Chapter 168: The Sin of Duty

His boot struck the shield, Mash skated past him as he rolled himself to the side. His head snapped upwards towards the direction of the flying Shielder and narrowed his eyes. Ash was in the midst of lowering his leg when both Mordred and Percival charged him.

Ritsuka brought his hand up and narrowed his eyes towards Ash "Caster!" The mental link was shot because of a certain someone that he would not care to mention. The excuse that Haku had provided him in the first place was actually pretty good but it didn't really help him in this situation. Sure, keeping out hostile mental interferences was all well and good but did he have to include everything related to information trying to enter his head?

Couldn't he have made it more fine tuned?

"If you would prefer I remove it-"

'Not now, please!'

Haku retreated into his mind as Medea summoned a dozen of her little skeleton people. Ritsuka had zero expectations for how long they would survive against Ash but it was more than enough to even provide a finite distraction against him. Those sort of things were incredibly valuable in combat.

Ash blocked Mordred's first strike, shoving her back and then retreating when Percival thrust down, he countered by kicking the Lancer in the gut and blasting him away, then struck back at Mordred with a blow that sent her to ground.

The skeleton dogs of Medea jumped on his back-

Ash released a burst of mana that shredded the construct and all those behind him instantly, burning sword in his hand swung along the ground and shot towards the sky, billowing out a great wall of flames as he did so, the black fires rushed straight towards Medea who vanished in a flash of light.

Mordred kicked Ash in the shin, barely flinching him.

'Remove it!'

He couldn't command it like this.

It was as though he'd stepped outside from a warm place, feeling a chill seep through his body for a brief moment before everything felt just right this was fine, why was he even struggling so hard-

Dismissing the thoughts instantly, he cast his words to the mental link once more.

"Mash, Jeanne! Run interference on defence, stop Ash from letting out those bursts of fire! Support Percival and Mordred and try to keep him contained for now! Nursery, get some summons in there to distract him for even a brief second-"

Rolling to the side once more, he felt his feet leave the ground as the stream of black fire raced across the snow where he had last been. He snapped his head back towards Ash as the Servant pulled his left hand from the snow and brought Clarent above his head-

Percival landed a fist into the side of his head, staggering him slightly, Vordt slammed his mace into the back of his head and jerked him forwards-

"Haaaaaa!" Jeanne charged straight towards Ash, her standard carving a line through the snow as she vanished with a shockwave, virtually appearing in front of the Saber within the same second and swinging upwards, the tip of her weapon smashed into his chin for a moment and it seemed as though time froze at the point of impact-

The air burst, a crack of thunder ripped through the air as Ash jerked backwards from the strike and then swung forwards. Ash's hand was extended forwards with his left hand clenched into a fist and Jeanne nowhere to be seen, a distant boom sounded out from somewhere behind him and he noticed that a deep trail now ran through the snow the general width of a person-

Ash drove his elbow into Percivals face and then kicked down into the top of his knee, the Knight was driven onto the one leg. Ash wrapped his right arm around him in a headlock and turned, swinging the knight off his feet and throwing him around in front of Vordt behind him. Raising the jetting sword up to strike the pair a moment later-

He turned and swung it down, catching the guard of Mordred and driving her to her knees instantly-

"Mash!" He jerked his hand towards the direction of Ash, he didn't need to say much else as Ash's shield went flying past his head, spinning around like a discus and headed straight for Ash. Mash sprinting just behind it and hugging her body low to the ground, hiding her general shape behind the shield as it flew.

The blonde snapped his head in direction of the oncoming attack, probably sensing it-

Medea unleashed a barrage into his back, not a single one of the spells reached him, burning up against some invisible barrier that hung right behind him. Not even sparing the Caster a moment of notice as he swung.

Clarent screeched as it was dragged along the front of Mordred's sword and pushed the weapon down into the snow, Ash drove his left leg up and he jumped slightly, driving his knee into her chin and shoving her back, twisting his body at the same time and raising his left arm into the air and clenching his hand into a fist.

The snowflash Shield approached him and he swung down, punching it with such force that it flipped over and was now pointed in the opposite direction. He dropped down and swung his body forwards, driving his facing shoulder into the back of the shield and releasing a sudden burst of mana. The shield was propelled back towards Mash like a rocket.

"Emergency E-"

The shield struck her in the head before he could even get the words out, she fell backwards with a gasp of pain and a metallic cling as the shield smashed into her temple and bounced the way it came, she jolted with the impact and fell backwards as her momentum cut out, crashing into the ground on her back rather suddenly.

Ash caught the shield with his open hand, swinging it back around and smashing it into the side of Mordred's head, burying her skull into the snow and flipping her body over, he continued the spin and released the shield, throwing it high into the air and behind himself.

Atalanta twisted her body and let it pass underneath her, hitting the ground in a roll which transitioned into a charge, black clouds swirled around her body and she shifted into a black boar covered in matted dark fur.

Turning on his heel, Ash faced the charging boar and then brought his leg up, abruptly stomping down onto it's snout, the momentum continued along the back end, the rear legs lifted off the ground as she kept on travelling and flipped over the top of Ash. Briefly releasing Clarent as he brought his hands above his head and clamped them down on the furred back of the beast.

He twisted sharply, his form blurred and in the next, Atalanta was rocketed through the air like a missile directly towards the spot where Medea now resided. The Caster was caught in the midst of another teleportation before the pig transitioned into a person once more, though the lack of added weight did little for the momentum as the pair crashed into one another and then through the front of a house with a catastrophic bang.

Ash turned, now facing him.

Ritsuka glared right back, even as Ash brought up the sword once more and it glowed with the blazing inferno of midnight. He stepped forwards, swinging the weapon in his direction-

"Gah!?" He staggered forwards, the energy of the sword cut out as Percival's spear burst through the front of his chest. Light shone from the weapon, burning brightly as it spead out from the very wound it had dealt. Ash pulled himself forwards and swung.

"Jeanne! Nobu!"

Percival ducked underneath the strike of Ash, his hand surged forwards and grabbed the collar of the Saber and then dragged him forwards as he shot up. Driving the top of his head into his nose and breaking it, Ritsuka watched the sudden rush of air away from the head of Ash before he heard the crack of the impact itself.

He stumbled backwards, Percival grabbed the shaft of the spear behind the blade and yanked it forwards, pulling the full length of the weapon through Ash's body and spinning around him as he did so. Sweeping his leg out and driving his shin into the back of Ash's knees.

Jeanne rushed past him, jumping into the air and bringing her banner above her head like a club before swinging it straight down into the top of Ash's head. Driving him further down and slamming his face directly into the snow with a crunch. Even making sure that when she kicked off his body, she did so at his head to further press him into the ground.

Ash was barely able to pull himself up before Nobunaga let out a bellowing laugh "You asked for it! Demon King's Three Line Formation!"

Duel wielding rifles, she spawned even more around her until the sky was littered with the weapons, hundreds of them immediately switched and pointed straight downwards at the back of Ash as he picked himself up. They opened fire a second later, crimson red beams leapt out from the barrels and struck him, his body consumed in a barrage of explosions a second later. When one gun fired, it vanished and another took its place.

The Noble Phantasm of Oda Nobunaga scaled with mystery.

