Nero-Fest: I

"I'm telling you, we've been going over everything that went on and they just look like they've up and vanished." Romani threw his hands up in defeat, shaking his head "I'm looking around and from what I can see pretty much all of the Servants have vanished from Chaldea." he paused, spinning his chair to the side towards those still present "With a couple notable exceptions."

Stahl, Leonidas, Ash and Da Vinci all stared back at the doctor as he waved his hand towards them.

"Da Vinci and Ash I can understand." Romani went on further, then frowned "I can also understand Stahl…" his eyes fell onto Leonidas "But how come you're still here? No offence."

Leonidas remained silent for a few moments, his arms crossed themselves in front of his chest before he gestured towards Ritsuka and Olga "If I were to depart, then I would not have been able to oversee their training." he explained as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "I would never allow them to neglect their bodies!"

Olga blinked twice, giving the Spartan a frown "I do not recall ever stating I would attend one of your 'training sessions'." she pointed out "I have far more important concerns-"

"The training of your body is the greatest of concerns!" Leonidas bellowed, momentarily jolting the woman at his volume "Even if you are not my Master, I cannot allow any ally of mine to be under-developed in regards to their physical capabilities!"

"Wha-" Olga sputtered, giving the Spartan an indignant glare "I exercise!"

"Hmmm." Leonidas hum was nothing but doubtful as his eyes scanned her through the slits in his helmet, the man slowly shook his head "Clearly it is lacking, all the more reason for you to participate in early morning training." he turned to the Saber "He is one of my most diligent pupils thus far!"

Romani blinked at that piece of information, turning his body to face Ash "You are?"

Ash shrugged, "It gave me something to do and keeps me alert." he paused for a few moments "Whether or not my body will ever be capable of improving physically is an entirely different matter."

"It changes nothing." Leonidas waved his hands "Training is as much a case of focusing the mind as it is about focusing the body." he swung a hand towards Ritsuka, pointing a finger at the boy and the girl behind him "The training that Verndari put you through has been a most excellent warm up, however you have yet to begin the real thing!"

Ritsuka's expression paled slightly, he considered Verndari's training to be rather strenuous for him already. The idea of literally being put through a Spartan course was sounding far less appealing than the ancient King made it out to be.

"We've gotten off track." Olga interrupted, shifting the attention of the group back to her as she tapped her foot on the ground repeatedly "Where are all the Servants?" she paused before a briefly terrified expression came to her face "Did we lose a generator?"

"If we did, none of us would be able to see each other right now." Da Vinci reassured her as she moved towards the monitors and the operators "What do we actually see right now?"

Kerry blinked when she realised Da Vinci was addressing her "H-huh? Oh, right!" the woman spun around in her swivel chair to face her screen "Well…I didn't mention it earlier because it was sort of small but there's a small Singularity in Rome-"

"What!?" Olga exclaimed out in shock before her expression turned thunderous "And you neglected to mention this until now!? What possessed you to fail to mention such pertinent information? Are you incompetent?"

"She didn't mention it because it's miniscule." Maxwell spoke up, still looking down at his screen as the Director's attention turned on him "To the extent that it will disappear inside of a few days. Like every other miniscule Singularity which has been popping up since all of humanity was incinerated." He turned his chair around to face Olga with a perfectly blank expression "But if you wish to be made aware of the hundreds of instances of minute singularities that occur every month, then I will compile a list for you to read, Director."

Olga remained silent for a few moments before her shoulders visibly slumped and she straightened herself out. "I see…" she replied quietly, turning her attention back to Kerry "Why are you mentioning this now?"

Kerry's eyes darted between Maxwell - who was still giving Olga a very cold expression - and the Director herself before she slid her chair back and pointed at the monitor "Well, It only covers Rome and the date is a bit weird to me." she gestured to the numbers "It's taking place only around a month after Fujimaru and Mash came back from the Second Singularity." she paused for a few moments to let the words sink in "And the only reason that it actually counts as a Singularity right now is the fact there is an unusually high density of Servant signatures present."

Ritsuka furrowed his brows "When you say that, do you mean-?"

"That the missing Servants are in Rome right now?" Kerry filled in, then gave a shrug "It's definitely possible, probably the most likely answer."

"What are they doing there?" Ritsuka asked as he scratched the back of his neck and looked around "Actually, how did they get there to begin with?"

Da Vinci shrugged "Who knows, although given who's missing it's more than likely that someone took them all away." she crossed her arms before resting a single finger on her chin and tapping it repeatedly "Either way, we'll have a clearer picture once you and the Director Rayshift down."

"Exact-what?" Olga jerked, spinning to face Da Vinci "What do you mean? I'm not going to!"

"Fujimaru, Mash, Leonidas and Ash are the only Servants we actually have right now." Da Vinci explained with a shrug "I'm still needed here and the only reinforcements we actually have available right now are you and Berserker." she gestured towards Stahl, the metal golem remaining perfectly silent as it stood in the corner of the room and seemingly stared at them all.

Olga pursed her lips, looking around the room before she exhaled through her nose, turning to look up at her Berserker for a few moments then back towards the Rayshift crew "Get us ready to head down." she pointed at Romani "If you Rayshift us into the air, I swear the things I will unleash upon you will…" she trailed off, growling incoherently before she turned on her heel and marched out of the room, Stahl following after her.

Ritsuka and Mash watched the two leave before the latter turned towards Romani "She has got a point, please don't spawn us in the air again."

"I'm not doing it on purpose!" Romani whined "We managed to get you into Orleans correctly, didn't we? Both times, I might add."

Ritsuka slowly nodded his head "Yeah, but there's also the other times we just got dropped in." he threw his hand over towards Mash "If this keeps up, Mash is going to get a sky-diving skill Ranked at A+ or something."

"Please don't joke about that, Senpai." Mash commented with a nervous expression "Those situations make me very worried for your safety."

"Yeah, but you're there so it's okay to joke about it." Ritsuka dismissed with a chuckle, turning around and moving towards the exit "Come on guys, we're going back to Rome."

Leonidas placed his hands on his hips and nodded his head "Yes, tales of the Roman army are quite fearsome. I would very much like to see the great legions for myself!" he paused, then looked at Ritsuka and Mash "Did you fight alongside them?"

"Sort of." Ritsuka shrugged "Roman has that journal of the second Singularity in the library-"

"I'm already working on making one for Singularity F, Orleans and Okeanos!" The doctor happily cheered out.

"There we-" Ritsuka paused, looking back at Romani "Okeanos?"

"It's what we have the third Singularity marked down in the logs." Romani explained pointing behind him "It's more distinct than calling them 'Singularity one two or three'."

