(Three and a half years ago)
Part of him was wondering why he hadn't said a thing as she desperately tore his apartment apart but the rest of him was just amused as she looked close to tearing out her hair while she looked for something even remotely valuable. That and he was currently tied to the only chair he had.
"Stupid- Fuck!"
The young woman (couldn't have been more than four years older than him) turned to him with a pleading look.
"For the love of god just tell me where your valuables are!" She looked like she was going to cry. He really wanted to laugh.
"Don't got any"
He really didn't. He'd never been the most materially driven, it wasn't exactly something he noticed until he met Goredolf.
'Never knew there were that many types of fabrics…'
"Why not….!"
The girl dramatically wailed and plopped her head down on his knees. This wasn't exactly what he was expecting when he moved to the states, but this was too amusing to complain about.
"I've been here for about a month lady; I've mostly been focused on how I'm going to live rather than what crepes that I'll stuff in my vaults" His voice turning caustically sarcastic towards the end, her face lifted up in shock.
"You mean I've been robbing a Pauper!?"
"Unsuccessfully but yes"
Her head rolled off his knees and she eccentrically collapsed on the ground her limbs splayed all about. He looked down with a smirk and hummed.
"Do you want a baguette frenchie?"
"One, That's racist. Two, you don't have any"
The pixie cut-haired woman glared at him from the corner of her eye, the slight lilt of her accent making her pout all the more noticeable.
"I know"
She sat up with a flat glower
"You know it's a time-honored tradition for the robee to be intimidated by the robber"
"Eh that tends to work better when the robber is intimidating or less childish, or hiding her face, or-"
She flailed her arms about cutting him off.
"I get it! I get it!"
This time he did laugh.
"Big ol meanie"
Amused Muddy eyes stared back into curious amber. For a second tension built up but it was anticlimactically let loose.
"Could you let me go? I got some work in the morning"
"Hmph, I thought you were going to say something touching"
"Eh wrong house for that, surly apathy is all we give here"
She chuckled at him, good humor entering her eyes.
"Promise not to call the cops?"
"And report what? The most incompetent attempt at a robbery I have ever seen?"
She grumbled but still moved to untie him. He probably should have cared more about the entire situation but simply couldn't bring himself to because frankly this was a welcome change, it was lonely here and despite everything he still wanted contact with somebody.
"You didn't have to put it like that…"
He simply shrugged at her and got up.
"I'm off to bed, if you insist on still searching for my non-existent wealth, I'll have to ask you to be quiet"
"And if I decide to stay for the night?"
He turned to her with that same bemused look he gave while tied up and completely at her mercy, the same look he gave Nemo and Goredolf.
"Then the bathroom is on the left, got an extra blanket in the closet you tore apart, make yourself a bed put out of the couch. Have a nice night"
She laughed as he closed the door.
'That felt nice…'
He flopped onto the bed and started to drift off when he realized that he didn't even know her name.
'Eh I'll ask tomorrow, now then to hell'
And that was the beginning of his strange friendship with Mari Mandeval.
And now she was dead along with everyone else. Four padded walls surrounding her grave.
(Linebreak)
Harker happily dug into the mangoes in front of him. A bit piggish to be sure but hey, he earned it. This past week he and the servants had been running all over the mountainside fighting monsters and gathering the materials they dropped. It was useful beyond the obvious need to reconstruct and resupply since despite the crash course that was Fuyuki it had been years since he really fought against anything magical, so it served as a pretty good refresher and helped him refine the better parts of servant command (so far as he could tell)
Still, he had some things he needed to work on, with Sylph's residue gone all he really had to rely on in terms of spell power was the imprint left by Ondine which he wasn't too keen on using.
'Still don't get how I got a water elemental…'
He turned to the woman who just sat down in front of him.