Ritsuka figured Ash probably had a lot of that.

A pillar of black fire ripped through the barrage, he raised his hand to cover his face as the shockwave rushed past him, a haze blasted against his face and covered his vision for a moment, only just. Even through the blizzard he saw the rising black light of Clarent and the shadow of Ash through everything. The shadow swung their hand, the debris was parted in a single moment and revealed him.

His body was full of holes, his face burned considerably evidently taking quite a bit of damage from the attack. Clarent was pointed towards the sky, the blade snapped open and surged for the sky, evidently he was charging the Noble Phantasm again-

Something burst through the snow, looking much like a werewolf but something rather larger, it's form savage and matted. More like something from a horror story, it tackled him to the ground and drove its claws into the front of his body, slamming its arms into him again and again.

Ritsuka blinked, then glanced to the side and saw Nursery with her eyes closed, she opened them and faced him with a guilty expression. "The big bad wolf." She explained to him, which suddenly made sense for a lot of things, especially for him.

Turning back to the display, he watched the wolf go flying into the sky as Ash kicked it upwards, pulling himself from the ground once more and bringing Clarent upwards-

He turned and blocked Sulyvahn, shoving the one armed Pontiff back and thrusting forwards-

"Emergency Evasion!" This time he was much faster on the draw, Sulyvahn vanished in a flash of light and the sword thrust through empty space. Ash looked stumped for a moment, then Sulyvahn appeared by his side and swung his burning greatsword down into the side of the Sabers body, the sword buried into his shoulder and then burst into flames, the cursed fire spread across his body as the Pontiff kicked off the ground and away from Ash as he tried to slash him back.

"Jeanne!"

Ash's attempts to chase Sulyvahn down were blocked by Jeanne who he defended against, pushing the standard up and sweeping his elbow up into her collarbone, she coughed then was sent flying with a savage backhand which flipped her over. Ash loomed over her, sword raised-

"Mash!"

She was behind him a second later, thrusting her shield down like a spear and driving it into the back of his head. Ash grunted as he moved forwards for a moment, he snarled and swung back around. Mash released the shield and dropped down underneath the strike, the shield hovered in the air as she darted around the front of Ash, he was halfway through turning before Mash swung her palm upwards and into his cheek, once more driving his head into the shield with a clang.

Her leg swung out-

Ash raised his own above, her kick missed him entirely before he drove his foot down-

Vordt wrapped him into a tackle and hoisted him into the air, using his great hammer to hold him in place before he jumped forwards and let his weight carry them body down, body slamming Ash into the ground and twisting the greathammer at the last moment, a groan of shattering steel filled his ears as the head of the mace was driven into Ash's back.

Vordt was above him, fist pulled back-

He was sent flying when Ash exploded, bursts of power ripped through the air as the shockwave sent him cartwheeling through the air. Ash snapped back to his feet a second later, raising Clarent and blocking a slash from Mordred, then pushed her backwards. The pair blurred amidst sparks of steel and shouts of metal, it was as though they were mirror images of one another. Ash was engulfed in a dark light while Mordred burned a brilliant crimson.

The pair vanished into blurs, zig zagging across the street back and forth as streaks of fire and lightning. Ritsuka's eyes worked to trace after them, even the benefits of Haku could not grant him that much. Biting his lower lip and searching for any sign of Morded through all the carnage.

The blurs flashed to a stop, hanging in the air as Ash parried Mordred's sword with the back of his hand, then swung his fist forwards at her head. Mordred ducked down and slid forwards, gliding underneath his left side and slashing her sword across his body, showering the snow in blood before she whirled around and thrust upwards, driving the sword into his back to the hilt. She wrenched the sword and then ducked once more as he sprung on his heel and slashed through the air, thrusting the sword forwards she stabbed him once more and then pulled upwards, cleaving him at an angle from his ribs and through his upper arm. The limb dropped to the ground as she swung her body forwards, driving her shoulder into him like a battering ram.

Clarent fell directly into Mordred's waiting hand, she couldn't drop the last sword fast enough as the silver and red weapon was brought up "This belongs to me!" she shouted out, Ash swung his left arm upwards-

Mordred slashed through his neck, his head went flying a second later.

"And don't you forget it!"

Ash's body crumbled to dust, shifting around the ground before rising back up and reforming once more. Leaping at Mordred with the swordspear in hand, she blocked the thrust with the back of her blade, skating away from him.

She charged, vanishing in a burst of crimson light and appearing before him once more. Ash barely leaned back, yet avoided her blow perfectly. As he did the next dozen, it was as though his body rejected contact with the sword.

Something Mordred was none too pleased with.

"Hold still-!"

The swordspear vanished, replaced with a long thin scythe. Ash swung down and hooked the crook of the weapon behind her knee and yanked forwards. Mordred fell into his uppercut, punctuated by a blast of charcoal fire; she went flying a moment later.

Percival slammed his spear down, driving the weapon from Ash's hands, then swinging up with the spear. Ash leaned backwards, a long sword appeared in his hands-

Metal screamed, it's death throes accompanied the remains of its body, having shattered the moment the it was struck, as the spear of Percival continued on its path, Ash widened his eyes and flung his left hand up-

Jack landed on his back, bringing her machetes down onto the side of his neck and jerking his head away from Percival, Ash snarled and shrugged his shoulders to pry her loose, a cry was ripped free from him as Percival drove the spear directly through his collarbone and out the back of his body.

"Medea! Can you get past his magic resistance?!"

"With time!"

"I'll give as much as I can! Just let me know!"

Percival pulled forwards, Jack rolled across and danged from his left shoulder, thrusting a knife into his ribs repeatedly and hacking away at the damaged armour, Ash stumbled towards the Lancer and took a fist to the face, with a snarl he staggered and then swung backwards, parrying the spear to the side and utterly ignoring the back it pulled out a good portion of his own body.

Reaching back, his right hand clamped down around Jack's head and pulled, swinging her around his body and throwing her into the ground. Bringing the palm up, the flat of his hand glowed with black fire-

Priscilla cleaved through the limb at the join as she rushed past, Ash snarled and staggered, the crossbreed spun on her heel and swung the scythe towards Ash's neck on the turn. He brought his left hand up and caught the weapon just beneath the head, pulling it over his head and outstretched to the side, he stepped forwards and slammed his head into the chin of the taller woman.

She staggered, Ash pulled the scythe back and drove the back of the weapon into her throat, her knees buckled and she fell back, pinning her to the ground with brute strength and choking her with the polearm of her own weapon.

A swift barrage from Nobunaga distracted him enough, he growled as she stumbled backwards and brought up his left arm in front of his face as though he was batting aside a swarm of bees. The distraction was more than long enough for Percival to land a solid kick into his gut.

Swiftly being sent bouncing along the ground, Ash rolled back to his feet-

Vordt swung up into his chin, snapping his head backwards before he retaliated with a punch to the helmet. The knight felt it more, spinning around with the momentum of the punch and showing his back to Ash, something he took full advantage of as his hand clamped down around the back of Vordt's neck and drove him face first into the ground-

His hand exploded and Vordt was sent tumbling through the air, his body smoking and his armour warped in several places. It was impossible to tell if he was alive or dead considering the lack of sound that came from the Rider as he tumbled. Either way, Ash snatched the mace from the air as it went flying and spun around on his heel.

