Chapter 70: 68. The Struggle Begins
(A/N: What should I call Godrick Alter and Jeanne Alter? I feel like writing Alter after each name to distinguish who's who is going to get monotonous after a while.
Do you have any suggestions?)
===Artoria===
Having reunited with Shirou and his group of friends, Artoria had taken a seat, needing to come to terms with everything she had learned over the last couple hours.
Shirou was once again her master, and she could feel how much he had grown as a mage in the past years since her departure. She knew he wouldn't hold her back like when they had first met, though she wondered just how much he had improved with his projection magic.
She was also having trouble reconciling with her daughter Mordred, who was standing in front of her master, who was seated next to her, speaking nonstop.
But the one thing she was reeling from the most, was the discovery of the Warlords identity. Her own mother, Igraine, was one of her most hated enemies.
She looked over at her mother, who was standing with her sword in the ground next to her master Sakura, who said nothing as she looked off into the distance.
She let out a breath she had been holding before looking back towards Dozmary pool, where her son had taken Jeanne to. The sky was getting dark, and she had no idea if they were alright or not.
"OK everyone, let's settle for the night." She said after she stood up.
"Let's stay in the church for now. The fire should be out by now." Shirou said, looking at the rest of the masters, who all nodded.
Rin, who was nearby, stood and looked towards Lancer, who stood next to her.
"Again, I'm not entirely sure why we're here. But let's do our best." She said, holding her hand out to him.
He was holding his spear on his shoulders, letting his hands dangle from its shaft as he looked down at her surprised.
He flicked his spear up and around his body before planting it's butt end in the grass beneath him, and taking her hand.
"Just don't go falling for me on this little adventure. You're still a little young for me." He said with a slight smirk on his face, expecting Rin to get flustered.
To his surprise however, she just smiled back, and walked away. Apparently she had matured over the few years since the last Holy Grail War.
Luvia however, continued to speak to Mordred, who was in a rather sour mood from her Mother's and Igraine's presence, though she didn't let that interfere with her conversation with her master… Much…
"Alright. Yeah. I got it. Oh really? That's interesting. Uh hm. That's crazy." She continued to say as Luvia continued to speak, dragging Emi into their conversation, which Mordred actually was interested in. She tried to pry the information of where she got the headband out of her, but it was a futile endeavor.
Illya on the other hand, stood next to Heracles in companionable silence, having nothing to say to him other than that she was glad he was there. She now reached about his waist in height, having grown from the power of the Grail.
Sakura just stood by Igraine, not saying anything, though she had to fend off Shirou's inquiry of her a couple of times. He gave up afterwards, and decided it was better to leave it be.
After everyone had retreated to the shelter of the church, Lancer quickly used one of his runes to light one of the remaining drapes on fire, giving light and warmth to the central room.
Rin shivered, rubbing her arms as she placed her back to one of the walls trying to get comfortable before looking at everyone else, seeing them all settle in their own spot save for Sakura, who was still outside with Igraine.
"I think there might be something wrong with Sakura…" Shirou said, sitting next to her.
"What do you mean? She seems fine to me." She replied.
He just shook his head before he replied.
"No, somethings definitely off. I can't tell exactly what, but she's… Different…"
Rin gave a long sigh.
"Shirou, she's been through a lot. That disgusting creep defiled her, then gave her to Shinji, who did even more horrible things to her. Things like that… change a person. She has a lot of trauma. I think it's just best to let her be, but to let her know we are here for her if she needs anything." She said.
Shirou just stayed silent, his face twitching in anger as he thought of what had been done to his friend.
"Alright. I'll leave it be." He said, not knowing what else to do.
Outside, the girl herself stood next to Igraine, speaking with the voice of the very man who had tortured and abused her.
"We are surrounded by enemies. What do you purpose we do?" She asked her servant.
"There's nothing we can do. We only need to wait. I'm sure the Alters will move within a day." Igraine answered.
"I hope you're up to the task of fighting those monsters. Especially the Juggernaut." Sakura said.
A small smile came to Igraine's face as she looked down at the girl.
"I must say, I do hope to see a good fight. From what Alaya has told me, he's an absolute monster. It's literally the metaphor of what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. I just hope the immovable object is up to the task, and has the balls to do what's necessary to win." She said, suddenly seeing a blue flash of light in the distance.
Her smile then grew into a feral grin, knowing that something important had just taken place.
"I hate them with all the being of my soul. But I do hope they can win. For our sake." She said, gently running a taloned finger down Sakura's cheek.
===Godrick===
Godrick and Jeanne walked towards the water, where Vivian met them.
She motioned them to sit at the water's edge, while she took a seat on the water's surface.
She had a knowing smile on her face, which turned Jeannes ears red. She looked up to her companion, who seemed oblivious to Vivian's smile.
"It seems you two have gotten very… Close." Vivian stated.
"I can see it. The bond between your souls." She continued, knocking Jeanne from her embarrassment.
"You can see our souls?" She asked.
"Of course I can. I'm a Great Mother spirit after all." Vivian answered.
"Great Mother spirit?" Jeanne asked again.
"Just think of us as divine spirits. It's close enough." Vivian answered.