"Huh…" Ritsuka blinked, looking to Mash and seeing her similarly surprised expression "Fair enough. I like it…What is Orleans called?"

"Hundred years war of Evil Dragons." Romani replied back, noticing the odd looks he received the man's expression turned slightly bashful "What? I like it…"

"Keep up the good work Roman." Ritsuka nodded to the man with a quirked smile before he swiftly left the room, the other Servants following him outside and leaving Romani, Da Vinci and the other operators behind.

"What's the second Singularity called?" Meuniere asked, spinning his chair around with a slightly giddy expression as he stared expectantly at the doctor.

"The All Consuming Empire." Romani replied back "Because from what we heard, Saint Aldrich liked to eat people and…you know…"

"Huh." Da Vinci scratched her chin "Very nice. I suppose you might have some essence of creative flair." her eyes flashed before she stared suspiciously at the doctor "Unless you consulted someone else, perhaps?"

"I told you, Magi*Mari is very helpful!"

"A Vtuber is naming our reports." Kerry snickered to herself, her head falling into her hands before she soon descended into a fit of giggles as the others in the room expressed similar faces of amusement at the naming conventions.

"What?" Romani whined "They're good names! Magi*Mari is an amazing assistant!"

"I-I ca-can't-" Kerry managed to get out in-between laughs as she thumped her hand against the desk.

"It is a fire I can see burning inside you!" Leonidas continued to praise as he walked behind Olga "However, it is unfocused. A roaring inferno with no direction which is why I insist you join me for training!"

Olga merely huffed in response, shaking her head in dismissal before looking towards Ritsuka with a frown "Tell him to leave me alone."

"I'm not seeing the harm though?" Ritsuka replied with a puzzled expression "Is exercise that bad?"

"I am not running marathons in the simulator." Olga growled at him, gesturing to herself "I do casual exercise to keep myself in shape, I am not built for high workout environments."

"All the more reason for yourself to take part!" Leonidas swiftly countered with his ever positive attitude "To allow this fire to remain uncontrolled is nothing short of neglect." the man went on, shaking his head "I cannot allow such potential to be wasted."

"Allow it." Olga retorted as they closed in on the doors to the Rayshift chamber "I'm not being put through some grueling exercise like some grunt." she shook her head, then noticed Mash staring at her with a puzzled expression.

"But…I do the exercise?" The Shielder replied with a strange tone, before looking to Ritsuka "Does that mean-"

"Not you, Kyrielight." Olga swiftly cut her off "You're a Servant, you're built for that type of environment. Y-you're not a grunt." she went on, looking around and noticing the other Servants present staring towards her "Grunt work isn't bad or something, it's useful." she went on further when she noticed the stares continue on for longer.

Ash just shrugged "Think of my work as you will." he merely replied with his uncaring tone "I just do what is asked of me."

"Your work is appreciated, Ash." Ritsuka replied to the Saber, looking over his shoulder and giving the Servant a half-smile "Really, I do appreciate it."

"...You're welcome." Ash replied, his lip twitching up slightly before his expression straightened out once again. Then looked towards Olga. "I would also recommend you to at least take part in some of the training."

"What?" Olga sputtered "Why?"

"It is useful for keeping you alive." Ash replied easily "As Leonidas stated, it keeps the mind sharp and prepared for combat. I did not have such a luxury of training as the type that has been granted to Chaldea."

"Yours was a more 'on the job' type wasn't it?" Ritsuka inferred, grimacing "Painful too, I imagine."

"At times." Ash admitted "But I did not let that dissuade me for long." his attention returned to the Director "Given your previous venture it would improve your chances of survival."

"If there ever comes a point where I am within arms reach of an enemy Servant, my ability to run a one kilometre marathon is not likely to keep me alive." Olga dryly retorted.

"My training also raises endurance." Leonidas pointed out "Allowing a Master to remain active for a much longer period of time and the Simulator allows for a flexibility in differing environments from the hottest deserts to the coldest winters." he paused "Given what I have heard of your journeys so far, I assume you will need to be ready for whatever challenges approach you!"

"That's still no reason to include me!"

"On the contrary!" Leonidas swiftly rebuked "You are still a Master and if there ever comes a time - such as now - where you are required to take to the battlefield, you will need to be in prime physical fitness to endure."

Ritsuka blinked, looking towards Mash and whispering towards her "It's weird how much sense he's making, but I'm somehow worried about what he'll actually do."

"It's fine, Senpai." Mash assured him with a calming smile "I'm sure it isn't more strenuous than Verndari-Sensei's training."

"See, you say that…" Ritsuka replied, then pointed over his shoulder with his thumb "But that man is literally the King of Spartans who are notorious for being battle hardened warriors. Even I know about them and I've only just started reading up about history." he pointed out, crossing his arms "I'm worried for my health."

"Don't worry, Senpai. I'll be there with you!" Her voice was full of as much reassurance as she could muster, and while Ritsuka had no doubt that Mash would be able to endure the training, he was less confident about himself.

"Because this Singularity seems to be much more stable, there should be no issues with the Rayshift experience." Romani's calm voice echoed around the chamber as he spoke through the intercom "All you need to do is find out if the Servants are present there and what managed to kidnap them from Chaldea."

"Are we sure they got kidnapped?" Ritsuka asked aloud, staring up towards the Command room window "Because considering who we're actually missing it just feels weird to think you could kidnap all those Servants."

He could see Romani shrug through the glass "Honestly, it's a mystery to me as well but that's why you're going." he looked off to the side and towards the other Operators as he received nods of affirmation before he turned back to peer down at the ground "Alright, we're ready to send you down."

"Back into the coffin then." Ritsuka muttered to himself as the door slid open, the Master frowned as he stepped inside. "Was there really no other names available?"

"I wasn't in charge of the naming process."

Ritsuka silently looked at Olga as she climbed into her own coffin, the woman paused as she felt eyes on the back of her head and swiftly spun around to see the unasked question of Ritsuka. "What? I've only been Director here for a few months, I didn't name them either!" she hastily defended "Besides, is there some issue?"

"Just seems a little morbid is all." Ritsuka offered in reply.

"Oh? I suppose you've just got something better to name them, haven't you?" She narrowed her eyes at him, the Master remained silent for a few moments before replying.

"What about 'Time Tube'?"

"...Get in the coffin."

"...Yes, Ma'am." He murmured, pointedly avoiding the glare she was sending him which indicated just how close she was to making sure the tube lived up to its namesake. The doors closed behind the pair of them.

"See." Leonidas victoriously smirked behind his helmet before facing Ash "She has a spirit which needs to be focused."

