Grand Order Spoilers.
I am drowning.
In this sea devoid of nothing, where only darkness is in view. Looking all around me, there was nothing for me to make out, there wasn't a direction I could head towards or something that could pull me towards in this desolate void.
There was only silence.
The tolling of bells that sounds my duty, my fate, was gone. The storm and the wind, the voices that accompanied it, always raging, were gone.
There was nothing to be seen, there was nothing to be heard, and no one to speak to.
Seconds went by, and then minutes, and soon to be hours. Left with only my own thoughts, thinking to myself, why and how am I here?
There was no answer.
Try as I might to call out to someone for something to happen, or anything to happen.
There was still no answer.
There was only pure, unadulterated, never-ending silence.
I am drowning. In this void in which suffering I call familiarity.
Left with Memories and the end that I dread to remember… they slowly begin to flash through my mind.
Memories of Winter came first, then Autumn and then…
My body begins to tremble.
…Memories of Summer. The journey fully in flight, met highs and lows, Reached its end. But not knowing was it all for worth.
Pessimistic thoughts that ends in tragedy soon plagues my mind. And for each passing moment, my body continues to shake more and more, soon came grief and despair that begins to crawl out, like a dam being released. The death of my so-called comrades, and the most important person that I can no longer meet again. The pain in my chest, and the tears that's threatening to burst out, becomes even more unbearable.
I'm drowning. In a hell that I cannot even plug my ears nor tear out my eyes, a hell that I call home.
Before the downpour of it all, a flame lit up. A flame as hot as a forge, with the brightness like a star in the night sky, it shines so brightly that it burns the surrounding void, and with that, all of her thoughts seem to wane.
She desperately reaches out to it, like a lifeline in the eternal darkness, not even afraid that it might harm her, but rather that it'll disappear in a blink of an eye.
The flame was warm to the touch, as if accepting the embrace. It begins to burn even brighter, illuminating like a star in the void deprived of nothingness.
Bringing it closer to her, embracing it like a hug. Carefully enough that it wouldn't affect the flame, acting as a cover for it.
Scared it'll burn out. Scared it'll leave her.
At that moment, she pauses, looking out of the corner of her eye, she spotted another flame. A flame as dark as the void around her.
The flame that she held doesn't seem to be affecting it, and due to that she was able to spot it. Like a black spot on a colorful canvas. She doubted she'd ever notice it if it weren't for the star she's holding to be burning brighter as time went on.
She debated with herself if she should reach out for it. For it might be her way out or it'll be the thing that extinguishes the hope that she currently held in her hand.
But ultimately, she decided to reach out to it. As if it'll be cruel of her to not consider the same for it, for it looked far too lonely, even if it was purposely obscured by someone or something, or even by itself.
Risking her chances, she flaps her arms and legs, attempting to swim towards it with minimal success, but even still, she'll no doubt reach it, in time.
Waking up immediately from that strange nightmare, Artoria looked around herself in a panic, only to find herself in the darkness of a forest with her staff laying on the grass emitting a soft glow, the breeze of the wind blowing through her hair and the sound of insects and animals being heard everywhere around her.
Confused and dazed at her current situation, the last thing she remembered was getting close enough to touching the black flame before everything turned into a kaleidoscope of colors that soon after, came blinding light that engulfed everything, including her.
Before even deciding what to do next, two flames appeared hovering in front of her, levitating in mid-air. One dark as night and the other bright enough to burn the darkness of the night. It was a surprise to her that they were able to follow and accompany her out of the void, knowing herself, she thought that something like that would never happen. And it was a pleasant relief that they are still accompanying her.
Reaching out towards the blazing flame, it responded by burning even brighter than before, illuminating the whole area around her. After a while the flame begins to die out and out comes a very muscular man that seems to be still in his youth, with short spiky red hair and golden eyes, he wore only pants and sandals, and what seems to be a shoulder sleeve for his left arm with a cape dangling from his right arm. It was someone she instantly recognizes.
"Muramasa!?" She shouted in shock.
"Tsk. The hell am I now? And keep it down would ya, it's ringing in my ears" Muramasa complained. Landing on his butt and beginning to rub his head in annoyance, before the sudden realization and immediately looking towards her.
"Huh, didn't expect to see you so-" Before he could finish his sentence, Artoria lunged at him in a bear hug.
"Damn, I didn't expect you to be the hugging type in a reunion," He smirked and recuperate the hug with a pat to her head.
"You're alive! but how?" She asked in almost a whisper, Hugging even tighter.
"Ain't got a clue. But since I'm here, looks like I'll be sticking with ya like a bodyguard again."
