FATE/IRREGULAR SUMMONS

Chapter 4: Imbas Forosnai

While the battle between Connla and Medusa was happening, Rin was busy wrapping some small towels and handkerchiefs around the unconscious Shirou's deep wounds. She swallowed hard to keep her composure, but the sight of so much blood greatly disturbed her. It made her realize just how inexperienced she was in the art of war, even though she had spent her entire life training to be a Mage so she could take part in the Holy Grail War.

He stirred awake eventually, and Rin asked, "Are you okay?"

"Unngh… Tohsaka…"

"Stay still. You've got some serious injuries, so I patched you up as best as I could."

She winced when she felt the ground shake unexpectedly, and she looked up to see Medusa's Noble Phantasm colliding with Connla's energized spear. A thick cloud of smoke blanketed the area, and she coughed when the awful stench hit her nostrils. Shirou regained enough of his strength to sit back up, and he asked, "What's going on?"

"I don't know. We should wait here until Archer arrives."

He wasn't entirely enthusiastic about meeting up with Rin's Servant again, but he knew he had no choice given his condition. They waited in tense silence for around 15 minutes, refusing to strike up any sort of conversation until they were sure that the battle between the two Servants was over. The suspense was getting to Shirou though, so he stood up and gazed ahead with determination.

"I told you not to move!" Rin implored.

"I'm fine. I'm worried about that little girl though."

"The one with the spear?"

"Yeah. She was the one who saved me."

With that, he stepped forth and explored the woods for any sign of Connla. Although Rin was hesitant, she followed behind from several feet. They didn't find anything significant for a few minutes, but that quickly changed when Shirou rounded around a particularly thick tree and discovered a most gruesome sight. He let out a short yelp, and Rin called out, "What is it, Emiya!?"

"Stay back, Tohsaka!"

"Why, what wrong-? Ahhhh!?"

Shirou failed to prevent Rin from seeing Shinji's mutilated body carelessly splayed out like some rag doll covered in blood. Typically, Rin was the type to remain as calm and composed as possible, but the shock of seeing a mana-drained student, Shirou's violent injuries on his arm, plus Shinji's destroyed corpse all in one evening proved to be too much for her. After letting out that small shriek, she turned away and covered her eyes while falling onto her knees.

Just then, another man's deep voice echoed in the air, "How unlike you to be so frazzled, Rin."

A third person appeared like a ghost, materializing the same way that any Servant would. He was a tall fellow with tanned skin and pure white hair that was slicked back. He wore a short red jacket resembling an igote along with a crimson waist cape over a set of black armor and buckled pants. He folded his arms and looked around for a moment before asking, "What happened here?"

"A lot, that's for sure," Shirou muttered, refusing to look the newcomer in the eye. He approached his dead classmate, kneeled over him and closed his bulging wide eyes out of respect.

"Is that one of the Masters out of the running?"

"I'm not sure. I confronted a Servant, but I never got to see who her Master was."

"Is that so? Judging by his extensive wounds and the fact that he hasn't been sapped dry of his prana leads me to believe that this kid isn't entirely uninvolved. Whatever his circumstances were, he must have been slaughtered like this to ensure his silence."

"Probably…"

Suddenly, Rin got to her feet and howled at the Servant, "Archer! Where the hell were you this whole time!? I told you to get here as fast as you could!"

"And I did," the man retorted coolly. "Looks like this little fracas ended before it was my turn though."

"Oh, it sure did! While you were taking your sweet time, Rider attacked an innocent student and nearly killed Shirou!"

"Then it's a miracle that you two are still alive, especially since it seems that Emiya Shirou never called Saber to his side. You should be counting your blessings instead of screaming insults at me."

"Ghh-!"

"So fill me in already. What happened?" Archer asked impatiently.

Shirou said, "That Servant was repelled by another one. Apparently, she called the first one Rider…"

"That makes sense. I detected two Servant presences as I was on my way here. So if the first one was Rider, who was the second one?"

"Well… The thing is, Tohsaka and I have no idea."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly as I said. You didn't run into either of them, did you?"

"They were heading in the opposite direction, so it was impossible for me to get a good look at them. What did the other one look like?"

Rin held her arm and murmured, "I only saw her briefly, but it was a little girl carrying a spear."

