Hello everybody and welcome back to the start of chapter 92 of the story! Has any of you guys watched the recent Summer Games Fest? I didn't saw any of it honestly, but I got the news of what was shown in it. And oh boy a Killer Bean game?! In 2024? It was about time! And apart from some other announcement or two, it seems personally for me I didn't missed much by not watching the event. But like, Idk if it's me getting older or me just missing the days of E3 and how much hyped people would get for the announcements of long awaited games and other types of absolute bomb drop moments we'd get on the event...
But putting that small nostalgia apart, let's start the Singularity and turning point that made FGO actually care deeply abou the story! I warn you here and now that Camelot will be quite the long Singularity with possibly (definetly) more chapters than any other previous Singularity. Like I said at the end of the Pluribus Unum's last chapter: this is where the things go wilder!
Let's go!
DISCLAIMER: All of the Nasuverse characters belong to Nasu and are property of Type-Moon, with the exception of the OC's that belong to me, the author
"At long last, you've entered the final stages of thy long journey, dear Knight of Loyalty."
A wizard in a white cloak told methodicaly and passively to a figure in front of him.
"For more than a thousand years you've roved on the pursue of this ancient mistake commited by none other than thyself. Traveling across countless worlds in hopes to amend it."
The mysterious wizard gazed at the knight he was talking to. A completely petrified statue, having been locked in a bowing position. The two were situated in a seemingly vast and boundless magic garden of pink flowers, the domain of the wizard, unconnected from all else of the normal world, located on a different layer to that of average reality.
"Thou hast wandered through a myriad of deserts and endured numberless tempests. All so that this time, the holy sword could be rightfully delivered to the lake. Rectify the promise to thy king. Yet, it looks time has run short for thou."
The staff of the wizard shinned as he casted a spell on the statue of the knight.
"However, with such devotion that thou demonstrates, it would simply be a cruel fate to end like this after so many trials. If anything, your presence here has to be a sign. Thy odyssey is not over."
Conceding one final opportunity to the knight, the wizard liberated him from his stone prison, cracks shatterings the layer of rock with flowers brooming within.
"But I must warn thee before you go and fulfill your goal. For this final phase, thou shall have to face and defeat past companions. Even thy own king who has long departed from the one you once knew, having shaped into a different entity as consequence of thy broken oath. To complete this mission, faint heart and compassion cannot be shown to the face of former friends and comrades."
Wanting the knight to be properly prepared for this, the wizard bestowed to him a gift on his arm, a light overleaping it.
"Do take this with you. It shall help thou to rival the power of the other knights. But be cautious of its usage as the weapon is directly linked to thy very soul who will be used as its fuel. The others will not hesitate in trying to stop you despite of the past. To try and avoid any unecessary conflict early on, thou must be under disguise. And as there will be opponents, there will also be allies on the place thou are going to be sent."
With everything done and ready, the wizard gave one final warning to the knight.
"Independent of the result, thou shall perish at the end. Are you sure you want to proceed, Lucius?"
Being freed from his petrification as the shards of stone fell from his face, the knight moved his head and opened his eyes.
"I'll gladly die for my king to be finally free."
"Do arouse from the slumber, O my great king."
A woman's voice called for someone amidst the emptiness of sleep.
"Hmnm...hmhmm...what...is it?"
The king replied to the voice, having slowly awakened into a garden, altough a different one.
"The presumed beast we're hunting has been located on a new Singularity. And this Singularity surely is an odd one."
"Any details?" The king asked, rubbing his hands on his face as he lifted up his torso from the ground.
"Well, I don't wanna spoil the surprise so all that I'll say is that the events of this one took some unexpected turns. Way more than any other Singularities had. Guess the inhabitants of this one decided to go wild, hehehe!"
"It's always a fun game for you, isn't it? People are in danger as that beast roams free!" The king sighed in reaction to the giggles of the woman's voice.
"That's on you for not having managed to kill it, allowing for it to escape previously. But do not worry. I'm making sure this time you arrive way before the ending!" The woman's voice said joyfully.
"Good to hear at least. Do you know where the beast is currently in the Singularity?"
"Not really. We're trying our best to localize it but it seems that its presence went back to being occult to us shortly after we noticed the irregular signal. Also, I think it's a great opportunity for you to introduce yourself to them as an ally."
"Who? The people of Chaldea? Eh, I've been waiting to finally meet them for quite some time now." The king expressed his desire, checking his own armour. "Alright ºººººº! I've let this wicked beast run away for long enough! This time, it shall be slayed down by my sword even if it forces me to release all thirteen seals!"
"Wohoo! Spoke like a true king!" The woman's voice cheered. "Altough perhaps it should be better to conceal your true identity before going to that Singularity..." The woman's voice said in a low and hurried tone.
"What was that?" The king questioned in response, haven't quite catched the last part well.
"Humm, nothing! Just speaking to myself!" The woman's voice replied. "Eitherway, gonna send you to the Singularity right now!"
The king chuckled, putting the hands on his hips as he looked to the sky while rose petals were blown by the wind. "That's your way of wishing good luck now, ºººººº? At least make a bit more of an effort."
"Ehehe, sorry! Truly, where are my manners?"
In front of the king, the woman materialized herself, appearing in a white wizard's cloak. Making a curtsy to her long time king and friend, she bid him farewell.
