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Ruler in Apocrypha Part IV

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When I was asleep, Sieg managed to get help from a kind farmer by the name of Serge. He thought that we were siblings who ran away together and I decided to leave that little part be. When I woke up, Sieg was next to me on a comfortable bed, peacefully asleep. Since I was so tiny, it wasn't a problem even though the bed was so narrow...but I could do without being smothered in my sleep. Deciding to leave the sleeping male be, I went downstairs to get some answers from Serge who was kind enough to even provide me with breakfast. I thanked him profoundly before digging in.

"It must be quite difficult." Serge said giving me a kind smile.

"Hm?" I had my mouth full with toast with jam. I chewed and swallowed before talking. "What is...difficult?" I asked tilting my head to the side.

"Your brother had it rough this morning, stumbling about with you on his back."

"Yes, I'm thankful to Sieg. I couldn't walk anymore so he carried me on his back."

"Still, for two children to be out like that...If you wish, you can stay here for as long as you like."

"No, we both have things we must do." I stared at Serge with clear determined eyes. "No matter what."

"I see, then I hope you'll take care of one another. Your brother seems to be dependable so you should leave it to him to protect you."

"..." Technically, I'd be the one protecting him. I am the stronger than him. "I'll...try...I don't like the thoughts of others getting hurt for my sake."

"That's normal."

"I'm going to check on Sieg now. T-Thank you for breakfast and the coffee..." I was embarrassed, I ate an entire loaf of bread by myself. I must have really exhausted myself last night. "E-Excuse me...!"

I quickly rushed up the stairs to check on Sieg only to see he was still sleeping peacefully. I sat down beside him and I placed a hand on his head. This child, he was born only a while ago, but in his short life he's blessed and...he is striving for a future he wants. I wonder what it is I wish for in life...even though I'm acting as a Ruler, I truly have no desires for the Grail.

"Ruler...?" Sieg questioned waking up due to me playing with his hair.

"Ah, sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." I said removing my hand.

"No, I slept long enough...What's wrong, you're frowning." Sieg pointed out.

"...I'm thinking about the reason why I'm here."

"The reason why you're here?"

"Un. Rulers aren't normally summoned into a Holy Grail War unless it threatens the world or because the circumstances of the war are too strange. Plus, it's weird. You know, I'm not the actual Ruler despite housing her. I feel responsible for that and I'm doing my best in her place so I'm acting as the mediator. I just don't know why I'm here though...despite all that, despite the fear deep within my heart, I'm standing here because I want to make a difference even if I don't fully understand it."

"Do you feel responsible?"

"Just a bit."

"Then we're the same. We both have no idea what we're supposed to be doing with our lives."

"Really?" I thought about it, yes, our circumstances are somewhat the same. "I guess so. A homunculus that gained the heart of a Servant and is trying to save those like him. A girl chosen as the Ruler's host only to act as the Ruler herself. We both have the 'freedom' to run away and not look back, but we're both dragging ourselves into a war we don't have to involve ourselves in because it is our choice."

"Ruler-"

"Lucy."

"Eh?"

"That's my name, Lucy, Lucy Walker." I looked up at Sieg with a smile. "You see, I was chosen as Ruler, but I don't know her name at all so you can call me by my real name if you want."

"Won't that be dangerous?"

"It's fine!"

"Then, I'll just continue to call you Ruler. By the way, I think I figured out what it is I'm going to do."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, when you fell asleep, I was thinking about everything and...Since I heard their cries for help, I can respond to it. Just like the girl in the story who responded to the dragon's loneliness. I have to appeal to their hearts and in their hearts, they are truly afraid of dying just like I was. They want to live."

"Then shall we return? Since you have no intent on being part of this war as a fighter, if I'm not around they can still forcibly make use of you. Don't worry, I'll protect you! As a Ruler, I shall not support one Fraction, but I can at least protect those who have no desire to fight."

"Thank you then, Ruler."

The two of us departed after Serge gave us some food and told Sieg to protect me...not that he understood it very well. I received a pat on my head before we departed. I was actually...a bit happy, but I'm not too sure why. Sieg and I were heading for the Fortress of Millennia in order to negotiate the situation of the homunculi, or...try to help those we can. Still, for some reason when I'm with Sieg, there's something deep within me is ringing...as if telling me that he's familiar to me despite the fact I'm human and he is a homunculus.

