Disclaimer: Fate series and Persona series belong to their awesome owner. I do not own anything.
"By trying too hard, we put ourselves at greater risk."
-L Lawiet (Death note)
It was a stormy night somewhere in Seraph. Inside the floating fortress, the king, Karl der Große, stand in front of a two metallic door, after seconds of authenticating, the door opened and revealed a large room with a long corridor inside. At the end of the corridor reveals a large pumping machine, it has numerous tubes that contained blue liquids, lots of wires running around it, and a glowing core in the middle. Beneath the machine's core, there was a man bind in chains.
Once the king reaches the machine, he approaches the man chained in chains. The chained man has golden hair and numbers of red tattoos on his body. When the man felt the presence of the king, he raises his head to face him, revealing a handsome look and eyes that's color compares to crimson like blood. The man look irritated, his not very pleas and interested in seeing the king.
"What does a mongrel like you wanted now?" Gilgamesh asks in annoyance. Being chained to this machine for so long already make his arms sore and it is not a pleasant experience. However, the presence of the man who put him here makes things go to a different level of exasperation. In fact, he already thinks of a thousand ways to make this man pay for putting him here, it's a crime that he won't ever forgive.
Karl der Große looks up at the core and sees that it's working just like it intended to do. "I'm just checking to see if you still have enough mana to create shadow servants." He said with a soft smile of satisfaction on his face. "After all, the number of my army decrease enormously. As a ruler, I would like to get their numbers back, rather even more than before."
The king of heroes found himself smiling in amusement from what he'd heard. He even began to laugh wholeheartedly that Karl der Große didn't taken liken into. "Oh, mongrel…I haven't laughed this hard before, are you a king or a court jester? It's hard to tell." Gilgamesh said while giving the ruler a smirk. "Your plan to dethrone her won't ever happen. That girl, Hakuno is…something. One that should not be taken lightly."
"She and the servants that surrounded her. As long as they're together, your chances to succeed are almost none."
Gilgamesh scornful laugh made Karl der Große angrily stomped his feet on the steel surface from anger. But that didn't stop the king of heroes from laughing, as a matter of fact, it even made him laugh harder from seeing the man furious in hatred. He may not hurt him physically right now, but there are other ways to inflict pain than waving swords at him.
"His words might insult you, but there is wisdom with them that you should be taken notes of, o' king Karl der Große." A voice different from the ruler servant has been heard.
"My lord, I wasn't expecting you to visit." The ruler servant said in surprise after recognizing the voice, he then turned around to greet the unknown person's sudden appearance and get into his knees for the gesture of respect.
The mysterious person and its seven followers let themselves known to the two servants. They're wearing white-colored robes made from beautiful silks that have an odd pattern design in them, they are hiding their faces under a hood, except for one. The mysterious person is a young looking-man that shows a kind smile on his face when he walks toward them. The young man gives a gentle feeling similar to the warmth of the sun, he posses an aura of benevolence and a figure that personified goodwill and an air of divinity. One that Gilgamesh cannot describe properly, it's different from the divinity that came on the Age of Gods.
But just from his first impression of this man. The king of heroes already didn't like him, he needs to be cautious around them. Something about this man and his followers doesn't feel right.
"I saw what happened in Rome. And I must say, I was a bit of surprise from the thing I've witnessed." said the young-man while keeping the kind smile on his face. His eyes then roam around the room, before settling on the machine in front of him. "So this is the machine that created a mass number of shadow servants. Impressive, sadly they're nothing but imitation. The shadow servants are no match against the real servants on Rome. However, they did almost killed Ren Amamiya though."
"Speaking of that man. My lord, I believe Scáthach accomplish that task I've given to her, to expose his power in Seraph. There is a high chance that we would not have to worry about him. But in exchange, she leaves and not here anymore. That lancer didn't return here together with Karna after the assault in Rome."
After hearing Karl's report. The young man nodded his head in understanding and mild contentment. Even with the loss of a powerful asset, his smile didn't leave him. He looks at the ruler before making a reply. "I see, at least she did a great job before leaving. By this time, the Moon Cell made its move against him. Without any question, Ren Amamiya will die this time…But still, I'm hoping he finds a way to survive." He said.
"What do you mean my lord? Isn't it better if he dies, seeing that thief won't join our ranks?" Hearing his lord's hopeful statement. Karl was surprised and voice out his curiosity about it.
"Because if he died, then all this hard work will be nothing…" He said with his grim expression. "I've created an army just for him, I want to use it against him, I want us to compete. To see him lose and crawl under my feet, even though we do not correlate with each other, this body…It has a rivalry against him, its roaring and dwelling strongly onto my soul!" His smile then changes from the kind-looking one into something malicious and dark, his evil sounding chuckle made Karl look uncomfortable before becoming terrified when he continued. "What worse is that I'm invested in it, I understand what this body no this vessel wanted. Having a rival that makes you look inferior to them, I know what it felt like."
