Author's Note: First off, I thank xenahort x and JGreen039 for proofreading this chapter. The former has been doing do for a while, but the latter has just begun to do so.
I would also like to thank you for sticking with me and apologize for the delay of the last chapter. I rewrote that chapter three times, in its entirety, to try and get it right. Mordred's forgiveness and reconciliation with Artoria, Illya's meeting of Shirou for the first time in this World, Sakura meeting Kariya again, Mordred meeting Gray...so much family stuff was happening and it all needed to be meaningful and a satisfying payoff for the wait. It all needed to co-exist and flow together without being out of character or a jumbled mess. The extra time was necessary to do those things any sort of justice.
I've made the decision to change the month in which this story takes place retroactively from January 1994 to November 1994. This not only fixes all of the timing problems but is also what my research finally nailed down as the canon month of the story. I will have to bump the kids' ages up a year as well to reflect this, and Taiga will thus be in her first year of high school.
I have also been informed of various things happening in Lostbelt 6, and that isn't even the entirety of the changes to Avalon and the Fae. I'm seeing basic spoilers where possible and that lore has been expanded notably. Some aspects like up with the story I have now, while others might not. At the very least subtle differences between FGO and this story can be explained as 'differences between the Lostbelt and this Parallel World of Pan-Human history'. I do see something from LB6 that might jive well with my changes to the El-Melloi II Case Files timeline...
CFateFan: I would have preferred to respond to this in PMs like most other cases. Since you have it set to where I can't PM you though, here it is. In this story, I accept the Fate canon of Mordred's conception. Forgiveness has long since been given by Artoria, though Morgan hasn't fully forgiven herself. For those who are unaware of how two sisters conceived a daughter in the Fate canon, and one unwillingly at that, I won't describe the details here. Just know that Fate started out as a series of adult games and that some of its lore still reflects that origin.
Chapter 16: Rescues and Recoveries
November 14, 1994
Ryuudou Temple
117 hours and 36 minutes to Zero
Gilgamesh was seated with a cup of tea in his hand on the wide steps in front of one of Ryuudou Temple's larger buildings, clearly in a rather foul mood. A drained and horrified Byakuya sat as far away from Gilgamesh as possible on the steps, which suited the Servant just fine. Hercules stood near Byakuya, silent and unmoving like a mountain. Gilgamesh could tell that the demigod was no more pleased with their current circumstances than he was.
"Is the tea not to your liking, Archer?" One of the homunculi that had secured Ryuudou Temple by hypnotizing the monks inquired blankly. Gilgamesh considered her a mere doll with little value. In fact, these beings all had so little value that their creator was willing to exterminate them without a second thought if it was advantageous to his plan for him to do so. Gilgamesh did not bother responding, instead looking toward a different homunculus standing ten meters away in the clearing in front of them. She was not even afforded the dignity of clothing as she vacantly watched the sky for the vehicle of her end.
The buzzing was heard first, then a small cloud of insects was seen flying over the wall surrounding the temple grounds. They flew straight at the sacrifice, tearing into the albino woman and gorging on her flesh in a grotesque display that progressed without even a cry of pain from their victim. Byakuya observed the feeding frenzy and promptly leaned over, heaving violently from the sight that was so much like the final moments of his late wife. Fortunately, the figurehead of the Matou Family had long since emptied his stomach on the climb up the stairs to the temple. In stark contrast, no emotion crossed the faces of the homunculi as they watched the violent death of one of their own.
In a disturbingly brief period of time, only a skeleton and a large puddle of blood remained of the insects' victim. The majority of the insects coalesced into the recognizable form of Zouken Matou, complete with clothing on his withered frame and Command Seals on his aged hand. Some of his insects, however, elected to remain behind to consume the blood left on the ground and the marrow in the victim's bones.
Zouken walked past Gilgamesh into the temple without a word or a glance, led by one of the homunculi. They would surely be discussing their agreement, not that the Servants or Byakuya were considered relevant to the discussion.
Gilgamesh silently fumed. Even working with Tokiomi was better than this.
Once within the building, Zouken regarded the homunculi dressed as priestesses that were present. They had placed the occupants of the temple under their power with Magecraft and sent a number of them away on vacation. The small remainder of monks on duty were subject to the control of the Einzbern homunculi without even realizing it. A bit heavy-handed, but Zouken felt that the chaotic events of the Third Holy Grail War justified such actions. There was barely a temple left by the time all was said and done, and the Einzberns had to completely rebuild the place afterward.
"Matou," one of the homunculi called out in a tone that implied that it was the head of the Einzberns speaking through the doll, "why have you brought your research here?" Said research, in the center of the building, consisted of something bundled in brown fabric and a nearby vial of silvery fluid. It had taken some effort to recover Kayneth's Mystic Code, but thankfully the Water Element common to the Matou family allowed Byakuya to secure the Code en route even if he couldn't employ it as it was currently designed.
Zouken picked up the vial of liquid metal and inspected it with a discerning eye while he responded. "To turn it into a tool to serve our purposes. I had arranged for Lord El-Melloi to have the appearance of working with Caster last night to create confusion and distrust. Even if that did not go fully as intended, my efforts with his Mystic Code will take advantage of that groundwork. I would prefer to work on our main plan first, but this is more time-sensitive."
"You seek to sow further confusion in our enemies. Do you believe you can control Caster and his Master?" The homunculus inquired.
Zouken gave a sadistic grin as he opened the bundle and uncorked the Mystic Code's vial. "No. Though his Master is agreeable enough and Caster can be manipulated, the latter is far too unstable to be reliable for more than simple instructions. They are best-suited as distractions or to accomplish simple objectives. At least we can still use them in that capacity."
"Hnn. You shall bear responsibility for that, then. I expect results. Meanwhile, I will tend to the main plan." The finality indicated that Jubstacheit von Einzbern was done speaking to him through the homunculus maid-turned-priestess for now. Zouken welcomed the solitude as the maid walked away, as he would need hours of concentration to do his work...
Emiya Residence
117 hours and 31 minutes to Zero
The large collection of people filled the living room as Sella, Leysritt, and EMIYA provided refreshments and even trays for those who were unable to sit at the too-small table. The library books were levitated, sorted, and put away with a spell to protect them from being accidentally soiled. Gray tried to keep her distance from some of the others, apparently to keep anyone else from getting sick, though she was still held by a protective Mordred. Shirou and both Artorias also sat with them away from the table, unconcerned about becoming ill for various reasons. Add was around Lancer Artoria's neck. Illya, being a friend of Gray's and wanting to stay close to Shirou, also joined this Pendragon family reunion. Just because the group had gravitated around Gray, however, didn't mean that she was the sole topic of conversation.
