By the Bonfire: Punishment (Part II)
Gareth was still in the command room when Ritsuka and Mash arrived, the Lancer was hovering just over Romani's shoulder and staring at the screen in front of the pair of them. The two heard the door opening up, Romani turned around and waved at Ritsuka prompting the Master to wave back to him.
"Hey guys." He called out, Gareth jolted slightly and turned around smiling at Ritsuka, however he noticed that her smile was a lot dimmer than it usually was "What are you looking at?"
"Berserker." Romani replied, oblivious to the way in which Gareth flinched ever so slightly upon the mention of the Servant. The doctor gestured to the screen in front of them "We're just monitoring him in the simulator right now. Arkon is still standing guard in case Berserker has another freak out."
Ritsuka nodded his head, placing his hands on his hips and turning to face Gareth with a pensive expression "Yeah…about that…" the Master cringed slightly, opening and closing his mouth repeatedly before he eventually asked the question "Gareth, do you…know Berserker?"
Gareth remained silent for a few moments before she gave a sad smile and a slow nod of the head "I…would like to say I am unsure but…" she pressed a hand over the top of her heart "I can feel as though I do know who they are." the hand dropped back to her side "I'm just not sure how I feel about it."
"Wait, really?" Romani spun the chair around and faced Gareth "You know Berserker's true name?" he asked in surprise "We couldn't determine anything because of that strange smoke cloud, does that mean you knew them in life?"
"...Yes." Gareth nodded her head once, then looked over her shoulder at the screen for a few moments. Watching as the black cloud sparred against the simulated enemies with no trouble whatsoever. Taking the weapons from the skeletons and using them against their brethren without pausing once to familiarise themselves with the new arms.
She turned back to face the others before she spoke "I…I believe it to be Sir Lancelot."
Romani's eyes bulged "S-Sir Lancelot?"
"Holy shit, really?" Kerry called off from the side, gaping openly at the declaration "Was he always that scary?"
Gareth's lips drew themselves into thin lines before she smiled brightly and shook her head "Not at all! Sir Lancelot was always rather merry, even when he was serious he was able to find some humour." she paused. "He wasn't like Sir Tristan or big brother Gawain but he wasn't nearly as bad as Agravain."
"A Berserker though?" Romani muttered to himself "But he is regarded as one of the greatest knights of the round table? Why would he be summoned as a…" the doctor trailed off, understanding hitting him moments later and causing him to scrunch his face up like he had sucked a lemon
Gareth slowly nodded her head in response "He…looked like that when he came to rescue Queen Guinevere."
Mash's lips parted "But that was when-"
"Yep." Gareth nodded once again, not looking at all disturbed by the topic "That was when he killed me." she then shook her head "I don't…I already forgave him for it." she assured Ritsuka and Mash "Sir Lancelot was…is…He really did love the Queen, I think he was just…" she gave a sad smile "It's in the past now, anyway."
"Listen…" Ritsuka stepped forwards, raising his hand before he bit his bottom lip and lowered the hand to his side "If you aren't comfortable being put on the same team as him-"
"Huh?" Gareth blinked at him before she shook her head rapidly "Not at all! I couldn't think of a better knight to fight alongside than Sir Lancelot!" she exclaimed, earning rather bewildered expressions from those around her.
Ritsuka still looked dubiously at her before he relaxed slightly "Well…alright, but if there's ever a problem don't hesitate to-"
A beep coming from behind Romani cut him off, the Master raised an eyebrow and looked past Gareth towards the doctor. The man looked equally surprised as he turned around and stared at the monitor "Huh? What the…another Servant just entered the simulator."
Ritsuka blinked "Isn't Lancelot still in it?"
"Yeah, he is…" Romani nodded his head, then pressed a few buttons "I'll make the feed larger." He pressed several more keys, then looked up as a projector showcased the camera feed from inside the simulator. "Leo and Pharros made a projector recently so we can get a better look at what goes on, this seems like a good time to use it." the doctor explained as the screen buzzed with static for a few moments before the image cleared up.
Mash did a double take "Verndari-sensei? What is he doing there?"
Ritsuka was similarly furrowing his brows, watching as the mirror knight closed the distance with Lancelot and seemingly started to engage them in conversation. The master frowned as they were unable to hear what was actually being said. "Hey, Roman-"
"Hang on…" Romani muttered as he pressed several more buttons "Maxwell, can you try and bring up the audio?"
"On it." Maxwell swiftly replied, working on his own monitor.
"Whoa…" Ritsuka gasped as Verndari abruptly shoved Lancelot away from them, the knight took two steps backwards before halting. He heard Gareth take in a sharp breath to his right as she was similarly watching the screen with enraptured attention. "The audio."
"Hang on…" Maxwell hummed, then looked up "Got it."
