FATE/NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM

"New Order of the Ages"

Chapter 10: What the Wind Scattered

Fionn and Diarmuid wasted no time rushing in at each other and clashing their spears in a whirlwind dervish. They grunted and yelled as they tried to get in their own strikes, only to be expertly parried over and over again. This kept up for a few minutes, and the other four watched the duel in silence. Diarmuid had told them not to interfere since it was his own decision to abandon the Celts, and he wanted to see it through to the end with Fionn.

"Hah!" Fionn slammed his spear onto the ground that Diarmuid leapt back from, engulfing the spot with a torrent of water that emanated from his weapon.

"Toh!" Diarmuid stabbed at Fionn's head multiple times, but he rolled out of the way and swiped his polearm at his opponent's legs, knocking him onto his side before getting back onto his feet and preparing to slam Diarmuid's body. He vaulted away in time, but lost his balance from the tremendous smashing force.

"I've got you now!" Fionn grinned wildly, and his weapon was consumed in a swirling torrent of water. "Mac an Luin!"

He thrust his spear forth, and a razor-thin stream of water shot at Diarmuid's midsection. He crossed his dual lances at the impact site and resisted the jet-like forces as best as he could. The water splashed around his body without mercy, eventually throwing him off his feet and sending him tumbling backwards. Diarmuid skidded back into his feet while Fionn charged at him, hoping to land the decisive blow on his friend. The enchanted wrappings on his lances seemed to unfurl on their own as he activated his Noble Phantasm.

"Gae Dearg! Gae Buidhe!"

Diarmuid first raised the red spear Gae Dearg and slashed at Fionn's chest, nullifying the enhancements that he had placed upon himself earlier. Then with the yellow spear Gae Buidhe, he jammed it clean through Fionn's breastbone. He extracted the lance from his friend's battered body and left him to fall to the ground. The wound caused by Gae Buidhe would never heal unless Diarmuid destroyed the spear himself, and he already made his desire to survive and protect Connla clear. Thus, Fionn's demise was guaranteed.

"Ungh… So this is as far as I go…" the spearman grunted between bloody chokes.

"I'm so sorry," Diarmuid moaned. "I really, truly am. But I cannot ignore the princess' suffering anymore. I cannot tolerate watching her be in distress any further."

"No… I should have… recognized it too. Heh… So this is… what it's like… to be in your shoes… when you died in life. How fitting… it is for me… to perish this way..."

"Lord Fionn…"

"If you have no regrets… then go. Defend Miss Connla… from Cuchulainn's madness."

Fionn's body shone gold, then disappeared as he returned to the Throne of Heroes. Diarmuid sheathed his spears and approached the group, declaring, "It is done. As of now, I will dedicate myself to your cause and make sure the princess does not come to harm."

"Excellent," Rama smiled. "Since Ituha doesn't remember anything about her time with the Celts, any intel you could provide us will be most valuable."

Nightingale said, "More importantly, I need to know everything about her past so I can figure out a way to treat her psychological trauma."

Diarmuid nodded. "Of course. I will explain on the way to your next intended destination."

"Um… Sir Diarmuid?" Ituha asked him timidly.

"What is it, princess?"

"About that… Could you not call me a princess anymore? It kind of makes me feel uncomfortable…"

He kneeled in front of her. "If that is your wish, then certainly. What would you like me to address you as?"

"I'm using the name Ituha until I can remember everything."

"Then Miss Ituha, you have nothing to fear as long as I am around. Relax and leave the heavy fighting to me."

"Mm."

Elizabeth grinned and exclaimed, "Now that's what I call a happy ending! The bad guys are out of our hair, Rama's all healed up, and we get a new ally! It must be my inherent luck blessing us with such fortune! Nothing can piss on this day! He he, I can't wait to gloat about it all over Saber!"

"I wonder how the others are doing," Rama wondered. "Should we head to Washington then?"

As if on cue, that was when the transceiver that Robin Hood gave Ituha beeped to life, and the girl answered, "Hello?"

"H-Hey… Is that the kid Archer?" the bowman's strained voice moaned from the other line.

"Robin?" Ituha murmured, surprised to hear the bowman's voice instead of Geronimo's. "How is the assassination coming along?"

