Are You…?
Caster clicked his tongue in frustration. "Great, as if dealing with Archer wasn't bad enough, but now I have to deal with that monster as well?"
Ever since Berserker showed up, the entire battle devolved into chaos. The colossal Servant didn't even give Caster or Archer any time to react before he started to attack both of them at the same time. It just became one giant free-for-all battle, and Caster was having trouble keeping up with who to attack next.
The blue haired Servant quickly ducked as Berserker swung at his head, and deflected two arrows shot by Archer. "Hey buddy, don't you think we should take care of him first?!"
"And why would I do that, when I can just get rid of you both once and for all?" Archer countered. The white haired Servant made his point by shooting at Berserker next, angering the large man. Berserker ran towards Archer, but the white haired Servant smirked and moved out of the way in time to-
WHACK
Archer grunted as Caster smacked his back with his staff. The blue haired Servant was about to strike again, but he and Archer had to move out of the way as Berserker launched himself towards them, slamming his axe-sword at where the two Servants once stood previously. Caster launched shards of ice at Berserker, but it didn't seem to phase the larger Servant. Instead, it seemed to irritate him.
"Oh you have got to be kidding me!"
Berserker roared and leapt towards the blue haired Servant, but Caster was ready this time. The earth surrounding Berserker glowed a light blue as Caster's runes started to activate. A great explosion knocked Berserker back a bit, causing him to land on the ground on his back a few feet from Caster.
"Okay, now to finish-" Caster didn't have time to finish that sentence. Archer fired another round of arrows at him and the knocked down Berserker, causing Caster to deflect as many projectiles from hitting him. He continued to use his staff to block incoming arrows, but found an opening and leapt into the air. Caster now had to figure out a way to end the fight quick in order to help the Chaldeans in the cave. The blue haired Servant smirked. There was a way to do so, but he had to play his cards right.
Caster decided to alter his trajectory, and landed on the temple grounds. The leylines emanating beneath him made him chuckle. This is definitely going to work, he just needed the necessary players. Thankfully, Berserker wasn't patient and leapt into the air, his weapon in hand. The crazed Servant slammed his axe-sword where Caster once stood, and didn't have enough time to react as Archer shot arrow after arrow into his back. Berserker roared in anger as he broke the arrows off his body, and swung his weapon towards the white haired Servant.
Archer ducked and shot an arrow again, this time at Caster. The blue haired Servant shot a fireball at the projectile, incinerating it. Caster then decided to do something drastic, he shot a volley of ice shards at Archer, while shooting a single, yet large, fireball at Berserker.
Archer stared at Caster with a baffled look. Why would he try to pin him down instead of Berserker? That crazed animal was more of a threat than he was, so he should be trying to keep him out of the fight. So why would he-
Archer's eyes widened as Berserker roared in anger as the ball of flame hit him. The larger Servant threw his axe-sword at the white haired Servant, causing Archer to duck out of the way. This was a mistake as Berserker charged at Archer, and nearly grabbed him to crush the white haired Servant. Thankfully, Berserker was knocked back by what looked like a pillar of light. Archer turned to see Caster smirking at the larger Servant.
"Sorry buddy, but you probably should have paid more attention to who was behind you." Caster said playfully. The blue haired Servant chuckled as Berserker glared at him and launched his axe-sword at Caster. Caster jumped out of the way in time not only from the Berserker's attack, but from an arrow shot by Archer.
Caster retaliated against the white haired Servant by firing more pillars of light at him and Berserker. The white haired Servant dodged and rolled out of the way as the projectiles hit the ground with extraordinary force. What were these things? He didn't have time to formulate a plan as Berserker and Caster attacked him on opposite sides. Archer clicked his tongue. This was definitely not what he had in mind a few hours ago. He attempted to side step so the two Servants could slam into each other, but his eyes widened as he felt something take hold of him.
He looked down in shock as he realized Berserker managed to grab him and Caster. The large Servant brought his two adversaries close to his face, causing Archer and Caster to look at each other as they struggled to break free. Their efforts came to a halt as Berserker roared into their faces, and threw Archer into one of the shrines in the temple. Berserker then threw Caster towards the main shrine, but unlike Archer, who landed on his back and was now dazed, the blue haired Servant used a rune to brace for impact, softening the blow as he crashed into the building. Caster quickly got up and cracked his sore neck.
"Yeah, I'm definitely going to be feeling that for the next few summons." He mumbled. He returned his attention towards Berserker and Archer, who slowly got up from his position. The blue haired Servant smirked. Caster cast a small chant, and set his staff ablaze. The flaming staff caught the attention of the two other Servants, and readied their weapons. It was almost time to end this.
The three Servants charged at each other without uttering a shout. The first to attack was Berserker, who swung his axe-sword at the other Servants, but they slid under his weapon. Archer shot five morphed arrows into Berserker's side while Caster smacked the large Servant while he was distracted and jumped out of the way as Archer shot two arrows at him next. Berserker swung at Archer again, but the white haired Servant was prepared. Archer shot at Berserker's feet to try and slow him down, but had to move quickly as Caster swung his flaming staff at him. The blue haired Servant twirled his staff overhead and was prepared to strike at Archer, but Berserker caused them both to move out of the way again as he swung his humongous weapon down upon them.
The crazed Servant was rewarded with an arrow and a shard of ice into his eyes, courtesy of Archer and Caster respectively. The now blinded Berserker roared in anger, swinging his weapon wildly out in front of him. Archer was about to fire at the large Servant, but Caster stopped him with a kick to the jaw. Archer growled as he launched a barrage of arrows at the blue haired Servant, but Caster chuckled as he slammed his staff on the ground beneath him, activating the runes beneath his feet, erecting a barrier to surround himself . Archer's arrows curved around the barrier, and made their way to Berserker. The blind Servant roared again, and ran towards the source of where he was shot.
Caster turned around and dispelled part of the barrier causing Archern to look at him with a flabbergasted expression. "What the hell are you doing?"