"It's a pretty big cafeteria Arcturus if you want a spot to yourself there's plenty of places where I'm not"
Despite the arrival of the servants the humans of Chaldea still had a lot of work that necessitated their presence so no one else was in the cafeteria especially since Archer was off cooking duty. (Apparently, some of the staff have forsworn any other food made by any other cook, Harker found he really couldn't judge them for that)
The woman simply raised her brow in contempt but stayed where she was. He sighed and went back to his mangoes, out of all the servants Artoria (or Arcturus as she preferred to be called) was the one he still couldn't get a read on. Archer was a grumpy compassionate cynic, Cu was a battle nut, Medusa was a quiet beauty who mostly just wanted to be left alone, and he was pretty sure that Ahriman is a psychopath or at least faking it. But Arcturus stayed away from everyone only showing her face during the clearing missions or oddly enough in one of her thieving runs as Mnemosyne had reported her stealing some jars of honey; not that he was going to bring that up because he still found her terrifying and now that she was on his side he'd rather not drive her into an onerous rage
"Why are you here, Saber?" Her eyes narrowed into his own and he could almost feel something grasp his heart.
"I wish to take my measure of the man who would lead this Grand Order against extinction"
"This past week hasn't given you at least some image?"
"It has given me the image of a spiteful and lazy boy, if resilient and adaptable" He paused looking her straight in the eyes before shrugging
"… Can't exactly argue with that" This did spark some emotion, a slightly amused roll of the eyes.
"I don't plan on running if that's what you're wondering, not that I even could if I tried" he mumbled that last part absentmindedly. She huffed her tone filled with doubt and Derision.
"I suppose we shall see" he looked up with a sharp glare
"I think I proved my chops with the stupid amount of suicidal bullshit I pulled off during the last singularity"
"I was not present for that event" His face hardened, and muddy eyes seemed to still.
"It doesn't matter that you didn't see it, Arcturus, it happened. I mouthed off to an evil god, I took swings at servants and fought a horde of mud demons. I proved my ability to face horror and pain so you can take your doubts and shove them" Harker cringed in his mind.
'Don't antagonize the death knight you said, need to remain cordial you said…'
And then she smiled, it wasn't the soft smile her counterpart shared as she laid impaled upon his blade but an arrogant and somewhat approving smirk that crawled up her face.
"You have a spine… Good it wouldn't do for the leader of this crusade to kowtow to his subordinates every whim in hopes of keeping them happy. One must put learn to put a foot down and not let any doubt show" Harker absentmindedly nodded, wasn't the first time he heard that, his father had been oddly interested in him taking up his place for reasons he didn't understand. He surmised that they have gotten along quite well. There were differences of course, never had he ever felt like his father was going to kill him, and his father also understood the- well not warped but different perspective of youth taking time to explain and help when it was needed. It had always been strange to see his decisive and all business father take time to… empathize with him even if he didn't really know how to show it
Arcturus was not like that; you were worth her time, or you weren't. That was it or at least that was all he was able to see from her so far.
"But don't grow lax just yet, right?" She gave a slight nod
"Indeed Master" He left her there after finishing his meal, there wasn't really anything else to say and despite this new insight they weren't close enough for him to just start asking questions.
'Where to now?'
A synthesized voice broke through the silence
"Aldain"
"Mnemosyne" The AI had taken to being a messenger upon her reactivation, her connection to the entirety of the facility making her well suited to this task even if she rarely spoke to anyone other than him, especially not Da Vinci.
"It's time"
"Whooped ti do"
'Here's to hoping that I don't get lost this time
(Linebreak)
"He's on his way Director"
She still found herself jumping slightly when a voice came from the dark- her missing eye; she didn't like acknowledging it too much but what could do whenever someone came from her blind spot, she still felt in danger like a beast would lunge from that ever-present shadow.
"Thank you, Mnemosyne,"
She tried to move her leg for a moment before sighing and pushing her wheelchair forward. Roman was busy at the console and more workers were flitting into the room.
"Roman, do you have the preliminary report ready?" He turned to her with a nod. It was weird seeing him so serious considering his usual foppish behavior. She preferred it if she were being honest, his antics were the cause of many sleepless nights before- all this.
"Got it done last night, I also took the liberty of priority ordering some survival gear for Aldain" She raised her brow.
"That bad?" He grunted with a nod
"Looks like a volcanic winter over there" The foot opened and in stepped Harker wearing the full uniform.
