First Singularity, Part 5: Bordeaux
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Fujimaru Ritsuka's blue eyes were locked onto the empty MRE bag, crumpled into a ball as soon as he had finished eating it. He breathed in through his nose, slowly exhaling as he focused his core. His hand rose, thumb touching his middle finger as if ready to snap his fingers. His magic circuits ignited, weak and untrained as they may be, unleashed in this early French morning. A focal point emerged from the tip of his fingers, a tiny red dot of magical power. Such a miniscule amount, but it was the most he had ever achieved from a new spell Medea had taught him.
"Brand." He snapped his fingers, sending the tiny spark towards the empty, crumpled pack.
Within the second it came into contact, the pack ignited in flames. A small flame, contained enough around the pack to not spread farther than it needed to. The flame itself was a pure green color, shading the surrounding barn in its hue. Just off to Ritsuka's side, watching over him all the way from Chaldea, was Medea. An arm over her chest, and the other above it with her hand on her chin. Her eyes were focused on the flame, seeing the MRE pack slowly disintegrate into ashes. She then nodded.
"How are you feeling, Ritsuka?" she asked him.
He was sweating already, drawing for breath as if he had been running earlier in the morning. "Tired. But, satisfied." He said with a proud smile. "Thanks, Medea."
"Thank nothing, Ritsuka. This was all you." She said with her own smile, her words of encouragement doing wonders for his self-esteem.
"I'm surprised with how well that worked." He commented, his eyes trailing towards his hand.
"When it comes to the personal use of magecraft, there isn't really a strict rule for it." Medea said, entering what Ritsuka has come to know as teacher mode. "Remember what I told you, before you left?"
"It's a form of self-hypnosis, to convince my circuits to cast these spells." He said plainly.
A slight grimace graced her face. "Close enough." She said simply. "What it also means, is that your incantations matter little. All that matters, is the intent. The meaning. So even something, as simple as that-" she gestured towards him, and then the pile of ash he had created. "can be just as effective."
"Yeah, I'm still wrapping my head around that." He said, scratching the side his head. "So, people can just, say a bunch of random, nonsensical jargon, and make it work?"
"Theoretically." She answered with a shrug.
Three steady knocks interrupted their conversation, coming from behind him. He turned to meet the intruder, seeing Mash peer into the empty room with her eyes on them. "Senpai, are you ready?"
"Yeah, Mash. We're almost done. Right?" he turned back to Medea, who nodded in support.
"Yes. Sorry Mash, I merely wished to see his progress." She coughed into her hand. "Well, you best get going now. You're burning daylight." The holographic display shut off, leaving an empty shield on the floor.
"Yeah, we are." Ritsuka reached down to pick up the shield. "What time is it, Mash?"
The small form of Fou peaked from within her arms, mewling as loud as it physically could. "It's a little over 7am."
"Wow, and when did Ayako-san and her group leave?" he asked as he handed her shield back to her.
"Less than an hour ago." She answered, tucking Fou into the shield. "They should reach Bordeaux soon."
"Then we better get a move on, right?" he smiled comfortingly towards her.
"Yes, Senpai." She replied as a light blush tinted her cheeks. "The others are ready when you are."
"And I'm as ready as I'll ever be." He said back, stretching his back. "Let's go greet them, Mash."
"Yes, Senpai." Tucking Fou back into his spot, Mash led Ritsuka out of the room they had rested in.
"Hey, Mash. You didn't go to sleep immediately last night." Ritsuka asked, glancing to her curiously.
"Hm? Oh…" the Demi-Servant shifted her eyes away from the Master. "I… had a long talk with Mozart."
"Oh? What about?" he asked her.
She smiled earnestly, causing him to feel a flutter in his chest. "It's a secret, Senpai."
"What? We're keeping secrets already?" his response caused the lavender haired girl to giggle.
"What would Ayako say? That a girl needs to keep her secrets."
"Since when did you hang out with her?!"
"When you're not looking, Senpai."
"Useless!" a full gauntleted fist crashed into a stone wall, shattering it into oblivion. The black armored fist withdrew itself back to the blackened Servant, with a deep scowl marring her otherwise pretty face. "All of you, USELESS!"
