Disclaimer: I don't own Fate/Grand Order or anything, just the OC. Support the official release.
Following Kiyohime's instructions, we eventually find Servant Rider, Georgios, fighting a horde of wyverns and undead by himself.
"Georgios-san!" Ritsuka calls out.
[Analysis Complete]
Servant Rider
True Name: Georgios
Strength: D
Endurance: A+
Agility: C++
Mana: D
Luck: A+
NP: C
[Also known as Saint George and the Dragon-Slaying Saint. A saint of the Catholic Church whose main stories are in the Golden Legend, a collection of tales about saints, and in the Seven Champions of Christendom. In the Golden Legend, he stops by a village who offered human sacrifices to appease a dragon, Georgios capture the dragon with a spear and would only kill it on the condition that the country converted into Christianity. In the Seven Champions of Christendom, he was kidnapped at a young age and raised by an evil witch. When he found out of her true nature, he sealed the witch in her cave which released six other saints. Later, Georgios ventures into Egypt and rescues a princess being offered as a sacrifice to a dragon, killing the dragon by striking it at a spot uncovered by scales with Ascalon, a sword offered to him by the witch who had raised him]
"Hm?" The dragon slayer glances back and sees the group. "More of your Servants? How many do you plan to twist and pervert, Dragon Witch?" He then noticed a familiar face in the group. "It's you."
"Nice to see you again, Mr. Slayer." Kiyohime greets.
"Wait, wait, wait! We're not with her! We're here to help!" Ritsuka clarifies.
"Fou, Fou!"
"..." The Servant slices down another skeleton. "I sense no malice in your words. Who are you?"
"My name is Ritsuka Fujimura, I'm a Master from Chaldea." Ritsuka gestures to Mashu. "And this is Mashu.
The Demi-Servant bows. "Pleased to meet you, sir."
"Fou!" Fou barks.
"And this little guy here is Fou." Ritsuka scratches his chin.
The saint still gave the group a skeptical look. "Tell me, why have you come seeking me specifically?"
Mashu then explains their entire mission to the Dragon Slayer.
"I see… to think a relic blessed by the son of the Lord would be the source of such madness. It is unfathomable." Georgios said. "Unfortunately, I cannot leave this place until all of the citizens have been evacuated."
I stare at the burning town. "Origin."
[The undead army have already decimated 22% of the villagers, the wyverns have decimated 12%. Servant Rider was only able to defeat 3% of the total forces. On his own, his chances of success are at least 6% and that's me being nice]
"... Georgios. I may have a solution." I told him.
The dragon knight looks at me. "And you are?"
"Call me Frank, sir. I am a tag-along on this mission." I replied.
"I see. While I am thankful, I cannot in good conscience allow you alone to fight these monsters by yourself." Georgios refutes.
I felt my eyebrow twitch as something bubbles inside me from hearing that. What is it? And why is it making me want to prove him wrong?
[So, this is what it feels like to be looked down upon? Not a great feeling]
Without saying a word, I fly upwards, much to the shock and disbelief of the newcomers.
"He can fly!?" Elizabeth exclaims.
"Oh right, you weren't there for that but yeah, he can fly." Ritsuka says with a shrug.
"How unexpected." Kiyohime comments.
Marie has stars in her eyes as she tugs her friend back and forth. "See, Amadeus. He is an angel!"
Semiramis looks on in wonder as he continues his ascend. "Ara~ I wonder what sort of surprise you'll give us this time."
I look down at the town from above the clouds, the full moon shining brightly behind me. "How is it looking?"
[Spiritron output calculations are complete. Go nuts]
I extend my arm out and a massive violent magic circle forms and encompasses the entire town, leaving all down below to be dumbstruck by the sight.
"I won't let a single one of you escape."
Water begins to rise from the magic circle and form upside down puddles in the sky like water leaking in the ceiling. The puddles begin to stretch and split forming a small orb of water in mid air while at the same time, identical orbs appear in front of the monster.
"Die! Be burned through by Divine Retribution──"
I raise my hand as high as I can.
"Megiddo!"
The light from the moon is reflected on the droplets and are down to the spheres under them. The orbs act as lenses, sending that focused light down as laser beams as it bounces from orb to orb, swifting into different angles as it continues their descent.
As for the monsters, it was already too late. The moment the light reached their orb, it ran through their heads like a microscopic scalpel straight through their brains; instant death.
In Chaldea
"WHAT THE FUCK!?" Both Romani and Olga scream out at the same time.
"Huh… did not see that coming." da Vinci calmly remarks.
Back with the others
The bodies of all of the monsters collapse like puppets whose strings were cut.
Everyone is at a loss for words as the bodies fall around them. One minute. It took him one minute to clear out the entire town while Georgios was at it for maybe hours.
"Wow…" Elizabeth whispers, marbling at the swift action.
Kiyohime nods.
Marie puffs her chest. "Yep! Our Angel-sama is truly a sight to behold!"
"A new record." Salter smirks.
Cu clicks his tongue. "Bastard. Why does he always take the spotlight?"
I make my descent down and land between the group and Georgios. "All hostels have been eliminated."
Georgios' jaw was wide open from what he just witnessed. Who… who is this boy? Is he a Heroic Spirit or something else entirely?
Just then, the remaining townspeople begin to march our way. As they do, Jeanne and Salter assume spirit form in order to not cause panic.
One of them, who I assume is the mayor, walks up to us and bows. "On behalf of the people of Thiers, I thank you all from the bottom of our hearts."
"Oh you don't have to thank us." Marie points to me. "It was Angel-sama who did everything!"
"An angel? So God has truly answered our prayers after all!" The mayor cried.
"Lord Angel!"
"God's messenger has arrived! He will vanquish the Dragon Witch!"
The townspeople cheer and celebrate as the monsters have been defeated, even though the peace is only temporary.
Georgios steps forward. "I'm afraid there is no time to celebrate. It is only a matter of time before the Dragon Witch sends more monsters."
The atmosphere quickly shifts as reality sets in. "Yes, you are right Sir. Knight. But where will we go? The roads are riddled with danger and not everyone is ready for the journey."
"What about the fort?" Everyone turns to Mashu. "There's an abandoned fort just a couple of miles from here. If you go now, you may arrive before dawn."
The old mayor strokes his beard. "It's far, but it's doable. I will start rounding everyone right away." He walks back to the survivors.
Suddenly, I'm tackled to the ground by Elizabeth, her face mere inches from mine. "What the hell was that!?"
"A Noble Phantasm." I calmly replied. "Or at least, is it the best description that fits."
"So you're a Servant." Kiyohime said.
"No." I push the dragon idol and raise myself upwards. "Despite my power, I am not a Heroic Spirit. And I'm not Sorcerer or an 'angel' as everyone likes to call me either.
"So then… what?"
I shrug.
Ritsuka turns her attention to Georgios. "Will you be coming with us, now that the townspeople are safe?"
Georgios nods a no. "I'm afraid not. They will need someone to grant them safe passage on their journey."
Ritsuka smiles and nods. "I understand. Good luck."
"To you as well, Master of Chaldea." Georgios waves goodbye as he makes his way towards the survivors.
"Haa, well that's a shame. I was looking forward to another saint to be on the team." Romani sighs.
"What are you moping about? Did you not see Frank kick ass back there? We already have everything we need!" Olga Marie exclaims.
"You wouldn't understand…" Romani sobs.
"I forget he's an avid fan of mythology and human history." da Vinci chimes in.
"Master, we should get going." Medusa said.
Ritsuka nods and everyone walks towards their final destination.
Later
We eventually found a place to set up camp and settle down. After a quick dinner, Ritsuka and Mashu are sound asleep in their tent while the rest of the Servants are on guard duty since we don't need to sleep like them.
I decided to take a gander and wander the surrounding forest. The gears in my mind turn as I recollect everything that has happened since coming to this altered world.
The suffering, the death, the hatred.
What would make someone hate humanity so much to the point they want to burn it all? What prompted such an irrational action? And more importantly, who brought a Holy Grail here?
The Holy Grail appearing here isn't random, someone sent the grail to this era in the hopes that someone would discover it and use it to cause a major divergence in the timeline. The fact that there are six more solidifies this theory. I can feel time getting clogged the longer I remain here, its foundations slowly burning at the seams.
[It seems this is all part of one massive plan. One that has been in the making for likely centuries]
"Yes. That is why we need to get this Holy Grail and analyze it. I need to know who or what is the cause of this." I growl. "It's frustrating not knowing anything."
Suddenly, I stop as I hear an odd sound in the distance. Turning my attention to the sound, I follow it until I reach a lake and there I see something I didn't expect.
It is Elizabeth sitting on a fallen log… and she's singing.
"Mirror, tell me something,
Tell me who's the loneliest of all?
She stares at her reflection in the water, the moon's light bouncing off making the lake glow faintly.
Mirror, tell me something,
Tell me who's the loneliest of all?
Fear of what's inside of me;
Tell me can a heart be turned to stone?
Mirror, mirror, what's behind you?
Save me from the things I see!
I can keep it from the world,
Why won't you let me hide from me?
The more she sings, the more I can pick up on her emotions. She was sad. Sad and lonely.
Mirror, mirror, tell me something,
Who's the loneliest of all?
I'm the loneliest of all.
*CRACK!*
"...!? Who's there!? Come out and show yourself!" Elizabeth stands up and summons her spear/mic. "I got a mic and I know how to use it!"
I walk out of the trees and stare at Elizabeth.
"You!? What are you doing here!?" Elizabeth demands, surprised to see me.
"... I was attracted to your song." I answered truthfully.
"My song." Elizabeth blinks before she smirks. "Hmph, of course you were! No one can resist my charming voice after all."
"Hm."
"So~" The dragon idol skips towards me. She leans forward making our eyes meet. "What did you think of my song? Was it dazzling? Sublime? Maybe you want to have my autograph?"
"It was sad." I replied.
"Huh?"
"The lyrics in the song made a big emphasis on your loneliness. Not only that, but every word you uttered was riddled with sadness and regret." I explained.
"You…you were able to pick up on that?" Elizabeth said clearly dumbstruck.
"I know who you are. I knew the moment I saw you." The girl's eyes widened. "Elizabeth Báthory, the Hungarian countess who bathed in the living blood of more than 600 women, better widely known as the vampire Carmilla." Elizabeth flinches at that. "She was tried in 1611 and was sealed in a room in her own castle, where she was kept under constant guard until the end of her life."
"So… you know…" Elizabeth looks downhearted. "Do you hate me now? You likely do." She turns to the lake. "Looking back now, I don't know what happened to make me become what I was. Maybe it's because of how messed up my family was that I turned out like that, or maybe because of some disorder I probably had and didn't know about." She hugs herself. "I can still hear their voices sometimes, you know. I took those girls from their loving families and tortured them. They'd beg and scream for it all to end for hours on end and I did this again and again, all for a reason that seems pretty dumb now." Her grip on her sides tightened. "I hated the prison they put me in, that dark and lonely place with no light inside it, but at the same time I couldn't blame them for putting me in there; I know I deserved far worse."
I stare at her as she continues her story.
"That's why… that's why I decided to become an idol." Elizabeth declares. "Everyone loves idols. So if I become an idol, then naturally, everyone will love me instead of fear me." She states. "I… I just don't want to be seen like that, not anymore."