"You'll see!" Caster answered. The blue haired Servant tossed his flaming staff into his left hand, as he reared his right arm back and made a small, yet quiet, incantation. A shining light appeared in his right hand, causing Archer to raise an eyebrow. How could that stop Berserker? His question was answered as the light took the shape of a spear that Caster gripped tightly. Archer's eyes widened. That was the same light that he saw earlier! Caster aimed at Berserker, and threw the pillar of light at Berserker. Archer watched with bated breath to see if the blinded Servant could finally be taken down. Unfortunately, it would seem like luck wasn't on anyone's side. Berserker must have sensed something coming his way, and dodged the attack, and continued to run towards them.
"Well that didn't work." Archer said as he took aim at Caster. "I'll spare you the agony of dying to Berserker, and kill you myself then."
Caster smirked. "Don't be too hasty now you fool."
Archer lowered his bow in confusion. Don't be hasty? Why would he-
His eyes widened as he saw the pillar of light turn around and flew closer and closer to Berserker at blinding speed. Berserker was about to raise his hand to swing wildly, when the pillar finally hit its mark, and pierced his chest. Berserker did not move for the longest time, before slumping to his knees. Caster slowly walked towards the blind Servant out of caution. The moment he reached him, he tapped him with his flaming staff to get a response. Berserker didn't react, Caster decided to be safe than sorry, and used another pillar of light to pierce Berserker's chest again.
The blind Servant did not move. Caster exhaled sharply at the realization that Berserker was finally dead. He turned to where he saw Archer, but the white haired Servant was not there. Where could he have-
Caster chuckled lightly as he jumped away as an arrow whizzed passed his face. He turned to his left and saw Archer standing there with his bow drawn.
"How did you do that?" Archer asked.
Caster shrugged. "I just used a spell to replicate a special spear, nothing more."
Archer fired another arrow, but Caster batted it away with his flaming staff. He charged at the white haired Servant with a serious expression and lunged at his opponent. Archer jumped back a step and tried to fire another arrow, but Caster didn't give him much room to maneuver. Caster swung his staff like a spear, keeping Archer on his toes. The blue haired Servant swung his staff downward to hit Archer on his head, but the white haired Servant blocked it with his bow, and used its momentum to deflect it entirely. He kicked Caster in the chest, before smacking his jaw with his bow causing the blue haired Servant to stumble.
After regaining his bearings, Caster activated two more runes to protect himself from Archer's volley of arrows. However due to the arrows being so close, the shield wasn't able to fully form and one of the arrows broke through, nearly hitting Caster in the right eye.
"Nice try, but if you think you can blind me to gain an advantage, you're dead wrong." Caster said with a smirk.
"I wasn't even trying, though that would've been a good outcome." Archer retorted. The white haired Servant fired another arrow, but Caster set up another rune barrier to stop it, irritating Archer. The white haired Servant clicked his tongue as he charged at Caster with his bow drawn. If he couldn't do this at a distance, might as well shoot him at point blank.
That decision nearly cost him as he saw the ground beneath him light up. He looked down and saw runes starting to activate. "Seriously? You can't think of anything original?"
Archer jumped into the air as the runes exploded. The white haired Servant smirked at escaping such an-
SLAM
Archer grunted as his back slammed against something hard, causing him to fall to the ground. How was that possible? There wasn't supposed to be anything up here, and Berserker was still dissolving into dust! Archer looked up and cursed in frustration. Above him were blue intricate runes. It would seem that Caster was blocking all routes for him to maneuver. Archer landed on his feet and glared at the grinning Caster.
"When did you set these up?" Archer asked.
Caster shrugged. "Does it really matter?"
Archer clicked his tongue in anger. This guy was seriously pissing him off now. He gripped his bow tighter before Caster wagged a finger at him.
"Come now, let's settle this like men. Up close and personal."
Archer raised an eyebrow before chuckling. "Fine by me."
The white haired Servant dematerialized his bow and summoned his swords back into his hands. Caster twirled his flaming staff in his hands, and charged at Archer. The two Servants clashed, and tried to overpower the other. Archer used the sword in his left hand to swing low, and attempt to cut Caster's leg off, while using the one in his right to slice Caster's eyes, but the blue haired Servant used the ends of his staff to block both strikes and went on the offensive. Archer dodged all in coming strikes, and swung downward when he thought Caster left himself open. The blue haired Servant spun out of the way and slammed the butt of his staff into Archer's back. The white haired Servant hissed in pain as he felt the flaming staff leave his back, having singed part of his shirt and burned a part of his back. Archer growled and threw his blades at Caster, who swiped them away from him before sidestepping as Archer swung down at him with two new swords he materialized. Caster took the opportunity to attack Archer, but the white haired Servant rolled to the side and rushed towards him.
Archer swung upward with his right hand, and down with his left. Caster blocked both attacks, but that was what Archer wanted, as that gave him an opening to slip behind Caster, and bring his blades near his throat.
"Looks like it's checkmate." Archer said as if in triumph.
"Don't get ahead of yourself." Caster replied. "You haven't won yet."
"Oh really, then how did I manage to get you into this position?"
Caster chuckled. "Well you need to be paying more attention to your surroundings."
Archer shot an unamused glance. "I think that applies to you more than me. Observe."
Caster grunted as Archer pierced his back with his swords. The blue haired Servant stumbled, causing Archer to smirk. "And with that, I win."
"I wouldn't be too sure about that."
Archer's eyes widened as Caster's skin darkened, and became wood. He watched in shock as Caster, now shirtless, came out of the wooden form with his own smirk. "Surprised?"
"How did you-"
"Simple." Caster said as he jumped into the air and landed on the roof of the main shrine. "That's a part of my Noble Phantasm."
"Noble Phantasm?" Archer's eyes widened as a large rune appeared beneath his feet. He looked at Caster in shock. "When did you set this up?"
"I did this while you were busy fighting Berserker. I should really thank you for providing a distraction for me. Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to beat you at this very moment."
Caster raised his staff. Flames surrounded Archer causing him to try and shield his eyes from the intense heat.
"Wicker Man!"
