FATE/NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM
"New Order of the Ages"
Chapter 9: Honor and Sacrifice
"GO! GO! GO!" Nightingale screamed at the top of her lungs.
She, Ituha and Elizabeth charged up the craggy cliff sides surrounding Alcatraz's prison. They already saw several wyverns circling around the perimeter, so the nurse figured they didn't need to waste time with being stealthy. They instead barged on in at full strength, with Nightingale and Elizabeth taking the lead together while Ituha hung back and focused on shooting down any dragons that she could.
"Ansuz!" the Archer shouted, charging up another large stone with the familiar Rune, surrounding it in fire before slinging it at the nearest wyvern. The projectile exploded against its face and caused the stunned creature to plummet into the forest with a crash. Any monsters that got too close were dealt with swiftly by the other two Servants.
Elizabeth stabbed her spear into one dragon's neck, slitting its throat to ensure it didn't get back up, before wiping her brow and exclaiming, "Piece of cake!"
Nightingale shot out another beast's eye with her pistol, then pummeled her fists on its cranium as hard as she could until it was dead. She retorted to the complacent Lancer, "Not yet! The operation has only begun! We almost at the source of this illness, so stay on guard!"
Just as she said that, one of the dragons slashed its claws at her chest, and her military jacket was ripped open along with a small layer of her skin. She jumped backwards and growled in pain, while Ituha summoned a fireball and sent it detonating at the wyvern's head. She too had to get out of the way when another beast swooped down to try and grab her with its talons.
"Ungh!" Rama gasped painfully, then yelled at Nightingale, "Hey, don't get yourself injured because of me!"
"Be quiet! I will put my life on the line for your treatment!"
"I… I just don't want you to be harmed…"
"Enough. I will cure you, no matter the cost. That is my job as a nurse. Any blood I shed contributes to the goal of exterminating incurable illnesses. You need to be more resolute and determined to live, or else it will be impossible for me to treat you when you do not have the will to survive."
"I know that… Man, you really are a Berserker…"
"Do you disapprove?"
"No. If you're determined to live, then I am too. I'll fight to survive, and you'll fight to make sure I live."
"Good," Nightingale nodded. "We're almost at the gate. One last push, everyone!"
"Here we go! Ready or not, here we come, you stupid Servant!" Elizabeth yelled while running toward the prison, with Ituha and Nightingale in tow. The trio managed to break through the horde of dragons and approach the main gate. Waiting for them there was Beowulf, who had his dual swords ready for some action.
Whoa! Ituha thought. He looks really powerful!
"Yo," he greeted them with a scoffing grin. "Welcome to Alcatraz, ladies. What's your business here? Imprisonment? Assault? Aiding a jailbreak? Even if you don't tell me, I'll interrogate you so brutally that you'll die, no questions asked. That's my job as the chief warden here."
"Get out of the way, you bothersome dullard," Nightingale snapped at him. "We need to see this man's wife so she can help me treat him. Either you release her, or we'll break in."
"Seriously? You're just here for a meeting? You didn't come here for a fight?"
"Why in the world would a nurse want to look for a fight? The only things I fight are illness and injury."
"I suppose so. A nurse who takes lives would be unfathomable. Seems you're rather respectable for a fellow Berserker."
"I have to agree," Rama grinned. "She's a contradictory woman, who is both out of her mind and decent."
Beowulf raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. I thought you were just some luggage, but you can actually speak. I assume you're that little lady's husband, right? Unfortunately, I have no intentions of releasing her."
Nightingale scowled, "Any obstacles obstructing my patient's treatment must be eliminated. To that end, I will spill every last drop of blood you have so that you will no longer bar passage!"
"Heh… Hah hah hah hah hah hah! Amusing! It's hilarious how sad your delusion of defeating me is!"
Elizabeth's skin prickled with goose bumps, and she shuddered, "Ugh… This oaf is making me feel uncomfortable for some reason…"
"I bet I do, little lizard," Beowulf smirked. "You're facing none other than the Dragon Slayer, Beowulf!"
"Well, that would explain it. Now I'm really mad! We won't let a rowdy simpleton like you get in the way of Rama's long-awaited reunion!"
Ituha couldn't say anything to the scarred man, feeling apprehensive about directing his attention toward her. Even so, she wanted to make sure at least Nightingale got inside the penitentiary – it wasn't really necessary for Ituha and Elizabeth to go in with her. She whispered to the nurse, "Ms. Nightingale, could you take Lord Rama to his wife on your own?"
