Second Singularity, Part 6: Demonic Pillar
2017
The Control Room was silent, barring the whirring of the machines and the sounds of their fingers operating the consoles with practiced professionalism. The Doctor and the Director were silent in their observations, not seeing much of an opportunity to chime in. Kagiso, standing behind the both of them, was content in the silence, watching his friends with pride. Inside his mind, he couldn't wait until he could stand there with them.
"The mana detected here has already reached the peak of Singularity F." Medea's words caused a few of the operators to flinch in the memory of it. "We best make haste, Masters."
"Duly noted, Caster." The Puppeteer replied, with a hint of professionalism she showed any time she was, figuratively speaking, on the clock. "Doctor, keep an eye out in case we get distracted."
"Eye, kept. We got you guys covered." He replied with a nod that only those in the room could see, sighing when he felt the tensions rise, if only to be rid of them.
All in all, things were happening as per usual, with no further interruptions to their rhythm.
A rhythm that the Servants of Chaldea had gotten accustomed to, though they themselves were nowhere to be seen. They knew their appearances would mostly serve as a distraction, so they have all made themselves comfortable in the breakroom they have taken over. One of the many rooms abandoned after the explosion.
The room looked far bigger than it actually was, what with only three people inside of it. Elizabeth, Chaldea's first Lancer, was sitting on one side of a four-seat sofa, snacking on a generous bowl of popcorn. On the other end was Kiyohime, looking far more regal than she usually presented herself as, with her blue fan opened to cover her lower face. A cold glass of water that was placed on the coffee table was her drink of choice. The resident Druid was sitting on a single stool, separate from the other two, nursing a cold drink he had procured from the cafeteria. All three sets of eyes were locked on the monitor that covered most of the wall, giving them a view of the Ground Team.
"Hey Old Man." Elizabeth called out as she munched on more popcorn. "Who is this guy, anyway?"
He placed his drink on the table he was leaning on, a light burp escaping his lips. "Why're you asking me?"
"Weren't you there?" she elaborated, glancing behind her to see him. "In Singularity F?"
"I was." He replied with a tired sigh. "But my time was up. The Singularity was solved, and I was unsummoned."
"Peh. Then what good are you…" If he was summoned as his Lancer self, the glass in his hand would have shattered already.
The door to their room slid open, all heads turning to catch the rare sight of Chaldea's Genius. "So this is where you lot were. Could've invited me." Da Vinci said with her hands akimbo.
"Like you would've answered." Cú Chulainn said with an amused scoff, downing the last of his drink before slamming the glass onto the table.
"Hey, it's the thought that counts." She retaliated, approaching the Druid who seemed content in ignoring her.
"Da Vinci! Who is that guy?" Elizabeth asked, pointing at the screen before them, showing the Ground Team enter a large room.
"That, is the one who brought Chaldea to its current predicament." She replied with furrowed brows marring her beautiful face.
"If there was any sort of lingering doubt before…" Kiyohime spoke up, lowering her fan as she addressed the room. "that thing, is without a doubt, a demon."
"What kind of demon though?" the Lancer kept asking like a curious child.
"That's for us to find out." Da Vinci said, increasing the volume with her own personal device.
"...tell you something of me, and maybe a bit more. Just for you." Elizabeth visibly shivered upon hearing his voice, shaking herself in disgust. "BUT! Not, without a price."
"What price, Lev?" the Director asked, all the way from the Control Room.
The smirk on his face was sickening to their eyes. "Pain."
A bright light shot out from the palm of his hand, sailing past the Servants that had formed a wall, and blasting through the Puppeteer, leaving a sizable hole on her chest. All Servants' eyes widened when they saw the Master, as her eyes dripped down, looking at the massive wound on her own person. Her body fell forward, dropping in a heavy, sickening thud.
Within that second, a few things occurred almost simultaneously.
First, Elizabeth stood up, sending the bowl off of her lap as her wings unfurled. The floor cracked as she dug her heels in, launching herself onto her fellow Servant.
"ANCHIN-SAMA!" the Second was Kiyohime's distressed cry, blue flame coating her form just as she was pinned to the wall by the Lancer.
The Third was Cú Chulainn standing up, tracing runes to reinforce his legs as Da Vinci turned on her heel, already on her way out. He followed the Genius without question, leaving the Lancer to deal with the raging Berserker.
The both of them were running towards the where Puppeteer's workshop was located. "Da Vinci! I need someone to get Aozaki's spare, now!" the Director's voice reached through to them, the blaring within the Control Room almost overpowering her.
"We're already almost there!" she answered without missing a beat. "Give me her status!"
"Her vitals are spiking, her body's undergoing stress we have never seen in tests before." Romani replied with urgency in his voice. They could still hear the Professor, his words making him out as a higher being than them, with a sense of superiority that commanded the room he was in.
"Sir, we can pull her out now, rayshift her back." A technician suggested amidst the alert.
"No. It is too risky, with Lev holding all the cards. If we pull her out now, he'll escalate, and we don't know what he could do." He said back, his words bearing a sense of finality to them.
"Of all people, we can trust Aozaki to withstand this. The rest of the Ground Team is stalling, keeping him occupied. Romani, double check that this is recorded."
