Chapter 8
It was morning as the group discovered that they will need another saint to heal the cursed wound upon Siegfried, the Dragon Slayer. According to Romani, it was highly likely that there should be another Saint servant summoned in the area to counteract Martha's summoning. It was then decided that the gound team would split up into two groups. After drawing straws, Marie and Jeanne headed out while the remaining servants and masters went another way.
"...Sorry for being wounded like this, looks like I am going be stuck like this for a little longer…" Siegfried said as he holds his hand over his bandaged wound.
"Don't worry about it, we will get you back up in no time!" Gudao said giving a thumbs up while Ritsuka looks over to demon slayer of the group, who was sitting on a rock deep in thought.
"If you don't mind be asking, Master's, did that man come from Chaldea?" Siegfried asked curious about Doomguy.
"Not exactly, we were in a different singularity before this one and that's when he showed up. He and Vega have been with us ever since." Mashu answered.
"Again, I must apologize for the delay of information," Vega said hovering his drone body over to the conversation.
"No issue. Not every story needs to be told right away. I am sorry for pressing the matter." Siegfried said but Vega decided to give him the same lightweight information the Masters and Mashu knew.
Doomguy was deep in thought trying to tame the Berserker Madness within his head. As a man who walks the very pits of hell, one would say that this shouldn't be a problem. However, it looks like this was going to take time which he did not have as there's a world that needs saving right now...He was stronger for sure but also he has protected those kids at the same time. The Slayer looks down to his token of innocence lost, Daisy's Paw, it was helping him calm down just enough to not do something stupid and risk his Master's life.
"Fou?" The little creature yelped sitting right in front of the Slayer wagging his fluffy tail. The slayer pauses his attempt at mental training to give the little guy some attention as he puts away the paw back into his pack. He lowered his hand to Fou's level and the fluffy familiar climbs up onto his shoulder. Doomguy didn't show it but way deep inside his hell forged heart he was glad to have Fou around, reminds him of...Better days…
Ritsuka observed her servant playing with fou and smiled, she had partially understood his legend so made her happy seeing Doomguy bond with Fou. She did manage to catch a glimpse of what he was holding in his hand, a paw of some creature. Did it belong to that rabbit she saw in her dream nights ago?
'Maybe...that Rabbit was his pet once? Did the demon's he fought...Take her away from him?' Ristuka felt sorrow for the man as that pet was maybe the only family he had…
The Search For a Saint
Jeane and Marie were on their scouting mission for a possible location of the addition Saint. The Hero of Orleans expressed her concerns with the Dragon Witch being connected to her. Marie in her cheery mood listened to her partner's grief and gave some advice.
"Well, You can just say what you won't say it out loud. Say: 'your not me' or 'I don't know you'" Marie suggested that Jeanne should just speak her mind the next time they face her Alter.
"Marie. Well, you are right...just absolutely right. I certainly-Oh huh? You know...Maybe" Jeanne said putting on a serious look on her face. Marie then apologized if her words did not help make the Saint worry less, however, Jeanne thanked her and will tell the Dragon Witch what's on her mind. Both then decide to contact the others with the communication unit Mashu gave Jeanne before they spilt up. After a quick report and selection of a rendezvous point at the town of Thiers, they continue their friendly conversations to pass the time.
"...Marie, what do you think of Doomguy?" Jeanne asked out of the blue to her friend.
"Oh? He has proven to be a very strong a capable servant to Master Ritsuka. Is there something about him that is worrying you?" Marie asked
"Oh no, I am not worried...More concerned about him." Jeanne shook her head.
"How so?" Marie said skipping along the path.
"As you know, Most of my powers as a ruler has been drained from me so I can't instantly reveal a servants name," Jeanne said.
"But you're Alter can, correct?" Marie asked.
"Yes, and she used it during our first encounter. Right before Vlad was defeated she used it." Jeanne said recalling Jeanne Alter's outburst at said servant before he was obliterated.
"You're saying that she used True Name Revelation on Doomguy?" Marie said as she came to the conclusion and Jeanne nods.
"She tried to hide it, but whatever she saw...It deeply disturbed her enough to lose her composure." Jeanne said curiously on what did the Witch saw...Doomguy was very calm during the time she was with them minus the small misunderstanding at the start. His skill in combat is clearly top rank for being able to take out two berserk servants on his own, proving his strength. However, he was clearly not a servant of the past due to his tech-based armour and armaments. The masters mentioned him to be a Demon Slayer from another world...but there had to be more to it.
"Hmm...Now that you'd mention it… Vega did say that his crusade never ended. Meaning could he be...still alive?" Marie pondered.
"If that's the case then it brings more questions, then answers on who he truly is and where he came from," Jeanne said as she remembers the AI mentioned that the marine was known throughout time by the demons he fought. Any normal human would break over time in such circumstances...Yet he pushes on….
"Say, if you were to regain your Ruler abilities, would you use it on him to get his true name?" Marie asked curiously and Jeanne paused for a moment...it was her duty as a ruler to identify servants in a Grail War. However...Something in her gut was telling her to leave the man be. Not sure if it was a message from the lord or out of fear of what The Dragon Witch saw…
"I am not sure. Vega seemed to be open to discuss it at a later date...or is worried about how the Slayer would react." Jeanne said ending the conversation as they walked towards their objective.
More Dragons...More Problems
The Slayers group arrived in the town of Thiers, it was still intact and peaceful...Minus the two servants currently having a very heated argument as the road they were standing on was scorched.
"You! You! You! You cheeky little squirrel from the east!" The one of the left yelled. She had pink hair that went with her darker pink horns and blue eyes. Her attire looked like something out of a teenager music video. Why the music video guess, one might ask? She had an actual microphone in her oddly pink fingers….Oh, and she also had a black dragon wagging about…
"Hehehe! Who's the actual cheeky one? Do you think a failure like you can be a true dragon like me, Elisabeth" The one on the right laughed? She looks completely out of place in France as she was wearing a kimono outfit that matched her light teal hair. As mentioned, she had dragon horns as well.
The slayer could not believe what he was seeing...two servants, supposedly legendary people, acting like mere children in the middle of town. He rolled his eyes and shook his head noting that he was definitely in a different world.
"Wait did she said, Elisabeth?" Ritsuka asked curiously if the pink dragon servant was related to Camilla.
"As in Elisabeth Bathory?" Gudao added looking to Vega who was still trying to process this very odd situation…
"Ugh! I am so upset right now! I'll deal with Camillia later, you die first! You creepy stalker" Elisabeth yelled confirming her connection to the berserk vampire servant.
"We should prevent the two from fighting for themselves… and the sake of the town…" Vega said finally catching up to speed as both servant still yips at each other like two cats fighting. Amadeus steps forward and looks to the Slayer.
"Mind getting there attention? I am afraid your noise is the only one that can pierce their violations against sound." He asks and the Slayer nods as he pulls out his super shotgun.
"Doomguy…" Ristuka said worried about he was about to do...He then breaches the weapon, ejecting the live rounds, and loading a different set.
"Those are Blanks," Vega mentioning that during last night the slayer made some Blanks to pass the time. Ritsuka breathed a sigh of relief as there was not going to be any bloodshed... hopefully. Meanwhile, the eastern servant name was revealed to be Kiyohime, a girl with aspects of a dragon who was abandoned by a wandering man.
"Sharp nosed viper!" Elisabeth said.
"Black mamba!" Kiyohime shot back.
"Please, save our ears…" Mozart begged for mercy.
BOOM BOOM
The Slayer Fired the two blanks that echoed throughout the town.
"Jeez! What are you doing, shooting a gun in the middle of town!" Elisabeth yelled, clearly spooked by the sudden bang.
"My words! Have you no respect for innocent ears!" Kioyhime snapped hiding her chattering mouth behind her fan.
Mozart just slapped the palm of his hand onto his forehead at the hyprocorsiys as the Master's step forward.
"Stop fighting, please!." Gudao asked.
"Yes, there no reason to be risking your lives like this," Ritsuka said trying calm the situation and reason with the two servants to hopefully get some new allies.
"Back off Puppies!" Elisabeth said still angry and not willing to cooperate
"Reckless and Bravery are not the same things! Are you stupid-" Kiyohime words were interrupted with the sound of a double-barreled shotgun being reloading with a murderous intent that was stronger than hers. The Slayer was just a few seconds away from giving both lizards a 12 gauge lobotomy.
"W-wait! Elisabeth! Are you Elisabeth Bathory? Aka Camilla?" Mashu steps up seeing the situation heated up.
