The gray expanse of the Land of Shadows was lit up by the light of an inferno. Bazett's fists were covered in flames as she unleashed a series of punches that Scáthach blocked with her spear. Each blow created conflagrations. The high cliff where the spar was taking place became the host of a wildfire. The Flashing Fist skill made Bazett's fists physics-defyingly fast, but Scáthach used the same skill in combination with her spearwork and prediction skills to casually defend against each punch. Scáthach retaliated with a spear thrust that was too fast for Bazett to perceive at all, her new Accel Turn skill saving her at the last minute with an auto-dodge. As her body acted on its own, Bazett drew a Primordial Rune of flame which she combined with the Mana Burst(Flame) skill. Her fist became so hot that the surrounding air ignited and the hand was so bright that one might mistake it for a small star. Bazett punched and Scáthach swerved around the fist, the missed strike releasing a blast that looked like a nuclear bomb going off. The spearwoman got right in Bazett's face and jammed the butt of her spear into the magus' gut so hard it knocked the wind out of her and made various fluids fly out of her mouth. The blow knocked Bazett back off the edge of the cliff. As the side of the cliff whizzed past her as she fell, Bazett kicked her feet into the side of the wall and they dug into it. Her descent stopped and she tensed her abs to hold her body up and keep perpendicular with the cliff face.
Bazett ran up the cliffside as Scáthach appeared at the edge and began charging down the wall of stone. The two fighters were on a collision course and yet neither altered their trajectory. When they got in range, they proceeded to have an exchange of attacks that resembled a choreographed dance. They were both using Revelation and Mind's Eye(True), so they each predicted what the other would do next, but then they would alter their actions accordingly which changed the futures they predicted, requiring them to adapt once again. It became a game that would be decided by who could see farther ahead as the combatants traded attacks in rapid succession. They stayed on the side of the cliff as they sent out attacks they both had long since seen ten steps beyond. They dodged and blocked each other's strikes and magical attacks with ease as they could already see their vectors of movement. Accel Turn, Reduced Earth, Flashing Fist, Hard Puncher, Pioneer of the Stars, Mana Burst(Flame), Protection from Arrows, Revelation, Mind's Eye(True), and Battle Continuation, as well as the Primordial Runes. Bazett had learned all these while training under both Scáthachs and now she was using all of them at once. This was the culmination of everything she had learned. Her entire body felt like it was melting as she kept on moving without the briefest of pauses. Her Magic Circuits were burning hotter than ever as they strained to fuel every one of Bazett's spells and skills. Bazett pushed her Revelation and Mind's Eye skills the hardest, searching further and further into the future for what Scáthach would do next. She saw as far as she possibly could and took action.
Right when the predicted future had Scáthach thrusting her spear at Bazett as she jumped back, Bazett instead ran ahead. The red spear grazed Bazett's shoulder as she got in close enough to wrap her arms around Scáthach. Bazett knew that Scáthach predicted this and also predicted that Bazett would try to grapple with her from the front. Bazett was purposely following the events of this newly changed future to make Scáthach think she hadn't seen that far ahead this time. When Scáthach drew a rune in the air that was about to release a point blank wave of ice, Bazett swerved around to behind the spearwoman. The magus jumped on her mentor's back and used her legs to pin Scáthach's arms to her sides while simultaneously wrapping an arm around Scáthach's neck to squeeze it. This was nowhere near enough to stop the queen of the Land of Shadows from fighting back, but Bazett was already onto the next step. The Master drew a Primordial Rune of death on Scáthach's cheek. It wasn't enough to kill the queen, but it would be enough to hurt her and cause her to reel from the damage. That would give Bazett enough time to predict the future and plan her next move.
It was unfortunate that Scáthach had predicted all of this. Before Bazett finished writing the death rune with her finger, Scáthach had already inscribed a rune on Bazett by firing a beam of magical energy from her finger tip that drew the symbol on the Master's leg. The rune in question used an advanced form of Gandr that's weakening effect was great enough that Bazett lost all her remaining strength. Bazett's body was overcome with sickness to the point that she could no longer keep her hold on Scáthach. The magus let go and was about to fall when another Scáthach caught her.
This second Scáthach, who was flying by releasing flames from her feet, was the Servant that Bazett had summoned. It had been three days since Bazett and her Servant had escaped to the Land of Shadows, which had been enough time for the Lancer to regrow her limbs, though she still wasn't at full strength. To make it easier to differentiate her from her living counterpart, she was going by Lancer and had her hair in a ponytail that Bazett thought was super cute.