[So she dreams of becoming an idol in the hopes that she will be seen in a different light. An independent entity from the being she became in life. While I find the idea refreshing, I can see that such a journey will have many obstacles and turmoil. She reminds me of that feud with the Counter Guardian]
The dragon girl looks at me, pleading blue eyes eagerly waiting for a response. She expected him to tell her how stupid and immature her dream is and that someone like her will never change.
"Elizabeth, you realize the difficulty of that sort of endeavor, yes?" I asked.
"I know, but… that doesn't mean I should just give up. I want people to smile and be happy when they hear my songs!" Elizabeth declares with conviction.
I close my eyes before opening them again. "Very well then."
Elizabeth tilts her head in clear confusion. "... eh?"
"I acknowledge your resolve." I elaborate. "If you truly believe becoming an idol will make people love you, then I'm sure it will."
"B-But… why!?" Elizabeth exclaims, shaking her head in disbelief at what she just heard. "Don't you understand what that means!? You're supporting a murderer, a serial killer! After all I did, you still want to give me a chance!?" In all, Elizabeth wanted to know why this complete stranger acknowledged her dream. She was a killer, a monster in human skin! Unlike the others, she didn't deserve to be happy!
"I don't judge Elizabeth, I simply accept." I told her. "You said it yourself, remember? You hated the life you lead in life and regret the sins you committed. That shows me how remorseful and human you truly are. And if you believe becoming an idol will absolve some of that burden then I don't see why I or the others would stand in your way. I know Ritsuka and Mashu would support you to the end."
Elizabeth was stunned, how could she not? For the first time ever, someone actually believes in her. In her dream. Her chest begins to stir as new emotions begin to flare, emotions she hasn't felt since her adulthood. She looks up and stares directly at those onyx eyes and although they seem blank and empty, Elizabeth can see the radiance and warmth deep within them if only for a little bit.
"Ara, ara~ aren't you going to kiss him?" Oh god, why must you do this?
A familiar Berserker Servant walks out from her hiding place and sports a bemused expression.
"Kiyohime." I called her out.
"Forgive me, I just couldn't help myself to eavesdrop on your conversation. I must say it was very enlightening." She turns her attention to Elizabeth. "So, how does it feel to be loved?"
"S-Shut up, you lizard bitch! You don't know what you're talking about!" Elizabeth cries.
"Oh? Then why are you crying?"
"Huh?" Elizabeth raises her hands to her face and she can dampness in her skin. "T-This means nothing!" She shouts, her voice cracks as she desperately wipes her face with her hands. "S-Something got in my eyes that's all! It… it has nothing to do with Manager saying those corny things!"
I give Elizabeth a deadpanned look. First angel, now manager? What's with these Servants and giving me weird nicknames?
"Is that so? Then you mind me doing this, do you?" Kiyohime walks up to me and grabs my right arm. She hugs it, letting it sink between the ample mounds she keeps hidden under her kimono. "Such strong and firm muscles~"
Elizabeth rushes in and tries to pry Kiyohime off him. "G-Get away from him, you dragon pervert!"
"Make me, bug bites!" Kiyohime dared.
[Who would have thought you would turn out to be such a lady's man?~]
"Origin, shut up." I hissed.
As the two continue to throw insults at each other, I feel Kiyohime's grip on me loosen and, without her noticing, I slip my arm out as the two quickly pounce on each other.
I use this opportunity to quietly leave the scene just as the fight escalates in a literally explosive way.
[Can those two get even more immature? They're both hundreds of years old and yet they act like children]
I can't help but agree.
I stop and turn to a nearby tree. "Are you finally going to reveal yourself or do I have to force you out?"
Above a tree, something falls and lands right in front of me; it was Medusa.
"If you're going to fight me, I won't show any mercy." I warned her.
"... I did not come here to fight." Medusa said. "I am observing you."
Observing? Now this caught my interest. "Explain."
"You are an enigma in all of this. Your abilities are far beyond that of any Servant in existence. Yet, you continue to help us." Medusa states. "It is… curious."
"... have you ever considered that these Singularities are not just affecting human history."
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"People don't understand time, it's not what you think it is." I began. "You all assume that time is a strict progression of cause and effect, but in actuality from a nonlinear, non subjective point of view, it's really a big ball of wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff."
I can feel her glare through the blind fold. "Are you mocking me?"
"I can feel time, Medusa. I don't know how, but I can feel it and it's dying." I admit. "Fixed points aren't supposed to be rewritten, it's causing the fabric of time to decay and burn as new possibilities are stuffed into already established events. Meaning that it's not just history in danger, but all of reality as we know it."
"If this it's so serious, why haven't you told Chaldea or Master?" Medusa asked, wondering why he is keeping this from everyone
"Same reason I'm tagging along, to share the burden. Gudako already has the fate of the entire human race on her shoulders, adding an additional burden will break her." I replied.
"You don't know that. Master is stronger than she looks." Medusa counters.
"I know, and that's why I'm here." There was a fire brimming in my eyes. "I won't let her get hurt. No matter what, I'll always be by her side."
Medusa was taken aback by his response. The amount of concern and care his words carried was unnatural for someone who, by nature, shouldn't have such emotions. Yet through their entire journey, Frank has always shown a level of concern and kindness to his allies. In other words, he has showcased human emotion despite the blank expression he always wears.
Perhaps… She was wrong about him.
"Now then, is there anything else you want to discuss?" His question snaps her out of her train of thought.
"No. I got all I needed." Medusa's body disappears in a blue mist.
[We just cannot catch a break tonight, can't we?]
"No, we do not." I sigh and make my way back to camp.
Tomorrow's a big day.
Undead.
Hundreds upon thousands of undead in a variety of forms.
The cries of Wyverns can be heard as they fly just above the clouds.
And sitting at the very center of it all is a castle so dark, so vile that it came from the underworld itself.
From a hill, everyone can see the town in all its vile glory.
"It can't be…" Tears threaten to fall from Jeanne's face. "This… this is Orleans…?"
"It's been defiled, twisted… we may as well be stepping into Hell itself." Marie remarks.
"Hell…" Jeanne whispers.
"This music… it's hideous!" Amodeus covers his ears. "The rattles, the groaning, the ambience, it's all wrong! Wrong, I say! It is madness!"
"Well, I can at least agree with him in that regard." Romani said in clear horror.
"As Frank predicted, it is swarming with monsters. The Dragon Witch clearly doesn't want anyone getting near it." Olga said.
"This is where Jeanne died, murdered by her own people. In a way, you could say this was the place the witch was born." Semiramis states.
Jeanne doesn't say anything and looks on with a concerned look on her face.
"It's going to take everything we have to punch through that army." Olga said.
Cu raises his spear. "Don't worry, me and the big guy here can get you through no problem."
"Actually, I was thinking Frank should do it."
"Oh, come on!" Cu yelled.
Lu Bu lets out an annoyed huff.
"I agree. Frank has proven to be quite capable." Salter adds.
"He probably already has something in his sleeve." Semiramis said.
"I hate you!" Cu whined.
"He is more competent than you." Medusa chimes in.
"You too, lady!?"
I stare at the army of monsters.
[There are a total of 56,522 enemies ranging from undead, golems, werewolves, and wyverns. I am also detecting Graph signatures approaching to our location as we speak, I can confirm the Holy Grail is with them]
"She's on the move." Everyone turns to me. "She's coming here right now."
"Wait, who- are you talking about the Dragon Witch!?" Romani asks.
"I can detect the Holy Grail's energy signature." The shot magnifies to reveal Alter riding a wyvern alongside her Servants, all the while sporting an ominous grin on her face. "She and her Servants are already on their way here."
"Well then, there's no time like the present is there!?" Elizabeth summons her spear/microphone. "I'll blow them all away with my song!"
"Not so fast, little lizard. I plan on taking her flames of hatred with my flames of love." Kiyohime said.
Elizabeth scoffs. "As if! Your flames won't do shit when I get to her first!"
A tick mark appears on the dragon's forehead. "Is that so? Are you saying your dingy music can match against my eloquent singing?"
"Oh yeah, I'm the world's most loving idol after all!"
"More like the world's most annoying brat."
"What did you call me!?"
"You heard me, you spoiled brat!"
"Why you-!"
"Enough, both of you!" The two dragon girls flinch as the Assassin glares down at them with a demonic aura. "If you two don't shut up this instant I will drown you both with my most lethal poison!"
The dragon girl trembles as the scary queen glares down at them.
"We need to clear out the ground soldiers if we want to breach the encirclement." I said.
"So, what's the plan?" Ritsuka jumps forward. "Are you going to blast them in an instant?"
There is a brief silence. "Your majesty."
Semiramis turns her attention to me.
"It's time."
Semiramis blinks before she smiles. "Oh? Are you sure you want this queen to take your spotlight? How chivalrous of you."
I didn't respond to her jab.
"Hmph. You're no fun." Semiramis walks towards the edge of the cliff, her senses are breached as someone grabs her shoulder. "!?"
"You will need me in order to bypass the restrictions of your Noble Phantasm." I told her.
Ara~ How thoughtful of you." She looks on at the horizon. "Let us begin."
My eyes glow with power. Circuit grids travel through my arm as they reach out for Semiramis.
[Access granted. Begin override sequence now]
"Mmmmm~" Semiramis moans with pleasure. "I can feel you inside of me, it feels so gooooood~"
The females of the group all blush at the implications.
Semiramis raises her hand as it releases a purple pulse.
"Gardens... float up."
Everyone can feel the earth suddenly shaking before exploding outwards. Everyone turns to see the massive dust cloud in the distance as a silhouette of the massive structure rises from within.
A powerful gust of wind does away with the cloud of dust, revealing a massive tower surrounded by a stone citadel with the front section completely missing with stone "panels" orbiting around it.
"Let me show you the castle in heaven that no human touches. The hanging gardens──Hanging Gardens of Babylon!"
The panels light up as they form a purple ring before the energy converges at the gap and fires a large purple ray that hits the encirclement as it moves upwards before erupting in a series of explosions that decimate almost everything, leaving a scorched earth in its place.
"Become ashes like ants. Fufu... Fuhahahaha!"
The group takes a step back as the queen madly cackles on, the destruction combined with the sudden euphoria making it worse.
[96% of the enemy forces have been terminated, 85% of which were ground troops. There are still more within the city itself and there are still wyverns flying about]
Semiramis turns around and kisses me without warning… again.
"What the fuck!?" Olga cries.
Ritsuka grits her teeth. "You bitch…!"
Salter sends the queen a glare while Medusa simply stays silent.
Mashu clutches her chest as a weird feeling rises up within her. 'Could this be… jealousy?'
"Oh my! How bold! I always knew that love can bloom on the battlefield." Marie cheers.
Our lips part and we stare at each other. "I love you…"
"..." I did not know how to respond to that. I did not understand these emotions rising within me.
"Whatever he did boosted the queen's Noble Phantasm. It decimated pretty much all of the Dragon Witch's main forces." Romani's voice was a blessing in disguise.
"Not entirely. We are still detecting several survivors, not to mention the wyverns still airborne." Da Vinci said.
I stare at Semiramis. "Can I count on you?"
"Of course." She smiles.
"Then give us backup from the air." I told her.
With that, Semiramis teleports away as I turn my attention to the rest of the group. "We need to get down there. Lu Bu, Cú Chulainn, and Medusa will deal with the wyverns." I turn to the rest of the group. "Amadeus, Marie, Siegfried and Artoria can deal with the remaining ground forces." I glance at Ritsuka, Mashu, and Jeanne. "Kiyohime, Elizabeth, and I will open a path to the castle so you can deal with Caster."
