Fate Grand Order - Court of Flickering Fantasia: Camelot

by CielSorciere

In a Britain whose future is uncertain, the mad desires of those who wish for utter destruction are free to run amok. In this dying land, a certain woman awakens in a field most familiar to her. The arrival of the newest Servant to join Chaldea's ranks marks the beginning of a long journey. The curtain rises on the tale of the last Pendragon...

3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 | A Moment of Reprieve / Divine Domain

As Melehan's question lingered in the air, I saw a smile form on Sion's face. Clearly pleased with this turn of events, Sion responded.

"I am. Sion Eltnam Sokaris, your new—no, your first Master. It's good to finally meet you, Melehan Pendragon."

"And you as well, Master," Melehan replied. I could see the effort it was taking her to remain standing, to greet her Master with confidence and strength. After a moment, Clarent vanished into golden dust and Melehan stumbled forward, about to fall back down to the ground. Sion was there to catch her this time, however.

"I got you," she said, holding Melehan close, her arms wrapped around her. "…You've been through a lot. Take it easy for a while."

I stepped forward a little and spoke up.

"Will she be okay?" I asked. Sion nodded.

"She'll recover quickly now that she's in Chaldea. Our connection is stable now… Melehan, may I ask how long you were in that place? Because the time between the summoning and your arrival was only around thirty seconds."

I could hear Melehan's shallow breaths as she responded.

"Not sure… An hour? Maybe two? I lost track of time while I was running away from those demons."

"No wonder you're so low on mana, you had to drain your reserves just to get to Chaldea, and then you had to fight them here… Da Vinci, did you manage to complete your analysis before we left?"

Da Vinci nodded, a nervous expression on her features.

"I did… A Singularity has formed in the British Isles, but… the centre of it is⸻"

"Camelot," I said, turning everyone's attentions back to me. "Melehan and her 'sister' mentioned Camelot. Is that the focal point?"

"Yeah…"

We had to deal with a Singularity involving Camelot in the past, in Jerusalem. At that point in our journey, it was our toughest battle. Fighting the empowered Knights of the Round Table as well as their King, the Goddess Rhongomyniad, proved to be one of the greatest challenges we had to face on our path to restoring humanity. I didn't want to imagine what could be strong enough to take that over, and changing it into something unrecognisable from the place King Arthur once ruled over.

And neither did the Knights of the Round Table that served Chaldea. I glanced over, and each of the members that were here were processing this information in different ways. Gawain with a quiet determination, Gareth with a melancholic look, Tristan… well, it's hard to tell what he's thinking with his eyes closed all the time, but his expression certainly didn't look pleased. Mordred looked unsettled by the revelation, while Lancelot was eyeing Melehan warily. Artoria, meanwhile, seemed to still be grappling with the fact that Melehan was her granddaughter.

Artoria had begun to take steps to mend her relationship with Mordred in recent months. Perhaps it had something to do with the events of the Atlantic Lostbelt, I knew that Artoria had read about what happened there. I wasn't certain if this was the case, but regardless, she was trying. Which was more than what could have been said back when she and Mordred were first summoned to Chaldea. The thing was, Artoria didn't hate Mordred. To the Rebellious Knight, that would have been preferable. No, instead all she felt was cold indifference.

Their familial history was already very complicated, and now, suddenly, someone who Mordred acknowledges as her child, and who referred to herself as such, appears before them. It's understandable that she would have to take some time to process this.

A small growl made itself known in the silence. I looked around, wondering where it came from. After hearing the same sound once more, slightly louder, I turned to look at Melehan, who was clutching her stomach. Concern shot through me as I moved to her side.

"Are you okay?" I asked. Melehan shook her head.

"I'm not okay… I'm not okay at all… I'm so hungry," she admitted, punctuated by her stomach growling once again. All at once, whatever tension remained in the room vanished. I could hear some chuckles and giggles pass through the room at this very human reaction Melehan showed. Mordred approached her daughter, a sad smile on her lips as she helped Melehan onto her feet with Sion's help.

"Plenty of food to go around here," Mordred told her. "You don't have to worry about that."

I saw da Vinci from the corner of my eye trying to get my attention. She jabbed her thumb in the direction of the open entrance with a wry smile. Turning towards it, I could hear the faint sound of footsteps approaching. I had a feeling who it was, given what da Vinci told us as she and the others arrived and called out to him with glee.

"Hey, Emiya! You have another hungry Pendragon to feed!"

"You cannot be serious, Master," I heard him reply as he entered the room. The red Archer looked perplexed and a little frightened. Given the many variants of Artoria that have shown up over the years, and their bottomless stomachs, perhaps he was thinking that this was yet another one, come to empty the pantry quicker than a supersonic jet. "Who is it this time?"

One look towards Mordred and Melehan, and his expression turned to one of comprehension. He seemed to understand the situation just from that glance.

"This is Melehan, Mordred's daughter. And she's starving," I explained succinctly. Emiya nodded and made his way to the kitchen. Mordred turned and called out to him as he passed.

"Oi, make sure it's a three course meal! With dessert!"

"Understood," Emiya said, sounding almost amused at the sound of Mordred's demands. Seeing Mordred acting like a parent almost made me want to burst out into laughter. It was so surreal. As Mordred led Melehan over to the table with Artoria and the others, I looked around the room.

The expressions of most of the other Servants was that of relief that the danger has passed, going back to what they were doing before the alarm rang. Some, however, looked on at Melehan with curiosity. Morgan occasionally glanced at Melehan, looking as though she was pondering something. She kept her attention mostly on Mash and the other Fairy Knights. Mash herself also shot occasional looks towards Melehan. She and Mordred have been good friends for a long time, so perhaps she was thinking of extending that same friendship to Melehan as well. Barghest was also looking in Melehan's direction, a curious expression on her face.

Marie kept her gaze on Melehan for a little while, glad that she managed to protect the new Servant with her power. She eventually sat down with some of the other French Servants and delved into conversation with them.

There was one curious gaze that caught my attention. A Servant I wouldn't have expected to pay Melehan any mind. Gilgamesh stared at Melehan with a neutral expression, looking as though he was trying to figure something out about her. A few moments after I noticed this, he turned back to Enkidu and continued their conversation.

