Sea of Monsters Chapter 15:
The Devil of the Sea
Day 27
Noon had finally arrived, and everyone waited in quiet anticipation. Everyone was in position waiting for Heracles and Galatea to arrive. In order for the plan to work, the two Masters and the twin Goddesses stood upon the beach to draw them in. Thankfully, they didn't have to wait for long, and could finally see some movement across the sea. The two Berserkers were coming towards them at frightening speed. The moment they were about to set foot on the beach was when the plan truly began.
Ritsuka swept Euryale into his arms while Tatsuko did the same to Stheno, and ran in opposite directions. Ritsuka ran straight back into the forest, while Tatsuko ran immediately left and ran into the woods after running a few feet away. The two Berserkers stopped for a moment as they watched their targets run from them. Without even needing to glance at each other, the two Servants split up, and chased down their different targets.
Heracles would go after the male Master and Euryale, while Galatea would chase Tatsuko and Stheno.
"My my, you're pretty strong for someone your size." Stheno said. "You could be like a knight in shining armor."
"Well I am being trained by the King of Knights." Tatsuko replied. "After Mashu's birthday, Artoria said she'd train me as well, and that's all she wrote."
Tatsuko's communicator beeped, and Roman showed his face over the comms. "You got company!"
The female Master turned her head slightly and saw Galatea flying towards them as much as she could, though slightly hampered from all the trees limiting her movements.
"Shit, I wasn't expecting her to come after us so quickly!" Tatsuko shouted. "I don't know if I can outrun her!"
"Oh hush now!" Stheno replied. "You still have some more to go before it gets bad."
Tatsuko looked around until she saw a specific tree coming right ahead of them. The female Master silently felt a wave of relief fill her body. "Now!"
No sooner did she shout, Galatea felt something slam into her, and saw Alexander astride his horse. The young Rider then leapt off his horse as it vanished and ran alongside Tatsuko.
"She'll be up in just a few seconds." Alexander said. "We need to pick up the pace!"
"Hey I'm only human, not a speedster!" Tatsuko shouted. The two of them looked back and saw Galatea continuing to chase them, but the Berserker seemed to be slowing down a bit. They looked at her closely and saw one of her thrusters was slightly damaged, making her flight pattern more erratic and clunky.
"I don't know about you, but I can't help but wonder why she's not realizing what's happening." Tatsuko said.
"She's definitely up to something." Alexander said. The Rider would soon be proven correct, for Galatea readjusted the askew thruster, and flew faster towards them. However, Galatea did not realize, or was too distracted by her damaged thruster, that she failed to notice the Chaldeans and she passed the next checkpoint. The sound of falling trees grabbed her attention, but it was too late. Five trees fell on top of her, pinning her down to the ground. Okita's swordsmanship bought them some time, and the Saber landed on one of the fallen trees before rushing towards her comrades. Galatea was not even phased by the attack, and got up immediately, breaking through the fallen trees and flying once more. Okita saw this and cut down three more trees to distract the pale Berserker. Galatea stopped for a moment, before flying to her right, terrifying the group. The two Servants and Tatsuko stopped in their tracks and Tatsuko looked at her communicator.
"Doctor Roman, is she headed towards Ritsuka's location?"
"No, she seems to be circling around you." Roman said.
"Then she's making another attempt at us!" Alexander shouted.
Tatsuko was about to shout an order, but it was too late. The humming of thrusters and the sound of trees falling gave proof of Alexander's statement. Galatea flew towards Okita and swung her hammer, but the Saber dodged at the last second. The Chaldeans then ran as fast as they could, with Tatsuko still carrying Stheno in her arms.
"I will not let you escape." Galatea said robotically. The Berserker now turned her thrusters at full power and flew straight at her targets. The four comrades turned to see her catching up to them. They wouldn't make it to the last checkpoint in time….
Okita stopped in her tracks and drew her sword. Tatsuko looked at her in disbelief as the Saber clashed with Galatea. "What are you doing?!"
"Keeping her occupied!" Okita answered. "Don't worry about me and get going! I'll retreat when I know there's sufficient distance!"
Tatsuko and Alexander nodded alongside Stheno and resumed their escape from the Berserker.
The pale Berserker swung her chisel at Okita, forcing the Saber to block. The Chaldean Servant was pushed back from the impact, but remained on her feet. However, the Saber did not have a moment's rest as Galatea attacked her relentlessly. Okita could only dodge and block any incoming strike from the pale Berserker. However, Galatea caught onto this little distraction, and decided to end it. The Berserker swung her weapons at the same time and hit Okita in the gut, sending her flying into a tree. Galatea took the opportunity to then fly towards the fleeing targets, but not noticing Okita recovering and chasing after her.
Tatsuko and Alexander tried to look behind them only to see a blur. The moment they turned their focus back in front of them, Galatea was already there with her weapons raised. The pale Berserker swung both her weapons at the female Master who would not be able to stop herself in time. Thankfully, Tatsuko ducked under the hammer and chisel, covering Stheno's body with her own so she wouldn't get hurt either. Alexander took the opportunity to attack Galatea while she was focused on Tatsuko and Stheno, and Okita caught up and joined him. Galatea blocked both strikes and used the momentum to knock them to the ground. The two Servants were about to get up, but Galatea decided to use their own tricks against them and swung her weapons into a couple of trees, letting them fall onto Alexander and Okita before they could react, pinning them down. The Berserker turned to face the running Master and the Assassin in her arms, and flew straight at them. Tatsuko looked back and gasped as she saw Galatea coming right at her heels. Alexander and Okita managed to break free of their prisons, allowing Alexander to summon his horse, and the two Servants rode it towards Galatea to stop her. The pale Berserker anticipated this, and swung her hammer at the horse. Alexander deflected the strike, and thrusted his blade into Galatea's side, and Okita swung her katana at her neck. However, neither strike penetrated her skin, causing them to stare in shock. Galatea took the opportunity to ram herself into the horse. Alexander and Okita saw that she was about to force them to hit a tree, but they swerved at the last minute. However, before they could correct their course, Galatea snuck in front of them, and swung her hammer into Alexander's face, knocking the Rider unconscious and causing him and Okita to fall off. Galatea then resumed her chase of the female Master, not wanting to waste anymore time. Okita looked on in horror, but saw a glimmer of hope.
Tatsuko was getting closer to the last checkpoint.
"Tatsuko, book it!"