"Wait, how the hell am I supposed to bring down a dragon!?" Cu demands.
"Improvise. You have two powerhouses by your side." I deadpanned.
With that done, we rush head first into the battlefield.
Wyverns descended as soon as they sensed our presence and immediately attacked, diving forward and unleashing whirlwinds that cut through the very earth.
"Yikes, they really don't want us anywhere near the town." Cu remarks.
"Keep pressing on, our role is to get their attention." Medusa said.
Cu twirls his spear while grinning. "You don't have to tell me twice!" The tip of his spear unleashes a wave of bloodlust. "Gáe… Bolg!" He thrusts the spear forward releasing a red blurr that moves at impossible angles before piercing a wyvern right through the chest leaving a gaping hole in the middle.
The wyvern croaks as it falls to the ground with a loud thud.
"Congratulations, you killed one wyvern out of hundreds." Medusa remarks dryly as more wyverns fly down.
"Tch. Then how about you stop whining and help us out?" Cu growled.
Without saying anything, Medusa looks straight at the wyverns. She takes one of her hands and undoes her blindfold, letting it fall seamlessly on the ground.
The camera closes up on her face as she raises her head and opens her eyes, revealing them to be a beautiful pair of amethyst purple. However, the iris in her eyes takes on a more rectangular shape rather than circular like normal.
Strands of her hair rise up like snakes as her body is surrounded in bloodlust unlike the Child of Light's Noble Phantasm as her eyes begin to shine.
Originally a goddess with unparalleled beauty, she was cursed by a petty goddess to slowly become a monster, her eyes becoming a curse to everyone who gazed upon them. She took it upon herself to protect her sisters from anyone who wished them harm, but the blood and constant fighting drove her insane, becoming the monster she was trying to avoid and devouring her sisters before she met her end by the hands of another victim of the gods.
Such is the tale of Medusa, the monster of the Shapeless Isles.
As the wyverns got closer, they turned their sights on Medusa and the energy she was releasing, so they sought her out like moths to a flame ready to devour her.
Fools.
The instant their eyes met, their fate was sealed. Their bodies grow stiff as stone takes the place of flesh. The monsters try to stop it, but the subspecies have no way to defend themselves as their bodies become petrified and fall from the sky like raindrops, breaking apart the moment they touch the earth.
As the stone statues continue to drop, Medusa picks up her blindfold and puts it back on.
"So," She turns to the battle maniac with a smug look on her face "is this satisfactory enough for you, Lancer?"
"If you had something like this, why didn't you use it till now!?" Cu demands.
Medusa ponders for a moment… and simply shrugs.
Lu Bu roars as he launches his spear at the wyverns, skewering five of them before he uses it as a club to crush more.
Cu clicks his tongue. "Show off."
The floating fortress fires another laser vaporizing more enemies.
"Oh come on!"
At the same time
Artoria Alter and Siegfried cut down the werewolves with ease. "Tch. So weak."
"I would not badmouth our good fortune, your majesty." Siegfried said.
She ignores and glances behind her. "Hurry up already."
Both Amadeus and Marie breathe heavily as they lean on a couple of rocks.
"Easy *wheeze* for you to say *wheeze*. We're not *wheeze* warriors like you." Amadeus manages to say between breaths.
"Yes… you're moving too fast, Ms. Saber." Marie adds.
Siegfried suddenly senses something and turns to the sky. "He's here."
Three wyverns descend, they are larger than the rest as a familiar figure jumps down from the middle one.
"I knew you would survive. If there was anyone determined enough to make it here, it would be you." Berserk Saber, Chevalier d'Eon, comments.
Marie quickly stands up. "But of course I would be here! If I did not fight for the people of my country then what kind of queen would I be!?"
"Ngh, that's easy for you to say… I was never built for this sort of labor." Amodeus groans as he fights his exhaustion.
d'Eon can't help but give a sad smile. "You are a true queen, one I would serve faithfully. I would give anything for that opportunity." That smile soon turns into a frown. "But… as a Berserker, all I feel is a burning rage, a rage that's on the verge of surfacing." He hugs his sides tightly. "Please… run. I… don't want to kill you…."
"Nu-uh, no way, absolument pas!" Marie crosses her arms in an "X". "I will save you my beautiful knight! And then we will go on many adventures together!"
Amadeus sighs. "I knew you would say that," he then smiles "but you wouldn't have become queen without that charming personality."
d'Eon lets out a sorrowful laugh. "I wish it were that easy… ugh, I can already feel my sanity eroding away." He looks to Salter. "Please… kill me…"
Salter stares before giving him a nod.
Black miasma begins to surround his body. "Ah… thank you…"
Siegfried raises her sword. "Here he comes."
The Berserker unsheathes his saber, blank eyes staring menacing at them like a predator.
"Amadeus…" Marie began.
"I hear you, I hear you. You want to save him, don't you?" Amadeus grips his baton tightly. "At my core, I am a coward. Don't be surprised when I run away."
Marie smiles. "Thank you."
"You always say that. It's annoying." Amadeus said.
Marie puffs her cheeks. "It's never annoying to thank someone."
"Focus. He is coming." Salter growled.
d'Eon lets out a roar and rushes forward.
Orleans Town Square
A group of zombies approach before they are all engulfed in blue flames and turn to ashes.
Kiyohime fans the smoke and ashes away. "What a disgusting stench. I hope it doesn't get on my kimono."
"Yeah," Elizabeth pulls her spear out of a corpse. "My spear should serve only for my voice. It doesn't need to be dirtied by these things." She glances forward as sees more monsters coming. "And more just keep coming!"
Just then, a purple ray passes by and the area where the monsters stood erupts in a large explosion.
Elizabeth clicks her tongue. "Damn that old hag. Thinks she's better than us because she has a flying castle."
Suddenly, purple lighting strikes Elizabeth leaving her charred.
Kiyohime hides her smile under her fan. "That's what you get for opening your big fat mouth."
Jeanne sweatdrops and Ritsuka nervously chuckles.
"We're almost at the castle, Senpai." Mashu said.
Ritsuka nods. "Then let's go!"
As we traverse through the ruined and empty town, Ritsuka and Mashu couldn't help but let their eyes wander and what they saw sickened them. Scorch marks can be seen everywhere, the charred skeletons of the residents litter the stone path, all of them heading in the opposite direction. There are also corpses lying on the ruined buildings, crushed and torn to pieces by the monsters the Dragon Witch summoned. You can feel the anger, the fear, the hatred permeating the very earth and air around us.
This is hell, this is hell in its purest form.
Ritsuka paled, she tried to hold back the incoming vomit as the stench of ash and dried blood entered her nostrils.
"Senpai, please pull yourself together." The calming and soothing voice of Mashu gives her some closure.
Ritsuka gulps and straightens herself. "I… I'm fine, Mashu. Don't worry." She gives her kouhai a smile.
"This place is full of nothing but absolute hatred." Jeanne clutches her chest. "Is this… what she feels? How… how can she live like this!?"
"..." I look around the area as the ambient miasma seeps into my body.
[This place is radiating with magical energy but it has been corrupted. The Dragon Witch has turned this place into a breeding ground for monsters]
As we reach the plaza, something quickly catches our attention. "S-Senpai…" Mashu slowly points forward.
There, in front of us on the ground, was a massive scorch mark and in the middle was a small pile of ashes. Oddly enough, the ashes haven't been blown away by the wind or affected by the disaster that took the town.
Kiyohime glares at the scorch mark. "This one isn't like the rest in the town. It's far older, likely the first one."
"There's also the fact that the oppressive feeling is gone. I think this might be what humans call the eye of the storm." Elizabeth adds.
Mashu notices something and sees Jeanne frozen on the spot. "Jeanne…?"
"This… this is…!"
I walk towards it and crouch in front of the ashes before brushing away the ashes, revealing a wooden cross on the ground. Picking it up, Origin quickly analyzes it. The oppressive and negative aura slowly lifts away.
[There are strong emotions attached to this item. I believe this may be the source of the negative atmosphere we've been detecting. It is now evident that this cross has been inflicted with a powerful curse]
I get up and walk back towards the group.
"That's… that's my cross." Jeanne mutters out loud.
"It's cursed. It was the reason why this town has been exuding such a negative aura." I explained.
"I… don't understand." Jeanne said.
I narrow my eyes. "You still don't get it, do you?"
"Indeed. She still doesn't understand."
[Saint Graph detected]
The shot changes to the perspective of something running at fast speeds as it approaches the group though their focus seems to be on one member in particular.
I look back only for a clawed hand to grab my face, pushing me away from the group and across Orleans with inhuman strength. My face is grinded against the stone path, leaving pieces of flesh, muscle and teeth along with a smear of blood before getting thrown into a pile of burned wood and stone.
"FRANK!" The group yells in shock and worry.
I push myself upwards as my face regenerates and I get a good look at who the culprit is. Standing on all fours is a petite woman with beautiful unkempt silver hair that seemed to fade to lilac at the end, and sharp yellow eyes containing a beastly glint. Her outfit is bizarre as mostly comprised of black fur and the head of boar on her right shoulder that seemed to be alive. On the fur and boar head are purple tribal markings that pulse with power. Adoring her head are two animal ears reminiscent of a lion and tail of the same color.
[Analysis Complete]
Servant Archer (Berserker)
True Name: Atalanta
Strength: EX
Endurance: A++
Agility: A ++
Mana: EX
Luck: E
NP: A++
[A famous huntress known as the Chaste Huntress that appears in Greek Mythology. She became famous after being the first one to drive an arrow into the Calydonian Boar during its extermination. Also, she is included as a member of the Argonauts, which assembled brave heroes from all over Greece. Her current form is the result of the huntress using the Pelt of the Calydonian Boar on herself transforming her into a beast-like human. Due to being summoned as both an Archer and a Berserker, the result is a fusion of the Calydonian Boar and Atalanta herself; a mad beast with the skills of a huntress]
"Grr… kill… KILL!" Her words come out as a growl rather than cohesive sentence.
[I am detecting large quantities of dragon blood in her system. My analysis confirms that the blood came from Fafnir]
Atalanta jumps, exposing her long sharp claws as she goes to strike.
I leap to the right just as Atalanta slashes through the debris behind me with ease before turning to my direction and trying again.
"She's relentless. I need to make some distance." I said as I continued to dodge her attacks.
Jalter picks up the wooden cross, her Servant Assassin by her side. "Do you remember this, my weaker half? This is the cross that we held when we were executed." She chuckles. "Funny that the faith we so desperately clung to led to our mutual destruction."
Jeanne said nothing.
"Oh? Now you're giving me the silent treatment? You were so chatty the last time we met?" Her smile's all teeth. "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"
"How could you… How could you do this!?" Jeanne demands. "How can you stand there and smile at the death and destruction you caused!?"
"Easy. Because they deserved it. They deserve it for betraying us." Jalter replies. "Did you ever wonder how the English managed to capture us? The answer is because the church sold us out! They were scared of the power we wield, so like cowards they went behind our backs and tipped them off! And then, they had the audacity to brand us as heretics." Her grip on the cross tightens making creaking noises. "And the worst part is that the people knew, EVERYONE KNEW!"
*Smash!* The wooden cross breaks in her hands, pieces of it fall to the ground.
Jeanne's shocked by the reveal. "That… that can't be…"
Jalter smashes the remains with her heels. "It doesn't matter… pretty soon everything will burn."
