Singularity F, Part 3: The Revelation
Ayako didn't even realize she had fallen asleep. Only when her eyes were fluttering open did she connect the dots and noticed how tired she was during that whole altercation. And yet, at this very moment, she's never felt better.
"Oi, the lass is wakin' up." She heard someone say, his voice deeper than any of theirs, and distinctly masculine.
Ayako pushed herself up with her hands. "Easy there, Master." Caster said as she materialized beside her, crouched to her level and inspecting her body with a gloved hand. It was probably Medea that healed her.
"Wow, the simulations don't do Servants justice." She commented with a wry chuckle.
"What were you thinking, Aozaki!?" she glanced up, seeing Olga Marie looking down on her with clenched fists. She noticed a tall man with blue hair standing behind the Director. "We can't afford to lose anymore Masters!"
"It worked out in the end." She said back with a grin. "It was a collaborative effort, allowing us to dispatch Assassin with ease. Relatively." She then met the man's gaze. "I assume it went the same way with you?"
"Damn straight it was." He said amusedly, also crouching down to her level, his wooden staff leaned on his shoulder.
"You're a druid?" Ayako noted, taking a good look at his outfit, colored in a light sky blue. "A Celtic druid."
"Hoo? Those are some perceptive eyes you have there lass." He said, sounding impressed.
"How did you notice that?" Olga Marie asked.
Ayako gave a flat stare to the Director. "You've read my files, Director. It should be obvious."
The Director's brows furrowed in confusion. "But your form of runic thaumaturgy is Icelandic based."
"That didn't mean I didn't study other forms." She said back as Medea helped her up. Ayako dusted herself off, feeling rejuvenated. "So, what else did I miss while I was out?"
The Director and Medea turned to the male Caster expectantly. He scratched the back of his blue hair. "Well, lass. It went something like this…"
After the Celtic Caster gave a brief exposition for the redheaded Master, she looked around, noticing that they were on the rooftop of a Japanese school. "So, where are they? Mash and Ritsuka?"
The Director sighed, her hand moving to her neck. "They're talking through things. Mostly him feeling inadequate about his worth."
"Well, obviously. He was pulled straight from the plane." Ayako said back. "He didn't even get much time to rest."
"And your Director here might have made him feel even worse when she said the lass was useless because of him." The Celtic Caster said with a smirk.
Ayako sighed as red tinted Olga Marie's cheeks. "Well, what's done is done. So what's the plan? The Grail's in a cave within the mountains? And you want Mash to face Saber as some kind of trial by fire?" a part of her was hesitant to send Mash to face such a foe, but another part of her understood the thought behind it. "What about Archer, through all of this?"
He shook his head. "You let me handle Archer. You," he gestured to Ayako and Medea. "backup the lass and the lad. She needs this to grow, but make sure she doesn't fail."
"Sabers tend to high a high rank in Magic Resistance, Caster." Medea said to her counterpart. "King Arthur, especially. I fear that what we could do might be limited.
He shook his head again. "Not her, not like this. The corruption has tainted her. Strengthened her in some parts, weakening her in others." He tapped his chest. "Be there to make sure that the lass doesn't fall before she has to chance to wake up" He glanced to Ayako for a second before looking to Medea again. "When I'm done with the Bastard, we'll deal with Saber together. It'll be a walk in the park."
Medea eyed him carefully, her floating allowing her to match his height. Her icy blue eyes narrowed onto him, before she sighed to herself. "Very well. We will trust your judgement."
"Is it okay to leave him behind?" Mash asked as the four of them ran through the dark, semi-constructed cavern, referring to the Celtic Caster's decision to take on Archer by himself. Medea was in Spirit Form once again, following them silently.
"He's been dealing with these corrupted Servants for god knows how long." The Director said. "If there's anyone here who knows how to handle them, it will be him."
"And he said that the corruption weakened them in some ways, so in that sense the ball should be on his side of the court." Ayako added.
"What?" Ritsuka asked confusedly.
"It's a figure of speech. It means he has the advantage." She explained as they finally stepped out of the cavern, and into a large open area underneath the mountain.
All four of them stopped, gazing around the area with varying expressions. "What is this place?" Ritsuka asked aloud.
"An exclusive magecraft reactor core?" Olga Marie said, realizing what it was they were all looking at. "This is the Holy Grail?"