Diarmuid murmured to himself, "Assassination?"

Robin gasped in exhaustion, "Sorry… We screwed up…"

She exclaimed, "Tell us what happened!"

"Geronimo, Billy and Nero… I had to leave them behind… At this rate, they're probably…"

"What the hell are you talking about!?" Elizabeth shouted angrily, her jovial mood suddenly changing into hysteria. "What happened to Saber!? Why did you leave them like that!?"

"I'm heading over to an abandoned American campground. I'll give you the coordinates, so come as fast as you can. I'll explain everything there."

"Okay," Ituha said and cut the transmission.

Elizabeth looked downhearted as she whimpered, "You're kidding, right? He was lying, wasn't he? There's no way Saber could have lost."

"Don't panic. Let's just hear what he has to say first."

"Yeah…"

With their business on Alcatraz settled, the now-group of five Servants returned to the boat and sailed back to shore before returning eastward to the location Robin specified. Along the way, Nightingale and Diarmuid used this opportunity to discuss everything that he knew concerning Ituha's condition.

"So, you are acquainted with my patient," the nurse said to him. "Judging by your behavior while around her, you must have been quite close."

"Cuchulainn had me oversee her training," Diarmuid explained. "Medb had an extremely rigorous education regime ready for the princess to undergo, but Cuchulainn interfered with her plans and appointed me to make sure she wasn't being too stressed with her lessons. Otherwise the princess would have been up night and day studying without rest."

"That's unexpected. For someone who is hell-bent on ruining everything, he's seems surprisingly gracious to his daughter."

"I don't know what her past was like, but Cuchulainn threatened that if anyone brought up any sort of discussion regarding her mother or her life in Scotland, he would silence them immediately."

Rama thought back to his battle with the Mad King and murmured, "His attitude fits with what he said before – that he was seeking a country of peace and quiet that she could enjoy."

Ituha overheard them and frowned. She couldn't bring herself to add anything to the conversation since she couldn't recall anything of her time while in Cuchulainn's custody. It felt strange to know she had been adored by a man who didn't mind slaughtering hundreds.

"So then," Nightingale said to Diarmuid, "what sort of trauma occurred for her to have amnesia?"

"It all began when the princess fled the White House during the middle of the night. Fionn and I took chase after her and I almost caught her in Ohio, but that was when she witnessed the civilians' dead bodies that the Celts left behind. They had been horribly mutilated and defiled, and the sight caused her to suffer a massive panic attack."

"Ohio? But that's where the huge tornado hit last week."

"Yes. The two of us were swept up in it, and I lost her trail. The thing is, the princess is the one responsible for causing that storm."

"She is!?" Rama exclaimed. "But you just said you lost her! How can you be certain about that!?"

"I met someone else after coming to, and she told me everything."

After the storm…

Diarmuid slowly opened his eyes and groaned in pain. He found himself lying on his side near some uprooted trees. The grey sky had given way to clear sunshine while he was out, and several birds made the fallen trees their homes. Everything was quiet once again. He thought back to what he was doing before passing out.

"That's right… I was looking for the princess, and then…"

He gasped. The image of Connla screaming bloody murder remained fresh in his mind.

"Princess!? Princess! Where are you!?" the spearman shouted, looking around for the young royal. To his dismay, he couldn't find her anywhere.

He heard a pair of adult feet hit the mud behind him, followed by a woman's voice firmly declaring, "She's not here."

"Hm!?" he looked back, and his eyes widened in surprise. Standing before him was Scathach, the ruler of the Land of Shadows, and the teacher of many great Celtic heroes. "You are… Lady Scathach, yes? What might you be doing here?"

"Ah, perfect. You're Diarmuid Ua Duibhne of the Fianna Knights, am I correct? Although it would seem you are presently serving the role as one of Cuchulainn's Servants."

"Yes, that's right."

"Hm. I was hoping to stop this tragedy, but I was much too late. How shameful of me to allow this to happen."

"What do you mean? And where is the princess?"

"Is that has Connla has been reduced to? A mere figurehead for the Celts?"