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"Ara nyah...why the hell are they doing a full scale war now of all times?!" I questioned when we were so close to the castle.

"What should we do, Ruler?" Sieg asked looking towards me.

"For now, I'll be participating as a Servant." I said changing my clothing.

"Participating?"

"...I want to speak with someone from the Red Fraction about their actions, but something deep within me is saying there is something wrong, very wrong. I'm going to the source. What about you, Sieg?"

"I'm going to the rear-guard. I want to talk to some of my comrades in hopes of releasing the other homunculi and after that..."

"After that?"

"Well, I hope to meet with Rider, but there's no telling if that's possible and I don't want to cause him any trouble."

"Eh, ah, sou ne...well, that one probably wouldn't mind it so much. For now, just stay behind me and avoid fighting. I'll take you as closely as I can."

"Thank you."

"Also! Use my name if you have to! I don't want you getting executed or something."

"Is that okay?"

"It's all okay! Let's get going!"

I began rushing through the forest with Sieg close behind me. As soon as the Red Fraction's weird bone soldiers noticed me they ignored the golems and homunculi to attack me. It was easy to dispatch them with a shots of the blue flames, but...they truly did want to kill me...why? My eyes glowed blue as I saw every attack that would occur towards me within the next few minutes. It is one of Ruler's natural abilities and it was a big help for me right now.

"Sieg! Move away!" I stopped and I unclipped my cloak to use it to redirect a lightning strike filled with malice. I redirected it up to the sky, but I missed that giant flying fortress. "At least they won't try that again when they saw that...is what I would like to say, but here comes a few more..." I muttered getting ready to direct them all.

The cloak itself held an EX-rank Magical Resistance and while it can't negate attacks it endures, I can redirect them using it. I shot Sieg a look and he understood. If he was with me, he would only get caught up in my attacks, but...I cannot keep watch over him in this situation. The one that I seek...I got his appearance, but I need to catch him before he gets away.

"Sorry, Sieg! I'm going on ahead!" I shouted rushing forward while dodging the lightning strikes.

"Be careful, Ruler!" Sieg shouted as I got further away.

I kept running, no matter how many of those strange bone soldiers came at me. They were burned away and I barely noticed how my hair turned a strikingly white color or the fact my skin started paling to the point it was like snow. I paid no heed to the fact it was staring to become easier to breathe the more I used Ruler's power, the easier it became to use it, the more I knew how to use it...the only thing on my mind was that feeling and the appearance of a man in priest's clothing. Something in my vision changed and I skid to a stop when I almost ran into a young woman...the Archer of Red.

"You...are a Servant, right? No, you are Ruler, but why is it your appearance seems to have changed...?" Archer questioned as she stared at me curiously.

"Archer of Red..." I said my fingertips dyed in my flames.

"What, you're the mediator are you not? Don't you understand who you should be on guard against?" Archer asked giving me a raised brow.

"...I wonder about that." I was still cautious of her, but she didn't seem to have any malice intent towards me. I turned my gaze to the one she was attacking before I arrived. "So...what the heck happened to the former Berserker of Red...? He barely looks human now and looks like a giant pile of corpses instead..." I said somewhat disgusted by this.

"I don't know, I kept shooting at him and then he became like this."

"...I'm not sure if I should be disturbed or disgusted..."

"You appear to have a rather fragile psyche."

"You can't argue with me on this! He was once a human and now look at him!" I pointed at him while somewhat in tears. "It's disgusting! I'm only 16, you can't blame me on my views on this!"

"A child?"

"OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHH! I FOUND YOU!"

"Forgive me, it seems I dragged you into this."

"I somewhat expected this from a Berserker..." I used some of my flames to protect myself. "Well, so long as he limits it to the battlefield and doesn't involve me..."

"I'm afraid that I would rather not leave this to a child, but..."

"Nya?"

"It's an order from my Master, I'm to withdraw from here."

"..."

"Sorry about this, I leave the rest to you."

"I'm starting to get really angry with the Red Fraction...No, no, must remain neutral, must remain neutral..."

I was going to take a defensive stance and perhaps leave it to someone else...if the Red Fraction use the lighting strikes like before, but on their former Berserker then I knew we were screwed unless I did something. I could see it now, the entire battlefield, the Fortresss and the town that lay below it...destroyed...and I knew even if I used my Command Spells they wouldn't work.

