The wind blew, carrying with it the floral aroma.
The light of Unlimited Blade Works faded, but Jeanne, or rather Dark Jeanne's face, still held consternation.
She looked as if she had been told the sky isn't blue when all her life she thought it was.
Shlick.
Dark Jeanne groaned as her counterpart pulled her flagpole out of her body, leaving a hole that went through her chest.
With nothing to hold the blood inside Dark Jeanne's body, she began to bleed out.
Motes of light floated from her body like dandelion fluff, but it was still slower than other times he had seen it.
"Quite the tenacious one, isn't she?" Mozart asked, looking down at the woman with a cold apathy.
"She won't last much longer, but I would rather not see her suffer more than necessary." Jeanne hovered the tip of her flagpole over Dark Jeanne's head.
This was it. One final blow will end it all.
The wind shifted, and the floral scent now carried with it a nauseating copper smell.
When did the air get so thick?
Why did Jeanne stop before finishing off Dark Jeanne? And why was everyone acting so freaked out all of a sudden?
Wait… this isn't air… This is magical energy!!
"You are a kind saint as always, my beloved Jeanne."
An unfamiliar voice, deep and eloquent, spoke with warmth, but it made his spine shiver.
[Gible_Archeologist: I recognize that despicable voice. ]
[You guys feel that? ]
[ACinnamonRola: I can smell that. Eeewww… it smells like Octillery ink mixed with rotting Tentacruel. ]
[Junior_Researcher: The air around me suddenly feels dense… so this is what magical energy feels like in strong concentrations. Fascinating. ]
[PerfectlySaneHex: W-What is h-he? There's something…wrong about him. ]
[HeavenlyDivinePearl: A DEMONIC CULTIVATOR HAS EMERGED FROM HIS CAVE. YOU ARE IN FOR A BAD TIME JUNIOR GUDAO. ]
Standing several feet away was a sinister figure. A hunchbacked man wearing a black robe. His black hair was combed back, which emphasized the appearance of his facial features. His toad-like eyes moved asynchronously, both of them scanning his surroundings.
"Gilles," Like a stereo speaker, both Jeannes said his name at the same time.
"Hmph, so the Mastermind finally shows his face," Kriemhild scrunched her nose, "how revolting."
"Your words are but air to me. My visage is the least of my concerns; my main concern is what brings me to this place."
"Ah, but forgive my rudeness. Allow me to introduce myself, Caster Servant, Gilles de Rais. It's a pleasure to meet you all."
"Gilles... you're here..."
Gilles looks at Dark Jeanne's state and frowns, "My Saint, they did quite a number on you, didn't they?"
Tears started to stream down her cheeks, "Yes, they did."
"Let's be on our way then. You will get your chance to recuperate and try again."
Archer stepped between the two enemy servants, "and what makes you think we're just going to allow that to happen?"
Gilles de Rais observed Archer for a moment, examining him from head to toe as a scientist would examine a specimen.
"Hm… You're right, there's not much I can do to take her from your grasp." Gilles smirked, "but did you really think I would come here without any bargaining chips?"
He opened his arms for a hug, and the shadow beneath his feet darkened, then it bulged upwards.
The shadow stretched into the shape of an older woman.
No way...
In his clutches was a gagged Isabelle Romee. But, unlike the last time they had seen her, she looked... pristine.
She looked cleaner than before, but her eyes looked... disturbed, as if she had seen horrors that she could not comprehend.
"Mother!!" Jeanne yelled out and took a step forward but stopped when Gilles put one of his clawed hands on the older woman's chin. The older woman flinched at his touch, shaking like a puppy left outside during a blizzard.
"Ah, ah, ah, nobody move. If you do, I cannot guarantee the fair Madame here will come out of this situation… uncorrupted."
"You!! How did you get ahold of her!?" The younger Gilles demanded.
Caster Gilles grinned at his younger counterpart, "what do you think? You're my younger self. So you of all people should know the answer to that question already."
"Silence!! You aren't me! I refuse to become someone like you!! You monster!! Unhand Jeanne's mother right now! Or else!"
Caster Gilles tilted his head, "Or else what?"
"I'll be forced to kill you. I don't know if you've noticed, but we have you surrounded."
He was right. Gilles had come alone with a hostage in front of hundreds of human soldiers and 8 heroic spirits. Either the man is just crazy, or he's got something that can help him even the odds. Considering his track record with evil and crazy heroic spirits, it was safe to assume it was probably both.
"Are you sure? You might wish to look again."
"What?"
The sounds of men screaming in horror drew everyone's attention.
Thousands of screeches from unknown creatures that looked like they came straight out of HP Lovecraft's stories showed themselves, surrounding them.
He hated being right.
[Blue-TheCHAMP: Those are some gnarly looking Tentacools. ]
[CasCu: Those things aren't pokemon. They're demons, summoned from a world not our own. ]
[Blue-TheCHAMP: Oh, how fun. This day just keeps getting better and better. /s ]
The younger Gilles hadn't seen this coming at all, so he was aghast at the sight of so many creatures.
"How did you know that we were here?" Jeanne asked, her measured voice barely containing her nervousness.
"Quite simple, really. Once I felt the bonds with My Saint break, I decided I was done hiding in that stuffy castle and came to deal with all of you myself. Unfortunately, that blasted reality marble prevented me from retrieving her, so I took the liberty of having some… fun while I waited.
It was by mere coincidence that I managed to recognize this blasted woman from the crowd after she proudly berated me when I tried to approach the young ones.
Now then, hand over My Saint, and you can have your mother back, Jeanne."
[SurgeOfLightning: Coward! To use a civillian as levarege to get what you want, barbaric. ]
[Huh, I would have assumed you would compliment him. ]
[SurgeOfLightning: Sorry but, hostage takers are scum. And also, for an electric specialist like myself, they are really a pain to deal with. ]
"Wait. Gilles, I must ask you a question." he didn't know what Jeanne was planning, whether she was stalling or she was genuinely asking, but it didn't matter.
Gilles was happy to comply, "hm? What is it, Jeanne?"
"You created the Dragon witch, didn't you?"
All the calm and coolness Giles had been portraying vanished. He fidgeted and looked like he was stuck between a rock and a hard place.
The entire group stared at the Caster expectantly, but he could tell that Jeanne's and Dark Jeanne's looks were what really made him uncomfortable.
Finally, he gave in and spoke the truth, "indeed, I did."
The gasp that Dark Jeanne let out was a reaction he had heard before. The reaction of a person finding out their lover had been cheating on them with someone else.
"Gilles… What are you talking about? Stop messing around. It can't be true, can it? Please tell me you're lying!" The heartbreak, the sorrow, and the building anger in her tone were all there. It was just as heart-wrenching to hear and see as the last time he saw it.
Gilles sighed, "I'm sorry, My Saint, I never intended for you to find out, especially not this way."
" N-No, but how? I summoned you, didn't I? How could you have created me if I summoned you!!?" Dark Jeanne's voice made Gilles hesitate, but he had already dug his own grave.
"Unfortunately, no, you did not, My Saint. For you see, I was the first servant summoned into this singularity, and it was I who found the holy grail."
He gestured dramatically at Jeanne, "my sole wish, the only wish I wanted in this entire world, was for the revival of My Saint, Jeanne D'Arc."
His fingers curled like they were holding something, "for her to stand by my side, to exact justice against the country that unjustly executed her!"
He clenched his shaking hand into a fist, "But somehow my wish was too much for the so-called almighty wish-granting cup to grant!!"
His fist unclenched, and he gestured a timidly shaking hand at Dark Jeanne, "So I had to find an alternative way to bring my wish to reality."
[Mew_theSecond: And so the Meowth speaks. And now we know dark Jeanne was a magical cloneof the real one. ]
[Frisky1intheFlowers(MOD): Yup. Which means everyone who participated in that roast minutes ago was actually cyberbullying a weeks old baby! (≧▽≦) ]
[(OᗝO) ] x 322
[VivalaKalos: … I regret nothing. Baby or not, fake or real, she killed thousands of people, which include babies. ]
Upon hearing his confession, Jeanne made a face that resembled a disappointed mother. Meanwhile, Jeanne's actual mother was staring at Dark Jeanne in disbelief.
"Gilles, I am happy to hear that you care so deeply about me. It means a lot to me that you would use your wish on the grail for my sake.
"OH?!! You do?! Then… will you be willing to join me?!" He reached out his hand once more, this time in a more desperate gesture.
"Gilles, you bastard… How could you… I trusted you… to think you would throw me away for the other me so quickly…" Dark Jeanne's body started disappearing faster, likely her body was starting to give out due to the emotional betrayal.
Jeanne noticed her counterpart's anguish and frowned, then she glared at Gilles.
"But make no mistake, even if you managed to revive me, I would never have become your Dragon Witch."
Gilles's mood flipped in an instant, from giddy to baffled.
"I will admit, I felt awful to be betrayed by King Charles, I felt ashamed when I was mocked, and I felt pain as I was burned alive. My death was a tragic one, but, even so, I could never hate my homeland, because this is where you, my family, and the others lived."
She said these words not just to Gilles the caster but also spared a glance at the living Gilles de Rais, who was also baffled by Jeanne's reasoning.
Gilles the Caster recovered more quickly, and his smile returned, "Ah Jeanne, your kindness is unmatched. However, such kindness has blinded you to one thing."
If Gilles looked like a monster before, now the sheer anger in his face made him look even worse.
"I HATE THIS COUNTRY!"
[Blue-TheCHAMP: "I hate this country" You don't say? I never in a million years could have figured out that the guy who made a clone of Jeanne that committed genocide on the people of France would hate France. (◔_◔) ]
[Appeal to humanity failed. Welp, time to get stabbing! ]
Madame Romee let out a grunt of pain as Gilles tightened his grip on the woman.
[Electrical★Streamer_Iono(MOD): HEY!! Get your filthy, untrimmed mitts off her you sicko!! She's precious goods!! ]
[Don'tTouchMyBuns!: Please… Someone save her!! (˘ŏ_ŏ) ]
"This filthy country is filled with nothing but greedy pigs who dress in silk and gold! You selflessly saved their pathetic country from being conquered by the English, and how do these so-called pious pigs repay you? They condemn you as a witch, tie you to a bonfire, and then dance on your ashes!!
Your unjust murder was the reason I turned to black magic and murder! Surely an all-powerful and benevolent god would punish me for my sins… and yet, he never did anything!
Not God, not the nobles!
Even worse, the nobility turned a blind eye to the atrocities I committed against countless innocent women and children for decades!! And when they finally executed me, it was not because they wished to bring me to justice, it was because they coveted my possessions!!"
His face grew even more furious, "You might be able to forgive France for doing such things to you, but I never will!! It doesn't matter if they were aware of your execution or not, they are just as guilty in my eyes as the people who wronged you and failed to punish me!! Men, women, children, even their fucking pets!! I'll kill them, I'll kill every last one of them!!!"
[Ho-crap the last sentence was nearly verbatim to what Dark Jeanne said in "The Dragon WItch" video. ]
[Juniour_Researcher: I don't condone what Gilles de Rais said or what he did, but I he does make a point. "Why would an all-knowing, benevolent God allow someone as sweet as Jeanne to die in the worst ways known to mankind?" "Will he punish me if I sin?" "Why hasn't he punished me?" It's a methodical approach to prove if divinity exists, but he did it in the most unethical and barbaric way possible. If there is a Hell that exists somewhere out there, I hope Gilles de Rais burns there for eternity. ]
"Then… all this time… I've been living a lie? This anger… this burning hatred… the blood on my hands… this is all just… you."