Ash just shrugged in response "She's temperamental, I suppose."

"I can hear both of you!" The Director's muffled voice echoed out from her of her coffin betraying her clear irritation.

"Good! Then you are now aware of how best to improve! I will be sure to observe you closely!"

"Focus on protecting your Master rather than observing me!"

"Hahahaha! I can do both with tremendous ease!"

"Should you really be trying to anger the Director, Ash-san?" Mash asked the Saber as she climbed into her own coffin, the blonde man turned to face her with a thoughtful expression for a few moments before he replied.

"It is a greater mercy to make her aware of her own faults so that she might correct them." He offered "In the long term, it will likely avoid suffering and keep her focused on her duty rather than emotions." his lips thinned as he slowly nodded "It would be best for all involved."

Mash remained silent as the coffin lid slid closed, separating her from the Servants outside as they all grouped together.

"I must ask…" Leonidas whispered to Ash, looking over his shoulder at the Dragon Slayer Armour before back towards the Saber "Does the giant not speak?"

"They aren't capable of speaking." Ash replied stoically, crossing his arms and waiting as the Rayshift sequence began in the background "They are suit of armour brought to life by the echoes of a Soul. Nothing more."

Leonidas remained silent for a few moments before he spoke up in a quiet tone of voice "...Beg your pardon?" he leaned in "You mean…that under the armour…they don't have a body?"

"Yes."

The man fell into another silence before he audibly swallowed, slowly looking over his shoulder once again at Stahl with a sudden apprehension "Would that not make them…a ghost?"

Ash frowned in thought, considering he had never actually met a ghost or wraith he wouldn't actually know how to classify them. It was an odd thing to be faced with other forms of undeath which did not relate to the curse.

"I am not sure." He eventually replied with a shrug "I have not given it much thought before now."

Leonidas took several steps away from Stahl before rocking on his heels "I see." he muttered "I'll-ahem-I'll keep my distance, just to be safe." he nodded, his voice cracking slightly at the start of the sentence and drawing an odd look from the Saber. He then noticed that Leonidas' posture had tensed up, the man looking ready to bolt at the slightest movement.

"Starting Unsummon Programme." The intercom blared out in its usual mechanical voice "Initiating Spiritron Conversion. Rayshift Commencing in Three…two…one…"

The entire group stared in silence at what lay before them, their expressions ranging between bewildered and resigned as they gazed upon the first thing that they noticed - and it was difficult not to - as they manifested themselves in the era.

"So…" Ritsuka whistled, raising his left hand and pointing towards the object in question "I'm guessing that this is it."

"Assumedly." Olga replied in an almost dead tone of voice, already gathering who was actually behind this singularity just by taking a single look at what lay before them. "Considering it is not technically supposed to even start construction for another ten years."

"I was wondering about that…" Mash admitted quickly, nodding her head as she stared up towards it "I thought the doctor might have gotten the wrong era."

"Nope." Romani's voice came through the communicator "Right era, and I suppose we've found the cause for the Singularity and why it's only limited to Rome right now." a sigh came through "Not that big of an issue but the Colosseum of Rome appearing about ten years before its supposed to is a bit strange."

"Colosseum?" Ash asked aloud, looking to Ritsuka for an explanation.

"A big stadium." The blank stare persisted "They held games here."

"Games?"

"Events for the public to enjoy." Leonidas continued on "All manner of physical activities and competitions to discover who was the strongest at a certain sport. The people enjoyed the distraction and it made for suitable training."

"Distraction?" Ash blinked "Did it serve a purpose then?"

Leonidas hummed for a few moments before he replied "I suppose you could say it did, there was much enjoyment to be had in both participation and watching them. The Colosseum of Rome held the Olympic games after being restored by Emperor Nero. However they were…less inclined to play fair." the man's voice turned mildly bitter "A rather great insult to those who put in their strongest effort to be recognised as a champion."

"That aside." Ritsuka scratched his cheek, looking to the communicator "Is that what's happening here?"

"You think someone is hosting the Olympic games in a colosseum which technically isn't supposed to exist?" Romani asked with a raised eyebrow before his other slowly rose to join its counterpart "Well…that would definitely be a minor glitch in History but enough to warrant a Singularity." he hummed "I'm not sure, there must be more going on here than-"

A roar cut him off, the eyes of every Servant turned skyward as a shadow passed over them, the Servants all instantly jumping into a position of readiness as the shape became clearer.

"Wyvern!" Mash echoed out, moving to cover Ritsuka as Ash and Leonidas both flanked either side of her with their weapons drawn.

Olga ducked down behind Stahl as the Berserker shifted his massive frame to prepare for any attack.

The Wyvern touched down directly in front of them, Ritsuka noted that it appeared to be of a different appearance than those he was used to. As well as being marginally bigger, the lizard's scales were sky blue in colouration. Its head was actually relatively small compared to the bulk of its body as it touched town with both of its taloned feet, then there were the scales themselves which set it apart from the others he had seen. Where the previous Wyverns he had seen had scales flattened and joint together like plate armour, this Wyvern's scales were sharp and jutted from its body in a row of spikes.

Then there was another key difference.

This one has a man sitting on its back, Ritsuka did a double take at the armour.

It was nearly identical to the sort which Ash had worn when he was first summoned, the blue fabric and steel plate chest and gauntlets with a T-shaped visor. There was only one difference, where Ash's armour had white fur around the colour and only extended down to his upper arms, this man's fur was a blue to match his fabric and the cape descended down to what looked like his ankles.

Resting at his side was a rather large one sided axe with a long tip descending downwards in a slight curve.

The warrior stared at them in silence as he climbed down off the Wyvern and onto his feet, crossing his arms as he stared at the group in front of him. "I assume you are the Chaldeans?" he called out.

Dead silence permeated for a few moments before Ritsuka replied "Uhh…yeah?"

"Excellent!" The man's voice turned pleased as he nodded his head "You were taking some time to arrive so I was beginning to get worried you wouldn't show." he sighed, shaking his head "Goodness knows that the Emperor? Empress?" he paused "What do you think the correct form of address is?"

"...Are you talking about Nero?"

"Yes." The man nodded his head, uncrossing his arms and placing them on his hips. "It just puzzles me."

"I think Emperor?" Ritsuka admitted with a shrug "It still puzzles me to be honest."

"You as well?" The man murmured, then shrugged, "Either way, now that you're here we can begin."

"What are we beginning?" Ritsuka found himself asking once again, staring at the man "Actually…" he pointedly looked at the Wyvern and then towards the man "Are you going to fight us?"