"W-What...What must I do...to prevent this...?" Suddenly there was a burst of Prana and a Servant that shouldn't be here has returned, a Servant that was declared dead has regained life, the Servant Saber of the Black Fraction...was alive once more. I stared at the light, towards the source and for some reason...my tears won't stop. "...Sieg?" I questioned quietly.

No...no...I have to do something...that's why...that's why...please...Ruler! Please wake up, help me! Please...I beg...of you...! I have to do something.

It seems you held out well. That burst of prana contained an existence similar to someone I love...it woke me up quite well.

"Then please...what must I do?"

I'll tell you when the moments right. For now, prepare yourself and get as far away as you can.

"Yes!" I ran towards the direction of the two Sabers. When I arrived, I saw the Saber of Read about to kill Sieg and the Ruler of Black...but I won't let her. "Stop! We have to run! Berserker's going to blow!" I screamed at them.

"Ru...ler...?" Sieg questioned looking towards me.

"Tsk."

"Sieg!" I was so glad the Saber of Red decided to leave, if not, I might have attacked her since I'm not exactly thinking clearly. I skid to a stop beside the two and I was close to tears. "You...idiot...!"

"You should go, Ruler...You aren't someone who should die here."

"...Never. For someone like me, to see someone I care for die before me...I won't let it happen, never!"

"I chose to come here."

"Don't be stupid."

"Isn't that basically the pot calling the kettle black?"

"You still haven't seen the outside world, you nitwit! When the war is over, I'll take you to see the world so you better not try to die before then! Hell, I'll even make you a part of my family as my brother or something! My family is weird enough to accept you!" I looked at the Rider of Black who was holding Sieg tightly, not caring for his own injuries. "You...won't run?"

"I don't want to."

"...I see, Sieg is lucky to have such a good friend. Don't worry, I won't let anyone get hurt from Berserker's attack." I moved between them and Berserker, my hands folded together as if I'm about to pray. My cloak caught on fire by bright red flames and I shut my eyes. "No matter what...I will not stand for someone harming those I love..."

You were chosen for this war for a reason, Lucy Walker. You were chosen as the Ruler. This Noble Phantasm is one that sleeps deep within your soul for...it is in your blood.

"Within...my blood..." An unseen wind blew around me and I opened my eyes slightly, they were burning red instead of the normal blue and my hair transformed back to normal. My blue dress burned red and black like a passionate flame. "...I...want to sing...but...why...?"

"Ru-Ruler...?"

I held my arms out as these blackened red flames left my very being, being sucked into the ground, burning it to form a magic circle with Berserker in the center. I was in a trance as I opened my mouth, a song I somehow knew...a sad song that pierced my very heart...I sang, I sang in a language I knew nothing about. I felt the Ruler within me standing beside me and...there was another for some reason, someone who was holding us both up...I kept singing, even when the explosion rang out, even when the human part of me wanted to stop and just accept the destruction. I sang, standing strong despite the fact I'm not the true Ruler. I kept singing even when the explosion ended when there was nothing left within the magic circle I left behind...nothing outside of it was affected even though the explosion should have exploded outwards.

"Ruler...you're amazing..." Rider said staring at me with wide eyes.

"..." I stared at him blankly, my mouth unable to form words and all I can do is pant heavily from the amount of prana I used up to perform that Noble Phantasm. "Hah...hah..."

"By the way...your clothing...it's in tatters."

"Ha...?"

Well, it was true...as it was torn and burned in some locations, but it was still usable...kind of. I didn't have time to worry about this as I turned my gaze to the flying fortress, feeling eyes from there staring at me. I knew what I did was something a Servant could ever do, even if I was a Ruler...so the question is...who is the Ruler that sleeps deep within me? Whoever she was...she was so strong...and an existence that should have been known across the world. I gritted my teeth and I rushed for the Fortress of Millennia as that was their destination and that is where I'll intercept that damn flying fortress.

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Ruler in Apocrypha Part IV Ends

I quite like Sieg, he's super cute~! I cannot wait until the Apocrypha event comes up in FGO so I can obtain him! Now then, this Lucy's powers and abilities derive from the original Ruler she is contracted with and the back story is probably as you think. I got nothing to add except concerning the request I got on the Mecha Eli-chan, it'll take some time as I need to figure out how to write up said character, but I got it mostly figured out. Hopefully I'll post it by Halloween. Nothing else to add so that's all for today! Bye-bye~!