I should probably thank him at some point for showing some restraint back there. Things could have gotten REALLY ugly if he had used Gate of Babylon…

I walked over to Goredolf, da Vinci, and Holmes, who were discussing the latest events.

"Melehan's 'sister', Meinir. She mentioned that something was left with you, Director Goredolf," I said. Goredolf let out a cough, covering his mouth with his fist, before responding.

"Y-Yes. A woman cloaked in a robe appeared and gave me a gold ornate box, saying that it's important for 'the game that is soon to begin.' Holmes recommended that no one opened it until we had more information, so I left it with the Captain for the time being."

"And what do you think, Holmes?" I turned to our resident Consulting Detective, who raised an eyebrow.

"It's hard to tell from a cursory glance what the box may or may not contain, but looking at the design, it's clear that someone put a considerable amount of time and effort into making it. The lid of the box features an image with a stained-glass aesthetic, depicting a woman embraced by three other hooded women with an angelic woman standing nearby, wearing a white and red dress, had white hair, and had blackened wings…" He turned his head slightly to look towards Melehan. "Very much resembling Sion's new Servant."

I glanced towards Melehan for a moment, she seemed to be introducing herself properly to Artoria and the other Knights of the Round Table, though she did rest her eyes occasionally as she did so.

"We'll talk about this once Melehan has recovered enough," Goredolf said. "In the meantime, let's take this opportunity to relax. My gut is telling me we're in for another difficult journey."

…Oh yeah, she also said that, didn't she?

I couldn't pass up the opportunity to tease our Director a little.

"Meinir actually described you as the 'portly man with the terrible moustache.'"

Our Director's shocked expression was always a joy to see when we're not in the midst of a life-or-death situation. And this was no exception.

"Well, I never⸻!"

⸻ ✦ ⸻

I shook my head, trying to keep myself awake. Though I felt mana flowing into me thanks to the nearby presence of my Master, it would still take some time for me to recover fully.

"Damn…" I let out softly. "Can barely keep my eyes open…"

"If you need to rest, you're more than welcome to," Sir Gawain told me. I gently waved off his concern.

"I'll be fine. I'm not that drained. Besides…" I turned to look at Father. "I imagine you have some questions for me, Father." Then I glanced at the rest of the Knights of the Round Table. "And the rest of you as well. Ask away, I'll tell you what I can."

I gathered what energy I could to keep myself attentive. Given the rather unusual circumstances surrounding me, answering their questions had to be a priority. The first to ask was Sir Gawain, one of Father's siblings.

"How did you and Mordred meet each other?" he asked. It was obvious to everyone that I wasn't Father's biological daughter, and I made no attempts to hide this fact. So, of course, that question would be the first to be asked.

"It was in the first month of Father's rebellion. She passed through the village I lived in and saw me, collapsed in an alleyway near the brink of death. She took me back to her camp, and decided to adopt me." I shared a glance with Father. She shot me a knowing look and nodded slightly. There wasn't any need to say any more on the subject for the moment. I would eventually get into specifics, but that explanation was good enough for now.

"Was it Mordred who gave you your name?"

"Yes… My old name is something I'd rather not think about. Ever. The girl who went by that name is dead, as far as I'm concerned."

My harsh tone signalled that this was a topic that shouldn't be touched without reason. Sir Gawain and the others realised this, and swiftly moved on.

"Who was that just now?" Sir Gareth asked next. The stories I heard of Sir Gareth suggested that it was a man who bore that name. It was rather surprising to see that Sir Gareth was in fact a woman, but not as surprising as seeing someone else at this table. Well, her and one other person in particular. "You say that she's your 'sister', but she doesn't seem…"

"Yeah… Myself, Meinir, and those of us in the Court were referred to as 'siblings'. Mother said that it would foster closer bonds between us if we treated each other as family. Pretty fucked of her to do, given what she had planned for us."

"And that's the 'game' you two were talking about?"

I nodded.

"Yup. A gauntlet through the many layers of Mother's domain, Empyrean, clawing your way to the top and claiming the throne that awaited you there… There were a hundred of us, all kids. By the time we reached the top, only eleven—including myself—were still alive. We all had to team up in order to keep each other safe."

"And your sister was one of them?"

I nodded once more.

"Myself, Meinir, Seren, Ceri, Alyssa, Bleddyn, Griffith, Taliesin, Ariel, Jonathan, and Walter," I said, each name a stab in the heart. No matter what became of us at the end, we were all incredibly close. What we lost in those final days was something that I had no hope of rekindling, not even with this supposed "second chance" that Mother had given them.

"We were all given new names by Mother," I continued, "though we decided to just keep using the names that we already had. Alyssa, Ariel, Jonathan, and Walter were chosen to become Mother's personal guard, while the rest of us formed what we called The Court. The Court also had its name given by Mother, but we all found it difficult to pronounce, so we decided to come up with a name ourselves—the 'Court of Flickering Fantasia'… Heh, such a childish name. We all thought we were so clever. Pretty sure we just took cool sounding words from the books in the library…"

I could feel a soft smile growing on my face. Those early days were some of the fondest memories of my time in the Heretic's Mansion that I could remember. Not even the rebellion we sparked, and the dark wave that consumed our final days, was able to taint that. Of course, the realisation of what exactly was being asked of me hit me soon after, replacing that soft smile with a thin line of frustration.

"And Mother's expecting me to go through that place on my own—fuck me," I said, a faint whine in my tone and my head tilted back. I continued, staring up at the ceiling. "It took a hundred of us to get through it last time, how the hell am I going to…? I suppose I have a better chance now that I'm a Heroic Spirit, but…"

"Your 'family' are going to be your obstacles this time," Sir Tristan said, putting the crux of my issue into words that I wasn't willing to speak. I let my head move back down to look at him, and I nodded at him. "Are you willing to fight them? To the death if needed?"

"…I'd rather not. Especially not Seren, Meinir, Ceri… even Alyssa. But I don't think I'll have a choice in the matter."

The look on my face must have been noticeable, as I saw some sympathetic looks shot my way by the others. I grimaced as I recalled how I yelled at Meinir, how harsh my words were. I held my head in my hands as a wave of self-hatred washed over me.

