"Now, die."

Altera's body became enveloped in a blind bright light. Before I knew it, a rainbow-colored mass of energy vaguely reminiscent in a way of Clarent Blood Arthur surged out of the tip of Altera's sword, rapidly bearing down on us.

"Mash, Jeanne, use your Noble Phantasms!" Ritsuka said, spurring us all into action.

"Deploying Noble Phantasm—LORD CHALDEA!" Mash cried out, slamming her shield down onto the tile, while Jeanne activated her own Noble Phantasm beside the Demi-Servant, as a multi-colored beam of energy surged towards us. I closed my eyes as I felt Mordred, battered though her armor was, position herself directly in front of me, and then the air felt like it had super-heated, even inside my lungs. I felt waves of heat upon heat roiling over us, trying to break through the combined barriers thrown up by Jeanne and Mash.

I cracked open my eyes, and I could see that the ground around us was being carved away, as if

Suddenly, the attack ended. Looking back ahead, I saw that the wall behind us was completely destroyed, as a heavy cloud of dust and debris covered out eyes. By the time it settled, Grail-empowered Altera was nowhere in sight.

"Where did she go?" I asked, looking around frantically. Wherever she was, so too was the Grail we needed to retrieve, and therefore restore one more of these s-called pillars in order to save humanity.

"It looks like she blasted her way straight through the city! Let's go!" Cu called out.

When we finally managed to arrive back at the battlefield, it was deathly silent. Hundreds of thousands of bodies lay strewn about. A number of them were charred and smoking. Victims, no doubt, of the very attack we had avoided by the skins of our teeth. Further away, I could see the remnants of Nero's army licking its wounds. What I didn't see, however, was Altera.

"…I thought I was going to die," Nero finally said softly, her face deathly pale, surveying the damage wrought by Altera's Noble Phantasm.

"Right. With the release of an Anti-Fortress Noble Phantasm at such a close range, it's amazing that you're not dead. Thank you, Mash and Jeanne." The two defensive-oriented Servants nodded, as another familiar voice called out.

"Oh, thank the gods you're okay!" A grime-coated Boudica said in pure relief, skidding to a halt in front of us. Mud and blood stained her face, clothing, and gear. I couldn't fail to notice however, that it seemed that her concern was only excluding Nero.

"More or less. Romulus and his court mage are finished, but there's a new threat that has to be dealt with promptly. The one responsible for this, however, has escaped. We suspect she is heading towards Rome, to raze it to the ground. Where's Spartacus?" I suddenly asked, noticing the absence of the muscular (and loud) Berserker. Boudica grimaced, telling me what had happened even as she delivered the news.

"Spartacus was rampaging around when he was caught in the blast," Boudica reported grimly. "I was barely able to protect the soldiers I could. I was, however, able to see that an unknown Servant leaving the field, in the direction towards Rome."

"She truly is planning on burning my capital to ash?" Nero asked, sounding outraged at the idea of anyone wrecking such havoc to her beloved Rome.

"I'd imagine so," Roman grimly answered the blonde. "She has the ability to do so, after all. Even if you're left alive, Your Majesty, with the capital destroyed, Rome would disappear as well. Of course, she may very well come to kill you after destroying the capital."

"Either option is rejected," Nero spat angrily, projecting an aura twice her size. "I have no intention of allowing either Rome or myself to fall!"

"Then the choice is clear. We have to defeat Altera," Mash said. "But can we…can we even stand up to her?" Mash asked in a trembling voice. "Her magical energy was tremendous. It reminded me of the sacred sword of victory, back in Fuyuki…"

"That blade is nothing compared to Father's sword," Mordred said sharply, cutting off both the Demi-Servant as well as Nero. "You stood up to Excalibur, even if it was a corrupted version of it. You also withstood whatever-the-hell sword that white-haired bitch used," the Knight of Rebellion said with a pointed glare.

Harsh as her words may sound, she did have a point. We've found ourselves in similar dire straits already. This is just one more. Nero took that moment to address the startled Demi-Servant, however, before I could finish my musings.

