We meet again, people! I finally bring you this chapter. This one isn't as long as my recent updates, but I think that's more about them being massive. It took me longer than I expected though. This semester is coming to an end and I'm starting to feel the workload.
At any rate, this chapter does have action, but it's mostly some skirmishes. The real big fights will start in the next chapter. To compensate for the balance, you'll have more character development and interactions. In concrete, Archer's relationship with Ishtar, and everyone's favorite fox girl will finally find her resolution and will no longer go after him due to her rivalry with Nero. Her bond-10 line in F/GO arcade (Onore Arkeido!) gave me an important clue to finally develop their relationship in a faithful way.
And well, since everyone seems to agree, Okita will join the harem eventually. I don't think I'll expand its members more though.
Without further ado, let the chapter begin!
Disclaimer: I don't own any right over Type-Moon or the Fate Franchise.
"It really seems there are no demonic beasts around, Senpai..." Mash commented as she kept an eye on their surroundings.
She and Ritsuka were already on the carriage to the observatory located at the Persian Gulf. Even if the King already said that the path had been cleared, it was surprising not seeing any stray pack of demonic beasts all the way.
Moreover...
"That big crater we passed... don't tell me..."
"Yes, that must be the "arrow" I fired a while ago." The nameless hero sitting across them answered Ritsuka's question.
His voice came out more grumpy than usual, but the cause was obvious. The carriage wasn't that big, and Mash and Ritsuka were sitting on one side, so the one left to sit beside him was his master.
The fact that those two were so close and didn't start to throw punches at each other was already surprising.
"Hmph. Even if the nest was cleared, I was expecting some sort of setback to stretch out before this body of mine before it gets rusty... but this is disappointing."
"Doing exercise is the last thing your body needs, Goldie. You're going to collapse one of these days."
"Right back at you, Faker. Why do you think I choose you of all people as my bodyguard."
"Wow... Senpai, their way of showing concern for each other while still making it look as if they were throwing jabs is something else..."
Mash made sure to speak in a low voice so only Ritsuka heard it. Even if it was true, that might as well be the straw that breaks the camel's back.
"Well, this will be the perfect occasion to take a break now that the tone-deaf emperor is not around!"
A certain fox-girl spoke with enthusiasm as she materialized sitting on Archer's lap. She ignored how the nameless hero almost got a heart attack by the surprise and instead kept talking.
"After we switch the empty jars for the filled ones, we can take our time for a picnic by the seashore. That would be lovely, don't you think?" She winked at Archer by when she finished her proposal.
"I don't know what a picnic is exactly, but I'm in for the ride I guess." His response killed all the good mood Tamamo had.
Right, this was a man that was married with his dream. Things that needed more than one person to work were completely out of his comfort zone.
"I've never been in that kind of picnic either! Let's do it please!" At least Mash's cute reaction lifted the depressing mood.
"It's true that we don't have any pressing matters to attend, but we can't stay here all day. I'll allow it as long as we return before sunset."
With Gilgamesh's seal of approval, it was already decided.
The remainder of the ride didn't take more than half an hour. They switched the jars in no time and descended to the beach.
"Archer-can, could you please project a blanket?"
The red knight nodded at the fox girl's request and complied with the request. She then pulled out a basket she prepared while everyone was finishing their breakfast and the carriage was being prepared.
No doubt she already had this in mind since the very beginning. Perhaps even before she won the paper-rock-scissors match with Nero.
It was surprising considering Tamamo's luck was three entire ranks below Nero's, and the sad face the empress made at that time made Archer's heart hurt even if the memories of that particular iteration of him were still foggy. However, the Bride Saber accepted her defeat and resigned herself to be part of the other party.
But what really was surprising was Gilgamesh joining the picnic.
"Allow me to judge the rumored cuisine of the "Fox Wife" of Uruk." He unceremoniously fished one of the sandwiches from the basket and took a bite. After taking his time to taste it, the Golden King opened his mouth to give his verdict.
"Hmm... Not bad. It's slightly better than the food served in the ziggurat. No wonder why the morale of the soldiers has increased a little bit as of late."
"He means that it's really good. And I must agree. You're really good at this, Tamamo."
"Aww~ Thanks, Archer. But I still have a long way to catch up to EMIYA's skills."
That actually caused Archer to wince internally. He felt like he was defeated, not by Tamamo, but her sensei.
"No, you're selling yourself sort, Tamamo-san! As someone that is always eating at Chaldea's cafeteria, I can say you're already up there with Cat and Boudica."
"Thanks, master!"
Despite her happy exterior, the fox-girl was shaking her fist in a victory pose in her mind, with a really fierce smile on her face. Forget about defeating the Bride Saber, she finally caught up with that weird version of her born from one of her tails.
"You have to taste this, Ritsuka-senpai! Say ah~"
"Eh!?"
The black-haired teenager could only blush as his kohai brought close to his mouth a piece of fried egg with her chopsticks. Judging by the way she was smiling, he could tell she wasn't aware of how embarrassing was what she was doing.
Not wanting to destroy that smile, Ritsuka resigned himself to accept the food at the risk of fainting due to the embarrassment. The Golden King's amused expression wasn't helping.
"Hoh... Mash-chan has become really bold... I can't lose then..." She quickly snatched a piece of fried egg and fetched it to the red knight. "Here, Archer-san! Say, ah-"
The fox-girl could barely finish the line when Archer devoured the fried egg, almost biting a part of the chopsticks along it.
"Thanks, Tamamo! Hmm~ Hmm~" He uttered a "thanks" before returning his attention to all the food he was stuffing into his mouth. It wasn't Arturia's speed, but it was still impressive.
Tamamo shed some comical tears as she remembered that the nameless hero's bar regarding food was really low. Something of this level obviously would melt his brain.
And it wasn't helping that Gilgamesh took that as a challenge and started eating at the same pace, recreating what could very well be a competition between Arturia and her alter counterpart. And Fou entered that competition to top it all.
It didn't take long for the basket to be completely emptied, leaving the five of them staring at the calm sea.
It was a brief moment of relaxation among the storms striking humanity's bastion. However, it wasn't that relaxing for someone in particular.
"This feeling..."
The red knight narrowed his steel-grey eyes as he stared at the horizon. This tingling sensation he felt throughout his body... it was like the one he felt near Goldie at... but at the same time different...
It was more... primal...
"Is there something in your mind, Archer-san?" The voice of the fox-girl beside him brought him back to reality.
With Ritsuka and Mash having started playing at the sore, it left her alone with him and Gilgamesh with her, so the choice was obvious. However, she was really close. In fact, her hand was inches away from his, and judging by the slight blush on her face, it was the embarrassment that made her stop there.
"Nothing... just... trying to empty my mind..." He kept that feeling to himself as he couldn't put a finger on it, but it wasn't a lie.
"I see." And as such, it didn't trigger Tamamo's lying man detector. Admittedly, it wasn't as powerful as Kiyohime's, but she still smelled something wrong.
"Now that we're alone, I've been meaning to ask..." Archer changed the subject quickly. It would do him no good to keep thinking in that feeling. "I can understand why Nero is so clingy, even if I'm still coming to terms with it. But how was my relationship with you?"
If that question coming from Merlin made her flinch, coming from Archer made her freeze in the spot.
However, unlike the Magus of Flowers who just wanted to deviate the attention from himself, Archer was genuinely curious. He wanted to know why she would show that kind of affection for someone like him.
"The truth is..." Now it was her turn to look at the horizon. "I'm not completely sure... You see, the only wish I had that allowed me to be summoned, was that I could serve faithfully a master that wouldn't betray me. And of course, I forced that role in Ritsuka-kun the moment I was summoned. However, I started to think that he isn't my destined one. "
Her yellow eyes drifted to the two teenagers playing at the sore as if there wasn't an alliance between three Goddesses trying to exterminate humanity.
