Third Singularity, Part 6: The Kraken

1573

Mash's shield sat on the damp grass, projecting the people within Chaldea, as for once they too could join them inside the Singularity. Everyone was silent, digesting the information that was briefed upon them, the only sound being the light strumming of a small lyre, and the mewlings of Fou, perched on Ritsuka's head. Ayako rubbed her eyes with her fingers, feeling a headache forming at the back of her mind. She wondered if she was reaching her mental limit as well as her physical. She wouldn't be surprised if that was truly the case.

She'd be more inclined to just shoot herself if it was.

She looked back up, her golden eyes scanning the group again. They were all together, except Medea, who had left a few minutes earlier. Artemis, the actual Greek Goddess that was summoned within the container of the teddy bear that rested on her shoulder, was floating beside Atalante, cooing over the Huntress with what could be described as motherly love. Said Huntress was visibly of two minds of it, for many reasons. Captain Drake and Blackbeard were side by side, sharing a drink that was poured into the Privateer's Grail. She could see an outline of a glow around the both of them, strengthened of slightly by the Chalice.

And then there was the man of the hour, playing the lyre in his hands with his eyes closed. His green hair, long and tied in a low ponytail. His eyes were green, showing a fairly handsome face, with a long flowing black scarf around his shoulders. Beside himself, atop the tree trunk he was sitting on, was a shepherd's crook. And behind him, a wooden box with a glow so divine that it looked gold to them. Large, though not overly so, like Herakles. Atop the lid, were two figures of kneeling angels, facing one another with their wings pointed upwards.

It was the Ark. The Ark of the Covenant.

"I don't understand, though…" the Doctor commented looking very much confused. "If touching this would cause absolute death and destruction to anyone, aside from you, why would Jason want it so badly? And to sacrifice Euryale, of all people."

The green haired Servant, David, shrugged his shoulders. "That was the words Lady Artemis there heard through the wind."

"Mhm, mhm." Said goddess nodded along, her hands delicately braiding Atalante's hair. Said Huntress' hands were clenched tight, and one could only guess what expression was on her face, still hidden by the white mask. "It seems he was convinced, that by sacrificing dear Euryale, that he would gain ultimate power."

"Power for what, though?" Kagiso asked, leaning onto his metallic hand. He turned his eyes to the Enchantress, looking put out. "Would you know, Circe?"

The local Caster shrugged. "We should've asked Medea before she left. I wouldn't know, I've lost contact with her the moment she was given off to Jason."

"He wanted to build a Utopia." Koleen said, the frown deepening on her face. "That's what I've read, in my own studies, and that's what's Medea is telling me right now. He wanted to build a Utopia."

"That sounds incredibly naïve." Ayako commented with a frown of her own.

"I take it you're not a fan of Utopias?" David asked, somewhat rhetorically.

She shook her head. "They are the very symbol of human stagnation."

He tilted his head, his lyre playing paused for just a second. He nodded. "Yes, I can see where you're coming from."

"So if he thinks that doing this will grant him power, then that means he's been misled." Kagiso said, continuing on where he left off. "Then it also means, that he's not the one in control, just like Medea and Circe had surmised a few days ago."

"And that princess version o' tha Witch's mos' likely the mastermind." Blackbeard said, hiding a burp with the back of his hand.

"So what's the plan then?" Captain Drake asked, pulling out her pipe from her pocket. "We know what their plans are now, we're no longer going in this blind."

"Then let's lay out what else we know of the Argonauts first." Ayako said with a single clap. She was almost startled when she noticed that Fou had found himself on her hands, clambering up to her shoulder. "There's Jason; another Medea; Hektor, of Troy; Herakles; the aquatic army they have at their beck and call; and whatever that was, that was screaming in the Argo. You all heard that, right?"

"Yes." A series of affirmatives were her answers, coming from everyone around her. Her fellow Masters, and Mash, were visibly cringing at the memory.

"There's a part of me that's wondering, who could make something scream like that." Ritsuka began, his frown deepening on his face. "But, I feel like, I know who it would be."

"It should be of no surprise by this point." Kagiso said with an agreeing nod.

"Anyway… Can we use the Ark offensively?" she asked the lackadaisical King. "Herakles is our biggest obstacle. If we can eliminate him from the get go, then that'll be a huge weight off our shoulders."

"I don't see any problem with that plan." David said, his soft voice bellying the seriousness of the situation. "Aside from the fact that the Ark is still a box that cannot be used offensively."

"You'd need to lure the big lug." Orion said, waving his tiny club. "A force to be reckoned with, even as a Berserker."

"If Jason orders him to try and get one of us, then that should hopefully keep his mind focused on chasing us." She further added.

"And who would that be, Master?" Atalante asked, her attempts to move halted by Artemis. "It sounds like you're talking about yourself."

"Or Euryale." She reminded with a half-shrug.

"It sounds like you just want to die." The Privateer noted with concern.