"What!? I can't leave you to fight this man alone! I couldn't forgive myself if you sustained injuries on top of your present illness!"
"But I want to ask him something…"
"Don't you worry a lick, doc!" Elizabeth exclaimed with a proud grin and spun her spear in her hand. "I'll make sure that brute doesn't lay a finger on the puppy! Just get him reunited with his wife and treat him ASAP!"
"I'm a nurse, not a doctor."
"Semantics, schmantics! Just get your ass in there already!"
"Tch," Nightingale wanted to curse at Elizabeth, but took a quick glance at Rama and saw that he was about to pass out from sheer exhaustion.
"Not gonna happen!" Beowulf roared, growing impatient with listening to this conversation and charging straight for the trio. Elizabeth met him in battle and swung her spear about, forcing him aside so Nightingale could run past them. Beowulf knocked Elizabeth aside, but had to jump back further to avoid some high-speed pebbles that Ituha shot at him. The two girls remained behind to keep him away from the nurse while she stormed inside Alcatraz to find Sita.
"Now you've really done it, brats!" the brawler snapped. "I hope you're both ready for the pounding of your lives!"
Elizabeth taunted, "Bring it on, jackass! I promise you'll regret messing with Elizabeth Bathory, the Dragon's Daughter and the Servant world's number one idol!"
Nightingale's frantic steps echoed through the long hallways of the prison. Rama's strained breathing told her that she needed to hurry. Although her heart and lungs threatened to burst from the fervent running, she wouldn't stop to take a break.
"We're almost there," she assured him. "Just a little longer. Once I find her, you can tell your wife how much you love her."
"I… actually… have to… tell you something…" Rama whispered, his voice sounding very raspy.
"What?"
"I didn't… want to say this… in front of… the girls. But… I have a curse…"
"You mean Gae Bolg's toxin? Don't worry – Sita and I will-"
"Not that. It's… a different curse. One that… forces Sita and I… to remain separated… forever…"
"You never mentioned anything like that before."
"I couldn't. I didn't want to… cause further sorrow… for those two kids…"
"Hm," Nightingale murmured, recognizing his logic. "Curse or not, I will take you to your wife regardless. How things play out will be up to destiny."
"I know. I just… didn't want you… to be angry… with me…"
"There's no need for me to be angry. Everything I do is for your treatment."
Nightingale eventually reached the cells, and she found the one that the orange-haired woman was incarcerated in. She used her gun to shoot out the lock, then freed the lady and asked, "Are you Sita, wife of Rama?"
"I am," she responded with a delicate voice. "Oh, Lord Rama!"
"Damn it…" the swordsman groaned, and Nightingale laid him on the floor. "My vision's… going dark…"
"I'm here. I'm right next to you."
"Sita… I wanted to see you again… I really, really wanted to see you again… But I can't… see anything… I can't… hold on…"
He lost consciousness, and the nurse declared, "We must begin treatment. Normally I wouldn't perform medical procedures in such a filthy place, but I will have to make an exception."
Sita asked worriedly, "What happened to Lord Rama, ma'am?"
"It's a long story. Basically he was struck down by Cuchulainn's Gae Bolg, and we came here because we need your help."
"My word. To think something so horrible would happen to him."
The dainty archer took her husband's hand and said, "This meeting truly is a miracle. Even as Heroic Spirits, we are fated to never meet again. In any Holy Grail War, it is either Lord Rama or myself that is summoned as the Servant 'Rama'. He could have forgotten about me and left the curse behind to find himself a new wife, but he never did. That kind of devotion shows me his love and passion more than enough. It is that love that will make us yearn for each other, now and forever, even if that yearning only strengthens our curse even further."
"He mentioned something like that to me," Nightingale said. "In this precarious world we live in however, where the balance of existence is extremely distorted, it must have allowed for both of you to be summoned here."
"Yes, I believe that is how this otherwise impossible reunion came to be."
"Grrgh…" the nurse scowled. "I've mended him all I can, but Gae Bolg's curse is still interfering."
Sita smiled softly and said, "Then I will offer my body."
"What do you mean?"
"You brought him here so that I could strengthen his 'existence', right? Since Lord Rama and I are essentially the same Servant, it means our bodies are 100% compatible. All you have to do is transfer the curse to me, and I will disappear in his place."