The anger he showed diminished, replaced by sorrow.
"Your life isn't a lie. You are Jeanne D'Arc, My Saint-"
Smoke started to emit from Dark Jeanne's body, her hand made a sickening crack when it pointed at Jeanne.
"Then who the fuck is that?!! She is supposed to be the ashes I left behind!! You know how much I despise her… and yet… Why did you show her such kindness?!! Why were you so quick to throw me away when you thought she would join you?!! Huh?!!"
"Because she too is Jeanne-"
"DON'T FUCKING LIE TO ME, GILLES!! ONLY ONE OF US CAN BE JEANNE D'ARC!!"
[Gloria2Galar: A ran oot o popcorn. Crap A want more but A don't wanna miss the drama!! ]
[User donated 100 bits]
["She's right!! Who's the real Jeanne Gilles?!! TELL HER." ]
Gilles glared at the camera with narrowed eyes, "I see… I understand why you are acting in such a way My Saint." He refocused his attention back to Dark Jeanne. "Whatever lies these voices spun, please, reject them. Once I retrieve you, all will make sense once again."
Dark Jeanne chuckled, "Retrieve huh? Retrieve me or the grail? Which is it, Gilles?"
Gilles didn't answer, or rather he was refusing to answer. But that silence, in and of itself, was an answer.
"...I see."
Isabelle was staring at her daughter's counterpart with tears in her eyes, tears of what could only be described as regret flowed down her cheeks.
"Enough of this. Hand over both the grail and Jeanne, and Isabelle Romee will go free. What do you say, Jeanne?"
Did he mix up both Jeannes deliberately? Which Jeanne is he referring to?
The Jeanne he wished was real, or the Jeanne standing in front of him?
Unfortunately for the blond-haired Jeanne, Archer didn't let her have a chance to speak, "seems a bit of an unfair exchange, don't you think? We give you the Grail and Dark Jeanne while we get some unimportant NPC? How about we give you your beloved saint, and we keep the grail?"
[Archer WTF?! Madame Romee isn't an NPC!! She's a human being!! ]
[How dare you!! ]
All eyes turned to Archer, many of them staring at the man like he had said that they should throw a bag of puppies into a river.
As for Gilles, he didn't think the Caster could make a more sour expression, but somehow he managed to pull it off.
Thankfully, it seems that Gilles didn't have mystic eyes; otherwise, his glare would have killed Archer on the spot.
"You… you're like that voice, you also filled My Saint's head with poison, didn't you!!?"
Archer gave the man his trademark smirk, "Oh, her head was filled with toxicity alright, but none of it came from me. I was just telling her the truth… unlike you."
Gilles gritted his teeth, but then he smiled, "Of course. How silly of me. I am offering much too little. Then how about this? You give me My Saint and the grail, and in exchange, I will give back Madame Romee and the last remaining humans in the town I just decimated."
Oh crap, he forgot about the villagers.
"Cheh, what a bargain."
"Indeed," He ignored Archer's presence and focused on Jeanne again, " now what do you say, Jeanne?"
"Unfortunately, it's not up to her to decide."
Archer manifested a black bow and arrow and pointed it at Jeanne Alter.
"The parameters of Chaldea's mission are to save France by either retrieving the Holy Grail or destroying it… by any means necessary.
If depriving you of an endless supply of magical energy means the death or defilement of Isabelle Romee and the various people living in this singularity, then I'll do it. Because at the end of the day, once we kill you, all will be reset back to how it originally was before you made your pathetic wish. Your threats mean nothing to us."
"Archer!!" Georgios tried to say something, but the harsh glare from Archer and the groan from the steel wire of his bow shut up the saint.
[Dragon's-Iris: Dammit EMIYA!! Why are you like this?! I just forgave you, and you're already throwing it back in my face!! ]
[CasCu: I don't think he cared for your forgiveness, lass. The red Bastard is the way he is, and nothing anyone tells him will change his mind. ]
[TheIcePryce: He's right. Gilles de Rais is making the mistake that Jeanne is in charge, when in fact, it's not her but Chaldea who are the ones he needs to negotiate with. And he has nothing to offer Chaldea that would let them part with a Holy Grail. ]
Meanwhile, Gilles de Rais looked absolutely furious, "you bastard… just for that, I'm going to make sure I keep you alive, and I'll torture you for all of eternity!!"
"Heh, once again, you offer something I already have. You are a poor negotiator, Gilles de Rais."
"You… You!!" The magical energy got heavier and denser as black mist and a viscous, liquid substance surrounded Gilles.
Then, a squelching noise caught everyone off guard.
Dark Jeanne was forcing herself to stand, her legs, despite being pinned to the earth, moved, ripping her skin as she did.
The sheer determination and self-harm even seemed to catch Archer off guard.
"Ah, Jeanne!! Please stay still! There's no need to harm yourself!!"
"Shut up, Gilles… if I want to stand… I'm going to stand!!"
And just like she promised, she stood up on both her legs.
She resembled a hiker who just climbed to the top of Mt. Everest barefoot and without a single guide.
Dark Jeanne reached out to Gilles with a shaky hand.
"That's right, Jeanne, I'm here. Just walk here, and I will ease your suffering."
Then, in an act that baffled all, she shoved her hand inside her chest, inside the hole where her other self had stabbed her.
"Jeanne!!"
[∑( °Д°) ] x1531
[Um… What is she doing? ]
[She probably couldn't handle the heartbreak, so she's literally ripping out her own heart so it wo't hurt her anymore. ]
[NinJanine: That is so sad, but also so freaking metal! ]
Dark Jeanne ignored Gilles's pleas, and she dug around her chest cavity like a child sifting through a plastic Halloween bucket for a specific type of candy.
Her eyes lit up when she found what she was looking for and pulled it out with a wet squelch.
The light of the sun seemed to have dimmed as a glowing star emerged from her chest.
"No way… she ripped out the holy grail from within herself. "
Dark Jeanne turned to Marie, who was staring at the scene with surprise.
"You said you wanted to make my mind and body yours, didn't you?"
Seeing Marie nod, Dark Jeanne flashed her a cruel, wicked grin, "Well, bad news for you, I still haven't changed my mind."
The light got brighter.
And brighter.
It was coming right at him.
He snatched it out of the air, and immediately, he could feel the grail's immense energy in the palm of his hand.
He looked up and saw Dark Jeanne side-eyeing him. Not in a mean way, but he couldn't place what kind of emotion she was trying to convey.
Then his eye caught a glimpse of his chat screen, and he froze in place.
[GudakoBot: Waifu counter 6 ]
[PerfectlySaneHex: OH HELL NAH!! ]
[ShortShorts_QUEEN: I'm not even surprised at this point, just disappointed. ]
[The Dragon Witch… seriously!!!? What the hell, Gudao?! ]
[PerfectlySaneHex:I REFUSE TO ACCEPT THIS BITCH INSIDE THE HAREM!!]
[He rizzed the Dragon Witch… He's actually fucking rizzed the Dragon Witch, and she gave him the grail… that's actually impressive and low-key terrifying. ]
[Gudao rizzed a baby… but the baby has the body of an adult woman, with the memories of an adult woman… is that legal? ]
[I'd rather not think about it. ]
[PerfectlySaneHex: NO. <( •̀ᴖ•́)> ]
"Jeanne?!! WHY!!? WHY ARE YOU HELPING THEM!!? WHY?!!"
Dark Jeanne turned to Gilles, who looked mortified at her actions, for what was likely the last time.
"Sorry Gilles," She smiled at him, and at that moment, she looked like an exact copy of the real Jeanne, "but I'm tired of getting betrayed by people who I thought I could trust."
The man who was Gilles de Rais turned catatonic as he saw her motes of light scatter into the wind.
The Dragon Witch was no more.
[User donated 100 bits. ]
["Serves you rightyou manipulative, delusional asshole. "]
[User donated 100 bits. ]
["Yeah playing God by creating life is NOT COOL YOU SICKO."]
He sighed, his chat really wasted no time kicking a man when he was down. However, unlike last time, rather than get angry, or sad, Gilles de Rais instead opted to do something ominous.
He started laughing.
It started as a low chuckle, then it grew and grew in intensity and volume until Gilles was cackling like a madman.
[Bugsy_Buzz: You guys ever get the feeling something really bad is gonna happen? ]
[Yup… I think chat just poked a Beedrill Nest. ]
"Cool you say? Cool?!! You want to see cool!? I'll show you cool alright. In fact, I'LL SHOW YOU ALL!!"
He ripped off Madame Romee's gag, then spread his arms out and looked at the sky, as if he was talking to God himself.
"BEHOLD THE GREATEST COOOOOL!!"
"AAAAAHHHH" Madame Romee's body convulsed, the muscles under her skin seemingly deciding to rebel against her as they wriggled and pushed against her skin from the inside out.
"Mother!!" Jeanne screamed her mother's name, which caused Isabelle to turn to her daughter in panic.
"Jeanette… please save me!! It hurts!!"
Jeanne tried to run to her mother's side, but reality was cruel.
"GAH!!"
A massive purple tentacle tore through the woman's stomach and shot out… towards him!!?
The world slowed down as the tentacle grew closer and closer, its intent to kill him and obtain the Holy Grail was clear.
The world resumed at its normal speed once Jeanne stepped in front of him and batted the tentacle away with her flagpole, saving him from an excruciating death.
The tentacle had fallen limp, but only briefly, as Isabelle's body slurped the dead appendage into her body like a thick noodle.
"Ugh."
Something within her body exploded, causing the middle-aged woman to inflate like a balloon. Crackles of purple lightning danced around her bloated form.
"Help me!! ITHURTSITHURTSITHURTS!!"
"This is bad. The life signs in the city are diminishing while Isabelle Romee's are skyrocketing. He's using her body as a medium and the souls of the people of France as fuel for his spell!! "
From the corner of his eye, a purple blur dashed behind Gilles, his sword pointed and ready to strike.
However, it was too late.
Another blur slapped him away before he could even get close.
Sasaki Kojirou grunted as the tentacle denied him his kill.
Isabelle's screams were cut short as her abdomen and stomach exploded into a mass of purple flesh.
The mass expanded like foam, engulfing what remained of Isabelle Romee and the cackling Gilles de Rais.
A giant squid, larger than even Fafnir, took their place.
[That's not cool! That's not cool at all!! ]
[:Vomit emoji: ] x 134
[ .·°՞(˃ ᗝ ˂)՞°·. ] x 120
[Electrical★Streamer_Iono(MOD): MAMA ISABELLE!NO!! GILLES YOU MONSTER!! HOW COULD YOU DO THAT?!! ]
[:Vomit emoji: ] x 144
[ .·°՞(ᗒ□ᗕ)՞°·. ] x 130
[Alolan_Form-Oak: I am a man who can appreciate the fine art of Pokémon puns under most circumstances…. But this? To put a woman through such agony and torture for a lame Tentacool pun? Evil is too light of a word that I could use to describe what I just witnessed. ]
Suddenly, he felt his body move without his input. And now he was sitting behind Marie, her crystal horse already galloping at full speed away from the danger.
He could hear whips of air nearby, each time closer and closer, but they never managed to reach him.
