"Talking"

'Thinking'

"Mental link"

"Noble Phantasms"

POV

Chapter 23: Better get to it.

"This was probably one of my worse ideas." Cu muttered with a frown as he palmed his face, he turned to Ash with a slight scowl "The next time I suggest doing this, I want you to punch me in the face."

"It wasn't a terrible idea." Ash shrugged "It was expected that Arash would be skilled in such a sport."

"It's darts!" Cu threw up his hands "I only heard about the game a couple hours ago from the barkeep. I don't think the Archer over there had ever even heard of it before! How was I supposed to know he'd be this good at it?"

"Don't be so sour Lancer." Arash smirked as he scored a one hundred and eighty in a flurry of movement "I'm actually having quite the enjoyable time." he quickly retrieved the darts from the board and passed them over to the Lancer servant.

"Bet you are…" Cu grumbled then caught the amused expression Ash was giving him "Oh, think it's funny do ya?" Cu scowled and thrust the darts into Ash's hands "You see if you can do better then."

Ash blinked and looked to Arash who shrugged his shoulders "Very well then." Ash stood up and walked to the same spot where Arash stood, narrowing his eyes at the board he held the darts in a similar manner as he held throwing knives.

They weren't as heavy, but he imagined the principle remained the same.

In a flurry of movement, Ash's hands blurred as he threw the darts at the board which a surprising degree of accuracy, not quite as skilled as Arash but certainly more skilled than either of them was expecting.

Ash turned back to see Arash with a slightly raised eyebrow and an amused expression on his face while Cu glared at him before shaking his head "I call bullshit. You used your mystical ghoul skills."

"Mystical ghoul skills?" Ash blinked "No, I simply learned that its much safer to stand at a distance and throw sharp things at a rampaging monster than charge it like an idiot."

"How many times did you have to die to work that out?"

"...More than was probably necessary."

"What a fuckin loser!" A slurred voice shouted across the bar, the group turned to see Beatrice, red faced, grinning like a fool and holding a tankard while Siegward stood to her side. The onion knight tried to retrieve the Tankard only for Beatrice to hiss at him like a cat and clutch the mug to her chest like a precious gem "Keep-hick-keep away from my booze you fuckin...fruit…"

"I thought Onions were vegetables?" Astolfo leaned in a whispered to Gareth, the blonde haired knight gave a thoughtful nod, although the pair weren't as quite as they hoped as Beatrice rounded on them.

"I heard that...you…" She narrowed her eyes at the pink haired boy "W...Why are you prettier than me…" she pouted and slammed her head on the table before crying.

"Well…" Cu blinked "Perhaps we shouldn't let her near the special brew."

"She had barely half a mug." Siegward sighed "If I knew her alcohol tolerance was this bad I would have restrained her better."

"Just don't let mirror, mirror on the wall see her like this." Astolfo quipped "He'll probably have her running circuits around the base."

"You'll be joining her if you aren't careful." A voice rung out, Astolfo let out a shriek as Verndari materialised right behind the boy, steel helm looming over him "I decided to read up on my comrades." Astolfo shrank further into his seat "I don't know whether to thank this Charlemagne for preventing you from becoming a King, or pitying him for being saddled with your stupidity."

"Hey!" Astolfo frowned "I make a great saddle! People love riding me!"

A pregnant pause followed the boys declaration as everyone in the room stared at him, Arash leaned down towards Ash and Cu and whispered to them "Is he always like that?"

"Yeah/Indeed."

Verndari stood back up to his full height, refusing to deign to boy with a reply before he turned to Gareth "Where is the beast?"

"Sif?" Gareth questioned, when Verndari nodded she elaborated "Ah, I think he went for a nap near Smith Andre's forge."

"I thought the smith despised the beast?"

"He does."

"I thought you were tutoring Lady Mash?" Siegward asked with a slightly confused expression, Verndari turned his head to the knight and replied.

"I have her performing basic thrusts and slashes with a practice sword. I told her to continue until I returned."

"I see." Siegward nodded "And her progress in sword play?"

"Not great, not terrible." Verndari replied "She will not match any of us in a duel, but she isn't completely worthless in combat should the need arise."

"That ain't too bad." Cu nodded his head "If nothing else, the little lady can protect the kid from getting skewered."

"Hmph." Verndari grunted "Regardless, I am not here to deliver a report on the Squires progress. I received word that our Liege's lord will have need of us. Apparently she is currently searching for us."

"Sorceress Olga?" Ash raised an eyebrow "When are we to expect her?" as he said that, the door to the bar opened up.

"There you are." Olga spoke out as she walked in, then scrunched her face up when she took in the sight of Beatrice hunched over a table crying while Siegward attempted to comfort her "What happened to her?"

"Special brew." Cu spoke up "You need us for something?"