"Hey, this body's getting old. If it's gonna go out, it's gonna go out with a bang." The new Archers they came across looked at her oddly, though she ignored most of it.

"Medea said to leave her counterpart to her." Koleen relayed to them.

"Tell her that Circe will help her out as well." Ayako said to the American Witch. "She's not going to do this alone."

"Understood."

"I also want both her and Circe to do something with the Ark. Maybe cast some sort of illusion to make it appear invisible." She further added.

"Alright, I'm relaying it to Medea." Koleen said with a determined look on her face.

"When it comes to Hektor, we can leave the Archers to him again. Including Artemis-Orion and King David." She continued, lining up the plan.

"Artemis-Orion?" said the Goddess-Teddy duo, commenting together with their heads tilting in sync with one another.

"Martha and Sir Lancelot should be prepared for whoever, or whatever's inside the Argo."

"Got it." The Saint acknowledged with a nod, her braced hands crossed over her chest.

"Mash, the usual, you know what to do."

"Defend the people, the crew. Acknowledged." Mash nodded, keeping a calm composure.

"We'll have to ask Mary if she'd mind keeping Jason in check." Ayako's eyes met Blackbeard's, searching for something.

"She'll be more'an happy. 'specially with a lass like ya askin' 'er." He said with a chuckle. "'Ell, I'll pitch'n as well."

"Good, thanks. That leaves everyone else; including Captain Drake and her crew; to handle the sea monsters." She finished, sighing somewhat tiredly.

"Is there anything else we should be taking into account?" Koleen asked, turning to the hologram that displayed the people in Chaldea.

Both the Director and the Doctor shook their heads, while Da Vinci and El-Melloi stood by their sides. "You all have everything covered. There's not much else we can provide." The white haired woman said evenly.

"As expected, of the Ground Team!" Da Vinci said with a proud smile. "I look forward to the future Singularities, to see you all shine."

"One Singularity at a time, Da Vinci." Ayako said, lacking her usual amusement.

"Ayako-san." Ritsuka spoke up, drawing in the Puppeteer's attention. "EMIYA-san said the storm is approaching."

She closed her eyes, processing the new information. "How long, estimated?"

"Two days, at the earliest." He replied with a serious expression.

"The storm sure as hell wasn't that close." She sighed again, her frown deepening. "They want to end this now."

"As they should." Circe commented with a scoff. "They were that close to accomplishing their goals. It just means we need to prepare our defenses."

"Then let us get moving." Ayako said as she stood up. Her eyes trailed upwards to the sky, seeing the darkness of the storm gradually turning covering their light. "Because we're not gonna have much time left here."

Where was she?

She was laying on something soft, not like a cloud, but it was comfortable enough, given the treatment she was in for the past few weeks. She tried to move, the fingers of her hands closing in on the fabric. It was a bed, that much was clear. She tried to push herself up, but found herself too weak to even do that. Which was no surprise. Could she at least open her eyes?

Purple eyes strained to open, not exactly assaulted by the nonexistent light that peered through the covered windows of the room. It was a ship, one that was a lot more, warm, than the one she was on before. She noticed a purple figure in the corner of her view, slowly rising and the bed she was apparently sleeping on. He looked incredibly handsome, in an oddly rugged way.

"I see you are finally awake." The armored figurer said, nodding slowly. "Are you well?"

"Who are you?" were the first words that left her mouth, suspicion building up rather quickly.

He furrowed his brows slightly, but did not ignore her question. "I am Lancelot du Lac, Berserker of Chaldea."

"Chaldea…" that should be of no surprise to her, with what she heard before. "Then… the Argo…"

"Is approaching fast. We are mounting a defense." He stood up to his full height, very much dwarfing her if she herself stood. "You are Euryale, of the Gorgon?"

"I am." She pointed her hand to him, wavering slightly. "There is someone still within the Argo, held against his will. You need to save him."

"We surmised as such already." He replied with a grim frown. "His screams covered the battlefield before."

"Screams…" she felt the color drain from her face. "No… Asterios…"

The Knight's eyes narrowed slightly. "Asterios… the Minotaur."

"Do not refer to him is such!"

He backed away a few steps from her outburst, hands raised in an attempt to placate her. "My apologies."

"You better apologize!"

Three knocks echoed in the room, coming from the door. "Lancelot? Is everything alright in there?"

Euryale turned her eyes to the door, hearing the feminine voice from the other side. "Is she the Master?"

"She's a Master, yes." He responded to her, before to the person outside. "Everything is fine, Ayako."

"And how is our guest? Does she need anything?" the Master asked of her.

"I need your help!" at this, she herself answered, finally pushing herself up on the bed.

There was a slight pause, an extended silence before any answer came back to her. The door opened, revealing a young woman of Orient descent, bearing a head of red that made her stand out even more in this world of blue. Following behind her was a young man, slightly taller than her, appearing to be from the same land. He closed the door behind them, walking towards the bed. The young man pulled a chair closer, while the young woman set on the side of the bed.