"I would like to think otherwise. Jacob, Ritsuka, Mash, Mordred, and the others, you have all saved me multiple times. Now, it is Rome who will be saved. My people and my Rome will be left for future generations. I am sure of it The Holy Progenitor said so as well," Nero said, reflecting on the words of Romulus. "I heard it. The world must be eternal. Rome must continue on eternally. Even if its name will someday be completely forgotten, the many seeds Rome planted will continue on in different forms. The eternal empire will continue to exist. Even if its emperor, state, and even name change."

Nero paused, and took a deep breath, the most serious look in her eyes that I had ever witnessed since first meeting her. "It is the innate truth that mankind will continue to thrive. The tree of life that is humanity." Say what now? "Jacob, Ritsuka. I am sure that is the 'humanity' you are trying to protect."

For an awkward moment, everyone just looked at the Emperor of Roses. I felt a little bit of despair inside. So close, so close to the blonde making sense! Boudica coughed, the veiled hostility in her eyes that I had come to realize was always present being replaced with abject confusion.

"…Emperor Nero. I don't understand what you're trying to say," the Rider said in the flattest and bluntest tone I had ever heard from the maternal redhead. Nero hummed in thought, nodding her head slowly.

"I see," she said, before suddenly she broke out into a wide, toothy grin. "Honestly, I don't either." I wasn't sure if I wanted to first rip out my hair or shout to the high heavens about….ANYTHING! Mash, polite, adorable, diplomatic Mash, coughed softly.

"I understood a little," the Demi-Servant said softly, before almost wilting at the combined stares of everyone else. "At least, I think I did. Even if the clear and defined meaning of something fades, so long as the world exists, its memory will remain."

"Fou!" The critter bearing the same name chirped from Mash's shoulder. The Demi-Servant smiled shyly, and scratched the chin, earning an adorable purr from the cat/dog-like being. Well, when she puts it like that, it makes a lot of damn sense. I took a deep breath and wrestled control of my feelings.

"How about thinking more romantically? Nero's words gave me strength. She's confidant that we can fight Altera. That's why this world won't end," Doctor Roman said energetically. "Sounds good to me. Although there's no real basis for it—it makes you feel like we should try. Ritsuka Jacob, what do you say?"

I bowed my head slightly towards my fellow Master before he could shoot me an inquisitive look. He was supposed to start learning more about how to be a leader. This is one of those times where I had to let him step up to the podium. I could hear my friend quietly gulp nervously before clearing his throat.

"Let's put our faith in Nero," Ritsuka. Mash nodded towards her Master.

"Got it. Then I will put my faith in your words, Senpai." The rest of Ritsuka's Servants all voiced their own words of support, and I felt someone, possibly Mordred or Jeanne, nudge me from behind.

"We've done this plenty of times now: facing off against long odds. We've come out on top in the end each time. I see no reason for that to change now," I said with a lopsided grin, one hand on my hip, the other resting softly on the hilt of my sword.

"Damn straight," Mordred said, and I could hear her smirk, as well as Jeanne's good-natured (presumably) sigh, followed by similar statements of the affirmation from Sasaki and Amadeus. Nero shot us another one of her brilliant smiles, before turning to Boudica, her expression turning a tad hesitant.

The Queen of the Iceni had a lopsided smile on her faced, huffing softly in grim amusement.

"I'll join in, too. I'm tired of things always getting destroyed." Her features harden, though for once there seemed to be the faintest of grudging respect for the optimistic Emperor of Roses. "I hate the one called Altera far more than Emperor Nero." Aforementioned blonde chuckled a bit weakly, being reminded once more of the anger Boudica held towards her and her people, but kept in check for the sake of humanity.

We had a united front. There was only one thing left to say, now.

"Let's find ourselves a fight, then!"

The sun was starting to set by the time we managed to catch up with Altera. It wasn't all that difficult to track drown the rogue Saber. She had been cutting a massive swathe of devastation across the countryside. A part of me felt that if given the chance, she would put the combined devastation we had witnessed in Fuyuki and Orléans to shame.

We had managed to avoid her attention and formed a loose wall in her path. When the Grail-infused Servant arrived, she stopped, the expressionless look on her face still present.