"You've done well, Bazett."
"Did I? I lost and the other you was clearly holding back."
"You still did better than most would have in your situation, not to mention you managed to master all the skills and runes I taught you." Scáthach smiled. "Your three days of near nonstop straining has paid off. You get a passing grade."
"You mean the training is over?"
"Unless you want to keep going, but the war might be over by the time we're done at this rate."
"That's fair." Bazett was carried by her Servant to the top of the cliff while the other Scáthach put out the wildfire.
"Do you want your reward now or later?" Lancer Scáthach drew a rune that cleared away the effects of the Gandr.
"Reward?"
"Did you forget? If you met my expectations, we'd have sex."
Bazett got smacked in the face by her returning memories after her lapse. Her skin turned more red than her hair or the skin tight bodysuit she was wearing. Speaking of the bodysuit, she was still embarrassed to be wearing it, especially while she was being held in the arms of a very attractive woman wearing her own bodysuit who was also propositioning her.
"I forgot about that."
"So do you want to do it now, or later? Do you still want to at all?"
"I'd still like to!" Bazett's knee jerk response made her embarrassment soar to even greater heights. "I'd like to wait until tonight so I can prepare for it."
"If that's what you wish." Scáthach freed Bazett from her arms and helped her to her feet. "If that's the case then I'll also prepare. If we're going to wait until tonight, then I want to use the extra time to make sure everything's perfect." Bazett got goosebumps and a miniscule whimper came from her throat.
"I must admit it's bizarre to know that another version of myself has gotten so close to someone." The living Scáthach had already finished cleaning up.
"We're as close as is appropriate." Lancer Scáthach's tone became dismissive, but then she looked Bazett's way. "As for what is appropriate, that has yet to be determined."
"I really am frustrating at times." The living Scáthach chuckled. "Anyway, I have something I'd like to say. I know, Bazett, that you'd like for me to come with you and the other me to the land of humans."
"I figured you knew." Bazett said. "I just don't see why you have to seclude yourself here. I understand your reasoning, but I don't think you should sacrifice your happiness for the sake of not impacting the modern world."
"I also think you should come with us." Lancer Scáthach added. "You and I are the same, and so I know that you would be happy if you came with us, and I know that your excuses for staying here are flimsy at best. It's time we quit being shut-ins."
"I could try to argue with you, but there would be no point." The living Scáthach ran her hand through her hair. "If one version of me was convinced by this magus, then I will as well given enough time. There's no point in prolonging things."
'So you'll come with us?"
"Of course."
"That's great." Bazett felt herself perk up. "I hope you'll make a life for yourself that is truly satisfying for you."
"I hope so too. Before that, we need to finish this Holy Grail War. I'll help you so claiming victory should be simple."
"Having two of you on my side will definitely make it possible to beat even Archer and Saber."
"Let's return to the castle." Lancer began walking. "I have to prepare for tonight. Bazett, you can spend the rest of the day how you wish. You've been working extremely hard up until now, and unlike Setanta, you didn't complain. You've earned time to rest."
Bazett and the other Scáthach followed Lancer. The magus was glad that both Scáthachs had seen reason. That said, Bazett still felt uneasy because there was still one more hurdle to clear. Having sex with Scáthach. Bazett had zero experience and she was too stiff a person to be able to just go on instinct. Scáthach would have to take the lead and hopefully Bazett wouldn't mess up too badly. Bazett and Scáthach's relationship was riding on how having sex went. This would be the test to see if the two of them were capable of being intimate and emotionally vulnerable with each other. It was really a question of whether they would merely have sex, or if they would make love. Was it lust or romance fueling their desire for each other? Was it a mix of both, or was sexual attraction the only meaningful factor?
These concerns didn't leave Bazett as she tried to rest and mentally prepare. Now that she had free time she didn't know what to do with it. She was a workaholic even before the Holy Grail War. There were no hobbies that Bazett indulged in really. She liked board games, but that was more of a passing interest that she never fully committed herself to. Any time spent not working or training felt like wasted time. That meant that Bazett had nothing she could occupy her mind with now that she needed to calm down and prepare for spending the night with Scáthach. She wandered the grounds of Scáthach's castle to try and distract herself, but there wasn't much to actually see in the dreary fortress. It was all gray and simple, which just made Bazett think of herself. Maybe that's why Scáthach liked her, the magus matched the queen's aesthetic tastes.