"Why did I yell at her?" I asked aloud, not expecting an answer. "Stupid fucking hothead. Of course she didn't kill Seren—she was her friend as well. You stupid…"

"It sounded as though you and the rest of your 'family' were extremely close," Sir Tristan said, his expression unreadable.

"We were… Though we didn't consider each other family in any sense of the word, we were all still very close."

"Then what was with your reaction to Meinir?" Sir Gareth asked. I had a feeling that would be brought up eventually. Despite my proclamations to the contrary, my words and actions told a different story. I sighed, knowing that I had to reveal things I'd rather not think about.

"Meinir, Seren, Ceri, and Alyssa… I was closer to them than the rest. I was… with all of them…"

"Lovers?" Sir Tristan asked softly. I nodded.

"Yes… They made those days in the Mansion worth suffering through…" I thought back to my conversation with Meinir. She was so different from the Meinir I knew. The way she spoke, the way she acted, was so counter to what I remembered that I didn't want her to touch me. She would have never made light of how the Court came to an end the way she did. All of this made me come to the obvious conclusion. Mother brought Meinir and the others back to life. That didn't mean that they were brought back how I remembered them.

That familiar red lightning began to make itself known, bouncing off my body slightly. I took a deep breath to calm myself down. I had to save my anger for the one who deserved it.

"...Mother…" I growled. "You revive those I call friends, the women I love, and now you're using them to mock me. You'll suffer for this. I swear it." I shook my head, brining myself back to the present. There was still an important part of this story to tell. "At the end of my rebellion, we were betrayed. When I woke up that morning, I saw our camp put to flame… and Seren dying of a fatal wound. She died in my arms… Soon after, our base in Winchester was attacked, and Meinir was killed. Ceri took a fatal hit to save me as we made our escape. I don't even know what happened to Alyssa, but Mother told me that she was killed as well. Losing all of them one after the other… It broke me completely."

"…This… happened shortly before you died?" Father asked, a look of shock and sadness across her features. I nodded. "How did you…?"

Ah… The one thing I don't think either of us want to talk about. Seems like we both have to address it now, no matter how uncomfortable we feel.

I took a moment before I pointed my finger at a certain man who sat nearby. With his glittering white armour, purple hair and eyes, which stared at me with recognition and, no doubt, the same nervousness that I felt regarding what I was about to reveal. Regardless, he and I both knew that it was something that we needed to talk about eventually. So why not now?

"He would know," I told everyone, making sure my voice was clear, while pointing at Sir Lancelot. "He was the one who killed me."

The various conversations that the other groups of people were having fell silent the moment I revealed this piece of information. Though I suspected as much, it was still a surprise to see. It seemed that the other Servants were keeping one ear on the conversation myself and the other Knights of the Round Table were having. I didn't expect anything I say in Chaldea to remain secret for long, but I didn't realise just how curious some of the Servants were about me.

The other Knights of the Round Table stared at Sir Lancelot, mouths agape. Father looked torn between demanding answers and wringing poor Sir Lancelot's neck. While a part of me wanted that to happen, I knew I needed to make clear what happened that day.

"It was the final days of my rebellion against the one who ascended to the throne after King Arthur's death: King Constantine. We met in the fields outside Winchester. Sir Lancelot had returned to Britain by this point to lend his aid in crushing this new rebellion… I was the only member left of the Court by this point. Our armies had dwindled, and their leader had lost her mind. It was easy pickings for our foes." I looked towards Sir Lancelot, who sported a neutral expression. "I was chased into the Church of St. Amphibalus by Constantine and Sir Lancelot. My memory of what happened after that is a little foggy… Tell me, Sir Lancelot… how many times did it take for you to finally kill me?"

Sir Lancelot was silent for a moment before he finally answered.

"Seven times," he said. "It took seven gruelling battles until I was able to deal a blow that finally killed you for good."

I stared at Sir Lancelot for a while. Though we only crossed paths once, our battle left its mark in my soul. When I caught sight of him as I sat down, a flash of white hot fury flickered in my eyes. I knew he saw it. I quickly regained control of myself, but I was tempted to get my vengeance for that day.

I knew better, however. We were both part of the same team now, and it wouldn't do any good for us to fight amongst ourselves. Besides, I didn't really hate him. If I had to explain my reaction to Sir Lancelot… I just didn't like to lose.

"Sir Lancelot…" I began, uncertain as to how to phrase what I wanted to say to him. "I… want you to know that I don't hold any grudges about what happened. Well, that's not entirely true, I do, but… I can barely remember what happened during our fight, but I do recall the feeling of your blade killing me over and over. To you, though, it probably wasn't something worth remembering. You probably didn't recognise me until I said my name, didn't you?"

To my surprise, Sir Lancelot shook his head.

"You're wrong, Melehan… I've always remembered. I sometimes see you when I close my eyes. I could never forget what I saw that day…"

Seeing the darkened look in his eyes, and hearing the almost haunted tone in his voice. It made a smile start to form on my face. A sort of twisted smile that could only come when enjoying something truly depraved. I began to giggle at the thought that I was the one who caused such an expression to form on the seemingly invincible knight's face.

"So… I managed to leave a scar on your heart after all… For some reason, that makes me incredibly happy…" I told him. Before I could delve too deeply into these dark thoughts, a small cough caught my attention. I turned to Artoria… King Arthur. Probably the biggest surprise of my time in Chaldea thus far, to learn that the legendary King Arthur was actually a woman. She had been looking at me with an ambiguous look in her eyes, and hadn't said a word to me until now.

I could only imagine what was going through her mind, seeing her "granddaughter" in the flesh, as a Heroic Spirit of Chaldea, carrying the weapon that brought the definitive end to her reign.

"…You aren't human, are you?" Artoria asked. After a moment, I shook my head.

"No," I replied. "I'm not. I haven't been human ever since I won the first game. The one I called 'Mother' made sure of that, turning myself and my 'siblings' into demons…" I truly looked at Artoria for the first time. Father looked so much like her. The King of Knights looked exactly how she did when I saw her that fateful day.

"Do you hate me?" Artoria asked, and I swear I saw a flicker of worry in her eyes. I shook my head again.

"When I began my journey, I did… I hated you so much. I swore that I would tear apart the legacy you built, the peace you worked so hard to create. All for revenge for you killing my father. And I nearly succeeded as well… To answer your question—no, I don't hate you. When I look upon you now, I feel… nothing."