"Are you going to stand in my way?" Altera asked in the same lifeless monotone from when she first tried to kill us. It just felt….wrong.

"That's why we're here," I said, settling with a grunt.

"We can't let you advance any further," Ritsuka added beside boldly, as our Servants fanned out around us. Nero, on the other side of Ritsuka, stepped forward before jabbing her blade into the dust as she stared into Altera's red, lifeless eyes.

"Umu! I'll stand in your way. I can't allow you to advance further, no matter what, no matter the cost! You said that you would destroy the world. There is one thing that I don't understand: why would you do so? The world is brimming with beauty. Flowers, songs, gold, love…and above all, this Rome, this world, is filled with my love." Nero's eyes hardened. "And you'd destroy it? Don't you find that to be wasteful, Altera, or whoever you are?"

Altera didn't respond to Nero's remarks, and for a moment, I thought that the Servant was ignoring us. Finally, she spoke, once gain in that damn monotone.

"I am a warrior of the Huns. I am its king. A King of Destruction, who will bring that very concept to the western world." Once more I got the impression that we were talking to a robot. No passion, no pride….nothing. Nero gave out a loud, dejected sigh, shaking her head slightly with a look of pity in her eyes.

"That again? How sad, Altera, but even that sadness seems beautiful to me. I can't just leave you like this. I feel that there was a great pain and contradiction in your life. Perhaps your power exceeds mine but know that you cannot defeat me in love."

"I know not of love, nor of beauty." My hairs stood up as I felt a shift in the air around us. Altera's body began glowing.

"Her magical energy signature is rising. You have to stop her before she unleashes it again! This is the last battle for Rome, guys!"

"Looks like that concludes negotiations," I quipped, as our Servants moved in front of us.

"Maybe it will work next time?" Ritsuka said with a hopeful tone.

"Preparing for anti-Servant combat! Master, your orders!" Mash said.

"Take her down," Ritsuka said the words softly, a sad but determined look in his eyes, and as one, our combined Servants, plus Boudica, all charged forward, weapons raised, each eager to strike down the King of Destruction before she could unleash her Noble Phantasm once more.

Of course, it wouldn't be that easy.

I had no idea what fighting her as a regular Servant would have been like, but imbued with the power of a Holy Grail, Altera truly was a King of Destruction, an untamable, multi-colored whirlwind.

First to go down was Gilles, a nasty gash cutting deep in the Frenchman's breastplate. With Marie's urging, Jeanne had dragged her close friend out of the line of fire, putting both out of action for the moment.

The ranged attacks of Chiron, Medea, and Amadeus were either dodged or deflected with almost ludicrous ease, even for a Servant. Medea went down with a loud, undignified squawk, closely followed by Amadeus, and the method of how floored me. Somehow, some of the attacks had been deflected off of Altera's blade, and redirected them into the Casters, disabling both of them in seconds.

Chulainn suffered a nasty gash to his right leg before being sent sprawling into the dirt, while Sasaki was sent flying into Chiron. Boudica and Marie summoned their respective mounts, and tried to circle around the super-charged Saber. In a blink of an eye, Boudica's chariot was smashed, and the momentum she had sent the redhead tumbling across the dirt, into the path of Marie's horse.

With a cry of alarm, the Flower of Versailles wheeled her horse about, momentarily taking her eyes off of Altera. A half-second later, she flew into Jeanne just as my Ruler was returning to the fray, sending the poor Maid of Orléans sliding across the dirt towards us.

In less than a minute, most of our Servants had been incapacitated in some way. I fought down the raising levels of panic at the situation as Mash and Mordred charged towards the emotionless Altera, both leaping over Jeanne's prone form as she came to a halt.

Jeanne groaned into the dirt just before Mash cried out in pain as she was bent over with a fist buried in her exposed stomach. She fell onto her hands and knees, a string of spittle hanging from her lips as she dry-heaved, her body demanding air. With a feral cry, Mordred attack from the other side, only to be caught by a devastating swipe that seemed to cut straight down her body. The Knight of Rebellion cried out, the sound a mixture of anger and pain as she stumbled backwards. Now, all that was left between Rome and the King of Destruction was Ritsuka, Nero, and I.