"Hoo?" a voice echoed in the large cavern, emerging from somewhere above the cliff-like structure. "What an interesting Servant."
A Servant clad in a darkened armor, skin deathly pale and eyes a muted gold. Vein-like markings adorned her skin, evidence of the corruption the Celtic Caster spoke of. And the sword that she held in her hands, a mockery of its once holy nature. It hardly even resembled what it was supposed to be anymore. And she looked down onto them, specifically Mash, with renewed interest.
Mash held her shield tighter. "You should ready that, girl. With this sword," she raised the sword, pointing it in their direction. "I will test if your protection is true!"
Mash rushed forward with Caster behind her, still dematerialized, making sure the fight doesn't get to either of the Masters and the Director with her shield held high. The Saber leaped off of the cliff side, swinging her sword straight at the shield, creating a shockwave beneath Mash, almost pinning her to the ground. Before Mash could raise her shield again, Caster appeared and pulled the girl back with her magic, just before Saber could strike her again. The corrupted Servant didn't relent, rushing to Mash and swinging her sword at the shield, almost as if she was ignoring Medea. Each clash of sword and shield causing the ground to rain upon them like hail.
Ayako tightened her red coat in around her, allowing the runes for Skellur to light up again, while Olga Marie threw her own runestone onto the ground, creating a barrier for herself and Ritsuka. Swing, after swing. Clash, after clash. Saber was relentless with her strikes, goading Mash with demeaning words and not even giving a chance for Medea to help. Ritsuka was clearly worried for the girl, calling out to her. Then a singular strike, sending Mash flying backwards, caught by Medea's spell as her shield landed right next to them. Ritsuka tried to rush forward, but the Director's hand stopped him.
"If you try and help her, you'll only get in the way." Olga Marie said, her words callous but truthful as even Ayako winced. "No, worse than that…"
"But, Mash…" he tried to retort, but even words failed him.
"Listen to the Director, New Guy." Ayako spoke up, her eyes never leaving the fight. "Prepare yourself. Your will, your resolve. You're a Master. Do not let this bend you."
Medea healed Mash with what little healing spells she had, allowing the girl to slowly get back up, picking her shield along the way. This time the Saber-Class Servant didn't even approach Mash, a single swing of her sword enough to send a powerful shockwave her way, knocking her back down. At this moment Medea had to fly away, the frontline was no place for a Caster.
"Eyes up front, New Guy." Ayako reminded Ritsuka, who's face turned to the side with a pained grimace. "She needs you, don't leave her like this." His eyes opened, understanding Ayako's words, before he turned back to the fight.
Saber raised her sword above her, a wave of magical energy releasing from her. Black and red, looking like a miasma of death and corruption, once again speaking to Mash. Her words inaudible to them, thanks to the distance and the winds she herself was creating. The sword erupted, a vortex revolving around the blade as it looked more like a blade of black energy than a Holy Sword. Mash had gotten back up, the shield raised to tank whatever it was that Saber would unleash upon her.
"Endure it, Mash!" the Director called out, her attention taken away for a second, giving Ritsuka a chance to run towards the beaten Demi-Servant. "Wait, Fujimaru! Stop!"
"Excalibur Morgan!" Saber swung her sword down, sending a beam of corrupted energy down Mash's path.
She tried to hold on, but she was already weakened, taking the hits from the powerful Servant. Her hold was tiring, her eyes blurring, and her feet weakening. She was going to perish, that was the thought in her mind as she was about to fall to her knees as Saber's beam was held on her nonstop. Then she felt a hand atop hers. Her eyes cleared, and she looked to her side. Ritsuka had gotten to her, a hand over hers on the handle of the shield, the other on her back supporting her. She began glowing, rejuvenated as he activated a Command Spell. Her grip tightened back, the shield glowing a pure light blue, and extended. It grew, and grew, until it became less of a shield, and more of a wall.
"The Noble Phantasm." Olga Marie commented as Ayako smirked with pride.
"I'm sorry that I couldn't do anything more, Master." Medea had rejoined her, looking at the slightly shorter Japanese redhead with disappointment.
"Its fine, she needed him more than she needed us." She said understandingly, remembering what the Celtic Caster had told them. "If that's not enough, we'll give them a pick me up." She said, showing her wrist to Medea, as her own Command Spells glowed lightly.