"What?" The man jolted in surprise, then looked down at the blue wyvern as it stared at the group in dead silence before he chuckled "Ah, I see. Perhaps arriving suddenly with Gorm was a surprise." he admitted, then looked back at the group "No, I am not here to fight. At least not right now."

Olga came out from behind Stahl and crossed her arms "Then you know what is happening here." she narrowed her eyes "You mentioned Nero. I assume she is the one responsible for this Singularity?"

"She did summon a majority of those present." The man nodded his head, then pointed towards the Colosseum "Along with the creation of this stadium for the events."

Olga growled under her breath, coming to stand next to Ritsuka "And the Servants from Chaldea?"

"They were invited." The man responded casually "The presence of some was a surprise, the red haired Queen holds great disdain for the environment but I believe she was convinced to attend by the Catarinan."

"Siegward." Ritsuka nodded his head, chuckling "Anyway. I'm Fujimaru Ritsuka."

"Mash Kyrielight."

"Leonidas."

"Ash."

Olga remained silent for a few moments before she crossed her arms "Director Olga Marie Animusphere."

The man stared at her in silence for a few moments before slowly nodding his head "The name of one belonging to a Court." he hummed "I am surprised to see one such as you within this place."

Olga jerked in surprise before her eyes narrowed "What is that supposed to mean?"

"At the moment? Nothing more than a simple surprise." The man shrugged, then gestured to himself "I am General Lothian." then towards the Wyvern "This is Gorm."

The drake sent him a flat look at the name before looking away in a huff. Then paused before slowly turning its head towards the Chaldeans, its eyes narrowed slightly as it looked towards their feet. Ritsuka and Mash followed the wyverns gaze until they noticed Fou sat at their feet staring back at the lizard.

The two stared at eachother in silence for a few moments before the drake let out a small noise and looked away. Lothian stared at the wyvern for a few moments then looked towards Fou for a few moments and then back at the drake "What was that supposed to be?"

The wyvern remained silent.

"Nevermind." Lothian shook his head, turning back to the Chaldeans and gesturing over his shoulder towards the stadium "The others are already gathering for festivities and I am admitting I am somewhat impatient for them to begin…"

"What manner of festivities?" Leonidas asked, lowering his spear as it became obvious that the man meant them no current harm, he looked past him at the stadium "I find myself curious."

"A gathering of great warriors to compete against each other." Lothian replied with a slightly giddy tone of voice "I am hoping I might find one who can best me in combat." went on to add "All the people of Rome have gathered there along with the other Servants, they were waiting for your arrival to begin."

"...Master." Leonidas turned to Ritsuka "I say that we should make haste to this competition at once."

"What?" Olga narrowed her eyes, turning towards the Lancer "This could just as easily be some trap to lure us into an ambush. Even if it is not, we have better ways to spend our time than frivolously partaking in nonsense."

"With all the effort that has gone into this gathering, it would be rude of us not to attend in full." Leonidas argued back, looking towards Ritsuka "Well?"

Ritsuka remained silent for a few moments, rolling his jaw as the thought circled around in his head before he slowly nodded "We do need to investigate it anyway…" he looked towards the Director "It couldn't hurt to see what brought all the Servants here, right?"

Olga grit her teeth before exhaling, pinching the bridge of her nose as she did so "...Fine." she grumbled "We will investigate this singularity but we do so only to put an end to this nonsense."

"A gathering of differing warriors in one place and you think only how to squander it?" Lothians' voice contained nothing but disappointment "...How unfortunate that you do not realise this for what it is." he turned towards Leonidas and gave the man what appeared to be an appraising glance behind his helm "You have the mark of a warrior about you…"

"As do you." Leonidas praised the man, staring back at him with a light tone "You called yourself a general? I had the privilege of being a General and a King."

"Is that so?" Lothian rumbled in amusement "Excellent. Perhaps we may face each other on the field of battle?"

"Perhaps we might." Leonidas nodded his head in agreement "To determine the greater warrior between us?"

"Indeed. But I suppose that neither of us have armies to command might take away from our competition." The man pointed out, cupping his helmet chin with his right hand "But you cannot call yourself a warrior General if you are a poorer fighter than those you command."

"Quite so, quite so!" Leonidas gave a pleased laugh, dissipating his spear and striding towards the man with his arm extended "I look forward to our competition!"

"I do as well." Lothian agreed, extending his own arm towards Leonidas, the two clasping each other's forearms in a tight grip.

Ash tilted his head as he lowered his weapon, seeing both Mash and Ritsuka with equally puzzled expressions as to how quickly the new Servant had made friends with Leonidas. Ash himself was still struggling to wrap his head around the concept of 'games'. From what they sounded like, it was a form of bettering warriors and yet they seemed far more pleased than he would have expected.

"This is one of the fastest friendships I've ever seen." Romani muttered through the communicator "And is no one going to talk about how this man is riding a wyvern into battle?"

"Roman." Ritsuka looked down at the man with a raised eyebrow "I've seen a God ride into battle on the back of a dragon. A man with a wyvern seems less impressive than that."

"...Good point, well made."

Ritsuka's eyes were nearly bulged out of their sockets as he looked around, Mash and Olga showing equal levels of awe. The inside of the stadium was crammed full of cheering Romans, the noise was deafening and yet that didn't take away from what was happening inside the stadium itself.

The central arena looked to have been converted into multiple sections with areas being drawn and painted out by soldiers for different sports and games.

"Is that a running track?" Ritsuka asked, pointing towards the far end of the stadium where he saw a few soldiers marking out sections of the arena moving around the entire circumference of the stadium.

Lothian nodded his head as they moved along "Indeed. Some of the faster Servants made a point of contest as to who would win in a race so the Emperor decided to accommodate their wishes. We have games for speed, strength, endurance and skill for all manner of weapons." he came to a halt, turning around to face them "The bigger surprise was the competitors. Some came to watch, others to participate." he looked around for a few moments "If you will excuse me, I have more preparations to see to."

The man swiftly took his leave, marking away from them and further into the stadium centre as he made ready the final parts of the festival.

"Really?" Ritsuka looked around the stadium, the Servants stuck out like a sore thumb, all manner of different Heroic Spirits within the stands themselves, all watching down at the arena with different measures of attentiveness. He recognised some of their faces, such as Jeanne and Martha sitting next to each other. "Woah…"

"It is quite a sight, I will admit." Leonidas agreed with a subdued voice, giving a pleased nod of the head as he looked around, crossing his arms "And to think we shall all compete very soon…I am ecstatic!"

Olga clicked her tongue, looking around "First we need to find-"

"Pale rose!"

"Bwaaah!?" In an odd sense of Deja Vu, Olga once again found herself swept off her feet before she could even realise what had happened, the beaming face of Nero suddenly filled her vision as the woman stared down at her.

