A/N: Thanks once again for Greatkingrat88 for his beta work on the chapter, and to everyone who has reviewed the last chapter, while favoriting and following the story. Its all greatly appreciated.
First some anonymous reviews to take care of who I couldn't PM.
Guest-Questioner: That is true in a sense, I had thought about going bigger but Greatkingrat88 convinced me to tone it down and go with a more realistic number. Thanks for that by, I appreciate it.
Jay: True he has the leadership skill and the smarts, but don't sell Ritsuka and Hakuno short since they'll have their own strengths to bring to bear, Hakuno's will be seen here in this chapter while Ritsuka, slowly but surely will show where his strengths lie.
Dasgun: I am not sure how to respond to that, sorry.
Now begins the final battle of the Singularity, so let's just dive right in.
Chapter 13
The Clash of Demons
"What the hell is that?!" Lelouch said, wide-eyed.
He could only watch as it emerged, seeing in the distance the enormous fleshly pillar-like tentacle rise up near the entrance into Kyoto. Despite all the things he had ever been taught about the world of magecraft and related to the world of the supernatural, he had never heard anything about that.
"Master, please be careful. That thing is about to attack," Ushiwakamaru warned.
Sure enough, beams of energy shot from the eyes across its body. Some indiscriminately tore into the nearby city of Kyoto, demolishing a segment of its walls and all buildings near them. The rest tore into the battlefield, and some headed in their direction. Okita grabbed Lelouch, forcefully dragging him out of the path of an incoming beam of energy, diving into the small crater their battle with Nobunaga had left. The beam passed over there heads by less than a foot, devastating all it touched.
Although they were far enough away to avoid direct hits, that could change quickly, especially given the size of that… thing firing at random.
"Roman, what the hell is that thing?!" Lelouch cried, shouting into his wrist communicator.
"I don't know! Da Vinci and I were trying to figure that out. All we know is that it was once a human. I had been listening in on Ritsuka and Hakuno as they confronted Douman and someone who introduced himself as Shogo Fujimiya Eligos." Roman said as his holographic avatar appeared, examining his screen. "These magical energy readings are off the scale; they exceed those of a normal Heroic Spirit and even a Phantasmal creature… could it be an actual demon from the legends?"
"We need to do something. Hakuno, Mash and Ritsuka are in serious danger." Genghis Khan said. The three of them were much closer, and still battling hostile enemy servants to boot. "Even with their servants, under such constant attacks they won't last long."
"Agreed," Lelouch said looking at the monstrous pillar from the top of the crater as a beam of magical energy flew over them. "Ushiwakamaru and Okita. They've got the speed, they can get in there and get Hakuno and Ritsuka out of there. We'll need a way to cover them, to prevent that thing from stopping their escape. If that thing is a demon, then Khagan, your sword might be one of the best weapons on hand to take that thing out."
"Yes," The Khan said, examining his sword, "Kunwu does have the power to slay gods and demons, but getting close to that thing won't be easy. I am certain it will focus its attacks on me as I approach. It should allow the others the time they need."
"You could be overwhelmed before you get within striking distance. Even if other servants helped you, the risk is considerable. Approaching it in Spirit form would be your only option," Lelouch said.
"Then I shall strike once I reach the base of that thing, but we still need help to save your comrades," Khan said with a nod.
"I might have a trick up my sleeve. My Noble Phantasm might kill me, and it would be a big target, but it would get the enemy's attention for sure," Ryoma suggested.
Before Lelouch could inquire further, a groan caught their attention. Okita noticed Nobunaga on the ground, still alive despite being mortally wounded.
"She's still alive, huh?" Okita said, preparing to finish Nobunaga off.
"Wait," Nobunaga said weakly, "I am no longer a threat, but tell me… you mentioned Shogo Fujimiya? He became some kind of monster?"
"Yes, did you know him?" Lelouch asked.
"He was the mage I met when I first materialized. He wasn't my master, but he did tell me of the strange occurrence of Heroic Spirits being summoned without a master. He told me about Japan's current state and its coming future, of it being conquered by Britannia." Nobunaga said, pausing to cough up blood. "He offered to be my advisor, to assist me when I made my intention to prevent this clear. I was going to take advantage of recent events to turn Japan into a superpower, while China and Russia were engaged in their civil wars."