"My blessings are with thou, my liege. As long as the Promised Sword of Victory stay by thy hands, eradicating the beast will be the foreseeable future. Only then, shall thou rest, ºººººº ºººººº."
.
.
"The first guest of today has arrived Your Majesty!"
"Nhgmmm...hmmmm...who?"
Exiting from his dormant state, Peko woke up to find himself sitting on a throne at the end of a giant royal hall, worthy of a palace. Looking down to himself, the boy saw his clothes had been replaced, now wearing the attire of a prince.
"Eh?! W-What are these clothes?" Peko touched the sleeves, inspecting the unusual white, black and silver garment. It really gave him the appearence of someone important.
"Focus, Your Majesty!" The sillhouette of a man appeared next to the throne, speaking in a professional and courteous manner. A couple of strings comming out of him. A human sized puppet figure. "I do am aware that the king is still young and inexperient, as this will be the very first audition of Your Majesty with the citizens. Nevertheless, do not fret, Your Majesty, as I will be here in your aid with any measures that might be difficult for the king to decide. Remember of the teachings, Your Majesty."
"H-Humm...sure thing. Thank you for the reassurance!" Peko replied to what he persumed to be his counseler, standing right by his side. "This must be another dream. They just keep getting stranger." Trying to move inside his own dream, Peko discovered he couldn't get up from his seat. "Looks like I can't move from here either." With that in mind, Peko received the first guest of the audition. "Another puppet?" He tought after seeing that the guest he firstly received was another sillhouette of a puppet with strings attached as well.
"Please, O your grandious majesty. Do grant me this favour: Protect the world and every species within it, as we party all together."
"Eeehhh, do you care to explain that exactly?" Peko asked to the puppet, not quite understanding well the why for that favour or the meaning of it. Looking to the puppet counselor to his side in need of an advice of what to do here, Peko was met with no words from him, only an invisible stare from the puppet who glazed back at him, as if he was telling Peko to chose his own words here. "Hummm, I'll try and think about your cause for the time being! You can leave now."
"..." With the reply and order, the puppet of the first guest was sent away, dissapearing into thin air.
"That was weird..." Peko murmured, looking to the floor while scratching his head. "Hope the next one won't be that confusing."
Entering the hall, the next guest in line for the audition was also the sillhouette of a puppet. He introduced himself as a giant lumberjack.
"Please, O your grandious majesty. Do grant me this favour: Make the trees thrive so that I can construct a memorial for beloved ones."
Peko also tried to understand this one, altough a bit easier. "Is he referring to my magic? I do can create crops and other plants. Perhaps a tree won't be that much of a trouble." Peko said to himself before giving his answer to the second guest. "I'll be sure to grant your wish. Thank you for coming. You might leave." Peko said gently, instructed to the puppet who then dissapeared like the first one. "I-I said what I was supposed to, didn't I?" Deep down he was a bit nervous, hopping that he was doing a good job as a 'king' in this dream of his, while giving a side glance to the puppet of the counselour on his side, expecting him to give Peko any sort of commentary or criticism dependent on his actions as ruler.
It had only been two guests so far but Peko was already feeling the weight of his duty. And the audience proceeded on. The common trait of the guests would be that they were all puppets, controlled by the strings attached to their bodies and covered as silhouette figures.
The third one was a puppet of a young teen.
"A giant golden tree house for me and my friends to be at leisure."
"...!" Peko felt his own mind twitching inside of him before ignoring, giving his answer to the third guest, sending him away.
The fourt guest was an energetic young man.
"A worthy opponent to give me the most gratifying battle!"
The fifth guest was a mostly quiet hunter.
"A end to the war that torments me."
Peko sensed the small annoyance on his mind growing bit by bit, slightly disturbing the boy from continuing with his job to receive favours as king. Despite that, he had to continue.
The sixth guest was a female monk and dancer.
"A meditation that inspires my next dance."
The sevent guest was a knight.
"A tender world for my children to grow in."
The eight guest, a female gardener.
"A garden so beautiful that it can bless our family."
"Nghn!" With every upcoming guest, the headache within Peko throbbed stronger. This puppet guests and even the counselor were making an effect on him. But he didn't know how or why exactly. Everything about them just felt odd. "Why...is my head hurting with this? What kind of dream is this supposed to be?" Peko tried to overcome the aching. "Anyways, I hope either this audiction or dream is ending soon enou-"
"It was a decent job, Your Majesty. It's time for the young king to take a break." The puppet of the counselor informed Peko, breaking his train of thought.
"Oh, wasn't expecting that a king's audition has breaks. Thank you for that. I think I was needing it." Peko replied to the counselor, feeling that hos body could now move, finally exiting from his throne.
"Utilize this spare time well, Your Majesty. Make sure to be back soon for the remaining part of the audition." The counselor told to Peko as the boy walked to a balcony outside the great hall, stepping out to see the nightsky, now having some time alone.
Leaning on its railing, Peko rested his face in one of his hands as a soft wind blasted by. He was trying to figure out this dream. The reason behind such scenario as well as the puppet figures. Why would his mind react in pain to their presence? Why were all of them puppets, inclusively the counselor? Was he king of a kingdom of puppets or something? "Maybe this dreams really don't mean a thing..." Peko sighed, stopping the head support on his hand.
"Still too muddled and incomprehensible to figure it out? Or is the gig wearing you down?"