"Don't misunderstand it. I still want to accompany him and her sister on this journey and make sure that they aren't hurt by the evil in this world. But I know that he'll never see me as something more than a reliable ally. The girl that is occupying the seat in his heart is another. So now... perhaps I'm just trying to force that role on the first person that was nice to me."
Seeing how she was visibly deflating, Archer knew that he had to do something. But he didn't know what to say. Comforting someone that was in the middle of an existential crisis was way beyond his ability.
Moved by his wish to not see her crying, he ended up saying the first thing that came to mind.
"Sooo... Your reason... your ultimate wish is that you want to be saved, am I right?"
"Eh?" She raised her head, her downed expression turning into one of surprise. "That's... right..."
Of course, she wanted to be a proper wife in this second life. But, if there was something that marked the heroic spirit Tamamo-no-mae, was that fateful day when the arrows rained upon her in the fields of Nasu, and no one came to her rescue until that enchanted arrow put an end to her misery.
She died alone, turned into an enemy of humanity by the very people she tried to help.
"Then, even if I can't possibly be that special person, I promise this. I'll definitely save you."
Such sincerity. That small genuine smile on his face. That determination in his eyes. The warmth of his hand now resting over hers...
"Mikon!" It was a critical hit to her maiden heart. Her face was now really blushed, and even some tears slid through her cheeks.
This was it. There won't be more hesitation. From now on, she was going to be an unstoppable train that will demolish that wall of density and pierce right through his heart.
"Yes! I will be waiting for you, goshujin-sama!"
"Eh!?" Archer didn't have time to react when Tamamo just hugged him tenderly. However, he could feel that she was seeking more of his warmth, so he didn't reject her.
They stayed like that for a while until some footsteps alerted them.
"If you have finished already, there's something we must do before departing." It was King Gilgamesh, who was standing beside them. His red eyes were fixed on Archer. "Come with me, Faker. I'll allow you to see what is truly being observed here."
"Then I'll go with you!" Tamamo proclaimed cheerfully, but she came to a stop when the King's piercing glare landed on her.
"Do I have to repeat myself, wicked Goddess! I only allowed the Faker to come with me!"
"Hey!"
The kitsune faced him with a murderous glare. She wasn't going to allow him to kill her mood regardless of him being the oldest hero-
"It's okay, Tamamo." Archer rested a hand on her shoulder to ease her. "He must have his reasons. Stay here watching over Ristuka and Mash."
"Fine..." She finally conceded and watched how the two men walked up the hill leading to the observatory.
Archer was right. As the only servant allowed to come to this trip, she couldn't neglect her duty watching over those two, regardless of how unlikely it was for someone to attack them. And even if she didn't make any progress regarding her conquest, now she finally found her resolution. She would no longer go after him with a halfassed determination.
"Did you feel it?" Gilgamesh asked as they approached the observatory.
"You mean the tingling sensation I get from looking at the see?" Archer asked with a raised eyebrow.
The ghost of a smile appeared in the Golden King's face. "I figured you would feel it as well. Now, see for yourself what is causing it."
The moment the two entered the building, Archer got the feeling that he entered a magus' workshop. But knowing that this place was serving Goldie, there was nothing to fear.
However, that changed the moment they reached the last floor. That tingling feeling that grew every floor they climbed, culminated into a horrifying sensation. What was being investigated there wasn't just the seawater... it was...
"No... way..." Archer's eyes widened as he stared at the projected images on the walls showing the depths of the ocean.
"Yes. Engrave this image in your head, King of Fakers. This is the ultimate evil Uruk will have to face."
"Haaah... This has been really refreshing, Senpai."
"Yes. Having the opportunity to take a break like this is appreciated."
The two teenagers sat on the projected blanket beside Tamamo. Ritsuka's eyes drifted for a moment to Mash's smiling face.
He did his best to not think of it. The truth he and his sister learned just after returning from the Sixth Singularity about Mash's body.
As an artificial human, born with the sole purpose of being fused with a heroic spirit, her lifespan was set from the moment of her birth. And her time limit a month ahead. Even if she seemed alright now that her fusion with the knight of the Round Table Galahad was perfect and she finally knew the true name of her noble phantasm, the first signs of her body becoming weaker were showing.
There was nothing he or anyone at Chaldea could do about it. That's why the best they could do was pretend that they didn't know and act normal around her. Just like she pay no mind to it and tried to enjoy her remaining time.
But even so... it was really hard to not think about it... Burning his head thinking of solutions... and ending up putting his faint hope in that sword he witnessed in the Second Singularity... thinking that perhaps its beautiful light could achieve a miracle...
"Even if this sea is small compared with the one we faced in the Third Singularity, it is still an impressive sight... To think the vast Indian ocean is beyond this sea... it is quite exciting..."
His kohai's voice brought him back to reality. Right, this wasn't the time to get distracted.
But looking around, he noticed something strange. "Huh? Where are King Gilgamesh and Archer-san?"
"They went to the observatory. The King wanted to show something to Archer-san, but I don't think it will take him too much. Once they return we'll head home." The fox girl answered his question. There was a pout in her face for some reason.
"We'll have to wait then..."
"Fou fou fou!" Fou suddenly started barking at the sea for no reason apparently, alerting the master and the two servants.
"What happens, Fou? Why are you so unease-"
"Look, master! There's a contrail in the sky! Something is approaching us from 9 o'clock!"
"Whoa! I can see it on my end as well! What are these readings!? A speed of five hundred kilometers an hour with the mana concentration of the Age of Gods!?"
As the doctor started to panic, Da Vinci took the microphone. "Mash, shield up, and brace for the impact!"
"Hi! Master, Tamamo-san, behind me!" Mash reacted quickly. She immediately summoned her servant attire and lifted her shield to block the incoming attack.
BOOM!
A huge impact blew away chunks of sand and made Mash's arms go numb for a second.
"Kuh! Is everyone alright!?"
"Yes! You really saved us there, Mash."
"Hmph. I'm really out of words." A figure emerged from the cloud of dust in front of him.
The sight immediately sent alarms to the three presents. Tamamo immediately summoned her mirror and pulled out some talismans. Despite her fierce glare, some drops of sweat started to slide through her forehead.
"You people really seem to lack any sense of danger. Not only you're far from Uruk, but you came to a secluded place with only this halfassed divine spirit as an escort. Either you rely too much on your luck, or you are greatly underestimating us. But regardless of that, this is the end of the road for you. No one is going to save you now. Not even that eyesore of Ishtar is around."
"The fake Enkidu..."
The enemy in front of them was someone they weren't prepared to face. They already managed to hold their ground against all the seven servants they brought to this singularity. And worst of all, Archer and Gilgamesh weren't around.
His command seals weren't as powerful as the ones used in proper Holy Grail Wars, so he couldn't just bring one of the other servants here. And besides, judging by the steady magical energy consumption he felt, they were dealing with their own battle, so bringing either Nero or EMIYA would be dangerous for his sister.
The only real option Ritsuka could see here was stalling until those two got here.
The doll made an annoyed face. "There you go with that again. Just because I changed owners you treat me like an impostor? You humans are hopeless. However, you're right in this case. I'm not the actual Enkidu. I'll clarify it so you don't get the wrong idea."
The impostor started to give off a really murderous aura as he put his hand on the ground. "I am an enemy of humanity through and through. And I'll prove it killing you right now. I'll make it swiftly though. I'm not as sadistic as mother!"
"Incoming!"
Several weapons burst out of the ground and flew in their direction. They were immediately pushed into defense.
"Guh!" Mash felt how her legs were pushed back every time a weapon crashed into her shield with the speed of a bullet.
They were like gushing water. Not even Tamamo throwing a curse when she saw a small opening made a difference. It was the same as being on the receiving end of the Gate of Babylon.
"Damn it! It's like we were fighting Goldie at his prime!"
