Hello everyone and welcome back to the beggining of chapter 48 of the story!

And I have to say that F/SF OVA was really enjoyable to see and an anime adaptation is coming on the way so we're eating good. Can't wait to see more of it. 6th anniversary is here, with the 8th anniversary of JP on the horizon and Koyanskaya arrived to broke my wallet (and the servers as well). In other words, it's a good time to be a Fate fan. (Also Tsukihime Remake EN translation next year. All in all, a good year for the Nasuverse)

Anyways, with that said, let's start it!

DISCLAIMER: All 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.


Inside a cavern, the arriving group was led by the two servants they had recently met who were had expected their coming, David and Atalanta. The latter one was already a bit familiarized to the Chaldea group who had met her previously during their ever first Singularity in France. It was surreal seeing someone who was their enemy now being a possible ally and helping their cause.

"Do you think she remembers us?" Peko asked to his group, wondering if Atalanta had retained her memories from her previous summon where she was one of the Dragon Witch's, Jeanne Alter, corrupted servants.

"Don't know." Mash replied. "The fact that a servant is able to maintain their records of previous summonings can be sketchy. Sometimes they do remember, sometimes they don't."

Nala slightly grunted. "So she possibly doesn't recall anything that happened at-"

"No worries." Atalanta said, interrupting the girl. "I do have the memories of my previous summon, despite of them being messy because of the corruption that happened to my Saint Graph. Yet, I do recognize those faces. Glad to see you're all doing well still." Atalanta told the Chaldea group, smiling at them. Specially to Nala and Peko. "I hope the challenges of your journey haven't been rough on you." She said before looking to the side. "Also, sorry once again for the pain I put you through in France."

"Oh no. You don't need to." Peko immediatly told her. "We know you weren't in yourself that time."

Nala agreed. "Hm hm. You didn't do all those things by choice but by force." She then smiled to the woman. "Plus, you even tried to fight back the manipulation wich allowed me to escape. If anything, I only have to thank you."

Atalanta smile returned at hearing that. "Then I can put those worries to rest." She stared at Ritsuka afterwards. "I hope they've been doing okay."

"They have. Me and Mash make sure of it." Ritsuka responded. "Altough these two can handle themselves pretty well." He said with a smile to Peko and Nala.

"It's true. Even if they are kids, Peko and Nala watch our back just like we watch theirs." Mash added, making Peko and Nala blush.

"I-I think you two are just being too nice..." Peko said shyly.

"W-We are only doing our duty. N-Nothing else!" Nala tried to hide her blush by putting a serious face. Mash giggled at that while Ritsuka continued smiling.

"Being duty or not, I'm happy to have both of you by our side!" Ritsuka said, patting both the siblings hairs. "This is my revenge for that 'Big Bro' thing you pulled on me!"

"So I see as a group you are going strong." David, the one in front leading them, said. "That's already half of the way torwards your goal."

"Thanks for the words. Appreciate it." Ritsuka replied.

As they were having a nice conversation, Romani, who has been accompanying them as an hologram figure, coughed. "Sorry to interrupt the talking and all but, how much until we reach the ark?" Romani asked with a bothered face, looking at David. It had been some minutes since they entered the cavern that was told by David and Atalanta as the location of the ark. And now they've been walking some minutes.

"Sorry. My mind got shafted by this little convo and forgot to told you." David apologized. "But we're close. It's already around the corner." With the ancient king of Israel saying that, the group eventually did turned around the corner and finally for the first time, they laid their eyes upon the such rumored and famous ark that had been the topic of this Singularity nearly ever since the beggining.

The Ark of the Covenant. Right in front of them at the top of an altar. There stood the wooden box in golden bathing with two small refined sculptures of cherubs. It could be felt the radiance emanating from it. The artifact was as magical as the Holy Grail itself. And clearly powerful by just the glance of it as well as hypnothizing and flashy. It was really more than just a random pirate treasure's chest. Something mystical and biblical resided within that ark. The group couldn't stop but admire it in awe. Even a goddess like Artemis found it's appearence to be notewhorthy.

"So this is the ark." Drake said, astonished. "It's...glorious." She said, starting to take some steps in the magical box's direction.

However, David stopped her by putting an arm in front of the pirate. "Careful! You end up dying if you touch the ark." He warned her. "Every being does. Humans, monsters, gods, etc. The touch automatically kills everything."

"Is it true?" Mash asked him.

"It is." David replied. "Only tho-"

"Only those that were given authority are allowed to touch it." Romani explained, interrupting David. "Honestly, I've studied about that thing enough times to know it. Really dangerous stuff. It will drain you of all your magical energy until nothing remains, ending up in death. It may look pretty but it isn't an item worthy of plunder."

"My, I see that you have quite the scholar among you." David said with an happy smile to Romani. "The Ark of the Covenant must be no stranger to you I assume."

"Well, I like to put my knowledge in practice you know?" Romani replied.

"Then good thing that I never had intrest in it." Drake said. "This 'treasure' ark is nothing more but a deadly artifact. And things that can kill you automatically makes them lose value in the market."

"David also told me that the ark contains the Ten Commandments Moses created as per the orders from God. The curse of instant death upon the box is a security measure so that no one can ever think of stealing it." Atalanta said.

"So that's how I was going to be sacrificed uh?" Euryale said as she analyzed the ark with her eyes. "Be used as a mere key to that blonde bastard's plan of gaining more power."

