Hello everyone and welcome back to the start of chapter 50 of the story!
Already half a hundread chapters written and almost three Singularities completed. As an author, it does feel gratifying seeing the progress of the story going forward alongside the number of chapters increasing.
And with that said and done, let's start it!
DISCLAIMER: All the Nasuverse characters belong to Nasu and are property of Type-Moon, with the exception of the OC's that belong to me, the author.
"Senpai...Senpai..!"
Hearing the echo of Mash's voice calling him, the black void started to fade as Ritsuka slowly opened his eyes, being greeted by Mash and Fou in front of them. "Mash..."
Getting to see Ritsuka waking up, Fou reacted with some happiness, poking the master of humanity on his shoulder. "Fou fou!"
Now with his vision fully stable, Ritsuka took a quick glance of his surroundings. "Are we...outside of the cave?" He asked before noticing some weird new elements that were in the scenario. Looking up, he spotted some type of sharp dark purple fangs whose scale would throw big shadows below on the ground he and Mash stood. And proceeding to stare lower from that point, Ritsuka saw that those giant fangs seemed to be connected to something that would eventually turn into an enormous wall of flesh. With the blue sky aside, Ritsuka couldn't see any sea in front or around the island, no matter how hard he looked. "Mash, where are we?"
"I too don't know Senpai." Mash answered in earnest.
"We are clearly on the island still." The voice from Drake said as she was standing a few feet away from them with Euryale. "But perhaps no more in the ocean I fear."
"So the question isn't where are we but instead where is the island right now." Euryale said. "As for we being outside, the explosion from the ark must have pushed us out of the cave after we defeated Heracles."
"That explains something." Mash replied. "But what about this whole change of view around the island? Was that an effect from the ark as well?"
"Killing Heracles with the ark might have triggered this." Drake said, corssing her arms. "Altough something strange was happening before that happened."
"Yeah! That earthquake!" Ritsuka responded. "The entire island started to shake before Heracles even touched the ark."
"And seeing how those walls are of flesh and the fangs can also look like teeth from another perspective..." Mash started to theorize their current situation.
Looking once again to the area around them, Ritsuka noticed that something was missing. "Wait a second...Where's Peko and Nala?"
That question and realization made Mash put a stop to her own thinking. "Now that you mention it, I also don't see them anywhere."
Drake and Euryale also looked around.
"They must have been separated from us." Euryale stated.
"Crap! I hope they aren't still inside the cave!" Drake said slightly worried.
"That can't be possible! They where with us when the explosion happened." Mash told to the pirate.
"So the most probable is that they ended up on another part of the island!" Ritsuka exclaimed, about to get up. "We have to find them! With the things looking as they are, the two could be in danger!"
Mash offered her hand, helping her master getting up. "Then let's do it as quick as possible!"
"Fu!" Fou exclaimed.
"The island is still quite big. It may take some time." Euryale said.
"If we don't find them, they find us!" Drake replied. "Simple as that!"
But before the group could start their search, the hologram of Romani appear behind them. "Finally we were able to establish contact! The earthquake also has passed. Are you guys okay?"
"We are but Peko and Nala are missing!" Mash informed him. "We were about to go looking for them!"
"That doesn't sound good. Thankfully, my monitor is showing their vital signs. They're alive." Romani revealed to them.
"And do you know where they are doc?" Ritsuka asked.
"On the other side of the island." Romani answered. "But before you go, me and Da Vinci got to see an image from the ocean right outside the island. What is exactly surrounding it. Or holding it to be more exact."
All of them stood in place, waiting to hear what was happening to the place.
"What is it then doctor?" Mash asked.
Romani tighten his eyes. "Right now, the island where you are, lies on the mouth of a giant sea serpant. One that we suspect to be the Leviathan."
The hearts of everyone stopped beating for a moment at hearing that.
"FU?! (Are you serious!?)"
"Not any sea monster but the Leviathan? The famous religious sea serpent of the Old Testament?" Mash said, wanting to be sure that she was hearing right.
"Yeah. That one." Romani replied.
"You got to be kidding." Ritsuka said is disbilief.
Da Vinci appeard next to Romani. "As much as we would like to and it isn't exactly provened, we can't think of many sea serpents in both mythology and religion that can fit the description of what we saw. Specially considering the way it made our systems go completely out of control for a moment. The earthquake you all felt must have been from the Leviathan's movements underwater as it used its mouth to tear the island from its foundations and lift it up high in the sky." She explained.
"But why would such damn creature appear right here and now?!" Drake asked in confusion. "Is it some kinda of trick from the Argonauts?"
"No. It couldn't be." Euryale told Drake. "If this was the Hydra, I could somewhat believe Medea to pull that off. But neither does it have seven heads nor those serpents resided in the ocean. Plus, despite how big the Hydra was, I don't recall big enough to hold an entire island in its mouth. So the appearence of this being that you call Leviathan has nothing to do with our enemies."
"Its presence is totally unrelated to what has been happening in this Singularity then..." Ritsuka said.
"It's netiher from our side or the Argonaut's." Mash added. "If so, then what is its business to decide and appear here?"
"That's what we are trying to figure out." Da Vinci responded. "Until there it is only speculations."
"Could it be Lev's work?" Ritsuka brought that up.
"That wouldn't be unusual from him." Romani replied. "But as a famous religious and demonic creature, the Leviathan is not a being that even the highest of mages would be able to summon. We are talking about a demon beast here! One with a Divine Spirit construct! Even if Lev is Flauros, one of the Demon God Pillars, summoning Leviathan is basically an impossible task!"
"Still, a demonic beast to appear here, is definetly suspicious." Mash told him.
"Yeah. The readings of Leviathan are almost of the same type we had back in Rome when fighting Nero. I fear that there might be a pattern here." Romani said those last words with apprehension.
Da Vinci spoked next. "Eitherway. The state of the Leviathan seems calm now. But we fear that it may not stay like that for longer. Find Peko and Nala, reunite with the other servants and Drake's crew and retireve the Holy Grail from the remaining Argonauts as well as defeat them." She enumerated. "I know it sounds like a lot to do and I doubt you'll be able to do all that before the Leviathan starts to act up again. Still, good luck to you. Me and Romani will try to unveil more abput this creature's mysterious appearence in the meantime."
Ritsuka nodded. "Understood! Contact us later if you discovered anything." He said, with the hologram of Romani and Da Vinci dissapearing shortly afterwards.
"We sure are in a troublesome situation." Drake told them. "Wich means we must hurry! It's only a question of time before this Leviathan thing decides to eat us all!"
"Agree!" Mash responded. "Let's go master!"
And so, the group started running in direction to the area where Romani had told them Peko and Nala were at.
"Hrgh...my head..." Peko muttered as he opened his eyes. The explosion that came from the ark after Heracles touched it and was killed by it, caught them all off guard. Now next thing he knew, Peko was once again back to the exterior. "Huh? Why am I outside? Where is everybody?" Peko questioned to himself as he looked around, seeing no one was there and that the view of the exterior wasn't of the ocean anymore but instead of tall walls of flesh and giant teeths. This change was completely weird to Peko. "W-When did these thin-NALA!"
