Fate: Oppression

by Gavius

Alaya is gone. The Counter Force is gone. Without them, the Throne of Heroes released all the Heroes on Earth against the planet's will. When Gaia sensed that the World is on the brink of collapse, she sent its First Hero to fix the mess. Now, Shirou Emiya has to save the day once again. What can a Retired God, a Treacherous Knight and a Boastful King do to save the planet? [AU]

23. Chapter 22 - Arc V

DISCLAIMER: I do not take credit from the Fate universe and its characters. The rights and credits go to the original authors.

Read the notes in the first chapter if you haven't done it already.

This is my very first story. I'm confident in my grammar, but if there are any mistakes, then let me know and I'll try to figure out how to fix them as soon as I have time.

Hope you enjoy.

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FATE/Oppression
-Arc V-

Chapter 22

Planet: Earth
Date: June 12 2020
Location: Giza pyramid complex – Giza Plateau (Greater Cairo - Egypt)

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Shirou and his companions travelled by car, driving through the dusty and desert streets of this Country at maximum speed. High above their heads, the morning sun shone bright in the sky, creating an almost unbearable and scorching heat that enveloped the capital of Egypt in its entirety. However, the Ruler and his friends didn't care. They didn't mind. All that mattered to them was reaching their intended destination, following the directions of their group's latest addition: the young girl known as Luviagelita Edelfelt, the young and talented family head of a distinguished lineage of Magi; the Edelfelt.

Two days had passed since the siege of Alexandria had been successfully foiled. Ever since Shirou and the others had rescued Luviagelita from her captivity inside Avicebron's Workshop, the small group of Servant had spent the last few days in complete hiding, taking advantage of the chaos that had spread throughout the city after the siege to lay low and avoid contact with humans. Even to this day, Egypt as a whole was still recovering due to the previous crisis of Alexandria, and apparently the entire country was still in a state of alarm for some reason. The Ruler had been struggling quite a bit to understand what was happening in this accursed place.

But it hadn't taken too long for them to figure it out. According to what Luviagelita had explained to them during the last few days of hiding, several paranormal phenomena had been happening in this Country for over a month, and the population was growing more worried than ever. People were becoming more and more frightened, and the news of the attack of Alexandria by unidentified monsters had made the situation even worse. The nation's army had been deployed all of a sudden, placing numerous patrols along every road, every city, and even along the borders of the Country. The whole nation of Egypt had been sealed off from the rest of the world, literally, and getting into or out of this place had become extremely difficult during the last few days ― especially for ordinary people and for those who simply wanted to get away with their families in order to stay safe.

It was chaos. Pure, simple and indiscriminate chaos. And no matter how much Shirou – and Iskandar, especially – loathed this whole situation, there was nothing they could do to stop it. If they wanted to help these people, if they wanted to free Egypt from this suffocating oppression, they had to learn what was happening first. There was no other way. In order to help the people of this land, they had to discover the truth behind those so-called 'paranormal phenomena' happening in this place, and put an end to them once and for all.

It was precisely for this reason that Shirou and his small group of Servants had decided to join Luviagelita – or Luvia, as she preferred to be called – in order to gather information and learn more about the mess happening in this place. The young Magus of the Clock Tower had been tasked with the mission of discovering what was happening, and her purpose matched that of Shirou completely. Hence, after two whole days of pondering and discussion, the red-haired Ruler and his friends had finally decided to leave Alexandria along with her, borrowing two cars that had apparently been left abandoned in a ruined parking lot and departing in secret. Thanks to Luvia's knowledge in Magecraft, it had been relatively easy to leave the city without being detected by the army and the soldiers patrolling the streets – Suggestion Magecraft could do wonders, sometimes – and after three hours of driving, the group finally began to get close to the capital.

When they reached their destination, Shirou and the others stepped out of the cars, staring at the world around them with a mixture of wonder and resolve. The sight that greeted them was one of the most famous landscapes in the world, as well as one of the most beautiful: the Giza pyramid complex.

Also known as the "Giza necropolis", the pyramid complex was a massive site located on the Giza Plateau in Greater Cairo, that included the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Pyramid of Khafre, and the Pyramid of Menkaure, along with their associated pyramid complexes and the Great Sphinx of Giza. All were built during the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt, between 2600 and 2500 BC; and the site also included several cemeteries and the remains of a workers' village.

Among all those ruins and gigantic wonders, the Great Pyramid and the Pyramid of Khafre were the largest pyramids built in ancient Egypt, and they had historically been common as emblems of Ancient Egypt in Western imagination. They were popularized in Hellenistic times, when the Great Pyramid was listed by Antipater of Sidon as one of the Seven Wonders of the World, rendering it by far the oldest of the Ancient Wonders and the only one still in existence.

In its entirety, the site was located at the edges of the Western Desert, approximately 9 kilometers (5.6 mi) west of the Nile River in the city of Giza, and about 13 kilometers (8 mi) southwest of the city center of Cairo. Along with the nearby ruins of Memphis, it was one – if not THE – most renown and famous location of the country, as well as the most known tourist attraction of Egypt due to the gigantic pyramids towering above the site, which attracted tourists from every corner of the world.

Right now, however, the entire complex was desert. There was no one there. No people, no soldiers, and not even a single tourist. The streets and monuments were abandoned, devoid of life and sounds, and only an absolute and total silence reigned supreme in this place, making it a sight as suggestive as it was depressing. Shirou, Mordred and the others assumed that it was to be expected. With all the mess happening in the country, the government had been forced to give priority to the citizens and the cities in order to ensure their safety, temporarily leaving some archaeological sites and historical monuments unprotected. The same thing had happened in France with the Palace of Versailles, after all. It was understandable, but still pretty depressing to witness.

But for the Ruler and his companions, it was a favorable situation.

The God of War stepped forward, leaving the empty street and placing himself right in front of the tall Sphinx and observing the site with narrowed eyes. To say that he was feeling nostalgic was an understatement. He had visited Egypt a lot of times during the Age of Gods (he had traveled to countless places back then, unable to stop due to his quest to free mankind from the Gods' rule and his insatiable wish for revenge), but none of the things he was seeing right now had existed in his time. The pyramids were built more or less 400 years after the Separation, so this sight was a first for him. He couldn't help but be a bit amazed, right now.

His eyes took in everything with silent wonder. The Giza pyramid complex consisted of the Great Pyramid (also known as the Pyramid of Cheops or Khufu and constructed c. 2580 – c. 2560 BC), the somewhat smaller Pyramid of Khafre (or Chephren) a few hundred meters to the South-West, and the relatively modest-sized Pyramid of Menkaure (or Mykerinos) a few hundred meters farther South-West. The Great Sphinx lied on the East side of the complex instead, and the red-haired Ruler placed himself right next to it, studying the place in silence.

After a few minutes, his companions moved to join him. Mordred openly whistled in amazement as she placed herself on his left, while Artoria and the others did the same to his right. Among them, Iskandar stared at the towering pyramids with a distant gaze. Shirou could clearly see the emotions dripping from his chiseled features. The gigantic man oozed off nostalgia like a fog. It was clearly not the first time he had laid eyes on this place.

"…it's beautiful, isn't it?" Gawain commented with a bathed breath, breaking the silence with audible amazement.

Artoria and Bedivere nodded. Even Antonio Salieri was watching the pyramids in silent wonder. "Indeed," the King of Knights breathed. "I've heard many stories about this place, but I never thought that I would have lived long enough to see it. Even in a time beyond our own," she admitted, sharing a small smile with her Knights. For once, almost every Servant of the group agreed with her.

Mordred's lips parted into a small smirk. Her emerald eyes glanced in Iskandar's direction. "On the other hand, this is not the first time you've been here, is it, Rider?" she asked with a sly tone, already knowing the answer.

The King of Conquerors nodded, his face solemn and serious.

"It is not," he admitted with a deep voice. "When I first visited Giza after being crowned in Memphis, I was awestruck by its majestic sight. I spent almost a full day visiting the place in its entirety, and I was later told by the priests that the Great Pyramid had taken more than 400,000 men and almost 30 years to build, working in three-month shifts with 100,000 men at a time," he said, his red eyes fixed on the ancient structure towering in front of them. "Even after all this time, it's still a breathtaking sight."

Shirou couldn't help but agree. "Yeah… it's really something," he whispered softly, staring at this place while a gust of hot wind billowed his cape and hair.

A loud and forced cough suddenly grabbed everyone's attention. Shirou and the others turned to the right.

Luviagelita Edelfelt fixed them with an annoyed stare from the shadow of the Great Sphinx. Her long, golden hair billowed in the dusty wind as she fixed her elegant blue ribbon in attempt to keep her hairstyle decent. "I know this place is full of beauty and mysteries, but please try to focus right now," she said with a haughty tone, her voice clearly showing a northern accent, probably due to her Finnish origin. "You guys do remember why we are here, right?"

Despite his better judgment, the red-haired Ruler couldn't help but smirk. "Of course," he replied promptly. "There's no way we could forget our current task. You've been very thorough in explaining the threat of this so-called Sun King, even if you were unable to give us a concrete location. We are most grateful for your help, miss Luvia."

Even in spite of his sly tone, the girl couldn't help but blush a little. Her nostrils flared a little in indignant embarrassment. "H-Humpf! It's not my fault that I was kidnapped before I could start my investigation," she defended herself with her arms crossed.

"I never said that. But observing our surroundings is a basic strategy for gathering information and decreasing the chances of being caught off guard by an enemy. Don't you agree?" he retorted with a calm and collected tone, offering her his trade-mark smile with eyes closed and head tilted to the side.

The girl diverted her eyes from his amused smile, pouting a little. "Tsk. Consider yourself lucky. If you weren't a Ruler and I wasn't indebted to you, I would have made you rue those words for sure," she muttered in irritation, shaking her head. "Good grief, what a cocky group of Servants. What kind of Ruler could possibly be so unknown, anyway? I'm extremely knowledgeable in history, and I've never heard of a Hero called Shero before."

His eyebrow twitched slightly. "It's Shirou," he repeated for the umpteenth time (much to everyone's amusement).

"That's what I said: Shero," she replied innocently, her grin as sly as it could be.

Mordred openly snickered while Iskandar and everyone else shared a veiled smile. Witnessing to Luvia's antics had been quite amusing during the past few days. The girl had been extremely grateful to them for having been rescued from an almost certain death; but despite the gratitude, her temper and her spoiled behavior always managed to surface every now and then. Her family was of noble origins, after all, and she wasn't used to being treated as a simple girl. In all honesty, her mannerism almost reminded them of Rin Tohsaka and her haughty and competitive attitude. And just like that other girl, she also suffered from perfectionist tendencies. It was just too fun to tease her.

But her complete inability to pronounce Shirou's Japanese name in a correct way had been especially funny to watch.

Except for Shirou himself.

In the end, after a few seconds of chuckling, the God of War decided to ignore her. He and his companions turned to stare at the pyramid complex again.

Luvia shot him a stare. "Shero… what do you plan to do now?" she asked him in all seriousness.

Shirou stared at the landscape, long and hard. Next to him, Mordred, Iskandar, Artoria and the others waited for his words in silent wonder. Until, after what seemed like an eternity, the red-head teared his eyes away from the ruins, his gaze resolute and firm as he stared at the pyramids towering on the site.

"I want to meet the Sun King," he answered, narrowing his eyes under everyone's silent gaze. "I must verify his true intentions, and make sure he doesn't plan to harm this Country and its people like Caster did. The War, the scale of the conflict and the chaos spread by this entire situation are getting out of hand. I must stop this madness at any cost."

Iskandar, Mordred and Artoria smiled with steeled resolve. "And of course, we'll go with you as well, Shirou," the King of Knights declared, speaking for everyone and shooting a confident glance at her Knights. "We shall assist you in your quest to safeguard the planet. This is a battle to save the world, after all."

"Indeed. And since we are all gathered here, on the soil of my previous Empire, I shall personally accompany you to this so-called Sun King myself, boy," Iskandar boasted with a grin, patting him on the shoulder with a strong slap. His face was morphed into a mask of mixed excitement and decision as he spoke in a deep voice. "I cannot stand idly and do nothing when my own land and people are under the threat of another King. I won't allow them to be targeted as long as I draw breath," he declared with utmost decision.

"You said it!" Mordred smirked as well, her body oozing off trepidation like a fog.

Even Salieri seemed to nod with a crazed face. "Ben detto. There's no way I'm going to miss this. Kehehehe…"

The God of War turned to them with a grateful smile. "Thank you, guys."

The group of Servants and Heroes shared a resolute nod.

Luviagelita stepped forward all of a sudden. "If that's the case, shall we go together?" she asked as well, her gaze glued to Shirou's eyes. The Ruler and his companions turned to her with a serious expression while she stared back at them with visible decision. "As I've already explained to you, I've been tasked to investigate a case by the Clock Tower's decree. The Sun King is said to have completely exterminated the Yggdmillennia clan, a renowned family of Magi, almost a month ago. My mission is to finally shed some light on this matter and, consequently, to make sure that the King is not a threat to the Mage's Association and the world."

The girl straightened herself, taking a few steps forward and stopping right in front of Shirou.

"If the Sun King is indeed a threat, then this entire Country will surely fall to danger again," she said. Her eyes remained glued to the God's own, and she stretched out a hand to him with a serious face. "For that sake, please lend me your strength, Shero."

For a few seconds, the Ruler was inwardly impressed by her unshakable resolve. Luvia could be a little annoying at times, but she possessed a noble soul and a kind attitude. Those were traits he could respect in a human, regardless of age or gender. And besides – if he had to be completely honest – there was something in his heart that wanted to keep this young girl close for some reason. Her high elitism attitude as a noble, coupled with her stubborn but kind heart… it almost reminded him of a certain Goddess with whom he had grown close a long time ago.

The one and only Goddess with whom he had shared a 'friendly' relationship until the very end, and the only one with whom he had sincerely regretted having to part at the end of his life in the Real Side of the World.

But that didn't matter anymore. Especially right now.

Shirou Emiya banished those thoughts, offering Luvia a nod with a smile. "Very well," he readily agreed, grasping her hand with his own. "You have courage, miss Luvia; and I can respect that. If you really are convinced, then we shall assist each other and discover the truth behind this matter together."

The girl's lips parted into a confident smile. "Of course. I look forward to working with you, then," she murmured, purring like a cat. Then, she shot a serious stare at the rest of the group.

"By the way, have you ever heard of him? The Sun King?" she asked them in all seriousness.

The red-haired Ruler and his friends shared a look. Then, he nodded slowly along with Iskandar and Artoria. "We've never met him so far, but I know who he is. I think his true name is Ozymandias," Shirou answered.

"Care to tell us who is he supposed to be, then?" Mordred demanded from the side with an annoyed scowl. "I heard of some Pharaohs before, but that name doesn't ring any bell to me."

Once again, it was Luviagelita the one who answered. "Ozymandias is simply his Greek name. His real name is Pharaoh Ramesses II, the most powerful and legendary Pharaoh Egypt has ever known. I studied him quite a lot back in the academy," she explained succinctly.

"Pharaoh... Ramesses II?" Bedivere mused, widening his eyes.

Luvia nodded. "Or Ramesses the Great. You Knights grew up on the Bible, right? Don't you remember him from the Old Testament? Moses and the Ten Plagues, leading the enslaved Jews out of Egypt, all that stuff?" she asked, raising a brow.

Mordred, Gawain and Bedivere remained still for a moment before their eyes widened as realization finally dawned upon them. All of them gasped in disbelief upon realizing what – who – they were dealing with.

"Y-You mean… that the enemy we're supposed to face is none other than the greatest ruler this country has ever had?!" Gawain exclaimed in shock, clearly stunned by the news.

The girl with long, golden hair nodded in confirmation, but even she was wearing an expression dripping with tense nervousness at that very same prospect. "Yes. He was somewhat of a tyrant when it came to that particular part of his rule, but as for the rest of his life, he was well celebrated, so much so that the Egyptians all refer to him as the 'Great Ancestor'," she explained slowly. "Given by his renowned legend and the fact that he's one of the most ancient Heroes in the world, we can easily assume that he is an extremely powerful Servant. If it turns out that he really is an enemy… he's going to be a troublesome opponent, no doubt."

Salieri snorted, sarcasm clearly present in his tone. "I agree; he must be immensely strong. Some people even addressed him as the King of Kings in ancient times," he muttered with a low tone, his crazed eyes shining with concern.

Artoria, Shirou and the Knights tensed. Iskandar, on the other hand, merely grinned in amusement at the news. "Keh! He must be powerful indeed, then. That only makes me want to face him even more!" he boasted with confidence. "But there's no need for concern. We'll find a way past him, even if it means that I have to use my Noble Phantasm a second time."

"Hold your horses, Rider. Let's focus on finding him first," Shirou cut him off with a solemn tone, calling everyone to attention. Then, when he saw that the group was focused again, he turned his eyes back to the young Magus who had just joined them. "Miss Luvia, there's something I don't understand. How do you know that this Servant is the one who killed an entire family of Mages?"

Luvia crossed her arms, her expression growing grim. The others turned to her as well in expectation. They wanted to know that answer too.

Inhaling deeply from her nose, the young woman answered with her usual northern accent. "About five weeks ago, I received a news from a certain colleague of mine from Japan," she began to explain slowly, her copper orbs focused on the cloudless sky. "As I've mentioned to you a few days back, that man had previously been tasked to monitor the movements of the Yggdmillennia clan, because the Clock Tower had long since harbored doubts about the family's true intentions. The Yggdmillennia was a clan of Magi, no doubt, but one that was decaying rather poorly. Its former fame was nothing more than a memory. It had been more than a fifty years since their name had lost its previous prestige due to their poor Magic Circuits. They were not a powerful lineage of Mages anymore, and they mourned their loss of power and influence over the Mage's Association a lot."