The ruler servant hasn't seen his lord show a dark side of his before, he can feel a cold run through his spine. The look on his face is murderous, very different from the god he'd been loyal too, different from the god on the bible. Is this another side of him or perhaps what he truly is? Is his faith at him is misplaced? Is he-!
A touch on Karl's forehead stopped the ruler from his thoughts, the realization and fear on his eyes have been replaced with blank stares, his body becomes motionless but steady. It is like the servant, Karl der Große ceases from functioning after the young man's index finger touches him.
"Don't mind what I've just said, forget everything you just saw. Focus on what you desire." The young man whispers onto Karl's ear. "Your desire, yes…By becoming a God, you can pursue your idea of universal understanding, people will listen to you and oblige because you're a God. You can protect them from harm because you're a God, become one with the aspect of the fantasy of your legend because you're a God. Everything is possible as long as you're a God, just follow my words and take the throne, that way I'll personally ascend you to Godhood. After all, you know me as the God of Gods."
After witnessing everything that has happened. Gilgamesh understood the impression that his getting upon this young man. What he was from earlier, the warm smile, the aura, everything about him is fake, staged, false. This is what the man truly is. He can give a little bit of sympathy for Karl, yet letting yourself get controlled is a sign of weakness. And his desire, what a foolish thing to have.
"So a manipulative mongrel is controlling this lower mongrel all along, and God of Gods? What a rubbish title you let yourself crown at." Gilgamesh commented while intensely eyeing the mysterious man. The king of heroes doesn't have a soft spot against people who aren't true to themselves and snakes. This man posses both and just by breathing the same air as him, he already felt disgusted.
The young man kind smiled returned before releasing his fingertip on Karl's forehead. "Aren't you a mongrel as well? You a half-human and half-god don't the description of mongrel suits you, King of Mongrels. Just to clarify, I didn't crown myself with that title, Karl did." He said before looking at him with a condescending gaze and a matching laugh that extremely insulted Gilgamesh from hearing.
"I'll kill you the moment these chains are gone," Gilgamesh said while looking furiously at the man.
"You do?" The young man asks, he then approaches Gilgamesh and let his fingertip touch the servant's forehead, staring at him with dead eyes. "Answer me, king of Mongrels, how much do you value your memories?" His soft cold voice made the room grew in tension. "Your hilarious bond of friendship with that clay, your love to your people and family, your existence as the man you believe you're. How much do you value them?" He then pressed strongly that his nail cut and bleed Gilgamesh's forehead skin. "Because I could erase them…delete all of them entirely. With just a mere second, you'll forget your entire existence, o' king of Mongrel. I wonder if you can still stay in that attitude of yours."
Gilgamesh didn't reply but keep his defiant stares at the man. Seeing his expression didn't change, the mysterious young man smiled mischievously before letting his index finger go, then with a snap, Karl's eyes came back to life once again. The ruler servant felt lightheaded and massage his head to rub off the buzzing feeling.
"Karl, my loyal subject. I'm afraid this is your last chance to prove your worthiness, once my army leaves the far side. Then our deal is all over, making your desire just a dream." He said before starting walking away. "But I'll go lend a hand against the sovereign top servants. Hopefully, you'll take advantage of it, o' Karl der Große." The man then leaves alongside his follower, leaving the two alone in the room.
Hakuno expresses her trouble after reading the summary status report of Rome. The city they'd built was left in ruin, nothing over that city could be used, and it's dangerous to return due to the psychotic shadows servants roaming around, the rotting lifeless bodies of the innocent, and the foul air that surround Rome. Its chaos resulted for them to settle a tent city outside of Rome. It might take a miracle for Rome to recover from the destruction and become cleanse from the evil within the city, even the Moon Cell is having a hard time to fix it.
Not only that, the flood left some of the servants with a strange condition. Artoria, Jeanne, Cú Chulainn are currently getting treated by Tamamo right now in a special tent. Meanwhile, the saints are doing their best in Ren's severe condition. Not wanting to sit here and do nothing to help, Hakuno says what is on her mind. "I'll go try to help them-…" She's about to get up on her seat, but a hand put her back on the chair.
"Praetor, just stay here. Let Tamamo and the saints handle this, okay?" Nero tried to lessen her praetor's worry through her soft voice and smile. "You cannot even go their due to the number of people waiting for your statement on what's going to happen next." She said before pouring her a glass of water to drink.