They all could see Mash's form falter slightly, with Ritsuka holding her up. She held on, making sure her hands were still on the shield. Despite such a grueling sight, Ayako was confident. And that confidence was rewarded, when the Celtic Caster appeared beside them. He gave them all a single glance, before landing on Medea, nodding to her. "It's time."
She nodded back, turning back to Ayako. "Orders, Master?"
Ayako smiled even wider, her Command Spells glowing as she channeled the energy within them. "Help Caster, and defeat Saber."
The Command Spell flashed, and Medea's own reserves were replenished. She smiled back to the Japanese Puppeteer. "As you command." She said as she rejoined the fight.
"My magecraft is a Cage of Flames. A flaming yet verdant giant." A magic circle formed beneath Saber, Medea's magecraft, freezing her in place, almost muzzling out the second Noble Phantasm.
"Retribution. A shrine that purifies the evil of human affairs." The Celtic Caster took a step beside Mash and Ritsuka, congratulating them on their efforts, before leaping to stand before Saber.
"The one who destroys… Wicker Man!" with a point of his wooden staff, he activated his Noble Phantasm.
A large giant made of mostly wood and metal that interlocked with one another like wicker, emerged from beneath Saber, trapping her in its wooden arms. The Saber Class Servant tried to fight her way out, but the giant was quite nimble for its size, seizing her with its grasp and throwing her into the cage that was its torso. It then began falling, tumbling to the ground with her still inside, and erupted in a fiery explosion. The flame, burning as hot as the Sage of the Woods demanded, contained by its caster onto Saber.
When the dust settled, there she still stood, looking no different than before. Yet her demeanor had changed. "Victory for the power that protects?" she spoke, her eyes not once leaving the shield. "I see. Such like that innocent one…" she spoke in remembrance.
"Ultimately, no matter how fate changes, I face the same end when I'm alone." She said with eyes closed as she began dematerializing.
"What does that mean?" the Celtic Caster asked as Medea floated back down. Both Olga Marie and Ayako jogged to join them, with the squirrel creature hitching a ride on Ayako's shoulder. She almost jumped in surprise, having forgotten that this little creature was with them. "Do you know something?"
"Eventually, you will come to know, Ireland's Child of Light." Saber said knowingly. "Grand Order…" Olga Marie gasped beside Ayako, causing the redhead to look to the Director curiously. "And the battle over the Holy Grail has just begun…"
"Hey wait! What do you mean by…" The Celtic Caster said just as he began to dematerialize. He clicked his tongue annoyingly and turned to them. "Kids. I'm leaving the rest to you. When you summon me, please make sure I'm a Lancer next time!"
And just like that, both Saber and Caster are no more. Leaving the five of them alone in this anomaly, along with the creature that leaped off of Ayako's shoulder and rushing to Ritsuka's.
"Confirmed. Saber and Caster are both gone." Mash looked at them unsurely. "Did we win?"
Their wrists bands began beeping again. "Well done everyone! I can't get any visuals from inside there, so it's a shame I can't see your smiling faces. Director, now we don't have to worry about Singularity F."
Olga Marie looked forlorn as Ayako and Medea approached her. "Grand Order… How did that Servant know that name?"
"What is that, Director?" Ayako asked as Ritsuka and Mash joined them.
"Oh…" she seemed to remember where she was, turning to face them all. "Well done, everyone. Mash, great work out there, unleashing the Noble Phantasm. We'll find a name for it until you can find its True Name. How about, Lord Chaldeas?"
"Yes, thank you, Director!" Mash said with gratitude, holding onto the shield dearly.
Ritsuka wasn't close enough to catch what Olga Marie had said, but Ayako was. She looked at the Director with an unsure grimace.
A clap echoed in the cavern.
Immediately everyone was back on alert, the clapping continuing for a few seconds. They all saw a figure stand at the cliff side. A darkened figure blanketed by the shadow, unseen by them all.
"I never thought you would all get this far." A relieved gasp escaped Olga Marie as they all, barring Medea, recognized the voice.
It was the Professor, standing there, illuminated by the dark purple light. "This goes beyond what my tolerance would allow."
"You're…" Ritsuka started, having the least exposure to the man.
"Professor Lev?" even Mash sounded happy with relief.