"You understand that Rama came all this way just for you. Sacrificing yourself would defeat the purpose."
"I know, and I am fine with this decision. His feelings for me are more than enough. Besides, you are looking for a powerful warrior to rally your forces against the Celtic armies, no? In that case, my husband is the one you want to survive more than me. He is a hero who gathered an army of monkeys and fought against Ravana for 14 years. You will want his wisdom and experience, I'm sure."
"Hm…" Nightingale couldn't deny that she needed help in her own mission of removing the accursed Celts from the land and healing the concept of 'America' at its roots. Finally, she relented and said, "Very well. I will transfer the lesion to you. Are you certain about this?"
"Yes."
"… You know, I never married in my lifetime. Even so, I can relate to the wish of helping others," the nurse smiled lightly. "It was an honor to speak with you, Mrs. Sita. I'll be sure to pass on your message to Rama."
"Please do. Take care of my husband for me."
"Of course. Farewell."
Sita clasped her hand around Rama's, and Gae Bolg's curse slithered from his heart to hers. She felt her body being destroyed from within, but she bore the devastating pain with a stoic smile. With the transfer complete, Nightingale could finally repair Rama's curse-free heart to its fullest.
"Lord Rama…" Sita whispered in her beloved's ear. "I'll take this burden for you so that you may fight with no restraint. This is my small way of aiding your cause in saving this world. Lord Rama… I love you. I always have, and I always will."
Sita's body glowed and dissipated into thousands of golden stars that twinkled, lighting up the dank prison walls before dimming into nothingness. Nightingale watched Sita pass away, inhaling a soft sigh as she felt relieved that Ituha and Elizabeth were not here to witness this sad scene. She shook her head and continued healing Rama in silence.
"Come on now! You wanna hear the greatest hit of the Servant world!? Time for the Finale! Báthory Erzsébet!"
The image of Castle Csejte rose from the ground, and Elizabeth leapt onto the tallest precipice to lord herself over the irate Beowulf. Thanks to her dragon lineage, she could fill her lungs with a greater capacity of air, preparing to sing her greatest song as her Noble Phantasm. Csejte itself was both a castle and a gargantuan pair of speakers that would amplify her terrible singing to the point that any listener in the immediate vicinity would call it hell on Earth. It wouldn't be 'singing', so much as a 'force of destruction' that would wreck the area and rupture any weak-willed man's eardrums.
"LAAA~AAA~AAA~AAA~AAA~AAA~AHHHH!"
Yes, it sounded as horrifying as one would expect.
Elizabeth had told Ituha to take cover beforehand, so the little girl wasn't around to bear the full brunt of the attack like Beowulf was. Even so, the Archer covered her ears as best as she could. Her muscles vibrated on their own, and her brain felt like it was bouncing around inside her skull. Once the abhorrent cacophony returned to gracious silence, Ituha looked back to see the extent of the damage.
She saw a large section of the prison wall cratered in from the sonic force. Beowulf's arms and legs were splayed out while his back was pressed firmly against the ruined brickwork. A lot of blood seeped from cuts on his forehead, face, and body, and the man appeared both strained and extremely agitated as he glared at the girls.
"Son of a bitch…" he groaned, peeling off the wall like dead skin and falling to his knees. He propped himself back up with his swords and glowered at Elizabeth, "I'll give you credit for one thing – at least your roar is worse than your bite."
"That wasn't a roar! It was my number one hit, reserved for jerks like you who need to be tortured for getting in my way!" she retorted.
"Like I give a damn. This is rather troublesome though – I don't really like picking fights with women and children, but I won't turn down a challenge either."
"Hah! Don't underestimate the puppy and I just because we're girls! We'll send you packing back to the Throne before you even know it!"
"Well, well," Beowulf smirked. "In that case, I'll have to throw chivalry out the window and destroy you two without remorse."
He tried to get back to his feet, but then one of Ituha's stones shot straight for his face. He barely avoided it, and he heard a distinct crack in the wall behind him. He looked back to find the stone deeply embedded inside one of the bricks. If it had hit him directly, it probably would have split his head open.
"Wait!" Ituha commanded, wielding her used slingshot. "Before that, I want to ask you something! If you're working with the Celts, then you should know who I am, right?"
"Don't be stupid. You're Cuchulainn's kid, aren't you? I didn't quite catch your name, but there's no mistaking it."