Diarmuid was appalled to hear Scathach say such a thing, but he kept his temper under control and replied, "Cuchulainn ordered me to bring her back to him. I had her in my sights, but then a terrible storm suddenly appeared and I lost her again."

Her eyes narrowed. "That's no surprise. Connla was the source of that tornado."

"Was she!? But how!?"

"Listen to me, Diarmuid. If you're so concerned for her well-being, then it is best that I pass the truth to you so you can go search for her properly. But if you are only concerned with strictly following that man's orders with no regards for Connla's welfare, then this discussion is over. My hands are tied, and I need to leave that child's sanctity to someone else. You certainly are a fine choice to be her guardian, but in order to remain by her side, you would have to betray the Celtic army."

"What!?" He was horrified to have to do something so unimaginable.

"I cannot afford to leave her in the care of someone who constantly frets and toils about his loyalties. Right here and now, you need to make up your mind about who you raise your spears for."

"…"

"Now, I ask you again; will you leave your allies behind to protect Connla during her time of need, or is servitude to your master much more important? Your choice will determine if I tell you the truth or not."

Diarmuid's lips tightened pensively. True, he was an upstanding man who valued chivalry and loyalty above all else, regardless of his master's personality and/or ideals. As he thought about Connla though, he couldn't help but remember how sad she always appeared. Nothing that anyone did would make her happy, including him being her personal bodyguard or asking the chef to prepare the finest meal for her. Diarmuid wanted to bring a smile to the little girl's face, but all of his efforts were in vain. Not only that, but Connla witnessed firsthand how unspeakably brutal the Celts were towards everyone, including themselves. It was a sight he so desperately wanted to shield her from, but he was too late. It was no wonder that she was beyond consolation at that point.

"That storm…" he finally murmured. "You said the princess caused it?"

"That, I can say for sure," Scathach assured. "She subconsciously unleashed her Noble Phantasm at full strength, indiscriminately destroying both forces here."

"Then where is she?"

"Are you saying you'll agree to help her?"

"I will! Please tell me everything you know, Lady Scathach! Is she still alive!?"

"It depends on what you mean by 'alive'."

Diarmuid's eyes widened, frightened by the prospect of what she was going to reveal.

She continued, "Connla must have realized that Cuchulainn and Medb's idea of constructing a perfect nation for the three of them meant that they would slaughter everyone else who was in their way. She came to the conclusion that this wasn't a war – this was a one-sided bloodbath, with her happiness being the result that Cuchulainn wanted. You and I both know that Connla is too caring to allow such violence to happen in her name. Seeing those butchered bodies must have devastated her, leading her to believe that everything was her fault, and that she didn't deserve to live anymore."

"Foolishness! She shouldn't have to feel that way!"

"Even so, that tornado was the manifestation of her sheer grief. Not only did she lose control of her Noble Phantasm, but her also mind broke down so rapidly that it affected her Spirit Origin at its fundamental core. Imagine that you dropped a plate onto solid ground; the result would be at least two or three distinctly fractured pieces along with dozens of fragments."

"Then… you're saying…"

Scathach closed her eyes forlornly. "Yes. Connla's Spirit Origin was broken into two halves, and the storm separated them."

Diarmuid shuddered, not wanting to imagine the depths her heart sunk to for this to happen. He uttered, "S-So… does that mean… she's deceased…?"

"Not necessarily. It means that the original Lancer known as Connla is gone. In her place however are two brand new Servants who utilize her Spirit Origin as their bases. I didn't get a good look at what the rewritten Spirit Origins were, but one flew towards the western states while the other headed deep into the eastern Celtic territories."

"What a disaster… What am I supposed to do?"

"Don't fret. I am on my way to find the half that fell into the east. I want you to go look for the part that disappeared to the west and safeguard her. If my instincts are correct, she may find refuge with the western forces, which would mean she'll become an enemy to Cuchulainn. That's why I wanted you to decide on your loyalties first."

"Of course. She might have become a different person, but I'll recognize her immediately. But what are you going to do with the princess' other half?"