Hearing a voice near him, Peko looked to the side to see a silhouette of a man having randomly spawned next to the boy, standing on top of the balcony's railing. However, this one was different. No strings attached to it, therefore it wasn't a puppet. Instead, a hanged man, with a rope tied around his neck. Such presence startled the boy initially.
"W-Woah! Who are you?" Peko asked to the silhouette of the hanged man.
"Don't bother asking that. For all that you know, I could just be a weird random figment of your dreamful imagination. Dreams are indeed weird after all." The hanged man cackled, sounding a bit malicious. "One day, you're dreaming of yourself being at the top of everything, only to wake up at the bottom and remember how life was never fair. People always live in a endless pursuit for their reason to exist. Who they love, who they hate. What is their role, what they fight for. What is right or wrong for them. What viewpoint appeases them the most. What dreams and aspirations they have. Always shackled for the pursuit for a place in this vast existence." The hanged man spoke mysteriously. "And yet, the ending is all the same despite the actions. No matter where you came from, who or what you are or even if you found your place or not. Death approaches within every second gone by, taking it all away."
"..." Peko opted to not say anything, chosing to hear the bizarre and seemingly nihilistic small speech of the hanged man.
"However, does that translates to everything and everyone being meaningless nor of value? That life itself is completely worthless? Who knows?" A grin appeared on the face of the hanged man. "Maybe the reason that nothing is meaningful is what turns life interesting. It's up to you on how to perceive that."
"I...I gotta go." Finding the conversation that the hanged man was doing to be taking some weird philosophical turns, Peko decided to not engage with it, deciding to walk away from the balcony and entering the royal hall, leaving the silhouette of the hanged man to dissapear alone.
Sitting back on the throne, Peko's mind tried to comprehend if all that talk had some coherence or it was simply the dream being nonsensical in nature. Whether it was or not, the boy couldn't be sure. "The value of life depends on which way I choose to see it?" As he spent some time analyzing it, Peko eventually realized something was off. The figure of the counselor wasn't next to him anymore nor anywhere else in the hall to be more precise. No new guests to arrive appear as well. Just Peko all by himself in the grand hall. "Where did the others go-aagh!"
Suddenly, Peko felt his limbs and entire body being tied to the throne by almost invisible blue strings, restraining him. "W-What's this?!" Peko struggled, trying to free himself from the bindings that shown to be very resilient, almost unbreakable.
"Fufufufu, we lament to inform you, young king. But your short reign needs to be put to an abrupt end."
A woman's voice speaked, a puppet of a witch appearing in front of Peko.
"Uh?! I-Is this some sort of coup or something?" Peko questioned the witch, wanting to understand what was happening now.
"That designation isn't that much far off. But in fact, this is merely fate at work."
Another voice, a male one, speaked, with a second puppet appearing, standing next to the witch. A judge with strings coming out of his hand.
"Fate at work? What does that even mean? What is this dream even about?!" Peko exclaimed, demanding for answers.
The witch giggled at that. "You poor thing. So aloof to everything that's happening around you. Unable to observe the bigger picture."
"Alas, the works of Your Majesty to this kingdom has been of a subpar contribution. The masses clamor for change. It would seem the shoes were too great to fit the young king." The judge explained to Peko in a calm and cold deep despotic voice.
"That makes no sense! How can the people be dissatisfied if I barely done anything yet?!" Peko questioned, the explanation it was given to him not sounding right.
"An unprepared ruler, unfitting to govern. You were never supposed to be king." The judge said to Peko. "For the lack of management and misconduct of thy royal status, I hereby sentence Your Majesty to be replaced."
As the puppet judge delivered the sentence, the walls begun to crumble, a darkness beggining to cosume the hall and everything in it.
"You can't do that! That's usurpation!" Peko accused the two as he once again attempted to get free from the strings.
"The will of destiny simply did not planned for you to be sitting at the throne. Your Majesty can only accept it has nothing can stop its natural course." The witch speaked, approaching Peko alongside the judge. The majority of the hall had been devoured by the enveloping darkness meanwhile, the room getting smaller and smaller.
Peko couldn't do nothing but to watch the two looming figures of the judge and the witch both approaching him as the darknees was now eradicating the ground beneath his feet.
"Truly, fate was never in your favour. But do not worry. As its chosen, us two will make sure to take care of the kingdom from here on as that is our gifted right." The judge added, getting closer to Peko.
By this point, the darkness had already reached his body, travelling up torwards his face, a crawling sensation on his skin. "Gnghn!"
"For I am master of my own fate. And you, a pawn of it."
Then, Peko got plunged into the lonely obscure void. Despite being finally free from the strings, Peko felt a suffocating pressure against his body in the middle of the dark empty space, as if he was in deep underwater.
"I...can't breath!"
Swimming aimlessly, Peko desperatly wished that the dream would be ending soon as he felt the shortage of air inside him.
"Unite our races. Turn Earth a better place for everyone."
Hearing the echos of a distant voice, Peko looked forward as he saw a beacon of light in the distance. And in front of that light, there stood a familiar figure. A painter in priest's clothing.
"It's him!"
Seeing him reaching out his arm for the boy, Peko swam faster torwards the light and the painter. No matter the dream he would have, it would look like the painter was always bound to appear in some way. And Peko wanted to know exactly why so. Who was this mysterious man that the boy couldn't help but feel he had already met him a long time ago?