"And that's the topic I want to discuss with you." David told them as he sat on the steps of the altar. "I was the very first servant summoned to this place. The place you call of 'Singularity'." He begun explaining. "And the ark came alongside me. As its keeper, I'm the only one in here that can have the benefit of touching it. No one else. Still, I wondered why me and the artifact had been sent to this place. What was our purpose in here? That's when Atalanta appeard." He stared at the Archer woman for a second. "Do I give you the honours of explaining this part to them, Ms. Atalanta?" He asked gently.

Atalanta nodded her head. "More than honored." She said to David before looking back at Drake and her group. "As some of you may have reached to that conclusion by now, I was initially summoned alongside the other three members of the Argonauts." She said, referring to the greek crew they had encountered and recently clashed with. "Shortly after that, we had encountered a servant who was a trojan warrior. One by the name of Hector. Our very first few days in here had been pretty normal. Going and searching from island to island in hopes of figuring out why we where here. But then, I felt something had changed..."

"Like what?" Ritsuka asked, curious.

"After one of our seperate searches in another island, Jason had came back with Medea who was taking some time to reagroup with us that day. He was spouting this nonsense all of a sudden about an ark that would make him all powerful and ruler of the seas. And to open it, we had to sacrifice a divine being to it." Atalanta continued the explanation. "I quickly could tell that something was wrong in there. Suspicious to say the least. I tried to tell that jerk otherwise but almost as always, he didn't listen. Weirder enough was on how it was Medea who started this rumour and kept to filling Jason's recent fantasy of king of the seas. Feeling that some kind of sinister plan had started, I abandoned the Argonauts and seeked help. That's when I found the ancient king of Israel and other servant, David."

"And so she told me everything about the Argonauts and Jason's intentions with the ark." David took back his turn to explain. "The poor fool thinks by sacrificing a god to it will grant him unlimited power. When in reality, feeding a deity to the ark will instead cause the destruction of the entire world. Wich means, this Singularity whose existence is already unstable. With the Argonauts and shortly after the likes of Blackbeard and his crew all searching for the ark in this Singularity, we could do nothing but go into hiding and wait for the possibility of new allies to come by." David concluded.

"Wich means that there wouldn't be a need to wait for this Singularity natural destruction or using a grail to accelerate the process." Ritsuka talked. "It can all be done by just having someone like Euryale touch the ark."

"It would make the plans of whoever wants to stop us from saving humanity to be resolved in a minute." Peko said, having the same thinking after hearing David and Atalanta's explanation of this Singularity's background.

"And by spending the small time we spent with that Jason idiot, it's clear that he is too stuck up in that made up false fantasy of his to realize that." Nala added.

"Gods use to represent certain aspects and concepts of the nature of our world. Essentialy, that would make them avatars of the very world they belong." Mash said, her brain processing something. "Wich means, sacrificing a deity to the ark would be the same as sacrificing the world itself!" She reached to the conclusion.

"Bingo!" Romani exclaimed to her. "That's exactly it Mash! The ark will kill the world alongside the deity it was sacrificed to as both are linked by such concept, losing control and releasing an incredible amount of chaos in it."

"Then Jason is nothing more but a puppet to this whole scheme." Euryale said, figuring out Jason's true purpose in this Singularity. "If anything, Medea can be the one pulling his strings here."

"I wouldn't doubt it." Atalanta replied. "In any other situation, she would clearly see that this whole story of gaining immense power from an ark would sound doubtful to her. But the way she instigates Jason into believing it..."

"Yeah. She's clearly using him." Orion speaked. "Not that I feel bad for that jackass about it. He has it coming. However, we just can't let the Singularity to collapse like that. Also, I do have a question." Orion said, gaining everyone's attention. "Artemis is a goddess as well, but why does the Argonauts are focusing only on Euryale instead of her as well? I mean, having her Divinity lowered or nor, she's stil a goddess."

"Hmm, I'd atribute that to the fact Lady Artemis is just way stronger and harder to capture." Atalanta said. "Jason will take an easier route if the chance presents itself at any time."

"Oh I see! Me and darling's power is just that strong haha!" Artemis said with joy as she grabbed Orion. "Do you hear that darling? Nothing beats our power of love!" She exclaimed happily while moving Orion around with her arms.

"Woooohaaaa! S-Stop it Artemis! I'm getting nauseous from all this movement." Orion begged to his partner as she would move him in her hands, much to Atalanta's displeasure.

"So this is the goddess who I served and vowed to during my entire life..."

Ritsuka noticed the look of constraint in the Archer's face. "Something's wrong?"

"Oh! No, nothing at all. My life continues to be normal just the way it is." Atalanta responded, forcing a smile as she tried to ignore Artemis shenaningans with Orion happening on her back.

As the conversation was proceeding, Peko thought of something. "Wait! So, if the ark is capable of killing anyone who touches it, does it mean it can negate Heracles Noble Phantasm and kill his remaining lives?" It was a good question. Because as of now, they didn't had a plan on how they would defeat Heracles and his numerous lives.

"Having a number of lives isn't the same as being immortal. So yes, the ark can in fact kill Heracles, no matter how many lives he has." David told them.

"All in one go?" Ritsuka asked.

"Yes." David confirmed.

"Great! We now have a way to defeat Heracles once and for all!" Mash said happily. "The rest of the Argonauts we are capable enough to deal with ourselves."

"And they have the grail. So once we defeat them, this Singularity will truly, really, be resolved." Nala said before looking down on the ground with a sad face. "I just wished we didn't needed to fight Berserker..."

"Then we better start making a strategy." Romani told to them. "If my calculations are correct, we still have a couple of hours before they arrive at the start of tomorrow's morning."

"So let's think on how to defeat the Argonauts and each member." Drake said.