The female Master looked back and saw Galatea flying closer and closer. Tatsuko was getting closer to the finish line, however, Galatea regained some of her energy, and flew faster towards the orange haired girl. Tatsuko, Stheno and Okita could only feel horror as the pale Berserker was now right behind Tatsuko. The orange haired girl felt time slow down as her heartbeat increased. She saw as Galatea reached out and tried to grab her by the shirt, but that wasn't all. Tatsuko felt a surge of power within her. The female Master instinctively dug her heels into the earth, subconsciously activated her Magic Circuits, and sprinted as fast as her legs could carry her. Okita watched in shock as Tatsuko ran away from the Berserker with incredible speed, causing Galatea to force her thrusters at max. Okita watched on as Tatsuko continued to evade the Berserker's grabs and lunges, but only barely. However, something else caused the Saber to stare at the female Master in curiosity.
Tatsuko was never this fast before, even when she did activate her Magic Circuits. Perhaps this could be Tatsuko's family's…..
Tatsuko ignored everything that was in front of her except for the checkpoint, her tunnel vision caused her to focus solely on that in order to keep her calm and collected. She saw the fallen tree that signified their next checkpoint, and jumped over it just as Galatea was about to grab her. The pale Berserker failed to catch her at the last second, and also failed to see the magical markings on the ground in front of her. She had no time to react when the markings erected a barrier that stopped her right in her tracks. Galatea widened her eyes as she realized what had happened. She was so focused on capturing one of the twins she never thought that she'd walk straight into a trap.
"Rule Breaker!"
Galatea felt pain shoot through her body as Medea stabbed her with her Noble Phantasm. The pain was like jolts of electricity running through her. The Berserker continued to scream as the pain grew more and more, but she also felt something leave her Spirit Origin. As soon as the barrier died down, Medea released her dagger from Galatea's body, allowing her to fall to the ground. The Berserker groaned as she struggled to move, only to see Medea standing over her.
"I'd stay like that for a bit." Medea said. The blue haired Caster turned to look at Tatsuko, who stopped her sprint and looked at her with Stheno in her arms. "You can put her down now. Galatea's neutralized."
Tatsuko breathed a sigh of relief as she put down Stheno. "I had no idea I could do-BLEGH!"
Medea and Stheno watched in shock as Tatsuko fell to her hands and knees and puked on the ground. The Caster rushed to her side and gently stroked her back as Tatsuko continued to retch.
"I'll get a spell ready to help you." Medea said. As the Caster prepared to help Tatsuko control her issue, Stheno looked to her left to where Ritsuka and Euryale should be.
"I wonder how they're doing….."
(Meanwhile)
Ritsuka panted as he continued to run away with Euryale in his arms. He then looked back and saw Heracles charging at him. However, the three Servants meant to slow him down returned, albeit with some scrapes and bruises. Unlike with Galatea, the plan to deal with Heracles was to wear him down and distract him enough that he didn't catch up to the running Master and the Archer he carried before they reached the Ark. They would have to use hit and run tactics to make sure they did not get hit, but that part had mixed results due to the Berserker's reach and strength.
Ushiwakamaru attempted to cut into his legs, but Heracles anticipated this, and swung his ax at her. The Rider jumped back from the strike, allowing Atalante to shoot him in the face. The Berserker ignored the arrows in his body, and continued his chase on the male Master and Euryale. Medusa saw this and with Ushiwakamaru giving her a boost, jumped over the Berserker and ran in front of him, hoping to make sure there was more distance between them. Heracles swung his ax at her, but Medusa simply jumped and dodged every one of his strikes, albeit barely everytime.
"This is going a little too well." Ritsuka said in between breaths.
"Yeah, he's not even questioning this whole thing." Euryale said. At this moment, Medusa and Ushiwakamaru jumped onto Heracles's back, and attempted to blind his eyes. Heracles instinctively knew this, grabbed Medusa and threw her off while swiping Ushieakamaru off of him. The two women landed right on top of Atalante, knocking all three of them down onto the ground. Ritsuka and Euryale felt a chill up their spine as their protectors remained behind them, leaving them alone with Heracles. Ritsuka took a sharp right in the nick of time as Heracles roared and swung his ax at his head.
"Is your Heracles this brutal?!" Euryale asked.
"I don't think so." Ritsuka said. "He's only like that when facing monsters and such."
Heracles roared causing them to turn pale until a large magical arrow hit Heracles square in the gut, pushing him back a few feet. Ritsuka looked up to see Artemis preparing another arrow before seeing Drake in front of him beckoning him to follow. The black haired Master turned to his left and ran alongside Drake as Heracles recovered and chased after them while Artemis did her best to keep him at bay.
"You know, running this way was not part of the plan!" Drake shouted.
"I know, I know, but our guards got thrown away by him so I had to improvise!" Ritsuka replied.
"Well we're gonna have to turn somewhere and get back on course!" Drake said. "We can't outrun him forever!"
"Wait, we should continue as we are now!" Euryale shouted. "He might catch on if we correct it now!"
Drake widened her eyes and grinned. "That is the craziest thing you've ever said…..and I'm all for it!"
Heracles roared as Artemis shot two more arrows at him. The Berserker had enough and decided to change tactics. He ran to his right and used the trees as cover from the Archer's arrows, and leapt in front of the running targets. Drake aimed her pistols and shot at Heracles with Artemis joining in. Their combined shots managed to push Heracles back for a few moments.
"Get going!" Artemis shouted.
Drake and Ritsuka nodded and ran to their left to return on course. Heracles saw this and roared as he ignored the arrows being shot at him and ran towards them. Artemis clicked her tongue in frustration and jumped up into the trees, using them to stay away from the Berserker's range so she could continue to harass him. The huntress jumped from branch to branch until she saw them all again, and saw they were close to the next trap.
As that was happening, Ritsuka and Drake made it to the next area with Heracles hot on their heels. Mashu and David sprang into action, and blocked an incoming strike from the Berserker. The two of them were blown back from the impact, but to their surprise, Medusa, Ushiwakamaru and Atalante came to their aid, tired, but still ready to fight. It was here that Ritsuka stopped running to catch his breath. The Ark was not far now, but with the aid of everyone here, he could finally rest for a moment.
