"Holy shit, he actually got us out of the reality marble… That… That was… incredible!"
"…Only you would find anything he does as incredible" I sighed, able to see stars in Johnathan's eyes as he looked around.
nThough, I suppose he wasn't lying when he said he controlled five of the leylines. This was the location of one, and if all the connections ran underground, then no wonder he's been able to move around undetected all these nights. After a month, the labyrinth must have been massive; encompassing the entire city, even. That was a disturbing thought.
Just slightly more disturbing than how easily it was to lose track of where the entrance to the labyrinth was. We just emerged from the damn thing, for crying out loud! Where the hell did that doorway go?!
"Hey, either of you two able to detect the entrance, now that its closed?"
"Um… detect it, no. But thinking back to the doors that appeared in the reality marble when Nathan- well, when he did his thing, I'd have to imagine this doorway would be no different. Get close enough, and the marking should appear."
"Reasonable enough, for an assumption… Saber?"
"I can't say I can detect it, but I imagine it is as master says: get close enough to one, and it will… call out to you, if that makes sense?"
"...It does, and never say that again" I shuddered. "Gods, that's just… so wrong, on so many levels…"
"Well, good news for you then that we shouldn't even need to enter it again" Johnathan laughed.
"Until we have to face him and Caster."
"Ah- Huh… yeah…"
"I suggest we move to deal with Archer first, before discussing how to deal with Nathan and Caster" Saber took the lead as he began walking once again, heading straight for the office towers. "Who knows how much time Nathan will be able to buy us with his… antics."
And hopefully, they'll take each other out and we won't have to deal with either.
The streets around where we emerged were mostly deserted by now. The occasional car, but for the most part, we could just ignore the traffic lights and signals at crosswalks and sprint full pelt towards Archer's area of the city.
Though, in Johnathan's case, it was still more stumbling than running after the first few minutes…
"Honestly, how did you manage to live through your encounter with the executor if this is all it takes to run you ragged" I grumbled as I slowed my pace so Johnathan could catch up without killing himself.
Were it not for the fact that we had no idea if cops or federal agents were hiding around somewhere, or watching with cameras, I would have suggested to have Saber carry him. Not like that would have been any real strain on a servant like him. However, for the sake of playing it safe, Johnathan had Saber return to spirit form.
"Amazing… what impending death… can drive you to do" was all he huffed back between heavy breaths.
"Yeah, well, the fact Archer isn't shooting at us right now should be considered a damn blessing! No way in hell he doesn't see us!"
"Probably does… see us… Just can't risk… shooting… Who knows… who… or what… can see… Seriously, can you just wait up!"
"No! Move your ass already!"
It was fortunate for my sanity that by this point we were only a few minutes away from Archer's territory. While I was far from an expect on bounded fields, even I could tell this one was something it. Mainly because, despite its apparent size of the whole city block, it was nigh impossible to detect. Were it not for Saber warning Johnathan, followed by him relaying the signal to me, I probably would have just barreled right on into its boundary.
"So, now for the next issue…" I sighed as Johnathan did his best to get his breathing under control, now that we were no longer running. "You never did figure out what this bounded field does, did you?"
"That… no…"
"So now we're experimenting with a bounded field… great…"
"Sorry…"
"…No" I sighed. "No, it's not your fault. Sorry, it's just-"
"Hey, I get it… But, in terms of the bounded field… Who should go first? I guess I should, considering I-"
"I'll go first" I cut him off. "Your Saber's master. If anything goes wrong during the fight, it's not me who's going to be able to turn things around. It's you."
Turning away from him, I looked down the street we needed to go. Knowing it was there, but being able to see it… It honestly made it harder, not easier.
"Well… here goes nothing…"
I closed my eyes, and crossed over the edge of the bounded field.
Time slowed to a crawl in that moment. I kept my eyes closed, just waiting for… something. Anything. Some kind of curse to kick in. A trap to go off, blowing me up or setting me on fire. But when I opened my eyes… nothing. Absolutely nothing seemed to have happened. I was perfectly fine.
"…Well, that wasn't what I expected…" I muttered, looking back to Johnathan. "You notice anything."
"No, but most bounded fields are defensive, not offensive."
"Ture… but I was expecting at least something to noticeably happen when entering the bounded field of a servant. …Maybe it only works against other servants?"
"I suppose that's possible…"
"I will go next then" Saber appeared beside Johnathan from spirit form.
Even when Saber crossed over, though, I couldn't notice a single, damn thing. Judging from the look on Johnathan's face, neither could he.
"What about you, Saber" Johnathan asked. "Feel any different?"
"…No" Saber shook his head. "At least, not in any significant way."
"Not surprising you wouldn't feel any different, Saber. Can't imagine there's that much of a difference anywhere in the modern western world, at least when it comes to this."
Hearing the new voice, every part of me froze. For the first moment, I thought I was just hearing things.
It couldn't be… He said he wasn't going to-
Yet, there he was. Red armor on full display and spear in hand, walking right over to us… Seeing him here, now… I nearly cried.