"Hehe!" The impostor laughed at their miserable form. "Creating an infinite supply of weapons and throwing them at once. That is the optimal way of fighting with this body! In fact, that flawed demigod is the one imitating me! Hnn!"
The impostor raised his free hand and hurled a myriad of golden chains at them.
That was it. If those chains managed to restrain their movements, they would be turned into pincushions in an instant.
However, a golden axe came crashing down on the chains, destroying, or deflecting them.
"Huh?"
The rain of steel ceased at once as the impostor turned to look in the direction from which the axe came.
"Optimal way of fighting, you say?" There the Golden King stood with his mage garments and his spellbook already in hand. "I must be misremembering it then. I recall a certain fool calling the fighting style I thought up, perfectly suited to a king as it was, the "ultimate waste of energy"."
"You... are... Gilga... mesh?"
"Of course. Who else I would be, fool? What happened to the efficiency and being calm and collected as a weapon? It's unlike you to be enjoying the thrill of the battle."
"Ugh... Argh..." The moment those registered in the impostor's mind, their hand shot to caress their temple. It was as if his sole presence was giving him a headache, or in more accurate terms, it was like if they were malfunctioning.
"It took a while, but it actually happened. As I thought, your horrible luck combined with the Faker's would result in something like this." Gilgamesh spoke to Ritsuka and his servants, his red eyes never leaving the impostor.
"Be careful, King Gilgamesh! He admitted not being the actual Enkidu! He won't listen to reason!"
He scoffed at the master's warning as he caught his golden axe, retrieved by one of the Gate's noble phantasms he conserved. "An impostor... A quite convincing one I would say... In fact, he might be even more powerful than the original Enkidu. That flying speed was something else even by my standards. You must have acquired a fine magical reactor core. A gift from the Goddesses?"
"Shut up!" The impostor finally reacted. Their hostility now was completely focused on the Golden King. "There is no need for a defective demigod that is an enemy to mother! I'll destroy you right now!"
The rain of clay weapons flew in Gilgamesh's direction, and the Gate of Babylon was opened in answer. The spellbook shone with numerous ancient runes as several wands and staffs fired curses and beams at the incoming weapons.
But the difference was obvious. As weakened as it was after leaving all the weapons to the citizens, the Gate of Babylon was being quickly overwhelmed.
"You're mine!"
The impostor the distance in a heartbeat, their arm turned into a blade to skewer the Golden King, and this one readied his axe even if he knew that he was no longer in condition to fight the doll head-on.
But-
"Wh-"
Another rain of swords crashed into their weapons, and a red blur appeared in front of them, swinging a massive stone sword.
The fake Enkidu crossed their arms in front of them and put all their stat points to maximize their endurance with their transfiguration skill. And even then, they were blown away like a rag doll by the strength behind the blow.
"That was close, Goldie." The red knight remarked as he dismissed the axe-sword and projected Kanshou and Bakuya.
"No one has asked for your help, Faker." The Golden King responded dryly.
"As if I've ever cared about that. If we want to get out of this one alive, we'll have to work together."
The idea wasn't that appealing judging by the way the two were grimacing, but they still took a stance side by side.
"You... You're here too, Faker..." The impostor came out of the crater where they landed. They weren't hurt at all, but for someone claiming to be a doll, the pure rage that could be seen in their face was quite terrifying.
Their blue eyes shifted from the red knight to the Golden King and vice versa repeatedly.
"Kuh!" The pain returned, and this time, it seemed to be worse. "So, you got another weapon... guh... Useless... I AM the strongest weapon created on this planet... There's no need for a weapon with the only purpose of protecting humanity either... I WILL DEFINITELY KILL YOU! You hear me!"
Unexpectedly, the fake Enkidu took off after leaving those words and flew away towards the north.
"Well, that was weird." Archer commented as he dismissed his twin swords. "Are they malfunctioning? Last time we fought he fought until his army was dealt with..."
"That might be the case. Perhaps you actually messed up his cardiopulmonary function with that hit and triggered his failsafe." Gilgamesh answered plainly. For a matter concerning his only ever friend, he wasn't putting that much interest.
His red eyes then landed on Ritsuka. "Regardless of that, we should head back already and see what the other party has to tell. The next time I'll give you an assignment that is more befitting to you, Ritsuka."
"Yes!"
"Haaah..." Ai let out a really long sigh as she collapsed on a chair. "I'm beaten..."
Ritsuka eyed his sister surprised. Her mystic code was a sweaty mess, and even if there wasn't a single injury on her, she looked like a corpse. The servants that accompanied her weren't that expressive, but it was obvious that they were mentally tired.
EMIYA and Arturia in particular seemed to have seen a ghost.
"Yikes. What in the world happened during your mission?"
"Damn hot! That jungle was hell on earth! And that devil wearing a tiger pajamas!"
All the presents looked at her with a raised eyebrow. That last part didn't make any sense at all.
"I think you're in desperate need of this-"
"Thanks!"
The orange-haired master took the canteen out of Archer's hands so fast that even he barely saw the movement, and she proceeded to pour its content on her mouth. Half of the water ended up all over her face and hair, but she didn't care.
"That isn't helping in the least." Gilgamesh's eyes drifted to the magus trying to sneak away. "Merlin, since she's in no condition to give a report, tell us what happened."
"I guess I have no choice. You see..."
A few hours ago...
"Tsk, what happens with this place! It's damn hot! My bridal gown is going to be ruined by the sweat."
The journey didn't go as smoothly for Ai's group. They were already walking through the dense jungle surrounding Ur, and their resilience was put to test immediately.
"You should have thought it before coming here with that outfit." Alter reprimanded the Bride Saber, but she wasn't any better.
The two "sisters" discarded parts of their armor, but even so, the heat was unbearable. EMIYA discarded his red cloak, and Arturia did the same with her magical armor.
Aside from Nero, the only one that didn't change his outfit was Merlin, who kept his garment and therefore was sweating bullets.
"That's not all. The flies keep attacking us, and the concentration of magical energy in the atmosphere is even more suffocating than outside! It's on par with a reality marble! Romani, are you monitoring it!?"
"I'm embarrassed to say, but the instruments are unstable, Merlin. We can barely keep up with the two expeditions as things stand."
"It's just like Egypt. This is a different world, or rather, a different mythological system." Da Vince continued the explanation. "I can only do so much by pointing Sheba towards Uruk. I can't distinguish heat sources, let alone details of your surroundings. From now on, you'll have to rely on your senses. Utilize your eyes and noses to detect the danger."
"Our senses? It's easy to say that... when you are not about to die from a heat stroke..."
"According to the map, Ur is one kilometer to the south. That means we only have to endure this heat for just 20 minutes more. Do your best, Master!"
"20 minutes! That's an eternity, Jeanne-chan!"
"Leaving aside the extreme environment, have you felt it, EMIYA?" Artoria asked as she cut through the plants with her invisible sword to clear the path.
"Yes. There is something lurking in this jungle. And my instincts tell me that trying to confront it isn't the best idea."
"We should ignore it for now. We just came to assess the situation, not to engage in combat."
The group continued to walk through the jungle without running into any demonic beast, or any beast at all. For such an ecosystem to not have any predators were already weird.
20 minutes later, just as Jeanne said, they reached a clear in the jungle where the city of Ur lais.
Its size was actually not that far from Uruk, and the structure was really similar. The only difference was the number of trees encroaching inside the city and the heat.
"The situation doesn't seem to be that bad..." Ai commented confused at the sight of the people doing their chores as if nothing was wrong with the place.
"Their mood isn't as bright as the one back in Uruk, but they seem to be doing fine..."
"We should ask the locals to get more information. Leave this to me!"
The half incubus surveyed the zone for a possible target, and he found it in no time. A woman of a relatively young age walking down the street alone. Putting on his best Casanova smile, Merlin approached her.
"Excuse me, my lady. This is Ur, yes?"