Anne shot her musket at the raging Berserker while Mary zipped around slicing away at his body. The white haired woman sliced through Heracles as much as possible to open up possible entry points for Anne's bullets to enter. As that was happening, Mashu regained her bearings and raised her shield to strike Heracles, with Medusa preparing her daggers. The two Chaldeans worked in tandem to distract Heracles with everything they had, with Mashu bashing his face with her shield to disorient him, distracting him from Medusa, who used her daggers to stab him where he was shot, then leapt into the air using his torso as a springboard, took off her glasses to make sure Heracles would stare right at her.
The Berserker felt an immense pressure from her stare, and tried to grab her, but David caught his hand and punched him in the face. The Berserker snarled and was about to slam his fist into the King of Israel, but the green Archer dodged at the last second before Heracles finally fell to one knee. As she saw him buckle, Medusa couldn't help but smirk.
Even though she couldn't turn him to stone, her eyes could at the very least lower his stats to try and even the playing field.
However, Heracles was not so easily deterred. The Berserker let out a loud roar that echoed throughout the entire island, causing the group to keep themselves from buckling like he did. Everyone watched in silence as Heracles got up, and they all readied themselves for another fight. They knew it wasn't going to be easy, but they didn't expect him to get up so quickly.
What they also didn't take into consideration was him ignoring them and running straight for Ritsuka and Euryale.
Artemis and Atalante fired upon the Berserker while everyone rushed to stop him. Ushiwakamaru and the Pirate Duo were the first to reach him and attacked together to keep him at bay. However, Heracles would not let them stand in his way.
Heracles swung his ax, and sliced into Anne's torso. The blonde woman coughed up blood and fell to the ground, shocking everyone. Mary roared in anger and tried to slice at the Berserker with her cutlass, but Heracles grabbed her and threw her at Ushiwakamaru, knocking both down to the ground.
Drake continued to fire her pistols at him, but Heracles eventually got in front of her and swung his ax down. Medusa grabbed Drake and jumped before the blow could land and set her down farther away so she could remain safe. The Rider then went back into the fray to try and slow down the Berserkers assault.
Artemis and Atalante landed on the ground, running while shooting at Heracles, but the Berserker blocked their arrows this time, and cut Artemis with his ax in her torso. Atalante charged at him, but Heracles grabbed her by the head and slammed her repeatedly into a tree. The Archer grunted as she felt her body hit the tree until she was thrown to the ground. Atalante groaned and looked up to see Heracles about to stomp on her when David and Medusa came to her aid, the male Archer attacking with his staff while Medusa wrapped the chains of her daggers around the Berserker's neck to try and choke him out.
Heracles swung his body around to shake the Rider off, grabbed her and threw her at David. The purple haired woman was slammed right into the male Archer, knocking them both down, but David recovered in a few seconds and rushed to Mashu's side to distract Heracles. The Shielder was buckling under the weight of the Berserker's attacks, but David came to her aid and smacked Heracles with his staff. Heracles roared and tried to stomp David into the ground, but the Archer jumped out of the way, but now he had the Berserker's attention. Mashu saw this and slammed her shield into Heracles's hand, disarming him of his ax. Heracles was about to return his attention to Mashu, but David dropped his staff, leapt into the air and punched him in the face. The Berserker looked at him in annoyance before swinging his fist at the Archer. David ducked under the strike and punched Heracles in the chest before having to dodge another strike from the Berserker.
Mashu used the opportunity to throw her shield at Heracles, hitting him in the back of his neck. The shield then bounced off the Berserker towards David, who grabbed it, threw it at a tree where it bounced off and returned to Mashu's hands. The Shielder then leapt into the air and slammed her shield into the back of the Berserker's head before jumping off of him. The lilac haired girl saw Heracles about to punch David, so she threw her shield to him. The Archer caught it and blocked the incoming strike, and then bashed Heracles with the shield. David threw it back to Mashu who was about to strike him again, but Heracles caught her leg, and threw her into the male Archer.
Everyone was now on the ground, leaving Heracles alone with Ritsuka and Euryale. The Berserker stared at them with a stony expression, causing Ritsuka's blood to turn to ice. The male Master gulped in fear as his body continued to shake, only to feel even more fear as Heracles moved closer to him.
"Snap out of it, Ritsuka!"
The male Master looked down and saw Euryale staring at him with utmost resolve. "You can't let your fear control you now. If he catches us, then Asterios will have died for nothing!"
Ritsuka's eyes widened as those words hit him like a truck. He thought back to Asterios, and his dying smile, of how he gave his life to save everyone. Ritsuka took a deep breath and calmed his nerves. He made a promise to Asterios to protect the twins, and he would not break that promise now.
This was no time to be afraid.
With a loud shout, Ritsuka turned around and ran towards the Ark. Heracles roared and chased after him. The male Master ducked his head and covered Euryale as the Berserker took a swipe at them, then jumped over a fallen tree to get some distance. Heracles tried another swipe, but Ritsuka slid under a dead tree to prevent him from getting hit. He was getting closer, but he didn't know if he'd make it.
That is until Drake fired at Heracles with her pistols. But she wasn't the only one, for the crew of the Golden Hind fired every bullet they could into the Berserker in order to keep him from looking at where he was headed. Drake ran as she continued to fire her pistols until she made her way behind the Ark. The pink haired woman put away one of her pistols and waved her hand at Ritsuka.
"JUMP!"
Ritsuka ran as fast as his legs could carry before jumping into the air before he could touch the Ark. Drake held out her hand, and caught the boy before he landed, but with the added weight of Euryale, caused them all to fall to the ground. Heracles was almost upon them now, causing them to try and calm themselves down. It would be all over soon. However, Heracles' instincts kicked in, and stopped before he could touch the Ark.
Just as planned.
Heracles heard people roaring behind him, and turned to see all the Servants he just defeated launching themselves towards him. Their combined attacks pushed Heracles towards the Ark, the Berserker did not have any time to stop himself, however, he looked up and saw a huge log hanging by vines over his head. It was at this moment Ritsuka took one of Drake's pistols, with both him and the pirate captain taking aim at the vines and with one shot each, cut the supports holding the log, causing it to fall on the Berserker's head. Heracles could not react in time before his body touched the Ark.
A bright light blinded the onlookers, forcing them to shield their eyes as an immense pressure filled the area. Drake shielded Ritsuka and Euryale with her body just in case but by then the pressure waned, and the lights dimmed down. Everyone soon lowered their arms to look at the aftermath, and let out a breath at the results.
Heracles was nowhere to be found.
"Did…..did we get him?" Ushiwakamaru asked.
A beep rang through the area, and Roman appeared on the communicator with relief in his eyes. "I don't sense his signature. Heracles is dead!"