Peko shouted as he saw Nala laying on the ground some feet away from him with blood on her head. Peko immediatly runned to his unconscious sister's side.
"Nala! Are you okay!? I'm already here!" Peko said as he grabbed Nala's head, holding it. Closer, he could see the damage his sister had sustained on the forhead. "That falling stone really hit her bad!" Peko started to move his head left and right. "I need to find something to stop the blee-"
"Nghn..." A low groan escaped from Nala's lips as the girl's eyes slowly opened, gaining Peko's attention.
"N-Nala! You alright?" Peko asked her. Nala however, didn't respond, worrying Peko. "Don't tell me her brain got affected with the hit too!" Trying to deny that, Peko made a question to his sister. "Do you know who I am?"
"...Ghg..." Another weak groan came from Nala as response.
Sweating a bit, Peko thought of something else. He then put two fingers in front of her, smiling nervously. "How many fingers are you seeing?"
"..." Nala didn't respond, staring weakly and emotionlessly at the two fingers her brother put in front of her face.
Peko cursed to himself, starting to panic. He didn't want to accept what could be happening. "H-Hey. What's...two plus two?"
"T-Twenty...two...?" Nala replied aimlessly and confused, failling to respond such simple math.
Peko started to tear up as he wasn't being able to deny the state his sister was in anymore. "Please...don't tell me you-..." Not wanting to give up yet, Peko cleaned his tears. "No...I know you must still be in there Nala!" He said, taking a deep breath. "Just one more question. What do you, my sister, prefers? Blueberry or Strawberry?"
"...B...Blueberry..." Nala responded, still in her weak state and completly shattering Peko's heart.
"N-No! No! It can't be!" Peko's eyes started to tear. "M-My sister...as completely lost her-...Wait." Peko realized something, stopping his tears from falling from his eyes. "There's no way you would answer that even if your brain suffered damage." He looked at Nala with a serious stare. "You are playing with me, aren't you?"
"...What is...playing?" Nala asked, pretending to be oblivious.
"You're the worst." Peko said, turning his head to the side with distaste.
Stopping the pretend act, Nala immedialy got up with a goofy smile. "But you fell for it!"
"And it wasn't funny." Peko responded unhappy.
"Okay, I may have exageratted a bit. Sorry about that." Nala replied, touching the wound on her head. "Now, do we have anything here to cover this wound? It hurts my head a bit."
"Only now you ask for it." Peko replied, still bitter.
"I already told you sorry!" Nala insisted. "Also, I had to say I prefered blueberries over strawberries! That costed a lot of me to put it into words you know?"
Sighing, Peko got up from the ground. "Alright. But please, never do that again."
"Promised!" Nala replied before looking to her surroundings. "Also, we are outside? Where is everybody?"
"I guess that explosion from the ark put us out of the cave after we defeated Heracles." Peko explained what he thought it had happened to Nala.
The girl then remembered the instance she took with the stone in the head and Heracles rushed torwards her to save her from touching the ark. "So Heracles was defeated..."
"Altough not by the way we were expecting." Peko told her, noticing the slight sadness in his sister's face.
Nala smiled shortly afterwards. "I'd say he was okay with the way he went out." She said, thinking about that smile Heracles gave to her before dying. "But now with him out of the picture, getting the grail from the remaining Argonauts will be easier, I hope."
"We also need to find the others." Peko told her before staring at the giant teeths above them. Nala did the same, noticing how different the scenario looked around the island.
"I can't see the ocean that surrounded the island anymore...Did this entire thing appeard when we were fighting Heracles?" Nala asked.
"Most likely. Remember those tremblings we felt from the ground?" Peko replied.
"You think it's correlated with this?" Nala thought.
"That is the only explanation I can find for this." Peko told her.
"Any explanation for why it happened? I can't think of any." Nala told to her brother, still not knowing for why the entire change of the scenario around them.
"I too don't know." Peko replied, his brain not being able to find any explanation for it. "We should find Ritsuka, Mash and the others first. Then we can think about this topic with them. Perhaps they have an answer for it!"
"Sure hope so!" Nala responded before both of them started to walk.
Moving past some trees and area of the forest as they tried to find their group, Peko saw a torn appart cloth lying on a fallen palm tree just outside the forest. Despite not being a bandage it was still something they could use to cover Nala's wound on the head.
"Done!" Peko told to his sister as he finished putting the piece of cloth around Nala's forhead. "That's better than to leave it exposed."
"Thankfully! My wound wouldn't stop hurting." Nala said, getting up. "Now we can-"
"Someone, take me out of here!"
A yelling voice begging for help called out the siblings attention all of a sudden.
"Did you heard it too Peko?" Nala asked to her brother.
"Yeah, I did." He replied.
"Heeeeeelp! I'm too young and charming to die!"
Nala immedialty raised an eyebrow as she heard the voice again. "Don't tell me that voice is..."
Looking past the fallen palm tree, the two saw a huge field of sand full of debries in front of them, with the sandy terrain ending up on the giant wall of flesh wich the Argonauts ship, the Argo, was located, altough above the ground and stuck in the middle of two teeth. And on the bowsprit of the vessel, there was a person hanging on it by their clothes, squirming and begging for their life, requesting help. Approaching, Peko and Nala saw immediatly who this person was.
"Oh..." Peko reacted, not seeming very effusive in seeing the person. "It's Jason."
"Of course it was Jason." Nala said with some annoyance.
"H-Hey! Do I hear someone!?" Jason said in relief as he stopped struggling and looked down to the ground, spotting both kids looking up to him. His smile completely vanished. "I-IT'S YOU TWO!?"
On another part of the island, Ritsuka, Mash, Drake and Euryale where on their way to find Peko and Nala. As they past through the trees and bushes, Mash noticed something on the side of her eye.
"Wait a moment! I'm seeing something!" The shielder told to te rest as they stop in their tracks and toke some steps back.
"What is it?" Euryale asked.
Mash cleared the bushes near them to get a better view. "There!" She pointed to an open field ahead, with the ark lying there in the middle of the ground.
"The ark is also here?!" Drake exclaimed surprised. "I thought it had stayed inside the cave!"
"Guess it teleported itself to the outside as well." Ritsuka said, approaching the relic.
Mash stopped him however from getting closer. "Careful master! It isn't because Heracles was killed by it that its magic protection and spell has deactivated! You can still die by touching it."
"Hmm, then..." Ritsuka scratched his head. "How are we going to transport this thing to safety? We can't simply leave it here."
"He's right. Being this exposed and in the open, it would be an easy target for the Argonauts to find and accomplish their goals." Drake commented agreeing with what Ritsuka said.
"So what if one of us go searching for them and the rest stays here guarding it?" Euryale proposed. "That way we can do those two things at the same time."
"Not a bad idea." Mash responded. "Perhaps David's group will meet us as we wait. He's the only one who can touch it after all."
Ritsuka nodded. "And once we are all reunited, we can either go back to the Golden Hind or defeat the rest of the Argonauts so that we can take the grail from them!" As he finished that sentence, a noise came from some vegetation behind them.