Striking Atalanta in the head as she flanked him from behind and launching her into the air once more, even then, she swung around and brought out her bow, loosening several arrows towards him which struck along his left arm. His body flexed, mana surged and the arrows shattered into dust.

Reversing the mace, he brought it in front of himself and blocked Jeanne, dragging it to the side and shoving his weight into the head of the mace to drive it forwards, Bringing his left leg up, he stomped down into her shin and clipped her forwards. Ash snapped the mace around, pulling it across his body and sweeping upwards, dragging a haze of snow behind him as he did so.

Ritsuka caught sight of the mace striking the Saint but everything else became a blur as the pair were consumed with the sudden avalanche of snow being ripped from the ground.

A flash of crimson slammed into the cloud, parting it and revealing Mordred and Ash locked in combat once more. Twisting Clarent, she shoved it down and drove the flat of the blade into Ash's shoulder, a moment later the weapon clicked and mana rushed through the top of the weapon. Unlike the black fire of Ash, this was a jet of pure scarlet light, the ensuring explosion shifted the Saber ever so slightly but precious little else-

Ash dropped the mace and grabbed the blade of Clarent with his hand, pulling to the side and ripping the weapon straight out of Mordred's hands, she was jerked along with it and still with her arm outstretched when Ash dropped the sword and clenched his hand into a fist, swinging it back and catching her in the cheek.

Mordred spun like the hand of a clock, her head striking the ground and her body bouncing up. Ash stepped forwards and grabbed her by the ankle, pulling her towards him and spinning her around his body, after a brief second he released her.

The makeshift projectile flew through the air before crashing straight into the chest of Sulyvahn as he made to get up.

Now bereft of a weapon as he stared back at them with a deep scowl now etched upon his face. He turned-

A playing card with arms and legs tackled him, Ash looked briefly bewildered for a half second before another playing card jumped onto his back wrapping a spear around his neck and bracing it with both hands. His expression hardened and he barely looked as though he was being affected at all. Bringing his left hand to the spear around himself and pulling it away.

But he was trapped for a brief moment.

"Mash, his legs!"

She slid into view, quite literally, and wrapped her legs around his ankles like a pair of scissors. Ash snapped his eyes down as she rolled her body to the side and dragged him along with her. Falling forwards, Ash landed atop his knees, turning to face Mash and reaching towards her with his left hand-

He opened his mouth, his eyes went wide and his words cut off. Priscilla faded into existence behind him with a cold expression on her face. Her eyes shone a brilliant blue as the scythe was pulled high above her head. The slash was rather clumsy compared to everyone else and yet Ash was split in half the second the weapon made contact with him, his body turning to dust and reformatting a moment later.

Ash jumped backwards, Galvatyne fell back into his hand as he landed, running his hand along the blade and engulfing it in black fire again. The moment his feet touched the ground, the sword was pulled under his left and, his eyes narrowed and focused on them as the weapon glowed a brilliant light and swung outwards "Unde-"

Three arrows of purple light slammed into his chest and out the back of his body, punching holes the size of apples within him and staggering him just enough to break his concentration, even if it was only to frown. Then Jack the Ripper landed on his back with her knives drawn, swinging them downwards and ramming them into his throat.

Releasing a wet snarl, Ash's left arm rushed upwards towards his head and seeking the girl out, Jack swung around on his shoulders and dropped around the front of him, her knives left in his throat as she drew forth two more and then thrust them upwards directly into Ash's eyes. A grunt left his throat as she blinded him, her legs unwrapped from around his neck as she dropped down and then kicked off his body for leverage, rolling herself along the ground.

Priscilla jumped back into the fray and swung her scythe through the air, slashing through Ash's knees and slicing clean through them with such trivial ease. With his legs - quite literally - swept out from underneath him, he started to drop down with a cry of pain. Ritsuka grimaced but didn't let it distract him.

"I'm ready!"

Pointing his hand to Medea and calling upon another mystic code "Momentary enhancement!"

This time, the beam of light did not shatter before reaching Ash's body, still hanging in the air and blinded, Ash could do nothing as the streak of magenta light slammed straight into the front of his body and carried him away, his body struck the ground and vanished into the explosion, the light pushing him along the ground as Medea drove him further and further away from them, the light fizzling out a moment later, leaving behind a smoking trail of steaming water where he had been carried.

"Form up!" He shouted out, racing forwards and sliding to a halt, glaring at the spot where Ash had just been blasted. There was no telling how long they would have so he had to make this quick "Sound off! How's Vordt and who else is injured!?"

His head whirled around, glancing at all the faces of the people, he didn't see where half of them had been launched to and the chaos and required him to command whoever entered his line of sight first and foremost.

Medea flashed into existence next to him, probably looking the best out of all of them, she floated above the ground breathing in and out, armed with a long silver staff that with a large rounded head. He quickly dismissed that as someone landed next to him, raising an eyebrow at Atalanta's form which was remarkably different to the one he was accustomed to. "Bad time but it's nice to have your help, Atalanta."

He couldn't help but speak up, the woman spared him barely a glance out of the corner of her eye before she raised her bow, nocking an arrow and pointing towards the location where Ash had been launched. "Save your thanks for later, we return to enemies when this is over."

If this ever ended, that was.

Ash had taken everything they launched at him and then just got back up as if nothing happened, none of their blows had really stuck with him, even if they caused him pain it didn't matter all that much to him.

Worse, it might have been his imagination, but it looked as though he was actually getting better as time went on.

If that really was the case, then this was only getting worse. They needed to find a way to end this quickly and with enough force to put him down…

"Anyone got a Noble Phantasm that might work?"

"I do." Percival voiced out as he approached, all of the Servants rushing towards him, Ritsuka raised an eyebrow in his direction and noticed that Mash was trailing not far behind him with Vordt over her shoulder. He didn't look all that great.

And Ritsuka was starting to feel very tired.

"This world drains your strength. You cannot endure this for long, even with my power to support you." Haku supplied for him, but he could already have guessed as much, not to mention the fact he had been supporting Servant combat at full power for quite a while now. Not really able to take a break.

"But you shall need protection in the event of a back blast." Percival continued on "Sir Mash, I leave that to you."

"Eh? I-I mean! Yes!" Mash stumbled through an answer, then gave a resolute nod of the head, sparing him a glance as though looking for something. He nodded his head to her once, he was confident in Mash's abilities to protect him. If Percival said that Mash would need to protect them, then he was fully of the belief she would.

"Nursery, what about you?"

"I can't do a lot, Mister Ritsuka. The big bad wolf and the Trump Soldiers were the best that I could manage at the moment." He grimaced ever so slightly, not that it was any fault of hers. He suspected that it was due to a problem with magical energy. He was supplying several Servants here and Ash was really taking a lot out of them.

Priscilla was next to them, though the only reason he knew her was because everyone else spoke about her. She stared towards him for a brief moment, her expression cycling through several emotions before it settled on stoicism, pulling her features tight as she brandished the scythe in her hands and turned from them, moving to stand next to the growing array of Servants around them.

"Our task is perilous, not even my eyes can see his final end."