"Wouldn't that make her a Lancer then?"

"But we already met Lancer! There's no way there can be two of them!"

"Got that right," Archer grumbled, thinking of his first battle against Cuchulainn several nights ago. "Then that kid must represent a different class who just happens to use a spear as her weapon. It's the same with me using twin swords despite being an Archer, right?"

"Well, I guess…"

"We already know about myself, Saber, Lancer, Rider, and Berserker. That just leaves Caster and Assassin, and I'm sure no Caster in their right mind would fight in the open like that unless the battleground was their own workshop. Most likely that other Servant was Assassin then."

"I don't know about that…" Shirou murmured hesitantly. "I can't imagine an Assassin who would save my life…"

Archer raised an eyebrow and stared at the pensive teenager, uncertain of why he would say such a thing. He then muttered, "In any case, this incident is resolved. You two should best make yourselves scarce. It'd be a real disaster if someone were to stumble upon us casually chatting in front of a corpse."

"You're right," Rin said. "I'm kind of worried about Emiya going home by himself though, so let's escort him before returning home ourselves."

"I'm fine," Shirou suddenly retorted with a sharp tone. "I don't need that guy's help."

"Are you out of your mind!? You almost got killed by a Servant… again! Think about it! Lancer murdered you that other night, and Rider was nearly an inch away from killing you again! Or are you so stupid that you completely forgot about it!?"

"I-I'm not that stupid! I just didn't want you to stay out too late for my sake!"

"Honestly, don't you ever think straight, Emiya!? I have Archer to protect me! On the other hand, you were a complete and utter fool for not calling Saber here! If any of us should be worried, it's me! Now quit complaining and let me take you home!"

"I already said-!"

"Pardon me for interrupting your little squabble," Archer interrupted, "but we really should be beating a hasty retreat. I can hear police sirens heading this way in the distance. All of that smoke in the air must have alerted someone, and they probably called the police to check things out."

"Oh, fine," Shirou grunted, and the trio ran out of the woods.

A squadron of police vehicles raced down the streets of Fuyuki. Caren stepped upon the sidewalk and observed as the squealing cars proceeded to park in front of Homuhara Academy one by one. She simply smiled and turned away from the scene with nary a care. As she calmly walked back toward Edelfelt Manor, the flaring sunset gradually faded into the darkness of a chilly February night. Once Caren reached the entrance to the abandoned mansion, that was when Connla materialized into physical form and asked, "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

The duo headed inside as the nun replied, "I have a feeling I know what it is, but go ahead."

"About what you made Rider do to that boy…"

"Is there a problem with that?"

"Well, I'm still kind of confused about what happened. How were you able to command someone else's Servant like that? Did that strange book have something to do with it?"

"Ah, yes. I should inform you of my confrontation with Matou Shinji."

They sat in the lounge, and Caren explained everything that had transpired to Connla. The child Servant took all of this in and whispered pensively, "The Book of False Attendant… So he really wasn't Rider's Master. That would explain why her fighting capabilities were seriously hindered. If it hadn't been for that handicap, I don't think I would have fought on equal grounds with her."

"I guess that nincompoop turned out to be useful for something after all."

"But did you have to go so far as to kill him? If he wasn't a real Master, then he wouldn't have posed any sort of threat."

"Did you forget about us Masters having to eliminate witnesses to keep the War under wraps from the public? However harmless a fly he might have been, his unnecessary buzzing might have attracted too much attention, and we simply can't have that."

"Even so, we could have just captured him."

"Uh, no. I'd sooner commit suicide than endure that philistine's incessant howling. Believe me, Lancer, this is for the best."

Connla whimpered feebly, unsure of how to argue back. Caren noticed her uncertainty and said, "Don't tell me you disagree with my logic."

The girl closed her eyes, then murmured, "It's not your logic I have a problem with. It's just that your methods are rather extreme…"

She then opened them and stared at Caren with resolve in her hollow gaze.

"But I'll trust your judgment nonetheless."

"A good answer," the priestess replied, brushing some of her hair back. "Maybe Bazett didn't make a mistake in summoning you. You're a lot more obedient than I expected a Celtic soldier to be. That makes things much easier for me."