"Something tells this old man that it will be the second option." Hector said as he appeard to them, accompanied by Medea, making the whole group go into their combat postures.
"The Argonauts!" Mash exclaimed, summoning her shield.
"Good thing we arrived here shortly before them." Ritsuka speaked before realizing something about the enemy duo. "Your captain? Where is he?"
"Where is he indeed. I thought someone like Jason would be more than radiant to see the ark." Euryale told to the two.
"Blondie is back on the ship nicely waiting ya see?" Hector responded to them. "With that, we don't have to worry about protecting him at all."
"Specially that both the ark and the goddess are now in the same place." Medea said, staring at Euryale. "So our goal can be achieved right here and now! And thankfully without Lord Jason here. He wouldn't be able to handle the truth of the actual purpose for why we sought this sacred artifact for so long."
"So you do admit that you are indeed lying and tricking him into believing he will turn himself into an all powerful ruler of the seas the moment I get sacrificed to the ark." Euryale replied back to the young witch.
"I'm just protecting Lord Jason's fragile mind. That's how much I love him." Medea said with a sweet smile.
"I bet ya don't even believe in those very words you just said!" Drake said with spite.
"You don't have to believe to. It doesn't matter at all to me." Medea told her, still having the smile on her face. "All that does matter, is having you eliminated."
"A shame that Heracles couldn't do it really." Hector said, rubbing his ear. "On the good side, he doesn't have to support the captain's annoying attitude anymore. I kinda envy the dude for that!" His smile grew a bit. "And also, thanks for saving us trouble on how to carry the ark to the Argo by having the godess right here at our feet. It turns the things easier."
Before they could start fighting each other, Ritsuka remembered to do a question. "Can we assume that you weren't responsible for the entire island to be in the location that it is now?"
"We are just as clueless as you." Medea told them. "But as a witch, all that I can say is that this demonic beast appearence couldn't have summoned itself spontaneously." She looked at the giant teeths of the Leviathan above them. "The sensation I have of this mana from the creature is so...bleak and eerie. Could it be the work from that identity the mage spoke of?"
"What are you implying by that?" Mash questioned Medea, demanding some answers.
Hector took a step forward and moved his spear. "Why do you have to know if you're going to be dead in the next minute?" He told them, with a slacking expression on his face. "But don't worry, we will make it quick for all of you."
Medea then started to summon her Dragon Tooth Warrior and embed her staff with magic. "The sooner you give up the better."
Putting his Command Seals ready, Ritsuka stared at the duo defiantly alongside Mash, Drake and Euryale. "We have no intention of doing that! If you want the ark to destroy the world, you will have to get past over us first!"
"Y-YOU TWO BRATS ARE HERE!?" Jason yeld in shock, seeing both Peko and Nala below them. Needless to say that he was upset by it.
"Just for your information, these brats defeated Heracles!" Peko revealed to Jason who reacted with even more astonishment.
"What?! Heracles was defeated!?" Jason shouted in disbelieve.
"Yep! And I'm happy to inform you you're the next one in line!" Nala said as she summoned her sword, menacing the frightened captain of the Argo.
"No! Have mercy!" Jason begged desperatly, trying to move as little as he could in order to not unhook his clothes to the bowsprit of the ship and fall.
"We could. The problem is you probably wouldn't show us any if the situations were reversed." Peko replied to Jason, not caring about his begging at all.
"T-That's not true! Who do you think I am? As a great captain, hurting children is way out of question for me!" Jason tried to lie.
"That is why you order your crew to do it for you, isn't it?" Nala confronted him.
Despite his tactics not seeming to work, Jason insisted to try. This time with a different method. "Look, I'm kinda scummy. I admit it! I know that you also know that!"
"And what does that mean?" Peko raised an eyebrow.
"I'm sorry for having caused trouble to you and your crew. And for also killing that minotaur guy-"
"Asterios." Nala said, not liking the way Jason adressed to their late companion.
"Yeah! That guy. But even after all that, and seeing how this island as changed for the worst by the looks of it, I say we should bury the hatchet and make peace with each other." Jason said with a smile. "No more conflict. No fighting. Just everyone helping each other out. Hell, I might even make you two kids integral members of the Argonauts if you help me get out of here and protect me from any monsters nearby." Jason proposed, smiling happily and gently to Peko and Nala. "So, what do you two say about that?"
Peko thought for a couple of seconds alongside Nala, before turning his head to his sister. "Did you bought any word this guy said?"
"Nah. Not at all." Nala replied.
"WHY THE HELL CAN'T THIS TWO BE JUST AS GULLIBLE AS EVERY OTHER KID?!" Jason screamed to himself. "H-Hey. But what about joining my cr-"
"Not happening. I'd prefer dying." Nala cut Jason short.
Having enough of trying to manipulate the two kids, Jason shouted angrily at them. "You two are lucky that I'm stuck up here! If I was down there you would see the true power of the captain of the Argo!" He started to struggle, trying to unhang himself from the bowsprit. "You better run while you still have the chance brats! Few are the people who fought me and lived to tell the tale!"
Instead of trembling and cowering in fear, Peko and Nala just watched Jason pathetic efforts, having gained a bit of pity for the guy.
"I don't even know if it's worth killing him anymore." Peko said.
"Same." Nala replied. "Better just leave him here grumbling alone. I guess we can count him out." She said, about to turn around and leave.
Peko however grabbed her by the arm. "Wait sis! You're forgetting something." He said, pointing at Jason's wait where he had put the Holy Grail, reminding it to Nala.
"Oh, of course! How could we forget that?" Nala replied with a silly smile.
Peko smiled to her as well. "Jason won't mind, will he?"
"Hey! What are you two muttering about!? I can hear you!" Jason shouted from above.
"He certainly won't." Nala replied back to her brother.
"Then I guess you have the honours." Peko told her.
"Gladly!" Nala then jumped up high, being able to reach to the same height as the stranded Argo, reaching close to Jason.
For a brief second, he thought she was there to save him. "Ah! I see that my proposal was-"
"Excuse me." Nala said, reaching her hand out for the grail on Jason's waist. "I'm going to take this, thank you!"
Jason immediatly tried to take it back. "Nonononono! W-Wait a minute! That's mine!"
Nala then landed back on the sand. "Not anymore!" She stuck her tongue out, provoking Jason.
"And we don't have any intention of giving it back!" Peko added. "Soooo, I'd say we're done here. Also, I expected the great, legendary captain of the Argonauts would have given more of a fight." He crossed his arms and put a dissapointed face. "What a shame."
"What a shame truly." Nala played along.
Jason was visibly bursting with anger on his face. "Ggrrgh! These damn two...!"
"Anyways, bye! It was nice negotiating with you!" Peko said as he and Nala waved goodbye to Jason and started to walk away, leaving a furious shouting Jason behind.
"I'm satisfied we were able to retireve the grail without much fighting for once." Nala told to her brother.
"Now all we have to do is get back to Ritsuka and the others, get out from what thing we even are in and this Singularity gets resolved I think." Peko replied, telling Nala what they still needed to do.
