Chapter 163: The mask pulled off

Compared with his arrival, Ash's departure had been nothing short of anticlimactic, or at least when one took into consideration that he had marched over and then started a shouting match with Mordred which could have ended very badly, the fact that Gwynevere took charge and managed to de escalate it was rather relieving to him because he didn't even know where to begin with that.

It very much reminded him of Francis Drake and he wasn't sure what he could have done beyond using a command Seal to prevent it. He shot a quick glance to the two that now resided upon the back of his right hand, rather than the three that had been there previously. He wasn't even aware he could have used them in his sleep but it felt as though it was something he had to do, or rather it was at Haku's insistence as well.

Haku cannot act to endanger Ritsuka Fujimaru's life without his express consent.

Which was clear cut and something he would probably need to explain to the others.

He looked back up, then frowned.

Ash turned away the moment the blue haired boy had shown up, the cloaked child talking about using an authority or something which drew his warnings about the Goddess to the forefront of his mind. Which meant she had done something to both Mordred and Ash in order to stop them from fighting…and then kept using it on Ash to get a look at his face. He didn't see the issue but he did see that Ash was struggling to try and fight her off. If the blue haired one hadn't said anything, he sure as hell would have.

"His resistance was impressive. Most would have complied with her demand within seconds." Haku voiced through his head, though he barely paid attention to the comment as the Saber retreated further up the hill where he had come from.

Stepping forwards, called out to him "Ash, wait!" Though the Saber gave no indication he even heard him, and he didn't seem to be very present in the moment, especially when he walked right through Nobunaga as she attempted to stop him, not even breaking stride as he pushed her aside and continued his climb.

Biting his lower lip, he made to take another step forwards before stopping himself. Ash probably needed a moment to cool off and approaching him right this very moment might lead to more harm than good. Especially if the topic of Mordred came up, he didn't know what the Sabers' problem was with the knight but he could probably come up with a couple guesses. Especially since the motivation of Sir Mordred's rebellion was one of the better known things about Arthurian mythology…or would it be history?

Letting out a sigh, he turned his head away from the Saber and glanced over towards Mash. She looked from him to the retreating form of Ash for a few seconds before she gave him a questioning look. He raised his hand and shook his head from side to side. "I'll let him have a couple moments to calm down before trying anything…" He sent a quick glance towards Gwynevere.

Though the Goddess had said she did not care, he saw that she was giving a lingering stare to the back of Ash.

It now left him in a rather bewildering situation, despite how impressive this little clearing was with the greenery and the safety it supposedly offered, he didn't feel as though their situation had gotten any better, even if they were all reunited once more. Even a brief glance around the Servants and humans gathered around him was more than enough evidence to suggest that his work was going to be cut out for him in trying to get them all to avoid killing one another, some more challenging than others.

Someone clearing their throat brought his attention to the blue haired boy, the smaller Servant clapping their hands together and smiling rather genially as they looked around at everyone, though they focused on him in particular. "That unpleasantness aside. I'm really glad that all of you made it here but I…would think that things are a bit strained?" shrugging then continued on "But I'm not good at reading the mood-"

"It's fine." He assured them quickly, if they weren't good at reading the mood and could still tell how tense everything was then it really wasn't a great time they were in for. "I'm Ritsuka Fujimaru for everyone who doesn't know me, by the way. This is Mash Kyrielight, my trusty Shielder." he gestured to the girl, introducing her first. "And…yeah, I think we've all been through a lot so I would say taking a few minutes just to get our bearings would be for the best…I know that I could do with a short break from all the craziness."

He chuckled because he couldn't think of any other way to react, it truly was no end of adrenaline rushes and he finally felt as though he had a moment in which he could breath. "Any objections?"

Silently, he prayed they all said no.

"Tch, yeah…whatever." Mordred was the first to speak up, though it was more to shake her head from side to side and march off from the group. He watched the knight retreat and then turned his head onto Percival - another Knight of the Round Table - as he sent them an apologetic look.

"I am sorry, Sir Mordred is easily angered and Ash…" He exhaled, "Perhaps I should have been quicker on the uptake that something would have happened and stepped in beforehand but hindsight is always better than foresight." Percival looked as though he was going to turn, but stopped at the last moment, his eyes moving on from Ritsuka to Mash and his gaze intensifying. "...Mash Kyrielight, you said?"

"Ah! Yes, Sir Percival!" Mash hastily replied, Ritsuka glanced at her-

Was she actually straightening her posture as high as it would go?

"You are not a traditional Servant, are you?" He quizzed further, which did briefly surprise Ritsuka as to the fact the Servant had managed to suss that out, normally it would take them having to introduce her as a Demi-Servant before that to actually be revealed. Which was more than a little curious. He paused then spoke further "Ah, do not misunderstand my question for disapproval. I do not understand the principle but…shall I assume you were granted this power?"

"Yes. The Heroic Spirit gifted me these powers and gave me the chance to fight as Senpai's Servant." She announced, nodding her head once with a singularly determined look on her face.

Percival smiled back "If this Servant had reason to give you their powers, then I have little reason to treat you any differently." he turned once more, offering one final comment "Anyone who would be granted the powers of a Heroic Spirit by choice is undoubtedly worthy of them. I look forward to seeing what you are capable of, Sir Mash!" he waved to her as he departed, following after Mordred with a slight urgency to him.

"I'm not a-!" Mash cut herself off, furrowing her brows and dropping her shoulders "I'm not a Sir…" she finished with a mumble, looking somewhat uneasy. "I have not even been knighted…"

"Don't feel too bad about it." He assured her with a pat on the shoulder, trying something to comfort the Shielder, flashing her a smile as she looked towards him. "I'm sure you'll definitely make it to that level one day, Mash."

"I-if you say so…Senpai."

He knew so, she was definitely right up there. Though, for the time being, pep talks could wait until a different time. He looked around at the group that now surrounded him, made up of a variety of different Servants that he hadn't really gotten the chance to actually speak with, though they were the few that came along with Mash and the others. "Alright so…everyone who came with me from Chaldea!"

Calling out, he turned on his heel and swept his eyes over the assembled group, then brought up his arm and pointed towards one of the distant spots. "Come with me. We're gonna run through a report on what we went through! Everyone else…take five?" memories of Ash's failure to understand modern slang cycled through his head for a moment. "That means take a break! We can all greet each other soon…try not to start anymore fights or something."


"First thing is first." Ritsuka began, bringing his hands up and glancing around the Servants before he pointed in the direction of a certain Caster. At this point, it was more than a little disturbing to see him in that state. He was actually more than a little worried "Can you please do something to help him, Caster?" he raised an eyebrow at Medea "You said you were able to heal my arm."

Medea regarded him blankly for a few seconds "If that is your command, Master." then slowly turned her attention towards Sulyvahn, the Pontiff did not even offer a single rebuttal. To be honest, Ritsuka had been expecting some sort of prideful remark about how he didn't need help or something along those lines. If he didn't even have the strength for that then he really did understand his condition. "I shall heal the worst of his injuries. Though the regrowth of a limb will take time and magical energy."