"We've been waiting for you to wake up." The young woman said with a calming smile. "We healed you to the best of our abilities, but it seemed you were still in a coma of sorts."

"So I've noticed." Euryale commented. Her eyes glanced back to the Berserker, seeing him approach her form the other side of the bed, with a glass of water in his hands that he was offering her. She took it silently. "You are Chaldea?"

"Yes, we are." She needed to be sure, feeling slightly reassured by the Master's answer. "My name is Ayako, this guy right here is Ritsuka. You said you wanted help?"

"I did." And just like that, the pit in her stomach grew again. "You need to save him. Asterios. That Witch is torturing him, trying to turn him into a mindless beast." She turned away from them, trying to hold back the tears that strained her eyes. "He… threw me off the ship, before things got worse for me."

"Do you know what their plans were for you?"

"Yes, I do." She scowled at the reminder. "As a sacrifice."

"Okay, that makes things easier." The Master nodded.

"Did you know… Asterios, when you both were alive?" the other Master asked, having been content in letting the female Master take the lead.

"I did not." She replied with a scoff. "The both of us were summoned together, and he's been accompanying me since, so very eager to answer the whims of this goddess." She covered her eyes with her hand, hissing in anger. "Dammit. He shouldn't be there, he shouldn't…"

Silence covered them like a blanket, as she tried to snuff the anguish she felt. She looked back to the Masters, seeing them converse with one another silently, the only indication being their expressions vividly changing. They nodded to one another, before turning back to her.

"I don't know, how much we can help in getting your friend back, and we'll try our best. But, we have a plan in mind, to welcome the Argonauts here, if you're willing to hear it out?" the young woman said to her.

Her purple eyes locked on with the golden orbs of the Master, almost being sucked in herself. She blinked them, shaking her head briefly. "What have you set aside?"

The neutral expression of the young woman morphed into a smirk, her small hands grasped by the Master's. "You're gonna love it." She declared with a confidence that Euryale hadn't felt ever since the Argo.

"So she's up for it?" Koleen asked as Ayako and Ritsuka entered the tent/room of Medea's temporary workshop.

"Absolutely." Ayako said with a smile, sitting herself beside them on the wooden floor. "She was still a bit shaken up, but once we explained our plan, she was more than eager to live out her revenge fantasy."

"How about that scream?" Kagiso asked, comfortable standing among them, though he made sure to give their Caster some breathing room as she worked in silence. "I assumed she knew who that was."

"She did." Ritsuka answered, his face forming a light frown. "She referred to him as Asterios."

"Asterios… son of King Minos. The Minotaur." Koleen quickly put together, before she slowly turned to Medea with a knowing look, seeing the Caster's movements come to a halt. "Medea… isn't he your…"

"He is." The Grecian Witch replied, with a waver to her voice, her hands spreading out on her desk, gripping onto it tightly. "Is this some sort of horrible joke? Because I am not laughing."

"Why? Who is he to Medea?" Kagiso asked, looking between with confusion.

The blonde turned back to the group, the frown very clearly marring her face. "Through the convoluted mess that is the Greek family tree, Asterios is also Circe's nephew. He is Medea's cousin."

Grimaces spread around the Masters, glances briefly thrown the Caster's way. "This is shaping up to be the worst family reunion, ever." Ayako commented, her expression not matching the joke she finished.

"That it is, Ayako." Medea said with a very long drawn out sigh. "All the more reason to end this damned farce." She turned around to face them, holding simple looking chain necklaces. "These Mystic Codes will increase your endurance, help you take more hits, from Servants or otherwise."

"Thank you." Kagiso, being the closest, took the Mystic Codes for the rest of them, giving them out promptly.

"Are you planning on engaging your counterpart immediately?" Koleen asked, snapping the necklace into place.

"No." Medea shook her head in response. "I'll find the moment where she is most vulnerable. And then I will strike."

"Keep Circe posted, alright?" Ayako said, standing back up inside the tent/room. "We can't be reckless here, I want every one of us to have someone with them at all times."

"Understood, Ayako." Medea said without complaint.

"And how about the Ark? Are you and Circe finished with it?"

"Yes, we are." The Caster replied with a nod. "They won't notice a thing."

"Good." Ayako let out a long relieved sigh.

"There's nothing else for us to do here, aside from preparing our defenses then." Ritsuka commented, looking a lot less nervous than he usually was. "So, I guess we should get started. We don't have much of a day left, at best, to get ready. We can't waste that."

"Agreed." They all said in response. Ayako held her hand out, palm facing down. One by one, the rest of the Masters joined her, placing their hands above hers. Even Medea joined them, being the last hand to meet theirs.

"Let's make the best of this, ladies and gents." Ayako said with a serious expression that flashed rarely on her face.

"Is it done?" Jason asked, as the Princess walked out onto the deck, with that disarming smile on her face. Both Hektor and Herakles also turned to face her, slowly gliding towards them.