"But it doesn't have to be this way." Ritsuka steps in. "I can't say that I understand what you've been through, what you're going through now, but I'm willing to help you. I know that deep down you're a good person if you just try."
Jalter's hair shadows her eyes before a smile forms on her face. "He… hehehehehe… HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" She just can't help but laugh. "Good person!? That has to be the most asinine thing I have ever heard. Oh, my sides are killing me!" She continues to laugh like a maniac.
Everyone stares in concern as Jalter keeps on laughing. Eventually, the laughing seizes and she calms down, her body stretching forward as she grabs her face. "Haa… I needed that." She soon straightens herself and Ritsuka flinches at the glare coming from behind her fingers. "You are the type of person I despise most. A naive brat who sees the world black and white. You are just an eyesore." She glances at her Servant. "Kill them."
"As you wish." Carmilla smiles and takes a step forward. "Oh, how I've been looking forward to this. I will finally bathe in your blood."
Elizabeth steps forward and points her spear at Carmila. "You're gonna have to get through me first!"
Carmilla blinks and grits her teeth. "You… of course a brat like you would get in my way." She sets the iron maiden down. "Fine, I'll kill you first!"
"Master, your orders?" Mashu asked.
"We have no choice, we have to fight them." Ritsuka said. "Kiyohime, you help Elizabeth fight the Assassin. Jeanne, Mashu, you're with me."
"Understood." Mashu nods.
Kiyohime sighs. "If I must. I suppose I could give that lamprey a little help."
Jalter clicks her tongue. "And where the hell do you think you're going!?" She launches herself forward, spear held tight as she charges for Kiyohime only to be stopped by a familiar black shield.
"Ha!" Mashu pushes forward and parries the flag causing the dark Servant to be pushed back. She doesn't stop there as she goes for the offensive and strikes the enemy with a series of heavy strikes.
"Enough!" Jalter unleashes a wave of flames, forcing Mashu to raise her shield in defense as she is pushed back by the momentum.
"Mashu!" Ritsuka yells in concern.
"Stay behind me, Master!" Jeanne twirls her spear and takes a fighting stance.
Flames coat the Dragon Witch's body as she menacingly walks forward. "I will burn you all to ashes!"
A brick wall explodes as two bodies are seen crashing to the ground.
I push the mad Servant off me before rushing forward and delivering a powerful uppercut that sends her flying out through the roof of the building we were in. The mad huntress twists herself forward before releasing a burst of mana from her feet, propelling herself downwards like a rocket and crashes head-first back into the building and it collapses on top of us.
The dust and debris don't even affect me as I stare at the animalistic Atalanta who was right on top of me, her eyes full of malice and hate as she claws my face in with ferocity. "KILL… MUST KILL EVERYTHING!" Blood, muscle and teeth splatter everywhere with every slash trying to claw her way right through my skull.
I thrust my arm forward and grabbed the mad Servant by the neck. She claws my arm in a desperate attempt to free herself as I rise up and my face regenerates in mere moments. I throw her across the area and she collides with another building which falls on top of her.
Mere moments later, Atalanta gets back up her sclera turning red as she foams at the mouth.
[Normally in her transformed state, she would retain her intelligence yet she's acting like an animal with rabies. I believe the blood of Fafnir is the cause of her frenzied state]
"Enough." I stump the ground and move my arms back causing the floor under Atalanta's feet to erupt and ensnare her like a snake would its prey, leaving her trapped.
"GRAAAAAAHHHHHH!" Atalanta screams as she uses all of her strength to break free.
[That's not going to last much longer]
"But it'll be just enough." I glance to my right. "What's your analysis on the Dragon Witch?"
[Jeanne d'Arc Alter is an anomaly. A wraith powered by a Holy Grail, she is by far the strongest being in this Singularity. If taking the data amassed thus far, it is evident that Gilles de Rais is the one responsible for her existence. His grief and hatred gave birth to this interpretation of the Holy Maiden, a mad woman hellbent on destruction. Statistically, as long as she has the Holy Grail she is, by all accounts, unstoppable]
The stones holding Atalanta begin to crack from the pressure.
"I may have an alternative." I raise my left arm and something begins to take form. It is a red gauntlet with sharp metal edges resembling scales with a large green jewel at the center of the hand. It has two golden tusks coming out of the back and golden tribal marks on both the front and back.
[Before you do anything, are you sure this is the right call? There's no guarantee this method will work]
I flex my crimson metallic digits. "If Gudako wants to complete her mission, she will need more than one source of power."
[For someone who doesn't care about humanity, you sure are putting a lot of faith in this fledgling magus]
The gauntlet begins to glow red. "Whatever the case, my decision is final." I pull my left arm back. "And I will see it through!" I thrust my arm forward and the gauntlet glows brightly before it bursts and blasts off into the skies.
"Please… let this work…" I whisper under my breath.
*SMASH!*
Atalanta breaks out of her restraints and pounces, but I twirl around and kick her away.
She twists her body and lands on her feet before reaching out with her left hand, summoning a bow.
"You plan to end this. I was thinking the exact same thing." A set of black gauntlets and greaves with a somewhat animalistic look appear on my arms and legs. The gauntlets vaguely resemble a wolf's head, with fangs and mane. The greaves look like clawed legs. They also have glowing veins that have white light flowing through them.
Energy begins to gather on the right gauntlet as Atalanta raises her bow as it is engulfed in darkness. She pulls the string as a large black arrow forms.
"Tauropolos Skia Thermokrasia!" She lets the arrow go and it flies to the sky, only for hundreds of black arrows to rain down upon me.
"Hell on Earth!" I plough my fist into the earth causing it to detonate into an explosive wave of magical energy so immense that it destroys everything around it, including Atalanta's attack.
"AAAHHHHHH!" Atalanta screams as she is caught in the powerful and violent shockwave.
When dust settles, all that's left is a large crater where buildings are supposed to be and standing at the center is a familiar figure.
[It's a good thing you regulated the mana output. If you haven't you would have erased Orleans, and the entirety of France, off the face of the earth]
I levitate upwards as a strange sound fills my ears. Turning to look I found the source which are the pained wails of Atalanta, her body, bloodied, twisted and mangled but still she manages to draw breath albeit barely.
[It won't be long before she returns to the throne]
Atalanta looks up and struggles to reach out with her. I notice that her eyes are no longer yellow but an emerald green as her sanity returns to her and tears fall from her face. "I… wasn't in control… f-forgive… me…"
I grab her hand and clutch it tight. "The nightmare is over, you can rest now."
Hearing this, Atalanta closes her eyes and her expression becomes more relaxed, more peaceful. "Thank… you…" Her body dissolves into golden light as she returns to the throne.
*BOOM!*
A loud explosion catches my attention as I turn to see red light beyond.
Meanwhile
"HAAAAAAA!" Jeane lets out a battle cry as she strikes her dark doppelganger… but it is swiftly blocked with ease. "!"
"Weak. Very weak. Die!" Jalter stabs her through the abdomen and flings her away with no effort.
"Jeanne-san!" Mashu charges forward, lifting her massive shield to deliver a series of heavy strikes but merely blocks them with the pole of her flag/spear.
"Slow." Jalter comments as she blocks all of the blows. She kicks her kick, knocking her off balance. "Sloppy." She goes for the head but Mashu manages to raise the upper half of her shield just enough for the spear tip to only grace her face. "SAD!" She punches the shield and, to Mashu's horror, a fist-sized dent is formed before she is sent flying by the force of the attack.
"MASHU!" Ritsuka cries out for her partner.
Jalter begins to laugh. "Is this the power of a Demi-Servant!? I must say I'm seriously disappointed!"
How does she know that?
Jalter turns her eyes to Ritsuka. "I'll give you a little credit. Not everyone has made it this far, but this is the end of the line. You only got yourself to blame for using such weak Servants."
"They're not weak! They're the strongest people I've ever met!" Ritsuka glares at her with defiance. "I'll gladly die for them!"
Jalter huffs and walks towards her. "Die, huh? Fine then." She unsheathes her sword as points it at Ritsuka's neck.
'Frank, please help me.' Ritsuka calls out.
Jalter pulls the blade back, ready to run it through. "Goodbye… little girl."
"NO!" Romani, Olga, and da Vinci cry out.
However, before she can go through the act something appears in the corner of her eye. Looking up, she sees a crimson light in the sky… and it's heading straight towards her!
"!" Jalter jumps back as crimson light falls on Ritsuka, engulfing her completely. She covers her eyes as the light becomes too blinding and engulfs her. The shot changes to a bird's eye view of Orleans where a red dot is seen before vanishing.
[Connection to terminal established. Force bypass of Spiritron Core successful. Initiating soul link and Origin Alteration]
As the light subsides, Jalter slowly moves her arms down and is shocked by what she sees. In Ritsuka's place is a suit of crimson red armor with green jewels located on both arms, knees, and chest. The helmet is smooth without a visible mouthpiece but has two golden tusks that seem to be sprouting from both sides of the face. She has piercing emerald eyes that she couldn't tell whether they came from the armor or her own eyes. Attached to the helmet was an armored braid that resembled a tail that went as far down as her ankles.
Jalter's shock quickly turns to anger. Again, that bastard stole her victory AGAIN!
"FUCK YOU!" Jalter rushes to pierce Ritsuka but the spear blade simply bounces off the armor; not even a scratch.
[BOOST, BOOST, BOOST]
Ritsuka uses this moment and sends a fury of punches at the dark saint giving her no time to defend herself.
[BOOST, BOOST, BOOST, BOOST, BOOST, BOOST, BOOST]
As she gets bombarded with more punches, they get stronger and faster. She delivers one more punch directly at Jalter's chest plate armor, denting it followed by the sounds of bone cracking as she is sent flying across the square and crashes to a nearby wall.
"Guack!" Jalter vomits blood as the pain quickly sets in. She lets out a tiny screech as she quickly digs herself out of the wall.
She wipes the blood from her mouth and smiles. "I'm gonna enjoy hearing you scream." She unsheathes her sword and it ignites.
Jalter charges at the armored Ritsuka, but the Last Master blocks the blade with her forearms unaffected by the cursed flames. "What is that armor made of!?"
[BOOST]
She is suddenly grabbed by her legs and swung to the floor repeatedly, the ground cracking with every swing. Ritsuka lifts and inspects the ragdolled saint before slamming her down two more times and ends it with a third and lets her go.
Jalter slowly pushes herself back up, using her flag for support as she glares at the Last Master with unbridled rage. "Why aren't you saying anything…? Am I so depraved and filthy that you won't even speak!? Because I'm nothing like your precious saint!?"
Ritsuka says nothing.
Jalter grits her teeth as her magical energy flares. "Fine. I'll just tear you apart until you're nothing but scrap metal!" She grabs her spear with both hands and raises it, letting the flag dance freely with the wind. "This is the howl of a soul filled with hatred! La Grondement Du Haine!"
Black stakes fall from above like a volley of missiles, however, just as they are about to hit their target a familiar figure jumps in and with a wave of his hand dismisses the Noble Phantasm.
"YOU! YOU'RE STILL ALIVE!? EVEN WITH THE ADDED POWER, THAT BITCH OF A SERVANT COULDN'T KILL YOU!" Jalter yells in outrage.
"It's over. Surrender." I glance at the red knight. "You did well."
Ritsuka slowly lifts her head. "F… rank…"
"I'll take care of this. Just rest for now."
Ritsuka's body suddenly collapses as her armor dissipates into red light before teleported away.