The others listened with rapt attention.

"This colleague of mine followed the family's movements in secret for months, spying on them, using his abilities as a Necromancer to check their movements even from a safe distance. One day, almost two months ago, he was able to discover that the entire clan and its members had decided to abandon their home in Romania, only to suddenly move here to Egypt for no apparent reason. Obviously, this decision aroused my colleague's suspicion, and he was forced to send some undead familiars to check what was going on. According to what they discovered, once the clan had come in contact with this accursed Holy Grail War and a few rogue Servants, the Yggdmillennia family decided to move, departing in search of a powerful Servant to bring to their side, in order to form a pact with it and gain control and power through force once again."

Mordred, Iskandar and the others narrowed their eyes as realization dawned upon them. Shirou clenched his fists instead. Power and control, huh? Oh, how he loathed those words. Even more so because he himself had been foolishly drawn by them during his accursed youth. An indelible sin that he will have to carry with him until the end of days.

The Knight of Treachery raised a brow with indifference. "And the Servant they made contact with… was this Sun King?" she asked, already starting to see where the story was going.

Luvia nodded at her question. "Exactly," she confirmed with a sigh. "That's what his undead familiars reported to him, at least. My college never managed to see the Servant himself, since it would have been too dangerous for a Magus like him to approach him directly. Hence, he followed the clan here in secret, and his undead familiars discovered that the Yggdmillennia clan had indeed managed to make contact with an extremely powerful Servant upon reaching the Sahara Desert of this Country. That being: King Ozymandias himself."

"And then things went wrong," Salieri sarcastically grunted, his lips parting into a mad grin.

Once again, the young Magus nodded. "Indeed. A little less than a month ago, my colleague discovered an unexpected twist of events," she explained at that point, her voice gaining a distinct note of uneasiness. "Since his familiars had suddenly lost sight of the clan and their previous position, he decided to go searching for them himself. He followed their trail in the Sahara Desert... only to discover that the entire clan had been mercilessly wiped out. All members of the Yggdmillennia family had been killed, their bodies torn and abandoned amid the scorching desert, and no one had managed to survive. On the other hand, there was no trace of Ozymandias when he arrived on the scene. He had completely disappeared."

Shirou and the others exchanged a glance. "How were they killed?" the Ruler demanded.

Once again, Luvia turned to him with her arms crossed. "That's the problem: we don't know what happened in detail," she answered, her voice showing a clear and distinct note of frustration. "My colleague wasn't exactly specific with details. According to him, all he was able to see was a bunch of bloodied corpses scattered in the desert, and then he decided to run and leave the Country immediately, fearing for his life."

Shirou and the others sweat-dropped. "Well, I can't say that I blame him," was everyone's unanimous thought. Only the Italian Berserker scoffed with a tiny bit of disappointment.

But Luviagelita wasn't finished yet. "However, according to him, before he retreated he did manage to glimpse something," the girl spoke again, closing her eyes with a weary expression. Her face was a mask of steel as he spoke the next words. "For a brief second, he saw something flying above the desert, soaring in the sky with incredible speed."

That caught everyone's attention, leaving them quite confused for a few seconds. Something flying in the sky? What was that supposed to mean?

"The heck? Does that mean that this Servant is able to fly?" Mordred asked with sarcasm, clearly perplexed by the news.

Artoria was skeptical as well. "I hardly believe that an ancient Pharaoh would be able to do such a thing," she stated. "Perhaps he simply saw an airplane."

Everyone inwardly agreed with her, even Shirou himself.

Luvia seemed to disagree, however. "Normally, I would have agreed with you, King Arthur. Even my colleague himself thought it weird, after all. He did mention in his report that what he saw could have been a simple mistake triggered by the desert heat. A mirage, basically. However, he seemed oddly certain about this matter. He was 'willing to bet on it', as he stated in his report. And the Clock Tower seems to agree with him."

Iskandar raised a brow. "Hm? How so?"

"It's because of the recent news," Shirou suddenly realized, answering instead of Luvia and making everyone turn to him all of a sudden. His face wore a scowl of suspicion and confusion as his mind was trying to connect the dots and remember something. "I do seem to recall that the news mentioned something similar. Some people said that they witnessed something strange happening in the skies of Alexandria and Cairo a few days ago. The so-called paranormal phenomena," he stated in utmost seriousness, furrowing his brows.

Everyone widened their eyes as Luviagelita nodded with a solemn movement. Artoria and Iskandar tensed as soon as realization dawned upon them.

"Correct, Shero," the girl complimented him with a small smirk. "That is exactly why I've been sent here to investigate the case. The Mage's Association cannot overlook such a story when the rest of the world is witnessing something similar as well. I have no idea of that happened in this Country, but if it's really something related to the Sun King, then it cannot be a coincidence. I must find the Sun King and discover the truth myself."

The Ruler nodded with a solemn face. "That is, indeed, suspicious," he agreed with a cold voice, his mind already running wild with speculations. As a matter of fact, despite his usual stoicism, the fact that a Necromancer and even some other people had witnessed something weird flying above the sky was not a detail he could overlook. Even more so if there really was a Servant behind this matter. The extermination of an entire clan of Magi was not something he could ignore, at least not so easily. Perhaps it was a fluke, but it could not be a simple coincidence. That much was certain for him.

Yes, indeed. The more he thought about it, the more he became convicted. He needed to shed some light on this matter as soon as possible. The chaos and weird phenomena happening in this country were extremely different compared to those he had witnessed in his previous travels. Especially since Egypt was also―

A sudden realization dawned upon him. Shirou widened his eyes. "Wait a minute…"

With a swift and sudden movement, the God of War snapped his head to the side, his golden-brown eyes wide and focused on the face of a certain member of the group. "Artoria, what about what you said earlier? Can you still feel that 'Magic Veil' here?" he demanded with a solemn tone.

Her answer came immediately. The female King didn't even waste a second to expand her senses and check the surroundings with her mind. Shirou did not like the answer he received.

"Yes," she stated, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. "My perception skills are still clouded by the same veil as before. The feeling tampering with my Core is exactly the same," she answered seriously.

Bedivere lowered his head upon hearing the news. "Just like Alexandria," he mused to himself, placing his prosthetic hand under his chin and widening his eyes all of a sudden. "C-Could it be―?!"

"Yes, sir Bedivere. It's not just Alexandria," the red-haired Ruler spoke, fixing the pyramids and the landscape in front of them with a narrowed stare. "The entire Country itself is being enclosed within some sort of Spell. This cannot be a mere coincidence."

For a few seconds, the group of Servants remained stunned by the news. Even Luvia was openly gaping in shock right now.

Artoria couldn't help but agree despite her inner frustration. "He's right. It feels like some sort of invisible Bounded Field," she said with an emotionless tone, her mind returning to think and reason like a cold, logical and detached King. "If my perception abilities are still blinded even here, so far away from the city… then it's reasonable to assume that the entirety of Egypt has fallen under some sort of spell. There's no doubt about it."

Iskandar's face twitched into a powerful frown. "How do we dispel it, then?" he demanded seriously, crossing his muscular arms over his chest. "Certainly, we cannot leave my land in this sorry state. I won't stand for it," he declared.

Shirou and Mordred nodded in agreement. "For now, the only lead we have is the Sun King," the God of War said with a resolute tone. "We must find him and learn what is happening. That's the only option we have at the moment. The disappearance of the Yggdmillennia clan, the weird phenomena happening in the sky, the invisible veil spreading throughout this place… it's all connected. All these events cannot be a mere coincidence, and I'm willing to bet that this Pharaoh is going to be the key to everything. There's no doubt about it anymore."

Mordred slammed a fist against her own palm. "What are we waiting for, then? Let's start searching at once!" she exclaimed with a cry of decision.

Shirou agreed with her in full. "The kid's right. We must search for clues immediately," he stated with a resolute frown. He turned to his right, focusing on the pensive face of Luviagelita Edelfelt. "Miss Luvia, you said that the Yggdmillennia clan was killed in the Sahara Desert, right?"

The young woman nodded, tossing a strand of golden hair over her shoulder. "Correct. That's what my colleague reported, at least."

Everyone fell into silence after that. Until, one by one, Shirou, Artoria and the others slowly turned their heads to West, staring with narrowed eyes in direction of the empty and barren land that expanded beyond the pyramid complex for hundreds and hundreds of kilometers, stretching as far as the eye could see under the scorching light of sun.

Mordred, Iskandar and Shirou shared a resolute nod.

"Let's move," they said in unison.

---

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/+/+/+/+/+/+/

.

Astraea doesn't seem as bothered as I would've expected. She is folding a map of the enemy territory when I enter the tent, walking towards her. I work hard to keep my composure.

"Why did you do it?" I ask her. "They said that you decided to help… willingly, when they told you of my plan."

The Goddess wears a weary expression. "You mean why I decided to join you in your quest?"

I don't respond.

"I'm a Goddess of Justice, Shirou. I bring the judgment of the scales and the justice of the stars," Astraea says, solemnly. "I chose to leave my position when Zeus approached me. Because I realized that I needed to undo our mistakes."

"Mistakes?"

"He told me what Sefar did to you in that village," she reveals softly, turning to me with a face filled with regret and sadness.

Her golden eyes flash in concern under my enraged sneer.

"I promise you, I will help you catch her."

.

/+/+/+/+/+/+/

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---

Planet: Earth
Date: June 12 2020
Location: Western Desert (Sahara - Egypt)

(======)

Shirou had to be honest with himself. He hated the current situation.

"Gods fucking damn it! Couldn't you steal a car that had air conditioning, Rider?!"

Indeed, he really hated it. He was seriously considering suicide right now.

"Stop your grumbling already, you brat! There's nothing I can do about it!"

Why couldn't he die? Death was good. Death was freedom. He loved dying!

"It has been three hours! How do you expect me to stand it any longer?"

It's not like he wasn't used to it, anyway. He did try to kill himself once.

"Don't be such a sore loser, Saber! Me and my armies crossed countless deserts back in the days! If we could handle the heat back then, surely you can do it as well."

What's one more death for him, anyway? Surely the world wouldn't miss him if he died right here and now, right?

"Uuuugh, Shero… please make them stop."

Yes, he should definitely kill himself. That would surely put an end to his suffering!

But, alas, he knew couldn't do it. If he died, he wouldn't be able to protect the Planet and finish his mission, and humanity would seriously face the risk of extinction. So, for the greater good, he had to keep on living. He had to keep suffering.

Big shame, that one.

The God of War exhaled a tired sigh, trying to ignore both Morded and Iskandar who kept bickering loudly with each other and Luvia who was moaning in displeasure while the car kept sprinting through the desert at a steady pace. He seriously wanted to disappear right now. And that was without taking into account the biggest problem of them all: this accursed and unbearable weather.

To say that he was hot at the moment was an understatement. He was literally melting right now.

Traveling through the desert by car in broad daylight was not exactly a wise choice – especially when it was close to summer and the car had no air conditioning – but it was the only option they had right now. Egypt was a wide place, and Shirou and the rest of the group had no idea where their target could be hiding. The only clue they had was here, in the Sahara Desert. According to Luvia, the Yggdmillennia clan had been killed in this very same place, and that was the only lead they had right now. Moreover, Artoria could not use her perception skills as long as this 'Magic Veil' remained active, and that had basically deleted all their chances of finding the target thanks to her Dragon Core. Thus, if they wanted to meet that so-called Sun King, they had to search for him themselves.

Luckily for him, the Ruler was not a simple human – not entirely, at least – and thus, the desert heat wasn't really dangerous for him. He was the God of War and an immortal being, after all. A bit of excessive heat and lack of water wasn't nearly enough to stop him, and nothing he couldn't handle in the current situation. Even Mordred, Iskandar and the others were not in danger since they were all Servants and – consequently – none of them were really alive. Servants did not truly exist, after all, and their astral body was specifically made to adapt and fight in every situation. They could still feel hot, indeed, but the desert was not exactly dangerous for them either.

But that didn't apply for Luvia, unfortunately. The poor girl was sweating a lot due to the unbearable heat of this place, and if it weren't for their large stocks of water, she would have undoubtedly passed out after the first two hours of travel. There were no real roads in this place, and cars couldn't exactly go wild on the rocky terrain of the desert. In order to stay safe, they had to drive relatively slow.

With a weary sigh, Shirou unfolded a map with his hands, trying to figure out their current position amid that sea of nothing. The Western Desert of Egypt was an area of the Sahara that lied West of the river Nile, up to the Libyan border, and South from the Mediterranean Sea to the border with Sudan; named in contrast to the Eastern Desert which extended on the opposite side: East from the Nile to the Red Sea. As mentioned before, it was mostly rocky desert, its terrain uneven and rough due to stones and pebbles, though an area of sandy desert apparently lied to the West against the Libyan border, known as the Great Sand Sea. The desert covered an area of 680,650 km2 (262,800 sq mi) which was two-thirds of the land area of the country, and it was completely barren and uninhabited save for a chain of oases which extended in an arc from Siwa, in the North-West, to Kharga in the South.

In other words: it was wide. EXTREMELY WIDE. And Shirou and his companions had to cross it all in order to search for their target. Thanks to Iskandar's and Artoria's Riding Skill, gasoline was not needed for such a journey, but even despite that it was an extremely arduous and tiring task. The desert was immense, scorching, completely devoid of life; and scouring it all in search of a Servant in hiding was an unattractive prospect for everyone, including Shirou himself. The red-head had seriously started to question their mission after three hours straight of uninterrupted travel.

Also, the fact that the temperature had suddenly started to exceed 40 degrees didn't help either.

Shirou tossed the map on the car dashboard with a sigh. It was no use. He had no idea of where they were right now. Good grief, what a messed up situation.

"Are you ok, Miss Luvia?" he asked instead, turning his head to the back seats of the car. While Iskandar drove on the front seat next to him, Mordred and Luvia were seated on the back seats in silence, the former with her arms crossed and an annoyed expression and the latter with a sweaty and dazed face, her body surrounded by at least a dozen of empty water bottles. She looked more dead than alive right now, her body visibly suffering because of the unbearable heat. Shirou did not fault her one bit.

"W-Worry not. I… am fine," she managed to reply with a sigh, furiously fanning her face with a hand. She grabbed a bottle, gulping down the water at a frightening high speed. "I'm getting used to it."

No one believed her, not even Iskandar. Shirou sweat-dropped, and not because of the weather. He openly sighed as the girl moved to grab another bottle. He just hoped she wouldn't need to use the restroom anytime soon.

Mordred shot her an annoyed stare from the side. "How the hell were you planning to go in the desert if you can't even bear a little heat?" she asked her incredulously, shaking her head and muttering in irritation. "What a joke."

Luvia glared at her with a frown. "Said the one who's complaining the most," she spat back heatedly. "And besides, it's not my fault that I've lost all my equipment and protection gems because of Caster!"

Shirou sighed at their antics, exchanging a weary glance with Iskandar. "Now, now, do not make a scene here," the Ruler ordered them, running a hand through his crimson hair with a frustrated face. His golden-brown eyes glanced outside the window, where the other car driven by Artoria was following them close. "I think it's best if you switch places, miss Luvia. Artoria's car has air conditioning. You would feel better there."

"Yeah… that would be a wise choice," the Magus agreed, a sudden glimpse of life flashing in her orbs at the mere thought of feeling fresh air again.

Mordred's head snapped to him. "Oh, hell no!" she roared in outrage, making everyone in the car wince at her loud voice. "These useless cars only have four seats! If she goes there, that means the annoying Berserker is going to come here in her place! I'm NOT going to deal with that mad freak for an entire journey!"

Both Shirou and Iskandar flinched a little. The kid had a point. Despite everything, even they had to admit that sharing a vehicle with Antonio Salieri was not something they were looking forward to. Even now they could clearly hear the mad, crazed laughter coming from the car that flanked their own. And Shirou hadn't missed the exasperated expression of Artoria, Gawain and Bedivere when he had occasionally shot a stare at their car windows every now and then. Even with air conditioning, the King and her Knights weren't exactly enjoying their ride either, thanks to a certain Berserker who apparently took a great pleasure in speaking non-stop for no reason, clearly attempting to annoy them at every occasion.

From their respective cars, all Servants exchanged pleading glances with each other. Shirou almost grinned in mad hopelessness. He had never seen Artoria pleading at him with her eyes before.

"Well… at each their own, I guess," the God mentally groaned.

Iskandar glanced at Mordred with a raised brow. "You could also switch places with one of the Knights, you know," the King of Conquerors pointed out.

The effect was immediate. Mordred physically flinched, her eyes widening for a split-second. Then, her face fell a little. "I-I don't… think that's a good idea," she admitted with a low voice. In spite of her usual behavior, the blonde Saber looked quite uncertain right now. "I know we've made peace with each other, but… I'm still not comfortable enough to be around Father on my own."

Shirou and Iskandar shared a silent glance. Of course. They should have known.

"…you'll have to face your insecurities sooner or later, kid," Shirou said softly to her. "I know it's not easy, but you can't avoid her forever. Besides, I think she would be happy to spend some time with you."

The female Knight glanced at him, her face morphed into a dubious scowl. "…you serious?" she asked quietly. Too quietly, for his tastes. She sounded almost desperate for some reason.

He smiled in reassurance. "Of course. I wouldn't lie about something like this."

Mordred lowered her eyes after a few moments of pondering and uncertainty. In the end, however, she still shook her head with a frown.

"Whatever, I'm not ready yet. I'm not going over there," she decided, crossing her arms.