The woman turned to look at him and blushed a bit. "Err... yes, it is. But who are you? Did you cross the river?"
"That's correct. We're from Uruk. King Gilgamesh asked us to investigate what's been happening here."
The surprise in the woman's face upon hearing that was clear as day. "That must have been a hard journey. You must be the only survivors of the party. If you need it, I can lead you to our best doctor."
"How kind of you, but there's no need. Luckily, we are uninjured. We're here just to investigate, so our party was small from the beginning. If the King had known that you were alive, he would have sent a large-scale rescue party."
"A rescue party..." For some reason, far from relieving her, that terrified her. "So-sorry, but we aren't evacuating to Uruk. Ur is safe, you see. As long as the jungle surrounds us, the demonic beasts won't attack us. As long as we obey the rules of the Goddess of the forest, they won't come in."
Merlin's easy-going expresión faded for a moment, and the other servants frowned as well.
"So you decided that hiding here in Ur surrounded by the jungle was a better option than trying to fight along the rest of humanity."
"We didn't decide it!" The woman yelled at him, but she immediately lowered her voice. It didn't matter though, as they were already catching all the attention. "We tried to send help to Uruk, but..."
"It is forbidden by the rules of the Goddess. You're safe, but at the same time, you can't leave Uruk. Anyone who comes to help, or tries to leave, is killed by the forest. The mentality of someone that has already lost, I see..." Merlin looked around to confirm something before speaking again. "How many sacrifices does it take? I assume it's one per day."
"Wh-what are you talking about!? There are no-"
"I can tell just by looking around. There are too few adult men around. Given that Ur isn't at war, there has to be another reason for that."
Having hit right in the spot, the woman had no other option but to admit it. "W-we're not at fault here! Sacrifices are a necessary price to pay. Everyone agreed to this. All we have to do is offer one sacrifice a day to Eridu! That's all it takes to satisfy that devil!"
"So that's how you survive. You neither fight nor try to leave but submit to the goddess." Arturia intervened in the conversation, but her words reflected everyone's thoughts.
Giving up so easily... that wasn't normal for the people of this era. Compared to the people of Uruk, who took up the arms and fought the Goddesses' army day after day, these people could only be called... cowards.
"You people from outside would never understand! We tried to fight! But it was useless. That devil is too strong. We never stood a chance... And negotiations didn't work either! That weird Goddess is truly a beast of the forest! All it does is eat and kill! All we can do is a quake in fear and wait for our turn!"
With all that said, the woman hurried to her home in fear. The same could be said of the rest of the people around. They were the only souls at the place in a matter of seconds.
"I guess that's all the information we can get from them. As outsiders, convincing them to start an evacuation is going to be quite difficult. What should we do now, Ai?"
The question came crashing down on Ai, her foggy mind being cleared in an instant.
"If we can't convince them to evacuate, what else can we do? You aren't thinking about facing the Goddess, are you?"
"You won't have to look further, meowhahahahahahaha!"
An unfamiliar voice alerted them. They immediately moved into a formation around Ai and looked in the direction of the voice... just to widen their eyes.
There, standing on top of a building, was... a thing that exuded a huge divine presence. She looked like a woman in her thirties, of orange hair and brown eyes. However... her attire was... quite weird. She was wearing what looked like tiger pajamas and carrying a spear that looked more like a stick with a big cat pawn attached to one of its ends.
But aside from that, what left Arturia and EMIYA dumbfounded was her familiar face.
"Fujimura-san/Taiga!"
Their master looked at them equally dumbfounded. "WHAT!? You guys know that thing!?"
With they still in shock, it was Merlin who had to answer the question. "I think they have a story with that divine spirit's vessel."
"WRONG! I'm not just a tiger! I'm the ultimate tiger! The Jaguar Warrior!" After introducing herself, she made a hero pose, or what she thought was one, and smiled satisfied.
"Lame... Don't tell me that thing's Goddess of the forest..." Alter whispered among them.
"That seems to be the case... But don't get your guard down, Lil' sis. Regardless of how absurd its existence might be, that thing is dangerous."
"If that thing's fashion sense is proportional to its wickedness, then the citizens were right to call it a devil..."
"Heh, you're pawn-sitively speechless from witnessing such a cool entrance." The Jaguar Warrior seemed to ignore all the comments as she jumped to land in front of them. "Fear not, señoras y señores. Scold the people of Ur all you like. They are all a bunch of wimps, so it's probably a good thing. But I'm not letting you take any of them outside! If I let you, not only all my efforts would go to waste, but Kuku would get mad at me!"
It was hard to tell if she was threatening them or whining. She was even letting out comical tears.
"So, you're saying you're going to kick us out..."
"Exactly, little girl!" The Jaguar Warrior readied her weird weapon and her hostility increased in an instant. Now she really gave the feeling of a blood-thirsty devil. "This is our world! The world of a spiraling snake! Begone, you humans who are devoid of God's grace! As long as there is jungle, our sun is invincible! What I'm trying to say… Have a nice they, jerks!"
A vicious smile formed on her face as she kicked the ground. The distance was crossed in the blink of an eye. Jeanne was barely able to raise her polearm to block the incoming attack, and all her body went numb for an instant.
"She's powerful!"
Nero immediately retaliated, swinging her white sword at her neck, but the Jaguar Warrior quickly disengaged and jumped out of the way. She did some flips to regain her balance, just to block the empress follow-up.
"Heh, for a city girl, you aren't half bad!"
Deflecting Nero's attack, the Goddess began her fierce attack, overwhelming the Bride Saber quickly. It was just her husband's eye of the mind what saved her from being instantly crushed.
Reinforcements came fast though, in the form of a burst of flames. But the Goddess just spun her weapon to disperse them like nothing.
"You've got to be kidding!"
"Jaguar kick!"
Using the same spin, the Goddess shot a kick at Nero's gut. Even if she managed to block it, she was sent flying like a rag doll.
Without stopping, the Goddess jumped to avoid Jeanne's polearm and spun in the air to get her legs around the Ruler's neck.
"Jaguar crash!"
"Guh!" Jeanne found her face crashing against the concrete really hard.
The Jaguar Warrior changed target though, rushing at Alter, who drew her cursed sword to meet her.
While Alter tried her best to survive, Ai shouted at the remaining two servants. "Arturia-chan, EMIYA! This is not the time to be dazed! We're in serious trouble here!"
"Yes!"
The two finally reacted, and the red archer immediately projected his bow. A barrage of "arrows" got the Goddess off of the Dragon Witch before she was defeated, and the King of Knights took over the front.
"Heh! So, there is an actual warrior here!"
The exchange between the two wasn't as one-sided, but still, the Goddess' speed was really troublesome. Even with her mana burst and instincts, Arturia was barely able to keep up.
"Huh!?"
Her emerald eyes widened in surprise as her invisible sword didn't find resistance cutting through the enemy.
"That was an after image, nya!"
The Jaguar Warrior used her incredible speed to attack Arturia in her blind spot but a beam of light forced her to retreat.
Merlin clicked his tongue as he let the image of Excalibur in his hand fade. "This is worse than I expected. Artoria can barely draw half of her original power..."
Even with the five servants facing the Goddess at once, they still weren't able to get her. His eyes looked at a device that looked like a stick in his hand, but he shook his head. That should be saved for a really bad situation.
"At this rate... Guys, we are making a break for it!"
The Magus of Flowers looked with middle surprise at the master. Judging by the face she was making, it was a hard decision, but she choose to prioritize the lives of her comrades over fighting the Goddess terrorizing the city till the end without him having to advise her.
The servants obeyed immediately and began to retreat.
"Do you think I'll let you go that easy-"
"Strike Air!"
"NYA!?"
Arturia unleashed the invisible air the moment the Jaguar Warrior turned to look at Ai, hitting her chest square on and blowing her away.
"Now, Merlin!"