I turn my attention to the Dragon Witch. "Surrender."
The flames of hatred dance once more. "Never."
I close my eyes and open them. "Fine." I raise my hand and a katana materializes in it. The katana has a black ring handguard connected to its core by lines with a border of the same color. It heavily resembles a wagon wheel in appearance. The scabbard is black, made of traditional lacquered wood, and features several metallic ornaments on its far end.
Jalter smirks. "Hoh? Are you saying that I am now worthy of killing? What an honor. And all I had to do was-"
"I forgive you."
Jalter freezes and gives me a look. "What?"
"Everything you said, everything you've done… I forgive you." I said.
"Is this some kind of joke? Are you trying to make me angrier?" Jalter grits her teeth. "It doesn't matter if you forgive me, nothing will stop me from burning all humans in this world!"
"I know, that's why I forgive you." I told her. "You deserved better, you deserved to live a normal and fulfilling life. My words may seem hollow to you and that's fine," I give her a rare smile. "I just wanted you to know that someone cares about you."
"..." Jalter looks surprised.
"However," I grab the scabbard and take a stance. "This grudge has to end. And I will see to it personally."
"You want to put an end to my grudge, huh? Fine." Jalter smirks and readies her Noble Phantasm. "Then show me what you got!"
I take a deep breath, deeper than any human thought possible as I unsheath my sword and throw away the scabbard.
"La Grondement Du Haine!" Black stakes rain down on me.
As the attack descends, time seemingly slows down, "Hinokami Kagura…" Fire comes out of my mouth as I swing my sword in a circle, igniting the blade, the resulting swing creates a spiral of flames that destroys all incoming projectiles. "Burning Bones, Summer Sun!"
"!?" Jalter's eyes widened in shock.
"And now," I use that moment to rush in and perform a singular downwards vertical slash in an arcing motion, splitting Jalter's flag in half and a large slash mark across her torso with blood bursting out like a geyser. "Dance!"
"Guah!" Jalter vomits blood. 'It can't be… how could I lose…?' Her eyes looked down at the victor, only to see that he had a sad look on his face. 'Why are you looking at me like that…? You slayed the villain… you could at least… smile a little…' She loses consciousness and collapses to the ground, defeated.
"JEAAAAAANNNNNEEEEEEEE!" A loud voice cries out in anguish as Jalter's body is suddenly engulfed in shadows and sinks into it.
As she disappears, I turn my attention to the castle and make my way to it.
The sound of clashing metals is heard amongst the rubble of destroyed buildings. The black spear with the microphone attached to it met with the staff. Elizabeth flies high in the air to avoid the wave of blood that was sent her way. She stood on top of destroyed rubble, glaring down at her older counterpart, who did the same in turn.
"!" The dragon senses a presence and, turning back, sees a ghoul mere inches away before it suddenly bursts into blue flames and falls.
Elizabeth turns to her partner. "Thanks, but this doesn't mean we're friends!"
Kiyohime huffs and fans herself.
"Ara, Ara, this is unusual. Having someone watch your back must be a new experience for you." Carmilla remarks to her younger, more naive and disgustingly colorful, self. "After all, who would want to work with a murderer?"
"And what about you!? You serve the Dragon Witch! She wants to kill all humans!" Elizabeth retorts, her anger rising. "She doesn't care about you and yet you still follow her! Are you stupid or something!?"
"You're the stupid one!" Carmilla yelled, pointing her staff at her. Elizabeth flies back as an iron maiden falls from a portal destroying the debris she was standing on. "Just look at yourself! What a disgusting appearance of a so-called idol!"
Elizabeth screams unleashing pink sonic waves at the countess, but the vampire manages to keep herself in place. She already senses another portal opening and moves away just as chains shoot out and hit nothing. She shouts and dives forward, thrusting her spear at Carmilla, only for her to slam the tip of her staff down to trap it beneath.
The two glare at each other, equal amounts of hatred shared in their gazes.
"I won't allow anyone to badmouth my dream, especially YOU!" Elizabeth angrily yelled.
"Do you honestly think that by denying me, you can achieve this dream of yours?" Carmilla asked. "How utterly foolish! We are the same person! Our crimes can't be prevented, we can't be redeemed! We are the serial killer Elizabeth Báthory!"
"Shut up!" Elizabeth went to claw her face but she stepped back, chipping a bit of her mask and removing her staff from her hand. "I know that dammit! But I don't want to be like that anymore! I want to become someone people can love, not someone hated or feared!"
"Hmph. Childish, a childish and foolish dream that's all it is!" Carmilla remarks as she grabs her staff in midair. "No matter what nonsense you get you up while manifested, the World and its people will always remember you as a monster!"
"That's not true!"
"How droll. It's like watching a tacky and mediocre play." Kiyohime's fan snaps shut. "Why don't you two just kiss and make up already?"
"YOU STAY OUT OF THIS, YOU DAMN LIZARD!" Elizabeth and Carmilla yell simultaneously.
"Well, you cannot blame me for trying." Kiyohime chuckles. "But… are you really going to let this hag (Carmilla: HAG!?) take you down like this? As my friend I find that unacceptable."
"Wait… you called her your friend? Does that mean… you care about her?" Carmilla asked.
Kiyohime's fan snaps open as she hides her flustered face. "Yes… in a way I suppose."
Elizabeth was touched. "Kiki."
"Don't call me that." Kiyohime growls. "You can call me Kiyohime-sama or Great Empress of Love."
"Heck no! Kiki is cuter!"
"It most certainly is not!"
"Silence!" Carmilla shouts and glares at Kiyohime. "How can you stand there and say such things!? Do you know who she is!? Who we are!?"
"Yes I do." Kiyohime replies.
"And you're okay with that!? You still accept her!? How can you act like that while being friends with her!? She's just as much of a murderer as I am!"
Kiyohime glares at Carmilla. "Listen, you old hag (Carmilla: I AM NOT OLD!) I don't care what her past is, it does not change my opinion of her."
"And what, pray tell, is that?" Carmilla demands.
"A pompous, arrogant, spoiled, and selfish little brat that doesn't know when to keep her mouth shut. Also her singing needs some work." Kiyohime bluntly states.
Elizabeth's brows furrow at hearing this.
"But…" Elizabeth's face perks up. "She's likely the nicest, most adorable and determined Servant I've met. I also believe in her dream and I want to see her fulfill it."
Elizabeth begins to cry.
"I can't believe what I'm hearing! You're willing to forgive her!?" Carmilla cries.
"We are Heroic Spirits, however the word 'heroic' is merely just for show." Kiyohime states. "We are people who have accomplished many deeds, lots of which are considered too heinous and inhuman in the eyes of humanity. So, while we can't be forgiven, we can still change and move forward. After all, we were all human once."
"That's absurd! It doesn't make the least bit of difference!" Carmilla bursts out, her anger reaching new heights. "We are Heroic Spirits, our souls and personalities are fixed! We're ghosts of the past, we can't be redeemed!"
"And who decided that, you? An old bat too stuck up on her past deeds? Or that witch running around burning everything because she can't face the fact she was a powerless little girl in the end?" Kiyohime mocked.
"Enough! I let you speak that silver tongue of yours long enough!" Carmilla slams her staff into the ground, and a fresh wave of blood rockets across it before hardening and sharpening into spikes.
Kiyohime dodges the blood spikes but more keep spreading faster than she can move. Eventually, she's cornered but she's saved by Elizabeth who grabs her shoulders and they fly away just before a giant spike rises from where Kiyohime originally stood.
As they both land, Elizabeth turns her attention to Carmilla. "You were right about one thing, Carmilla. No matter what, nothing will change what we've done. We are, in the end, the legendary serial killer Elizabeth Bathory, the Blood Countess Carmilla, and denying you would mean running away from the crimes I've committed. But, that doesn't mean I can't take responsibility! It may be an ugly self depiction, however, I'll say it anyway, I DON'T WANT TO BE LIKE YOU!"
Carmilla's grip on her staff tightens, her eyes glowing under the mask. "You…!"
Elizabeth twirls his spear and takes a fighting stance. "Let's go, Kiki!"
Kiyohime gives her an annoyed look. "I told you not to call me that!" She then sighs. "But I guess I have no other choice."
Elizabeth goes first and launches herself at Carmilla again while Kiyohime gives her covering fire. The vampire avoids the fireballs but this only leaves her distracted long enough for Elizabeth to close distance and runs her through the right side of her body.
"ARGH!" Carmilla screams in pain as she grabs the polearm and uses her superior strength to pull it out and tries to smash her skull with her staff, but a swift kick in the abdomen from Kiyohime sends her tumbling down the mountain of rubble she was standing on.
Carmilla quickly stands up and summons iron maidens to crush the two, but they manage to dodge the barrage and make their way towards her once more. She summons a river of blood that overwhelms the two and uses this chance to go on the offensive. She charges at Kiyohime and kicks her with her foot numerous times using the sharp ends of her heels to stab her in the chest.
"NO!" Elizabeth cries and swipes at her older counterpart but the countess anticipates this and hurls a small iron maiden at her only to fling it back like a baseball and hits her in the face before she is swept aside.
"Are you okay!?" Elizabeth asks her rival.
"Ngh, I will be fine. This pain is nothing compared to the heartbreak I suffered." Kiyohime says as she slowly gets up.
"Are you sure?"
"Ye-MOVE!" The two split as a purple arc of energy almost slices them in two.
Elizabeth raises her spear to block Carmilla's staff. "Fall, FALL DAMN YOU!" Carmilla puts more strength in her staff pushing the dragon idol back as she tries to match her.
"Why don't you fall!?" Kiyohime summons more fireballs and launches them at Carmilla hitting her back. She screams from the intense heat and, using this opportunity, Elizabeth lets out an eardrum-shattering scream right at her face.
"AAAAAAHHHHH!" Carmilla screams in pain, her ears literally bleed as she is sent flying by the powerful sonic attack and crashes into some rubble.
"Hmph! That's what you get for underestimating my singing!" Elizabeth puffs her chest with pride.
"I don't see why you do that, there's nothing special about those bug bites of yours." Kiyohime said bluntly.
A tick mark appears on Elizabeth's forehead. "Why you-"
"ENOUGH!"The pile of rubble explodes with violent magical energy revealing the Blood Countess already at the end of her wits. "This ends NOW!" She shouts at the heavens as the area transforms into one of darkness and blood.
Blood, blood, blood...! Eternal beauty, an eternal banquet, it is time for the end of the ugliness of old age───"
Kiyohime and Elizabeth's eyes widen as Carmilla starts her chant. The heavy scent of blood fills the air as the girls get a chill crawling down their spines. They look back to see a giant version of the iron maiden she carries as its chains snaps off violently and it slowly opens, revealing the sharp spikes inside still dripping with fresh blood.
"Phantom Maiden!"
The iron maiden moves forward to try and get to the surprised Elizabeth but Kiyohime won't allow it. She ignites the torture device, engulfing it in blue flames. The heartbroken maiden uses her hatred and resentment to raise the flame's temperature, causing the iron maiden to slow down and melt.
"W-What…!?" Even Carmilla is surprised by this turn of events.
Kiyohime turns to Elizabeth. "Let's end this."
Elizabeth smiles. "Okay!" She stabs her spear into the ground, summoning the Prison Castle Čachtice behind them.
"Báthory Erzsébet/Samadhi Through Transforming Flames!" The two Noble Phantasms clash into one fused attack that engulfs the Assassin in a mix of sound and fire before erupting in an explosion that obliterates all of the debris around them.