"Yes, Director."
"Da Vinci, where are you now?"
"Here!" both Casters had arrived at the door to her workshop. A sacred ground for a magus, but Ayako didn't consider herself one, so they were confident that she wouldn't mind their intrusion. Hell, the Puppeteer was a person that wouldn't have minded in the first place even if she was one. Da Vinci entered the override code, forcing the door to open on her command.
The small puppet familiar was there to greet them, staring up from the makeshift anvil with a confused look on its face. Its mumbled speech was nothing to them, though they could glean the worried curiosity on its lifelike features.
"Just need to get something for your Master." Cú Chulainn said, petting the familiar before helping Da Vinci with the gurney inside the room, the still puppet laying atop it that served as Ayako's backup. "Where're we headed?"
"We'll post ourselves outside the Central bulkhead." She replied, closing and locking the door behind her. She secured the puppet on the gurney, checking its restraints, before the both of them began rushing down the emptied halls of Chaldea.
"You got direct feed to the Ground Team, don't 'cha?" he asked idly, ignoring the stares of the few people they passed by.
She nodded silently, a departure to her often bombastic personality, as the holographic monitor emerged from her wrist, showing both Casters the current situation below them.
The blood was pooling around Ayako's body, and it was only with their trained eyes that they could see that she was still 'alive'. Medea was kneeling beside the Master, though she kept her distance by the order of the demon in disguise. They could see the growing grimace on her shrouded face, her gloved hands clenched tight, though it soon relaxed. The other Servants were just as tense, ready to strike at a moment's notice. Martha in particular looked absolutely livid, though they could hazard a guess that it stemmed from a variety of reasons.
The Masters, meanwhile, could only scowl at Lev, taking his words to heart but making sure that they would ignore the nonsense that he would spout, the lies that he laced within his words. But still, they could the Masters forcing themselves to relax, if only to lull the Professor into a false sense of security. Even so, the rage was palpable to them, that they could empathize with it. No matter how strange it was to see such an expression on their faces.
The Casters watched in silence, even as they arrived at the heavy steel doors that separated the Central bulkhead. The Professor had finished his monologue, waiving the Grail in his hand to them. He spoke, a question that was rhetorical in nature, for he cared not for the answer and their opinions.
Then, a bright flash of red came from Ayako's wrist. Da Vinci nodded with a smile on her face, while the Druid shook his head as he chuckled, the both of them feeling the pride welling up inside of them.
60 AD
The pain was unbearable. So much so, that she couldn't even think properly. She couldn't feel anything at all anymore. The only thing she could feel, was the uselessness of her body, like a puppet with its strings severed. Useless. Lifeless. The light in her eyes was fading, ever so slowly, further compromising her vision. She wasn't a stranger to death, least of all her own. Hell, she pulled the trigger herself the first time she died. But this was, without a doubt, the most painful of deaths she was experiencing. So painful was, that even dying she was on the verge of all out panicking. She could feel it. But she wasn't.
Not yet, at least.
"…'Dea…" she called out through their telepathic link. Her scalp thrummed, with her Crest working in overdrive. It was one of the few things keeping her alive, after all.
The response wasn't immediate, but she could at least feel the concern. "Ayako. It's alright, just talk to me, okay?"
"...'Dea… what…?" the pain coursing through her overpowered her ability to form coherent sentences, even in her own mind.
"Ritsuka and Koleen are keeping him occupied. Information, in exchange for what he had done to you." The Grecian Caster further explained.
"…My… body…?"
"He tore a hole through you. Your heart, lungs, and half of your spine is gone." That explained a lot of things to her. "A mundane human would be dead already. Most Servants would be dead already."
"…help…" she called out, just the thought of it was painful to her sense.
"We can't. I can't. Not yet, at least. He's keeping us grounded." Ayako would cursed if she could. There was nothing she could do but wait.
And so wait, she did. "…'Dea… if… done… warn…"
She could feel the sigh coming from the Caster. "I will. Don't worry. Everything will be fine."
"…I… know…"
She waited for what felt like an eternity, of just the endless pain, that slowly degraded and lessened. A sign of her weakening body, signaling her eventual demise, not that it actually mattered to her. But she was patient. And confident. If all else fails, she trusts the people in Chaldea to pull her out. But that didn't lessen the gravity of her situation, she understood that quite well.
"He is done, Ayako." She would breathe a sigh of relief if she could.
"…good…" she said, mentally sighing with relief before the Caster.
"Ayako?" Medea worriedly asked, after a few seconds of silence from the Puppeteer.
Worry that was placated, as the Puppeteer focused on the blood red patterns on her wrist, a burning sensation that made itself readily apparent, overpowering the numbing pain she was in for just a brief second. Her Command Spells were flaring to life, as she channeled its power. "…'Dea… HEAL!"
A flash of power enveloped her downed body, before she felt a presence more akin to a warm blanket covering her. Her sensations were being smothered, feeling her entire body restructure itself. Tissues and muscles rejoining, bones snapping back into place. Her spine attached themselves again. Her lungs formed into its full selves. Her heart, artificial as it was like the rest of her body, regrew. Such is the power and magnitude of the magecraft of a magus from the Age of Gods, stitching her mangled body back together like a ripped hole in a shirt.