"So, yet more ashes, wonderful" She rolled her eye at him and dismissively waved away his concern.
"You'll have experience then, stop whining" He snickered and took the packet from Roman. He looked… fine, like this was natural for him, something about that bothered her.
"As you can see, you'll be entering France during the 100 years' war, do you need me to tell you about it or…" he shook his head and closed the packet and tossed it to the side where one of the workers (Was her name Sulia, Sylphie, or something else? By her blind eye she couldn't remember most of their names) caught it with an offended squeal
"Nah I know about it, a bit more than a century long conflict between England and France that ended with a new paradigm for warfare and the rapid decline of chivalry. Also, Joan of Arc" Roman gave him a playful look.
"Jeanne D'arc, Joan is the English way of referring to her, you'd be likely to offend if you call her Joan" He huffed in amusement and turned to lean on the railing overlooking what remained of the command room.
"Fine, fine. Anyways, does this thing come with a built-in translator because I can only say a single phrase in French. Je mange la Paire" They both paused and stared at him.
'Oddly specific'
"You eat the pear?"
"Yep" She sighed and rested back in her wheelchair refusing to look at him. Roman coughed into his hand and spoke.
"Well, the current code you're wearing can't do that, but the new one Mash is getting can" He nodded his thanks.
"Right then, any ideas on why the French skies are covered in ash?" They both shook their heads
"No, our sensors can't see too deeply in the singularity without someone to anchor us there" Harker grumbled but there wasn't anything to be done about it.
The doors opened once more and in entered Mash. She had changed this past week and Marie couldn't say it was for the better, she seemed listless and angry. Resentful of her very existence from the way she looked at her own hands.
"What have you got for me Bones" And Harker was not making things better in fact he was actively making things worse with the way he would needle her incessantly. Slowly but surely that anger was becoming less and less hidden, he had to have known, he had to, he just didn't seem to care; was it out of spite? A lot of him seemed to be… She took over for the poor girl in hopes of prevent her from trying to hit him and Harker hitting her back. Multiple times this week they had failed in that goal already.
"Due to your blade the code is less focused on protecting your servants and more on keeping yourself alive in the thick of things" She pointedly ignored his grin; it had been a point of contention of whether he'd get involved. Roman and herself were firmly against it but he had been oddly insistent considering his lack of real passion for combat, the argument went on for some time before Da Vinci made a rather good point; whatever Lev- Professor Lanuir was, that blade of his was surprisingly effective and it would be needed.
That part had been said in slight reluctance due to the fact that unless Harker was holding it none of them could really touch it, it had no substance in physicality without him and its prana was extremely strange to say the least. Da Vinci had damn near started bawling when she couldn't crack the inner workings of the blade or at least figure out it's general existence
"Planning on blending in then" he had noticed the design and evidently approved. Boots, pants, shirt and shawl were all very typical for a peasant of that period. Only real sign that it was something more was the symbol of Chaldea on the shawl.
"Well let's get this done" They all looked at him confused by what he meant.
"What are yo- HOLY!" He started stripping down to his underwear with any shame or hesitance, much to their shock (She purposefully ignored that very small voice at the back of her skull with all her will). He rolled his eyes at Mash's scolding instead just choosing to put on the new code, but Marie wasn't too focused on that instead letting her eyes drawn to the number of scars all across his body. She had noticed some of the smaller ones on his face before the singularity but after that… claw marks, teeth marks, slashes, punctures, his entire belly seemed to be nothing but scar and muscle, what in hell… Then he covered it up without much care or word, this wasn't some attempt to impress them it was that it was quicker to just dress in front of them. His body was covered in scars, and he just didn't care, that was a lot more disturbing than trying to seem appealing.
'What was his life before all this?'
"Nothing scratching or too tight" he looked up still ignoring Mash's outraged comments "send my regards to Da Vinci"
"Eh, sure" Roman scratched his jaw awkwardly and silence reigned. Marie cleared her throat.
"Have you ordered the servants to the gate?" Harker nodded.