The two dragon girls look into the cloud of dirt for any sign of Carmilla. They don't have to wait long as an inhumane roar enters their ears as something rushes towards them from the clouds revealing it to be Carmilla. She's worse for wear, her dress is ruined, her mask all but destroyed and her staff left behind with blood coming out of her ears. She extends her right arm and makes a grab for Kiyohime, not paying any attention to the blade thrusting forward.
*SQUELCH!*
Elizabeth runs her spear through Carmilla's chest. The Blood Countess stops screaming and vomits quarts of blood as her head slowly turns to her young counterpart. Shock and disbelief are written in those golden eyes, a contrast to the stern determination in the sky blue eyes they were staring at. Her legs buckle and she quickly falls, but to her surprise her younger self catches her and gently sets her down on the ground.
"... why? In the end, we are the same Heroic Spirit…" Carmilla reminds her.
"It's because we are the same Heroic Spirit that I had to do it. If not me, who else would? There's no distinction between us." Elizabeth said.
"That's right. We are Anti-Heroes. Evil that ought to be defeated by the hero, but I suppose this defeat is also fitting." Carmilla remarks "The Madness Enchantment didn't change me because I am already mad. I followed my master willingly and bathed in blood to my heart's content. I am a monster both in life and death yet here you are, trying to change it all. Even if we try to atone for our sins, what would be the point of it all?"
"Dummy, have you not been paying any attention?" This time, it was Kiyohime who spoke. "She was never trying to change her past. She knows that no matter what she does, what she will do, it will never erase the atrocities you both committed. No matter how righteous, how innocent she acts, she will never be forgiven and she's fine with that." She states. "Maybe there wasn't any point in all of this, but that won't stop her from trying. She took it upon herself to stop you simply because she wanted to be different, a different Elizabeth Báthory from the one that the world knows."
"She's right. No matter what happens, I will always be the Elizabeth Báthory that history will remember. But I say who cares about that!" Elizabeth places a hand on her chest and looks more determined. "I'll keep on screaming until my songs pierce the heavens themselves! I won't let the past stop me from living the life I want because there's someone who believes in me and my dreams! I can't let them down because of something in my past! I'll keep going no matter how many times I stumble and fall, because THAT'S the Elizabeth Báthory I want to be!"
"I see… it wasn't the future that was rejecting the past, but the past rejecting the future?" Carmilla questions as she begins to disappear. "Such immature drivel that comes out of your mouth, but that's why… you're so annoyingly dazzling." She closes her eyes and smiles a little. "But I suppose… that's not a… bad…" She vanishes just before she could finish her sentence, the spear falling to the ground as a result.
"You okay?" Kiyohime asked.
The dragon idol closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, then lets it back out. She grabs her spear and stands up then turns to Kiyohime with a grin on her face.
"Of course I am!" She runs towards the castle. "C'mon, Kiki, everyone's waiting for us at the final stage!"
"I told you not to call me that!" Kiyohime shouts as she follows the dragon idol.
The wyvern screams before it falls to the ground death, a massive wound etched in its chest. As the camera moves, we see dozens of wyvern corpses littering the field until we see Siegfried and Salter fighting the Berserk Saber. The trio are locked as their attacks leave no openings, forcing them into a stalemate.
"AAAAHHHH!" d'Eon roars as his attacks become more ferocious.
Salter doesn't falter as she matches the Saber's ferocity with her own, blocking and parrying their saber with ease. Siegfried doesn't falter either, however, it is very clear that he is struggling to keep up.
"He is not letting up." Siegfried comments.
"His sanity has long since crumbled away, all that is left is a mindless beast with skills of a seasoned warrior." Salter said. "It may sound strange, but this feels eerily familiar…"
d'Eon continues the onslaught until he leaps to the right dodging a swing of a sword. The camera shifts to reveal Marie holding a glass shield on her left hand and a glass sword on the other.
"What are you doing?" Salter demands.
"He is my responsibility." Marie told her with a tone that she's never used before. "To see him corrupted this way… breaks my heart. He is in so much pain because of what Dark Jeanne made him do. And that's why," She points her sword at d'Eon "as your friend, and more importantly as your queen, I shall end your suffering!"
The two charge forward with d'Eon attacking first but Marie deflects it with her shield. Marie pushes the sword back and slashes him but the Dragoon simply steps aside and twirls to perform a roundhouse kick to her face, sending her back.
"Marie!" Amadeus fires bolts of magic from his baton at d'Eon, but they do nothing. "Dammit!"
The Berserk Saber roars as they charge at her former queen but her glass shield breaks from the enemy's absurd strength. However, before they can land a killing blow, Marie blasts d'Eon away with her magic.
"Annoying bug." Black energy surges from Excalibur and with a swing unleashes a crescent wave that hits d'Eon and explodes on his face.
When the smoke clears, d'Eon struggles to stay on his feet as blood falls from his mouth. His clothes are in tatters along with a massive burn mark that covers his torso.
"Interesting, that attack should have split him in half, but he is still standing." Salter remarks.
The Berserk Saber growls as suddenly white petals begin to appear.
"He is about to use his Noble Phantasm!" Siegfried said.
"Not on my watch! Requiem for Death!" Amadeus' orchestra appears and begins to play it's demonic tune.
Upon hearing the song, d'Eon quickly loses his strength and vomits more blood before collapsing, his magical energy output drastically reduced.
"Now to finish it." Salter raises her sword when a small hand stops her.
"Let me do it." Marie urges the tyrant who immediately lowers her weapon.
The Queen of Lilies walks forward as d'Eon keeps struggling to get up. "My beautiful knight, as promised, I will rid you of your curse." Magical energy surges as crystals form around her.
"Wishing to blossom, visibly in the open! Dancing, to blossom in full glory!"
A glass horse appears and Marie jumps on it as it runs, leaving a trail of crystals under its feet.
""Passing through, Guillotine Breaker!"
The glass horse leaps next to d'Eon resulting in a field of crystals forming everywhere with his body encased in a giant crystal before it shatters in a beautiful explosion as shards of it fly everywhere, making it look like it's raining diamonds.
d'Eon comes to his senses, the madness and hatred that has been binded to him all this time has finally been eradicated. He then hears the sounds of sobbing and glancing back he sees Marie crying next to him.
"My queen… why are you crying?" d'Eon asked.
"It's not fair *sniff* this shouldn't have happened to you." Marie said.
"What's done is done, your majesty. Besides, I'm happy that it was you who freed me." d'Eon's body begins to disappear. "If I'm lucky, I hope we get summoned together someday… I look forward to it…"
"Yes *sniff* I'm sure Kitsuka-chan can make that happen!" Marie exclaims.
d'Eon smiles as his body completely turns into golden light.
Salter and Siegfried dismiss their weapons. "It's done. We must return to the others."
Amadeus pulls a handkerchief and gives it to Marie. "Now Marie, you need to stop crying. You don't want Master and the others to see you so undignified, yes?"
Marie dries her tears. "Y-You're right. And now we're only step closer to saving France."
"That we are. Now come on, I don't think those two will wait for us." Amadeus comments as the figures of Siegfried and Salter get further and further away.
"Hey, wait up!" The two French Servants scramble to catch up with the others.
"... en… je… Jeanne!"
'That voice…' Jeanne slowly opens her eyes and sees a familiar face, one she never thought she'd see again. "Gilles…?"
Gilles de Rais, the war marshal, the man who would follow her to the very end. The same man who will one day commit atrocities in her name. His pristine white armor glitters much like his wearer's expression. "It… really is you, isn't it?"
Jeanne doesn't respond and tries not to meet his gaze. "I am sorry, Gilles, but I am not your Jeanne. She died burning at the stake all that time ago. I am just a fragment of her spirit."
Gilles' expression quickly shifts into one of sadness. "I understand," He gives her a sad smile "but I am still glad to see you again, the Jeanne that I remember."
Jeanne looks around and realizes she is in some kind of throne room. "Where are we?"
"You are in my garden."
Both Jeanne and Gilles turn to see Semiramis sitting on the throne with her arms crossed. "You would be bleeding out in a pile of rubble if it wasn't for me."
"Assassin." Jeanne said. "Where is our Master?"
Semiramis merely gestures to her left and Jeanne sees the unconscious Ritsuka and Mashu laying on the ground. "Their injuries weren't as severe as yours, however, it seems that Master is suffering from mana depletion. I am not sure what the cause of it is, but it's not a cause for concern anymore."
Jeanne slowly stands up. "How did we get here?"
"Simple, I teleported you. As for the marshal, he and his army were attacked by a flock of wyverns on their way to the city. I took care of them but your friend would most certainly be dead if it was not for his intervention." Semiramis states.
The sound of footsteps catches Jeanne's attention as a figure steps out of the shadows. "Sir Georgios!?"
Georgios smiles. "It is good to see you well, Ruler."
"How are the villagers?" She asked.
"The villagers are doing well." Georgios gestures at Gilles. "Sir Rais found us while on his way to Orleans. He delegated a portion of his army to guide them to a safe place while I joined the expedition. Her highness already explained the rest."
Jeanne sighs in relief before she realizes something. "Wait, what about the Dragon Witch, and Frank!?"
"Frank is fine, he already defeated the Dragon Witch and went inside the castle." Semiramis replies. Jeanne and Gilles gawk in shock. "The dragon girls have already dealt with the vampire and the queen's group have just finished off Saber. The other three have already dealt with the monster and are all heading towards the castle as we speak. Though personally, I don't think there's any point in that."
"Why?" Gilles asked.
Semiramis smirks. "Because our magician likes to end things swiftly. He doesn't really need help."
The doors slam open as I walk into the throne room. It's dimly lit, the walls are riddled with ash and all of the stained glass windows have been completely destroyed.
My eyes move at the figure sitting on the floor in a fetal position hugging a familiar golden chalice.
[It looks the dark Jeanne has already disappeared]
"Jeanne… oh Jeanne…" The Caster, Gilles de Rais, sobs.
[Analysis Complete]
Servant Caster
True Name: Gilles de Rais
Strength: D
Endurance: E
Agility: D
Mana: C
Luck: E
NP: A+
A French nobleman, ranked as a baron, and member of the military during the 15th century. He became a national hero during the Hundred Years War while serving under Jeanne d'Arc after helping to recapture Orleans, and he was given the highest honor with the title of Marshal of France. His heart fell into despair after Jeanne's execution, as in his view Jeanne embodied salvation itself, and was unable to handle her death. As he continued to descend further into madness, he began to perform cruel deeds to prove that God is absent because he should punish such actions, losing sight of his monetary problems in dabbling in alchemy and instead concentrating on the aspect of the black magic of summoning demons with his friend François Prelati who was responsible for said rituals. He abducted many young boys within his territory, raped them and then killed them before using them as materials for the rituals. Following his death, Gilles was the first Servant to be summoned by the grail and tries to use it to resurrect Jeanne only to fail, so instead he uses the grail to create an Alter version of her full of hatred kicking off the events that have transpired.
"So, she has already vanished from this world." I said.
"Yes. It truly is sad, isn't it?" Gilles asks, raising the grail to get a good look at it. "My saint… my beautiful and eternal Holy Virgin… destroyed by a being beyond the grail's power. A being who merely saw her as a toy for His amusement." He stands up and looks me in the eye. "And now here He stands, the one who made her downfall possible."
I said nothing.