Both Shirou and Iskandar sighed at her stubbornness, shaking their heads in disappointment. Honestly, this kid. They cared for her a lot, but her head was as hard as a rock sometimes. They really should have seen that coming.

However, they knew that they couldn't be too hasty with her on this particular subject. In all honesty, they were expecting this kind of behavior from her. Despite how she looked, in fact, Mordred was still a kid, and as such, she had no idea how to act in order to fully connect with her "peculiar" parent. It was no wonder that she would react like this even after making peace with Artoria. Mentally speaking, she was nothing more than a child, and she didn't know what to do in order to improve her relationship with her father. Artoria was probably as clueless as her on that regard, given her peculiar upbringing and the fact that she had lived her whole life as an emotionless King, so they knew they couldn't count on her for this either.

Hence, once again, that responsibility fell on Shirou and Iskandar. They knew they had to do something in order to help their friend overcome her past. They couldn't simply leave her like this, otherwise all her previous attempts would have been for nothing. They had to plan something in order to bring those two closer to each other, sooner or later.

But probably not right now.

Regardless of everything, however, unlike Mordred, Shirou was an adult. And being an adult meant making sacrifices and sharing the hardships with their companions. Thus, he mentally resigned himself with a sigh. "Be as it may, I won't have miss Luvia pass out because of the heat," he decided, inwardly flinching a little when he realized that the young woman was nearly drowning in her own sweat. "Rider, stop the car. We'll have her switch places with Salieri for a bit."

Despite their shared chagrin, the King of Conquerors complied in the end. Artoria's car did the same.

They stopped in the middle of nowhere, but that was to be expected given that they were inside a desert. All around them, the soil was barren and filled with pebbles, completely devoid of vegetation or signs of life. A few hundred meters away, both on the left and right side, a long series of stones and wide rock formations without a clear shape or size could already be seen in the distance, replacing the barren and flat soil of the desert and creating a sight that was both suggestive and eerie for some reason.

Luvia did not care one bit. However, when she moved to open the door and exit the vehicle, she suddenly found herself unable to do so.

The girl blinked in confusion. "Uh? Excuse me?" she drawled, shooting an annoyed stare at Iskandar. "Rider, my door is locked."

The only answer she received was an eerie silence.

No one reacted to her words, all the Servants remaining completely still. Luvia narrowed her eyes when Iskandar pressed the door lock switch again, locking all the other doors as well.

"Hey! I demand an explanation!" she exclaimed vehemently, her eyebrow twitching in rage.

Once again, silence was her only answer.

Slowly, carefully, Shirou moved one hand to activate the earphone in his right ear. The silence inside the car was absolute. Luviagelita openly began to sweat with nervousness when she glimpsed the tense expression Iskandar and Mordred were wearing. Looking outside the window, her concern only began to grow when she realized that even the other car had fallen into a tense silence.

"Artoria… can you feel it?" the Ruler whispered in a low voice. A frighteningly low voice.

A- I do.

"…keep your eyes open."

"Hello? Excuse me?" the girl with blonde hair was growing more and more panicked by the second. "What is happening right now?"

A few seconds of silence. Shirou, Iskandar and Mordred shared a silent glance.

The King of Conquerors gave her one, single warning.

"Young lady. Put on your seat belt, and hold on tight."

Luviagelita Edelfelt blinked in confusion. She tried to open her mouth and retort, but she did not make it in time.

In fact, next thing she knew, the world had already fallen to chaos.

It happened faster than a man could blink.

No one had time to think. A gigantic explosion suddenly shook the Sahara Desert before any of them could do something. Shirou and his friends tensed immediately, and Luvia openly screamed in fear when a tall and imposing column of rock, sand and dust suddenly rose from the desert soil about fifty meters in front of them, generating a deafening explosion that shook the world for several seconds. A veritable shower of rocks and debris rained down from the column of smoke, and the world itself seemed to moan and cry in pain for what felt like an eternity.

Next thing next, when the earthquake finally ceased, a hiss-like sound began to echo in the air for no apparent reason. The Ruler and his companions stared with mouth agape as a pair of red and glowing eyes appeared within the column of smoke and dust, before a deafening roar exploded all of a sudden, shaking both heaven and earth with its bestial ferocity. Then, as soon as the smoke cleared, Luviagelita Edelfelt and the group of Servants observed the beast that had caused all that mess with a horrified face.

An enormous monster – a Serpent similar to a cobra – had appeared from the bowels of the earth, staring at the world with bestial eyes made of red, glowing in the dust. It was more than ten meters long in its entirety, and its whole body was striped with a pattern of blue and gold. The Serpent's body was coiled around, and a few flames of red and yellow prana burned all over its skin, making it appear even more threatening and disturbing. Given by this last detail and by the fact that that the snake's body was made of gold, it was clear for Shirou and the others that the beast in front of them was not a real living creature, but some kind of familiar or summon instead. It was more metal than creature, in fact; but its appearance was terrifying all the same.

"Go, Rider!" Shirou yelled at the top of his lungs. "NOW!"

The King of Conquerors didn't need to be told twice. With a sudden jerk-like motion, the muscular Rider shifted gears and stepped on the accelerator, propelling the entire car to dart forward at maximum speed. The vehicle went from unmoving to top speed in less than an instant, its entire frame enveloped by Iskandar's mana, and Artoria's car did the same next to it, following suit with frightening speed.

As soon as they moved, the gigantic Serpent hissed and recoiled its flaming body, its head snapping to left and right as it watched the two vehicles swiftly darting past its body, one on each of its sides. Then, the beast turned around and roared, letting out an ear-splitting hiss of rage that would have made every lesser man cry in fear before starting to trash around and follow them with animalistic fury, crawling in the desert soil with a frightening speed for its massive size.

Iskandar and Artoria kept driving at maximum speed, trying to put as much distance as they could from that horrendous beast. All the while, Luvia was openly screaming while Shirou, Mordred and the others stared at the snake following them with narrowed eyes.

"I-It's chasing us! That horrendous monster is chasing us!" Luvia exclaimed with wide eyes, fastening her seat belt immediately with a fearful expression. "W-What is that thing?!"

Mordred growled as she stuck her head out of the car window. "Another freaking nuisance, that's what!" she spat with contempt.

Shirou did the same thing as well, sticking his head out of the window and studying the gigantic Serpent as it kept slithering on the ground, following them with a hiss. Despite its massive body, it was incredibly fast, and it was already catching up with them despite Iskandar's and Artoria's Driving Skills. Both the vehicles had already been imbued with their energy, and were sprinting on the desert with a speed that would have put a professional rally racer to shame. And yet, that snake was still following them anyway, getting closer and closer by the second. This could not be a simple beast. There was no doubt about it: that was no ordinary monster.

His eyes narrowed in suspicion as he observed the creature chasing after them with a critical eye, his mind already trying to Structurally Analyze the beast in order to discern who it belonged to or at least what it was. And when his mind was finally able to process all the information on the inside, the red-haired Ruler exhaled a low growl of frustration. Nope, he didn't like this. He didn't like it one bit.

The Serpent that was following them could be called a "Divine Beast" due to its power and strength, but it wasn't strictly a Divine Beast of the Phantasmal Species like those he had seen and defeated in his life. On the contrary, it was more a like a living representation rather than a real beast. Something that embodied the concept of ancient Egypt, and it inevitable demise. Strictly speaking, since it wasn't a blade or a real weapon that could be wielded, Shirou wasn't able to discover who it belonged to, but there was no doubt in his mind that the one who had summoned it was a Servant. That much was already obvious. Regardless of its summoner's identity, his trained eyes could clearly see the raw stream of anguish and regret flowing inside the beast's metal body.

Yes, indeed. An oppressive feeling of regret, born because of the end of the Egyptian Empire, flowed through the snake body like blood would flow inside a creature. It represented a mass of negative emotions, a living embodiment of anguish and rage; and that alone was enough to make it a living and breathing manifestation of the glorious history of Egypt that spanned over thousands of years, and the rage and sorrow caused by its inevitable fall. The glory and the demise, the greatness and the fall, the joy and the anguish. All of that and even more was what truly composed the beast standing before him right now. In other words, it was more than a beast. It was a living Noble Phantasm, which represented the sorrow born because of Egypt's demise.

Good grief, what an unsightly monster. Shirou almost felt bad for its owner.

"That thing is a living Noble Phantasm," Shirou stated with a serious voice, loud enough so that everyone in the group could hear him, even Artoria who was listening through the earphone from the other car. "It must belong to an Egyptian Servant."

Luvia widened her eyes. "T-The Serpent is a symbol," she whispered, a sudden realization dawning upon her. "The symbol of the Divinity of the Pharaohs! That snake must belong to a Pharaoh!"

Correct. The God of War inwardly agreed with her speculation. Luvia could be haughty and spoiled, but her knowledge about history was top notch. There was no way that such a massive manifestation of Egyptian history could not belong to an ancient Pharaoh. Perhaps it even belonged to the Sun King himself, though Shirou had some doubts about that hypothesis. Ozymandias had been the most powerful and respected ruler of Egypt, after all. Why, then, would he ever have to feel such a powerful remorse?

No, that couldn't be. It simply made no sense.

But there was no time to ponder over such matters. Whatever it was, that thing was dangerous, and it clearly had no intention of leaving them alone. It had to be killed at once.

Less than a blink of an eye, and the Serpent had almost caught up with them. With a frightening hiss, the giant beast suddenly leaped forward with monstrous power, crashing head-first on the desert soil a few meters behind them and generating an explosion of wind, dust and flames that enveloped everything for dozens and dozens of meters. Iskandar steered at the last second, forcing the car to sprint to the right with a sudden and lightning-fast turn, barely avoiding being hit by a veritable wall of flames that exploded all around them. From the opposite side on the left, Artoria did the same, steering in the opposite direction. The cars sprinted on the rocks like bolts of lightning, enveloped by wind and prana.

Unfortunately, though, it wasn't over yet. As soon as the explosion died down, the Serpent burst out of the cloud of dust and smoke, crawling on the ground with a disturbing movement and resuming its chase with a hiss-like roar. As the snake moved, its body went literally on fire, its golden skin engulfed in a blanket of flames and fire, and the ground it crawled over was immediately set ablaze with its movement, generating a long trail of flames behind the beast. Within seconds, the Sahara Desert had been set ablaze, engulfed in roaring flames. Shirou and the others stared at the scene with wide eyes as they kept trying to get away from the beast.

"Are you kidding me?!" Mordred growled, staring at the fire with an incredulous snarl. "As if this accursed place wasn't hot enough already!"

A- Shirou, we need to take down that beast – Artoria's voice rang out in the Ruler's hear – At this rate, the desert is going to be set ablaze. Shall we face the Serpent directly?

"No, leave it to me," the God of War declared, narrowing his eyes with a great resolve. "I've got this."

He wasted no time. Sharing a single nod with Iskandar, Shirou suddenly slipped out of the vehicle, using the small window to climb onto the roof of the car with a swift and decisive movement. Within a few seconds, his entire body was already outside, kneeling on the roof while the car continued to dash and sprint forward on the rocky terrain at maximum speed, holding onto the vehicle through a visible layer of prana under his feet and legs.

"R-Ruler!? What are you doing?" Luviagelita exclaimed, her voice a mixture of panic and shock.

Shirou ignored her. Stretching out his hand, he summoned his black bow with a flash of dark energy, and then he stared at the Serpent trashing and crawling through the desert with narrowed eyes while the wind billowed his hair and coat behind him. The beast hissed at him, filled with anger and fury and blood-lust. There was no emotion in its gaze, no trace of understanding or sentient will. All he could see in its red eyes was rage. The Serpent was nothing but a monster, killing and raging its only purpose. It was really unsightly to witness. A giant and elegant cobra, the royal symbol of Egypt itself, rendered unable to do nothing but destroy and rage. What a pity, truly.

But there was no use to dwell on such thoughts. The God of War grasped his bow, stretching his free arm and opening its palm. "Trace On," he whispered.

This time, one of his usual projections was not going to be enough. The Serpent was too strong, its energy too raw and large to be matched fully by the power of a fake Noble Phantasm like those he had usually Traced before. If he wanted to destroy it, he had to unleash at least an A-rank Noble Phantasm in order to overwhelm its massive power. There was no helping it. Thus, steeling his mind and forcing his thoughts away, Shirou Emiya took his decision with a serious frown.

"I am the bone of my sword."

For the first time in a long while, he chanted the first line of his one and only incantation. But in this occasion, it was more than enough. In fact, not even a second later, a sword suddenly appeared in his right hand: a long spiral-shaped sword, identical to those he had summoned so many times before. But this time, he used Reinforcement on it, and he immediately started to gather and coalesce as much energy and mana as he could inside its blade, preparing himself to release not a usual Noble Phantasm, but a Broken one instead.

As the sword in his palm began to glow more and more with red energy, Shirou narrowed his eyes. Indeed. Even if most Heroes would never consider such an option, it was possible for a Servant to sacrifice his Noble Phantasm for an attack that was one rank higher, which was called a Broken Phantasm. More specifically, if a Noble Phantasm was packed with a great amount of Magical energy, it could be made to explode after striking its target, destroying it completely. Of course, it was nearly impossible to repair a destroyed Noble Phantasm, and since they were the trump cards of every Heroic Spirits, it was highly unlikely for most Servants to take such a drastic measure.

However, Shirou Emiya was an exception.

The God of War had no Noble Phantasm of his own. He possessed no real swords, no real arrows, no real spears. He had no true weapons with him. Not anymore, at least. Ever since he had given up all his powers with his suicide, he had lost all his previous possessions and abilities, forever; including the weapons he himself had forged as well. Hence, without taking into account Kanshou and Bakuya – which still didn't truly belong to him – all the weapons he could project and summon were fakes. Nothing more than copies. Copies that were extremely close to the originals, yes, but copies nonetheless.

But even using copies could be beneficial. Even using fakes could be an advantage, sometimes. In fact, despite not having a true Noble Phantasm anymore, thanks to his Tracing he could reproduce as many copies of Noble Phantasms as his Magical energy would allow, allowing him to summon and project infinite copies of the original, and also to counterbalance the fact that all of his projections were lowered by one rank. And that meant that he could use Broken Phantasms as well. As long as he had enough energy to project them, he could summon and use as many Broken Phantasms as he wished.

Right now, in fact, that was the best course of action. The red-haired Ruler openly smirked as he notched the spiral-shaped sword into his bow, his body never once stopping to channel energy inside the blade, taking aim with careful precision while the entire arrow glowed with a flaming red energy. He eyed the gigantic snake closely, aiming at its head with one eye closed and his body enveloped by a gust of wind, unfazed by the movements of the car under his feet.

Prana coursed through his body. Even more Magical energy flowed through his arms, entering inside the arrow. The wind around him became more powerful and intense. And then, with a single and hushed whisper, he released the attack.

"Caladbolg II!"

The projectile flew at supersonic speed. Shirou and the others weren't even able to see it once it was released. Upon a single millisecond, in fact, the arrow had already reached the Serpent's head, stabbing it right between its glowing eyes with a silent hiss. Then, upon making contact, a gigantic explosion of black-red energy suddenly shook the desert, generating a powerful earthquake. The blast was massive, gigantic, overwhelming; sending everything near its blast radius flying and blinding everything with an oppressive shockwave of wind and mana that engulfed the desert for miles and miles. The rest was just a confused and blurred succession of wind and blinding light, while the world trembled and the air moaned as if in extreme pain.

In the midst of that chaos, Iskandar and Artoria stopped their mad race abruptly, the wind crashing on the vehicles with a powerful force that almost made both cars flip over. Even Shirou himself grunted in displeasure, the powerful blast slamming onto him with force and making him lose his balance. The red-head was forced to jump away from the car, landing on the shaking ground of the desert on a knee while a gigantic cloud of smoke towered in front of him, similar to a wall of dust. The earthquake continued for a few seconds, and the world finally returned to peace after an eternity of tense silence.

When everything was over, his companions stepped out of the vehicles, staring at the aftermath of his attack with wide eyes.

"I'll be damned… I didn't know you could use such a powerful attack, boy," Iskandar grunted with disbelief, eying the young warrior as if he were an unsolved mystery. "That blast almost made me lose control of the car. I'm impressed, truly."

Everyone stared at him with obvious amazement. Even Antonio Salieri observed him with intrigue. "Hehehe… I guess we can't mess with a Servant of the Ruler-class, after all," the Italian Berserker mused with sarcasm, chuckling in amusement. Something mad and crazy flashed in his red eyes for a split-second.

Shirou ignored their stupor. He straightened himself with a grunt of fatigue, dismissing his bow and exhaling a tired breath. He didn't need to check to know that the beast had already been destroyed completely. His previous attack had been loaded with an enormous amount of energy, so much so that he was even starting to feel dizzy right now. He had spent nearly half of his current prana to unleash that arrow, and while he was in no immediate danger, his body was still feeling the effects of the sudden loss of energy all the same.

Seeing his tired state, Artoria moved to help him. "Shirou, are you ok?" she asked, helping him to stand with her arms. Not even a second later, Gawain moved to do the same from the other side.

The red-haired Ruler smiled at them, his face dripping with sweat. "I'm fine, don't worry. I'm just a bit drained right now," he admitted with a chuckle. "I used up a lot of energy to unleash that arrow. I will recover with a little rest."

Artoria smiled in relief. The others relaxed as well upon hearing his words. And now that the danger had passed, Luviagelita stepped out of the car as well, her previous sickness completely forgotten and replaced by a calculating glint. "As expected by Ruler, the Servant meant to oversee the War," the blonde woman spoke with a sly tone, flashing him a wide smile while her hands clapped in an impressed gesture. "I knew that joining you was the right choice, Shero."

Mordred eyed her with irritation. "What? You mean you were doubting us until now?"