With questions popping up one after the other, Peko got closer to the painter, seeing way clearer his clothes and spiky dark hair.
"A bit more, and I'll be able to see his face!"
He had already seen the man's face once. But it had been so brief and unexpected that Peko was unable to register and memorize it at the time. Now, he would make sure to remember well of the face traits of the painter. Approaching, Peko was about to grab his hand and the brightness of the beacon of light was diminishing, the face of the painter about to become visible.
And all that Peko saw was a demonic grin creeping into the painter's mouth instead.
"But first, all existence needs to be erased of sin!"
"Hm?!"
Peko couldn't process well what the distorted voice of the painter said as the beacon of light expelled all of its shine away, smoothly transforming into a black hole that then proceeded to expand at an alarming speed, encompassing the emptiness of the void and blasting Peko away before it could absorve the boy as well with its sheer and terryfying gravitational magnitude, giving no chances to escape.
"Gnghaaaaaaah!"
.
.
"Hurry up or we'll be late!"
"Mhmmm...nhmm?..."
Rubbing her eyes, Nala yawned, expecting to wake up in her bedroom at Chaldea. Yet, the place where she woke up to was totally unexpected. Hearing some bells sounding away and playful noises, she slowly opened her vision.
"Hmmmm, what's with all the-eh?! Where am I?!" Nala asked to herself as she stared to her surroundings. A small simple countryside village in the middle of a sunny day. And looking at herself, the girl noticed she was wearing what appeared to be student's clothes and holding a satchel in her hand. Nala gave it a puzzled look. "Why do I have this with me?"
"Stop day dreaming silly! You don't want to miss school and upset the teacher, do you?"
A kid speaked to Nala as he runned past her, heading torwards a building a few meters in front where other children could be seen talking before entering.
Nala blinked her eyes for a few times in even more bafflement. "I...I attend school?" She said to herself, sounding a bit dissapointed. "What a lame dream to have." She whispered.
"Agree! If anything, that would sound more like a nightmare rather than a dream! Don't you think the same?"
"Mhmmmm mmmm, truly, there is nothing more dreading than to never be able to escape from a place we hate! Specially in our mind."
"Who goes there?" Nala immediatly turned around, seeing two animals approaching her from behind. A pink fox with glasses and a symmetrically coloured black and white cat.
"Just humble business people who look to resolve a person's problem with the distribution of nice services and offers! Isn't that what we do?" The fox asked to her colleague.
"Mhmmm mhmmm exactly that, word by word! Our goal is nothing more but to bring a smile to every children who might be passing throguh some inconveniences." The cat responded, trying to sound friendly.
"...Okay?" Nala wasn't very trusty of the animal duo despite their cute and fluffy appearences, similar to Fou. Maybe it was the way they speaked or the words they used, but Nala couldn't help but feel there was something shady about them.
"Say, young miss, you were about to go to school just now, weren't you?" The fox asked Nala, adjusting her own glasses.
"W-Well I...I kinda was? But humm..." Nala wasn't very enjoyed with the idea of going to school and spend her dream just sitting an hearing about things she wouldn't pay mind to, but she also never really considered to not going to.
However, the fox interrupted her before she could give further explanation. "Ah, do not bother justifying any further little lady! I can detect an unsetisfied possible customer when I see one!"
"We understand your problem. Educational institutions can feel like a tedious prison to an adventurous girl like you." The cat added.
"And to force you to still attend it so close to summer season. How cruel of them!" The fox said, dramatically. "Is there any way to escape from such hell?"
Nala tried to give her own opinion. "Hey now, I personally may not like it but-"
"But you dispise it! A hatred so deep that the mere mention of the word already makes your entire mood down!" The fox cut Nala short again.
"Luckily, we have come in your hour of need with the marvellest of solutions!" The cat told her, his eyes looking mischiveous.
"Ugh! Fine! What is it?" Nala said, slightly annoyed. Since they weren't allowing her to speak, she might as well know what their deal and proposal was all about.
"Hehehe, I was wondering when you'd finally ask." The fox's glasses glinted for a second as she presented a small card to Nala in her paw for the girl to pick it up. "Here. Take this."
Grabbing the card, Nala saw that it was an advertiser to a place. "Hm?"
"A magical theme island park with lots of attractions and fun! The place where all the cool children and others who want to find entertainment go to!" The fox told Nala, trying to sold her the idea. "Aaaand, with a trip and stay free of charge! No need to pay a cent! Correct?"
The cat nodded in agreement. "Mhmmmm correct, correct! All that you need to do is just to be punctual and show up for the boat to guide you to the island! Once there, you can party as much as your heart's content!"
"Wow! For real? And what about the food?" Nala said, showing some sign of amazement with such offer and island.
"All the sweetest candies and foods you've ever imagined! Cakes, strawberries, strawberry cakes and much more!" The fox replied to the girl, making it sound as incredible as possible.
Nala gulped, with starts on her eyes as her mouth watered. She was becoming very inclined to accept. "What a paradise..." But she quickly came to her senses, taking caution. "But like, how can I be sure this is authentic? It could be very well be a scam."
Both the fox and the cat reacted as if she said something blasphemous.
"A scam?! Nonsense! We would never dare to step that low!" The cat exclaimed.