"Minus Jason." Atalanta said. "Believe me when I tell you that guy doesn't need any strategy whatsoever to be defeated. I'm sure he won't even fight probably."

"Okay. Then a plan to defeat all the Argonauts minus Jason."Drake corrected herself.

"And starting with the elephant in the room, Heracles." Peko said. "We already know how we can defeat him, but how can we make him touch it? I doubt Medea will let him touch it if we leave it unguarded."

"Exactly. That would only make Jason realize the ark's true nature." Euryale said.

"Then we need to lure the big guy in, isolate him from the rest." Drake proposed. "That way, there won't be no one to tell him to not touch it."

"That's good thinking." Orion said. "But how are we going to separate Heracles from the others?"

"Hmm, they'll certainly arrive to the island through the beach." David said. "We can attack them there."

"But how would that help us in getting Heracles attention to distanciate from the rest of his group?" Nala asked, trying to see how they would find a way to make their plan of taking down Heracles work.

That's when Ritsuka had an idea. "Guys, I think I know why."

"So tell us Fujimaru." Romani said to him.

"I don't know if you'll like it. It's kinda risky." Ritsuka replied, unsure if they would like to hear it.

"Hey, we're already been past some dangerous situations." Drake told him. "Whatever you have in mind, you can say as long as it benifits our plan."

"Drake's right. It may be dangerous but we already been through some tribulations as of now." Peko said to his friend. "And coming from you, I bet it might be worth it."

"Yep. I already know you have a crazy habit to put yourself in danger." Nala smiled at him, chuckling.

Ritsuka then stared at the side, looking at Mash. "You think the same Mash?" If they were okay with hearing him saying it, she too wouldn't mind.

Mash nodded. "Yes I do master. As your servant, it is my role to believe in you." She said.

"Okay then." Ritsuka sighed. "Here's how I think we can make Heracles isolate from the others and touch the ark."


At sundown, the Argo sailed on the late afternoon waters, going on its way torwards the location that the key to the Argonatus plans, the goddess Euryale, and the people who were accompanying her, had refugee. Following Medea's directions, they would arrive to the destination in no time. And no one on the ship was more intrigued by it than Jason, who thought about the possibilities that would be available to him once he got his hands on the ark that would make him the all powerful ruler of the seas.

"And then I'll build a golden statue of myself in the middle of the archipelago. About eighty- no. Scratch that. Ninety meters tall!" He proclaimed in a vainglorious way. "It will be in my own personal island of course! With the finest riches and treasuries stored in there! I'll have everyone at my knees, admiring and respecting my wealthy power!"

"Yes indeed! Lord Jason will become the ruler of all seas once the ark is obtained!" Medea supported him. "And no one will even dare to draw their weapons to such mighty king as yourself Lord Jason. And we shall become your loyal guard to protect you always!"

"Hahaha! Putting it that way only makes me more excited!" Jason told as he sat on his prescious made up throne, grabbing a bunch of grapes on the side. "Very soon, I will become the only king that this people need." He ate one of the grapes. "I'll be more worshiped than the gods themselves! And all thanks to my inner talents of being a cunning and smart person!"

Medea looked at him slightly dissapointed and sad, making a small noise to Jason, gaining his attention.

"Oh! And thanks to you as well of course! I mean, nothing of this could've been possible without you Medea, my very dear and faithful lover of whom I would never betray with another." Jason said with a smug on his face, not caring about Medea's efforts at all. She was just a very helpful tool for him. And he would maintain her by his side as long as she kept being useful.

"That makes me happy to hear such lovely words from your mouth Lord Jason." Medea said with what looked like a fake smile. Yet, she knew how to desguise it very well. "Now if the lord doesn't mind, I'll be going to my own chamber." She said politely, bowing respectfully to Jason. Or that's what it seemed like.

Jason was not even paying attention to the young witch's words. "Hm? What? You're going to rest? Okay by me. I don't care." He said with lack of intrest as he continued to eat his grapes. "Just make sure to rest enough for when we arrive to that island where they're keeping the goddess. I need you at your best after all. You're important to me Medea" He said with an annoying smile.

"Understood my lord." Medea replied as she walked away, going to her room.

"Tsk! Why the hell does she looks so annoyingly irritating recently? Does she think I'm actually planning in sharing my treasure with her?" Jason complained to himself. "Pff! As if! She will only work for me until her death and that's as good as it gets for her!" He laughed. "Ha Jason, you're simply the best." As the captain of the ship wouldn't stop praising his own ego, Jason jumped from his chair as he noticed Heracles standing right next to him. "H-HERC!? When the hell did you showed up!?"

The Berserker responded by making his usual grunting noises. Somehow, Jason understood them.

"Next time just say you're here! Goddman dude, you pulled quite a scare on me!" Jason said angrily to Heracles who replied with another grunt. "Whatever. Don't be mad at the fact you lost two lives. It happened." Jason said as he went back to sit on his throne. "In the next hours, me and you will already be sitting at the top of the world. I mean, you're a demigod so you kinda where at the top already. But I'd say this will be a first for me."

Heracles moved his head to the side, grunting again.

"Hm? What is it Herc? It's not usual for you to look so down." Jason asked to him, gaining another grunt from Heracles as response. "Don't tell me you're still thinking about that girl!"

Herc grunted, sounding like he was confirming it.

"C'mon dude! Snap out of it! Like, what do you even see in her? She's just a brat like many others around." Jason tried to convince him. He had already aknowledge that Heracles seemed to hesitate on using all of his strenght when fighting Nala.

Heracles this time crossed his arms and looked to the horizon ahead, not respondind to Jason.