"Hohoho~ perhaps a little," she admitted with a dismissive laugh, ignoring her annoyed stare while everyone deadpanned a bit. "But after witnessing his power with my own eyes, I must that that I'm thoroughly impressed!"

…

"Indeed. To think that my Uraeus Astrape was defeated so easily… I am speechless too."

…

Everyone widened their eyes.

A powerful roar echoed all of a sudden.

Shirou, Iskandar, Mordred and the others reacted promptly. In less than a blink of an eye, all Servants summoned their weapons and battle attires again, their bodies already moving to form a shield in front of Luviagelita and scanning the surroundings with their eyes while their trained senses were on alert. The young woman with golden hair blinked and startled in confusion, observing with wide eyes while Shirou and the others snapped their heads up, observing something with a narrowed gaze filled with tense wariness. Seeing their tense expression, Luvia glanced above as well, and she couldn't help but gasp in shock.

A flock of winged beasts was flying down from the sky. A veritable storm of beasts entirely made up of winged creatures with the unmistakable appearance of sphinxes was literally flying towards them, roaring a ferocious battle cry to the heavens and descending at maximum speed towards the ground. There were dozens of them – at least twenty-five in number – and all of them had large feathered wings, stout bodies with clawed paws, and a golden head covered with a thick brown mane. They rained down from the sky with a roar, landing on the ground all around the small group of Servants and encircling them from all sides.

Shirou watched them with visible apprehension, his katana already in hand and his stance ready to attack, even in spite of his current weakened state. He inwardly cursed a little as he glanced at each and every sphinx with a tense frown on his face, mirroring the way Mordred, Artoria and the others stiffened upon being surrounded by so many enemies. This was bad. This was extremely bad. He hadn't expected to face such a large number of beasts right after having killed the Serpent. Those sphinxes around them weren't just familiars summoned by some Servant, but real Phantasmal Beasts instead. The God could already tell that much with just a single glance. If those creatures decided to attack, they would surely prove themselves to be formidable opponents, extremely hard to kill; because they were in no way comparable to the usual familiars or even the Golems summoned by Avicebron. Phantasmal Beasts were NOT to be messed around with.

However, those creatures were not the real threat. As the Ruler and his companions had already realized, what they really needed to be wary of was another thing entirely: the three Servants who had appeared so suddenly from the sky.

Shirou watched with narrowed eyes as all the three figures dismounted from their sphinxes at the same time, landing on the rocky ground of the desert and stepping towards the group with a resolute and firm step filled with confidence. Artoria, her Knights and Salieri tensed slightly upon making eye-contact with them, while Luvia was visibly faltering in her steps, forcing herself to move closer to Ruler and his companions in order to stay safe. Shirou, Iskandar and Mordred studied the enemies with a resolute frown.

The first Servant who caught their attention was the one who had spoken before: a young woman on her twenties, with large aqua-green eyes and long, stranded hair of the same color. She wore an elegant and refined linen dress, typical of the Egyptian nobility from ancient times, along with a few golden bracelets and necklaces on both her arms and legs. Her expression was haughty, solemn; and a refined make up made of black foundation surrounded her wide teal eyes, giving her a breathtaking appearance and highlighting her pale complexion even more. All in all, she was a Servant who displayed elegance, beauty and attractiveness altogether; so much so that her beautiful appearance would surely have left most men completely stunned.

On the contrary, the Servant standing next to her was anything but attractive. It appeared to be a man in his mid-twenties, wearing a red coat of a uniform with golden buttons over a white shirt, a pink tie, shoulder pads, and a white skirt. However, his most defining trait was the fact that he was extremely overweight, which was an oddity amongst Heroic Spirits. His belly fat was extremely developed and round, a feature which was also accentuated by his relatively short stature. And yet, despite his odd appearance, the man wore an expression of confidence and royal pride in his face, also wearing a corona obsidionalis (a grass crown) around his head, similarly to those used by the Emperors from ancient Rome.

Lastly, the third Servant stepped forward as well: a dark-skinned young woman with purple hair and eyes, wearing very revealing clothing made of linen and fine fabrics. She wore a small crown of gold and blue stripes on her head, adorned with Anubis-like ears, and she also showed to possess golden earrings on her hears and an elaborate necklace dangling over her chest. A long and dark scepter was wielded in her right hand, a symbol of royal authority, and her expression was morphed in a mask of calm and composed resolve as she stared down at Shirou and the others in silence.

The two group of Servants observed each other for a while, falling into a tense silence. Shirou, Iskandar and the others watched with narrowed eyes as the three enemies took a few steps forward, their faces and expression completely filled with confidence and superiority.

"This is your one and only warning," the woman with purple hair and eyes spoke out loud, breaking the silence and fixing them with a stern stare. "For your own sake, please do not resist. If any of you tries something, we will be forced to retaliate."

Right after her, the other woman – the one with teal eyes and hair – openly smirked with a haughty expression. "Indeed. Kneel before us, you lowly pigs, and we may treat you well!" she ordered, bringing a hand on her face in a gesture of contempt and superiority. The fat man next to her remained silent.

"Hey! Who are you calling a pi―mngh!" Luvia tried to shout back, only for her mouth to be forcefully blocked by Bedivere's hand before it could be too late.

Mordred, Artoria and the others narrowed their eyes, but that was their only reaction. The group stared back at them with stoic silence, and even Shirou remained completely still, unfazed by their words.

Seeing their silence, the woman who spoke first narrowed her eyes. "I am Nitocris, reincarnation of the Sky God Horus! A Caster class Servant summoned to this land alongside the Sun King!" she revealed with a powerful voice. "You have trespassed into my King's territory, and now we shall judge you according to the law he's established!"

The Ruler widened his eyes a bit, surprised by the fact that she had decided to reveal her true name so easily. According to the knowledge he had gained thanks to Gaia, Nitocris was the name of an ancient Pharaoh. A magic Queen who held the throne in the Sixth Dynasty, even if only for a short time. A person who lived around the 22nd Century BC, and who became famous because she deliberately murdered her own brothers by drowning, and who then took her own life after accomplishing her revenge.

Banishing his inner tension, Shirou swallowed a bit. He had no doubt that that woman was powerful. He was willing to bet on it. Not only she came from a very ancient time, but he could also see that her weapon was a very formidable one as well. His eyes had already noticed the scepter wielded in her hand, and as much as he hated to admit it, he did not like it. He did not like it one bit. Why?

Because that scepter was one he had already seen before; a long time ago.

It was the same scepter held by the ancient Egyptian Gods of these lands. A magical Mystic Code that possessed a powerful Mystery, one that conferred a strong will and pride to those who wielded it. Shirou was sure of it. He was sure, because he had seen it before, even if he didn't exactly remember when. But there was no doubt in his mind about its powers. The Egyptian Gods had been formidable adversaries during his quest to free mankind, and their powers and influence had been sincerely impressive to behold at the time. Despite his deep hatred for the Gods and their mutual contempt, the Egyptians ones had been truly admirable adversaries during the War. Powerful and arrogant, no doubt, but sincere and resolute like few others. Among the countless Deities that existed in the world, the Egyptian Gods had been some of the few that he could truly respect. Definitely better opponents than the Greek Gods.

Heavens, how he loathed the Greek Gods (with a few exceptions, of course).

The woman – Nitocris – stared at them with a powerful frown. "Answer me: did you knowingly trespass into the land of the Sun King?" she demanded out loud.

Shirou stepped away from the group, his face calm and collected. The sphinxes growled as he moved forward, but he ignored them. "We did not," was his honest answer. "However, we did come here because of him. We want to meet this Sun King of yours, and we travelled to this place because it was the only lead we had."

Upon hearing his answer, the three Servants narrowed their eyes. "So you came here to meet him?" the only man of the group asked, speaking with a soft, elegant voice. His round belly bounced a little as he shifted his weight on his legs. "And why, pray tell, do you wish an audience with the Sun King? He has no business with other Servants, for his interest lays beyond the Holy Grail War."

Everyone shared a glance at that. Valuable information. King Ozymandias' interest went beyond the War. That was definitely suspicious. And worrying.

Before Shirou could say more, however, one of his companions stepped forward all of a sudden.

"Pardon me, boy, but I think I should take this one," Iskandar spoke with his deep voice, placing one of his massive hands on the Ruler's shoulder. "This is my soil we're currently standing on. I will not stand idly and watch when my land is under threat. Let me take the lead for a bit."

Baffled, Shirou could only blink at him for a few seconds, stunned by his decision. However, in the end, he merely decided to let him be, stepping a bit to the side and watching with a small smile on his lips while the King of Conquerors decided to take the lead, placing himself in front of the group. Nitocris and those who were, supposedly, her allies blinked in confusion as well, raising their brows with an unreadable face.

"You sure have a lot of demands," Iskandar spoke slowly, his red eyes fixing the three Servants with a serious stare. For the first time in a long while, he did not appear cheerful and boastful. He did not appear confident and extravagant, as he used to be all the time. No, not at all. On the contrary, there was nothing but cold irritation on his face, his chiseled features morphed into a serious scowl. "You demand answers, and yet, you're being extremely rude. There is no reason to answer to those who cannot bring themselves to stand on the same ground with others. I must say, as a monarch, I find it vexing. Extremely vexing."

Nitocris and her allies narrowed their eyes. "This is the land of the Sun King," the woman with aqua-green hair declared, her brows furrowing and her voice assuming a haughty and waspish tone. "Even if you came here to seek an audience, trespassing into the King's domain without announcing yourselves first can be considered as an act of War!" she stated loudly, crossing her arms.

Then, out of the blue, she relaxed. Her eyes narrowed, and her lips suddenly curved into a smile. "However, I will let it slide. You did manage to destroy my Noble Phantasm, after all. The ultimate and powerful weapon that I had created to test those who are brave enough to enter into the King's domain."

Shirou clenched a fist. "So that beast was merely a test?" he spat, sarcasm clearly evident in his tone.

The woman's eyes flashed at the blatant disrespect, but she nodded. "Indeed. Only those who are powerful shall be graced with the King's attention. Such is his decree, after all. My Uraeus Astrape was simply the first line of defense, as you can see," she explained, her hands motioning towards the sphinxes surrounding them even now.

Hearing that, the Macedonian Emperor frowned thunderously. "So your King treats those who desire an audience as nothing more than entertainment subjects?" he growled, his face growing even more enraged. "Unacceptable. Absolutely unacceptable! As a fellow monarch and ruler of these lands, I cannot agree with such a barbaric method!"

The Servant trio widened their eyes. The man with red clothes stepped forward when the woman next to him recoiled back in slight shock, grabbing her in a gest of support. "A fellow ruler of these lands?" he repeated. "Who are you to make such a claim?"

"Who am I? I am the King of Conquerors, Iskandar! And I've come here to retake what is rightfully mine!" he roared his answer at the top of his lungs, his voice powerful enough to be heard even for dozens and dozens of meters away. He drew his spatha with a swift movement of his arm, pointing its blade towards the enemies as he glared at their stunned faces. "These lands and people were once mine to defend! I had conquered them all, and I cannot stand the oppression and the threat that are looming over them! I shall free them from this accursed oppression along with my companions, and then I will conquer them once again!"

Shirou, Mordred and Artoria sweat-dropped a little. Salieri and the Knights did the same. On the other hand, Luvia, Nitocris and the other duo gaped in absolute shock.

As the King of Conquerors made his intentions clear with a roar of resolve, staring at the world with a challenging glare.

"If you wish to stop me, then face me right here and now," Iskandar challenged them directly, as serious as he could be. "A King who cowers in the desert while his lands are under oppression is no King into my eyes. If you do not wish to perish here, then let us through and allow us to meet this so-called Sun King of yours. I have a lot of things to discuss with him."

A solemn and tense silence followed his declaration.

Shirou and his companions remained completely still, watching the scene unfold with nervousness.

Nitocris and her allies stared at Iskandar with wide eyes filled with disbelief, frozen in shock.

Seconds passed, followed by minutes.

Until, something happened.

Suddenly and without a warning, the fat man dressed in red clothes and the woman with teal hair took a single step forward. Two. Three. Four. Five steps. They were starting to move slowly, their expressions unreadable and their eyes shadowed for some reason.

Nitocris startled upon seeing her allies starting to move. "H-Hey! What are you doing?! Come back here!" she exclaimed with a panicked face.

They didn't answer. On the contrary, they kept moving forward together, undaunted, walking towards the King of Conquerors who kept absolutely still all the while, staring down at them with a mighty glare. Shirou and Mordred watched the scene unfold closely, their hands placed on their weapons and their bodies already leaning forward, ready to intercept in case those two tried to do something. Even Artoria, the Knights and Salieri observed the scene with obvious nervousness while Luvia's eyes frantically glanced between Iskandar and the other two. Heck, even the Phantasmal Beast surrounding them seemed confused as fuck.

Yet, the weird Servant duo continued to walk, unfazed. Until, after a few seconds, they finally stopped a few meters away from Iskandar, staring straight into his eyes. The man stared back at them with a glare, completely unfazed by their combined gaze.

And then, something unbelievable happened.

Out of the blue, the man with a fat body and the woman with stunning looks bowed to the King of Conquerors, reaching out with one hand each and offering him a piece of paper and a pen respectively.

"N-Noble King Iskandar… I beg you! I sincerely beg you! Would you do us the honor of granting us a signature? Please!" the man in red begged, bowing his head.

"S-Sign… please kindly sign one for us! Please sign for us!" the woman in white pleaded as well, bowing her head in turn.

Everyone stared in disbelief.

Shirou and Mordred gaped. Artoria and the Knights blinked. Luvia and Salieri raised a brow. Nitocris stuttered incoherently.

And Iskandar stared down at the two Servants with an unreadable gaze.

Until, he finally broke into a loud and boisterous laugh.

"Bwahahahahah! You wish for a signature on my part?" he repeated incredulously in the midst of a fit of uncontrollable laughter. His chuckle only increased upon receiving a nod in response, his previous seriousness completely gone. "How amusing. How amusing indeed! It has been a long time since I've been asked for such a thing!" The King of Conquerors shook his head to dismiss the laughter, his lips parting into a mighty grin. "Very well! I shall gladly grant your request!" he decided, grabbing both the pen and paper.

Obviously, this turn of events was not what the others were expecting.

"What the FUCK?!" Mordred yelled with disbelief, her cry echoing throughout the desert. "Are you serious right now? We got all worried for nothing! What the hell…?"

For once, Shirou and Artoria couldn't help but agree with her. Even Nitocris seemed baffled right now.

Salieri, on his part, didn't give a shit.

"Thank you! Oh, thank you very much, noble Iskandar!" the overweight Servant exclaimed with an expression that could only be described as pure joy. He turned to the woman next him with a wide smile on his chubby face. "Can you believe it, my dear? We're finally standing in front of the King of Conquerors himself!"

"Yes, Lord Caesar! To think that I am able to meet the founder of the Ptolemaic Dynasty and my own ancestor… hyaaa! My heart is about to explode! This day is a blessed day indeed!"

Iskandar scratched his neck as he handled the pen and the signed piece of paper back to them. "Bwahah! Come on now, you're making me blush!" he chuckled with flushed cheeks.

"Uuh, excuse me?" Luviagelita suddenly drawled, unable to contain her annoyance any longer. Her right eyebrow was visibly twitching. "I would like an explanation that I can be satisfied with. What in the world is happening?"

Shirou ran a hand through his hair. "Trust me, miss Luvia, we're just as confused as you are," he sighed, utterly unable to understand. "Good grief, these damned overly-sized kids. I just can't even…"

"Oh dear, please pardon our rudeness," the fat Servant dressed in elegant red clothing exclaimed all of a sudden, breaking the stunned air of stupor around them and grabbing everyone's attention with his soft tone. "I shall make the introductions: I am Gaius Julius Caesar, Servant Saber. And this beautiful woman is none other than my lovely wife," he declared with a soft and elegant voice, gesturing towards the woman with a captivating smile.

Said 'wife' openly blushed like a schoolgirl at the Saber's statement and smile, but the sheer joy inside her overly-excited eyes could hardly be missed by the others. "I-I-Indeed! Lord Caesar's words are a little b-blunt, but he's right. I am the last Pharaoh, Cleopatra VII Philopator, an Assassin. It's an honor to finally meet you, King of Conquerors!" she said with an ear-splitting smile on her beautiful face.

Shirou, Mordred and the others widened their eyes in shock while Iskandar raised his brows in stupor. "C-Caesar and Cleopatra!?" Luvia repeated with an incredulous voice, stunned. To say that she was shocked by the news would have been an understatement.

And how could she not be? After all, those two were extremely famous legendary figures even to this day. Caesar was one of the greatest heroes of ancient Rome; an outstanding conqueror and general that made a name for himself in the Gallic Wars and the Britannia Expedition. And Cleopatra had been a tragic queen who left her beauty in history as the last queen of the Ptolemaic Dynasty and essentially known as the Last Pharaoh of ancient Egypt. There was no way that a Magus like Luvia could not be shocked by this. To suddenly find those two legendary figures here, together, was something not even Shirou would have expected to see.

But wait a minute―

"Hold on… Caesar? As in, Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator and conqueror?" Luvia cut in the discussion suddenly, fixing the fat Saber with a narrowed stare.

The man offered her a smile. "Yes. Is there something wrong, young lady?" he asked, completely calm and collected.

The woman's copper eyes darted between the Saber's face and body. Up and down. Up and down. She fought hard to keep her smirk to a minimum. "Well, it's just… I thought you'd be different," was all she managed to say.