Standing a good distance from the corrupted Saint were the many Berserk Servants that she had summoned. A knight that was far blacker than her; a tall pale man with long wavy hair; an effeminate figure with a feathered hat; and a woman with green hair along with feline ears and tail. Their expression were mostly neutral despite the tirade that they were subjected to; except for the tall, pale man, who held himself with an air of noble superiority. Despite the fact that she was the one who had summoned him, he cared little for her tantrum.
"Does anyone here, know anything, about these Chaldeans?!" she screamed at them once more, planting her black flag onto the marbled floor.
"I know of the Lancer that killed Assassin." The tall Servant said with a disinterest wave.
The Dragon Witch turned her pale yellow eyes towards him. "Who?"
"Carmilla's younger self. Or should I say, her actual self." He clarified, shifting his bored eyes to the large window that bore onto them, showing the darkened skies of Orleans.
"And who, exactly is she?" she further asked with growing frustration.
"She's Elizabeth Báthory, Master." The effeminate figure answered, glancing to the taller Servant to their side.
"Eliza- that whelp is a Báthory?" She asked incredulously.
"If the Servant is who Carmilla was based on, then yes, she is." The Servant continued with their hand on their rapier.
She clenched her fists in anger, her silent fuming visible to all that stood before her. "Please Jeanne. There are better ways to settle this."
All heads turned to the Servant that had just arrived, standing beneath the archway that used to hold an ornate door. A creepy looking man with bulging eyes, his figure hunched and blanketed by a thick robe of deep blue. Within his hands was a thick tome with a golden cover, almost emanating a purple air of eldritch power. And on his face, was a sickeningly sweet, almost serene smile.
"Then what do you recommend, Gilles?" her anger was subdued within his presence, almost jarringly so.
"We can still have the element of surprise." He says. "We just have to know where they are, and plan accordingly."
She nodded, turning to the green haired woman. "Archer. You must have noticed something."
The beast-like Servant closed her eyes for a brief moment, opening them slowly. "Earlier this morning, I saw a separate contingent of them are heading towards Bordeaux."
"And who was part if this group?"
"The redheaded and blonde Masters, the Rider, and Chaldea's Caster and Lancer." She relayed to her.
The Dragon Witch's eyes widened, slowly narrowing into slits as she snarled savagely. "So the Witch is there as well, huh?"
"We're really pushing this cart past its limit." Koleen commented, her grip so tight that the whites of her knuckles were visible. "Can't we slow down, just a bit?"
"Not if we want to make daylight!" the Rider replied from her position atop her crystal horse, pulling the cart that held them all.
"Ya think they've left yet?" Caster asked, sitting on one corner with his hood drawn.
"I don't know." Ayako answered, sitting at the front of the cart with her back towards Marie. "Let's ask. Doc, have they left yet?"
"About half an hour ago, yes." Doctor Roman replied through their communicators.
"Good. Let's hope we find that Saint. Whoever they are." Ayako said with a nod and a small smile on her lips.
"You think we can make off with a couple of bottles?" Elizabeth asked the group, her eyes gazing upward in a dreamy fashion.
"Bottles of what? Wine?" the Puppeteer questioned with furrowed brows.
The Lancer rolled her eyes. "Of course! What else is that place known for?"
"Quite a few things actually, in the present." Koleen replied with incredulity. "But yes, wine production has always been a staple of Bordeaux. Dating all the way back to the 8th century."
"Aren't you a little too young to drink, kid?" Cú Chulainn asked, not really meaning the words he had uttered.
That didn't mean Elizabeth didn't take it to heart. "I'm a noble! Drinking wine is a past time! A decadent glass taken, all the while you get lost in a book."
"When the hell did you find the time to read?" he asked, his red eyes finally opened on her.
"When I was bathing!"
"That's an image I don't want in my head." Koleen commented dryly.
The Lancer approached the blonde, scooting across the cart until they were side by side. She placed her clawed hand on Koleen's shoulder, comfortingly squeezing it. "Don't worry, Kitten. I'm not gonna do that anymore!"
"Thanks. I guess…" she replied nonplussed.
"How far are we now, Marie?" Ayako asked the Rider, who had been silent for the past minute.
"Bordeaux is just over the horizon. Look!" the Rider pointed ahead of her, and true to her word, the city was barely visible.