Archer grunted in pain as a giant wooden hand shot up from the ground, and grabbed him tightly. He could only stare at Caster as the grip tightened. Caster looked at Archer with a calm and serene expression, before turning his attention to Berserker, who was finally starting to return to the throne of heroes.
"You know, I'm not really one for vengeance." He said bluntly. "In fact, she was going to die regardless because of the War. But I will say this: This is for killing Boudicca."
Archer gave one last grunt as the wooden hand crushed him completely. Caster watched as both Archer and Berserker finally dissolved into golden dust, and vanished into thin air. The blue haired Servant sat down and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Well, that was harder than I expected." He said calmly. "I guess I should rest up before-"
A powerful quake caused him to stand up. He looked around trying to figure out the source, only to click his tongue in irritation. Saber was unleashing her Noble Phantasm.
"Guess I don't have time for a break." Caster said as he ran towards the cave. "I hope I can make it in time."
The five Chaldeans couldn't move as Saber charged her mana more and more. Mashu was frozen in terror as Saber's calm, unmoving expression etched itself into her soul.
"Vortigern, Hammer of the Vile King, reverse the rising sun."
Everyone stared as mana started to surround the blade, turning the air into a larger version of the sword itself.
"Swallow the light."
Mashu gasped as she looked back at the two Masters and director, she was their only defense. She slammed her shield towards the ground and closed her eyes, ready to protect them from Saber's Noble Phantasm.
"Time to end this fight once and for all." Saber said calmly. She tightened her grip on her sword, and took a deep breath.
"Excalibur….Morgan!"
Saber swung her blade up to the sky. A massive beam of mana burst forth, barreling towards the Chaldeans. Mashu gripped her shield tightly and opened her eyes, brimming with determination.
"Deploying Noble Phantasm….Lord Chaldeas!"
Mashu's shield released its barrier to surround her, and repel the blast. But the moment Saber's Noble Phantasm hit, Mashu nearly crumpled from the sheer weight of the strike itself. The wave of mana kept pushing her back further and further. She looked up, and saw that the barrier was wavering. Ritsuka and Tatsuko could only look on in horror as their friend started to strain against the attack. The male Master looked at his Command Spells, and nodded at Tatsuko.
Mashu continued to be pushed back by the beam. She was struggling, but she was determined to stop the Noble Phantasm, even if it meant her own death. Her feet soon began to shake as her Noble Phantasm started to wane and buckle. Her eyes widened in horror as she realized the grim truth.
She can't hold it back. Saber's Noble Phantasm will overwhelm her.
"I'm not going to let you lose!"
It was at this moment that Mashu turned to see Ritsuka and Tatsuko running towards her. The male Master's eyes made her heart skip a beat, and she looked at him and the female Master in concern. "Get back! You both need to run!"
The two Masters continued to run towards her purposely ignoring her comment. She saw Ritsuka raise his right hand, and put it on her left shoulder, while Tatsuko took her right.
"We're right here with you Mashu!" Tatsuko shouted. "We're not running while you're risking your life for ours!"
The lilac haired girl's eyes widened as Ritsuka activated his second Command Seal.
"I proclaim with this Command Spell!" He said loudly.
Mashu stared at him in surprise as he looked at her with utmost confidence. "I don't care how frightening it is. I don't care if she's some king! All that matters now is that we're here for you! Mashu, show this person what you're truly made of!"
Mashu's eyes widened as she felt a surge of newfound strength resonate within her. She could do this! No, she WILL do it. Mashu gave a soft smile as her Noble Phantasm started to strengthen once more.
"Thank you Senpai. Thank you Tatsuko."
The two Masters smiled at her. Their hands gripped her shoulders tightly to give her the necessary support. With a mighty roar, Mashu pushed forward, her resolve strengthened once more.
She continued to move forward with her friend's help. As they continued to hold out, the blast grew weaker and weaker. It was as if it was nearing its end. Saber raised an eyebrow in slight surprise. She was a little impressed that they managed to survive this long. But it might not matter for long, they would buckle so-
. Her eyes widened as she saw her own Noble Phantasm dissipate a second later. The young trio slumped to the ground in exhaustion as the Shielder's Noble Phantasm deactivated. The corrupted Servant exhaled sharply. They were clearly at their limits now.
"I must commend you." Saber said. "No one has ever survived my Noble Phantasm without getting a scratch before. You all have earned my respect. However, I think it is high time I finish you off."
Saber lunged at them, with her blade raised high. Mashu brought her shield forward to block the strike, but her arms nearly gave out. The next strike would probably kill them all, however, she then saw that Saber wavered for just a moment. Why was she-
"Wicker Man."
A wooden hand shot up from the ground and grabbed Saber. The corrupted Saber grunted as she, and everyone else turned to see Caster near the mouth of the cave. Saber coughed up blood as the wooden arm crushed the life out of her.
However, she didn't give in that easily. The corrupted Servant chuckled in defiance. "It would seem that my power was weakened. I stayed my hand at the last possible moment. I guess my fate will never change if I'm alone."
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?!" Caster shouted. "What do you know?"
Saber smirked as she started to dissolve into golden dust. "You will see soon enough."
Everyone stared at her in confusion, what did she mean?
"Grand Order," She said. "The battle to obtain the Holy Grail has only just begun."
Not a second later, Saber was no more, having vanished into thin air. Caster clicked his tongue in frustration. "What in the hell did she mean by-"
"Caster, I think you're returning too!" Tatsuko shouted. The blue haired Servant looked down and saw that she was right, he was beginning to disappear.
"Oh crap! Okay you guys, I'm leaving the rest to you! If there's a next time, summon me as a Lancer!"
The young trio waved as Olga stared at the scene with a calm expression.
"Thanks for all your help Caster!" Tatsuko said enthusiastically. The blue haired Servant gave her a playful mock salute before returning to the Throne of Heroes.
Mashu looked around and sighed. She slumped to the ground in exhaustion. "Confirming that Saber and Caster have vanished…..Wait, does this mean we won?"
Roman appeared on the comm again and smiled. "You sure did! Great job you guys! Director Olga must be…..wait where did she go?"