…Okay?

Not sure what he was supposed to take away from that. He knew it looked bad but there was always some way to pull through-

"He lacks a concept of death?" Medea sounded aghast, Ritsuka felt himself do a double take and look from the Caster towards the tall dragon lady, confusion etched onto his features as the words registered in his mind.

Priscilla shook her head "Nay, he replaces one lost life with another. The damage I inflict is done, but replaced just as swiftly. I know not how many souls he can call upon, but it is far more than I can slay at any one time."

"Can you not see the central soul?"

"He is undead. They are all the central soul." Priscilla grimaced "At least…to me. I have never practised the skill of lifehunt."

Medea spared him a glance and then exhaled "He is replacing lives. Unless we have a method of destroying however many souls he contains all at once, then we shall be locked in this stalemate until we burn ourselves out. There is no telling how many he has at his disposal but if he has returned from this many lives, then we are in grave danger."

Nobunaga spoke up "Hey, Saint? What about an exorcism?"

"On that scale?" Jeanne sounded perturbed "I could very easily make an attempt but without knowing the true number of souls within him, there is no method of understanding how he might respond, worse still, he has the souls of a great many Gods within him…I cannot exorcise something of that power." Ritsuka looked to her and winced at her troubled expression, a rather nasty bruise along the bottom of her chin and spreading up her face "I…am not strong enough for that."

She exhaled "But it is bizarre! Siegward is undead and yet I have not sensed the same from him! How can Ash be so different?"

Ritsuka cringed "...Because Ash travelled here from his world. He wasn't…he isn't on the Throne…I don't think."

"...Wha-"

There was a flutter, Ritsuka snapped his head skywards along with all the others and narrowed his eyes.

An eagle passed over head, he furrowed his brows as he watched it. Sure as anything, it was the largest Eagle he had ever seen, especially since it was carrying a man in full plate armour. A moment later, it released him. They fell from the talons of the bird which then dive bombed after him, the two vanishing into the cloud where Ash had been launched.

That would have been strange enough for him, but it did not end there. Especially since something came next.

At first, it looked to be a cloud of pure black swirling above their heads. He felt himself tense before he watched it break apart into a dozen or so streams, each one rushing to the ground like a tendril and looking as though they were made up of dozens of smaller shapes.

Though he had no idea what this-

"Grandmother!" And Priscilla sounded ecstatic, Ritsuka jerked his head towards her and raised his brows. He imagined that he wasn't the only one as even Atalanta and-when did Jack the Ripper get here?

The shapes grew closer, getting more and more distinctive until he could make out the many shapes of them. It was crows or ravens, one of the two. Either way, they started to fly in circles. Hundreds of them formed a vortex which spanned several metres off the ground and was wide enough that it could easily have fit their entire group inside. The cacophony of cries from the birds rang through the air for a split second before fading.

The crows took back off into the sky, breaking the vortex and leaving behind something else.

Ritsuka felt on edge instantly, like a chill travelling up his spin.

A pair of glowing eyes stared right towards him, there was something about those orbs that seemed as though they gazed right through him. Like his every nook and cranny was exposed to the world, there was judgement hidden within them that he could not describe. Then there was the feeling, as though he was guilty of something but couldn't recall what it was.

Jet black wings emerged from either side of the new arrival, a woman with a long black dress, a small diamond shaped window showing her cleavage, a black choker around her neck and a hood pulled up to conceal most of her features save for the bottom half of her face. Onyx coloured lips curled into a smile that almost looked inviting, the type of…friendly smile that would come moments before he confessed something.

The woman had her hands placed atop one another, the large bird wings slowly folded back until they were no longer spread so wide. The hood tilted to the side ever so slightly, the smile remained on the face of the woman and yet no words emerged from her. Priscilla had called her grandmother but she didn't look like a grandmother to him. Not how he would imagine one anyway-

"I'll inform you here and now, that I am married." The woman spoke slowly, her voice echoing out across the field and silencing all else. It was eerily gentle as well, he would compare it to the voice of Gwynvere but it didn't flood his mind like hers did. More like a sense of tension, as though you were waiting for something to happen. The silence before a jumpscare. "Though we were estranged, adultery is still a sin, just so you don't get any ideas, young man."

…Oh, she was looking right at him.

He blanched "I-"

"It was written all over your face." She cut him off, though she didn't sound all that insulted and the melodic chuckle she gave a moment later was rather…well, it was a rather nice sound. "But I thank you for your flattering thoughts." she raised the flat of her palm "And no, I did not read your mind."

The hood swept across the assembled display "My, my, my…so many of you pushed to your very limits in so short a span of time…" her head slowly returned back to him "And at the hands of one whom you once called a friend? Tututu." Shaking her head from side to side, she clicked her tongue several times. "There is no sin that cuts quite so deeply as does the blade of betrayal."

Her hands slowly parted. "But, where there is sin, there must also be those who punish such crimes." bringing her right hand up, she gestured to herself. "Though I must hear your resolve first and foremost."

Ritsuka opened his mouth, she raised her hand once more and signalled him to stop.

"We have little time afforded to us." She spoke quickly, the amusement vanishing and replaced with clear urgency. "My enforcer gives his life to grant us these precious seconds. Whatever questions you have must stay on your tongue." as if to punctuate her words, a flash of blue behind her was accompanied by a high pitched screech of a bird "You lie on the cusp of defeat and victory. I can grant you an opening but the rest falls to you to punish this creature born of sin. Though I ask…" eyes narrowed at him "...Shall you truly put an end to his life? Have you the stomach for that, young man?"

…The strength to end Ash's life?

Was that really something that would make him strong? The argument could probably be made either way but hearing him talk, listening to what his true goals were. Ritsuka knew that Ash wasn't a bad person, he was just tragically misled. No…Ash was just hurt, deep down inside him. It would be easy to kill him.

It would be harder to help him.

…And he wanted to help him because, deep down, he knew that Ash wanted to do good. This was just his way of showing it. Strange and destructive as it was, he just didn't understand people and that really wasn't his fault. But first thing was first, knocking some sense into him.

His mind steeled.

"I'm not going to kill him." He announced, however anyone else felt about it in that one moment didn't matter to him. This was what he wanted to do. This went beyond his duty as a Master, perhaps flew in the face of it because he was trying to help someone who threatened his life, but if there was one thing that he knew it was that he wanted to help Ash.

He wanted Ash to see there was more to life.

…He really was pretty selfish, wasn't he?

The woman stared at him for a few moments, then nodded her head up and down, a coy smile playing upon her lips. "If that is how you wish to play this game, then I shall allow you just that chance. You walk the path of greatest trial, young man." leaning back slightly, her eyes glowed with approval. "But…it is no sin to help a friend in need, even when they don't believe they need it."

Gold eyes flickered to Priscilla and softened "For what little it would be worth, I apologise. Your wish in this life was born to fail." without the chance to offer a rebuttal, the woman turned around and faced the direction where the clouds rose to the sky, the thick plume of black smoke parted as Ash stepped out of it, a single jagged slash running across his chest that looked as though it glowed a faint blue. "I see my enforcer landed but a single blow on you."

Ash did not reply immediately, but Ritsuka watched as he stopped walking and stared at the woman in front of him. "Another Goddess?"