"Although I couldn't thoroughly analyze the split Spirit Origins, I'm certain that the eastern fragment will wind up being far more dangerous. I could tell that all of Connla's reasoning and sanity went into the western fragment and should manifest under a different class, so there's a high probability that the other one will become a Berserker. In that case, I will go and pacify her before Cuchulainn and Medb can capture her. We will need to meet up again once we reclaim both halves and reconstitute her Spirit Origin back into its original form."

"I get it. So we're working towards making the princess whole again. Understood. I, Diarmuid, will search for her in the western states posthaste."

"Thanks," Scathach smiled lightly. "We will need to arrange a meeting spot after we find them. Until then, I will see you later."

"Right."

The warrior woman leapt out of the immediate area with finesse and grace, heading eastward where she would begin her search for Fia-Leanbh. Diarmuid spent a short while getting back up and working out the aches and pains in his muscles from being tossed around by the hurricane. While limbering up, he berated himself for not having done enough to keep Connla safe from both the Celts' lunacy and her own self-reproaching insanity.

Just wait, princess. Once I find you, I'll serve you to the end of time so you do not experience such despair again.

Soon, he heard a series of horse hooves galloping through the mud, and he looked over to find Fionn riding up to him on his steed.

"There you are!" Fionn exclaimed. "I was worried that the storm might have killed you. I'm glad to see you're safe."

"You too, sir," Diarmuid nodded.

"I know you just went through a harrowing experience, but did you get any leads on Miss Connla's location?"

The black-haired spearman sighed. He wasn't sure if he should divulge Scathach's revelation to Fionn, but he was also worried of his friend remaining loyal to the Celts regardless of what Connla's feelings were. Diarmuid decided not to tell him the truth, instead saying, "I heard from a refugee that they saw someone fitting the princess' description heading westward."

"So she wants to seek refuge with Edison? That's not a good idea. He might execute her to send a message to Cuchulainn, especially if he finds out she's the king's daughter."

"Then we must find her immediately!"

Diarmuid got up on the back of Fionn's horse, and they rode off to the western territories together.

The present…

"So that's what happened," Nightingale said. "Her own father was the source of her affliction, and she went insane with grief."

"Yes," Diarmuid replied. "While I have agreed to be Miss Ituha's guardian in the meantime, it is imperative that I meet up with Lady Scathach and the princess' missing half so we can cure her."

"Understood. Since I've made myself responsible for her treatment as well, I will cooperate with you on your mission."

"Thank you for your understanding."

"We'd better hurry," Rama said. "We have to go to where Robin specified and hear what happened in Washington. Judging from the way he was speaking, it doesn't sound like it'll be good news."

"Nero…" Elizabeth moaned worriedly. Ituha likewise thought about the other Servants, fearing that she really would never see them again.

It took two more days of traveling for the five Servants to reach the spot that Robin designated. When they arrived at the abandoned Western States campsite however, they found the bowman engaged in combat with some Celtic soldiers who followed him.

"Damn it! You guys are finally here!" he gasped, looking totally exhausted from fleeing and fighting for his life. "Sorry, but we need to get rid of these guys first!"

"Leave it to us!" Rama exclaimed and charged in to intercept a pair of spearmen. A druid tried to fire a bolt of energy at the swordsman, but Ituha slung a fire-enchanted stone at the spell to cancel it out harmlessly while Diarmuid stabbed one of his lances through the spellcaster's abdomen.

"Move it, move it, move it, MOVE III~IIT!" Elizabeth screamed and thrashed about with her microphone/spear, batting away some warriors who did not anticipate the teenager to be so powerful.

"The only cure available for you mindless grunts is death! Submit to my treatment and disappear!" Nightingale roared while punching, kicking and shooting more men to the ground.

After a short while, the last of the Celts were killed off and the heroes could settle down for once. Diarmuid sheathed his lances and asked Ituha, "Are you all right?"

"Yes, I am."

"Hey, hey, hey, wait a second!" Robin shouted frantically and pointed at Diarmuid. "We're not done fighting yet! He's with the enemy!"

"It's okay. He's on our side now," Rama assured him.

"But he's a Celt! He could be trying to trick us!"

"He's defected. We even witnessed him turn against his partner Fionn mac Cumhaill and kill him. Now his mission is to protect Ituha from Cuchulainn."