Artoria smiled in-between her almost crying face. "I'm glad you're here Muramasa." Relieved that she isn't alone, whatever she currently finds herself in.
Before she can continue on, Muramasa begins pointing out the other flame that's currently floating behind her. She immediately removes herself from the hug and proceeds to reach towards it with her hand.
In a similar and unexpected motion, the dark flame begins emitting bright lights that of miniature star, instead of the expected darkness that eats away at the light. Before the light consumed the whole area around them, it began dying out as quickly as it came, in dark goo like substance. Which revealed someone who they were familiar with all too well.
Before they can react, the person who appeared to be a beautiful man with butterfly like wings with porcelain skin and silver hair with blue eyes, dressed with a crown on his head and with an attire fit for a king that includes a fluffy like cloak that fits for out of a fairytale picture book character. The dark goo fading around him, he began looking around and spoke out in confusion with a hint of a sneer. "...What the hell?" In that moment Artoria immediately lunged at him as well, Unable to properly balance himself at the sudden catapult, both of them fell onto ground with a oof sound made by them both, he began staring at the person that is currently hugging him.
"I know you would miss me, but I didn't expect you to miss me that much," Sighing smugly to himself as if it were an act, "Though I sure wasn't expecting you to be the type to hug people." He smiles at her and returns the hug.
"Is it really that unexpected for me to hug people?" Artoria says with a tick starting to form on her head, with a pout on her face.
"I would've thought you would hit me the moment you saw me, for what I did back then," Muramasa responded with an amused look on his face.
"While I'm grateful for what you did, but that was really stupid of you!" She removed herself from the hug and stood up and began shouting at him.
"While I may not know what may have happened, it is good to see the both of you once again and in good state. Artoria, Muramasa." The person greets, cutting in into the dispute, while recovering from the fall, standing straight up and dusting off the dirt on his cloak.
"Ah, right! It's good to see you again Oberon." Artoria hurriedly replied with a small smile on her face.
"It's a touching reunion and all but any idea how did we get here and where in hell are we?" Muramasa asked. Looking around the area around them, the forest they are in is barely visible in the darkness with only the small moonlight and the soft flow of the Staff of Selection still on the ground.
"Way to ruin the mood Muramasa," Artoria annoyed with the interruption, tries to recall, "All I can remember before this is… I was… In like a desolate void and the next thing I know, I woke up here." Trying to remember what had happened before everything turned to white wasn't really too clear to her.
"No point in fussing about it now, if all of us don't even have a slightest clue," Oberon shrugged, "Now come on, navigating through forests like this even in the dark, is my forte. The sooner we find a village, the better it is to tackle our problems." Winking at them, Oberon proceeds to lead them with Muramasa following in tow, Artoria picking up her staff and following soon after.
After walking for what seem like an hour or so, with no village or signs of civilization, Artoria's calm and cheerful like expression begins to falter, while there were attempts to make small talk, mostly by Oberon during the barely visible journey, it didn't really continue on with more than a few words.
"Damn, is it possible to be sick as a heroic spirit? Cuz' I'm sure as hell feels' heavy, like I'm back to my old self, instead of this vessel." Muramasa complained.
"You too Muramasa? Phew, I thought I was the only one that had felt under the weather," Oberon sighed in relief at his fellow companion. "While I can only think of multiple reasons that cause us to feel weakened. Either The Human Order or the Counter Force is simply too weak to properly support our existence. Or our legends are either simply too weak or they don't exist at all. Maybe even special circumstances. I'm leaning towards the latter, while the former does seem to be the case for our downed state, since we are servants, usually we need an anchor or large amount of mana to sustain our existence. Yet my spirit origin is hollow, as in-" Oberon continues to explain his hypothesis to two of his audience, not minding the fact that one of them isn't really listening.
Tuning out the conversation, Artoria thinks to herself, the duty that she dedicated herself to, the duty that was the whole point of her existence to, has been fulfilled. Done and finished.
'So… what now?' She asks herself.
Even though she already knew the answer, she couldn't bring herself to face it. The idea of her having a so-called second chance in this world, while someone like Ritsuka having the burden of still trying to save humanity. She dreaded and hated herself for that line of thought alone, not even having the peace of mind if the people of Chaldea were still alive or not.
"Looks like the sun is coming up, but still no sign of civilization," Oberon sighing to himself, an hour or so have passed yet again. Turning around, "I'll be back in a minute or two, I'm going to check how far exactly are we." Switching to his small miniature version of himself in a "Poof" transformation with smoke covering him as a result. Oberon proceeds to ride on top of a hawk-like moth named Vesper that appeared alongside him during his chibi transformation, flying up into the sky before heading towards a certain direction.