"I think we can make time for that." He didn't see a real rush, or at least one that was more pressing than making sure everyone was up to speed. They had been out of contact with one another for quite a while, there was no telling all the different types of information that had been picked up by each other during that period, stuff that could be used in strategies and the like.

Like enemy Servant complement, but he had already seen a good couple of them but it would be best to inform the others. He didn't know if Jeanne and Nobunaga were aware of them or not. Then he needed opinions on the Servants he actually brought with him as well, he'd have to discuss that with everyone also. Especially Gwynevere, Sulyvahn seemed to have no end of problems.

"Unless we should be worried?" A frown came onto his lips, pulling up his thumb and pointing over his shoulder "It's just that…" he internally blanched as he realised he never got the name of the Servant who was actually providing the safe haven for them in the first place. It might have been mentioned but he was less concerned about that and more concerned with the more pressing issue of a fist fight. "..."

Thankfully enough, his awkwardness was fairly short lived as Jeanne clearly noticed that something was afoot with his hesitation. Understanding crossed her features before she spoke up. "Their name is Quella. They are a Spirit of the Planet, one who is providing us with this current haven." She hesitated before speaking further "Though I call him a Spirit of the Planet because I believe him to be a powerful Fae, but I cannot truly judge his level. I am not well versed in such things."

A fully fledged Faerie?

Wasn't that…

He glanced to Mash with furrowed brows for a moment, then to the others. "Hang on…wasn't he-?"

"The one who appeared during the small festival of Nero. Yes." Jeanne affirmed with a nod of the head "However, they did not linger there for long and their short appearance did not truly provide much context as to their nature beyond an ability to spawn trees." her head turned downwards, glancing at the grass beneath her feet "...This was not expected, especially within the confines of a Reality Marble."

Medea made a noise "One would assume that is because their influence over the world far outstrips that of whatever magus created this land to begin with. Those born of the planet are walking avatars of its senses. The greater their being, the closer to the world they are in terms of strength." not once during her conversation did she turn her head from Sulyvahn's left side. "One would assume that a Spirit of the level of this 'Quella' would rank on equal terms with a Divided Spirit."

Sulyvahn let out a noise. "He is Great Father Quella. He was one of two who came from the Dreamlands into the world of man." The tone of the Pontiff was nothing short of reverent. "His stands at the pinnacle of all Spirits and Treefolk. During the time of Heide - for what little information was available of it - he served as patron of the Blue Sentinel Covenant, for they believed a being of his power could be nothing but a God."

A huff of mirth followed. "Though, I believe Great Father Quella would have proven himself more than a match for any other mundane Gods of the world."

"If he was a Great Father, it would go without saying." Medea continued onwards, pulling her hand back briefly and then turning her head towards Ritsuka, examining his expression for a moment before looking as though she was going to sigh. "You have no true understanding of that, do you?"

Was he that obvious?

He gave a strained smile and a shrug of the shoulders, not really sure of what else he could actually do.

"In simple terms, they are an extremely powerful nature spirit. That is all you need to concern yourself with for the time being." She turned back to Sulyvahn, bringing her right hand up and allowing a fluorescent green light to coat his wounds. Ritsuka probably would have used a Mystic Code to help if he didn't believe Medea would do an infinitely better job than himself.

Then again, it was actually Da Vinci's invention but considering the way everyone talked about Mages from the 'Age of Gods' he figured there was just a massive difference in scope. At least, he would never publicly bring this up with Da Vinci in the room in case she flew into a tangent about how he was underestimating her genius.

"Okay, so Quella is really powerful. That's basically all that really matters right now?"

"Yeah, but don't count on them to actually do anything." He frowned, now looking at the one who had offered the rather accusatory comment. Nobunaga stood with her arms crossed over her chest, a deep scowl on her face. "He's taken up a neutral stance with everything. We encountered hostile Servants on our way here and had them dead to rights…up until he showed up and demanded that we let them go to heal their wounded."

That…sounded more than a little problematic. Sure, he might have been grateful for Quella offering them someplace that was reasonably safe - at least in the sense it was separate from the Reality Marble outside - but if they couldn't be relied upon to actually help them fight then that was another matter. Then again, their numbers were fairly stacked already, especially with an actual Goddess on their side and Gwyndolin's older sister to boot.

"I…would normally be more troubled." He wasn't ashamed to admit that "But at the moment I think that the loss of Quella's support doesn't really do much for our manpower problem, but I'm just working off estimations here." was the quick backtrack he made, but still worked to keep his words as polite as possible. "If we have already beaten the Servants in combat once, then we can probably do so again? I think the real problem is the zombie dragon that got raised…"

Nobunaga double took, Jeanne similarly raised her brows "Excuse me?"

"Oh, right, you guys weren't there…" He muttered, a phantom pain flared through his arm for a split second. "Yeah, there was a zombie dragon that showed up and tried to kill us. Breathed his…really menacing cloud of purple smog which was probably poison or some other toxic cloud along those lines." he paused, then added as an afterthought. "It also stank something fierce."

"We got any dragon slayers?" Nobunaga asked almost jokingly.

"We do, yes." His answer brought a blank look to her face, he chuckled wryly and brought his hand towards his cheek, awkwardly scratching at it. "Speaking of which, I should probably introduce him to those of you who either don't know or haven't met him yet…You should probably introduce yourself, Haku."

Initially, he didn't get a response. Something that very nearly prompted a frown from him, he briefly entertained the idea that Haku was just shy but otherwise dismissed it as he remembered immediately who he was actually thinking about.

Then the air next to him shimmered, an ethereal blue light rose up from the ground at the glowing particles slowly formed into the shape of a humanoid figure, gradually shifting into the likeness of himself that he had been used to appearing thus far. He figured that little quirk was going to be there to stay even after Haku remembered who he actually was.

A copy of himself formed directly to his right, arms crossed behind their back and expression set into an indifferent frown. Glowing golden orbs that served as eyes swept across the assembled Servants, some of who leaned backwards while others narrowed their eyes at the new arrival. "I was curious when you would call upon me." Were the first words from the Caster's mouth.

"It's not like I can just leave you in my head all the time, they would eventually ask about meeting you…especially considering the impact you actually left the last time you appeared." Ritsuka wryly replied to the Servant, making a show of waving his right arm with a pointed look aimed at the translucent copy of himself.

Haku rolled his eyes. "I am bemused at your ability to crack jokes at a time like this, but that is one of your many odd little talents, is it not?" the Caster grunted out, sounding a touch amused before their voice shifted to a more clinical tone. "Though introductions are hardly in order, I know all of the Servants present here, just as you know of them."

"...Did you really read my mind again?"

"I read it when I first arrived, that was how I knew you had allies. I collected names, faces, parameters." Haku listed off with an uncensored shake of the head "Truly, you think I would stop at so minor a detail as-"

"Master." Jeanne interrupted the Caster, glancing between the two of them for a few moments with her eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "While I would not ordinarily demand answers from you, I feel as though this situation warrants such a thing…especially given that this Servants Spirit core-"

"Is inside me, yeah." Ritsuka pinched his expression at the way Jeanne looked bewildered at his admission, Nobunaga similarly raised her eyebrows at him and then examined the newly formed Caster with a scrutinous gaze. "It's a long story." Actually, now that he thought about it, was it really that long a story?