"What the-...what do you mean 'you're my uncle'?" Mordred asked the construct hanging from Lancer Artoria's neck. The Knight of Treachery had narrowly managed to censor her language for the sake of the children.
"Well, I'm either that or your brother. Depends on whether you see me as Sir Kay's original soul being stuffed into a cube by Morgan, or if I'm just a Servant-grade copy. I'm Add, the vessel for this World's Rhongomyniad that protects its Mystery. Lancer here is borrowing me and this World's Rhongomyniad for the War. I can suck in magical energy when Rhongomyniad or I hit an opponent and was meant to give a partner like Gray a power boost that way, but it also makes me effective against Servants that are made of that energy."
"So you're why Clarent broke last time? I got cheap-shotted?" Mordred inquired loudly, getting angry at the revelation that her prana-made weapon had been weakened by Add.
"Eh, I just ended the fight earlier. You were already losing. Just be glad Lancer here didn't decide to dual-wield both her and Saber's Rhongomyniads against you." Add taunted with a chuckle, which was met with a choke and a grumble from the blonde tomboy.
"Kay, don't tease her." Lancer Artoria and Saber Artoria both said at the exact same moment, highlighting their similarities. The two Kings glanced at each other for a moment, recognizing the fact, before Lancer looked towards Mordred and continued to speak. "My apologies if you see my use of Add as 'cheating', Mordred. I too was displeased with the outcome. Sadly, protecting Gray from your then-Master took precedence over having an honor duel. I had to settle for deciding that Clarent was my own blade to begin with. The blade you used against me was thus mine to break."
Mordred hugged Gray slightly more firmly on recalling what had been at stake. In spite of the importance of honor and chivalry, she was by no means unaware that there were times one had to make a choice between that and the greater picture. That was just the kind of place that sixth-century Britannia had been. She also had to admit to herself that, at that point in the Holy Grail War, she would not have listened to the truth. Nothing would have stopped that fight. "...fine, I get it. At least I got the fight I really wanted with Saber-Father. Now I can focus on other things."
That response was surprising to the Artorian-era beings assembled, but it was a very welcome one. It meant that Mordred was starting to finally get past what had happened.
Tokiomi sat at the table with Medusa to his left and Atalanta to his right. It was not only a posturing measure borne of the fact that he was in another Master's territory, but it also kept him close to the daughters that both Servants protected. Sakura was sitting on the other side of Medusa, happily drinking grape juice. The girl wished her mother and Auntie Morgan were there but was otherwise quite happy to be surrounded by the rest of her favorite people. Rin, envious of seeing Gray in Mordred's lap, had climbed into Atalanta's own and was currently having her hair brushed by the Greek Servant. All in all, the group took up one entire side of the table. Kariya, Maiya, Kiritsugu, and Irisviel sat around the corner from Sakura, taking up another side of the table. Then there was the side of the table taken up by Taiga, Waver, and Iskandar. Finally, the remaining side of the table was occupied by Dan Blackmore and Doctor Albion.
Once everyone was settled, Dan elected to introduce himself. "I am Sir Dan Blackmore, Gray's maternal uncle sent by King Elizabeth II to monitor the war, and I do not agree with my niece's treatment any more than my sister does. King Artoria, Prince Mordred, Gray's mother, and I all agree with keeping her out of my family's hands. I should mention that I would follow Second Saber's orders above those of the current King of Britannia. I also don't believe in hurting children and am sorry for what you've all gone through so far. We're here to try and find a way to limit such things in the future." Dan Blackmore said in a brief introduction.
Doctor Albion decided to introduce himself next. "For those who are unaware, I am Doctor Albion. I serve as Head of the Clock Tower's Department of Modern Magecraft. Discussions between Lady Sophia-Ri and Second Saber have provided a solution to the El-Melloi's and the Einzberns' liabilities to the Blackmore clan, though I am sure it will be...divisive. As for the current situation, there is a problem we must discuss."
"What sort of problem?" Kiritsugu inquired. Maiya, Irisviel, EMIYA, and even Illya also wore stern expressions to match Kiritsugu's own...or at least as stern as an eight-year-old face would manage in Illya's case. If the Clock Tower was getting involved, that meant that the war was getting even more complicated.
The doctor elected to elaborate. "I'm sure you've noticed that there is far less civilian activity around the city than normal. It is in part because there are Bounded Fields throughout the city that are encouraging people to stay indoors. These Bounded Fields are also siphoning people of their energy little by little. Not enough to be lethal or to even cause injury, but the power being drawn from the city's populace is by no means insignificant due to the scale."
Kariya grimaced slightly at the news. "That sounds like the Matou Magecraft. My father is able to do things like that easily enough." Sakura also gained a displeased expression at this moment, and it wasn't from the taste of her grape juice.
"That's what we initially thought too, but we found that some of the Magic Circles responsible for the maintenance of the Bounded Fields are in the sewer system. These sewers are also putting out the same prana contaminants that we observed Waver Velvet searching the water supply for recently, though in lower quantities." Doctor Albion's elaboration gave Waver a measure of pride that the Clock Tower was using his tactic to monitor things.
"So you imply that Caster is the one who is actually managing the Bounded Fields for the purposes of collecting energy?" Tokiomi inquired.
The doctor gave a nod of confirmation. "Though this particular Magecraft seems to be beyond the skills of this War's Caster, who seems to be a summoning specialist, he is certainly sustaining the system. It's evidence that Zouken conspired with him in spite of the Overseer's orders to prioritize the elimination of Caster. The city's population is in danger so long as Caster remains in play. We're continuing to monitor the prana contamination levels in the water supply in hopes of finding even more highly elevated levels leading us to his new Workshop. Assassin and her Master are already working on stealthily tracking Caster using this method, while the Overseer is working on the cleanup at the Tohsaka and Matou estates from last night's battle."
"And you wish us to step in when you do find him," Iskandar concluded with a wide grin.
"Exactly. We're essentially repeating what Mister Velvet did last time. We believe his tactic would have worked back then had Caster not changed locations. It was just bad timing rather than any fault on your Master's part." Doctor Albion confirmed, the praise prompting Iskandar to slap Waver on the back to the point of making the boy cough violently.