He hugged Marie's midsection, his body shaking in fear as he realized that he was being hunted, and his servants were doing their best to protect him.
Finally, after a few minutes of running, the tentacles stopped coming for him, and the miasma thinned.
He was alive.
✦✧✦
Outskirts of Orleans
The sun was starting to set over the horizon, and twilight was now upon them.
His group managed to escape the jaws of death that were chasing them; unfortunately, all the remaining soldiers of France, save for Gilles, had been devoured.
He was currently sitting a distance away from their group, not eating, not speaking, all the man could do was stare into the horizon, in the direction of the monster that was still chasing after them.
Chaldea confirmed he was one of the last living Frenchmen left in the singularity, the others who remained were scattered hermits living in the woods or tiny villages that were too well hidden for even Dark Jeanne to notice.
Madame Isabelle was technically still alive, as her life was still linked to the beast that Gilles had summoned.
He had checked chat to see how they were. They were rather fond of her, and to see her being turned into… that thing must not have been easy.
The comments were moving so fast, that even he was struggling to read everything. It seemed like his stream got a jump in viewership after that happened.
Which would have made him sick if he didn't see the sorrow and mourning everyone was expressing.
So many TTS comments had poured in cursing Gilles de Rais's name, that he had to temporarily pause them as a warning for chat to calm down.
Only after some time passed in silence did they calm down, and he allowed TTS messages to play once again.
["So Gudao has the grail, why isn't the singularity resolving itself? "]
"Grail or not, the existence of that eldritch monstrosity alone is enough to keep the singularity sustained. Most likely because once it escapes the borders of France, it will feast upon all the living humans on the planet. So there's really no choice, that creature MUST be slain. "
Romani just said something scary.
This thing can't possibly be one of those creatures that live in that place Chthulu lives, right?
Pokemon being real was one thing, but if those things were real too… then humanity was truly fucked, and no matter how many servants he had, he didn't think he would be able to fend off some eldritch god from taking over his world.
"That creature, no matter how many times I cut it with Balmung, it just kept regenerating." Kriemhild's nails looked rough from all the biting she had been doing.
"So that means we're going to have to take that monster out in one strike, a strike powerful enough to wipe it out without leaving a single bit left." Kriemhild looked at the group. "But aside from Archer, who is still heavily injured, no one here has a noble phantasm strong enough to do so."
"There is someone here who has that noble phantasm."
Kriemhild eyed Jeanne skeptically. "who? Do you know someone who is that powerful?"
She shook her head, "she's not powerful per se; rather, she has a noble phantasm that can guarantee she can finish off that creature if they can get close."
Her eyes softened, "however, they are only allowed to use it once."
Kriemhild turned pensive, then her eyes shot open, "you can't mean…"
Jeanne nodded, "yes. I do. Please, lend me your help so that I can reach Gilles and Mother once again."
"I'll help." Archer said, uncrossing his arms.
"I apologize if I sound rude, but what exactly can you do in such a state?" Elizabeth asked Archer, her eyes judging his response.
"A lot actually, although I am going to need more magical energy than the current grail connection I have." Archer said.
"About that Archer, I can't strengthen the connection you have with the grail anymore, not under this time crunch. "
"There's no need to worry, you don't have to do anything at all, Da Vinci."
He looked in his direction, "We have an extra mana battery here. So it won't be an issue."
He stuck out his hand, politely asking for the grail.
So far, Archer hasn't let him down, so he trusts him.
He pulled out the shiny object from the zipper pocket of his hoodie and tossed it to Archer, who caught it without any problems.
Archer slipped it in his own pocket, "I'll open the way for you Jeanne, you just do what you have to do. "
Jeanne nodded at Archer, then she walked towards him.
Without warning, an earthy scent of wildflowers and hay hit his nostrils.
Jeanne was hugging him.
[GudakoBot: Waifu counter 7 ]
[MalasadaMayhem: The counter has been absent for weeks, and now it finally decided to show up, its like its rising to make up for lost time ]
[I mean, it makes sense, Dark Jeanne got rizzed, so Jeanne also being rizzed is a no brainer. He basically rizzed the same person. ]
[NinJanine: Didn't we just spend the entire singularity trying to convince people Jeanne WASN'T the Dragon Witch? ]
[Details. ]
[PerfectlySaneHex: GudakoBot, petition to remove Dark Jeanne from the waifu counter!! ]
[GudakoBot: Denied. ]
He was confused, and everyone around them was looking at them weirdly.
"Um… I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but why are you hugging me?"
She disengaged the hug and smiled, "because, your kind words helped carve a path of redemption for my other self."
"It was nothing, I just couldn't stand seeing her get humiliated like that, especially when all the stuff she did was mostly because of Gilles's influence."
In the corner of his eye, Gilles the knight flinched. He felt bad that he made the man's existence worse, but there was no helping it. It was the truth, and he had to accept it.
"I'm sorry about your mother… I couldn't help her."
Jeanne's expression was kind and comforting. "Do not feel sorrow, Master. You are only human, you've done enough for me and my family as it is. You gave me time to find closure with my mother, and when I said you have my eternal gratitude, I meant it. Once this singularity ends, I will be able to take these wonderful memories to my actual self that is on the throne. And she too will be able to enjoy those memories for all of eternity."
[I forgot that this Jeanne is also a copy of the real one in the Throne of Heroes. And now that she mentions it, that is rather sweet, but depressing. So fucking depressing. ]
Suddenly, Gilles stood up from his log and marched towards Jeanne.
Jeanne knew he was coming, and her joyful smile turned somber at the sight of her friend, "Jeanne… I have committed a great sin against you… I let your mother get captured… I captured her… I did so many horrible things… I beg you, please… forgive me."
He fell to his knees, like a man confessing his sins to a priest.
Jeanne merely sighed at her friend's state and patted him on his shoulder, "You haven't done anything, Gilles."
"Yet!! I haven't done anything yet!!" He realized he overstepped and calmed his tone, "Vlad the Third told me that my destiny was to become that man, that my path was set in stone no matter what I would do. I foolishly declared that I would never become that man. But when that monster spoke… his words moved my heart… You were unfairly treated, and I began to question my faith in God….
And now, in the twilight of France's existence, I have realized that my fate is sealed. I am destined to be that man! I am destined to kill those children… to hurt you and your family. I cannot promise you that I will not become him because it is a foregone conclusion!" The man began to sob.
"The only thing I can do now is beg for your forgiveness…"
[Anyone wanna chip in their opinions? ]
[VivalaKalos: He's got enough self awareness to know what he is feeling is wrong. That makes him 1000% better than that asshole who murdered Madame Romee. If he turns himself in after this is over, then even better! ]
[Krystal: The problem is, he will forget this all happened when the singularity is resolved. SO really, he's a lost cause. ]
[VivalaKalos: Then he's a lost cause. No need to waste energy arguing about it. Let's leave that for the philosophy majors. ]
Jeanne's somber smile turned serious, she met Gilles on his eye level and said, "Gilles de Rais, you've done nothing wrong. You have fought bravely and with honor during France's most dire time. To ask for forgiveness from me for something you haven't done yourself is just silly. Please, stand, my friend. You shall not face my scolding this day. That privilege is reserved for your older self."
Gilles stood up, though the man seemed a bit more calm, he still seemed like he was on the brink of desperation.
However, Jeanne had already left his side, leaving him to stew in his own thoughts.
✦✧✦
Archer POV
"Jeanette… Jeannette… Jeannette…"
He scowled at the monstrosity that was crawling towards them.
"Despicable, isn't it? That monster deliberately turned the mother of Saint Jeanne D'Arc into his Noble Phantasm and is using her voice as a way to torment the Saint."
"Yes," his brows softened, "let's put her out of her misery. She's suffered enough."
"Hm. I agree. Are you ready?"
"Yes." He fished the grail from his pocket and closed the palm of his hand.
The grail sunk into his palm, and immediately magical energy flooded into his body.
"Very well, then I will get started."
Georgios raised his sword and stared at the creature in sorrow, "forgive me Madame Romee, Elaine, Gerald, everyone…. I welcomed you into the city under my protection, you looked at me with reverence, respect, and relief when I told you your times of hardship were at an end… but it was all a lie."
Georgios pursed his lips, but they could not hold back his anger from exposing his clenched teeth.
"I have failed my duty as a guardian knight, and while your deaths are not carved in stone and can be undone, my failure to save you will haunt me to the throne."
His anger turned into cold fury, and he glared at the tentacled monstrosity. "Thou shalt become a dragon. Abyssus Draconis."
A dragon sigil appeared over the creature, which glowed bright before it vanished.
"Jeanette!!!"
"It is done. The beast is now a dragon."
He heard the sound of a sword clattering to the ground, he turned and saw Sasaki standing next to him, his arm outstretched.
"Give me a better sword."
Normally he would have needled him about losing confidence in his technique, but the serious expression on his face stopped him from doing so.
Now that he was using a holy grail to fuel him directly, he easily projected a long sword for him.
Gram.
Now that the tentacled monster is a dragon, this sword will do a good chunk of damage to it.
Sasaki accepted the dragon-slaying sword with a nod, then without saying another word, he rushed at the tentacled creature.
"And there he goes, off to fight another oversized swallow." Georgios gave him a somber look, "I will go join him. I wish you luck, Archer. Your sacrifice will not be in vain."
This guy, he knew, didn't he?
The saint summoned his horse, and after a dramatic whinny, it sped off.
An explosion of magical energy told him that Sasaki had already reached the creature's side.
Narrowing his eyes, he saw that even though the attack managed to destroy most of the tentacles, it still regenerated most of itself back to normal.
He felt another presence, the one who owed him a huge debt.
"Shouldn't you be out there helping them distract the monster?"
"What did he mean by sacrifice?" The concern in Kriemhild's voice was funny to him. He had grown used to seeing her being angry at everything, and now here she was, showing normal human emotions.
"It means what it means. Now stop wasting my time, I'm trying to concentrate."
She didn't speak for a moment of time, then she sighed, "if Kiyohime were here, she would have called out your obvious lie."
"Well, she isn't, so I'm not lying."
"…I'm sorry."
He snorted at her apology, "did Siegfried also implant his apologetic behavior on you with that kiss of his?"
"No. I'm being serious. Because of my mistakes, two more people I know were forced to go to such extreme measures… again."
Again?
Ah, so she must be referencing her husband committing suicide for her sake.
"Don't worry about it. It's not like I am going to die permanently, Master will just resummon me, and that will be that. Now quit wasting time crying for unimportant things and go help those two."
"Right… See you later, Emiya."
Damn it, he forgot everyone knows his true name now. What a pain.
He sensed Elizabeth nearby, but she didn't make any moves to say anything. She was only watching him.
It appeared that she realized he was aware of her presence, and then she ran off in the direction of the monster.
He shook his head.
No matter the world, that girl has always been a weirdo.
He took a deep breath.
This was it. This was going to take everything he had.
He opened the floodgates, and the grail's magical energy flooded into his magical circuits.
He ignored Chat's nosy camera, tuned out the monster screaming Jeanne's name, and closed his eyes.
He needed every bit of concentration to pull this off.
Remember.
Even after all these years, he could never forget her face.
Her smiling face…
Focus.
A memory surfaced of him standing behind Saber.
He focused on her sword.
Even in his memories, he could never forget its beauty.
Taking a deep breath, he drew in as much magical energy as possible within himself.
He exhaled and analyzed the memory of Excalibur.