The audio crackled before it came through the screen "-is not here and Sir Gareth…" Verndari did a sharp intake of breath "...She still holds you in high regard. Seemingly holding no ill will towards you." the knight released a bark of laughter "I am sure her trust in you made it all the easier to slay her."
"Oh no…" Gareth whispered next to him, Ritsuka watched as Lancelot started to growl louder and shudder their body.
"My Liege says that we are to work alongside those summoned…" Verndari's voice dropped into a dangerous whisper "Yet…the knowledge of you being here and going unpunished for your crimes is one I…I cannot accept." they declared "I fully expect to be punished for this and yet…perhaps it is my own memory of seeing injustice done while I remained silent that is driving me to do this…or perhaps the knowledge that you managed to escape justice for my friend's death."
Ritsuka turned to Romani, the muffled voice of Verndai ongoing in the background "Arkon is just outside the door, yeah?" he talked to the man Romani hurriedly nodded his head "I'll order him to get in there and stop them before anything happens. You get the intercom ready just in case-"
"I demand you draw your sword, Sir Lancelot." Verndari's words echoed forth from the screen, silencing the room. "I will wait…As I am not craven enough to slay the unarmed without due warning."
Ritsuka snapped his attention back to the screen, widening his eyes as he watched Verndari unsheath their sword and raise their shield. The black cloud around Berserker vanished, revealing the Servant in full.
A long black greatsword formed in their right hand.
"Sir Lancelot…" Gareth whispered in a terrified voice, Ritsuka wasn't sure if it was memories or if it was the knowledge that a fight was about to break out. "What are you doing, Verndari?"
"Romani!" Ritsuka called out to him as he turned and rushed towards the door "Get on the intercom and tell the closest Servants to get to the simulator, now! Don't let anyone kill each other!"
He vanished out of the door, Mash trailing behind him.
"On it." Romani nodded his head, then turned to the intercom "This is Romani Archaman, will all Servants closest to the simulator please hurry towards it. I repeat, will the closest Servants to the simulator report to it. This is not a drill!"
He released the button and then looked back up at the screen.
Just in time to see Lancelot smash into Verndari and blast them off their feet.
The rushing of footsteps had him turn around to see Gareth sprint out of the command room as little more than a blur.
He turned back to the screen, watching as the closest Servants started to respond.
He barely managed to catch a glimpse of Ash running down the hallways.
Verndari felt the air driven from her body as her back slammed into the simulated tree, Lancelot was upon her a moment later. Arondight smashed against her mirror shield and drove her further backwards, wood splintered and cracked as she was forced into the trunk, gritting her teeth behind her helm as Lancelot pushed forwards.
"Aaaaaa!" Verndari pressed her shoulder against the shield, bracing herself and then shoving forwards. Managing to get just enough leverage to push herself out from Lancelot's grasp and causing his strike to slide past her and into the tree. Arondight smashed through the wood, sending splinters in all directions as the tree fell, crashing into the simulated dirt with a heavy thud.
Lancelot spun around, swinging Arondight towards her head and once again meeting Verndari's shield. The force behind the attack caused her feet to skate along the ground backwards, her armoured boots digging grooves into the ground as she did so.
She threw her shield upwards, sending the blow away and swinging her sword towards the Servant, Lancelot stepped into her guard and raised the flat of his forearm towards the base of her weapon. Stopping it dead in its tracks and ignoring the barbs around it. Verndari tensed, then flooded the weapon with lightning. Lancelot released a hiss as the electricity flooded from the blade and over his armour.
He raised his leg and promptly kicked her in the chest, Verndari released a bloodied cough as she was sent rolling across the ground. Slamming her shield down and halting her momentum and charging forwards not a second later.
She heard the hiss of the door go behind her, followed by a bark from Arkon.
"Halt! Desist from your-"
Verndari cut him off first, swinging her body around and charging her sword with lightning. The blade swung through the air towards Arkon, unleashing a sphere of electricity towards the knight as he approached.
"Stay out of this!" She called out at him, watching as Arkon halted and then rolled to the side to avoid the attack, rushing towards Lancelot as he barely spared a glance in the direction of Arkon and raised the flat of his sword at the mirror knight. His feet dug into the earth as she slammed into him as hard as she could, barely managing to displace the Berserker "This is between me and him!"
Considering there was no further attempt from Arkon, he evidently was hesitant to take part. Not least of all because it looked like both of them would try and fight him off at the same time. Arkon was no coward, but he doubted that he would be able to contain the situation by himself given how determined both combatants were.
Verndari's sword clashed against Arondight once again, Lancelot glaring down at her through the crimson light in his visor. With a grunt from the Berserker, he pushed down and effortlessly broke through the mirror knight's guard, reversing his grip on the sword he then swung upwards. Verndari stepped back to avoid the attack, narrowly missing the worst of it. Despite that, the sound of metal being torn asunder filled the room as Arondight carved through the front of her breastplate in a single clean line.