"You were suspicious of him, weren't you?" Genghis Khan asked, approaching with his sword drawn.
"But you sought to use him nevertheless, but at the same time keeping a close eye on him," Lelouch said, putting the rest together.
"Yes, I just never imagined he was something like that. I didn't realize what his plans were." Nobunaga admitted as her body began to dissolve. "If I wasn't dying, I would join you in stopping him. You've at least have proven to be worthy of being my master by besting me on the battlefield. It can't be helped, I guess."
"Actually sister, it can be helped," Nobukatsu said, appearing as he exited Spirit Form.
Okita and Ushiwakamaru readied their swords, but Nobukatsu held up his hands.
"Relax, all of you. I mean you no harm. I overheard everything. However, allow me to use my Noble Phantasm if your master will forge a contract with my sister," Nobukatsu said as a red light began to surround him.
Nobunaga's eyes widened in horror, knowing what Nobukatsu intended to do.
"No, not again! I order you not to do this!"
"I must sister. We both know I have always been worthless, even when the elders of our clan refused to make you the new heir all because you were a woman. Even though it was clear you were the superior choice. I could only pave the way for your accession. Now I'll clear the way once more, so you can rise again," Nobukatsu said. Nobunaga struggled feebly to stop him, on the verge of vanishing.
"Demon King Turns The Heavens - Red Spider Lily!"
A field of red spider lilies erupted around them. Nobukatsu held up his arms, laughing as he disintegrated into ash before all their eyes. His final words echoed across the battlefield before he vanished completely.
"That's right, brothers and sisters are there to help each other!"
Nobunaga rose to her feet, Nobukatsu's Noble Phantasm restoring her. Her wounds mended, and her power grew again to its fullest. There was a subtle force about them, noticeable only to the servants; Nobukatsu's sacrifice had done more than merely heal his sister. Lelouch was speechless from what he had just seen.
In history, Oda Nobukatsu raised a rebellion to get rid of his sister. He was executed after his third coup failed, but everyone assumed it was so he could seize power. It was the complete opposite. He led those rebellions to give Nobunaga an excuse to get rid of those who opposed her ensuring her rise to power, Lelouch realized.
"That idiot… you were better than you thought, yet you could never get over your feelings of being inadequate," Nobunaga said quietly as she walked over to where her brother had stood. "Even when I tried to spare you, knowing what you had intended."
Lelouch said nothing. Neither did his other servants, who had watched the event in stunned silence.
"Now, let's make a contract," Nobunaga said, turning around to face Lelouch. A single tear rolled down her cheek. "I want to kill that thing as soon as possible."
Meanwhile, Hakuno and Ritsuka were under heavy assault, the energy beams fired by the Demon God Pillar raining down upon them. Mash used her shield to deflect any blasts meant to hit them, while Tamamo used her mirror to help redirect them. It was dangerous, as Tamamo was struggling to hold her mirror together, the force of the beams nearly overwhelming her. Emiya had to grab Hakuno and carry her since on top of the energy beams, they had to contend with Ashiya Douman as well.
He appeared in the path of both Ritsuka and Mash, unleashing an eruption of dark power, seeking to engulf them. Even if they could dodge, it put them at risk of being hit by the Demon God Pillar's attacks. Even more worrying was the paper Shinigami figures he was using, which would transform into numerous animal shapes. A crane-like bird flew overhead, raining lightning down upon Hakuno and Emiya as the pair were kept evading.
How can we counterattack with this constant stream of attacks? Hakuno wondered. We just need a break in these attacks to fight back.
Emiya, knowing they couldn't keep dodging attacks, leapt onto the Demon God Pillar. He conjured two swords to bury into its flesh, giving the Heroic Spirit a make-shift platform to hand on. He hoped the Demon Pillar wouldn't be able to attack itself and Emiya could deal with Douman.
But the various bodies making up the Demon God pillar sprang to life, grabbing Hakuno and Emiya. Mash and Ritsuka saw it happen, but they couldn't reach them with the Demon God pillar using its energy blasts to keep them pinned down. Tamamo and the other servants couldn't help either, the former being sucker punched by Douman who summoned a wild beast to slam into the foxgirl, knocking her aside.