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as Drake and Ritsuka got up from the ground, and the male Master finally put Euryale down. The pirate captain took slow breaths to calm her heart before smiling and patting Ritsuka on the back. "You did good kid. You did good."
Ritsuka panted for a moment before looking at the pistol in his hand. The male Master gasped and handed it to Drake. "I can't believe I just fired a gun!"
"Are you okay?" Medusa asked.
"Using guns isn't what a medic should do!" Ritsuka responded.
Roman facepalmed. "Ritsuka, do you even know of the concept of a combat medic? They use guns to protect themselves and their patients!"
Ritsuka took a few deep breaths before widening his eyes. "Oh right…Why was I freaking out over this again?"
"I think it might be due to you running for your life while carrying me." Euryale answered.
"Yeah, that makes sense." Ritsuka said. The male Master then gasped as he remembered the injured. "Get Anne and Artemis over here now so I can patch them up!"
The two heavily injured Servants were rushed to his side and he and David began to heal them as thoroughly as possible. As Ritsuka focused on Anne, he turned to Roman with a concerned gaze. "How is Tatsuko's team holding up?"
"They successfully subdued Galatea and are coming to you guys now." Roman answered.
Ritsuka nodded and turned to Medusa. "Can you greet them when they come?"
Medusa nodded. "I'll fill them in on what happened here."
Medusa then left, leaving everyone to themselves as they still thought about what they just did. They just defeated a nigh immortal Demi-God, and lived to tell about it. They won.
It did not take long for Tatsuko's team to return to the hideout, and when they did, Alexander and Okita were the next in line for healing. In the meantime, Galatea was left to herself until everyone was properly taken care of. It only took a couple of hours, but by the end, everyone was decently healed, and after that, the two Masters came to check on the pale Berserker.
"How are you feeling?" Tatsuko asked.
"I am still feeling a little off from the curse being lifted." Galatea answered.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Ritsuka asked. "Healing and breaking curses are a specialty of mine, so I could probably be of service."
"Thank you, but that won't be necessary." Galatea replied. "The curse was indeed lifted, I'm just feeling the after effects of being freed. And thank you for doing so."
"Thank Alexander," Tatsuko said. "He was the one who brought up the possibility of you being under mind control."
Galatea nodded. "Is there anything else you would wish from me?"
"Well we could use some information regarding the Argo." Ritsuka said. "How much time do we have until they arrive?"
"I ... .do not know." Galatea answered. "Everything is still so hazy that it is hard to remember much…."
"Then just tell us what you do know."
The two Masters and Galatea looked and saw Drake and Medea walking towards them to join the conversation.
"Are you going to be okay with talking to me?" Galatea asked. "My mother did not make your life easy…."
"Be at ease, I don't have any quarrel or issues with you." Medea replied. "That solely is with Aphrodite."
"What would you like to know from what I can remember?" Galatea asked.
"Why did Jason only send you and Heracles?" Drake asked. "Ritsuka theorized that he'd do it, but that still wouldn't explain the why."
"That is simple. Heracles and I were the first to recover from our wounds inflicted upon us from that Servant who bought you all time to escape." Galatea answered.
"Perseus…." Medea muttered. "What happened to him?"
Galatea looked at the group sadly. "I am sorry, but Perseus was defeated. But not dead. Your younger form was trying to do the same thing to him as she did to me ..."
Tatsuko's eyes widened. "Shit…he's being brainwashed too…"
"Not exactly." Galatea replied. "If I remember correctly, he was still fighting young Medea's spell."
"Wait, how is it he's able to fight it while you could not?" Ritsuka asked.
"It depends on the will power of who she is targeting." Galatea answered. "She had difficulty with me as well. It took her a few days to fully bring me under her control."
"Well let's just hope that he doesn't break by the time Jason gets here." Drake replied.
"Now what about Jason's goal?" Ritsuka asked. "Why does he want to sacrifice Stheno and Euryale to the Ark?"
"That I do not know much of." Galatea answered. "They rarely said anything about it other than some vague desire, so the only way to know for certain is to ask either Jason or Medea's younger form about it."
"Okay can we just call her something else?" Tatsuko asked. "Calling her Medea's younger form sounds too long for my tastes."
"I agree." Medea replied. "I do not like the implications of being called old here."
"How about we call her Medea Lily?" Ritsuka asked.
"Good enough." Medea said.
"Okay back to the topic at hand." Drake said. "Is there anything we can do to throw Jason off his game?"
"The death of Heracles is definitely one of the ways to get under his skin." Galatea answered. "His loyalty to Heracles is absolute."
"And for once, I actually feel bad for Jason." Ritsuka muttered.
"And the worst part is that when he learns of this he's going to be out for revenge." Tatsuko said.
"Then we're going to need something more to truly make him slip up." Drake replied.
"I know of another weakness." Galatea chimed. "There was a huge fleet that frightened him. Whenever he hears of it in a discussion, he would freeze up and sweat profusely."
Medea closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She knew which fleet she was talking about. She knew what had to be done.
"Medea, what's wrong?" Tatsuko asked.
Medea shook her head. "Nothing. I just thought of an idea, but I would be gone for two days at the very least."
"What's the idea?" Ritsuka asked.
"I can't really tell you yet." Medea said. "I just need you to trust me."
"Of course we trust you." Tatsuko said. "Why would we not?"
Medea smiled. "Then allow me to show how much I trust you. I would like for you both to accompany me."
"Now hang on, is that really a good idea?" Drake asked. "We don't know when Jason will strike after all."
"It'll be okay." Ritsuka said. "We're going."
"If my suspicions are right, then we'll be here just as they show up." Tatsuko replied.
Drake sighed. "If that's the case, then you guys better get moving."
"If you need an extra body, then please allow me to help." Galatea said.
"I definitely feel better knowing that you're going to help out." Tatsuko replied.
"Let's tell the others before we depart." Medea said. The others nodded and returned to the others to explain what was discussed. While some were suspicious about Galatea's agreement to help them, their concerns were dropped the moment Galatea explained her skillset and how she could protect the others. However, the moment Ritsuka and Tatsuko explained their decision to leave with Medea and return in two days time did raise some eyebrows. Some were concerned not of the fact of their departure, but rather about the time frame they would be gone. However, after much thought, Medusa gave her blessings and wished them luck. With their plan of action taken care of, Medea stood close to the two Masters, and the three teleported to their destinations, leaving everyone else behind.