"Ha! And you thought you would not be recognized for your merits! Remember this, boy! The battlefield itself cares not for the circumstances of one's birth! There is no better place for your own skills and deeds to define you. Whenever some politician or noble at this 'Clock Tower' frustrates your ambitions, choose a battlefield that plays to your own strengths and conquer! I can tell you from personal experience that the one thing they cannot do in that situation is ignore you." Iskandar's words initially grated on Waver to where his first impulse would have been to shout in irritation that life didn't work that way. However, something about what Iskandar said rang true in Waver's mind. Wasn't 'playing to his strengths' what had gotten him to this point in the War? Wasn't it how the Magus Killer had managed to defeat so many Mages and Dead Apostles? A loose fist extending a coiled finger went to rest on Waver's chin in thought, and Iskandar's grin shifted to a more fatherly smile as he realized that his Master was thinking carefully on those words.
"...I still have a map of Fuyuki's sewer system that I had copied from the city's records. We can cross-reference that with the data you're collecting to help find the place." Waver said this to the doctor, who gave a nod of acceptance. Waver then looked to Kiritsugu, slight nervousness rising in the boy when the infamous Magus Killer's eyes met his own. He pushed those fears down though. "Mister Emiya, you're probably the best at planning for assaults like this. When we know where they are, would you help with that?"
Kiritsugu would think twice before doing his old job again in most cases. However, there were foes out there so reprehensible that he wouldn't lose any sleep over the choice. These two targets were among that group. "I'd already intended to, no matter who gets the Command Seal. Caster might stick close to the water though. He summoned a gigantic Lovecraftian water monster with regenerative abilities during Saber's last time through the Fourth Holy Grail War. It was necessary to use an Anti-Fortress Noble Phantasm to destroy it in one blow. We can't assume that things will happen the same way, but it is a strong possibility. Monitoring the waterways and sewer system is the best course of action, especially since his familiars are amphibious."
Doctor Albion smiled as the group got to work with their planning. One of Waver Velvet's greatest assets had always been his ability to see the strengths in others and guide them appropriately. It was what would make him a great educator and an even better asset...
Outside Tohsaka Mansion
116 hours and 14 minutes to Zero
Father Risei Kotomine reminded himself that this was a good day. Tokiomi had been pushed away from the selfish Magus mentality that he had been raised with towards something far more healthy. The younger of his two children had been saved. The children had also gained two protectors at the cost of losing one who, as Risei understood, was a questionable influence to start with. Finally, they had found like-minded allies who simply wanted to do the right thing rather than wish upon the Grail.
So as he stood in front of the remains of two wrecked homes and a torn-apart fighter jet surrounded by a cordon of soldiers, observing the craters caused by something akin to air-to-ground missile fire, he forcefully kept reminding himself that this was simply the catharsis leading to that end. A catharsis that he, as the Overseer of the war, was obligated to deal with the logistics of even if the aerial component of the battle had been detected on RADAR by the nearby Nyutabaru Air Base and forced the Japan Air Self-Defense Force to mobilize. Though he wore a Rosary of Authority out of necessity to subtly compel these men in a manner similar to hypnosis, that power did little to compel those at Nyutabaru who they communicated with over the radio. As such, these men had to carry the appearance of conducting a typical investigation.
Though blessed with vitality in his old age, Risei currently felt every bit the eighty-year-old man he truly was.
A Mitsubishi Type 73 Light Truck pulled up and stopped before a pair of pilots exited the vehicle and saluted to a Major that approached them. "Captain Ougi. Second Lieutenant Kobayashi. I trust that you have thoroughly inspected and photographed Captain Ougi's aircraft before coming?"
"Yes, sir. My fighter is in battle-ready condition." Captain Ougi said to his superior officer. He was a bit confused as to why he and his wingman were told to look over his jet back at base to verify not only its condition but also its livery and identifying markings. They were also instructed to photograph those markings. Still, Ougi didn't question his orders as he handed over the photographs and a checklist itemizing the details of the fighter's operational status.
A raise of the eyebrow on the Major's part indicated a bit of confusion as he looked over the images, but he did not speak to that point as he verified the images. "Good, follow me." The Major said, leading Ougi and Kobayashi to the wreckage. The destroyed vehicle was an altered F-15J, with parts of it still glowing faintly with the prana of its pilot. What made Ougi's eyes widen was that the identification numbers on a surviving fragment of the fighter's tail were the same as those on his own aircraft. The Major compared the photographs to the wreckage. "No discrepancies...aside from whatever modified this thing from a stock F-15J. Do you two have any idea why this fighter carries the markings of Captain Ougi's plane, even going so far as to identify as such through IFF when it was airborne? Or why its internal clock identified itself as being two days ahead?"
"I...can't explain that, Sir. I have no idea what's going on. All I can say is that this is not my plane, no matter what the markings may say." Ougi was unaware that a version of the plane became Berserker Lancelot's Noble Phantasm in a Parallel World, only to be seen in Saber Artoria's history by Shirou and subsequently copied by EMIYA for Artoria's use. EMIYA had not expected the craft to persist to this degree, however...
The Major gave a slight sigh, seeing Ougi's honest surprise at the situation even through his professionalism. "Given that your real plane was airborne on patrol and being tracked by RADAR last night, with you aboard and your wingman present, I'm inclined to believe you. You're not being accused of anything, Captain. It's more that we have to figure out why they copied your plane, and who they are."
Any response Ougi might have given was interrupted when an Isuzu Type 73 Heavy Truck pulled up, braking hard before personnel wearing uniforms of the JASDF and the United States Air Force hurriedly emerged. These personnel approached the wreckage, though the JASDF soldier cordon that had already been there blocked their way.
"Hold it, what is this?!" The Major asked in irritation, approaching the new group. It was then that he was approached by a woman with an expressionless face. Her short, white hair was in keeping with the USAF uniform she wore, which indicated a rank of Lieutenant Colonel. The key impression the Major received from this woman was the scent of blood. Unlike he and his men, who had never seen war, this woman was quite familiar with the taking of life. His instincts screamed at him that, if she so chose, he and his men would not survive this encounter.
The white-haired woman with blue eyes responded to the sweating Major, unconcerned with his sudden shift in mood. "Are you in charge of this force? Good job guarding the downed prototype, Major. We will be taking custody of the craft. Red tape with my government prevented us from coming as quickly as we should have, but it couldn't be helped since they helped to produce it and had to have their say in the response."
"Hey! Stop!" One of the guarding JASDF soldiers cried out as a girl dressed as a USAF First Lieutenant casually leapt over the cordon and approached the fighter. The lithe adolescent with long, white hair bore the same lack of expression as the older woman but had gold eyes instead of blue. Some idly pondered if she was a younger sister. She showed no fear of the guns aimed at her as she grasped some of the wreckage with her bare hands...and pulled. The groan of metal straining past its limits was heard by the gawking soldiers as she pulled apart some of the wreckage and extracted the surviving M61 Vulcan 20mm Gatling gun and its mounting hardware with her bare hands. She carefully inspected the weapon and gave an almost imperceptible smile. The girl then took the mounting hardware that was still affixed to the Magecraft-adapted weapon, held it against her left arm, and once more used brute force to bend the metal into a desired shape around her limb.