Verndari jumped backwards, hissing to herself behind her helm. He had barely been able to score a cut upon her but it was more than she could say for him. Unable to land a proper blow and having only scored some damage through the lightning imbued in her weapon. She stepped forwards, sword crackling with lighting again and swung it in Lancelot's direction.
The electricity leapt from the sword, forming a sphere which burned a line across the grass as it raced towards the Berserker.
Lancelot sidestepped the attack and charged her again, swinging towards her as she turned her shield to face him. Arondight fell upon her and caused her knees to buckle. She was vividly recalling her spars against Ser Raime.
A point where the person they were fighting was just so far above her own level it wasn't funny. At the very least, she could understand why Gareth spoke so highly of Lancelot's skill with a blade.
Arondight scraped along the front of the mirror before the Servant pulled the weapon back and continued to hack and slash away at it. Verndari felt her arm rocked by every single strike, the shield jerking slightly in all directions as Lancelot continued to wail on her without reprieve. Lancelot stepped forwards, twisting his sword until it was pointed downwards and then gripping it with both hands. With a roar, the Servant swung the weapon upwards, carving a burning red line across the ground between them and crashing it into the base of Verndari's shield.
The attack caused her arm to jerk and the shield to be flung to the side, the mirror knight released a gasp of surprise before she stamped forwards and thrust at Lancelot. With the movement, Lancelot had also exposed his chest to her and at this close range, she was confident she could get him before-
The burning red line in front of them suddenly flashed, Verndari had barely a moment to sense the massive increase in magical energy before the ground at her feet exploded and she saw nothing more than a flash of red.
The blast sent her skywards, that's how much she could tell. Being airborne for a few moments before she crashed back into earth, she grunted as she tried to ascertain where she was, blinking repeatedly behind her helmet and turning it to the side to avoid the ringing. Her eyes widened and she raised her shield, Lancelot smashed into it and rolled her onto her back.
She watched as the dark knight loomed over her and raised Arondight into the air before bringing it downwards. She raised her mirror shield, Lancelot crashing against it with enough force that she felt herself forced into the ground. Then he raised the sword up again and brought it down, hammering away at her and forcing her further and further into the dirt with each strike.
It was either the tenth or eleventh hit when Verndari swung her shield to the side, slamming the rim of it into Lancelot's armoured shins and causing him to overshoot and bury the sword just past the top of her head. Rolling forwards, Verndari brought up her own sword and swung it through the air towards Lancelot, the Servant raised Arondight back up and blocked the slash before shoving her backwards.
Verndari was gasping for breath, her right shoulder pauldron was missing and black marks now scored the upper section of her armour. Despite that, she once again assumed a combat stance. Using her shield to summon would take time and Lancelot would never afford her that, it meant that she would have to rely on her basic skills in order to beat him.
She thinned her lips behind her helmet.
It was an 'easier said than done' type of situation. Taking a deep breath, she marched forwards.
Lancelot charged her first, causing her to step back in surprise and block the first strike with her sword, her arm truly feeling the effects of the Berserker's superior strength. Lancelot rushed forwards again, Arondight flashing through the air and crashing into her with wide sweeping attacks which had her staggering in an effort to re-acclimate herself. She managed to thrust forwards only to have the Berserker effortlessly parry the blow away and counter with a slash.
She raised her shield and stumbled slightly when he caught her at an awkward angle, the shield twisted in her grip until it was lying flush against the side of her body. Lancelot swung his left hand out and clenched it into a fist. Verndari released a breathless gasp as it buried itself in the side of her armour, the knuckles denting it inwards and pulling back with a metallic crunching sound, revealing the shape of his knuckles now warped into the metal.
Pulling his sword back, Lancelot rushed forwards again and struck the side of the shield, jerking it in the opposite direction from her arm as she tried to steady herself. She soon picked up on his tactic, every single movement was designed to get her to drop her shield, violent strikes were forcing her to jerk her grip and she was confident that if this continued on at the present rate she was most certainly going to break her hand.
It meant that she would have to go on the offensive.
She shoved back and then slashed upwards, Lancelot blocking the attack and pulling his sword back at the same time she did. This time, she stepped forwards and went for a thrust, Lancelot deflected the blow to the side and swung his sword back around and into her waiting shield. The process repeated itself, Verndari would occasionally make an attack and Lancelot would counter almost immediately.
Eventually, Lancelot left hand shot out and tightly clenched around the side of Verndari's shield. The woman widened her eyes as he then jerked it towards himself, pulling her forwards even as she tried to dig her feet in. He then twisted his movements and pulled her to the side so she would go past him, her head turned as she saw Arondight being swung upwards towards her wrist.
She dissipated her shield and stepped backwards, narrowly avoiding losing her hand in the process but now finding herself bereft of a defence. Something Lancelot capitalised on immediately, charging her with his sword held high.