"Two hours." Ayako commented as her eyes inspected the horizon. "Two hours with a horse and a cart."
"That's a Rider for ya." The Druid said, placing a hand on her head. "So what's the plan?"
"You, stay on the rooftops. Scour the entire place with your druidic ways." The aforementioned Druid chuckled.
"Everyone else…" she turned her eyes to both Koleen and Elizabeth, while also including Marie with her distinction. "blend in."
"Good luck all of you." The Doctor called out to them. "We'll be keeping an eye on Ritsuka's team!"
"I can't believe you, of all people, convinced me to do this." Ayako said with a shake of her head, carefully holding two bottles of Bordeaux wine inside her coat.
"I mean, I am curious." Koleen said with a slight smile. "Don't really drink much."
"Me too. In fact, I haven't had an ounce of alcohol before." The Puppeteer replied, brushing her fingers through her hair. "Two more years, and then I'm good."
"I'm surprised you're following the law to the letter so much, Ayako." Koleen commented with curious eyes.
"I see no reason to break it. Even if I'm not at home." She answered with a shrug of her shoulders. "I have a clean slate on me, we'll see how long it lasts here in Chaldea."
"Masters." Both young women stood still, a brief second in silence before they glanced to each other. One nod exchanged to another, as they in unison walked towards a secluded alley.
"Caster?" Ayako spoke up, glancing around them. "Is something wrong?"
"You can say that." He said as he materialized before them.
"What happened?" Koleen asked him. "Does it involve Lancer?"
"Yes, it does."
"She found another Servant, didn't she?" Ayako prodded.
"Not the Saint though." He told them. "She's somewhere further East, and Queenie's over there making sure it won't escalate."
"Did you get a good look at the Servant?" Koleen further questioned.
"She's Japanese, judging from that kimono she wore." He relayed as he dematerialized.
No further words were exchanged as the Masters rushed out of the alleyway, running past the local townsmen with haste. Ayako withdrew the rifle she had strapped to her back, quickly checking the bullets she had inside of it, while Koleen took out a simple needle, ready to prick out blood the moment it was needed for them. The maneuvered themselves through the stone paths, eventually finding the bulbous hat of Marie Antoinette, seeing the Servant watch wearily at the scene that unfolded before her. No one else was around them, as the locals had vacated the area in fear of what might transpire.
"Rider, what's going on?" asked Ayako as the both of them stopped beside her.
The Queen turned to the Puppeteer, her face shifting to one of relief. "Oh, Masters. Thank God you're here. We might have a problem…" she slowly turned back to the conflict that both Masters now couldn't ignore.
"You inelegant snake!" their Lancer yelled, her fists clenched as she fumed in anger.
"Big talk coming from you, you cheap lizard!" came the just as barbed response to her, by a Servant who stood just a few centimeters taller than Elizabeth.
Pale skinned for a Japanese woman, even more so than Ayako, wearing a deep cyan kimono just as their Caster had told them (though its cut was a lot more provocative than what a traditional kimono would look). Within her right hand was a golden folding fan, held to poke her lower right cheek. Her light cyan hair was long enough to reach past her thighs. Small horns poked out of the side of her head, peaking through her hair and accentuating her head like a small tiara. And her eyes, a supernatural gold that seemed to glow even in the daylight.
Elizabeth turned to them, her hands moving to her hips. "Masters, look at this phony!" the Lancer said, pointing at said Servant. "Parading herself around with her fake horns and tail!"
"Hey, don't you dare talk down on me, you child!" the other Servant protested, pulling Elizabeth to face her.
"Child?! Like you're any older!" their Lancer pushed the Servant away with a shove of her hands.
"Ooohhh, you're really asking for it!" the unknown Servant unfurled her fan, as light blue fire began coursing around her body.
"Bring it!" Elizabeth declared, with her lance forming in her hands.
"Girls, please! There's other ways for us to settle this!" Marie spoke up, moving to stand between them with her hands held out to stop them.
"Stay out of this!" both Servants yelled, briefly directing their anger towards the Queen.
"No, I don't think I will!" she declared, proudly placing herself in between them.
And all the while the Masters watched the altercation with bemused expressions, glancing to each other with furrowed brows. Slowly as one, they turned to Caster, who had walked up towards them as he whistled heartily.