"Okay everyone, rest up and get ready for tomorrow." Medusa said. "I'll be going over ideas on how to deal with Jason and the rest of his crew should they appear."
"It feels so strange without Senpai or Tatsuko here…." Mashu muttered.
"~Looks like someone's worried about Ritsuka~" Anne chimed teasingly.
"Well absence does make the heart go yonder, after all." Mary replied.
Mashu blushed. "Th-that is not it at all!"
"Guys, stop teasing her so much." Orion said.
"I actually have a question for you, Mashu." David said. "Is this the first time you and the Masters were separated on a mission like this?"
Mashu nodded. "It just feels….weird without them here…."
"I see. Well I think it would be strange from a certain point of view." David replied. "But I also think this can be a good sign."
Mashu cocked her head to the side. "A good sign?"
David nodded. "It shows that they trust you."
"I…oh, I never thought of it that way."
"Well it just means we have to show that trust is well founded." Drake said with a laugh.
"As expected from the Devil of the Sea." Mary replied. "Nothing ever seems to slow you down."
"Why does everyone keep calling me that….?" Drake muttered.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Artemis asked.
Drake sighed. "I got that nickname during my adventures and it pretty much stuck with me. I always hated it because it just doesn't sound right to me."
"Now I understand why you do not like the crew singing that particular song about you." Mashu said. "The name must really bother you."
Drake raised an eyebrow. "What're you talking about?"
"You know about the song mentioning the Devil of the Sea?" Medusa asked. "That's about you, right?"
"That song was never about me!" Drake countered. "We heard that song on our travels and it just kind of stuck."
Okita raised an eyebrow. "Wait a minute….if that song wasn't about you….then who is this Devil of the Sea?"
Rain fell heavily upon the old kingdom of Colchis. A swarm of butterflies flew around the docks before forming into the two Masters and Medea. The two Masters looked around and took note of the dock's appearance. It was completely in ruins, with the wood they were standing on looking like it could fall apart at any moment, and the boats were no exception. The naval ships that they could see were in complete disrepair, making them completely unusable for travel. However, the most eerie thing about the place was how dead silent it was aside from the wind and rain. Everything was abandoned, with not a soul to hear or speak.
"Are you okay Medea?" Tatsuko asked. "I can't imagine what you must be feeling, seeing your old home like this….."
Medea turned to face the two Masters with a somber expression. "I'll be fine. I have both of you with me here, after all."
Ritsuka looked back at the docks, and saw a strange sight near the end of the center one. A small decrepit looking boat was tied to the end of the dock, and standing in it was a tall, incredibly thin figure, hooded and cloaked. Medea turned to see the cloaked figure and nodded towards it before returning her attention to her Masters.
"That's our ride." Medea said. "Before we go, I must apologize to you Tatsuko. You will not be enjoying this voyage…."
Tatsuko shivered. "Ritsuka, can you stay close to me?"
Ritsuka nodded and turned to Medea. "Is there anything else you need before we go?"
Medea shook her head. "I'm ready. Now please follow me to our guide."
The Masters nodded and followed a few feet behind the Caster as she took out a necklace, and took a deep breath.
"Souichirou, my love. Give me strength."
A soft, melodic hum filled the two Master's ears. They continued to listen to Medea's soft hum, and noted the familiar beat of the song when Medea opened her lips, and began to sing softly.
~Beware, beware, the Devil of the Sea~
~"Beware" I heard them plea~
The group reached the boat and its ferryman. The Ferryman extended its near skeletal-like hand out towards Medea, as if wanting something from her.
~Their cries flying upon the ocean breeze~
Medea held out the necklace, and let it fall into the ferryman's hand.
~As he sank beneath the waves~
The Ferryman clutched the necklace in its hand, and bade them all to enter the boat. As soon as the Masters sat together, Medea entered the boat, but sat in front of them. As soon as they were all in, the Ferryman untied the boat, and started to row with his one paddle, still standing up with an eerie air about him. Silence filled the air for a few moments as they continued to row out to the sea, until tiny blue flames started to float and glide on the sides of the boat. Medea traced her fingers on the water's edge as the flames grew restless.
~The blood soaked sea in the hurricane~
~Where sailors roared and fell~
~The Navy sank to the storm~
~Because she took their lives~
The flames soon floated around the entire area, increasing in number. They soon took form as tiny wisps. Tatsuko freezed up and her blood ran cold as she saw the spirits float and fly around the boat, but noticed how they crowded around Medea like vultures to a corpse. Ritsuka took her hand, and held it tightly to calm her down. Tatsuko took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. Medea put her trust in her and Ritsuka, and she was not about to falter here. It was here that the spirits around them started to sing in a chorus, filled with bitterness and betrayal in their voices.
~Oh why?Oh why, oh Devil of the Sea?~
~Oh why? Did you forget your royal days?~
~Always the joy of our people's hearts~
~How could she lose her way?~
The waves of the sea came crashing into the boat as the storm raged on, forcing everyone to brace themselves from the impact. Thunder and lightning could be heard all around them as Medea started to stand. Some of the wisps flew past them and in the distance, turned into blue spectral ships, glowing in the darkness while their chorus continued their song.
~When she did leave across the ocean breeze~
~The Navy followed them~
~What else but sail to save their treasure~
~And pray they still be safe~
Several more wisps left their side and formed together, creating one more spectral ship in the distance. Ritsuka and Tatsuko's eyes widened as they saw it sail in front of the spectral navy. That ship was…..
~And there they found upon the distant rise~
~Enemies on the run!~
~But when they faced those evil thieves~
The two Masters instinctively looked to the clouds above them, and saw a girl holding a child in her arms. They then looked on in shock and horror as they saw the girl reluctantly kill the child, and toss the pieces into the sea.
~The Devil slew her kin~
The two Masters continued to be in shock. It was only a few moments later that they noticed a bright light shimmered down in front of them. They felt the waves starting to calm as they entered the light, and realized they were in the eye of the storm now, and the sun's radiant light was now surrounding them. They looked around, and noticed an oddity among the ring of clouds. They took on the form of faces staring down upon them.
~And sinking beneath the waves~
~Betrayed by family~
~To his Navy, the King in his grief, did curse~
~"Beware the Devil of the Sea."~
Medea raised her arms and took a deep breath. The Masters then felt the sea move and heard something rising from the depths. They looked down, and saw the top of a mast rising from the sea. Soon they fell back in the center of their boat as the water rose and crashed against their ferry. The water soon calmed down, and their eyes widened as they saw multiple ships rising all around them from the depths. They soon noticed a large shadow looming over them. As they turned to check it out, their mouths stood agape. A ship the size of the Argo was right in front of them. They then looked at Medea in absolute awe. They knew that something like this was mere child's play to her, and she just stood there as if the weight of the world hung on her shoulders.
