Summary: Even in a Lostbelt like Atlantis, Orion finds himself surprised at finding a single Master refusing to give up in the face of all odds. If the last Master of Humanity was like an everblooming lotus flower, it was no wonder she had come so far. He could easily see why the other Servants would look after her and why Mandricardo would keep calling her 'friend.' She could be strong and flexible all on her own without the Crypters trying to shove their bullshit down her throat.

Note: Let it be said LB5.1 in Atlantis gave me a lot of emotions. And considering Super Orion was nice to come home to my Chaldea to his wife in Artemis, I wanted to honor that.

The songs for this chapter include (1) the titular Nevermore from RWBY Volume 6; (2) War from RWBY Volume 7; (3) the Grand Battle soundtrack from the Babylonia anime; and (4) X-treme Fight by Takayoshi Tanimoto for the 2020 reboot of Digimon Adventure. All the songs just screamed "climatic battle" vibes.

Oh, and of course — beware of massive Atlantis spoilers. Also copious amounts of cursing. You have been warned.

Otherwise, I hope you all enjoy the story!

Day 31: Nevermore

Watching Heracles Island getting blown away by laser was one thing. Leaving behind a terminal — a familiar that had the image of his beloved — to die was another thing. Orion already knew that the terminal who followed him wasn't his Artemis. She was never truly going to be his Artemis from Proper Human History. But to leave her behind, even when he wanted her to come with the rest of the motley crew onto the new Argo—

"Orion?"

Vy's voice. Orion did his best to school his facial expression before turning around to look at the little lady, but he still found himself caught off guard by the sheer sympathy shining in those bespectacled brown eyes. "Yeah?"

"Are you…" Her left hand was outstretched towards him, almost as if she wanted to touch his shoulder, before she reconsidered and brought it back to her chest. "Are you okay?"

Well, that was definitely one way to approach the situation. From the looks of the rest of their motley crew, Vy took the words out of Mash's mouth while the other Servants, both former Rogue Servants and Chaldean Servants alike, were left surveying the situation with mixed reactions. Working with Achilles, Lancer, and Saber who flanked Vy when he found her with Corday on Hestia Island was one thing. Handling the Archer (who definitely liked to stick to Vy's side like a protective bulldog), Caster, Assassin, and Berserker there? Nope. Especially with the looks the Caster and Assassin were giving him. The Caster was definitely another Goddess with her cold atmosphere, and Orion did not want to guess at what the Assassin had up her sleeves. The red jacket and blue kimono combo just screamed "ominous."

"Well, maybe not entirely," he admitted quietly, raising a hand to rub the back of his head. There was no point in beating around the bush. He felt like absolute crap. Even if there wasn't anything he and the rest of Chaldea could've done for that Artemis, she still… "I know full well that wasn't the Artemis I know. But even so, right at the end, she…"

She still smiled like my Artemis.

The look in Vy's eyes was all the more sad as Orion averted his gaze. "…I just need to mourn for a while, little lady," he eventually finished, turning around so that he wouldn't have to keep looking at her. So that he could stare out at the sea instead. "Don't worry, I'll get over it before we reach the next island."

It didn't prepare him for the sound of footsteps echoing across the Argo's deck floor and the sudden weight tackling his middle from behind.

"W-Whoa!" Orion said reflexively, clamping down on the urge to turn around. Looking downwards revealed small hands attempting to wrap around his waist, but barely even reaching his belly from the size difference as a red lotus glowed from one in particular. "…Vy?"

"You don't have to force yourself to get over it," was the tiny muffled answer into the belt strung over his back as the hands on his waist clenched into fists. "It's okay, Orion-san." Something wet was suddenly registering on his skin now. "I understand."

You do?

Orion glanced over his shoulder just to meet the gaze of Achilles, and Thetis' son merely shrugged while twirling his spear. This is normal, his yellow eyes said. Don't worry — you can handle it.

Huh.

Orion looked back at the short brunette Master still hugging his middle and he smiled wryly. "…Thanks, little lady," he said quietly, lowering a hand to gently pat one of hers that was still clenched around his sides. "But you don't have to cry for me."

"I-I can't help it," was Vy's almost childish answer, a nose poking into some of his muscles as she shook her head. "After everything I've seen with Chaldea, I can't help but feel bad. I can't help but understand." The last thing Orion expected to hear was a tiny sniffle. "No one deserves to lose a loved one a second time, even if it's a different version of the person you know. S-So just let me hug you when it felt like you needed one. When it… when it still feels like you deserve one."