"Please don't forget; I am Ms. McRemitz's Servant, not yours. Even if you told me to do something unreasonable, you do not have the power to command me. Whatever atrocities you may commit in this war, they will solely be your responsibility. I am only obeying you to maintain our front as a false Master-Servant duo."

"Hm… Maybe you're a little more tenacious than I give you credit for. Goodness me, I must admit that it's no fun to boss around a stick-in-the-mud such as yourself."

"I'm merely sticking to my principles."

"Like your father before you."

"…"

"Well that's enough of that," Caren said, wanting to switch the topic. "I'd say we did some good work today. Now let's see if Matou Sakura will respond to my summons."

"Do you think she will?" Connla wondered.

"She won't have a choice."

"What makes you so certain of that?"

"Just trust me on this one."

The child Servant grunted, realizing that her partner was purposely trying to avoid divulging everything to her. The nun urged playfully, "Don't look so grumpy. It'll ruin your complexion. Instead of sulking, how about fixing some tea and biscuits for our soon-to-be guests?"

"… Whatever."

Medusa landed upon the roof of a certain house, then hopped down to a balcony and gracefully stepped through the glass doors into a bedroom that obviously belonged to a female. A single white lamp was turned on in the corner of the room, illuminating a study desk where a teenaged girl worked on her homework. She wore a pink shirt over a white blouse, and a yellow long skirt. Her medium-length purple hair sported a single red ribbon tied into a bow on the left side of her head. Her soft, genteel eyes were as equally violet as her hair. The girl heard the Servant's light footsteps and glanced over quietly.

"Sakura," Medusa said, "I have returned."

"Rider?" the student, Matou Sakura, wondered what was going on. "Aren't you supposed to be fighting with my brother?"

"There's been a significant setback."

The Servant stood before her real Master and explained everything that had happened while she was out. The discussion left Sakura in shock at the end as she exclaimed, "Shinji's dead!?"

"Yes."

"How did that happen!?"

"He must have been caught in the crossfire of my battle against the mystery Lancer."

Medusa had altered the truth regarding Shinji's murder. There was no way she would reveal that she had been forced to kill him upon Caren's order, lest she wind up breaking the student's heart further. She knew that Sakura had endured a lifetime's worth of torment and suffering, so Medusa would do her utmost to not contribute to her grief.

"I see. Oh, Shinji…" Sakura murmured sadly.

"I understand that you are upset, but there are other matters that require our attention," the Rider said coolly. "For instance, that Caren Hortensia woman. She is much too dangerous for us to ignore, given how much she knows about you."

"You said she wanted to speak with me?"

"Yes, at some place called the Edelfelt Manor."

Sakura's eyes became downcast as she thought about what Medusa told her. After some contemplation, she asked, "She's the Master for that Lancer you fought, right?"

"Correct."

"And it was a different one than the Lancer you confronted before?"

"Very much so. The first one was a man, but this one was clearly a small female child."

"…"

"What do you want to do? Although I believe it is unwise to ignore this, you also have no obligation to heed that woman's summons. It's possible that you could fall right into a trap of hers."

"I don't know," Sakura murmured hesitantly. "I just get the feeling that something is very wrong here…"

"If anything is 'wrong', it's what's going through that vixen Hortensia's mind. I'd sooner massacre her myself, but if you do not wish for that, then I shall respect your decision," Medusa assured.

Sakura paused for a short while, carefully thinking about what to do. Eventually, she said, "Let's go see this lady. I have some questions, and I think she's the best person who can answer them."

"Very well. I will bring you there posthaste."

"Thank you. Oh, and Rider?"

"Yes?"

The girl gave a stern look to her Servant and ordered, "Disable the Blood Fort Andromeda that you have been erecting around the school. Now that your rights have been transferred back to me, there's no need for you to harvest my fellow classmates' mana."

"My apologies. I shall do so the first chance I get."

Chaldea

Back in the hospital room, Chaldea's version of Connla continued sleeping quietly. Her coma refused to subside, so she was unable to respond to any external stimuli that Roman, Nightingale and the other doctors attempted on her.