Artoria nodded after a moment, a look of understanding in her eyes. Here she was, the target of my hatred, the reason I started this journey to begin with, and the only thing I could feel were the faint embers of the anger I once felt. How far had I strayed from my path, that when the impossible has occurred—to meet the one who stoked the fires of my rage and actually speak to her—that I had nothing to say?

"…Last question for now," Artoria continued. "Do you think you can handle this on your own?"

Going through Empyrean on my own…

The thought honestly terrified me. Not only because of what happened last time, but also because I couldn't rely on my memories of it to guide me. All I would have was my strength, and the support of my Master and the other members of Chaldea. Given how Meinir called attention to my "unique abilities", Mother was expecting me to die. A lot. The alternative was far worse, however. Letting Mother do as she pleased wasn't an option, and breaking the rules that were clearly laid out would lead to dire consequences for everyone here.

"It isn't a matter of whether or not I can. I have to," I replied. "I have no choice… Meinir made it perfectly clear that I have to go through the Mansion on my own."

"This 'game' of theirs is a load of bull," Father said. I could hear the irritation in her tone. "They'll cheat you the first opportunity they get."

I shook my head.

"No. That's the one thing I know Mother would never do."

I didn't trust her when it came to many things, but when it came to this, I knew that I could. The other Knights of the Round Table stared at me with an incredulous look. Father had a similar look as well as she replied.

"It's their game, it's their territory, of course they're going to cheat."

"Mother wishes for only one thing: order. She follows her own rules, even if it puts her in an unfavourable position… The last time I saw someone break her rules, it didn't end well for him. And she has the power to strike Chaldea directly." I turned to Artoria. "The barrier that separated me from the rest of you—that was her. She was already very powerful back when I was alive, and if she managed to get her hands on an artefact that could give her even more power, then… In any case, as long as we follow the rules, Mother won't attack you all directly."

"So that barrier was pretty much a warning shot?" Father asked, to which I nodded.

"Yeah. It was her demonstrating what exactly she's capable of. If she's able to do that with ease, who's to say that she won't try and kill your Master on the spot should anybody here break the rules?"

That question helped make clear what was at stake here, and why we couldn't just toss the strongest Servant we had at the problem. Once I saw the expressions on their faces shift to one of understanding, I continued.

"That's why it has to be me… The game began the moment I appeared in the Singularity. All of that was just so they could make the rules clear to me."

A few seconds of silence passed as everything we just spoke about sank in. The fact that the safety of their Master, Chaldea, and most likely the world, depended on a Servant who had never been summoned before now was probably as terrifying to them as it was to me. I knew how strong I was, however. No matter how many times it took, even if it took me a thousand tries, I would climb through Empyrean once more and confront the woman I called "Mother". It was after that where my confidence began to falter.

Even if I was certain in my strength, going up against Mother was a different matter entirely. Just how strong was she? Would I be able to beat her? Questions like that swam through my mind as I realised the full scope of the situation I found myself in.

Even as my doubts began to grow, Father, Artoria, and the other Knights of the Round Table held no such reservations about me. Father only responded with a simple question.

"You do know it's likely a trap, right?"

"…Yeah," I replied. "Even so, I have to go. I have to free them."

There were several reasons I had for walking into Mother's domain and playing her game willingly. One of them was the possibility of seeing my friends again, and freeing them from her control. If sending Meinir to meet me was supposed to be bait to get me to walk into that hell… Well, there was no way I could have resisted.

Knowing that I had very personal reasons for going through with this, and having no intention of trying to stop me anyway, the conversation naturally ended there. That was until a rather unsightly sound made itself known. The rumbling of my stomach reached the ears of those who sat with me, making my cheeks go red with embarrassment. I looked down at the table, refusing to meet anyone's eyes. I hear Artoria let out a small laugh and speak up.

"Archer, is the food ready yet?" she asked the man who went into the kitchen, the one called Emiya, with a friendly tone.

"Almost," he replied. "I've made you a portion as well."

Hmm? These two seem like they have history… Should I ask about it?

Before I could make a decision, the smell of the nearly finished food wafted from the kitchen and reached my nose, driving away all thoughts other than what was about to be put in front of me.

Ahh… Smells so good… I'm drooling…

I heard Father let out a good-natured laugh, and that's when I realised that what I thought I was saying in my head wasn't exactly in my head. My cheeks reddened further as I slammed a hand over my traitorous mouth. Beneath my hand, however, a small smile began to form.

Reuniting with my father after so long, in a way I never thought possible… It made the struggle to get here more than worth it.

⸻ ✦ ⸻

I walked over to Sion as Emiya began to bring out Melehan's meal. It was a very sizeable one as well. I saw garlic bread; roast chicken with a side order of chips and a small tub of tomato sauce; and a bowl of strawberry sundae. Of course, there was also food brought out for Artoria. As the plates and bowls were set on the table, I noticed that both Melehan and Artoria had similar starry-eyed looks on their faces at the food that was made for them, not knowing where to begin.

I let out a snort, covering my mouth to stifle my laughter. The resemblance was almost uncanny. If I didn't know better, I could absolutely believe that the two of them were related. Sion noticed my reaction and smiled.

"Careful, Ritsuka," she said amusedly. "Your thoughts are showing on your face."

I returned her smile and replied, "You try to watch this and not crack a smile. So, what do you think of your new Servant?"

Sion's gaze shifted to Melehan. Her smile making it rather clear what her opinion on her new Servant was.

"She's powerful, determined, and has a mouth filthy enough to make Jeanne Alter blush," she said, sounding as though she was trying not to laugh as she spoke that last part. Her expression softened a little as she continued, "And… Never mind. Yes, I'm incredibly happy with my new Servant."

I nodded and turned my attention to Melehan once more. She was happily digging into her meal, eating like she had been starving for weeks.

"So what are her stats looking like?" I asked. Each Master had the ability to see their Servant's parameters, their skills, their weapons, information about them, and their ultimate trump card—their Noble Phantasm. Being the Master of Chaldea, I had access to each and every Servant's stats, but Melehan wasn't my Servant. She's Sion's Servant, so I wasn't able to see this information for myself.