"So tell me, GOD!" He spat the word as he stood up. "What did you think of our work? Did you find it repulsive, unforgiving, inhumane? Have you come down from the White City to personally punish us for our sins?"
I arch an eyebrow. "Do you truly think my answer will justify what you've done?"
"W-what?"
I close my eyes. "If you were expecting me to get angry, then I'm sorry but it isn't happening. While it is tragic, people will simply move on with their lives like normal." I told him. "You cannot let go of your hatred and because of that, you have dragged everyone in a cycle of hatred so deep that there is no way of escaping. And now you want to pass the blame on me for the shortcomings of your religion. That is simply insulting."
"Y-You…" Gilles tries to say something but he is quickly cut off.
"But now let me ask you something, Marshal of France." His eyes open and they are now… different, almost like something has taken him over. "[When you decided to execute your plan, did you ever think about the people Jeanne cared for in life? Her family, her friends, her hometown? Are you going to tell me that they betrayed her, too? When they were in just as much in the dark about it until it was too late?]" His voice was different, now sounding like there are two voices speaking at the same time. "[Did you, in your madness, never consider this? You could have gone to them, cried with them, shared your happy memories with them. But no, instead, you went on a rampage, raping and killing young boys and using their corpses to summon demons, all to prove a point that was inconsequential and in the end you died without fulfilling anything]"
Gilles stumbles and falls as the entity slowly approaches him. For a moment his [Mental Pollution] was negated and in that moment of clarity Gilles was afraid, afraid of the punishment God will instill upon him.
He pulls out his grimoire from his robe and reads from its pages. "S-Stay back!" Horrors sprout from the ground and attempt to stop me, but before they reach their target reality glitches out and the monsters disappear.
"W-What!?" Gilles exclaims before his grimoire is pulled out of his grip and lands on their hands.
"[You won't be needing this anymore]" The grimoire glitches out of existence. "[Now then, you have this god's undivided attention. I hope it was worth it]" They continued walking towards him.
Gilles frantically looks around, trying to find any way to escape. But as he tries to think of an escape strategy, his thoughts grind to a halt as a shadow looms over him as the glitches intensify.
'This isn't God…' A hand reaches out and obscures his vision. 'This is the Devil.'
Later
The group of Servants arrive at the destroyed castle entrance only to see Frank stepping out of the shadows with the Holy Grail in hand.
I lift the Holy Grail for everyone to see. "Mission complete."
"What happened to the evil Jeanne?" Marie asked.
"Gone, and so is Caster." I replied.
A shadow looms over us as the Hanging Garden of Babylon slowly moves above Orleans. Not soon after, Semiramis, Jeanne, Georgios, Mashu carrying an unconscious Ritsuka in her arms and Gilles (Saber) appear in front of us.
I glance at Georgios. "I thought you were not going to come."
"It seemed that way, but fate had other plans." He eyes the grail. "So, you did it. You defeated the Dragon Witch."
I nod before turning to Mashu. "Is she going to be okay?"
"Yes. She's simply exhausted, that's all." Mashu replies.
"Fou, Fou!" A familiar barking catches our attention as Fou leaps in from nowhere and lands on my shoulder.
[Where have you been?]
"Kyuu~" Fou purrs as he nuzzles my cheek.
"The Holy Grail has been successfully retrieved. I'll begin to rayshift you all back and have the infirmary ready for Ritsuka." Romani said.
Suddenly Jeanne, Amadeus, Marie, Elizabeth, Georgios, Siegfried and Jeanne all begin to glow.
"Well, looks like the show's over." Elizabeth sighs.
"A pity, but all shows must end eventually." Kiyohime adds.
"Yeah, I didn't get to do much, but next time I'll be the star of the show!" Elizabeth turns to me. "Hey, Manager! Tell Puppy-chan to summon me as soon as possible!"
"Got it." I said and the dragon girls disappeared.
"I never got to properly thank you for removing my curse. I will forever be in your debt." Siegfried said.
"Think nothing of it. I simply took the most logical course of action." My eyes then shift to the other knight. "Georgios."
The Dragon Slaying Saint turns to me. "Despite the odds, you persevered. If it wasn't for you, more lives would have been lost."
"Think nothing of it. I simply did my duty as a knight. Though I wished to myself to you all, my oath to the people was my primary concern." Georgios states.
"Think nothing of it. There will be more opportunities for us to fight side by side." I assured him.
"Indeed. Farewell and please give my regards to the young Master." He and Siegfried vanish into gold dust.
I nod before my vision is suddenly impaired by someone.
"Guess who?~"
"Marie." My answer is automatic as I turn around to the Queen of Lilies giving me her signature smile.
"Well, time to say goodbye. It sure has been one hell of a day." Amadeus yawns. "Wyverns, crazy Servants, crazy magicians, monsters. Honestly, my legs feel like they're going to snap from all that walking."
"Oh don't be such a baby. Besides, someone like you needs all of the exercise they can get." Marie said.
Amadeus points to his head. "I heard you can burn more calories with your brain. It's actually very effective."
"Are you calling me stupid?" Marie asks rhetorically though anyone can see that smile was too sweet to be normal.
"No, of course not (please don't hit me)." Amadeus whispers the last part under his breath.
Mashu, Cu, Marie and Amadeus laugh at this while Semiramis, Medusa and Salter smile a little.
"Mashu, this adventure has been one of the best adventures I've ever been on. And Ritsuka-chan, I hope you wake up soon." Marie says with her dazzling smile. "I hope we meet again someday and go on more adventures." She then turns to me and bows. "Angel-sama, thank you for protecting us. We would not have gotten this far without you." She then leans in and gives me a kiss on my cheek. "Viva la France!" She winks and vanishes.
I place a hand on my cheek with a confused look on my face. Why do all these girls kiss me for some reason?
[For someone so smart, you can be so clueless]
"Fou!" Fou barks as if agreeing with them.
"That Marie. She always did fall in love easily." The great musician remarks as he wipes a tear from his eye. "Still, good on you guys for pulling it off! Maybe if I'm lucky, I'll get to see the end of this beautiful song. I'm looking forward to that day to come." With that, like a conductor, Amadeus bows as he fades into light.
"And that's everyone." Cu remarks.
"No, there's still one more." Medusa points to Gilles hugging Jeanne.
Gilles held Jeanne tight, apologizing over and over again as he cried. Being a living Servant, Gilles holds the memories of his future self. The knowledge that he became a monster, all for the sake of Jeanne nearly broke him. The sins weigh greatly on him so much so that it is unbearable.
Jeanne was angry the more she listened to his story. She was angry at Pretali for sending her friend down a dark path and guilty for not only being unable to help him, but also being the cause of it all.
The group walked up to her, getting her attention. She gasps softly as they are starting to disappear in blue light. "It looks like you are all leaving." She was clearly saddened.
"Yes. Our mission here is over." I said.
"It… it feels like we've all been on a long journey together. Even though we've only been together for a few days." Jeanne remarks.
"I know what you mean. We've only known each other for more than a week and yet it feels like we have known each other all our lives." Mashu comments.
Jeanne smiles only to frown. "What'll happen now?"
"This Singularity will be erased. With the abnormality corrected, history will resume as normal." I said.
Gilles looks at me. "... I won't remember this, will I?"
I shake my head. "The timelines are out of sync. You can't retain it."
"So I can't change my fate then? I'll always become that monster?" Gilles voice trembles with emotion.
"Gilles…" Jeanne calls her friend.
"If that is my fate then…" He unsheathes his sword and hands it to Jeanne. "Please kill me."
"GILLES!?" Jeanne exclaims.
"I don't want to hurt anyone, Jeanne, I don't want to stain the light you entrusted to this country." Gilles states.
"But Gilles-"
"Please Jeanne, I… I can't live like this. Not without you in it." Gilles declares.
"B-But I-"
"Even if she did kill you, it would not matter. The timeline will just reset." I said.
"Frank!?" Mashu yells at my bluntness.
"I see, so even this is pointless. Hehehehe…" He falls as he covers his face with his hands, the sound of laughter quickly swifts to that crying as the reality of his situation hits him completely.
"Gilles…" Jeanne kneels and gives her old friend a hug. "It's okay."
"H-How can you say that? I-I'm a monster." Gilles said between sobs.
"No, you're not. If anything, I'm to blame for what happened. If I hadn't died, you would have lived a long and fulfilling life." Jeanne said.
Gilles finally looks at her. "Fulfilling…? I-I don't think that is possible anymore." He told her. "Living without you… is difficult. There hasn't been a single moment that I've stopped to think about you."
"G-Gilles!?" Jeanne blushes at his confession.
"You… you are my light, Jeanne, that will never change. Even when I succumb to darkness, I know you will always be there to pull me out." Gilles told her.
"I… I…" Jeanne's lips tremble as emotions flare inside her. "I'm so sorry…"
"Don't say that, it's not your fault." Gilles said. "Please smile for me, like you did back then."
Jeanne obliges and gives Gilles a nice heartwarming smile, all of the while tears fall from her face.
Mashu and Romani cry at this touching and solemn scene. Cu turns his head away, unable to handle these sorts of moments while Lu Bu remains the same. Semiramis, Salter and Medusa all nod in respect at the marshal's acceptance to his fate.
"I'm starting the Rayshift." Romani announces. "Any longer and you'll all be caught in the restoration of history."
Everyone begins to rise upwards as their bodies begin to become more transparent.
"Jeanne!" The Holy Maiden at hearing Mashu's voice. "I'm glad we met you!"
"Fou!"
"You were a little annoying, but you were helpful." Semiramis said.
Cu smiles. "I really had a blast! What about you, big guy?"
Lu Bu lets out a roar.
"We will meet again." I said.
Jeanne waves at her friends as they all disappear in a swirling blue vortex. Soon, her body also begins to glow as she turns to the marshal. "Gilles, no matter what happens, I'll always forgive you." She then disappears in golden light and in her place was her banner.
Gilles dries his tears and walks towards the banner and picks it up, letting the flag sail with the wind. "Thank you."
Hundred Years' War of the Evil Dragons: Orleans
Foundation Restored
Ritsuka opens her eyes and she is greeted by a white ceiling. "Where…?"
"You're awake!"
The Last Master slowly turns to the voice. "Romani…? But that means I'm back in Chaldea." Her eyes shoot wide open as she gets up. "Jeanne!"
"Easy, take it slow. Everything's alright." Romani said.
"So, we did it? We got the grail?" Ritsuka asked.
Romani nods. "We sure did. Frank was the one who brought it with him."
"Oh…" Ritsuka looks down crestfallen.
"What's wrong?" Romani asked.
"It's just… I didn't get to say goodbye to everyone." Ritsuka said.
Romani gives her a head pat and smiles. "Don't worry. I'm sure you'll see them again."
Ritsuka smiles a little.
"Now then," Romani's expression turned more serious. "There's something I want to discuss with you." Just then, the sound of the sliding doors grab their attention.
"SENPAI!" Mashu yells and she and Fou tackle the bedridden Master.
Romani sweat drops. "Maybe another time."
Hinokami Kagura (Dance of the Fire God) is a Breathing Style only known and taught by the Kamado Family. It is a breathing technique used within a ritual ceremony practiced every new year, where the Breathing Style user offers the Fire God a dance from sunset to sunrise to ward off threats and diseases. The dance is composed of twelve segments repeated throughout the night until dawn. It is a technique that mimics the sun and replicates it with the user's movements, techniques, and abilities. All techniques and forms are extremely varied and have no set pattern, making it the most versatile and effective against demons. Users of Sun Breathing visualize themselves seemingly manipulating solar flames when unleashing its techniques. The twelve segments of the ceremony are actually twelve different sword techniques that use the power of the sun to deal tremendous damage to undead creatures though it is just as lethal on normal humans.