Emiya fought back, trying to use one of his swords to cut himself and Hakuno free, but Douman moved in for the kill, ready to hit them both with a dark spell at point blank range to finish them.
"You had no hope of winning," Douman said mockingly. But suddenly he stopped, vomiting up blood. "What… what… is… this?"
Looking down, Douman saw the tip of a katana sticking out of his chest.
"Pleasure to meet you. Now, die," Izo said, pulling the blade upward, splitting Doumani's head in two from the chest and up. "Only scum goes after a woman who can't fight back!"
"Izo!" Hakuno and Emiya exclaimed in surprise. He used his blade to cut them free from the Demon God Pillar.
"This is no time for idle chatter. You need to get your master far away from here. I'll do what I do best," Izo demanded, gesturing to the edge of the battlefield.
"Right," Emiya said, breaking away from the fight to get Hakuno to safety.
With Douman taken out, and the attacks from the pillar briefly pausing, Tamamo seized on the opportunity.
"O gods of Izumo! Let this be the proof of your purity, as this mirror becomes your sacred treasure: Eightfold Blessing of Amaterasu!" she cried, casting her Noble Phantasm. Using her mirror as a focus point, Tamamo created a field engulfing most of the battlefield, healing and strengthening the servants of Hakuno and Ritsuka.
"Allow me to show you to hell!" Tamamo Cat declared, gathering power into her claws.
Moving faster than the eye could see, Tamamo began raking the Demon God Pillar with her empowered claws, rending and slashing deep into its side. But it was far from enough to slay the gigantic creature, her attacks doing little more than chip damage. In response to the attack, the dark fog surrounding its base began growing, as if pressure was building for an eruption of darkness.
"Lord Chaldeas," Mash shouted, using her Noble Phantasm to protect herself and Ritsuka from the impending eruption, as a fog of darkness gushed from the area around the base of the Demon God Pillar, destroying anything caught in its path. Lord Chaldeas came into being just in time, saving her and Ritsuka from the fog, yet having to maintain the protective barrier left Ritsuka defenseless as Douman appeared behind him, ready to strike.
"Impossible. I saw Izo kill him!" Mash said, alarmed.
"This is no one to protect you, Master of Chaldea," Douman said menacingly.
"There is one," a voice behind Douman said, as a powerful grip seized his shoulders before hurling him high into the air. "Aryāvalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, grant me power to do this last attack! By the early sun's radiance! Oṃ Ālolik Svāhā!"
A mortally wounded Tomoe Gozen was using the last of her strength, readying her bow as she created a large arrow composed out of flame. Releasing the arrow, Tomoe's shot struck true, engulfing Douman in flames, creating what would be a temporary mini sun out of the enemy servant as his body was engulfed by the flames. Feeling confident Douman was dead for certain this time, a dying Tomoe collapsed onto the ground.
"It seems I was late showing up," Shuten said, arriving on the scene and kneeling next to the dying Tomoe. "I know. Why don't you make a contract with this one and use a Command Seal to save her? You could use another capable servant, since this is just the first singularity."
"That's unusual of you to suggest, Shuten," Ritsuka said, while Mash focused on keeping her Noble Phantasm going until the flood of dark fog ended.
"If you have more servants, I'll have more me time," Shuten replied with a dismissive shrug. "After all, if something like that thing is appearing in the first of seven singularities, wouldn't it be better to have more Heroic Spirits?"
I get the feeling there is another reason she wants me to make a contract with this servant, Ritsuka thought, but Shuten made a sound augment. He was uncertain on how to approach the issue, but regardless, there was a woman on the ground bleeding to death. Heroic Spirit or not, he couldn't stomach the idea doing nothing, leaving her to suffer.
"I don't know if this is how I should do this," Ritsuka asked, kneeling by Tomoe's side, "but would you be interested in forming a contact with me? The world is in danger, and it looks like we're going to need a lot more help. Most importantly, if you form a contract I can use one of my command seals to save you."
Tomoe chuckled. "I am a Heroic Spirit, a shadow of someone who lived and died long ago. Yet instead of asking for my strength to help, you are more concerned for my wellbeing?"
"Well, I can't look away from someone in bad shape bleeding to death," Ritsuka said.
"You are a kind young man, and as a Heroic Spirit our time in this world should be temporary, yet…" Tomoe said gazing at the Demon God Pillar. "What you face is unlike anything I could've imagined."