"Professor Lev? Really?" Roman spoke through the comms.
"Lev… Lev!" Olga Marie began running to the professor. All the while, a shiver that ran up Ayako's spine made her not as relieved as the others. Her hand reached to her pocket, searching for two specific runestones.
"Wait, Masters." Medea spoke through her link, at not just her but Ritsuka as well, causing the boy to tighten up.
"You're alive! Without you, I don't know what I'd…"
"Olga. It seemed you had a rough time." He commented.
"Yeah, that's right!" she said, still running towards him. "I thought I was going to go crazy! But now that you're here, we'll get through it, right?"
"Of course. I'm just furious with all that's happened." He answered. "Romani, I thought I told you to get to the control room right away."
"Lev…" there was a knowing tone to the Doctor, as if he had come to a horrifying conclusion.
"And you, Olga…" she slowed her steps when he acknowledged her. "I planted the bomb right under your feet. How are you still alive?" Ayako could see the world shattering around the Director. "Well, not exactly alive. You did die. Your body anyway." His eyes opened, and he bared his teeth, all unnaturally sharp as he looked down on them. Mash and Ritsuka gasped, and Ayako's grip tightened around her runestones.
"You never had an aptitude when you were alive. But your earnest desire allowed you to obtain the aptitude when you died."
"Lies…" the Director said disbelievingly.
"That's why, the moment you return to Chaldea, your consciousness will cease to exist."
"What?"
"But that's too much to contemplate." He continued his monologue without interruption. "You dedicated your life to Chaldea, so the least I can do is show you what's going on."
A tear in space opened, showing them the central division bulkhead. Specifically, Chealdeas, with all the ruins around it. "What is that?" Olga Marie asked, still unable to fully grasp the situation. "It's not real, right?"
"It's the real thing. I linked it for you." He told them all. "You see, with the Holy Grail, even this is possible. So, take a good look, scion of the Animuspheres. This is the fate of your family's lunacy!"
A flashed of light emerged from Olga Marie's body, as she was pulled slowly by Lev. "Hey, what are you…"
"As this is the end, I'll make your wish come true. You may touch your treasure." He told her menacingly.
"Stop it! That's Chaldeas!" the Director protested weakly.
"That's right. No different than the sun. And when a human touches it, they will be split apart on a molecular level."
"Caster, I have a plan." Ayako said through her link, already having enough of this villainous monologue that she was listening to. "Do you trust me?"
"Again, with that question, Master." She could hear the sigh through the telepathic link. "What do you need me to do?"
As she relayed her plans to Medea, Ayako pulled out the two runestones she had been holding onto. She glanced to the side, seeing Mash hold Ritsuka back from doing anything reckless. All the while, Olga Marie was crying for help. Ayako swallowed the lump in her throat, and threw the runestones into the air. She saw Lev glancing to her, and she smiled.
ᚻ ᛁ
Hagalaz, of Hail. Isaz, of Ice. The runestones shattered, leaving behind the runes that were carved onto it, and merged. Her hair, from its red, became snow white. She pushed her open palm at Lev, and lauched the now white ball of energy. "þæfingur!"
The ball of energy expanded and expanded, becoming as cold as ice and as powerful as a storm, as it flew its way onto Lev. He casted a spell, striking the blizzard with his own, stopping Ayako's attempt. He sneered at her with contempt. "I expected better, from the child of Touko."
Ayako smirked confidently as the white of her hair melted back to the red, her second Command Spell lighting up beneath her wrist. "Then you expected something else."
Medea struck the sky with her staff as she uttered a fast incantation, and a bolt of tremendous lightning erupted from it. Lev was already preparing to shield himself from the Servant's attack, but it never connected. His eyes widened, glancing to the side to see what used to be Olga Marie, the ancient spell leaving the Director in nothing but ashes. He turned back to Ayako with a scowl that marred his once approachable face. Even Mash and Ritsuka were silent at the action she took, with only the creature's barks echoing in the cavern.
"Why… did you do that?" he asked her with a bewildered expression on his face.
"It's better to die, than to suffer." She said, shaking her head. "But if our plan works, then she'll be there to see us kick your ass, Professor."
As he began visibly fuming at what she had done, Mash immediately moved to stand before Ritsuka and her, assisted by Medea who was making sure the Masters were close to her as well. "He's not human." She told them. "He's something else, I don't know what."
