FATE/CATBOX FICTION
Chapter 37: Monsters Born From Unfairness
Connla's eyes shot open.
After being overwhelmed by an intense rush of colors and images, she returned to the waking world with a heart-stopping yelp. She found herself lying on her side inside the familiar space that was the Shrine of Manoa. Her breathing was erratic, and she shivered uncontrollably. She needed to lie there a while longer to calm her wildly beating heart, fearing she might suffer from cardiac arrest if she tried to move too much.
"Connla!?" Waver cried out from several feet away. She looked over and saw him standing near some murals. He must have been inspecting them while waiting for her to wake up. Only now did her bizarre scream alert him, and he kneeled next to her while asking, "Are you okay?"
"Uh… I… R-Right… Cliste said I would wake up in Manoa…" Connla murmured in an empty tone as she panned her eyes along the chamber.
"What's the matter? You've got tears all over your face."
"I do?"
She quickly wiped her cheeks, realizing they were covered in layers of salty fluid. She hastily cleaned them off her face and eyes, then said, "It's okay. Everything's fine now."
"What happened with Nagual?"
"Ms. Lexy and I worked together to defeat her."
Waver closed his eyes as he thought about the Enforcer. He sullenly whispered, "I see…"
She was about to tell him everything that happened in the dream battle, but then jolted as she realized, "That's right! Cliste is going to active the Artificial Beast's self-destruct sequence! We need to get out of here right away!"
"She's going to destroy herself!?"
"Yeah. She thinks that will be the best thing for everyone. She doesn't want any of us to try and stop her."
"Ungh… That's just not fair to her…"
"Come on, Mr. Velvet, we shouldn't dally about like this! If we don't escape, we'll be dying with her! She wouldn't want that to happen to us, would she!?"
Waver blinked when he heard Connla call him 'Mr. Velvet'. The firm tone of voice she used just now was so similar to Lexy's that, just for a split second, he mistook her for the Enforcer. He suppressed a bitter chuckle, then muttered, "You're right. We'll have plenty of time to be emotional later."
They stood up, then he asked, "So how are we going to get out of here?"
"Well, let's see…" the Lancer ran up to the nearest wall and pressed her cheek against the cracks. "It might just be me, but I think I felt my hair rustling for just a second."
"You think there's an opening somewhere?"
"Maybe. These walls are incredibly ancient, so all of this sudden movement may have caused some deterioration."
"Good point."
He joined her in the search for any potential cracks that could lead to the outside. It took them some time, but he soon felt a whiff of cool air brush his cheek from a particular crack directly beneath the huge mural depicting Tezcatlipoca. He called out to her, "Here! I think this is it!"
She ran to his side to inspect it. She nodded in agreement, then said, "All right, I'm going to blast it open. I suggest you stand as far back as possible."
Waver gulped, then ran to the opposite wall. Connla took a few steps away, then performed some intricate hand gestures to conjure an Ansuz Rune before her. Swirling strips of magical energy converged on the orange-tinted Rune, making it glow brighter and brighter until it illuminated everything around her. With a loud and definite battle cry, she thrust her arms forth to launch a large fireball at the wall. It decimated the withered stone with such a loud explosion that Waver had to cover his ears. When the smoke and dust settled, the resulting hole would indeed lead them out of the Artificial Beast's right flank. It was at this point that Cliste was commanding the monster to lie down, so the buildings that it managed to decimate throughout London gradually came closer and closer into their view.
"Uwaaah… That's way too high for me," Waver shuddered.
"This shouldn't be a problem," Connla replied calmly. "Whenever I need to transport Master with me, I always surround her in an air bubble. If you're afraid of heights, I suggest you keep your eyes closed."
"T-That's a good idea…"
The teenager immediately squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his teeth nervously, expecting the trip to be like some demented roller coaster ride. He dared not even take a tiny peep in case he witnessed himself being hundreds of feet in the air. After the stunt that Zhuge pulled on him earlier, he feared his heart would not be able to handle such excitement again.
About a minute later, he heard Connla call out to him, "Mr. Velvet? You can open your eyes now."
"… Huh?"
He did so, finding himself standing on the street far below the Artificial Beast. He was certain that his feet had never left the ground, so seeing this instant change in scenery disoriented him. He looked around in befuddlement as he yelped, "Wha-? H-How did you do that!?"
"How else? With a Ken Rune, of course."
"No, I-I mean, h-how did you make me think I was still standing on solid ground?"
"With a platform Rune."
"A what now?"