Altera continued to remain silent, instead crouching and chambering for an attack which I knew we would be unable to resist with the three of us. Still, both Nero and I drew our swords and stood in front of Ritsuka, assuming stances and ready to do whatever we could to protect my fellow Master.

Then Altera sprinted forward, as did Nero before I could stop her, and another blur entered my vision, appearing to be on an intercept course between the Hun and the Roman. A head of bright red hair and a choked-out name, before the sounding of steel penetrating and tearing through flesh was heard, drowning out all other noise in the field.

"Boudica!" I screamed, my mouth dry as Altera yanked her sword out of Boudica's chest while leaping backwards, avoiding Mordred's rage-fueled barrage of swipes. The heavily-injured Saber seemed reinvigorated with rage, and resumed sparring against her fellow Saber, her mannerisms screaming her need to draw blood from Altera.

Nero rushed over as the Rider collapsed to the ground. By the time I also managed to make my way over to the two, I could tell that the wound was fatal for the Heroic Spirit. With no Master to utilizes Command Seal, she couldn't be healed in time.

Already, the sword and shield she had been using had faded away, and her white blouse was soaked crimson as Nero vainly tried to staunch the bleeding. I could tell in her eyes that she had reached the same conclusion that I had came to, but was desperately trying to stop it.

"Why did you do that?" Nero asked softly, and Boudica laughed weakly, her head nestle on the lap of her sworn enemy.

"I told you, I hate Altera more than I hate you. Therefore, you are the lesser of two evils in my eyes. Just don't think that we're friends," she said with a soft glower. Despite her words, Nero bit her lip, fighting back tears. Boudica shifted her gaze to me.

"War is not without sacrifice, young Master of Chaldea," she said solemnly, before coughing violently. My heart squirmed as the Rider's body began to grow faint, golden dust once more appearing. Too often had I longed to see this sight, but for once, I dreaded it, because this time, it was an ally who was defeated, and not an enemy. I nodded, fighting back the tearing sensation behind my eyes.

I stilled when I felt a cool hand press against my cheek. "You are all so brave. Don't give up, my brave heroes," Boudica said with a motherly smile, before closing her eyes, and finished fading away. Nero choked back a sob, while I stared numbly, the sensation of her hand cupping my cheek still tingling.

Mordred pushed herself back up, small chips of her armor falling off of her body, her helmet shattered. She glared at Altera with abject hatred, and enemy or not, I feared that even a Command Seal would struggle to keep my Saber in check.

Wait….

Command Seals…

I looked down at the back of my right hand, then to Mordred, my eyes widening. That's it! This has got to be the answer!

"Mordred, by the power of my Command Seal, unleash your Noble Phantasm!" A burning sensation erupted on the back of my hand as one of the three red seals faded away. Back at Orléans, Ritsuka and I had both noticed that they had been restored to the starting amount of three, but hadn't pay much attention to it.

"Understood, Master!" Mordred cried out, a toothy smirk showing despite the large gash over her forehead. Once more, the blade of Clarent was enveloped in a wild mass of crimson energy. Unlike the other times, however, it seemed even more powerful. The Command Seal increased the power of her Noble Phantasm, apparently, or something like that. Damn it, I needed to do more research on this matter, it seems.

"This is the evil sword that destroyed my father," Mordred said, and I saw her eyes narrowing slightly, before unleashing her Noble Phantasm. "CLARENT BLOOD ARTHUR!"

The beam struck true, enveloping the enemy Servant and destroying the land. Even with my eyes both shielded and closed, it felt like this time the light was piercing through my arm and eyelids, and I felt the ground beneath my boots shaking like an earthquake. Finally, it all stopped, and I cracked open my eyes, blinking rapidly to chase away the sunspots that appeared as I stared at an obscuring mass of dirt and dust where Altera had been.

When the dust faded, Altera was still standing, though barely. I could see her swaying slightly as she dropped her sword, the deadly weapon vanishing before it could hit the cracked and dried dirt underneath the steppe warrior. The dying Servant coughed up a wad of blood, her skin burnt and peeling, as if she had been sent ablaze. Even her hair appeared to have been smoldering.