The young trio looked around and saw Olga walking up to them with a stern expression.
"Well, several points are unclear, but let's call this mission a success." She said calmly. "Let's search around for whatever caused this Singularity."
Mashu nodded. "Yes, we shall begin the-what?"
Everyone went silent as they heard the sound of clapping getting louder and louder. The four Chaldeans became very unnerved as it continued.
"Well well, I didn't expect any of you to get this far. This was beyond my plan's expectations and my own tolerances. Master Candidates 48 and 49. I made the mistake of overlooking you both as mere children."
Everyone turned in shock as they saw a familiar face before them. Olga smiled as she walked closer to the man.
"Professor Lev!"
Roman jerked up. "Lev! He's here too?!"
Lev looked at the communicator and raised an eyebrow. "It would seem you survived too Romani. I told you to come to the command room immediately, but it seems you didn't listen."
Mashu narrowed her eyes in suspicion.
"Honestly, your trash who can't even follow simple instructions. Why is it that humans always try to avoid their preordained destinies?"
Mashu gasped as Ritsuka and Tatsuko shot up, it was clear they felt it too. Something was very wrong here. The two Masters were about to run to Olga, but Mashu stopped them.
"No, don't!" Mashu said frantically. "That person is dangerous, he's not the Professor Lev we know!"
Olga did not hear that comment as she finally reached Lev. "I'm so glad you're alive, Professor."
"Hello Olga, you seem well." Lev said calmly.
"Director, get away from him!" Ritsuka shouted. "It's a trick!"
Olga looked back at the male Master in disbelief. "How can you say that?! With Professor Lev here, everything will be fine!"
"Director, you don't understand!" Tatsuko shouted.
"Be quiet, the both of you!" Olga shouted back. She turned back to face Lev with an anxious expression. "Oh Professor, everything went to hell in such a short time. The command room blew up, the city here is on fire, and I can't return to Chaldea!"
Lev nodded. "I see that must have been quite the ordeal."
Olga nodded. "You'll help us right?"
Lev nodded. "But of course Director! Honestly all these complications have been irritating me too."
Olga sighed a breath of relief as the trio watched in shock.
"And I'll start by getting rid of the biggest complication. You."
Olga stared at Lev in surprise. What did he mean by that?
"You seem confused. So allow me to explain." Lev said with an unsettling smile. "You see, I'M the one who set the bomb under your feet. And here you are, still alive."
Olga stared at him in disbelief. "What…..what are you talking about….?"
Lev chuckled. "Oh wait, sorry but you're not actually alive. You already died. Well your body did, but it seems that Trismegistus transferred you here after you kicked the bucket."
"I-I don't understand…."
Lev sighed. "You have no aptitude to Rayshift, remember? You can't teleport when you have a physical body. You merely gained it the moment you died!"
The young trio stared at the scene in shock. Director Olga was already dead? But that would mean she's…..
"You can't return to Chaldea, your consciousness will vanish if you do. But that is too sad a story for you. So let me show you the fate of the Chaldeas that you devoted your entire life to!"
Lev waved his hand, and the ground shook. Everyone shielded their eyes as a bright light erupted near the Greater Grail. The moment they lowered their hands, they stared at the object in absolute shock. It was like a giant red sun, its heat could be felt by the young trio and the director from where they stood.
"That's Chaldeas! But why is it bright red?!" Olga asked frantically. She turned to Lev with a frightened expression. "What did you do?"
Lev smiled sinisterly as he held a golden cup in his hands. "I merely connected the dimensions for you. Having the Holy Grail allows me to do that. Now, why don't you get a LITTLE closer?"
Olga gasped as she felt herself lift off the ground, and moved towards Chaldeas. "Wait, no, no please! Chaldeas is like a planet!"
"Well, more like a black hole or a sun. But either way, if someone touches it, they will face a hellish disintegration on the molecular level. So by all means, have a taste of infinite living death!"
The two Masters stared in horror as Olga was turned to face them. They could only look on as she started to break down as she reached her hand out to them.
"Please, help me!" She begged. "Someone, any one, save me!"
The trio could do nothing as tears streamed down her face.
"Please! I don't want to die here! I want to live! I've never been praised by anyone! No one ever valued me. They all hated me!"
Olga looked back for a second, and became more frantic as she saw her quickly getting closer to Chaldeas.
"No! Please stop! No, no, no, no, no….. I haven't accomplished anything yet…so please. Someone, anyone, I'm begging you…."
She started to sob as her foot was near the base. The trio's heart sank as they realized a terrifying truth. Even if they tried, they wouldn't be able to save her in time.
"SAVE MEEEEEEE-AGGGHHHHHHHHHH"
The Chaldean trio and Roman could only stare in shock and horror as they heard that blood curdling scream. They had to watch as Olga convulsed in pain as she started to touch Chaldeas. Her shrieks of pain and anguish nearly deafened their ears as she begged anyone to save her. Unfortunately for her, no help would come. She continued to scream her lungs out until…no sound came out. Her entire body was nearly engulfed in Chaldeas now. Only now, did her shrieks of pain stop, and her eyes glazed over as a single tear fell from her face. The last thing that the trio saw of her was her hand falling limp.
The trio could stare in horror as Olga was now completely submerged into Chaldeas while lev smirked. The traitor looked at them and his smirk turned into a sinister grin as he walked towards them.
"Now all that's left is to finish you off!"
Lev dashed towards them and leapt into the air. The young trio stared in shock as he loomed closer and closer. Mashu's heart beated faster and faster. They were going to die. Her new friends were going to-no, she would not have it. She would defend them!
"NO!" Mashu cried out. Her eyes widened as she quickly and instinctively got in between lev and the two masters and brought her shield up to protect them. Ritsuka and Tatsuko instinctively put their hands on her shoulders together so as to give her support, only for their command seals and Mashus shield to glow. A pillar of light erupted in front of them with the sound of thunder causing Lev's smile to fade and stop his attack. All four of them shielded their eyes as the pillar of light grew brighter, only to lower them as the light faded, revealing the source. The young trio stood there in shock, as Lev cursed as the Servant rose up and glared at the traitor.