"I never expected we'd be fighting anything like that. And this is just the first of seven singularities we need to correct."
"What do you mean? I know you and your group are trying to save the world… how is it in danger besides what has been happening here?"
Meanwhile, Hakuno was being carried towards where Lelouch and the others were- but as they made their way there, they were attacked again by Douman, who refused to stay dead.
Emiya didn't bother trying to question it, as he motioned for Hakuno to get behind him. Douman was about to use one of his paper figurines to cast a voodoo curse upon Hakuno, but…
"Bishamonten's protection is with you. Bishamonten's Eight Phases Wheel Charge Formation!" Kagetora declared, exiting spirit form as she activated her Noble Phantasm against Douman.
The evil onmyouji couldn't evade in time, and was stabbed and trampled seven times over. Once Kagetora finished, Emiya hit the badly wounded Douman with an arrow, exploding with a force that left nothing behind.
"Hopefully he stays dead this time. We should keep out guards up just the same, though," Emiya said.
"Nicely done," Hakuno said, before turning to Kagetora. "Thank you, but are you…alright?"
As Kagetora's horse vanished, Hakuno could see that the Heroic Spirit was badly wounded. Her attire was in tatters, partly covered in her own blood.
"This is only a flesh wound," Kagetora said stubbornly, before collapsing.
"Heroic Spirit or not, I doubt you're okay," Hakuno said.
"Whatever hit her got her pretty good. It wasn't fatal, but without a master to heal her she won't last much longer," Emiya warned.
"Nobunaga's underling attacked me from behind. An underhanded move I knew to expect, but she caught me unawares anyhow," Kagetora said, painstakingly forcing herself up on her feet. "You should leave, young human. I should be able to take it down with me. As the Avatar of Bishamonten, I shall vanquish that foul creature."
"With injuries like that, you won't get close enough," Hakuno said pointing to the Demon God Pillar. "If its eye beams don't get you, then that fog it releases from its base will."
"Besides, other servants have been attacking and they've yet to do any real damage," Emiya added.
"If that is so, then you should leave it to me," Kagetora said, and began limping towards the Demon God Pillar. "What can you do against a foe like that?"
"Plenty, because we're not giving up!" Hakuno snapped. "If we do nothing, that means just waiting to die back at Chaldea, and I WILL not accept that."
"Don't be foolish," Kagetora said.
"NO," Hakuno said as she walked in front of Kagetora to stop her. "I am not being foolish, I am serious. I'd rather die doing something than nothing, and no one will tell me otherwise. We win or we die, it's as simple as that."
Kagetora stared down Hakuno, but she didn't flinch until a moment later Kagetora began to laugh.
"Such arrogance and disrespect shown to the Avatar of Bishamonten," Kagetora said, grinning. "Yet it's refreshing to see such will, determination and conviction. I shall pledge myself to you, my master, if you'll accept me."
"Yeah, because after seeing that," Hakuno said pointing to the Demon God Pillar. "We're going to need more help to tackle the other six singularities."
And Hakuno had an idea to help take the beast down…
Once Mash escorted Ritsuka to a safe enough distance, she rushed back toward the Demon God Pillar. Tamamo Cat, Ritsuka's second newest servant, would protect him, which allowed his newest servant to join the fight. Tomoe Gozen joined Mash in her charge against the towering monstrosity. Using her shield, Mash deflected most of the beams fired at them, allowing the pair to close the distance. Once they were close enough, Tomoe fired an empowered flaming arrow, striking one of the eyes on the monstrous pillar. Mash continued to play defense, protecting Tomoe so she could continue to harry the Demon God Pillar with more arrows. However, for every eye she destroyed, a new one would quickly grow to take its place.
"We're not inflicting enough damage. It heals faster than we can harm it," Tomoe observed.
Izo and Shuten weren't having much better luck, despite the serious damage they inflicted.
Suddenly a roar pierced the sky, and a shadow covered both Tomoe and Mash. Mash raised her shield, Tomoe crouching behind it, both of them preparing for an attack. Above them, an enormous black serpentine dragon flew overhead, making a beeline for the Demon God Pillar. Its red eyes blazed as it roared, and the dragon tackled the Demon God Pillar, biting and clawing at it. Ritsuka and Hakuno were confused, but soon a call came in from Romani.