The soldiers guarding the craft gawked as the small girl now wore a massive M61 Vulcan Gatling gun on her left arm as if it weighed nothing.
By contrast, a muted "should have expected that" was the only acknowledgment the unintroduced Lieutenant Colonel gave of the action before looking to the group as a whole. "Help us load the wreckage onto the truck. Then go to your superiors and report that an F-15J testing a new computer system detected Captain Ougi's transponder code while his aircraft was in range, malfunctioned, and re-transmitted that received code back out over its own systems. This lead to it falsely reporting as Captain Ougi's aircraft. That same computer error led to a failure of the fighter's internal clock and its navigation systems, resulting in a collision with a civilian Kawasaki BK 117 helicopter and the subsequent crash. Report it as causing no fatalities. Recommend to your superiors that the military pay for the damage to the helicopter, the homes, and the damaged roadway. This is a matter of national security and other assets under my command are already tending to the details back at your base."
Every person under the Major's command tensed as the hypnotic suggestion took hold, and the lot of them saluted before they began to comply without question to her orders. The woman, who had assumed command of the whole group without even so much as introducing herself, then walked over to Risei. She took the time to remove a pack of cigarettes from her pocket, light one, and take a drag from it before finally beginning to speak. "Modern technology makes it hard to conceal things like this, doesn't it? The Departments of Modern Magecraft and Astromancy both thank you for your continued support, Father Kotomine. If the Einzberns pay for any damages that the Japanese Government is already covering as a result of this cover story, you should simply retain the funds for the sake of the children that got caught up in the War this time. Consider it the Einzberns' 'idiot tax'."
Rather than staying to answer any questions or hear any protests, the woman turned away to oversee the loading process and keep an eye on the white-haired girl with the Gatling gun on her arm. Risei wanted to feel content knowing that the Clock Tower had sent assistance and had even arranged to pay for the repair of Tokiomi's home if the Einzberns refused to do so due to shifting alliances...but the sheer feeling of death emitting from that woman kept him solidly on guard.
Emiya Residence
115 hours and 31 minutes to Zero
Even with everything he had been through so far in this War, Shirou hadn't felt such a warping of his perceptions as he did right now...with perhaps the sole exception of first seeing his inner world, that is. He was in a house that he knew to be his home by feeling if not yet by memory. He knew that Kiritsugu was his father. He knew Illya was his sister. He knew Taiga was...a mix of a sister and a welcome stray that showed up when it was hungry or wanted to show affection. Feeling things he knew he'd never experienced before was throwing him for a loop. Illya sticking to his side like glue and giving him and the other kids a tour of his house was only making these feelings stronger.
Oh, he'd realized that all he had to do to restore his old memories was take a peek at the scabbard resting within himself. However, Artoria didn't want him to do so yet. She said that the 'old' him was hurt badly and needed the 'foundation' of a healthy childhood for as long as possible to heal. That way, he could one day make better decisions for himself. Shirou understood her desire in at least a basic way. He had the chance to be a 'better' version of himself if he waited.
"And you're sure she hasn't pressed you to do anything?" Atalanta inquired of Shirou after the boy relayed as such to her. The Chaste Huntress had been asked to accompany the children as their chaperone in part to keep her from running off prematurely and hunting Caster for his sins against children. While Artoria had gone far to ease Atalanta's concerns regarding her intentions toward Shirou, it helped to be absolutely certain. Thus she felt obligated to check on Shirou directly.
"I'm sure, Archer-nee. Saber wanted to save me but doesn't want me remembering things too fast either. She cried when I remembered the first small thing because she was happy I was alive...but ever since then when I remember something, she's sad. She keeps telling me not to remember things so fast and to stay a kid while I can." Shirou's words confirmed Artoria's account of their relationship.
After some consideration, Atalanta smiled and gave a nod. "Good. Someone with the blessing of Artemis should treat children well. That goes for you too, Shirou. Be a good little brother to your sister, okay?" Shirou gave a nod of agreement. He wasn't sure what Atalanta had meant by saying he and Artoria both had 'the blessing of Artemis', but she explained it as a sensation she felt when she was near them. Shirou couldn't explain why he apparently carried it, but he did relay that Artoria had once been summoned from the future to save Artemis' life from the White Titan fourteen millennia ago. How Excalibur was a Last Phantasm made by Gaia, with the aid of the Moon, in response to the threat.
"You saw all that by just...looking at her sword?" Atalanta inquired further. If this was true, then Artoria was essentially Artemis' first and strongest champion. The Servant felt shame at having questioned Artoria's integrity in this new light.
"It's part of my power. I look at something, I can see its history." Shirou said that as if it were some simple thing. "Excalibur made me pass out though. It was way too much for me to handle..."
"You shouldn't have tried!" Illya interjected with a stern expression. "Excalibur's made of the hopes and dreams of every soldier dying on the battlefield; Past, Present, and Future. Fourteen thousand years plus the desires of millions of people through every conflict in Proper Human History is too much for you to read! I'm surprised you didn't have a stroke!" Then again, knowing of Avalon's healing properties, he may well have had one and recovered from it without anyone knowing.
Atalanta, on hearing this, was very concerned. She had her bow hanging from her back for quick access in case the children needed to be defended and quickly astralized it so the boy wouldn't strain himself even more than he already had. The boy observed her actions and understood the motive behind them soon enough.
"...oh, I already saw it. Tauropolos: Bow of Heaven. Don't worry, I can Grasp most regular Noble Phantasms just fine," Shirou noted, having already integrated Atalanta's bow into his Reality Marble.
"Ah...that is true..." Atalanta recalled. She had been using her link to listen in on the discussion between the Tohsaka Family, Morgan, Merlin, and Artemis. As such, she was aware that Shirou was able to duplicate Caliburn with this ability...and could probably duplicate her weapon too. "Perhaps, if time allows and Gray heals soon, I should teach a little archery...if my Master desires to learn."
"'Regular Noble Phantasms', he says..." Rin grumbled slightly before noting Atalanta's question. She gave it a bit of thought before nodding and giving her approval. "Our family does more swordplay and hand-to-hand, but Daddy did say we should learn as much from the Servants as possible."
Sakura spoke up next, smiling at the opportunity. "W-we'll be in your care, Atalanta-nee!" Atalanta reacted to the sisterly term of endearment with a warm smile. Sakura even reminded her a bit of a young Medea. Yes, Atalanta had no regrets answering her new Master's call and defending these children.