"We have nothing but dignity and respect for our jobs as model roles of the business industry! We have been on this line of work for years! Professionals who never received complaints from a single customer! That's how belivable and trusty we are!" The fox defended vehemently against the accusation.
"If you are that reliable then, everyone around here must know you well." Nala responded.
"Oh, and they do young lady. For the best reasons and everything." The fox faked a smile. "Now dear, give us an answer: do you want to go to the island? Say yes and we immediatly take you to the boat."
Despite how tempting that idea sounded, Nala was a bit reluctant. "Hummmm, well..."
"To say you wouldn't love to go on the roller coasters and circus would just be lying. No kid would dare to turn down such incredible offer." The cat tried to convince her.
"I-I know! Altough..." Being pressured, Nala couldn't give a straight answer to the duo who made sure to gaslight her into wanting to go.
"Altough what? You fear that not going to school will make you grounded?" The fox asked, approaching Nala. "Please, don't tell me you're really thinking about wasting a whole day in boredom because you're afraid of what others might think of you. I promise it will be fun. Just a day or two as well."
Nala was still apprehensive, feeling the malicious and serious stare of the fox near her as well as her voice. "But..."
"You don't want to waste this opportunity, do you? I assure that once you go there, the enjoyment will be such that it will make all the consequences that will appear afterwards worth it. I'm aware of how tired it must be, trying to be as responsible as possible and meet the expectations others set up for you. Such unwanted pressure that must be put on your shoulders with all that."
"..!" Nala's lips twitched a bit. This comment of the fox felt like it had gone directly to her core, a sort of taunt.
"How about you let go off those things for a moment? To be relaxed and happy?" The animal whispered to her ear while the cat begun to walk around her with a roguish smirk. The tatic of pressuring Nala was working well. "We can give you that, little bunny. All that you need to do, is say yes and-"
"Hey you two! I finally found you! You're under arrest!"
"Hm?
"Eh?"
"What?"
All the three heard the sounds of whistles as a woman dressed in police clothes appeared, runnong torwards them. The animal duo knew this was bad news.
"Crap! We've been discovered! We got to run!" The cat exclaimed to his partner in crime.
Being clearly frustrated, the fox still gave a last smile to Nala. "Well, have more time to think about the offer by the next we meet. I'll be waiting for your answer!" She winked to her before finally fleeing away with the cat, dissapearing from the scenario.
"Wait! Come back here you thiefs!" The policewoman shouted before losing them from sight. "Dammit! They've escaped."
Being near her, Nala gave a look to the woman's face and was shocked once she saw who it was. "Atalanta?!"
"Are you okay? Those two didn't hurt you, did they?" The policewoman, who's appearence was identical to Atalanta, checked on Nala.
"N-Not at all. I'm okay, thanks." Nala replied, finding weird how Atalanta had shown up all of a sudden as a police officer. Most likely a product of her dream.
"Thank goodness. Hm?" Atalanta said before noticing the card on Nala's hand. "What's that? Give it to me!" She ordered, getting the advertisement card from Nala's hand, giving it look. "Tsk! Those two really have no shame! Trying to fool kids with schemes like this!" With some anger, Atalanta teared the card into small pieces. "Make sure to avoid people like them. And if you see them agai, don't hesitate in reporting to me their location. Understood?"
"Yeah." Nala nodded her head. It looked like Atalanta didn't remembered her by the way she adressed the girl.
"You should go to school now then. I know it might be a bit boring but it's alot more of useful time spent than being with some bad company." Atalanta advised to Nala, patting her head and giving the girl a gentle smile. Her personality was still the same overall. "Study and make some trustworthy friends, got it?"
Nala blushed a bit on how wholesome Atalanta was treating her. "S-Sure thing! I will!"
Giggling, Atalanta begun to walk away. "That's the way. Take care!" Atalanta waved off to Nala as she dissapeared from the girl's view.
"Bye!" Nala waved back, being left alone now. "Seeing her again was nice, even if it's in a dream." Looking behind, she detected a creaking noise as the door of the school building opened, a wall of light behind it. Looking around, Nala saw there was no other path she could take, surrounded by houses. "Guess there's only one way." She said, assuming that by going through that wall the dream would continue.
As she walked up the stairs torwards the entrance gate of the building, Nala couldn't help but still think about what that pink fox told her, stirring up her mind.
"Should I have accepted it?"
.
.
"Good morning, Mash. How are you?"
"..."
"Is something wrong? Are you feeling sick?"
"No. It's just...is that supposed to be my name?"
"Indeed it is! Mash Kyrielight! A very beautiful name, don't you think?" Doctor Romani smiled to the young Mash, having come to her room to check up on her. She looked overall lethargic when interacting with the doctor, mostly reserved.
Mash nodded nonchalantly. "I guess so. But why are you here? I was told I would have the appointment with my physician first..."
Romani looked a bit perplexed at hearing that. "Oh, they didn't informed you?" Smiling, the doctor put a hand on his chest. "As the second successful summoning of an Heroic Spirit by the Chaldea Security Organization, the director handed the duty of taking care of your well-being to me, Romani Archaman! Hope to do my best for you in any way possible!"
"...Ah. I see." The young Mash replied with little to no emotion. Up until now in her short life, the only world she knew was this small room with barely anything to do, in total isolation to everything and everyone. She would still get some short visits of people her feeble mind could not recall it well of their faces. Yet she perceived to be one of those people she had already met in her vague memories of the past.