On his part, Caesar laughed softly. "Hahah, worry not, I'm used to it," he dismissed her words with a wave of the hand. His eyes turned to stare at Iskandar's towering frame again, while he stood side by side with the beautiful Cleopatra next to him, their arms liked together in a clear intimate gesture (which was quite weird to witness, but who were they to judge?). "My current form is not the one I had in life. But unfortunately, it seems that I've been summoned under the wrong Class, and this was the result."

The Macedonian Emperor was about to ask what he meant with those words, when someone suddenly coughed loudly with force. Everyone turned to stare at Nitocris, who was now wearing an annoyed expression on her face, her left eyebrow twitching slightly.

"Lord Caesar! Miss Cleopatra! What do you think you're doing, talking with those trespassers?" she demanded with force, tapping the desert soil with her scepter in a solemn gesture.

The beautiful Assassin – Cleopatra – raised a brow at her. "Oh come on, miss Nitocris! It's the King of Conquerors!" she stressed, her eyes shining with admiration and glee as she kept glancing at Iskandar's bemused face, much his companions' bewilderment. "Our King has never said to us what to do in this kind of situation, but I'm sure he wouldn't want us to fight against another King. As the founder and ancestor of my Dynasty, Lord Iskandar is a Pharaoh too, and I cannot bring myself to oppose him." Her smile turned a bit mischievous at that point. "Besides, I know that you secretly admire him too…"

Nitocris' face flared like a tomato. "I-I-I DO NOT!" she yelled indignantly, waving her scepter around frantically, like a child caught in a foul act.

"Stop being so stubborn~ Just admit it already~" Assassin singsonged with a teasing tone.

Caesar openly laughed at the Caster's embarrassed face. "Hahaha. Come now, my dear. Stop teasing the Pharaoh."

Artoria and Shirou exchanged an incredulous glance with each other during all that scene. Just like that, the previous tension and wariness they had felt was gone. Gone. Disappeared. Vanished. Completely and utterly dismantled piece by piece by those Servants' foolish charade. Really? No, seriously, really? What the heck was happening right now? How could such legendary Heroes act so carefree in front of a group of enemies? They almost felt ashamed of the fact that they had seriously considered them a threat before. Those three were not Heroes right now, not even close. They were a bunch of buffoons.

And the more they watched them, the more they started to realize it.

Shirou shared a nod with Artoria and Mordred.

Ok, enough of this. Time to get serious.

With a powerful release of mana, he stomped his foot against the ground, cracking the rocky terrain of the desert and creating a small earthquake that made the ground shake for a few seconds. Just like that, everyone turned to him immediately, caught by surprise by his gesture, and silence returned to reign once again as soon as the others noticed the cold and annoyed frown on the God's face.

"Enough," he ordered, his voice powerful and commanding as never before. Even the winged beasts surrounding the group backed away a little upon seeing his pissed-off face. "Quit this charade, all of you. If really you care about your lives, then I suggest you explain what is happening immediately, before I lose my patience!" he commanded, fixing Nitocris, Caesar and Cleopatra with a powerful glare.

Just like that, the three Servants felt a sudden shiver running down their spine after hearing the Ruler's command. Even if they didn't know why, even if they didn't know how, their bodies began to sweat a little under his powerful glare, and they could do nothing but stare at him in shock for some reason beyond their understanding. They were clearly feeling threatened by his presence, and they realized that immediately.

Iskandar returned serious as well. "I concur, this hardly the time for such matters," he spoke as well, crossing his arms while Mordred, Shirou and the others moved to stand next to him. He shot another glare at the Servant trio even in spite of the Phantasmal Beasts surrounding them. "Do not think I have forgotten your previous 'welcome' to us. Me and my companions demand an explanation, and we want it now."

Caesar, Nitocris and Cleopatra shared a nervous glance.

"N-Now, now, please forgive our previous rude behavior, Lord Iskandar," Caesar immediately tried to mediate with a placating gesture, offering to the King and his allies an embarrassed smile. Contrary to his appearance, it appeared that his diplomatic skills had remained unchanged, which was to be expected from a master of speech and ingenuity. "We sincerely apologize for that. Please understand: we were just trying to carry out our duty to defend this land, as ordered by the Sun King. Surely, we weren't aware of your name, King of Conquerors, but I swear that your presence is a welcome one."

"T-That's right! It was just a misunderstanding!" Cleopatra nodded vigorously, joining her hands together and offering a strained smile to all of them. "Please be at ease, esteemed guests! Do make yourself at home to your heart's content here! Any friend of Lord Iskandar will always be welcome!"

Shirou and his allies watched the haughty Assassin with a deadpan. "We went from 'lowly pigs' to 'esteemed guests' just because of Rider, huh?" was everyone's unanimous thought. Mordred was openly bristling at the realization.

But still, the King of Conquerors was not satisfied yet. "If you wish to make amends, then explain the current situation," he demanded solemnly. The others couldn't help but admire him right now for his firmness. It appeared that their boisterous and foolish Rider could also act resolutely every now and then. It was good to see. He could behave like a true King when he wanted to. At least during the right circumstances, of course.

Nitocris swallowed a little, facing the gigantic and muscular Servant with a tense face. "…that is not for us to say," she spoke with a firm voice. Even in spite of her blatant nervousness, there was no trace of hesitation in tone, and no one failed to notice this. "I won't deny your title, King of Conquerors, but the Sun King is the greatest Pharaoh and rightful ruler of these lands. As such, I shall answer none but the Great Ozymandias. But I am inexperienced as a Pharaoh, and that is why I will not rule over you."

The red-haired Ruler kept his expression neutral. As expected of a Queen blessed by the Gods themselves. Her decision and loyalty were unshakable, even in front of a more powerful and imposing Servant like Alexander the Great. He had to give her credit for that.

Iskandar crossed his arms again. "If that's your decision, then let us meet this King you so highly speak of," he spoke with utmost decision, sharing a nod with Shirou and Mordred. Caster, Saber and Assassin observed him with a nervous face, paling a little under his stern expression. "I do not care if you and your Pharaoh have ruled on this land as well. I am well aware that every King and every kingdom are destined to disappear, one day. The past is past. Hence: our rule over this place is nothing but a memory." His eyes narrowed again as he glared at those three with a stern gaze. "However… the fact that this so-called Sun King of yours has done nothing to defend these lands from the War is something I absolutely cannot stand! I wish to speak to him, and hear what he has to say! My companions also have some matters to discuss with him, so let us through at once!"

His request was resolute and absolute, and it was met with dead silence. Shirou, Artoria, Luvia and the others stared with narrowed eyes while that weird trio exchanged worried glances with each other.

In the end, however, after ten seconds filled with uneasiness, the three Servants decided to relent with a nod.

"…very well," Nitocris decided with a heavy breath, turning her back on them in attempt to hide her tense expression. "We will take you to the King. Come along."

Iskandar's face was a solemn mask of seriousness as he nodded. Next to him, everyone visibly relaxed. "Good. I expect a thorough explanation, then," he stated, still challenging the three Servants with his powerful glare.

Shirou and the others openly smirked when they saw Caesar and his allies hesitate under his stare. Those three were indeed famous and renowned Heroes, but none of them could equal Alexander the Great in renown. Very few Servants could remain unfazed and calm in front of the King of Conquerors' powerful frame.

Cleopatra and Caesar shared a nervous glance. Nitocris gulped, but all she did was hide her face, turning her back on the group and motioning them to follow.

"That is for my King to decide," was all she said.

---

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/+/+/+/+/+/+/

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"―And you are going through with this? Isn't there a rule designed to prevent to this sort of thing?"

Astraea is protesting, although I doubt that it is solely for my benefit. For somebody who often chooses to take a backseat and observe instead of speaking, the Goddess is surprisingly vociferous in her argument. Perhaps the news is jarring, even to her. She and the other Deities do seem shocked at what Kama is proposing. I don't even need to look at Hades to know that he is, at that moment, only two seconds away from an outburst. Ishtar isn't any better. She has set her face in default setting #10: haughty disdain.

The God of Love gives a simpering smile.

"Honorable Goddess of Justice," he says to Astraea. "The Council has the authority to supersede and decide over such matters. As you know, their decision is absolute, even more so now that the planet has been put under a State of Emergency. As I understand, your dear 'friend' Tyr has already killed Lord Uranus, and he is yet to revoke his declaration against us."

"That happened because he was attacked first!" Ishtar rebuts.

"Nevertheless, our decision is quite logical. We have deemed that the God of War Tyr is unfit to stand among our ranks, and he must pay for his actions. The fact that a new group of humans was able to build their villages here, undetected, is surfeit. Indeed, you are all lucky that you even retained your positions among the Council. If Ereshkigal and Freyja hadn't rejected our offer, we would have disowned you."

When Astraea reels back, the God of Love glances at me. The look in his eye is predatory.

"Besides, if your dear friend is really a prodigy as you say, he won't be scared of facing the Council's judgment," he purrs in a sultry voice, his red eyes gleaming with malice. "He shall meet our expectations most wonderfully."

Everybody in the room turns to stare at me. The indignity on Astraea's face, the shock on the others… the conceited, knowing look on Kama's expression. I hate that self-satisfied gleam. What would he know about me? About humans?

Fuck you.

At that moment, I take my decision.

I am going to kill him.

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/+/+/+/+/+/+/

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---

Planet: Earth
Date: June 12 2020
Location: Great Sand Sea – Western Desert (Sahara - Egypt)

(======)

Flying on the back of the sphinxes had been a fun experience, Shirou mused.

Thanks to the Phantasmal Beasts summoned by the Sun King, the Ruler and his companions did not take long to reach their next destination, following the lead of Nitocris, Caesar and Cleopatra. Flying in the sky was way much faster than traveling by car through the scorching desert, after all, and it had also been a delightful experience for Luvia and the group of Servants. Mordred had certainly enjoyed herself during the ride, at least. It had been quite amusing to watch.

Right now, all around them, the rocky desert had long since given way to sandy soil, replacing the rocky terrain and rock formations with an endless expanse of sand and dunes. The Great Sand Sea was extremely wide, after all. According to Shirou's map, it stretched about 650 km (400 mi) from North to South and 300 km (190 mi) from East to West, occupying all the land of the African continent that went from western Egypt and eastern Libya. Right here, the heat was extremely higher compared to before, and after witnessing its vastness, the sheer scale of the desert had finally begun to blossom inside the Servants' mind. Now they were beginning to understand. Now everything made sense to them.

It was no wonder that no one knew where the Sun King was hiding. No one could find him – or even reach his position easily – if he was really hiding in such a far-away place. If it hadn't been for their previous meeting with Nitocris and the others, Shirou and his companions would never have been able to cover so much land by car. It would have taken days for them to travel under the scorching sun and the freezing nights of the Sahara Desert, and despite their status as Servants, such an experience would surely have been difficult for all of them. Luvia certainly wouldn't have resisted for so long. If it weren't for that unexpected meeting, Shirou was sure that they would have never found this place.

But now that they did, the God of War and his motely group couldn't help but widen their eyes and gape in shock.

Cleopatra and Caesar openly laughed at their stunned faces. "Behold!" Cleopatra boasted with an eccentric tone. "Let your eyes shine with stupor in front of our Pharaoh's greatest treasury: Ramesseum Tentyris!"

Despite his better judgment, even Shirou could do nothing but stare in wonder, much like Mordred and Iskandar as well. The sight which stood before them now was something extremely stunning to witness, and just as hard to describe with words. It was almost breathtaking to see. It was a shining Great Temple complex, gigantic in its vastness and grandeur; placed in the middle of the sandy desert and hidden under the shadow of a large rock formation. Ramesseum Tentyris appeared as a giant complex entirely made of temples, and buildings, and corridors; so large in its vastness and so wide in its length that the whole area of the complex occupied almost a whole kilometer of space amid the desert. Upon laying eyes on it, for Shirou and the others it almost felt like having turned back in time, finding themselves in front of a real Egyptian city from the ancient times.

Houses, temples and long, numerous streets adorned with palm trees made up the entirety of the complex filled with buildings; along with marble monuments, sphinxes made of rock, and imposing statues depicting the Pharaoh and his Queen scattered throughout the complex and placed in front of every temple of the "city". At the center of the complex, moreover, a large and imposing golden pyramid rose towards the sky – the Ramesseum – almost as high and towering as the Pyramid of Cheops, shining under the light of sun like a real representation of power, elegance and royalty that dominated over the whole underlying complex.

Truly, it was a breathtaking sight to behold. Shirou and his companions almost couldn't believe their eyes.

"W-What is this?" Mordred whispered in stunned shock, unable to grasp her mind around this sight, walking through the streets as the group followed Nitocris, Caesar and Cleopatra towards the temple towering at the center of the city. "What the hell is this place?"

For once, even her fellow Knights appeared as stunned as she was. Artoria and Iskandar looked impressed as well, and even Salieri was looking around in wonder.

"How can a single Servant create and sustain an entire city?" Gawain muttered to himself, his voice dripping with suspicion. "Is this some kind of Reality Marble?"

"I-I find it hard to believe," Luvia stated with disbelief, perhaps the most shocked one amid the group. "To be able to physically create and sustain such a massive complex on the reality plane… j-just how powerful can the Sun King be?"

Caesar merely chuckled at their obvious stupor. "Well, you're essentially correct," he decided to explain with a placid smile, walking in front of them with his hands resting on his round belly. "What you see before you is more than a simple Reality Marble. It is the King's greatest treasure. The Great Temple Complex represents the might of the Pharaoh Ozymandias, embodied as a Noble Phantasm. According to him, the Pharaoh contains within his body the various blessings of the Egyptian Gods, and both the city and the temple are the tangible manifestation of their favor. A testament to his glorious life."

Shirou inwardly scoffed. Ah, yes. The Egyptian Gods. Overbearing and pompous as ever. It was not surprising that their most blessed Pharaoh ended up becoming just like them. No wonder…

"It is quite the sight, but still too exaggerated for my tastes," Artoria stated with a soft tone, unfazed. Wealth and splendor were not something she'd cared about during her reign; thus, such an excessive pomposity was a bit too much for her.

Instead, the other King of the group shared a different opinion.

"To think that a Servant could create something like this…" Iskandar muttered in amazement, taking in everything about the complex with his wide, red eyes. His lips parted into an excited grin. "Hah! How amusing! This place is extremely similar to my own Noble Phantasm in terms of constitution! But I must admit that I'm impressed by such splendor! This sight reminds me of the first time I set foot on these lands, witnessing the might of Egypt with my own eyes."

Cleopatra smirked with obvious pride. "But of course! Egypt is the land of wealth, after all," she cooed in an exaggerated manner. "Such splendor was the absolute standard during my time. Everything in my kingdom had to be beautiful, even the people themselves. Those who were unattractive were no different from slaves." She widened her eyes upon realizing that everyone had turned to her with an incredulous stare. "W-Wait a minute… that was a joke, a joke! I did NOT enslave anyone during my rule― why are you giving me those unconvinced looks?! I'm stating the truth!"

Her face became a deep crimson at that point. "L-Lord Caesar! Please tell them I'm stating the truth!" she pleaded with a desperate face, throwing herself on the Saber's belly.

"Hahaha. Calm down, my dear. Of course you're telling the truth. I was there, after all," he reassured her, patting her head with an affectionate gesture.

Shirou, Artoria and Mordred sweat-dropped at those two. What a peculiar couple.

Bedivere studied the place with a serious face. "By the way you describe him, the Pharaoh sounds like a good King," he noted.

"But of course!" Nitocris exclaimed. She stopped her march in front of the group, rounding on them with a proud smile on her face. "Thanks to the Pharaoh's power, every glory of the Nile from the First Dynasty to this day resides in this land once again. In other words, he is the Pharaoh to unify the worlds! And also―"

She turned around again, pointing her scepter towards the golden pyramid towering above them at the center of the complex. "―that is where he resides, and where he watches everything that happens in this city. His very own temple and residence, embodying the might of the Pharaohs' dynasty!"

Shirou raised a brow at her. "You seem to have a great deal of trust in him."

The Caster nodded, her Anubis-like ears twitching a little. "I do. Pharaoh is the greatest ruler of Egypt, a man made a God, who possesses a powerful spirit. I wish to learn everything I can from him!" she replied in utmost seriousness. "He even accepted Lord Caesar among our ranks, despite the fact that he is not a true Pharaoh like me and miss Cleopatra."

Feeling everyone turning to him, the Roman Saber nodded with a smile. "Hahaha, yes. The Sun King can be very magnanimous," he admitted while he was still intent on consoling his pouting wife.

The red-haired Ruler blinked in confusion at that. "What, you were not on good terms with him?" he asked, aiming for more information.

Caesar shook his head. "No, it's not like that. The thing is: unlike Cleopatra and Nitocris, I did not immediately found myself in this Country. I was summoned in Rome. So, when I travelled to this place out of my desire to be reunited with my wife, I had to be judged by the Pharaoh, who had taken both miss Nitocris and my dearest Cleopatra under his protection. And as you can see, he allowed me to join him in the end, deeming me worthy of his respect," he answered easily, his voice calm and collected.

The unknown God's eyes softened a bit after hearing that. "So you wanted to reunite with your wife," he said, glancing at the two Servants who linked their arms together as they walked, staring into each other's eyes. No matter how weird – and cringe – it was to see those two Servants being openly intimate, it was still a bit heartwarming to see such legendary figures being in love after all this time. Shirou could respect that, despite the uncomfortable feeling in his heart. "You must have really missed her."

Caesar nodded with a face filled with regret, and even Cleopatra lowered her head a bit, becoming suddenly unable to meet his eyes.

"My greatest regret was dying before I could recognize my son Caesarion as my own child, as well as proclaiming that Cleopatra was my wife," the fat Saber admitted with a soft tone. Then, he roused himself out of his sadness and placed a hand under Cleopatra's chin, prompting her to turn and meet his gaze. "But even now, having turned into a Heroic Spirit and a Servant, my deep love for her remains unchanged. That's why I will openly address her as my wife now. I was granted a second chance, and I will not waste it. Isn't that right, my dear?"