"So it's true. You and Mr. Fergus couldn't be lying about the same thing. That means I really am…"
"Hmph," the brawler scoffed and stood back up. "I heard what happened to Fergus. The rumor is that a little girl who looked like that princess was the one who burned him to death. That was you, wasn't it?"
"It was."
"Not bad, if I say so myself. You had the guts to take down a Celtic hero with such a brutal method. I guess I better not screw around anymore if I don't want to wind up like him."
Elizabeth and Ituha got into position as Beowulf made his dual swords disappear, then audibly cracked his knuckles. They could feel his raw power grow stronger, and a fiery-like aura surrounded him.
"This is how I fight! Kick and punch until only one person is left standing!" he roared, then rushed toward them at lightning speed. "Grendel Buster!"
"Get back!" Elizabeth screamed and pushed Ituha away. Beowulf overtook her and started kicking and punching her with animalistic ferocity. The young Archer could only watch in horror as he pummeled her partner with dozens of powerful punches – the same blows he was known for slaying the legendary grendel with.
"I'll send you flying!" Beowulf shouted and slammed his rock-hard fist against Elizabeth's face, making her tumble across the grass before violently smacking against the wall. The teenager gasped heavily and collapsed into a pitiful heap. Ituha couldn't sit back and watch anymore, so she raised her arms and summoned the red magic circles upon her hands, conjuring the familiar flames over her palms.
"Coinneal Léimneach!"
"Shit!" Beowulf cursed when he saw the undulating blaze barreling for him. Although he was caught in the crossfire, he endured it and leapt over the surprised girl, materializing his swords back into his hands and aiming them at her. Before he could cleave her apart though, Elizabeth threw herself at him and batted him aside with her spear.
"You evil bastard!" the furious idol ranted at him. "I don't know what your problem is, but I can't stand you anymore! All of you brutes are standing in the way of my inevitable stardom! Hurry up and get out of my sight before I-!"
Elizabeth suddenly stopped screaming when Beowulf thrust his hand at her face, pummeling her back against the wall and tightening his grip around her mouth to keep her quiet. He pinned her spear arm with his free hand, preventing her from breaking free. Both Elizabeth and Ituha were shocked beyond belief, as shown by their horribly widened eyes and stunned expressions.
"Look here, you little shit," Beowulf growled darkly. His stony glare could frighten demons, and Elizabeth's heart beat faster at the sight. "There are two things I hate in this world. The first are dragons, as I'm sure you're well aware."
"Mmph, mmngh-!" she struggled to talk, but he just pushed against her harder. He didn't care that she bit her sharp fangs into his hand.
"And the second? Loud, annoying people who constantly complain about themselves. If you don't like what fate has given you, then shut the hell up and fight with everything you've got. Otherwise, go home and wither away in your self-pity."
He smirked devilishly and snarled, "Get it now, you little demon? You're the embodiment of everything I can't stand in this world, so I'm gonna do myself a favor by snapping your neck as painlessly as possible. If I'm lucky, I might even destroy your larynx so you can't bother everyone with that shrill screaming you pass off as music."
Elizabeth choked as Beowulf wrapped his fingers around her throat and squeezed tightly.
"Stop it!" Ituha screamed, running up to him while conjuring a fireball. He batted her aside with ease and continued strangling his prey. The young girl slammed on her back before staring up at the scene in terror.
"Don't worry – I won't kill you," Beowulf assured her. "I don't know what the deal is with your memory loss, but you're definitely that little princess who's gone missing recently. If I bring you back to the big guy, I'm sure he'll reward me with all the meat I could ever ask for."
"Then take me already! You don't need to kill Ms. Elizabeth!"
"Oh? You're saying you'll exchange your freedom for this pipsqueak's life? That ain't happening. I've been ordered to beat any enemies of his to the ground in a bloody pulp, and I'm more than happy to oblige."
"No way…"
Elizabeth somehow managed to croak, "R… R-Run…! Run… away…!"
Ituha didn't want to abandon her partner, but if she remained here any longer, Beowulf would definitely capture her. If she was quick, she could flee inside Alcatraz and find Nightingale for support. However, she also knew that the nurse was busy treating Rama, and Ituha didn't want to expose the mortally injured Servant to any danger. She looked back and thought, Maybe if I lure him away, it might buy Ms. Nightingale some time…
"Whoops. You've got that look in your eye that tells me you're planning something," the scarred fighter realized with a smug grin. "Guess I better finish up quickly."