"Hey Herc. Buddy. Whatever you think of her, know this: She's our enemy that is keeping us from achieving greatness. She's trying to stop me, your best friend! You won't let that dumb kid start to mess up with your mind. Besides, you only knew her for like, two days! In contrast to us two who have met since we where young students under the same teacher! You won't turn your back on me now just because of a little girl, will you?" Jason said to Heracles, clearly feeling that Heracles was having a small inner conflict on his mind.

The great greek hero stood silent during some seconds before turning around and making another grunt as he started gesturing with his hands.

"Huh? 'What if I'm wrong?' Wrong about what?! The ark?" Jason exclaimed.

Heracles responded with the noises again.

"Look! I bet my own life that the ark truly exists! And that once we open by sacrificing that goddess, we will rise to stardom on the greek pantheon! Much more than we already are!" Jason said, thinking about the fame he would get.

Heracles looked away, saddened that Jason wasn't thinking like him. That's when the captain got up from his throne and stood by his crewmemeber side.

"Remember when I told you we would make the entire Greece sing our names? And that we achieved it?" Jason told him, putting a fist on Heracles shoulder by stretching his arm and looking directly to his friend. "Now, we will make the entire world sing it. Mine and yours. Both of us, will be sitting at the summit."

Heracles let out a low and short snore from his mouth, staring at the happy face of his long time friend. Truly, they have been through many challenges and adventures by now. Heracles himself had enough of the glory that was recognized to him. But the same couldn't be said about Jason. However, if it meant his friend could finally look at himself as his equal and be satisfy with it, then Heracles himself would be happy as well.

"I hope I'm not ruining the moment now by walking in." The voice of Hector came from behind as the trojan warrior appeard on the deck, gaining both Jason and Heracles attention.

"I hope you have a good excuse for barging in like that Hector!" Jason told him with a frowl on his face.

"No worries captain. This old man is bearer of good news and good news only." Hector said with all the calm in the world. "We will be reaching the island where they hid the goddess at sunrise."

"And? How is that suppose to make me happy idiot?" Jason asked, not seeing why that should be motive enough to celebrate with joy.

"That's why you should always let people finish talking." Hector sighed before giving the final part of the information. "The ark that we so much search for, is on the same island as well."


Alone and facing the weak wind, Euryale gazed at the ocean in front of her as the godees body stood up at the top of a cliff, hearing the sound of the waves hitting the rocks, with the tides getting higher on the night. Behind her, Nala walked in, approaching the small goddess.

"So this is where you are." She said, stoping by Euryale's side.

"Are you stalking me now?" Euryale asked, bothered. "What happened to not have my own moments of privacy?"

"Okay then! Not like you're important to all of this or anything!" Nala reacted with apathy. "It just wouldn't be good for us if you dissapeard the night before our plan. We would thought you had been kidnapped again or something. All in all, just basic worridness." She explained to Euryale.

"I just needed some time alone..." Euryale sighed, before going back to stare at the ocean silently, now with Nala.

With the seconds passing by, Nala wanted to ask something to Euryale, but her mind was undecided in wether she should or not. The girl's face expressed the doubt, wondering if it was better to just remain quiet but also hesitation every time she slightly opened her lips to say what she wanted before going back on her decision while muttering to herself. Not being able to ignore it for that long, Euryale decided to speak instead.

"Yes, I'm still thinking of him if that's what you were going to ask." Euryale responded.

Now that she knew she could talk about that topic, Nala proceeded to speak. "Asterios was a good person indeed, despite of the people's perception of him as a monster."

"He was never a monster. But a friend to me." Euryale said, putting an hand to her chest. It still hurt thinking how he was gone now.

"A friend to all of us." Nala told her. "I wished Asterios could've still been all of us could make it to the end of this Singularity. But it seems that won't be happening..." Nala said sadly.

"This wasn't the first time right?" Euryale talked back, confusing Nala.

"On what?" She asked.

"On seeing an ally, or friend, having to sacrifice themselves in order for you to clear the Singularities that came before." Euryale specified. "Your goal isn't an easy one. So I assume it's impossible for you to go all the way through without having lost someone. Am I correct?"

"Well..." Nala took sometime to respond, thinking about the previous two Singularities and the challenges they had to overcome. Altough absent from the party for the majority of the first Singularity, through reading the reports, Nala was aware of this Marie servant that had sacrificed herself in a fight against the Jeanne Alter. And in Rome, despite having been for a short time, her heart also felt deeply the lose of Seneca when they found him in his dying breaths. So yes, Asterios wasn't the first one. "Our journey as been a path of some ups and downs. We meet new faces who then have to say goodbye. That's all I know." She gave her response to Euryale.

"It must be pretty hard then." Euryale said. "Specially for the leader of your group. He is as common as it gets. Yet, he has to carry the burden of saving the enitre humanity. Such task for such normal being is foolish. With all honesty, I doubt he will reach to the end of your journey. And it seems he also has no love for his own life seeing the plan he's putting to defeat Heracles." The goddes tought of how ridiculous the idea of a mere human being the leader of the group that was suppose to save everyone sounded.

"But that's where you're wrong." Nala told her. "Ritsuka doesn't carry that burden alone. Me and the others do as well. All of Chaldea does! Also, spending the time I spent with him, I can tell you that he is a great leader that doesn't let the fact of being normal be his weakness! So if you ask me, I do think Ritsuka is a pretty good leader!"

"Hm, if you say so." Euryale responded. "And it's true that you've been with him longer than me, so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt."

Shortly after that, the sound of steps could be heard as Peko appeard behind the two girls. "Oh, I found you! What were you two talking about?"