"Y-yeah that's me. But not the Camilla part! I hate her!" She said trying not to be scared of the man with a really big gun...her tail was betraying her in every way, however.
"Are you after her as well?" Mashu asked.
"Well...yeah until I ran into Kiyohime here...Wait, are you hunting her down
too?" Elisabeth said interested and calming down.
"Yes, we are with Chaldea, trying to correct this singularity and save humanity," Mashu said stating their noble goal.
"Oh my! Trying to save the world, such a brave quest for such young masters. Perhaps you need another servant to join you?" Kiyohime offered.
"Perhaps, but we are in the need of a saint to help our friend here," Gudao said with a smile but on the inside was questioning if they should have these to oddballs join up.
"Didn't you mention seeing a saint, Kiyo?" Elisabeth asked as everyone listened in.
"I only know of one saint, if you mean someone whose teachings took root deeply within this nation," Kiyohime said.
"Really?" Mashu asked.
"Yes. I met him before coming across Elisabeth. I almost fought him, but he realised that I was a genuine berserker and sheathed his sword. His name is Georgios. I believe he is quite famous around here." She said
revealing the name of the saint they were after.
would be the best candidate for getting Siegfried on his feet and then they can finally take the fight to Jeanne Alter and Fafnir. Kiyohime told Chaldea that he went west of there current location and luckily for them, Jeanne and Marie went that same direction. Turns out they were close by a servant and confirmed it to be , a servant that just fits their needs….
Unfortunately, it looks like Jeanne Alter's crew as caught up to their plan and sent Sanson after them and attack the town. George wanted to stay and protect the town, however that would risk Siegfried's chance at recovery and their edge against The Dragon Witch. With no other choice, Marie Annetonnete, with her own conviction chose to stay behind as she wanted a one-on-one battle against Charles Henrey Sanson. Jeanne relayed this information to the Master's group and everyone was happy but also worried for the french queen.
"Slayer...I must inform you, I have been running the data over and the data supports Marie's odds of success are high against Executioner Sanson." Vega said privately to the Slayer.
"However, if Jeanne Alter interferes, and uses Fafnir…" Vega didn't need to finish his report. Marie Antoinette is going to die from what the Slayer could tell from her decision...it was her choice to stay behind and help that town evacuate before it was burned to a crisp. If only he joined them, maybe it would be different...But he made a promise to keep the trio alive. The marine looks to the masters and Mashu who looked to the ground as they all began to realize that a friend wasn't coming back home. He knew this was going to happen a lot on this journey for them, comrades falling in battle. Something a warrior like him knew all too with from his time with the military and Sentinal army.
"You don't have to feel bad. Even if we were there, she would've done the same thing! Marie is a philanthropist. That's how she lives and dies. Humans choose what they love." Amedeus said without any sorrow in his voice and suggests that they undo Siegfrieds cursed wound.
"Master may I remind you both, There's a chance that you would be able to summon them again for future battles," Vega said in an attempt to ease the loss of Marie. Both masters look at each other and nod...they are both determined bring back their servant friends to Chaldea.
Amedeus then walks away to get some rest, but everyone could see it as he wanted some time to morn for his friend. As the two saints arrive they begin work on the dragon slayer and the conversation switches to the two odd-ball dragon servants.
"Elisabeth, may I confirm that you are the same person as Camilla?" Vega asked wanting to confirm with a girl.
"Yes...But I am NOT the same monster as her! It was probably her fault that Uncle Vlad got killed before I could save him." Elisabeth mentioned and everyone, minus the Slayer who was just inspecting his Heavy cannon, freezes for a moment.
"What? Now that I met you I can assume you guys defeated him. As much I want to be mad, I can't blame you pups for defending yourselves." Elisabeth said with a saddened look on her face but was replaced with a small smile with her answer to the AI.
"Well, I feel like we should still apologize for what happened," Mashu said while darting eyes between Doomguy and Elisabeth.
"Nah, Were servants. I'll run into him again at some point!" Elisabeth said and shortly after both servants made contracts with Gudao and Ritsuka.
"...this is a pinky promise, if you lie, I'll make you swallow a thousand needles-" Kiyohimes words were then interrupted with a loud metal ping that was similar to the famous M1 Garand rifle. After jumping a bit, she looks over to Doomguy who was fiddling around with the receiver and totally not warning the Berserker dragon girl to watch her tone around the Masters.
"Note to self: Don't piss that guy off...Speaking of which, Master? Who is that servant?" Elisabeth asked.
"This is going to be a common thing, isn't it?" Ritsuka asked as she guessed that many servants are going to be curious about Doomguy in the future...
"I am afraid so, Ritsuka Senpai," Mashu said with a sigh while looking over to the man in question. In her head, she wondered herself when they were going to get the full story on Doomguy. Vega seemed to be delaying the explanation and the man himself seemed to be mostly mute. Nonetheless, she was glad to have him around to help her out in protecting the masters.
Ghosts of the Past
Siegfried stands tall in front of the masters as he was now fully healed and ready to fight Fafnir on a fair footing. Both Elisabeth and Kiyohime agreed to join their fight to boost Chaldea's numbers. , with shining bronze armour and long brown hair, decided to lend his blade in saving Orleans and fulfil his duty as a protector. Amadeus returned from his moment of silence for his friend and was pleased to see everyone is up and ready. Mashu was primed and waiting for her master's orders as always.
Jeanne d'Arc herself was still mental preparing herself for the final battle but was steady in her path in saving the world.
"Right now, I am a merely powerless servant...But I wish to protect this world. Please fight with me!" Jeanne asked.
"That's our duty!" Both Ritsuka and Gudao say in unison.
Doomguy watched it all from a distance…All that cheer and hope...None of it was for him. It reminded him of the days as a Knight Sentinal...Brothers in arms cheering at their victories while The slayer continued his plans to kill the Demons...
He couldn't accept being truly happy for himself...all that was in his left was a weapon to kill those that prey on the weak and innocent...All that remained of his happiness was a rabbits paw on a necklace. Time seemed to stop around the slayer as he looked at his trinket. Noticing the silence he looks around to finding everything frozen in time.
"...it wasn't your fault…" A voice whispers...Female...Young Adult...Familiar…
"...it wasn't your fault…" The whisper repeats again…Was it talking about Daisy? Was this a Demon messing with his head?
"...Do you even remember?..." The voice asks however he refused to answer...not matter how...Familiar it sounded. He was a weapon...he didn't need to feel… All he needed was his gear, ammo and rage…
He didn't want to-
"Doomguy?" Ritsuka voice snaps him back to reality as everyone was getting ready to head out and set up camp in the nearby forest. The man looks at her and nods as if nothing happened. Knowing that is all she was going to get out of him, she sighs and smiles.
"Let's go, we are going to attack Jeanne Alter, so we need all the rest we can get right now." She said as they walked out of the town. Right, the final battle for Orleans was coming and he didn't need some daydream messing with his head…
Count to four…
Inhale...
Count to four…
Exhale…
Meanwhile...
Jeanne Alter sat at her throne gazing into the abyss known as the Doomslayer. The man had no weakness, any sign of one was burned away in fires of what she understood was true Hell. She still planned on winning this battle however, she managed to summon some shadow servants to fill in for lost numbers. She still had Archer, Camilla, Gillies and Fafnir. The Dragon witch should privilege, right?
"...why am I doubting everything right now?" she whispers.
"Is it all because of...That man?" Jeanne alters, against the request of her Caster underling, Continued to pry into the Slayer's past. With each viewing giving her a feeling of insignificance.
"Why am I...Afraid?"
Artificial Human
As the group settles, Mashu and Amadeus walkabout on patrol while the others prepare for the battle tomorrow. Normally Doomguy would be doing this but Ritsuka asked him to stay at the camp. Vega decided to join them via his drone body
"Can I ask you something?" Mashu said asking the musician for a moment of his time.
"Of course! Be it trivial or important, ask away! Tomorrow is the final battle. You should wrap up any unfinished business." Mozart accepted. Mashu then proceeded to ask him about what I meant by: "Human's choose what love". She understood what the words of the sentences meant in the sense humans have things favour and what is socially rejected.
"What do you consider right then?" Mozart asked
"Well, Something that saves many lives, and sees value in many lives I suppose." Mashu answers.
"That's rather ill-defined. Let's assume for a moment that Gudao and Ritsuka were not such a person...Then what? " Mozart asked.