4̴̧͈͙̝̩͓̗͈̻̬̪̭͇͕̃̄̋́͜͝3̵̛̘͍̠͓̯̠͈̞͈͈̻̹̪̟͖͓͊̊̀͂̾͐̿̍̅̈͊̉̓͗̅̏̾̔̃̂̅̾̚̕͜ ̴̛̛̛̣̣̓̑̆́̈́̀̀̽̃̚̕̚͝͝6̶̨̧̡̣͕̥͖̬̭̻̯̫̼̗͉̼̞̘̣͈̼̰̜̰̬̽̀̊̉̌͑́̑͒́͑̆̀̚̕̕ͅ8̸̧̧̛̰̦̤̹̲̝͙̞̥̖̗̯̝̪̭͓̩̺̌̆̀̋̔͐̈̎̇̓̾͗̈́̍͛̓͘͘͜ͅ ̸̡̘̘͕͎̩͓̪̭͙̺̺̩̙͔͚̩͉̲̩͕̯́̊̅̎̑̅̇́̈̈́̕̕͘̚͜͜͠͝͝͠6̸̢̰͈̲̞̖̦͉͕̻̼̲̖̻̞̝͉͕̘̋̂̓͊͊̿̎͛̌̅́͂̈̊͑̃1̵̧̧͉̮̦͉̘̺̲̣͔̪̤̠̖̮͍͓̳̖͇́̄̏͆̎̇͛̉̏̽͜ͅͅ ̵̧̨̛͙͍̖̪͍̪̰͈͖̠̫̣̬̙̞̞̺̝̳̺̝̜̰͒̎͛͌̉͌͗͂̈̅̽́̓̈́̐͒͗̑̕͘̚͠ͅ6̴̨̛̳̠̦͖͇̪̗̩͖̉̉̒̈́̀̿̈̄̊̈̽̆͆̂͘͜͝͝͝9̶̨̡͖̰̥͔͓̣̻̥̞̘̑̃̈̄ ̴̩̪̟͖͈͕̯̟̳̿̅̌̎̃͛̐̐̕͝6̸̧̨̡̥͔̳̤͕̞͉͖͍̌̃͆̾̾̿̃͐̕4̸̨̬̤͈͓̮̺̖͈͈̙̤̟̩̇̊́̔̉̈̅̈̿̿̊̈́̎͐͘͘̚͜͠ ̸̡̮͚͎̖̹̩͇̈̓̆̀͆͛̃͗6̸̡̧̤͈̲̜̺͚͍̜̺̝̙̠̖͇̖̘͆́̎̄͌͐8̷̧̢̻̪͙̺͉̖̰̗̮̻̙͔̯̲̰̯̜̞̻̤̬̱͕͌̉̀́̑̈́͆̀́̈́̅̚͝ͅͅ ̵̛̛̩̼̠̼̬̫͉̙͍̌͋̉̒̅̈̆̂̑̈̃̏̎̀́̈́͘͝2̴̡̢̡͓̠͔̬͖̣̞̫̣̫̺̗̪̱̙̳̟͍̝̰͚̥̓̀͒̍͛̋̈́͌̊̈̆̉̆̑͆̚͠͠͠0̶̡̢̛͕̖̪̫͍̲̜͓͙̳̭̪̘͎̠͖̝̼͚̻͓̰̞͙̎͋̏̏̎̇̈̊̈́̽̈́̽͛̕͠͝ͅ ̸̛̫̘͇̮̤͎͎̱͈͕̖̃͑́͆͂̓̓̅̓͑̚͠͝͠4̴̩̺̱̞̰̙̜̖͎̙͕͍̫͇̪̩̠͑̇͋̐͂̐̂̆̂͒́̽͜5̴̢̧̛̮̞͕̝͉̜̠͎͍̇͑̀̉̆̽̃̚͠ ̶̨̛̲͔͚͇͎̤̩̼̭̺̗͚͓̈́̎͆̔̄̽̈́̆7̶̡̱̠̗̪͓̳̼̼͚̻̉̐́̈͛͋̀͂́̈̓̃́̊̍͛̅̓̿͆̈͘͘̚͜͠8̴̨̩̯̪̠̹̠͎̟͖̳͚̤͐̾̾̿̌̆̇͋̀͊͊͛̈́̈́̈́̅̀̓͊͗͑͘͜͜͜͠͠͝ ̸̨̹̙̘̱̲̪͚̼̹̹̬͖͍͔̗͉̣̟̥̲͘ͅ6̶̧̦̦͉̙̤̰̱̫̮̂̋3̷̛̞͈̳̟̺͎̥͐͒͆̔́̎̏̎͑̀͋̊̂̃̀́̈́͛͘̚͝ ̴̨̢̡̨̡̝̗͇̻̹̺̼̗̠̭̜̻͙̲̠̪̤̖͍͕͔̗͒̈́̈́͑̿͗̀͐̐̚6̶̢̛̒͋͋̀̄̿̊̀͆̉̅̐̉́̀̕͘͠1̷̨̟͕͕̟̦̜̞̓͗͋̄͜͝ ̴̨͕̹͇̻͉͉͉̰͎͝6̷̝̙̓̂͛̏̓͑̀̉̃̈́̉̔̃͊̂͘͘̕̕͝C̸̢̛͓̰̳̠̰̱͉̠͔̮͍͓̰͈̤͍̱̣͉͖͇̰̖͑͂̐̎̏̇̄̒́̅̀̅̆̃̏̌͝͝͠ ̶̹̯̩͉̳̠͎̫̦̪̋͂̇̒̐͂̐͛̾̀̽́6̸̯̻̥̘̓͗̿̓̐͜͝9̷̛̻̥̀̆̈́͒̾̋̈́͒̓̅̋́̓͆̑̌̈́́̌̂̂̄͝ ̸̧̧̛̼̳̮̻̯͕͓̣̩͚̖̺̟͚̫̺͕̻̣̘̗̖̱̓̂̌̈́͑̌̀͒̎̏̏̏́̑6̷̨̡̛͉͚̦̝̣͚͇̲̘͎͕̺̞̣̝͚̿̇̈́́̀̃͒͐͑́̾͌͂͌͒́̾̄̈́̆́͘̚2̵̡̢̗͈̭̩̩̼̣̲͎̩̙̲̯̪̮̦̱̬̰͎̣̙̼͆͗́̉̀́̓͋̉̐̓̍̎̽̍̾͑̆̽̏̈́̕͘̚͜͝͠͠ͅ ̴̡͖̠̖͔̪͔̥͎̦̰͈̱̯͍̲͍̝̗̫̯̞̦̘̥̈͐́͋̆̎̈́͆̿̓̓̂̂͗̌̇̈́̑́͛͋͘͜͜7̸̧͈͍̤͕̗̣͇̗̰̬̜̹̳̼̭̩̬̠͉͙̘̭̣̰̓̓́̓̀͑̐̈̈́̓̍͘͠͝5̸̨̭̩͔̜̜̎͊͛͌̓̿̃͑̅̃̉̃̍̀̍͊̉͌͐̋́̚͠͝ ̸̧̧̢̟͕̰̜͙̤͓̪͉̣̱̬̖͈̰̱͔̩́̈́͌͌͆́͗̾́̔́̇͂̐̀̇̊̀̊̿̇͐̚͠͠͝7̸̤͎̘̺̥̠͈̣̥̩̟͕̟̗̬̱͔͓̱̊̀̃̓̋͑͌̃͛̄̀̆̐͆͗̎̿ͅ2̶̱̻̑͛͒̑͋̃̂̅̏͠͝͝ ̵̪̟͉̫̭͈̱͇̣̼͉́͒͂̔̐̾̑͆̔̉̄̈́̎̀͋̃̋̕̚͘̕͜͝͝͝͝2̷̨̢̡̟̯̞͙̤̮͔̮͈̟̪̺͎̙͍͔̣̣̗͕̘̌͌̈́0̸̧̢̪͓̩̓̎̆͌̔̅͒ͅ ̷̛͉̩̟̪̤͕̣̤̟̺͎̥̺̙͐̋̄́̑̋̈́̅̋͋̐̐̇͒̀̂͜͜͠͠6̴̨̡̼͓̭̳͖̖͕͌ͅ1̶̧̨̬̳̱̳̘̜̜̲̤͇̘͚͉̦̆̌͗́̍̂͆͌̐̑́̍̄͗̈́̉̋͆̈́̚ ̴̛̛̫̬̣̪̣̹̰̈́́̈̏͋̍͛̈́͌̋̆͋̐̓̆̌̔̒͋̚͝2̸̧̢̛̙̺̰̞̤̖̟̙͙̖̠̘͎̟̞̳̫̔̉̿̈́͐̊̇̇̈́͆́́̓̑̀̈́͜͝ͅ0̵̧̛͚̭͚̤̦̔̏̐̄̓̅͗͆̃́͋̉̃͒̃̋̇͒͆̂̀͝ ̷̧̧͙̖̙͍̼̭̰̟̠͔͓̞̫̂̏̍̉͂͊̄̊̍̚̚͜͝ͅ6̴̧̘̺̘̙̦͉͇̣̯̟͓̺̟̩̮̗̩̏́͊̉̔̀͛̈̈̈̓̎̔͌̚̕̚͝͝͝3̴̡̡̛̜̜͈͍̺̰̻̒̂͆͆̈́̍̀̆͜ ̶̭̲͕̖̹͖͊́̆͘6̷̛̪̝̮̥̻̗͔̦̯͖̰̖̪͕̬̦̯̣̝̫̝̣̟͚̖́͋̽͛̈́̏̿̆͗͌̀͋̋̍͗̈́̇̈́͜͝͝8̴̡̛͍̰̰̮̼̹͇̒͂̂̊̀͆̐̃͒̈́̄̎͠ ̶̢͇͈̗͎̲͎̥̬̖̖̭͉̫̦̪̘̱̼̜̗͙͔̠̼́̽̄̅̿7̴̤̻̬͎̓̀̉́̐͗͂̾́͒͗͊͗̅2̷͓͎̻̖͈͉̝̞̲̤̳̪̮̤̣̂̈́̍̏͑ ̴̻̱̓̑̀̈́̈́͐̅͊͑̚7̶̧̮̘̎̐͒́̾͂̆̽̊̿̈́̈́͐̀̈́̌͂̃̐̍́̕͠͝5̶̛͚̩͕̘̝̑̈͑̿́̉̄̾̂̚͘̚͝ͅ ̴̢̡̨̨̫͔̙͍̺̬̻̹̩̲̗͐̅́̍͊̌̆̊́̽͋̋̒̆̏͜7̴̛͉̈́͊̋̀̓̌̔́̓́͛͊̀̍̔͘̕̕͘͝4̵̨̢̨̢̡̹͎̳̩̗̖̳͈̦̭͕̮̹͈͔̮̫͇͎̊̆͋̀̐̀̍̀͗͌̑̐̊͘͘͜͠͝ ̴̱̭̟͚̲͈̟̹͈̩̋͑̃̋̚͜6̷̛̪̦̔̎̌̿̏̈́̐̀͊͂̌̒̅̄̌͐̀̂̒̚͘͘͠8̸̨̝̰͖͕͕̪͇̿̓͒͠ ̷̢̛͉̮̘̬̑̂̒͗́̀̀6̷̡̝̫̲̰͍̼͖͖͉̼̼́̄̑̂̈́͒͐̈́͘̕1̵̧̡̧̦̞͇̬̮̖͙̬̙͖̤̬͔̪̲̺̙̝͓͍̠̑̋̈̄̂͂̍͗̑̋͌̆̌̈́̇̑̉̈́͜͝͝ͅ ̴̧̨̺̹̼͙̟̹̗̘͍̺̣͕͎̲͉̻̞͐̄́̄̂́̑͒͜͝ͅ6̷̢̦͙̝̙͓̗͇͎̤̣̻̥̲̤̯͙̤̲͍̞͚͌͜3̵̲͚̩̥͋͑̄̓͒̉̂̀͑̂̊́̆̕͝ ̷̢̭̲̭̖̫̖̗͔͈̺̘͇̜̞̯̞͕̺̀̿͂̍͜6̷̧͔͎̤͎̬͓͕͈̺̭̞̖̋͌͜͠ͅ8̶̧̨̢̢͙̖̩̲̳̜̹̮̞̼̲̱͚͚̺̝̣̺́̊̈́͆̅̍̓̒͛͜ͅͅͅ ̵̧̛͚͚̼̳̪̻͓͈̩̖̱͙̥̥͊̎̌͛̊̄̓͊̄̃̎̾̏̈̀̃̾̄̂͊͗̃̚͝͠͝ͅ6̵̭̠̩̼̤̪̼̪̫̬̭̣͔̬͙̞̫̜̬̙̎̾͐̅̇͂̀́̊̾̈́͒̂̐̒̕̕͘͜͝͠1̵͓̬̼̲̗̹̤̋̾͗ ̸̨̝̇͊͌͂̓͋͊̀̒͊̇̈͊̉̓͋̏̄́̀̎̌͌͐͋6̸̧͇̰͓͖͙̣͖̟̀͊͐͑̽̊͒̀̀͛̌͂́͆̏̐̀͗͜͝͠4̸̢̡̛̛̛̥͓͓͈̹̮̘̹̺̻͙͍̳̲̼̯͔̼͈̳͔̤͇̂̿̑̑͋͗̐͋̈́̓̏̄̅͌̀̊̅̅̕̕͜͠͝ ̸͇̟̔̍̇͋̋͂̆́̊́͆͛͆͐͛̃̾̋̌̆͂̌͋͘͝͠͝6̴̨̢̦̫̤̹͚̗̘͈̤̳̼̞͍̯̠̯͉̳̪̤͉͓̂̇̄̒̍͋̀̅̄̊̅̿̎̇̋̍̆̋̀͐̿̍͠͠͠͠8̸͙̞͇̬̳́̃͊̏̀̿͘͜͜͝ ̵̛̛͙͕̺͋̓̇̍̈́̀̃̎̀̑̿̚͝͝͝2̴̛͍͊̓̾̔̓̊́̓͋̓̂̓̓̊͗́̀͘0̵̡̡̛͚͖͗̈̐̊̓͐͑́͐͂̃̓͆͌̾́̓͌̋͝͠͠ ̷̡̢̛̛̗͕̯̙͈̫̠͗͊͆̆͊̆͛́̇͘̚̕͜6̸̡̡̨̡̢̡̛̫̣̠͈̱̫͔̮̣̬̯̮͗̔̏̽̀̂͒̔͗͠1̴̛̞͍̹̯̣͚̥̪̟͖̭̅̔̿̏̏̌̓̾̋͂̽͛́͘͘͘̕͠ͅ ̸̡̖̬̹̺̹̏̍͌̉́̋̂̐̏́̆̍̔͐̕̕͝6̴̨̡̠̠͕͔̻̭̂̈̽̈̈́́͌͂̀̑̑͛̔́̑̋̕͠͠Ę̸̢̛̱̙̻̥͔̟̹̜͇͎̭̮̲͚͎̮͍͎͔̜͎̼̒͋̄̎̿͊̐̓̈́̾͂̆͂̆̌̃̄̿̒͘͜͝ ̷̧̨̥̥̳̟͙̩̲̼̈́̾͋̾̽̓̈́̐̆͂̈́͑̅̇̍̽͝͝6̸̹̯͙̣̙̊͗̓̐̂ͅE̸̛̟̥̲̰̟͓͈̥̹̬̙͉̭͕͙̞͌̅͋͊̓̿́̈́͑͛͒́̃̃͒͐̄̐͗̍̕̚͜͠ͅ ̵̰̙̬͕̬͔̜̗͍̜͉̬̩̘͈͕͔̯̜̞̗͈̇͐̃2̵̢̨̛̰̣̻̩̩̘̼͍̟̰͔͓̪̞͓̗͙̱̘̠̎̈́͊̄̌̆͑̆͊́̑̐̀̎̍̉͘͘͘͘͜͜͝͝0̴̨͈̫̟̤̯̫͇̙̜͔̎͑̀́̈͒ ̴̢̡̢̛̲̠͕̙̗̪̥̙̜͓̠̮͓͓͓̣̙͈̼̻̖̥̅̌̒̊̈́͒̃̌̓̋͌̍͋̾́̓͆̚͘̕͝ͅ6̴̧̛̝̜̜̰̲͎̣̙͎͕̮͓͇̯̬̭̦̜͙̩̖͕̟̈́̅̓̇̌̋̐͑̽̽̓̀̆̽͋͒̄̈́̎̚̚͝͠1̶̡̧̧̬͍̹̳͔̗̲̭̦̹̔̈́͜͝ ̸̺̤̜̯̺͊̊̀̌̚͘ͅ6̶̠̙̱̳̩̪̫̬̣͎͚͍̳͓̳̰̖́̾̓̓̈̀̂̈́͛̔̿͝E̸̩͎̠͉̺̱̳͊͗̏̋́́̉̉͛̆͋̊̕̕ ̷͔͍͕̺̠̘̈̂̇̅͛͒̈́͆̅́̈́́̍̅͑̑̂̾͊̂̕͝͝͝2̶̜̬̙̱̺̟͚͍͎̠̦̬̈́0̸̧̧̡̢̛͎̯̦̺̬̼̰͖̼͙͙̗̎̈́͂̔́́̀̾̆͛̓́͐͐͂̍̽̌̓̇̈̈́̅͑͆̌ ̶̢̧̼̋̆̀̆̑̈̓̐͂̽̔̏̂̉̾́̇͊3̸̯̮̳̰̝̫͕͎̳̠͛̋͌͋͒̆͑͜1̸̨̡̗͕̙̳̯̥̝̜̼͇̣͍̘̥̲̠͈̝̱̺̄̈́͜͠ͅ ̶̨̛̫̻̗̹͎̘͉̺̪̩̰̖̤͚̣̜̐̈́̒͛͆̂͒̕̕͝3̴̧̡̡̨̛̹̟͕̼̰̳͓͈̗͉͕͚͙͕̥̤͈̮͙͚̬͊̆̒̉2̵̢̡̨̦̯̬̱̺̩̝̼̺͈̣̳̜̲̹̭͖̜̲̖̙͕͓̜̉̉̈́͗̑̌̊̒͊̈́̊̀͆̾̑͌̋̊̂̈́̚͘͠ ̶̥͕̳͕̬̲͌2̶̙͇̓͐́͊̓͗̋̈́̾̑́͐͂̀̈́́̌͑̐̽̓̏͘͘͠Ç̷̘͇͔̭͚̲̹̠̥̼̀͋̊̈́̽̀͊̿̿́̈́ ̶̙̭̭̪̪͖̝̻̤̩̬̻͔͕̲̺̘̗͖̫̥̥̮͑̓ͅͅ3̶̢̢͙͙̜̤͙͇̹̞̖̻̻̟̗̼̜̠̗̱̈́͆́̿̏͋̉͘͘͝͝0̶̨̹̠̯͕͉͚͈̦͍̦̩̳̜͍̭̏̋̀͛́̈́̏̿̀̎̍̒̀͂͆̽̽͝ͅ ̵̛͕̙̟̝̟̺̼͓͎̠̈̒͆̆̓̓͑͌͑͊͌̄̄͗̀͐̆́̑̌̔́͠3̷͎̺̻̭̜̘̀̀̽̈́̽̂̇͑̌̽̓͘͘͘͝0̸̜̯̤̀̎̾̈́́̌ͅ ̸͉͔̼̏̀̒3̷̡̨̡̻̿̎͒͗͒́́͋͐̿̕̚͜͝͠0̴̢͙̫͎̹͎̊̓͗̍̎̐́̔̅̈͂̌̽͒̚̚͝͠ ̸̢̧̧͎͚̖͓̱͚̮̼̗̩̾̇̓̌͐̃͛́͒2̸͕̞̤̳̟̤̏̃͆̈̔̈́̉0̴̢̨͔̮͓̙͕̥̅̄̈́̉͂̂ ̶̧̛̖̥̩̟̰̮̻͙̙̳͈̫͍̞̻͔̭̰̜̰͓͎̓͛̆͋̇͂̽͆̐͂̾̌̚̚͜͜͝ͅ5̴͙̮̓̄́̔̒̓̐̊̂̃́̎̄̌̂̚͝ͅ2̷̧͓͔̟̠̺͈̹͍̼̖̻͔̐͋͘ ̸̦͇͔̲͇̯͓͍̜̽̉͒̀̌̆̅̈́̍͂̅̾̏͊̀̉̈̿͒̽̄͘̕͘͝͠4̵̡̢̢̧̛̫͇̹̩̮̫̱̭͙͚͇̱͔͈͎͖̰͕͔̟͇̏͆̽̇̅͛̈́̂̆͂̓̂͆͊͒͠͝͝͝ͅ3̸̨̫̬̘̗͉̞̠̲̱̝͙͔̹̮̜̫͓̣̘̙͉̭̘́̈́̂͜͝ ̸̡̡̢̡̢͔͇̩̠̘̰̼͕͉̟͍̪͍̫͙̺̟̼͐́̽́̍̑͂̾̅͐̊͐̋́̾͌͜͠ͅͅ2̴̨̧̡̰̳͙̭̥̰̼͖̤̰͈͔̗̫̗̰́ͅ0̷̨̡̲̞͔̲̟̝̬̥̬̫̯̻̪̽ ̸̨̧̙̹̩̜̬̟͆̈́̈́͗ͅ6̷̱̲̳̐̆̐́̏͑̽͐̀͗̈́̀͋͌̕͠C̸̛͎͍͉̲͎̪̫͉͓̼̪͈̟̳͖͙̱̘̜̙̮̏̀̎͂̽̈͗̆̐̂́̋̓̎̀̽͒͛͐͐̚̕͝͠͠ͅ ̵̡̢͇̟̲͙̩̬͚̻͍̭̣̈́̓͆̆̊̾̍͋̊̑͘͝6̸̢̢̧̢̠̘̗̖͖̫̹͇̺͚̒͛̍̓͒̈͐̈́̅̃̊̓͗̚͜͠5̷͇̙̦̿̍́͒ ̴̧̢̢̡̡̧̠͓̯̦̖͉͙̳̺͚̖̖̟̬̭̩̼͚͍͂ͅ2̸̙̼̳̦̞̮̣̐̈́̓͐̍̅̈̒͊̍͗̒̂̓̕̕̚͝͝͝ͅ0̶͉̰̦̽͆̎̓͒͗̏̐̄͑͐̔̉̚͠͝͝͝ͅ ̶̠̥͕̣͚̙̲̏̈́̚͜ͅ7̶̨̧̧̢̠̹͉̫͈͙̜̟̩̝̲͔̹̭̣̫̿͑́́̐͐͒̔͑ͅ3̵̢͚͍͈͍̩̰͎͕̙͉̙̫̬̙͙̞̤͊̓͗̆͌̓̇̕͜͝͠ ̵̢̡̡͔̘͕̘̻̠͎͓͕̫̺͓̤̣̤̥̇͆̀̃̈́̑͊̀͂͐̎̂̋͛̚͜6̶͍̩̹͔̰̇̉̍̈́̍̈̃̀̽͂͌̈̇̄͊̉͗̃̿̂͝͝9̶̣̠̬͆̐̃͗̄̇͌̏̍̇̇͑̄̍̅̇ ̴̝̖̟̝͈̩̖̹̦̺̿6̶̞̜̜̈́̉̀̾̊͆̀͐́͑͊̓̋̋̒͋̎͌̈́͘̕̕͝͝1̸̛̹̜̻͍̞͛̌̎́͛̔̆̿́̆͐̑̽̎͒̄̓͑̚̚͝ͅ ̵͚̯̟̤̟̘̜̫͙̞̫̤͉̻̙́̄̈́͂́̂̓̄̏͆̈́͂̑̈́̃̒͂̅͐̕̕͠2̶̨̧͍̥̥̣̫̣̩͍̰̭̭̠͎͙͌̅̈́̑̄́̈̽̄̍͆̄̏̅̈́̎̕̕͝0̶̨̢̧̲̜̭̲̳̲̙̝̗̜͎̯͔͚̌͒́̈̇̂͘ ̴̡͚̻̩͖̠̠̩̥͉̞̞̪͚̥̬͔̻̫̫̭̩̼̰̯̂̓̀͌̎̒̈́͌͑̇̓͗̍̈́ͅ5̶̟̞̣̞̘͖̥̭͎̖̎̿̆̊́́̐̀̄̎͌̚̕3̷̢̡̻̮̰̬̤̩̠̪̮͈̳̲̞̬́͛͗̒̆̾́̏͛̈́̿͑̍̇́̒͐̀̔̾͘͝͝͠͝ ̴̹̞̙̘̀̐̀̅͆̽͑̓̿̀̓̆͋̐͐̒̂̕̚̚̚̚͝͠Ć̸̢̨̢̻͎̹̝̟̘̱͈͓̠͚̯͉̘̞̟̫̻̖̖̾̂3̸̨̣̜͍͎̳̯̈́̉̀̃͑́̀̾͛͋̿̅̑͘͘͝͠ͅͅ ̸̼̦̘͎̱̩̫̰̱͚̯̠͉̜̱̗̻̬͈̫̱̜͈̿̈̿̓͗̋̅̔͑̏͑̆́ͅA̸̡͍̤̠͚͙͔̳̻̙̥̝̎̃͜C̷̱̲̍̓̋̽̄̀̊͒͆́̓͘͝ ̸̢̣̳͈̖͍̬̰͕͇͈̘͙̤̜͔̩̺̳̥̻̞̏̀̃̐̐̊̽͂͋͐̈́̋̐̇͌͐̒̽̐̍́̋͜͝͝͠ͅ7̴̨̨̛̝͈̻̻̞̲̙̭̺͉̝͓͙̖̹̺̰̒̎̀̈́̉̈̓̋̍̐͋̈́̆̌͂͌̾̉͒͝͝ͅͅͅͅ4̴͓͌͌̏͆̎͝ ̸̨̡̤͉̟̭̙̲̼̳͕̭̮̞͉̗̙͂̃͊͆́͆̾͂̋̕͘6̵̨̤̟̣̱̼̞̜̜̣͍̺̱͈̩̮̝̰̙̳͈͉̬̯̥̅̓̈̓͂̾̇̔̋̂̽͐̆̈́̋̎͐͑̊͘͝8̷̧̡̩̬̞̙̜͙͔̮̞͈̺̺͙̤̦̯͓̲̭̣͉̤̌̇̉̑̔̒͒͋͌͂̑͑̄̄͛͆̐͂́͝ ̶̯̣̳̗̞̎͂̈́͗̈́̿̀̓̿̽́̏̆̐̐̐̿̓̕͠6̴̡̧̝̙̳̗̲̠͖̝̩͍͍̟̲͓̘̯̩͉̙̼̟̺̯̈́͋͌̅̕͝͠ͅ9̵͙̲̪̝͓̹͈̥̟̬̤̱̤̳̯̼͈̯̻̜̠́̇̐̍̿̅̌̒́̐͑̅̊͜͠͠͝͝ͅ ̶̡̛͈͉̭̼̖̔̇̃̉͐̍̓̈͆̂̊̚͜͝6̵̨̳̠͇̟̝̰̗͙̺͖̠̰̖̖̰͍͈̹͒̔̈̄̕3̴̡̰̭̰̣̙̖̝̞̤͖̖̳̻͕̟̦͙̠̜͔̞̤̦͕̠̂̿̈́̚͘͘͠ͅ ̴̛̺̪̲̜̰͎͖̱̖͕̩͚̼̣͚̻̬̝̻̠̳̞̻̲̎͆͋́̀̋̂̏͗́̒͐̀̉͊͌͗̋̏̿̏̀̚͝͝6̶̡̡̲̫̝͉̤͉͓̺̮͙̤̰̱̙̻͔͈͔̩̼͚̎̄̀̋̿̏̄̅̆͋̿̓̈́͜ͅ8̴̧̢̧̛̼͙͔͈̰̘̼͓͕̬͖͕͔͎̱̤̂̾̂̋̑̿̋̋̃̑̈͌̐̇̀̓̕ ̶̡̛͈̺̝̖̤̺͙͖̳̋̂͆̐̌͊́͛́̀̆̅̒̐̈́͗̀̌̓͋̍̊͘͘͝͝6̶̧̪̠̙̈́͊̐̿͂̿̄̀̒̑̾́̒̽̓̚͠͝5̸̖̝͚͋̃͂̊̒̆̽̃̀́͝͠͝͝ ̸̛͔͍̻̘̱̜̺̣̀̆̊̀̀̃͗̏̇̀͊̎̒͒̒́͊̔͋̀͜͜6̶̠͈̇̇̀͜͜͝1̶̡̢̛̹͉̹̻͎̩̼̻̖̞̰͉͓͎͕̗͗͒̌̉̍͐̿̎ͅ ̶̨̹̻̳͉̱̭̖̣̝̭̬̥̔͆̀̈́̒̈́̀̈̒̾́͊͒̇̄̔͘͠6̴̧̠͕̞̼̥͕͇̮͖̥̜͚̣̫̺̻̇̉̓̉̈́͌̍̾͂ͅͅE̸̛̛̤̣͛̓̾͗̅̓͆̎̋̈́̏̊͑̀̐̀̑̐͝͝͝ ̶̡̺̯̳̜͔̰̣̺͎̲̫͍̩͇̯̤̺̙̓ͅ2̴̛̛̛̭̮͛͛̃͗̂̀̎̆̒͒̀͘͝0̸̙͔̼͚̳̳̺̜̠̲̼͚͔̤̜͉̥̘̗̰͋̈̈́̅̊ ̶̘̦̜͕̲̪̙̮̭̳̥̞͋̄̀̽́̓͑̅͛̿͊̀̒̑͌̌̂͋̑̄͊̊̔͂͘̕6̷̧̨̧̡̻͉̝̜̥͍̟͙͙̼̬͇̻͎͈̣͔̖̬̾̀͗̆̋̋͌̍̄́͐͛̒̏͌̄̕̚͝͝͠ͅD̶̢̗̜͚̤̙̣̠̦̮̊̌̀̿̏͒̀̋̇̈̍̍̄̈́͘̚͠ ̵̧̡̢̧͇̖̫͙͔̼̣̼̹̗̣̜̜͔͙̟̳͍̩͖̣̯͕͗̂̊̈͝͝Ç̴̡̠͓̝̙̠̫͔̾̎̓̊3̶̨̧̪͚̪̗̦̘͔̜͖̖̼̞̰̯̪̱͕̈́̋̆̒̆͂͋͋̄͂̈́̿͑͂̕͘̚ ̷͈̼̼̱̩̺̭̘͋͋͛̇̐̎͆̏͑̋̈́͘̕͘͝͝͝͝͠B̸̰͎͎̻̤͖̼̭͙̠̥̹͎͍͎̺̹͓͍̹̖͛́̎̿̃̃̀͊͋́͋̈́͜͝2̸̧̢̢̲̱̠̱̣̮̥͉͓̮͇̺̯̬̲͓̰͈̃̓̋̇̍͌̽̌̆̚͠͝ ̷̢̛̛͈̠͎̲́̓̽̇̆̈̈́̑̈́̽͆̓̍̊͒̓̑̎͠͠͠͝7̵̢̛͙̟̪̝̤͙̦̺͔̿́̽̇̀͒͋̐͌͆͂̈̀̐̋̆̾̚͜͝͝͝2̶̡̡͓͚͕͎̼̥͇͓̹̮́̀̈́̾̈́̉͑̃̄̆͛͛̒͜ ̷̹̦̜̩̟̻͇̮͔̯͙͚̞͕̙̺̜̺̦̻̼̽͛̎͒̓̊͜ͅ6̵̛̛̻̻̠̣̫͈͙̭̱͚̫̭͖̘̺͖̩͂̑̀͆̓̔̈́͆̎͆͆̊̀̍̽͆̿̿͐̚̕͝͝1̸̧̡̨̨̺̪̫͕̼̜̥̱͈̦̟͚̣̝͓̖̙͎͈̠̠͓̽̊̈́ ̷͙̌́́́̑̎̓̅͗̂̃̀2̸̛̗̘̬̮̱̥̟̘̟̞̼͕̱̮̬̺̱̮̦͚̬͛̒̈́͊̈̐̇̓̄́̈̏̊͑̀͒͂̚0̶̛̮̤̲͚̣͙̯̘̬̺͗̐̔̒̓̿͌́́̾̊̔͛͆̓̂̈̈̆̐̐̈́͝͝ ̴̥̒̀̈́̏̏̀̆̈́͆̃͋̉̓̔̾̈́̐̓͌̐͘6̶̮̥͚̺̘̲̙̘͙̫̞̋͊̓͆̑̏͒̈́͋̔1̵̜͍͖̬̻͐̃̒͛̂̌̒̋͌̇̿̂̄̅͌̿̓́͊̚͘̚ ̵̢̛̥̬̳̝͉̤͙͈͓̺̦͍̖̲͎̼̱̮̣͛͋̽͆̅̊̀̅̂͋͑̐͒͂͑̊̓̇͝͠͝͝ͅͅͅ6̶̨̨̧͇̼̠̗͍͚̙̬̝͖̥̪̗͔̪̤̬͑̋̋̍̄ͅE̸͚̼͖͇͍̣͍͕̹̭̒͑̏͐̊͐͛̏̔͌̅̉̅͛̑̕̕̚͜͠͠ ̶̪͈̩͇͓̳͍͎̹͖͖̯̫̬̖͖͚̲͛̿6̴̛͈̍̀̅͊̇̍̽̑͗͋͌̊̅̅̐̊̕Ę̶͎̹̱̥̣̖̗̯̜͉̫̙̺̯̮̿̍̏̒͛̾̆̿͜ ̷͉̲͕̥̹̣̼̤̻̘̯̹̘͎̬̣̠̭̮͙̙̿͋̊̈́̀̈́̆͜͜ͅ2̴͕͙͎͓̖̹̝͓͕̰̭̈́͆͑̎̔̉͊̉͒̆́͐͠0̵̲̌͒̋̆͌͗̃͐̈́̆̏͗̾̄̆̍̇̅͛̉͂̽͝͠͠ ̶̨̹͓̤͚̱̲͎̥̜̠͈̱̝̰̜͓̱͕̬̙̈͊́͊̍͒̒͆̍̐͊̓̈̈͆̂̊͠͝ͅ6̵̨̘̪̟̟̺̺̤͇͕͎͉̮̺͕̯͖̱̹́͒͋̐̃̏̇̀̊̂̀̾̀́́͘͜͝ͅ1̵̨̡̡̢̨̡͉̱̦̪̭̰̺̫̞̫͍̖̬̤̖̝̎͂̄̒ ̶̟̟̞͕̳̦͎͎̻̙̭͒̑̓̽͗͊́̑̅̿̎̿̊̂̓̓̔̏͂͛̽͜͜͝͝͝ͅ6̵̨̢̧̳͔̹̞͓̭̫̘͚̣̠̖̬̽́̐̔̊̈͌̉̑͘Ȩ̷̜͚̞̮͈͕͓̭̲̀̀̿̉ͅ ̴̡̛͈̦̲̯̻̪̪̫̙̀͌́̓́̇̈́̽́͗̀̽̕͘͜͠2̴̧̛̭͖̖̯̲̱̯͍̜̖̘̖̍̊̃̏̉͛́̂̅͗̓̍̈͑̓̈̔̿̚̕͘͝͠0̷̨̬̙̲͖̪̮̫̲̰̫̗́̔̀̍͆̉̄̉̐̑̓͗̓͒̓̽̌̈̕̚͠͝ ̷̡̧̞̳̪̼̘͙̟̫̲̩͚̫͈͈͇̪̜̩̙̬̪͍̭́͛̀̌̋͂͐͛̑͘̚͜͜͝4̷̧̱̱͑̔͝1̷̢̧̳̱̰̮̣̰͖̿͋́̍̏̍̈́͂̇͒͌̃̑̓̉̚̚̚͠͠ ̴̡̡̛̦̥͙̮͉̳̠̞̻̫̻̰̏̈͊͊͌̓̇̍̓͐̓̍̍͂̿͛͒̀̕̚͝͝͝7̶̢̤̲̗̟̝͈̘̠̥̼̦̩̦̰̈́̎̃͗͐̋̒͐̌̉̽̀̆̈̉̾͂̚̚͘͜ͅͅ6̵͙̼̱͚̩͔̖͓̻̠̗͌̉͗̾͌́̀̾̿̓́̍͋̑̈́̀͌̊̆͘ ̸̡̯͙͚̞̭̲̫̗̫̱͕͎̲͇̝͓̳̞͔͇̮̼̄́͊̇͒͆͌͗̓̊͐̈͂̅̒͆̚͘͝͝6̴̢̣̻͎̞̱͍̖͕͂͌̄̄̈́͝1̵̜̘̞̫̫̱̤̩̪̠̻̲̫͇̠̮̱̮̭̗̘͉͙͖͒̋̓͛͋́͂̀̐̑͒͌͐̀̋̕ͅͅ ̷̨͈̘̟̝̗̼̫̳͈̪̳̙͔̼͕̲̮͈͙̼̰̝͐͗̾̈̈̎̒͆̈͒͋̽̈́̄̌̂̄̀̊̈́̊͘͜͜͝ͅ6̷̛̱͕̤̦̣͕̪̭̟̭̤͉͕̻̤̤̈́̌̄̋̐̾̋͝C̸̼̪͉̻͌́̊͒ ̵̨̨̱̗̓͂̄̌̽̈́͌̏̍̀̌͊̒̐̍̕͝͝6̶̡̡̡̥̫̞̖̞̭͈̙̲̙͓͉̙̺͖̪͙͇̫̓̾́͗̈̃̉͑̓̽͋͝ͅF̸̢͈͔̬͚͆́ ̸̨̛̝͒̆͗̍̒̎́̈̓̇͑̈̏͆͊͗̊̄̒̏͌̚͝6̶̨̲̣͖͚̣̭̼̣͍̯͔̼̬̞͍̫̭̺͎̞͖̺̦͍̣͂̆̊͊̔̊͂̈́͌̂͊̿̉͌͛̕E̶͉͓̜̖̫̘̋̀̏̄̌͛̈́ͅ ̸̙͔̟̞̺̺̝͚̣͔̹̫̝͔̘͎̦̋̇̐͒͛̂̇̆̂̊̾͗̋͊̕̕͘̕͜͠͝͝ͅ2̵͈̱̖͔̜̪̘̓̿͊̏͑̍̐̑͆͒̇͊̉̏͊̾̅͌̿̆͝Ẻ̶̡̧̟̜̤̩̣̪̣͇̤̞̗̙͔̓̐̒̈́̀̔̍̽̒͋͌͛̿̕͜͝͠
'Too much… information…'
'My head feels like it's going to explode.'
He heard Jeanne shout at him in concern.
He didn't know what it was. And it was muffled by the buzzing in his ears.
[Uh oh. Archer is hurting himself again. ]
[What is he doing this time?! ]
[Frisky1intheFlowers (MOD): He's trying to pull something huge out of his ass, but it's studded with rusty nails. ]
[Thank you for the beautiful imagery Frisk. ]
[CasCu: @ Frisky1intheFlowers ninja'd ]
He couldn't speak, it took too much brainpower.
He needed that brainpower to analyze, decipher, and translate this incomprehensible mess.
CRACK
[AH!! ARCHER'S HEAD XPLODED!!! ]
[MagnetKing: And that is why humans should not try to learn the move "Explosion."]
[What the hell is he doing to himself that warrants spontaneous explosion?!! ]
Take a step back. Look at the larger picture.
The outline of a sword came into view, then it gained a little opacity, but at a certain point, no matter what he did, it refused to become more solid.
This was the best he could do, and it would never measure up to even a copy of it.
He could only copy its image.
That was all he needed.
He stretched out his hand and channeled even more of the grail's energy, but this time, he redirected it into his arms.
It felt like he was pumping lava into his veins.
[I'mJustABill: I don't think magic circuits are supposed to look like that. ]
[Ow… That looks painful… ]
Not enough. He poured more. And more.
Yet no matter how much he poured, it was never enough.
It was like a black hole, consuming until nothing was left.
He could feel this projection consuming his existence.
If he had done this without the help of two holy grails… he would already be dead.
A weight settled in his hand.
[V-is4Victory!: Ta-daa!! Victini's here!! Huh?What's this?!! Woah!! Pretty sword!! ]
[( ° ロ°) ] x 421
[Beaumains: Impossible… HE PROJECTED EXCALIBUR?!! ]
[Frisky1intheFlowers(MOD): Hm, it's a heavily nerfed copy though. Archer did the equivalent of someone forging Excalibur while simultaneously deciphering a fax of a digital book in a language he cannot understand, all in the span of a single second. Except, the book is describing a photograph of a sketch that a failing art student made of the real Excalibur.
Also, he's using his own blood as a replacement for oil to quench it.
Crude, inaccurate, and degraded, but the spirit of Excalibur is still there. So it could work. ]
[Is it really that complicated? It's just a sword! ]
[Frisky1intheFlowers(MOD): You have no idea. The human brain OS cannot process the sheer amount of information that is required to make an authentic Excalibur. Also, Excalibur is not a sword, it's a divine construct forged by Faeries, (yes they exist). Excalibur is the crystallization of the wishes of mankind, and it was stored and tempered within our Planet. So yeah, it's more than a simple sword. ]
