Guest: Thank you.
Dan1142000: Well, we will see Cù in this chapter. As for Berserker, he is certainly on Nirn but not in Hight-Rock. In fact, he is in Skyrim. Assassin is in Morrowind. Caster, in Valenwood. And Gilgamesh is in Hammerfell.
Wind Keep
Artoria Pendragon hid among the fields of wheat which waved under the wind. Since her awakening, she had walked along a side road, as the latter led to a vast depression in the ground, the King of the two Bretagnes approached, intrigued. From her hiding place, she had discovered wide wooden ramps and loose stairs that made it possible to reach a site of excavation still partly buried. Hard-working workers, as numerous as ants, strove to clear the foundations of what had been a vast city. Red-armored Redguards mingled with them, encouraging them to work harder, not hesitate to shout at them or even to use the whip. The unfortunate slaves, men, women, and even children, probably came from the villages that Saber had found empty during her travel.
Artoria immediately understood that the very reason for the invasion was ahead of her. The frenetic activity and the military means used to protect the site were proof of the importance attached to the research. Was it one of the old Direnni cities?!
Since her arrival on Nirn, Saber had seen such ruins on several occasions. The Elves of the ancient Direnni Hegemony built in gray stone and white marble. Their buildings were decorated with statues and numerous columns. Direnni raised elegant domes and paved the streets with care. All these characteristics were found in the ruins that the slaves gave off. This was not very reassuring because the legends related that the Direnni traded with the Outer Kingdoms. They had raised Oblivion Gates in their cities to meet the Daedras. Near the abandoned ruins of the Direnni, the barrier around Nirn was more fragile. It was in such a place that one could invoke Angra Mainyu.
What had Amiel Sula said when reading the Elders Scroll?
An underground temple... a young woman... a dagger... a ritual under the invisible moon. Yeah, it was a perfect fit for the place she'd just discovered.
Certain that she had solved this part of the riddle, Saber looked around in search of a flight route.
Finding information was a good thing. However, bringing it back to King Eadwyre was even more so. King Arthur noticed with dismay that she had crossed the first belt of sentries without seeing them, or that they did not notice it. She was now between two lines of guards who beat the outskirts in search of unwanted guests. Suffice it to say that her hiding place would no longer remain safe for very long.
Fortunately, the discipline was relaxed. In fact, the two members of the nearest patrol exchanged a bottle. Their laughter and more generally the manner in which they behaved left little doubt as to their state of intoxication. No doubt, no one really believed that danger could threaten the excavation site. Given the precautions taken to prevent the arrival of intruders, this reaction was not surprising.
Artoria was precisely the most discreet hero he was... nevertheless, she tried to circumvent the enemies without being noticed. Fortunately, the Redguards, while intoxicated, paid no attention to what was happening around them. Saber quickly found a way away from the ruins. As it was divided in two, she took the branch that went to the northwest, the direction of Wind Keep.
Five hundred meters away, a bridge spanned an irrigation canal. As one would expect, an enemy soldier was watching the bridge. Fortunately, the latter seemed mostly busy grumbling against his assignment to this boring post.
Artoria watched him for a while. The man had dark skin, black eyes, with a curly beard. The man wore a besantine - a leather armor on which were sewn copper discs to deflect the blows of swords. A helmet adorned with a long point and surrounded by a turban covered the top of his head. They and the neck were protected by a mesh veil. The equipment of the Redguard gave no information about its original kingdom... Skaven? Dragonstar? Sentinel? Rihad? Elinhir? Or why not, Stros M'kai, how do we know? In fact, when I thought about it, all Redguards soldiers had one thing in common, their clothing. They all wore breeches, turbans, and red cotton tunics. It had to be some kind of uniform.
Annoyed, King Arthur focused on the most urgent problem. She had to cross this canal which seemed deep with steep banks and covered with slippery mud. Not only would it be painful to cross in armor, but the aqueduct was also an open space. The idea of wading through the mud and climbing, his back offered as a target, gave him a shiver. Waiting for the night seemed even riskier. The place was patrolled and his presence could not remain long unnoticed. One last option remained, to eliminate the guard discreetly before moving away as quickly as possible.