This was the power of one of the most powerful Magi to have ever lived.
Medea breathed in for a moment to calm herself. The blue haired woman then glanced at the Ferryman and walked to him. The moment she was mere inches away, she cupped his face through his hood with trembling hands and with a somber expression upon her face.
"I hope you find peace….father…"
The king of Colchis raised his head and stared at his daughter. He gave her a curt nod, and with a loud sigh, disappeared into thin air. He finally found rest after so long…
The two Masters stared on in shock and disbelief as Medea beckoned them to follow her onto the ship in front. As soon as they reached the deck of the ship, the two Masters watched as the ghosts of the sailors appeared at their posts. Each ship did the same, and their sails unfurled. Medea walked to the wheel of the ship, and stared off into the distance as the sunken fleet finally set sail.
As the fleet started their voyage, Ritsuka and Tatsuko watched Medea with awe and realization as the situation dawned on them.
It was only now did they realize just who they've been traveling with.
Medea closed her eyes, and took a deep breath before she started to sing once more.
~I heard, I heard, across a bloody sea~
~The sad voice telling me~
~"Beware, beware the Devil of the Sea~
Medea opened her eyes, and stared at the horizon, her eyes brimming with resolve and determination. It was finally time to settle the score with Jason once and for all.
~Beware, beware…..of me~
OC: And so the final battle of Okeanos is upon us.
CV: Time for the next Demon God Pillar! The pancakes one!
OC: Whoa now, let's not get ahead of ourselves, we still have the rest of the Argonauts to deal with first.
CV: Right, right, sorry lol.
OC: Well you have a lot to be excited for. But now we also have a special guest tonight! I know we haven't had one in a while, but that's because everyone has been so busy lately that scheduling has been a nightmare. But thankfully this week we managed to invite a really important one!
CV: Been a while since we had a guest, and I'm sure this is an unexpected one to you all.
OC: It is indeed a very unexpected one. Our dear audience, you all know him! He is a very beloved character of the Fate franchise. He has a role in all three routes, AND also dies in them with memorable fights! He is without a doubt one of the most powerful men in history! Ladies and gentlemen, give a warm welcome to Heracles!
(Heracles gently opens the door and walks in without breaking anything before sitting down)
Heracles: Good evening to you all. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.
CV: Welcome big man, glad to have you here.
OC: I'm going to be honest, I wasn't expecting you to agree to come this soon.
Heracles: Oh it's quite alright good sir. My schedule was open, and I thought it wise to take this chance to broaden my horizons.
CV: Considering we're located at the edge of a multiverse, this is as much "expanding horizons" as it gets.
OC: Well I can't argue the logic. Now normally we would ask a few personal questions, but I would like to ask your permission first so as to not make things awkward.
Heracles: I am perfectly fine with this arrangement. However, there are some questions that I may be disinclined to acquiesce to your request.
CV: Hey, we're nothing if not respectful here.
OC (looks at all the insensitive questions asked to the other guests beforehand): Yeah…respectful. Now for our first question, how do you feel about the version of yourself in Okeanos dying the way he did?
Heracles: I am not even upset about all that ghastly business. In fact, I found the way they killed that version incredibly creative and clever. However, I do think he seemed to be more focused on Lady Euryale instead of focusing his attention on my fellow comrades from Chaldea and their friends, but in the end I do believe that it was his intention.
CV: Yeah he was pretty simple minded, which basically signed his death warrant.
Heracles: Indeed. Though perhaps he was too engrossed in his own Madness Enhancement at the time to even care. I cannot say for certain, but it is an educated deduction.
OC: Well it would make sense. However, I am also surprised he didn't kill any one or just cut everyone down with his ax.
Heracles: I like to think that it was because he knew they were not his intended targets. We may be Berserkers, but that does not equate to us always being simpletons.
CV: Fair enough, but that also let him open to being tricked which ultimately ended up being his downfall. Alright, next question, what do you remember about the Holy Grail War of Fuyuki?
Heracles: I do not recall much, as I did not fight often. But I do remember my battle with Artoria in one timeline, and against her corrupted version in another. I even remember fighting against the King of Heroes himself to protect my Master. And if I ever see him again, I will be most displeased.
OC: I can only imagine why. But what about Ilya, do you remember her?
Heracles: Indeed I do. In fact all my fondest memories are of that girl. She had to endure quite the ordeal, and in the end I failed to help her. I….wish that I could be by her side even now.
CV: Don't lose hope big guy, I have the feeling that you'll meet her again.
OC: I do too. Now the next question, what do you think of Chaldea as a whole?
Heracles: A very interesting question indeed. I find it very enjoyable for the most part. Most of the Heroic Spirits summoned there are fine people indeed. However, there are some that I do think are problematic, but they do tend to follow the rules and respect boundaries, so I have no ill will towards them.
CV: They're just being silly little guys, it's fine.
Heracles: Perhaps, but I can only shudder to think of what is going through Emiya's head whenever he has to help keep the peace. I pity the poor chap on that end…..
OC: Well being an Emiya is suffering after all…..
CV: He chose to get summoned to Chaldea, he only has himself to blame for this. Alright, let me think… Oh, I have something, what do you think of the Chaldean Trio?
Heracles: I find them to be fine young people. Miss Kyrielight is an earnest and curious young woman. She always seems to be excited to explore the Singularities with wonder in her eyes. Miss Tatsuko is quite the rambunctious girl. Her enthusiasm and energetic attitude knows no bounds, but I do think she tends to act before she thinks, if only a little. Now, Mr. Fujimaru is an interesting young fellow.
OC: How so?
Heracles: He has had quite an…..interesting background so to speak, and yet he does not let that get in his way of who he is. I do find that admirable, and he and Miss Tatsuko are fine Masters. In fact, he seems to understand some of us on a more personal level because of what he has endured. However, I do think that his attitude can be quite…..unpredictable.
CV: I'm not entirely sure what you're implying here Heracles.