"Don't forget about the other two servants from Jason's crew as well." Nala reminded him. "They must be around the island."
"True. Actually, I'm surprised on how we didn't found them here, near their ship." Peko said, finding it suspicious. "I wonder why."
"Could it be that they decided to go ahead to find the ark while leaving Jason behind?" Nala asked.
"That or they went to find Euryale." Peko said. "And if they find those two in a short amount of time..."
"They'll destroy the entire Singularity!" Nala completed her brother's line, reaching to the same conclusion. "We must hurry then! Euryale might be alone for all we know!"
"You're right!" Peko replied. "We have to-uuah!"
Out of nowhere, the ground started to shake again, caughting both off guard as they heard a loud and grutal sound. However, as quick as it came, it ended abruptly afterwards.
"W-was that sound from whatever creature is holding the island?" Nala said in confusion
"Much likely." Peko responded. "It might be up to something."
"Then we better-"
"Hold up now! You two shitheads ain't going anywhere!" A shouting voice came from behind.
Peko and Nala turned around to see that Jason had freed himself from the ship and was now walking on the ground torwards them, with the intent of recovering the grail that was stolen from him.
"Looks like we speaked to soon." Nala sighed, about to summon her sword but was interrupted by Peko.
"Don't worry about it! I'll handle him!" He told to her, much to Nala's surprise.
"What!? And leave you alone?" She said, completely against her brother's idea.
"You're the one with the grail. Find Ritsuka and the others and give it to him. Also, with the remaining Argonauts still around, you have to make sure they don't get the ark nor Euryale." Peko told her.
"But then what about you?" Nala wasn't comfortable with the idea of letting Peko to fight an enemy alone. Even if that enemy was Jason.
"I'll be fine! Just go up ahead and meet with the others! I'll reunite with you all soon." Peko responded, moving his head to stare at Jason. "Taking him down here would be one less problem to deal with."
Nala however wasn't convinced yet. "Are you really su-"
"Yes I am!" Peko almost shouted, looking at his sister, before calming himself down for a moment. "I can fight on my own as well. Just...trust me, please." Peko said. He wanted to prove Nala that he could be capable of fighting someone alone, just like her. And he saw this as a perfect opportunity. Deep down, he wanted to keep in pace with her.
Staring at his face, Nala noticed a glimmer of determination and confidence within her brother's eyes. His voice in his claim didn't seemed to stutter or waver. But she also noticed the suppliant tone in it. Reluctantly, she accepted Peko's request, feeling that she would be puttong him down by denying it. "Okay. But you better be back soon after punching that jackass's face!"
"I will!" Peko responded, slightly happy for seeing Nala giving him her trust.
Nala smiled warmly to him "Then good luck." She said before turning around and running away with the grail, leaving Peko to fight Jason.
The boy went to summon his sword, about to face Jason. "Let's do this then..." He murmured to himself.
"Ah, so you think you're enough to stop me?" Jason said before cackling and shaking his head, stopping some meters away from Peko. "Fatal mistake kid. You'll regret doing this. And I won't even fight at my best! That's how merciful I'm feeling right now!" He said, full of himself, taking out his sword with an arrogant smile. "I'll give you five seconds to give up before things get nasty brat."
Peko stood his ground despite Jason's threats. If he wanted to better himself, he had to defeat this opponent right here. "I refuse!"
"Mash, watch out from behind!" Ritsuka yelled to his servant, warning her of one of Medea's minions on Mash's back that was about to attack her as the shielder was taking care of other enemies.
"Hm?" Turning around, Mash reacted just in time to block the attack from the Dragon Tooth Warrior, counterattacking and defeating the enemy in the process. "Thanks for the warning master!"
More to the side, Drake and Hector fought each other off, with the trojan servant having the slight upper hand over the pirate. Hector had just made a cut on Drake's cheek while she tried to dodge. As Hector went for another blow, Drake barely avoided the spear from piercing her in the abdomen and then fired a bullet that also passed close from Hector's face.
"Good moves!" Hector said to her as he swinged his spear to slash her down.
Drake used one of her hatchets to block Hector's attack. "You ain't bad yourself. But a fight isn't a proper time for compliments!" She responded, pushing Hector away with a kick, gaining some space.
Hector shrugged it easily. "This old man has to agree with that." He then proceeded to threw the spear at Drake. "So have this in exchange!"
Drake immediatly doadgerolled out of the spear's way and quickly loaded her handguns to fire consecutively at Hector who runned away from the bullets as he called his weapon back. Getting out of ammo, Drake changed the guns for her two hatchets and launched herself torwards Hector, throwing one hatchet in antecipation. Hector managed to block it with his spear but shortly afterwards received a cut on his hand from Drake's second hatchet as the pirate swinged her weapon torwards him.
"Gotcha!" Drake exclaimed.
Stepping back, Hector shook his wounded hand, ignoring the pain. "Yep, you got me well." He then jumped torwards Drake. "Pray that it wasn't just a lucky strike for you!"
And while they fought one another, Mash and Euryale had teamed up to go against Medea, with the small goddess shooting down the skeleton enemies up front that were protecting Medea.
"I opened up a path! Go now!" Euryale told Mash who quickly sprinted torwards Medea, readying her shield for the hit.
"Yaah!" Mash rised her shield up high and lowered it upon Medea who barely dodge it as well as the second and third swings from Mash's shield.
"Kkh!" Stepping back, Medea summoned magic circles and used them to fire laser beams from it. The fact that both the ark and Euryale where right there and yet their goal was still difficult to accomplish due to the resistance they were facing was at least bothersome to Medea. "All this effort will be for nothing!" She shouted, firing more laser beams at Mash.
The shielder successfuly managed to block them as well as advance at the same time. "That's why you're wrong!" Mash yelled back, getting closer to Medea, and bashing the shield into her body.
"Ggh!" Medea in return spawned another magic circle near Mash, with the demi-servant getting a slight cut on her torso as she tried to dodge.
"Mash!" Ritsuka yelled the moment he saw Mash wounded.
"It's alright master! Just a minor wound! I can still fight!" Mash told Ritsuka, calming him down.
Trying to take chance of Mash's short talk with Ritsuka, Medea was ready to summon another magic circle before an arrow from Euryale came near her, interrupting the process.
"Eyes on the battle please!" Euryale told Mash as she went to take another shot from her bow.
"Y-You're right Euryale-san! Sorry!" Mash replied, a bit abashed for having been called out for her mistake.
In short time, Hector came back to Medea's side, bleeding from a bullet wound in his chest.
"Having trouble Sir Hector?" Medea asked him with genuine care for her allie.
"Still going." Hector replied with a smile. "But I have to say, that pirate woman is bit of trouble."
Clearing some of Medea's minions nearby, Drake joined to Mash and Euryale, with a deep cut on her right shoulder.
"Drake-san! Are you alright?" Mash asked, concerned about Drake's injury.
"Ah, this is nothing but a scratch! I can easily ignore it." Drake told the shielder with a confident smile.
"But it is bleeding nonstop!" Ritsuka pointed out. "We have to treat it!"
