Very short and to the point I'm afraid. I wanted to get this out as soon as I could to make up for the delay. I will attempt to get better at my posting schedule it's just my life is quite hectic at the moment! With all of that said and done, here is the prologue for Okeanos!

Okeanos: Prologue

Cira woke with a start. The dream she'd been in the middle of finally relinquished it's hold on her…it's last remnants fading away like mist in the dawn. Or rather…lack of it as Cira noticed as she turned to face the alarm clock at her bedside.

"Ughhhh what is it with me waking up at 5 in the morning?!" she groaned, flopping back over and drawing the pillow back over her head.

This was the sixth day in a row she'd woken up at five over dreams she had no idea what she had dreamed about. She remembered the white sterile walls. Remembered a kindly voice asking her questions about her wellbeing…

And remembered another voice asking if she'd rather be free of all of this, asking why she stayed.

"Why do you stay and endure all this? Just say the word and I will get us out of here."

He sounded…Cira couldn't place it. It was as if he was annoyed with the situation and yet worried over her safety. Almost brotherly in a sense.

She closed her eyes again, hoping to give herself a little bit more of a chance to sleep. However, Fate seemed to have another idea as she suddenly felt a small yet compact little body collide with her midsection, sending her wheezing into a curled up position.

"Fou! Fou-fo-fou!" Fou chirruped, jumping off her midsection and onto the bed, cocking his head to the side as he wagged his tail.

"Yoooou little cretin," Cira growled halfheartedly as she swatted at him, "I was enjoying my nice warm bed!"

"Foooo…" Fou whined, lowering himself to the bed and gently pawing at her apologetically.

"...I can't stay mad at you," she smiled as she rubbed his ears and got him to purr a little bit before gnawing gently on her fingers.

The door opened and Mash barreled inside, skidding to a stop with wide eyes as she grabbed the little animal.

"You know we don't bite! It's rude!" she scolded, "You're supposed to gently wake her up!"

"I've been up," Cira stated, sitting up, "He just happened to prevent me going back to sleep."

"You went from REM sleep to being up in an instant," Mash blinked, "That's either impressive or unhealthy…maybe both,"

"We don't tell the doctor, 'kay?" Cira yawned as she swung her legs over the side of her bed, "That being said…I don't see breakfast so that means you coming in here was something y'know, related to the mission,"

"We found the next one," Mash nodded, petting Fou and getting him to purr happily, "Doctor Roman said to come and get you,"

"Well I'm not going to the control room in my pajamas, that's for sure," Cira said, giving Mash a very pointed look.

Mash's face went red as she jumped up like she was stung.

"R-Right! I'm so sorry, Cira!" she sputtered, "I'll let you get dressed! I…well…um…"

"I'll be out in five minutes, just go," Cira chuckled as Mash hurried towards the door.

"And no falling back asleep!" Mash warned as she opened the door and ducked out.

"Drat…there goes that idea," Cira sighed.

"Good morning everyone!" Romani smiled as Cira stretched, yawning, "I take it we had a good sleep then?"

"Not exactly," Cira shrugged, "You?"

"None at all," he returned, "Too busy,"

"Don't work yourself to death, Doctor," Cira frowned, "If I'm not allowed to, you aren't either,"

"Fair point, fair point," Romani raised his hands placatively, "So, to recap…we defeated Lev Lainur and retrieved the second Grail, which is all well and good…but that leaves us with more questions."

He started ticking them off on his fingers.

"What was that pillar of flesh and who was that claiming to be one of the 72 demon gods," he stated, "Unfortunately, we don't have the time or the resources to properly delve into that."

"Weren't the 72 demon gods under…" Mash started.

"Familiars under a certain ancient king, yes," Romani nodded.

"Annnd that one would be?" Cira questioned.

"Oh just the greatest king in the mage world," came DaVinci's voice as she sauntered in with a cup of coffee, "The Israeli king, Solomon,"

"Ok, I know my Biblical stuff, but that one is new to me," Cira frowned, "You're saying that David's son, the King who asked God for wisdom above anything else, made a pact with 72 demons?"

"I suppose that's not really something you learn in Sunday School, huh?" Romani chuckled, "But yes, that King Solomon is the one,"

"But why would those familiars be active still?" Cira questioned, "I thought familiars draw mana from the summoner? Like how all these yahoos are drawing mana from me and from Chaldea just to stay here."