On completing the tour, the group returned to the living room to rejoin the others. Doctor Albion and Sir Blackmore had since departed to handle other matters while the stressed Sola-Ui was sleeping with the aid of a mild sedative in one of the bedrooms, but everyone else was present somewhere on the grounds. Kiritsugu, Maiya, EMIYA, Tokiomi, and Kariya were discussing contingencies and sleeping arrangements for the large-but-not-infinite residence. Lancer Artoria and Taiga seemed to be in the Dojo if the sounds of combat were any indication. The maids were doing their duties in various capacities...and what of the remainder?
"Hey, what? That's just not fair!" Mordred called out in anger as she looked at the television screen. She held her controller tightly enough for it to creak slightly from the strain. While they waited both for Caster to be located and for lunch to be cooked by Sella, she and some others had begun playing the game Admirable Great Tactics IV on the Sega Saturn that Iskandar had brought from the Mackenzie home. A Multi Terminal 6 multi-tap and a bunch of Projected controllers allowed Iskandar to play with up to six other players. Instead of merely cooperative play against a fictional Axis Powers as Story Mode permitted, the group now controlled their pre-selected nations and each fought each other as well as computer-controlled nations in Battle Mode to conquer the world with weapons from the 1930s and 1940s.
"It is indeed fair, Mordred. You simply have not been educated on the properties of modern warfare. A strong Navy and Air Force are now inescapable prerequisites." Saber Artoria had claimed Britannia at the start of the game and was currently destroying Mordred's French forces when the impulsive Knight had dared to attempt an invasion. The northern half of France was now under Artoria's control, forcing Mordred's rear guard to conquer Northern Spain simply to find an avenue of retreat. Fortunately for Mordred, Artoria was more interested in conquering more of Northern Europe's coastline and solidifying those holdings before attempting to go further inland...with the exception of precision bombing raids on enemy infrastructure and supply lines. She had also brokered an alliance with Irisviel's Germany, effectively cutting Mordred off from any support to the east. Waver was attempting to quietly unify Scandinavia and the Baltic States as his power base while his enemies whittled away at each other, though he was regularly battling the Britannia-German Alliance for naval dominance in the North Sea.
Iskandar chose that moment to weigh in. "That's true. Your father and I merely have more experience in strategy. If you have the time to complain of your losses, you have the opportunity to learn from them!" Iskandar's forces were turning Southern Europe and North Africa into what appeared to be a chaotic mess. He and Medusa struggled against each other to seize and hold the Balkans, including Greece, though he had the foresight to expand his forces into other realms first before making his assault. If Waver held it together, he might be able to descend upon the Balkans from the north to make a pincer move with Iskandar against Medusa in the late game.
Mordred gave a smirk before answering. "Hoooh? I don't think losing a game of rock-paper-scissors against the other Greek Servant to see who started out controlling Greece was your best 'strategy'. Especially since you were staring at Medusa's eyes instead of her hands." Medusa had been forced to swap out her blindfold for Mystic Eye Killer eyeglasses provided by EMIYA so that she could see the images on the television screen, and had attracted Iskandar's notice as a result.
"I am not ashamed to confess that I admire her beauty. Especially considering that her beauty would normally cost the life of the beholder. Truly, one could get lost in those eyes..." Iskandar praised with a grin. Of course, he was also being literal. Trapping people in an illusion was one of Medusa's powers, after all.
Medusa looked away from the screen to glare at Iskandar. "Iskandar...if your libido is so strong as to dare attempting to seduce a monster like me, then you truly are a son of Zeus." Given how prolific and diverse Zeus' collection of illegitimate children was, this was clearly not intended as praise. Iskandar still erupted with laughter just the same.
Everything stopped cold at Sakura's innocent voice, however. "Libido? Seduce? What do those mean, Rider?" Medusa's shocked expression made Iskandar and Mordred burst out laughing even harder while Atalanta glared at Medusa.
"It's...something you don't need to worry about, Sakura. It's one of those weird grown-up things that's just confusing. It used to give my sisters nothing but trouble." Medusa awkwardly did her best to protect what innocence Sakura still had, along with that of the other children in earshot who had looked to her for an explanation.
The discussion was interrupted when Leysritt opened the sliding door to the room, carrying a groaning Taiga over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes. The pair were flanked by a somewhat embarrassed Lancer Artoria. Taiga was deposited on the floor near the table and began to weakly complain. "Lancer...is a beast with a sword...no mercy..." Taiga groaned in reference to their time in the dojo, causing Lancer Artoria to appear slightly sheepish.
"In my defense, Miss Fujimura, you are the one who desired a spar. You also never halted your attack until the moment you collapsed. Your lack of pacing is not my mistake to bear." Lancer Artoria felt as if she had just been bullying a child. True in a sense, but Taiga had asked for this.
"You could have at least held back!" Taiga groaned petulantly. She neglected to mention that she had told Artoria 'not to hold back' at the beginning of their spar.
"I did hold back, Miss Fujimura. You still draw breath and possess all of your limbs." Lancer Artoria responded, making the exhausted tiger of a girl groan in exhausted irritation. Mordred couldn't help but chuckle. Sella placed a cup of tea on the table for Taiga, but otherwise refused to comment or show any expression except for clear disinterest.
Kiritsugu gave a small smile. This was a peaceful coexistence uncommon amongst Magus families at the best of times, much less so during a time of war. Still, it was at this moment he realized that it was a good opportunity to discuss something. "Everyone, can you pause the game and let me pull my wife, the Sabers, and Lancer aside to discuss a Pendragon family matter for a moment? It isn't related to the Grail War, but we still need to address it sooner rather than later." His question drew Mordred's and Saber Artoria's curiosity while Lancer Artoria readily formed up at Kiritsugu's side, apparently already aware of the topic. Kariya and Tokiomi assumed that this was a matter related to Gray's future living arrangements, but that Kiritsugu didn't want to draw the small girl's attention by saying her name. As such, the two guests said nothing.
"Of course, Kiritsugu. Everyone. please excuse us." Irisviel smiled, pausing the game before joining her husband. Saber Artoria and Mordred quickly followed suit. Even Illya tagged along unbidden, wearing a serious expression on her young face. The group departed from the others and soon found themselves in the married couple's bedroom. Irisviel then cast the same privacy spell she used at the Ahnenerbe cafe, preventing their words from carrying outside.
"So what's going on?" Mordred asked, wondering what the problem was.