"Yeah! Running away from pretty ladies is my specialty!"
The Magus of Flowers hit the ground with the back of his staff, and a storm of petals surrounded him and the Chaldeans.
"Hnn!" The Jaguar Warrior jumped out of the building she crashed into, only to realize that the Chaldeans were nowhere to be seen.
"Heh, this is getting interesting."
Back to the present...
"Hmm..." Gilgamesh pondered as he digested all the information. "No wonder Amakusa Shirou and Kotarou perished facing that thing. To think that the Goddess of the South has a surrogated Goddess that powerful working for them... But at least we know that the situation at Ur isn't an immediate priority. You did a good job with your investigation, Fujimura Ai."
"Oh, um, thanks?" She clearly wasn't expecting the Golden King to thank her like that.
In fact, anyone was expecting it. For some reason, the King was acting really calm, as if he were repressing his usual personality. Something was fishy here.
"Merlin, what about Eridu? Could you see the axe?"
The magus answered that question only he understood shaking his head. "The jungle was too dense. However, I was able to sense the huge divinity, so I'm positively sure that the axe is still there."
"I see. That alone makes the journey worth it, though I'll have to prepare carts to cross the jungle when the time comes. At any rate. Congratulations, Chaldea. You completed the first missions I assigned you personally. Come tomorrow first thing to the Ziggurat to receive the next assignment. And..."
His red eyes then met steel-grey eyes. There was a pregnant silence as the two natural enemies stared at each other for what felt like an eternity for the other people around.
"Faker, take the shift with Souji. She must be tired, and you are mostly refreshed."
"Understood."
With that last order, Gilgamesh walked out of the former inn. He was already preparing himself mentally for Siduri's lecture.
"The King was certainly acting out of the norm there." Merlin spoke his mind the moment the King was out of sight. His eyes were settled on Archer. That exchange of looks must have carried a meaning. "Did something happen on your mission?"
"Nothing in particular. We just were attacked by the fake Enkidu."
"Pfft!" Ai spat all the water from the already fourth canteen. "You were attacked by that monster, and you call it "nothing in particular"!"
"Well, Archer-san is right. The fight was brief, and they retreated after he and Goldie showed up. They seemed to be malfunctioning for some reason."
"But we were able to confirm that they aren't the actual Enkidu. King Gilgamesh theorized that it must be someone else possessing the body."
All the servants relaxed upon hearing Ritsuka and Mash's explanation. Fake as it was, the ultimate weapon forged by the Gods was even more dangerous than the Jaguar Warrior. That battle could have ended up really bad.
Nero, however, frowned as she looked at the fox girl sitting near Archer. Her radiant smile was giving the empress really bad vibes.
"What are you up to, Caster?"
"Heh." The fox lady replied to her rival without losing her smile. "You better get ready, Saber. If you don't act quickly, I'll make goshujin-sama forget about you."
"HUH!?" Luckily, Archer was already on his way, so it was just Nero who overreacted to that.
She could just assume that the burglar fox managed to strengthen her bond with Archer during the mission. That was bad. She couldn't let her guard down just because she was his legitimate wife in another timeline.
"Tch! Just watch, burglar fox. I'll show you the power of the real deal!"
"Hmph. Who said a fake can't beat the original, child emperor?"
"Gah!" Tamamo using one of her Darling's signature lines felt like a straight jab at her stomach.
"What in the world are those two doing?" Alter could only look at the two from the distance. From her point of view, they weren't making any sense.
A hand landed on her shoulder, almost startling her. It was Jeanne, who wore a really determined expression.
"Lil' sis, one day you'll understand the meaning of the proverb "love is war"."
"Huh? Why are you sounding so cool all of a sudden!?"
"Hey, EMIYA, do you think there is a pattern in this singularity?" Ignoring all the conversations, Arturia asked the red archer.
"First that girl acting as Ishtar's vessel, and now that frustrated English teacher becoming a vessel for another Goddess... Honestly, I don't know what to expect."
Having all those memories he thought lost being reawakened was starting to affect the Counter-Guardian's mind. He was starting to sympathize with his other self as much as he hated to admit it.
"At this rate, it wouldn't surprise me if we were to meet a Goddess using Sakura as a vessel..."
The next morning at the Ziggurat...
"Rejoice, Chaldeans! Today, I am entrusting you with something of utmost importance this time! You shall head to Kutha and retrieve the tablet of destinies."
The Chaldeans could only raise an eyebrow at that. Without an appropriate context, they could just guess what this Tablet of destinies was and why was so important.
On the other hand, Merlin stroked his chin, and Archer squinted a Gilgamesh.
"So it was in Kutha all this time…"
"Yes. I remember seeing what lies in the future in Kutha when I was on my way to Uruk from the Underworld. I stopped to meditate, recorded the destiny upon a clay tablet, and left it there."
"And you remembered it now of all times?" The red knight spoke with his eyebrow trembling. "I could have retrieved it when I went to investigate Kutha's situation!"
The King answered without losing pace. "It's natural to lose one's memory before or after meditation, Faker! I won't even know what kind of destiny was written until I read it."
"So, you want us to retrieve it so you can check if the future you saw is useful for us?"
"Exactly." Gilgamesh nodded in approval to Ritsuka's deduction. "A glimpse at destiny is always a treasure for someone. However, the demonic beasts won't find any use for it, so it's unlikely for them to have taken the tablet. And in your way, gather information about Ishtar's activities. Even if the reports diminished after she met you, Faker, we still get some reports regarding her destroying farms."
"I see. So, you want me to accompany them today as well. Isn't my presence needed in the front?"
"The next attack of their cycle is not going to be until five days. But leaving aside that, given that bratty Goddess' aversion to meet you, I can say you're the best weapon we have against her."
The cheeky smile on both Gilgamesh and Merlin's faces told Archer that wasn't the whole reason behind that decision. But, regardless of the teasing, the King's actions always had a purpose, so he would complain.
And he would be lying if he said that he didn't what to meet Ishtar again. There was something that he needed to confirm.
"Yay! Darling joins the party!"
His process of thought was suddenly interrupted when a certain empress hugged him from behind, her "assets" pressing against his back. Even through the armor, he could feel their softness, causing him to blush faintly.
"With the two of us together, that Goddess doesn't stand a chance!"
"Well, it's decided now. I and Ana will accompany you, too."
The little girl grimaced at the notion of having to serve as Merlin's assistant once more, but she didn't complain. At least it wasn't going to be just the two of them.
"You'll have permission to stay outside the city for three days, so use your time wisely. You're dismissed."
The Chaldeans, plus Archer, Ana, and Merlin, immediately set course to the ghost city of Kutha.
The journey was much longer due to them being on foot and having the two human masters, so it took them almost the entire day to reach the city.
Along the way, they exterminated the stray demonic beast that came across, and talked with the ranchers they came across. Not surprisingly, the most repeated words were "smug laugh" and "devil". However, they all also agreed that the Goddess didn't claim as many gems as she used to claim some months ago. A slight improvement.
Some of them even described that it was like she was expecting something to happen when she took the gems and was about to fly into the distance.
"We got a glimpse of her personality already back in Babylon, but this Ishtar doesn't fit our records." Romani's voice sounded as confused as the Chaldeans. "Yeah, she was said to love riches, but there are no records of her robbing humans like a common thug."
"Well, you see, the Ishtar you've met is not the original Goddess." Merlin finally decided to explain things. "Just as this era was turning into a singularity, the Sacred Temple, who favors the patron Goddess over King Gilgamesh, decided to take advantage of the instability of space-time and summon her. And to achieve that, they first summoned a compatible soul, resulting in what you call a pseudo-servant. The fact that she has black hair instead of blonde hair as all Sumerian deities is a sign of that."
"I see. That girl must have been really compatible with Ishtar. Their fusion resulted in a new Goddess, yet the same Goddess at the same time."
