good guys." Romani told them apprehensive.
"On the fifth day the lord had created the Leviathan." Martha started her Noble Phantasm.
"It's child would display it's ferocity through the slaugther of innumerable heroes.".
Tarasque started to glow white as if turning into a star.
"What? This blow will kill us all if it hit us!" Ritsuka exclaimed. "Servants really are that powerful."
"Now together with me Tarasque.
O sad Dragon, that knew naught of love."
"Master!" Mash called Ritsuka. "I think I have a plan."
"Now Tarasque!!
Now raise your boiling fervor to equal the sun!"
Tarasque's body started to spin, and soon created what seemed to look like a giant spinning ball of white flames.
"You sure about it Mash?" Ritsuka asked to the demi-servant.
"Yes!" Mash said in a affirmative tone.
"To those noble one's who would resist destruction!
Grant them the test of this one strike!"
And so Tarasque went down from the sky, the flames getting more intense as Tarasque spinned and fell faster. It was like if the dragon beast has turned into a giant meteorite.
"Shine like the sun...
Like a star!"
At the ground, Mash was with her shield in hand and positioned herself in Martha's Noble Phantasm trajectory
"Ready Mash?" Ritsuka asked, covering himself, Peko and Jeanne behind the shielder.
"Yes I am Senpai!" Mash thinked back in Fuyuki when she blocked Artoria Alter Noble Phantasm, altough she almost fainted that time. "This time I'll do better."
"Understood! Everybody else, take cover!" Ritsuka advised his allied servants, who seeing the destructive capacity of Martha's Noble Phantasm, followed Ritsuka's orders and took cover. Assassin and D'eon also decided it was best to take cover as well.
"O' Tragic Dragon Who Knew Naught of Love!!!" And as Martha's chant finished, Tarasque was about to hit the land.
Mash was prepared for it.
"True Name...Pseudo Register!
Deploying Noble Phantasm!"
The big meteor that was now Tarasque, was now inches away of hitting Mash shield.
"Lord Chaldeas!!!"
The impact was so shivering and tearing that whoever wasn't taking cover would be quickly disintegrated.
"Ggrghggh!" Mash was using all of her strenght and resistance to slow down Martha's Noble Phantasm. But it was uncertain if she could stop ut completely.
Seeing this, Ritsuka speaked to Romani. "Doctor! Can you send more mana supply from Chaldea to Mash?!"
"We're trying to Ritsuka! But it's pretty much impossible that Mash's Noble Phantasm can stop Tarasque!" Romani explained.
"I can...stop it Master! I'm fine...don't worry about it!" Mash said as she felt her strenght slowly fade away. "Not now! Everyone's survival depends of me!"
Ritsuka wasn't convinced. "Doctor, can't we do anything?!"
Jeanne then decided to step in. "Master. I request for you to allow me to use my Noble Phantasm."
"I 100% allow you to use it Jeanne." Ritsuka gave permission without second tought.
"It's also the type to defend against attacks, like Mash's Noble Phantasm. However there's a downside..." Jeanne said with a serious face. "Since you are now my master, you too will suffer the burden of me unleashing it. Can you handle that, Ritsuka?"
"She's right Ritsuka! You totally collapsed after Mash used her Noble Phantasm in Fuyuki! Who knows what will happen if you have to handle the mana spending of TWO Noble Phantasm?!" Romani was in fear of Ritsuka's well being. It was an extreme danger to take.
Ritsuka just smiled. "Geez, doc. You care way too much for your own good." Ritsuka laughed a bit. "But we're all here trying to do our best." Ritsuka then look at Peko who was resting on his lap. "We can't reach far enough without pushing ourselves to the limit. Besides..."
"Don't ever forget that your will can be your strongest weapon."
"...someone told me to never be afraid of what comes next, as long as I remain with my head up." Ritsuka said, not caring to have almost guaranteed near death experience.
"Ritsuka...Alright!" Romani exclaimed, knowing that Ritsuka wouldn't turn back on his decision. "Leave the back up to us here in Chaldea! I'll make sure your soul isn't erased."
Ritsuka smirked. "Thank doctor. Now Jeanne, if you will..."
"It's being an honour to serve you master. I'll make sure to not dissapoint you. "Jeanne prepared her Noble Phantasm initiation by raising her flagpole.
"Here is the work of our Lord." Jeanne walked torwards Mash.
"J-Jeanne-san?" Mash wasn't expecting the saint to appear next to her.
"My banner, defend my brethern!
God is here with me!"
Jeanne's flag now stood up and in full power, a golden shine emanating from it.
"So beautiful..." Mash tought in awe.