"You!" He growled. The servant in question was a small woman who wore silver armor over a blue dress, her blonde hair was tied up in a proper bun, her green eyes showed no malice, but it was easy to see that she was not happy to see Lev. The most striking feature, however, was her sword. Its heavenly glow contrasted the flames surrounding the land making it even more striking.
"Of all the Servants, it had to be you!" Lev shouted. The Servant's gaze did not falter.
"I was given a warning that there were still people in danger, and I'm glad I heeded it." The Servant explained. "Now, begone. You will not harm these three as long as I am here to protect them. Go back from whence you came!"
Lev clicked his tongue in frustration. "And if I refuse?"
The Servant raised her blade and pointed at the traitor. "Then you will be fighting me. And I must warn you, unlike these three, I'm not exhausted or injured. You will be facing a fresh and fully rested opponent. So, what will it be, fiend?"
Lev growled as he walked closer to the servant. He was not afraid to fight her, but she already knew that. "You have a lot of nerve to speak to me like that, worm. I'll make you regret even coming here!"
The Servant smirked. "Is that so?"
Lev looked at her in confusion, only for his eyes to widen as a faint light surrounded him. The traitor glared at the servant with murderous intent. "You little- you were stalling!"
The Servant nodded as she planted her blade in the ground. "While I was serious about fighting you, I knew that you didn't have enough time here. So I decided to distract you long enough for your departure to occur."
"You damned Servant!" He growled. "You tricked me!"
"Just like how you tricked them from what I've heard. Now leave, and never return here."
Lev's smirk returned as he pointed a finger at the four people in front of him and laughed. "This isn't over. We will meet again!"
Not a moment later, Lev vanished into thin air. The young trio did nothing but stare in shock as the servant turned to face them. She gave a soft reassuring smile, but the three of them were a little on edge and she knew it.
"It's alright now. I'm not here to fight." She said calmly. The young trio stared at her with further suspicion.
"Sorry, but we fought someone who looked exactly like you, so forgive us if we aren't lowering our guards." Tatsuko said plainly.
The Servant nodded. "I know the three of you are nervous and scared right now, but I ask that you trust me."
The trio looked at the servant and to each other and nodded. Ritsuka got up slowly and looked at the servant and extended his hand.
"Okay, we'll trust you." He said politely. The servant smiled and shook his hand.
"I believe I should reintroduce myself," the servant said. "You probably already know this, but I am Artoria Pendragon, King of the Britons."
The trio nodded at her statement only to stare at her in slight uncertainty as she brought her blade to her side with a stern expression. "I apologize for this, but before we go any further there's something that must be done."
The three looked at Artoria in surprise as she took a deep breath and returned her gaze upon ritsuka and tatsuko.
"I ask of you, are you my Masters?"
The group stared at the Saber in silence. Artoria waited for their answer before the two Masters nodded.
"We are, but if it's the same to you, we'd like to treat you as a friend and colleague, not a Servant." Ritsuka answered.
Artoria smiled at the male Master and nodded. "I understand. I look forward to working with you both."
"Likewise Artoria." Tatsuko said. "We are-"
The ground started to shake causing the group to look around in shock. Roman checked the readings and gasped.
"Shit! The cave is about to collapse!" He shouted. "I'll get the emergency Rayshifts ready for all four of you, so hang on!"
Everyone nodded but Tatsuko gasped. From the corner of her eye, she saw the same golden cup that Lev held.
"Hang on, let me get the Grail first!"
The female Master grabbed it in time as the cave started to collapse. The female Master stumbled a bit, but Artoria managed to grab her. "I have you!"
"Thanks!"
As they started to run to the mouth of the cave, Mashu turned to Ritsuka with a frantic look as the roof of the cave started to fall towards them. The rocks hit around them, but did not hit them. They started to glow, but they didn't know if they would make it. The three girls made it safely as the glow started to bring them back, but Ritsuka nearly tripped, causing Mashu to gasp and reach out to him.
"Senpai! Take my hand!"
Ritsuka reached out, fumbled for a bit, but managed to grab the Shielder's hand. The four of them were then sucked into a dark void, as if they became unconscious.
Ritsuka groaned as he started to wake up. He could feel something lick his cheek, but his eyes were still heavy.
"Is that Fou licking me?" He asked. The male Master rubbed his eyes to wake up and saw the little critter on his shoulder. Fou continued to lick the boy, causing him to smile and rub his chin. He soon stopped as he realized where he was. He was back in Chaldea. He looked around, and saw the destruction caused by the bomb. The flames were gone, but the rubble made him completely frightened as he couldn't see anyone amongst the wreckage. He got up and looked around.
"Mashu?" He asked in concern. He ran towards the place he saw her before they Rayshifted, but she wasn't there. His eyes widened as he looked around the same area, but did not find her.
"Mashu?! Where are you?" He asked frantically.
"Senpai?"
Ritsuka turned around, and saw Mashu standing near a piece of rubble. The two teens looked at each other and smiled brightly. They ran to each other and pulled each other for a deep embrace. They stayed like that for what seemed like an eternity, before they felt a presence looming over them.
"GROUP HUG!"
The two teens opened their eyes, they were almost knocked to the ground as Tatsuko leapt in and wrapped her arms around them. The three teens laughed in disbelief as they held each other. The three of them continued to hold each other as their laughs died down. They needed to process the fact that they survived, and returned safe and sound.
"Ahem."
The trio's eyes widened in surprise. They turned to see Roman sitting on a piece of rubble with a gentle smile. "Good work you three. Despite the challenges, you managed to pull through."
"Thanks doctor. If I'm being honest, there were moments where I thought we wouldn't make it, but I kept going." Ritsuka replied.
"That's the determination we need during these moments." Roman turned to Mashu and smiled. "Mashu, words can't express how proud I am of you, the way you pulled through no matter what was impressive."
The young girl blushed slightly while trying to hide her face with her hands. "Doctor, that's embarrassing…"
Ritsuka and Tatsuko smiled at the cute sight. Roman turned to Tatsuko with a knowing look. "Tatsuko, you did well on retrieving the Grail."