"I…" Mashu struggled to think of her life without her Senpai's
"Forgive me, that was a mean assumption. However, keep that hesitation and discomfort in mind. Mashu I suspect that you are a person who has recently gained freedom." Mozart's words cause Mashu to look to the ground as she feels unsure of herself.
Vega continues to listen as he only experiences true freedom when he was with the Slayer…he was curious if Mashu lived a sheltered life up until she met the Master's
"As such, you freeze in the face of hard choices and have doubts of the person your becoming," Mozart said and Mashu nods as she proceeds to mention that she never saw the outside world ever in her life. Then reveals the implication that she might not be of normal birth. Mozart was surprised but still mentioned that even if she wasn't human, she still had obligations as a person to decide what is good, evil and to care for. Mashu should take each moment to learn to make herself her own person regardless of her sheltered life. Mashu should find a way to leave her mark on the world in her own way.
"...I see. Thanks, Great composer Amedeus, I won't forget this!" Mashu thanked the musician and they both walk back to camp. As they returned, Vega requested a moment of Mashu's time.
"Mashu, Judging from that conversion with Mozart, have you been sheltered your life up until now? You don't have to answer if you don't want to." Vega asked.
"Yes, was. Every second out here is a learning experience I am glad to gain. I...Don't really have anything besides books and pictures to tell me about the outside world…" Mashu answered.
"I am sorry to hear that. If it brings you any comfort, I lived a similar life until I met the Slayer." Vega said
"R-really?" Mashu said surprised.
"Yes, Before met him, I was assigned to a massive research facility which my neural network ran across. I ran everything from life support to research labs on the base. I was bound to my protocols and continued to serve the base staff." Vega explained his life a the AI to the UAC base on Mars.
"Vega, you mentioned earlier that if you haven't met doomguy you wouldn't be here with us right?" Mashu asked.
"Yes," Vega answered.
"Did..something happen?" Mashu asked curiously.
"There was an incident that required The Doom Slayer's set of skills. Eventually, it was required that my central processor would need to be destroyed to stop the threat." Vega said and Mashu's eyes widened in shock.
"You...Killed yourself?" She asked.
"In a way...I did. However, the slayer took my Backup code without anyone asking him too. So that is why I still function to this day." Vega finished and Mashu smiled.
"I see, I am glad he did. You two seem like a great team." Mashu said.
"I am glad to be of service. Both of us learning with each new experience. I hope to share more in the future" Vega said and Mashu nods in agreement as both are very eager to explore the world. Mashu returns to camp while Vega looks up to the stars.
"Maybe...one day...I can move on from my regrets..." Vega remembers the last moments of the previous counterpart before returning to his duties.
The Final Battle
It was the dawn of the final day, the decisive battle was coming and Chaldea was ready to face off against the Dragon Witch and her remaining Berserk servants. Vega came up with the with various plans for attack overnight and recommended a full-frontal assault was there best course of action. While they did not have the numbers of an army, most of the enemy were wyverns and undead. Fodder to cut through until they run into the remaining Berserk servants.
"I and one of the masters shall take on Fafnir. I want the others to protect us from servants and Wyverns." Siegfried requested as he will need all his focus and the assistance of a master to take on the invincible dragon. Doomguy looked to the Dragon Slayer, from how the man was able to force Fafnir to retreat, he could trust him enough to keep one of the Masters alive. Now the question was which one of them was going to go with the Saber. Gudao volunteered to go with Siegfried while Ritsuka managed the rear guard servants.
"There will be multiple servant opponents in the upcoming battle and most likely more if Jeanne Alter has replenished her lost forces by now." Vega comments.
"Oh Puppies, There is someone I must fight. Would it be Alright if I focused on her?" Elizabeth asks to fight her older self, Camilla.
"That should be no problem. But..." Ritsuka said looking over to Doomguy who was doing checks on his arm blade. Extending it and retracting at different positions while waiting to head out. It was him that put an end to Vlad during their first encounter and no doubt Camilla would be furious at him, even more with madness enhancement. Both masters relay this information to Elisabeth and her face turns into a soft frown.
"...I see...Again, I don't blame you guys...I guess we'll be teaming up then the Chief over here." The bloody demoness said accepting the help. Doomguy accepts this as just finishing off another monster. Vega explained to him that this Elisabeth appears to from here youth before she became the monster, Camilla. The AI still finds it odd that she appears to be obsessed with the idea of being an "Idol" so much that it influenced everything about her. Nevertheless, Vega assured to him she was to be trusted compared to Carmilla.
With that request out of the way, Everyone was ready to head out to Orleans.
"Leave scouting the area to me and Vega. This is do-or-die time. I've got lots of energy drinks and buckets ready!" Romani said as he pops open a can.
"Doctor, those have the opposite effects. They cause stomach aches, so maybe you should not drink them…" Mashu said concerned at his drink choices.
"I will take over if anything happens to Romani, Mashu," Vega confirmed
"Are you after my job?!" Romani yelled as Siegfried clears his throat.
"So, if no one has any questions...Master's please issue your orders."
Siegfried said as they began to head out for Orleans. Doomguy was ready as ever for the final battle, he will fight with all he had and then some. He then looks over to Ritsuka who appeared ready but her shaking legs were betraying her… The marine matches her pace and places a hand on her shoulder assuring her they will win.
"Thanks, Doomguy." She said looking up to him.
No matter how far in that battles to come. The Doomslayer cannot forget his most important job here..Protecting them.
He will not fail...Not again…
"Incoming wyverns! Be ready!" Romani yells as the beast swarm their position.
"Hiya!" Siegfried leaps into the air slicing three wyverns in halve while Doomguy gunned a swarm down with hot lead form the minigun. He takes out five more with remote detonating rocket blast, sending chunks of dead lizard flying everywhere. Like a blade through flesh, Chaldea's group cut through the swarm at a blistering pace.
"Servant detected! They are heading straight for you! It's our enemy!" Romani alerted While VEGA pinged the closest enemy on Doomguy hud.
"Watch out! Arrows!" Mashu yelled as a said projectiles came raining down onto them. The servant of the shield casts a defence boost to everyone while covering the masters.
"Oh no!" Amedeus panicked as three arrows were about to hit him.
"Ha!" Luckily, Siegifreid deflected them with his sword just in time. The enemy then finally revealed themselves as they appear on the crest of a nearby hilltop.
"...I'll Kill you...I'll kill you all! Every last one of you!" A woman, dressed in green with Feline ears atop of her golden locks of hair. Another berserk servant which was easy to tell that they were Archer Class. Now pinned, the plan to split up was halted until they can get rid of Archer and it was only a matter of time before Wyverns showed up.
"She's been forced under the Madness Enhancement!" Jeanne Confirmed as Archer appeared to be gone fully out of control.
"She must be the type of Servant who'd never serve the Dragon witch." St George commented as the Servant aimed her bow to the sky and prepared two green arrows.
"Mana Spike detected! Archer is deploying her Noble Phantasm!" Vega warned
"Mashu! Shield up!" Gudao order.
"Yes, master!" Mashu prepped Lord Chaldea in response to protect them.
"This is an offering to the two Gods. Phoebus Catastrophe!" Archer fired the two arrows into the sky and a shower of hundreds more comes raining down the force of meteors.
"Lord Chaldea's!" Mashu yells as the bright blue barrier was cast and took the full force of the barrage.
"I...Can't...hold this for long, Senpai!" grunted under the force as Archer wasn't letting up.
"A mere second without defences is fatal! We need to act now!" Jeanne said while Gudao was looking around to figure out a plan. Turning his view west, he saw tall grass that leads up to where the archer was firing. Looking back at the team of Servants he hatched a plan with Ritsuka.
"...Got it! Everyone, get ready," Ritsuka yelled over the sounds of the crashing arrows.
"Amedeus! Now!" Ritsuka gave the order!
"On it! Requiem for Death!" The musician cast the sounds of death right at Archer, Causing her to halt the assault right as Mashu's stamina gave in.
"Argh! I will kill-!" Archer was interrupted as she dodges many bullets from Doomguy's heavy cannon while he was sprinting toward her position. Using the Precision Bolt scope to trade shots with her. Not giving her any time to prep another shot of her noble phantasm. Doomguy was sprinting across the Killzone, dodging arrows at subsonic speeds while returning sniper fire.
"RAAAAH!" He was then stopped in his tracks as a shadow of a man came out of nowhere and tackled him to the ground with immense strength!
"Oh no! A shadow servant! And it threw Doomguy off course and now she's reading another shot!" Romani confirmed as Doomguy kicked off the blasted shadow while Archer prepped again to fire the two required arrows. He tried to go full speed again, however, a slash of a sword aim at his neck halted him once more.