No, no it was not.

"On second thought, it probably isn't." He mumbled, then cleared his throat. "I ended up materialising alone in the middle of a storm. Haku found me and saved me from dying alone outside-" Mash flinched guilty and most of the others looked rather unsettled, now he just felt bad about saying it like that. "A-anyway. He saved me and I let him live inside me because his actual body got destroyed earlier and he was basically going to die without somewhere to reside."

Jeanne thinned her lips "...While I was not there, I cannot provide a proper judgement, though I must say that seems rather…reckless, of you to do. Especially since a Servant is an incredibly powerful being and requires a specialised vessel to contain even a fraction of a Heroic Spirit."

"Which is why I rescinded most of my power save for my intellect." Haku rebuked her swiftly "That is the greatest strength I have available to me and the one most applicable in a Reality Marble such as this. I have also been using my Noble Phantasm to empower his body to a state where my mere presence will not turn him to dust."

Ritsuka nodded along, "Yeah, I did a quick jump and ended up putting my head through the ceiling of the last house we were staying in." dead silence followed his words. "...Okay, probably not something I should really boast about."

"And yet this Servant is also responsible for nearly blowing your arm from your body, quite nearly turning your nerves into rotting dust and crippling you for life." Medea listed off with a monotone voice as though she was reading from a shopping list. "At which point, I find myself questioning how 'durable' this Noble Phantasm of yours actually makes him."

"Furthermore, your ability to conceal your true name from me." Jeanne quizzed further, looking from Haku to himself. "I must once again urge caution, Master. There are few Servants capable of such feats and almost all conceal their true names for a variety of reasons. The most pressing being their true name carries a great degree of stigma to it."

"Okay, I can actually answer that one." He pointed to the Saint "Caster got attacked by someone who destroyed his body and hacked up his Spirit Origin. Basically he's missing a bunch of information and memories from himself…so he's amnesiac."

More silence, then Nobunaga made a small noise of amusement "A-are you actually being serious with that? Don't tell me that you fell for such an obvious sham, Master." she jerked her head to Haku, drawing a frown from Ritsuka. "You're saying this person - a Caster, no less - gets attacked by a Servant that obliterates his body and leaves him wandering around without any memories at all but his smarts all remain intact?" she curled her lip "This guy should be a gibbering wreck-"

"Perhaps a lesser Servant would be." Haku cut her off, almost sneering at her. "Though, fortunately, I am far and above the…ordinary sort that passes for Heroic Spirits." his gold eyes made a point of looking the Archer up and down with disdain.

Nobunaga's expression twitched for a brief moment, Ritsuka closed his eyes and barely fought back the urge to palm his face. Evidently the attitude of Haku was back with a vengeance, though he didn't take any sort of insult against his capabilities all that well, or being called a liar it seemed. Besides, whether or not he was lying didn't really matter all that much to Ritsuka, he had been helpful in locating everyone and the small arm frying incident aside - he was still not over that, truthfully - there was ample reason to trust Caster.

Though, it was clear they were worried about him and it would probably be best to put their concerns to rest. "Alright, whether or not Haku is lying about not remembering his true name is a moot point at the moment." He began, opening his eyes and speaking sternly to cut off any future arguments. "First thing is first, I trust Haku at the moment because he has been pretty upfront with me in regards to everything else."

Now came the moment of truth. He brought up his right hand, flashing the back of it and showcasing the two remaining command seals. "As for the incident in which he hurt me, he was rather honest in that he lost control and would probably do so again without insurance so he recommended this."

The Servants stared, but Mash was the first to recover "You used a command seal?"

"At my own insistence." Haku remarked, his composed tone returning once more. "My hatred of the dragons is strong enough to override my self control, which would place Ritsuka in danger." the translucent copy made a gesture towards him. "The command seal works to ensure the safety of Ritsuka and while the commands are not totally absolute…they will be compelling enough for me to rein in my fury to nothing more than obscene shouts of violence in his mind."

Mash, at least, looked mollified at the fact there was now a sort of safety net which stopped future incidents happening. But he wasn't expecting everyone to instantly be on board with the plan, but this was normally how things went with meetings like these. Though it wasn't much of a meeting as it was just him trying to make excuses for himself. It felt more like being called in front of the teachers office…

He did not look forward to explaining this to the Director, use of a command seal to ensure his safety or not.

Jeanne looked much less hesitant to put her faith in it, but he could at least see she wasn't as on edge as she had been earlier. "While I will not deny that the presence of the command seal upon…Haku-" she nodded to the Caster "-is something of a relief, Its necessity in the first place invites further concerns." her eyes closed "Though, if it is your decision to trust them. I shall adhere to it and withhold my judgement until I see their actions first hand."

Ritsuka did not bother to hide his relief, "That's all I'm asking for…" he reached up, rubbing his eyes "In the meantime…I guess we should start on what everyone else got up to when they were separated?" he asked with a shrug of his shoulders, pulling his hand down. "Who wants to go first?"


Following Mordred was hardly a challenge, even if there was something that blocked her path, she left her boot prints embedded enough in the ground to lead a trail that was easy enough to follow that even an amateur could do so. Though, no amateur would ever dream of following Sir Mordred when they got into a mood angry enough to storm off.

Normally only a fool would do something like that.

Percival wryly smiled to himself at the comparison for a brief moment before the amusement faded, it was hardly a time to be indulging in such things. Especially considering what had gotten Mordred so furious in the beginning.

He meant what he had said to the young Master, he truly should have been more alert as to the atmosphere beforehand and what came next. It should have been obvious what would have happened the moment Ash came into contact with the rather headstrong knight, but in his defence, he had no way of knowing that Sir Mordred would have arrived here. Especially not in the company of the other Shielder Servant.

Now that was a genuine surprise, yet he could not call it unpleasant for him. Mash Kyrielight was a strong name and if she had the courage to travel with Mordred and walk in step with them, she clearly had some promise. No, perhaps it was more than promise she had. There was real strength, much like he had seen with Sir Gareth.

Though, only time would tell.

His eyes fell onto the back of the knight - wasn't that a shock that he was actually a she, but considering what Gareth was like, he should hardly have been surprised by it, nor did it change his opinion of them - with her helmet still snapped up and covering her head.

She remained still for a moment, standing close enough to one of the wooden palisade walls that she was at arms length of it. He felt his features flatten, he already knew what Mordred was going to do. Sure enough, the knight drew their right arm back and clenched their hand into a fist before throwing it forwards, her armoured knuckles struck the trunk of the white tree wall with a deep crunch, a noise similar to thunder.

He had to hand it for the walls, to survive a blow from an angered Mordred was proof of their strength.

All the same…

"I doubt that our host will be pleased that you are damaging his defences." He commented in a light tone, watching as Mordred's shoulders squared themselves for a moment, her fist remained flat against the wall and showing no signs of movement. He moved closer "And I know you're smarter than to damage your own defences, Sir Mordred."

A breath like a growl echoed out from behind Mordred's helmet. "Piss off, Percival."

That was the sort of response he expected, all the same, he did not move. "I have never abandoned a comrade in the past, Mordred. I do not intend to start at this very moment."