"A highly concentrated wind Rune that can function as a temporary platform. Since I'm so short, I devised it to help me do my chores around Chaldea. It's surprisingly handy in combat as well."
"But what about yourself? Did you use them too?"
"Why? I'm a Lancer. Jumping along such great heights is no problem for me."
"You don't say…" Waver muttered to himself, finding Connla's calm attitude a little irritating compared to him being a nervous wreck. Still, he found some comfort with her behavior, seeing it as yet another reminder of Lexy's ingenuity and cool-headedness.
"Come on, Mr. Velvet, you need to pull it together. We should think about meeting up with everyone."
"Yeah, but… What then?"
Connla tilted her head curiously. "What do you mean?"
"Am I able to go to Chaldea with you guys?"
She widened her eyes when she realized something. For all of their running around trying to save each other, she had forgotten an incredibly fundamental principle; Waver could not use the Rayshift technology to escape the Akakor world's Pruning process. Chaldea's ability to Rayshift involved placing Ritsuka and Mash inside Spiritron coffins and sending them through time and space, where Ritsuka could then summon her Servants to her side. Waver was not inside such a coffin, thus he could not make such a journey to Chaldea. If they wanted to save Waver, they would need to find a different method of travel for him. Given that this timeline would be fully erased in about an hour, there was just no opportunity for them to think of an alternative.
Just then, they heard Zhuge's voice as he told them, "Remember – with deference and prudence, to the state of one's depletion; it is never finished until one's death."
"The hell is that supposed to mean?" Waver grumbled.
"It reinforces one's commitment to strive to the utmost. Think of it as 'never give up until your dying breath'."
"Seriously? You need to tell me something that obvious?"
"He's right. Let's not give up just yet," Connla said. "If we meet with Master and the others, we can consult Ms. Da Vinci. She's a genius at thinking up solutions to problems such as this."
"All right. But don't go to so much trouble for me," Waver told her with a sullen frown. "If there really is no way for me to leave, then I'll accept whatever happens. I've accomplished my goal of vindicating Lancer of Akakor anyway. I can disappear knowing I found out the truth."
The mood quickly became grim. She really couldn't say anything to him. He had lost Iskandar and Lexy, and now he was going to die as well. Waver was probably keeping himself from collapsing into a pathetic heap thanks to Connla and Zhuge staying calm for his sake. As they proceeded to head for the Clock Tower ruins, they spotted a strange orange burst coming from the Artificial Beast's head, followed by the distant sound of a massive explosion.
Waver widened his eyes slightly and murmured quietly, "That's where the Terminal was."
Connla's eyes welled up with tears, and she bit her lip as she whimpered, "Cliste…"
"Don't stop moving, you two," Zhuge implored. "She wouldn't want you to stand around and mourn for her while you are in danger."
They swallowed hard to regain their senses. Before either of them could take another step though, they heard something unusual within the city's deathly silence. As the world became increasingly darker by the encroaching void, someone's shoes clicked on the pavement. The steps were so purposeful in motion that the pair couldn't resist glancing over at where the sound was coming from. Cast within a barely-functioning street light's glow, they discovered a familiar man approaching them.
The young Lancer widened her eyes and murmured a single name in surprise:
"Mr. Salieri?"
Waver and Connla could see how disheveled and torn up his pinstripe suit was. His hair was an utter mess, yet his mirthful smile and sinister red eyes appeared clean and crisp. His voice sounded quite broken as he greeted them with, "A most spectacular performance. You and your allies succeeded in silencing the aberrant Beast of Akakor. I must say, my soul truly was moved by such valor…"
"Why are you still here? Shouldn't you have perished along with Lancer of Akakor?" Connla asked.
"Do not misunderstand. While I pledged allegiance to Lancer's cause, she insisted that I not be involved in her battle. She could not trust me… though I cannot fault her for that. She had lost the ability to place her faith in anyone but herself. All she wanted was for me to delay her awakening as much as possible through my tranquil melodies. Even so…"
Salieri appeared increasingly troubled as he admitted, "The moment Lancer knew she was doomed, she poured every last vestige of her power into ensuring my safe escape."
Waver became silent, then nodded and said, "Yeah, I can see her doing that."
Connla anxiously pressed her hands against her chest, trying to imagine what her counterpart must have been feeling once she knew her defeat was imminent. She would have done the same too – the worst thing imaginable for her wasn't the idea of suffering wherever she went, but rather dragging others into such miserable events when she could prevent it.