So that was the presence he felt.

"Not just any Goddess…one of the most dangerous to ever walk the land."

Seriously? The hits just kept on coming, didn't they? It would explain the chill he felt when locking eyes with her, but he didn't feel any aggression. Just a lot of tension as though saying the wrong thing would have evoked a response. Yet, no hostility. Well, if Haku believed she was dangerous then that was that.

The dark robed woman hummed "Yes, another of us. I would dare say you have had your fill of the divine for a single lifetime, let alone the hundreds you have lived thus far, little one." there was something soft in her words "You've walked through such hardship, but origin does not excuse sin and your sins are of your own doing."

Ash narrowed his eyes "My sins?" he repeated with incredulity "Is that what you call my actions? Sinful?" he resumed marching forwards, tightening his grip on his sword as the wisps of black smoke trailing behind him grew thicker and thicker. "Is it a sin to provide mercy when it is required? Is it a sin to prevent one from falling down the path of ruin? Is it a sin to wish the best of another?"

"These motives are not sinful." The woman acquiesced with a nod of the head "But the method by which you have gone about enforcing your love is quite the sin. More so when you do not even understand those you wish to save." spreading her arms wide, she continued on "But one born of sin cannot grasp the motives of those without it. Yet, how will you answer the claim that your mercy brings just as much pain as that which you seek to avoid?"

Ash made a face at her "You claim my duty is just as great a factor in suffering as the vices I fight against?"

"Of course." The answer was matter of factly "For what solace do you take in your duty now? Speak truthfully, do you still feel this rightness? Can you still claim to feel the value as you cut down your friends?" raising her arm, she gestured to him "Was it not you who appeared before the shrine of a Goddess and begged for absolution when your devotion to duty, your desire to ensure a certain thief felt valued, perished?"

Ash's expression twisted and froze, his legs instantly locked down and he looked moments away from falling on his face, catching himself at the last second.

"Your belief that all would be well if he was devoted to this duty?" She continued one before tilting her head "But he met his demise…all alone." there was something else in her voice, something piercing. As though every word was aimed like an arrow. "How does it feel? Do you believe that he found peace in his final moments?"

Ash's form trembled, his expression shuddering.

"Do you believe all those you killed are grateful?" Ritsuka blinked as she now pointed towards him "Do you not hear the words of this young man, who wants only to live? Do you suppose they were any different? You claim to wish salvation upon them…but there is nothing more sinful than one who forces their beliefs upon another."

The black wings spread wide once more. "I wonder, how many times shall you drop to your knees and beg forgiveness from those you killed? Will you stand before the Shrine of the Sinful and beg for absolution once his body lies at your feet?"

"...Shut up."

"My words are truth. You, who cannot even save yourself, proclaim you will save humanity from itself?"

"Shut up."

"What boldness! What arrogance! Words delivered with such confidence."

"Shut up!"

"A shame that your duty could not even keep your friend alive but sadly…you could have."

"I said shut up!" Ash roared "Don't talk about him! I never wanted him dead!"

"Want?" The Goddess leaned back, placing a hand upon her heart in a show of mock surprise. "But your wants never factored into your duty before. Nor did such personal relations, so then, for what reason do you still think of that man as your friend? Why does he hold such a place in your heart if it supposed to be satisfied with duty alone?"

Ash snarled, tossing Galvatyne to the side and ripping another sword from his bottomless Box. Ritsuka blanched at the sudden icy chill that rushed across his body. The sudden darkening sky and the sound of splintering glass, as though everything in front of him was viewed through a cracked lens.

This sword was pitch black, steel coiled around itself in a corkscrew like shape, the pommel was a ring and four flattened prongs served as the crossguard, each one angled downwards. Flickers of purest black started to flare around the weapon, so deep was their midnight shade that it looked to absorb all light from whatever they passed in front of. A singular splash of onyx painted across the world, the splotches circling around his sword.

"If he is so important, would you then kill him?" She inquired further, there was hidden amusement in her words mixed with something more knowing. "Why does it take you so long to pull forth this sword of yours? This fight would have ended in mere moments should you truly wish to extol mercy upon the world! What is it you desire…for them to accept you, to tell you how correct you are?"

Ash snarled "I don't want them to-"

"Or is it, you need the humans you wish to save to accept your acts? To forgive this sin and say that your duty is right?" The woman chuckled "How tragic you are…you still desire the approval of your acts, even now? To be told, even if only by a single human, that you are right."

The woman exhaled "How sinful…but that is alright." spreading her arms wide, there was a clear smile on her voice as the whirlwind of death swung around the sword of Ash, the ground beneath his feet shattered and rose in defiance of gravity. "For that is what I am here for, to judge these sins you hold so tightly." the arms lowered "If you demand a single voice that wishes for peace…I shall grant you billions who wish for life."

She clasped them in front of herself, only whispering loud enough that Ritsuka could hear her. "This comes your chance, young man. Show him the strength of your life trumps his duty."

Ash snarled and charged forwards, trailing the breaking world behind him with each step.

"Confess your sins to the Altar."

He swung his weapon high, focused solely on the woman.

"Lay bare your greatest shame."

The black wisps around the coiled sword consumed the weapon entirely, little more than a tar skin.

"Be at peace, for sin is evil of humanity."

The Goddess made no attempt to move.

"O' Sinner, Let me absolve you."

There was a faint pulse through the air, it was so miniscule that Ritsuka barely noticed it. Accompanied only by the faint sound of a bell and then nothing. There were no further sounds, no further words and no further movements.

Ash froze on the spot, his eyes wide and his mouth ajar.

Ritsuka blinked, a dozen thoughts rushed through his mind as the Goddess reached forwards, placing a single hand on Ash's cheek caressing it with such a gentle touch. "The sins you witness were not yours to commit…but if you claim to shoulder all the duty of the world, then you must shoulder their pain also. Born of duty, born of pain, born of love, born of purpose, born of hate and born of greed."

Pulling the hand back, she turned around and faced Ritsuka "I have performed by role. The rest lies in your hands…" she paused for a moment, then smiled "On another note. I am trusting you with my grandson."

"What did you just-?" He was torn between asking what she said or what she just did. Either one of them burst into his mind but he could not decide on either one. Barely aware of Sulyvahn making a choking noise that was akin to a panicked response, he was more focused on pulling his eyes between the Goddess and Ash standing behind her.

They had been fighting him for ages and then she just says a few words and he freezes up?

"I showed him sin. All sin." The Goddess explained, sparing a single glance over her shoulder "The sin of all those within him. Their shame of duty and ambition alike. He shall see that all sin is equal in the end. Life is built upon sin, if not in your eyes then another." her head returned to them. "Though…I suppose this was to draw out the first sinner who has escaped punishment for so long…but I leave that to you. You bear the name of those he wronged, you may pass the judgement…" she trailed off, the smile on her face turning a touch apologetic "I would not loosen your guard so greatly."

Ritsuka blinked "Huh? Why?"

"Everything is born of something, all is inherited in the world." She explained "The strength of the forebears becomes one's own, as does their soul." shrugging her shoulders, she walked forwards with a deliberate slowness. "When one consumes Souls from the end of all things…how many forebears do you suppose reside within them? And…what happens when the chains of inheritance are broken loose? When the power that was once fuel for the soul, returns to the soul it was?"