"Another one! Why didn't calibrate for Shadow servants! Dammit!" Romani cursed as archer aimed for the sky.
"Hehehe...this is your end Archer! I will exterminate all of the liars who ran from me. Tenshin Kashou Zanmai!" Kiyohime hissed as the true berserker sneaks up behind her and transforms into a serpent made of blue flames. The flaming snake then dives right into archer causing a massive fireball...causing the end of Archer as she was sent flying across the fields of grass. She crash lands far away as her sanity return.
"This is fine...Really, it was a troublesome and unrewarding job. Go...take out the Dragon...Yes, next time for sure, I-" She then fades away looking back at the battle.
"Master Gudao! Siegfried! Let's go!" Jeanne said as now they can rush to the Dragon witch directly as Ritsuka and others guard the rear.
The land they stood on becomes dusty and dead of life as they approach the centre of Orleans. Standing in front of them now was the Jeanne alter and her pet, Fafnir the immortal dragon. A battle was about to break out, however, Jeanne wanted to talk first before the fighting starts.
"Hello, trash I left behind." Jeanne Alter sends with an eerie smile.
"..No, I am a vestige. Most importantly, I am NOT you Dragon witch." the blue eye's saint said with no fear in her voice.
"But you are me. What are you talking about?" The yellowed eyed witch shot back trying to hold back laughter as Jeanne admits that her words can no longer reach her Alter and that they are going to have to fight to knock some sense into her.
"After this battle, I am going to give you an earful!" Jeanne said drawing her sword, ready for battle.
"Silence! Behold these dragons! Behold this horde! We have turned this land into a nest of dragons! They will devour everything, and nothing will ever live in France again!" Jeanne Alter roars as Fafinir does the same.
She has turned this land into a nest of dragons and nothing was going to get in her way from destroying this world.
"Then this world will be complete...Then this world will be destroyed. The dragons will fight one another for eternity. Endless war. Endless devouring" Jeann Alter then raises her flag.
"That will be the true hundred-year war-A hundred years of evil Dragons!" as Jeanne alter yells her wish. Fafnir took cannon fire from the east as the french army as come to assist Jeanne in saving France.
"Fire! We Fight for the Survival of France!" Gilles...not the mad caster, but the noble knight of the French army has come to save his friend and support the heroes with everything they got.
As the cannon fire blasted Fafnir and the wyverns, Siegfried took his stand once more against the evil dragon and fulfil his duty as a Saber.
"ARRRGHH!" Both shadow servants yell are up against The slayer as Mashu and the others face off against Berserk Saber. Ritsuka was trying her best to keep up with everything that was going on but was slowly getting overwhelmed as her legs were shaking again.
"Master Ritsuka. I recommend you focus on Berserk Saber." Vega recommended that She focused on one task at a time instead of taking it all in to process.
"But I have to.." Ritsuka was about to say something but was cut off by Vega as the battles continue.
"Master Ritsuka, Do you remember what the Slayer told you?" Vega asked as Ritsuka thinks back to the pep talk he gave her before the mission to Orleans.
She was not alone in this fight.
"You don't have to burden yourself with everything. Gudao has it cover at the frontline while the Slayer is more than capable to take fights on his own." Vega said and the redhead nods accepting her responsibility as a master.
"Vega, keep me posted." She asked as she refocused on the tasks at hand.
The Slayer was keeping both Shadow Servants at bay with his Super Shotgun and chainsaw. Vega mentions to him that it would appear that theses shadows are remnants of both the Berserker he slew and Sanson who fell to Marie Antoinette. Currently, still very strong but nothing the Slayer can't handle. Both were fighting fiercely but with some method to there attacks. Akin to the Marauders that stalk his every move and attack him relentlessly.
"ARRRRRRRGH!" He stabs his chainsaw into the shadowy knight's guts and cuts upwards causing nothing but darkness to spill out as he falls once more. As the unnamed dark knight falls it was down Shadow Sanson. The executioner was fast in his strikes, parrying against the Slayer's own blade.
"Must kill...you…" Sanson goes for another angled slash aimed at Doomguy's neck. All that was needed to kill this enemy and go after the rest... A loud ping of metal was heard along with five gunshots. Doomguy blocked the attack and filled the assassin's chest with bullet wounds. The odd thing is...the shadows faded away rights the man falls to his knees.
"I see...so I am defeated...by you. Then the evil one is me, no question about it. Justice is on your side." Sanson regains his humanity in his last moments. Doomguy kept his rifle on him but didn't fire…
"You know...She didn't die in pain this time...Her royalty was happy to fight alongside you all. A smile full of hope." He said looking to the sky as he remembers his battle with the Queen and her everlasting smile.
"Don't let smiles like that go to waste...May Blessing be upon you all."
Sanson then fades away with those words to the Slayer.
Doomguy heard those words echo in his head as he turns to his master who was still managing the fight against Berserk Saber. Who was identified as Chevalier d'Eon as Vega updated his hud with information on the battle? Ritsuka and Mashu were focused on the battle at hand, Master using their numbers to an advantage while the Shield was keeping them safe from harm.
They were adapting to fighting for there lives. Something mere children should never do but they do not have that choice. All he can do is help them in any way he can.
"Ritsuka said that she had the battle under control on her hand and asked you to go assist Elisabeth," Vega said the slayer nods. Time to put an end to the vengeful vampire. Their battle was not too far as he kicks sprints across the grass as he can see cannon fire in the distance along with a silhouette of a dragon. According to Vega, everything is going smoothly with Gudao thanks to the assistance of the French army.
As Doomguy approaches he could hear the clashing of a black spear and staff.
"I will crush you like how your path will destroy your ideals! PHANTOM MAIDEN!" Camilla summons a massive Iron Maiden...Her most prized torture device representing her Noble Phantasm.
"Dammit!" Elisabeth tried to get away as the casket begins to close around her...Camilla smiles at her foolish past self panics inside the Phantom Maiden...Until it refused to close fully.
"What?" She looks closer and hisses.
"Chief!" Elisabeth looks at her saviour with a smile. Doomguy manages to jump into the torture tool and kept the doors from closing on to her.
"Curse you, interloper!" Camilla closes her fist to focus Phantom maiden shut. It creaks as the slayer kept it forced.
"On my word push the doors open with all you got! Ready...now!" Elisabeth morphs a pair of dragon wings grew on her back as Doomguy force the doors wide open. The pink dragon then grabbed the man by the shoulder and flew upwards out of the trap just as the doors swung shut.
"Man, you're heavy! No offence, I mean, it's clearly all muscle and armour." She said as they landed. Doomguy equips his ballista and nods towards Camilla who was glaring at them with hatred.
"This is quite irritating...this "me" and that man…If you really are me, then tell me why you stand with the man who killed your uncle!" Camilla demanded answers and Elisabeth Glanced at her ally and looked back to the ground. It was true that she was hoping to save her uncle but looking back at her plan...it wasn't practical as much as it hurt her.
"He was just doing his job! Protecting his Master! Something I doubt you'd understand, you monster!" Elisabeth shot back aiming her spear at her older self. Both servants shared the same fate no matter how hard Elisabeth wanted to cry. All she could do was be a servant and be her own person.
"You are who I really am, my final destination. The symbol of my sin, that no amount of tears will ever change." She twirls her spear can takes a combat stance.
"Denying you means looking away from the crimes I've committed. But that doesn't mean I can't take responsibility! It may be ugly self depiction, however, I will say it anyway! I...I DON'T WANT TO BE LIKE YOU!" Elisabeth said with all her spirit.
"How foolish were spirits of the past. The future-ack!" Camilla dodges a shot from the Ballista. Doomguy steps forward and aims at her again.
"Chief," Elizabeth said with a little bit of embarrassment as she just spilt her innermost thoughts near a complete stranger.
"Will you help me? I hate to admit it, but I can beat her alone." She asks her ally and without any question, he nods. The Slayer cared not for Elisabeth's past as right now she was an ally to his master so that meant an ally to him.
"Alright. Let's do this! Make sure to keep that Phantom Maidan off of me. Uh.. the "Me" that is right beside you!" Elisabeth said as she dashes at Camilla using her dragon wings for extra speed. Camilla responds by summoning a lesser version of her torture tool to crush Elisabeth. It was shortly shattered to pieces via twin bolts of energy. Doomguy was not going to given that bloody demoness any chance to use that torture tool.