"Yes, Lord Jason. Asterios has been pacified." She replied, the smile somehow reaching past her ears. "The Minotaur, will now fight for us."

"Good. That should give us an edge over these fools." The Captain of the Argo declared, turning to face the island where the Chaldeans sat, seeing the two ships anchored just off shore. He could barely make out the Servants that stood watch, awaiting their arrival.

Thunder echoed in the skies, further pelting their ship with its unrelenting storm. "The creatures are getting restless." Hektor said, peering into the seas below them, seeing the chaos that threatened to unfold.

"▂▂▃▃▃▃▄▄▄▄▃▃▃."

"Then we have one final step to finish for our plan. Medea!"

"Yes, Lord Jason!" Medea surged forward, planting her staff on the bow of the ship. An elaborate array formed, one of a completely foreign design to them. An array that match no other array from any person within their sphere of influence.

She chanted in a language that they did not understood, her words causing the air and the chaotic seas to ripple against reality. A whirlpool emerged, though it did not pull the Argo along with it. It grew wider, and wider, and wider, until it crashed together in an explosion of water. And with it, gigantic tentacles emerged, surrounding the Argo. Greyish-green, weathered and scarred, a legendary creature of magnanimous proportions had joined the battle.

On the deck, Medea had floated towards Jason. "How was that, Lord Jason?" she asked in a sickeningly sweet voice.

"Excellent, Medea." He said, looking around him at the tentacles that slowly submerged itself. The creatures of the seas had no doubt gotten even more frantic. "Now, we end this."

"That's not yer mythology, ya prick!" Blackbeard shouted at the approaching storm, throwing an empty cask at the Argo's direction. "It's Norse!"

"She can do that?" Koleen asked, turning to the two Casters beside her on the Pirate's ship. Both women were openly scowling.

"I absolutely cannot do something like this." Medea admitted, her hands tightening around her staff. "As Blackbeard said, this is another mythology entirely. And you would no doubt know already, but the Kraken is of Norse myth."

"Should we try and summon the Guardian Dragon? Perhaps bring even more things to our side?" Circe asked her niece, her wings fluttering under the stormy rain.

Medea shook her head. "I do not know of the necessary spells for such a ritual. And besides, I have no capability of controlling the creature."

"We have the Saint with us. She can easily ride it with no difficulty." Circe argued, though she too didn't really believe her idea.

"If you had plans on summoning a dragon, you should've told us earlier." Koleen told them with a slight frown.

"Don't worry, Koleen. It was just a fanciful idea." Medea said, her staff lighting up in her hands. "Let us signal our retaliation, their creatures are already making their way towards us."

Koleen nodded, turning to Blackbeard and giving Drake a quick nodded of affirmation. "Captains! Open fire!"

"Ya heard her, lads!" Captain Drake shouted, her words spurning her men as they all moved with efficiency. All of their cannons were turned to face forward, aimed at the approaching onslaught of storms and death. "Teach!"

"Whoever's left, come on!" spirits formed, taking on the guise of his crew. So few, after having them mowed down by Hektor before. A skeleton crew, enough to keep the ship running. "Yeah! Ahm burnin' with anger!" his ship began glowing, power surging in its make as its own cannons were aimed and primed. "Taste! My! Cannons!"

"Queen Anne's Revenge!"

"Fire!"

A powerful barrage, shared between a ship empowered by magi from the Age of Gods, and a Noble Phantasm of the world's more renowned Pirate. A blanket of steel and magic, showering the seas and leaving it in a wake of its own blood and gore. A few of them managed to reach far, managed to reach the Argo, needing the expertise of Herakles to deflect them all. His roar was so loud, able to reach their ears from such a distance. And just as the cannons subsided, the sounds of pistol fire and arrows took its place.

"Stick to the plan people, don't deviate too much!" Ayako called out, standing on the Golden Hind, delegating between the lot of them, occasionally sending out bursts of lightning from her hands, going through runestones like they were made from trees. "Euryale, be enticing!"

"I'm already enticing as I am!" the Gorgon shouted back, firing arrows upon arrows, while standing on the bow of the ship. "Just make sure Mister Tall-Dark-and-Handsome can save me when the time comes!"

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" the Berserker responded, standing just a step behind her, shooting Ayako's rifle with abandon.

"The sea monsters are getting closer!" EMIYA called out from the crow's nest, unrelenting in his arrows.

"They are surrounding the island!" Atalante quickly added, not falling behind the much more modern Servant.

"Should we activate any Noble Phantasms!?" Ritsuka asked as he rushed towards Ayako, holding Fou in his hands.

"Not yet!" she called back, her dirty blonde hair swaying in the wind, undaunted by the torrential downpour. "Unless one of us goes down, they need to hold back on using their Noble Phantasms! Only then, got it!"

"Got it!"