"Seeing the state of Rome, our only choice is to evacuate everyone in Tamamo Land," Medusa said while making sure her body is steady. Euryale and Stheno after a long day of running, finally have a moment to rest and fall asleep on their little sister's shoulders. "Also, I believe we can treat everyone there much better…" There was a lack of confidence in her voice on that statement.
Nodding her head, Hakuno saw Tamamo and the saints entered their tents. But to her surprise, she also saw Artoria, Cú Chulainn, and Jeanne d'Arc. "Luckily they recover and away from danger, but unfortunately I can't find a way to fix those changes." She heard from Tamamo. Right, she can still see the golden eye pupil of Artoria's right eye and the spot of pale skin on her cheeks, Jeanne also has the same. Cú Chulainn, on the other hand, shows no changes like the two, but she heard something about his spear that made him look uncomfortable.
Jeanne looks at the saints with concern on her face. "Is he safe from dying now?" She asks, but just from the two's reaction, the female ruler worries grew and run outside and went through the thief tent. Leaving everyone downhearted.
"Is she worried about that man?" The rewarded hero asks after seeing the saint running before he went inside the tent. "That man, his name is Ren Amamiya, right?" He said remembering what he looks like from that time with the robber. "Isn't it better if he died?"
Astolfo, Okita, Marie, and Nobu look provoked at the archer servant. But Charlemagne stands to his feet and approaches the man. "What did you say?" His voice is full of anger from what he heard on this man's mouth. Sure he did help them, but what rights he has to just say that on their face. "Charles, calm down." He heard from Roland behind him.
"It is better if he died," Arjuna repeated and look into the paladin's eyes. He doesn't know what causes the man to be angry, is it something he'd said, but he found nothing wrong with it. The rewarded hero then fell to the ground after getting punch by Charlemagne on his face. "Who do you think you are!" He heard from the king of the paladin as the servant near the saber retrain him. Swapping the blood on his mouth, he stands back to his feet, maybe this child needs to learn how dangerous that persona named Ren is. "Do you understand how dangerous a demon is? That one isn't ordinary, it's primordial. One that should not let walk on this place." He said with venom on his tone. "That thing came from him, right? do you know what happens if he summons that demon again?"
"It will doom you and all of us."
Wanting the man to stop spouting nonsense, Astolfo decided to throw an argument at him. "And that thing just saves everyone from the black hole that you and that lancer had caused in the first place!" He said. "Ren would not summon that thing if weren't for you two!"
"And that thing is dangerous," Arjuna replied with composure before looking at Artoria and Cú Chulainn. "Don't the two top servants agree?" He asks and saw the hesitation in their eyes.
The blue-clad lancer takes a deep breath before making his answer. After being slightly comfortable, he speaks. "You're right, that thing is dangerous, even scared the hell out of me from staring on its wicked smile. But then again, Ren would not do that if weren't for the black hole that you and Karna had caused." He then forced a smile after remembering his body refused to move after seeing the primordial demon. He felt weak and hopeless even though he didn't fight that demon. And after that demon flooded the whole city, he accidentally loses his grip on the crimson spear. After an hour of searching, he retrieve it and touch it, he saw something horrifying.
Kill…Kill…Kill…Kill!
He saw a humanoid beast, standing in a pile of lifeless bodies, burning cities on the background. And when he saw the beast stared at him, he immediately let go of his hold on the crimson spear, ending the nightmarish vision he saw.
"I agree to what you've said, it is dangerous but if weren't for that demon that he summoned, then we won't be here talking about it." Artoria manages to answer even though her mind is thinking about something else. That dream she have during the flood, that mirror of her that she saw there, why it felt so real. Also, her Excalibur, why it suddenly change? her right eye why is it similar to that reflection of her?
This is the duty of a king and a hero. I am the ideal king you pursue to become.
What does that girl mean by that? The king of the knight is puzzled about everything she witnesses, that even Gawain doesn't know what to do to help his king.
Seeing the two top servants are against him. Arjuna's attention shifted to the girl who's opinion will matter the most. "What about you sovereign of the Moon, should you not go against the will of the Moon Cell?" He asks. "Won't you be in trouble if you keep helping him. What about all of you? Don't you see the danger he could bring here in Seraph?"
Nero is about to answer for her praetor, but Hakuno didn't let her too. She wanted to answer the servant question. "Ren saves us many times now, even though he knows the danger from doing it, he still helped us." The sovereign answered with conviction on her eyes and confidence in her voice. "Which is why, even though it's against the Moon Cell will. I'm going to keep helping him no matter how many times it takes! Because I know no-, we know that if we're the one in his situation, he'll do the same to help us."
"Yeah! Ren is a man with a kind heart, he even cured me even with the risk of dying, he doesn't deserve to be in that situation in the first place!" came from Okita after agreeing to what the sovereign had said.