Jeanne just nodded before Godrick asked his own questions.
"So what happens now?" He asked.
"Now, you will go back to your group, and fight your Alter." She answered.
"You know I'll have to kill him." He said to her.
She gave him a sad smile.
"You know, You were never meant to live in the world of men. But your father changed all that. You were meant to live here with the fairies. You were meant to be their protector from those who would use them for their own desires. A shield for those that can't protect themselves. That was your purpose. So now I ask you. Why must you kill MY son?" She asked him, looking into his eyes.
Godrick didn't miss a beat, immediately looking down at his companion who reached out and took his hand in her own.
"To protect Jeanne. Alaya gave us this task to prove something, and… if I had refused, I didn't know what would happen to us. But now that we're here, I need to keep everyone safe."
"So you would kill my son because he poses a threat to her?" She asked, looking at Jeanne.
"Yes." He answered simply.
"Very well." Vivian said, standing on the waters surface.
"Then take this one last gift from me. You will only be able to use it once, as this isn't your timeline. But once you return victorious, it will become yours once you bathe in the lake's water where your true mother waits. My last gift to you, child, is your true name. Aegeus. You were never meant to be a destroyer, but a protector. When all seems lost, call your true name, and watch as hope blooms in those around you." She said to the pair.
Godrick stayed silent for a long moment before standing and walking into the water. He embraced his mother from another time, another world, and whispered his thanks.
"Always." Vivian said back, releasing her hold on him.
He then walked out of the water, and took Jeanne's hand just as the sun started peaking the horizon, a beautiful orange ball bathing the world in its warm light.
"Let's go back." He said down to her.
"Of course, my love." She answered.
===Godrick Alter===
"How weak." Godrick Alter said, looking at the small group of servants and masters huddling in the church for the night.
He and Jeanne Alter, along with Artoria and Mordred Alters stood at the top of a lone hill overlooking the valley in which the church lay.
They had left the safety of the capital, and had rode here with the other Knights of the Round Table who were all twisted versions of the ones Godrick had grown up with.
Turning from the valley, Godrick walked back down towards the group that stood before the Round Table, mainly consisting of his lover, mother, sister, and Lancelot, who would act under Artoria.
"I don't see my Alter, but I assume he went to Dozmary Pool. In which case I have a force ready to intercept them. Though I might not have sent enough…" He said the last part of his sentence more to himself than anyone else.
"It doesn't matter. We should attack now, and subdue them while they're away." He said, looking back towards his mother.
She just narrowed her eyes at him, unsure of how to proceed.
She didn't trust her son one bit, as he had proven time and time again that he only cared about himself.
"If you wish to take them all out, then you will do it by yourself. We are only here to help subdue your Alter. Nothing more." Artoria said coldly.
He didn't expect her to respond this way, so when she did, it caught him completely off guard. He looked over to her, as a great anger filled his being.
"Excuse me?" He asked, slowly walking over to her.
"I will not waste men in taking those servants out. If you wish to, then do it yours-." Her words were cut off as one of his massive hands wrapped itself around her throat and lifted her into the air.
She clenched his arm, trying to free herself but it was to no avail as she began to choke.
The men and Knights of the Round Table around all reacted, drawing their swords and leveling them towards Godrick, who held their King by the throat.
"Who exactly do you think you're talking to? If I tell you to do something… YOU DO IT!" He yelled before throwing her into the ground beneath him.
No one reacted out of fear, as they all knew if he wanted, he could wipe them out with a flick of his hand.
Cold steel then pressed itself onto his neck, making him look to his left where his sister stood.
"Careful now Sister. I want you to be able to fulfill your part of the plan, but I have no issue if you're missing an arm to do it." He said, turning to her. She pressed Clarent into his neck harder, drawing blood but he didn't seem to care as he walked closer to her.
"Do it." He said nonchalantly, making her back up as he continued walking forward.
She hesitated for a split moment, which gave him the opportunity to knock the blade from his throat with his left hand and bury his right fist into her stomach, forcing her to bend over.
He stood up, and gripped her by the hair before wrenching her to look up at him.
"How weak you've become. Such a disappointment." He said before dropping her to the ground.
"We'll take care of this ourselves. You just wait until my Alter gets here." He said, walking away from the two women who were picking themselves up from the ground.
He motioned to Jeanne to get going, which she did, fearful of his wrath.
As they crested the hill, he looked back at his mother and sister.
"If you're not where you need to be, and my Alter gets away. I'll kill you both myself."
And with those final words, he and Jeanne leapt into the air towards the church.
Artoria Alter just rubbed her throat before standing up, and looked at those around her.
"Just get ready for his signal." She said, her voice raspy and angry.
===Artoria===
The sun was just peaking over the horizon's edge when she felt a shudder through the ground.
Two servants had just landed nearby, and she knew who they both were, though something felt off.
"Godrick, Jeanne?" She asked as she walked from the church, Mordred and the rest following after her.
As they left the church they saw the two figures of the Juggernaut and Ruler, but they weren't the ones they knew.
"Not Exactly." The big man said, before suddenly blitzing forward.
===
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