"Something demonic." Medea added, eyes on him.
"I kinda assumed that already." Ayako rebutted. "Not the demon part, the not human part."
"The 48th Master. I ignored you because I thought you had no potential. But you, Aozaki?" his sneer deepened at the sight of her. "I should've killed you when I had the chance."
"Yeah, well. You blew that chance to hell. Just like this one." She said back.
"You humans… Always struggling against fate. Fine… Doctor Roman! You're still listening, right?"
"Lev…" the Doctor still couldn't believe what he was watching.
"I'll give you a final advice. The future has not disappeared. It's been incinerated." Lev declared. "Chaldea still stands because it's protected by Chaldeas. But I'm sure everywhere else is just like Fuyuki."
"That explains why we've lost contact with everyone." The Doctor spoke up again. "Not because the comms are down. But because there's no one to receive them."
"You will not perish from such a convoluted reasoning. Rather, from your meaninglessness and your incompetence, and because you've lost the favor of our king! You will burn away like useless wastepaper, leaving no trace behind!"
A tremor interrupted the Professor. "An earthquake?" Ritsuka asked.
"No, this is…" Mash started.
"Looks like the Singularity has reached its limit." He scoffed bitterly. "That Saber caused me unnecessary trouble, trying to maintain this place even while being given the Holy Grail."
He turned to them for the final time. "Farewell, Romani, Mash, Servant, Aozaki, and the 48th Master." He floated off, going farther and farther, before disappearing as quickly as he appeared.
"The cave is collapsing!" Mash said, shield all four of them with her shield. The small creature tucked its way in Ritsuka's neck. "Doctor! Please activate the Rayshift quickly."
"On it! But things might collapse around you first! We'll try to-" the connection cut off, leaving them alone.
"Caster!"
"Yes, Master!" the three of them were engulfed by Caster's spell, allowing them to float near her. She conjured a wider barrier above them, shielding them from further debris. "Hold on, children!"
"You heard her!" Ayako said to all of them, even the little creature. "Don't! Let! Go!"
Ayako woke up with a gasp, her eyes looking around frantically. They were in the central division, still surrounded by ruined debris. She moaned in pain as she moved, straightening her torso and moving her hands up, slowly pushing herself off the now cold and wet floor. She coughed, looking to the side and seeing Mash crouched next to a still unawakened Ritsuka, with the little creature licking his face. She felt hands on her chest and back, helping her up off the floor. She looked to her other side, and her eyes widened when she saw the purple dressed Caster with them. And this time, her hood was down, allowing her to see Medea's icy blue hair and long pointy ears.
"Medea." Nothing else left her mouth, but she looked to the Caster Class Servant with relief.
"That's right, I'm here." Medea said, briefly looking around the large room. "Looks like he made quite the mess." He being the Professor.
Ayako's face contorted to a scowl. She shook those thoughts away, looking to Mash and Ritsuka. "Take him to the infirmary, just so they could check if he's fine. When he is, you can bring him to his room. The infirmary's probably filled to the brim."
Mash still seemed lost on what to do. "Uh, but…"
"Just pick him up. Bridal style." Ayako said with a smirk. "You're a Servant now, after all. Well, a Demi-Servant."
"Allow me." Medea said, her staff materializing in her hand, aiming it to the massive debris that blocked the path. She lifted it and moved it to the side.
"Thank you, Medea." She picked Ritsuka up effortlessly, and met Ayako's eyes as the creature sat on Ritsuka's chest. "And, Ayako. Thank you, as well."
Ayako waved the former leader of A Team off. The bespectacled girl began jogging up the walkway, leaving her and Medea alone. Ayako turned to the Servant, seeing her looking up, observing Chaldeas intently. Slowly, her eyes narrowed as she continued scrutinizing it.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Medea said with a shake of her head. "But your Director would've been suffering an eternity of hell if we didn't act."
Ayako's eyes widened as she remembered the project she had with Da Vinci, and was about to turn and run off. She barely went anywhere when she saw the Doctor approach them with a small team of people. He smiled at them, relief visible in his body language as they relaxed at the sight of them.
"You guys did it. Congratulations." He turned to Medea, and bowed slightly. "And thank you as well, Medea. My name is Romani Archaman, currently acting Director of Chaldea."