"Don't be alarmed you two, that is just Ryoma's Noble Phantasm."
"Where was Ryoma keeping a dragon?!" Mash exclaimed.
"Actually, that dragon is Oryou," Roman answered, much to their surprise.
Little did they know, Oryou was once a Dragon Spirit who once sought to take over the heavens, until she was struck down and sealed with a sacred spear. She remained trapped until Ryoma stumbled upon her in his travels and released her without hesitation, before she could even ask. Oryou, stunned by this act of kindness, followed Ryoma for the rest of his life, falling in love with him.
Atop the dragon's head was Ryoma, but next to him was a fully healed Nobunaga. Pulling back after thrashing the Demon God pillar, leaving it dazed, Nobunaga took to the air and unleashed her Noble Phantasm. The crippling pain from Shuten's Noble Phantasm left it wide open to attack, and Nobunaga took full advantage, unleashing a storm of crimson beams upon it. It should have been more than enough to reduce a tower of living flesh to shreds, but despite the grievous damage it had sustained, the Demon God Pillar still stood, still fighting.
"Damn it, how much more do we need to put it down?" Hakuno wondered out loud.
"I've never seen anything so stubborn," Tamamo said, causally using her mirror to blow away a zombie approaching them.
In the corner of her eye, Tamamo saw Douman exiting spirit form, preparing to attack Hakuno. Rushing to her aid, the cat kicked Douman in the groin, following up her kick with several more. Not finished, Tamamo delivered a somersault kick to the stunned Douman, finally taking to the air to deliver one final empowered kick to Douman's groin. Douman was left staggering in pain as Tamamo led Hakuno away, because when they got a safe distance away Douman exploded.
"There was another one who just won't stay DEAD," Tamamo said, annoyed.
"What was that?" Emiya asked, seeing nothing of Douman left in the aftermath of the explosion.
"That was my Gyokutenhou, a curse of my own invention," Tamamo answered happily.
"A curse… that didn't seem like how you would apply a curse," Hakuno said, raising an eyebrow.
"True, but using a series of kicks and one empowered kick was the only way to make it work. Oh, and it has another name… Polygamist Castration Attack!"
"That name makes a little more sense," Hakuno said. She wanted to know more, but this was not the time. Emiya, on the other hand, seemed slightly nervous of Tamamo, perhaps understanding what that curse had been invented for.
While Nobunaga unleashed another barrage with her Noble Phantasm, Genghis Khan neared the base of the Demon God Pillar. As he drew closer to it, it seemed the towering pillar didn't seem to notice him.
Or maybe it can't do anything until I leave spirit form, Genghis thought.
Approaching the Demon God Pillar was easier than he thought, so far. Many of his concerns were due to how little they knew about the monster. Could it attack Heroic Spirits in spirit form? Could it sense their approach even if they were in Spirit Form? Especially if, like the Khan, they lacked the presence concealment skill?
I'll need to strike fast before it can react. Hopefully Nobunaga and Oryou can keep it occupied, the Khan thought as he closed with the base of the Demon God Pillar. But when he arrived, he found Douman waiting.
"I know you are there. I can't see you, but I sense you. You cannot hide from a master Onmyouji such as I," Douman said insidiously. Making sure to keep himself in front of his enemy, the Khan hoped the Demon God Pillar wouldn't find its servant so disposable.
But…
Genghis Khan materialized with his sword at the ready.
"I never expected you would be a Saber, Genghis Khan," Douman said.
"I've been getting that a lot."
"To think a monster like you would be fighting to defend humanity," Douman said with a mocking laugh. "Have you no shame?"
"No."
"Huh?"
"Do you think I chafe under service? I am glad simply to be back, to feel the wind on my face. Or do you think I feel guilty? I was great and terrible; such was the way of my people. I carved a path through history that left millions dead- and nobody will forget my name. Life on the steppes was harsh and cruel, and it made me who I am, who I was. I was cruel, but I was also fair. I seek no justification or absolution. I have no regrets. If I had one, it would be not raising better heirs to keep my empire intact long past my death. All else was simply playing the hand I was dealt, and playing it well."
"How very zen of you," Douman scoffed. "At least you've accepted your fate, even as somebody else's dog."