"You wanted me to fear the man who almost sacrifices his life from saving my country?" Marie asks in disbelief. "And now from helping Rome? Please, he isn't the villain here. He might not know it, but for me his the hero." She said and supported the head of their countries alliance.
"I don't know much about him…But he did help me and that girl to have a home to stay. I even saw his bravery to face the danger in battle…Yes, that demon might be scary, but what's scarier is turning your back on someone that is been there to help you." Oda Nobunaga stated while showing a soft smile on her face.
"He might be reckless and stubborn. But we saints are the same, it's a blessing and curse for us. But seeing people we help happy, that is what we a Ren aspire to do." Saint George commented, which earn an eager nod from his fellow saint.
"Ren isn't a bad civilization!" Altera cried out in support.
Charlemagne feels himself smiling from hearing their words about Ren. Which make him wanted to say his own piece. "When I met him, I thought we could have a friendly rivalry. But then I've realized that we're not at the same level." He said while letting a sheepish smile appear on his face. "That guy…his much cooler than me, I cannot be on the same level as him because deep down, I'm a coward who runs away from seeing his other self doing evil things. Ren, on the other hand, is free and fearless, not letting his conviction be shattered by words or anything."
"I wanted to become like him. At least closer to what he was, so then…I could…face any hardship that comes to my way! So that I won't find myself running away from it! Which is why I'm positive that he's not evil, Ren is a friend but also an inspiration for a paladin like me."
After hearing everything, Arjuna felt he lost his ability to talk. These people…they don't think through logic, that man is dangerous and yet they're not abandoning him. "You might think we're out of our mind for believing this much on him. But I've decided as the sovereign of Seraph, that in this group, there is no place for heartless people that abandoning their friends and families." He heard from the only master in the moon.
"Heartless…" The rewarded hero whispered under his breath. Before he could speak up, he felt a shiver as the air become cold and thick. The only sounds coming from the outside is a bell ringing with horrid chimes. Feeling somethings wrong, Arjuna immediately went outside the tent to see what is happening. There is no one outside, no lights on the tents of the evacuee, only the sound of that horrid chimes and a grim figure wearing a skull mask with azure-colored flames glowing on its eyes, this figure is approaching a tent while carrying a dreadful-looking broadsword on its hand.
Jeanne d'Arc watches the raven-haired thief resting in a bed. She's in deep sadness, seeing his body slowly fading away every time he breathes. It scares her, why does it need to end up like this. "I hate you…" The saint whispered, holding her tears back, she then clenches her fist. "We've made a promise remember…Are you going to break it?" Slowly the tears she holding back begun to fall. "Please…say something. Say everything going to be okay, please…" She said, begging in desperation on the thief.
But when she didn't get an answer but a soundless response. The saint could not take it anymore and break into tears, collapsing on the side of his bed. "I'm…going to be…mad at you if you leave…" She said while sobbing in tears. Ren…if he seeing her right now, he'll definitely be going to feel bad about it and going to say comforting words at her, he doesn't want to see her crying that is for sure. Moments pass of Jeanne's crying, her hands wipe the tears on her face. "I'm sorry, I've made a mess on your bed." She apologizes before forcing a smile on her. "But then it was your fault for making me cry, you shouldn't do that you know." Letting out a soft chuckle, she gazes gently at him.
"Ren, you idiot. I lov-" Jeanne got interrupted when someone entered the tent. It was Saint George and Martha, they look like in a hurry but the horror on their faces doesn't look right. "Jeanne, we need to go now!" She heard from the male saint. "What is happening?" She asks and watches saint George carry the resting body of Ren.
"We need to move fast, we don't have the time to explain!" Saint Martha cried out in a hurry as she grabs the ruler's hand. The saints went outside the tent posthaste, but a figure came from the azure flame on the ground stop them. A man wearing a skull mask, with a broadsword stabbed on the ground, stared at them with its blue burning eyes.
"Thou offer thy head to me." He said while pointing his finger at the thief that Saint George is carrying. "Thy doesn't want to hurt any of you holy saints." He then pulled the broadsword to the ground, but then heard a voice rushing behind him.
"One silent step…two steps of infinite…three steps, a sword absolute!" Okita Souji suddenly appeared behind the skull mask executioner, "Mumyō Sandan-dzuki…!" She roared before thrusting her swords, resulting in a three thrust of the swords that all happened at the same time. It was so fast, powerful, and successful that the skull mask executioner wasn't able to block it and bleed from it. However, it didn't put the man on the ground, he stands strong while his chest is heavily wounded.