"Is that right…?" the archer didn't look entirely convinced, but opted not to press the issue further.

Elizabeth snatched Robin's mantle in her vice-like grip and screeched, "Hey you! Tell me what happened! Where are Saber and the others!?"

"Well… We infiltrated Washington as planned, and we struck while the king and queen were holding a parade. Nero had Medb trapped inside her Bounded Field, and we were about to kill her. But then two unexpected things happened."

"Two?"

"The first is that Medb strengthened Cuchulainn so he could break into the field and intercept us. Medb admitted that she used the Holy Grail to power his existence as a king of destruction. Nero was utterly overwhelmed by him."

"No way… That cheating harlot! Why the hell does she have the Holy Grail!? If it wasn't for her, Saber and I could have… AAAGH! That bitch! That goddamn vixen! When I get my hands on her, I'll… I'll…!" Elizabeth screamed in absolute rage and stormed away from the group, wanting to spend some time alone to compose herself.

Nightingale remained calm and asked Robin, "What was the other miscalculation?"

"They had Arjuna on their side."

"Arjuna? Who is that?" Ituha asked.

Diarmuid told her, "He's the great hero of the Mahabharata, and one of the world's most powerful Archer-class Servants."

"But I thought Lord Karna was the hero of that story."

"They both are, actually. The original tale depicts them as fierce rivals."

"I see," Rama muttered bitterly. "So that explains why Edison has Karna on his side – it's because Arjuna is with the Celts. Karna intends to continue his battle with Arjuna in this world. Damn, what a glaring oversight. If only I had realized something so obvious sooner…"

Robin let out a depressed sigh, then said, "Billy and Old Man Geronimo were no match for him. He was able to shoot Billy's bullets as if they were nothing."

"So that's how it was. As unfortunate as this is, we must recalculate our strategy now that we know what the enemy's true capabilities are. Although I am fully healed and we have Diarmuid's help now, there's still too great a difference in our power."

"I'm impressed you were able to escape under such conditions," the spearman told Robin. "I'd liken it to a miracle, to be honest."

"Nah, it was no miracle. I actually had help from another Servant."

The previous day…

"Gah! So persistent!" Robin grunted angrily and shot more arrows at his pursuer.

After Geronimo's team failed to assassinate Cuchulainn and Medb, the doomed Apache warrior insisted that Robin escape using his No Face May King ability. While he was lucky to get out of there alive, he had to worry about pursuers taking him down. Arjuna led the chase against Robin and managed to catch up to the archer. Unlike Robin's unrefined style of crossbow shots and poisonous sabotage, Arjuna was a sophisticated marksman with the blessing of the Hindu god of thunder Indra, granting him energized projectiles that could detonate like miniature bombs. Arjuna's dark skin and hair, along with his bright white coat, was a stark contrast to Robin's unkempt green attire and messy orange hair.

"I could say the same for you, Faceless King of the Forest," Arjuna remarked coolly. "As a fellow Archer, your lack of refinement anguishes me. Engrave the elegance of my shot into your soul so that you may remember my lesson in your next life."

"Argh…!"

Arjuna sent an arrow flying straight for Robin's back as he was running madly. He thought he wasn't going to be able to escape it. Then both men heard a loud clash, and Robin fell onto his side from the force of the explosion. He looked up to see a purple-haired woman in a violet bodysuit wielding a long red lance, who was responsible for deflecting Arjuna's shot. Next to the woman was some masked figure in a white coat and green dress.

"Go on, Anonymous Hunter of the Woods. I shall block the enemy's passage for you," the lady told him.

"I don't know who you are, but I owe you one!"

Robin scrambled to his feet and ran out of the vicinity, while Arjuna landed in front of his new opponent and said, "You're the Witch of Dun Scaith, Scathach."

"Indeed. You're a hero of equal fame, yet your precision is quite disappointing. Like a child tossing sticks around, you put no heart into your attacks," she grinned.

"Do not speak to me so casually. I take pride in every shot I make."

"If it's what you wish, I'll take you seriously instead. I've allowed that young man in green to escape upon my own whim. Since you cannot hope to pursue him, I suggest you withdraw immediately, Awarded Hero of the Mahabharata. Not only do I block your way, I also have with me the calamity that wrought devastation upon the Celts – none other than the Wild Child, Fia-Leanbh."