"Ah it was nothing." Tatsuko said humbly. "I just thought it would be useful for later."
"And you were correct to do so."
The trio turned around to see Artoria standing behind them with a smile. "That thing was the source of this thing you call a Singularity. Because of your quick thinking, it should disappear."
Tatsuko pumped her fist in victory before Roman cleared his throat. "Well, we still have to deal with the fact that Director Olga is…."
The trio looked at him sadly. That's right, they couldn't save Olga from her terrible fate. Ritsuka and Tatsuko really wanted to talk to her more, so as to get to know her, but apparently it wasn't meant to be.
"We will have to grieve for her later." Roman said. "Right now, the best way to honor her memory is to defend humanity in her place."
The trio looked at each other and nodded as Fou leapt back onto Mashu's shoulder. Roman took a deep breath and looked at them with a concerned look. "I don't know how to tell you this, but I was scanning Earth with Sheba, and the situation isn't good."
The young trio looked at each other in surprise. How could things get any worse?
"Can you please explain Doctor Roman?" Mashu asked.
"Well you see, it's Earth from the past, not the future."
Mashu gasped. "The future must not have changed, just like Director Olga said in the briefing!"
Roman nodded. "Correct. And we have discovered new disturbances which make Fuyuki look like a walk in the park. They say you can try to change the future by altering the past, but that's not really true. History has a strange way of fixing itself. You can save a person or two, but the end of that era will still end up with its definitive result unchanged, and yet."
"Makes sense." Tatsuko said calmly. "If the past could be changed willy nilly, then everything would be thrown out of whack. Like for example if someone tried to kill Hitler or Stalin, then the future could be much worse."
Roman gave a small unamused glance at Tatsuko. "That's one way of putting it. Essentially, they are turning points for human history."
Ritsuka looked at Roman with a curious gaze. "You said that you found a few that are worse than Fuyuki right? How many of them are there?"
Roman turned to the boy and exhaled sharply. "Seven in total."
The trio stared at him in shock. There were SEVEN of these singularities?
"I know it sounds frightening, but we are the only ones who can fix this mistake. So here's what I propose. You guys Rayshift into these singularities, and get history back on track." Roman said. "However, I'm not going to lie to you, we are in a pretty bad situation."
"How bad?" Tatsuko asked. "There should be more Master candidates right?"
Roman shook his head. "No. They are frozen."
"Then it's just us then?" Ritsuka asked in disbelief.
"Yes, and furthermore, we only have two Servants, thanks to Artoria joining the fold."
"I see, so it looks like we have an uphill battle…." Tatsuko muttered.
"I know you two are being forced into this situation, but I'll still say it." Roman took a deep breath and looked at the two Masters straight in the eyes. "If you wish to save humanity, then you must go in alone, and fix these seven singularities. Can you do this? Are you prepared to shoulder this burden together with your Servants?"
Ritsuka and Tatsuko looked at each other for a moment, before nodding. They didn't have much choice, but they didn't care. They would not let humanity fall, they would save it, or die trying.
"Count me in." Ritsuka said calmly.
"Double for me!" Tatsuko said with a smile.
"Excellent." Roman said. "Now, to reflect on this, we shall name this mission…The Grand Order. We shall take back the future!"
"Okay, the mission name is cool and all…..but taking back the future? That sounds SO cliche and corny." Tatsuko said with a deadpan voice.
"Oh come on!" Roman shouted. "I was trying to be inspirational!"
"I commend you for trying, but you should probably have ended with the mission's title." Artoria said calmly. The trio turned to face her causing the Saber to widen her eyes.
"Oh, I almost forgot!" She exclaimed. "If we are to be working together, I should probably know your names."
The trio nodded. They almost forgot they never introduced themselves to the newest Servant.
"I am Ritsuka Fujimaru."
"I am Tatsuko Tachibana."
"And I am Chaldea's only Demi-Servant, Mashu Kyrielight."
Artoria smiled at them and nodded. She turned to Mashu with a calm expression. "Interesting."
"Pardon?"
Artoria shook her head. "It is nothing. You need not worry. I look forward to working with you all."
"Likewise." Ritsuka said as he extended his hand. The Saber took it and shook it. "So, now what?"
"Well for right now get some rest. And I mean all three of you. I'll see if we can get our summoning system working soon so we can get some help."
The two Masters looked at each other and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Looks like Mashu is going to have some help after all." Tatsuko said.
"Y-yes! I think that would be wonderful!" Mashu exclaimed.
"Well, in the meantime, you're all dismissed." Roman said. "Take the time to ask Artoria any questions you have about her reign if you'd like."
Tatsuko looked at the Saber with a serious expression. "Well I do have a question, and I'd like a definite answer."
"Ask away." Artoria said calmly.
Tatsuko pointed at her. "Can you please explain WHY King Arthur is a girl?!"
Everyone looked at her in shock. Artoria, on the other hand, could only sigh.
"It is a long, long story….."
MARCH 6th, 2015
"So, it seems like Roman got the summoning system to work."
Tatsuko nodded. "I can't wait to see who we summon! Oh, what if we summon Caster?!"
Ritsuka smiled. "That would be great!"
Mashu nodded."Yes, it would be nice to see him ag-oh we're here."
The trio opened the door, and were in awe at the interior. The room was the same color as the rest of the complex, but at the center of the room was a large round pedestal. To their left they saw what looked like a panel with a single lever. They walked up to it, and noticed something odd.
There were several slots with the same, odd shape. What in the world could-
"Oh there you are!"
They turned around and saw Artoria and Roman with someone else. It was a woman with brown hair and blue eyes. She wore a blue shirt with blue gloves and a red skirt. She wore a brown coat as well. In her right hand she held a staff with a strangely shaped crystal. It didn't take them long to notice that it looked similar to the slots in the panel. But what really drew their attention was her face. She looked familiar, but Ritsuka and Tatsuko didn't know why.
"Oh, hello Davinci!" Mashu said enthusiastically. "It's strange to see you out of the workshop."