Seeing her opponent is still standing, Okita look at the saints. "Go! I'll hold him off." She said before dashing toward the skull masks executioner, sending quick slashes from different angles. No one can withstand sustaining wounds all over its body, she going to make this executioner bleed until it falls to the ground.
Heading her words, the saints run away from their fight. "They're horses nearby, we could use them to escape." Saint George said to the two. Quickly making their way to the horses, the male saint put Ren on the one his using, while Jeanne and Martha shared a horse. Tightening his hold on the reins, he leads the way. Not knowing where to go, anyplace is fine as long as the executioner won't find Ren.
Noticing his target got away, the executioner swings his broadsword, halting Okita on her attack. "Thou doesn't want to hurt you, thou just want the thief." He said before using his weapon to block a javelin that thrown at him. "Are you the top servant that the Moon Cell sent to kill Ren?" He heard a feminine voice, looking who it was, he saw the girl with brown long hair alongside the group of servants on the side.
"Sovereign of the Moon. Yes, thy were sent to beheaded thou thief named Ren Amamiya." He announces while standing strongly at the group. "Moon Cell, summoned thou, the old man of the mountain, for thy purpose. If Ren kept with the living, then Seraph will be in danger. And if thou interfere with thy mission, then thou title as the sovereign will be severed."
Charlemagne stands defiant in front of Hakuno. "She not going to interfere, only us 'Independent servants' are going to stop you." He said before summing five floating javelins behind him. The paladins, Boudica's group, Nobu. All pointed their weapons at the skull masked servant.
"Thou hast no time for this," The old man of the mountain's broadsword lightens up with azure-colored flame, releasing a strong gust of wind on the group. The flame from the broadsword consumed his whole body. "Thy shall bid you all, farewell." He said before he disappeared alongside the flame. The lights from the tents appeared and the air returned to normal. The crickets on the forest have begun to make sounds once again. Leaving everyone dumbstruck from surprise.
"We need to chase after the saints to help them," Charlemagne said before he and the paladins quickly tried to find a horse to use. Astolfo, on the other hand, summoned the Hippogriff to use. Using a flying beast will make the search easier.
"Hey, you can summon a chariot right?" Okita approaches and asks Boudica in a hurry. "Yes, but-" She interrupts the girl from her sentence. "A man's life is in danger, please help us." The Japanese saber pleaded on the ember haired rider. Seeing the rider let out a sigh of defeat and summoned a chariot, Okita expresses her thanks. "Come on, Nobu. Let's go."
"Keep us contacted if anything happened, alright!" Hakuno shouted to the going servants. That skull mask man, he looks formidable, she hopes everyone makes it safe. And for Ren to survive. "I trusting all you to return here." She whispered under her breath while watching the group fading on the distance.
The saints ride through the sleeping forest. Not looking back or making a stop to rest, they keep the horse from running without any direction on where to go. They keep heading straight, in hope that the servant that wanted to kill Ren won't find him. Either they ended up on the hot desert or cold chilly mountain, they won't complain. They're determined to save the thief from that servant, they're willing to sacrifice their life in Lundy for him.
Jeanne keeps her guard up as they ride through the forest. Knowing that servant might be on his way toward them, but also prayed that Hakuno and the others are safe from harm. That servant is unbelievably strong, she knows top servants are powerful, but that one is in a different league. It's terrifying to know what he's capable of if he went all out at them. But regardless, she cannot let herself falter, she won't let it get Ren.
But what good there is on praying? My voice won't reach anyone, because no God is listening to it…
"Hey, I'm seeing a thick fog ahead of us!" Saint Martha shouted. The saint's voice broke her thoughts, Jeanne peeks behind the saint's shoulder and saw that the fog she's talking about. Fog as thick as that will become a hindrance to their vision. But then again, there is no other way but to go forward.
"We have no choice, let us ride through it." The male saint replied. They cannot stop now if they turn back, that servant will catch up to them. Not wanting that to happen, he and the other saints need to take the risk. As they entered the thick fog, it quickly covered their vision, even the horses are having a hard time to see through it.
Since her vision is foggy, Jeanne becomes concerned with what may wait for them inside this fog. There might be a beast, rouge servants, or possibly that servant waiting to ambush them. However, they already went inside, the best possible thing to do is stay in guard. Since she's sharing a horse with Martha, she can at least try to sense their surroundings for any possible attack. Holding tightly to Martha's waist, she closed her eyes and tap to all of her senses. There is nothing around them, this forest is clear with any beast roaming around, but she cannot let her guard down.
Keeping her senses up, she hears a faint sound in the distance. Every second past the sound becomes clearer and louder, its a chiming of a bell, the air also becomes colder. "Hey, the fog is getting thinner now!" She heard from Saint Martha. A shiver runs through her spine that lets her instinct to kick in.