Her dying senses burst into life, the very first thing she felt being the tangy wet floor now bathed in her blood. Instinctually, her body drew in the air it had longed for, before sputtering out the blood near her mouth. She felt Medea's hands on her shoulders, helping her up as Ayako pushed herself off the ground. Her body was wet with her blood, she noticed as she groggily stood back up. She was tired as sin, especially after what her body was put through. The worst kind of pain she has experienced in her short life yet.
Her vision was still foggy, but with bated breath still she spoke up to the waiting room.
"Rauðr!"
Wherever he was, Ayako's red coat flew off of Ritsuka's shoulders, flying towards her. Medea helped her arms apart to welcome the sleeves that wrapped itself around her. As her vision cleared, she smiled, with Medea helping to button her red coat, with now her body no longer exposed. The first thing her golden eyes saw clearly, was the seething rage that Lev Lainur Flauros directed at her. Her smile grew wider.
"Damn, that was a close one. I'll admit, that was a good shot. Almost had to wake up at Chaldea if Caster was any second later." She coughed out the blood that was still in her mouth, wiping it with the back of her hand. Her new heart was beating like an Olympic sprinter's, showing no signs of slowing down. No different to if she had casted her full body reinforcement.
She doubted she could actually do so with her current condition.
"You, are like a roach, Aozaki." His grip on the chalice tightened. "When will you learn, to die like the bug you are!"
Another comment was about to leave her lips, when she felt a heavy presence emerging from him. They all did.
"We've detected an unparalleled magical signature coming from him!" the Doctor supplied. "Larger than a Heroic Spirit's! Everyone, brace yourselves!"
"I have had enough of your insolence. You humans have been around for far too long." His clothes began shifting, as if whatever it was underneath wanted to release itself. "No longer, will I toy with you. Chaldea will perish! Here, and now!"
And like a dam overfilled and broken, his form burst outward, as a mass of flesh dug itself into the ground, expanding. Expanding. Expanding. It rooted itself in the now ruined building, as it rose and rose, reaching a height that put the eldritch creature they faced in Orléans to shame. The Servants immediately took the Masters along with the Emperor and her retinue into their arms, bringing them out of harm's way.
Towering over everything in its vicinity, was a disgusting sight to behold. A sickly pink mass of flesh, with large red eyes slipping passed its creases, shifting its gaze anywhere, and everywhere. This was evil incarnate.
"I am FLAUROS! One of the 72 Demon Gods, blessed by our King! And HUMANITY! WILL! BURN!" the area surrounding it burst into hellfire, melting the very foundations it stood on. A deep, lava-like purple liquid began seeping out of it, creating a moat around in its perimeter.
Bursting through the obscuring smoke and debris first was Boudica's mount, with the chariot taking to the skies with her Roman passengers. Her face was bereft of the rage she showed them, focused entirely on the thing that had appeared. No matter how vile she considered the Romans, even she could feel this otherworldly malice radiating from it. This truly was an evil that she could not ignore.
"Where are they?!" the Emperor asked, her own eyes not once leaving the demonic entity.
"They are safe with the other Servants!" Boudica replied, keeping her chariot up in the air.
As if on cue, Medea's form appeared beside them, her purple cloak opened to show the colorful patterns underneath it, flying with her staff on one hand, and Ayako in the other. "Boudica!" the Master called out. "Please, get the Emperor to safety!"
The Red Emperor turned to her people, seeing their disheveled forms. "Rally the troops! Get every single person out of the city, evacuate them!"
The chariot sped away, leaving the two of them alone in the skies. "Caster, down!"
The Greek Witch brought them down as beams of death shot out of the eyes of the demon, barely missing them as they grounded themselves. It didn't take long for them to regroup with the rest of the Ground Team, seeing Mash tank the blast with her shield, supported by the Pseudo-Caster and one of Ritsuka's Command Spells. They were all hiding in a ruined building, with Koleen talking to a distressed looking Romani.
"What do you mean it's impossible?! It's right there! Flauros!" the American Witch's patience was wearing thin, an expression she had rarely ever seen before on her friend.
"Fou, fou!"
"Because that would imply that King Solomon is the one orchestrating this entire ordeal! And that's just impossible! It can't be him!" the Doctor said back, his disbelief clear to their eyes.
"Don't let your admiration of the man cloud your judgments, Romani!" the Director cut in, snapping him out of his fervor. "We can talk about this later! What's important, is to help the Ground Team in dealing with it!"
"Professor, Mash! How are you guys holding?!" Ritsuka asked, ducking under the wall he stood beside.
"We're under heavy fire!" the older man replied, using his magecraft to further reinforce the shield Mash was holding. "The shield will hold, but i'm uncertain how long Mash will!"
"What's our plan, Ayako?" Koleen asked at their approach, her face showing her clear exasperation, compounded by the crying kitten she was holding.
"How certain are we that it is Flauros? That it is a demon?" Martha interjected before Ayako could reply, her eyes locked on the Doctor.