Mordred pulled her hand from the wall. "I'm not interested in any of that 'all for one and one for all' bullshit right now." The exasperation in her voice made it self apparent rather swiftly "And I don't need you thinking about comforting me right now. If you try it, I'll kick your ass up and down this field. Not even that little sprout kid will save you."

He chuckled "I do not doubt that you would back a rather hefty weight to your strikes, Sir Mordred." the amusement fizzled out, his expression shifting. "I am here to offer an apology, however. It was through my actions that you-"

"Not interested."

"Mordred-"

"Don't do that sappy speech to me." She finally turned to face him, throwing her arms up. "You think I don't know what he said was true? Yeah! I am the knight who destroyed Camelot. I am the one who killed King Arthur!" There was a pause, then her form jolted and she brought her right arm up, stabbing a finger at him. "Actually, what the hell were you doing? How come it's some no name Servant who's trying to take my head and not you! Have you no respect for King Arthur or something?"

He frowned, but Mordred offered him no chance to speak.

"You come waltzing over to me like Camlann didn't happen." Now there was aggression and quite a bit of real anger. "Throwing up those stupid trunk arms of yours as if we're old pals. How does this guy hearing a few stories from you suddenly make him more willing to avenge Camelot than one of its own knights!?" she spat "You should be embarrassed!"

This time, he did raise an eyebrow. Was that truly the sort of response she had been expecting, that he would break out the Longinus for nothing more than petty revenge against her for something that happened well over a thousand years ago and would change nothing?

"What would you prefer me to do?" He asked with a sigh "Scream aloud that you are a traitor and cut you down for your crimes?" this time, he was the one who prevented her from speaking further. "We are both Servants, Sir Mordred. We both know what that means and any effort of justice I tried to extoll from you would be fruitless."

"..."

"Do not doubt that I loved Camelot." He continued onwards "I truly did, with all my heart. I shall mourn for its loss and for how it perished, it was a tragedy that none of us can change now…but I will not let it guide my actions." he could feel his lips go taut "And perhaps it is my own sentimentality speaking…but I believe enough Knights of the Round Table perished upon each others swords without me adding to that number."

"...Grrrraaaaahhh!" Throwing her head back, Mordred reached up and clamped her hands around the side of her helmet, letting out a furious scream as she stamped her food on the ground several times. He watched the display impassively, not saying a word. "Why the heck do you keep having to say dumb stuff like that? No wonder you and that shield bastard were friends!"

He snorted, some things never changed.

"...Whatever." Mordred finished with a grunt, turning her head away from him and lowering her arms, hurriedly crossing them over her chest. "...Who the hell was that guy anyway?"

"Ash?" Percival blinked, then hummed and nodded his head. He should have expected that question. "He is someone I was travelling with. I encountered him while trying to escort another Servant, he was accompanied by an Archer by the name of Oda Nobunaga." he paused for a moment "I did not get much in the way of conversation from him but he seems very…duty bound."

Mordred dry laughed. "Yeah, no shit. I thought I was talking to that brick headed Gawain."

"You got that impression as well?" He was rather relieved he had not been the only one, "Though…yes, I suppose he could certainly match Gawain in anger." he grimaced, he might have had a great many good things to say of his friend, but when Gawain lost his temper he tended to make it well known.

Very well known.

In fairness, those occasions were rare enough but when they happened, it was a sight to behold. He had gotten a brief glimpse of that same fury from Ash moments ago when he interacted with Mordred. 'Interacted' being used in the loosest possible definition of the word, a better would have been threatened.

"...You know, he also sets his sword on fire."

"...You serious?" Mordred sounded perturbed "That's just weird. Last thing I need is two of those uppity assholes."

"Well, I am certain that his Master will have words with him. It would seem he was just as bewildered as I was at the sudden change in demeanour, but if he takes his oaths seriously then I cannot imagine he would respond well to anyone who would betray them. Though, I was the one who informed him of Camelot and its fall…so the burden remains mine."

The Knight of Rebellion scoffed "Get over yourself. He could have learned it from anyone." she stabbed a thumb into her chest "You think anyone is gonna be ignorant as to who killed the great King of Knights?"

Percival pinched his brows at her. He was getting more than a few conflicted feelings from this conversation. Or rather, from that sentence. He'd never actually spoken with Mordred such as this before, so it was rather interesting to see them speak so frankly, as though they were no unburdened by something. Perhaps it was the knowledge they did not need to conceal their heritage and it was for all to know.

Mordred turned back to him, then double took. "What in the hell?"

"Hmmm." He glanced to his left, then allowed a warm smile onto his face. "Ah, Quelan! I'm happy to see you are up and about." the joy quickly gave way to surprise as he looked over the features of the young boy, his lips parted ever so slightly and he could feel his own confusion rise, though it was mixed with joy. "Your body, it is-"

Quelan smirked back at him, though a little strained. His skin, meanwhile, was back to being much paler. Though it still had a reddish hint to it, it was no longer as glaring obvious as it had been before. "Not quite cured but cousin Gwynevere offered to heal me with her Miracles." he made a show of rolling his shoulders, flexing the movement "It is still painful, but…compared to what I have endured it is bliss."

"I am pleased regardless." He exhaled, smiling down at the boy before he blinked "Where are my manners." he gestured towards his fellow Round Table Knight "This is Sir Mordred. A comrade of mine and fellow Knight. Mordred, this is Quelan, he is a-"

"That is a kid." Mordred grunted out with no small amount of bewilderment "Why the hell is there a kid here?"

Quelan's expression dropped "...Because of the monster I become."

Percival frowned for a moment at the sombre mood, then shook his head "Enough of that. I am gladdened enough that you are able to walk around, if only for a short time, without the threat of pain. While I cannot imagine what it does for your own heart, mine is certainly eased."

"You're the one who made the last few days bearable, Percival." Shaking his head from side to side, the boy voiced his thoughts. "Had it not been for you and your aid, I very much doubt I would have reached this point, this is just as much your own doing as cousin Gwynevere." he trailed off, then glanced side to side conspiratorially "Just don't tell her I said that. She gets more than a little competitive at times."

He offered a wry smile "You can rest easy with the knowledge my lips are sealed." his brows furrowed "And you call her cousin?"

The boy nodded his head "I do, yes. Though she is older than me, she's always been something of a close relative…though, that was when things were…better." he grimaced, then made a noise. "I'm more surprised she even remembered me at all. Though obviously her first words were how I became a Servant to begin with."

Percival grimaced, he remembered the conversation he had with Quelan about it once. Though it effectively boiled down to a few words, it was more than enough to get the point across. "I see."

"She was horrified to learn about it and said she would do all she could to keep my pain away." He waved his hand from side to side "So…you don't need to burden yourself with me any further-"

"Nonsense." He dismissed "You were many things, Quelan. But never a burden."

"Thank-"

"Did you tell her what your Noble Phantasm does?" The two of them turned their attention to Mordred, Percival furrowed his brows at the tone of the knight. He recognised it, even if he doubted Quelan would. It was the tone of an interrogation. Her words were cordial enough that it sounded like idle conversation, but she was searching for something.

Quelan raised a bemused eyebrow "Of course. Why wouldn't I?"

"...No reason." Mordred shrugged her shoulders, "If you can trust her with that stuff, then that's just credibility to her is all."