"Curses…" Camilla was beginning to reach her end but her madness forces her onward with attacks of desperation and rage. The more she fights, the more of the monster came out. She eventually tosses her staff to the side and extends her monstrous claws.
'She's really losing it…' Elisabeth thought goes attacks with a twirling strike of her spear, following up with a power forward thrust. Camilla blocks the attack and grabs the young girls spear and pulls her closer for a quick strike
"GAH!" Elisabeth screamed a Camilla eviscerated one of her wings causing blooding to spill as she falls to the ground in pain. Her older self took the opportunity to kick her across the ground with impaling strengthing. Coughing up blood, Elisabeth tried to get back up...
"Hahahahah! You will die here, little girl!" Camilla laughed maniacally until she was sent skidding across the ground by a big metal green boot to the side. With his ally down for the moment, Doomguy joins the fight.
Camilla hissed as her Vampiric instincts began to grow out of control. Disregarding her elegances, she runs hastily at Doomguy who again just punches her across the jaw with ease. Once again sending her skidding across the ground as her mask falls off revealing the bloodshot, yellow eyes underneath. Camilla lunges at him again and Doomguy just grabs both of her wrists, holding in place. She hisses and tried to bite but she wasn't going anywhere. Servants were a challenge to the Slayer, even the true berserkers knew their way around a fight. However, Camilla was a monster now, just throwing herself time and time again at him. Just another mindless creature like the demons he fought.
"I will-!" A black spear then pierced through her chest from behind stopping her. Camilla stopped resisting and doomguy let go. She then falls to her knees as turns her head around to look at her past self on more time. What just happened was Elisabeth got back up and took the opening doomguy gave her to take Camilla down.
"The future doesn't reject the past, but rather, the past rejects the future?-such drivel that comes out of your mouth. But that's why... you're so dazzling. It's annoying." She then looks back down to the ground as blood leaks out of her mouth.
"Let me return to the darkness. That last instant...That light between the bricks...That's right...Whether I live or die...I am always...alone." Camilla then fades away and Elisabeth's spear falls the ground.
"Farewell, my future. Farewell, the part of myself so sad I had to separate." She picks her weapon up from the ground and twirls it around to clean it of blood.
"Thanks for helping, Chief. I must look pretty pathetic in rejecting my future, but...It's what allows me to be...Me." She then sits down as Ritsuka and the others begin to catch up.
"You should go on ahead. I need some rest before the final stage. I'll see this battle to the end." She gestures to her injuries. Doomguy nods and runs ahead to the battle of the Witch and the Immortal dragon.
The two people that shared the name Jeanne d'Arc clashed as Fafnir faced Siegfried in a legendary battle of two sides. Both servants engaged each other in sword combat, even though The Saint was weaker than the Alter...Something was pushing her to become stronger.
"Just how the hell are you still standing?! You are the trash that was thrown away!" Jeanne alter said becoming annoyed she pushed Jeanne away from her.
"Maybe at the start I was, But I've grown over time. I am Jeanne d'Arc and theirs nothing you can do to change that!" She said raising her blade as Gudao healed her.
"So, as long as I have my faith and friends! I will keep fighting for the sake of humanity!" She shot back at her Alter without any signs of wavering in her voice. Her words matching that of her legend.
"This bores me, just shut up and die already!" Jeanne Alter dashes at her with a flurry of blade and fire. With her dragon and servants, there's now why she can possibly lose...not even against that...Man. For a brief moment, she grew reflective, nearly causing her to take a blow from her saint self.
"You are thinking about that man, are you not?" Jeanne asks and Alter shot daggers at her.
"You have the powers of a ruler, no doubt you saw his legend. Tell me, what did you see?" Jeanne asked but Alter remains silent while glaring at her. Only proving Jeanne's theory that she Alter must've been shocked at Doomguy's legend. Furious, Jeanne Alter dashes right at her causing a shockwave as both their blades clash.
"T-Tell me! Are you afraid of him?" Jeanne grunted as was slowly pushed back from Alter's strength. Her question infuriating Jeanne alter enough to send the saint skidding skiing across the dirt.
"Jeanne!" Gudao called out but was relieved as Jeanne stood back up.
"Why the hell would you want to know!? That bastard walked the path of perpetual torment! A saint like you would just break seeing the shit he's been through!" Alter yelled in the heat of the moment. Revealing her deep thoughts out load, only pissing her off even more. Then she freezes for a moment looking past her opponent...The Doomslayer was about the join the battle…
'No, it can't be! How come that bastard still standing!?' Jeanne alter said in her head as she knows that she'll lose once that Hellwalker fights her.
"Fafnir! Forget Siegfried and burn that man to cinders!" The Dragon witch ordered her beast and it obliged, disregarding its many wounds that Siegfried inflicted on him. Fafnir leaps across the battlefield, nearly stomping on Gudao but Siegfried got him out of the way just in time.
"Thanks!" Gudao said.
"Sorry, I should've told you to reposition. I will go assist Doomguy. Fafnir's hide is strong but there are ways around it." Saber then ran to his quarry.
"Gilles! We are leaving to...Regroup!" Jeanne alters ordered and the mad Caster appears ready to take his master back to castle.
"Of course! We shall depart immediately!" Gilles said as he summons a large tentacle creature to take them back to the castle with immense speed. Jeanne tried to follow but her injuries forced her to the ground, which caused Gudao to run over.
"Jeanne, Your wounded. Let me fix you up." Gudao said activating his mystic code and using a healing scroll.
"Thanks, Master." She said looking over to the battle of Fafnir against the two Slayers.
"His hide is tough but I can weaken it. Aim for weak points!" Siegfried said as the Slayer fires his rocket launcher at the dragon as it roars from the blasts of argent fueled rockets. When Siegfried strikes the beast, he creates a weak spot in Fafnirs hide which exploited by a rocket. Blast by blast, chunks of the dragons hide falls off revealing red flesh and bone. Fafnir tries everything from whipping his massive tail at them to blazing them with Dragonfire. He tries to take to the skies for an advantage.
"Don't let him get airborne!" the Saber yells and Doomguy nods. Coming up with a plan that only a person like the Slayer would. He runs forward as Fafnir spreads his wings. Doomguy then jumps as he aims his Launcher to the ground. Pulling the trigger he rides the rocket blast right over Fafnir's head, landing right on his back.
"Did he just-?!" Romani was lost for words as he just witnesses a "Rocket Jump" in real life as he was monitoring the assault.
"He is very creative when it comes to battle," Vega said as the Slayer equips a large, red and white gun with gold accents.
"Whats is that?" Romani asked
"That is Unmayker. A devastating, anti-personnel weapon." Vega said as The slayer proceeds to shred Fafnirs wings with supercharged argent plasma. Doomguy dismounts the beast after rendering the wings useless and Fafnir lets out one more mighty roar. He was going to defeat these servants with everything he had left!
Fafnir decides to charge his fire breath in one last desperation move.
"This is all he has left! I shall respond in kind!" He raises his blade over his head as it lights up in blue flames.
"Balmung!" Swinging the blade down, A massive torrent of flames shot out of his sword and barreling towards Fafnir. Fafnir unleashes his dragon breath against the Balmung, both clashing at the centre. Fafnir believes he was strong enough to withstand this servant's flames. However, his severely gored body gave in...his scales burning away as the torrent moved closer to him. He tried to push back but had no strength left. The torrent consumes his body as he screeches in pain before toppling over.
The immortal dragon was no more as the fires die down revealing the skeleton of the now fallen Fafnir.
Without their leader, the remaining wyverns look confused and dazed. Showing that they no longer a part of Jeanne alters forces.
"We should hurry, The enemy forces have been reducing by 90%. Only leaving Gilles de rais and Jeanne alter remaining." Vega said as Ritsuka and her team catches up.
"Holy cow! Is that Fafnir?" Ritsuka said gawking at the smouldering dragon corpse.
"Yep! It was quite a spectacle! Doomguy and Siegfried were awesome!" Gudao said as he was speechless the entire fight. Both masters give debrief each other as they take a moment of rest. Ritsuka explains her fight against Berserk Saber and how Mashu did a great job in making sure no one gets severely injured. Both senpais giving her much praises and even getting thumbs up from Doomguy.
"Senpai...Doomguy-san...It was nothing really! I-I am glad to be of service!" Mashu said trying to hide her blushing face as Jeanne gets the attention of the group
"I'm off to settle the score with "The Dragon Witch". Jeanne said now recovered.