"What about you?"
"Me?"
"Yes, you," Genghis Khan asked. "What stake do you have in all of this? You must know if your master succeeds, all of humanity and you will be gone.
"Too true. And I can think of no better way to draw out and challenge Abe-no-Seimei once again. He won't come for anything less than the world of humanity itself being in danger," Douman said.
The Khan's face twisted into a disgusted sneer.
"You would put all of humanity and its entire history at stake just to have a rematch with a rival?"
"That's right."
"And you have the nerve to call me a monster," the Khan snarled, lunging forward with a righteous fury. His blade went for the Caster's neck, but Douman evaded at the last second.
"Of all of the reasons why, you used one so shallow!"
"Shallow?" Douman snapped. "WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW!?"
"I guess I touched a nerve," Genghis Khan said, grinning as he turned to deflect Douman's counterattack. "You never got over him getting the better of you, so you're dragging all of humanity into your attempt to get a rematch. Say what you will about me, but at least I never risked all of humanity to satisfy mere pride."
Douman roared in anger, losing all of his composure. He used two paper figures to unleash destructive blasts of dark energy, but Genghis Khan's Kunwu, able to cut through good and evil alike, carved through Douman's spells as he rushed towards his foe. He dodged left and right to evade the monsters Douman created, but they came in a relentless stream. As he was distracted cutting through another of the Caster's paper golems, the Caster-class servant tried to hit him from behind. But Genghis Khan cleaved the attacking beast in two, leaping and cutting one of Douman's hands in half before the caster pulled back.
With only one hand remaining, the caster tried to create a voodoo doll to stop, the Saber, but Genghis Khan closed the distance lightning fast. Douman tried to use the large paper figure as a shield, but Genghis Khan cut through it like the mere paper it was, slashing right into Douman's chest. The Caster was barely alive, the strike having carved him from shoulder to hip. Helpless, he collapsed, the Khan standing over him.
"You didn't… finish me?" Douman asked, coughing up blood.
"You don't deserve a quick end. Isn't that right, Lady Kagetora?"
"Huh?"
He only now realized Kagetora had arrived, unleashing her Noble Phantasm. Wasting no time, she ran down and stabbed the dying Douman several times.
"How dare you deceive the Avatar of Bishamonten!" Kagetora declared. Although her smile didn't fade, her tone was no less harsh for it. When it was over, the Khan walked over to his trampled and managed body to behead the Caster.
How were you deceived by someone like him?
"It seems my timing is perfect," Kagetora said, dismounting her horse.
"Yes, Lelouch sent word through our connection that you would be coming to cover me. I just made sure he was too enraged to see you coming. Although I had it well in hand, his justifications demanded that I would not give him a clean and quick death."
"Yes, I agree. He deserves a thousand deaths for endangering humanity and deceiving me," Kagetora said in agreement.
Suddenly the Demon God Pillar attacked, but Kagetora's presence next to Genghis Khan caused its eye beams to harmlessly divert away from them.
"As I thought, it wasn't attacking because it needed Douman to help it deal with Heroic Spirits," Genghis Khan said.
"Then shall we attack?"
"Yes," Genghis said, raising Kunwu.
With Kagetora guarding him and protecting him from the Demon God Pillar's attacks until they reached the bas, the Mongolian Emperor began craving into the flesh of the Demon God Pillar. as Eligos cried out in agony, made worse by Nobunaga and Oryou's unending assault upon it while Shuten's earlier attack had made it difficult to regenerate from its wounds. And it also seemed Genghis Khan's sword, Kunwu, due to its ability to harm demons and gods as they hoped. His strikes against the towering mass of flesh, nevertheless, did inflict a lot of damage as he tried to cut around the base of the monster hoping to topple Eligos. Nobunaga's Noble Phantasm was effective against those with Divinity and Riding, so it seemed the enemy had one of those worsening the damage the Demon God was receiving.
Genghis Khan continued hacking his way around the base of the Demon Pillar while Ryoma, Oryou and Nobunaga continued their attacks. Oryou seized Eligos, clawing it, but this time is attempting to pull the giant mass of flesh hoping Genghis Khan had weakened its base enough for him to tear the Demon God Pillar off. Recognizing what Oryou had in mind, Nobunaga focused fire around the base while taking care to avoid hitting Genghis Khan.