Heracles: My apologies. I mean to say that he is a very gentle soul, and yet he does seem to hold some rage and hatred within him. He is accepting of others, but can also be incredibly stern or unwilling to trust towards some others. He tends to try and keep his emotions in check, and yet he also lets them guide his decision making. He is a very good kid, but I worry that he might lose himself if he doesn't find balance in his heart.
OC: I'm sure he will. Besides, it's not like he's been dishonest about his feelings in the past. He's pretty open about that.
Heracles: Quite right, and I do like that trait of his. It means you know exactly what he is thinking, and he does not try to step around the issue unless he feels it is necessary.
CV: He always says stuff outright, which sometimes is good. Other times though…
Heracles: If you are referring to his outbursts against Jason then fret not. I do not approve of him insulting him, however, given he merely did so because of his treatment of Medea, then I am more than willing to let it slide.
OC: Glad you think that way, otherwise things would get ugly…..Well in any event thank you so much for joining us tonight.
Heracles: It was my pleasure. Now I must bid you all a very fond farewell, and I wish you can call me again for another interview.
CV: Don't worry, we have something good planned, but it will have to wait. Until then, be safe Heracles!
(Heracles waves as he leaves through the door and closes it)
OC: Okay, I was NOT expecting him to sound like that. Seriously I didn't know he had a Posh Shakesperean voice!
CV: I was resisting the urge to ask why he could speak now because god was that a shock.
OC: Well it all worked out and it was a very pleasant conversation. Honestly I was never expecting him of all people to be the very first member of the original Fate Stay Night cast to be interviewed here. I always thought it would be the OG herself, but hey, I think it went really well.
CV: Indeed it did. Well, today will be a bit of a different author note, since we also have to talk about the previous chapter. Because I convinced Owen to sacrifice that chapter's notes in favor of a "69" joke, which I do not regret.
OC: I don't regret it either. The moment you told me about that I immediately was on board. Now onto last week's chapter. Like I said before, last week's chapter was incredibly short because there simply wasn't much to it.
CV: It was more like a halfway point before getting to this one.
OC: Indeed. However, the first chapter helped show how Medea's relationship with Ritsuka improved by telling him he's the better medic between them. Sure she can do more powerful healing spells, but that's not all there is to being a healer. Sometimes being kind and compassionate matters more, and Ritsuka fits the bill to a tee. Well, unless you're a certain someone, then he won't give you the time of day…..
CV: I'm hoping that there will be a point where we can do the "I'm a healer, but…" meme with Ritsuka where he gets fed up and pulls out a glock.
OC: Lmao. And another interesting point is David mentioning he is also a healer. How coincidental…
CV: He does have his slingshot tho.
OC: How does THAT factor into being a healer?!
CV: You don't have to heal anyone if all the enemies are dead.
OC: I…okay there are so many things wrong with that sentence but I'm not going to say anything. In any event we also finally had Ritsuka's ankle get healed after a few chapters, because if we didn't then this chapter's little adventure would have had a different conclusion…..
CV: Unless he all of the sudden became Spider Man, he wasn't going to escape from Heracles with a twisted ankle.
OC: No he was not. And now onto Scene 2 of the last chapter. That one was actually one of the more difficult ones to write because I had multiple ideas for it, but we decided to settle for a more simple one.
CV: Basically was a set up for what would be the confrontation against Galatea.
OC: Yup. My original plan that I did not tell Vlad was that Ritsuka and Medusa would ask for a chess board to be brought out and everyone being the back pieces and taking out the pawns, and they'd categorize everyone as those pieces, and make a plan based on everyone's strengths and weaknesses via chess. But again, sometimes simple is always better, so I decided to ditch that idea to save time.
CV: And for a shorter chapter like the last one, simple was definitely the better pick.
OC: And we also learn the reason why Ritsuka hates Jason, and frankly it's perhaps the most understandable one to date. He hates him because he promised to marry Medea, only to throw her to the side for someone else to realize his own ambitions of being a king. Let me remind everyone of this, Medea was under the influence of Aphrodite to fall in love with this guy. Medea basically sacrificed everything she had for Jason. She helped him steal the Golden Fleece, and she killed her brother for him. She betrayed her own people for him, and burned all of her bridges because of him. And she had to endure harsh treatment in her new home where she was a pariah. For him. Then Jason performs what would be considered a huge slap in the face, and dumps her for another woman. She might not be so innocent, but Medea had it incredibly rough, and considering Ritsuka was mainly raised by women who also suffered harsh treatment, it's little wonder he has a bone to pick with Jason.
CV: Jason literally pulled an "I don't want to play with you anymore" on Medea. Hating the guy is morally correct.
OC: Well it's not like she's squeaky clean and innocent. But in the days of Ancient Greece, her actions would have been considered JUSTIFIED. Which is incredibly messed up.
CV: Well, morality in the past and morality today are quite different, so it's easy to see why they would consider it like that, while we do not.
OC: Accurate as well. But hey we also have an impressive moment from Ritsuka in that he figured out Jason's next move, and thought of something to help turn the tide. If there's one thing aside from being normal…..well, relatively speaking, it's that they are both incredibly cunning planners when it comes down to it.
CV: I'm looking forward to seeing him outplay Jason in future encounters, that'll get a reaction out of blondie.
OC: As am I. Now onto scene three of the last chapter and this was one that I was hoping we could do for a while. Showing more of Tatsuko's hidden depths and her own interests. She is also a planner, and as the Co-captain she really decided to work instead of rest. She might be a bit goofy and comedic, but she's also very serious in making sure everything doesn't fall apart.
CV: That second side of hers that she keeps hidden will certainly give Chaldea an advantage in the future.
OC: Yup. And we also learn more about what she and her pen pal would talk about. And one of those interests is in Hindu Mythology. This has been something we've been dying to reveal for some time because of the number of Hindu Servants in the game, especially with Ordeal Call giving us more. So it just kinda made its way here.
CV: A small little quirk for her. Besides, hindu mythology is quite interesting in its own right.
OC: True, and it'll be a good thing to have as she befriends a certain Crypter down the line. Also fun fact, I was talking to a friend last week regarding Tatsuko reading the Mahabharata and he voiced some shock that she managed to read the whole thing because of its length lol.
CV: She's a dedicated gal it seems.
OC: True true. And now onto this week's chapter's little discussion. I know some people will be wondering why we had put the entire chase scenes for both Heracles and Galatea in the same scene instead of two, and the thing is that we thought it would flow better if we did that. Not to mention we're nearing the end of the Okeanos arc, so it only seemed fitting we decided to give this the one scene treatment.