Kiritsugu lapsed into his stoic 'all-business' expression given the seriousness of what he was about to say. "We weren't fully honest when we told everyone that Gray was ill. It was important to keep quiet about the truth given our present company and their connections to the Clock Tower. She woke up with a fever while Saber and Archer were at the Fuyuki Church, so we tried to use Irisviel's Traced copy of Avalon to heal Gray of any illness she might have had. It did nothing. On closer examination, we found that Gray's heart has been transformed into a Magic Core sometime since her abduction by the Einzberns."
"What?! How the hell did that happen?" Mordred asked, being the first to find her voice.
Irisviel answered the question as best she could. "We aren't sure, but it wasn't there when we first saved her from the cult. We don't think they did it to her. Her fever is caused by the thermal energy of its first activation much like the first time someone unlocks their Magic Circuits. Saber, do you have any idea of the possible cause? Could Merlin be responsible for this as well?" Irisviel was clearly grasping at straws but had no other leads. Saber Artoria was about to tell Irisviel about Shirou's similar condition and inform her that Merlin's involvement was probable, but her phone then began to ring. Taking out her smartphone and seeing a specific name on the screen, she promptly answered and put the caller on speaker.
"Merlin. I trust that you have something to contribute to this conversation?" Saber Artoria prompted authoritatively, expecting the owner of the phone to respond. She wasn't sure how Merlin was able to make a phone call from the Reverse Side of the World of all places, but she could not bring herself to be very surprised.
There were initially a few seconds of silence, as if the person on the other end of the line was hesitant to speak, before a different voice than expected made itself known. "Though blaming Merlin is typically the correct response in such meddling, I must bear responsibility for this."
"Morgan? What do you mean by that?" Saber Artoria's voice carried a note of muted surprise rather than hostility, though Mordred's more intense surprise shifted quickly into anger. The latter's ultimate response was to clench her teeth at the mere sound of her mother's voice.
"Yeah, what did you do to my niece? Wasn't plotting her death enough?" Mordred yelled into the phone in fury. It was bad enough that Mordred herself was an experiment, but for her mother to keep doing these things to others? Illya's eyes narrowed at the reminder of Gray's intended fate while sharing Mordred's sentiment. The Einzberns and Lancer Artoria had known of the planned sacrifice since before they'd departed from Germany, and Illya felt a kinship with the younger child as one also meant to be sacrificed to bring something into the World.
"I have long since abandoned that plan and intend no harm to my descendant. My sister never died to require its use, after all. Gawain's descendants have attempted to employ the plan for themselves in their ignorance. This is a consequence of that sin. Gray is truly fortunate that it has manifested in this manner, as it is a best-case scenario for her." Morgan started, deciding to explain as best she could.
"How can this be a 'best-case'?" Mordred asked warily. She found it unlikely that her mother would bear good news.
"For anyone not aware of the details, the Holy Lance Rhongomyniad has the ability to transform its bearer's body into that of an 'ideal wielder' over time. They become essentially a perfected existence that is progressively closer to a Divine Spirit as the years progress. Guarding against that and also preventing the deterioration of Rhongomyniad's Mystery are two reasons that it is sealed within Add. A third reason is to use Add to adjust Rhongomyniad's transformative properties to forcibly alter a wielder's body into a vessel compatible with Artoria's mind and soul. This process is accelerated further when Artoria is present in the World. When the transformation is finally at a sufficient level, my dagger Erosion would be used upon the sacrifice and transplant Artoria's being into the new body, restoring her to life at the cost of the other person's own." Both Artorias' eyes narrowed at the reminder of just how far Morgan had been willing to go, but they did not interrupt her.
"When both Artorias ordered Gray to maintain her own identity and life, the step that would have transformed her appearance to that of the King of Knights was skipped and the overall process progressed to the creation of the Magic Core that would otherwise have manifested during the Fifth Holy Grail War. Her physical parameters will be enhanced, but she will simply be a better version of herself this way. My sister indigenous to this world merely needs to cast Merlin's spell to conceal her Magic Core from detection until she is older." Mordred gave a clear sigh of relief. Gray would still be herself, just stronger. That was fine. No, that was better than fine. It didn't make what her mother did right, though.
Lancer Artoria interjected, wanting clarification on something. "This is indeed fortuitous, but please explain why you would dare to consider such a course of action in the first place."
"...because on top of being a danger to everyone around me, I did not place value on a random human life," Morgan stated while working to keep her voice level.
"This sounds strange," Irisviel said, drawing the attention of Mordred and both versions of Artoria. "You plotted to kill your sister, but you planned to resurrect her afterward? That is contradictory, Lady Morgan. In fact, a large amount of your legend is unclear and contradictory. Sometimes helping, sometimes hindering, sometimes even being considered the same person as Vivian of the Lake. I initially thought that your legend was just warped by time, but there is more to this that you aren't telling us, isn't there?"
"There is no justification for what I have done, so explaining the road that led me to that end is pointless. I do not make excuses for my sins." Morgan responded.
"But you recognize them as sins," Irisviel noted. Morgan stayed silent for several seconds, so the homunculus pressed on. "You have even been helping your sister from behind the scenes and helped save Sakura on your own initiative because she and Rin reminded you of yourself and Saber. You deeply regret what happened, don't you?"
After several more moments of silence, Saber Artoria closed her eyes and began to speak when realizing that Morgan had no intention of answering. "Indeed. She has been civil and eager to help in her own way but remains quiet and distant. Seeking her out to speak of the past leads to her simply vanishing from my sight for years on end. We who carry the Pendragon name tend to stubbornly isolate ourselves and suffer our burdens silently until someone grabs us by the arm and drags us into the light. Reaching out to save her, however, is akin to trying to catch running water in one's hands. I cannot help her until she chooses to forgive herself." Saber Artoria's words were a surprise to Mordred. To think that her hateful, vengeful mother could feel remorse...
"So she regrets bringing me into the world, huh?" Mordred asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow.
"No," Morgan finally uttered in a strained manner. It was as if the idea that Mordred thought such a thing was painful enough to briefly override her silence. "I regret the method I did so in. The spirit I did so in. The mold I forced your life into. But I do not regret the birth of any of my children. The fact that you have been able to make up with your father...is a relief I never expected to have the chance to know."
"How...can you say that?" Mordred asked the telephone in shock. This was not the vindictive and manipulative mother she remembered.
"Because she's sane now." Add observed from his position around Lancer Artoria's neck. "Lady Einzbern was right. Morgan acted in a contradictory way at the best of times. It was damn confusing and made her impossible to predict. By the end of my life, it was outright madness. Not the harmless kind of madness that was easy to deal with, but the dangerous sort of madness that left the intelligence and animalistic cunning of its victim whole so they might act on their delusions. That malady of the mind has left you, hasn't it? You've ceased to be Morgan le Fay and are once more Morgan Pendragon."