"And we will! Once we defeat these two that is." Drake replied. "I ain't plannin on dying without checking on my crew and ship first!"
"Okay then!" Ritsuka said before staring back at Medea and Hector as he stood behind the trio. "Protect the ark at all costs!"
"Understood master!" Mash replied before engaging in combat again, about to clash her shield with Hector's spear.
"If you leave out of this alive, you'll have quite the story to tell about how the great Jason spared your life!" Jason bragged as he showed his sword to Peko, not taking the boy seriously as they were about to fight. "You know that the reason why I don't fight so much is because if I did, every fight would only last thirty seconds maximum. That wouldn't have any fun at all!"
"Then come and face me already!" Peko replied back. In his mind, even if Jason looked like a coward who relied on others to do the things for him, his combat skills could be really as good as the captain of the Argo was saying. And altough he wouldn't be fighting an Heracles or Hector, it would still be his first fight alone against a servant. Peko had to be cautious. "If I want to prove myself, this is it!"
Jason cackled at hearing that. "Okay okay. If you want to be humiliated brat, fine by me!" He then pointed his sword at Peko. "Just don't say I didn't warned you." Wielding his sword up high, Jason advanced torwards Peko as he tried to give a powerful and warrior like scream.
Peko put himself in position for the attack. "Here he comes! I need to-"
"UAAH!" Jason screamed, altough not to put himself as an imposing figure, but because in the middle of his running, the captain of the Argo ended up falling to the ground. "C-Crap...My knee..."
Peko saw it, unaware on how to react to it. "He just tripped over himself?"
"The Requested Golden Fleece!"
Jason immediatly got back up. "Aha! This was nothing but a tactic to confuse you!"
"To...confuse me?" Peko replied, unsure if Jason's intention really was that.
"Yeah! Exactly that. Because when your opponent is stunned in uncertainty..." Wenting for a surprise attack, Jason swinged his sword torwards Peko. "You kill th-"
Peko blocked Jason's sword with his own, frustrating his enemy.
"I-I see you have a sharp attention." Jason laughed nervously. "But what about...this one!"
Peko blocked it again.
"Or this one!"
Peko blocked it once again.
"And this!" Jason repeated again and again several time, in hopeless attempts of trying to hit Peko.
The boy on the other hand was somewhat dissapointed and bored. "He can't fight for real. Even Ritsuka could defeat this guy." Peko then saw an opening on Jason, with his enemy stopping the attacks in order to take some breaths.
"You...are slightly better than...all the other adversaries I-" Peko then made a small cute on Jason's chest, causing him to yell and move his body in pain while retreating. "Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow! It hurts! It hurts so bad! How could you damn brat!?"
"It was the equivelent of a papaer cut..." Peko said to himself as he saw Jason overdramatic pain.
"That's it!" Jason yelled out. "I was going easy on you peasent before but I won't tolerate this any further!" He then smiled evily. "Prepare to face my Noble Phantasm."
Peko gulped as he immediatly prepared himself for it. Even if Jason until now was being a complete weakling, his Noble Phantasm could still induce quite some damage if not careful.
"Go, we the Argo-..."
Jason suddenly stood paralyzed, his smile erased from his face as he remembered of a crucial detail for his Noble Phantasm to work.
"Why did you stop?" Peko asked in confusion, wondering why Jason didn't unleashed his Noble Phantasm.
"My crew..." Jason said with a voice of someone who realized the mistake he has done. "I can't unleash my Noble Phantasm alone without the other Argonauts nearby..." He then looked to the side. "Specially when two of them have been summoned and are fighting and the third one has returned to the Throne by this time."
"..."
Without saying a word, Peko unsummoned his sword, turned around and started to leave.
"WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU GOING!?" Jason screamed incredulous.
"Going to catch the others." Peko informed him. "See ya later, I guess." "Perhaps we won't have much trouble with him alive."
"What?! Is that how you treat our duel!? A duel with the captain of the Argonauts!?" Jason yelled, feeling his pride was hurted. "This is insolence! Get back he-ow!" Jason tried to go after Peko, only to trip on himself and fall to the ground again.
Having a bit of condolence for Jason, Peko decided to warn him about the true danger of the ark and what would happen if he tried to realize his wish. So he walked torwards a lying Jason who was grabbing his leg tightly in pain. "Hey, look. About that ark you seek. It will only bring ha-"
"Take this!" Taking advantage of Peko coming closer to him, Jason quickly threw sand into his eyes and face, surprising Peko.
"W-what a-gghr!" Peko felt a sharp pain on his stomach as he saw Jason stabbing him with his blade.
"You fell for it idiot!" Jason said triumphat. "You should have never underestimated the genius cunning mind of someone like me!" He then removed the sword from Peko and kicked him to the ground.
"H-How I didn't saw this coming?" Peko asked to himself in shock as he tried to ignore the pain from his wound, with Jason delivering another kick on his body. "Krgh!"
"I said you would come to regret facing me." Jason told him with a smug as he watched Peko's aching body on the floor. "But oh well, everyone does mistakes. And this was your last one." Jason then raised his sword up high. "Now, if you don't have any last words, have a safe trip to the under-..." But then, before executing his defenseless opponent, Jason reminded of something. "Actually, let me see if Atalanta isn't around. I'd be screwed if she was." He then moved his head around, paying attention to make sure Atalanta wasn't anywhere to be seen.
Meanwhile, Peko tried to come up with a solution as the pain wouldn't go away. "I-It can't end like this...Not by him..!" Peko then slowly stared at his own very hand in front of him, with his vision trying to stay on focus. "I have to do something..!"
Yesterday's Night
"Channeling mana equally in your body is more beneficial than concentrating everything in just one spot." David said as he sat on top of a rock, watching Peko use his magic. "The mana circuits if overheaten and overloaded, can cause serious harm to one's own body. There needs to be a regulation and equilibrium on the way you transfer mana throughout your veins."
"So by bettering up my mana circuits and distribution I can keep a better control of it?" Peko asked to David after practicing his magic with several object in the area they where in. It had been some two hours already since they started training.
"Yes. Mana is a natural gift and element to our world. From it comes the Magecraft. Its use can be either a blessing or a curse depending on the way a person utilizes it. If not careful, the mana circuits may sustain damage from its bad maintainence and abuseful use without proper care." David warned Peko, stepping out of the rock. "First, you need to understand it. Analyze the power within. Study it. Only then, you'll be able to master your own mana circuits and its Magecraft."
"But how can I be able to understand something that is inside of me?" Peko questioned David.
"Because of that very fact. It is inside of you. Flowing and moving. You can feel it when you use it, don't you?" David asked to Peko.
"Y-yes." Peko responded shortly.
"Then you can also feel your circuits. The way they react when you put too much mana in just one attack." David replied. "Instead of doing that, try to move some of that mana into the circuits to better up its usage and then release your magic to attack. I guarantee you that its output, altough not as strong as a full loaded attack, will have better efficiency." He advised Peko.
"Understood!" Peko replied, before looking down to his own hand. "But what if I fail to do it again?"