As the appointed time grew nearer and Bazett was told exactly where and when to meet with Scáthach, she decided to take a bath. It would help her decompress and would also make sure her body was spotless for Scáthach. The living Scáthach provided the magus with a basin full of hot water along with a ewer and soap. Bazett sat in the tub and cleaned herself thoroughly, not letting a single stretch of her skin go uncleansed. She didn't want to be anything less than perfect for her partner to be. She got engrossed in the task which helped take her mind off of her worries. By the time she had taken care of every inch of her body, she could sit in the basin with a clear head and just enjoy the water's warmth as it eased her aching muscles. Bazett had always been more partial to showers than baths in the past, but she was beginning to change her mind.
She couldn't stay in the water forever so Bazett eventually got out, dried off, and got dressed. She put on just her black dress pants and white button up(and of course her underwear). It was nice to be wearing her normal clothes after being stuck in a bodysuit for multiple days.
Bazett went to the room she was told to go and inside she found a large bed that was perfectly made. There was a table in the corner where lit candles released sweet scents. The room was dimly lit and the ceiling was dotted with runes that released subtle amounts of light. It kept things just bright enough while making it so when Bazett looked up, it was like staring at a starry night sky. Bazett's feet felt a plush carpet beneath them as the magus walked into the room. It was enchanting.
Upon seeing how much thought Scáthach put into this, Bazett's anxiety started to increase again. The enforcer started to pace around the room from the stress, but she realized she would just make herself sweaty doing that, so she sat down on the bed. She tried to think of what she could do to lessen her nervousness. She didn't want to just sit around letting herself get more paranoid. She decided to preemptively strip off her clothes so she'd be ready to start as soon as Scáthach wanted to. Bazett removed every article of clothing and put them in a corner of the room before lying down on the bed.
Bazett's hands traced her own body. She was fit, muscular. She wasn't really the traditional ideal of femininity. Would Scáthach find her attractive? Would Scáthach enjoy having sex with her? What if Bazett was terrible? What if it was embarrassing? Would Scáthach laugh at her? Get mad? Not say anything and just keep her thoughts to herself?
The door opened and Bazett sat up. An immaculate silhouette appeared in the doorway as light came from behind her.
"You're already naked? I was hoping I'd get to undress you. Oh well. I can't really complain since I had the same idea."
Scáthach entered the room and she was perfect. Her figure, her skin, her face, her hair. It was all flawless. It was as if her body was created to be the ideal, like Pygmalion sculpting Galatea. Bazett's fear seemed to vanish as she could only think about how gorgeous Scáthach's nude body was.
At least until Bazett noticed Scáthach's eyes moving. The queen was evaluating Bazett's body. The anxiety was coming back.
"You're quite beautiful." Scáthach said. Bazett felt her mind go white.
"Really?" Bazett sounded silly the way she asked that, but she was just genuinely surprised by Scáthach's simple words.
"Your body is worthy of admiration." Scáthach walked up to the bed. "Your muscles are lovely. They make one desire to be wrapped in your arms." The queen's hand cupped Bazett's shoulder, the enforcer tensing and making her muscles more pronounced. Scáthach's fingers began tracing those muscles as they traveled around Bazett's body. The queen's touch made Bazett shudder. It was so soft, slight, and precise. Bazett nearly began to drool. She felt as if she were being hypnotized. Her senses were heightened and her perception of time was fluid. "Would you prefer I be in charge, or would you like to take the lead?"
"Y-You-You be on top. I'm not very experienced with this kind of-kind of thing."
"Alright. Just trust me then." Scáthach gently pushed Bazett back onto the bed before getting on it herself. Bazett adjusted so she was in a comfortable position and Scáthach got on top of her. The queen's knee pushed against Bazett's groin which made her shiver.
Scáthach's face was right next to Bazett's. Their eyes locked. They were going to kiss. This was it. The big moment. Should Bazett close her eyes? No, she wanted to connect with Scáthach at this moment, not avoid her in any way.
But as Scáthach inched closer, her head changed course. The queen's face got close to Bazett's ear and blew. The cool breeze made Bazett sharply inhale, as did Scáthach's lips and teeth nibbling on that same ear.