Morgan gave a small sigh. "Being surrounded by the hope of Avalon has done wonders for my mind, yes. I am not whole, but I am lucid enough to be horrified at what I have done. I will not make excuses and pretend that I was not at fault. To ask forgiveness at this point would merely insult those whose lives I have ruined and ended. Only action will allow me to atone in some small way. As such, there is no more to be said on the matter."
Saber Artoria did not truly accept this, but she would have to reserve such a conversation for later. There was no way that Morgan would go into details in this situation. "We will discuss that at length later, Morgan. Do not flee from it when the time comes. For now, what of Shirou's dormant Magic Core? Are you also responsible for its presence? I had thought it to be Merlin's doing due to its concealment with his spell, but I must now wonder." The others present were quite surprised at that bit of new information. Saber Artoria simply couldn't risk telling them while Waver, Iskandar, Kariya, or Taiga were listening. This was the first chance she'd had to get Kiritsugu or Irisviel sufficiently isolated enough to discuss it in relative privacy.
"Regarding that, you will have to speak with Merlin. He is indeed responsible for that and many more...adjustments to your young suitor that he had neglected to inform us of. As he only gives me and Vivian small bread crumbs of information for his own amusement when the consequences become visible, I strongly suspect that he still has not divulged the entirety of his actions to us. Fortunately, he is present for you to inquire." Morgan was pleased to move the topic away from herself. Artoria's silence was palpable as she considered her sister's words heavily. Far more heavily than Merlin was comfortable with. Then she finally spoke.
"Merlin. Explain yourself." Saber Artoria's tone reminded Merlin of times when she held court in Camelot. It was specifically the tone employed when she was giving those accused of particularly heinous and distasteful crimes one final chance to either confess or present their defense.
"...I suppose I should start with the most important thing first. Do you know what the Quantum Time Lock assigned to 1994 Fuyuki is?" Merlin inquired of the group through the phone.
"I would assume that it is the Fourth Holy Grail War," Kiritsugu answered.
"No. To be precise it is 'Shirou is mortally wounded and healed by the scabbard Avalon'. In many Worlds, Alaya uses the aftermath of the Fourth Holy Grail War as a means to accomplish this end. In this world, the conditions were satisfied when Shirou was assaulted by Ryuunosuke Uryuu. In others, it can be anything from a gas explosion to a car accident. All, however, require Shirou to undergo this event in some form. Kiritsugu should not blame himself for Shirou's suffering back then. He should blame Alaya for making it mandatory." Merlin's clarification stunned the group. The expression on Kiritsugu's face was complicated, though restrained by his efforts to remain stoic. He carried relief, guilt at feeling that relief, and horror for what this all meant for his son.
Irisviel's concern showed clearly on her face. "But why? Why would Alaya go to such lengths to attack Shirou?"
"It is because Shirou, in his natural state, has a predisposition for inheriting the First True Magic." Those words hit everyone assembled like a bombshell. A True Magic was a power beyond Magecraft and the goal of every conventional Magus. They sought to obtain it for themselves by reaching the Root, which had only been accomplished a handful of times in the Age of Man. Attaining a True Magic was the very reason the Holy Grail War existed. The Tohsaka had studied under the master of the Second Magic for two centuries in hopes of inheriting that power or attaining a different one, and the Einzberns were desperate to regain the Third Magic after their family's practitioner of it had died. As Magic did not die once brought into the world unless reduced to a mere 'craft', thus becoming Magecraft, it was possible for others to inherit it once the original users had died - something Shirou seemed to be an example of.
"The Counter Force considers any True Magic a threat and takes measures to hinder its discovery. Your Fourth Holy Grail War was permitted by Alaya to proceed as far as it did explicitly so that Shirou would be close to death...and so that saving him with Avalon would warp his Origin and Element enough to render him incompatible with the true nature of the First Magic. He was thus limited to the degraded form known as Tracing and a Reality Marble to render it more efficient in combat. Alaya would eventually manipulate events to guide him to serve it as a Counter Guardian. This time, however, Avalon has appended to his original Element and Origin instead of wiping it out." Merlin smiled as his Clairvoyance let him see everyone's expressions in his mind's eye. An expression of realization.
"So when Shirou's Projections didn't fade away, and when he created that second Magic Crest in Mister Tohsaka's arm," Saber Artoria realized with wide eyes...
"It's because he was touching on the First Magic, albeit in a limited way structured by his understanding of Tracing. Creations made by such a process will not vanish unless he consciously erases them. Furthermore; he has retained his Reality Marble and its contents to make the process more efficient, is no longer bound to simply making weapons and shields, and even has access to EMIYA as a teacher along with his armory of Noble Phantasms. Add in more Magic Circuits and a Magic Core to better power his efforts and his Mystic Eyes' ability to see more data and process that data more perfectly, and Shirou Emiya has become better suited to the First Magic than ever before. Everything we can do to stack the odds in your loved one's favor helps!" Merlin's words were met with stunned silence. Even Morgan didn't respond, though no one over the phone realized that she was busy staring at Merlin like he had grown an extra head.
"Does Archer know?" Kiritsugu asked, the group having not yet determined what to call the ex-Counter Guardian. Calling him 'Emiya EMIYA' was a bit contradictory.
"Not entirely. He knows the original Reality Marble's properties have changed to be more versatile and lower cost, but he has no idea that he is hijacking the First Magic when he borrows Shirou's Reality Marble to cheaply Trace more diverse things. Some favors had to be called in to recover the wreckage of the jet Artoria crashed into Gilgamesh's face, all because it did not fade away as he expected." Merlin's comment made Mordred give an unladylike snort of amusement. The thought of Gilgamesh having that smugness wiped off his face by a giant metal projectile was immensely pleasing to her. Saber Artoria's expression, however, was one of deep contemplation and concern.
"My king...while your intended may yet have a life worthy of living, I can not guarantee that it will be forever peaceful. He needs the power I have provided him to defend the people and values that he cares for. Besides, you know that he would throw himself into such things regardless of whether he was weak or strong." Saber Artoria was silent for a time as she contemplated Merlin's words. If what he said was true, then there was a strong probability that his actions were necessary. Still...
"Merlin, you have explained to me your justifications, important as they may be, but are still avoiding the topic. Tell me what you have done." Saber Artoria's words made Merlin wince slightly. She was too used to his methods of deflection and it seemed that there was no escaping this discussion. He knew that no amount of flowery language or justification would spare him from the King's ire this time.