"Failing makes part of the way to achievement. Through trial and error, one eventually reaches to the goal." David said. "However, if you're feeling in need of some extra help, ask for the starts guidance."
Peko raised his head. "Ask for a guidance of stars?"
David nodded. "Yes. In times of harship, ask them for their guidance. They'll never let you down."
Peko thought a bit about it. "If that means I can be better. Do better in helping my group from here onwards, then I'll take the start's guidance and your advices, mister David."
David raised is hand. "Oh please. There's no need for any kind of formalities like that. You can just call me David. Now, how about we went back to training?"
Peko nodded with a smile. "Understood!" He said, looking at a tree log in front of him and doing a finger gun, starting to channel his mana just like David said. "Don't think you'll be the only one getting stronger sis! I will too! And I bet Ritsuka and Mash as well! Everyone will, to achieve our goals!"
Present
"To...achieve our goals..." Peko continued to stare at his hand. "That's why...I want to do better..."
"Hmmmmm, phew! Looks like she isn't around." Jason said with relief, seeing that Atalanta wasn't near, wich meant he could kill his enemy without any problem.
"I have to do it!" Peko closed his fist. "By channeling my mana through my magic circuits...I will get a better performance..! Remembering of what David told him yesterday, Peko started to circulate the mana throughout his entire body, with his hand starting to shine.
Jason however was unaware of it, more concentrated in how he would deliver his final blow. "Well, anyways, time to send you to Hades!" He put his sword in position.
"Mana circuits...Channeling...Output...Magic...Stars...Flow..." Peko's hands went brighter and brighter. "This is the final step! I have it!"
"Hm? What are you muttering about?" Jason raised an eyebrow in confusion, hearing Peko's whispers. "Oh well, if that are your last words then you could have said it a little more higher, don't you think? Eitherway, bye bye!" Jason then descended his sword upon Peko, about to kill him.
But in that instant, Peko's hand fully lightened up and the boy was quick enough to draw his sword and slash Jason in the chest, much to the captain's surprise.
"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Jason immedialy fell to the ground, his hands on the large cut he suffered. Even if it was a superficial cut, it hurted deeply. "Damn it damn it damn it damn it! That hurts!" Squirming, Jason wiggled his body away from Peko, trying to handle the insufferable burning pain the cut was causing to him. "H-How was he able to do that?"
"Hey!" Peko shouted, gaining Jason's attention. The boy pointed his finger at him, the hand still shinning brightly. "We're not done yet."
"Waitwaitwaitwaitwaitwait! Have mercy! MERCY! I'm sorry for hurting you! I won't do it again!" Jason begged for his life as Peko basically had him at gunpoint now.
"I gave you a chance and you wasted it." Peko told him. "That was your last one."
Jason freezed in fear upon hearing that. He had no where to run or beg his way out of this.
About to put an end to this, Peko fired from his finger a smaller but sharper light bullet, that went insanely fast torwards Jason. However, incredibly against the odds, Jason mustered energy enough to get out of his freezed state and move his head away as the bullet passed close to his head, making a cut. It went all the way through until the wall of fleshed behind where after making contact it bursted into an explosion with more intensity than a grenade.
Jason looked at it totally speechless, turning his head around in fright from the power he just saw. "W-what the hell? D-Don't you think that would be overki-gah!"
"Shut up!" Peko shouted as he came running torwards Jason, delivering a right hook on his face, knocking him out. Peko had done it. He had won the battle.
Falling to his knees, Peko took some breaths and time to recover. But like David had instructed him, Peko didn't felt his arm hurting as much as it would if he had released a full blast. The mana circuits also felt stable and his magic refined. "I did it David! I won guys!" All that time training with David had been worth it. Now he had to go catch up Nala and the others. As for Jason, Peko simply left him unconscious on the ground, believing it would take some good time before he would wake up.
"Just stay quiet dammit!" Drake said as she tried to shot down Medea who was now hovering around the area, avoiding the bullets from the pirate. Drake then had to dodge from more laser beams of the witch.
Mash was now fighting Hector with Euryale on support. The strokes of the Lancer were fast and rough, forcing Mash to stay on defensive for the most part, only attacking when she could find any opening in Hector. The enemy however was barely giving her any chances.
"Ggh!" Mash got pushed back by Hector's last blow, her stamina and endurance getting weaker. Hector didn't stopped the assault and went on to try a combo on the Shielder.
"Hold on Mash! Don't give up!" Ritsuka said as motivation to his servant. Yet, Mash's fatigue betrayed her as with a strong swing, Hector opened up her defenses and caused Mash to lose balance. He had the chance to deliver a fatal wound now.
Fortunately for Mash, Euryale intervened right on time, firing arrows from her bow. "Stay away from her!"
Hector retreated, avoiding being hit and then sighing. "Okay then, if you want to go first..." He said, staring at Euryale first, then at the ark and then back to Euryale. "I'll be more than happy to grant it!" He then dashed torwards the goddess.
Ritsuka tried to get in the way despite being slower than a servant's speed wich was the case for Hector. "NO-"
"I won't let you have her!" A person shouted from afar as it appeard in front of Hector at an absurd speed and stopped him from caughting Euryale. It was Nala. Upon arrival, she slashed a surprised Hector in the chest, dealing a critical damage to the Lancer.
"Nala!" Ritsuka exclaimed, happy to see her. However, he found it strange that she had appear alone. "Where's P-"
"He'll catch us later!" Nala replied, throwing something at Ritsuka. "Here Ritsuka! Catch it!"
Ritsuka caught the object Nala had thrown at him. And when he saw what it was, his eyes widened in surprise. "I-It's the Holy Grail!"
"How did you retrieved it?" Mash asked, happy to see that one of their objective had been completed.
On the other side, seeing their enemies with the grail caused some dissatisfaction to Medea and Hector. "That belongs to Lord Jason! What have you done to him?"
"Nothing really. Taking the grail from him was easy." Nala replied with a cheeky smile.
"At this point with Heracles gone and the grail in our hands, you should just consider yourselves defeated." Drake told to the two enemies. "It's only a matter of time until the rest of us comes. So it would be smart of you to just give up now."
Being in numerical disadvantage, Medea and Hector stared in dead silence at the opponents in front of them, trying to calculate their odds. Realistically, it was already complicated for them and it would get a lot worse when the rest showed up just like Drake said. So, the most wise action to do here would be to give up. Nevertheless, that wasn't in neither the two's intrest. Hector gave a side look at Medea, who did the same to him.
"...Give me cover." Hector said briefly.
Nodding, Medea quickly summoned several magic circuits and instantly fired them torwards the opponents.
"Look out!" Drake yelled to her group as a laser beam hit right under her feet and Euryale, sending the two flying, with Euryale landing near the ark.
Giving no proper time for them to react, Hector launched his spear torwards a helpless Ritsuka
"Master!" Mash shouted as she jumped in front of Ritsuka, preventing the spear to injure him with her shield.
Hector turned his body around and fixated his eyes on Euryale who was next to the ark. "Now-"
"I won't allow it!" Nala shouted as she sprinted torwards Hector, perfurating him in the abdomen with her sword.