"Uhm, the 64th demon, a Duke of the Ars Goetia, a Duke with control of fire. Able to see the past and the future, and will always lie unless commanded. There's not really much we could do to verify it. But, it would make sense, given his ability to traverse the Singularities on his own."
"That is all the confirmation I needed." The Saint nodded, her eyes showing her resolute stance. "Then I will handle this."
"Martha?" Ayako called out, seeing the Saint's fist clench tight.
"I will show this demon its place, and the fury and wrath of God." She slammed her fists together, sparks igniting from it.
The all could see the look of determination on her. "Then we will support you." Koleen said as her Command Spells flared.
"Professor! You will help as well, Medea will take over." Ayako turned to the older man, seeing him nod and turn, giving his spot to the Caster. "Arturia, Sanson! You two will assist her as well!"
"Yes Master!" both Servants replied, moving to Martha's side.
The Ruler smiled, her heart appreciating the support she was given. Resolute in her steps, she left the building with her staff called to her hands. "Tarrasque! Come! We have a demon to lay waste!"
The phantasmal beast's roar cut through the streets, materializing above the ruins. Beams of death came for his hide, but was deflected easily, taking the shots like a dragon should. Martha leapt off the ground, landing her two feet on his back. Arturia took a spot directly on her right, holding Caliburn on one hand, glowing with its holy light. Sanson moved to her left, his executioner's blade planted on Tarrasque's hide. Behind all three of them, Lord El-Melloi II was in a crouch, the ornate fan of Zhuge Liang in his hand.
The Chariot of Boudica settled above them, the horses neighing in anticipation, as her own sword glowed with power. She and Martha shared a glance, before the Saint turned her angered eyes on the Demonic Pillar.
"Tarrasque, charge!" the dragon's roar shattered his surroundings, further ruined when he launched himself forward, with the chariot above following behind.
"You are but WRAITHS! Your essence is NOTHING to me!" it roared with a fury, its reddish eyes blasting more of its beams of death. Martha's staff, emblazoned with the cross, created an invisible barrier that resembled the dragon's hide, shattering on impact. "I AM FLAUROS! And you will know your place, Servants!" with each layer shattered, her prayers brought forth more to protect them.
Her faith was unshaken, undaunted. The Saint who tamed the Dragon knew no fear, not one from this evil existence. Each time her protection broke, her closed, empty fist grew brighter. And brighter. And brighter.
The host of Zhuge Liang was the first to step off, confident that he will not be harmed, not with the Saint taking in all the Pillar's anger. "Fighting is not just physical attacks." His words of power were nary a whisper, raising the fan up above. "This, is the ultimate Formation, of the Great Tactician."
"Shí Bīng Bā Zhèn!" He swung the fan down, and along with it, pillars that were only slightly smaller than the demon fell from the sky, surrounding its form in its featureless maze.
A pained bellow surged from the entity, conceptual damage dealt upon it by the pillars that entrapped it. A single eye aimed itself onto the Lord's form, blasting the beam that was easily dodged by the Pseudo-Servant.
Arturia launched herself from the dragon, leaping passed the ruins as she searched for the perfect spot now that the demon's anger was diverted, even if briefly. She brought Caliburn into both her hands, the Sword of Selection now thrumming with power. "Sword of Selection, grant me your power!" a couple of its eyes trained onto her, powering up to attack her. "Cleave the Wicked!"
"Caliburn!" the wave that she launched overpowered the beams that shot out to her, burning the demon's fleshy exterior.
"HOW!? IMPOSSIBLE!" it's rage grew as it realized just how much the Servants were doing to it. "No! NO!" its eyes shot out, aiming for the Chaldeans that had usurped it, so focused was it that it was blind to the one still up above.
With her own glowing sword of power, Boudica channeled the rage and anger she had to the Romans that had defiled her people, and made a mockery of them, directing it all to the thing that proved to her that there were those who were far more malefic than her sworn enemies. The blade split apart in golden light, spreading out like a fork, its energy coalescing around it. She aimed the sword at the demon. "The symbol, and the idea, that I embody." Her sword exploded with power, emboldening the golden projectiles that she had channeled. "Face, my, wrath!"
"Sword of Boudica!" with a light show that was reminiscent of Medea's magecraft, the golden light flew down onto the Demonic Pillar, blasting it with a barrage of overwhelming death. While one would do little to a Servant, the limitless number she was pushing made it a defining factor.
"Lord, show us your miracles!" the demon's eyes were briefly averted, taken in by the Servants assaulting it on all fronts. It soon realized the nature of Martha's Noble Phantasm, as a few more turned back to her. And each beam was stopped, by the massive executioner's blade that came down upon them like a guillotine. Sanson knew his Noble Phantasm was useless against it, but he still had much to do, no matter how little it seemed. He blocked and deflected each attack, at some point even using his own body, taking in the pain so the Ruler's concentration was undisturbed.
The light he was defending, that Martha wielded was blinding, sharing in intensity with Tarrasque's roar. "Oh, child of Leviathan, Who Knew Naught of Love…" the dragon leaped up, launched high into the air with his six legs, as Saint Martha herself moved behind him. "Come forth, like a shooting star!" and she swung her staff, launching the dragon towards the demon.