Then Eligos let out a howl of agony as the giant tentacle began to dissolve into dark mist before vanishing completely, but as he did so he began shouting curses at them.
"DAMN YOU FOOLS FOR UPSETTING THE WORK OF OUR KING! Flauros will be made to answer for his carelessness and ALL of you will pay for your interference," Eligos exclaimed before his body vanished, leaving nothing behind. At the center of where Eligos had stood, something golden caught Genghis Khan's eye. Approaching the golden object, he saw it was a golden chalice, ripe with an unbelievably vast well of magical power.
"Is this it?" Genghis Khan said, picking the cup up with one hand.
Mash and Ritsuka approached. They were soon followed by Lelouch and Hakuno, their servants having helped their masters reach the site quickly.
"Yes, I believe that is the Holy Grail," Mash said, before Roman's holographic avatar appeared.
"Yes, that is it. We have the Grail. And good news- my sensors are telling me the singularity is beginning to collapse. Timeline restoration has begun," Roman announced.
"One Singularity down, and six more to go," Lelouch said with a sigh of relief.
"My men report the zombies and other supernatural creatures are beginning to vanish," Genghis Khan said, as Oryou transformed back into human form, joining Ryoma.
"Say… we're not vanishing, Ryoma," Oryou commented.
"Yes, I noticed that. Normally using our Noble Phantasm would cause us to vanish from the world," Ryoma remarked. "I wonder if this singularity might be the reason."
"If the singularities let us use our Noble Phantasm more than once, that might be good for us," Oryou replied.
"Perhaps, but let's not go too crazy with it," Ryoma said. Just then, some of Genghis Khan's soldiers approached with wagons filled with supplies. They were filled to the brim with rice, wheat, dried meats and other foodstuffs.
"Ah. Before we return, please make sure to bring these provisions with us," Genghis Khan said with a pleased smile.
"Wait, you had your troops raid Kyoto while we were fighting that giant pillar thing?" Hakuno inquired.
"Most of the zombies were eliminated and my men had them contained. Since they weren't able to really assist against that giant monster, I commanded half of them to begin taking any supplies in Kyoto they could get their hands on. It was much easier when the people in the city fled with the appearance of that monster," Genghis Khan said with a smile. Hakuno and Ritsuka looked at him with questionable expressions. Thankfully, Emiya intervened.
"The timeline is being restored. I am sure what is taken will be restored. Besides, we're going to need supplies to survive in Chaldea, and collecting what we can from the singularities will help eliminate any potential supply shortages before they happen."
"He's right, and it's a little late at this point to return everything," Lelouch pointed out.
"So can we leave before the Singularity collapses?" Shuten asked, stretching her arms.
"Preparations for Rayshift are ready. Here we go in three, two, one…" Roman said. Just like that, Lelouch, Hakuno, Ritsuka and their servants vanished, brought back to Chaldea.
A safe distance away, Douman reappeared once more, outraged.
"Even this Singularity and the Demon God Pillar wasn't enough to draw him out," Douman said, trying to restrain his anger. "It's clear to me I lacked the power to be a true threat to these Heroic Spirits, and the danger to the world caused by these seven singularities weren't enough either."
Kicking a rock nearby, Douman continued to wonder what it would take to draw his rival out so he could destroy them.
"Yes, I need more… more power and a bigger threat to the world than the singularities to draw him out, but where and how?" he said, thinking aloud even as the Singularity was collapsing around him.
Suddenly a voice pierced his thoughts, speaking directly to his mind.
"What… no… who is this?"
Back at Chaldea, Lelouch, Hakuno and Ritsuka exited their coffins, feeling no worse for wear. Their servants were not far away, having arrived at Chaldea at the same time. Roman was there, along with Sion and Da Vinci who applauded the trio and their servants, as Genghis Khan presented the Holy Grail to Roman.
"Welcome back, all of you," Roman said, before turning to the servants. "And thank you all for helping them, and welcome to the newcomers."
"Thanks to your efforts, the first Grand Order was completed successfully. Sadly, we have six more singularities to go," Da Vinci said. Although she was quite pleased with the performance of the masters, she did not want them getting overconfident.