Artoria was on his opponent by a leap and Excalibur - always surrounded by his Wind-Scabbard-cut the throat of the enemy, sending him from life to death in the space of a moment. Saber stepped over the corpse and ran to the other end of the bridge. Nevertheless, luck should not accompany her further.
An alarm bell sounded. Turning in the sound's direction, Artoria discovered a wooden tower with two watchmen. One of them sounded frantic, while the second pointed her to pursuers concealed in the ears of wheat. Clenching her teeth, Saber stopped. Running or hiding served no purpose in such a situation. She had to fight the enemies.
Brandishing the Sword of the King of the Winds, Artoria Pendragon rushed to the first Redguards pursuing her. The invisible blade described a bluish circular arc, breaking the blades, the shields, the spears, cutting open the hands, smashing the armor... and making the blood flow.
The first attack had killed or wounded three men. But already, Saber leaped forward, pressing the assault. Other men collapsed.
The southern red wolves thought they had cornered a terrified deer.
They were facing a furious lioness!
Fleeing the nearest enemies, and buying time, Artoria drew more energy from her Dragon Core. She strengthened her flesh and bones while using Barrier of the Wind King to reduce air pressure.
Saber then began to run... moving faster than the wind... The feathered horsemen who had left the main encampment galloped their horses but were unable to catch her.
Artoria rode for a long time. However, something she saw suddenly prompted her to change direction.
In the sky, many ravens turned. And she had learned, in the course of a life of conflict, that the ravens followed the armies. After all, these birds were scavengers.
When she reached the top of the nearest hill, a sinister spectacle was offered to her eyes. Corpses of men, broken swords, arrows planted in the ground littered a shallow valley at her feet. The crows were busy ripping away the flesh of the dead to leave only bare bones.
Artoria's beautiful face became mineral hardness as her eyes blazed with anger. She recognized the falcon perched and wringing on the shredded tabard of some corpses. It was the coat of arms of the kingdom of Ephesus... which was to the east of the duchy of Gavaudon. Around the soldiers of Ephesus were corpses still dressed in red cotton which could only belong to the Redguard army which had invaded Gavaudon.
She shook her head, what were the soldiers of Ephesus doing here? It made no sense... Given the state of the corpses, the battle was a week old... maybe a little less, the flesh rotted faster in the heat of summer.
After stopping to eat the little food that remained in her bag, Artoria dusted the blue and gold dress she wore under her armor. Her white skirts were soiled by mud and dust of the road, torn by brambles.
Saber took the opportunity to look around and reflect a little.
To the south and east, there were only wheat fields. Only one major road was visible, along a north-west axis... Logically, the city of Wind Keep had to be on the side of the sunset, following this path.
As Artoria approached, she discovered several handcarts like the ones the peasants were pulling themselves. They were lined up along a large inn-like building. All the shutters were closed. However, rumors of conversation confirmed that it was an inhabited place.
As King Arthur hurried past the inn, the door opened. Reluctant to be noticed by the occupants of the place, Artoria leaps into one of the small wagons, the only shelter in this landscape naked as the back of the hand.
Stuck at the bottom of the wagon, the young woman held her breath. Looking through an interstice between two boards, he saw the crowd of exhausted slaves that guards were gathering.
As a shadow fell upon Artoria Pendragon, she looked up to see the filthy face of one of the slaves.
The latter leaned forward: "When no one looks at us, I will warn you. At this point, jump out of the cart and run as fast as you can to the wood."
The King of Britain felt a wave of gratitude for this prisoner who risked his life to help a stranger. The man had nothing to gain and yet he showed no hesitation.
Still huddled at the bottom of the wagon, Artoria observed between two boards the coming and going of the captives, occupied in transporting earth extracted by other workers.
However, she did not have the leisure to lose herself in contemplation. For, they had just reached the heap of rubble.
"Go ahead, now!"
As her unknown benefactor had told her, a forest grew at less than two hundred paces, just on the other side of the slag rejected by the yard. Between the two, a field retreat offered a salutary itinerary, away from the eyes of the supervisors. Jumping out of the wagon, the young woman ran as fast as she could. No cry was heard in response to her flight. The alarm did not sound. As King Arthur reached the first trees, she was able to look back at the place she had just fled.