"Did you secure the perimeter?" Ayako asked, holstering her rifle back.
He nodded with a tap of his staff. "The locals runnin' for it made it easier. We shouldn't be disturbed even if things do escalate."
"You're confident it's still an if?" Koleen asked with a frown forming on her face.
"As long as the Queen does her work, I'm sure it'll be fine." He said, gesturing to the three Servants.
And sure enough, just as the Druid said, the impending conflict was deescalating. Elizabeth's lance had been dematerialized, while the other Servant's flare had died down, with her fan back folded in her hand. Marie had both her hands on their shoulders, slowly but surely pulling them both into a hug, or something resembling it considering the obvious hesitance of the two apparently reptilian Servants. This was enough to finally calm both Masters; Koleen replaced her needle back into her pack, but Ayako still held her rifle in her arms, though relaxed.
She did, however, feel a chill shivering up her spine.
Both she and Koleen took a few steps forward towards the group. "We haven't been properly introduced. I'm Ayako, and this is Koleen."
"Hi." The blonde gave a simple wave to the Servant.
"Hello to you two too. I am Kiyohime, Berserker." The Servant said, giving a formal bow towards them, one that Ayako returned instinctively.
"A Berserker? Color me surprised." The Puppeteer commented with a wry smirk.
"Oh?" Kiyohime responded with a curious squint of her eyes.
"Yeah, all the Servants the Dragon Witch summoned are all Berserk, apparently." Koleen elaborated with an unamused sigh.
"Ah, I see." She unfolded her fan, covering her lower face and hiding something of a smirk. "Then they must have been easily dealt with, I take it?"
"With a Master like the Dragon Witch? Absolutely." Ayako shook her head incredulously, turning to her friend with wide-eyed astonishment.
The Berserker scoffed bitterly, lightly fanning herself. "What else can you expect from a pretender."
"Yeah, you should have been there the last time we faced her! Kitten really put the Witch in her place!" Elizabeth clapped excitedly, regaling the previous day's incident.
"So, if you people are fighting against the Dragon Witch, then I suppose we are on the same side." Kiyohime said, folding back the fan and lowering it from her face.
"That's nice and all, but have you seen a Saint around?" Cú Chulainn asked, cutting straight to the point.
"A Saint?" she tapped her fan on her lower cheek, her golden eyes staring at the sky as she scoured her memories. "Ah, yes! There was a Saint. In Theirs. Saint Georgios, riding upon his steed, Bayard."
Both Ayako and Koleen could feel their shoulders deflate in relief. Ayako immediately brought her communicator closer. "Doc, did you hear that? Tell Ritsu-chan that Saint George is in Theirs!"
"Relaying it immediately!" he quickly responded.
"Oh, thank God." Marie clapped her hands in relief as well, sighing happily. "That should make things easier for everyone involved."
"Good. Then that means we can prepare ourselves for the Dragon Witch's arrival." Koleen said to the group, as she turned to face the figure that stood just outside of the bounded field that Caster had quickly erected.
An effeminate figure holding a practiced pose, an elegant form that was more appropriate for a higher class gathering. An ornate rapier was held straight up, still as a statue. Their clothes were somewhat formfitting; a sky blue coat with a pink ascot tie around their neck, and white pants that was held together with the coat by a brown belt. Their pale face was shaded by their blue feathered hat, the shadow covering their blue eyes.
The Rider's face morphed into one of sadness. "Oh, Chevalier… Not you too."
A broken smile formed on the Servant's face. "Good afternoon, my Queen. A fine day, is it not?"
"That it is." She replied, stepping forward to stand ahead of the others. "Are you here to finish us off?"
"Not, exactly…" the Servant said, shifting their eyes to Koleen's. "The Dragon Witch has a much more personal vendetta."
"Ah, so the Saint is no longer a concern?" Cú Chulainn readied his staff, runes forming at the tip of his tongue.
"Not at the moment." The Servant said, as a spark of a star shone for a very brief second in the sky.
"MOVE! Rauðr!" Ayako shouted, feeling her red coat tighten around her and pulling her back.