He didn't understand what she was talking about.

"It's alright if my words do not strike a chord with you. It shall be revealed in due course." She paused for a moment, then nodded her head from side to side. "Oh, and beware the rising Light. For it will consume all in its path, for the sin that you committed in rejecting the Gods." A caw above his head signalled the return of the flock, the crows descending en masse and forming the whirlwind around the Goddess once more. "Good luck!" She voiced out, then the swarm parted and she was nowhere to be seen, Ritsuka glanced up and watched as the murder of crows flew off into the distance far enough that they vanished upon the horizon.

His eyes lingered on them a moment longer before they returned to Ash, staring at him with narrowed eyes. There was still no sign of movement from them, not even so much as a twitch of the finger as his eyes stared out the front almost lifelessly.

It was very much a 'what now?' type situation and he had no idea what they were even supposed to do-

Ash screamed.

The world shattered.

His name is Reiner.

He lived a simple life, he found peace in that life.

His was the life of a farmer, he had a wife, he had a child, he was happy-

She passes due to illness, his child soon follows.

He remains a farmer until he dies, miserable and alone-

His name is Oscar.

He was a knight of a distant land, he served his duty to link the flame-

He fails before he even begins, his body broken and alone-

He falls to his wounds, a victim of his duty, full of shame

Her name is Shira

She was the daughter of a duke, she serves her duty faithfully-

The monster who murdered a city arrives after so long-

Her duty is met with failure, she dies alone and full of shame-

His name was Raime, he served the King-

The King abandons him, his duty is broken-

He finds solace only in the love of a witch-

He is Velstadt, he served his King until his final breath-

He dies alone in a tomb, serving the dust corpse of his monarch-

She fought for the duty, she slays the one who killed her friends-

She dies alone, realising there is nothing left, filled with such emptiness-

His name is Flann.

He is the God of all Fire and King of Heide-

His is the duty to protect the Kingdom-

He could not protect his own family-

He throws himself to the ocean, lamenting his own failures-

His name is Leeroy.

His is the duty to kindle the flame-

His duty turns him to a Dark Wraith fiend-

He dies in shame and disgrace, lamenting his choices-

His name is Artorias

His duty leads him to fight alone and he dies alone

Unable to achieve anything of worth.

Another shoulders his duty for him-

He dies in shame-

His name is Vendrick-

He sought to become King to protect his land-

His duty was to create a strong Kingdom-

He regrets he could not love his wife enough to change her-

He dies alone and cold-

Full of shame-

His name is Aiza-

Her name is Ellen-

His name is Deacon-

Her name is-

His name-

Her-

Jean-

Nina-

Isidor-

Fiachrae-

Lavonne-

"What the hell are these things!?" Ritsuka let out a sharp curse as he watched Mash slam her shield into the next shadow that charged straight towards him, this one wielding something that looked like an axe. The shadow lasted barely a single moment before the Shielder crushed it into dust.

All the while, Ash's screams loudly echoed in the background, mixed with the cries of a thousand other voices, young, old, man, woman, human, animal-

Black tar continued to seep out beneath his feet, Ash staggered backwards and clutched at his head, the flames around his head flickering in and out of existence as his eyes continued to cycle through stages of glowing and dulling-

More of the shadows came bursting out from the black liquid racing across the ground, Ritsuka glanced between the two of them. They weren't nearly as difficult to deal with as Ash was but they were certainly coming at him in droves. No, more than that, there seemed to be no end to them and the continued spread of the liquid only heralded the spawning of more shadows.

Each one looked humanoid enough, but their bodies were comprised of what appeared to be the same black sludge that was currently pouring out of Ash's body like geyser, leaking out from the gaps between his armour while he writhed in the background, glowing red eyes glared at him as they pulled themselves free of their murky origins and rushed back upwards. Vermillion light flared and rushed forwards, obliterating a wave of them as Mordred flew in, swinging Clarent from side to side and battering whatever construct happened to get close enough to her.

She made it look easy, but the fact that double the number she destroyed just rose out of the ground made it all the more complicated.

"They are wraiths!" Jeanne replied, providing some explanation for what was going on but not a lot. "They are-they are spawning from within Ash?"

That didn't make a whole lot of sense to Ritsuka but he understood enough to realise that they were in deep trouble and-

His eyes snapped upwards as he realised something, he was no longer staring at the snowy grey sky, the cold no longer pressed upon his nerves and his every moment was not weighted by apathy. A freedom coursed through his limbs the likes of which he had never felt before. Or rather, that he never imagined he would have felt in his life.

They were in London!

They were in the proper London!

He didn't know what Ash had done, but they were outside of the Reality Marble once again-

Jolted from his revelry of the newfound freedom, he felt the world shudder around him as the screams of Ash only intensified further, stepping back as the ocean of tar churned and bubbled, larger and larger humanoid shapes ripped themselves free of their prison and scrambled to their feet, rushing straight towards them. Some wielding spears, others with swords, axes and what looked like a pitchfork-

A dozen gunshots removed them immediately, shredding their bodies and reducing them back into a sludgy mess. It was rather disgusting but it was also something that-

A wyvern ripped itself from the pool, it's body similar to the humanoids but still distinguishable enough to be able to tell what it was.

"Wyverns!" He shouted out immediately, several arrows ripped it apart - courtesy of Atalanta - before well over a dozen more started to pull themselves free of the pool. Their echoing howls having him very nearly cover his ears, but seeing them in this wretched state was rather cathartic for him. The mongrel remains of his former people-

'Seriously Haku? Now of all times?'

"I can hardly help it."

Shaking his head, he jumped backwards as the pool drew closer to him, though he was now more aware that if they were indeed in London, and the Reality Marble was gone, then there was a very real chance that all the people who had been asleep were going to start waking up again. They weren't exactly being very quiet out here and if this spread beyond the limits, then there was no telling the damage that could be done. Chasing down each and every single one of these summons - all the while Ash was making more though it didn't look like it was by choice-

The sky blackened.

It was so sudden and so swift that if he had blinked he would have failed to register it. Eyes widening, he found himself gaping at the lack of any distinct colours save for the void that hung above his head. Not even the sun shined, it was near complete darkness and yet the world remained in clear definition. As though someone had merely painted the sky black but left all else intact.

Ash's scream reached new heights, it felt as though his eardrums burst, his hands flying to his ears and covering them as he dropped entire body felt as though it was trembling, the shudder travelling through his very bones.

He watched windows shatter but couldn't hear them over the cries of the Saber.

When the screams ceased, he tore his hands away.

Whatever else was happening, there needed to be something done first.

"Mash!" He sought out the Shielder quickly, she turned to him just as she finished parrying away another wyvern, the body collapsed into much. Her eyes locked onto him as he finished the rest of his shout "Are we connected with Chaldea again?"

The girl froze for a moment before opening her mouth to respond-

Jeanne parried away the axe aimed for her back, Percival ran the attacker through with his spear and then kicked the body away into a splatter mark, twirling the spear, he thrust it down into the ground and unleashed a pulse of light. The muck visibly recoiled away from him, slithering back as though alive and bending around to avoid the spear.