"Aaah… What beautiful idiocy…" the composer moaned in a disturbing tone. "She would go so far as to allow a wretched creature like myself to live. Tell me… Why would she do such a thing for me? What did she think I could possibly gain out of it?"
"Well…" Waver murmured, unable to come up with an answer.
Connla stepped in front of him and said, "This is only a suggestion, but if I were in her position, I'd probably want you to make a contract with my Master and join Chaldea as one of her Servants."
Salieri appeared genuinely confused by such an outlandish idea. "Me? A Servant of Chaldea?"
"I'm sure that was it. She wanted you to use your abilities for the greater good, rather than go along with her broken plan of terrorizing the multiverse."
"A broken plan, you say…"
He closed his eyes for a moment. Then his lips curled into a disturbing sneer as he chuckled, "Preposterous! What callousness! Those who are loved by God could never hope to understand the beauty of those who suffer in darkness!"
"What are you going on about?" Connla demanded.
"You have the gall to call Lancer's dream 'broken'!? You dare say that to my face as if it's nothing!? Let me tell you something, child! I gravitated toward that dream precisely because of its inherent flaws! The only ones who can appreciate the demented imaginings of a tortured soul is, indeed, a fellow tortured soul! Not just the Mages… EVERYONE lived in blissful ignorance of Lancer's endless anguish! To think that I - the Man in Grey, a Grim Reaper whose sole purpose is to purge God's beloved from everyone - am the only person in this entire world who actually understood her speaks volumes of what was actually broken in this putrid excuse of a society!"
Waver tensed up and bit his lip.
Connla asked Salieri, "So you won't join us?"
"No," was the musician's simple response. "If that is how all Mages behave in other worlds, then I would rather die here than be associated with such rot."
"My Master is different. She fights for what she believes in, and encourages her Servants to do the same rather than force them to follow her orders."
"Is that so? Then show me your loyalty to your Master. You may have seen how fervently I will follow Lancer of Akakor to the depths of Hell itself, but I have not seen you demonstrate your own loyalties."
"Is that a challenge, then?"
"Indeed."
Connla brandished her spear, then said, "I must warn you – although both of us are exhausted, our combat capabilities are leagues different from each other. I was bred into a warrior that was meant to kill Cuchulainn. Can you say the same when you lived life as a composer whose weapon of choice is music?"
"Don't hoist yourself on your petard, whelp!" Salieri snarled "I still have one last opportunity to defeat you!"
Waver and Connla had no idea what he was talking about. Their confused expressions seemed to invigorate Salieri. He activated the power of the Gate that Cliste gave him, allowing it to overrun his Spirit Origin with an incredible burst of power. His heart pounded out of control, and his bloodshot crimson eyes narrowed into tiny dots. His body started to glow a sickening blood red aura with hints of black mixed in. Soon, his entire form was lost within the malicious haze.
The world around them became incredibly still and silent. Connla had never felt her guard be more alert than during these tense moments, especially since she needed to protect Waver from whatever was going to happen to Salieri.
"Oh…? Oooh…! OoooOOOOoooOOOOOHHHH!?"
The Avenger's warped cries of pain and ecstasy disrupted the disturbing quiet. Connla held her spear before her in a defensive posture in order to protect Waver from whatever potential danger might be thrown at them. Eventually, the black fog dissipated enough for them to see him once more. Waver uttered a small cry of horror. Connla wasn't so perturbed, only narrowing her eyes in response to the sight before her.
Salieri hardly looked human anymore. His entire body was wrapped in a red-and-black shell that almost looked like the armor he wore previously, but far more demonic in nature. The silver mask had morphed into long horns around his head, and the lower part of his face was torn open into something resembling a mouth with rows of shark-like teeth. They couldn't tell if multiple violet eyes were opening within the mess of horns, or if they were just slits allowing the light from his concealed eyes to bleed through. His composer's uniform was more of an elaborate torn trench coat mixed with thorny red wings, and the vermillion cravat he normally wore became a long, slender thing that formed the front of his neck. He wore metallic black boots that narrowed into sharp points at the end, and wielded a bleeding red stiletto sword that accentuated his nature as a killer who gorged through anyone loved by God.
Salieri hovered before the pair and stared intently at Connla, then threatened, "The performance is only just beginning. Once you have been admitted entry, you will not be allowed to leave until I am finished playing my requiem for this forsaken world."