Orion's mind legitimately blanked for a moment. Deserve? From a brave little lady? "Vy…" A wry smile formed on his face as the mask he made settled back into place. "If you keep hugging me, I might get the wrong idea."

"Deal with it," was the petulant response, Vy continuing to hide her face away into his back. The lotus ribbon clip keeping her ponytail together merely glowed in the sunlight as she finished with, "Whenever I see a friend in trouble, I just hug them. So deal with it. We're having a moment."

Friend… huh?

Orion turned his head out back towards the sea and allowed himself a single sigh. "You're too kind for your own good, little lady."

Orion already knew that as much as Vy Duong was kind, she had limits. She was human, after all. He was not expecting the stony cold expression on her face that came about because of the Crypter in front of them.

On one hand, Kirschtaria Wodime was powerful. Per Chaldea's records and what Orion was summoned for, he couldn't be underestimated considering he was the leader of the group that had destroyed Proper Human History. On the other hand—

"I'm disappointed in you, Mash Kyrielight, I already explained—"

No mage worth their salt would be expecting a single boomerang to the face. Nor for it to create an explosion either.

Mash and the other previously Rogue Servants gaped as the boomerang swung on back to the wielder's hand, and once a red lotus glowed angrily against a familiar tiny palm, Orion found himself grinning.

"I'm disappointed in you, Wodime. You fucking asshole."

"Wha—"

Vy was glaring at Wodime like he was a piece of dirt on the underside of her boot, not even giving him the chance to speak before stashing her boomerang away to take out an extendable metal bo staff from behind her back. "You could be more respectful of the kouhai who fucking looked up to you before you died." With a shake of her head, the lotus ribbon clip in her hair glowed as Vy closed her eyes, frown set on her lips. "Instead of just boasting that you're better than the comrades you just deemed as mistakes with the rest of the world."

Despite nursing what was apparently a head wound, Wodime's expression hadn't moved from its initial indifference, his only visible reaction being how wide his blue eyes grew at Vy's words. "The Foreign God does not accept any flaws, Vy," he said quietly, but even to Orion, it was obvious the Chaldean Master had caught him off guard. "For the Foreign God who saved me from the brink of death, I am here to correct Proper Human History—"

It took only a single blink of Orion's eyes for him to register that Vy had moved, leaping up into the air via bo staff catapulting to promptly kick Wodime in the face with a loud, "I call fucking bullshit!"

Mash was still frozen on the deck of the Argo, hastily glancing between both Wodime and Vy with her jaw hanging open. Orion glanced past her for a moment, found his gaze locking with Achilles, and the Greek Hero of Troy merely smirked back.

"Correct Proper Human History? With faith in a civilization that would be willing to die for gods who don't care?! By torturing these people with the false hope they can live in a bleached planet?! How is that correcting any 'flaws'?!" Wodime stumbled for the first time ever in the entire confrontation, reeling from what was quickly becoming an army-boot-shaped bruise on his face as Vy leapt back via another bo staff catapult, landing neatly on the Argo's deck with an exaggerated curtsy via her skirt on the way. "You were going to condemn your 'friends' to a war over what's left of the world, and who's to say the Foreign God wouldn't get rid of you along the way?!" Without an ounce of hesitation, Vy extended her right hand in Wodime's direction with her middle finger raised, eyebrow twitching past her glasses. "Fuck you. Fuck you and everything you stand for. Yes, Proper Human History is flawed. Yes, the way humanity has grown has been self-destructive. But that doesn't mean everything that humanity has accomplished is null and void! Their mistakes don't define their worth!"

"Th-This coming from—" Wodime spat out spittle mixed with blood past his white sleeve into the sea below, his own gaze narrowing on his opposing Master, "the girl who loves Heroic Spirits despite them coming from territories that subjugated her family?"

It was Orion's turn to gape before hot rage boiled in his veins. Now that is just low, even from—

"Senpai—?" Mash said weakly past her shield.

A wind came by at that moment to tease Vy's hair, exposing the lotus blossom in her ponytail as Vy shook her head. "Just because the Servants I summoned came from cultures that inevitably conquered the land my parents came from…" A tiny black ball showed up in between her fingers just as she lowered the hand she was using to give Wodime the bird. "That doesn't mean I stopped loving them as people like you did with the rest of the world! YOU WON'T MAKE A MARTYR OUT OF ME!"