"Good! Now reinforce Mash! She's going to need i-" The sound of wood cracking penetrated her ears, her footing briefly faltering, alsmot causing her to slip. She didn't, something else had gotten her. With teeth, and tentacles, wrapping around her torso. Her scream caused by her body being crushed was brief, before she was pulled down into the seas.

The only thing she could see now was her own blood, and her own gurglings. The water surface was slowly getting farther and farther. She saw a splash, and an explosion, as the Berserker of Chaldea surged forward the chase her, using one of the Golden Hind's cannons as a propellant.

"AAAAAAHHHHHH!" his angered yell managed to pierce through the waters, firing the cannon constantly, sending him closer and closer to her.

But that won't do.

That won't do at all.

Lancelot was far more agile than Herakles. If there was anyone that could outrun the Greek Hero, it would be him. If he was wasting time trying to save her, then their plan could unravel like a torn shirt.

She wouldn't have it.

Through the pain, she called out to him telepathically. "Berserker, its fine. You know I can handle this." Through her wavering eyesight underneath the sea, she could see him pause. "You need to be up there. Alright?"

"Master…" a moment of clarity shone through, even though his screams were still audible in the water.

"Berserker, by my Command Spell…" her wrist flared with power, channeling the blood ink on her skin. "Get back on the ship!"

"AAAAAAHHHHHHH!" in a quick flash of power, he disappeared, leaving behind the sea monsters that followed the one that held her in its maw.

She internally sighed, relaxing her body. Even as she was further surrounded. There was a light smile on her face, blood constantly seeping out, leaking like a cracked pipe. She didn't get many of these moments, to relish an impending death. But here she was, slowly drowning and being eaten alive, as painful as it was it still brought a sense of peace to her. Six lights lit up from her pockets, burning like the sun. Her eyes closed for a minute, before opening again. They were no longer gold; instead, they were a featureless white, holding a single rune on each. ᚱ on the left eye, and ᚨ on the right. Two more runes lit up on the side of her head; one where her heart was; and the last was on her back.

ᚱ ᚨ ᚦ

ᚾ ᛊ ᚲ

Raidō, of the Journey. Ansuz, of the God Odin. Thurisaz, of the Giants. Naudiz, of Need. Sowilo, of the Sun. Kenaz, of Torch. Cracks formed on her skin, on her body. Parts of her body began flaking off, disintegrating in the seas. Her hair began melting, countering the waters around her. Even her eye burned with fire that boiled the salty ocean. Her smile, was proud, and powerful, as she mouthed the spell of her deliverance.

Ragnarök.

What came after was an explosion so powerful, that it cause the rain to double over on them.

2017

"Her vitals are gone, Director. Doctor." An operator, Sylvia, called out as she looked over the readings on her monitor. "Her coffin is showing no signs of life."

The Control Room was silent, with only the whirrings and beepings of machinery occupying it. Most of them were shocked, their mouths agape at what they had just witnessed. And it wasn't even much to begin with. There was already so much white noise that were interfering with their connection with the Singularity, leaving the Ground Team on their own throughout most of it. And so while they had established enough of a connection to oversee this inevitable final battle, they weren't able to keep track of Aozaki when she was abducted by a sea monster, pulled into the deep blue abyss. Aside from her vitals.

Olga glanced to Romani, seeing him glance back to her as well, the both of them sharing a knowing nod. "Connect us to her workshop, now."

"Uh, right, Director." Sylvia then proceeded to carry out the order, as the operators slowly began to remember the very important fact of the Puppeteer's.

"Will her situation work through Singularities?" El-Melloi asked, his voice showing a hint of concern.

"It did with the Director." Da Vinci said with a smile. "The both of us were operating in blind faith, but it all worked out. It shouldn't be any different right now, especially since she has better backups."

"Hm, that's relieving to know." The Professor acquiesced with a nod.

"Did you know she had something like this?" Romani asked, glancing behind him to face them.

"A bomb, specifically? No, I did not." El-Melloi replied with a shake of his head. "But I did know that she had some sort of failsafe. Her mother had one as well, though of a different breed."

"It seemed like the Aozakis liked having something buried inside their bodies." Da Vinci noted with a hilarity, chuckling at the thought.

"We've got a line, Director."

"Aozaki, are you there?" Olga called out, leaning closer to her mic. A few seconds elapsed, with no response.

"Please please please please please please please-" Romani whispered beneath his breath, she could see him crossing his fingers from the corner of her eye.

"Aozaki, are you there? Answer us." Olga repeated, a light pit in her stomach forming. "Aozaki?"

"I'm here!" relieved sighs were held by everyone in the room when her answer finally came through. "Sorry Director, just getting dressed! I'll be there in 2 minutes tops! Tell the Ground Team to stick to the plan, and get that body out of there!"

"Got it. We'll be expecting you." She herself sighed as they cut the connection, before she turned back to the room. "I need that body out now! Raise her coffin!"

Red lights flashed inside the Central Bulkhead. "We're pulling her out now, Director!" a chubby French man replied.