It was a novel feeling, looking at a Heroic Spirit and knowing absolutely nothing about them.

"Pretty high," Sion replied. "A for Strength, A for Endurance, A+ for Agility, A for Mana, D for Luck, and EX for her Noble Phantasm."

I whistled lowly. Very impressive. Those stats put her pretty much on par with Lancelot if we were comparing those who sat at the table Melehan was sitting at.

"What about her skills? Her Noble Phantasm?"

"That's the strange part," Sion said, her expression shifting into a neutral look. "There's a lot about Melehan's Saint Graph that's hidden to me. It's like… a dark mist is obscuring it. There's only a few things I can pick out. She has A+ Magic Resistance and B Riding, I can tell that much, but there's at least one other Class Skill that I can't make out. Even her alignment is hidden."

That's incredibly strange. I'm used to Saint Graphs revealing more about the Servant as they get stronger, but I've never experienced something like Sion is right now… The only exception is…

I shook my head, not wanting to entertain the possibility. I refused to speculate, not when we already had confirmation that she was who she said she was. Even so, Sion's words were concerning. Information like this is normally accessible to the Master from the get-go. To hear that Sion couldn't even see something like her Servant's alignment was enough to make me worry a little.

"At least two of her personal skills are visible, though," Sion continued. "She has Battle Continuation EX, and something called Demonic Archetype A+. She has two Noble Phantasms. The first is her own version of Clarent Blood Arthur, as I would have expected given her identity, and the other is obscured."

So she's very difficult to kill, that's good to know. Demonic Archetype is a new one, though. I've never seen this skill before. Wonder what it does…?

The ranks of a Servant's stats, skills and Noble Phantasms are a quick and easy way of gauging their strength. A+ is typically the highest, you sometimes see A++, but an EX rank is rather special. Seeing an EX rank means that the skill or Noble Phantasm in question falls outside of the ranking scale, and couldn't be quantified under that system. Essentially, it's in a league of its own.

If her version of Clarent is like her father's, then it's probably an A+ in terms of rank. So her other Noble Phantasm must be the one causing that parameter to be EX.

It's a safe assumption, but without any information on what it could be, we couldn't be certain. Before I could ponder on it further, Sion spoke once more.

"I suspect that Demonic Archetype has something to do with her proficiency with different kinds of weapons. Being able to switch her role in combat whenever she wants, or whenever I tell her to…"

"That's incredibly versatile," I said, a fist against my mouth. "Not many Servants can pull that off. The closest I can think of off the top of my head is one of Lancelot's Noble Phantasms—Knight of Owner."

A Servant able to fill many different roles despite her class. She's a perfect foil to Nemo, who was capable in combat himself but mostly kept to his role of piloting the Storm Border. The ideal Servant to stand by Sion's side and protect her. I had to wonder what the cause of Melehan's strength was. She wasn't particularly noteworthy in any rendition of King Arthur's story. She and her unnamed sibling were used as a way to tie up loose ends regarding Arthur's bloodline.

Who she was as she grew up, her actions and what she was thinking. Inconsequential, as far as those who recorded the legacy of King Arthur were concerned. More than anything, I was excited to learn just who Melehan Pendragon truly was. Looking at her, and the brief glimpses of the relationship between her and her sister, Melehan's history seemed to be rather messy.

"I wonder if she's a composite Servant like the Captain?" I asked aloud. It was a distinct possibility given Melehan's lack of presence in history that she had to be fused with another spirit in order to be summoned.

"There's definitely something mixed in there," Sion replied, her eyes darting to look at her new Servant. "I can't tell what it is, though. It's strange. Whatever it is, it's… taunting me, just out of reach, daring me to take a closer look. I won't pry too deeply, not until we have a better idea of what's going on."

"Do you think she knows?"

"I don't. Whatever it is I'm sensing, I don't think she's aware of it. I know I haven't been with Melehan for long, but I get the sense she's incredibly honest. She would tell me what it is if I asked her, but I suspect I already know what her answer will be."

…In that case, why…?

It was something I would just have to discover as we tackled the issue of the Singularity. We'll definitely have a chance to see what Melehan was capable of once the operation got underway. With that thought, I spoke up.

"I think it's time we show her the box that the Director was given," I told her. After a moment, Sion nodded and walked over to Melehan, who was finishing the last of her food. She looked happy and content now that her belly was full.

"The Director was given something by a girl with blond hair and red eyes. A box," Sion told Melehan, whose expression darkened slightly. "Is she…?"

"Seren…" Melehan whispered, pain in her tone. "So they're all…" She stood up, a determined look crossing her burning crimson eyes. "Take me to it."

Melehan turned to Artoria and the others, giving a quick nod, saying that she'll be back soon before following Sion, myself, and the others through the halls of the Storm Border.

As we exited the cafeteria, the first thing I noticed were the two broken windows. I recalled hearing the sound of shattering glass before Melehan broke through the door, and turned to her. She had an embarrassed look, scratching the back of her neck.

"S-Sorry about that, and the door, and the wall," she said. "I was thrown out that window by the demon horde. Had to fly back in through the other one."

I let out a giggle. Given the circumstances, I didn't think many would blame her for a little damage that could easily be repaired, and I told her as much. Wasn't sure about the Captain's opinion on the matter, but I didn't think he would make too much of a fuss. This ship had been through far worse, after all. We continued down the corridor, passing by several Servants who looked at Melehan with some level of recognition. If I had to guess, she passed by them as she was making her mad dash to where I was.

Eventually, we arrived at the cockpit where the Captain awaited us. He turned as we entered and saw Melehan. The two approached one another.

"So you're Sion's new Servant?" Nemo asked with his usual neutral expression. Melehan nodded.

"I am. Melehan Pendragon, Lancer. I heard your voice as I was running through the corridors, thanks for the help."

"It was no trouble. Rider, Captain Nemo, but you can call me Nemo," he replied, stretching out his hand towards Melehan. "It's good to meet you, Melehan."

Melehan took hold of Nemo's hand, giving it a firm shake.

"Likewise." Melehan's head moved slightly, perhaps averting her eyes from Nemo's. "Sorry about the damage to your ship."

"Barely a scratch," Nemo immediately replied, taking a step back from Melehan. "Now, let's get down to brass tacks. You're here about the box that Director Goredolf received from that girl?"