Soldiers and captives continued to work... and her heart missed a beat when she recognized what was being built before her eyes. The Redguards invaders had requisitioned the inhabitants to build forts that surrounded a vast camp. The edge of the forest closest to the latter was attacked by an army of loggers. Part of the wood was used to make a palisade reinforced with towers. However, other slaves were requisitioned to build siege machines: catapults, ladders, rolling shields...
Artoria Pendragon had arrived at Wind Keep, the capital of the Duchy of Gavaudon. Unfortunately, it was to be surrounded by the enemy. Moreover, given the thorough preparation, the Redguards were preparing the capture of Wind Keep There was no other valid objective in this region. It also meant that Saber had to hurry if she wanted to enter the city before the assault began.
Her resolution strengthens, Artoria began to trot among the bushy groves. The advance remained slow. The enemy seemed everywhere: overseers of the duties of lumberjacks, patrols, small soldiers' encampments. But she had learned to sneak among an army and no one saw him, it was - after all - not the first time he had been caught in such a situation.
If the woods had extended to Wind Keep, she would have had no trouble reaching the city. Unfortunately, it was surrounded by grain fields that were the source of its supply. Arriving at the edge, Artoria discovered a spectacle that filled her with sadness and fury.
First of all, it was the smell. The soldiers were well aware of this composited stench where rot and burnt wood mingled. She then heard the ravens shouting, making feast with the corps offered to them. Their voices prepared her for the vision of a site of carnage...
The fields were lying down... trampled by thousands of feet, hooves, and wheels... An army had broken through, destroying everything in its path. Beyond... Wind keep stood in the form of burnt ruins. Grey smoke enveloped it completely. Around the city, corpses riddled with arrows as far as the eyes could see.
Artoria believed the assault was in preparation, she was wrong. The siege had begun days ago. The town of Wind Keep, devoid of ramparts, had not succeeded in resisting. Nevertheless, a torn banner was floating on the castle. Strangely, it was not the banner of the duchy of Gavaudon, but the banner of the kingdom of Ephesus! Really, strange things had happened in the area... Given the distance, it was impossible to distinguish more. There was little doubt, however, that sentries were lining the walls, ready to report any further assault.
Hearing the sound of a branch breaking, Artoria turned sharply to face three Redguards soldiers. Excalibur materialized in her hand. Saber thought she deserved slaps for having let her guard down. Nevertheless, there was more urgent. Should she face them or flee?
But Artoria had nothing to gain from fighting, especially since the alarm bells were already ringing. She leaped towards Wind Keep's Castle.
The city was almost a kilometer away, in open ground. While whole regiments were coming out of the woods that had sheltered them, Artoria understood that her fighting instinct had once again suggested the best solution.
Saber ran so fast that she literally left her pursuers behind. However, as the arrows fell all around her, Artoria was forced to turn brutally to divert the bowmen. With the consequence of slowing her flight, and when furious barking sounded, Saber dared to look over her shoulder. Dog-handlers led war dogs dressed in armors and leather helmets, their throats pressed with collars lined with spikes. And many Magi stood by the war-dogs, and lifted up their hands to cast a spell:
"Feet of Notorgo!"
She understood that the Magi had cast spells of rapidity on the dog-pack. Certainly, Artoria had traveled half the distance separating her from the castle, only her chances of reaching hit alive were now almost nil. Released by their masters, the powerful hounds quickly caught up to her.
Despite the stitch in her side from which she began to suffer and her burning throat, Saber focused on the standard of Ephesus which floated on the nearest tower. The distance narrowed, allowing her to discover heads between the crenellations that crowned the walls.
Still running, her face dripping with sweat, Artoria arrived in the area where the fighting of the last days had taken place. Many corpses were rotting on the ground, pierced by the arrows fired by the defenders. The arrows in the ground and the remains were all obstacles on which his feet stumbled...
Suddenly, the defenders began to shout with joy. It took a moment for Artoria to understand that these men had seen her. Perhaps because the sight of comrades-in-arms reassured her, perhaps because of fatigue, the king of Britain forgot to zigzag.