"The odds were against you. Chaldea had few supplies, a bare minimum of personnel and even Rayshifting was still experimental at the time," Sion said, folding her arms below her chest. "Despite it all, you succeeded with flying colors, and you even restocked our supplies."
"On behalf of all remaining staff at Chaldea, I want to declare you all accomplished masters and thank you three once again." Roman said with a proud smile.
"So what now?" Ritsuka asked, stretching his limbs.
"I feel like a shower myself, to be honest," Hakuno said, with both hands on her hips.
"We should probably take some time to rest up, I agree," Lelouch said.
"You three should get some rest, but I would advise you to show your new servants around before you do any of that," Roman said, before adopting a more serious expression. "In a few days we'll begin the next mission in the Second Singularity, which will be in France during the last month of 1793 A.T.B."
"1793… that's during the French Revolution, isn't it?" Lelouch said, a cold sweat forming on his forehead.
"Yes. The singularity begins just after the Siege of Toulon," Roman said, looking right at Lelouch. "You know what else is happening around that time."
"Yes, I know. The Reign of Terror," Lelouch said, realizing the second singularity would be more difficult to resolve than the first one.
"The Reign of Terror?" Ritsuka asked.
"It was a period of the French Revolution when, following the creation of the First Republic, a series of massacres and numerous public executions took place in response to revolutionary fervor, anticlerical sentiment, and accusations of treason by the Committee of Public Safety," Mash answered. "France was riddled with paranoia and fear. Moving around won't be as easy…"
"Textbook answer, very good Mash," Sion said, sounding pleased. "That considered, this singularity will be more dangerous than the last one. All three of you will need to prepare before we send you in with your servants."
"Understood," Lelouch said. Ritsuka and Hakuno nodded.
I am not surprised that the next singularity would be harder than the last to correct. But they couldn't have picked a much more dangerous time, the bloodiest period of the Age of Revolution. Force of arms alone won't resolve this, Lelouch thought, knowing the dangers ahead.
Order Complete: Foundation Restored.
A/N: With that, the first singularity is done. I must admit I was disappointed with how the singularity turned out by the end which I felt was short and suffered from character bloat. I suppose its probably ironic since the first singularity of the Fate/Grand Order game wasn't considered very good by some. I didn't have much of a problem with it, but going back and reviewing it I can understand why people had issues with it.
Anyway, I can promise you all that the next singularity will be different altogether, not only is it taking place in one of the most dangerous and bloodiest points in history, especially for Code Geass given how much the Age of Revolution caused by the French Revolution triggered. As Lelouch said brute force alone will not be enough to conquer this singularity.
Douman I admit was something of an issue doing his battle scenes since I didn't know what he was like before...certain events, and I am trying to be mindful of any spoilers for those who haven't played Fate/Grand Order. However, besides some moments I decided to use it as a set up for future events and those who've played the game should know what those events are.
On a last note I do hope I did an ok job with the Demon God Pillar battle, I had to do some serious research trying to figure out how big they were and how big they should be and what kind of capabilities they should have in battle to make them difficult and hard to kill. I used the idea of people forming the Demon God Pillars from some concept art I saw on them to give them both an extra means of attack and add some nightmare fuel, I hope.
And bonus points for those who can guess which characters the Demon God Pillar's host was related to from one of the recent Fate stories, and bonus I mean a round of applause for me.
I have the next chapter ready to go, which shall be an interlude to the next singularity as everyone prepares. I just need to wait for Greatratking88 to edit my Sunrider story then my Kingdom Hearts story before it comes around to its turn again.
Lastly, for sure this time, I have taken it upon myself to update the tv tropes page for the story after noticing it wasn't being updated for awhile. I'll do my best, but my knowledge on suitable tropes is limited I should warn you guys, and while trying to avoid any that could be spoiler heavy. And there is a poll on my profile page to narrow down servant candidates for Hakuno's group when they go to Rome, yes the Third Singularity will happen in Rome, but this will be an original one. Once Hakuno's poll concludes I'll do Ritsuka and then Lelouch last and hopefully have them all done before the singularity concludes so me and Greatkingrat88 can debate on which servants should join and under which master should they be under. Winning the poll doesn't ensure they will join under that master, but it does give them a placement on priority when me and Greatkingrat88 talk about them.
Thank you all for reading the chapter, and thanks in advance for any feedback.