This wasn't just any ordinary coma however. For whatever reason, Connla possessed the ability to 'shift' her mind out of her physical shell and traverse through the sea of parallel universes, known as the Kaleidoscope, and subconsciously plant herself into the body of a different Connla without the other one's knowledge. Chaldea Connla would then experience this other Connla's life through her eyes as a vivid dream, but was unable to interact with it whatsoever. The reverse was true as well; it was proven that at least one other version of her had seen Chaldea Connla's life, as witnessed in the Novus Ordo Seclorum dream. That was why even though Connla was more or less out of critical condition from a physical standpoint, she would not wake up until the dream was over. At the moment, she was in the middle of witnessing Fuyuki Connla's plight to stop the Holy Grail War.

Virtually no one in Chaldea knew why Connla would slip into these alternate realities. It was something that several of the organization's best minds were looking into, but there never had been any record of Connla displaying this skill in her original legend. It was theorized that it was simply something that was lost to history due to how short her life was, and most details surrounding her upbringing were forever unknown. It was just like how everyone found out that Connla's mother Aife had planted Runes on her brain when she was an infant in order to accelerate her mental growth to that of an adult's, regardless of how much damage this could cause to the newborn.

All of this emerging information plus Connla's horrendous injuries proved to be devastating for her father, Cuchulainn. In Chaldea, at least four separate Cuchulainns had been summoned, all with either different classes or interpretations of the original legend. Of particular note was the Berserker-class Cuchulainn Alter, whose personality and appearance were a complete inverse of Cuchulainn Lancer's. Whereas Lancer was sociable and jovial, yet irresponsible and skittish to the point of being compared to a petulant child, Alter tended to be lazy and rude and possessed an insatiable appetite for carnage and destruction, but also watched over those he deemed worthy of his protection. The Master Ritsuka was definitely someone that Alter would guard with his life, mainly out of duty rather than any particular affection for her. He typically didn't bother with guarding fellow Servants unless ordered to.

Once he met Connla in Chaldea however, her safety became one of his top priorities as well. Keeping her safe was easy – making her happy was nowhere near as simple though. As he learned more and more about how Aife had abused Connla during those years that he was busy fighting the war against Connacht, Cuchulainn came to realize that Connla had never experienced joy the same way he did as a lad growing up in Ulster. This frustrated him, and he did whatever he could to help lighten her persistent depression. Unfortunately, it was difficult when he looked like a creature that had emerged from a nightmare, which made her even more nervous around him. Things were improving between them, but she still needed more time to get used to him.

All he could do for now was hold her hand and continue to wait for her eyes to stir. As he sat there gazing at his daughter, he heard the doorknob twist before the door swung open to reveal the Pseudo-Servant Zhuge Liang stepping through. The long-haired gentleman approached the bed and leaned over the girl, then asked Cuchulainn, "How is she faring?"

"Same as usual," was the grumbled response. He was starting to feel like a broken record, having to answer that question over and over again to Connla's visitors with the same tired answer. "You here to check on her again?"

"Actually, there are a few things I want to discuss with you."

"Like what?" Cuchulainn moaned in annoyance.

Zhuge rolled an office chair closer to the bed and sat down. "Just a few theories I had, but I wanted to get some information from you regarding Connla's history before I can draw any reasonable conclusions."

"Keep it short. I'm not in the mood for a long conversation."

"Very well. First, let me ask you this – is Connla related to Scathach in any way besides being teacher and pupil?"

"Huh? You wanna know if they're related by blood?"

"Yes."

"That woman didn't tell me much about her past, but she was quite furious with me after I had my physical encounter with Aife. I remember her mentioning that Aife was her sister, but I wasn't sure if she was kidding or not, so I dismissed it off-hand."

"So it's possible that Connla is Scathach's niece."

"Most likely. Why are you asking me such a thing?" Cuchulainn wondered.

"I had a conversation with Sigurd about how Mordred and Connla fared in the Denmark Singularity," Zhuge said. "Apparently, Ritsuka and Mash told him about Connla's dreams and how no one knew what was going on. After hearing that, he told me that he believed it's some kind of Imbas Forosnai."

"Imbas what now?"

"Imbas Forosnai, or 'Illuminated Illusion'. Basically, a practitioner engages in sensory deprivation techniques in order to enter a trance mode and receive visions of the future or prophecies. I'm surprised you don't know since it's Celtic in origin. Fionn Mac Cumhaill has been associated with the phenomenon."