All it took was a single toss of the ball and then all Orion could see smoke. It wasn't a ball — it was a smoke bomb.

Wodime was coughing, there was a shout of, "ARCHER, NOW!" and in the back of his mind, Orion could suddenly hear a familiar gentle voice as a bolt tipped with poison flew past him.

Orion-san, if it's okay with you, could you provide back-up and help Mash? I think I've got this. The others can protect the Argo.

Orion couldn't help but let out a small sigh of his own as he notched his bow with an arrow. Roger that, little lady.

A tree exploded into the sea in front of him, and Orion knew that one of his weaknesses was definitely women who had the capacity to beat the crap out of him. Especially ones who knew how to command.

In another place, in another universe, even — it would've been natural for Kirschtaria Wodime to emerge victorious. In the Lostbelt of Atlantis, where humans had never stopped relying on the Gods, he would've given Chaldea their just desserts and then some because of his Magecraft passed on by Marisbury Animusphere. He was the leader of the Crypters for a reason, after all.

In the current circumstances, however, blunt force trauma could not be ignored. Especially when said blunt force trauma kept getting inflicted repeatedly.

If Wodime wanted to cast any Magecraft, Vy wasn't even giving him the chance to do so confidently.

"YOU GAVE UP ON PEOPLE!" The Chaldean Archer shot another bolt in Wodime's direction, making him pathetically scramble across the sea surface in trying to avoid it, only to nearly get smacked in the face again by the end of Vy's bo staff. Orion winced once Vy improvised by ducking down to her knees, skin glowing from her Magic Circuits along the way, right on top of a small ice platform that a Caster must've made to aim her staff right there at the spot between Wodime's legs. That was definitely a dirty move, but Orion forced himself to keep his bow notched in Wodime's direction. Wodime had it coming considering his earlier comments. "YOU BETRAYED THE WORLD YOU CAME FROM!"

"Ah—!" Wodime faltered enough for Orion to read the pain on his face (it was definitely from the staff butt to the nads), but Vy was having none of it.

"YOU STOPPED HAVING FAITH IN THOSE AROUND YOU!" Vy retreated with a quick sweep of her staff against the water, leaving the Chaldean Caster — one Orion was sure was a Goddess all on her own — open to freeze Wodime's arms and legs with the seawater below his feet (just with a single wave of her wand) before he could react and possibly run away. It was just perfect to let the Assassin rush in and slash at his chest with her knife. "WHAT MAKES YOU ANY BETTER FROM THE FOREIGN GOD WHO LEFT OPHELIA — SOMEONE WHO LOVED YOU — TO DIE IN HER LOST WORLD WHILE YOU WATCHED FROM AFAR?! WHEN THE ENEMY — WHEN WE IN CHALDEA WERE THE ONLY ONES WHO TRIED TO SAVE HER?!"

Wodime didn't even get the chance to answer because once Assassin fell back, Vy, her Saber, Lancer, Berserker, and Achilles all then rushed him at once, slashing with their respective weapons enough to make the previously impenetrable rainbow-colored sky shatter. The fact that Vy was forcing herself to barely match Servant speed by relying on Mash — her only Demi-Servant — to propel her forward with her shield via kick from her previous retreat was plenty impressive to Orion. To land a hit on Wodime was another thing. Multiple hits, though…

Light — natural, well-missed sunlight — shone down on the group as they all retreated from their assault and back onto the Argo. Wodime's suit was revealed to be stained with red in the wake of the successful assault, a stark contrast to the clear ice forcibly keeping him in place.

"…How could I lose to you when you don't even care? When you're the same as any other Mage who tried to bring Chaldea down after the Incineration's end? Nothing's changed. You're just the same kind of Mage who left this mess behind that I have to fix because there's no one else." Vy took a deep breath, her knuckles turning white against her bo staff. "Just like the Marisbury Animusphere who abandoned his own daughter." With one single sweep of her arm, Vy pointed her bo staff towards Kirschtaria again. "Don't you even dare talk about being better than Humanity. Because from what I can see, Wodime, you're worse. Asshole."