"Davinci?" Ritsuka asked. "Wait…..as in Leonardo Davinci?"
"~Correct! I am Leonardo Davinci, but you may just call me Davinci." The woman said with a smile.
The two Masters looked at her in shock. They were certain she was someone else.
"Is something wrong?" Davinci asked.
"No, nothing. It's just that I didn't expect you to look like the Mona Lisa." Ritsuka said calmly.
"Well, I decided to redesign myself so I can match the ideal of beauty that I always desired." Davinci answered.
"I see, so you decided to base it off your most famous painting!" Tatsuko said.
"Bingo!"
The two Masters shrugged. If she could do that, then more power to her. Ritsuka looked at the woman and gasped. "Oh wait, then that means you're a Servant!"
"Caster class. Why?"
Tatsuko glared at Roman. "You said Mashu and Artoria are our only Servants! What the hell man?!"
Roman scratched the back of his head. "Davinci generally stays in her workshop, so technically you still only have two Servants."
Ritsuka nodded. "He's got us there Tatsuko."
The female Master pouted. "I feel robbed…"
"Oh don't be like that. As consolation, I have something for you two." Davinci gave her staff to Roman and walked up to the trio. She reached into her pocket and handed Ritsuka and Tatsuko rainbow colored crystals. They looked closer, and realized that they looked like the crystal in Davinci's staff.
"Are these for the panel?" Ritsuka asked.
Davinci nodded. "We call them Saints Quartz. This is what you can use for summoning Servants if you don't have a Catalyst."
"How many for one Servant?" Tatsuko asked.
"Well, it's not a complete guarantee that you will get one." Davinci answered. "You could summon a Catalyst instead."
"Really? That doesn't sound too bad." Ritsuka replied.
"Oh hush now, let's get to summoning!" Davinci exclaimed excitedly.
"Fair enough." Tatsuko answered. "Say, Artoria, you don't have to watch if you don't feel like it."
Artoria shook her head. "I'd like to see who gets summoned. Personally, I'm hoping either Sir Gawain or Sir Lancelot are the first ones, or even Sir Mordred."
"Really?" Ritsuka asked. "I thought you and Sir Mordred didn't-"
"It was more or less my fault, and let's leave it at that for now." Artoria answered. The male Master nodded and turned to Tatsuko.
"Shall we?" Tatsuko asked.
"Actually, why don't the three of us do it together?" Ritsuka answered.
Mashu stared at him in shock. "You want me to summon a Servant alongside you?"
Ritsuka nodded. "Yeah, I do."
"Oh that's a great idea!" Tatsuko exclaimed. "Let's do it!"
Mashu looked at Roman, as if asking for an answer. All she got from him was a smile and a nod of approval. The Shielder looked back at the two Masters and smiled. "Okay, I'm all set to go!"
The trio reached the panel, where Tatsuko put her first Quartz into a slot. They each put a hand on the lever, and pulled. Suddenly the entire room hummed to life. The trio looked to the center and gasped at the ethereal image appearing on the platform in front of them.
"Hey, that looks like the shield Mashu was using!" Ritsuka said.
"Oh wow it does." Tatsuko chimed. The trio became silent as several orbs of light came out of the shield, and started to spin in a single ring.
"Oh I wonder who we'll get!" Tatsuko said excitedly. Just as she said that, a great pillar of light erupted causing everyone to shield their eyes briefly. The moment the light subsided, they lowered their arms, and were confused at what they saw.
"What the hell are those things?" Tatsuko asked.
"Black keys…." Artoria answered. "I'll explain later…."
"Okay…..so that didn't work." Tatsuko said in disappointment. "Okay, you go first."
Ritsuka nodded as Mashu stepped back to allow him to put his Saint Quartz in. The moment he out his hand on the lever, Tatsuko pointed at the platform.
"Pull the lever Twig Boy!"
Ritsuka gave her a confused look before humoring the female Master and pulled the lever. Once again, several orbs appeared, and spun around in a single ring.
"Huh, I thought you pulled the wrong lever." Tatsuko said quietly.
"Is that a reference to something?" Ritsuka asked.
Tatsuko sighed. "I'll explain later."
Once again everyone shielded their eyes until the pillar of light dissipated, causing Ritsuka to recoil in disgust at the object on the panel.
"Is that mapo tofu?" He asked.
"Yes, why?" Tatsuko asked.
"Get that shit out of here! I hate even looking at it!" He shouted.
Everyone aside from Artoria looked at him in shock.
"Are you okay Senpai?" Mashu asked.
"Yeah sorry, I'm just not a fan of the food."
"I know what you mean….." Artoria muttered.
"How about you go again?" Tatsuko asked in a curious tone.
"Thanks." Ritsuka put another Quartz in pulled the lever. The orbs appeared again, but this time, they turned to gold and spun around into three rings.
"Is this normal?!" Ritsuka asked.
"I think this means you just summoned a Servant!" Roman said causing the young trio to smile.
"Holy shit, you did it partner!" Tatsuko shouted. Once again the pillar erupted for a brief moment before dissipating. The entire room went silent as they stared at the large Servant standing on the panel.
"Oh shit it's Berserker!" Tatsuko shouted. "Everyone hit the deck!"
Roman nearly ran out of the room before Artoria grabbed him with a stern look. The Saber looked back at the Servant and nodded.
"Hello Heracles, it should be nice working with you for a change."
The entire room looked at Artoria in complete shock. She knew him?!
"Wait….." Ritsuka's eyes widened. "That's Heracles?!"
Heracles looked at the male Master and nodded. The Berserker stepped off the panel, and walked towards Artoria with the same scowl.
"Careful Artoria, he's a Berserker!" Roman said in concern. "He might try to attack y-"
"It won't come to that." Artoria said with a smile. "I can tell he knows what is happening."
"How can you tell?" Mashu asked.
"Call it a hunch."
Artoria was proven right as Heracles moved to the side, and stood next to her without even glancing at the others. Roman and Davinci stared at the scene in awe, for a moment they thought that Heracles would attack, given what happened in Fuyuki, but it would seem the Berserker was not going to cause a problem.