"Yes," I replied, moving forward to address him. I quickly saw something sitting on one of the nearby countertops. Melehan and I approached it together, seeing that it was exactly as Holmes described it. A melancholic look crossed Melehan's face, her gloved hand tracing the three robed figures embracing the image of her, her fingertips hovering over the angelic woman.

"I know what this is," Melehan said after a while, picking the box up. The slight sound of something sliding indicated that there was something inside the box. "You haven't opened it, have you?"

"No," Nemo responded. "Holmes suggested we don't until we had a better idea of what it was."

Melehan chuckled and brought the box closer to her, almost like she was embracing it.

"It's nothing sinister," she said. "It's just a box that Alyssa made for me a long time ago… It was a gift. She was always good at making things…" Melehan smiled softly.

Curious… I should ask about it when I get the chance.

Gripping the box tightly, Melehan looked towards me.

"Let's take this to the cafeteria," she said. "Probably best we don't use what's likely in here around all these…" Melehan looked around curiously at the various consoles and holographic projections around the room. "Sensitive looking things. Besides, Mother will be expecting an audience for this game…" Her expression darkened slightly. "I know her. She wants everyone to watch me fail over and over, die over and over. Make it clear that you can't stand against her… Force you to submit."

"Nothing new when it comes to Chaldea," I told her with a smile. Person with a Holy Grail who wished to use its power to further their own ambitions—a rather common occurrence. "I think your Mother is underestimating both you and us."

"That's the thing," Melehan replied, a worried look slowly forming on her face. "I don't think she is. And if you're right, and she is holding back, then why…?" She looked down at the box in her hands, her gloved fingers gently rubbing the figures in the stained glass image.

The light in her eyes began to fade slightly, like she wasn't completely in the present. Whatever she experienced in that place way back then clearly had an effect on her. Enough that the idea of going through that hell again, knowing that who awaited her at the end was her "mother", had her beginning to doubt herself.

Is she okay…?

I didn't know exactly what was troubling her, but the emotion on her face was clear to everyone present. She was terrified. The totality of what was being asked of her seemed to hit Melehan at this moment, threatening to paralyse her. As I moved to help her, Sion reached her first, gently placing her hand on Melehan's shoulder.

The light returned to Melehan's eyes as she looked up at Sion, who smiled at her.

"You've got this," Sion said. "And you won't be alone in there. I'll be here, supporting you every step of the way, as well as everyone else. After all, it's only fair. Our singular Servant, supported by Chaldea, versus their army of demons, supported by their singular leader. The odds are more even than it seems."

"…It's still in their favour," Melehan replied, her voice steady. "They have the other members of the Court, as well as Mother's personal guard, and they're all rather strong…" A moment of silence before that confident grin I often saw on Mordred formed on her daughter's face. "Not as strong as me, though."

"You think you can beat them?"

"It's not a matter of if, but when. No matter how many times it takes, I'll make it to the top of Empyrean, that's a promise." Carrying the box with one hand, she brought out her spear and rested it on her shoulder. She flashed a smile towards us. "Besides, can't make an ass of myself in front of my first Master… That'd be a wee bit embarrassing."

I smiled as I noticed the red coating her cheeks. I was certain she would do well. She already made quite the impression on Sion, so she didn't need to do much to prove herself.

With the box in hand, we all began to make our way back to the cafeteria, as Melehan suggested. As we walked, Melehan spoke to us about various topics. Figuring that she was trying to stave off her nerves, we indulged her. She asked who were the ones Seren spoke to when she gave them the box.

"That would be Director Goredolf and myself," Holmes replied. "Sherlock Holmes, a Servant of Chaldea summoned under the Ruler-class. A pleasure to meet you, Melehan."

Melehan stared at Holmes strangely for a moment before she recovered, shaking her head.

"Nice to meet you too, Mr. Holmes… You were one of those who saw Seren, right? How was…?"

Holmes realised the question she was about to ask and answered before she could finish speaking.

"I didn't see her face, so I can only go off of what Director Goredolf has told me. Her demeanour can be best described as… lifeless. Doll-like, to be more specific. She didn't show much emotion, nor did she speak much beyond what she said when she handed the box to the Director."

A pained look shot across Melehan's features for a moment before it snapped back to a neutral look.

"…I see."

The rest of the walk back to the cafeteria was made in silence. When we entered, Melehan stopped for a moment. Her eyes went wide as she looked in the direction of the other Servants with absolute shock, but she quickly shook her head and walked over to the table where Artoria and the others sat. Sion and I walked over, standing beside Melehan as she quickly explained to everyone what the box was.

"As for its contents, well…" Melehan trailed off, gently opening the lid. She let out a soft sigh. "About what I expected." I took a look and there were only a few items in it. A pristine diamond, a square object wrapped in a white cloth, three earpiece looking devices, and a small disc-like object. "She wants us to set it up ourselves."

Melehan took out the three earpieces, tossing one towards me. I caught it clumsily, nearly dropping it before managing to keep a hold of it.

"For you," she told me, holding up one of the devices. "Put it in your ear like this." She demonstrated, putting the earpiece into her right ear. Following her example, I did the same. It fit perfectly in my earlobe, as if it changed its shape to do so. "If you need to speak to me while I'm in there, just tap the side. I'll be the only one who can hear you, so don't worry about being overheard. Well, not by anyone near me at least."

"We have our own communication devices, you know?" I pointed out, wondering why we needed to use these.

"Powerful?" she asked in return. I nodded affirmatively. "Difficult to intercept?"

"Yes⸻" I realised then exactly why she was asking these questions. "Oh…" It was obvious once you thought about it. So obvious I was surprised that I didn't catch onto it sooner.

"It's exactly as you're thinking," Melehan said. "The whole of Chaldea is a part of the game, and you're all subject to its rules. And one of these rules is that whatever moves we make, the Game Master has to be aware of them. After all, she can't ensure the game runs smoothly if there're cheaters going around her back."

She picked up the small disc-like object, pinching it between her fingers and examining it from all angles. After a moment, her face lit up in recognition.

"I know what you are," she whispered. "So that's how she…" Melehan walked a few steps away from the table, tossing the disc up and down in her hand. "In that case…" In a sudden flash of movement, she threw the disc-like object onto the wall opposite her. A large screen-like projection appeared as soon as the device was stuck onto the wall.