She grunted nervously. Could she really fight him in this current state? She was not with Ritsuka, so she could not receive any orders nor be supplied with energy from her Command Spells. She couldn't afford to waste much time dealing with Salieri, yet she was also fearful of him chasing her through the Rayshift into Chaldea. There was also the matter with Waver, but that hardly seemed important compared to the danger they were facing.
Waver lowered his face. In that moment, he made a crucial decision befitting of a Master:
"Connla. Make a contract with me."
"Eh? Mr. Velvet?" the Lancer yelped.
"You don't have any time left. Fighting alone may be fine, but if I became your temporary Master, you should be able to finish this much faster."
"But what about you?"
"I'm all right now. I've decided to disappear with this timeline. I just want to use my remaining time to get you back home to your family and friends. If I didn't, I'm sure they would never forgive me for it."
"…"
"I know it's unfair. This entire world has been unfair to itself, and to other worlds. The Mages used the Second Magic as a way to escape from their responsibilities, and now their hubris has caught up to them. That's why the World has decided to Prune it from the Greater History of Man. My only wish is to not allow you to be caught in this shameful world's destruction."
Connla was speechless. Was there really nothing else they could do? She had long since accepted that she couldn't do anything for the Akakor world itself. If there were so many bad people who could use the Parallel World Gates to harm other dimensions, including Chaldea itself, then maybe it was fitting to have them erased to prevent further damage. But what about the good people? Waver was certainly a Mage with a good heart. He didn't deserve to be eliminated like this…
Salieri realized the conundrum that Connla was facing. Waver's speech about unfairness also moved him. He knew he was just getting in the way of what they needed to do, but he needed to see it for himself… He needed to see Connla as a warrior, not as a miserable child trapped inside a Holy Grail. If she could reach to him as a kindred spirit with words alone, he was curious to see how much more he could connect with her through the rigors of battle. Connla's deep concern for Waver's welfare spoke deeply to Salieri's soul.
Soon, the mutated Avenger said, "Make your contract."
She gasped lightly, confused about why he would allow her to do so.
"Worry not. I promise this will be but a brief skirmish," he assured her. "It is just enough time for a duel. I'm sure I will find my answer if I am given that much."
She considered her options for a moment, then replied, "I understand."
Waver nodded, then held his right arm forth and called out, "I hereby propose, Child of Cuchulainn. Your fealty shall be mine, and my fate shall be yours. If you heed the Grail's call and heed my will and reason, then obey me. Do so, and I shall entrust my fate to your sword."
Waver's Command Spells reformed on his hand as he reached for Connla. She likewise extended her hand and replied, "On my honor as Lancer, I accept your oath. I accept you as my Master, Waver Velvet."
Their fingers touched, and a rush of pure blue mana burst around them. Connla felt reenergized as her Spirit Origin synchronized with Waver's new Command Spells. She wasn't sure what this was going to mean for her contract with Ritsuka, but she knew this was the best thing for her in this very moment. Resolved to protect Waver from Salieri, she turned to face the red-armored Avenger with determination in her eyes. Her clothes turned bright white and shifted over her entire body.
As the azure wave rushed past Salieri, he spotted Connla's small form charging for him as a silhouette. She was garbed in her own full set of white armor and helmet, courtesy of a Command Spell that Waver already expended to grant her a boost in power. Salieri almost didn't recognize Connla in her armor, but the incoming spear with its charming pink tassel reminded him who he was dealing with. As she descended upon him, Waver watched the two Servants as they were about to begin their intense duel. From his perspective, it looked like the climactic battle of an already action-packed movie, with the heroic white knight representing purity and morals facing off against the evil red knight of corruption and malice. This was not a fight to determine the fate of the world – it was just an honest, simple-to-goodness duel between the protagonist and antagonist.
A clashing of hearts, so they could better understand each other…
Connla didn't want to imagine how isolated she felt right now. Fully cut off from Chaldea, almost minutes away from being Pruned out of existence… She wouldn't get any assistance from anyone else. She was completely on her own for this battle. Ironically, focusing on Salieri helped her push out those grim thoughts for now. Whatever he was looking for, she hoped she could give it to him quickly enough.
Connla emerged out of the mana burst and deftly thrust her spear at Salieri's stiletto, engaging in a fervent fencing match. She noted that the length of his weapon was actually greater than her own height, so she was going to have some trouble closing the distance between them. She also realized that attacking him at a low angle would be a bad idea due to the sharp, pointed tips of his greaves. If she wasn't careful, he could skewer her with his legs while she was tumbling along the road. He had to hover just off the ground for him to get anywhere, so knocking him off balance would be equally as pointless. She wasn't sure how high he could float though, so she needed to bait him into the air before determining her next move.