"How are we getting on with those Servants Romani!" Ritsuka shouted through the communicator as he violently pressed on the lift button as if trying to speed it up. The boy glared at it before looking back at the doctor.
"We've got several already in route." Romani replied back swiftly, looking between the communicator and the screen just past them "The closest getting there is going to be…um…" he squinted "Ash! Yes, Ash! He was just coming out of the gym when the call came in!"
Gareth nodded her head, then widened her eyes "You can't send Ash in! Or at least get him to cover his head!"
Romani blinked "What? Why?"
"Because he looks like big brother Gawain!"
Romani blanched "Ah, right!"
"Hang on." Ritsuka activated the mental link, wincing at the flood of voices from all the different Servants that seemed surprised to hear the Master "Ash, you need to cover your face. If Berserker sees you he might lose control again."
"Very well, Master." Ash replied back swiftly, not even putting up any sort of argument nor asking a question as to why.
"Alright then." Ritsuka turned off the link and gave a light shake of the head "How is it going in the simulator?"
He saw Romani frown "Well…Arkon did enter but then Verndari made it clear that he wasn't to intervene." He raised his hands "Yes, I know but from the looks of it he would have to fight both of them as well."
Ritsuka sucked air through his teeth "Fine, fine!" he growled "This is just…how is Verndari doing?"
"He's um…" Romani looked past and then winced "Not doing so well."
"For the love of…" Ritsuka growled "What the hell…" he glared up at the elevator "What's taking these so long!?"
Verndari's shoulder roughly crashed into the ground, the Knightess rolled for a few metres before stabbing her sword into the ground and halting her momentum. She coughed several times before she tried to bring out her shield once again.
Lancelot was upon her in an instant, swinging upwards and causing her to stagger as she got back to her feet. She attempted a counter before he parried the blow to the side and slashed back, striking the Shielder in the side with the sword and carving a line across her ribs. Verndari staggered back as blood seeped from the metal and dripped onto the ground.
At this point her armour had been dented, cut and warped in several places. Without enough time to bring up a defence she had been little more than a punching bag for Lancelot. It wasn't that she was bad at swordplay, it was just that Lancelot was her superior in every regard. Even as a Berserker only capable of grunts and growls.
She jumped forwards, bringing her sword in at the side while Lancelot swung downwards. Verndari raised the flat of her right arm and rushed in close, she bit back a cry of pain as the base of Arondight's blade embedded itself in her forearm. Easily shearing through her armour despite the fact she had caught it without much momentum, at the same time she brought her own sword to bear on Lancelot.
A black gauntlet lashed out and clamped down around her wrist, halting her attack as he forced his blade down and closer to her. Verndari felt her arm cry out in protest, along with her armour as it Arondight sank deeper and deeper into her flesh. Her knees wobbling and her left knee collapsing out from underneath her and forcing her into a crouch. She was then painfully aware of a tightening sensation in her right arm being accompanied by the groaning of metal as Lancelot started to tighten his grip around her.
Despite that, she refused to release her sword even though her fingers were screaming at her to do so. Instead, she forced as much power into her limbs in an effort to force the sword closer to Lancelot, finding little purchase but getting the black knight's arm to shudder as he wrestled with her.
The burning crimson visor loomed over her as Arondight shuddered again and was forced yet closer to her head, she shifted her arm to try and alter its aim and felt her left arm jerk down. Arondight crashed into her shoulder and started to dig into the metal plating around her collarbone.
Verndari was now growling behind her helm, both in pain and in frustration. Being unable to do anything even when she decided to stand up and protest. It was vexing but there was some passing comfort that this time she made the attempt.
With a final cry of protest, she ripped her left arm out from underneath Arondight. Feeling the blade slip down and slice through her armour and burying itself into her left shoulder. The cry of exertion became a cry of pain but despite all that, she still found the strength to lash out with her left hand and grab Lancelot's sword arm and hold it as tightly as she could, preventing him from moving it.
She launched herself upwards, crashing her helmet into Lancelot's own and staggering him backwards, Arondight still buried in her shoulder. Jerking her hand free of his grip, she launched herself forwards, bracing her sword with her left hand and thrusting it forwards like a spear. The tip of the sword slammed into the armoured plates around Lancelot's ribs and dug about an inch deep into the metal.
For a brief moment, she felt elation rush through her body.
The singular thought of actually striking him was worth more than she could have actually imagined.
Then he backhanded her, Arondight being pulled from her body with a sickening squelch and sending her crashing face first into the ground. She reached out a hand, pressing it into the dirt and forcing herself to stand up.
She then felt Lancelot grab the back of her helm and then roughly slam her face into the dirt, his hand tightened its hold with his sharpened fingers digging further into the helm and touching her scalp. She felt herself lifted back off the ground before being slammed into it again.