During that whole sequence, Muramasa sighing to himself, decides to deal with the situation happening behind him, proceeding to move towards the girl who's lost in thought, and proceed to smack the top of her head with a karate chop motion.
"Ouch!" Broken out of her pessimistic thoughts, moving her hands to her hat, covering her head in pain.
Glaring at the cause of the pain, "What was that for!?" Artoria yelled at the half naked blacksmith.
"You're thinking 'bout them weren't you?" Anger died down as quickly as it came. She cannot deny that the anxiety of it all was mind-numbing, for everything it can ever amount to now relies solely on them.
"..."
He sighed, "Alright out with it, what's exactly on yer mind." Staring at her eye to eye.
"I… I don't know what to do," Tightening her hold of her staff, Artoria looks away, unable to face Muramasa. Trying to avoid the subject, she decides to ask something else entirely, while the question is part of the troubles of her mind, she couldn't bring herself to bring up the entire thing, thinking to herself that's a problem only for her to deal with.
Knowing it's more than just her apprehensiveness about the current situation, Muramasa decides to nip the bud before it develops even further. "I ain't no prophet but I'm sure they'll make it out in one piece. Have more faith in them would'ya, they survived and dealt with five lostbelts already, each more hopeless than the last, but they still kept going, so what's one more?"
"..."
"Besides, if it were them, they probably have a trump card of some kind. It's fine, you did your duty, and as well did what we could, what we can, so there's ain't anything to lament about. So cheer up, They wouldn't want you to be miserable at a chance at something good for a change."
Artoria widens her eyes and dons a smile on her face "Thanks Muramasa." facing him with genuine appreciation. She can't deny that those words ring true, she should have more faith in them, as if to say it so, if he believes it to be true, so would she.
"Ha… I'm your bodyguard, remember? Don't go burdening yourself with everything, I'm here to help you ya know." He replied with a smirk on his face. Unaware of the fact he just enforced her belief in that trust that blacksmiths are never bad people.
She bows, "Please take care of me once again, Muramasa."
"That's more like it." He nods, and pats her on her head which she didn't refuse.
"Ah! Where's Oberon? Normally he would've said something by now," realization hit her where the normally talkative Fairy King in name only, would've commented about the situation by now.
"You'll see, he'll be back here soon." He replies nonchalantly.
And on time, Oberon arrives back on Vesper's back.
Transforming back to his original form, Blanca lands on his right arm. "Alright, I got good news and bad news, which one do you want to hear first?" said in a serious tone.
Both Artoria and Muramasa looked at each other before the latter shrugged and the former asked. "The good news."
"Great choice! I have found a village and it's about a twenty minutes walk there before we find the main road to it, and an hour more walk there before reaching it," Pointing towards the direction they'll be heading later on.
"And for the bad news?" Artoria asked apprehensively.
"I lied, there is none." He winked and laughed.
Both of them deadpanned at that.
"Come now, I was trying to liven up the somber mood," Oberon reasoned, facing Artoria. "But it seems that was unnecessary on my part, seeing that Muramasa has it resolved." Then towards Muramasa.
"Mhm, anyhow did you spot any smithies in the village? I'll like to get some materials for some things I have in mind." Muramasa said, taking another gloss over look at Atortia's current wear.
Dressed in a worn out outfit filled with cuts but with the appearance and making that fits for nobility, with a cape that reaches towards her thighs, a big ribbon shaped bow in the middle of the outfit, and a missing jewel holding it together in the center of it. Fitted with long stockings that took quite the damage in all areas, with boots that seem relatively unharmed.
'I'll need to get her multiple outfits, and another with more armor protection in mind,' humming to himself with a hand to his chin. 'And a new hammer.'
"What were you looking at me for Mura-" Abruptly cut off from finishing her sentence.
Suddenly the world above them with the barely risen sun begins to tear with cracks all over. Stained with a bloody atmosphere, from cracks spawns creatures of horrific proportions, falling down to the world below.
Alarmed at the sudden change "Is that a calamity!?" Artoria blurred out.
"Oberon, I need you to be there fast! See if you can help in any way!" Not wasting any time, Muramasa starts barking orders.
Oberon immediately obliges, understanding what he means, transforming and zooming off with speed that could break the sound barrier.
"Uwaahh!" Grabbing Artoria in a bridal carry while ignoring her shouts, before making a mad dash off to the village resulting in a crater to the ground.
"Do you have any Magecraft to speed us up even further?" The blacksmith asks out loud while jumping tree to tree.
"Ah, Y-yes! I'll get to it right now!" She says while her face as red as a tomato, hugging her staff tightly with one hand, it glows brighter and with a snap of her finger, Muramasa dashed almost twice as fast.