The sheer glee blossoming on the Assassin's face was strangely amusing to watch. "L-Lord Caesar…!" she stammered with a crimson face, her eyes swirling in a mixture of embarrassment and joy. She looked like she was going to pass out at any moment now.

Luviagelita watched them with gleaming eyes. "Oh my! That is so romantic!" she cooed.

"On the contrary, it's extremely sickening," Antonio Salieri spat right after her, looking like he was about to puke just by that mere sight. Luvia and many others among the group shot him a stern stare, but he did not care one bit.

Mordred groaned with a sigh. "Whatever, we're not here for this," she stressed with an annoyed frown.

"I agree, let's keep moving. We shall not keep the Pharaoh waiting," Nitocris declared firmly, tapping her scepter on the stone ground. She turned her back on them with a swift movement, and then resumed to walk at a fast pace.

Shirou and his companions followed her closely. Without wasting any more time, Nitocris quickly led them through the complex; and the more they walked, the more the Ruler realized something: unlike what he had believed before, the city that surrounded them was not devoid of life. There were many creatures roaming through the streets close to the temple. Familiars like puppets and ghosts, Phantasmal Beasts like those winged sphinxes from before, and even human-shaped Golems that walked around the roads, clearing the streets and offering protection to the pyramid with swords and spears. Shirou and his companions stared at them in wonder as they walked along the main road, following the Caster's lead. The red-haired Ruler narrowed his eyes at the sight. With all those creatures roaming around, it felt like walking through a city outside of time, even if it was just an illusion. An incredibly complex and advanced one, but an illusion nonetheless.

He was extremely familiar with that kind of thing, after all.

Nitocris led them to the base of the golden pyramid. There, a long staircase made of gleaming marble led into the temple, protected on both sides by two human-shaped Golems armed with spears. Wasting no time, the group of Servants began their short but intense walk, climbing the stairs with a firm step and advancing inside the gigantic structure. Once inside, they found themselves in front of a large room of rectangular shape, at the base of which stood a few columns made of white stone, larger at the base and thinner at the top. All the walls of the room were elegantly decorated with beautiful Egyptian paintings and representations, and a few statues stood in the middle of each wall. The floor was of gilded marble, and a large man-made hole built on the highest tip of the pyramid allowed the sunlight to enter from above, creating a column of light that illuminated the center of the throne room.

And there, at the end of the room, flanked by the statues of Ra and Osiris and seated on a throne elevated by a long number of stairs, the Servant they were looking for was waiting for them.

Nitocris tapped her scepter on the floor, turning towards Shirou, Iskandar and the others with a solemn expression. Next to her, Cleopatra and Caesar bowed deeply towards the throne with a huge smile on their faces.

"Behold!" Caster cried. "The most courageous and most majestic God! He who is here to bless the world ruined by the apocalypse, and the one who rules over all of Egypt! The perfect King and our greatest Pharaoh!" she declared out loud.

"The Sun King, Ozymandias!"

A tense and absolute silence fell among the Servants once Nitocris' words stopped to echo amid the throne room. Shirou, Iskandar and Mordred narrowed their eyes, staring at the so-called Sun King with a cold and suspicious gaze. Next to them, Artoria, Bedivere and Gawain did the same, while Luvia stepped closer to them with a tense expression on her face. Salieri, on the other hand, observed the scene unfold with an unreadable face.

The God of War stared right back at the man glaring down at them in a cryptic silence.

King Ozymandias, also known as Ramesses II and Meryamen. The greatest hero of ancient Egypt, and the third Pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty. A tall, tanned-skinned man with brown hair who had eyes of gold like the sun, dressed in elegant clothes of gold and white and wrapped in the presence of a King. He wore a long white linen cloak, metal gloves on his hands, large earrings on his ears and a long series of gold necklaces and bracelets on his arms, along with dark fabric Egyptian trousers and elegant sandals on his feet. But despite his obvious elegance and the wide and rich appearance of his throne, what caught the Ruler's eye the most was his face.

A face made of superiority and arrogance. A Pharaoh filled to the brim with unswaying confidence. There was something inside his eyes, something about the way he looked at them that made Shirou pause for a moment. He could already feel it, even with just a single glance. The feeling that the King oozed off from his body was not arrogance, nor haughtiness. It was nothing but sheer power. A power due to the fact that he was no longer a man, but a God. He was a child of the Sun God Ra, while at the same time, his incarnation, stipulating himself as the absolute one above the earth. A man who believed himself a God, and one who believed it so much that in the end, he ended up becoming one for real. He was a Divine Spirit – an extremely powerful one – his entire frame oozing Divinity like a fog, even more than Arjuna or Cu Chulainn did, making him appear like a real God descended from the heavens.

Shirou hoped the Pharaoh wouldn't notice, but his lips couldn't help but twitch for a split-second in disgust at his sight. But despite his inner distaste, one thing was certain: that man was powerful. Extremely powerful. Even more so than Iskandar, Mordred, and Artoria. Perhaps the strongest Servant he had met so far. He could tell that much with just a single glance.

The red-haired Ruler narrowed his eyes. He had to be careful in front of this man.

King Ozymandias stared down at them with a gaze of steel. The God of War could feel Mordred and many others in the group tense slightly under his powerful stare.

"Hmph," the Pharaoh snorted, looking at each and every one of them with a completely unimpressed gaze. "So you are the ones who bested Cleopatra's Serpent?" he demanded, his voice both solemn and disinterested as he spoke those words. "Step forward, and introduce yourselves respectfully. The one who stands before you is the King of Kings."

Sheer silence greeted the Pharaoh's command.

Iskandar moved to step forward, solemn and determined as never before, but Shirou's hand stopped him all of a sudden. The muscular Rider turned to him with a raised brow, but the Ruler merely shook his head, staring straight into his eyes. Don't – his gaze was saying – let me handle this. I will leave the rest to you after I'm done.

The King of Conquerors and the God of War stared at each other for two seconds, speaking through their eyes alone. And in the end, after a while, Iskandar relented with a short nod. There was no need for speeches between him and his friends. Even if no words were uttered, he understood the message extremely well. Thus, he decided that he would trust him for now. He knew that both Shirou and Mordred were trustworthy companions, and he had no reason to doubt them.

When Iskandar stepped back, the red-haired Ruler moved forward instead. He fixed the Sun King with a serious stare and bowed his head slightly, keeping his expression neutral all the while.

"Greetings, King Ozymandias," he spoke with a cordial tone. "My name is Shirou Emiya, and I'm a Ruler class Servant summoned in order to oversee the unfolding of the Holy Grail War."

Upon hearing that, the reaction was immediate. Caesar, Cleopatra and Nitocris widened their eyes in shock, utterly stunned by his sudden revelation. Mordred and the rest of the group did not blame them, even if their reaction was quite amusing to watch for them. They had suspected that Shirou was powerful due to his previous display of strength, but they hadn't expected to hear such a revelation being dropped in such a casual way. Their jaw almost hit the floor as they stared at him. The Sun King, on the other hand, merely narrowed his eyes.

"A Servant Ruler, huh?" Ozymandias mused, his gaze fixed on the red-haired God. "Explain what you mean."

"Of course," he conceded, brushing off his suspicious gaze with a shrug. "I'm sure that you're already aware of this, but Ruler-class Servants are brought forth for the purpose of presiding over a battle. Our role is to witness the unfolding of the conflict, and make sure that everything goes smoothly. For this reason, I am not a normal Servant. I do not care about the Holy Grail War or the Grail itself, because that is not the reason I was summoned back to world."

Shirou ignored the way his eyes narrowed further. "However, I'm not a simple judge either. A Ruler is meant to rule among the War. My duties include the task of preserving the laws of Heroic Spirits to ensure they won't be violated, and to maintain human history by preserving its safety so that people may survive the War and do not discover the truth behind it. This purpose gives me a higher duty and a higher ranking among all Servants. In other words, in order to ensure mankind's safety, I rule every Battlefield, I rule over every War, and I rule over every other Servant; despite their origin, their status, and their alignment… and that includes even you, King Ozymandias."

The silence that fell amid the throne room was absolute and filled with tension. Shirou did not care one bit.

"Thus: please refrain from ordering me around like one of your subjects," he finished with a cheerful tone, offering to the frozen Pharaoh his patented smile with eyes closed and head tilted. "You have no power over me."

No one spoke for what felt like an eternity. The silence was total and deafening around him, and the temperature in the room dropped several degrees despite being in the middle of the desert.

Shirou smiled sheepishly amid that tense silence. He inwardly wondered if he had exaggerated a little too much with his previous words. In fact, he could have sworn that he saw Nitocris' jaw hit the floor after his statement; and even Caesar and Cleopatra were hugging each other in fear right now, their eyes frantically flickering between him and Ozymandias for some reason. Also, behind him, the Ruler could literally feel the anxiety of his allies and companions – Luvia looked ready to pass out at any moment – and he was seriously tempted to sigh in weariness under their worried stare.

Good grief. He really needed to work on his diplomatic skills.

However, after a long while of pondering, the Sun King merely scoffed on his part.

"Hmph. I have no interest in boastful Heroes and overconfident Servants," he spat with a dismissive tone, completely unfazed by his disrespectful request. "They are nothing more than beings ruled by me, all equal in the eyes of the Pharaoh. Their existence is trivial, and it cannot be compared to mine."

"However…"

Suddenly, his golden eyes narrowed further on Shirou, his lips quirking up ever so slightly for some unknown reason. "I do have an interest for those who possess the disposition of a ruler. Not only those born of royal bloodlines, but all of those who are born with the power of a ruler, and understand the obligation to wield such power. Even a Servant like you, whose name is completely unknown," the Pharaoh mused, studying Shirou's entire frame with a calculating glint.

Shirou remained completely unfazed. He merely raised a brow when the Pharaoh summoned a long Egyptian scepter in his hand, pointing its tip towards him with a solemn movement. "Indeed… you intrigue me, Shirou Emiya!" Ozymandias declared suddenly with a powerful and commanding tone. His lips openly parted into a smirk while he stared at the Ruler with a haughty expression. "Rejoice, for I shall allow you to speak further for now! Explain the reason of your visit, and tell me the name of those who followed you here!"

To be completely honest, Shirou didn't know whether to feel honored or annoyed by his words. He had just asked the King to stop bossing him around and treating him like a commoner, and yet… here he was, completely ignoring his request and doing the opposite. And given by the narrowed stares of his companions, he assumed they were thinking the exact same thing. On the other hand, Caesar and the Pharaohs looked completely stunned by what their King had said. Not that he cared, of course.

He inwardly snorted with a sigh. "Honestly, talk about a King's arrogance…" he muttered, staring at Ozymandias with an unreadable face. "However, it would be best to indulge him for now. It would surely do me some good to be careful and not expose too much. Even I cannot deny that he's more powerful than he looks," he realized.

Therefore, steeling his mind and taking a deep breath, the God of War opened his mouth to speak.

"As you wish. Then, allow me to make some introductions," he began to say, placing a hand upon his hip as he slowly gestured towards his companions. "Those who travel with me are warriors who stand among the most famous Heroes of the world. Among them, I present you King Arthur Pendragon – Britain's greatest sovereign – and her Knights of the Round Table: sir Bedivere, sir Gawain and sir Mordred. Next, we have Luviagelita Edelfelt, a noblewoman from a powerful lineage of Mages, and also a representative of the Mage's Association; along with Antonio Salieri, a Berserker who despite his irritating impetuosity is a skilled musician and entertainer."

He inwardly dismissed the way Artoria and Mordred blushed at his peculiar way of introducing them and the Knights, and he blatantly ignored Luvia's pleased expression and Salieri's annoyed frown. Instead, taking a few steps to the right, he turned his attention towards the last member of the group, and his lips openly parted into a grin as he gestured towards the muscular Servant dressed in Greek armor. Ozymandias stared at him in interest.

"And of course, last but not least: I present you the great Iskandar – the King of Conquerors himself – also known as Alexander the Great," he declared out loud with obvious amusement, taking no small amount of pleasure in watching the Pharaoh's eyebrows raise in stupor upon recognizing that name. "The very same man who freed your lands from Persian's oppression, and who gave a new hope to the Pharaoh Dynasty after conquering your Country."

That seemed to do the trick.

Ozymandias bared his teeth into a grin, his eyes staring at the King of Conquerors' proud face the same way a lion would stare at a luscious prey. "Hoh? Another fellow Pharaoh?" he exclaimed, sparing a glance at Nitocris and the rest of his allies. Upon receiving an excited nod of confirmation from them, the Sun King rose from his throne, his previous indifference broken by a thunderous laugh.

"Fufu... fuhahahahaha! Very good! Very good indeed!" he declared amid his roaring laughter. "I applaud you, Ruler, for bringing a Pharaoh and a King to my palace! Now rejoice, for you and your allies have earned the right to be treated as my guests! I shall bestow upon you the honor of witnessing my benevolence!"

Shirou merely smirked. "I thank you for your kindness then, Pharaoh."

Having said that, he turned to the right and shared a nod with Iskandar, signaling that it was time for him to take action.

The King of Conquerors did so without the slightest trace of hesitation. "We are well met, King Ozymandias," he began to say with wide grin on his face, steeping forward towards the throne with decision and his hands placed firmly on his hips. "As my faithful companion has already stated, I am the King of Conquerors, Iskandar, and I was summoned into this war a Rider Class Servant. It is good to meet a fellow ruler and King such as you."

Oddly enough, the Sun King looked extremely pleased upon hearing his introduction. "We are well met indeed, King Iskandar," he said solemnly, placing a hand under his chin with a placid movement. As he spoke, everyone could clearly see his lips twitch upwards in intrigue. "It appears that we share the same title as Pharaoh, as well as the same class. That is fascinating, almost amusingly so."

"Hahah! Well, I most definitely agree!" Iskandar chuckled with mirth, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of seriousness and cheerfulness. "And I have to congratulate you on your temple! Truly, your city and this complex are a wonder for the eyes, and they almost reminded me of Egypt's former glory! A true testament of a Pharaoh's might!"

The Sun King nodded. "Of course. Your sense of aesthetics isn't too bad, I see. My city and this temple are the embodiment of my glory, and they cannot be anything but majestic, for my radiance exceeds even that of the Sun. I shall bestow upon you the honor of witnessing it in full and feast your eyes upon it, if you so desire."

"Hoho? That is a tempting offer, indeed! Very well, I shall gladly do so later if you insist!"

"Good. You'd do well to look closely, then."

Shirou sweat-dropped at those two's antics, and he fought hard to ignore the way Mordred openly cursed in irritation next to him. Not that he could blame her, though. Even he was seriously tempted of donning a hand over his features in exasperation. Good grief, these Kings and their abnormal ego. No wonder they were getting along so well. Birds of a feather flock together, after all.

However, Ozymandias returned serious in an instant. "However, you have yet to explain the reason of your visit," he demanded all of a sudden. He teared his gaze away from Iskandar, narrowing his eyes on Shirou and the rest of the group. Luvia visibly paled under the powerful intensity of his stare. "Why do a human and a group of Servants wish to have an audience with me? I presume you have some demands."

Back to business already, huh? Shirou could work with that. "Your assumption would be correct, usually," he commented stoically. "However, we did not seek an audience because we have demands. All we want is to ask you a couple of questions. Our business with you shall depend entirely on your answers, Pharaoh."

Ozymandias narrowed his eyes at his blunt answer. Even Nitocris and Cleopatra seemed a bit offended by the way he had spoken to their King. "Please watch your tone and manners, Ruler. You are in front of the King of Kings," Nitocris warned him with a stern tone, ignoring Caesar who was trying to placate her with a nervous smile.

Shirou paid no mind to her words. "I mean no disrespect, but as I've said, your Pharaoh holds no power over me," he replied back, unfazed. His golden-brown eyes never stopped staring into the golden ones of the Sun King. "And I must carry out my duty, because the matters we need to discuss are of utmost importance. As I've said, my duties as a Ruler include the task of preserving the safety of the planet and protecting the people. And yet, we have recently received the news that you – Ozymandias – may be directly involved in the extermination of an entire family of Mages. More specifically, in the destruction of the Yggdmillennia clan."

No one failed to see the way Nitocris, Caesar and Cleopatra visibly stiffened at the mention of that name, their faces blossoming with a panicked realization. Shirou and Artoria narrowed their eyes at this, and even Iskandar assumed a serious expression. It was blatantly obvious that they were familiar with that name, which only served to increase their previous suspicion.

The red-haired Ruler, however, kept his gaze glued only to Ozymandias' impassive face. "Is it true?" he questioned him directly, looking and sounding as serious as death itself.

Seconds passed, followed by silence.

Until, the Sun King closed his eyes and scoffed. An arrogant smirk made its way on his lips. "Indeed," he confirmed without batting an eye. "It is true. I am the one who bestowed judgment upon those foolish humans, and deemed them no longer fit of living."

Everyone tensed slightly upon hearing his answer. Shirou's hand twitched slightly, his narrowed gaze glued to the King's smirking face.

He did not seem to be bothered by it. "Do you have some complaints about this matter, Shirou Emiya?" he mocked him.

The God of War remained completely still, even as he felt Mordred, Artoria and the others stiffen with indignant outrage. He raised a hand to stop them before they could say or do something hasty, continuing his staring contest with the Sun King while every single Servant in the room except for Caesar and the Pharaohs began glaring at the Egyptian monarch. Even Iskandar had assumed an unreadable expression on his face.