"I left Archer in charge, he's directing the others now- and just left Arcturus to hold the middle" Well that was the security taken care off, they should be fine to start
"Then it's time we begin, now then if you'd enter your- cof-fin" Marie sighed and looked down.
'Well, that explains why Lev- the traitor coined the name coffin'
Harker was looking at it with obvious trepidation, trepidation that was beyond the poor choice of name. He moved to get in. In spite of herself she grabbed his arm. He looked back at her, and she cursed inwardly, needing a question to cover up this instinct she went with the first thought to slip through.
"You're afraid" She wanted to slap herself, but he just nodded calmly and answered.
"Yes. I'm afraid, I'm very afraid" He breathed deep and with a surprising gentleness he smiled and softly pried his arm from her hand.
"Being afraid is just life, no shame in that, it's whether you keep going that decides a person's measure. (Sigh) Chances are pretty damn high that I won't live but honestly… who does?" He turned entering his coffin with sword in hand and his head held high. Mash soon followed into her own though far more mechanical in spirit.
'Who does…'
"Director it's time" Roman nudged her and she looked back into the command room, not everyone had gathered, not everyone could gather, there was so much to do across the mountain, It didn't matter, this would happen, nonetheless. This would be their official declaration of war, their call to arms and rallying cry all in one; it was not truly necessary but quite frankly they needed something to latch onto, something to galvanize them despite the knowledge of what had been done and all the implications that lie within.
But what could she say to them? They had all only tolerated her based on her family name and nothing else, there was no achievement or great deed to her name for them to respect, she had nothing, she was nothing…
A bloodied smile and broken limbs, it must have hurt, he must have felt helpless and hopeless, yet somehow, he stood up and kept walking. She still didn't know how he did this, what reason he had that made him push past agony but maybe she didn't need to, there's nowhere else to turn, nowhere to hide, if she pulls back, they all die so… push forward and keep walking. Go up that long flight towards that barest glimmer of hope. She looked down at her legs.
'Metaphorically'
She smiled a tiny bit and looked too the screens. Her eyes closed then opened in resolve.
"Mnemosyne, I want this broadcasted in every room" with a click a synthesized voice answered back.
"Broadcasting now" She cleared her throat and all throughout the facility people paused and looked up at the speakers.
'Keep walking'
"You have all heard the news. Humanity is dead, murdered before anyone knew what happened. We don't know why, we don't know who, we don't know how… It does not matter; this path is not set. This story is not done! This is not our fate! We are still here! We are still alive! We will crawl out of the ashes and roar our defiance to whatever demon, devil or god that is the source of this and we. Will. End. Them. I promise you here and now that what was done will be UNDONE! In the name of those who were living, in the name of those who did live, in the name of those who will live. I OLGA MARIE ANIMUSPHERE HEREBY DECLARE THIS GRAND ORDER TO BEGIN!"
A massive cheer shook this mountain beneath the starry skies and Marie smiled brief and true before duty settled in and she focused on what was to come.
Mnemosyne called out as the systems activated, checked and cleared.
"Energy be directed from shields, WARNING real space intrusion by numerous entities. All combat worthy Servants present at gate"
Marie stilled her heart and focused on the screen, already she could hear the distant sounds of battle
"Chaldeas focused on France AD 1431
Humanity Foundation Value: C+
Course set and locked"
Roman busied himself by munching on some chocolate, Marie resisted the urge to hit him, they dealt with stress in different ways
"Unsummon program Start
Spirton conversion start.
All Procedure's clear
Rayshift beginning in 3…
2…
1…"
She could hear him breath deep and then he was gone.
"Commencing Operation"
And all there was to do was wait and hope
(Linebreak)
Gilles growled and pushed the madman back with his blade, these past few weeks had been hellish, first Jeanne had… then her resurrection as some twisted demon and now everything had fallen in a wave of fire and bone and if that hadn't been enough there was now these- things, monsters that apes the shape of man yet were nightmarishly strong and fast. How many warriors had fallen before them, how many noble and true people who fought for king and country had died by their hands, why was he of all people still alive?
Well at least it like he'd soon be joining them.
"Keep fighting!"