Elizabeth's wings unfurled, her body reaching for Koleen, taking the Witch along with her. Kiyohime, for a brief moment, was engulfed in a blue fire, her form shifting away from the group. The Celtic Druid's entire body sunk into the cobblestone path with some difficulty. And Marie Antoinette, stayed where she stood, her crystal blue eyes lingering on the Servant that had their eyes on her, before they met the barrage of arrows that finally became fully visible to them. She faced the onslaught head on, embracing the arrows as it engulfed the area.
The winged Lancer carried Koleen past the district they were in, landing in the middle of a crowded market, with the local townsmen eyeing them wearily. A few of them were even glancing to where the rain of arrows had landed, fear clearly written on their faces.
"Sors d'ici!" she yelled to them with a sense of urgency. "Fuyez!"
"Fuir! Fuir!" one of the gathered people shouted, the first to regain his bearings, his fear spreading to the masses as they all began running.
"Lancer, get me around! We need to get people running!" she ordered, holding herself steady within the smaller Servant's arms.
"Hold on tight, Kitten!" Elizabeth tightened her hold on the blonde Master as she began soaring once more, maneuvering the ancient city.
Somewhere opposite of where Koleen and Elizabeth were heading, Ayako's coat took her to a clay red rooftop, setting her somewhat gently as she surveyed the city. With a free hand, she began tracing a single rune on her eyes.
ᚲ
Kenaz, of the Torch. Beneath her eyelids her vision became sharper. "örn auga."
Her golden eyes, with pupils shrunk to pinpricks, scanned the entirety of the medieval city, filtering out the information that she was being bombarded with. At the edges of the city, she could see wyverns coming from the northeast, with the garrison of the French Army readying themselves to defend. She saw Elizabeth with her wings spread wide, carrying Koleen across the city. Back within the now defunct bounded field, she saw Marie deftly evading the attacks of the apparent Saber. She then saw the fire of cyan soaring above the rooftops, seeing Kiyohime's body alight with flame as she too kept her eyes on the horizon. Which meant that that left…
"Caster! Find that Archer, and deal with them!" she ordered through their mental connection, pulling the bolt of her rifle. "Too many people here are sitting ducks for them!"
"Getting it done." He calmly replied. "I see the dragon in the distance. We have to at least hold them off."
"Damn it!" her hand reached into her pocket, her fingers feeling for the few runestones she still had. "Then prep your other Noble Phantasm, get ready for the Dragon Witch."
"Oohhh, now we're talking lass." He couldn't sound more excited even if he tried. "That'll take a moment though, and it will require my entire attention."
"Its fine, I'll get Kiyohime to help me deal with Archer!"
"Excuse me?" said Berserker said as she landed beside Ayako.
"Caster, by my command, prepare your Noble Phantasm!" her wrist burned as the Command Spell unleashed its energy, powering up the Druid.
"Alright lass! Keep them busy!"
"Kiyohime!" Ayako finally turned to the Berserker, seeing the snake woman eye her incredulously. "Wanna help deal with a bunch of pests?"
"Hm, sure. I think this will be interesting." The Servant responded as a smirk grew on her face.
"Great. Then let's get the hell outta here." Ayako wrapped her arm around the Servant, who instinctively held Ayako in her arms.
Kiyohime furrowed her brows. "This is not how I imagined it. I should be the one carried like a princess."
"Yeah, well, get in line, princess. Let's go!"
"What is the Old Man doing?" Elizabeth commented, seeing the Druid stand as far away from everyone else as he could, his wooden staff slowly spinning in front of him.
"He's getting ready for the inevitable." Koleen said knowingly as she eyed the dragon that was approaching Bordeaux. "God, I hope Ritsuka's having a better time."
"They have a Saint there. Probably two. They should be fine." The Lancer said as she landed on the battlements surrounding the city. "The people have been alerted as much as we could. What do we do, Master?"
Koleen saw the Berserker they had just met, seeing Ayako within her arms as they left the premises of the city, reaching closer to the surrounding forest. "Let's help Marie deal with that Saber."
"Alright, let's give the Queen a helping hand." Her lance was once again in her hands, leading the both of them back to where the barrage of arrows had landed.
They came upon a worrying sight; Marie Antoinette laying on the ground, her bulbous hat shredded to pieces and spread out the field, her body littered with cuts that leaked her blood and the rapier piercing her shoulder; and the Saber standing atop her with the Rider in between their legs, their blue overcoat discarded as they too were torn apart, with their feather hat clinging on their head.