"I am pleased you all arrived!" the Emperor exclaimed as she continued to hold the director in her arms bridal style before looking towards Ritsuka and Mash "You are just in time, I was worried you would not get my note."

"We-" Ritsuka paused "Note? What note?"

Nero blinked "My note informing you where I had gone and what I was doing." she replied with a puzzled tone of voice "I left it with the Da Vinci woman to give you."

"...Huh?"

"You did what now?" Romani blinked, looking over his shoulder towards the inventor. The woman was innocently whistling to herself as she stared off into space. "Really?"

"It sounded like it would be a good way to forget about recent troubles." Da Vinci admitted with a smile "I think we could all do with a little friendly competition to take our minds off everything that happened."

"I mean…huh?"

"You what!?" Olga almost screamed as she craned her head around to glare at Da Vinci "You knew about this and didn't tell anyone? Why!?"

"Like I said." Da Vinci shrugged "I think we could all do with a little relaxation of sorts."

"Umu!" Nero gave a pleased noise as she set the Director back on her feet and strut past the group, spreading her arms wide and gesturing to the stadium "Which is why I decided to hold a celebration here, in reward for your service to my Empire!" she spun around and pointed at Ritsuka "I shall also not accept no for an answer."

Ritsuka closed his mouth, giving the Emperor a half-smile "As you say, Imperator."

Nero blinked at the title before shaking her head "Call me Nero, as I have said before." she looked around "So I welcome all of you to these majestic games which bring about Spirits from all era's and from different worlds under the spirit of bathing in the glory of Rome!"

Her smile threatened to split her face "Welcome, to Nero-fest!"

"...She actually went and called it that?" Romani sweatdropped "I'm not even surprised."

Neither was Ritsuka if he was being honest, the Master looking around the stadium with his same awe filled expression as more and more Servants started to stand out amongst the Romans, either up in the stadium seats or within the field itself.

"How did you even do this?" Ritsuka found himself asking, turning to Nero with a puzzled expression.

The Emperor blinked "Oh, that just relates to what the grand prize of this is." she explained with a wave of the hand "At the conclusion of the festival, a Holy Grail will be awarded!"

"...Wha-"

Olga's head fell into her hands, the woman letting out a muffled scream before she slowly rose back up. "...Are there any other surprises you have for us?"

"Umu!" Nero nodded her head with a pleased smile "Many more, I was not expecting the arrival of so many Gods, but it seems even they recognise the magnificence of Rome." she pointed towards the stands "Even the Goddess Diana is here…" she trailed off, grimacing slightly "Her…affliction to my uncle aside."

"Another Goddess?" Ritsuka scratched his cheek, looking to Mash "How many is that now?"

Mash frowned for a few moments before looking at Ritsuka. "Actually, it is possible that the Goddess Diana is actually the Goddess Artemis." At his look of confusion she elaborated further "The Roman and Greek Pantheons share a great deal of similarities and it is known that some Divine Spirits moved from location to location as their own Age of Gods started to end."

"Ooooh." Ritsuka nodded his head in understanding, then turned to Nero "So…what other Gods do you have here?"

"I believe there is a Goddess of fortune as well, Gwyndolin aided me in setting all this up-" Nero went on before Ash cut her off.

"Gwyndolin helped you?" The Saber raised a single eyebrow "Why?"

Nero blinked at him "Because I asked for his aid and said that all who assisted Rome would be welcome to the festival." she replied "After that he agreed and aided me in setting up the stadium so swiftly as well as some of the equipment you see around you." she pointed towards some of the obstacles and sports equipment around the stadium.

"...Is that a boxing ring?" Ritsuka asked as one particular piece of equipment stood out to him.

"Umu!" Nero nodded "We have a great many Servants who expressed an interest in that particular sport."

"Huh…" Ritsuka muttered, shaking his head and looking back at the Emperor "So, where is Gwyndolin?"

"Well…"

"It's actually quite cute, isn't it me?"

"Indeed, myself." Stheno replied with a coy smirk as she looked at the other two "Look at how pleased his feet are."

"They wag like tails." Euryale teased as she rested her chin delicately on her hands "Medusaless once again managing to seduce a God."

Medusa jolted at the term and looked up towards the two Goddess "Sisters…" she muttered in a small voice with a hint of pleading to it "I have done no such thing."

"Oh?" Stheno tilted her head, turning to stare at Gwyndolin "So why were you two sat alone when we found you?"

"Because I was unaware you were present, else I would have invited you." Gwyndolin replied, turning his head to look at the two Goddesses further down the seating "However, I am relieved to see you are both in high spirits."

"Oh? Look at that, me." Euryale giggled, "He's going to use his silver tongue."

"Indeed he is." Stheno smiled, "Perhaps he thinks of us as easy prey like our little sister." she mused, tapping her chin and tilting her head at Gwyndolin. "Well, Gwyndolin?" Stheno leaned closer to him "What have you to say about our Sister?"

"Yes." Euryale smiled wider "What have you to say about her? Much too tall isn't she."

Gwyndolin raised an eyebrow behind his helmet and stared at the Rider "...I am the shortest in my family." he admitted casually with a shrug "Height has never been a concern for me."

Stheno and Euryale looked at eachother in silence before their faces split into identically teasing grins.

"Well…"

"Well…"

""Well!""

Medusa just made a small noise.

"Oh little Medusaless…" Euryale cooed, shaking her head "Caught another God in your coils have you-" she cut herself off as her eyes spotted something in the stadium, soon narrowing in a flash of irritation. "What is Asterios doing all the way over there?" she huffed, crossing her arms "I didn't know he was here. Why is he not sitting with me as a good guardian?"

Gwyndolin craned his head to where Euryale was looking and promptly pursed his lips.

The giant white haired minotaur was currently sat next to Quelaag, the demon woman's appearance keeping nearly everyone else at arms length from them as the two seemingly spoke to each other. The Minotaur had a content expression on his face as Quelaag continued to speak, gesturing to herself and then towards his horns.

"Who is that little sneak?" Euryale huffed, soon rising to her feet "And where does Asterios get off in thinking to leave my side without telling me."

"Sister wait-" Medusa stood up, then pausing as both Asterios and Quelaag suddenly looked in their direction.

Gwyndolin's features paled as he saw Quelaag stare in his direction before her expression warped itself into a sharp smile.

He supposed that meant she did remember their last encounter. She never did like not getting the last word in.

"So he's just around here somewhere, then." Ritsuka surmised "Alright." he looked around "So…what now?"