"A little device that can show what's going on in Mother's realm. I suppose the modern term for this would be a 'projector'," Melehan said. "She used it once before to watch the first game as it unfolded. And now she's giving you all the 'privilege' of doing the same."

The sarcasm is just dripping from her voice. Something tells me this won't be a pleasant reunion when she eventually makes it to the top.

She returned to the box and took the clothed object.

"Ritsuka, mind helping me with this?" she asked, walking over to the kitchen countertop opposite the table where she stood. Thinking nothing of it, I followed her. I quickly discovered that this wasn't the only reason she asked me specifically to help her. "That woman with the silver hair and the big hat. Who is she?" she asked, almost with a whisper, as if trying to avoid being overheard.

There was only one Servant in the room currently that fit that description.

"Marie Antoinette," I replied. "Rider-class Servant of Chaldea. She was one of the first Servants to have been summoned here, back during the Human Order Incineration Incident. She was actually the one who saved you with that gem shield, when that demon was about to strike you while you were on the floor. Why do you ask?"

"She… For a moment, I… Never mind. Remind me when I come back to thank her."

"You don't expect to get through this on your first go?"

Melehan laughed softly and shook her head.

"Not a chance," she replied. "As I said before, she expects me to die over and over. And with the way this is being set up, death is inevitable at some point. This—" She pointed to the clothed object. "—if I'm correct, will be my way into Mother's domain, as well as my way back when I bite the dust. No doubt they have a myriad of creative ways to kill me up their sleeve."

"…Your mother sounds completely sadistic."

"She's many things, but sadistic ain't one of them. At least, she doesn't believe herself to be. Every decision is carefully made in service of her grand vision. That's what she told me the night after the first game… She wouldn't be doing this if it didn't serve her goals in any way, and not if there wasn't a chance of it succeeding."

She unwrapped the clothed object, revealing it to be a device of some sorts. I couldn't tell exactly what it was, only that it was likely meant to do what Melehan said it would—act as the gateway to where this "game" would take place.

"Whatever she's up to, no matter what I may face in there," Melehan continued, "I'm going to make them work for every single kill they get on me. If she thinks I'll just roll over and submit to her, she's a bigger idiot than I thought."

"We," I corrected her. "You won't be fighting her alone. As Sion said, we'll be here to back you up. And not just her—me; Mash; da Vinci; Director Goredolf; Holmes; all the Servants here. Anything we can do to help, we will."

"…I know," Melehan said with a small smile. "Speaking of your Servants." She moved closer to me, dropping her voice to a whisper once more. "Middle table, second from the right. That gorgeous pink-haired woman. Who is she?"

That tone of voice implied many things. And when those things involved the Servant Melehan was asking about, few of them were wholesome. Curious about Melehan's interest in her, I answered the question.

"That would be Medb, she's also a Rider." I said, looking in her direction. Medb was still chatting with Skadi. About what, I couldn't say, but I could have sworn I saw Medb glance in our direction a few times. "The best word I can use to describe her is 'dangerous'."

"Wouldn't be the first troublesome woman I've dealt with," Melehan said with a chuckle. "Besides, I like dangerous." She smiled and winked at me. Her coquettish expression then shifted into a more curious one. "Oh, wait… Is she even into women…?"

"She isn't picky when it comes to her choice in partners," I told her carefully. "She has made that rather clear. Many times."

"…So you're saying I have a chance?"

I smacked her arm lightly, managing to stop myself from laughing but not from cracking a smile.

"Back to work," I lightly scolded her, to which she raised her hands in mock surrender.

"Sorry, sorry, got distracted," she replied, turning her attention back to the device. She looked around the room briefly. "Where's a good place to set this up? Hmm… There." She grabbed the device and walked over to the wall that was damaged from her battle, placing it on the ground and messing with a few knobs and buttons.

She stopped suddenly. Though I couldn't see her face, I could see Melehan hesitate to push what I assumed was the last button. Sion walked up and stood beside me, curious about what her Servant was doing. Melehan turned to face the two of us.

"I push this button, and we all become a part of her game," Melehan said. "Chaldea will be chained to Empyrean, becoming part of it, and the only way we'll be able to free ourselves is if we defeat her… Last chance to stop me."

The implication was clear. If we wanted to explore other options, now was the time to do so. Sharing a glance with Sion, it was clear that we had the same opinion. Everyone else in Chaldea did as well, we knew this for a fact. I shook my head.

"The choice was made for us the moment Meinir told us about what your mother possessed," I told her. "Besides, this is nothing new to us." I looked towards the groups of Servants that had gathered in the cafeteria. Many of them looked on curiously at what Melehan was doing and heard what she said. None of them looked particularly worried. Looking back at Melehan, I gave her a small smile. "So what are you waiting for?"

After a few seconds, Melehan simply nodded and turned back to the device, hesitating for only a moment before she pushed the button. The device pulsed with a golden light before it opened up. Something began to materialise from thin air, what it was quickly becoming apparent: a large mirror. It was quite an ornate mirror, too; the rim entirely made of gold. It looked like one of those mirrors you would find in a castle or, indeed, a mansion.

The mirror finished materialising with Melehan standing in front of it. She seemed surprised by her appearance, touching her face with her gloved hand for a second. The glass suddenly cracked as she stared at her reflection, making her jump back. The cracks spread across the glass, making Melehan's reflection more and more distorted. The glass exploded outwards before being sucked inwards, towards the dark portal that resided within. Many broken shards floated around the portal, left suspended in the air.

A strange sensation washed over us, like we just crossed an invisible barrier. Sharing a brief glance, Sion and I moved to stand beside Melehan, who was staring silently at the portal.

"Are you alright?" I asked her. After a moment, Melehan nodded.

"Yeah… I haven't seen this thing since I was a child. I never thought I would have to go through it again, let alone as a Servant… I should talk to Father before I go."

Melehan walked over to the table where Mordred and the others still were.

"I'll go and make sure everything is ready," Sion said. "I don't want to leave many things to chance while she's in there. Now that we're connected, we can start figuring out exactly what Melehan's walking into, though I already have my suspicions."

"Oh, care to share?"