"Lancer! But I thought- Y-You said-"
"I know" Lancer averted his gaze, as if ashamed. "To be perfectly honest with you, master, I still don't like, or approve of, this renewed alliance, even if only for this one night. But I… I abandoned my duty to my king once, and in doing so, I played a part in destroying everything we had all worked so hard to build. What I had dedicated my life to. So even if… even if he turns out to be correct; that I can't save my home, no matter what I do. Even so… I refuse to abandon my duty again. That is, if you would still-"
I didn't care if it made me look weak, or like a fool. I didn't care that his armor was freezing cold to the touch. In that moment, nothing could stop me from running over to him, and giving him a hug.
"Of course, I would" I sniffled as the first of the tears began to form. "Lancer… thank you…"
"…Heh. If anything, I should be thanking you" Lancer laughed slightly as I let go of him. "For you to be as forgiving as my king… I am truly fortunate. Now come, master. We still have an Archer to defeat."
"It is good to have you with us, Lancer" Saber nodded. "Based on what you said earlier, I take it you have an understanding as to what this bounded field does?"
"I believe I do. Master, if I could ask you to do your… servant analysis, once I cross into the domain of the field."
"…You mean look at your stats? Ok, but what-" I began to say as lancer crossed into the bounded field, only to be stunned to silence at what I saw.
Class: Lancer
True Name: Percival
AKA: Parzival, Red Knight, Grail Knight
Parameters
Strength: B++ Mana: A-
Endurance: A++ Luck: B
Agility: A NP: A+
"Lancer... Your parameters…"
"You understand now, master?"
"No, I don't" I protested. "Such a large increase shouldn't be possible! Not unless-"
"Wait, a parameter increase" Johnathan exclaimed in surprise. "What parameter incre- Holy shit! That's… That's a huge difference! But if that's happening to you, then why not to Saber as well?! His parameters haven't changed a bit!"
"…The only thing that could create such a drastic change… would be the fame bonus…"
"But that doesn't make sense! We didn't go anywhere else! We're still in America!"
"…No, we're not."
Johnathan and I both turned to Saber.
"What do you mean we're not, Saber" Johnathan protested. "We haven't even left Virginia!"
"Not to you, or miss Levesque, but you two are not the ones who determine where us servants stand, practically speaking."
"What?!"
"Then this isn't Archer's territory, but rather, his master's" Saber turned his attention back to Lancer, ignoring Johnathan.
"That's my current theory."
"…Considering her magecraft is illusion based, I suppose that makes sense, but to think-"
"Well, great that you two get it, but I don't" Johnathan continued to protest. "Can one of you explain, please?!"
"Simply put, master, this bounded field is an illusion spell. A very powerful illusion spell."
"An illusion spell on what, though? That parameter increase on Lancer sure doesn't look fake, Saber!"
"…You think it's an illusion spell on Gaia itself…" I voiced aloud the only natural conclusion I could reach.
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…An illusion spell against Gaia?! Is that- Surely, it's not- That can't be possible" Johnathan would be the first to speak up against the rising silence. "Sortiara, that's madness! Such a powerful spell couldn't be possible! Not by a magus! Not even by Caster servants!"
"But... it's the only thing that makes sense... isn't it?"
"…"
"…"
"…Holy... shit…" Johnathan was visibly shaking. "An illusion spell... powerful enough to trick the planet itself… But then, if we're not in America, where does Gaia think we… are…?"
"That I can answer" Lancer actually had the nerve to smirk a bit as he slammed the butt of his spear into the ground. "Masters. Saber. It is my honor to welcome you to my homeland. Welcome… to Britain."
A/N
Bit of a more... normal length post this time. And up earlier than normal; have to make up for the absences somehow.
Or try to, at least xD
But finally, I can reveal this! Oh, how I've been waiting to show this off! Now, whether or not this is possible, or believable to you readers... eh? Can't honestly say I care, to be honest. I think this is a badass way to use illusion type magecraft, so I'm rolling with it!
Of course, I didn't just come to this randomly. At least not fully. Avicebron's Noble Phantasm exudes influence on Gaia's will, so to speak. Really, it's more like when Adam is on Earth, Gaia more so goes "I'm backing this guy". So yeah, I know that Gaia's will can technically be 'altered'. As to if this idea of mine, coming as an... extension... of this idea from Avicebron's Noble Phantasm would work within the rules of FATE... well, if it doesn't, this is my 'Fuck the rules of FATE' moment ;)
...But really, when you take the concept of how Avicebron's Noble Phantasm works to it's logical conclusion... Well, wouldn't Adam technically be Type-Earth? If the will of Gaia freely backs Adam fully, then doesn't the will of Adam therefore become the will of the planet, and therefore Adam becomes the 'Type' for that celestial body, being Earth?
...I know jack shit really about stuff outside of specifically the FATE part of the Nasuverse, but from what my current highly limited understanding of how that all works... I feel like that would have to be the case, no?
...Maybe let me know what you all think about that. I'm curious xD