"D-Did I exaggerated a bit on the introduction? Sorry. Didn't meant to make you uncomfortable." Romani apologized, thinking he was perturbing Mash by trying to socialize with her. It could be said that the notion of social interaction was a total alien thing to Mash.
"It's okay. You didn't..." Mash responded to him.
"A-Alright then! Let's proceed to the examination." Romani told her, with Mash silently nodding her head, staying seated on her bed.
The entire procedure was done without much talking envolved, Mash being thoroughly silent as the doctor examined her vitals and body condition.
"...Heart beat and pulsation at a normal and frequent rate... No signs of malfunction...Stabled breathing..." Romani murmured as he pointed it on his clipboard the results of the examination. There seemed to be no problems with Mash, and he was glad with that.
As the silence in the room had become a bit tedious, Mash reunited enough will to finally speak up. "Who's Senpai?"
Romani gave her a weird look. "Huh?"
"There was this name I'd heard sometimes in the conversations when I'd get visits. Someone called 'Senpai'. Who are they?"
Romani laughed a bit. He found that funny. "Senpai isn't a person, Mash. It's a term."
"A term?" Mash replied, curious.
"Hm hm. It's a japanese honorific used for someone older or more experient, a veteran per exemple. So 'senpai' is in actuality just a word for people with higher status or positions." Romani explained to her the definition of the word she heard.
And altough it didn't seemed anything groundbreaking, Mash's face lightened up a bit with that. "A word meant to adress others of higher position with respect. I didn't knew such thing existed."
"But it does. A very nice concept if you ask me!" Romani replied to her.
"And...is there also an honorific that the senpais use on the people of lower status than them?" Mash asked, wanting to know more about it.
"Yes. Those are called 'kohai'." Romani answered, happy to see Mash looking more talkative. "Kohais tend to be younger and rookie people that generally look up to the senpais as their role models to look up to and follow with great respect and admiration. Put it shortly, a senpai is a figure of inspiration to the kohai."
"Someone meant to inspire others?" Mash murmured, finding the definition and entire meaning behind it to be very interesting.
"That's how it works. For the kohais, the senpais are awsome people who appreciate their company and following. I wouldn't put it as a mentor figure, but more like that person you'd love to be around with and inspires you to do better." Romani told her, furthering the talk between the two.
"Can...such person exist?" Mash asked, putting a hand on her chest while thinking deeply about the word. "If so, I want to have someone like that. A Senpai that can make me feel better. That pulls the best out of me. Someone...I can be with."
"And how you'd want your Senpai to be like, Mash?" Romani asked her, standing next to the young girl. This was the very first time he witnessed her expressing something.
"I don't know exactly yet. Perhaps, nothing out of extraordinary. They don't have to be way beyond incredible or super. Just a simple decent person, that I can rely on and never gives up." Mash responded with honesty in her heart. "I wish to find a person like that someday, whether it be on this place or anywhere else. Do you think I'll be able to find my Senpai one day, doctor?"
As much as he wanted to be optimistic, Romani feared that in Mash's case, such thing would be nearly impossible. "You...aren't like an average human being. You're an artificial one. Created and designated with a pre-determined life span the moment you were 'born'. And it's lamentably short. As of now, you've been operational for ten years. You might have just two or three more years to live. But plans to an upcoming surgery to your body have already been considered with schedule. If it comes out as successful, it will add a couple of extra years more to your life." He told her, not wanting to sound too dooming or displeasent. He wanted to at least give her some hope. "However, it might not be impossible. I'm sure that one day, even if it's the last one, you shall find the Senpai you've been looking for and spent the time that's left with them!"
Having been told about her sad and inevitable fate, with her future being sentenced to a short one since the beggining, Mash did not cried or complained. Instead, she conformed with that sorrowful truth, giving a short smile, with Romani's statement comforting her. "Well, living one more year is always better than living for just one more month, no? It means I'll have more time to potentially meet him." Mash stared down to her own hands, closing them to each other, desiring for that day to eventually come. "To find my own Senpai."
"...Mash."
As the flux of time in the scenario stopped, the figure of Mash stood paralyzed shortly after she raised her head. The eyes of the artificial human having their sight locked on a person in front of her and . A spectator, invader of this memory, who had been watching the entire conversation while standing unnoticed and invisible, not belonging there.
Taking a step closer to Mash's paralyzed state, Ritsuka Fujimaru lifted his arm, in disbilief to what was unintentionaly revealed to him. After everything they've been through together, to discover this in such way was like his entire body had collapsed "Mash...is going to die?"
Before he could even touch the still image of her, Ritsuka witnessed Mash, Romani and the entire room vanishing in front of him, leaving Ritsuka stranded in a dark empty void of infinity. "W-what is-"
"Mankind exhorts for a rebirth."
"!?" Listening to a stereo whisper from behind, Ritsuka had just blinked his eyes when he was in a total different location now. A bleak grey beach, with equally grey clouds filling up the sky above, giving an omen of a potential storm arriving. With his ears catching the sound of the waves hitting the sand, Ritsuka turned around to see a huge dark sea filled with human sculptures emerging from it, all stained with a type of dark substance and their stone bodies positioned in agonized, scared, sorrowful, sadistic and rageful postures.