He was about to kill Elizabeth before Ituha's eyes, but in that instant, something prevented him from finishing the job.
"BRAHMASTRA!"
"What the-!?" Beowulf yelped, then screamed, "GAAAAH!"
He was suddenly thrown back by a shining halo of pure energy that ripped through the air and smashed against him. Elizabeth collapsed forward, and Ituha caught her at ground level. The Archer shielded her eyes from the bright light, then opened them once the brilliant glow dimmed enough. Standing several feet from the surprised duo was Nightingale, along with a fully healed Rama who had just launched his Noble Phantasm. His sword spun through the air and returned to his triumphantly raised hand.
"Lord Rama!" Ituha exclaimed happily.
"Sheesh… took you… long enough!" Elizabeth complained, coughing fervently.
"I apologize for the delay," he said, then kneeled before the amnesiac child. "Are you okay?"
"Thanks to you," she said. "Even though I've been fighting Sir Beowulf as seriously as I can, he's still too powerful for me to actually defeat."
"You did well, despite not remembering anything about your full combat capabilities."
Elizabeth interjected, "Hey, I did my best too! Don't you go leaving me out of the conversation!"
"Ha ha! Of course I haven't forgotten about you," Rama chuckled, then looked at Beowulf as he vaulted back to his feet and glared at the group with both rage and fighting passion. "You two stand back now. I'll take care of this."
"Damn. Looks like I took too long," Beowulf rubbed his bleeding lip. "So the dying hero comes to save the day, huh? That's just in poor taste, y'know."
"As if you're any better, picking a fight with small children. If you want an opponent your size, I'll be glad to take you on."
Without further ado, the two men charged at each other and swung their blades about in a furious frenzy. While he was battling, Rama thought about what happened to his wife.
Sita… I knew you would do such a thing for me. But I must not be discouraged. Just as I defied death to see you once again, you embraced that same death so that I could live and save this world. I won't let your sacrifice be wasted on self-pity and dejection. I'll fight with everything I've got so I can survive and look for you again!
"Kgh! Ugh! Gah!" Beowulf grunted repeatedly, astonished by how strong his new opponent really was. He swung in a desperate attempt to throw Rama off him, but the Indian hero was too fast for him and dodged his strikes like water flowing around one's arm.
"TAH!" Rama unleashed his battle cry, rushing in low and cutting at Beowulf's midsection. The brawler could feel his strength running out as blood poured out of the deep wound, and he got down to one knee in defeat. He was already weakened from his fight with Elizabeth and Ituha, so he wasn't too surprised that Rama managed to get in such a nasty hit.
"You got me, chump… I lose."
"Well said. You may be a brute, but you still have honor."
"Did you get to see the dainty lady?"
"Yeah. I told her everything I wanted to."
"Then it's fine. I screwed up royally here. I'll do the proper thing and let you guys go."
"Let us go? I'm afraid it's the other way around."
"Yeah, you're right," Beowulf smirked. Despite his grave injury, he stood back up and said, "You'll regret not finishing me off here."
He turned around and leapt atop Alcatraz, disappearing from sight for a while so he could recover in peace. Rama sheathed his sword and returned to his friends' sides. Nightingale was busy healing Elizabeth up, and Ituha had watched the battle with pure fascination. The little girl approached him and asked, "Are you okay?"
"I'm better than ever," he gave her a thumbs up sign.
"Where's Lady Sita? Did you get to see her?"
His expression turned sullen for a moment. Then he brightened up and said, "Yeah, I did. But I was so close to dying that she had to use all of her power to restore my existence and banish Gae Bolg's curse."
"Was it that bad?"
"It was. There's nothing to be sad about though. It was a happy reunion."
Ituha didn't look entirely convinced, but decided not to ask him about it further. If she did, she was afraid she would hear something that would make her depressed. After Nightingale finished healing Elizabeth, she said, "We're done here. We have to go back east and see how Geronimo's group is doing. Has there been any contact from them yet, Ituha?"
"No. The communicator has been silent this whole time. I really hope nothing bad has happened to them."
"Then let's get… Wait!"
"Yeah, I sense it too," Rama narrowed his eyes and took out his sword again. "Two Servants are nearby!"
"You're kidding!" Elizabeth whined. "Did that muscle-bound jerk bring backup!?"