115 hours and 24 minutes to Zero
Shirou had no idea that he was the topic of conversation. He only knew that the family that had adopted him had been talking with the Pendragons for a long time. After producing a large number of gems at Rin's insistence, startling Taiga in the process and resulting in his producing a gold bar for her at her request as well, he had since started to use his Mystic Eyes to quickly Grasp the multitude of library books that had been secured by Iskandar. This included Greek and Sumerian legends relevant to Hercules and Gilgamesh respectively. The King of Conquerors had obtained them with the intent of familiarizing everyone with their enemies and finding weaknesses to exploit in their legends.
For some reason, the Sumerian stories about the favored goddess Ishtar descending into the underworld and being killed by her lonely and forsaken sister Ereshkigal struck him rather hard...
February 15, 2004
Fuyuki Cave System
Shirou was at his limit from his and Rider's fight with Saber Alter, feeling Archer's transplanted left arm threatening to intrude upon his existence and tear him apart. One more Projection was all he could risk before he lost control. The spellcaster had left Rider behind to recover just a little from her wounds and now pressed forward alone using the wall of the tunnel as support. He ignored his coughing up of blood. He ignored the swords in his leg. There was a place he had to be, and the shaking of the cavern was proof that time was running out.
Emerging into the chamber of the Greater Grail, Shirou looked upon the existence that was Angra Mainyu as it continued to form. The rumbling and flashes of battle showed that Rin was doing her best, but these signs of battle eventually ended. Shirou heard a cry.
"Nee-san!" Shirou moved as fast as he could toward Sakura's voice, but the scene before him when he arrived showed that he was already too late. Rin was lying on the ground face down in a pool of her own blood.
"Sen...pai..." Sakura, stained in the blood of her sister, stumbled back from the body. As the truth of what she had done hit home, the possessed girl started to cry while cursing her own tortured existence.
"Shirou? Are you alright?" Atalanta's concerned voice snapped him out of his thoughts with a jolt. Shirou glanced around himself and realized that he was being looked at by the worried Servant along with Rin, Sakura, and Gray.
"Y-yeah, I'm okay. I was just thinking about the stories of Hercules and Gilgamesh...it seemed like people kept being hurt for silly things. Humans and gods both. Sometimes it was for petty stuff that could have been worked out just by talking or thinking a little about the other person. That's not how heroes should be. They should want to save people." Shirou's words made Atalanta frown a bit as she remembered instances of that herself.
"It's because they forgot their kindness for the sake of their own perspectives and desires...never lose your kindness, Shirou. Temper it as needed in a given situation, balance it properly with other factors, be mindful of those who would abuse it, and mete it out appropriately...but never consider it to be a weakness." She smiled, giving the boy a hug as he considered her words.
Unknown Location
Any indication of time's passage had long since stopped.
In the Age of Gods, she was one who tended to human souls after death. Her cages once held their wavering blue lights as she worked hard to ensure that their rest, even if in drab and dreary surroundings, was at least tolerable. They were all she had in life. But now that the Age of Man dominated the surface, there was nothing human here. The cages of Kur were empty. The blue light of their souls had been missing for countless years since being recycled to the Root, those years not even measurable due to a lack of day or night.
Nothing remained in this underground realm except for a weakened, forgotten goddess named Ereshkigal. This Divine Spirit with no purpose was trapped in her vestigial and isolated Texture of Kur in the Reverse Side of the World, a Texture which had inherited the rules 'Ereshkigal can not leave' and 'the living can not enter' from its time of relevance in Sumeria during the Age of Gods. As such, her imprisonment would continue for at least as long as the current balance between Gaia and Alaya survived and kept her realm isolated from its intended purpose.
Ereshkigal knew that her eternal isolation wasn't done out of cruelty or punishment. It was simply how things turned out. That made things worse in a way because her suffering served no purpose. It was entirely because she was forgotten. With the Throne of Kur having long since worn away with use over time, she was seated on the ground with her arms cradled around her legs. It had been centuries since she had moved from that spot. There was no purpose to getting up. No purpose to anything.
She hoped that her sister Ishtar was still flying free in the skies, at least.
Then, for the first time in millennia, she felt a change. Something was calling to her. Raising her head from her knees in confusion, she tried to place the feeling this energy gave. It wasn't anyone from the Sumerian pantheon, but it carried a strange sort of Authority behind it. Something human, yet of Gaia. Profoundly young, yet carrying hints of something even more ancient than herself.
It offered a contract to her, but she could feel that the motive behind it wasn't to demand anything of her. There was only a pure, instinctive intent to save. Without even realizing she was doing so, Ereshkigal absentmindedly extended her hand in acceptance...
...and the whole of Kur shook violently.
She fell over, clutching a stalagmite on the ground for stability. The Texture under her command was moving. Merging. Being absorbed by something that was changing its rules. It normally might not have been possible, but she had unwittingly yielded to the force and thus allowed its Authority to impose itself on the severely weakened Texture of Kur. And on her.
When the shaking stopped, Ereshkigal stood and shook off the dizziness. Her first impression was that her height had changed a little. Confused, she looked to her hands and found them to be different in appearance from what they once were. Ereshkigal hurriedly used her abilities to call forth the mirror that she had previously used to communicate with Uruk and her surprise deepened. Staring back at her was a blonde girl with red eyes who was roughly seven years of age. Cute, but certainly not consistent with her former appearance. Feeling for other changes, she zeroed in on the one that meant the most to her. Kur was now freely traversable.
She could leave to see whatever Texture had subsumed Kur and now lay above.
Resolving to meet the being that had called on her, Ereshkigal left Kur and entered a cave system connecting it to the surface. She passed through a massive cavern that seemed to have once held something absolutely gargantuan but was now empty. There was a lingering sense of regret in the Texture that was associated with this place, but she pressed onward.
On emerging from the cave system, Ereshkigal inhaled fresh air as she stepped out into the light of the late-morning sun. The girl beheld green grass, trees, a crystal-clear lake, a mountain, and even a human-built shrine of some sort. Her eyes were moist at the opportunity to finally see a place she felt was beautiful. Adding to the beauty was a beam of light that pierced the sky, one carrying a sensation of power and hope unlike which she'd ever known.
She walked toward that light, gradually cresting a hill and reaching the source. Atop this hill with a single tree, a semi-circle of weapons was impaled into the ground. All were Noble Phantasms placed in positions of honor. One of these items, a scabbard that was clearly a Divine Construct, was the source of the beam of light. It was the power of Gaia, brought in from the heart of the planet by some unknown means.
Looking next to the lands beyond, Ereshkigal's eyes widened. There, impaled into a grass-covered battlefield that stretched out before her, were an uncountable number of swords.