"Romani has narrowed down the next sight for a singularity. He believes he'll have it within the next day. Prepare yourselves for potential deployment. I'll have Master Candidate 4-"

"My Liege's name is Fujimaru Ritsuka." Verndari spoke with a stern tone "Subordinate to yourself or not, I would ask that you refrain from disrespecting him by not using his name."

"Kid's done alright so far." Cu shrugged "I'd say he's at least earnt you calling him by his name."

"I concur." Ash spoke up, looking towards Olga with a stern expression "Your number is few already, it would be best to treat your comrades with respect if we are to survive the coming battles."

"Wha-…" Olga visibly recoiled, her cheeks having a slightly red tint to them before she coughed into her hand and composed herself as best she could "I admit that Master Candidate 4-...Candidate Fujimaru has performed well thus far. I suppose a change in title would be...appropriate."

Cu stared at her before he let out a small laugh "You're terrible at showing your true feelings aren't you?"

"Wha-how dare-!"

"She reminds-hick-reminds me of those stuck up sorceress." Beatrice slurred as she rose her head and let out a little giggle "Mother always said those...those guys were pricks...Hehe...pricks...that's another word for di-" she propmtly fell back onto the table and started to snore very loudly.

"Ho-how can she even get drunk?" Olga asked, shocked and slightly curious. Siegward flashed her a guilty look as he slowly uncurled Beatrice's fingers from the mug.

"Siegbräu." He replied "One of the few drinks that affect undead. However I appear to have overestimated her tolerance for it."

Olga's face scrunched up in annoyance "When she wakes up, tell her to avoid drinking so close to a potential singularity. She could be necessary and I will not have her putting the team at risk because she's a habitual drunk."

"I will do what I ca-" He was cut off when the intercom in Chaldea called out with Roman's voice coming out of it.

"Will Director Olga, Fujimaru, Mash, Ash and Da Vinci please report to the control room. Thank you."

Ash looked over to Olga and shrugged his shoulders before standing up and cracking his neck "It seems we have a summons to answer, Sorceress Olga." Ash replied as his helm materialised in his hands and he slid it over his head "We had best not tally."

"I do not tally!" Olga fumed as Ash passed her, the woman had a slightly annoyed expression on her face "Romani said it wouldn't be for another few hours before they narrowed down the singularity."

"In that case, perhaps something has occurred."

"I would rather believe that Romani was just incompetent." Olga huffed, although her eyes portrayed a sense of worry "Otherwise the only other reason that a Singularity would be detected quicker would be if something has caused a catastrophic level of damage to human history."

"Luck has never been with the undead." Ash grimly replied "And the Physician, despite his personality, has yet to show stupidity in regards to his job."

"I know." Olga replied with a frown "That's why I'm worried."

Ash and Olga entered the Control room to find the others already assembled, Romani flashed the pair a small smile, although his eyes contained a great degree of anxiety.

"Explain yourself, Romani." Olga narrowed her eyes "You told me it would take hours, perhaps another day, to detect another singularity."

"Whoa, whoa!" Romani held up his hands as Olga jabbed a finger in his face "I wasn't lying when I said that! I'd already narrowed it down to the continent, all we really needed was the country and time period."

"Then what went wrong?" She retracted her finger from him, however Da Vinci spoke up first before Romani could reply.

"The Singularity decided to reveal itself first." She said, pointing to the terminal showing a map of Europe "This is a map of the Roman Empire. Circa 60 A.D."

Olga took her eyes away from Romani and looked at the screen, and then towards the preliminary readings already recovered from their detection of the singularity and promptly blanched "Th-thats…"

"Someone was conducting a magical experiment there." Romani replied with a grave tone, as he explained to everyone else who didn't understand "These are just the basic readings, but the readings we've already recorded could only be achieved if someone had access to the major Leylines and was draining them of power."

"Wait, wait!" Ritsuka held up his hands "Draining the Leylines? You can do that?"

"Of course you can't!" Olga snapped "High class magi and Caster servants can draw power from them, but to drain them in their entirety like this!? We would be breaching into the realms of a Phantasmal or a Divine Spirit."

Ash looked to the screen "Given your concern, I shall assume this time period was not home to Gods?"

"No." Romani shook his head "They still existed, but they couldn't do anything like this."

"This is bad, isn't it?" Ritsuka asked, everyone else nodded their heads. Da Vinci spoke up.

"Not quite as bad as you might think." She replied "Whatever is draining the LeyLines, its likely using it as fuel for the ritual rather than for itself. That much magical energy would oversaturate most creatures and kill them."

"Right." Olga nodded her head "Likely using the Holy Grail as some kind of siphon. Draining the Leylines for their magical energy to act as fuel."

"I thought that Grail was a wish granting device." Ritsuka asked slightly nervously "Wouldn't enough magical energy allow it to grant wishes?"