He noticed immediately "Lancer!" he shouted out, Percival turned his head towards him slightly "You and Saber-"

A stream of fire obliterated everything that was around the Lancer a moment later, Ritsuka brought up his hand to cover himself as the flames ripped into everything, incinerating the latest wave of shadow monsters. Ritsuka had barely a moment to think of what was going on before a roar ripped through the air, a blur of red dropped straight into the ocean of black sludge, kicking up a river.

His eyes widened at the sight of the creature, insect like appendages jutted from it's back - standing well over three metres tall by now - and long clawed arms. The left was rocky and twisted while the right seemed to be more insectoid like the twitching appendages, its hand looking more like the head of a centipede. With a savage snarl, the beast dragged it's hand across the side and unleashed another burst of fire, the storm of flames burning another hole.

"What in the heck-!?" He recoiled backwards at the sight of it, the beast whirled around to grant him a look at its face, somewhat featureless with four glowing eyes and missing a nose, along either side of the head were horns that jutted from the skull and curled inwards like a bull. Roaring, the creature slammed its arms into the ground, flinging splotches of magma from its body which fell upon the shadows as burning rain.

With the savagery only granted to monsters the beast rampaged through the shadows, tearing them apart and flinging whatever happened to be closest to it away into the distance. The rumbling cry sounded as though it was a mixture of several different beasts all at once, Ritsuka had absolutely no idea what was going on but-

"Quelan!?" Percival's horrified voice rang out, the knight of the Lance looked upon the monster - which halted for a brief moment and whirled its head towards him, all four of its burning eyes widened for a split second. Ritsuka could have sworn that it looked ashamed, then madness swept through and the eyes of the creature burned with endless hatred once more, snarling and bringing its arms above its head before slamming them down into the muck, a river of lava poured out from every groove in its body.

Yet Percival's words lingered with him, above everything else. How on earth could that be-

"Tragic as it was, this was the only solution." He froze at the voice, feeling his emotions strain and fighting back the urge to command literally anyone to attack them. Whether that was from himself or someone else influencing him, he didn't much know and he didn't much care. Regardless, he held himself back long enough to aim a sharp glare over his shoulder where he saw Gwynevere stood near him with a shameful grimace upon her face.

Though he couldn't much trust anything that she said right now.

His eyes remained on her for a bit longer before he turned back to face the direction of the rampaging monster, another scream and it stopped moving for a moment, hunching forwards as a crunching sound filled the air, the size of Quelan growing even further as the heat from the Servant now rose to such a point that whatever was rushing to get close enough to it was bursting into flames, a faint orange hue surrounded Quelan, the air shimmered like the surface of water, even Ritsuka could feel the heat at this distance, like the roar of a furnace.

"...You did that to him?"

"At his own choice."

…The fact he could believe her was troubling, but was it Quelan's choice or was it the choice that he felt was the right one? Now he really understood what Haku was talking about. Being around her made him second guess everything he was hearing-

A flash of gold behind him, suddenly he felt as though he was on top of the world. Whatever soreness he had been plagued with before vanished. Looking down at his hands, he watched as a golden shimmer surrounded them for a brief moment before receding, a brief glance around him bore witness to the other Servants similarly affected with this, the cuts and bruises they sported all but melted as they vanished from their skin.

Ritsuka stared at them a moment longer, he shared a brief look of surprise with Mash before he made to turn on Gwynevere, the questions already on the tip of his tongue-

"Focus not on me!" Her voice snapped with a commanding sense of urgency that had him freeze up for a moment. "Keep your sights on the battle ahead! I shall…" she let out a pained groan, he caught sight of her and watched as she staggered somewhat, reaching up and placing a hand over her heart for a few seconds and then shooting a glance to the sky. "...I shall provide what support I can…"

She was right.

"Medea!" Ritsuka shouted out to the Caster "Do you think you can keep this mud contained? If it grows we'll be in deep trouble!"

"I shall manage what I can." The voice of the Caster was strained as she responded to him, he could already feel the slight pull upon his magic circuits as the sense of drowsiness started to seep in but not yet, he couldn't give in just yet. "But the summons are the true-"

"We'll work on that!" He mentally replied, then looked to Mash "Are we linked with Chaldea!?"

"Yes, Senpai!"

He nodded once, that meant they could at least start bringing in some reinforcements, though he was certain that things were going to be a mess up there-

The world rumbled around him once more, holding out his hand and calling upon those he knew. It was a short term system but it would have to work and he needed people who were fast, strong and could cover a wide area.

"Scathach, Cu Chulainn, Lancelot!"

The call was made, in a split second, the three figures were stood in front of him.

Cu offered a wave "Yo, Mast-What the shit!?" the calm attitude lasted all of a split second before it was replaced by a look of shock as he turned before he even registered what was going on, props to the Lancer as he demolished the axe wielding sludge monster that was sneaking up behind him. "What the hell is this!?"

"Later!" He called back "You three! We need to keep this area contained and prevent the spread of more of the monsters! They're coming out of the mud so watch out! It's not just human things, we dealt with wyverns and-"

The mud exploded behind them, the three whirled around as the largest of the monsters burst from the ocean, tar ran across their body as their eyes burned a brilliant crimson. Throwing their head back, they released a guttural wet roar and brought themselves taller and taller into the air. That was just them standing up, the arms hung by their sides, the torso was rather bulk and the legs were thick as tree trunks.

The giant staggered forwards, each step shaking the earth as another roar ripped free of it's throat.

"And whatever those are!" He pointed towards the giant "Destroy them as they appear!"

"AAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR!" And then, for whatever reason, Ritsuka had to find himself blinking as Lancelot reached out and clasped something in the air, the shape shimmered before appearing in his hands. He knew what it was, he was certain what it was, but he could not make head nor tail as to why a Knight of the Round Table was currently holding a minigun of all things. The belief that his eyes were playing tricks on him vanished the second the Berserker's weapon screamed, a storm of bullets ripped through the smaller summons instantly, all the while the Berserker continued to scream at the top of his lungs.

"What in the fuc-!?" Once more, Mordred was cursing like a sailor "Is that fucking Lancelot!? What in the hell is-"

"Wahahahaha!" Nobunaga's laugh came next "Finally! A Servant with some proper style! But let me show you how it's done!" punctuated by a hail of bullets from the other end as the Demon King apparently took that as a challenge to her, a dozen rifles manifested and opened fire as she reached forwards and snagged two of them, shooting them with one hand while sporting the most manic grin he had ever seen.

Still, she had the right idea.

"Arash!"

The Archer appeared a moment later, to his credit, he was much more reserved in his reaction to the situation. "Orders?"

"Take to the rooftops and provide covering fire! Take out any stragglers!"

"On it!" Wasting no time, the Archer turned on his heel and leapt past him to carry out the orders.

They seemed good on paper, watching as Scathach was consumed in crimson light as she twirled her spear and then took off into the air, zig zagging across before crashing down into the thickest point of the shadow creatures and turning into a whirlwind of death, her every strike taking out three or four monsters at a time and that were the ones he could actually see when she slowed down enough to perceive him.