"'Fraid all of that hocus pocus goes over my head. Scathach taught me advanced Runecraft, but other kinds of magic are beyond me. I was more of a fighter than a magician anyway."

"I see. Well I did some research into the topic and discovered that Scathach could do it as well."

Cuchulainn raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Is that so? I never would have known."

Zhuge adjusted his glasses and asked, "I think you're starting to see where this discussion is going, don't you?"

"Yeah. If Connla really is Scathach's niece, that means she's possibly inherited this Imbas Forosnai ability from her mother's side."

"To a small degree, yes. Normally, its potency should be greatly reduced in Connla due to her not being a full demigod, yet it is almost on par with Scathach's, which shouldn't be possible. After an extensive investigation, I believe I understand why that is the case."

Zhuge opened a notebook, then said, "Let me bring your attention to something that she wrote in her record of her previous dream. According to her, she heard the Connla of that world say the following; 'I was in another version of myself. You and I were working for the same Master, at some place called Chaldea. We were fighting the same enemies, side by side, as allies.'"

Cuchulainn widened his eyes. His disinterest for the discussion subsided, and his curiosity was greatly piqued. "A different Connla said that…?"

"If we're to believe the record. I sincerely doubt our Connla would find any benefit in lying about this, so I believe it is safe to take this information at face value."

"How is that possible? Are you saying that all Connlas have this ability?"

"That is the crux of what I want to discuss," Zhuge said. "When she was recorded onto the Throne of Heroes, the existence of those cranial Runes were likewise attached to her even though there is no visible record of them in the history books. Cuchulainn Caster told me of the circumstances behind them, and I speculate that it would have been difficult for Connla to have fought the original Cuchulainn on equal footing without them. If those Runes helped her readily absorb the lessons that Aife and Scathach taught her, then it makes sense on an intellectual level.

"As far as the physical level goes, it's simply a matter of her being the direct descendant of a god and the offspring of a demigod, plus the geasa that Aife put on her giving her benefits in battle. All of those factors are what allow Connla to become a Heroic Spirit despite her deeds not being as recognized as yours."

"Hmph… I already know all of that," Cuchulainn scoffed wryly. "What are you trying to get at?"

"Basically, whenever Connla is summoned in any world, she will manifest with those cranial Runes no matter what," Zhuge explained. "I strongly believe those Runes are the root cause of her dreaming about other Connlas, and vice versa. There may be other Connlas who have dreamed about ours living her life here, and we would never have been any wiser about it."

"Why is this happening? Is there some kind of connection that we're missing?"

"Although I don't have conclusive proof, I have a theory. Bear with me here, because it might get a bit complicated if you're not familiar with the Second Magic."

"The Second Magic?"

Zhuge nodded. "There are five classes of True Sorcery, or the highest level of Mystery that surpass our understanding even with all of the knowledge at our disposal. The second of those classes is the Operation of Parallel Worlds, also known as the Kaleidoscope. There is only one Sorcerer who achieved the ability to freely travel between parallel worlds, and his theses on the subject are the greatest hints we have to go on. Otherwise the Second Magic is considered lost to contemporary Magecraft."

Cuchulainn narrowed his eyes slightly. "Are you suggesting that Connla's Imbas Forosnai is equivalent to this so-called lost Magic?"

"Not on a conscious level. What she's doing is a very much watered-down version of what the Sorcerer can do. The Sorcerer can physically travel to other worlds as he pleases, but Connla can only do it at the deepest subconscious level. The most ideal time for this to occur is when she's in a coma."

"So that's why it happens after she sustains near-fatal injuries."

"Yes. She has no control over this ability, nor is she able to choose the destination. Furthermore, it's restricted to worlds where there are other Connlas for her to dream about. The reverse is true as well; other Connlas can dream about each other in this state too. Think of it as a 'matrix' of Connlas who are all connected to each other through the Kaleidoscope. All of them provide each other a 'path' so that they can 'shift' into each other's minds and experience their lives. The one thing linking them all together is, indeed, the cranial Runes that Aife planted on Connla forcefully enhancing her innate Imbas Forosnai ability.

"To put this into the simplest terms possible, all of their minds are weaved together as one huge network."

"…"

Cuchulainn didn't like it at all. This whole thing was yet another dreadful consequence of his own immaturity – another cross that he should have been bearing instead of Connla.