Quelan nodded his head enthusiastically "Of course, cousin Gwynevere has one of the biggest hearts around. She's wonderful, I'm sure you'll see it too!"

"Uh-huh." Mordred sounded sceptical, indeed he supposed the words of Quelan might be a bit biased. His young nature was revealing itself as someone enamoured with his older and more mature sibling. Though, her behaviour thus far did very little to nurture any concerns he might have had. That wasn't to say he instantly trusted her, but it was a decent enough start with healing Quelan. Family was important, after all.

"Travelled with her here." Mordred continued onwards "She gave me that gut feeling she's a very loving person. Just wanted to hear it from someone who knew her."

The young boy shook his head "Don't worry about it. It's sometimes impossible for me to believe there's someone like her."

"Yeah…feels like she has a big heart." Mordred continued onwards in a completely serious tone of voice, now Percival was privately wondering if she was building up to some sort of joke. "Just like my mother."

…If that was supposed to be a joke, it was not very amusing to him-

Mordred's head turned to him for a split second.

Only a brief instance, but it was enough.

She was not joking.

She was serious.

Percival cooled his expression.

If there was another thing he trusted.

It was Mordred's gut.


She smiled to herself as she watched young Quelan speak so enthusiastically with the white haired knight, he seemed so much more alive now that he was healed of the worst of his damages.

"It's been so long since I've seen Quelan, you know?" She spoke aloud to the one person standing close enough to hear her words, though they did not speak "I remember when he was only up to my shins. He was always begging to spend time with his older cousin." she chuckled "He was just like Gwyndolin in that way, it always made me try my hardest."

Silence greeted her.

A pout that could almost be described as looking playful came upon her lips "Oooh. Are you really not going to say anything?" golden eyes flickered towards the tall knight standing next to her, still as a statue. "I remember you always had this funny little comment to make. Those were the highlights of my day. At times."

"..."

"Are you going to keep silent forever, Llew?" She pouted further, turning to face him fully he shuddered for a split second. "Come on. I always said that you had such a lovely voice, don't you want to say just a few words?" leaning forwards, she let the next words roll from her lips so gently. "Just a couple~"

"Queen Gwynevere I-"

"That's my Llew." She cooed, bringing her left hand up and moving it towards the front of his helmet, her fingers pressed against cold steel as her palm lay flat against the cheek of the helm, yet he reacted to her all the same, as though she had touched bare flesh. A brief gasp as he sucked in air, his body tightening. "I knew you could do it. You just need a little push…that's why I like you, you know? You keep things interesting."

She was silent for a moment, then continued on in that sickeningly sweet voice.

"Though…" She curled the fingers pressed upon the cheek of his helmet, her nails now resting on the titanite surface. "I've never had someone play 'hard to get' to that extreme." she exhaled, "When you left me." Her hand dragged downwards ever so slowly, putting enough pressing to cause a faint grinding noise to emanate from the point of contact. "You can't imagine how I felt about that…after all those promises you made me, all those oaths about serving me…"

A sombre smile came upon her lips. "And then you went and lied to me. That's what hurt me most, my little Llew." her fingers reached the bottom of his helmet, dancing around the chin before she pinched the inside and outside of the helm between her thumb and forefinger and applied the barest hint of force to lower the angle of the helmet down, just enough that she had to lower her eyes. "I always thought you were a very honest one and then you went and deceived me like that. It made me wonder what else you lied about."

Llew's body locked up "I-"

"Yes." She silenced him, giving a slightly firmer pull "You." she leaned closer "You." her voice dropped into a low whisper as she aimed herself for his right side. Coming to a halt next to his ear. Even through the enclosed helmet, it was obvious he could feel the warmth of her breath. Especially from the way he was shaking. "You."

Her eyes kept their focus straight ahead. "You said so many things Llew. About how wise I was, how beautiful and how you were honoured that I chose you to share my bed." if there had ever been warmth in her voice, it was no longer present. "But you also said you were going to stay by me and serve me faithfully. Then you lied. If you can lie about that…then you can lie about anything, can't you?"

Llew had not said a single word, it was almost as though he had forgotten to breathe.

"But I'm going to give you a chance, Llew." She leaned back and returned to her upright position, even as she kept his head aimed downwards. "Because you're one of my favourites. Your bright green eyes and that lovely voice of yours. I just need you not to lie to me. Can you do that?"

Llew did not respond, his body continuing to shake.

"Would you happily return to my side?"

The knight said nothing, then muttered out a single word. "Y-yes."

Gwynevere smiled, slowly lifting the chin of the helmet upwards and aiming it back towards her face. "I always said you were an honest one." she cooed in a gentle voice that did not fool him in the slightest, and if the idiot had any sense he would have told the truth. She moved her hand from his chin, resting it upon the cheek of the helmet once more, then the other hand came up and rested itself flat upon the opposite side.

The smile on her face was almost loving.

The air around the Goddess chilled instantly, as though the warmth of the world was snuffed out.

"It means you've always been a terrible liar." The smile did not even dim. "But that's alright. Because you're one of my favourites, and we have this chance, we can always work on that little quirk of yours. We'll make an honest knight out of you yet."

He wouldn't normally have done anything, but this was something that just wrangled his nerves enough to act. She might not have been Ishtar, but she certainly acted more than enough like her to press every single one of his nerves and bring out the word in him, he could practically feel his friend vibrating with just the mere thought of being let loose on her.

Gil didn't normally like disappointing his friend, but it would have to be one of those times.

"Wow!" He made certain to exaggerate the words "A lesson in honesty from a two faced whore like you? Who would have guessed it!"

The speed at which the mood had gone from terrible to downright abysmal was rather amusing to him, especially when he saw the way the Goddess tensed her shoulders in clear frustration, though her expression remained unchanged, she was almost certainly affected by what he had just said. He sauntered forwards, making his presence known to the pair of them.

The Goddess turned to him first, closing her eyes and flashing him a genial smile. He was certain the only reason her eyes were closed were so she didn't advertise the fact she was trying to melt him with them.

"Did you say something, little one?" She asked in that sickly sweet voice, the one which sounded to him like nails on a chalkboard. "For I could have sworn you said something rather rude."

He gave an innocent blink "Oh, I was just saying how surprising it was that someone like you is even capable of understanding the meaning of honesty." he reiterated with more elaboration this time, making sure to keep his posture as lazy as possible. With a chuckle, he glanced at the poor sap who had gotten roped in with her. "Goodness me, you've really gotten yourself in quite a spot of trouble there, haven't you? I suppose no one ever told you that attracting the eye of a fertility Goddess was a bad thing."

Though his expression turned apologetic "Though, I suppose there's no helping it if you remain ignorant to her attention until it's much too late. They're quite carnivorous like that." he pause for a moment, then snapped his fingers "Almost like a rabid dog-"

"Excuse me?"

Turning to the Goddess, he raised a faux eyebrow of confusion at her "Have I said something offensive to you or something, Miss whore? Sorry about that. I understand that the truth can be pretty hard to hear at times." he gave her a smile that was all teeth. "But I think it's really important to be honest with people. I know how much you appreciate honest thoughts about you!"