"We'll go as well!" Ritsuka said getting nods of agreement from Gudao, Mashu and Doomguy. Vega suggests that it was best to leave some servants to deal with with the now out of control wyverns. Siegfried, St Georgios and Ameedeus immediately volunteered. The trio then suggested that Kiyohime and Elisabeth go with Jeanne's group. Doomguy notices their looks of relief as both said servants agreed to join the masters. From his experience with both in a late-night battle at camp, Elisabeth's noble phantasm wasn't that bad to him nor Kiyohimes fire.
He shrugs and nods to both dragon servants to come with them.
"Alrighty, Chief! Let's go kick some butt!" Elisabeth said.
"Very well. I look forward to working with you...Master's…" She looks at them both with hungry eyes. A load chambering of a shotgun shell snaps her out of it as she once again hides her chattering teeth.
"How can that man even stand both of them?" Amadeus whisper to his two groupmates.
"No idea. But the man must have immense endurance to deal with both of them at once." Siegfried said.
"Uhh, I don't want to alarm you but…" St George then points to the Slayer who was looking back at them. All he does next is turn around and shakes his head in disapproval.
"Is he judging us!" Amadeus asked confused.
"Just silence yourself. Before you dig a bigger grave for all of us." St George said as Jeanne's group heads for the Castle.
They arrive...
Doomguy kicks the doors open to the once life filled castle. What remains were corpses and...Starfish shaped tentacle monsters. Or in other words...Demons.
Now the slayer was in HIS element…
He cleaves through the monstrosities with his chainsaw left and right as the other watch as he did not need any help. Or one could say that there was barely any enemies left for the others to face. The creatures screeched as they were cut to bits, set a blazed and frozen by the Slayer.
"Doomguy! Wait up!" Ritsuka yelled pausing the carnage in front of them as he nearly let his bloodlust get ahead of himself. He wipes his visor of sea demon guts and gives thumbs up. He was fine, these things were weaker than imps if he could give a comparison.
"Chief is... way too good at fighting these things," Elisabeth mentioned while trying to hold in her lunch at the sight of the blood-covered slayer.
"The marine is a Demon Slayer. It's his life goal to see that every demon is ripped apart by his hands. He gains power from fallen foes, doubles that if they are demonic in origin." Vega stated as they move forward into the castle halls with doomguy leading the charge while keeping in mind to leave the others behind. Jeanne raised an eyebrow at the thought that Doomguy absorbed demon energy to recover his wounds in battle. It didn't make sense to her to take in such energy into one's self so recklessly.
They move forward as both dragon servants complaining about the grossness of the demons while hiding behind the masters.
"Do your job as servants, okay!" Mashu said frustrated at their antics as she was covering in Starfish demon blood. Both returned to the frontline while groaning about how slimy the demons were. They ripped, Slash and burned through the horde of demons up until the door to the throne room were there enemy was waiting for them.
Jeanne looks back to the group, particularly at doomguy. She was still curious about his past and wondered if she could get a chance to talk to her alter about it along with other things.
"Something on your mind, Jeanne?" Mashu asked as she wiped bits of demons off her gauntlet.
"Oh, there was something on my mind. It's not that important. Anyways, it time to confront Gilles and The Dragon Witch. Let us go!" Jeanne said as Doomguy kicked to the doors opened and everyone rushed in.
As expected it was Gille de rais standing in the middle of the room while Jeanne Alter was stilling on the throne.
"As expected of my Holy Jeanne! Welcome to your castle. Your rightful place to rule over those that betrayed you!" Gilles said lifting his arms to the sky as if praising god. Everyone looked confused as they thought he was loyal to Jeanne Alter. Jeanne and the masters looked past the madman and saw that she alter was motionless and looking down to the floor.
"Is she asleep?" Gudao asked.
"I don't know. Gilles is acting like he was in control." Ritsuka said trying to put the pieces together.
"I knew it…" Jeanne said stepping forward.
"What is it my Holy Jeanne?" Gilles asked with a smile.
"Jeanne Alter was your creation, wasn't it? She does not exist in the Throne of Heroes!" Jeanne said surprising everyone.
"Wait for what?!" Everyone, Minus Doomguy, Exclaimed.
"Yes, She was my wish. I just wanted to revive you, but the blasted grail wouldn't let me. For all it's omnipotent power, said it couldn't do that!" Gilles said with crazed frustration in his eyes.
"But my wish was only for you! So I created a new you! The saint I believed in! The saint I longed for! I created her!" He screams with a dark cheer in his voice that shortly switched to a sour tone.
"...but you all managed to break her...My precious Jeanne! My holy grail!" Gilles said and everyone looked confused.
"Wait for what?" Now it was Jeanne's turn to be confused. She was calm and collected throughout the whole encounter so far and guessed that Gilles created this version of Herself.
"To think that she was about to Just hand over her Grail to that man! That wretched brute." Gilles said pointing his long claw-like fingernail at Doomguy. Ritsuka was surprised and confused. Why would Jeanne Alter give up right now and give the Grail Specifically to her servant?
"She was going to give the Grail to Doomguy-san?" Mashu said confused.
"Man, Chief, you scary! I should hire you as a bouncer for my next concert!" Elisabeth said
"Shut-up! this is not the time for that, Dragon-moron!" Kiyohime said as both glared at each other. Gudao just facepalmed while Ritsuka shook her head at that ridiculous comment.
"Of course I had to rip it from her hands and put her to sleep! I cannot let you all ruin my dream! I'll destroy them all! I'll kill them all! That's the wish I made a wish upon the grail! DO NOT GET IN MY WAY JEANNE D'ARC" Gilles raises his book made of a human skin ready to battle for his dreams of revenge against the world that betrayed Jeanne d'Arc. He was just one servant but he had the holy grail, granting him near-infinite power.
"It's seven against one! We will stand in your way regardless of your demands!" Jeanne said and Gilles smiled a very sinister grin...
"That would be the case...but have mad some new allies to join my cause! Using Prelati's Spellbook I shall call upon them into this world." He word shifting into an unknown language as a massive pile of flesh and bone comes out of the floor behind him. Once stopped moving it resembled an altar of flesh with teeth sticking upward. Everyone braced themselves for the predicted attack but the Slayer jumps at the man right as Vega confirmed his suspicions…
Gilles was making a gore nest.
"Doomguy! Wait!" Ritsuka and Jeanne called out but their words were ignored.
He was going do whatever it takes to stop that caster…
He can let THEM find this world…
...This will be yet another world that you have brought to Extinction….
A blast of red energy erupts at the centre of the alter, Sending the Slayer into a pillar.
"Doomguy!" Ritsuka yelled worried for him.
"What the heck is going on!? What did Gille de Rais do?! I am getting a spike of an unknown energy signature!" Romani panicked as his console lights up in warnings.
"Gore nest creation confirmed! Everyone, Prepare for demonic threats. Protect the Masters at all costs!" Vega said
"Vega, What did he do!?" Ritsuka asked worriedly.
"The enemy has created a small fissure in space-time to allow transdimensional travel. Allowing demons from Hell to enter our world." Vega words shocked everyone as the creatures of hell began to spawn from the portal. The slayer looks at them with rage and vengeance as imps, Hellknights, Cacodemons and a Tyrant stepped out the of the portal.
"We must close that portal, we cannot let them know about this world," Vega said as the slayer charges into battle and the Demons roared at their eternal enemy.
"Ah hahaha!" Caster laughed maniacally as the demons charged.
"Alright! Master your orders!" Mashu said snapping out of her shock.
"Yes! We shall fight as well!" Jeanne said twirling her flag, slicing an imp in half in the process.
"Elisabeth, Kiyohime! You ready?" Ritsuka asked.
"You betcha!" Elizabeth took the air against the floating ball like demons.
"I shall burn them to a crisp!" the young berserker yelled as her fan lights up in flames. She sends a blazing fireball at a Hellknight, right in the face.
"Romani, I am uploading bestiary to Chaldea's database. Use this to provide tactical support." Vega said as small antenna extends from his drone body.
"On it!" Romani said receiving the upload.
This battle has now evolved into a war between dimensions...The Doomslayer'ss enemies were here in Ritsukas world. He can't let this world fall into hell. Doomguy fires two grenades into the gaping maws of some unfortunate cacodemons. They swallow the explosive as it detonates in there bodies. The slayer jumps up to the one and rips it's little green eyeball out with a 'pop' sound as Elisabeth stabs the other one in the same ocular cavity.