"AAaaaaaarrrrr!" Lancelot released a cry before he picked her up and hurled her across the room with one arm. Her helmet remained locked in his hands even as the rest of her went soaring through the sky and crashing into the dirt once again. Her face was bruised and her hair was a mess, patches of blood now leaking down the side of her face from where his fingers pierced her head.
Her eyes were barely working but she was still lucid enough to see when Lancelot's shadow fell over her. Visor glaring down at her, despite that the Servant made no further attempt to move. Still staring down at her with some unknown emotion.
Verndari managed a weak sputtering cough, feeling the metallic taste of blood rushing out her mouth and landing atop her lips. "Even when I try…" she muttered slowly to herself "Still a failure…"
Consciousness left her, her final words being nothing more than a low mutter "Forgive me…Ser Raime…"
The doors burst open, Lancelot's head snapped towards them as a new figure sprinted in and slid to a halt. Dark leather armour with a white furred collar and blue cape swaying in the fabricated wind. The figure raised a burning sword in Lancelot's direction, their box shaped helmet briefly turned in the direction of Verndari before looking back at him.
"I do not believe he will cause further harm." Arkon supplied from the side, stepping forwards and releasing his hold on his sword. "You are finished, are you not?"
Lancelot remained eerily silent, not even making a groan in affirmation nor denial.
Instead, he dropped Verndari's mangled helmet onto the ground, taking several steps back from her battered body and making an about turn. Returning to spirit form and departing from the location.
Ash cut out the flames on Galvatyne, turning his head towards Verndari and stalking over to her. Even from his distance, he could tell that she was in poor shape. "...Why did you not intervene?" he called out to Arkon without looking back at him.
"My attempt was met with an attack from her." Arkon replied "Had I made an effort, both Servants would have soundly rebuffed me and the situation would have escalated." his voice was clipped, head turning back in the direction that Lancelot had disappeared to "Had it not been for the orders of our Lord, then I would not have intervened at all."
Ash remained silent for a few moments "Why?"
"Because it was the Shielder who instigated the conflict." Arkon explained easily "And I warned her that she would face the consequences for her actions alone."
Ash thinned his lips behind his helmet "...I see." he crouched down over Verndari, looking them over and then raising an eyebrow when he got to their face. "It would appear we were mistaken. Ser Verndari is - in actuality - a woman."
"And?"
Ash paused for a moment before shrugging "I do not know." he muttered, then looked at the helmet lying next to her for a second "Yet she seemed to conceal her identity, even from Ritsuka."
The pair heard the door open up again, turning their heads to see Gareth sprint in as little more than a blur and swiftly jerk her head around to find anyone "Where's Sir Lancelot? Where's Vernd-" she cut herself off with the second one when she caught sight of the prone figure, then rushed over as fast as she could and dropped down, sliding across the dirt and hovering over the knight "H-hey! Verndari! Are you alright?"
"She is unconscious." Ash informed her, rising back to his feet, then pointedly gestured towards the dents, cuts and marks on her armour "And gravely injured. She will need Miracles to recover quickly."
Gareth nodded her head slowly, then turned and noticed the helmet lying next to her friend. Reaching over, she took it in her hands and wordlessly slipped it back onto Verndari's head, covering her face once again.
"...Can you not tell Master about her gender?" Gareth asked in a quiet voice "She-"
"She has her reasons." Ash replied slowly, staring down at the unconscious Servant "And informing without her consent will likely cause emotional duress. I will not inflict that form of suffering upon her." he looked down at Gareth, seeing her staring up at him with a grateful smile "Ritsuka will not learn of it from me."
The pair then looked towards Arkon, the silver Knight merely grunted in response.
"The customs of humans are not my concern. Provided our Lord does not inquire about it. I will make no attempt to tell him." He stated in a curt tone before he turned away from the pair, watching as several more Servants poured in. Doing a double take when the first was Caffrey.
"D-don't worry! I'm here now!" Caffrey exclaimed as she beat her wings, holding up her hands and waving them about with a strained smile on her face "I'm here to bring bad luck do bad…" she trailed off, looking around and faltering slightly "A-am I too late?"
Ritsuka watched as Verndari lay on the bed - reinforced to take the weight of their armour - with Gareth staring down at her passively from the side. The Master remained silent, then glanced over at Romani and saw the man looking equally troubled.
"...I have done all I can." Siegward informed them as he stepped back, having finished casting his healing Miracles and turning to the group "I have little doubt he will recover soon."
Ritsuka wordlessly nodded his head, still staring at Verndari and trying to understand what possibly possessed them to antagonise a Berserker into a fight. His eyes flickered to Gareth, sitting with her hands resting atop one another with a blank expression on her face. "...I'm going to inform the Director about this." he announced to the room, turning around and nodding to Romani "Tell me when he wakes up." he sent a final glance at Verndari before shaking his head and walking out of the room.