The Goddess was silent for a moment, then she opened her eyes and gave him a smile that was rather predatory. Pulling her hands away from the knight, Llew stumbling away from her and whirling on him, he didn't need to see through his helmet to feel the horror the man was feeling at this moment.

"Well, well…aren't you just a sharp little thing." The Goddess mirrored his toothy smile, pointedly making an effort to lean down just to be at eye level with him, all the while keeping her hands clasped together. "And quite a lot of Divinity in you as well…I suppose your godly parents must be very upset their son grew up into such a rapscallion."

"Oh no, at the moment I'm just a bit cheeky." He dismissed with a shake of the head "You should see me when I'm all grown up…in fact, I'm even feeling a little tempted to show you right now-"

"This is a matter that doesn't concern you!" Llew chose that moment to speak up, his voice hasty and full of panic.

Gilgamesh turned his eyes back to the knight briefly, raising his brows. "I'm impressed. You understood the trouble you were in and still wanted to try and keep the Goddess's attention on you. Now that's what I call determination…though, I wonder how much of it comes from self-flagellation." he frowned, furrowing his brows "I've never seen someone try to punish themselves that way before, it certainly seems excessive."

"Now, now, Llew." Gwynevere spoke up next, just before he could get a word in. "I think I can at least humour this little boy. I know how much they try to impress grownups with all the big words they can string together." The smile she gave was nothing shy of mocking. "I believe in you, little one! I'm sure that you can, one day, sound as though you understand half of what you speak of."

"And I'm certain that there shall never come a day where anyone can match the number of times you've whored yourself out."

Gwynevere's features flattened.

His followed.


He stared at it in between his fingers, such a small thing he had not given thought to in so long now. It felt like a lifetime since he had last gazed upon it and where he had felt nothing from it before, where it had weighed nothing to him…now it carried deep emotions from within his soul, the small object felt heavier than ever before, as though he now held a mountain between his fingers, threatening to crush not just his hand, but his entire being.

Turning it in his hand, his eyes remained solely on the red gem at the very summit of the black band. The dark steel twisted with such precision, a craft in which true time and effort had gone into the construction. He had seen others such as this before, but none had ever fit his finger such as this one.

This one…this ring was perfectly suited for him.

He had never thought twice about it before, now he did.

Now he knew.

Raised with this ring, it had been with him from the moment he was ripped from the grave, never earning more than a passing glance and never anything more than a tool for him to use. There was an odd mockery in that, some sort of irony that he viewed the ring he was 'born' with as nothing more than a tool. Perhaps he should have seen the signs, it spoke volumes of what he was.

The 'life ring' it had been called. Enhancing his ability to take blows, increasing his vitality to better serve.

Releasing it from between his grip, he dropped the ring into his palm and slowly enclosed his fingers around it, ensuring that his hold was not tight enough to crush but still tight enough to feel its presence even through the armoured gauntlets he wore. His arm trembled, shaking all the while he dropped the limb back to his side and kept his voice silent.

It had not been the only one.

The Ashen Estus Ring that still lurked inside his box.

Found in the untended graves, in the very spot he had risen from, the ring had clearly been left there and served to fit his finger perfectly once more. Yet again, he ignored the implications and viewed it as little more than another tool for him to use in his quest, or in his duty.

Rings that were impossibly crafted for his fingers.

No.

For Gawyn's fingers.

But then again…they were one and the same, were they not?

He was Gawyn, or he had been Gawyn.

The tool that his moth-...

That Gwynevere had used to try and link the fire and had - evidently - failed to do so, considering his unkindled nature. The memories had become more streamlined, less foggy and more revealing, yet with that clarity, there came only horror and revulsion.

His duty, his fixation on the rightness of the world, that duty was the only path to reaching a true peace. That if one focused their life hard enough, if they found that which was perfectly suited for them and ignored all other wants, desires and rejected their ambitions, their greed, that they would achieve something greater. That with their duty, they could achieve a peace far beyond anything that could be imagined.

A sense of spiritual completion that would leave the soul content, more than content, that would leave the individual complete.

A truly perfect life.

…All of it stemmed from the Gods.

The Gods…who with their ambition and greed, had ripped the world asunder, who brought a cycle of death and destruction that plagued mankind for so long that even pondering the number of graves their actions had wrought was an exercise in futility.

All of this…came from that…

Worse…

That sense of value, that sense of completion….

It came from him begging for the barest scraps of attention from a Goddess who would doom the world to a cycle again.

His mind - Gawyn's mind - had been twisted so deeply that it would have done anything to win the approval of…her. The belief that his singular duty, that which would give his life a true meaning, a true sense of completion would build on nothing more than an indoctrinated fanatic who desperately sought to fulfil the arrogant desires of his fiend mother and her quest for power. Her quest to maintain her dominance and to damn everyone else in the world to more cycles of death and decay.

That…was what he had been born for.

That was his life.

A tool of the Gods…even in death, he upheld their will, even as an unkindled with no memories of his past, he upheld that will.

And he did so without question.

He did so with zealotry.

…And he could still see no wrong in the path before him, in spite of its origin.

But he had no way of knowing if those thoughts originated from himself, a result of his journey and seeing the state of the world, in seeing where the origin of so much death and destruction had come from…or if it came from his deep seated desire to impress his mother so greatly that she would grant him mere scraps of attention, as though he was little more than a starving mongrel desperate for food.

His understanding of duty, that it was the best way to truly live, was born of the very beings who had destroyed so many lives, who caused so much suffering upon humanity. This was not the path of human peace he fought for, he lived by…it was the path of a tool who had lost the memory of its owner.

The chain around his neck remained, all that changed was that another pulled it this time.

No wonder he thought of the Firekeeper as a parental figure.

The life of a disposable tool was one he had been groomed for.

And yet…

Yet…

He could not deny what he had seen. Every action, every folly, every point of suffering…it all stemmed from personal desire. Those who rejected duty, those who focused only on furthering their own ends, those who abandoned a greater sense of purpose and instead worked to satiate their own greed.

Those had been the ones to cause the greatest pain, the Gods themselves were proof of that. The Linking of the Fire, the undead curse, the fall of Camelot…

Greirat.

It had all stemmed from desire, something that could have been avoided if duty had been upheld.

If those involved had thought of something more than whatever materialistic gain they could have made in these short moments, if they had focused on seeking purpose. A sense of value and belonging that could only be fulfilled when one discovered where they truly fit in the world, where they found the role that was specific for them. Where they could achieve a true sense of serenity that not even the largest vaults of treasures could fill.

All of that…he believed that.

No, he knew it.

He believed the life of duty was correct, yet that belief was born in the mind of a Goddess. One who fashioned him into a slave whose duty was to obey the will of its master and find value in completing whatever task was demanded of it.

…But…was it the life of a slave or merely a life that had been perverted?

If Gwynevere had not misdirected him…if she had not been the one to aim this belief towards that of the flame and herself…would it have truly been so wrong?

If…

If humanity followed that sense of duty…would suffering still be abated?

His hands loosened themselves, his fists unclenching as the thought flooded his mind. Was the problem truly the way he had been raised, or did the true crime lay with the one who had forced their beliefs onto him.? Who had moulded him, twisted his life around their own desires and then aimed him towards that which would bring more suffering.