"Now?" Nero threw her arms wide "Now we prepare for the festivities to commence! A celebration such as this demands a spectacular opening that shall never be forgotten and I have fully prepared myself to personally direct the opening act!"

"Well…that sounds nice." Ritsuka slowly nodded his head, then looked at the Director "What do you want to do?"

Olga remained silent as she stared ahead "We shall…" she soon trailed off, biting her lip and looking down towards the ground. She understood that in stressful situations it was necessary to get time off, and yet this was as far from what she wanted as could possibly occur. A Singularity just so they could waste time better spent elsewhere was the height of resource mismanagement.

However, on the other hand if everyone became overworked then she knew it would only lead to mistakes. She knew that everyone already despised her, if she cut down this then that would only give them more reason to hate everything she did.

"The way I see it…" Romani's voice cut through her thoughts "The Singularity will resolve itself anyway with or without our being here. We've got nothing currently to look for and still no sign of another Singularity which has a drastic impact on history." the man shrugged "Fujimaru-kun has been working hard and this offers a chance to help calm some nerves around here…A bit like a day off perhaps?"

Olga's expression turned incredulous "You suggest we treat this like a holiday?"

"The contract does state that Chaldean employee's are allowed a minimum eight weeks holiday." The man shrugged "People haven't taken it yet - including you - so this could go towards it…just saying."

Olga paused, that could work as an excuse and yet it still felt as though it was nothing short of incompetence to allow this to continue more than it already had. Her teeth ground themselves together before she exhaled "...Unpaid holiday." she settled on "For however long this lasts." she raised her finger and pointed at Romani "For everyone."

Romani cracked a faint smile "Yes, Director."

"...Now then." Olga sighed out, turning towards Nero and narrowing her eyes "What exactly are your intentions here?"

Nero's smile was almost blinding "Umu! I knew you would understand, pale rose!"

"Stop calling me that!"

"This is bizarre." Ash commented, looking around with a confused expression "Very bizarre."

"It is strange." Leonidas admitted "But she has managed to earn the graces of an Emperor, that is something to be commended." he puffed out his chest "Now! May we work towards the great gathering of different spirits in combat!"

"And fortune!"

"And fort-" Leonidas paused at the new voice, turning his head to stare down at his side, the others all following suit and seeing a small girl standing next to their group. She had long blonde hair tied up into a ponytail, young features and body equivalent to that of a twelve year old and a simple long white gown.

"What?" She looked around in confusion "I…I thought it was custom for warriors to wish for fortune?" she looked towards Ash "That's what people always did when I was around." she noticed that none of the stares were actually towards her face, but over her shoulders.

To where her golden feathered wings jutting from her back were, the majestic limbs flexed themselves before she looked towards them and then back at the group with a raised eyebrow, her glowing golden eyes showing only confusion "Is there something on my wings?"

"Ummm…" Ritsuka slowly raised his hand "It's more that they exist…are you an Angel?"

The girl stared at him in surprise for a few moments before she burst into a fit of giggles, shaking her head "A-an Angel Pfffffthehehehehehe!"

The group remained silent as she continued to laugh, the only one with a smile on her face was Nero as she stared at the girl with an equally amused expression.

"Hehehehe…" The girls' laughter slowly died down. "No." she denied, her smile vanishing. "They didn't have wings nearly as beautiful as mine." she boasted, placing a hand on her chest and puffing it out with pride.

"O-okay?"

"I shall introduce myself to you, mortal!" She beat her wings, rising into the air until she was floating just above the heads of all the other Servants present "I am the Goddess of luck, fortune and riches!" she beamed "Daughter of the Goddess Gwynevere and God Flann!" throwing her arms wide, she stared down at the group "You may refer to me as Caffrey!"

She got blank stares in response, causing her expression to falter slightly "R-really?" she looked around with a slightly broken expression which just made Ritsuka feel bad "Anyone? G-Goddess of fortune?" she sniffled "I really tried hard with that introduction…"

"U-um…" Ritsuka raised his hand "I-if it makes you feel better, I don't know who the other two names are either."

"Gwynevere…" Ash muttered to himself, then gave the girl an odd expression "You are of the old Royal Family?"

The girls' expression visibly brightened "Yes!" she pointed at Ash "As a reward for recognising me!" she threw something out of her sleeve towards the unkindled, his hand came out and grabbed it before it struck his head.

The Saber lowered his fist and opened it up to stare down at what she had thrown, his his lit up in understanding as he looked back at her.

"If you will excuse me!" Caffrey beat her golden wings, climbing higher into the air "I have more fortune to spread!" she cheerfully exclaimed as she vanished off into the sky.

"...What the heck just happened?" Ritsuka found himself asking after a few moments, then looked around "No, seriously. What the heck was that?"

"A Goddess of fortune." Ash replied, raising his hand with the item he had been gifted held between his fingers "I can see the resemblance now."

Ritsuka leaned closer to get a better look at what Ash held in his hands "Is that a copper coin?"

Ash nodded his head, turning it over to show the other side of it. Ritsuka was able to see the shape of an Angel-like figure emboldened on the side. He nodded his head as he understood what Ash meant.

"Oooh." He hummed "So she has coins?"

"Of a sort." Ash admitted with a shrug "Crushing them increases your luck for a short time."

"...Seriously?"

Ash nodded "Indeed." He pointed down to his Bottomless box "I have a great many I kept but never found a use for, as with the less common gold coins."

"A Goddess of luck who makes coins to bring luck?" Olga raised an eyebrow, looking off in the direction Caffrey had vanished off to "Certainly a strange habit." she then looked back at the coin "And you just crushed them?" she raised an eyebrow "It's a metal coin, how would someone who isn't freakishly strong accomplish that?"

Ash shrugged "I don't know."

Olga rolled her eyes "Of course you don't."

"We've dawdled too long." Nero cut in, impatiently tapping her foot against the ground "The opening ceremony will begin soon and then the games can start in earnest."

"Yes." Leonidas nodded his head excitedly "Come, Master." he roughly pat Ritsuka on the shoulder "Let us go!"

"Alright, alright…" Ritsuka chuckled, shaking his head and looking towards Mash "This is going to be something, isn't it?"

Mash was still looking around the stadium before her eyes fell back onto Ritsuka "Y-yes, Senpai." she nodded her head "It's just…strange to think Nero-san could set this all up so quickly."

"On the one hand, I'm surprised by how she did it." Ritsuka admitted "But on the other hand…it's Nero." he replied as if that explained everything "Anyway…I'm really curious as to how this is going to play out."

AN: And thus, the madness begins!

And yes! Two new Servants!

Lothian and Caffrey!