Luckily, air battles were Connla's specialty. She conjured multiple platform Runes and hopped along them to avoid Salieri's furious sword swings. Although she knew his attacks lacked the refinement and accuracy that a trained soldier like her had, she also understood that a misused weapon could still be dangerous. After all, Scathach taught Connla that an idiot wielding a deadly weapon can be even more lethal than a professional. She had to keep that in mind while weaving around Salieri's rampant strikes. He howled in frustration as he kept slicing through empty air when he thought he had her cornered. As she continued making distance between them, he finally flew after her in a mid-air chase.
So he can fly as he pleases, Connla realized. Although this limited the number of strategies she could use, that was good for her to at least know.
Eventually, the Lancer fell upon the Avenger from directly above and swung her spear at his face with all her might. He attempted to parry it with his sword. The sound of metal smashing against metal pealed around them so loudly that Waver had to cover his ears. However, the stiletto suddenly fractured into pieces from the spear's intense force, astonishing Salieri. His toothy jaw dropped in amazement.
This can't be!
Waver noticed a peculiar glint near the streetlight, then realized that the tip of the broken sword was flying in his direction. Before he could scream though, Connla rocketed off a platform Rune and sped for him faster than the fragment could, snatching him out of the way in time. The sword tip pierced the ground where he previously stood, frightening him so much that he collapsed onto his buttocks from the close call. Connla hopped onto some rubble and set him down, then said, "Find somewhere to hide. I have a feeling he's still got more in his arsenal."
As she said this, Waver looked up and yelped when he saw Salieri flying high behind Connla with her back faced to him. She turned her head back slightly and grumbled, "Hmph," as if she already anticipated this. She shoved Waver back with a wind Rune at the same time she flipped backwards, falling upon the road with an elegant flip. She looked up to see Salieri pierce one of his sharp-tipped greaves like a lance into the spot where she formerly was. Connla launched a volley of small fireballs at him to attract his attention away from Waver.
"Hm hm hm hm… HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH!" the rabid musician laughed like a madman and lunged himself at her, ducking through the fiery fusillade to catch up to her. It wasn't a laugh indicating that he enjoyed this fight. For whatever reason, something clicked in his mind. He was starting to see why he gravitated toward her so much:
Connla was the Salieri to Cuchulainn's Mozart.
To put it in simpler terms, they were the lesser-known figures when compared to their much more renowned counterparts. Salieri knew about Connla's story – that she died fighting against her world-famous father due to her mother's plot for revenge. He was sure she knew his story as well – a musician who was tormented by malicious gossip of him assassinating his dear friend. Neither of them were at fault, yet both of their deaths were equally pathetic. Society did not praise their efforts as much, seeing them as the losers in their own battles against opponents they could not hope to defeat. Both of their stories became warped through the passage of time and the limited amount of information available about their lives. Connla became a tragic yet nearly-forgotten patsy, while Salieri became a caricaturized clown who schemed to overthrow his friend. By that logic, Connla should be summoned as a Servant full of hatred and bitterness like Salieri.
And yet… she wasn't like that at all. For all of the pain and suffering thrown her way, she remained steadfast and continued fighting. Even with Cliste, he saw that she still struggled in her own way to make things right. Neither of them had given up hope like he had.
What was Salieri missing?
Being born about 1800 years apart shouldn't have been a factor. Yes, they were products of their own times, but humans were notorious for not changing in their ways no matter how many centuries passed. Establishing that link between them was helpful in Salieri's search for his answer, but he wasn't satisfied just yet. He needed to see what she was capable of when under extreme duress. Would the same emotional weight that crushed him likewise destroy her as well?
Before Connla knew it, Salieri was right in front of her. She yelped and tried to jump back, but he swiped his clawed hand at her helmet, puncturing the white armor and gashing several long lines along her cheek. Blood poured out of the headpiece as she flipped back multiple times. He chased after her and tried to do a roundhouse kick to her gut, intent on slicing it open. She jumped over it, then landed on his back to disorient him. With a short hop, she kicked his face hard enough to launch him high. She rolled under his landing spot, planted her foot against his chest, and also summoned an Ansuz Rune. She blasted him off with a simultaneous kick and fireball, throwing him against the giant clock face with enough force to dislodge the minute hand.