"Just normal things." Nala responded. "How's everyone?" She asked to her brother.

"They're preparing and resting for tomorrow's morning as well." Peko replied. "I was looking for you."

"Why?" Nala asked.

"Its that...there's something that I need to tell you. But I think it would be better if Ritsuka and Mash where here to hear it too. Doctor as well." Peko explained, before looking at the quiet Euryale and then back to his sister. "Does she still..."

"Yes. She does." Nala responded, knwoing exactly what her brother was thinking.

"I see." Peko scratched his head before whispering to Nala. "Do you think it's better if we give her some time alone?"

Euryale heard that. "No! Not at all. I don't mind of your presence now." She turned her head away, taking out her stare from the siblings. "Now that my only friend is gone..."

Wanting to comfort her, Peko touched her in the shoulder. "While he may be gone, he wasn't your only friend. You have us too." Peko said to Euryale.

"Thank you for those words but..." Euryale kindly took Peko's hand out of her shoulder. "This wound is still too recent for me to ignore. So I need to heal it in time for our final showdown tomorrow if you don't mind."

"N-No problem! I understand that." Peko said. "If you do want us to leave, we will."

"Hmm, altough I'm not one to bother spending my time to talk with humans, I do admit that I enjoy speaking with both of you." Euryale told the twins with a smile. "I feel like my time isn't being wasted. And that you somehow fill the void that Asterios has left on me. So don't worry, I allow you two to be by my side a little longer."

"Hum...thanks?" Nala replied, unsure if Euryale meant to be nice with that comment.

"Then it means you like our company! Just as any friend would!" Peko said happily.

Euryale found the boy's happiness amusing. "Eh, you really are sweet. Perhaps even too much sweet for me. Ironic coming for an idol goddess." Euryale commented. "But if you do not mind, how can a kid like you two, who has gone through many fights and seen lots of blood by now, still be smilling like the way you do?"

"Well, at the beggining I do admit that it was kinda hard to see any positivity or reason to smile in such scenarios." Peko said shyly. "But, now I believe that the reason for it, is because we cling onto hope." Peko said, staring at his own hand. "Hope that we do find what we are missing. It is the reason why I think we're going on."

"Yep! And as long as we have it, we have no intention to stop!" Nala joined in. "That and the fact we just can't let Ritsuka, Mash and everyone else down. They trust us to help them save humanity just like we trust them to help us finding what we are looking for."

"Exactly that. Things look less desperate and doomish when you have other people algonside you to help." Peko said. "Wich means that if you are feeling sad Euryale, remember that we are here to help you." He smiled at her.

Euryale's heart felt softer with those words. She couldn't deny that the company of these two was doing good for her. "I think I'll take that in consideration." She slowly went back to look ahead while her mind thought about the time she had spent not only with Asterios but the chaldeans and Drake as well. She really wasn't as alone as she previously thought she was. "Now I see why you trusted me to them, Asterios."


"And she was just a little baby when I found her. Abandoned in the middle of a forest." Artemis was telling how she found Atalanta by the first time as she walked alongside Atalanta herself and Ritsuka and Mash. Orion was on top of her head as always.

"It's sad knowing you were abandoned ever since birth Atalanta-san." Mash commented upon hearing the story. "However, I'm glad knowing that Artemis-san found you and took care of you."

"And really lucky too. After all, a newborn wouldn't have the slight chance of survival in the middle of the woods." Orion said. "If there is someone Atalanta owes her life to, is Artemis."

"Not a single day goes by where I forget to pray your blessings for having found me on that night, Lady Artemis." Atalanta told to the godess. "You have my eternal gratitude."

"No need to say that dear." Artemis told to Atalanta. "I'm just happy that you came to grow as a great huntress!" She let out a giggle before tightly hugging Orion. "Being with my darling and Atalanta at the same time is just too good to be true!

"A-Artemis! You're crushing me!" Orion screamed for her to stop the hug.

Atalanta looked to the side and sighed. "But to think she acts like this..."

"I admit she kinda acts in a way I didn't expect a god would." Ritsuka told to Atalanta. "Like, I thought she would act kinda more serious and cold."

"Then this is both our expectations being subverted." Atalanta replied. "In a way I don't know if I like."

"At least she does appear to care a lot about you Atalanta-san." Mash told her.

"Yeah. I'm happy to know that." Atalanta then decided to change subject. "As well as I'm happy that those two children are okay with you. To see them alive and well brings such joy you can't imagine. Thank you for being taking care of them so far"

"No need to mention it." Ritsuka responded. "But, if I remember exactly, back in France there was something you wanted to tell us but didn't had time enough to say it as your body vanished." Ritsuka recalled Atalanta's last moments in the first Singularity as she was about to dissapear after being defeated by them.

"Oh! Now that you mention it Senpai, I too remember Atalanta-san had something to say before dissapearing." She then looked at the Archer. "What did you wanted to tell us?"

Maintaining the memories of that time, Atalanta easily knew what they were talking about. "That next time we met, I would make up for all the trouble that I've caused you before by aiding you." Atalanta revealed. "And it looks like that moment has came."

Ritsuka smiled. "It sure seems it does. It's nice having you on our side this time Atalanta." He stretched his arm to her, opening his hand for an handshake.

"And hopefully with no corruption or manipulation on the way." Mash added. "No one will be pulling strings on you anymore Atalanta-san."

The cat Archer smiled back at them, accepting Ritsuka's handshake. "The pleasure is mine. I'll do everything that is in my reach to guarantee your group's triumph and safety. I'll-"

"Atalanta, my dear, come here!" Artemis suddenly put her arm around Atalanta's neck and dragged her for an hug. "All this joy needs to be shared with you as well!"