As for why I said Caffrey is Gwynevere's daughter…well, I just came up with that. Caffrey is the angelic figure on the coins and from what we know of Gertrude - Gwynevere's other daughter - she also was described as the Heavenly daughter. There's also the feathers in her cage.

I just inferred that her daughters have the capacity to exhibit angelic wings. It's just me making up shit but these new Gods have to come from somewhere. She's also a Lily Servant as well…so there you go.

Stats and Dialogue time everyone!

Caffrey, Goddess of Fortune

Servant: Ruler

Strength: D

Endurance: D

Agility: B

Mana: B

Luck: E- (EX)

Noble Phantasm: C++

Turn of Fortune: C++ (Anti-Unit) Max Target: 1, Max Range: 1-20

Infliction of a Curse of poor luck upon a target. It is not so much a curse of poor luck as much as it is a curse of horrendous luck.

Anything that can go wrong, often will go wrong. Within a battle, this is downright fatal.

To those with a Luck-stat below the rank of C, they have the possibility of accidentally killing themselves.

Those with a High luck stat can find this offset slightly, but it is still dangerous to them.

Class Skills

Magic Resistance: B

True-Name Discernment: D

Item Construction: D

Capable of crafting items which boost the luck of individuals.

Divine-Core of a Goddess: EX

Despite being a Goddess, she is still relatively weak when compared with her counterparts.

Personal Skills:

Miracles: C

Basic Miracles known to a Goddess.

Blessing of a Goddess of luck: A

Can bestow this blessing upon others to greatly raise their fortune for a brief time.

Making them more likely to find openings in combat.

Golden Rule: A

As a Goddess of luck herself, her talent for finding treasures is extraordinarily high.

Fated with Fortune: A++

Despite her luck stat being E-, she cannot experience anything but good fortune. She is a Goddess of Fortune and luck herself, to think she could ever encounter a time where her fortune would be poor is impossible.

Summoning.

"Greetings, I am Caffrey. Ruler Servant and Goddess of Fortune…Tehe! I did it! I got a dignified intro-ahem. J-just ignore that last part! I'll be there to wish you luck in all your endeavours!"

Dialogue 1

"...So there's this strange delicacy in the kitchens called 'Ice Cream'...do you think the red Archer would mind if I took some?"

Dialogue 2

"I am still a Goddess, you know! Just because I look young and actually am young compared to all the other Gods doesn't make me a child…d-does it?"

Dialogue 3

"Eh? Master and Servant? Hmmmmm…I think its more like a lucky charm? Yes! A lucky charm or a supporter! I'm here to cheer you on from the sidelines and make sure you're always finding fortune!"

Dialogue 4 (If you have Gilgamesh [Kid])

"Hmmm…He's unusually lucky, isn't he? He's also got a lot of treasures. I'm a little sad he doesn't need any of my coins but that's alright. He says I'm 'not a bad Goddess'."

Dialogue 5 (If you have Nameless King)

"There's a God around here who always looks at me from a distance and stares…but I don't feel hostility from him. Like he's quietly watching over me. I'd like to at least speak to him but he always vanishes when I try to find him. I'll get to him eventually!"

Dialogue 6 (If you have Gwynevere)

"...Is that mother over there? It is? Yay! We haven't seen each other since she left! It was a really sudden thing as well! She just got up and vanished with father but I knew I'd see them again, after all she wouldn't leave me forever…r-right?"

Dialogue 7 (If you have Aldrich)

"I'm scared…h-he…I don't like him. It's scary…scary…"

Dialogue 8 (If you have Gwyndolin)

"Uncle Gwyndolin! Ah! See, he just jumped! He always gets surprised when I hug him. Eh? The snake legs? I've got wings so…are snake legs bad?"

Dialogue 9 (If you have Child Servants)

"I know I look like a child but that doesn't mean that…that…um…They look like they're having fun, don't they? I wonder if I can join them!"

Dialogue 10 (If you have Filianore)

"Eh? How come Auntie Filianore looks my age? W-wait…is that…Is that a Dragon!?"

Dialogue 11 (If you have Atalanta)

"I'm not sure why, but she keeps treating me a little differently to the other Servants around here. I might be a bit younger than the other Gods but I'm still older than her."

Dialogue 12 (If you have Gilles de Rais [Caster])

"Ummm…There's this Servant who sometimes looks at me very funny. He has big eyes but it's still weird how nice he is…eh? Why do you look so worried?"

Likes

"Likes? Well…I'm a Goddess of Fortune so I like bringing luck to people. Eh? I said luck, not good luck."

Hates

"Dislike? Well…I'm not a big fan of being alone if I'm honest. Also people who keep cheating fortunes! That's really bad, so don't do it!"

Wish for the Holy Grail

"Wish? I…er…I've never really heard about wish granting, If I'm honest. It's very strange."

Bond Level 1

"Hmmm. You have a strange sense of luck about you. It's either really good or really bad…It's sort of funny to be around."

Bond Level 2

"Your luck is still weird, but I'm a Goddess of Fortune! I would be more than willing to turn it around if you just asked…no? Alright…I'll wait."

Bond Level 3

"Hmmm? You slipped and split ice cream on yourself earlier? Wow…that's really bad luck. Really bad."

Bond Level 4

"Your white shirts got stained pink? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. More bad luck. Teehee."

Bond Level 5

"Am I responsible for what happened to you? Yes. I said I was a Goddess of Fortune, which means good and bad. So…that's just how I am. Still, I think you're very funny to be around. Don't worry, I'll only give you bad luck when it's funny."

Birthday

"A birthday? Ho…I think that you are due a lucky surprise! So I'll make a special golden coin for you just for today!"

During an Event

"Something's going on outside? I want to have a look. Can we?"

1st Ascension

"Hmmm? I feel a little tingly. Does this mean I'm getting stronger?"

2nd Ascension

"I've never fought anyone before so my spells aren't all that powerful…but I'll be there to cheer you on though!"

3rd Ascension

"You're still going? I'm even in my royal gown so you must be really invested…I hope you aren't expecting favoritism though! I'm still going to give you good and bad luck."

4th Ascension

"Wow…You really did it, didn't you? Okay! As a Goddess of Fortune, I'll do my best to make sure you get everything you're due! An investment!"

Shieldless Lothian

Servant: Rider

Strength: B

Endurance: A+

Agility: C

Mana: D

Luck: B

Noble Phantasm: B

Gorm: C+ (Anti-Army) Max Target: 50, Max Range:-

A small blue lightning Drake, Lothian encountered and dueled shortly after his retirement. While he fought the Drake he proclaimed it a fearsome beast, not due to its size but its resistance to lightning.

The drake also declared him a stubborn idiot but found him mildly amusing. The two battled and Lothian proved victorious.