"I see," Altera said. Was it just my imagination, or for once was Attila the Hun speaking like a human being? I could swear that there were just the faintest hints of melancholy in her voice. "In this world, there are things that cannot be destroyed, even by my sword. I was called the Scourge of God…Even my…Sword of Mars….can't…I see," Altera said, cryptically, her body halfway faded. "Well that," she said laboring, before shocking me senseless with a small smile. "Makes me…a little happy…"

With those final words, Altera, better known as Attila the Hun, faded away, her signature returning to the Thrones of Heroes as with Spartacus and Boudica, to await the next time they were called. In her place, the Holy Grail that she had absorbed clattered to the ground. Mash hurried over and retrieved the powerful item, protectively holding it as she walked back over to us.

I turned to look at Mordred, and winced. She was still standing, but barely. Parts of her pale skin could be seen, and she leaned rather heavily against Clarent. I looked at Sasaki and Amadeus, and then Jeanne, and saw that none of them were anywhere close to as injured as my first Servant.

"By the power of this second Command Seal, I order you to be healed," I said solemnly, and the mild burning sensation was felt as the second arcane marking faded. A golden light covered Mordred's figure as both her armor and body were mended.

"Ah, thanks, Master," the knight said with a lopsided smile, stretching her armor.

"No problem. You fought brilliantly," I said, observing Ritsuka doing something similar for Gilles before looking at a despondent Nero.

Nero had another sad look on her face. "Altera is gone. Perhaps fate will arrange for us to battle again one day. But is it over?" She asked, shaking her head before gesturing to the Grail nestled in the crook of Mash's arm. "Have you obtained the Holy Grail, then?"

"Yes," Mash said with a nod. "We've obtained the Holy Grail. This concludes our mission. Thank you very much, Emperor Nero Claudius," Mash said, bowing deeply to the Emperor of Roses. Nero started to smile, before her eyes widened in alarm.

"Mash, your toes are looking faint! Don't tell me you're going to vanish, too!" Her words carried a tone of anxiety, a fear of loneliness. I looked around, and sure enough, we were also starting to dissolve, the Rayshift process kicking in for the return to our proper era. "Ritsuka, Jacob, Fou…I see. You're all going to vanish."

"Farewell," I said softly, bowing my head, my hands gripping the hilts of both my sword and the dagger Nero had given me.

"We must go now," Ritsuka added in his own mournful tone. Nero remained silent for a moment, before nodding.

"I had a feeling," The Emperor of Roses admitted with a rueful smile. "My intuition is pretty sharp, you see." Behind me, I had to fight down the smile at Jeanne's soft squawk, followed by an indignant 'That was my line…'

"You're going to disappear like Altera, Boudica, my uncle, and even the Holy Progenitor. What happens next, Mash?"

"This era will be restored, once we leave. Your memories of fighting the United Empire will no longer exist," Mash said bluntly, either unwilling or unable to sugarcoat the harsh reality she spoke of.

"That's a sad thing. It's unfortunate, I haven't given you any rewards other than those daggers," Nero said. "You could have been more than my retainers. Something more—No, no sense in saying it. Jacob, Ritsuka. The two of you will find yourselves heading to Rome. All roads lead to Rome, for Rome is the world. Both the Holy Progenitor and I believe so. Umu! Therefore, I will not say goodbye. Only thanks. Thank you, you brave warriors." As I felt myself fading away from the 1st Century, I saw something pressed into the hands of a startled Ritsuka, who instinctively clasped the item. It was a red rose, glorious and in full bloom. Where the hell did Nero—Oh, Emperor of Roses…right.

"I offer you the thanks of my soul, and a rose for your efforts!"

With that, I closed my eyes and felt a tugging sensation around my body, leaving Nero to stand alone in the battered field. Alone, and with only a few more years left to live, but the last image I had of her was with a bright, hopeful smile. Then, nothing.