"Tarrasque!" his bellowing roar pierced the skies, biting into the fleshy exterior into the demon, spreading its poison along with it. The Pillar roared in pain, all eyes turning to the dragon, lighting ablaze. And like a bullet, Martha shot forward, bringing her holy fist down on Tarrasque's hide. The dragon felt nothing, with the connection he has with the Saint, and in turn the might that she carried transferred through him, amplified with both the wrath of God and the power of the dragonkin.
And it wasn't over.
With her staff turning to motes of light, she brought her other fist down onto the dragon, sending more waves through him, and onto the demon. And then another fist, with Tarrasque's hide reverberating by the impact. And then another. And another. And another. And with each weighted punch she delivered, the demon's pained roar grew louder, compounded by the other Servants and their unrelenting barrage. And now, with all its focus on those that were tearing it apart, it gave more room for the Masters to move. It gave more room, for even Medea to rise and help.
She had no need for Noble Phantasms like her fellow Servants. Although, it would be more accurate to say that she had no Noble Phantasm that would be of use in this regard. But she still had her magecraft. She still had her High-Speed Divine Words, allowing her to weave spells that no modern magus could hope to achieve.
"Μάκια Εκατία Γκραέα!"
Beams of light erupted from the circles that formed beneath her staff and cloak, raining down hell upon the Demonic Pillar, in an ironic twist.
Only Mash stood where she was, what with her fully defensive capabilities lending her to focus on protecting the three Masters hiding behind her. And that was all that she needed, to know that the Masters, her Senpai, was safe, as long as she stood her ground.
"This is incredible!" Ritsuka exclaimed, unable to hide his awe that overtook the fear that was within him, his blue eyes wide as they moved from Servant to Servant.
"This is insane." The Witch added, sharing the sentiment all the while she shook her head at the incredulity.
"This is remarkable!" three heads turned to see the Red Emperor approach their group, crouching beside them underneath Mash's shield.
"What are you doing here!?" Ayako asked, alarmed by Nero's sudden appearance.
"I told you friends! I will see this to its end, just as you do! And to see these mighty Heroes vanquish the demon with their combined power! Umu! Such a sight to behold! It feels like the tales I used to hear when I was a babe!"
All three Masters also glanced to one another, exchanging a silent conversation regarding the Emperor before them. "Well, it looks like they're doing a good job in dealing with it." Ayako eventually answered, turning back to face the crumbling Pillar.
"This should NOT, be HAPPENING!" the Demonic Pillar roared, its eyes shifting erratically as it begun panicking. "You are SERVANTS! NOTHING to ME!"
"Silence, Demon!" Martha yelled, punctuated with a heavy fist as the swords of Arturia and Boudica cleaved onto its form.
"We need to concentrate our attacks at once!" Lord El-Melloi II commanded to his fellow Servants. "That will obliterate it!"
"Understood! Everyone! To me!" Martha and Tarrasque retreated, though only a few yards away from the crumbling Pillar.
The Saber was the first to return to her side, Caliburn still glowing, rearing to burn more of this thing. Boudica arrived right after, landing on her own feet and letting her Chariot carry on in the skies. Medea flew towards them, floating just above the trio. The Renowned Tactician kept to the spot he had holed himself in, keeping his Noble Phantasm running. Medea weaved a spell to further enhance the more offensive Servants, further empowering their already powerful selves, especially as they all channeled their legends made manifest.
More and more of the eyes locked onto their group, firing beams of death one by one, its haphazard attack conducted under more panicked duress. And each blast was blocked by Martha, erecting a new barrier every time one was lost. Her energy was very much used in both offense and defense, supported by Sanson, tirelessly keeping the demon's attacks back. His overcoat was no more, singed to ashes, unhindered in his defense. Yet even with her diminishing reserves, her mind was solely focused on one thing. The destruction of the Demonic Pillar, threatening the very foundation of the Human Order.
"EVERYONE! TOGETHER!"
"Caliburn!"
"Sword of Boudica!"
"Μάκια Εκατία Γκραέα!"
"Tarrasque!"
The Dragon's roar was at its most powerful, sending its toxic breath flowing like a torrential river on the street. Above the deadly smoke was the light of Caliburn and the barrage of Boudica's sword launching fast towards the Pillar. And faster than either Noble Phantasm, was the barrage of light that the Grecian Witch had fired. All focusing on a singular point. The demonic entity's cry of pain echoed throughout the Hispanian lands.
"NNNNNOOOOOOOOOO!"
The back of the Pillar's thick flesh erupted, as the combined blast of four Servants pierced through it, not too dissimilar to the fate it had subjected the Puppeteer to earlier before. The dying bellow shook the ground, as its entire form began crumbling onto itself, slowly sinking back into the center of where it had appeared. The sickly pink began fading, losing its color until it was a featureless white. So white, that it began disintegrating.
Boudica returned to where the Masters were, leaving the rest to approach the dying Pillar, as its form began reverting back to its original form. Or perhaps its human guise. Crumpled on its knees, the clothes it wore torn apart, barely holding together. Most of its body was burnt, charred to a crisp. And in its hand, was the Holy Grail, threatening to spill the magical energy that it had pooled.
Martha was the first to react, launching herself towards it, but her movements were stopped by the newly erected bounded field, threatening to break under her pressure.