"Luminosite Eternelle!!!"
And with Jeanne's Noble Phantasm activated, it completely erased Saint Martha's Noble Phantasm with it's powerful aura that cloaked all the area and maybe more of the forest.
Martha could only watch in bewilderment as she was being engulfed by her opponent's Noble Phantasm.
"Ah...this light..!"
In the middle of a destroyed village's wreck, Martha stood next to a pile of mutilated bodies, drinking all it's blood overly.
"A servant's true nature...is that of devouring souls. It's the only way for servants in a situation like me, to not disappear since the absence of magical energy forces us to do it."
Tarasque watched in sorrow and pity of his master and only friend.
"That's why I devour souls and crave for the human hearts and blood. After being cursed with Madness Enchantment, I can't even kill myself nor stop eating flesh."
"It's alright Terasque. I'll restrain the Madness Enchantment so that it can't reach you or the staff." Martha tried to console her dragon.
She wiped off the blood from her lips. "I wonder, if 'that man' is still alive..."
"This is a torture. My struggles don't have any effect. I feel like whatever I tried to do is pointless. That I've already become that witch's puppet."
"Sorry Tarasque..."
"I wish at least, that my act of kindness to that girl, was enough to keep her going on. I can't can't bear the tought of seeing her becoming like this."
"I wish next time, to be summoned in a more proper way..."
"Now please, someone, put me-"
A piercing sound was created at the moment Jeanne D'arc stabbed Saint Martha's chest wit her flagpole, giving the corrupted saint the decisive and finishing blow.
"Blergh!" Martha, with a defeated look, coughed blood that went straight to Jeanne's face who's eyes were covered by the french saint hair and with a face of somewhat regret. The corrupted saint's body went cold and limp.
"Saint Martha's spirit core was pierced...it's victory for us!" Romani announced.
The battle was finally over and decided, with the triumph of the Maiden of Orleans.
To be continued...
And it's over. What a lenghty chapter, I've been writing for 4 hours straight now. But I think it's derserved for being the 10th chapter and for making you wait 4 weeks. Like well, my intention is not making my fanfiction a monthly release one (because we would probably be in Orleans until god knows how long.) If it's my objective to finish writing this Singularity before Christmas? Perhaps lol. Either way, I also won't try to rush it. After all it's my story and I want to tell the way I think it's best told.
And oh well, saying that my weakest point was fights...here is a whole fighting chapter haha. I originally tought to end the chapter earlier and separate the fight in two chapters but then I was like 'Nah, this is motherfreacking Chapter 10, it can't be just a normal chapter like the rest, it has to be something more' wich I don't know if you felt like it was lol. But yeah now with 10 chapters...would that be enough to make a first volume if it was a manga? Guess it depends of the quantity of pages /
So yeah, Ritsuka gets main character development here, Peko starts to do some 'stuff' wich isn't like "wow so amazing" but it's a start, Mash is handling her Noble Phantasm better and it seems Jeanne has finally decided to stop hearing the voice and take some pil- I'm joking, I'm joking guys, don't cancel me. Jeanne has decided who she was and wants to be, not wanting to be doubtful of herself again. That doesn't mean that her character arc is over thou, like she still has to confront Jalter, who is her evil counterpart after all. Normal (Less cooler) Gilles de Rais makes it's first appearence here, Martha fights and bites (that rhymes) the dust, doing her role here as she did in the game and...no Nala this chapter or even Jalter. I wanted to focus solely on the fight thks chapter, to give a diffrent sort of pace and also because I think it wouldn't fit to put a segment of either character interrupting the fights segment. Gilles de Rais was a short one and that would shortly emerge with the main segment of this chapter so I the why I wrote it.
I'll also say that I took some inspiration and utilized some bits of the FGO's manga because once again, it writes the segments of the early Singularities, better than the game itself.
So yeah, that's all I wanted to say. Chapter 10, what a milestone, and I want to thank to all the readers who decided to pick up on this story even if it doesn't seem the greatest or even the most appealing of all the Fate fanfics out there. I let you know that every time I would get a notification saying I got a new follower of the story, it bringed me so much joy and energy, for knowing that a person took and used it's time, to read my story, the story written by someone they've never met but about something we equally like.
Thank you once again for sticking with me till this point even with this month hiatus, and see you next time on Chapter 11! Peace!
Random Note: Oh boy, now I have free time to watch the first episode of Chainsawman, and the 2 ep I still didn't seen of One Piece...and the last arc of Bleach...and 2nd season of SpyxFamily...6thSeason of MHA...Blue Lock...Mob...A dude can't have that much free time to watch all of that while in college.