"P-Please Lady Artemis! Y-Your hug is to t-thight!" Atalanta begged while struggling against the goddess's strong grip, leaving both Ritsuka and Mash who were watching, confused and speechless.

The two decided to just let the three, or two, servants be and walk away to have some time alone.

"Artemis-san really is a person of affection uh?" Mash said.

"Way too much affection I'd say." Ritsuka replied before encountering a fallen tree trunk in front of them. "Well, looks like we have a seat." He said, sitting on it and gesturing the shielder to do the same.

Mash gleefully proceeded to do the same, taking a deep breath and relaxing her arms and shoulders. "So tomorrow we will put an end to this."

"Yes. A shame, kinda. If this Singularity wasn't a threat to our existence, I would've liked to spend a bit more time on the beaches of this place." Ritsuka told her.

"Me too." Mash responded. "That feeling of having my bare feet on the water...I would love to experience it again-" The shielder stopped talking as she heard a sound of someone drinking right by their side. It was Drake.

"Sorry. Am I in the middle of something right now?" She asked to both of them as she finished drinking from her bottle.

"D-Drake-san?!" Mash exclaimed surprised.

"Since when you where here?" Ritsuka asked, surprised as well.

"I was already here some minutes ago drowning myself in rum." Drake responded. Apparently the duo hadn't noticed her presence as they had walked in and sat on the trunk. "Man, I do have to say. Ya plan to lure Heracles is indeed crazy! But damn if I don't like the sound of that!" Drake raised her voice a bit, seeming already a bit drunken.

"In high spirits, eh captain?" Ritsuka told her.

"Hell if I am!" Drake said, cleaning her mouth from the alcohol. "Can't wait to put an end to all this Singular nonsense stuff! And then, me and my cre will be right back on our voyage around the world!"

"Now that you mention it, will they be participating on the plan as well?" Mash asked, wondering if Drake's crew would have a part to play.

"Not exactly. I ordered them to remain on the ship on the other side of the island. Seeing how strong those Argonauts guys are, I don't want to risk their lives like that." Drake responded, staring at the bottom of her bottle before putting it on the ground. "They insisted in fighting alongside us but I refused. Plus, they'll be there on the Golden Hind as an escape route for us if things tend to go south and we don't defeat our enemies tomorrow."

"So you're taking precautions?" Ritsuka said.

"Yes I am. But, if you want me to be honest, I think that we will end up winning anyways." Drake said with a smile. "Ya lot aren't the type to go down easily. That's why I made you part of my crew."

"I have to say captain, for a pirate, I wasn't expecting you to help us in the beggining in exchange of nothing." Mash told her. "You're a good person."

"Heh. Pirates don't automatically makes us bad or good. Altough we may be potrayed in the future as somewhat 'evil people', us sailors of the sea come in many ways with our own morals and wishes. Good people can do bad things as well as bad people can do good things once in a while. It's all the same to history, who will end up remember a person despite of if their actions were evil or not. And I know that it doesn't matter if I was a good or bad pirate, for as long as I live my life full of achivements, mankind will remember me anyways."

"Is that your wish then, captain?" Ritsuka asked her. "To be remember forever by the impact you made while alive?"

"Hmm, nah. It isn't that." Drake got up from the trunk. "What I truly wish, is to navigate around the waters with my mateys for life, having endless adventures. The circumnavigation around the world is nothing but one more of those adventues. You see, for is those ambitions and dreams that makes us wanna live until our dying days."

"Then wishes and dreams is what makes humans go further?" Mash asked.

"You could say that. Us humans when we want something do crazy things that exceeds what others deem as impossible just to achieve it. Deep down, we may be stubborn but also willful creatures." Drake told to her. "However, people like that Jason guy also exist. Ambitions and wishes that end up blinding them to not see the possible dangers that surround their dreams, harming themselves and others in the process. A wish or dream that needs to hurt others in order to be fulfilled is as better as having none." Drake said. "Wich is why we also need to have our feet on the Earth when our fantasies tend to start go higher and off route."

"Thanks for saying that captain!" Ritsuka told her. "Perhaps it's true when people say that we are our truest while drunk." He laughed.

"I-I'm not drunk! I really mean this from the bottom of the heart!" Drake said a bit embaressed, having an hiccup shortly afterwards.

As for Mash, she didn't said anything right off the bat, choosing instead to analyze the topic Drake told to her. The idea that humans could do outright impossible feats as long as they had a dream or wish to fuel them was charming to her. So much as could have an ambition that would differ from each person. In the end, that ambition was be the factor that would make good and bad people alike contribute for history. That was an intresting concept in Mash's head. "I do think what you said was an eye opener captain." Mash said to Drake. "Thank you for sharing me that vision!"

"Eh, happy to hear that." Drake said.

"Look, they're over there!"

The trio heard Nala's voice as she, alongside Peko, walked in, approaching them.

"Where you looking for us?" Ritsuka asked the two.

"Yeah. Peko says that he wanna tell us something." Nala told them.

"Really? What is it?" Mash asked.

"It's something that I would like to share with only our group." Peko said, proceeding to look at Drake. "If the captain doesn't mind that is..."

"No problem!" She told the boy with a smile. "Whatever talk you have, it's probably more weird stuff that I wouldn't be able to understand correctly in contrast to you four." She started to walk away, cheeringly touching Peko in the shoulder as she past by them. "I'll go back to the camp we made. The others must be there as well. Be sure to not take that long, alright? We'll need you at your best tomorrow!"

"Aye aye captain!" All four responded.