Orion saw a flying spark of blood — just one spark — glint in the exposed sunlight before Vy was lowering her arm and readying her weapon again. In the back of his mind, that same voice from before tickled his brain. Soft, quiet, but all the more determined like the little lady she was. Orion-san, could you shoot now? Before Archer does. We need to finish this in a BIG way if we're going to prove that Proper Human History means something.

To prove my Artemis means something?

What a tenacious little lady. All Orion could respond with was a proud smile and a loud, Roger that, Master!

Once his arrow flew across the Atlantean sky to deter any incoming meteor fire, Orion belatedly realized the red-jacketed Assassin was running past him, blue and violet hues shining in her previously black eyes as she touched down on the Argo with an extra jump of her boots. "Hey, Grand Archer."

How—?

The Assassin looked past her hair to give him a dark smile. "How long do you think it'll take until he realizes he's falling?"

Orion looked back just to see the Chaldean Archer scream, "YEW BOW!" in time with Achilles' cry of "TROIAS TRAGOIDIA!" and the Saber — her sword was glowing.

Everything was yellow. Bright yellow.

"EX—" Orion didn't even have the chance to blink as Wodime's eyes widened in the face of his impending doom. "—CALIBUR!"

The King of Knights and Robin Hood? Powered by Holy Grails?

Awe and horror hit Orion all at once as he met the Assassin in eye contact and he saw the gold shimmer around her silhouette as she smirked again.

Of course. Mystic Eyes of Death Perception. Powerful Noble Phantasms. Vy isn't falling because all of the Chaldean Servants had Holy Grails used on them — just to match up to the Age of Gods. That's how she—

Once all three announced Noble Phantasms hit their target head-on and waves started to form in the wake of the fading light of the Promised Sword of Victory, Orion decided to never get on Vy's bad side. Ever.

"You act too hastily, Vy." The previously hooded figure didn't do so much as turn a shoulder over in the Chaldean Master's direction, but Orion suspected that even if he did, Vy wouldn't have said anything. She was just as frozen as Mash who was left standing on the Argo, eyes wide behind her glasses as she stared at the newcomer to the battle. "Do not show your strongest weapons just yet when mercy could prove to be more fruitful. This is my first piece of advice to you in this Lostbelt." To the opposing Crypter, the robed figure kept his hands on his hips, leveling an unreadable look towards Kirschtaria. "I would prefer to avoid needless conflict, so I'll merely say this in return: this isn't your last battle, is it, Kirschtaria?"

"M-My thanks to you, Doctor," the wounded Kirschtaria murmured, barely giving anyone on the Argo time to blink before an aurora filled the sky, clearing away any blood and blanketing the surrounding sea in a flash of light. "I assume this is a one-time moment, but I appreciate it nonetheless as this battle most certainly isn't intended to be my last. Your impression leaves much to be desired, however." To Vy, Orion could make out that fucking enigmatic smile on the leader of the Crypters' face against the bright light. Bastard. "Congratulations, Chaldea. You successfully brought me to my knees. I thought I hadn't underestimated you, but it seems I was wrong. I won't do the same next time."

It took a second for the light to surround the Argo, and then Kirschtaria Wodime was gone. Once he disappeared, the robed figure took a step back, hood falling away from their head as silence reigned over the Atlantean Lostbelt. Then…

"Doctor—!" Mash cried out, but Vy immediately raised an arm in front of her kouhai, shaking her head to prevent Mash's advancing. Orion didn't have to see Vy's face to know she was frowning. The slowly extending bo staff was telling enough as is. The others of Vy's "Big Seven" were tensing up too, slowly reaching for their weapons in spite of dealing with what was appearing to be the growing tolls of the previous battle — still loyally waiting for Vy's signal.

"Stay away. You make my head hurt," the robed figure said with a frown, not even turning his head towards the Demi-Servant still staring after him. Orion could see Mash flinch. Ouch.

"…Yep. Knew it. You're not Dr. Roman, are you?" Vy said quietly instead, giving the figure a face as she lowered her hand to cross her arms over her chest. "Because if I'm right, wearing the guise of someone that my kouhai and I still miss is a low blow even for you, Goetia."

The man merely turned to look at the motley crew of the Argo with darkened gold eyes. Uncaring gold eyes that didn't match the slightly rounded face and the orange hair. "Do not call me by that name."