"Kkrgh!" The trojan servant however didn't went down and punched Nala in the face, shoving her away. With the way open to him, Hector runned torwards Euryale who was still trying to get up. He just had to make her touch it. Even by making the tinniest of contact with the ark, his and Medea's objective would be accomplished. A thing so easy to do that was now literally in front of him. No one else could stop him. Only watch in despair as he was near Euryale. Hector grinned the moment the goddess's eyes stared at him. "This is it! We've won!"
"I'll say it on your face."
"Hghg!" Hector suddenly felt his entire body paralyzed the moment he had looked to Euryale's eyes. "W-What is this-"
"Goddess's Gaze: Eye of the Euryale!"
Summoning her bow, Euryale fired a powerful arrow straight to Hector's heart, obliterating his Spirit Core completely, much to everyone's sudden shock. "Any male who falls for the sweet mystic of my lovely eyes gets neutralized by the incoming arrow. No matter if they're either a human or god. It is all of my charm into a single attack. That is my Noble Phantasm." Euryale explained as she stared at Hector with disdain. "This was for Asterios."
Coughing amounts of blood, Hector fell to his knees as his magical body started to dissapear. He had been defeated for good. But even in defeat, the servant didn't looked pissed or furious. Rather, he accepted the defeat. "You were...really sneaky with that. Congratulations on defeating this old man by using the trick on your sleeve." He said with a smile. "I really...got bested, just like that...That is how old I'm getting." He gave one last look at all his opponents. "But damn if it wasn't nice doing some action after a long time! I appreciated...the challenged you gave me..." With his entire body almost faded, Hector gave his last words to Medea. "I'm sorry Ms. Witch...Looks like you'll have to do all by yourself now...I have reached my limit..."
And now Medea was alone. Only her against an entire group. Still, she tried to fight back. "I-" A bullet scratched her cheek, interrupting her.
"So that's how it's gonna be huh?" Drake said while getting up and ignoring the injury she suffered on her head. "One versus five. I thought you knew better."
"Captain." Ritsuka got worried in seeing Drake's condition. She wasn't a servant but a human of this era, meaning that her resistance wasn't the same as of a servant.
"I already told you we will patch these wounds soon after the battle is over." Drake responded before looking back at Medea. "But you don't have plans on ending the fight here, have ya?" She asked, loading her gun for another shot.
Medea tightened her grip on the staff as she tried to think of a solution now that Hector wasn't by her side anymore and she used quite an amount of mana on this battle already. They may be tired, but so was she. Medea saw that in her current state right now, she wouldn't win in any way, even less if she was alone, assuming that Jason had also been defeated.
"Surrender Medea." A voice came from the right. "This isn't a fight you can win." Atalanta said as she appeard alongside David, Artemis and Orion.
"You guys are well!" Mash exclaimed with happiness in seeing the trio of Archers alive.
"Good timing for reinforcements." Drake commented.
"A-Atalanta..." Medea said with nervousism, starting to get a feeling of dread as more opponents appeard, turning the situation from complicated to extremely impossible to her.
"Cease this at once Witch of Colchis." David demanded. "You are in no capable way of achieving victory at this rate."
"Lower your weapon before you feel the judgement of the Moon Goddess!" Orion exclaimed on top of Artemis head.
"Aww darling, you're making me blush." Artemis said lovely. "But yes. Quit this absurd plan of yours immediatly!"
With everyone threatening and starting to surround her, Medea felt she had no possible way to escape this, with sweat even running down on her face. "What do I do now? I can't possibly go against all of them at once! I'm out of-" As Medea was contemplating her choices, she felt someone calling out for her in the distance. "H-He's still alive! If so, then..." Having a quick thinking, Medea started to flee away from her enemies, not wasting any second as she retreated back into the middle of the forest.
Nala had no intention of letting that happen. "She's getting aw-"
Drake then put an arm in front of her, stopping Nala from going after Medea. "No need for that. We already have the grail here with us alongside Euryale and the ark. She has nothing."
"But-"
"The captain is right. Medea won't be able to do anything now that we have the grail with us." Ritsuka told Nala, who after some seconds of thinking agreed with his decision.
"Okay." She replied.
"Well, looks like we-urgh!" Drake was cut short as she felt a pain strike her body, making her lose balance and almost fall on the ground.
"Captain!" Mash grabbed Drake before the pirate's body could hit the floor. "Are you alright?"
"Heh, sorry. Guess I exaggerated a bit on this fight." Drake responded with a weak smile.
"You lost a lot of blood from the injures you suffered." Euryale explained. "For a human like you, that's almost fatal. It's a wonder you are still alive."
"Then we better treat those wounds as quick as possible." David said as he approached her, before taking a look at Mash, Nala and Euryale as well. "Thinking better, I'll apply it to all of you."
"Harp of Healing"
Casting a spell, the wounds on the four female's body started to heal. "I hope this was of help to you."
"Thanks! Feeling a lot better now!" Nala thanked David, moving her arm to test it.
"Same here." Mash responded with a smile, proceeding to check on Drake. "What about you captain?"
"The pain surely got reduced. Thanks for that." Drake responded.
"It sure was helpful. This fight tired me out alot." Euryale sighed.
"But we made it! Also, cool way on taking down Hector! You really pulled a surprise on him." Nala said to Euryale, reffering to her usage of the Noble Phantasm to defeat Hector.
"I already had a plan in mind to use it. I was just lucky that a perfect opportunity presented itself so that I could do so." Euryale responded. "Now, I feel that Asterios can rest." She said that last part in a low voice.
"So Hector is also out of comission then." Atalanta speaked. "I hope and believe Heracles was also dealt with by this point."
"Yeah. We don't have to worry about him anymore." Ritsuka replied.
"Changing from topic for a minute, does any of you have any idea what is happening on this island right now?" Orion asked to them, wanting answers for why the island now appeard to be inside of a mouth of a monster.
"Oh, that? We got informed by the doctor that we are inside of the mouth of the Leviathan." Mash revealed to the Archer trio and also Nala since the girl wasn't aware of that detail too.
"The Leviathan? Here? Holding the island?" David said in shock.
"By the way you speaked it sounds like a bad thing." Nala said, oblivious to what the Leviathan was.
"While I'm not very much familiar with its entire legend and myth, I'm aware that it is a demonic beast from religion, isn't it?" Artemis asked, checking if what she said was right.
"Yes. The Leviathan is the sea serpent of the Old Testement and embodiment of chaos. The fact that it decided to appear here is strange to say the least." David replied.
"So we better get out of here before it decides to swallow the entire island with us in it!" Orion yelled out.
"Before that, we have to check if all of us are here?" Atalanta said, wanting to make sure no one was missing first.
Ritsuka immediatly remembered of the only person that wasn't amongst them "Peko is still missing!"
"Yeah! We need to wait for him!" Nala exclaimed as well.
"True! We won't leave without him." Mash added before turning her head to Nala. "You said he would catch us soon, wasn't it Nala?"
"Y-Yeah! Of course!" Nala said, despite hesitating initially.