"I'm sorry, my Queen." The Berserk Saber said with remorse.
"Its fine, Chevalier." Marie said from the ground, blood dripping from her lips. "I just, wished you could be free."
The Saber had their mouth open to respond, before they leaped off to the side, dodging Elizabeth's lance that would have pierced their heart. The Lancer didn't relent with her attacks, chasing the Saber with her lance ready to strike. Koleen moved to help the Queen, pulling the Rider up with both hands.
"How bad are you now, Marie?" the American Witch asked, slowly tracing an intricate flower on the Rider's wounded shoulder.
Marie giggled, her hand wrapping around Koleen's. "I could be better."
"Then I'll make you better." Koleen said, using her other hand to pull out one of Medea's potions. "Do you have anything in your arsenal that can hold off the Dragon Witch?"
"Hmm, yes. I do. My Crystal Palace."
The Witch furrowed her brows in confusion, before she shook her head and continued onward. "Alright, we're going to need that. Drink this." She offered the Rider the potion, as her other hand gripping onto Marie's shoulder. "G̴̷͠ŖO̸̧W̶!̸̧͟"
The combination of Medea's potion and Koleen's spell sped up Marie's healing process. The cuts and bruises on the Servant's material form began disappearing, returning to the unblemished skin that signified the Queen's elegance. She left out a relieved sigh when the potion was emptied, finally standing up with Koleen's help.
The Witch then grasped Marie's hand that was around hers. "Marie, by my Command. Erect the Crystal Palace!"
Her last Command Spell, the key that was held together by butterflies and a chain, lit up with a burst of power. Leaving just the trace of what it was, the power surged to the Rider, rejuvenated by the blonde Chaldean Master.
Her small hands tightened around Koleen's for a brief moment, her eyes closed as she held the power close. "Noble Phantasm:" She whispered between them, before her hands loosened themselves. "Release!"
"Lancer! Finish Saber off, we have to meet the Dragon Witch!" Koleen began running towards the action, leaving the Servants behind.
"On it, Kitten! The Queen already made short work of this Saber." Elizabeth said, pushing her weapon into the Berserk Saber, struggling to keep the lance at bay with their rapier. "Stop! Resisting!"
"You're, lucky! That my Queen! Had, weakened me!" the Saber croaked out, still holding on for dear life.
"You're damn right I'm lucky! So screw! You!" with a surge of strength, her lance barreled through the rapier, snapping it in half and striking through the Saber. She pulled her lance, before spearing it through again, kicking away the rapier. "Stay down!" she said, finally pulling her lance free.
"Queenie, don't die just yet!" she called out, leaving the Queen as she continue channeling her Noble Phantasm. "We still have the Dragon Witch to take care of!"
The Rider hummed her response, still standing with her hands clasped together like in a prayer.
"The power. The elegance. The significance, of the French Monarchy." The ground around her lit up, an almost blinding light in the middle of Bordeaux, further spreading out through the buildings and streets.
"My love, for my country, and my people." The light encompassed the whole city, along with the surrounding area. The Dragon Witch, who had almost arrived atop Fafnir, stopped midflight at the sudden light.
And still, standing on her lonesome, with only the dying form of the Berserk Saber who had the most blissful smile on their face, Marie Antoinette spun in a pirouette. She stopped on her toes, with one foot in front of the other, and her arms spread apart with her most beautiful smile on her face. "The Lovable Brilliance, For Eternity… Crystal Palace!"
"Holy hell, that's like a drug." Ayako commented, feeling the effects of the Crystal Palace. "Kiyohime, are you sure there's no Archer?"
"I'm confident. That Archer either attacked us from farther away, or they've run." The Berserker said, engulfing the wyvern that attempted to flank her, burnt to ash with a wave of her fan.
"Alright, then let's regroup." Ayako said, firing one last shot to a weakened wyvern, blowing its skull apart.
The both of them made their way back to the outer skirts of Bordeaux; or more accurately, Marie Antoinette's Crystal Palace, with its magnificence to actually be able to dwarf Fafnir. It wasn't something that any of them immediately noticed, but a fact that they realized when they all, as a group, stood together before the (weakened) might of Fafnir, who easily dwarfed them. To see that, even this mighty phantasmal beast, looked like a pebble compared to the Noble Phantasm, was truly a sight to behold.