"Fu fou!" Even Fou had exited behind Mash's back to respond.

"Now that's what I like to hear. And Ritsuka!" Drake looked at the master of humanity before going away. "I'm counting on your crazy plan for tomorrow! And if you're feeling nervous, relax. It will do a-okay!"

"Thanks for the incentive captain!" Ritsuka responded, not expecting that Drake would still say that but welcoming it anyways.

And now, with her gone and leaving the chaldeans alone, the group's attention shifted to Peko.

"So, what do you want to share with us Peko?" Ritsuka asked him.

"It's...about that thing I told you before." Peko replied. It didn't took several seconds to understand what Peko was talking about, whereas Nala and Mash seemed confused by it.


"A painter in your dreams?" Mash asked as she heard Peko's sharing the experience he had been having in his dreams lately.

"That sounds...mysterious to say the least." Romani commented, having his hologram accompaining the group's conversation. "Had any details of what he looked like?"

"That his hair was a bit like mine but spikier and dark." Peko responded, trying to remember the details. "And he was also wearing a type of clothing. One that looked like of a...what's the word? A priest?"

"So a painting priest? That's weirdly fitting for a dream." Romani said.

"And you kept this information from us until now because?" Nala questioned her brother, not liking that he had withheld this information from them until now.

"I-I was going to tell you eventually! I swear! But with all the crazy stuff that happened with Blackbeard and now the Argonauts, I had to wait for a more appropriate time to tell you all." Peko explained to her.

"Better now than never I'd say." Mash responded before looking at Ritsuka. "Did you knew of this master?"

"Yeah. Peko told me before. He said that he feels somewhat a familiar connection with the painter." Ritsuka said to Mash.

"What do you mean by that?" Nala asked her brother.

"That when I got the chance to look closer at him, it felt like I already had seen that person before. That I knew him for a very long time." Peko told her. "He didn't not only appeard in more than one of my dreams, but his painting also appeard in one where you were also there with me and a man I think was our dad."

"What?" Nala reacted in shock. "Are you implaying that..."

"Yes. That the painter may be our father." Peko speaked what his sister was thinking.

"I..." Nala was absolutely in daze, not knowing what to say. "T-Then...why I didn't had dreams of that same scenario as well?"

"I do not know." Peko responded in earnest. "I'm as confused as you are."

Hearing and visualizing the situation inside his head, Romani's eyes looked away from some moment before looking back at the boy. "Can you remember any facial features that the 'painter' had?" He asked to Peko.

"No. And that's the part that bugs me." Peko said a little annoyed. "The last dream I had with him, I was about to see it, but then I woke up from it." Peko said, remembering how close he was from seeing that painter's face.

"You can blame your brain's schedule for that." Ritsuka told him. "But in all seriousness, he has to be correlated to you and Nala in some form.

"Exactly. To appear in several dreams while having by what is discribed has an hair almost identical as Peko, it's not completely wrong to think that the painter is somewhat linked with the two." Mash supported Ritsuka's idea.

"But we don't have the exact confirmation that he is our dad..." Nala sighed, crossing her arms. "So it could just be a red herring."

"Well, for now, it's our closest clue and guess to our dad." Peko said before touching his own back. "That, the fact we may also have a mom and be royals of some land. Quite a lot to process actually..."

"And I'm hopeful that we will have those questions answered along the way." Romani told them. "Some probably will take more time than others. But I'm sure we will resolve this no matter what!"

"Hmmm, if we only could have a detective to help us in this." Ritsuka put a finger under his chin. "Say, a Sherlock Holmes kinda of detective."

"A detective like him could surely be helpful." Mash said. "But the way that the information about Peko's and Nala's lives is so scarce and scattered, I think it would still take some time to gather the pieces, even with someone like him helping us."

"Well, we never know until we have the opportunity of meeting the very own, right?" Ritsuka replied.

"How great of a detective is this Sherlock Holmes guy?" Peko asked curious.

"The very best!" Mash told him. "He's famous for having no case left unresolved, no matter how difficult and convuluted they seem to be."

"I have my doubts on that." Romani said, not having the same opinion as Mash.

Peko's face suddenly lightened up. "Then we must ask him if he know something about us if we get the chance to meet him! He may have some clues!" He said with a smile before moving his head to look at Nala. "What do you-"

"Idiot!" Nala said angrily as she punched Peko in the shoulder, causing surprise on everyone.

"H-Hey! What was that for?!" Peko asked startled.

" 'What was that for?!' You decide to dump all this information just the night before our fight with the Argonauts!" Nala shouted at him. "How am I suppose to keep concentrated when fighting Heracles tomorrow now that I know about this stuff eh?! You're an idiot!"

"S-Sorry! But you have to see that this could perhaps have been the last time to tell you this with all of us present!" Peko justified his action. "I had to while I still had the opportunity."

"Plus, I couldn't help but notice how Heracles seems to go a little easy on you Nala." Mash said, bringing up how the Berserker clashed with Nala when they fought to rescue Euryale. "He doesn't put his usual strenght when fighting you, different from the rest of us."

"Yeah. It's almost as he isn't willing to hurt you Nala." Ritsuka added. "Do you perhaps know why?"

"No, I don't." Nala responded. "He started treating me nicely after our first encounter. So the very beggining. He also seemed to like when I called him Berserker instead of his actual name. I don't know if it's because he sees something in my voice or appearence, but it's clear that Heracles doesn't have a great intention to fight me."

"That can come in handy for us." Ritsuka tought.

"It sure would." Nala whispered, looking to the side. "I guess there's really no other way of defeating him."