"We're out of the forest-!" Saint Martha becomes surprised after feeling Jeanne's hand pulled her out of the horse. They tumble on the ground before hitting a tree. Opening her eyes, she saw the skull mask servant holding the horse in his feet. The horse let out a sharp cry after the broadsword went to its body, resulting in its death.
The two saints recovered from the fall and went back to their feet. Both staring cautiously at the skull mask servant. But then, they realize that Saint George is nowhere to be found. Even the sound of the horse his use is nowhere to be heard. "Did we got separated from him?" Saint Martha let out lowly in confusion.
"Perhaps…But its fine as long this servant cannot find them." Jeanne replied before walking forward. Summoning the weapon on her hand, she held it tightly and face the servant. "The Moon Cell really wanted to kill him. Regardless I'm not going to let that happened." She whispered before the flag she is holding lighten up in holy flame.
"Thou only raise thy weapon on thy thief." The old man of the mountain said as he blocks the flame that Jeanne threw at him. But he felt something strange about the flame, a holy flame should burn you with the sense of justice and virtue, but this flame she used, it burned him with vengeful anger. "Hmm?" He let out of surprise when the saint began to swing her flag enchanted in flame.
Seeing she pushing the man from her assault, Jeanne continued and didn't stop. She keeps swinging, thrusting, and throwing hard strikes to the servant, this man wanted to kill Ren, she's not going to let it happen, she is going to send this servant to where it came from! Letting a smile appeared on her face, the holy flame grew stronger from each attack she sent at the servant. Jeanne's momentum continues until the old man of the mountain stops her flag with his bare hand.
"Thou answer thy question, Are you still a saint?"
Jeanne's eyes went wide, not from the servant stopping her weapon, but from her opponent question. Is she a saint? What does he mean by that? Shaking her head, she pulled the flag out of the servant's hand and stared intensely at it. "I'm the saint of Orleans, Jeanne d'Arc. What with this rubbish question?" She asks.
"I see…" said the old man of the mountain. "But that is not the holy flames feels like." He said before stabbing the broadsword on the ground. "Thy can see the evil dwelling in you, Jeanne d'Arc. Watch thy step, one misstep might lead to thou's fall." A pillar of azure-flame consumed the servant's body before disappearing in remains of ash.
"My fall?" Jeanne utter softly. She lost on what the servant meant by that, evil is dwelling in her? There is no way that could be true. "Jeanne!" she heard behind her, turning around she saw Saint Martha running toward her. "Your…" She saw the rider pointing to her face, confused about what it was, she uses the sharp end of her flag and used it as a mirror. Even though the reflection is small, she saw the spot on her cheek that turned pale grew larger. It almost covering the whole side of her cheek.
"Jeanne are you okay?" Saint Martha asks in concern.
Jeanne shakes her head before making a reply. "I'm fine. We should go look for George and Ren, that servant went after us to slow our progress, his now going after them."
"But-"
"Ren is in danger, there is no time for hesitation!" Jeanne cried out before storming off and entered the foggy area of the forest. Leaving the female saint in shock.
Saint George pulled the reins when he saw the skull mask servant waiting patiently for him near the outskirt of the forest. "Thou surrender thy thief's head." He heard the servant's cold piercing voice. Just from his voice and azure burning eyes, the saint felt his heart beating fast while sweat drops on the side of his head.
The dreadful-looking broadsword that giving menacing aura just from existing. It is truly terrifying to witness, alongside the servant who wields it, their combined presence made death, a living figure walking in the plains of Seraph. This servant is sent by the Moon Cell to kill Ren, even though his already fading in existence, it still summoned death just to make sure he won't have another day to live.
Saint George witness Ren power with his own eyes. He summoned a demon in Rome, not just an ordinary demon, but a primordial demon, Satan himself. The demon that tests humanity with its temptation and sent uncountable lives in the path of madness. How can Ren, a kind-hearted man have a demon like Satan waiting for his call. How can a man still able to hold his sanity with a demon on his side.
The city of Rome after Satan summoning. It turned into horrid looking hell in the face of Seraph, a ruined city that knows no logic or feelings, filled with foul air that once enters your system, it will turn you insane. Surrounded by the countless lifeless body of the innocent, even though they should start to dematerialize, they'd stayed and begun to rot. Not only that, the shadow servants that taken away from the flood, they all went psychotic and roam the city. Their behavior is like a much greater evil possess their body and turned them like that. Any signs of life even their own, they will ravage it like a bloodthirsty beast, they won't stop until that life cease to exist.
He knew they're in the middle of a war at that time. But the end result of that war is something unimaginable, it's something that no man could possibly achieve. Making a beautiful city into hell, only demons could do something like that. And Ren has that demon and possibly many more in him.