Among the archers who continued to run behind her, one of them took the opportunity to win a stroke. The arrow whistled and, the next moment, Artoria rolled to the ground... an unbearable pain tore her ankle.
Already, the war-dogs arrived on Artoria. The first to want to attack her collapsed, pierced by an arrow. Unlike the projectile that first struck the knight-woman, the life-saving arrow came from the wall. A real rain had just hit the beasts of war, decimating them.
A chariot covered with planks rolled sideways to open a passage into the barricade closing one of the breaches of the wall (1). A man emerges, running half-folded with the wild grace of a hungry wolf. He leaped among the armored dogs brandishing a red lance that had suddenly appeared in his hands. The weapon surrounded itself with a blood-colored aura as it turned into a blurred wheel. The hounds were thrown in all directions, howling with pain. Breaking the neck of a dog that wanted to jump on his back, the man bent down to lift Artoria and lay her across his shoulders before going back to the passage left open.
The wagon was pushed back behind them, closing the barricade.
Without ceremony, the man dressed in blue dropped Artoria to the ground. Then he bent down... and she clenched her teeth to hold back a cry of pain as he tore off the arrow that pierced her ankle.
Sitting on the muddy ground, Saber bowed slightly, one hand over her heart:
"Thank you, Cù Chulainn, this is the second time you have saved my life!"
Cù Chulainn, the Lancer-Class Servant of the Fifth Grail War of Fuyuki sent her an almost furious look and sniffed loudly:
"And again, I didn't do it to save your skin, Saber... but because the circumstances wanted it."
Saber quickly recounted her misadventures, stressing in particular that King Eadwyre would soon receive her report. An army was to be assembled as soon as possible in order to take over the region.
Cù Chulainn looked around him. A circle of faces that had not been shaven for days surrounded them. There were soldiers of Ephesus but also the famous Spellswords of Wind Keep, fighters in leather armor as skillful in the handling of the sword as in the use of Magecraft.
"Yeah, well, it wouldn't be a luxury if Eadwyre finally came to our aid. I'm getting tired of being here. If it continues, I'll take root."
As the doctor who had healed Artoria's ankle withdrew, she sat down on the mattress which was the only "piece of furniture" of a ruined room still endowed with a roof:
"Ireland's Son of the Light, may I ask how you got here? I had heard of your recent exploits... but you exercised them in Evermore, in the kingdom of Ephesus. What are you doing here?"
Under the blue leather's spandex that formed his armor, powerful and supple muscles played. Lancer had a wolf's smile, pushing Gael Bolg back on his shoulder:
"You can call me Sétanta. I've never really liked the roundabouts. To answer your question, Artoria... it's simple. I fought to protect Ephesus since I am a knight of Ephesus and nephew of King Javan. Except the enemy came from everywhere... my regiment was ambushed and I was forced to flee to the west. I lost a second battle against an enemy three times as many as I. As the road to Menevia was cut off by the enemy army, I retreated here. Wind Keep had already fallen, but with the remaining soldiers and survivors of Gavaudon's army, I tried to turn the ruined old castle into a stronghold capable of withstanding a siege. I've been trapped here for six days."
Artoria acquiesced mechanically, she had imagined something like this.
"But who is attacking us?"
Cù Chulainn grumbled:
"You won't believe it... this army is headed by... Kirei Kotomine!"
For a few moments, Artoria Pendragon remained as if statued. But she quickly recovered.
"Actually, I believe you. I learned on my way here that the aim of the attack on this region was to allow Angra Mainyu to incarnate on Nirn."
Saber quickly summarized her meeting with Amiel Sula, the priest of the Moth, and then his reading of an Elders Scrolls.
The face of Cù Chulainn was emptied of all colors:
"The sacrifice of a young woman in these ruins Direnni, eh? I didn't want to believe it..."
"Believe what" questions Artoria.
Lancer will sigh:
"Well, since we've been under siege here, only one person except you has been able to join us. It's Oren, the Duke of Gavaudon. He managed to escape and entered through a secret passage leading to Storm Talon Temple, under these ruins. You have to talk to him, Saber."