"Although this isn't the Second Magic on the truest level, it is the closest thing I have ever experienced in my studies as a Magus," Zhuge admitted. He didn't look excited in the least, but there was no denying that he was very interested.

"Hey," the distressed Berserker grumbled, "you better not get any ideas of turning her into your guinea pig. The moment you do, I'll gut you without hesitation."

"Worry not. Although this is quite a unique case, it is also lacking practical application. There is nothing useful of someone diving into another's mind and acting as a passive viewer of their life. If anything, I am more interested in finding a way to sever our Connla's connection to this network so that she can better function as a Servant for Chaldea. Imbas Forosnai should really only be utilized by gods or demigods who have the endurance to tolerate such potent visions. I fear that the more this happens, the more her overall condition will deteriorate. If left unchecked, she might wind up as a vegetable, or even worse."

Cuchulainn scowled, "What could be worse than that?"

"Her spirit could be potentially trapped in this matrix, meaning she'd witness other Connlas' lives endlessly with no way of returning to her physical body. In essence, she'd become a mobile Singularity, or essentially a world-jumper, for all of eternity… At least, that was Da Vinci's theory."

Cuchulainn was shocked to hear Zhuge make such an outrageous claim. He lowered his head so that most of his face was hidden beneath his hood. His red eyes shone within the darkness as he murmured grimly, "Is there anything we can do to stop this?"

Edelfelt Manor, Fuyuki

The grandfather clock ticked in the background, then gonged ten times to signify the new hour. Caren passed the time by reading a novel, while Connla prepared some snacks. As Connla finished pouring another cup of tea for Caren, that was when they heard the doorbell ring throughout the entire first floor of the manor. The nun smirked and murmured, "They're here."

She eagerly got up and headed to the front door. She opened it to reveal the purple-haired teenager, then said, "Welcome, Matou Sakura. I trust you had no trouble coming all the way out to this remote location?"

"It was no trouble. Might you be Caren Hortensia?" Sakura asked cordially.

"I am, indeed. Come in. No need to stand out in the cold all night."

The pair headed into the lounge where Connla waited for them. Medusa materialized next to Sakura and declared, "That's the other Lancer."

The little girl said nothing, nor did she react to seeing the Servant she fought against only a few hours ago. Sakura whispered in astonishment, "You were right, Rider… She's so small…"

"Your Servant is already familiar with mine, but this is your first time meeting her," Caren said. "You may call her Second Lancer if you want. It'll make distinguishing the two Lancers easier."

Connla performed a curtsey and said to Sakura, "Good evening."

Sakura couldn't resist smiling a bit at the child's politeness. "Pleasure to meet you, Second Lancer. I apologize if Rider gave you any trouble."

"It is no problem. I was merely performing my duties as a Servant."

"Now then," Caren interrupted them, "let's get down to business, shall we? I understand that you are both eager to hear what I want to say, but first there's someone else I'd like to introduce you to."

"Someone else?" Sakura asked.

"Just think of this as a little preview for what's ahead. Follow me, please."

Caren and Connla guided their guests up to the second floor bedrooms, then they entered Bazett's room where the woman remained in her deep coma. Sakura grew worried and wondered, "Who is this?"

"Bazett Fraga McRemitz," the priestess said. "An Enforcer for the Mages' Association who traveled here from Ireland to take part in the Holy Grail War."

"So it would seem. She has a Command Spell on her right hand."

"Ah, of course. I should clarify something first. I said that Second Lancer was my Servant, but that is actually wrong. Her true Master is Bazett. I am acting as a guide and intelligence gatherer so that Second Lancer can perform her job more effectively."

"Is that so? But her left arm… What happened? Why is it missing?" Sakura became concerned, especially since she worked in Homuhara Academy's nursing office and was familiar with treating others' injuries. Dealing with a severed arm was well beyond her expertise, but she couldn't pull her eyes away from the morbid sight.

"Now that you've seen Bazett's condition, I can finally get to the heart of what I want to discuss," Caren declared. "Let's return to the first floor so that Bazett can get some peace and quiet."

Caren, Sakura and Medusa departed first, and Connla was about to close the door. However, she took a long look at Bazett's sleeping face and frowned somberly. Without a word, she clicked the door shut and followed the others.