"Slayer, I suggest you focus your firepower on the Tyrant and Hell knights. Those are the major threats to the Maters." Vega was right Hellknights are tough bastards and like to leap across the battlefield and A tyrant can just fire its arm cannon from a distance.
"Rah!" Mashu yelled trading blows with a hell knight. The hulking humanoid demon pounds on her shield but Mashu holds her ground and bashes at it with full force. Shattering its hand and following up with an upwards kick sending the Hellknights head flying as it body topples over. Mashu nods at her work and runs after a group of imps that were trying to flank around to her Senpai's. Only to see said demons get gored by a rocket.
"Thank you Doomguy-san!" Mashu said as she battles another Hellknight.
Doomguy faces off against the Cyberdemon knock off. There was no real tactic of killing these things other than shooting it until it dies. Doomguy strafed around the pale beast as it tries to fire at him with its beam cannon and missiles. The slayer kept up the pace as he fired his mobile turret at it while his rage was building.
"It looks like we are holding up. Once we clear the remaining demons to go after Gilles!" Romani said over the comms.
"Hahahaa! Do you think you can stop them? Lets me summon another gift from my new allies!" A small pillar shoots out of the gore nest creating a green orb. Doomguy knew what that blasted totem was.
"Warning! Buff totem detected! Enemy speed and power are increased while that totem functions." Vega warned as he projects a barrier around the masters. The demons glowed red as their speed and strength increased.
"Eek! A little help here!" Elisabeth said being chased around by cacodemons.
"A little busy here!" Kiyohime said as she came to assist Mashu with the hell knights and imps. All while doomguy was dealing with a buffed up Tyrant.
Nothing gets in his way in killing these demons. He ducks dodging a plasma beam from the demon which unknowingly hit the wall behind the masters. Debris fell onto the two youngsters but they were able to run out the way. Unfortunately, vegas drone was caught under the debris.
"Doomguy! We need to relocate the masters!" Jeanne called out but her words didn't reach the man.
"Doomguy! Are you listening!?" She called out but he continued fighting. All words were fallen on deaf ears. Jeanne then decides to go protect them herself but was stopped by the sea demons of Gilles.
"Gilles! Stop this madness now!" she said slicing through the horde.
"I am afraid not!" He responded.
Unknown to everyone...another demon snuck through the portal as during the fight. It remains quite as it scouted the battle out for weaklings to kill. It saw the two humans and decided on the female to feast on. It dashes at her with speed while cloaked to avoid the attention of the warriors. Seeing its prey, it uncloaks and dashes at her.
"FOU!" The little guy yelled sensing the danger.
"Watch out!" Gudao said pushing her out of the way. Nearly getting hit himself by monsters claws.
"Senpai!" Mashu called out but can't reach them.
"Ritsuka! Run! I'll hold it off!" Gudao said standing back up but she was frozen in fear...she was bout to die as the demon comes at them again. With only one thought left in her mind, she holds her hand to her chest and closes
"RITSUKA!" all the servants yell.
"DOOMGUY!" she cried out to her protector...
…
…
…
BOOM BOOM
She opened her eyes and there he was with his super shotgun in hand. As the prowler demon falls he turns around to pick both of servants up to get them out of harm's way. Ritsuka used a command seal to bring Berserker back to her.
He places them right behind a pillar as the other servants regroup with them
"LORD Chaldeas!" Mashu yells creating a barrier between them and the Demons.
Doomguy looked over both masters over and over again to make sure they were not injured. For once in his life...he was scared for someone. He cursed himself over and over again in his head as he nearly let the Master's die! Curse this madness enhancement screwing with his hatred of demons.
"Doomguy…" Ritsuka said looking up at him..with the current lighting...she could see his eyes...they were full of fear and anger. With hope in her eyes, she could see the shame in his. Regaining her will, she stands up and looks at him in the visor. He looks back at her amazed at her recovered will.
"I am going to say one thing, and I want you to remember it. This is an order from your master." The redhead said and The slayer nods, ready to accept any insults thrown at him.
"I believe in you." She said looking at the man her words echoing in his mind. After what just happened...Failing to stop the demons from pouring out...Nearly getting her killed...
Did she still believe in him?
Looking around at the others, Gudao helped Mashu keep her barrier up with Kiyohime ready to blast any demon that tried to get in. Elisabeth was standing by with Jeanne.
"Slayer, You have the most experience fighting these demons right?" Jeanne asked and the Slayer nods.
"Then lead us. They may be your enemy but they are now in our world. So we have the right to defend it, correct." Jeanne said and the slayer ponders for a bit.
He can't go full rage anymore without losing awareness on what happens to his allies. At least until finds brings it back under his control as a servant. For now, he will have to rely on allies when battles get real heated. Normal humans just get shredded alive, however, lucky for him, fellow servants seem to be strong enough to face the horde of demons. As they discuss strategy, Vega manages to get the drone out of the debris and reconnect with the group. A little banged up, but mostly functional enough to provide tactical support.
The looking around, the slayer comes up with a battle plan and vega translates it for the group. With a plan made by the bane of demons, they execute it right to the point.
First off, Elisabeth preps her noble phantasm. She jumps into the air as the massive speakers appear out of thin air. She lands on top of them and takes a deep breath in…
"Mashu! Drop it now!" Gudao ordered and Mashu deactivated the barrier and jumps behind Elisabeth.
"Now, Elisabeth!" Jeanne yelled
"Here I go! Báthory Erzsébet!" She then lets out a vocal tune that was amplified by the speakers. Creating a hurricane of soundwaves sending the festering demons flying everywhere.
"Kiyohime! You are up!" Ritsuka said.
"AAAHH! Tenshin Kashou Zanmai!" She once more shifted into the flaming serpentine dragon. She dashes at the gore next and coils around it setting it ablaze and crushing the Buff totem in the process.
"GAAAAAAAAH! WHY YOU! I WILL HAVE MY VENGEANCE!" Gilles screams with insanity as he opens up his spellbook to unleash his spells of torment. Doomslayer ignites his crucible to swiftly cleave through the remaining demons as Jeanne backed him up. The gore nest takes critical damage as the portal closes but not without unleashing one more tyrant...which was cleaved thrice by the slayer.
Now all that remained was Gilles and he looked pissed as a psychotic mage can be.
"NOOOO! I SHALL USE THE FULL POWER OF MY GRAIL! MY JEANNE SHALL-" Gilles words was then interrupted by a black blade through his chest.
"Shut up for once." A voice said behind him as the blade was removed swiftly.
"I...Just wanted...to make things...right…" Gilles falls to one knee.
"Then you should have not created me..." Jeanne Alter said looking away from everyone else as Gilles falls, leaving a golden chalice behind.
"Holy grail confirmed…" Mashu said following protocol.
"Why...did you do that?" Jeanne asked her other-self.
"Crazy Bastard called me broken, then came running back to you. Proving witch one of us was the fake." Jeanne alter said accepting the truth that she was a fake dream crated by Gilles. All was silence for a while until Jeanne stepped forward.
"No...You are not a fake." Jeanne said getting looks from everyone around her.
"What are you talking about?! I am a fake! Are you going to rub it in?" Her Alter snapped back.
"Not at all. You may be not my Darkside. But you are still Jeanne d'Arc." She said truthfully and with a smile that made her alter look at her with confused disgust.
"You, are still accepting me as your Alter? Are you crazy or trying to pull some sick joke?" Jeanne Alter said.
"She saying that you can be your own person regardless!" Ritsuka said with Gudao nodding in agreement.
"Yeah, You are free to choose your own path now!" He said while Jeanne Alter looked away.
"God, you guys are weird. Just take the damn Grail already and let me-!" She stopped at the sound of the slayer walking up to the grail. Jeanne alter froze as the man picked up the grail while looking back at her. The woman thought about that man, how just his mere memories eventually broke her down to the point of surrender.
How could a single man face that kind of evil, alone?
"Grail is secured. Rayshift preparations are underway guys." Romani said over comms.
"The singularity of Orleans is now breaking down. We should leave at our earliest convenience." Vega said as the servants that were summoned in Orleans begun to fade away.
"You are leaving? So soon?" Jeanne said slightly sad.
"We have work to do?" Ritsuka said referring to the other singularities that are still causing havoc.
"Oh do you? Hmmph...Well, I achieved my goal, so it's fine. Goodbye little puppies and Cheif, you fought very well." Elisabeth said.
"-Oh my, is this goodbye? Don't worry master. I can be rather
persistent. No matter where you go, I'll follow you. That is what love is...Do you know? Farewell"
Kiyohime said and both odd-dragons fade away.