"S-So you really did kill the entire clan," Luviagelita mused with a tense voice. Her face was openly sweating as she gulped under the King's stare. "Why d-did you do such a thing?"

"Why, you ask?" Ozymandias repeated, arching an eyebrow with a bored face, completely unfazed by the Ruler's glare. "Because those foolish humans came here into my palace and asked me an unreasonable demand," he answered seriously.

Artoria stepped forward with a face devoid of emotions. "Explain yourself."

"They wished to control my powers and my city," the Pharaoh explained, both his voice and face dripping with irritation at the memory. "And use them to advance in their small and insignificant quest for power. Those revolting mongrels begged me for days, asking me to form a contract with them and become their ally. They threatened the Pharaohs I had taken under my protection, and demanded of me to become their benefactor under the shallow promise of bestowing the world to my rule. They were nothing but a bunch of greedy parasites; and as such, when I got bored of their demands, I bestowed my judgment upon them… killing each and every one of them save for an ignorant child whom I allowed to escape," he stated with a solemn and commanding voice, glaring right back at the group of Servants below.

Ozymandias' glare soared all of a sudden "Now, if you are foolish enough to go against the Pharaoh's decision, then all of you can either die here or begone from my sight," he roared with unyielding power, his gaze fixed on Shirou's narrowed stare. He slammed his staff on the floor. "I have manifested here as the one true Pharaoh. My domain lies here. You say I have no power over you, Ruler, but in the same way, you have no power over me. No one can match the Divine might of the Pharaoh!"

Shirou did not back down in spite of the obvious threat. Once more, the air in the room dropped several degrees. "I care not for the fate of a group of misguided Mages obsessed with power, nor I wish to avenge their death. If they really wanted to use you to obtain power, then their demise is the result of their own foolishness," he spoke at that point, his voice calm and collected, just like his face. "However, as a Ruler sent to oversee the Holy Grail War, the fact that you harmed some humans leaves me no choice but to pry further. You are a powerful Servant, King Ozymandias. I need to be sure that you have no intention of causing harm to the people of these lands, and to the world in general."

His eyes glared back at the greatest ruler of Egypt. "That is why I came here," he stated, deadly serious.

For what seemed to be an eternity, no one dared to move inside the throne room.

The Sun King and the God of War continued their staring contest, both of them unwilling to back down and daring the other to make the first move. All the while, Artoria, Mordred and the Knights kept glancing between the two, looking tense and worried about this whole situation; while Salieri remained still as a statue. Next to him, Luvia was openly trembling a bit in fear, and Iskandar was observing the scene with his arms crossed and an unreadable expression on his face. Even Caesar, Cleopatra and Nitocris looked quite lost right now.

In the end, however, Ozymandias seemed to relax. He released a snort of derision. "Hmph. I have no need to bring harm to the world," he stated with seriousness, his voice assuming a more collected tone as he relaxed on his throne. Shirou and the others listened to him closely. "The Holy Grail does not interest me, and I have no reason to participate in this so-called War. I am the greatest Pharaoh and the most powerful God. There's nothing that accursed cup could offer me that I don't already possess. Does this satisfy your curiosity, Ruler?" he spat with a sarcastic tone, staring at him with an unimpressed face.

The God considered his words carefully. He shared a glance with Iskandar. "Is that why you chose to hide here in the desert?" the King of Conquerors asked.

Ozymandias nodded, closing his eyes. "Exactly. I decided not to participate in the conflict, and to grant protection to my fellow Pharaohs instead," he said with conviction, glancing at Nitocris and Cleopatra. "The world, the people, and even this very own land over which I once ruled are no longer worthy of my protection. The world has become an unsightly place, and the so-called governments of this place are no longer willing to acknowledge our status as Pharaohs. For this unforgivable sin, I do not consider them worthy of my presence and aid. That is why I moved my city here, establishing my domain in the desert, away from those foolish humans and this senseless War."

That made the entire group pause. Iskandar, Mordred and Shirou narrowed their eyes.

"You mean… that you've decided to abandon these people?!" the Knight of Treachery spat with disbelief, her voice growing more and more contemptuous as she spoke. "You chose to leave them at the mercy of this conflict… because of that stupid reason?!" she roared.

"Stupid?!" the Sun King repeated, narrowing his eyes on her with a gaze that was extremely oppressive and powerful. So much so that even Mordred – who was a fearless Knight famous for her temper and her blatant lack of respect for authority – couldn't help but feel intimidated by him. "There is no greater sin than refusing the King's authority! I do not care that these people live upon my own soil; such an affront is something I cannot forgive! Those who do not serve under me have no place in my heart! If the world has become unable to acknowledge me and my authority, then I no longer care for its well-being."

Shirou was incredulous. Even the others in the group seemed appalled by the Pharaoh's words. "So you would just abandon them while they are in danger?" he snapped with an enraged snarl. "Without even trying to help them?"

"If they were to swear loyalty to me and ask for help, I would not hesitate to aid them," came the Sun King's immediate response. The Divine Servant crossed his legs, resting his chin on his hand. "But ever since I've returned here, all they've done is laugh into my face and call me a madman. Humans are no longer able to recognize the Mysteries of the past. They've become disillusioned and wary. As such, I deemed them no longer worthy of my presence. Even if the world's foundation were to crumble and be destroyed by the Holy Grail War, my domain here shall remain indestructible thanks to my powers. What happens to them is no longer my concern."

"No longer your concern?" Shirou muttered. "No longer your CONCERN?!" he roared with outrage.

He could no longer contain his outburst. He stepped forward, enraged and furious like never before, but soon found his path towards the throne blocked by Cleopatra and Nitocris. The Assassin was glaring at him with her arms crossed and a haughty face, and the Caster had pointed her scepter at him, her eyes narrowed in silent warning.

Shirou stopped his advance, but his glare reached the Sun King all the same. "People are dying out there!" he screamed in anger. "Servants are spreading death and destruction all over the globe! This War has plunged the world into absolute chaos, and you're telling me that you're not interested anymore because people no longer wish to be ruled by you? Just because they have moved forward from the rules of the PAST?!"

Artoria, Mordred, Bedivere and Gawain moved to stand next to him with their weapons drawn, looking and feeling as outraged as he was. At the same time, Salieri stepped back a few meters, shielding the shaking frame of Luvia with his body while Nitocris, Cleopatra and Caesar tensed with narrowed eyes. The air suddenly became filled with tension and outrage.

Instead, Iskandar remained completely still on his spot.

Well, well… things had escalated rather quickly.

Ozymandias slammed his scepter on the floor, his face growing enraged. "You are fools to raise your blades against a Pharaoh!" he roared with a commanding tone. "Those who pride their life and recognize the might of the King are worthy of being objects of my interest! Only those who accept me shall live in peace and prosper while being ruled by the Pharaoh! Those who refuse me are all inconsequential existences!"

"Those are the words of a tyrant!" Artoria spat with contempt. "You would be willing to let the world fall just because of your selfish pride and ego!"

Shirou agreed with her in full. "Instead of defending the innocents and your people, you're willingly turning a blind eye to their suffering, allowing them to die while you cower and hide here; sulking like a child! All because you cannot bring yourself to accept that the world has moved forward and that your time as a monarch is over!" he hissed. "You should be helping them! You should be protecting them! Those people have done nothing wrong! You should―"

"A KING DOES NOT DEVOTE HIMSELF!"

Everyone stiffened and startled. Sheer silence descended upon the room.

And Ozymandias roared the oldest law of them all, cutting them off and raising from his throne. He glared at the group of Servants with a powerful scowl, while Shirou, Mordred and the Knights stiffened, and Artoria visibly tensed after hearing those familiar words. Luvia was openly cowering behind Salieri' frame, completely frightened in front of the Pharaoh's enraged face.

"IT IS THE PEOPLE WHO DEVOTE THEMSELVES TO HIM!" Ozymandias declared with a powerful voice, his tone so commanding that even Nitocris and the rest of his own allies couldn't help but flinch a little. "IF THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO BE RULED, THEN I HAVE NO REASON TO OFFER THEM MY AID! A GOD CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT PEOPLE WHO ADORE HIM! IT IS THE OLDEST AND GREATEST RULE OF THE WORLD!"

No one was able to move for several seconds. Sheer and absolute silence fell inside the temple while Shirou glared at the Sun King, seething in absolute rage.

Until―

"…are you really sure about that, Sun King?"

Everyone widened their eyes. Shirou, Mordred, Artoria and the others of the group turned to the right. Nitocris, Caesar and Cleopatra followed suit. And even the Pharaoh himself narrowed his eyes, his head snapping to stare at the one who had spoken those words.

Iskandar met everyone's gaze with an unreadable face, his body tall and imposing and his arms crossed with a resolute decision.

"Indeed, you are right. A King does not devote himself," the King of Conquerors declared as well, closing his eyes and nodding his head. "That is exactly what I believe as well. It is the people who should devote themselves to him, because without the King, the flames of ambition and hope will eventually end up fracturing their beliefs. A King who devote himself without getting anything in return is nothing but a fool. He will surely end up broken and lost in the end, unable to do nothing. Nothing but keep sacrificing himself for the benefit of others, unwilling to stop and realize his mistakes."

Shirou and Mordred narrowed their eyes. Artoria and her Knights clenched their fists.

And Ozymandias grinned with a pleased expression, his face relaxing a bit as he lowered his scepter and returned to sit on his throne. "As expected of a fellow Pharaoh," he praised him with a feral grin. "That is exactly right―"

"However!"

The Sun King narrowed his eyes again. "―huh?"

Shocking as it was, the glare that Iskandar was sending him was absolutely withering. "A King who demands obedience and devotion from the people without first proving himself is even WORSE than a King who sacrifices himself. And that is why I cannot – I absolutely cannot – agree with your actions, Pharaoh Ozymandias."

Nitocris, Cleopatra and Caesar stared at him with stunned amazement. Even Ozymandias looked perplexed.

Iskandar did not give him time to retort. "You say that the people of this land have forsaken you," he continued, undaunted, his voice solemn and strong like the most unyielding metal. "And yet, how do you expect them to follow you if you do not show them your might first? How can you pretend their devotion – no, their loyalty, if you don't even deign to prove yourself to them? What you want from them is something that cannot be given without proving yourself first. What you're seeking right now is not a kingdom with people who adore and follow you, but a kingdom made of slaves."

Mordred, Artoria and Shirou smiled in relief. As expected by their favorite Rider. They could already see what he was doing right now.

Ozymandias remained silent, fixing the King of Conquerors with a cold, narrowed glare.

Yet, the Macedonian Emperor did not care. He kept staring back at him with a stern face.

"Two days ago, Alexandria was attacked," he stated all of a sudden, recalling that painful memory with a solemn and enraged tone. Nitocris, Cleopatra and even Caesar jumped in shock after hearing his words. "A mad and misguided Servant tried to raze it to the ground, summoning an army of Golems. If it weren't from me and my companions' efforts… the very same city that I've founded and that still bears my name after all this time would have been destroyed."

The Pharaoh's eyes widened a little.

"…what?" Cleopatra whispered in disbelief, her face a mask of horrified shock. "M-My city, Alexandria… was attacked?!"

Iskandar glared at her. "So you weren't even aware of that," he realized, shaking his head with disappointment upon seeing the shock inside the three Pharaohs' eyes. "Disappointing. Absolutely disappointing! I was a fool for considering you three my equals!" he spat, his red eyes glaring at Nitocris, Cleopatra and Ozymandias with a powerful rage.

Those three remained completely still, frozen by his words filled with disdain. Even Caesar looked as baffled as ever.

But Iskandar did not relent, fixing them with an enraged frown. "While I, and my companions, and so many other Heroes from all around the world decided to step forward and struggle to defend the planet from chaos, you three chose to hide and disappear, ignoring the people's cries. That is absolutely appalling to me. When I first saw my city under siege, I was overwhelmed by rage. I absolutely could not stand the thought of walking away and do nothing while MY land and MY people were in danger. And yet, here you are, surrounded by this city, and looking completely unfazed by the chaos spreading around you."

He stomped a foot on the ground, and the marble floor cracked a little under the force of his body. Luvia and the rest of the Servants watched him with amazement while he glared at Ozymandias with a mask of rage.

"I do not question your right to rule, Pharaoh of Egypt. But the fact that you've willingly decided to ignore my – our – people's suffering is something I will never approve. That is not how a true King should be," he declared, deadly serious. "If they have forsaken you, then show them that you can defend them. If they refuse to acknowledge your name, let them witness your power against those who threaten the peace. You must strive and struggle to conquer their hearts, not pretend their loyalty without doing anything. A true King will always strive to win his people's heart. Hiding and raging because the world has changed is the act of a stubborn brat, not of a true King."

Ozymandias narrowed his eyes, fixing the other Rider with a dangerous – extremely dangerous – glare. "So you're saying that I'm being blinded by my pride?" he asked, a distinct note of anger present inside his tone.

Iskandar did not hesitate to nod, looking as stern as before. "The devotion you seek is completely misplaced. You cannot be loved and followed by your retainers if you don't show them that you deserve their respect first. Thus: a King who hides in the desert, away from the suffering of his people, is not a true King to me," was his absolute and final answer.

Shirou stepped next to the King of Conquerors with a smirk. "And on that, I absolutely agree," he said right after him, joining him to glare at the Sun King with a scowl.

"You said it, Rider!" Mordred exclaimed as well, her face twisted by a feral grin.

For once, even Artoria seemed to agree with him to a certain extent. "A King must prove himself through actions, not by his status and role," she said as well, her emerald eyes boring holes on the Pharaoh's frame. "A monarch who allows the people to suffer is not fit for the throne."

Ozymandias and his fellow Pharaohs stared at them, long and hard. Shirou and his companions didn't even flinch this time under the Sun King's glare. On the other hand, Nitocris, Cleopatra and Caesar seemed to visibly hesitate while Iskandar's words echoed in their minds, sinking deep inside their hearts.

Seconds passed, followed by minutes.

Until, after an indefinite amount of time, Ozymandias finally reacted, pointing a finger in Iskandar's direction.

"In that case, kneel and swear your loyalty to me."

Everyone widened their eyes, even the Sun King's allies.

Iskandar remained completely still, his face a mask of ice.

Ozymandias stared at him with a predatory smile. "If that's what you truly believe, King Iskandar, then I will indulge you. I will pardon the people's sins, and from now on I will move to defend them even if they won't acknowledge my rule. Consider it my one and only act of generosity to you, for freeing my land from oppression both now and during your life," he said with a smug tone and a predatory smirk, his face a mask of feral superiority. "But in exchange…!"

He slammed a fist on the throne, pointing his scepter to Iskandar with an expression that could be only described with arrogance. "In exchange for the freedom of the people, I shall have your undying loyalty!" he decided with utmost certainty. "I can see it in your eyes! You wish for me to join you in saving the world? Preposterous! The order is wrong! It is me! You are to join me, and pledge your loyalty to me, if you want me to save this world! Make no mistake!"

Shirou, Mordred, Artoria and the Knights stared in stunned shock. Luvia, Salieri and the Pharaohs gaped in disbelief.

And Iskandar narrowed his eyes.

While Ozymandias glared at him with a powerful stare, both his face and eyes filled with confidence and desire. "I am the greatest Pharaoh, and as such, my power is absolute. Worship me, and I shall free Egypt, and the continent, and the entire world from every threat and every Servant who so foolishly decided to spread chaos upon it! That is my decision!"

The Sun King stared at Iskandar, completely ignoring the others' stunned stare.

"The world shall keep its freedom, but I shall take yours instead," he declared with arrogance. "That is your punishment for speaking those words in front of the King of Kings! If you're not satisfied, then I will consider you an enemy. But if you bow to me, I will defend the world, and I'll have you witness your empire being freed once again."

The silence echoing in the throne room was absolute.

His eyes narrowed in decision. "Now, what is your answer, King of Conquerors?" he asked, his voice as powerful as a thunder.

For what seemed to be an eternity, no one dared to speak.

Shirou turned to the Macedonian Emperor, staring at him with an unreadable face. Despite everything he knew and everything he had seen about him so far, not even he knew how Iskandar was going to answer to that arrogant Pharaoh's request. And if he had to be honest, despite his better judgment, he was quite curious to discover it. But no matter what was going to happen and no matter what his answer would be, he was not going to let the King of Conquerors become a slave of the Sun King. There was no way he would allow his friend to undergo such a humiliation. Such a request was nothing but an inconceivable madness, in his opinion.

Next to him, instead, Mordred was visibly stunned by this turn of events, her eyes flickering between the two Riders with visible panic shining inside her emerald orbs. Artoria looked way less concerned than her rebel son, but even she was gazing at Iskandar's back intently, looking as curious about his answer as Shirou was. The Knights and Salieri just looked uncomfortable about this whole situation, and Luvia's jaw had already gone way beyond the floor right now. Even Caesar, Cleopatra and Nitocris were watching and waiting with bathed breath.

No one reacted, waiting in silence.

Until, with a weary sigh and his shoulders dropping slightly, the King of Conquerors finally took his decision.

"Humans cannot become Gods," he affirmed with a low tone of voice, his face and gaze looking distant. "What you are asking me is impossible, King Ozymandias. Saving everything, is impossible; even for you. I know that all too well, because me and my companions are constantly giving our all to defend the world from this War."

Shirou, Mordred and everyone in the room watched him closely. From his golden and elegant throne, Ozymandias did the same.

"So you are unsure of the path to take?" the Sun King mused, almost conversationally, his lips curving upwards a little bit.