Salieri's rage intensified. Without thinking, he clawed at his own neck and produced several blood-red 'strings', stretching his own arm out and making them taut with his own talons. He wasn't really turning his own blood vessels into string instruments, but the illusion was certainly convincing. He generated a new stiletto and ran the blade along the glowing lines, playing them like a violin. Connla suddenly felt an unusual disturbance in the air around her. She instinctively jerked her head back, avoiding a sharp blade-like wave that would have torn her apart otherwise. More of these strange swords lunged at her, and she had to perform some logic-defying flips and twists to dodge them.
Connla leapt over the last shockwave and quickly summoned a Hagalaz Rune before her, firing a storm of hailstones at Salieri. He continued playing his erratic song, and the air shifted around him. A small platoon of grey-robed figures materialized around him, each wielding rifles that they fired at the hail. Most of the hail passed by Salieri and clattered against the clock, but his minions managed to shoot down the stones that directly threatened him, leaving him unharmed. Connla ran at Salieri, hoping to attack him while his guard was down.
However, he had her right where he wanted her. A grotesque black-and-crimson aura surrounded him, and some sort of massive glyph formed behind him. The air was thick with spite and malice, stopping Connla in mid-step as if some giant's hand had gotten in her way.
Salieri cried out, "I am Death! The murderer of the one beloved by God! Dio Santissimo Misericordia de Mi!"
The glyph shone brighter, unleashing a wave of pure discord. This was the epitome of Salieri's despair, turned into a hideous melody and transmitted through piercing sound waves. Connla could not do anything to guard against such a severe mental attack. Waver saw all of this happening from his hiding spot and screamed, "LANCEEE~EEER!"
Meanwhile, Ritsuka's group united within the center of the Clock Tower. Just as Cliste told them, the Leyline here was strong enough for Mash to create a summoning circle. With this connection to Chaldea established, they could Rayshift back to Chaldea. Ritsuka and Mash woke up in their Spiritron coffins, greeted by Roman, Da Vinci and Sigurd.
"Welcome back, everyone," Da Vinci said with her typical amicable smile. "I must say, that was a really close shave, wasn't it?"
Quintrala scrunched his face in annoyance and grumbled, "Who does this bimbo think she is, strutting around and saying such things with a calm face? I almost got erased with an entire world! You could at least learn to read the room and reward me with a huge feast! I deserve that, at the very least!"
"Ah, so you must be Assassin of Akakor. Pleased to make your acquaintance as well."
"Why I oughta…" the noblewoman grumbled. Her skin pricked when she heard Maupin chortling from behind her, and she glared fiery daggers at her sworn rival. Machiavelli gripped her shoulder to get her to calm down before the two redheads could potentially engage in a fight then and there.
"We've got quite a large group now," Roman remarked as he inspected everyone present. "Let's do a head count to make sure we're not missing anyone."
"Everyone's present except for Connla," Ritsuka told him. "We got separated during the fight, so we figured she would make it back on her own."
"Damn it… Is the summoning circle still active?"
Mash nodded. "Yes, it is. I don't know how much longer we should maintain it though."
"She's got a point," Da Vinci said grimly. "I'm not sure if the Akakor world's Pruning will affect us as well if we keep it going for too long. I would like to sever that connection as soon as possible."
Cuchulainn became increasingly angry when he heard this. His face warped with riastrad lines as he yelled, "Are you out of your fucking mind!? There's no way I'm allowing that! You keep it going until she comes through, and that's that!"
"We understand how you feel, but-"
"No, you don't! I had enough of a hard time almost losing her during the Denmark Singularity! I refuse to let the kid be trapped in a Pruned world by herself! If that's what's going to happen, then return me there immediately! I either bring her back here myself, or I go out with her!"
"Don't be insane!" Roman desperately implored. "She wouldn't want you to do that for her!"
Sigurd nodded gravely. "He's right. However tragic it must be, we have to accept the outcome no matter what happens. I'm not certain of what is delaying Connla, but it must be important enough to warrant her attention. At a time like this, the most crucial thing for her is to make sure Master returns to Chaldea safely, which means she must be dealing with something that is getting in the way of that goal."
Earp grit his teeth and cried out, "Ya mean she might be fightin' someone!?"
"It's entirely possible."
Cuchulainn's heart raced as he screamed, "Don't talk like this isn't your problem! Send me back there, NOW!"
"I won't authorize such a dangerous Rayshift!" Roman argued back.
"Like I give a shit about your half-assed authority!? Rayshift me this instant, or I'll have your head on my spear!"