"It was a miscalculation. It HAS to be!" it spoke, its voice unfitting its human appearance, bellying the demon it hid. It began rushing the summoning process, doing everything in its power to do so, before the Saint could break the protection it had created. "I will NOT be done in like this! I will! Succeed!"
"Stop, Demon!" the bounded field began shattering under Martha's fist, almost exploding under her pressure. She kicked off the floor, closing the distance, with her gauntleted fist reaching out.
And was pushed back by the sudden force that erupted, sending her back to the other Servants, her body caught by the smaller Saber.
"What happened?!" Ayako asked them as the chariot carrying them arrived. "Were we too late?!"
"HahaHahAHAhaHahaHAHA!" as the smoke created from the urgent summoning that had happened, they saw a figure standing before the hunched form of the demon. A tanned woman, dressed revealingly in white, with her short white hair covered by a long see-through veil. Sharp, long white lines cover her body like a tattoo. Her red eyes looked lifeless, boring into their souls, and in her hand was a bright multicolored sword. "Kill them! KILL THEM, SERVANT! Show them, your MIGHT, an-"
"Silence."
Without hesitation, the Servant swung her blade across the crumbling form of Flauros' human guise. The look of surprise was frozen on its face, as its body began finally to disintegrate to ash, finally expiring. The Servants, the Masters, Nero, they all were just staring in anticipation at the newly summoned Servant, unknowing of how to react. She took a few steps towards the ashes that were Flauros, and picked up the Grail with her own hands, absorbing it into her person.
Then she turned her eyes to them, now with a clearer goal in mind. "Heroes? I understand." She commented, her voice devoid of emotion. "I am, Altera. King of the Huns. Scourge, to the Western World." She raised her rainbow sword at them, the weapon slowly spinning on its handle.
Nero of all people was the one to approach her, her hands raised. "Please, we can resolve this peacefully."
"No, we cannot. Roman Emperor." Altera decided, briefly laying her eyes on Nero. "I am a weapon. And Rome, will end, with me. With you."
"Is there really no way around this?" Ayako asked, knowing it was futile. The fact that her heart was still beating intensely didn't help matters one bit.
The Servant shook her head. "I have told you. I am the Scourge of God. And with that, I will burn everything down.
"Mash!/Saber!/Ruler!"
As one without waiting any longer, three Command Spells, one from each Master, surged with power, granting its effects onto the Servants that were called. Altera moved just as fast, her sword rushing to strike the Emperor down, holding her red sword to block the attack even though she no longer had Medea's reinforcements. Mash, as usual, was the first to respond to the hostile Servant, blocking the attack with her shield. Saber rushed to defend the Shielder from the diverted attack of Altera, stopping the blade with her own. Ruler closed the distance, reinvigorated, sending the Servant back with a heavy punch to Altera's exposed lower torso. Boudica herself moved to assist them, even without a Command Spell in her veins, resorting to simply shooting orbs of light from the tip of her sword.
"Is there anything we can do?" Ritsuka asked his seniors, with the rest of them sequestering themselves elsewhere. He had something in mind, but with three of their Servants in close proximity, along with the Rogue lending her aid, he was afraid of accidentally hitting them.
"There's not much we can do." Koleen said disgruntledly, her hands keeping the kitten from panicking, helped by Fou who licked the kitten tenderly. "I'd need her blood to cripple her, a Servant, and even then I don't have any spare dolls." Her eyes then trailed to her side, seeing Ayako lay herself on the ground. The Casters were looking over her, with Medea's hands aglow over Ayako's chest. "Are you alright?"
Ayako chuckled, even through the pain showing on her face. "My heart hasn't slowed down since. It's like my body's experiencing Strykr Jötunn nonstop. Doctor, what's going on?"
"Although your vitals have stabilized since Medea's healed you, you're right. Your real body has undergone stress that we have never tested before. At least with humans." He explained to her.
"That's unfortunate."
"We're preparing a welcoming committee for you, Ayako. In fact, we were this close to just pulling you out right now."
Her golden eyes trailed to Koleen and Ritsuka's concerned gazes on her. "Can you guys handle it from here? I'm of no use right now, all I'll do is amount to emotional support."
Koleen turned to the single male Master. She knew what her answer was, so she waited for his. He noticed her stare, briefly meeting it, before turning back to Ayako. "Yeah, we got this."
The blonde Witch nodded in agreeance. Ayako sighed, relaxing her entire body, as much as she could with the rapid beating of her heart. "We'll pull out Sanson and Medea as well. We'd have people better equipped to handle you, and in turn our generators will be in less of a strain to handle all of you and the Servants."
"Noted. Kalls, transferring Saber to you." Both of their Command Spells flared for a second, indicating the exchange.
"Ayako. Medea. Sanson. Prepare for the unsummoning process, rayshift engaging!" their forms were bathed in light, not too dissimilar to an expiring Servant.
"It'll be fine, Ayako." Medea, with her hood down, comforted the temporarily crippled young woman.
"I know." She replied, as her body began disappearing. "I know."