Iskandar nodded. "Indeed. But I know that only destruction awaits if this War keeps going on. My wish is to conquer the world, and the thought of seeing it destroyed is something I absolutely cannot accept. Nothing will change if I were to join you," he stated, looking and sounding as serious as he could ever be. His red eyes stared straight into the golden ones of the other King. "This place is magnificent; indeed. And your power can clearly be felt with just a single glance, I'll grant you that. But there's no way I could possibly leave the safety of my land, and the world, to you. I have no intention of letting this chaos continue."

At that point, all of a sudden, he turned around, shooting a stare at Shirou and Mordred. The Ruler and the Saber stared at his smiling face with seriousness and confusion respectively.

Iskandar smirked in their direction. "I refuse to give up. Especially now that I've fought and bonded with some worthy companions. Until the very end, I will keep moving forward, towards the glory that lies over the horizon. And together with them, I shall free this world that I aim to conquer," he stated with a powerful resolve.

Mordred and Shirou smiled at him, prompting his lips to part into a grin.

"So I apologize, Sun King, but your offer is out of the question!" he answered with a boisterous laugh, placing his hands on the hips and grinning with a face filled with pride and confidence. "I am the King of Conquerors! I do what I want, I take what I want, and I shall continue to do so as long as I draw breath! I will never serve another King… and especially not one like you."

Ozymandias studied him with narrowed eyes after hearing his answer, his outraged gaze boring holes in the Rider's muscular body. No one dared to move and speak for an indefinite amount of time.

Until, the Sun King finally exploded.

"WELL SPOKEN!" he roared with a bellowing voice.

He stood up abruptly from his golden throne, his face a mask of outrage and fury, and pointed his scepter at him with a glare powerful enough to make Luvia's legs tremble in fear.

"IN THAT CASE, BEGONE FROM MY SIGHT!" Ozymandias bellowed, his words causing the group and even his allies to jump back slightly shock. "THOSE WHO DO NOT SERVE ME HAVE NO PLACE HERE!"

Nitocris startled, stunned and panicked, and immediately tried to step forward and speak, but she was stopped by Caesar's raised hand. The Roman conqueror shook his head to her, and then shared a nod with his beloved Cleopatra.

And all the while, Iskandar, Shirou and their group stared with narrowed eyes as the Sun King roared his fury at them. "YOU WILL REGRET YOUR CHOICE, KING OF CONQUERORS! YOU WILL REALIZE YOUR FOOLISHNESS AS YOU DIE IN THIS SENSELESS WAR AND ROT IN THE GROUND!"

Iskandar and the others remained completely unfazed.

"However," Ozymandias declared suddenly, lowering both his voice and staff with a slow movement. "For a Pharaoh to die a dog's death… would be a shame. Remember my generosity well, and leave this place at once!" he ordered, shooting a glance in Nitocris' direction. "My retainers shall guide you safely outside the desert. But should I ever see your face again, I shall not show you mercy a second time."

Much to everyone's shock, Iskandar grinned with feral trepidation after his threat.

However, before one of the two Kings could speak further, someone cut into the discussion all of a sudden.

Caesar stepped forward with affable swiftness.

"Now, now, Pharaoh. Please do not be hasty in your decision," Caesar said with a soft voice, moving closer to the throne with a captivating smile on his face and his arms raised in a placating gesture. "Perhaps your guests need some time to think and consider. Surely, as the greatest King, you would not deny a fellow Pharaoh like Iskandar a bit of time to consider your offer. Am I right?"

The Sun King stared at the Roman Saber, long and hard. He openly sighed at his intrusion. "Saber, you really enjoy meddling in other people's business, don't you?" he muttered with sarcasm.

Caesar laughed sheepishly, his chubby cheeks tinged with a bit of pink. "Not at all, Pharaoh. I merely wish for this matter to be concluded in a peaceful manner. I am a man of politics, after all," he tried to deflect.

Even Nitocris seemed to agree with him. "I also wish to ask you this, Pharaoh!" the sorceress Queen exclaimed. "Lord Iskandar and his companions are tired from their journey through the desert! Let them rest and witness your might with their own eyes, and I'm sure they'll be willing to reconsider!"

"Indeed. I'm sure that Lord Iskandar and his faithful followers are going to reconsider your generous offer if you give them a bit of time," Cleopatra followed suit with a haughty smirk on her beautiful face, giving a wink in Rider's direction.

Everyone just stared at them in confusion, unable to understand what they were aiming for with that obvious attempt to take their side all of a sudden. Shirou and Artoria openly watched them in suspicion, and even Iskandar looked quite confused as well during that whole exchange.

Only Mordred looked visibly annoyed, unlike the rest of the group. Her eyebrow was visibly twitching. "The heck? Since when we've become his 'faithful followers'?" she scoffed inside her mind.

Incredibly enough, Ozymandias seemed to ponder his allies' unanimous suggestion for a few seconds. Then, in the end, he scoffed loudly, closing his eyes with a solemn face.

"I am as magnanimous as the Sun!" he declared with a powerful voice, turning towards Shirou and the group once more. "Very well! I shall allow you to stay here and consider my offer for a while. But know this!" he suddenly raised his voice again. "I shall allow you to stay in my city as guests, but do not expect mercy from me a second time! This is your last and final warning!"

Everyone shared a confused glance with each other.

But the Sun King did not give them time to think. With no further ado, he slammed his scepter on the floor, and the whole staff began to glow with a golden light all of sudden.

"NOW, BEHOLD!" the Greatest Pharaoh of Egypt bellowed as he took a step forward. "WITNESS MY POWER, AND MY INFINITE BRILLIANCE!"

It happened faster than a man could blink.

A loud, ear-splitting roar of metal echoed through the air. Then, not even a second later, the floor, the walls, and the entire temple complex began to shake and tremble all of a sudden, startling Shirou and his companions who immediately tensed and glanced around in every direction as a powerful earthquake shook the world around them. The Ruler and his friends moved closer to each other with a leap, Shirou grabbing Luvia by the arm in order to keep her steady on her feet, and even Iskandar narrowed his eyes in tension as the entire pyramid and the complex surrounding it shook and moaned like a living, sentient creature. Artoria shifted closer to Mordred and her Knights, her head snapping in every direction with narrowed eyes.

"U-Um, what is happening?" Luvia demanded, clinging to Shirou's arm with a terrified face.

Antonio Salieri glanced around, narrowing his red eyes. "The temple… is it moving?" he mused.

True enough, the feeling Shirou was experiencing right now was the exact same one he would usually feel while driving a car or riding a plane. A portentous gust of wind could be heard echoing from outside the structure, and the light coming from the hole at the top of the pyramid shifted suddenly. There was no doubt about it: something was moving outside of the pyramid. The fact that even the walls of the temple were shaking uncontrollably was enough to confirm their suspicion,

Everyone turned to stare at Ozymandias with a questioning gaze, but the Pharaoh and his allies merely smirked at them, looking absolutely relaxed all the while. The staff grasped in the Sun King's hand was still glowing softly even now, the golden light enveloping its frame increasing all the more, becoming almost uncomfortable to watch. Soon enough, the throne room was completely blinded by its glow. And yet, Nitocris, Cleopatra and the others kept smirking with an amused expression.

Shirou had had enough. Wasting no time, he dashed towards the entrance and moved to exit the building at a fast pace. The others followed him immediately, leaving the Pharaohs behind without a second thought. And as soon as they all stepped outside, everyone felt their eyes widen in stunned, paralyzed shock.

For the first time in a long while, Shirou, Iskandar and Artoria gaped in absolute disbelief.

"N-No way," Mordred exclaimed with an incredulous tone, her eyes as wide as it was humanly possible. "No fucking way!"

For once, everyone in the group shared her exact, same thought.

Why, would you ask? Simple: because, despite their inner disbelief, Ozymandias' pyramid and the entire city complex surrounding the temple had started to move somehow. Or, more precisely, they had started to rise.

Upwards.

And now, all of a sudden, everything finally began to snap into place. Shirou realized it immediately, no matter how hard his mind was struggling to understand. The paranormal phenomena, the events happening in this place, the witnesses of a strange phenomenon in the sky, the Magic Veil… everything. It all made sense now.

Because the Noble Phantasm known as Ramesseum Tentyris had literally started to fly towards the heavens.

---

Planet: Earth
Date: June 12 2020
Location: Clock Tower (London - England)

(======)

A soft knock on the door suddenly roused Waver Velvet from his reading. Seated behind the desk of his private office, the Lord of the Clock Tower teared his gaze away from the document he was reading, and a single glance towards the door was enough for him to already guess who the person on the other side was. That soft way of knocking was extremely familiar, and there was no way he could mistake that small silhouette.

He instantly steeled his features, banishing his mental fatigue and stress away. "You may enter, Gray."

Just as predicted, his young assistant entered the office with a timid step, her face hidden by her hood. "Teacher, your phone is ringing," she informed him with a hushed voice, handing him his phone and offering a tiny nod in his direction.

The young Lord sighed as he took the device. "Ah. Thank you. You may leave for now."

When the young girl exited the door with a respectful bow, Waver Velvet answered the call with a sigh. "Yes?"

The one who called him was none other than Olga Marie Animusphere.

O- What an awful tone. You sound exhausted, Lord El-Melloi.

His attempt to deflect was swift and immediate. "Well, well. To what do I owe the honor, Olga Marie?" he mused with slight sarcasm. "It's very rare to receive a call from you, and it hasn't been that long since we've last seen each other. Not that I'm complaining, of course."

O- Spare me your flattery, this not a call for pleasure. I have a matter to discuss with you, and it is of utmost importance.

Just like that, his sour expression returned. "What happened?" he asked, deadly serious. "Did you find any clues regarding our witch?"

Her sigh was both weary and frustrated on the other side.

O- Unfortunately not. We still haven't found any clues regarding the witch Morgan le Fay and the God of War Tyr – she answered with a serious but dejected tone – However, I've just finished reading your report, and I was growing worried. How is Tohsaka's condition?

Lord El-Melloi II fought hard to stop himself from sighing. He swiveled around on his chair, turning his gaze towards the window and staring at the night sky enveloping the city of London. "She's stable," was all he said, his voice still tinged with worry despite his best attempts to hide it. "Her body is not in danger, but she still hasn't woken up. The doctors cannot say if she ever will, to be honest."

A few seconds of worried silence.

O- I am sincerely sorry. If that's of any comfort, I hope she can recover just as much as you.

"Thank you," was his quiet reply, his eyes narrowed with concern. The Lord of the Clock Tower shook his head to keep himself calm and collected. "We still haven't discovered anything about that shadow, either. Lancer and Archer are patrolling the city every day, keeping an eye out on the borders, just in case. I've also warned the other Lords about this matter. They're still discussing what to do as we speak."

O- Still as slow as ever, aren't they?

"You know how the Lords of the Clock Tower are. They like to take things slow," he replied diplomatically, his lips curving upwards ever so slightly.

O- What about Ruler? Did you warn him as well?

Waver Velvet narrowed his eyes. "I attempted to," he answered. "I tried to contact him several times in the last few days. But every time I attempted to connect with him or one of his companions, the signal went off. Every time. I doubt they are in danger, given how strong they are, but I assume something is happening on their side. They must have reached a place with no signal."

For some reason, Olga Marie remained completely silent.

Lord El-Melloi II sighed. "I'll try to contact them again later this night, but I doubt I'll be able to reach them."

O- Good – was the girl's quiet response – Perhaps it's better this way.

That caught Waver's attention immediately. His eyebrows rose up in confusion. "What are you talking about? Ruler must be warned about this. That shadow is dangerous, Marie. Look at what it has done to one of my students. Such a matter cannot be overlooked anymore."

The Director of the Atlas Institute said absolutely nothing for a couple of seconds. Her silence greatly bothered Lord El-Melloi II.

O- I never said that. But I think it's best if you don't contact him for now. There is something wrong about that so-called 'Ruler'. Something extremely wrong.

The poor man could already feel a migraine coming. "What do you mean?" he demanded in absolute seriousness.

Even from such a distance, he could almost see Olga Marie Animusphere's frowning expression on the other side.

O- I've sent you an e-mail a few minutes ago – was her cold and suspicious reply – You'd better read the details carefully.

---

CODEX PLANETAE

[COUNTER FORCE] Database

Taken from the notes of Alaya

Subject: Tyr [-Shirou Emiya-], #1 among the Ancestral Heroes

Alias: God of War, Humanity's Liberator, Grand Hero, God-Slayer, First Hero of Humanity

Description:

Despite my immense repulsion regarding this particular topic (and I don't use term -immense- lightly), in order to fully explore and understand the complexity of Shirou Emiya's true nature, it is absolutely necessary to spend a few words about the entity known as "All the World's Evil" as well. After all, as I've already mentioned in the previous notes, the God of War and the Avenger are connected, even if the correlation between the two is subtle and frustratingly arduous to grasp in its entirety.

Just as Shirou's own story, the tale of the being known as the Avenger is a tragic one.

Originally believed to be a Persian God of Darkness, in reality, All the World's Evil was no more than an ordinary villager living in a nameless village. A simple human born a few years after the Separation of the world into three Sides, and who was freed from the confines of Order by having his name expelled from the [ERROR – DATA CORRUPTED]. One day, he was randomly chosen as the "source of all evil in the world" by his village; and consequently... he was tortured and sacrificed in the ensuing rituals. The villagers, who were suffering from various disasters due to the aftermath of the previous conflict, eventually came to need a scapegoat for blaming their troubles onto. This scapegoat would be designated to be a Demon, and be chosen to be the reason for all the calamities afflicting the village. Simultaneously, he would be chosen to be the source of all the world's evil and by his existence, the villagers would have to be good by nature.

For that reason, they continuously tortured him until he went insane. They captured him, beat him, carved every word that cursed mankind onto his body, forced every sin imaginable upon him, took out bits and pieces of him slowly, defiled his mind with absolute evil, and held him responsible for all of it in the world. They even took his very own name away from him. But despite this inhuman torture, however, they would not allow him to die until he succumbed to old age. As a result of this horrendous and unjust treatment, he had a curse put on him; one made of the Great Evil that he was to represent. The poor human was shocked at first at the senselessness of it at all. Eventually, however, he started wondering who it was he should hate. And as it was to be expected - just like what happened with Tyr after his suffering by the Gods' decree - the Avenger's anger and hatred began to blossom. His hatred towards the world and the people that mercilessly executed him slowly began to grow more and more, until that hatred became something more than just a feeling, something that went even beyond the scope of human imagination.

And with the blossoming of that hatred, the being known as Angra Mainyu was born.

However, no matter how much I hated myself for it, neither I nor the [COUNTER FORCE] could do something to stop that madness and save the human who had been chosen to bear all the world's evil back then. The reason being the fact that all of that was, in fact, necessary.

As reprehensible as it is to admit it, the tale of the Avenger is one filled with misery, but a misery that was born out of necessity. In fact, his forced sacrifice served to ease the confused minds of his people. It served to give them hope and the will to look forward. Even more, it helped the entirety of mankind to grow and develop during those difficult years, allowing them to find an outlet during the dark and conflict-ridden period that followed the end of the Age of Gods. The world had been left in the wild after Tyr's demise. The previous order of the planet had been completely dismantled, and humanity had suddenly found themselves alone, confused, and deprived of the one and only entity that could have actually guided them towards a better future. Hence: in order for them to grow and hope again, the scapegoat known as Avenger was absolutely needed.

His treatment was a horrendous evil, no doubt... but a necessary one. One which helped mankind to develop and move forward after the Age of Gods, and which despite being unintentional, it gave peace and ease to the hearts of men. It is for this very same reason that, despite being the embodiment of All the World's Evil, the Avenger is still qualified to be a Heroic Spirit even now. Because despite his horrible story and role, his forced sacrifice created hope, and gave mankind as a whole the chance to move forward and evolve during the Dark Age.

It was a helpless sacrifice. An ordinary person without any special talent, transformed exactly into what the people wanted. An innocent man that was determined to be and represent All the Evil of the World.

And thus, hated by everyone and scorned even by himself, the Second Hero of Humanity was born.

---

Yes, Iskandar is basically the V.I.P. of this Arc.

So… I lied. We're going to see the banquet of Kings and Pharaohs in the next chapter. This one ended up being too long, and it didn't feel right to rush things too much. Don't worry, though: we'll see it one day.

I love Ozymandias and his mood swings. He's a bit of weirdo, and his ego is even worse than Iskandar's, but we all know that he's a softie deep inside. I find him strangely adorable, really XD

Also, I'm gonna admit it right off the bat: Yes, Shirou and Astraea were in a relationship in the past.

It is something that has been foreshadowed ever since the CODEX of Chapter 13 – ARC III. Go check it out, in case you've forgotten. But don't worry, that happened in the past, and their relationship lasted only for a short time. We'll see more about this fact in the future. And while I do have something planned, this matter will not interfere with Shirou and Artoria's development. I just thought it necessary. After all, Artoria herself was a married woman in the past, and even if her marriage was a farce, she did share some 'intimate moments' with her queen (damn you, Merlin). Both her and Shirou had to move on in their own ways.

Now, allow me to rant a little: There is no reason, ABSOLUTELY NO REASON AT ALL, for Caesar to be fat in FGO. I searched for an explanation about his condition for weeks, and I found NOTHING that could be considered a concrete explanation. The most concrete thing I found about this matter was a video of Nero singing in Fate/EXTELLA, saying that Caesar got fat during his campaigns in Gallia because he ate too many eels (which is not true, since we all know that he wasn't fat when he met Cleopatra after his campaigns). And yes, I know the Fate Wiki says that his condition is due to the fact that people see him more as a representative of "Politics" rather than a General, but that is not a real reason, nor it is sufficient enough. It's just plain stupid.

In case I've missed some, as always, please forgive me for any eventual misspellings and grammar mistakes. If you point them out to me, I will correct them as soon as I can.

See you next time.