Gwynevere might have been one of those who bent the world out of shape and would have used him to do much the same, but that did not mean she had been incorrect to raise him as such. Rather, he had seen it. Those who lost sight of their duty fell to ruin, whereas those who remained true to their purpose found peace at the end.

Where was the proof that such a life was wrong?

What evidence was presented before him that living a life of greed was superior?

Was a life such as that of Francis Drake somehow inherently better than his own? A woman who would fling herself from quest to quest in pursuit of whatever trinket caught her eye, who would doom the world to ruin simply because she could find enjoyment dancing in the inferno that surrounded her?

Was that truly the life that humanity should live?

…No.

No it was not.

Or that of Mordred? Who abandoned her duty as Knight of Camelot and tore the Kingdom to shreds, who destroyed that which had taken decades to build and would have provided a golden light to the tormented country of Britain. Was he to follow the example of this one?

Who would destroy paradise because they were not made king of it?

The likes of Gilles de Rais? Who would destroy an entire country, put thousands of innocents to the sword, mangle Servants out of shape and invert the image of his leader to become an icon of fury and vengeance out of nothing more than retribution against those who had killed them?

Was this truly to be the humanity that he would fight to protect?

Were these examples, these 'Heroic Spirits' were somehow the best that humanity could field? Legends of old who had made ripples in history great enough that they could be drawn forth from beyond the grave to affect the world once more.

Was he truly going to aid in the beginning of another cycle of death and suffering without realising it?

No…no…

He had only a small sample to work with.

He…was being pessimistic, cynical. There was obviously much more to humanity than these poor examples, the mere existence of Camelot had been proof enough that humanity was capable of focusing on duty. Were it not for the actions of a mere few, then they would have continued onwards without concern. They were the crimes of a few, not of the whole. Humanity - this humanity - was still a far cry away from the suffering he was aware of.

Biding his time. That would be the best action for the moment. He would watch and wait, as he intended to do so. There would come a point where he would have his answer but, until then, he could fulfil his duty as a summoned Warrior of Sunlight. He would aid Ritsuka and save this humanity, or work to see all it had to offer. He met those he approved of, those who truly followed duty as he did. That meant there was hope for humanity yet, or perhaps he had seen the very worst they had to offer.

There was every possibility that humanity was better than what he had seen, that they appreciated a life of purpose and value and shunned the greed and ambition of the ruinous as they deserved to be shunned. It was the trauma of Gawyn that was motivating these thoughts.

Acting irrationally would change nothing, especially now when they needed a united front. He might not approve of Mordred…but he did need to work with them. Thinking of them in the same vein as Sulyvahn would be best for now, one he despised but could barely tolerate to do their duty. At the very least, Mordred had answered a summoning to this world for some reason.

…Yes.

Watching and waiting…it would be for the best-

He jerked.

The scenery vanished in the blink of an eye, the air shifted. The world became cold and numb, blackness consumed every inch of his vision.

"Wha-" He turned, hearing a familiar crunch of ash from beneath him, his vision fell to the ground with such speed that it was nearly instant. His eyes widened behind his helmet as he found himself staring at the familiar field of blackened soot. Staggering backwards, he felt himself strike something and stumbled away, swinging his body around and seeing a sword pierced through the ground at the tip, the crossguard serving as a grave.

"This…"

This place was familiar…

No…this place was…

He managed to draw his eyes from the impossible sight, the singular rusted sword lodged in the ground and to the side. Haunting familiar scenery struck him with the weight of a hammer, his knees shook yet he felt no weakness in them, he felt nothing. The numbness of his body was as complete as it was all consuming.

Vision swam, his head whirled all around him and he found the land morphing into the final place he had visited from his home.

All manner of ancient weapons surrounded him, crooked, burnt, molten and rusted. Tens gave way to dozens which gave way to hundreds. An ash soaked field extending as far as the eye could see of swords, spears and axes mounted into the ground, denoting where their owners had fallen. Despite the cold blackness that engulfed the sky…light remained.

Light which shone from behind him.

He could feel every fibre of his being screaming at him.

Every ounce of his mind was roaring for him to remain still and to not turn around.

Yet…there was one single spark that just begged him to take a glimpse.

Before he knew it, he was staring at the sky.

The tower of fire stretched across the horizon, the beam reaching towards the heavens as though it was a claw, then it split around in two different directions. The orange flames curved around before rejoining.

A band of light hung in the sky.

The ring of pure flame, a brand upon the world itself.

This place was, without a doubt…

"Truly disgusting."

That was not his voice.

He spun around a moment later, finding one other figure standing in this field of the dead, not far from him and yet so close.

His robes were untouched from the ash that surrounded him, pristine in colouration from the last moment he had visited, almost as though one had cut his form out and imprinted it upon the very land, it was clear he did not belong, this world had no hold on him.

Tanned skin, bleached white hair and baneful crimson eyes.

Solomon glared at the mark that was burnt into the sky, just as he turned his attention towards the ground and glared towards the field of weapons that surrounded them on all sides, his expression barely changing from the disgust he had commented upon, the very words that had signalled his arrival.

"To hear of another world was little more than a passing curiosity." Solomon spoke onwards, as though Ash was not there to harken to his every word. "At least at first. Then that whim grew stronger and stronger until I could contain it no more. Though the work was done, I decided it would be prudent to at least glimpse at the world that meddlers had come from. Even if their efforts will amount to nothing in the end."

Ash took a step backwards.

Solomon's gaze fell to him in an instant.

"Which led me to you. It was a whim that brought me to the third Singularity, yet it was not a whim to visit those whose ignorance of my plan was only matched by their arrogance that they could upturn it." Despite the hostile words, there was no indication that the emotions of the man before him changed even once. "It was a whim to see you."

Ash tensed himself, bringing his arms up and reaching for his bottomless box-

His eyes widened, his head snapped down and he found his hip bereft of his trove of weapons.

"Do you not realise where we are?" Solomon asked with something akin to disappointment, raising his head, he fixed his attention once more on the King of Mages. Bringing his right hand up, he gently swept the limb in such a way to draw attention to the scenery. "Does this malignant wasteland not speak to you on a primal level?"

"What did you come here for, Solomon?"

Red eyes narrowed. "It is a custom to show reverence in the presence of a King." The words were cold and sharp. "Especially when they are the one who sought you out of their own volition."

He scoffed "You think I have an interest in your words? Your intentions were made clear upon your last visitation-"

"And they have not changed." The interruption was as swift as it was blunt, the arm returned back to the side of its owner. "At first, I was content to leave you be. You remained little more than a minor curiosity that would be swept aside by my grand undertaking, regardless of your point of origin. Just as those in Chaldea, you will perish. If not in these Singularities, then you will meet your end by my hand. That is the only fate that awaits you now."

He remained unimpressed "If you came here to boast of your victory, you have wasted your time. Your words will not sway me-"

"Remain silent until I have finished speaking." He was interrupted once more, the crimson eyes flashed a brilliant red for a moment before they dimmed. The lips curled into a thin smile. Bringing his arms up, he raised them almost mockingly and gestured to himself. "King Solomon was not just regarded as the King of Mages, but a King of great wisdom."