Mash watched him leave with a worried look, then turned to Romani "Doctor?"
Romani rubbed the bridge of his nose "Can't say I understand what it was about and this certainly wasn't what I was expecting from Verndari of all people." the man mumbled, placing his hands on his hips and sending Siegward a grateful glance "Thanks for the help by the way."
"Nonsense." Siegward shook his head with a jovial smile "No thanks is needed, merely happy to lend my aid to my fellows." he remarked, looking down at Verndari and giving an almost fleeting frown "Can't say I understand it but they had their reasons…what of Berserker?"
Romani exhaled "Sir Lancelot is technically the victim in this situation, despite what happened so he's…away somewhere." the man replied "Arkon is still keeping a close eye on him but he seems to have…calmed down?" he paused "I think? I can't tell, to be honest."
Siegward shook his head at the doctor "Do not worry yourself about it, good sir. I am certain the situation will be resolved shortly." he shot a glance towards Verndari "Well, he will be back on his feet soon at any rate." he gestured to Gareth, giving her a chuckle "Just be sure to tell him not to go getting himself into scraps like that. Terribly risky."
Gareth gave Siegward a thankful nod of the head and a grateful smile "Don't worry." she assured him "I'll make sure they understand."
Giving a final wave of the hand, Siegward departed from the room. Leaving the others alone in there for a few moments.
"Hey, Ash?" Romani called out to the Saber who had helped drag Verndari to the room, the blonde haired Servant turned in his direction and inclined his head "Can we step outside for a minute?" he raised a thumb and pointed behind him to the door "Just gotta talk about something real quick."
Ash remained silent before offering a single nod of the head "Of course."
"Thanks." Romani turned to Mash and gave the girl a half smile "Could you stay and watch Verndari? I won't be gone long."
Before the girl had a chance to reply, Gareth spoke up first "Don't worry about it. I can watch Verndari." she paused for a moment "They will be awake soon, won't they?"
Romani nodded his head.
"Then I'll stay until they wake up." She declared with a confident nod "I need to chastise them for being reckless! That's what big brother Gawain always did when I was the same and…well…" Gareth gave a nervous chuckle as she reached up and scratched her head "I don't think there's anyone else."
Mash thinned her lips before she nodded her head, turning to the doctor "I'll go outside with you two." she began, walking forwards and then pausing as both Ash and Romani sported similar expressions of wide-eyed alarm before their faces evened out.
"That is unnecessary." Ash stated first, shooting a glance towards the doctor "Myself and Romani have important topics to discuss."
Mash gave an innocent frown "Then…shouldn't Senpai be here as well?"
"I-it just relates to Ash's health is all!" Romani hastily explained with a strained expression "Doctor/patient confidentiality and all that, you know?"
Mash looked between the two of them with a puzzled expression before her lips thinned and she nodded once "Alright. I'll…go and see what Da Vinci is doing then." she decided, walking past the pair and to the door. Pausing to give the two of them one final odd glance before shaking her head and departing the room.
Ash and Romani shared a glance before the latter turned to Gareth and waved his hand "We won't be long, just outside the room. Shout if you need us."
"Will do!" Gareth nodded, giving them a wide smile as they walked out. Closing the door behind them as they did so.
The smile fell off Gareth's face, replaced by a concerned frown as she directed her eyes towards Verndari's body lying on the bed.
She waited for a moment before a groan filtered through the helmet, signalling that Verndari was returning to consciousness. "W-where…?" Her muffled voice filtered through the helmet, dropping in tone to sound distinctive of a males voice. "What…?"
"Verndari?" Gareth called out to them "How do you feel?"
"...Sore." Verndari answered back in a pained groan "What happened?" she asked, her head looking from side to side "Where am I?"
"The…um…medical room." Gareth answered, frowning "You were…hurt pretty badly."
Verndari's head fell back onto the pillow with a soft thud, carved face staring up at the ceiling. "Ah…right…I lost."
Gareth gave a silent nod.
"...And Sir Lancelot?"
"Gone when I arrived."
"Hmmm."
The pair fell into another silence before Gareth leaned forwards, giving Verndari a disapproving frown "Why did you challenge him?" she asked "If you say for me…I told you, I already forgave Sir Lancelot for what he did."
Verndari was silent.
"Don't go all quiet." Gareth spoke in as stern a tone as she could manage "You went off and tried to fight Sir Lancelot…he could have killed you and you knew it." more silence was her answer "Verndari! You could have died! What would Master have said if that happened? Just because you might get summoned again…it doesn't mean all your memories would remain intact!"
"...I believed it was worth it."
Gareth's eyes widened and her lip went slightly agape before the frown returned in force "You what?"
"I…familiarised myself with Camelot." Verndari revealed in a quiet voice "I was curious as to the Kingdom you hailed from and…before I knew it I was finding more and more books on the deeds of the knights."