Faced with no other choice, Mash had to push herself between Cuchulainn and Roman, shoving her shield against the irate Berserker before he could get his hands on the mortified doctor. Ritsuka used two of her Command Spells to force him to fall asleep. Even with their influence overwhelming his Spirit Origin, he struggled to fight against Mash's barrier. He clawed his hand out over the shield toward the Spiritron coffins while uttering, "Send me… there! I can't… leave… the kid… alone!"
For extra measure, Da Vinci fetched some kind of ampoule out of her dress pocket and quickly stabbed the needle into Cuchulainn's spine. Several seconds later, his eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he went limp as he passed out, collapsing over Mash and her shield. Once everyone was sure that Cuchulainn was unconscious, Roman gasped in relief and asked the inventor, "What was that just now?"
"Just a powerful sedative I asked Nightingale to make for emergencies like this," Da Vinci told him. "After that scare with the Denmark incident, I didn't want to take any chances with Cuchulainn losing his temper in case Connla was lost to us for real."
"Phew… Good call."
"Let's just hope it lasts longer than an hour. Scathach tried the same method on him before fighting Aife, but that obviously didn't work."
"God damn it, did you really have to remind us of that?"
Ritsuka interrupted their banter by asking, "So what do we do? It'll be less than two minutes before the Akakor world disappears."
Roman shook his head in disappointment. As the Acting Director of Chaldea, he knew he had to make difficult decisions like this. Something like a demon gnawed inside his chest as he said, "There's no choice. Mash, cut the connection."
The Demi-Servant's heart broke when she heard that command. Alas, she understood what needed to be done, and she moaned, "Yes, sir…"
The light from Salieri's Noble Phantasm died down, returning the world to darkness. He and Waver saw Connla kneeling in the middle of the road, overcome with physical pain and mental stress. She had taken the full brunt of the Avenger's strongest attack, and was overcome with emotions that barely felt like they belonged to her.
"Hm hm hm hm," Salieri chuckled. "What do you think? Do you still believe my music is beautiful? Or are you in such agony that you cannot even stand on your own two f-"
He couldn't even finish the question when Connla disappeared as an imperceptible gust of wind. Before he knew what was happening, she was already leaping in front of him with a fireball charged in her hands. She blasted the flames directly at his monstrous mask, swallowing the many eye slits with such piercing heat that his howl of anguish could have reached the heavens. While he reeled, she grabbed his shoulders, vaulted her body over his, then used the momentum to throw him in a full circle around herself, smashing his head and neck against the pavement with such force that some of his bones cracked.
Salieri knew that something was wrong. His Noble Phantasm also possessed a more sinister property to it – the music blaring from the symbol would drive listeners to commit suicide. Not only that, he could amplify its power through his anger and hatred as an Innocent Monster, driving his victims further into despair. The fact that Connla could still keep fighting under such duress meant he severely underestimated her tenacity… or maybe it was something else entirely. As he tried to get back up, the child Lancer hopped over him and battered his face with her feet multiple times, cracking the helmet to show a small portion of his face.
Too strong… She's too strong!
She tried to pierce his chest with her spear, but he rolled out of the way and desperately gasped for air. He couldn't use one of his arms properly, which would make it much harder for him to play his weaponized instruments. He tried to think of a counterattack, but there was no time for him to react. Blustery white and mint green winds swirled around Connla, billowing her dress everywhere. The intense breezes concentrated on her weapon, then she launched herself directly at Salieri. There was only 50 meters between them, but it felt like she was traversing the length of the universe itself.
"Laoch-"
30 meters…
"Gan-"
10 meters…
"FINSCEAAA~AAALLL!"
As Connla let out that feral cry of her Noble Phantasm's name, she leapt forth with the force of a hundred tornadoes and swung her spear just once. Before Salieri knew it, a brilliant arc of white light rushed through his stomach, cleaving through like it wasn't even there. His lower torso separated from his upper body. He was so focused on the shine of her weapon illuminating the darkening world that he didn't notice he had been bisected until he saw his legs falling in a separate direction from his upper body.
"She… cut… through me…" he gasped in a guttural tone. All of the eyes visible through his helmet were wide with horror.
It was such an obvious statement that it felt like a waste of time saying it. Yet in his state of total shock and disbelief, remarking on how Connla butchered him so thoroughly was perhaps the only way for Salieri to remain grounded in reality.
The young Lancer rushed back to the ground and landed in an elegant stance. She didn't look back as she felt a terrific rush of wind blast through the Avenger's body. Small blotches of his blood splattered her white clothes as he plummeted back to earth 50 meters behind her. He was reduced to two piles of bleeding meat and shattered armor. Waver was so taken back by the bloody spectacle that he could only drop his jaw in complete awe.