"To be fair, Chaldea's taking the brunt of the summon needs," Romani stated, "You're still taking a good chunk of it, but thankfully the Grails you've gathered are helping with that. If you'd be taking the full brunt of it you'd be dead I don't know how many times over,"

"Gee, thanks, Doc," Cira deadpanned.

"Yeah you didn't get enough sleep, your snark's slipping through again," Romani sighed, "I'm going to have to start prescribing you sleeping pills aren't I?"

"Don't work," Cira stated, "I've tried. Legit everything and I can't stay asleep. If it's not the nightmares it's my own worries and if it's not my own worries it's the nightmares and dreams I get from their feedback."

"In any case," Romani continued, leveling a look at DaVinci, "Don't spread rumors. This is all speculation. We don't know for sure what that was and the 72 demon gods are nothing but a fantasy. They don't exist and there's no such thing as a 'demon god'."

"To be fair until just recently King Arthur was a myth," Cira pointed out, "And she's currently in the cafeteria with her younger self and freaking Cu Chulainn."

"You know what I mean!" Romani groaned, exasperated.

"Well, people nowadays speculate that those 'gods' were broken down into 72 familiars to do specific jobs. But since they're so defined people are assuming that they were the origin of 'angels'," DaVinci countered, "And since he decided to claim he was one…it's not too far fetched now is it? If you can't accept that whole theory…then why not think about Lev or whoever he was working for actually summoned said King?"

"Ok, point there," Romani sighed, "But I still find the idea of 72 demon gods ridiculous."

"Why?" DaVinci scoffed, "Cira fought one,"

"I kept in the back so I didn't get poisoned," Cira corrected, "Cu, Mash, Artoria and Lily fought the thing."

"You know what I mean!" DaVinci huffed.

"Yeah but that's also the point," Romani continued, "The data I got from that? It corresponds to what I'd expect from a 'demon'...but it follows the legend a little too well. Since the concept of 'demon' came way after the death of that King. If he really did become a Heroic Spirit, his noble phantasm would be something simpler…and smarter."

Cira and Mash both gave a short laugh at the unintended, but still funny, burn.

"It'd be very weird to have such an ominous 'demon', one that modern day people would consider it being, serve under him."

"...I'll give you that," DaVinci admitted, "It's equally high that he's just taken the name. If we could just ask Servants that have connections to them about them…it'd make our lives infinitely easier,"

"Which is why I'm asking you to keep it on the downlow for a bit," Romani pleaded, "I don't know what this is and I don't want it going into the records just yet until we are sure."

He cleared his throat.

"In any case…back on the original topic," he continued, "The third Holy Grail,"

"Yeah Mash said you found it?" Cira asked.

"Well, where it's supposed to be," Romani admitted, "Cira you're gonna hate me for this…"

Cira's eyes narrowed as she tilted her head to the side ever so slightly.

"Why?" her tone was wary as her eyes narrowed.

"...You uh…didn't get seasick in Rome…did you?"

Cira's face went blank as she stared at him.

"What part," she began, "Of 'I never want to set foot on a boat ever again' did you not understand, Doctor."

"Oh I understood," Romani chuckled, "But I don't think you really have a choice here. You'll get over it,"

"Are you sticking me on a damn boat again!?" Cira demanded.

"Well, the year is 1573…aaaaaand there's nothing but ocean as far as the eye can see," Romani finished.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?" Cira screeched, Romani ignored her.

"Ocean?!" Mash blinked.

"Yeah the geography is constantly shifting with the Singularity," Romani said, "It doesn't look like there is an area that is specifically marked 'here'. There's just a bunch of islands floating around. So uh…"

He bit his lip to keep from laughing.

"Might wanna pack your swim gear."

"DaVinci can I strangle him?" Cira growled.

"As much as I'd love to say yes, I can't, sorry!" DaVinci laughed, "You'd regret it,"

"I hate how smug and happy he is on this," Cira hissed.

"I do have something that might help you out," DaVinci smiled, reaching behind the desk and…

Pulled out a large yellow innertube ring with a duck's head on it.

"Here's a rubber floaty. It'll help!" she howled.

"I hate you all," Cira cried as she stormed off to get ready for the Rayshift.

Third Singularity

Humanity Foundation Value: A

AD 1573 Sealed Ends of the Four Seas: Okeanos

Voyager of the Storm

Master: Cira Albion

Servants:

Servant: Shielder- Mash Kyrielight

Servant: Saber-Artoria Pendragon

Servant: Lancer/Caster-Cu Chulainn

Servant: Saber- Saber Lily