However he could not bring himself to kill the drake as he had finally found a worthy foe.

Stoirmmhòr: B (Anti-Unit) Max Target: 1, Max Range: 1-5

The legendary axe of Lothian, made stronger through belief. What was once a common axe is now imbued with the ability to slay Dragons.

For its other purpose, holding the axe aloft, Lothian can call down lightning onto the blade or onto someone close by.

Class Skills:

Riding: A+

Magic Resistance: B

Personal Skills:

Ring of Giants: A+

Boosts endurance temporarily.

Stone Ring: B

Chance to greatly increase the weight behind a strike, staggering foes and allowing Lothian to exploit an opening.

What appears to be a light swing will actually carry a heavier weight behind the blade.

Tactics of the Peasant General: A

Despite beginning his career as a humble peasant, Lothian quickly cemented himself as a military genius.

He excels at catching his opponents by surprise and is equally impressive in defensive operations.

Charisma: C

Frail Foes: A

Lothian went into every fight without a shield of his own and left unvanquished.

He is a warrior who can inspire bravery in his allies and terror in his enemies.

Summoning.

"I am Lothian. General of the Army of Forossa. Rider Class Servant, I will serve as your General in these coming wars."

Dialogue 1

"There is wisdom in waiting, but there is a fine line between waiting and dawdling. I will remind you if that line is ever crossed."

Dialogue 2

"My time as a General was long indeed…but there was a period where I was much simpler…and much more brutal. But that was long ago."

Dialogue 3

"I serve as your General in these times, that is our relationship. You give me commands which I will ensure are carried out and I will seek to inform you of the best course of action."

Dialogue 4 (If you have Ermingild - Ivory King)

"The Knight Ermingild. Yes, I know him well. We fought side by side through many battles even from when Forossa was a country united. That was many years ago. From what I have heard, he has made himself an even greater warrior and a good King. Strange to think I once commanded him, is it not?"

Dialogue 5 (If you have Vengarl)

"Vengarl of Forossa? Hmmm. Not a name I am familiar with, perhaps it was after my time. Still, the legends I hold in my mind tell me of a ruthless warrior who was little more than a beast on the battlefield. Yet the man I see is of sound mind…one of contenture in the world. I see…A warrior who has found his true calling in a life of peace then."

Dialogue 6 (If you have Nameless King)

"You would not find a soul in Forossa who would not recognise their own God. Faraam, the War God. That he knows my name is a great honour to me. Still…to think we both ended up taming the dragon-kind. Although his is undoubtedly superior to mine. We both know it's true, Gorm."

Dialogue 7 (If you have Martha)

"Hmmm? A Saint you say and one who tamed a Dragon? It seems the art of dragon taming persists no matter which world I walk upon. I can see that glint of a warrior in her eyes…I am curious as to which of us would win if we fought."

Dialogue 8 (If you have Jeanne d'Arc)

"A fellow leader who came from the origins of the common man. I am glad to see that we peasants are of great potential. Hm? The ability to read? I…did not have that for some time…I would be happy to teach you, if it matters so greatly."

Dialogue 9 (If you have Leonidas)

"Aha! A warrior King is it? Excellent, I look forward to a duel between us. I hope he is skilled indeed."

Dialogue 10 (If you have Hektor)

"Hmmm. An 'old man' he says, yet those simple movements of his pack such lethal force. I would wish to fight him indeed, perhaps if I had encountered such a man in life I would have found peace…"

Dialogue 11 (If you have Achilles)

"A man who would fight and fight and could never be bested? Yes, I was like that boy when I was young as well…much too like him. I had no blessings of the Gods nor unbreakable skin but I was always the best warrior on the battlefield. There comes a point where a true warrior craves challenge rather than victory."

Dialogue 12 (If you have Iskandar)

"Hmmm. His talent as a General is superb. Perhaps we should sit down and play one of those 'strategy games' King of Conquerors."

Dialogue 13 (If you have Dobrynya Nikitich)

"So…we both ride Wyverns and wield axes? Is this what they call 'plagiarism'? Can we at least compete over it? Yours isn't even an actual Wyvern! They're a horse!"

Dialogue 14 (If you have Scathach)

"That woman…her skill is astounding…I wonder…You! Would you be willing to meet me in the Simulator for a fight! You would? Excellent! I have a good feeling about this combatant, Master!"

Dialogue 15 (If you have Mordred)

"Knight Crimson Lightning, there you are. Come, we have another training session to go through! Huh? Bothersome old man? If that is true, it makes you a troublesome little brat, does it not? D-did you just kick your sword at me!?"

Likes

"Likes? I enjoy a challenge. When I was alive, I fought battle after battle but every foe I faced was much too weak. Eventually…battle lost its enjoyment. There was nothing to be said about a fight you enter with the knowledge you'll win."

Hates

"What do I hate? If you are to deploy me…please do so in a battle which will challenge me. I have faced enough frail foes in my life."

Wish for the Holy Grail

"A wish? I'd wish for the opportunity to face a true dragon. Gorm is special but he is but a Wyvern and I still bested him. No…I want to fight a true dragon and beat them or die in the attempt!"

Bond Level 1

"These fights you have given me…They are too easy, I would ask you to give me more powerful foes."

Bond Level 2

"Our foes are growing in strength…this is wonderful! Ah, I probably shouldn't get carried away like in my youth but to be challenged is just…I'll temper my aggression."

Bond Level 3

"You keep finding strong foes for me to face. I am thankful for this, truly I am. Gorm appreciates it as well, don't you Gorm? Oi! Don't zap me, you overgrown eel!"

Bond Level 4

"As you have done me a good service, I shall do you a good service as well. I will serve as a general in your growing army. Hm? You don't have an army? Forgive me for being blunt, but I am certain you do."

Bond Level 5

"...I've heard of these strategy games…do you want to play some?"

Birthday

"Your birthday? Hmmmm…Let's go for a drink. Huh? Too young? Nonsense. Come."

During an Event

"Some manner of competition? Hmmm…Let us depart then."

1st Ascension

"You have made me stronger? I only hope that you find opponents to match this strength of mine."

2nd Ascension

"Again, you give me more strength? This is rather dubious and yet you have not disappointed me. Very well…continue to give me strength as you please."

3rd Ascension

"I suppose we are fortunate enough that our foes warrant this strength you give me, again and again. Although, I am fearful of there being such a thing as 'Too strong'."

4th Ascension

"I will get no stronger than this? It is…oddly relieving in a way. To think I have reached my peak, and yet I am burdened with the thought that my foes are now too weak to face me. I trust in you to find me worthy combatants."