"It would, if that is what the user was actually funnelling magical energy into it for." Da Vinci replied with a wide smile "However, the existence of the singularity means they are using the Grail to act as the battery for a ritual or experiment which is causing the degradation of human history in this time period."

"Oh." Ritsuka let out a small sigh of relief "So...its not that bad?"

"Oh no, its still pretty bad." Da Vinci replied immediately with a straight face "Whatever requires that much magical energy can't be good for anyone's health. Especially if its harming human history."

"Can you tell us where the exact co-ordinates are?" Ash asked, Romani cringed and sent him a shaky expression.

"Not really." He shook his head "Whatever they are doing, its messing with our readings. We know they are draining the Leylines. But we can't tell where."

"Going in blind then." Ash nodded his head "No different from last time."

"Sorry." Romani gave a sympathetic expression "We can try and drop you off inside Roman Territory. You'll probably figure out pretty quickly what's going on at that point."

"Which servants are you bringing along, Mr Protagonist?" Da Vinci gave Ritsuka a wide smile as her eyes gleamed "I recommend the new ones! The Hero needs to see what his new sidekicks can do!"

"...Side...kicks?" Ash tilted his head in confusion and looked at Romani "Why is a strike to the body relevant?"

Romani pinched the bridge of his nose.

Ritsuka let out a small sigh and rolled his eyes "I probably should. I'll get the new servants to meet me in the Rayshift chamber."

"Ah…" Ash let out a small noise and raised a hand "Sorceress Beatrice...may be an issue."

"Why?"

"She is currently...incapacitated." They stared at him for a few moments "She's drunk."

"What!?" Ritsuka let out a small shout of alarm "How? When?"

"Siegwards special brew." Ash clarified "It's quite strong. You should try it, does actually have a pleasant aftertaste when the burning leaves you."

"Burning?" Ritsuka whispered to himself then looked back to Ash and shook his head "Sorry, I'm to young to drink."

"Really?" Ash tilted his head and looked at Romani "You would send the boy out to battle...but not to a tavern?"

"I don't make the rules." Romani shrugged "Also I don't think sending him out to a battlefield after drinking is the best idea."

"True, true." Ash nodded his head "...What about after the battle?"

"I am not having my subordinate getting inebriated in a bar." Olga dryly put "We are supposed to act like professionals and this will all end up in a report after we have fixed this crisis and brought Le-" she cut herself off and her expression faltered somewhat "Professor Lainur to justice."

Romani looked at her sorrowfully for a few moments before turning back to Ritsuka "I'll prepare the Rayshift chamber for you. I believe Da Vinci covered your Mystic Code?"

"Kinda?" Ritsuka shrugged "I understand it can let me boost my Servants temporarily."

"You didn't even know what your mystic code uniform could do?" Olga turned to Ritsuka with a dead expression, the black haired boy winced and backed away from her slightly.

"Well...no one ever explained it to me."

Olga stared at him for a few moments before she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, after she slowly exhaled she opened them again "Please summon your servants and take yourself and Kyrielight down to the Rayshift chamber and await departure."

"R-right." Ritsuka nodded and proceeded to sprint out of the room, Mash bowed her head and followed after him.

Ash watched them leave with a raised eyebrow behind his helm before he looked down at Olga "I'm surprised. I had thought you would have made your anger more apparent."

"Don't." She pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head "At this point, I will have to take responsibility and properly teach him in the basics of magecraft." she scowled "This is why I dislike relying on civilians to fill in the gaps."

"Hmm." Ash grunted and shook his head before looking over at Romani "A thought occurs, why was I summoned to this meeting?"

"Huh?" Romani blinked and looked at him in surprise "What do you mean?"

"I understand that Scholar Da Vinci has some insight into this situation, you are the physician and one of the few remaining living humans with a high position, Sorceress Olga is apparently your leader, Master Fujimaru is your subordinate and the one going and Squire Kyrielight is linked to him." he explained before tilting his head "Thus I am curious as to why I am here."

Romani stared at him, then looked at Da Vinci before turning back to the knight and scratching the back of his head "Besides Mash, you're basically Fujimaru's first full servant. It seemed kind of weird to not invite you…"

"I see." Ash nodded his head "I will join Master down below." the undead servant bid a quick farewell and departed the room, swiftly following to join Mash and Ritsuka on their way to the Rayshift chamber.

60 A.D. (Unknown Location)

"I am surprised to see you back so soon." Lev replied with a slightly raised eyebrow "I had assumed that the Beast needed a greater degree of control."

"It does." The figure in black armour replied, a monotone voice "However, I have recently found one to act in my stead." Lev shrugged, uncaring of the details "More importantly, I see that the summoning was a success."