Yet, he heard stories about the angels that came to his call on France. Not just ordinary angels, every rank of the angels heed his call. Even the voice of God himself lends his hand to France and cleaned the evil that almost consumed its people. Archangels like Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel ware there to help Ren save France. Which means, even though there's a demon inside him. There are also angels that are there to help him. And from what he can tell, the angels outnumbered the demon when it comes to making an appearance.
Shaking his head, he smiled to himself from questioning his reason in protecting Ren. This young man is a family to them, his only regret is not spending more time with him or hear his adventure up till now. If only none of this is happening to him, he would like to at least ask for a photo with the archangels, that would be a wholesome experience for him. "Just rest easy Ren, its the least we could do from Lundy and the people you've helped on your journey." He whispered while glancing at the man behind him.
Making up his mind, he drew the sword on his waist and unmounted the horse. Then he walks toward the waiting servant. "Forgive me, but as a guardian, I'm not going to let you disturb his well-earned rest." Saint George said before going into his fighting stance.
"Thou refuse to hurt a holy saint."
"Then you'll just be giving yourself a hard time!" The saint then charges toward the servant, swinging his sword with both hands, he delivers a strike on its body. However, the sword didn't even make the servant bleed. He was in disbelief, he made sure to put a lot of strength on that attack, but it only resulted in a cut on its body.
The servant then started to walk toward the horse that is carrying Ren, completely ignoring the saint. The male rider immediately throws consecutive attacks behind the servant, but his attempt only resulted in wounds that the servant didn't even mind to have. Seeing the servant is coming closer to the thief, Saint George went to the front and block the servant on his track. He then tried to push the servant away by charging in with his body.
"I'm not going to let you!" He cried out and pushed through as hard as he can. The feet of the skull mask servant begun to slide on the ground, gritting his teeth, he pushed through even harder. Then he felt a hand grab the top of his head, his momentum suddenly stops when he got thrown away on the side, tumbling many times before hitting a tree.
After throwing the saint away, the old man of the mountain continues to his target. The horse that carrying the thief saw the personified death coming closer and went into a panic, dropping the motionless body that it carrying and run away on the area. "Thou offer thy head." He said and about to stabbed the broadsword on the laying thief's neck. But got interrupted when he felt a sword stab behind him, the sword then pulled out before stabbing it again, again, and again on the same spot making the wound even deeper.
This kind of wound won't put him down, it needs more than that for him to actually feel pain. Turning around, he saw the male saint who just pulled the sword behind him. "Saint George…Thou asks you to stop, thou doesn't want to kill you." He asks the saint, but the answer he gets is a sword thrust through his stomach.
He felt the holy sword getting pulled inside his body, but before it got pulled out, the old man of the mountain get a hold on the saint's sword, then he sent the rider flying by a spartan kicking him on the chest. After that, he pulled the Ascalon and planted in on the ground.
Shifting his attention on the thief and about to decapitate him, but to his surprise, the male saint gets back to his feet and stops him once again. "Thy saint is persistent." He said before planting forcefully his knee on the rider making him gasp for air. The old man of the mountain then grab saint George head to throw him away, but the saint holds his arm and didn't let go, even if he swung his hand strongly, the man keep his iron grip.
Because of that, he slammed him to the ground, pounding him many times until blood came out of his mouth. He felt his grip become weaker, however, the saint didn't let go of his hand. "You can't…I'm not…" The old man of the mountain heard him uttering weakly. He doesn't want to kill or hurt him this much, he respects the man for his devotion to the lord, even the will his showing to him right now, it earned every bit of respect.
Yet, he has a task to fulfill. Not wanting to kill the saint, he decided to put him to sleep. Lifting him, he then slammed him to the ground. The impact should knock him out from consciousness, he felt the hand holding him finally let go, the mild restraint is gone. Returning to fulfill his task, his attention is once again on the lying thief.
Picking the thief body on the ground with his hand on its head. He stared at it for the first time, the old man of the mountain didn't expect that many people are willing to protect this thief. Regardless, he finally got his hand on him. All that left to do is to bring death to him. "Thou has been gifted with people around you, yet thou is a threat to this world." He said before pointing the broadsword on the thief's neck.
"Listen…The evening bell tolled thy name…" His azure-colored eyes begun to light up. "The feathers foreshadow your death and behead-" He then thrust the broadsword."Azrael…!" The bell began to ring which symbolizes death has fallen upon.