Noticing a trait of unhapiness on Nala's face, Peko thought it could have been because of the information he shared with them now. "Perhaps I shouldn't have sa-

"No Peko. You don't have to blame yourself for that." Nala told to her brother. "I'm the one who acted a bit on emotion. Sorry." She rubbed the back of her head.

"It's fine. I understand what you wanted to mean by that." Peko told her. "If we want to defeat not only Heracles but the best of the Argonauts, we need to be in the highest of our focus and concentrations. No time to thing about other things during battle. I should've known that."

"Either way, both of you are justified." Mash said to the twins. "This information felt really important to be shared with us right now, but it's also true that we need to put it in the back of our minds for now."

"Yeah. First, recover the grail and prevent this Singularity from destruction. Then, we will go back to that topic." Ritsuka said. "For now..." He gulped. "Get mentally prepared for tomorrow." He said, thinking back on why the hell he had to come up with such risky idea that included himself in it.

"Hey, no sweat Ritsuka." Peko told him. "I trust in you just the way you would trust in me if I was in your place."

"Just like Drake said, relax." Nala added. "We will be there nearby to guarantee the plan doesn't go horribly wrong. So you can rest easy! Besides I think doing risky things has become natural of you."

"You won't be fighting Heracles alone master." Mash put an hand on his back. "You have me, Peko, Nala and everyone else to support you."

"Fu fou!" Fou said, entering the conversation.

"Oh! And Fou as well of course." Mash said.

"Go with everything Fujimaru!" Romani joined in. "If we approved your plan it's because it will work!"

Ritsuka looked at them, seeing how surrounded he was with people that would support him and care for him. In other words, friends. For Ritsuka, it had been quite some time since he had one of those. Let alone a group of them. "Heh. Thanks guys." He responded, looking at the Command Seals on his hand. "Then rest assured, that as a master and leader of this team, I will do my best to make this plan work!"


In the middle of the night, as the chaldeans had gone to sleep and the servants stood awake, watching over the camp while waiting for the morning to come, a lone figure wandered alone in the woods, seemingly in search of someone.

"I hope you have a good motive to still be awake this late." David said as he appeard in front of the figure, smaller than him. "So, what you wanted to discuss with me?"

The figure stepped into the moonlight, revealing itself to be Peko. "I want you teach me something."


Touching the sand dunes of the beach, the Argo had made contact with the island, finally leading its crew to the destination they intended.

The first rays of light pierced the sky as the feet of every Argonaut landed on the beach. In front, the leader and captain Jason, was with a big smile stamped on his face. This was a big day for him.

"Mhm mhm! I can already feel the smell of glory nearby." He said. "Once we take those idiots down, the ark will all be mine for the taking! And afterwards, the entire ocean!" He laughed. "Ah, how I used to pray for times like this. And now they are within my grasp. Medea!" He stared at the young witch by his side. "Tell me the location of those cowards and the goddess so that we can end with this stupidity once and for all!"

Obeying to her lord's demands, Medea nodded. "Understood Lord Jason! According to my calculations...they are-"

"Attention!" Hector suddenly yelled out as he stepped in front of Jason to protect him from an incoming arrow

"Eeep!" Jason screamed. "Where the hell did that came fro-" Another arrow passed inches away from him, causing Jason to scream again. "Aaaaaah! Another one!?"

And then came another arrow. And another. And one more. Quickly, an entire group of arrows accompained by some small beams all rained down torwards Jason, who was doing his best to dodge from all of the attacks while holding to his life in panic. "WHY DOES ALL THESE ARROWS ARE GOING ONLY TORWARDS ME!?"

Medea shortly detected the spot where the arrows were being shot. "There!" She shouted, staring at a cliff far ahead in the interior of the island's forest.

From that place, David, Artemis and Atalanta, being all Archer servants, were firing all the arrows and beams they had torwards the beach that they had seen the Argonauts arrive.

David shot another beam into the sky, watching doing all it's trajectory until it hit the beach. "Our plan to prevent this Singularity's fall has started!"

To be continued...


And that was it for chapter 48!

I want to say here right now that one of the things I do appreciate about Jason is that how he truly treats Heracles as a friend in contrast to everyone else. Like, he's a piece of shit to everyone but when it comes to Heracles, he is 1#Fanboy of the guy. And it certainly isn't because of Herc's strenght only. Jason admires Heracles way beyond that. It really has that energy of like 'pals since elementary school' kinda of friendship. So it's nice knowing that Jason at least has one friend in his otherwise arrogant selfish life of being an insufferable jackass. (Dude still the MVP of Atlantis thou)

And this chapter was more focused on talking, spending time with the servants and the Chaldea group talk to each other. Like, I think it's the first chapter since a while where a fight isn't happening in the majority of it. It's basically a last rest before the final battle of this Singularity.

Now the entire group, Romani and Da Vinci (because it's obvious Romani will tell her) know about the dreams Peko has been having of the painter. We will see how it will shape things from here on out. Plus, what Peko wanted David to teach him at the end of this chapter? How to roll for Saber Medusa without having to spent 700SQ? Perhaps it was that.

Anyways, that's all I wanted to say, and see you next time on chapter 49! Peace!

P.S:

Ritsuka: Peko, can you wear this ginger wig and these red royal clothes for a second?

Peko: Huh, yes. (Puts them on) But why do you-"

Ritsuka (Suddenly gets a sword, cape and a scar on his face): I'll be your shield Peko! I'll protect you no matter what!

Peko: Eh?! What are you talking about?! Also, when did you get old enough to have facial hair?

(Kadoc is behind writing a note) Don't let Fujimaru stay up at night playing videogames for hours ever again.