"It was." Lev replied, a bemused look on his face "A rather disgusting creature, yet so human too. Even my King was surprised."

"That is the power of the Deep." The figure replied with a slight chuckle "Aldrich was the more...successful of those who looked into the Abyss." the figure shook their head "However they thought to small."

Lev raised a single eyebrow but said nothing, prompting the figure to continue "He saw the Deep only as a means of survival. To live beyond the fading of the flame. My goals are far more…" he raised his right hand, black energy danced across his arm and condensed in his palm before he crushed it "...Intricate."

"Hmm." Lev grunted "Remember that the King keeps you and your pet alive because it is a nuance to him." he narrowed his eyes "Nothing more. Stray from the path he has ordained for you-"

"And I will meet a swift and terrible end." The figure scoffed "I am aware of your zealotry. Regardless. I the Chaldeans will arrive soon."

"I am aware." Lev drawled "Quite the persistent little rodents that they are." his lip curled in disgust "The King is...displeased that they were able to claim the Holy Grail in France."

"Luck." The figure replied with a raised hand "Nothing more than luck."

"I know it was luck." Lev hissed "You think that band of pathetic failures led by a child who was starved for attention could actually accomplish anything?"

"The Victory of the Chaldean Master was luck." The Figure reiterated "The victory of the Ashen one however, was not." he crossed his arms "The child is young and stupid. The Ashen one is not, do not underestimate his means and skill. Especially if more have begun to cross over."

"Yes." Lev narrowed his eyes "The glutton and the spider obsessed freak have already confirmed the rather bizarre difference between the two worlds."

"Hm." The figure nodded and then tilted his head at Lev "You intend to remain here then?"

"Orders." Lev replied "I have to ensure that the Chaldeans do not succeed here." he rolled his eyes "However unlikely that may be. Or how personally revolting."

"Aldrich is offensive to you?"

"He is a disturbing curiosity." Lev reiterated "That does not make him any less disgusting."

"Yes, he is rather...freakish." The figure nodded his head, after a few moments it twitched slightly "Hmm. I am to return again." he hissed "That troublesome Caster."

"Problems?"

"None that are of immediate concern." The figure assured "They will be dealt with swiftly." a black rift opened behind the figure and he turned around to move through it. After passing through the rift snapped shut, leaving Lev behind in an empty room.

Same Time, elsewhere

"Run!" The knight in armour shouted, the Roman legionnaires immediately broke into a sprint through the woods "Don't stop! Aulus, watch the flanks!"

"Yes, Prefect!" The centurion nodded his head as his eyes darted around the sides of the running column of men.

A screech echoed through the forest, followed by the crashing of trees gradually getting louder. Aulus felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as a cold sweat travelled down his spine at the noises.

"Don't let your fear distract you!" The knight shouted out from the back of the column "Keep running! By the Sun, they shall not have you while I still draw breath!"

"They only serve to slow us down." A female voice hissed at the knight, the man paid her no attention as he continued to cast a fleeting glance over his shoulder every few seconds as they continued to run through the woods "We can easily outpace them, they can serve as a distraction while we-"

"We will continue to guard them." The knight snapped his head to the woman and narrowed his eyes "I was charged with protecting their lives, I will not leave them for the beast to consume."

"The beasts will consume us if we dawdle!" She hissed "You promised my asylum in return for my aid, I can't help you if I'm dead."

"I was under the impression that my Lady was a Chaos witch." The knight replied easily "I doubt you would be felled so easily."

"That is beside the point." The woman hissed at him "Strategically, my life matters more than theirs."

"Their lives matter to me just as much as yours." The knight hotly responded, before the crashing of trees caused him to cast another glance over his shoulder, the sound of snapping wood got closer and the knight let out a small curse under his breath before turning back to the woman "I will not besmirch the name of the Warriors of Sunlight and abandon my charges to their death."

The woman released a growl of annoyance before her body swung around, the knight stared in confusion as her top half reared up and the inhuman lower part of her body glowed a brilliant orange. The sharpened mouth opened to reveal rows of knife like teeth and the back of the creatures throat glowed before shooting forth a wave of fire into the woods, setting alight most of the tree's in its path and creating a veritable wall of fire.

"That won't delay them long." The woman muttered as she looked back down at the knight "Now can we hurry along!?"

"My lady..." The knight chuckled and broke into a sprint alongside her, her eight legs crashing through the bushes and tree's alongside him "I believe I may have misjudged you."

"Tch." She clicked her tongue "You sunlight fanatics."

AN: The prologue for Rome!

Next chapter is when they land and, likely, make first encounters!

How exciting!

But yeah, Chapters in Chaldea will likely be a little shorter for the time being, until we get a few more servants that is. Anyway!

Am I going to do interludes and Events?

Currently...No idea. Probably...Maybe...