"Thanks to that, you were able to get off without trouble in your first encounter. Were that the Ishtar of the myth, things could have ended really bad."
"You might be right. Even if I hate the Gods, that Goddess in particular acts like a human ever so slightly."
Surprisingly, it was Ana who shared her thoughts.
"Hoh? What's this? It's strange to hear you sharing your thoughts, Ana-chan. How are things different if a Goddess acts like a human?"
Ana almost stumbled upon hearing that. It seemed that she spoke her thoughts without realizing it.
"It's nothing. I hate both. I hate Merlin more, though." She replied with her usual plane tone.
It was obvious for everyone that she wasn't being completely honest with herself, at least with the part that didn't have to do with the Magus of flowers.
But putting that aside, EMIYA and Arturia approached Archer, ignoring the empress and the fox girl walking by his side.
"Archer, do you remember Rin, the girl acting as Ishtar's vessel?"
Archer's eyes widened for a moment as if he finally remembered something after a long time.
"Rin... So that was her name, huh? Well, I did remember that girl as my master in one of the Holy Grail Wars I fought, and she seemed to recognize me for a brief moment. However, I would say that I and Goddess Ishtar are barely acquaintances at best."
"Coincidences really do happen... To think that specifical Rin was the one summoned... Well, no wonder why Goldie made you accompany us."
EMIYA reached the same conclusion as the King and Merlin, even if Archer didn't see the point of it. What he didn't realize either was the serious looks the empress and the kitsune wore. They didn't need words to express their concerns.
"Another rival?"
"Oh, I can already see the city!"
Mash's words made everyone focus their attention on the mission again. As she said, the city was finally on sight, and it would take them just a few minutes to reach it.
It wasn't as big as Uruk or Ur, but it was still a big city. However, just as Merlin said, it was a ghost town in the full meaning of the expression. Even if all the corpses were processed accordingly for hygienic reasons, either conserved or disposed of, the city still had a gloomy atmosphere that was growing as they were getting close.
The contrast of the shadows created by the setting sun wasn't helping in that department. It was the perfect setting for a horror movie.
"This place is really giving me bad vibes..." Ai commented as she instinctively got close to Mash and Arturia.
"But there is just... silence. There doesn't seem to be any life at all here."
"It's just as Ritsuka said. I don't detect any trace of a living creature in the city aside from you guys. Even the demonic beasts avoid entering the city. It's as if death itself has cleaned the city."
"Well, we should split to cover all the city. Even if my "survive no matter what" instincts don't detect anything either, I don't think we should stay here more time than we need. Even if we don't run into what caused this tragedy, the Goddess Ishtar might show up."
They followed Merlin's suggestion and split after agreeing to give a signal if they found something. Ritsuka and EMIYA headed Northwest, Ai, and Artoria headed to the Northeast, Merlin, and Ana headed to the West, the two Jeannes headed to the East, and Archer headed to the South without saying much.
The pair of empress and fox lady followed him, seeing how he was walking in a concrete direction instead of looking around for clues.
"Where are you going, Darling?"
"I have a hunch." That was his short answer. The way he didn't react as always to Nero calling him in such an affectioned way told them how serious he was.
Putting their dispute aside, the two women followed him in silence. Be it the murky atmosphere of the city or Archer's seriousness, they agreed that this wasn't the time for that.
After some minutes of walking, the red knight stopped after reaching a familiar place. His steel-grey eyes combed the place and found a dark alley between two houses almost in ruins. Without thinking twice, he entered the alley and immediately spotted something sticking out like a sore thumb.
In the middle of the alley laid a clay tablet that didn't have a single speck of dust on it despite seemingly having been there for long. The cause was the faint trace of magical energy Archer could sense coming from it now that he was close.
This just confirmed it further. Gilgamesh's actions always had a purpose, even when he was in a dream-like state. Finding the tablet on the same exact spot where he met the so-called Ziusu-dra six months ago was too much of a coincidence.
"Mikon! You actually found it right away!"
"Umu! As expected of Darling."
Putting Nero and Tamamo's reaction at this "impossible coincidence", he picked up the tablet. It was, of course, in Sumerian, so even if he could speak and understand it due to the knowledge he received upon his summoning, reading such an ancient language was a different matter. So he didn't bother trying to read it and instead used structural grasp on it.
"...?"
Both girls raised an eyebrow when Archer suddenly became rigid like a statue. The seconds passed, with their bodies growing tenser as the red knight didn't move a muscle at all.
"It's everything all right, Archer?" Tamamo finally mustered the courage to ask, and he finally reacted.
"Yes... I just spaced out for a moment..."
"Did the tablet show you something?"
"Nothing of importance regarding our current situation." Archer turned around to walk out the alley. "We should regroup and ger out of here-"
His steps came to an abrupt halt the moment he set foot outside the alley. It was the same for Nero and Tamamo. The reason was...
"I found you, wretched magi from the future! I don't know what's gotten into you, grilling all the ranchers about me, but cut it out!"
... the overwhelming divine presence right above them.
When they raised their heads, they were met with Goddess Ishtar's figure floating beside her Maanna. Her piercing red eyes were fixed on them, anger and annoyance filling them...
"Snooping around about what a Goddess does in her day off is insensitive! This is the third time you humiliated me! This time I'm going to blow you away... for... sure..."
... until she finally recognized the red knight. All her momentum died rather quickly as her cheeks turned red gradually.
"A-A-A-Archer!? Wh-what are you doing here with those unsightly humans!?" The Goddess started to check if her long black hair wasn't messy, as if she didn't want to look any less than pretty in front of the red knight.
Things got really awkward all of a sudden, with the empress and the kitsune freezing upon seeing Ishtar's reaction.
"Ahem..." Archer broke the silence with a fake cough. "We meet again, Lady Ishtar. I see that you continued with your questionable methods."
He talked to the Goddess in a respectful manner. He needed to stall until the others noticed her presence and came to help. And to make sure that it wouldn't take too much time, he put his hand behind his back and projected a talisman like those Tamamo used.
He could just hope she got the message since he couldn't turn to look at her.
"He-hey, I never promised to lend my services for free!" Ishtar responded offended. "I've been more generous as of late, but that doesn't have anything to do with you! Besides, you are the one that never showed up again!"
"I was supposed to meet with you again?" Archer spoke with genuine confusion. The only thing she said before parting ways was that she would remember him. "I've been busy as of late in the front, you see."
"Hmph." The Goddess started to descend in front of them. "I'll forgive you this time since it's just our second meeting. But, as compensation, you'll have to give me the treasure you're holding in your hands. Gimme."
Well, negotiations went down the drain really quickly even if she was no longer hostile. That was the only thing he could give her. This tablet was meant to be read by Ritsuka and Ai, that he was sure.
If her reputation was just like he pictured, she'll just throw it into the pile of treasures she has in her lair at Mt. Ebith, but he wasn't risking it.
"Hey, Fake Goddess of Venus, who do you think you are trying to extort Darling!?"
Actually, Nero's sudden outburst came in handy. He would rather not risk his apparently cordial relationship with the Goddess.
"Wh-what did you just call me!?" Ishtar's expression turned into one of sheer rage. "Who do YOU think you are to claim that!?"
"I AM the true manifestation of Venus! Nero Claudius! No matter how you look at it, that flat body of yours can't even be compared to mine!"
That struck close to home. "Hu-HUH!? Do you think you can compare your mundane beauty with my divine charms!? This vessel is already enough to charm any men in existence! This does it!"
A massive arrow of light was loaded in her "bow" and fired at them, as divine retribution from a Goddess with her heart hurting. The three servants had to dodge quickly, the place they had been a few seconds ago being utterly destroyed in seconds, buildings included.
A flame curse was fired at the sky from one of the roofs, but it missed completely the Mistress of Heavens. Ishtar's eyes fell on the kitsune, quickly deducing her intentions.