"Gotta try my best in front of her or she's gonna tan my hide!" Cu charged on those words-

Black lighting shot right towards Ritsuka, the Lancer stepped in front of the blow and then swung, the electricity twirled around as it followed after Gae Bolg, with a grunt the Lancer directed it upwards and sent the streak shooting off into the sky.

They both looked to the direction it had come from.

Even in that state, Ritsuka recognised them as the Rider from France. Faraam, the God of War. It did not matter their body was blurry, a haze shadow coating them and their general shape twisting and turning. He still recognised that Sword Spear anywhere, it was a rather iconic design. The Rider let out a bellowing roar, pulling back their arm and coating it in blackened lightning once more before flinging it forward.

Once more, the lightning was parried.

Cu let out a sharp laugh "Looking forward to this rematch! Shame you're a ghost, but oh well!" and with that, he jumped straight towards the shade of Faraam, leaping through the air as he did so before dropping down. Clashing spears with the Servant before pushing them back, the spear vanished into flashes of red light as he thrust it repeatedly in different locations. The shade barely moved with each attack, then swung back once.

Cu skated backwards a short distance, then ran back in as though nothing happened.

Rituska shot a glance towards the giant as it continued its march, then pointed towards it "And someone take that thing down!"

"Sulyvahn! Contact with Chaldea is back so I'm going to send you back! You're too wounded to remain in the field!" If the Caster had any protests, he wasn't going to hear them. With the need for fresh Servants, Ritsuka just couldn't supply everyone at the time and Sulyvahn needed to be sent back for care regardless.

This was hardly what she had been expecting when she was abruptly summoned without warning, especially since she had come with her student. All the same, she had little complaints for the role she was currently fighting within.

Especially since this was the rule she was most familiar with, sweeping away the lingering dead that crept into the world. Yet, their origin had not been what she was expecting at all. She had seen the undead and knew he was possibly holding back, especially given the number of trinkets he actually held. The only thing he lacked was experience but even then, one did not slay a God of War - weakened or not - if they were a weak fool.

The tales she had heard of him painted a clear enough picture.

He had been strong enough to brute force without skill.

Crimson blurred in her hands, the spear vanished into a circle of red and the attackers were reduced to nothing within less than a second. Barely even sparing them a glance as she did so. These pale shades were nothing compared to what she could sense lurking beneath the surface, the giant erupting from the ocean had been proof enough there were stronger foes here.

Still, of all the things, she hadn't been expecting the undead to be carrying around a world inside of himself.

Well, this was just how things went when one was around long enough. You could still find one or two things that might end up surprising you but once the initial shock wore off, there was little reason to be greatly affected by it. Though, the origin could not be helped.

Sliding to a halt, she spun on her heel and swept the vermillion lance across herself, slicing apart the shades and glaring towards the spot where the undead still screamed and writhed. She could feel the fluctuation of his power, the unstable nature of his own existence. She knew not what had brought this about, but he was being ripped apart from the inside out. These souls were bursting to escape from him.

For this torrent to end, she had to deal with the root cause. Which meant putting an end to this undead.

…Oh well.

Maybe the Master might have one or two complaints but this was hardly the time to be sentimental. Especially when a Servant gone rogue was actively threatening to destroy everything. These were times where one could not pull their punches. As if there was ever a time where one should.

Sweeping her left arm forwards, a dozen copies of Gae Bolg shimmered into existence and then surged forwards as streaks of red, piercing through the chests of well over a dozen shades before she kicked off the ground. Rapidly moving towards the direction of the undead-

A warning flared through her mind, she swung her right leg forwards and stomped down to slow her momentum. Halting dead in her tracks and swinging the spear across and up in a guard, her other hand bracing the weapon.

A clang of steel rang through the air, her arms buckled slightly as a much taller shade loomed over her. Her eyes narrowed at the weapon in its grasp, a long blackened greatsword with murky traces clinging to it. The power of the Divine Construct could not be denied but it was warped, cursed.

"Auuuughhh!" The taller knight loomed over, their left arm dangling by their side as though broken. With a sharp turn, the crippled knight broke the engagement and blurred. Sweeping the sword across and forcing her several steps backwards-

She jumped to the side as the knight kicked off the ground and launched themselves into a front flip, the greatsword poised over their head to be swung down at her as they landed, their speed was certainly impressive and the retention of skill with madness and a crippled arm could not be denied either. Scathach stepped back as the knight slammed into the ground in front of her, thrusting forwards, twisted the thrust into a guard as the knight flipped once more over the top of the thrust and swung down, this time she caught the strike in the guard and flipped them over him.

The knight growled as they were flung over her head, but were able to twist their body at the last moment and land on their feet. Right arm pulled back and thrusting straight towards her, she parried the blow to the side and then thrust back towards them-

They rolled, kicking up a slash of tar and sweeping their broken limb through the black water like an oar, flinging a large thick clump directly towards her. With a frown, she blurred the spear and batted it aside, then charged forwards once more. They swung the second she was close enough and she swung right back, their blows collided with a roar of steel, the ground splitting beneath them.

Whoever this knight had been when alive, they were certainly quite good.

Shame they ended up like this.

Brunihild, Emmeline, Lyonors, Glanville, Percival Elyse, Jacquetta, Gráinne, Murphy, Evangelina, Gerhard, Engel, Cameron, Gavin, Isaiah, Edelgard, Tyson, Georgetta, Jem, Lalia, Cadell, Labhrann, Kaitlynn, Raginhild, Jordin, Uli, Ortwin, Kaison, Claribel, Delaney, Freda, Adalfuns, Saundra, Darcie, Margery, Lisa, Colmán, Rheinallt, Efa, Celinda, Nate, Nita, Mandy, Hunberht, Connie, Dee, Landyn, Red, Aideen, Marta-

Who are they?

Who is he?

Who is she?

What is their name?

What do they fight for?

Who is this?

Who am I?

Where am I?

His name was-

What was his name?

Where was his wife-

She had no wife, she had a husband-

Where as her husband-

He had no husband, where was his daughter-

Where is daddy?

Mommy?

Where is her King?

Where is his Queen?

Where is his Kingdom?

Where are his people?

Where-

Where is he?

Where is…

His duty.

His Kingdom!?

They failed…they are gone!

His duty is broken!

His race is dead!

Unacceptable!

He would not be broken.

He would not let this come to pass.

In the deepest depths of the multitude of Souls.

Light exploded forth.

AN: So, you must be wondering what happened.

The answer is simple.

When you kill someone in DS, you absorb their Soul.

Simple, right?

And then this cycle continues with souls being absorbed by other souls and so on and so forth.

Basically, the world is recycling the power of souls.

So, what happened to Ash because of the Goddess?

Well, when you get to the end of the world, you're going to have a lot of souls. It's only natural.

What the Noble Phantasm did was basically wake up every single soul inside him. Not just from the ones he killed, but the ones they killed and so on and so forth, right the way from the beginning of DS1 to the end of DS3.

Every single person who has ever been killed and absorbed just woke up.

This includes all the people the Lord of Cinders killed.

So yeah…

A lot.

They all woke up at the same time and were forced to experience the single worst moments of their lives.

So now, all those souls are fighting for dominance inside of him.

Which begs the question…

Which do you think is truly the strongest mind? Also, hello Velka! Stats will come later, when she is summoned.