He opened his eyes.
And the shining light of Excalibur… no, this false imitation shone in the dying light.
His fingers and toes were getting numb.
He felt like he had just endured listening to Elizabeth's singing at full volume for a week straight.
"JEANETTE!!! HELP ME!! IT HURTS!!!"
The monster had gotten close.
He took a deep breath to center himself, then exhaled as he lifted the sword in the sky.
His throat felt dry and raspy, but he forced it to speak, "This light is the sword of the king who can never be reached."
He poured as much magical energy into the blade as he could.
He saw motes of light floating in front of him.
His body… It was struggling to stay alive.
He could feel it getting lighter and lighter as the seconds dragged on.
At this rate, he will vanish before he can unleash the attack.
Then, he felt something touch his body.
He didn't flinch.
He knew that sensation.
"Magical energy spike detected!! It's coming from Archer EMIYA!! "
The voice of the Chaldean employees confirmed he didn't imagine it.
[Prof.Burnet: My machines are detecting it too. What is this? ]
[Frisky1intheFlowers(MOD): It seems The World has deemed Gilles de Rais's noble phantasm as enough of a threat to chip in some support to our beloved EMIYA-kun. ]
[Prof.Burnet: Oh how exciting!! ]
He frowned when he felt that the brief touch had only imparted just enough energy for him to unleash his attack, and nothing more.
'Cheh, you cheapskate. Thanks for the boost anyway.'
The sword shone, illuminating the area with its holy light.
[Why do I feel so fuzzy inside? What happened to my anxiety? ]
[Frisky1intheFlowers(MOD): That would be the hopes and dreams kicking in. Even as degraded as this Excalibur is, at its core, it is still Excalibur. ]
[TheIcePryce: …It truly is a beautiful light. ]
"EXCALIBUR… IMAGE!!"
The sword came down, and the pillar of holy light became a blast of magical energy.
The beam struck the beast.
It shrieked in agony as its flesh burned away faster than its regeneration could keep up…
A sharp pain pierced his chest, and the light vanished.
He fell to his knees, and the world began to spin.
"Archer!" Jeanne's concerned cries were starting to get annoying.
"Quit standing around and go!!"
He was too weak to wipe out the creature with Excalibur Image, but it was enough to expose them.
"Thank you. I will never forget you." The blonde saint finally left in the direction of the beast.
Every nerve in his body was burning up.
This was it… he was done.
No more tricks up his sleeve.
He felt sleepy.
[Beaumains: @ GARcher!! HOW?!! ONLY MY KING IS ABLE TO USE EXCALIBUR!! HOW CAN YOU USE MY KING'S SWORD?!! ]
[Beaumains: @ GARcher!! ANSWER ME DANGIT!! ]
[DragoonRuleZ donated 100 bits]
["Gareth wants to know how you can use her King's sword. "]
Archer lets out an amused huff, of course the puppy knight would make a fuss about this.
Well, there's really only one answer to this question.
"Of course I can use Excalibur, I'm her sheath after all."
He looked up to see the world one last time.
He saw Jeanne's blonde hair dashing towards the monster.
Then, he felt a pair of eyes on him. Elizabeth was staring at him. She noticed him watching her and smiled before she mouthed some words at him.
'It was nice getting to know you this time, Nameless Piggy'?
He let out a small chuckle, "I feel the same way… you loudmouthed panty flasher."
The last thing he saw was the annoyed pout the dragon girl sent his way.
✦✧✦
Jeanne D'Arc POV
"Jeanne…"
"Jeanette…"
Both Gilles and her mother were now fused with the flesh of the beast.
Gilles's upper body was visible, while only her mother's face had been exposed.