"Romani! I need people on standby to assist her!"

He nodded sharply. "Logistics! I need three people at the Central Bulkhead ASAP!" he ordered with a fervor.

"Ground Team! Come in, Ground Team!"

"This is Kagiso, responding, Director!" their monitor focused on the Shaman, sticking close to the crew of the Golden Hind, constantly healing and healing with light smoke permeating on his body. His eyes were also a milky white.

"A message from Aozaki, to keep following the plan!" she reiterated from them.

"Affirmative, Director! Koleen!"

"Yes, Kagiso! Atalante!" the Witch called out for the masked Huntress, the Command Spell on the back of her hand flashing with power. "I need your Noble Phantasm! Cull their numbers!"

"As ordered, Master!" the Huntress replied, her form glowing in a bright green of power.

"Trouble, up ahead!" Fujimaru shouted with an urgency, standing behind Mash while pointing at the distance.

A distinct figure was on its way to the ships. "Everyone! It's Herakles!" Mash called out, already bracing her massive shield.

As the storm was lit by the green light, they could all see clearly, the massive Berserker soaring through the skies with his massive rock of a weapon poised to strike. The deck almost shattered when the stone blade landed on Mash's shield, the Demi-Servant barely holding together. Arrows assaulted his form, coming from the Gorgon.

"▂▂▃▃▃▃▄▄▄▄▅▅▅!"

His attention was immediately on Euryale, his mighty roaring sending the crew members back in a powerful wave. The Gorgon was undeterred, constantly, firing upon him with her heart-tipped arrows. Even as their Berserker closed in on her, wrapping his arm around her body before pulling her along. With another roar, Herakles launched himself off of the ship, ready to give chase.

"Director, I'm here!" Aozaki announced the moment she stepped inside the Central Bulkhead, followed by two people from Logistics. She was dressed in the usual Chaldean Master uniforms, skirt included for the women, which was a bit of a surprise to her. The Puppeteer had made no attempt to hide the fact that she did not like said design.

Her coffin opened, displaying the now dead body inside it. With the help of Logistics, she pulled it out without much resistance. "Take this back to my workshop." She ordered them, as she stepped back into coffin. "I'm ready!"

"Romani!"

"Yes, Director! Initiate rayshift protocols!"

As the coffin slowly descended into the stabilizing waters, they all waited with baited breath.

"Starting Unsummon Program."

"Begin Spiritron Conversion."

"Rayshift beginning in 3…

2…

1…"

1573

"Keep me steady!" Euryale all but yelled, still firing rainbow after rainbow at the monstrous Berserker that chased after them, she herself secured in the arms of Sir Lancelot.

His guttural growl was his only response, as his feet dug into the dirt, further pushing him along as he rushed through the jungle, with their only support being the attacks that came from the local Servants. Harsh stones were thrown with pinpoint accuracy, always striking Herakles' head, occasionally causing the giant of a man to falter in his steps. And more infrequent, but powerful arrows that lodged themselves onto his body.

At one point, Herakles surged with a fervor, closing the gap in nary an instant, causing Lancelot to deflect the blow with his sword, though it still sent both he and Euryale spinning on the dirt. Even with her pained protests, he got back up and resumed his run, sticking straight to the plan outlined to him by Ayako. No more distractions, he was fully focused on carrying out his order.

"Are you going around in circles?!" Euryale questioned with a shrill. "That damned thing shouldn't be this deep in the jungle!"

"AAAAHHHHH!" his scream of rage was his only response.

The Gorgon scoffed. "What was I expecting?!" she yelled to herself. "Can someone pin him down?!"

"We are trying, dear~!" the Goddess' words that echoed in the jungle were punctuated by another set of arrows that punctured Herakles, managing to pin him in place for a short while.

"There, he's stopped! Go go go!" Eurylae slapped Lancelot's armor as if he were a mount, ushering him along with a sense of urgency.

That pin only lasted for a second, before he burst forth to chase after them once more. But, that single second was enough to create an even bigger distance between the Berserkers. Rushing, and rushing, large pieces of debris being thrown their way by the larger Servant, deftly deflected by Lancelot with a heavy swing of his sword. And then he stopped, spinning on his heel to face the oncoming giant, with Euryale still clinging onto his back, though had disappeared from her hands for further bracing herself on him.

With a mighty roar, Herakles surged towards them with his weapon up in the air primed to strike. He swung the sword, eager to crush Lancelot's skull. And once again, the Black Knight dodged to the side, carrying with him a screaming Euryale. But instead of hitting dirt, the large piece of rock that served as his weapon struck air.

No, it was not, in fact, air.

Herakles' blank eyes widened, as the air shimmered to reveal a box, glowing a magnificent gold. One that was undamaged by his attack. This was the Ark. Behind his maddened visage, there was a sense of elation burning within him. This was the thing that Jason had been seeking, to create the Utopia he had been dreaming of. That sense of elation slowly morphed into confusion, as the Ark began glowing bright, and brighter. Almost blindingly so. And when he felt his very essence as a Servant weakening in a drastic state, that confusion turned to terror.