No… No… This is impossible…
Salieri's mind went blank.
This small child… who should be full of hope and expecting a bright future… fully ignored my performance of death…
That was when he could finally put that dark feeling gnawing at him into words. His Noble Phantasm would be effective if his opponent possessed optimism and hope in their hearts that could be crushed into pieces once they heard his vengeful song. However, what if his target was already full of despair and negativity? What if their experiences were equal to, or perhaps even worse than Salieri's? He couldn't imagine it. No one knew what real hell was like. He was sure of it. He was subjected to needless ridicule and blame for Mozart's death, bathing his very soul in constant hellfire that left a charred, hollow shell called an Avenger. How many others could say the same? Perhaps he could relate with Medusa, Asterios, Edmond Dantes, or even Jeanne D'Arc.
But Connla, the Child of Cuchulainn? That thought never crossed his mind. Sure, she had been killed by her own father. Even so, everyone knew it was a brutal, yet honest mistake. There had been no animosity between them - she had just been confused as an invader and swiftly put down. Everyone in Ulster must have been on edge after Connacht's invasion that any foreigners who acted suspicious should have been perceived as a threat. The nature of her three infamous geasa didn't help either.
How could this be? How could Connla be in such despair that she brushed off his strongest attack like it wasn't even there? Salieri knew that unlike Cliste, Connla was part of an organization, surrounded by family and friends who loved and appreciated her. She belonged somewhere – a feeling that always escaped him as he was constantly rejected by critics around him. So then, why did she already feel pushed to the brink of suicide? Was it because she had to kill Cliste? That she had to silence a dear friend? That she had to do something that he himself had been accused of? Or was there more to her story than he could possibly understand in this moment?
Then again… maybe Salieri was caught off guard due to the lack of information surrounding Connla. Any records of her existence were either from accounts of Cuchulainn and Aife's physical encounter that conceived her, or of second-hand tales from those who witnessed her death. In other words, the story that everyone knew merely comprised the beginning and end of her life. What happened in the seven years between? When Salieri put it into that context, perhaps Connla's resistance to his Noble Phantasm started to make more sense.
How the hell could such a little girl be so talented in combat to begin with?
He didn't want to think about it anymore. Maybe it was some kind of backlash from his Noble Phantasm, but he wanted to empty his mind of such depressing thoughts. Nonetheless, as his bifurcated body collapsed onto the ground, Salieri had to reach a grim conclusion:
He couldn't break her if she was already fundamentally broken.
My god… How could I not see it?
It was only at the end of his own lifetime that his reputation was soiled by society's hateful rumors. Connla had spent her entire life – all seven short years of it – mired in endless days of intense physical and mental training, only to be rewarded with a brutal death and an obscure legacy. She didn't understand anything else but surviving through constant suffering. The concept of happiness wasn't just fleeting to her; it was wholly alien. That thought alone scared him. Conversely though, that made her adept at overcoming hardships which could crush ordinary men like Salieri.
If Connla was in the same position as Salieri, maybe she would have dismissed the malicious gossip and concentrated on what she needed to do, rather than trying to placate the ignorant masses with evidence that they wouldn't be satisfied with anyway. Salieri didn't want to imagine what it would be like if he was in Connla's place. He would have been ruined, no doubt. If he became the Man in Grey only due to the events occurring near the end of his life, he feared the kind of monster he would become if he spent his entire life like that.
But then, did that mean Connla was a different kind of monster that he just didn't comprehend until now? Cuchulainn was known as a beast in human skin, so maybe it would make sense for his offspring to be the same way…
No! Salieri didn't want to think that way! She deserved his respect, not misplaced fear. Because she was used to coping with misfortune, she could retain her humanity. He was the total opposite; he enjoyed a prosperous life without hardship, but was turned into a monster at the end due to events beyond his control... Or perhaps it was more accurate to say that he did it to himself. He was just a weak little man overcome with bitterness and hatred over such a petty reason, lacking the tenacity to stand tall and laugh at society's attempts to destroy him. Maybe if he ever met her again in some other world, he could learn something valuable from her.
Lying flat on his back, Salieri stared straight up at the black sky with an empty expression. With these thoughts swirling in his mind, his rage subsided. He no longer had the strength nor will to keep fighting. He had finally found his answer.
Connla made her spear disappear, indicating that she too didn't want this battle to go on any longer. She silently faced him with a listless expression, unable to say anything to him.