"Likewise." She nodded back.
"Any news from Da Vinci?" Ayako asked the Doctor.
He looked confused for a second, before it clicked to him. "Yeah, she alerted us after…" he cringed, briefly remembering what had happened before. "you struck the Director." He sighed, his hand reaching for the back of his neck. "She woke up screaming, in pain and in anguish."
"The stress from the betrayal." Medea commented with a clinical nod.
"Was she sedated?" Ayako asked.
"Promptly. Now, she's alive and stable, but…" he cringed again, almost wincing. "I don't know if she'll be able to function after all of that."
Ayako and Medea looked to one another, for a moment Ayako was doubting her choices up until that point, but Medea's look quelled that doubt. She smiled, feeling reassured that the Servant supported her decision. They both turned back to the Doctor.
"Well, I need to be somewhere for a second." She said, making to leave.
"Can you be here when Ritsuka wakes up?" The Doctor called out to her. "With the Director out of commission, I'd need to have someone with me to bring Ritsuka up to date."
"And initiate him to the organization?" she said, glancing back as she continued walking. "How about Kagiso?"
"He's busy manning the infirmary. You'll be enough."
"Then I'll be there!" she said as she broke into a sprint, leaving the Doctor and the Servant.
She rushed through the corridors, all ruined and littered by the explosion that shook the place. She ignored the looks of varying expressions she got from the crew, the straight expression she usually had on her face cracking. Ducking and weaving, jumping and leaping through the debris. She needed to get somewhere, she needed to make sure. She traced runes on both her legs. Two on each, repeating to fully take in the effects of the spell.
ᛖ ᛗ
Ehwaz, of Horse. Mannaz, of Man. For a second it felt like time slowed to a crawl as the muscles in her legs tensed, reinforced by a specialized spell. And she kicked off.
"Stökki!"
She left minor craters on the once sterile floor, the damage she caused not really making a difference in the long run.
And finally, she reached her destination. Almost, at least, as she was still separated by the front entrance. She walked closer, entered the code, and opened the doors. The storm had gotten substantially worse since she last saw it. Which was less than a day ago. There was no more illusion. The skies were dark, just like what the pilot had said to her. The only reason why it wasn't fully dark was because of the whites of the snow. And Chaldea itself wasn't in some kind of eye of the storm, weaker winds were scraping the walls with its endless hail and snow. And yet she kept walking, farther and farther from the base. When she was close to the edge, to a point where she could feel the side of her face almost freezing, she fell to her knees.
She stifled a sob, though her shoulders still quaked. Tears ran down her face, one side freezing to the outside air, as her golden eyes became a touch pale.
"Mom…" she whispered to herself, her cry drowned by the storm that engulfed them. There was truly nothing else out there.
They were all alone.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
fun fact:
when i first thought of this idea, the thing that stuck out to me was that moment where Ayako shouted the order, causing the Director's death, because she knew that Olga would have been fine.
it was this scene, that kept pushing me and inspiring me to eventually write this whole idea down, to the point of it becoming a fic like this. a part of me felt like a weight has been lifted when i got to this moment.
also, a little thing of note, the first iteration of this whole sequence was pretty much identical, 'cause in my head there was nothing else to change (especially since it's a pivotal moment for Mash and Ritsuka in the game/OVA). but, i changed it, just a bit. not too identical, but you guys could probably tell a lot of it is familiar. i didn't want to leave it like that, but again, this was a moment of character development for those two. and if i'm keeping them around, i can't just discard them like trash.
they are their own characters.
hopefully, and i'm saying this to myself as well, the upcoming Singularities would be more of a departure from the main games. especially since a few of those Singularities are pretty much filler, so i can at least have more creative freedom. i really need to work in Mash and Ritsuka's characters weave into my narrative better.
and time for the reviews!
Eva-Saiyajin: why thank you!
Emiya Lia Angelique: it's good to know that there are other people who appreciate the best character in Fate.
Krowlien: if Lily was more popular, she'd have more fanart. this is a hill i will die on.
Quartermass: dude, yeah i know right? and thank you as well, for that Medea fic.
King0fP0wers: yes, the upcoming Singularities will be a sight and treat to see.
and thanks again, all of you. drop a review if you don't mind.
that's that, and i'll see you all next time!