2017
"Did you get my spare?" Ayako asked as she was helped onto the gurney, seeing Da Vinci and Kagiso by her side, her body still wet from the stabilizing agent used by the coffins. The plug suit was also unzipped, if only to simply not restrict her as much, what with her reduced constitution.
"It's outside the room, actually." The Renaissance Genius replied with a charming smile. "We brought it out, just in case."
She nodded in understanding. "Good. I'm gonna need that heart. This one's compromised." She said, struggling for breath from the endless beating in her chest.
"Why not just use the one that you're currently making?" Kagiso asked as they began moving, with Medea and Sanson following behind them.
"Can any of you get it now? It's still in my workshop." Ayako replied easily. "The one you guys brought is readily accessible."
"I can easily do that." Medea offered, stepping into view. Unlike her, the Servant was already dry. "You don't need to lose the one spare you have already, Ayako."
"If you don't mind." She craned her head to fully face the Greek Caster. "Thanks, 'Dea."
She smiled beautifully, before her form folded in on itself, her presence leaving the group. Sanson approached, taking her place as he took Ayako's hand into his, with another hand reaching for her neck. Despite his heavily disheveled appearance, now also lacking his large coat, he pushed it all aside to focus on her. "We are reaching dangerous levels here." He commented with a shake of his head. "I'm surprised you can be this calm, Ayako. Is it because this isn't your first death?"
"Oh, don't worry. I was so close to losing it, Sanson." She admitted with her signature smile. "But, I'm with people I trust now."
She caught sight of the Irish Druid as they left the Central bulkhead, leaning his back onto the sterile wall, standing beside a familiar gurney. "Yo, Ayako. Close one, eh?"
"Yeah, it was." She replied. "Can you take it back?"
"Sure. Keep at it lass." He responded simply, moving to one end to push the gurney, eventually separating from them.
"Can I get a view of Ground Team?" she asked, golden eyes landing on the Mona Lisa.
"Sure thing." Da Vinci brought out the holographic monitor from her wrist, giving the Puppeteer direct access to the action.
The first thing their eyes saw was the uneven battle between the Servants. With four Servants, powerful in their own right, and some more than others, Altera was never given the chance to unleash her Noble Phantasm. Her blade was used to deal with the attacks on her coming from all sides, barely capable with launching an attack of her own. Every single time she raised her sword, there was another to meet it, be it a glowing sword; a massive shield; a steady staff; and a barrage of light. They were relentless. They needed to be, for they were facing the Scourge of God. A single leeway would spell their doom, they all knew it on a fundamental level.
"You still have a Command Spell, right, Ritsuka?" she saw her American friend ask, the both of them still huddle together with the Emperor beside them, listening intently to whatever it was they were talking about.
"Just one." He replied, looking off elsewhere sheepishly.
"That's more than me. I'm out." She peeked out of her hiding spot, seeing their Servants very slowly, but very assuredly, pushing Altera back and into the corner. "We can win this, eventually, in a war of attrition."
"But we can seal the deal?" he asked her, earning a nod from the Witch.
"Can we not take the fight to her?" Nero asked them, her hands gripping the handle of her sword tightly.
"And die needlessly?" the Clock Tower Lord scoffed. "Apologies, Emperor Nero. But there is a fine line, between bravery, and stupidity."
"I understand, but…" clear discomfort wormed itself onto her face. "I do not feel right, simply sitting behind like this."
"That is simply the nature of things. You are the commander, not the soldier. Standing in the frontlines will lead to an early demise of your people, should they ever lose you."
"Who should I give it to?" Ritsuka asked, interjecting before the conversation could escalate. "Saber?"
"That would have been my suggestion. Mash and Ruler still have their previous Command Spell effects lingering."
"Okay." He nodded, bringing the hand that bore his Command Spells. "Saber! Finish her!"
"Yes! Understood!" the smaller Saber, with a surge of power coursing through her, rushed forward with her blade meeting Altera's. The emotionless Saber very briefly widened her eyes in response.
Ruler took that moment of surprise to lock her arms with hers, keeping the Scourge of God in place. "Do it, Saber!"
"But you'll get hit!" Arturia protested, even with her ever gleaming sword.
"She can handle it, Saber!" Boudica shouted from behind them, sending nonstop orbs at their direction. "She's a Ruler!"
"Please, Saber! We can finish this!" Mash pleaded, moving to cover the Rider.
"Alright! Stand strong, Ruler!" with conviction built up by her allies, Saber swung her sword down. "Caliburn!"
Even through the holographic projection, Saber's Noble Phantasm was blindingly bright. Ayako would covered her eyes with her hands if she could move them. The wave of Caliburn bathed the landscape with its light, unbiased with the explosion it caused. Boudica moved to fully shield herself behind Mash's protection, while Saber let herself be exposed to her own Noble Phantasm, even if only in its periphery. She wouldn't let Martha be subjected to it on her own. The Saint herself looked battered, though only superficially. Though her clothes looked ripped and torn, she stood straight and tall, unwavering in her footing. She had Magical Resistance that Sabers would yearn for, that was why she had no worry.
The same could not be said of Altera, no longer held by Ruler's hands. She was on her knees, her sword hanging loosely in her hand. Her veil was burnt, leaving her white hair uncovered. Lacerations caused by their battle became more pronounced on her skin. Though the damage onto her person seemed as superficial as Martha's, the energy keeping her tethered to the world was running dry.