"Wisdom in scorching the world black?"

"Of course." The sheer confidence in his voice was astounding, as though it was the only true answer that existed. "It is the only answer to this mistaken planet."

"Delusion."

"You believe that only because your outlook is so limited." He was rebuked instantly, Solomon's brows pinched and his frown deepened. "Flaunt not your stupidity and call it courage or determination. You remain nothing more than a fool who aids the blind in plummeting to their doomed fates, all the while championing yourself as some manner of shepherd."

"Your analogies do not change what you have done. You have killed everyone who ever lived or ever will live upon this world-"

"And they are better off for it."

"A King of wisdom?" He spat back at Solomon, taking a single step forwards. Though he stood but a fraction taller than the King, the effort of intimidation was pointless from its origin. As expected, Solomon remained undaunted at the proximity they now shared with one another, not even a trace of emotion crossed his features. Even then, Ash remained undeterred. "You slaughter millions because you believe their lives are mistaken and call it wisdom? Decrying them as worthless? How so?"

An unimpressed gaze was the immediate response, swiftly shifting into one of disdain. "Are you even self aware of what you speak of? You? Who was briefly debating the worth of humanity as a whole now seeks to criticise me for regarding them as worthless?"

How did he-?

"Do you truly believe that your mind is somehow hidden to me?" Solomon made a noise of disappointment. "You think much too highly of yourself. Entering your mind and reading your thoughts requires as much conscious effort from me as does a heart to continue beating."

Ash took a single step backwards, narrowing his eyes behind his helmet.

"What spurred my arrival here, or rather, to venture to your mind, was the epiphany. Watching you fumble your way to finding the correct answer only to stumble across the truth, pick yourself up and dust yourself down as though nothing at all occurred, was a sight that is one of the most pathetic things I have ever witnessed."

"No one asked you to watch and I do not need your approval-"

"What you need is education." Another interruption, this time the words were delivered with such force the world itself seemed to shudder. "So close to understanding the truth of humanity and yet you defer yourself to watching and waiting." the lips curled into a disgusted sneer "It was insulting enough to force my hand, even if that fool who summoned you had washed himself clean of your presence."

Ritsuka? What did his Master have to do with any of this?

"Ritsuka has not washed his hands of-"

"Once more you flap your tongue and flaunt the true extent of your blindness." The drawl was apparent, the sneer dropped from his mouth. "But it is not my place to educate you on your own origins. You have recognised enough of that yourself, Gawyn-"

His emotions flared.

"Do not call me that!"

Solomon did not even blink at his fury. "Yes, you claim the name of Ash now, don't you." For whatever reason, amusement was now visible in those red eyes of his. "Claiming a name based on your own origin. How poetic."

If there was some hidden joke there, he did not care enough for it. "If you have nothing more to speak of beyond insults and boasts, then depart from here or kill me now. I will not trade further words with you-"

"What you wished for was understanding of humanity, was it now?" Solomon inclined his head ever so slightly, eyes narrowed. "You sought to understand if humanity was truly worth the effort you were being called upon to exert. Especially when you have emerged from one doomed world and to be thrust into another."

"My understanding of humanity will come to me in time…I shall find it for myself-"

"You will not." Words of confidence spoken once more, Ash once more found their absolution very nearly convincing. "Because you have not the ability to see. What do you truly know of this humanity? What can you truly learn of them beyond the mere vestiges of humans pulled from time? Witnessing humanity in sights designed to destroy their history."

He gave a single shake of the head, not breaking eye contact with Ash. "No. You are pulling knowledge from a corrupted pool. You will find only the answers I have left behind and even then, you shall never glean the truth of humanity…" the King floated backwards, his body gliding just above the surface of the ground and turning away. Disregarding his presence entirely, the handles of swords and shafts of spears passed through his body as though he did not exist.

An incredulous scoff came from Ash "And you have?"

"Do you think I would destroy humanity on nothing more than a whim?" Solomon called out, his voice rising slightly. "Do you think I would commit myself to such a futile effort because my eyes gleamed upon some singular act of brutality and that alone was enough for me to find all humanity equally worthless?"

"..."

"How many Camelot's do you believe have fallen over the years?" He suddenly questioned, yet before Ash could even ponder an answer, another took its place. "How many times do you suppose that humanity has mutilated itself because of their own fears? Their own stupidity and their own inability to see their own faults?

The King hung in the air, his movement ceasing and his gaze sweeping across the landscape. "Human history is unworthy of the effort of your defence. It is a testament of fear and separation, of endless death and boundless suffering. You decry me as monstrous…but is it not you who ended your world because you found it repellant?"

"...You…know of that."

"Do not speak of the act with such shame. You should boast of this achievement." Solomon commanded "You had the wisdom to see beyond the duty you were cast into, to look deeply into the truth of the world and see just how mistaken it was. To see you reach this understanding but then to bear witness as you were unwittingly thrust into the same situation and strung along with nothing more than hollow images of what you wished to see…it is pitiful."

He should have turned away from him then and there, should have ignored the King of Mages or found some way of fighting them. Yet…they held promise to his speech, the answers that he so desperately looked for lay right before him. The question that had pondered his mind since it was first birthed…that which would decide his future actions, the answer was right there.

Ash stared at him for what felt like years.

Turning from Solomon would be right. To return to London and warn Ritsuka…

Yet…what was the humanity he was fighting for?

"You…know this answer?"

"I know the answer." There was clear pride in Solomon's voice and yet, there was something more to his words. The King kept his back to him all the same. "I am the only one who is aware of the answer and is willing to make the choice. Whereas all others blindly stumble through the world, never once understanding their own faults…I alone am the one who sees what must be done. Is that not an opinion you can understand?"

…It was.

He had seen it more and more, the flaws of humanity had begun with Drake but had mounted. He had seen the behaviour amongst those in Chaldea, their pursuit of something more than their duty, regardless of the danger it would pose if it went astray.

"...And you…offer this knowledge?"

Solomon chuckled "I am a King of Wisdom. I have offered the truth of the world to you. It is your choice whether or not you take it. After that…I am certain you will understand my point of view." The silence stretched for but a few moments, yet it might as well have been an eternity, the weight of the words pressing down on his mind like a vice, almost as though it was trying to force an answer from him. "You need only speak the words."

Ash doubted that and yet…what was this apprehension he felt, this sense of foreboding that the moment he discovered this answer…he would finally understand something vital.

There was never any doubt in the choice he would make, though he might have doubted Solomon, he could not deny the appeal of this knowledge.

He had fought for a mistaken cause once before, trapped in a duty that would bring only suffering…

He would never do so again.

"...Show me."

Solomon's body turned in the air, his lips parting and revealing a smile that was far too wide to be natural, incisors that belonged in the mouth of a beast rather than that of a human filled the maw of the King. Yet, behind those burning red eyes, there shone only approval. "Then accept this boon. I grant you the perspective of the King of Mages."

At that moment, his mind was flooded.

And thousands of years were laid bare before him.


AN: Now a lot of you may be wondering: "Hey, Munda? What's with this upload speed."

Answer: "Same thing as with the end of 3.5. I'm writing it out in blocks, like big blocks. I hit my groove. These are pre-written."