"Nothing concrete. I'll know for certain once she gets there."

With that, Sion turned and walked to da Vinci and Holmes, who were in the middle of discussing something with Goredolf. I looked around at the Servants in the cafeteria. Most of them stared curiously at the mirror, some—notably Morgan and Mash—looked towards Melehan, and many were talking amongst themselves about what was to come. One of them, however, was trying to get my attention.

Once she managed to catch my eye, Medb waved at me, motioning for me to go to her. I did so, wondering what it was she wanted.

"The new girl looks nervous," she said once I was close enough to hear her above the other Servants. "Is she okay?"

"She'll be fine," I replied. "She's just understandably uneasy at the thought of going up against her so-called mother as well as her friends."

"I see… Skadi said that there's something unusual about her. She doesn't know what, but she's getting an uneasy feeling. The thing is, she's also certain that not even Melehan knows about it."

I glanced towards Skadi, who gave a silent nod in response.

Skadi's also noticed? What in the world is going on…?

"We don't think she'll be a danger to us, but… Keep an eye on her, Master. We don't want you to get blindsided by anything unexpected."

"I'll keep that in mind… What do you think of her, Medb? I saw you glancing at us a few times, so I know you've been watching her."

"Absolutely gorgeous," she immediately replied. "Wild, violent, strong… Exactly the kind of person I would enjoy having beneath me."

This was a horrible idea. I just knew it. But seeing as how they were both interested in the other, why not let this play out? This car crash was inevitable, so might as well let it happen quickly and hopefully minimize the damage.

"…That interest goes both ways," I told her. "Melehan asked about you. She thinks you're gorgeous as well, and said that she likes 'dangerous women'."

And with that, I had sealed Melehan's fate sometime in the distant future. Seeing the dark smile on Medb's lips, I was certain she would act on the desires that were written clear across her face at some point.

I hope you know what you're getting yourself into, Melehan…

⸻ ✦ ⸻

I tapped the countertop lightly with my fingertips as I waited for Master to finish speaking with Holmes and that young girl they called da Vinci. There were some things we needed to talk about before I entered Mother's domain, and if we put it off until later it could come back to bite us in the ass. There was no way I was going to burden Master with any surprises about myself if I could help it.

Soon enough, I felt her presence beside me.

"Master," I greeted her with a neutral tone.

"I take it you've noticed it as well, Melehan?" Sion asked. I nodded affirmatively.

"Yeah. Parts of my Saint Graph are incomplete. Several of my weapons are missing, and I can't use my second Noble Phantasm—I can't even remember what it's called. Pain in my ass."

"Do you have any suspicions?"

"Well, if I have to guess, it happened when Mother dragged me into the Singularity. I wouldn't put it past her to be able to do that, if she was able to drag me away from Chaldea without any issues. I'll probably regain those missing pieces as I progress."

"It's a safe bet… How are you feeling?"

"Better now, knowing that you'll be nearby, even if it is just as a voice in my head. Here, by the way." I handed Master the last of the communication devices that were in the box. She took it without question.

I tilted my head slightly to look at my Master, who was in the middle of putting the device in her ear. Her appearance certainly gave the impression of someone who used their brain more than their might—though if she tried to claim that she wasn't strong, I would have called her a liar without a moment's hesitation.

"That's good. You know, I was unable to gleam much information from your Saint Graph. A lot of it looks like a black mist to me. Makes me wonder what kind of strength you're hiding."

I let out a snort, turning to look at her fully.

"You're one to talk, Master."

In response, she smiled and placed a finger against her lips. Whatever power she possessed, she was determined to keep it secret for now. And as her Servant, I would abide by her wishes. I was just happy that my first Master was a strong woman. Despite our opposing demeanours, we were incredibly compatible with each other. Probably because of our similar natures. Whatever it may be, I knew that I was in safe hands with Sion. It was why I also felt comfortable talking to her about this.

"…There are many parts of my memory that are missing, Master," I said. "Things that I feel like I should know but don't. And it's making me more than a little nervous."

Sion looked at me with confidence. Strange, I thought, to have such a reaction after hearing something like that.

"We'll figure that out as we go," she told me. "I trust you, Melehan. Whatever we discover about you, that won't change."

The realisation that—despite my being a new Heroic Spirit, the unusual situation we found ourselves in, and the missing parts of myself—Sion trusted me completely made me let out a soft sigh. I smiled lightly at my Master.

"…See you when I get back?"

Sion nodded.

"I'll contact you as soon as you arrive," she replied before moving to speak with Ritsuka. Taking a deep breath, I turn to face the portal. My first mission as a Heroic Spirit, my first time working with my Master. It was exciting, and nerve-wracking. I wondered for a moment if that feeling was normal, if everyone felt the same way the first time they were summoned. That was when I saw Father approach with a smile. We stared at each other for a moment in silence before she pulled me in a hug. I, of course, immediately reciprocated.

"Give them hell," she said. "And if you end up getting killed, take a few of them down with you. Your so-called 'mother' made one stupid mistake throughout all of this. And that's letting you get to Chaldea. Now, you're ready to kick her ass and send her packing back to whatever hole she crawled out from. Don't let them win without a fight."

…A rebellious Pendragon fighting against their own parent to the death… Mother was right about one thing. History can sometimes be a flat circle.

I stepped back, summoning Clarent and resting it on my shoulder with one hand. Flashing a confidant smile at my father, I responded, ready for what was awaiting me on the other side of that mirror.

"Wasn't planning on it, Father."

---

- Author's Note -

So this took a while. I didn't plan to take so long, but I caught a bug that pretty much took me out for the past few weeks. I'm just starting to feel close to 100% again, but I've been chipping away at this, and it has become a behemoth of a chapter before I knew it. Once again, far larger than I intended. I feel that the amount of story I'm giving here is fair, however, given how long it's taken me to update. I even took the time to make small updates to the other two chapters, to make them more consistent with what I have in mind for the story.

Hopefully back to a regular schedule come the next chapter, but no guarantees until that happens. Until then, however, I hope you've enjoyed this chapter, and I'll see you in the next chapter—where our unlikely hero has to contend with the first "stage" of her Mother's game.

Oh, and Happy Pride Month to you all. Appropriate that the updates will be picking up around now, given the amount of women loving women that will be happening.