CV: And boy was it a hectic scene. A really long one too.
OC: I'll say. That one scene took us two whole days to complete. And it really shows how tough both opponents are. Though I know people might say that they might not have shown it in the traditional sense. However, for Galatea we have to keep in mind the goal wasn't to kill her, but to neutralize her, so they needed to just keep her distracted and just make sure they got her to Medea in time.
CV: As for Heracles, well neutralizing him non lethally was simply never going to happen now wasn't it? So they had to resort to the Ark.
OC: That and he was after Euryale, so they needed to try and slow him down for Ritsuka to reach the Ark, then keep him busy so Ritsuka could catch his breath since he basically ran for thirty minutes straight. That isn't something he's used to.
CV: Especially not when running from a giant Berserker that wants and easily can tear you in half. Must've been pretty stressful.
OC: Well we also got to learn some interesting things from Tatsuko's side of the chase scene! First off is the fact she's now revealed to be Artoria's student/squire now alongside Ritsuka. We never really planned that to happen but we decided to give her that little rank up in order for her to catch up with Ritsuka and so she feels included by everyone else.
CV: They can now have epic sword fights together!
OC: And we also revealed a very big surprise in that scene too. That's right folks, Tatsuko has super speed as part of her family's Magecraft! You know what this means? She's gonna be a speed demon!
CV: A neat little addition to her skillset, now all that's left is to have her yell "Gotta go fast" at one point.
OC: Well she's still got a little issue with her new skill set. For those wondering why she puked after using it, let me tell ya something. Your inner ear helps you keep your balance, and if something so much as disrupts it for even a tiny bit, then ya vomit. And for those of you that doubt me, then allow me to remind everyone I have had ear problems since I was a small child. When it comes to ear issues, I know what I'm talking about.
CV: That's rough buddy. Aside from that, Tatsuko's super speed will take her a bit of time to properly master, as she'll need some training to avoid breaking her bones if she tries to run at higher speeds, but she'll manage.
OC: Yikes, let's just hope she never has to go through that. Well in any case back to the fight with Heracles. We decided to have more Servants on his end to fight since he's one of the toughest fighters out there, and even though he didn't kill anyone, he sure as hell made them work for it.
CV: Like we explained during Heracles' visit today, he didn't go all out because his only target was Euryale, and was laser focused on capturing her, so he wasn't focused on putting the Servants down permanently.
OC: And yet he basically nearly killed Artemis and Anne. We had to have some serious injuries to mitigate the lack of deaths. However we also showed David holding his own alongside Mashu here. I know David's strength stat isn't supposed to be high enough for hitting Heracles head on, but considering his feats in his legends, he is actually supposed to be more powerful than the game says. And so we decided to increase his strength stat from C Rank, to B rank. That and he has some experience fighting gigantic opponents, so this was tailor made for him. And his wombo combos with Mashu were pretty impressive.
CV: They double teamed Heracles like that scene at the end of Civil War where Cap and Bucky beat the shit out of Iron Man.
OC: Hehehehe that's gonna come handy later for a certain fight down the road. But we also had everyone help out by tackling Heracles towards the Ark when he stopped, and Drake pulling out all the stops to get Ritsuka towards it safely, catching him, and then having her AND him shoot at the log above Heracles to force him to touch it. This was indeed Drake's moment to shine, even with the others helping out. As for Ritsuka's reaction to the gun? That was more for funny than anything else. He was still reeling from shock and disbelief that the plan worked. In reality he has no real issue with guns. Just the people who misuse them.
CV: It was really fun how he freaked out the moment he saw what was on his hand.
OC: And now onto Scene 2. Not much happened aside from Galatea telling everyone what she knew. This was tricky because if she knew everything, then it would just give the heroes too much ammunition. So we had her remember only some things, like Perseus being captive and resisting Medea Lily's brainwashing.
CV: I can imagine him captured being like "Out of my mind you demon!" while Medea Lily is looking at him with the most dead serious expression ever.
OC: I am actually imagining it now and I can safely say she's threatening him with "No pancakes for you!"
CV: She might even turn him into a pancake!
OC: Dear God no! Well in any event we also had Medea leave with the Masters to get some more fire power, and now we have the Servants being forced to fend for themselves for a while. And we also showed another nickname of Drake's the Devil of the Sea. I actually had no idea that that was one of her titles until a couple of months ago, but it was incredibly hilarious considering the song we were writing for this arc.
CV: It's also a really cool nickname.
OC: And it lead to perhaps my favorite part of the chapter, and perhaps one of my favorite scenes written so far for Chronicles. The big reveal of who that song "Devil of the Sea" was about. And it wasn't about Drake. It was actually about Medea herself.
CV: It was a really good reveal, and the ambience of the scene helped to make it more epic.
OC: Indeed. And for those who play World of Warcraft, I think it is obvious where this song got its inspiration from, and who Medea would be in this situation. When I listened to "Daughter of the Sea" a couple of years back, I knew then that we had to do something similar for Medea, considering who she's about to face, and to allow her to finally try to turn her life around. And the fact that she asked the Masters to come with her, knowing how painful and personal this moment was for her just showed how far she came from when she was first summoned.
CV: From not even referring to Ritsu by name, to now asking them to join her in such a personal moment.
OC: I think it's obvious now to everyone that while Drake is the main ally of this arc, this arc is just as much about Medea and her journey as it is Drake's. Drake is fine with who she is, and has no regrets. Medea, on the other hand, hides her true feelings behind her cold and scheming personality, and inside is someone who is actually hurting and isolated from years of being hated and scorned. This was her time to finally come out of her shell, and try to reclaim her life.
CV: She finally let it go!
OC: Yup. And the final verse of that song was something she invented. It was her telling the world, our readers, "I'm not the Witch of Betrayal any longer. I am Medea, a proud Servant of Chaldea, and the Princess of Colchis." And also a warning to Jason. "I'm coming for you. And I'll make sure Asterios didn't die for nothing."
CV: And she'll get her revenge for sure.
OC: Well she's got a few days before she will see him again, so in the meantime she's going to make sure Tatsuko is not fainting from being around ghosts. She cares about her wellbeing afterall.
CV: Right, gotta take care of the little scaredy Master first.
OC: Maybe one day she will get over her fear of ghosts. And with that we are out of time. Thank you all for reading this chapter of Chaldean Chronicles. Please come back next week as we begin the final battle of the Sea of Monsters Arc. CosmicVlad and Owen Chaser, signing off.