Kissing that ear to finish, Scáthach moved on, kissing Bazett's neck and making her way downward. Scáthach's lips dotted down Bazett's upper chest before reaching her breasts. The queen's lips wrapped around one of Bazett's breasts, her tongue carefully playing with the nipple. Bazett clutched the sheets. Her breathing was speeding up. She didn't want Scáthach to stop. Her every touch was amazing.
Returning to kissing down Bazett's body, Scáthach was about to reach Bazett's lower lips. The magus knew what would happen when Scáthach reached them. It was time.
Was this what Bazett wanted? Why did Bazett want to have sex with Scáthach?
It was because she wanted to build a connection with Scáthach.
But they hadn't kissed yet. Were they even going to? Bazett couldn't even see Scáthach's face.
This wasn't romance, this was a transaction.
"Wait." Bazett moaned.
"What's wrong?" Scáthach stopped what she was doing.
"I want to kiss you. I want to see your face. This feels like you're just servicing me."
"What's wrong with that?"
"The whole point of this was to see if we can build an emotional connection, right?" Bazett craned her head forward to look at Scáthach. The Servant's face was hidden by her hair. "You seem like you're avoiding making this intimate."
"You're right." Scáthach got off Bazett and sat at the edge of the bed. "This was a mistake."
"Wait, what do you mean?" Bazett sat up. "Did I do something wrong?" The mgus felt her blood run cold.
"No, I'm the one at fault here. We're supposed to be opening up to each other, and I'm actively doing the opposite. I tried to just speed through things rather than be vulnerable."
"Why?"
"I'm not sure. I've just been acting as I always have. Even before I was trapped in the Land of Shadows, I kept a degree of emotional distance between myself and others. As a teacher and a parent I was always austere and in all other matters I stayed uninvolved. In the conflict that led to Setanta and Ferdiad fighting to the death, I did nothing. After being summoned as a Servant, I've made up endless excuses to not do anything beyond my duty as a Servant. The only wish I've ever had is to die, the ultimate isolation."
"Do you have any idea of why you push others away?" Bazett scooted over to sit next to Scáthach. "You love fighting and that can be very intimate. Even the way you wanted to die was at the hands of a strong warrior. You wanted another person involved."
"I suppose it comes down to the contradictions in human desire. We're both desperate for validation and connection, and yet terrified of being rejected or hurt by those we've come to trust." Scáthach's hand gripped the edge of the bed. "When I learned that Setanta had killed Ferdiad , my first thought was that I regretted even training them, that if I never taught them how to be masters of combat, if I never raised them like brothers, then things wouldn't have ended so tragically."
"You had no way of knowing what would happen. You can't blame yourself."
"But I can. My Clairvoyance showed me the many misfortunes that Setanta would face and yet I did nothing. I saw him hurt my daughter and kill her lover, I saw him kill Ferdiad, I saw him kill his own son, I saw him perish at the hands of cowards. I saw it all and I did nothing about it. I knew my foresight was accurate, but I also felt an even greater wariness of what would happen if I tried to change things to alter the future. What if my actions made things even worse? That was how I convinced myself to sit by and do nothing." Scáthach's voice was a growl.
"You were scared, that's normal. You never know what the butterfly effect of one's actions would be and so you decided to be cautious. You shouldn't hate yourself for that. If I were in your situation, I don't know what I would have done."
"But even now I am acting like a coward. I'm running away from you when I should be trying to get closer."
"You still have the chance to do that." Bazett inched closer until her arm was touching Scáthach's and she could grab her hand. This level of forwardness and vulnerability would normally leave Bazett a blushing mess, but she was too busy trying to help the woman who had stolen her heart to be embarrassed. She wasn't overthinking things anymore, just acting as she wanted. "I'm right here. You still have a chance to take action. If you really regret not doing anything in the past, then make sure you don't make the same mistake now. You're immortal, you have endless time to change."
Scáthach turned and Bazett could finally see her face clearly. It was the first time that the queen's expression displayed complete authenticity. Her features were not still and small, they openly displayed her grief and her desire. Her eyes were large and her cheeks were stretched by the ever shifting shape of her mouth. Bazett didn't think Scáthach could be more beautiful, but she was proven wrong.
"Scáthach, what do you want to do?"
"I want to kiss you and make love to you."
"Then let's do that."