Yet both of them had tears running down their cheeks.
It was hard seeing the two people she treasures most in such a state.
But she cannot allow this thing to continue its rampage.
"Jeanne... I just wanted to create a world where you were alive and well… where you were happy." Any anger that Gilles had felt had somehow faded and transformed into remorse.
Her lip trembled, but only briefly.
Gilles may have caught a glimpse of sanity, but that was not going to be enough.
She had to end this.
"I'm sorry, Gilles, but my destiny is and always will be tied to that pyre."
She unsheathed her sword.
As soon as Gilles saw the blade, his eyes widened in shock.
"The sword of Saint Cathlenne? No, Jeanne!! Anything but that!! Please don't do it!! I can't bear to see those abominable flames take you! Not again!!"
Flames danced around her sword and exploded into a wave of heat and fire.
Her body. Alongside Gilles and her mother, all of them caught fire.
"Say something, woman! Your daughter is going to kill herself, and she won't listen to me! You're her mother, aren't you?!! Tell her to stop!!"
"I'm proud of you… my sweet Jeanette."
Her tears hissed into steam as they emerged out of her eyes.
Her heart felt heavy.
Even after choosing France over her, she still supported her decisions.
Her lips trembled, the words barely coming out of her lips coherently.
"Lord… I offer this body to you…"
The heat intensified, the flames expanded, and her skin began to cook as they engulfed her entire body.
"A noble phantasm is the pride of a hero!! For these abominable flames to be her noble phantasm! NO!! I refuse to accept this!! Damn you, God!! Why must you continue to defile her!?"
"Gilles, you don't get it. These flames are not abominable, they are captivating."
"How could you say that!? Even standing there as you burn in this hellfire with us!!?"
She didn't deny his observation, "Yes, they are hot and painful, but these flames are brilliant. Brilliant Hellfire. Even if France betrayed me, even if I was labelled a witch. I had no regrets."
She looked towards Ritsuka, Marie, and the others.
She smiled, "because my death will light the way for someone else. For the future."
She turned back and smiled. "That's all I ever wanted."
She reached out towards Gilles.
"Now let's go back to the time where we belong."
She offered her hand.
Gilles's hand shook as he reached out to grab ahold of hers, but at the last moment, he stopped and retreated.
A pang of sadness hit her when she saw his defeated smile.
"Forgive me, Jeanne, but the place where I belong is no place for a saint to dwell."
The fire of her noble phantasm blinded her.
She closed her eyes and said the last verse of her chant.
"La Pucelle."
✦✧✦
Ritsuka POV
A pillar of hot plasma shot into the sky, engulfing the monster and incinerating all that remained.
[Gulp… No wonder the camera POV didn't shift to Jeanne… if it did, we would have been caught in that blast. ]
[ε-(´∀｀ ) ] x341
[Anyways, RIP Jeanne. She slayed the evil tentacruel at the cost of her own life. ]
[RIP ] x 324
[Fire&Flamez: That was the most tragic but beautiful fire-type attack I have seen in my life. RIP Jeanne. ]
He clenched his fists and looked at the ground in despair.
His heart ached for them, he wanted to feel numb to the pain, but no matter what he tried, he couldn't.
He didn't think he could ever get used to the feeling of letting his servants die for his sake.
He felt a hand on his shoulder, it was Mash.
Her eyes told him she was feeling the same as him.
They didn't exchange words, there was no need. Nothing they said would change anything. Not until they returned to Chaldea.
So instead, the two of them stared at the pillar of fire that was Jeanne's noble phantasm in silence until it sputtered out and died.
Once the fading twilight returned, it signaled the end of everything.
Every single servant that survived began to glow.
"This is just like what happened with Caster in Fuyuki."
Mash was right, the singularity had finally been resolved, and history was correcting itself.
With their purpose fulfilled, all the remaining heroes will have to return to the Throne.
✦✧✦
Kriemhild POV
"Despite my misgivings with you, I will say that it was an honor to fight alongside you," she heard Georgios's voice nearby.
"I feel the same," she furrowed her brows, "where is the Samurai?"
Georgios turned to face the direction of the city of Theirs, "he said he was going to guard the gate, one last time."
"I see..."
With the singularity resolved, all the humans Gilles de Rais murdered will have been revived. It makes sense the samurai went to see his loved one, one last time.
"Will he make it in time?"
Georgios cracked a faint smile, "knowing him for as long as I have, there's no doubt he will. It's unfortunate, despite how frustrating their brief courting was to observe at times, I still prayed every night that they would find happiness."
He turned to face her, "the same applies to you. I pray that you and Siegfried can properly renew your vows, preferably with less marital violence. "
She wasn't blushing at the implications that man made about her! She wasn't!!
This Saint is too cocky, laughing at her expense.
The saint's body began to disintegrate at an even faster rate, "And I pray that God will allow me to aid that Young Man once again. If he does, I will serve him until my last breath… to make up for the failures that I have committed here."
Georgios vanished before she had a chance to comfort him.
That he wasn't at fault for those people's deaths.
And yet again, another weight of debt was added onto her conscience.
✦✧✦
Ritsuka POV
"Well, it was nice making my debut with you, Manager!!" Elizabeth waved at him, her body already reaching its final stages before disappearing.
"I hope you can summon me in the future, that way my new adoring fans won't have to miss out on listening to my new songs!"
She turned on her heel and gave a double-hand wave at Chat's camera, "bye everyone!! Until next time!!" She kissed her hands and vanished after she blew them a kiss.
[Eon_Red: Bye Bye!! I'll miss you!! ]
[HeavenlyDivinePearl: I eagerly await to see the results of your cultivation next time we meet. ]
[ZaWarudo: Dammit! I can't wait!! Oh wait, I don't have to!!! Later losers!! Master of time is out!! ]
[DragonMasterLance: Wait!! @ ZaWarudo Take me with you!! ]
"Well, I suppose it's time for us to depart as well. Right, Marie?"
"It's unfortunate, but it's just how the world is."
The sadness in his heart grew heavier when Mozart and Marie's voices approached him and Mash.
Suddenly, that sadness turned to pain as a bony hand pinched his cheek.
"Ow!" And he wasn't the only one who cried out, as Mash had also suffered under the pinch of Death from Mozart.
"Good grief, you two need to learn how to say goodbye."
"Sorry." Once again, Mash was in sync with him as she apologized at the same time.
"Our journey in France has come to an end, but you're just getting started, aren't you? So here's a lesson from me to you. When you part ways with someone, smile. If you part while sad, the last thing anyone will remember about you is how sad you were when they left, so smile! You two got it?"
He was right. The world is sad enough as it is, positivity was important.
They both agreed with Mozart, and the musical servant seemed satisfied with their response.
"Ehem."
Everyone turned to Marie, who suddenly gained an aura of maturity.
She gestured for them to come closer.
Both he and Mash did so.
"I want to properly thank you two for saving my country. Now, I know it was your duty, but your queen wishes to reward you, so be silent and accept it."
They listened to Marie and said nothing.
Marie was happy by their compliance.
"Good. Now then," she cleared her throat, "Ritsuka Fujimaru and Mash Kirielight, for your exemplary service in slaying the wicked dragon Fafnir and her super adorable rider, I, Marie Antoinette Josèphe Jeanne d'Autriche-Lorraine, Queen Consort of King Louis the Sixteenth, do hereby bestow upon you two the rank of Barony."
"Eh?!"
"Huh?!"
She made a shushing motion with her hand, and they closed their mouths shut.
"Unfortunately, I hold no power or sway during this era, so I cannot repay my debt the normal way by granting you the plot of land befitting your titles, so the titles will be in name only."
She gestured for them to stand, "now rise, Monsieur Fujimaru and Madame Kirielight."
They stood up as they were told.
Marie was fading faster than before, but she seemed not to mind it as she approached Mash and kissed her on the forehead.
Mash blushed at the gesture.
Then it was his turn, "and for you, Monsieur… I have a special reward for you."
Before he had a chance to react, Marie had already wrapped her arms around his neck and approached his face.
His mind went blank, and his senses felt overwhelmed.
The sweet scent of perfume, the softness of her lips, and the strange but weird sensation of someone else's tongue dancing with his.
It was… exhilarating.
So this is what a French kiss felt like.
He tried to follow along, but it felt like he was clumsily stepping on her feet.
How embarrassing.
However, she didn't seem to mind and kept the dance going.
Eventually it came to an end, and their lips parted.
When he opened his eyes, he only caught a glimpse of a smile.
Marie vanished, as if she were a dream.
[GudakoBot: Waifu counter 8]
[( ∵ ) Wow! ]
[(◯Δ ◯ ∥) ] x362
[PerfectlySaneHex: It's fine… she's just showing her gratitude. He saved France after all, it's only natural a Queen would be extremely grateful and would reward a dashing hunk like Gudao a Kalosian kiss…oh who am I kidding? I can't compete with Marie… ( ╥ᴗ╥) ]
[Oof, looks like copium no longer has any effect on Hex. ]
"Oh! Congratulations, young Ritsuka, you were deemed worthy for Marie's love. Cherish it, for she only gives that kiss to people who she really adores."
Mozart vanished with an envious smile on his face.
As soon as he left, his body started to glow.
"Are Monsiuer and Madame ready to depart?" Kriemhild asked with a sly grin on her face.
She saw that, didn't she? This was going to be an awkward next few days, "Um… yeah… We're ready. Right Mash?"
"Yeah…" Mash seemed rather quiet all of a sudden.
"My Accomplice… I wanted to thank you."
He furrowed his brows, wondering what she could mean. "For what?"
Kriemhild looked ashamed, "I wanted to thank you for helping me fulfill my selfish task… and also to apologize that my actions put you through so much hardship."
She put a hand to her chest, "that is why I will do my best to make it up to you and the others."
"It's alright, Kriemhild, we're alive. And that's what matters." For all the troubles she gave them, she at least cleaned up her mess. It would be a different story if she had been killed by Fafnir and left Archer to fight the dragon by himself.
Kriemhild seemed to be unsatisfied with his answer.
"It's okay, Kriemhild, all is forgiven. Honestly, I'd be worrying more about what Emiya is going to ask of you when we resummon him. Since I did catch him mumbling to himself that you owed him… big time."
"That is a separate matter, Master. I will face my punishment from him, you, and Georgios if you summon him, respectively. I will do everything in my power to make up for my misdemeanors, so please, do not hold anything back."
Seeing this was heading nowhere, he sighed, "fine, I'll come up with something when we get to Chaldea."
She let out a sigh of relief and vanished.
He shook his head and turned towards his companion, "Let's go home, Mash."
Mash seemed to have cheered up a bit, and gave him a smile, "yes, senpai."
Oh right, he almost forgot.
He turned to the camera, "thank you for watching guys. I really appreciate your support. I promise I'll do a normal stream in the coming break."
[Woah really!? Sweet! Later Gudao! ]
[Bye Gudao ] x 1281
✦✧✦
Sasaki POV, Theirs France
He was watching Elaine with her brother from a distance.
After the monster had been burned to nothing by the saint, he knew everyone was going to come back to life.
He was glad he made it in time to see her.
She was happy.
He smiled and turned his back from the scene, "may you live a fulfilling life… Elaine."
Sasaki Kojirou disappeared, unaware that Elaine had noticed him, and that his departure left her in tears.
SINGULARITY ORLEANS - RESOLVED.