"I would advise caution around that servant," Vega said as he docks the drone onto Ritsuka's backpack.
"Noted." Both masters said.
"Looks like this goodbye, Jeanne," Mashus said as herself, Doomguy, and the masters began to fade away.
"Jeanne Alter-" Jeanne turned back around but saw the dragon witch was already almost fully faded away.
"Don't..Look at his past. It will break you. Like it did me…" She then fades away in a dark blue light, without another word. Gilles de rais, that one that wasn't corrupted by grief, came running from the castle entrance. He was joyous seeing his friend alive once more and not the dragon witch. While Jeanne was happy as well, she had to break the truth to him. She will end up going away again and never coming back. She said her farewell to the man and he accepted this fate and returned to his troops. Jeanne then finally said her goodbyes to the Chaldea team as they rayshifted out of the area.
Truth and Judgement.
"Rayshift Successful. Mission accomplished." Vega sated over the speakers as Romani comes running into the Rayshift room.
"Welcome Back! Thanks to you, The first Grand Order was completed successfully. Yes, Excellent work. We had few supplies, little personnel and the rayshift was still in an experimental phase, yet you all did such a fine job!" Roman congratulated the group.
Doomguy once more looked from a distance as they celebrated completing the mission, nearly getting the master's killed still fresh in his head. Ritsuka notices this and pulls him over by his arm.
"Come on! This is your victory too!" She said playfully.
"Yeah! Totally, you were a major help against those berserk servants and wyverns. Glad to have you aboard, Doomguy!" Romani said giving him a thumbs up.
"...But we can't forget about those demons. I never thought such creatures could exist." Romani said reflecting on the last battle. Doomguy clenches his fists, he hoped those bastards would never come to this world.
"...Slayer, I believe it's time to inform them. You know the threat they pose to this world." Vega said and Doomguy reluctantly nods...
"Threat to this world?" Mashu asked worried and the Slayer nods, giving vega the go-ahead to explain the forces of hell.
"The demons that you fought, are from Hell. Not the one written in much human folklore. This dimension consumes worlds and it's inhabitants. Leaving nothing behind while corrupting those that fall to its temptations." Vega said giving a summary of the horror know as Hell.
"So, there is a true hell? That's just how can't something like that exist?" Mashu said with wide eyes alongside Gudao. Ritsuka was silent while looking at Doomguy…
"But, Doomguy is the one they fear. Right?" She asked and both of her friends look at her confused How could such monsters be scared of one man?
"Yes, The Slayer has been on a conquest to destroy the demons and their world. It's the origin of his name "The Doomslayer". According to collected tablets from Hell. He has been fighting them for Aeons. No matter how hard they tried, they could not kill him. Where a who;e army of humans fail in fighting Demons, The Slayer decimates hordes. " Vega said and all eyes went to the Slayer in awe. A single man, The Bane of Hell.
"Well, it's a good thing we have him around. We have no records on these demons and Chaldea nearly has everything paranormal on file. This is definitely a first contact scenario for us. " Romani said looking through his datapad.
"This world appears to have a special phenomenon that might be the reason why the demons are appearing now," Vega said going over Chaldea's records.
"Yeah, I think the Counterforce might be a reason for that," Romani said and Mashu gave an explanation on this worlds mystical force that prevent extinction level events. However, the singularities are interfering so it's at a limited capacity. Thus allowing the Demons of hell into come into their world.
"Regardless, this only reinforced the reason to shut down these singularities so not only save humanity but prevent a demonic invasion as well," Romani stated. The standing director then dismisses them to get some rest until they lock in the next singularity.
Time goes by as Gudao and Mashu take their leave to rest and relax while Vega locks in the next mission location. Meanwhile, Doomguy was staring out the window like he usually does.
"Doomguy?" Ritsuka said poking her head around the corner. Doomguy turns around to face her for conversation.
"I just wanted to thank you again for helping us," Ritsuka said with her usual cheery tone. It boggled the mind of the Slayer how brave she became during the time in Orleans. it only made him feel worse for nearly abandoning her to a Prowler, the Imps sneaky older brother.
"Hey! Stop beating yourself up!" Ritsuka said snapping him out of his train of thought.
"Remember what I said Doomguy." She said offering a fistbump. He pauses to remember her words.
"I believe in you."
Right, She still trusts him regardless, he will not ever fail his duty again. He bumps his fist and nods.
"If it will make this easier for you, I'll keep one command seal always to call you to me. Sounds like a deal?" She said yawning as it was getting late. The slayer nods at that idea as it will give him some peace of mind knowing there is a backup plan. Doomguy then points towards her room saying to get some rest.
"Fiiiiiine...Goodnight, Doomguy." She said while rubbing her eyes and walking to her room for some much-needed sleep. Once the Slayer was alone, he thought about the possibility of the demons attacking Chaldea...He decides to continue his nightly patrols to look for evidence of a possible attack. Things should safer once they start filling the empty halls with legendary warriors of the past.
But he can never be too careful.
Jeanne-Alter...Defeated, now standing in darkness. Wondering if she will be sent the throne of heroes or is this her eternal purgatory.
"Ugh...whatever is waiting to choose my fate. Just hurry it up!" She said in annoyance.
"You are a strange one." A voice calls out to her.
"Who goes there!" Jeanne Alter yelled.
"Hmm. I thought you might've recognized my voice...for one that has looked in the Slayer's past." The voice said as a bright blue light shined in the dark. What is revealed as a ghost of a man in ancient armour and a crown, proving his royality.
"Wait...You are King Novik. Jeanne Alter said to know the man from the Slayers past. This made her even more confused about where the heck she was and why was he talking to her.
"What do you want with me? I am a no-good witch. A criminal in your eye" She asked stating her status.
"Yes, you risked human lives during your conquest of Orleans. Thus making you a criminal." King Novik the leaned from his throne.
"So according to Sentinel law, you shall be punished by finding your honour in combat." He said getting a confused look from the servant in front of him.
"What? Finding my Honour? The hell are you talking about?" She asked.
"It's by Sentinel law that criminals fight for honour. Then be sent to the frontlines of battle." He said getting even more confused and annoyed looks from Jeanne alter.
"What, you expect me to join your armies?" She said getting sick of the man and wondering when this insanity will end for her.
"No, But you can join the Slayers. You did surrender to him did you not?" King Novik's words echoed causing the witch to flinch. The king of the Sentinals was right...She was about to give up the grail to the Slayer until Gilles de rais stopped her.
"If I recall, your other seemed willing to join his army. Are you going to let her take all the glory?" He asked and Jeanne alter began to get angry. Not at the king but at her Saintly self taking the Slayer's side in battle and looking all happy.
It made her sick at the thought and questioning if she really wanted to just sit in purgatory.
"Jeanne d'Arc, are you going to stand by and wait for the end? Or will you fight for the right to control your destiny?" King Novik asked and Jeanne Alter looks at him right in the eyes.
"Like hell, I am going to let that goody-two-shoes have all the glory. When do I start?" She said accepting the trail for second chance to control her fate. Regardless if she has to work with the people that defeated her, so as long as she can show up that girl in combat.
"Very well. Take that vengeance you once wielded...and give it a new shape."
AN: GODAMN! that took me forever! I wanted to get Orleans done so here it is! Hope you enjoyed this first singularity. Doomguy still struggling against the madness enhancement and understands the real threat of letting it take control. Also, the First encounter of hell in the world of Grand Order. with the Singularities around (and urdak in a mess) they can come to their world at a limited capacity depending on the singularity. The Demons do not understand the servant master connection...yet. Perhaps the Demon god pillars make use of them...Singularities are the only way Demons invade currently but I am not saying Chaldea is 100% safe. Maybe that's why King Novik is going to help Jeanne Alter become an Avenger? (Note this means that Davinci event isn't going to be around in this story.)
Now about Slayers past. There has been some evidence(A torn Picture that was removed in a Doom eternal patch) that suggest the Doomguy MIGHT have a family beyond daisy that was murdered by hell. Which changes a few things about the guy, but it does give me some ideas. So expect a special twist on his past.
Don't worry, Dasiy is still going to be around. Fou can't take all of Doomguy's attention...
Next up will be the first segment of "At Chaldea's Gate" Starring Doomguy with the Fate Stat Night cast of a servant. A small chapter but hopefully funny and light-hearted enough to enjoy. Then here come UMU- I mean Septim. Expect Spicy Demons and...some familiar faces in the doom universe.
See you around in the next one! have a nice day!