"At least…give him a chance too…defend himself…"
He heard from the saint before he fell to the ground. Saint George's body begun to illuminate in bright light, his body slowly begun to fade as the light shine even more, before leaving and disappearing on Seraph and returned to the Moon Cell and rest in the throne of heroes. "Saint George…" murmured the old man of the mountain in disbelief. The saint sacrifice his life just to save this thief,
"Thy saint…why did you do it?" He said before looking at the man he'd sacrifice his life for. "Sacrificing thy life for him, why did you do it?" His mind is swirling with questions, this thief is a threat in Seraph, yet someone took the blow for his stead, not an ordinary person, but a sane saint. "Hmm!?" He let out of surprise when a crimson spear was thrown at him.
"What the?" The old man of the mountain felt his body cease to move and drop his broadsword and the thief's body. But before the body fell on the ground, a woman with long purple hair catch it. "You?!" He was surprised and in disbelief on seeing this person here.
"Open the curtains to the strange land," Scáthach announce as a humongous alarming-looking door appeared from the sky behind her. The door then opened releasing a powerful gale of cold wind, revealing a mountainous valley behind the door. "Gate of Skye…!"
The old man of the mountain felt something pulling him toward the gate. A force that made him hold onto the broadsword that he immediately stabbed on the ground. Not only that, it felt like he's facing a powerful blizzard that drawing him closer to it. Feeling his body slowly lifting up, he digs the broadsword deeper and strongly keeps his footing together. He holds through until the vacuum of air that pulling him in suddenly stop. When he looked up, the gate is gone.
"Where did thy go?" The old man of the mountain asks after recovering from what happened. He looks around him and saw no one, that woman is gone but also the thief is nowhere to be seen. The only thing left is the Ascalon planted to the ground. "Thy took the thief to that land." He looks to the sky where he last saw that gate. "Thou still need to fulfill thy tasks but…" The assassin then looks at the Ascalon and remembered its owner's voice. "At least…give him a chance too…defend himself…"
"Thy hand took the life of a martyr saint." He said before planting his broadsword beside the saint's sword. "Thy should repent for what thy did." He then felt warnings coming from the Moon Cell inside his head. "Thou shall grant thy saint last words. Thou will wait until thy thief you sacrifice for returns." Ignoring the warnings that the Moon Cell is saying, he lets the azure flame on his eyes extinguish as he stands strongly on the spot like a lifeless statue.
He will wait here, until the day that forsaken door opened again, until that day the thief can protect himself against him. He'll wait, no matter how long it will take, no matter the weather or the circumstances, no matter the words that the Moon Cell sending on his mind that starting to hurt him mentally, he will wait. An assassin like him should never make such a mistake, this is the only way for him to repent for killing an innocent.
A land surrounded with a valley of mountains, a barren wasteland, sounds of howling can be heard alongside the chilling wind that touches one's body. The dark clouds above making it hard to tell if the day still in or the night has already fallen. One could not imagine living in this land, yet there is a woman with a beautiful long hair murmuring to herself somewhere in this strange land valley.
"Listen to my voice and heed my words, o' fallen one."
"I offer thy life to you, a life that posses both evil and good."
"Let it be the strength that will open your eyes, o' trickster of the heart."
"I offer thy blood to you, know that it possesses curses and blessing."
"Let it be your power to stand against ruins, o' trickster of the heart."
"I offer thy soul to you, know that it is our vow for now on."
"Rise up, o' trickster of the heart, show the rebellion that set hearts toward freedom. Become my sword and shield, I'm calling you, head my words, Joker!"
Author Notes: Welcome to chapter 21! a bit shorter than the previous chapters (feeling sick today, but needed to update since my following days are going to be busy, sorry if it was rushed T_T) well I kinda just want to end it there. To be honest, I wanted to continue it and show a bit more, but! I don't want to kill the excitement and all other stuff so yeah.
As much as I want to keep Karl the main villain, I don't know much about him besides the materials I gather in the fate wiki page and just do some altering to it and viola I ended up with that thing. Hopefully, it made sense, at least a little. Sorry, I don't think I can keep making Karl a villain the story about it. Hopefully, the one I'm trying to create is a good replacement.
Anyway, we also see the villain that set Merlin on his task, the one with the army of Gods and Goddesses on his side. I've dropped a lot of hints about who it was, I'm still trying to hide who it was, but I'm not going to be surprised if you all figure it out already. Regardless if you know who it was, I wish it made you more interested and excited about what about to happen!
Sadly one character died…Well, this is still using fate material that thing is bound to happen…Oh, but I'm going to use him as a medium for some surprises later on. The alters are also slowing creeping their way out to make an appearance. We're probably moving to Okeanos soon, I'm still thinking about how to handle that part.
Let see in the next chapter! By the way, did you all saw that Joker(?) in the P5S trailer 2? that smirk on his face gives me goosebump! Anyway, that is all, for now, leave a review, follow and favorite if you've liked the story and peace! Bye-bye!