"Gh… Just because you tell me that doesn't mean I will back down."

"No," they heard Cuchulainn's resounding voice. He and Medb had caught up to Arjuna, and the Mad King commanded Arjuna, "Stand down. That woman and the child are too much for you to handle."

The archer hesitated. The corrupted spearman snapped, "Let me make it clearer for you then – you're in the way. If you're just going to stand around like an idiot, you'll get caught in the crossfire. Or is it that you intend to hold me back? Do I have to destroy you myself?"

"No, sir. I shall stand down."

The dark-skinned man leapt away from the scene, allowing Cuchulainn to confront his former mentor. Scathach smiled, "Listening to others is a virtue – something which you were never good at, Setanta."

"Ugh… First Fergus, now you. Stop calling me by that name. I get a headache every time I hear it."

"That's what I should be saying. Do not show such disrespect toward your instructor."

"Whatever. So you intend to be my enemy? Have you recruited Connla in your resistance against me?"

"Do I need to answer that? Unlike you, Connla was always a good disciple. Even when afflicted with Madness Enhancement, she'll still follow my instructions."

"What are you talking about?" Medb wondered. "That's Fia-Leanbh, isn't it? Why are you both calling her Connie?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Cuchulainn scowled. "Connla and Fia are the same person."

"Then the one who caused you such grave injuries-!"

"Yeah. It was Connla."

"You've got to be kidding! Why would Connie do this to her own father!? Why has she suddenly become a Berserker!?"

"Be quiet. You're being a nuisance."

Medb immediately silenced herself and stepped back to allow Cuchulainn's conversation to continue. Scathach remarked in a scathing tone, "Although Connla has lost her mind the same way you have, I will forgive it since she never asked for any of this to happen. On the other hand, I cannot endure to gaze upon the self-centered fool that you have become. I ought to take your head out of a teacher's kindness to her student. Whatever has possessed you to become such a rabid dog who has the gall to call himself a king?"

"I'll only answer if you explain why Connla's mind has been reduced to that of a wild animal's."

"Heh. Not going to answer, I see. I should commend you for maintaining enough sanity to think of her welfare. It's too bad that your reign of terror claimed your child's innocence, and you were none the wiser about it."

"…"

"Perhaps the only way I can make your understand her pain is through combat. Saying that though, the circumstances will not permit us to cross blades in an honest match. Although I must protect that boy's escape, I also have Connla to provide support. I could always order her to tear apart that burden you call a queen while you and I are busy. Given how badly injured you were fighting Connla before, I dare say that Medb wouldn't stand a chance. So what will it be, O King of Destruction? Throw away everything and lessen your burden?"

"Give me a break. You don't even need Connla's help to take Medb out," Cuchulainn retorted.

"Naturally. That woman offends my senses. The only way I'll feel better is if I gouge her black heart out with the greatest stab of my life," Scathach's smile reeked of animosity.

"Hmph… Fine, we won't fight here. The two of you should get out of my sight immediately. It'd be nice if you were killed off elsewhere so I can take my time settling the score with Connla. She is the entire reason I have committed myself to ruining this land. If she doesn't agree with my plan, then she should face me in the battle of her life."

"My duty is to protect her. To that end, I will euthanize you with everything I have so it does not come to that. It's my final pupil's reward for being such a good learner."

With that, Scathach conjured a Shield Rune to transport herself and Fia out of the area. Cuchulainn growled beneath his breath, thinking of the young Berserker who only remained by his mentor's side in silence.

"Not going after them?" Medb asked.

"That woman is not someone who will go down so easily. If I'm to fight her, it'll be when there is no one left for me to kill except her and Connla."

"So Connie really has become a wild beast…"

"What's wrong? You enjoy seeing me like that. Why not her?"

"Well… I suppose I should like it. But then again…"

She became pensive, unsure of how to explain her feelings to him. He grumbled, "Whatever. We're going back to Washington. The next time we face them, it will truly be the final battle."

Medb giggled. "I can't wait. Soon, everyone will know the terror of rebelling against the Eternal King of Destruction."