Bazett and Scáthach inched their heads closer, eyes locked. The magus memorized every single detail of the queen's crimson irises, such as the way the subtle light reflected off them like they were perfectly polished rubies. They finally closed their eyes as their lips connected. It was Bazett's first kiss and it was a sensation unlike any other she had previously known. The way Scáthach's mouth tasted and the soft feel of the queen's lips made Bazett feel weightless. Bazett wrapped her arms around Scáthach and held her close, Scáthach doing the same. The bodies pressed into each other and the magus' hands took note of every contour of her beloved's figure.
Things became more passionate as Scáthach pushed Bazett backward onto the bed. The kissing became more rough. Bazett had no idea what she was doing. She restrained herself and let Scáthach take the lead. The queen wordlessly guided the Master on what to do, using only the simplest motions to put Bazett on the right track. Even when it came to sexual matters, Scáthach was a wonderful teacher.
Scáthach slowly slid her hand down Bazett's body and to her groin. The queen's fingers teased the magus' privates. Bazett moaned into Scáthach's mouth and opened her legs to better let the fingers inside. When they did, Bazett's whole body arched and her mouth finally left Scáthach's.
The pleasure continued to build as Scáthach showed her mastery of sex, but that wasn't the thing that primarily occupied Bazett's mind. What she was mainly thinking about was just how much love she felt. This was the most intimate she had ever been with another person and to have her desire for another so strongly reciprocated and rewarded made it impossible for her not to get teary eyed. An entire life of rejection and isolation had left Bazett feeling unworthy of love. She thought she would forever be alone and that it was for the best that way. Now she was being showered with love and validation from Scáthach, a person who was simply spectacular in all the ways that mattered to the magus. This was the first time that Bazett didn't feel alone.
Bazett felt like she had become one with Scáthach, orgasming and crying out with happiness.
"Let me do you now." Bazett had barely finished orgasming when she said that. "I want to pleasure you."
"Alright." Scáthach smiled. "But let me keep teaching you."
The queen and Bazett switched who was on top. The magus was hesitant for just a second as she realized she was now responsible for Scáthach's enjoyment of this, but then she pushed those worries aside and trusted Scáthach to communicate what she wanted. Bazett fumbled as she tried out various things, but Scáthach was patient and always ready to teach the magus how to improve her technique. Bazett got the hang of things soon enough and she began fingering Scáthach the way the queen had done for her before. Scáthach didn't let her hands stay idle, using them to play with Bazett's breasts. Despite the pleasure from that, Bazett mostly enjoyed seeing the way Scáthach moaned as she indulged the magus' touch. The fact that she was making Scáthach feel good was way more fulfilling than her own sexual satisfaction.
Upon Scáthach's orgasm, the lovers switched positions again. The night continued on like this with Scáthach teaching Bazett more and more ways they could pleasure each other. It went on for so long that every inch of Scáthach's body became familiar to Bazett, as did every kind of moan and mewl the queen's voice could make. Bazett didn't like phrasing it this way, but it felt like Scáthach's body had become hers. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say the lovers had given their bodies to each other. Their bodies were separate, and yet they were one. Their minds had different thoughts, and yet they were synchronized. They were two instruments working together to play the same song. As Scáthach explained the intricacies of lesbian sex, Bazett didn't feel any embarrassment. The two of them could be completely honest with each other in a way that they normally couldn't, even with themselves.
Bazett once worried that she needed a greater purpose in life, but now she realized that didn't matter. This moment and others like it were what mattered. She was happy and the woman she cared about most was happy. What more was necessary?
Eventually, after much lovemaking and many different sex positions, Bazett reached her limit. She was drenched in sweat as if after a long training session and her body was out of energy. Her muscles were sore and they were bound to ache even more in the morning that was soon to come.
"I'm done." Bazett said breathily.
"Did you enjoy it?" Scáthach pulled Bazett closed and entangled their limbs.
"Absolutely." Bazett nuzzled into Scáthach's chest. "Did you enjoy it?"
"Did my moans not give it away?"
"I just wanted to make sure."
"Well I can say with complete honesty that this night was wonderful."
"That's good." Bazett's eyelids shut despite her best effort. "I'm sorry, but I think I'm about to fall asleep."
"Don't apologize. You need your rest. You sleep and I'll wait here for you. I'll spend the time admiring your body."
"Okay." Bazett was too tired to react to that. "Goodnight, Scáthach."
"Goodnight, Bazett."
Bazett peaked an eye open one last time before falling asleep. What she saw was the smiling face of the woman she loved. Bazett formed her own smile as she drifted into her dreams.