"...What's this?" Ritsuka murmured to himself, awestrucked with the macabre and end-of-the-world like scenario in front of him. "Hm?" Shifting his gaze to the side, Ritsuka noticed a person in a dark ragged cloth sitting by the polluted looking sea. "There's someone here?"
"Thou hast came. Do sit please, master of humanity."
The cloath figure speaked to Ritsuka, inviting him to seat by its side.
"..." Complying, Ritsuka walked torwards the figure and sat next to it, close to the black tides that would approach nearby them before being dragged away.
"Thy companion's life runs short. She will never be able to grasp this world's true beauties."
"How can I be sure of it? That what I just watched was nothing more than fabrication of a dream?" Ritsuka asked to the person.
"A connection so strong with thy servant that allowed thee to glimpse her past. Those type of bonds between master and servant allows the two to link in many more aspects than just a contract. A deep interconnection between thou and the lady of the shield that tresspases the normal realm. Even a dream."
"Then you're saying that was truly a memory..." Ritsuka replied, still feeling a bit in denial despite the statement of the cloathed figure. "But how can that make sense!? How can I've seen a memory of Mash's life through a dream?!"
"Because there is nothing more mystical than a dream."
The figure responded, looking to the statues on the sea alongside Ritsuka.
"No true definition to describe its nature. It can be so many things. Perhaps a peek at our possible future. What we could become. What we wish to become. What we fear to become. What we hate to become. An endless variety of paths to take, with only one being trailed upon. Which decisions and paths makes us more like man, and which ones makes us more like monsters."
Grabbing a pouch of sand with its hand, the figure gazed at each grain fall from it.
"And then, we wake up, and forget all about it in a matter of seconds. And can thoust truly doubt of what a dream can be capable of doing or not?"
Getting a long answer, Ritsuka realized that this figure he was speaking to was way more than a random materialization of his dream that was self-aware. There was more to it. "Who are you? And what do you want?"
Being interrogated, the figure let all of the sand in its hand plummet on the ground.
"Thy species are an intricate one, O master of humanity. So much power to do good, and yet humanity picks to self-destruct itself by learning nothing with the sins you all commit. Such envy, such greed, rage and malice that keeps you away from paradise. A permanent flaw that cannot be exorcised from the soul, no matter how many times someone tries."
Having finished to watch the grains of sand fall, the figure went back to gaze at the sculptures.
"A stubborn species uncapable of eliminating the evil demons that resides within them. In that regard, our species aren't so different from one another."
"What?! What do you mean by 'our species'?" Ritsuka questioned the figure, who got up from the sandy ground, walking torwards the sea until the bottom part of its cloth could be wetted by the incoming tides.
"Thy friend's flaws, like her being, were artificially made however. Forcefuly created and put in there by men with putrescent souls. A dark evil burgeoned in them. Propagating like a plague that infects the entire world and rottens it! If anything, not being a part of such cruel and cold world might as well be a blessing in disguise for thy friend. We cannot imagine the dissapointment she would get from witnessing all the horror that isn't exclusive to the Singularities."
"Stop saying nonsense!" Ritsuka shouted, wanting to conter argue the figure's speech. "Mash is way more optimistic than you think! If even after all such pain and bllodshed, she can still smile, it's because she knows that the evil and horrible things that exists don't outweight the good ones!"
"Hmph. It would seem Solomon was right. That even with the truth revealed, thou wouldn't accept it. A very obstinate human."
"S-Solomon?" Ritsuka was surprised at the mention of the King of Magrecraft and main enemy of Chaldea by the figure. "How do you know about him?! Do you work with him somehow?" He questioned the figure, wondering how someone could possibly be acquainted to Solomon. To be aware and having contact with the King of Mages, this figure had to have some direct ties with him. But who? As Ritsuka's head scrambled with hypothesis and suspects, his heart skipped a beat as Ritsuka gulped after thinking about Chaldea's other possible big adversary by remembering of what Medea's said back in the Third Singularity and the specific words the figure had just used. The one who they hadn't had an encounter with yet. "Are you-"
"There's still more things we'd wish to speak of with thou, master of humanity."
Man of Sin told him as he controlled and molded the dark waters of the sea into a shadowy format of a sharp sword. An yellow gaze of his eye staring at Ritsuka behind the cloth's hood.
"Maybe that way, thou can have the insight of our vision."
He speaked, the voice sounding distorted and plural, as if many more voices were speaking at the same time.
Ritsuka sweated, unknowing of what to do if the Man of Sin planned to attack him. "What to I do?! I have no way to defend myself!"
As the Man of Sin walked torwards Ritsuka, he stopped in his tracks once he saw the shadow of the master of humanity gain a humanoid figure behind Ritsuka, who was unaware of it. Seeing the agressive fiery yellow eye of the shadow staring at him, Man of Sin understood the message.
"Eh. We see how it is, Solomon."
The Man of Sin whispered, a little smile appearing right above his chin. Vanishing his shadow looking sword, he was letting Ritsuka go.
"How unfortunate. It would seem our conversation will have to be put in a stop. We will look forward to the next meeting so. Make sure to survive until then, master of humanity."
"He's already going?" Ritsuka said confused, wondering why the Man of Sin decided to leave all of a sudden.
"And do carry on with the work of looking out for thy friends. Make sure they survive."
Man of Sin said in an almost like request to Ritsuka, slowly dissapearing amidst the pitch black waters that would surround his clothed body.