"Even if you warn your master and the other servants, it's useless! I'll destroy you before they arrive!"
The Goddess extended her hand and a strange-looking spear materialized on it, its long handle twirling around her arm. Its blade resembled more a steel arrow than a conventional spear.
She then hurled at the fox girl. Knowing about that curse capable of absorbing magical energy, she decided to finish the caster servant in close combat.
But a white sword intercepted her attack. The empress immediately lunged her sword at Ishtar's neck as retaliation, forcing her to dodge with a backflip. Following the movement, she threw a roundhouse kick at the empress, but was blocked by a floating mirror.
The Goddess continued her offensive with her martial arts, taking advantage of her superior strength and speed, but the surprisingly good teamwork of the two rivals allowed them to hold their ground. Nero confronted the Goddess head-on, keeping her from attacking Tamamo, and the Caster supported her with her mirror and curses, even if the latter didn't have barely any effect on Ishtar.
"Tsk!" The Goddess clicked her tongue in annoyance as she dodged a burst of flames from Aestus Estus.
She decided to retreat to the safety of the sky and loaded a barrage of arrows in her "bow". She would overpower them then.
"Hey, come here and fight, coward Goddess!"
"Where has gone your pride, wicked Goddess!?"
Ishtar didn't fall for Nero and Tamamo's taunt and pointed her finger at them, imitating the shape of a gun with her hand.
"I'm not giving up my advantage, fools!"
With a command, the rain of destruction was unleashed upon them. Tamamo threw all the curses she could, and Nero fired another burst of flames, but it wasn't enough. There were just many projectiles. But an opposing barrage of twisted arrows deflected the light arrows they couldn't repel.
The barrage stopped then suddenly as Ishtar threw a betrayed look at Archer, and the two girls took advantage of the slight distraction to jump from the collapsing building they were on.
"You choose to side with them, Archer!?"
"I would rather avoid any needless fight, Ishtar. I know we started with the wrong foot, but can't we talk things as people with the same objective?"
"Fool, who said we have the same objective!? I just saved those farmers because I felt like it!"
Archer squinted at that. Perhaps it was her vessel's influence, but she was rather clumsy when it came to expressing her true feelings.
"But you're protecting them, right? The reports say that you do it quite frequently. Even if it's in your own way, you are still watching over humanity. Wouldn't you consider it?"
The Goddess hesitated for a moment seeing his extended hand. But she ended up shaking her head as if to throw away unnecessary thoughts.
"Even if you might be right, you're still Goldie's ally!" The light arrows were loaded again. "I'm not gonna go easy on, Archer! I'm taking you with me when I'm finished!"
Any Urukian that heard that would have shit their pants. Even if we put aside her recent reputation as the "Devil of Venus", she already had the reputation of a black widow. However, Archer just sighed exasperatedly as he loaded Hrunting in his black bow.
"Excuse me if I put up some resistance then…"
As he poured magical energy in the red hound, he pulled out and fired swords to repel the incoming projectiles, and with some assistance from the fox girl, he managed to finish the preparation of the broken phantasm.
"Hrunting!"
The demonic bullet soared through the sky at a speed that the Goddess could barely react. However, with just a thought, Maanna was already in front of her to block the attack, and she threw one of her gems with overflowing magical energy to increase its defense exponentially.
The explosion shook the entire place, causing some of the already weakened buildings to collapse. But once the smoke cleared out, they could see the Goddess' unharmed figure.
"That was a good attempt. But I'll start to get serious from now on! Take… this…"
For some reason, Ishtar's energy disappeared at the drop of a hat. One moment she seemed all fired up, and the other she was floating up there like a robot that ran out of battery.
"Huh? What-?"
But before they could ponder about what happened to the Goddess, a purple chain wrapped itself around Ishtar's ankle.
"Eh?"
"This is for the other time!"
The Goddess reacted abnormally slow, just turning to look at Anna climbing the chain at full speed. The little girl's foot crashed into her head, causing the Goddess to fall flat on the ground.
Everyone looked cautiously at the crater in the middle of the street, but when the smoke cleared, the Goddess was laying there unconscious.
"Well, that was way easier than I expected." Even Merlin looked at the fallen Goddess with a surprised face.
The rest of the Chaldeans arrived at the place shortly after.
"You guys have already defeated that chick?" Alter made the question in everyone's mind. The sight of a member of the Three Goddesses Alliance easily defeated was quite shocking.
"She just spaced out in the middle of the fight, and I took the opportunity." Ana just shrugged.
"Aside from that, has anyone found the Tablet of Destiny? Emiya and I didn't have any luck?"
Archer stepped forward, the tablet in his hand and his serious eyes looking at the half-incubus. "I did find it. At the exact same spot I met that Ziusu-dra guy six months ago."
"Oh? I guess he wasn't just someone that took that name upon themselves randomly."
"Wait a moment! Did you just say Ziusu-dra!? As in the only man that survived the flood that killed mankind in Sumerian mythology!?" Romani's agitated voice came out of Ritsuka and Ai's communication devices. "You say that the man who saw the abyss is here? That sounds farfetched even if Goddess Ishtar was able to be summoned."
"That's something we can't confirm. But I can say he isn't someone to be made light of, even for the already high standards of this singularity."
"Even if it is someone that is just playing his role, that can't be good news…"
"Leaving that aside, what should we do with the Goddess?" Arturia interrupted the conversation between the three so they could focus on the more pressing issue.
"We tie her up and interrogate her when she wakes up." There wasn't even an ounce of hesitation in Archer's voice.
"Wait, isn't that a bit extreme?" Mash asked a little bit worried, but aside from her, all the other servants nodded in agreement.
"Mash, she is currently our only reliable source of information about the Three Goddess Alliance."
EMIYA's words demolished the Shielder's hope for a more peaceful way. But it was then that Ritsuka showed his concern.
"Are you guys planning to use… rough methods of interrogation? She didn't seem to be that bad of a person…"
"Of course not. It's not like if that would work on a Goddess. We'll have to defeat her in a contest of words."
That appeased the boy's worries, and Alter had to hide her hand already on fire while looking away.
"Then are we going to use the good-cop-bad-cop strategy!?" Contrary to her brother, Ai seemed enthusiastic about the interrogation. "Who's going to be who?"
"I don't think that is going to work either. However…" The Magus of Flowers rested his hands on the red knight's shoulder. "…the King procured us out best weapon against her."
Archer shot at him a blank stare but refrained from saying something.
"Well, Darling almost managed to convince her from ceasing hostilities…"
As anyone had any objection, the role of interrogator fell on Archer, and so, they waited for the sleeping beauty.
"Hnn…" The Goddess slowly opened her eyes as her consciousness returned to her. "Oww… My head… What's going on? Where am I?"
"Fou, fou, fou!"
It was already night, and the first thing she managed to recognize in her was the little cute animal, who was barking as if to warn everyone else.
"Eh?" Of course, as a Goddess, she immediately recognized Fou's true identity, and the fogginess of her mind faded away immediately. "Huh!? Why is the beast of calamity here!?"
She immediately tried to flee but then she finally noticed the rope wrapped around her body.
"Wha- Why am I tied up!? I am going to be offered as a sacrifice to the beast!?"
"Pfft!"
Some of the people she had been ignoring couldn't resist anymore and started and started laughing at her panicking expression.
"Hahahaha! What's this!? Is this the "Devil of Venus"!? This chick wouldn't harm even an ant!"
"Hahahaha! What happened to your pride, burglar Goddess!?"
"Hahahaha! So much for a Fake Goddess!"
The witch, the fox girl, and the empress grabbed their stomachs with pain due to their uncontrollable laughter, and the Goddess clenched her teeth.
"What is the meaning of this!? I demand an explanation!"
"No. You aren't in danger, at least for now. We just want to make some questions."
The deep voice of the red knight caught her attention. Her red eyes met with his steel-gray eyes, and all her frustration vanished in an instant.