"Okay… how about you go again buddy, I'll do the next one." Tatsuko said with a blank stare.
"Okay, here goes nothing." Ritsuka put another Quartz in, and pulled the lever. Once again golden orbs spun around until the pillar of light erupted and dissipated. When they saw the Servant in the center, Mashu got in front of Ritsuka and Tatsuko as if to protect them. The Servant on the other hand raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"Um, Archer-class Servant. I was summoned here at your request." He said in confusion. "Might I ask why that girl is shielding those two?"
"You attacked us last time, that's why." Tatsuko answered from behind Mashu.
"I did? Well I certainly don't remember that." Archer answered. "By the way, why do you two have Command Seals? And who summoned me?"
"I summoned you." Ritsuka answered from behind Mashu. "Also we're both your Masters…..technically."
Archer looked at him with disbelief. "Two Masters? What the hell is going-"
"It's a long story, Shirou."
"Who- Artoria? You're here too?"
The Saber smiled and nodded. "I was summoned by them first."
"Wait, you two know each other personally?" Ritsuka asked.
"Yeah, you could say she and I go way back." Archer answered. "So, who are you?"
"I'm Ritsuka Fujimaru."
"I'm Tatsuko Tachibana."
"I am Mashu Kyrielight. I apologize for being rude, I was just trying to protect them."
Archer chuckled. "Don't worry, I'd like to hear what happened later if that's fine with you all. In the meantime, call me Emiya."
The Chaldeans nodded as Emiya stepped off the platform and walked towards Artoria and Heracles. The Archer raised an eyebrow at the large Berserker.
"Seems like I'm not the only familiar face today." He said quietly.
"Okay, my turn!" Tatsuko shouted. Ritsuka stepped away so Tatsuko could place her Quartz in and pulled the lever. This time only one ring spun around, and instead of a Servant, Tatsuko raised an eyebrow in disappointment.
"This thing again?"
"Huh, didn't know you could summon black keys." Emiya muttered. Tatsuko repeated the process, and this time was rewarded with golden orbs spinning. After the lightshow was done, the young trio gasped in delight at who they saw. A familiar blue haired Servant. But instead of his previous appearance, he carried a red spear, and wore a dark blue spandex material that hugged his body.
"Servant, Lancer, I'm-"
"CASTER!"
Lancer grunted as Tatsuko tackled him with excitement. The blue haired Servant looked at her in confusion. "I'm not a Caster girly, I'm a Lancer."
Tatsuko looked at him again and her eyes widened. "But Kenny, it's us!"
"Kenny? What in the hell- Wait a minute….WHAT ARE YOU THREE DOING HERE?!"
Emiya snickered at Tatsuko's nickname for him while Lancer fumed. "I think the name suits you Cú."
"Damned bastard, why did you tell them my name?" Cú said irritably.
"Wait, Cú? As in Cú Chulainn?" Mashu asked.
"Yeah, what of it?"
"Nothing, it's just that we…nevermind. We look forward to working with you." Ritsuka answered.
Cú shrugged and walked towards the other Servants and grumbled. Ritsuka stepped back up to the panel, and did the normal procedure. More golden orbs and the similar light show signifying a Servant. However, the young trio looked at the Servant in confusion. She definitely had an…..interesting choice of fashion.
The Servant was a woman with light purple hair, her black dress hugged her body tightly, with black stockings and arm coverings to match. The most distinguishing feature was the blindfold she wore over her eyes.
"Servant, Rider." She said calmly. "If you require a sacrifice, then command me as you wish."
"Uhh, how about we skip the sacrificing part?" Ritsuka asked. "Say…you wouldn't happen to know these guys too, would you?"
Rider turned her head and was taken aback. "Well, this is definitely a surprise. How in the world did we all-"
"Divine intervention probably. And it seems we all remember each other too." Emiya answered.
"This is strange indeed. Well, for courtesy's sake, my name is Medusa."
The Chaldeans nodded. She definitely wasn't what they imagined her to look like, but she seemed nice enough. They would probably want to ask her later. Tatsuko walked up to the panel and repeated the process, as the light dissipated, Artoria smiled at the Servant she saw.
"Assassin, Sasaki Kojiro. I have been-Oh? It would seem a little reunion is happening here."
"So it would seem." Artoria said. "It's a pleasure to see you again."
Kojiro smiled. "Likewise Artoria Pendragon."
"Okay this is getting a little creepy….." Roman said quietly.
"It's a long story." Emiya answered back.
"Well okay then. How about the next summoning be the last?" Roman asked.
"Okay, I'll finish up." Tatsuko answered. As the summoning process finished, Artoria glared at the Servant standing on the panel.
"My my, what cute Masters." The woman said. She turned to the other Servants and groaned. "Of course everyone else had to show up."
"Keep your mouth shut Medea!" Artoria shouted.
"Oh? Seems I'm not the only one to remember everything."
"Okay does EVERYONE know each other or something?" Tatsuko asked. "Because this is getting ridiculous!"
"We will explain at a later time. Just know that the fact that this is happening is VERY irregular." Emiya explained. "Though for safety's sake, maybe we should have Medea and Artoria avoid each other at all costs."
"I couldn't agree more." Artoria snarled. Not a second later, a growling could be heard around the room. Everyone looked at a blushing Artoria who stared at Emiya basfully.
"Hey….Shirou, could you maybe..?"
Emiya sighed. "I'll see if I can make something."
Artoria beamed. "I appreciate it."
"What? How in the hell are you hungry again?" Roman asked. "You ate an entire days worth of food for breakfast!"
Emiya chuckled. "Then you clearly underestimate Artoria. But don't worry, I'll handle it. Just show me where the kitchen is."
"Sounds like a plan." Davinci chimed. "I'll show you all to the cafeteria as the first stop!"
The Servants nodded and followed Davinci out of the chamber. The young trio looked at each other silently before sighing.
"Looks like we have a bit of a problem already." Tatsuko said.
Ritsuka nodded. "Yeah, I guess we have our work cut out for us."