"And remember: Upon Armageddon, existence shall begun anew."
Having said that, the Man of Sin dissapeared within the waves that raised up, suddenly being followed up by the startling sudden emergence of the Leviathan behind the water curtain. It's giant and sharp teeth heading torwards Ritsuka who got jumpscared by it.
"Ah-"
"Aaaah!"
Letting out a scream, Ritsuka immediatly woke up, sweating and having chills throughout his entire body. Having lifted up his torso in a jolted movement, he found himself in his room, more precisely, on the floor with the mantle, the bed standing next to him.
"Nngh...I fell from the bed." Ritsuka bringed a hand to his face, calming himself down as he was no longer in that nightmare. But all of it felt and was real. From the past memory he witnessed of Mash to the conversation in the bleak beach with the Man of Sin. At least he was greatful it had ended.
Having spent a whole minute in silence, thinking about the entirety of his dream, Ritsuka moved his head and looked at the hours of his time clock: 7:45 AM.
Getting up, Ritsuka decided to proceed with his day. It had been almost a month since he and his group completed their most recent Singularity and Mash had collapsed. He remembered how not only him, but also Peko and Nala felt awfully worried in that moment, having rushed torwards her uncoscious body, begging and shouting what was wrong and for Mash to wake up, being shortly followed by the hurried steps of Romani and Da Vinci who quickly took action and assigned some members of the Chaldea staff to take the demi-servant to the infirmary.
The three of them wanted to follow their friend into the division, not wanting to abandon Mash in her bad state. However, both Romani and Da Vinci ordered them to not enter, telling that they needed some time to find out what was the problem with Mash's body as well as giving the shielder some time alone to recover. Obviously, Ritsuka and the twins were initially against it, wanting to be my Mash's side at all costs. They were her companions and team mates after all, they deserved to be there for support and reassurence she would be okay. But after some strong persuasion from Romani and Da Vinci, Ritsuka and Peko eventually agreed to leave, dragging an upset Nala away who was clearly the most emotional about the state of her friend.
For Ritsuka, it had been a long month where he could barely think of nothing besides Mash, and he bet the same was also true to Peko and Nala. The three would still have their time together, talking, joking, discussing, eating and etc. But it all felt wrong without Mash in there. The group missing a fundamental piece.
Thankfully, the wait would finally be over. Romani had told them that Mash was going back to being stable and would be able to leave the infirmary at full health today. And that he also had something to tell them about her. What it was? They did not know, having spent the entire month thiking what could've happened to Mash for having suffered that sudden collapse shortly after they arrived from the Singularity.
And whatever it was, Ritsuka hoped that it wasn't what he had seen in his dream nor what the Man of Sin told him.
"I'm sure that it was nothing but just a big scare! You're way stronger than that, Mash!"
To be continued...
And that was it for chapter 92!
I know I know. First chapter of Camelot and we didn't even got into the Singularity itself yet? Well, I originally planned for ending the chapter on that specific arrival point, but with all the stuff Romani has to explain about Mash, this chapter would end up getting extremely long. And I've learned my lesson, which is why I decided to divide what would be a chapter almost as long as Ch90, into two smaller ones! So I'll probably still be releasing chapter 93 today as well (And just in time to watch the opening match of EURO2024 and roll for Firefly on HSR! Like dammit, you guys don't have any idea how much Star Rail has been controlling my life this past month)
So I dedicated this chapter instead exclusively to Peko, Nala and Ritsuka's dreams instead. A wise choice I think. Because next chapter, Romani will have a lot of explaining to do! (And it will also be a short one. Like, under 7K I think)
But anyways, that's all I wanted to say and see you next time (in a couple hours) on chapter 93! Peace!
P.S:
Peko: And now, after surviving to an explosion of my previous job, I end up here. At a second hand game store...
Osakabehime: Sheer up my little dweeb fella! Not everything is bad! You get to have one of the most important duties of gamer society! To perserve and maintain games of old!
Peko:...Yay?
Osakabehime: I know it might sound like a bad paying job, but it's actually one of the highest order! And I'm being serious! As a worker of this store, your job is to gatekeep these games, Peko! Remember, gatekeeping them from mischiveous hands is fundamental for the gaming society! You don't want to be like that loser over there, do you? (Points at Constantine XI, the other worker of the store)
Constantine XI (Noob of Gatekeeping): Once again, how many times will I have to tell you there were other factors to the fall of Constantinople besides not having protected the gat-
Osakabehime: Not listen to him! No matter what, protect these games Peko! Gatekeep them as much as you can!
Peko (Weirdly determined by Osakabehime's words): S-Sure! I'll do my best to protect this store and games, Osakabehime senpai!
*Some Hours Later*
Peko: Gatekeep the games. Gatekeep the games. Gatekeep the games. Gatekeep the games. Gatekee- Hey! What's that? (Grabs a copy of an old game, gasping) I cannot believe it! It's an original copy of A Very Generic 3D Platform Adventure released for the fifth generation of gaming consoles! Oh boy oh boy, I know what I'll be doing in my lonely shift now!
(Peko proceeds to spend hours playing the very incredible game, letting the store unprotected from an upcoming thief)
Peko: Hehehe! I'm blasting on this thing!
(Later that day, the Gamer Society mourned with the failure of the gatekeeping)