"I can call you whatever the fuck I please if you mean to just dig into my kouhai's already wavering heart by wearing her adoptive father's body, dipshit," Vy snapped, uncrossing her arms to gently push Mash back with another outstretched hand, just in time to let Achilles step forward and take the Shielder by an arm around her shoulders. "Even if you did help us, I do not appreciate seeing the ghostly face of someone who should've passed on his own terms. Nor do I appreciate you calling me by name when you haven't earned the right to do so."

Instead of responding, the man's gold eyes flashed with discontent. "I can see when I am unwelcome."

"Yeah, no shit, Goetia. You make a horrible Captain Obvious."

The so-called "Dr. Roman" merely rolled his eyes, turning back to the horizon as a portal appeared in front of him. No warning whatsoever, like a tear in the fabric of space and time. "Just forget what happened here while I present you with one last warning." When Vy opened her mouth, the man shook his head. "Don't think about telling the rest of Chaldea about this. There's someone on that boat who can't be trusted."

"…Huh?" Mash said from Achilles' side, her shield lowering enough to touch the surface of the sea below, eyes wide. "What do you mea—"

"I'm not going to tell you." The air rippled around the man again as he took a step forward. Orion couldn't help but find him totally pretentious. "Figure it out for yourselves. It's your job to figure out how to get past the three obstacles that Artemis, Odysseus, and Poseidon pose."

Yeah, no shit, Orion let himself think. He couldn't let this Lostbelt version of his beloved suffer any longer. But still—

"Always going on letting others do the world-saving when you can't be bothered to care less, huh?" Vy's posture was weakening from what Orion could see, but he knew she was still leveling a glare at the "Dr. Roman" imposter. "At least that's one thing that hasn't changed from the last time we fought."

Whether or not this person was affected by Vy's words, "Dr. Roman" didn't answer. Instead, he walked closer to the portal he made. "…You need to find a way to cross this sea on your own power. Only once you do that," his figure shimmered from touching the portal — definitely magic — "will you be granted the right to stand before this Lostbelt's king. There's nothing left for me to see in this Lostbelt, and I have no interest in your struggles—"

Orion probably shouldn't have been surprised at Vy tossing another boomerang before someone decided to finish monologuing. It unfortunately didn't hit its target like it did with Kirschtaria thanks to the target ducking out of the way, but the man in front of them clearly was caught off guard by the flying projectile as wide gold eyes were pointed at the petite Chaldean Master again.

"Bon voyage then, motherfucker," Vy said with a sarcastic wave, catching her boomerang on its way back to her hand. "May the magical door you made hit you on the way out!"

"Hmph," the man said as a parting farewell, and with one more shimmer, he was gone too. Just like his douchebag of a contemporary, it seemed.

The clouds above the Argo parted slightly to reveal more sunlight, and once it did, blue Magic Circuits glowed once over Vy's skin before Vy finally fell to her knees.

"VY!" Orion didn't even get the chance to move before the other Chaldean Servants were already doing so, Achilles keeping Mash steady with the others as Arturia and Robin reached Vy first, Robin in particular wrapping an arm around Vy's waist and shoulders to start a hug. It was honestly sweet enough to make Orion feel a bit awkward — he couldn't start thinking about Artemis again — but he still ran over once he got his bearings back.

"I…" Vy coughed into Robin's chest, her skin turning paler with each passing second as she attempted to move her trembling hand clutching her bo staff. "I… pushed myself too hard, didn't I?"

"You reckless Princess," Arturia scolded, but she was smiling in spite of her own exhaustion, dispelling one metal gauntlet to take Vy's hand in hers, relieving the Master of her shrinking bo staff. "That was unbelievable."

"P-Probably… Don't regret it…" Vy gave the Saber a weak smile before raising her head past Robin's collar to look up at Orion as he approached, tears starting to bud in the corners of her brown eyes. Bags were there underneath those irises, all the more clear past her glasses, but it didn't take away from the sheer sincerity shining in them. "H-Hi, Orion-san… I did say…" she coughed again, color fading in and out of her cheeks as she endeavored to meet Orion's stare, "I understand, didn't I?"

I understand what it's like to fight for someone you love and I promised. I swore to help people, and I will help you with Artemis, Orion-san. I won't give up… I swear.

Orion couldn't help but fall to his own knees to take Vy's other hand in both of his, pressing his forehead into the tips of her fingers. What a rambunctious little lady. "You did," he laughed, shaking his head just as Robin started to chuckle above Vy's hair too. "You most definitely did, little lady."

No wonder Proper Human History was worth fighting for.