"Something happened to him?" Ritsuka asked her, noticing the hint of discomfort on Nala's face.
"N-No." Nala responded to Ritsuka, then deciding to tell him what happened. "As we got the grail from Jason who was stuck on his ship and were about to leave, that guy was able to free himself and tried to go after us to take the grail back. Peko however chosed to fight him alone and tell me to run with the grail and give it to you." She said, starting to feel a weight on her consciousness. "I-I didn't want to leave him but he insisted! He really wanted that fight! And I...I-"
"You what?" A voice came from behind some trees, getting everyone's attention. "As you can see, I'm here now just like I told you." Peko appeard in front of them with a smile on his face.
"Peko!" Nala exclaimed happily, in absolute relief in seeing her brother okay.
"Now EVERYONE is here." Ritsuka said, now that Peko had reunited with them.
"I'm glad in seeing you alright Peko." Mash told to the boy, noticing the wound on his stomach. "You're hurt! We have to treat that immediatly!"
David stepped in. "No worries then."
"Harp of Healing."
David casted the same spell to cure Peko's wound.
"So, that means you must have defeated Jason." Euryale said, standing next to him.
"Yes." Peko responded.
"Did you killed him?" Nala asked her brother.
"Humm, not exactly. But I assure you he won't trouble us in the time that still remains for us." Peko answered, looking at David. "Thank you mister David. I couldn't have done it without your training." Peko thanked David, altough low enough only for the ancient king of Israel to hear it.
David smiled in return. "No need to thank me. Nor add the 'mister' in it. You've achieved what you wanted by yourself."
"So that means Heracles, Hector and for the time being, Jason, are all down." Atalanta said. "Only Medea is left."
"And I'd say she is probably going back for Jason as we speak" Artemis added.
"To be honest, I think we should worry more in getting out of this island and Leviathan creature before it eats us." Orion told to his partner. "If Medea tries to come back, we'll finish her easily."
"I agree on that." Drake said.
Mash then asked something to his teammates of Chaldea. "Don't you think the Leviathan could be interfering with this Singularity?"
"Hm? What do you mean by that Mash?" Peko asked the shielder.
"We obtained the grail now, but the things around here don't seem to be resolved yet." She explained.
"Hmm, now that you say, the previous two Singularities got resolved once we got the grail at then." Ritsuka said, looking at the grail in his hand. "But here, the things don't seemed to have changed yet."
"And this is the Singularity's grail. Not the one Drake has." Nala commented. "So perhaps this Leviathan thingy is causing some sort of disturbance indeed."
"My thoughts exactly." Mash replied. "The doctor may know something about it."
"Hey!" Drake called the four of them. "No time for chatting! We need to find my ship as quick as possible so that we can get out of here!"She said, with the rest of the servants behind her, with David levitating the ark through a spell of his.
"Already going Captain!" Ritsuka responded before talking back to his group. "We can contact the doctor later. For now, we must find Drake's ship to get out of here before this creature decides to do something."
"Understood master!" Mash replied.
Peko nodded his head. "So let's get going."
"To Drake's ship!" Nala exclaimed.
"Fu fou!"
And so, they joined Drake and the rest on their way to the Golden Hind, betting that it would be their way out of the mouth of demonic serpent.
"Ggrgh!...I lost..!"
In the sandy area where the Argo was stuck, its captain laid on the ground, defeated and humiliated.
"I lost...to a fucking kid!" In fury, the young man started to hit is fists against the ground. Repeatedly.
"Why am I so pathetic!? I was supposed to be the legendary captain of te Argonauts damn it! Damn it damn it damn it damn it damn it damn it DAMN IT!"
Replacing his fury, Jason started to weep and sob, asking to himself why he was so weak. So cowardly. So dependent of the others.
"Get your head up, Lord Jason."
The sound of steps on the sand was heard as a shadow stood above the crying body of the captain.
Raising his head, Jason stared with his tearful eyes to the face of the one who always loved him. The witch that never left his side ever since they met in one of his many adventures. The one person he had played with and would discard years later. Yet, she was still there to support her captain and lover. "M-Medea..."
Softly touching his face with her hands, Medea gently cleaned the tears off of her captain's eyes. "Worry not my love. I'll make sure your dream is granted."
To be continued...
And that was it for chapter 50!
Stretchy chapter this one. Expect the next one to be around the same word count. Also, next chapter will be the LAST CHAPTER of Okeanos! So once again, we're about to say goodbye to another Singularity. It was good while it lasted.
Now talking about other aspects of the chapter, Peko has gained a new and his very active first skill! The skill in question is this:
Luminary Route (Arts Skill that gives 20% boost on his Arts performance and also Gain )
Wich means that Peko, would be an Arts unit. I think it makes sense, since Nala is Quick, Peko is Arts. And I think Mash doesn't have a definitive unit but I would love to be Buster so that we could have all the three main units in our trio of main servants if this fic happened to be like the game. Essentialy a Charmander-Squirtle-Bulbasaur kind of thing.
Also, Peko won is very first battle against a servant! :D
I know that it was against Jason, but still, the boy has to start from somewhere.
That was all I wanted to say, and see you next time on chapter 51! Peace!
P.S:
(Peko and Nala are find arguing with the Dioscuri in a hall of Chaldea)
Peko: We just want Voyager to play with us! Is it so hard to understand that?
Castor: Our little sibling will not spend time with the likes of you! It is a bad influence for him!
Nala: You two are the REAL bad influence here! If Voyager ever experienced fun it is certainly not thanks to you!
Pollux: I'll make you eat those words! Voyager loves us more than you two combined!
(Ritsuka approaches them)
Ritsuka: Hi! I was just looking for all of you four! I have an announcement to make that will certainly leave you happy!
(They all stop arguing)
Nala: What is it Ritsuka?
Ritsuka: New twin servants have arrived to Chaldea today. I thought you would like to meet them.
Castor: That does sound intresting. Show them to us.
(Ritsuka steps aside, revealing the new twin servants behind him.)
François Prelati: Oh, so you must be the other pair of twins around here. A certain pleasure to meet you.
Francesca Prelati: Ahaha! I can't wait for all of us to get along and have fun! It will be soooooo amazing!
(Both Peko and Nala and the Dioscuri feel the heinous and sadistic aura around the Prelati twins)
Castor: Look, I do know what I'm about to say may sound ludicrous, but I do think it is time to let all those conflicts and transgressions that have occured between us become the past, for a new monstrous threat has arrived. One that may spell the doom of us all if not dealt with fast. I am aware of the fact that you may never absolve us nor have an overall stable and good relation with us all of a sudden, but I'm not asking for that. What I am asking for, is that we need to protect not only Voyager, but all of the servants and staff of Chaldea from this pair of imps that will not stop until their vile deeds are satisfied. The battle will most certainly be harsh and cruel, with some of us even possibly losing their life, however it is a sacr-
Pollux: What my brother is saying is that we should unite to kick this two's ass.
Peko (Shake hands with her): Agreed!
(Now that I think about it, Peko and Nala are like François and Francesca but if they weren't insanely evil lol)