Noble Phantasms used:
Megiddo: The Fury of God (A) Anti-Army Noble Phantasm
A Noble Phantasm originating from another reality. Frank creates small water droplets in the sky by Water Elementals to create lenses that focus light into deadly laser beams, with smaller water droplets then used as mirrors to redirect the lasers toward the targets. It is an omni-directional weapon as the user can create as many mirrors as they desire, making their attack range near limitless. It is impossible to dodge as it moves at the speed of light and impossible to see due how small the laser is, meaning enemies won't even be aware of the attack until it is too late.
Meteorain: Stars Rain Down (C+) Anti-Army Noble Phantasm
User summons meteorites from space and sends them on his enemies. It is speculated that the summoned meteorites were once part of a large mass of space debris, likely the same one that crashed on Earth driving the dinosaurs into extinction. Due to this, the meteorites carry a piece of Mystery from the Jurassic Era making them an extremely powerful projectile if unleashed.
Hanging Gardens of Babylon: Aerial Garden of Vanity (EX) Anti-World Noble Phantasm
It is the Noble Phantasm of Nebuchadnezzar II and Semiramis, though she never actually owned it in life. Rather than an Anti-World Noble Phantasm, it would be more accurate to call it a giant Bounded Field. It is an enormous fortress capable of housing thousands of soldiers, assembled with systematically ordered floating masses, covered in floors of marble, stone balconies, many pillars, and every kind of plant life entangled and intertwined over the construct in a manner described as a "unification of unsightly disorder and luxurious beauty." It contains a throne room used as its main means of control, allowing Semiramis to cause it to activate by touching a large jewel on her throne's armrest. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are designed to look like an upside-down palace, with the interior being reversed so the floor is on the ceiling. It is an irregular Noble Phantasm that is impossible to manifest with magical energy like regular Noble Phantasms instead requiring worldly materials and time to construct before it can be utilized. It is "vanity" itself, so the conditions for its activation are strict. Construction takes about three days using soil, stone, minerals, wood, plants, and water of a fixed amount as well as enough funds to buy a small country.
When inside, Semiramis' parameters go up by one rank, boosting her fame level to the highest class, and revise attacks in her favor, adding a plus modifier to her attacks. It becomes possible for her to utilize magecraft that reaches into the realm of Magic, using EX-ranked blasts capable of overwhelming even A-ranked Magic Resistance. While she would not normally be able to construct an army sized amount of Dragon Tooth Warriors, creating three thousand for use in one battle is an easy task for her, however, it is all meaningless once Semiramis leaves the confines of her fortress.
Tauropolos Skia Thermokrasia: The Arrow that Eclipsed The Somber Sky (A) Anti Unit Noble Phantasm
By consuming the Tauropolos used as an Archer, all magic power is poured into a single blow. Instead of an arrow, it should be called a ballistic missile. The devoured enemy is taken into the sticky substance's "darkness" and forcefully absorbed. To resist it, an extremely powerful anti-magic skill is necessary.
Ga̒e Bolg: Barbed Spear that Pierces with Death (B) Anti-Unit Noble Phantasm
It is an attack focused on a single target created by Cú Chulainn that strikes a fatal blow that always pierces the opponent's heart and ruins their body from within with its thousand iron thorns. It freezes the mana in the air when charged, making it recognizable as a powerful attack by any bystanders. Once Gáe Bolg's name has been called, the cursed spear reverses the nature of causality, the meaning of cause and effect in the order of things, to make it so the cause of the lance being thrust comes from the effect of the opponent's heart being pierced by it. It is also possible for him to activate it without actively striking the heart.
The actual action of the thrust is merely a formality, as the lance has already pierced the opponent's heart before the attack has even started. The result of the heart of the opponent has been pierced is created earlier than it is thrust, while the cause that the lance has pierced through the heart is generated later. Aside from great luck, it is a technique that determines that when it is released, the opponent is dead. The lance can move at impossible angles to achieve its effect, signified by turning into a red beam of light that always manages to reach its target. This action looks completely normal to onlookers, as if it were already piercing the heart, because rather than truly changing its course, it changes the means to match the result. The wounds from its attacks are rather clean, spilling only a small amount of blood compared to a regular wound of comparable size, and while a heart would normally explode from such a strike, it instead stops working with the single strike.
The attack delivers damage equal to the opponent's own health limit plus the damage from the spear itself, so the wound will be fatal no matter the opponent once they are struck, especially against enemies with higher durability.
Breaker Gorgon: Self Seal, Dark Temple (C-) Anti-Unit Noble Phantasm
The blindfold of Medusa, a type of powerful Bounded Field Noble Phantasm on the scale of another World. It was a complement to the Temple of Blood that "enveloped the World" on the Shapeless Isle, having "sealed the World" instead. It only requires a steady supply of energy from the user to affect a target, unlike Mystic Eyes that requires a direct line of sight.
It has the ability to "seal all magical properties", and if used on others, it will imprison the consciousness of the enemy within her own mind; it can even obstruct the invocations of abilities such as magic, Skills, or Noble Phantasms, before removing any abilities they possessed in the outside World once inside. Despite this ability Rider didn't use Breaker Gorgon offensively in the entirety of the Fifth Holy Grail War.
Those trapped within are said to see a nightmare mixed with both delight and taboo. When Medusa becomes inadvertently trapped by Shirou reversing it on her, both the abilities of her eyes and her superhuman strength are removed. It is manifested with a magic circle in the same pattern used to summon the Pegasus, and it dyes the affected target's eyes crimson.
Beowulf: A Eternal Grudge of a Mighty Demon (A) Anti-Unit Noble Phantasm
The remains of the mighty demon Beowulf, consisted of both a set of gauntlets and greaves. It harnesses the power of light, an ability that demons don't usually possess. When used, the user can fight and use light-based attacks and with the greaves they are able to run at the speed of light. If anyone that isn't strong willed enough tries to use it, they will be overwhelmed and taken over by the remnants of Beowulf's soul and they will go on a rampage, seeking revenge on a certain bloodline that humiliated it and sealed it away.
Hell on Earth: The Wrath of the Devil (EX) Anti-Army Noble Phantasm
In conjunction with the Beowulf weapon, Frank is able to channel his magical energy and focus it in a single point. When it collides with something, the extreme concentration of energy is released all at once, creating an explosion that changes the very terrain around him and destroys everything around him.
Phantom Maiden: Phantasmal Iron Maiden (C+) Anti-Unit Noble Phantasm
The iron maiden is a famous torture tool said to have been used by Elizabeth Báthory/Carmilla. However, as a result of a long term investigation, it is believed that it did not actually exist. That being said, there are many who have faith in this torture tool, so it has been esteemed as an exquisite Noble Phantasm that kills innocent girls in fear. It floats above Carmilla's head, being filled with the blood and shrieks of the target once it closes. It is a joint use of an attack and the recovery of physical strength. In the case of female Servants, damage increases.
Boosted Gear: Red Dragon Emperor's Gauntlet (C~EX) Anti-Divine Noble Phantasm
Also known as a Longinus (Tools that Destroy Gods) and holds the soul of the Heavenly Dragon Ddraig, the Red Dragon Emperor of Domination. The Boosted Gear has the ability to Boost which can double the user's power every 10 seconds, it can strengthen the user's physical capabilities, magic and demonic power. With further changes in response to the user's feelings, the Boosted Gear can transform into the Boosted Gear Gift, which has the ability to Transfer the increased power to other people or objects. The transferred power can be performed on multiple people/objects at the same time, however, this decreases the efficiency, and some of the power will be lost in the transfer. This can also be used on a certain part of the user's body such as the eye's for enhanced vision. However, due to its draconian nature, the user is susceptible to Dragon-slaying magics, swords and curses as if they themselves were Dragons. The continuous use of the Boosted Gear's "Boost" ability will drain the wielder's stamina to a significant degree. Also, if the user overuses the Boosted Gear's "Boost" ability, after reaching their physical limit, they will enter "Burst" state; which drains the user's increased power and damages the user, due to the wielder exceeding their physical capabilities.
Boosted Gear: Scale Mail - Armor of the Red Dragon Emperor (C-EX) Anti-Divine Noble Phantasm
The second stage of the Boosted Gear, known as a Balance Breaker (Forbidden Move) which allows a Sacred Gear to unleash its full power. It creates the Red Dragon Armor with green jewels that covers the user's body and strengthens their bodies and abilities. When active the user can double their power without the 10-second time limit, this also applies to later forms. The armor has two rocket thrusters on its back for a temporary boost of speed and flight, from them can come out a pair of retractable dragon wings that enables proper flight. The armor is also capable of repairing itself from almost any damage it takes. However, wearing the armor and the duration it stays activated depends on the user's physical and mental condition, otherwise it can be severely lethal to them, so the Sacred Gear forcefully removes the armor when the user reaches their limit as a fail-safe. How much the armor repairs itself depends on the user's stamina. Even with the protection on the Scale Mail, the wielders are still vulnerable to Dragon-slaying attacks.
La Grondement Du Haine: Roar, Rage of Mine (A+) Anti-Army Noble Phantasm
The cursed flag possessed by Jeanne who descended as the Dragon Witch. It stops the enemy's attack in the same way as Jeanne d'Arc's Noble Phantasm, but this Noble Phantasm also swells up that attack, before it reflects it back. Also, its power will increase even more if her allies and the likes die. Then, whether it is a slashing attack, a striking attack, or on top of that, a hit by means of a curse, all of it will in the same way be converted into her physical attack power when they are halted by the Noble Phantasm.
The flag can release flames with performance resembling a first-rate Dragon's breath. Under the name of an avenger, Jeanne Alter kindles the flames and transforms the grudges from herself and the surroundings into magical energy, burning the opponents' injustice, corruption and self-righteousness up to the marrow of their bones to ashes. Furthermore, the stake was stuck into her image. Personally for her, "I was attached to… uh, something jagged… and made of steel, and a harsh impression of it remains with me!", and this impression allows her to create these stakes in her image for her own use.
Guillotine Breaker: Glory to the Crown of Lilies (A) Anti-Army Noble Phantasm
A Noble Phantasm that was formerly known as Fleur de Lys, it is the representation of the glory of the French monarchy. It takes the form of a beautiful horse made of glass and imprinted with lilies, the royal symbol of the Crown. By unleashing its True Name, Marie can call forth this horse, dashing through the battlefield while sending radiant particles of light swirling all about, dealing damage to enemies of the Crown. At the same time, it cancels out negative statuses on allies and recovers their health and mana.
Author Notes
Edit: 6/4/23
After reviewing it a couple of times and also reading some of the comments, I thought it'd be best to change some things in the chapter. The way I wrote it originally made the MC look like he had bipolar disorder; sometimes he was nice, sometimes he was an asshole. I had to go back and reread older chapters to get a good feel of the character, but that's what happens when you don't update for over four months. I also added some new things because I thought it would make the story more streamlined; the idea of Elizabeth singing just came to me while at work today though choosing what song to use was a hassle because there were two songs I wanted to use, but I think this turned out well.
And as always, leave a comment. Good, bad, it doesn't make a difference.
Peace~