Gilles smashed the spartoi's head through a wall and with his sword jumped down into the chaos below, flag in hand. Orleans had been holding against the madness but in the face of the undead, dragons and demons it was only a matter of time before they broke past the gates.
Yet still they fought, still they hung on, against all odds and against all hope. So, there he was still swinging his sword doing his best to ignore the little voice of doubt growing in his skull. He was drawn out of his thoughts when a haunting musical voice filled the air and suddenly a set of claws ripped through his pauldron tearing it off. The melody is still playing all the while.
"The Phantom is here…" A man with a cracked mask reminiscent of a bloody harlequin, a demon leading a procession of devils into the civilized world, its only name, the Phantom. Rumors of its torments had spread across France and now it had danced to their doorstep.
"Lord help us" Gilles ducked under a molten looking skeleton, it was different from most of the other skeletons bearing a hoplite shield and spear. Stronger as well but Gilles has garnered more than enough experience to deal with them and a demon needed his attention
"Face me Monster!" He needed to face it, that was his duty as their leader, their protector, their brother. And maybe…
'Use us you know you can't beat him without us…'
Maybe it would bring the voices to an end. Growling his blade swung out against the claws, guiding them away from his neck, the strength behind them pushed him back, nonetheless.
The phantom giggled madly swung rapidly and without any hesitance or forethought, Gilles riposted and struck through half his neck, but he simply howled with laughter and tossed him into the air leaping after him and kicking him into the groundbreaking his sword arm. Gilles gritted his teeth and gripped his sword in the other hand and charged.
"Christine oh Christine…"
"Shut up, demon!" The tuxedo suited Devil spun through the air, his claws digging into Reis's side. With a roar Gilles landed a good strike against its chest but all they did was make the Phantom laugh with a cruel madness and kick him into a wall. Gilles coughed up blood and could do nothing but watch his death approach.
"Heaven guard my soul" His breathless whisper could not be heard but by one and it did nothing but laugh.
"Oh, dear knight it's time for the show to come to a close…" Then the Devil was consumed in a fire that caused his musical voice to scream in abject agony. He stared at the flames, it was not the raging fires of dragons, or the cursed flame of evil that Jeanne had wrought, no it felt holy, radiant. The very sight of it filled his body with strength and chased away the shadows in his mind.
The tip of a familiar flag smashed in the Phantom's head putting an end to his suffering. That same heaven-sent flame now filled the courtyard burning away the unholy creatures. That flame seemed to reinvigorate the walls and fill them with an inner light.
"It still remembers who it was rebuilt by… he would be proud, I think?" He knew that short cut black hair, those glittering blue eyes, that sun beaten skin reminiscent of someone who spent their entire life in the fields. It couldn't be her; she was dead and returned a demon hell not this... Idyllic image of the past...
"What are you still doing on the floor, Bricon?" The wide smile spewing crude words, how she was at once both a crude farmer's daughter and a heaven blessed saint had mystified so many. This was-
"Jeanne" His voice was weak, and he couldn't help but stare. She rolled her eyes and picked him off the floor.
"How?"
"You really thought my spirit could rest easy while some Puterelle stole my name and used it to burn this country down?" He smiled with her and looked at the other soldiers looking at them with a shocked awe, he had done his best to keep those who had fought at her side together and now that was being rewarded as they started to cheer at the sight of her. She rolled her eyes and walked to the castle walls planting the flag upon its walls
"At Orlean's once more, while the country is lit aflame… what a load of bull-" Gilles gave a scandalized shout
"Jeanne!" She lifted her hands in surrender much to the laughter of the soldiers, somehow all the stress and horror had faded away with her arrival, just how it always did…
"Well, my brothers, we lie at the edge of defeat once again! Dragons roam through the skies and corpses walk the land! Our people hide in burrows cowering in fear! Shall we leave them to die in terror? Shall we abandon this land in cowardice and meaningless self-preservation?" The crowd responded to her rallying cry with raucous shouts, these men who looked like they were a few days away from shattering completely and utterly now seemed as if they'd walk past the gates of death with a smile on their faces and resolution in their hearts. He understood, he was the same way for with them stood a saint that was not some ponce who had never experienced any of the sins they had "risen" above, no this was a person from the muck and grime and refused to let go of those beautiful ideals, a person had bled and laughed beside them, this- this was someone they would follow to the ends of the earth.