I opened my eyes. The glass lid of the ill-named (in my opinion at least) coffin was open, and I could see the cheeky grin of Mordred. "About time you woke up," She said teasingly. I rolled my eyes at her antics and stepped forward, stretching my body as my sense of balance finished returning.

"Welcome back, and a job well done guys!" Doctor Roman said with a hearty grin . "You retrieved the Grail." I noticed that Mash no longer had possession of the item, and was also back in her normal outfit. "Da Vinci is taking care of securing it," Roman added, noticing my stare.

"Good. She's placing it with the one from Orléans?" I asked, and Roman nodded.

"Yep. To quote her, 'We can't analyze its workings, but we can seal it away'. That can wait for another time, though. This is our second Grail, and we've also achieved our original goal of finding Lev." Ritsuka and I shared similar expressions of disappointment, though perhaps for slightly different reasons.

"We didn't learn anything…" my fellow Master said morosely. I gritted my teeth, the words escaping in a soft growl.

"Nor did we truly avenge the director." We had been so close, too! Roman looked at me with concern, no doubt remembering my words I had spoken in private to him. He didn't push the issue, instead settling on a sad look in his eyes, before dismissing it and looking at Ritsuka.

"That's right. Altera killed him, and we never found out what his plans were."

"You mean why he betrayed mankind and tried to destroy it?" Mash asked, cocking her head adorably. The acting-director rubbed the back of his head, nodding.

"That's right," he said in agreement. "We still don't know anything, but we still have five singularities left. Lev spoke of 'gods'. In other words, there are other enemies out there that are just like him. What that means at this point, though, remains an unknown. All we can do is recover the Grails one by one, and by doing so restore the singularities."

"Leave the next Grail to us!" Ritsuka said with a rare boast of confidence, and one I found myself agreeing wholeheartedly with. Still, we did have something to explore from our encounter with Lev. He had used the name Flauros. Names had a meaning to them.

Looks like I'll have to do some research over however much time we would get before the next deployment.

"—ood answer, Ritsuka!" I shook my head, paying attention once again to Roman's words instead of spacing out. "I'm counting on you guys. You'll have a week or so to relax and prepare yourselves for the next singularity. You've walked a long way, so I'm sure you guys would like to rest. Maybe also a massage for good measure," the ginger-haired man said. I titled my head at the last part before shrugging.

"Actually, Doc, I was wondering. Could Ritsuka and I each try to summon a Servant first? If we're going to be dealing with more of those…things…we're going to expand the ranks," I said. Ritsuka chimed in a moment later, stating his own agreement, and Roman tapped his chin thoughtfully

"I guess you guys have enough energy to do so. Very well. Give me five minutes to contact Da Vinci and set things up."

I cracked my knuckles nervously, earning a reproachful look from Amadeus, the Caster no doubt despising the crunching sounds my action had made, but hey, I'm worried that somehow I'll be the unfortunate SOB to summon Kiyohime!

Or slightly better, but still worse, a bowl of tofu, apparently.

I was first up, so at least I wouldn't have to deal with the question of what I would get for much longer. Returning Ritsuka's fist-bump for good luck, I walked over to a beaming Da Vinci, who patted me on the back with a hearty congratulations before stepping aside and allowing me to grip the lever to activate the machinery.

After doing so, I am rewarded with the three familiar, and by now almost comforting, bands of brilliant white light, signaling the imminent arrival of a new Servant.

"Please not Kiyohime, please not Kiyohime, please not Kiyohime," I muttered frantically under my breath as a human shape began to be seen as the light faded. It wasn't the psycho-yandere (another term I learnt from Ritsuka, though the Servant was no less bizarre-looking.

Purple hair tied up in a long ponytail reminiscent of Jeanne's, with a black ribbon nestled on either side. The Servant wore a long, white, fur-trimmed cloak, what looked like a corset, and thigh-high tights. The Servant did what some might be able to describe as a cute pose, but I found adorably goofy.

"Yahoo! My name is Astolfo! Rider Class! And, and…um, nice to meet you!" The self-described Rider said in a rather feminine voice, a mischievous glint in her purple eyes. At least, I thought the newcomer was a girl, and yet….note to self, ask for their (His? Her?) preference of pronouns and all. Oh boy….still glad it wasn't Kiyohime.