Gareth's expression softened ever so slightly.
"I read of the tales of Sir Lancelot and his many endeavours." Verndari's head turned so they were facing Gareth "...Your tale of besting Sir Ironside was also rather interesting to read." she paused "Did you truly induct them into King Arthur's court?"
Gareth blinked, her expression becoming mystified "Huh? Why would we induct a demon of calamity into the King's court? That sounds like a terrible idea!"
Verndari seemingly blinked behind her helmet "Demon of Calamity?" she muttered in confusion "They just said he was the Red Knight in the book."
"I brought his sword back to the court." Gareth replied with a shrug "Maybe that's what they meant? His sword did share his name." she paused for a moment, then gave a thoughtful hum "Although I did also break it as well. You know?"
Verndari stared at her in silence for a moment "...I shall assume that many of the tales have been subject to exaggerations and alterations?"
The Lancer shrugged, "I'd have to read them to tell you."
"Hmmm." Verndari hummed in response "Perhaps another time…"
"So you read about…the fall of Camelot as well?" Gareth asked with a wince, Verndari slowly nodded her head in response. "Is that why you…"
"...In part." Verndari admitted "But…there was never mention of Sir Lancelot facing justice for his crimes against you. If he had received…some punishment for it I would…" she sighed and looked away "...It would have been done."
Gareth gave her a shake of the head "It…you shouldn't feel as though you are responsible for it. It's not your place to-"
"If not my place, then whose would it be?" Verndari snapped back, Gareth jolted slightly "Who else would speak up and call Sir Lancelot out for his transgressions? Who else would be willing to act?"
She snorted when she didn't receive an answer. "...That silence was my response the first time as well."
Gareth blinked "First time?"
"...Sir Raime was my Lancelot." Verndari replied "I learned everything possible about being a knight from him. He was larger than life in my eyes…a man who held the strength of a dozen men and was as fast as them. He was…" she let out a shaky breath "There was never a knight in the Kingdom who could be said to be his equal in anything. He was just, noble and he loved the Kingdom with all his heart."
Gareth remained silent, watching as Verndari spoke.
"I…I remember when he stormed into the court. He was in such a frenzy I thought him ready to slay anyone who barred his path." Verndari spoke in an odd tone "It was…strange, he had always seemed so calm even in the worst of the situations." shaking her head, she continued on "Then he points to the Queen…a woman whom the King loved dearly. Some say he loved her more than the Kingdom, I believe Sir Raime was troubled by that."
Sighing, Verndari carried on "...He points to her…and he says - for all to hear - that she is a dark spawn from the vilest pits of the abyss. She is a liar and a craven who seeks to steal away the life of the Kingdom."
Verndari released a scoff "Some thought he was drunk, others mad but…I knew him, served under him for years. Sir Raime would never have made a declaration unless he was certain without a doubt. He truly did believe she was a darkspawn of the Abyss and said he had proof of it."
She was silent for a moment, then turned to Gareth "...The court was in uproar and Sir Velstadt asked if there was anyone who would support his word."
Gareth stared at her "What did you do?"
"...I just watched." Verndari replied with no small amount of shame, her voice cracking "I just watched as Sir Raime was made to look like a deranged fool…I held my tongue because I just…I couldn't comprehend it. Sir Raime demanded a trial by combat to prove his claims and Sir Velstadt accepted."
Gareth was sure that there were some tears leaking out from the helmet and onto the pillow now, Verndari rambling on "I…I just kept silent as they battled and…I just watched as his broken body was dragged through the court and flung out of the city like trash…It was only the King's word that stopped Velstadt from killing him and I would have just sat by and watched…"
Gareth opened her mouth to speak before she closed it again.
"He was my mentor…the man I idolised. He was the perfect knight and…I…his reward for all my loyalty was me being a spectator to his…" she cut herself off, looking away from Gareth "...I abandoned him and left him to face injustice alone. He loved the Kingdom with all his heart and he…he was branded the Knight of Treachery."
The Lancer released a quiet sigh "...Sir Lancelot did not receive any punishment." she stated, understanding the point of the story and the motive that was driving Verndari onwards.
"...No." Verndari replied in a clipped tone "...He killed you…your siblings and lit a fire that burned down the entire Kingdom and he…there was never any justice for that crime?" she looked back at Gareth "He is your mentor and I…I fully expect you to defend him but…but don't ask me to stand by in silence as I watch another crime like that unfold…"
Gareth opened her mouth but Verndari cut her off first.
"Please…don't make me do it again."
The pair remained silent for a few moments, Gareth closed her eyes and looked down "...You will not drop this, will you?"
Verndari silently shook her head.
Exhaling, Gareth stood up from her chair "Master is probably going to tell you to drop it, you know?"
"I do." Verndari admitted "But all the same…I will challenge him as many times as I must until I either defeat him…or your King is summoned and I can make a plea that justice be dealt." there was a long pause. "But I doubt that will come of anything, given what occurred in life."