That was the last time Herakles' eyes widened.

The whole island shook, the very foundations shaking from the explosion that occurred. A kilometer diameter of destruction, leaving nothing behind it but the smoothened earth. Euryale was hugging herself, her small body being shielded in its entirety by Lancelot, whose armor had been split apart, with its pieces scattered around them. His helmet had been discarded without his volition, landing so far off from them.

"Is he gone?" Euryale asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes, Lady Euryale." Lancelot replied, grunting in pain, as he slowly straightened himself, giving her more room. "Herakles is no more."

"Finally, that big lug is gone!" a voice approached them, coming from above. The both of them looked up to see Artemis floating down, sitting atop her bow with Orion on her shoulder, swinging his club merrily. "Now nothing stands between us and Jason!"

"I wouldn't dare say that yet." Another voice spoke up, approaching them from the ground. King David, his form smoldering yet unchanged. "The Argonauts had summoned quite the unspeakable creature along with them. Everybody else is quite tasked in dealing with them."

"And the Argo itself had finally arrived." Artemis said with a frown. "Oh dear, we need to go and assist them. Are you capable of continuing, Sir Lancelot?"

"He better be!" Euryale shouted, pointing at the Berserker's form. "We still haven't saved Asterios yet!"

Lancelot held back a groan, trying to keep his composure. "I, might be having some difficulty in prolonging my presence."

"You shouldn't!" a familiar voice spoked, as a wave of power erupted from his core. "By my Command Spell, you will heal!"

The pieces of armor that were scattered turned to motes of light, reforming back onto his person. His helmet reappeared in his hands. He breathed a heavy sigh as his entire body was reinvigorated. All four (and a half) Servants looked up to see another person floating down, slowed down by a distinct red coat that hung close to her body. She looked down onto them with a bright smile, even underneath the pelting stormy rain. And unlike before, throughout the Singularity, she too looked reinvigorated.

"That was insane!" said Ayako, as she landed beside Artemis. "Aside from me dying, things are going according to plan."

"It won't be soon, if we don't deal with the Kraken." Orion commented, jumping onto her shoulder and tapping his club on the side of her head.

"Master…" he kneeled before her, eyes downcast to not meet hers. "I deeply apologize…"

"Come on, Lancelot. I told you I'd be fine." She said with a smile that went unseen by him. "All that mattered is the plan. You did nothing wrong, please. And I'm sure Arturia would think the same."

He looked back up, unsure of himself, as she placed a hand on his shoulder. She chuckled lightheartedly. "Besides, we all knew that I've been meaning to die here. It was just a bid sudden is all."

He met her eyes, comforting. "You are the most peculiar Master."

Her smile morphed into a smirk. "I try."

"Alright, enough of this!" Euryale stepped between the two of them. "Master! You promised!"

"I did! So let's go, everyone!" she clapped her hands, not to be drowned by storm around them. "We need to reinforce everyone else! Can we get there in ten seconds?!"

"Yes, Master!"

The tentacles wreaked havoc on the surface, swinging wildly at the Servants, at the ships, at the people. It flung the creatures that surrounded it like missiles, leaving explosions of blood and gore all around them. And yet, despite that, it couldn't get any closer. No matter how hard, this mythical Phantasmal Beast tried in pushing through the waters, it always found its attempts held back, and even pushed away. And with a loud, magnanimous roar, the evidence to it showed itself, with the water surface breaking.

Tarrasque rose from the water like a great white shark, his maw wide open and catching three separate tentacles, crushing it with a vengeance. A pained roar coming from the seas as the other tentacles tried to wrap around the dragon, but he returned back into the seas, easily dodging the Kraken's hold. The Kraken may have been a great sea monster of Norse legends, but the Child of Leviathan still called the seas his true home.

"Yeah, that's right, Tarrasque! Show it whose boss!" Martha cried out, pumping her fist into the air. Then, as if noticing what she had just done, immediately coughed into it. "Bring upon it God's Judgement!"

The notorious Pirate, being one of the few who bore witness to the scene, was holding his knees in laughter, while the Masters and Mash had amused smiles on their faces.

"Alright everyone, let's welcome the Argonauts with open arms!" Koleen took the lead, getting everyone back on track. "Archers! Keep an eye out on Hektor, he'll be here any minute!"

"He's already here!" Anne Bonny called out, as no doubt herself and the other Archers could see him leaping towards them.

EMIYA's married blades were already in his hands, dropping from the crow's nest to welcome Hektor himself. Blades met each other on the bow of the Golden Hind, sparks flying out to illuminate the now sickly looking Hero's face. Nothing looked right, based on their brief encounter with him from the last battle.

"Things are looking rough." EMIYA commented with a smirk. One that wasn't responded in kind.