Time seemed to slow from her perspective as she stared at his indifferent expression, a feeling of familiarity she couldn't quite grasp bubbling inside her. A second passed that felt like an eternity, and she finally reacted.
"You say that but you have me all tied up here! Have you any idea of who I am!? Do you really think this rope is going to restrain me? Aren't you afraid of what might happen to you later!?"
"Now now, that rope isn't a regular one, steemed Goddess." This time it was Merlin who spoke. "I crafted it with one of your precious lapis lazuli and some hide from demonic beasts. It will take you more than an instant to break it. And…"
Ana then stepped ahead. "My scythe can kill immortals. I won't kill you, but it is going to be quite painful."
"Even if we don't want to hurt you, we had to take some measures for our own safety, don't you think?"
"Ghh…" The Goddess gritted her teeth upon hearing Archer, her expression turned melancholic for the faintest of the moments. "I guess I should have expected something like this… I am the most feared Goddess in Mesopotamia…"
Her expression switched back to serious so quickly that it was hard to say if they weren't seeing things.
"So what? I can guess it already. You want to ask about the Three Goddess Alliance, right?"
"Exactly. We just want to know the basics. Why are the three Goddesses attacking Uruk? Who summoned you? And if it's possible, would you tell us the true identity of the other two Goddesses?"
"Hnn…" She seemed to ponder about something before opening her mouth to speak again. "What was your name, Archer?"
Archer raised an eyebrow by reflex. No one else knew it, but she had already told her that he didn't remember his name during their first meeting. This just added up to her weird change of personality after waking up the way she spaced out for no apparent reason.
He was starting to suspect this was something deeper than just a headache due to her hard fall.
"I've already told you; I forgot my name long ago. I'm a nameless heroic spirit whose only true name is an alias people came up with, the King of Fakers. You can call me whoever you want."
Those words made Nero pout. "Darling!? Why do you insist on not being called by your name after you remembered it!?"
"Force of habit. However, I don't think the current me has the right to use that name."
"I see." A faint smile appeared on the face of the Goddess. "Well, since you are fool enough to reveal your true identity to me, not once, but twice, I will answer what I can. To address your question, the reason why we, the Three Goddess Alliance, attack Uruk. This goes without saying, but we wish to control the world. Well, technically, I want to rule humans, and the Goddess of the North wants to tule the world. There's a slight difference. And about the Goddess of the South, well… she's from a different culture, so I don't have any idea of what she's up to. In any event, we're in competition with each other… to see who can destroy Uruk first and claim the Holy Grail in King Gilgamesh's possession. The first Goddess to achieve it will control de land and the other two would serve her as subservient deities."
That was pretty much what they had assumed. However, she had another slip, albeit it was a personal thing. The Ishtar summoned to this singularity always referred to Gilgamesh in the same way her vessel did. Goldie.
Not letting it show on his face, Archer continued the questioning. "What are the other Goddesses' true names?"
"Now that's a question I can't answer. The three of us made a sacred pact to not divulge sensible information, and Goddess gossiping at her fellows back would be really disgraceful, don't you think? I won't divulge their names even under threat of death, understood?"
"Fair enough." The option of testing Rule Breaker on her crossed his mind, but he doubted it would work on something on that level. "Last. Who summoned you three?"
That question held more meaning than it seemed, and the look of approval Merlin gave him confirmed that they were on the same page here.
"I was summoned by the Sacred Temple in Uruk. As for the other two, they were dragged here by the Holy Grail. I'm not sure whether it was the Mage King's plan or not."
"I see… Well, that's everything we wanted to ask. Thanks for cooperating."
The smile on the Goddess' face grew wider. "No. Even if we're enemies, you treated me with the utmost respect. Thank you for that."
At the exact same moment those words left her mouth, the atmosphere of the place changed suddenly. The temperature dropped, and a dense fog started to spread, but more importantly, a group of shadowy figures emerged around them.
"What the!? Where did these guys come from!?"
"The sensors didn't detect anything, but that is mostly because those things signatures are overshadowed by the density of mana in the atmosphere. You need to get out of there! Their numbers surpass the hundreds!"
"Those are the damned souls of every person that has died in this place throughout all its history. Some of them don't even have a physical body anymore."
Just as Merlin said, the figures surrounding them were skeletons without even a trace of flesh on them and wraiths. Their lifeless eyes cursing the living made the two masters and the servant Shielder shudder.
"We're breaking through them!" Arturia reacted quickly, unleashing her invisible air to open a hole in their formation. The fog, skeletons, and even the spirits were blown away by her attack.
"Follow us, everyone!" Jeanne joined her, her mere presence keeping the dead away.
The King of Knights and the Saint of Orleans led the group, clearing the way with their wind and holy light, and the rest followed suit, supporting them with "arrows" and curses.
They already had the tablet of destiny in their possession, and they even got to question the Goddess, so the best option was fleeing without a doubt.
However, someone stayed behind.
"Hey, what are you doing!? At this rate, your comrades are going to leave you behind!?" The Goddess watched dumbfounded as Archer ignored her warning and started to undo the rope.
"I'm not leaving you here to be eaten alive by a bunch of skeletons!"
"But I am your enemy, right!? Isn't it better for you to just let me die? Why would you help someone like me?"
"I don't need a reason to help someone in danger. It's just the right thing to do. But if you want a reason, then I'll give you one. Even if you're trying to put up that front of an evil Goddess, you still care about humanity in your own way, don't you? I can't possibly abandon a Goddess like you."
"Eh?"
Her eyes widened upon seeing a small smile showing on his face. "So, thanks for helping to prevent mankind's extinction."
The rope was finally undone, and Archer was already turning around, his cursed twin swords ready to sever the dead.
The Goddess watched silently his back as he cut through the enemies to flee the city. A decision was made, and the Boat of Heavens manifested again by her side so she could ascend.
The shooting stars rained upon the earth and wrecked all the dead, not only in front of the red knight, but also in front of the Chaldeans, Merlin, and Ana.
"Hmph, what a strange spirit. For someone doomed to serve The World for eternity, his soul still shines with purpose."
The Goddess talked to herself, with a fond smile on her face and her blonde hair waving with the wind.
"It would be a shame if he was sacrificed to the other two Goddesses."
And that's it for now. Yeah, when I mentioned Ishtar, I was referring to her counterpart, too. Those two come as a pack despite their relationship, right?
And well, we finally got a glimpse of why "Enkidu" is going to have an even harder existential crisis in this story. Not only they have seen that body's one and only friend for the first time, but they have seen him with another weapon by his side. I weapon that wasn't forged by the Gods but by mankind. Expect a rematch in the future between The World's strongest weapons.
King of Fakers received a revelation from the tablet of destinies, but it isn't the same as the one Ritsuka and Ai will receive in the next chapter. His role in the final battle is going to be different. But I withheld it to avoid too many spoilers, even if it is quite obvious.
And if you find Chaldea being a little bit overwhelmed, that's the intention. That is going to change in the future with F/GO's trademark power up. No, it's not the power of friendship, but it is related to it in one way.
As you might expect if you have already played through/read/watched this singularity, yes, it is in the next chapter shit is going to hit the fan. That and I think I might also cover Ishtar Joining the party as well.
Now, my next update is obviously going to be "Date a Density's" next chapter, finishing the Shimousa Arc. I already tell you it is going to be a massive update, but I'll try to have it ready before the end of the year… I might be exaggerating, but anyway. By the way, I've already decided that I will be focusing on that story until I reach a certain chapter I'm dying to write. One in which I'll get to introduce a new character I have been working on his concept for some time, and most of you have been waiting for him to show up for a long time.
Believe me, it is going to be worth it. And my oldest reader knows that I mean it when I say those words.
As always, I would like to hear your thoughts about the chapter, and I hope I entertained you.
With this, I say goodbye for now. Hasta la vista!