"Nay! We reject this fate! We reject this hell! We shall not allow this country we've fought so hard for to fall into ruin so easily! Let us begin our war of hope! Let us begin our war of legends! Let us declare this the War of the Burning Sky!" Gilles smiled as the men cheered. Hope had returned in the form of this singular girl yet somewhere in the echoes at the back of his skull scratching to make their existence known their lie a singular thought
'Will it be enough?'
War of the Burning Sky:France
Resistance of the Saint
So yeah, Jeanne (Ruler) will not be making an appearance in this story, sorry to those who like her but frankly I just find her an incredibly boring character who's entire shtick is that she's the pure and noble saint who's only real flaw is that she doubts herself sometimes despite oozing goodness and virtue. I mean yeah she is a literal saint but they gave both Amakusa(Who is also not appearing in this series) and Martha character beyond just SAINT which only highlight's how hollow her character is. Even her kit is boring in FGO because instead of it being themed after her legend it's pretty much just Ruler the servant. Woo, glad to get that off my chest. A bit of a warning some characters will be removed or altered to fit the singularities or my own preconceptions of those characters, I'll try to make sure they are in line with Nasu's canon but I can't promise that.
Interesting note Orleans was rebuilt and named for Aurelian
Then there is this, inspired by the Amazing Roboutian Heresy and the puzzle box of Yogg-saron I made this to give hints about what is to come, I'll add them in as they come into my skull. The box itself is noncanon to this story
The Throne lexicon:A strange invention by Atlas this thing sees all of the past and present at once developing a warped sentience of its own that speaks in riddles and hungers for souls. Donated to Chaldea and locked in its vaults It has been used sparingly throughout the years, now in this time of crisis efforts have been made to gain any clue of what was done to this world and possibly what is to come
-They tell of four, they see three but only one is known. Where are the other riders galloping through the stars?
-They were removed at great cost, but the nightmare wants back in. It. Wants. In.
-They were never real so they were never here, yet they were here, so they were always real
-The worm king seeds his spawn across all of time
-The dragons corpse hangs beneath the dark tower
-First hero… where was he when humanity fought against the beyond with sticks and stones?
-The sultan sleeps uneasily, what does it see that disturbs its slumber?
-A curse lies at the heart of Rome, who was it that planted that seed of paranoia and fear?
-A lock lies at the heart of eternity shaped in the form of a serpent; what fool would open it?
-Even glory dies eventually…
-A mortal told only where to look struck down a god, do you think she would simply let him fade away?
-They seek it unerringly without knowing the madness that now lays within
-To kill the beast, he invited them back in creaking the door open, soon it will be time
-He is not the first to meddle with time, it's halls are littered with arrogant fools, why has he succeeded where all others failed?
-He should have been nothing, would have been nothing, just another human that lived and died without ever affecting the world. It would have been a kinder end if he had chosen the path of selfish comfort
-The Lumbering Colossus, he was the very first attempt to create that which would be ultimate, the first king under the mountain
-They could not see past the light; all they could feel was the terror it brought so they interpreted it as too horrible for their eyes to comprehend
Jeanne D'Arc
Class: Rider
Alternative: Ruler
True Name: Jeanne D'Arc
Alignment: Lawful Good
Source: Historical Fact, Hundred Year war
Parameters
Strength-C+
Endurance-A
Agility-C-
Mana-A-
Luck-C
NP: EX
Passive Skills
Riding-B+
Magic Resistance-A+
Active Skills
Savior's Triumphant Arrival-A+
With Jeanne came victory and hope for the French where before it was simply one humiliating defeat after another. The sight of her banner galvanized the soldiers on the battlefield to greater deeds and her very presence was like the dawn after a long and brutal night. Bask in her faith masters, they will shine ever onwards into the blackest of nights
Divine Advice-C-
Jeanne D'arc was never taught the ways of the tactician but time and time again her advice brought victory for her troops. This wasn't because of natural talent but instead she was in a mouth price from the heavens. As a servant it works similarly to tactians advice but it can only be used so many times a day.