"Shut up and fight." Hektore grunted with pain, trying to push in further, but was pushed back by the arrows and bullets that came from above.

"We got your back, handsome!" Anne called out with a teasing smile.

"You have nothing to worry about!" Atalante further reinforced, her attacks unrelenting as they pelted the Greek Hero.

EMIYA chuckled, as he took opportunistic hits on Hektor. "It's nice, to not be alone in this."

Hektor's scowl deepened as he growled a response, and with a surge of power, he attempted to push any sort of advantage he had. A stone striking his shoulder put that dream to rest. He roared in pain as he was pushed back again. He noticed the distinct arrow of Artemis that was coming down on him, quickly creating as much distance between him and the Golden Hind.

"Yeessss!" Both Ritsuka and Kagiso roared with relief, glancing back to the island, as their backup came. "Let's push on with the plan! Teach, Mary! Get on and meet Jason at the pass!"

"A'ight! Mary! Let's go!"

"Aye aye, Captain!" the two Pirates set off for the Argo, using the surfaced Sea Monsters as stepping stones, rushing towards the Greek ship.

"Mash, how are you holding up?" Ritsuka asked, moving close to support her.

"I'm doing great, Master!" Mash replied, smiling despite the torrential downpour that barreled onto them. Sea Monsters leapt from the waters, all of them slapped away by her massive shield. "Are the crew doing okay?"

"Kagiso-san has been doing his best in making sure they're all topped up." He said to her. "Right, Kagiso-san?"

"And they are all still up and running!" the Shaman responded with a smile on his face.

"And we, are here, to help~!" Artemis announced, landing so close to the conflict. She was holding her bow like one would hold a bat.

"Give him hell, Artemis!" said the teddy bear on her shoulder.

"Alley-oop!" the bow hit Hektor's lance, sending him careening down on the top deck.

"David, I want you to provide covering fire for the Pirates please!" the familiar voice of Ayako reached their ears, as she joined them back on the ship.

"As ordered, Master!" the King of Israel was already launching stone after stone from the bow of Blackbeard's ship.

"Ayako-san! You're back!" there wasn't any doubt to it, but Ritsuka and the rest of the Ground Team were still relieved to see their friend back, and in much better shape.

"You had a bomb inside you?!" Koleen asked incredulously, glancing to where the explosion reached the water surface.

"Hey, I decide how I die." The Puppeteer said with a confident smile. "How are we holding up, guys?"

"The Kraken was a bit of a surprise, but Tarrasque is dealing with it without much trouble!" Mash replied, as a lull in the battle briefly encompassed the field.

"And the plan has been going without much deviation." Kagiso confirmed for them. With so many moving pieces, it was always a worry for a plan to unravel, but they had made sure that until this moment at the least, that everything was going as planned.

"Then let's make sure nothing else goes tits up, yeah?" she said with smile on her face, turning to the next players of the plan. "Martha, Lancelot! Take Euryale and head to the Argo! Help her with her friend!"

"Yes, Master!" the Ruler and Berserker responded in unison, with Euryale making sure she was secured in the Knight's hold. "Tarrasque! Do not waver in His glory!"

"You don't have to tell me that, woman!" was the quick reply from the dragon that reached their ears even through the storm, as he rammed into the Kraken, giving them room to cross towards the Argo.

"You're definitely not as comfortable as Asterios." She commented wryly, her face clearly showing her discomfort.

"I apologize, Lady Euryale." Lancelot replied, before he reequipped his helmet, taking with it his clarity. With a loud roar, both he and Martha rushed to join the Pirates, almost skating through the seas.

"Kalls! Where are the Casters?" Ayako asked as she turned to her friend.

"They've gone into hiding." The Witch replied, ducking under an attack that came for her head. "They're waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike."

"Alright." Ayako clapped her hands, pointing her hand at the Argo, showing determination on her ace. "You're going down, Jason! You and that stupid Utopia of yours!"

AUTHOR'S NOTE

yo, i'm not dead!

a bit of a shorter hiatus, compared to last time, but this wasn't because of writer's block. i was insanely sick, and only got fully better last Sunday. no matter how fast i worked, i couldn't get a chapter out by the usual schedule, so i decided on holding off. it was the same thing the next day, especially with a sudden change in the meta side of the Singularity. so hopefully, things will get back on track from here on out.

i wanted to finish the Singularity in this chapter, but the end result would have been an incredibly bloated chapter, so i split it up again. if i can get the next chapter done, it will hopefully be uploaded later today after this chapter, or tomorrow.

also, the extra day i decided to take ended up being a good thing. Euryale got some baller new animations, and i'm definitely going to make use of them here (and next chapter). and now both her and Stheno no longer look like children, just incredibly petite women.

(seriously though, the old models are just horrendous.)

and because i'm planning on holding releasing the next chapter as soon as possible, i'm going to hold the review response for the next chapter.

with that out of the way, thanks again for staying!

drop a (quick) review if you don't mind, and i'll see you all next time!