Despite this, they knew that this was far from over. The still active Ground Team knew it. The Control Room knew it. Ayako knew it. Altera had absorbed the Grail, after all. They needed to finish this.
"Why… why will you not… allow me, this?" the Servant asked them, slowly leveling her red eyes to the approaching Masters, who still had Nero accompanying them.
"Because the world is beautiful." Nero answered, taking a step forward in closing the distance. "The art. The knowledge. The people. It is all, beautiful. To destroy Rome, is to destroy the world. And what is the world, without its beauty?"
"Beauty?" she asked, a hint of emotion trickling in. "Beauty… the Sword of Mars… I understand. Barely, but I understand."
The sword clattered to the ground, finally let go, freed from her hand. Her hands, both of them, reached for her stomach, and pulled. A bright light emerged from her, fading as quickly as it appeared. The Golden Challice, the Holy Grail, that she procured from the dying demon. The one that she took over. The one, that she was now presenting them with.
Her face, still bereft of emotion, looked pleadingly to them. "Save, the world. Save, the Beauty. The Beauty, of Civilization."
Both Koleen and Ritsuka approached her, sharing a look and a nod, as they both accepted the artifact. "We will." They both answered.
"Then…I leave it… to you…" she surrendered herself fully, letting herself go to disappear before their eyes.
The Scourge of God was no more.
The holographic display disappeared, almost startling Ayako. She looked to her side, to Da Vinci, who was smiling back at her.
"We're here." She declared, letting the door to surgery open.
Medea was already waiting inside, a small container from her room was used to house the heart she must have procured. In her other hand was a familiar box of tools, along with her puppet familiar sitting on Medea's shoulders. "I brought these along as well." The Caster indicated to the box of tools that Ayako noticed as they brought her inside the operating room.
"Thank you." She replied earnestly, feeling her body moved by Da Vinci and Kagiso onto the operating table. Sanson was already wiring her up.
"I'm going to assume that you've done this before, Ayako." The Physician commented, while Medea placed the box on the table beside the metal surface.
"Yes. All of them, emergencies." Ayako sighed as the table was repositioned, giving her a better view on herself.
"Should we not help you?" Kagiso asked her, gesturing to her with his one arm.
Da Vinci was the one to answer. "She knows her body better than anyone here. We'll be here, for emergencies. In case shit hits the fan, figuratively speaking. Though, personally? I doubt it." She moved to one corner of the room, leaning into it with her arms crossed over her chest. She was settling herself for the rare chance to see a Puppeteer of the modern age work her magic.
"She's right. All I'll need is Aa-chan, here." She indicated with a nod to the puppet that was sitting on Medea's shoulder.
Sanson sighed, the worry still clear to them, as he moved to the monitors that Ayako was connected to. "Then we'll be waiting, Ayako. Good luck."
"Thanks, guys." Even with her heart beating nonstop, Ayako pushed on, taking the tools handed to her by her familiar, now standing close to her chest. "Let's hope I don't die. Again."
AUTHOR'S NOTE
fun fact, i almost forgot about Sanson. during the scene where Martha charges with the backing of everyone else, i forgot to write something about his contribution, and only noticed when i was going through the chapter, double checking its contents. it's why his scene kinda seems tacked on. it was unfortunate, but i hope it worked out.
another fun fact. Medea has defensive spells that crumbles under Gilgamesh's barrage of "arrows", but she can also essentially heal herself from her atoms, for all intents and purposes. so it wasn't difficult, for her to recreate Ayako's (artificial) body.
this isn't Ayako first rodeo, but, as she has said here before, it was the most painful of dying experiences she had to endure. imagine a lite version of what canon!Olga has to go through.
i hope i did Altera justice, just that short appearance of hers. in contrast, i'm real happy with how i did Flauros. i didn't actually plan it, but in hindsight, having Ruler Martha was the perfect thing to deal with him. (on a side note, why the hell are their in game traits only Large. seriously? so annoying.)
like the last finale, this chapter is also huge. in fact, it's also the largest so far.
on to the reviews!
madmage101: thanks! i have an idea on who they can summon next.
Guest1: she doesn't have freaky things like Touko, but she does have something inside her. something that would make sure she doesn't find herself in a position Touko was in during the fifth movie.
and i do have something in mind for Ayako's end game. but i don't know about that connection with Aoko, i'd need to read up more on it.
King0fP0wers: she was close to dying, that's for sure. but she clung still to life, no matter how painful it was. still though, it wasn't without repercussion. we'll definitely be seeing her go through these situations in the future, especially as Goetia catches word of them.
Guest2: it was horrible fashion.
amerdism: theoretically, she can. but she won't. she considers Aa-chan as family, so the familiar's off limits.
Lia Angelique: thanks! that is a riddle for the ages, isn't it?
primus101: thankfully we have a 5 star version now.
Guest3: who knows?
C2M1: thank you! i have an idea on the Alien God, but that is in the far future, so we'll have to wait.
thanks again everyone! that was awesome.
drop a review if you don't mind, and i'll see you all next time!