"Rider of Black," Mordred and Jeanne sighed as one, and I bit back a chortle of amusement. Another old colleague of my two blonde Servants, then, huh? I extended a hand, and the Rider smiled, gripping it tightly as we shook hands.

"Welcome to Chaldea, Astolfo. I'm Jacob Aronson. I look forward to working together," I said in a friendly manner. Astolfo nodded, before stepping away to look curiously at the two Servants apparently familiar with the newcomer.

"Ruler! You're here too! Oh, and you as well, Saber of Red," the Rider said, the tone going from warm and friendly to wary, and a little cold as well. The two sighed again, Jeanne with dry amusement, and Mordred's heavy with irritation.

"Oi, just stuff it, pipsqueak. We're working together, and now have the same Master."

Before an argument could erupt in full, thankfully (Astolfo's mouth had been opening as they planted their hands on their hips, Da Vinci coughed loudly.

"No fighting in the Summoning Chamber! Ritsuka, your turn," the Caster said, staring down at the two Servants in question while a now-nervous Ritsuka nodded and took my place at the machine.

Another throw of the switch, another faint muttering of 'Not Kiyohime,' and another Servant was summoned. However, I felt a sense of unease building in my gut before the light had even faded. I tried to ignore it as I was able to start making out the appearance of Ritsuka's new Servant. It looked to be a young teenage girl in half plate armor. Underneath she wore a dress of sorts, a brilliant, royal blue piped with golden threads. I got a sense of nobility about her, and I felt like she was familiar, somehow.

Then I heard Mordred inhale sharply, and the pieces clicked together in my mind.

My breath was caught in my throat as the reason why the newcomer looked so familiar. And it wasn't just because she shared relatively the same features as an extremely stiff and uncomfortable-looking Mordred by my side. It was a small mercy that it wasn't answering my summons, but that was about it!

"My name is Artoria Pendragon. I ask this of you, are you my Master?" The blonde Servant asked.

Original Endnotes: Uh-oh...I love a good cliffhanger. What about y'all? Sorry for truncating the fight scene, but I have been writing so many back to back, it was getting mundane, repetitive, and all. Hope it was okay? I decided to have Boudica be killed because, among other reasons, Jacob hasn't seen an allied Servant die in combat before his eyes. Plus, I wanted to give Boudica a memorable ending for the Second Singularity, but what are your thoughts? Also, who's thrilled for pirates?!

Also, I am internally panicking about the next chapter. Some of you (or probably all!) have an idea of what's going to happen, but I wanna do a good job, so please wish me luck!

Speaking of upcoming chapters, I may be slowing down my pace because I am not 100% sure of how I want to write the next few chapters. They are mainly going to be character interactions and humor, as our protagonists decompress from Rome. I have some ideas, but I don't wanna go flying off the handle. Will try to maintain at least one chapter a week, and then when we start the Third Singularity it will be back to normal :)

On another note, fellow author and Mordred/Fate enthusiast DraketheDragon (alone with a few others) have started a Fate forum on discord. I know that some, if not most, don't have a discord, but if you do and are interested in joining, let me know in your comments and when I reply I'll send you a link to join :)

Last bit or IRL news: My mom and sister have almost finished recovering, so that is a wonderful feeling.

Now, for the fun part of the end notes, the question(s) of the day! For fellow FGO players, here's the first question: If you could pick any event you either missed or want to do again, what is it and why? For me it is probably the Seven Counterfeit Spirits and/or the one with Jeanne d'Arc Alter Santa Lily.

For the second, more generic question: What's your favorite meal/food?

I hope you guys enjoyed the conclusion of the Second Singularity, and thanks for all the love and support! Still can't believe how well my story is doing, and it's all thanks to you! Eagerly awaiting your comments, reviews, and answers, and thanks for reading! Hope you're all dying to see Chapter 48 like I am, and see you in the next chapter!

Updated endnotes 8/28/21: Hope you enjoy the next chapter when I post it! Also, the discord group is still active