The form of the Dragon Witch, standing atop Fafnir's head, sneering at them even though the Chaldeans could hardly make out her expression. "You, Chaldeans… Are a parasite! All of my plans! Ruined! France was supposed to BURN! And yet it still stands!"
"You're blaming us, for your failures? That's rich, and childish." Koleen said with a scowl, crossing her arms and meeting the corrupted Saint's sneer. Right beside her, Elizabeth was clapping her hands in anticipation, almost bouncing on her feet.
Ayako herself could practically feel the seething hatred the Dragon Witch was emitting. "YOU! And your ROTTEN TONGUE!"
"What, you think I'm lying? Jeanne d'Arc was gifted, in military strategies. She successfully led the French against the Bristish, pushing them back from mainland Europe, and would have succeeded if she weren't betrayed." Koleen gestured with one arm to the carcasses of the wyverns that had arrived earlier, and the other arm to the few soldiers who were still standing out there with them. "If you were truly Jeanne d'Arc, then something like this would have been nothing to you. Alas, you are nothing but a fake. A wretched fake."
Purple flame erupted from the Dragon Witch's banner, unfurling with her unconstrained rage. "WITCH, HOW DARE YOU! YOU WILL REGRET EVER INSULTING ME! FAFNIR!"
"Caster, now!" Ayako called out, pulling Koleen back along with her and leaving the Servants to help the remaining soldiers.
High up above the Dragon Witch, 18 runes whose names emanate ancient power. Primeval in origins, bestowed by Odin - the All-Father, gifted upon him by his teacher, Scathach. The Dragon Witch could only look up in horror, feeling her impending doom.
"Great Carved God Seal… Ochd Deug Odin!"
And on that moment, the medieval French countryside faced a brightness that not even the sun had given them.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
a bit late, but i've been think on moving the supposed update schedule back a day. mondays are stressful, dudes, so, yeah.
the end, is in sight! we'll see what Ritsuka was going through next chapter, followed by the end, and boom! yeah! (and i'm also starting to develop his own magecraft, which will be interesting to say the least!)
it is a bit difficult, i admit, with trying to not make Chaldea just steam roll through Orleans. because, let's face it, after they lost half of their Servants in the previous day/chapter, Chaldea has the numbers advantage. coupled that with people who aren't stupid leading the group. not to mention, having three Masters means they have more resources to throw around.
speaking of steam roll, anyone else think that it would have been more awesome if Caster Cu's NP was Ochd Deug Odin? a freakin' magical ion laser from space. god damn dudes.
also! i got a cover! it's a temp one, 'cause i'd like something more identifying for Ayako, but i'm not an artist. and i also grew tired of seeing my ffn profile picture every time i saw the fic, so i got a simple solution. doesn't look that bad too, you can't go wrong with simplicity.
and let's not forget, translation for the brief French!
"Get out of here!" "Run away!"
"Run! Run!"
simple, but it conveyed much.
well, nothing else to say (off the top of my head), so let's get on to the reviews.
trexboy164: i actually did end up drawing from the manga. needed to get something for Marie's Crystal Palace (speaking of, holy fuck is that thing huge)
Tempest-Rage: thanks for the info!
Guest: i mean, Ritsuka's whole shtick is the fact that they're a shit magus through out the entirety of the game. but what makes them stand out is their EX compatibility as a Master. and that particular fact of theirs is why they got Cause instead of Frame or Count. changing that aspect, would make them no longer Ritsuka, and they might as well just be another OC in the mix of things. the whole point is for this to be Ritsuka, we already have enough OCs.
King0fP0wers: honestly, i never planned on having a villain PoV, 'cause this story is and will be mostly about Ayako, and sometimes her friends. but, i figured, one section would be fine here. and for Kagiso, that is actually something that will happen down the line. i'm still debating on which Singularity he will join the group in.
Lia Angelique: that's actually true, and i didn't even plan that. and yeah, with Olga finally starting her path to recovery. it's not gonna be instantaneous, but she's definitely not gonna sit around on her ass all day anymore.
well, thanks again from stopping by for another chapter,
drop a thought if you don't mind, and i'll see you all next time!