Gareth was silent as she turned away, walking towards the foot of the bed and then gripping the frame with enough force that the metal bent around her fingers. "...I'm sorry."
Whatever Gareth was apologising for, she didn't know however she was similarly lost as to what else she should say in that moment. "...I can't support this."
"Nor would I expect you to." Verndari replied in an understanding tone that had Gareth look away for a brief moment "He is-"
"Sir Lancelot is my Sir Raime." Gareth replied with a sad smile "Even now."
Gareth gave her friend one final smile before her face evened out, the Lancer walking towards the door and out of the room. The moment the door closed, she leaned back against it and blew air out between her teeth. Her expression downcast before she opened her eyes, turning to the side and staring down the corridor.
She paused, eyes widening as she beheld the figure at the far end of the hallway.
Dark armour stuck out like a sore thumb, the visor still glowed red but was now a gentle hue as opposed to the burning torch it had been earlier.
Gareth's lips twitched into a jovial smile before they faltered down into a saddened one "...Hello, Sir Lancelot." she called out, rubbing her hands together and giving a half chuckle "I suppose my voice doesn't reach you…just like back then."
Lancelot stared back in silence, the eerie form of his dark armour would have intimidated most other Servants. Indeed, the last time Gareth had seen his armour like that she had her skull caved in moments later.
Despite all of that.
She couldn't help but feel a sense of elation at seeing him again.
"...I'm glad you're here, Lord Lancelot." She called out, reverting to the title she had always known him by. "I don't know if you can hear me but…I forgive you."
Lancelot stiffened, the visor flashed crimson for a moment and the knight staggered backwards as if he had been struck.
"Don't…don't think too badly of Sir Verndari, Lord Lancelot." She carried on, her eyes darting to the door to the medical centre "She's…she means well. Really, she does."
Lancelot remained silent, simply staring at Gareth for a moment before he slowly shook his head at her. Stepping backwards before turning away, not even glancing over their shoulder before disappearing around the corridor. Despite the lack of words, Gareth could infer the meaning behind the gesture.
"...You always are too hard on yourself, Lord Lancelot." She muttered quietly as she turned away, walking down the hallway in the opposite direction of the Berserker.
"A peace keeping force?" Olga replied with a raised eyebrow as she stared at Ritsuka "You want to assign Servants to some sort of security role?"
Ritsuka nodded his head "Not like I can be everywhere at once and…well…we have had a couple of instances like this, right?"
Olga opened her mouth to reply before she closed it again, a thoughtful look flashed through her eyes and she released an intrigued hum. Leaning back into her chair, she raised her left hand and bit down on her thumb while mulling the suggestion over. After a few moments, she released her thumb from her teeth and looked up at Ritsuka "I shall assume you have some suggestions for candidates?"
Ritsuka nodded his head "Arkon seems well acquainted with guarding and the like." he replied "I could probably ask him to make sure. Arash as well, he seems pretty reasonable so I can put him down on the list in case there is an emergency."
Olga nodded her head "Any others?"
"Jeanne." Ritsuka stated "She's a ruler so she has a natural advantage over other Servants, doesn't she?"
"She does." Olga confirmed, giving him a begrudging nod "You're learning, good."
Ritsuka responded with a half smile for a moment before he shook his head "I would suggest Stahl as well." he gestured to the giant behind him with a thumb over his shoulder "For when something really bad happens." he got a grunt in response "And Ash."
Her brows furrowed "...Ash?"
"He likes to be kept busy." Ritsuka replied honestly "And him patrolling Chaldea certainly beats him just sitting alone doing nothing or being used as a punching bag for Scathach." he nodded down at the table "So…peacekeeping duty. That and he doesn't like suffering and it just seems like the sort of thing he'd go for."
Olga tapped her fingers on the desk, staring down at the table for what felt like a few hours before she eventually looked back up and gave a single nod "I approve of your recommendation. A single master for so many Servants will have you stretched thin and delegating the role of security to the more level headed ones will ease the potential risk of an incident. Gather the servants you have selected and inform them, should you consider any others, inform me."
Ritsuka nodded with a grateful smile "Yes, Director."
Olga gave a single nod as Ritsuka departed the room, the director slumped further into her seat and exhaled when she was certain she was alone. She didn't count Stahl as being someone. They were more like a large piece of sentient furniture for all that they actually did.
Why did every Berserker in Chaldea have to go Berserk and the one they summoned that wasn't Berserk triggered another Servant to go Berserk?
AN: Surprise, surprise. Verndari got her ass beat hard.
She landed a single blow on Lancelot though, so she can have that.
Fair enough it's the version of Lancelot that is batshit crazy but hey! Progress.
But not really progress.
And the start of the Chaldea Security Teams.
I'll think of a funny acronym later.