Rising, Setanta led Artoria to one of the towers still standing. Pushing a door, he preceded King Arthur in a dark room. Saber felt pity to hold her heart. The duke, one of the most powerful lords of High-Rock sat on the ground, dressed in a formerly splendid doublet but now in tatters. The furrows of tears were clearly visible on his face. The horrors he had experienced during his captivity had broken him, he sobbed and wring his hands, repeating the same leitmotiv:
"My daughter... my poor daughter... bound on the altar..."
"Milord, what happened to your daughter?"
But the call met with no reaction, the Duke of Gavaudon continued to lament as if he did not see them.
Cù Chulainn shrugged his shoulders and looked away with pity:
"No need Saber, he's lost his mind."
Coming out of the room, he preceded Artoria on the covered way reinforced with precarious works: wooden stairs, barricades, pile barriers. This was the result of the work of the besieged to reinforce the walls eroded by the passage of centuries.
"I believe the false priest will sacrifice the duke's daughter to call Avenger to Nirn."
Artoria frowned:
"Why her? What's so special about her?"
Cù Chulainn looked at the woods concealing the positions of the besiegers:
"Because I was invoked as a Lancer, I have only part of my abilities. But I am the student of Scáthach, the Queen of Shadows, a powerful Sorceress. And my teacher taught me a lot about Formalcraft.
Saber agreed, she knew the legend of Cù Chulainn.
And he frowned and said:
"To get some magic effects, you need the right sacrifice... and if you knew who Duke Oren's daughter was, you would immediately understand that the bond between Angra and her guarantees that the invocation will work."
"And who is she," asked Saber.
Cù Chulainn had a sad smile, caressing with a light finger one of the silver earrings that never left him:
"It was Bazett Fraga McRemitz, the Master who summoned me and whom Kitei Kotomine killed to steal her Command Marks. Like all of us, the participants of the Fifth Grail War reincarnated on Nirn, she exists in response to the existence of Angra Mainyu. A bit as if we were on different plateaus of the same scale. Simultaneously, our presence weakens the barrier defending Nirn. Because we are foreign elements brought to this world by Angra Mainyu, those of us who chose to fight for Avenger, like Kirei Kotomine or the offspring of the Matou, are perils to Nirn. However, my death or yours... or that of Bazett would increase Angra Mainyu's chances of succeeding in incarnating on Nirn as the "Supreme Principle of Evil" because we are working to prevent his reincarnation."
Artoria remained pensive for a few moments:
"How can you be so sure of yourself, Setanta?"
There was a mocking grunt:
'This is a fundamental principle of Magecraft: the Counter-Gift. By Magecraft we became what we control, and vice versa. A story related to Origin, it's actually very complicated and I'll leave it to someone more competent to explain it to you in detail. Just remember that because Angra Mainyu gave us a second life, his second life is inextricably linked to ours."
"But the present situation results from the interpretation of our wish."
"Wait, are you saying that you and the little redhead are behind this?"
Artoria nodded earnestly.
"Ohhhh!?"
Lancer scratched his scalp violently:
"Well, it's simple... if you both die or if you rally Avenger... he won."
(1) The castle of Wind Keep or simply "Wind Keep" or "Aphren's Hold" was built during the First Era. When King Aphren of Wayrest conquered the duchy of Gavaudon, he had this castle built. Aphren's Hold was destroyed during the revolt that restored independence to the region. At the end of the Third Era, the castle was nothing more than an eroded ruin invaded by wild herbs.
Author's note: a good example of Magecraft Counter-Gift is... Unlimited Bladework. Where does Shirou start and where does UBW end? As for Archer, what best symbolizes the failure of Shirou Emiya's dream does not he end up a prisoner of his own Reality Marble? Or again in Heaven Feel Route, the swords that begin to come out of Shirou's body, proof of his inability to control Archer's UBW. The more closely a Magecraft is linked to a person, the more it is necessary to control it, when a Formalcraft ritual unites several people, especially a curse' Formalcraft with an Originator and his targets, the effects can become a matter of life or death. The shock in return for the failure of such a ritual can kill the caster.