Martyr's Soul-B+
She knew. All along she knew exactly how her life would end. In flames. God had told her what would become of her upon her duty's end, but she hadn't cared because in her heart it was never about her, it was never about glory, it was never about going to heaven or even being remembered. It was about doing what was right and if that meant burning alive then so be it. Let her burn. She fought for what she believed in, and nothing would ever be able to take that away from her.
This skill works similar to Iron will but instead of simply resisting effects and curses this skill gives her strength and bonuses to her endurance
Noble Phantasm
Geverah: The seraphim of Flame-EX
The flame of judgement, the face that turns away. That which burns away evil. But evil is subjective to judgement and must be chained appropriately because without such bonds like morality and sympathy it simply becomes strength for strength's sake. Without pity or judgement, it simply is the strength of monsters. That's why it cannot be unleashed lightly for even the best of intentions may lead to hell. She may be the only human that could ever truly harness such a power to its fullest extent, she who judged, and she who was judged both times without unleashing the flames of judgement for humanity did not deserve such wrath even as they burned through her country for a petty war, even as they condemned her to die a cruel death. As a servant the horse she rides is not a horse but her own pyre and flames she fights with are the ones that licked her flesh. In activating this phantasm, she takes the form of a burning Angel and taps into the power of this gargantuan force to lay judgement upon the wicked. THose around her that she deems worthy have their abilities increased
Personality
Despite being a saint Jeanne D'Arc (Or Joan of Arc (Reluctantly) if her Ruler form is present) is a fiery tomboy whose passion leads to whatever because she determines is righteous. While normally solid of judgement there has been one person that will piss her off without a doubt. Jeanne D'Arc (alter) or Jeanne D'Arc (Pretender). Their very presence will infuriate Jeanne seeing it at best as a betrayal of everything she stood for in life and at worst a "Bloody stinking hypocrite who was never even burned alive, how dare you pervert judgement for you own selfish desires you stupid pile of cowdung!" (Despite being a holy woman, it should be noted that Jeanne has a very colorful if limited vocabulary, she was after all raised in a barn)
Unlike her ruler self, which is more in line with holiness and God, Rider is very human. She is not afraid to punch someone in the face or berate them. That's not to say she is mean she simply knows when to draw a line.
If given a chance to wish on the grail she would probably want a nice meal or a chance to farm again. She was rather fond of farming. She is not the most complicated woman.
Relationships
Jeanne D'arc (Ruler): "Is this really how they saw us? Huh, I'm honestly not sure how I'm supposed to feel about that" She is uncomfortable around this Jeanne, there's nothing wrong with her. In fact, she's the very model of virtue but still Jeanne doesn't like how this view of saintliness washed away everything else she ever was. Better to not be remembered at all or cursed for eternity in her mind.
Jeanne D'Arc(Alter) or Jeanne D'Arc (Pretender): "!" A few destroyed halls later it was unanimously decided that should never be on the same side of the facility at one time
Gilles(Caster): "Gilles… I knew what would happen… Don't blame them" She is disappointed in him make no doubt, horrified even but still she hopes that he's not entirely gone, that there's still a chance for him to go back to the days where he was happy
Gilles(Saber): "How are you, old friend? Let's have an ale later yah?" She enjoys spending time with her old friend and companion, there is little complications in their friendship.
Craft Essence: A view of home
There was once a young girl who lived on a farm, sometimes in the moonlight she would talk with the ghostly images of saints. They would tell her of the war beyond her home, the people who were hurt and the places just like this that were burned to the ground. They told her of a choice, to live in peace only to see her country fall and the bloodshed continue or to take up a flag and die in agony with the bloodshed ended.
She was sad, one side would lead to the suffering of many, and no one would blame her for refusing but the other would save so many, and yet she would never see home again, this place that she loved.
In the end there was never a choice. How many people live her would die if she refused to call? how many homes would be burned and ruined if she did nothing? For all the places like this, for all the people like her.
For something she would never see again.
For this view of home.