"I don't think so. They're coming from a different direction."
The heroes gazed ahead nervously until two figures emerged from the forest surrounding Alcatraz. As they feared, the newcomers were Celts – Fionn mac Cumhaill and Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, to be precise.
"Just as we expected," Fionn declared. "We heard that intruders had infiltrated Alcatraz. Prepare yourselves, for we have come to annihilate you once and for all!"
The four Servants readied themselves for another intense battle. However, Diarmuid's throat went dry when he saw Ituha. His eyes widened as he half-choked, half-yelped, "It can't be! Princess, is that really you!?"
Ituha mumbled hesitantly, unsure of how to respond. Nightingale firmly said, "Judging by your familiarity with the child's identity, you two are also Celtic Servants."
"What do you mean?"
"She has complete amnesia. The fellow called Fergus divulged her True Name to her when we defeated him, but she still doesn't remember anything. Now that I have discharged Rama from my care, I can now dedicate myself to Ituha's recovery as well as treating the disease infecting this nation."
"Is that so?" Diarmuid murmured sullenly. "For the princess to forget everything about herself… I suppose after witnessing such unimaginable horrors, it would only be natural for her mind to shut everything out."
"What are you talking about? Do you know the source of her mental affliction?"
"That is…"
Fionn interrupted them by blurting, "I don't believe this is the time or place to discuss such matters. If Miss Connla really partook in Fergus' demise, then that means she's a traitor to us, amnesia or not. In that case, Cuchulainn ordered us to destroy her should she ever turn on us. It's rather tragic, considering that he is wiping out the Americans so that she can rule our new, much more glorious Celtic nation as the future queen without having to worry about enemies from other countries invading us. Without Miss Connla around, Cuchulainn's reign of destruction will only be as such."
"How ludicrous," Rama retorted. "It doesn't matter if she is with him or not – he'll bring ruin to anyone and everyone equally, including his own people. All he'll accomplish in the end is giving her a complete wasteland of death and despair to rule over. No one in their right mind would want anything like that."
"Perhaps. But his hope is that she will revitalize the land with her loving care after he is gone. That is the future all of us Celts strive for. Isn't that right, Diarmuid?"
The black-haired spearman didn't respond. His lips were tightly sealed as he struggled to come to terms with his chaotic emotions. After a tense moment, he finally uttered, "Lord Fionn… Forgive me!"
Then, to everyone's unexpected shock, he leapt from Fionn's side and landed right in front of Ituha!
"Wha-!?" the girl yelped. The other heroes prepared to beat him away from her, but he suddenly raised Gae Dearg and pointed it at his liege. They weren't sure what to make of this surprise scene, so they remained on guard.
The blonde-haired warrior narrowed his eyes and scowled, "What is the meaning of this?"
"I think you understand more than anyone, sir," Diarmuid replied evenly.
"Are you betraying us as well?"
"That's right. Although it pains my heart to have to turn on you, I have dedicated myself to searching for the princess for one reason only – to protect her from the madness that caused her to fall into such deep despair!"
"Nonsense! How could she be in anguish when Cuchulainn has given her everything a girl like her could ever dream of!?"
"You didn't notice at all, did you? Throughout the time she lived in the White House, I kept my eye on her training to be a proper royal. As time went on though, I saw it more than any of you – she was never happy! She was always depressed, forcing herself to swallow her tears and endure being surrounded by monsters and madmen! It was impossible for her to confide in anyone when any wrong move could cause her to be executed!
"Cuchulainn and Medb don't care about her at all! They just want to turn her into a trophy that they can display! As one of her guardians, I cannot allow myself to stand idly by and watch her suffer anymore! Whatever the princess' decision may be, I will give her all of my support from now on!"
Fionn was quite disturbed to hear such a revelation coming from his most trusted knight. He exhaled in frustration, yet smiled a little as he said, "Loyal to a fault, I see. Although Miss Connla is much too young for you, it seems your soft spot for the fairer sex hasn't dulled in the slightest."
"This isn't the time for jokes, Lord Fionn! I'm dead serious!"
"Yes, I can see that. But I have to ask – what made you change your mind so late in the game? If you noticed that she was so upset, you could have kidnapped her and taken her to a safe place way back when."
"I have my reasons."
"Not going to say anything, hm? So be it. Since you've officially declared yourself an enemy of the Celts, I have no choice but to eliminate you as well, Diarmuid!"