Chapitre 74: 71. The Battles Climax
===Jeanne===
Leaving Godrick's side, she flew towards her own Alter, smashing her white lance into Alter's black one.
Her increased stats gave her a clear advantage, which she used to keep her Alter on edge their entire fight.
"Look at what you've become. Fallen from grace!" Jeanne said to her Alter through their locked weapons.
"What exactly do you think I've fallen from?" Alter hissed in exertion.
"I've been freed from morality, from restrictions, from anything that would hold me back!" She said venomously.
But Jeanne could see right through her. After all, who would know her Alter better then herself.
"You lie." Jeanne said plainly, keeping their weapons interlocked. Her words seemed to form a crack in her Alter's porcelain exterior.
Her Revelation skill kicked into effect like it had never before done so, and she shuddered at what she saw.
"I can see everything. Every abuse, every insult, every wrong he's done to you." She said simply, forming another crack.
"You don't know anything!" Alter screamed before using all her strength to push Jeanne from her.
Jeanne went with the action, and got pushed back before dislodging their weapons, lashing out with her right leg to catch Alter in the stomach.
Alter seemed to slump forward before flying back, eventually catching herself.
"You're right. I don't know anything. I've never had to deal with what you have. So I'm going to give you a chance. One chance to change sides, and help us." She said as she lowered her lance.
Alter just spat on the ground before looking over Jeanne's shoulder, seeing what she had hoped.
Jeanne reacted on instinct, raising her lance above her head to block Excalibur as Artoria Alter entered their fight.
She pushed Excalibur off her lance before spinning away through the air as Artoria Alter went after her with her blade.
Jeanne blocked multiple strikes as she spun through the air, landed, and continued fighting.
She dodged and blocked, rarely meeting Excalibur blow for blow. But it all changed when Artoria Alter brought Excalibur down and around to cleave Jeanne's legs from her at the knee. The saint met the blow with her lance, and knocked it skywards before pirouetting on her left foot, bringing her a step back before lunging forward with her lance.
The Alter was fast enough to bring her sword back in time to place it in front of Jeanne lance, but she was blown back from the force she put behind the blow.
Artoria Alter hit the ground on her back hard before rolling to a stop and standing up next to Jeanne Alter, who looked down at her.
The two said nothing as they stood next to each other. They only watched as Jeanne shifted her lance to her left hand, and with slow deliberate movements, drew her holy sword.
The moment she did, flames started to leak from her sheath, and the moment the sword was free, flames engulfed her surroundings before settling down.
The sword itself was now aflame, and its heat wafted from it in great waves.
Before she had bathed in the waters at Dozmary Pool, she would have forfeited her life the moment she drew this blade, but now she could wield the sword with no issue. She was in a state where if she had enough energy, she would stay in this "Saintess of Fire" form. But after a while, she would revert back to her normal form, with her blue and silver armor. Her stats would also revert back. But if she had enough mana, she could stay in this form indefinitely.
She couldn't call forth her sword's full power without using it for its intended purpose of protection and sacrifice, but using it as a normal blade, she could use about sixty percent of its full might.
Jeanne Alter looked at the sword in disbelief, not understanding how her other self could produce such power. Her answer soon came however as Jeanne appeared next to Artoria Alter, and smashed her lance into her stomach.
The Alter was sent flying through the air before smashing into the mountain side behind them before Jeanne turned to her Alter.
"My bond with my Juggernaut is one of Love. Not one of fear." She said before swiping downwards with both weapons, smashing them into Alter's lance.
She hadn't put all her strength behind the blows, only enough to make her Alter stagger backwards.
"My Godrick seeks a companion, a partner. While yours seeks a slave."
She brought her weapons up to throw her Alters lance skywards, continuing to knock her back.
"You've never felt a loving connection. Only a lustful domination."
Alter brought her lance down on Jeanne the same moment Artoria Alter flew in from behind with Excalibur.
Jeanne skillfully caught the lance with her own, while she caught Excalibur with her sword.
Her two assailants pushed for all they were worth, but Jeanne didn't budge as she held them steady.
"Redemption is still available to you both, if you will only put your weapons down." She said, her faithful side taking over a small bit.
"The road to forgiveness is not an easy one. But it is still open to you!" She said before pushing them both back and spinning, knocking their weapons away as she did.
The two Alter's redoubled their efforts in their assault, but it was all for not as Jeanne skillfully fought them both back.
She caught her Alter in the face with her right elbow before ducking beneath Excalibur as Artoria Alter tried to take her head.
Dragging her sword across the Alter's stomach as she ducked beneath Excalibur, Jeanne took Artoria Alter out of the fight before twisting to her left, and sweeping her legs from under her with her lance and swiping her sword across the Alter's throat.
Artoria Alter was able to turn at the last second, leaving her with a shallow cut across her throat, but still incapacitated.
Suddenly, Jeanne's vision went white when two Noble Phantasms met each other, giving her an opportunity to clip her Alter in the right knee with her lance.
Soon, the world returned to normal, and she pointed her sword down at her Alter's chest.
"Submit, and help me stop your Juggernaut." She said, brooking no argument.
She then felt power she had only felt twice in her life as reality cracked around her in protest.
She looked to her left to see her Godrick locked against his Alter, as he held EA up into the air.
She and her Alter then watched as the two men fought for supremacy before watching her lover rear back his blackened left arm for a haymaker.
Her eyes widened in horror as she watched Mordred Alter dart between the two, leaping into the air in a somersault before swiping out with Clarent, cutting Godrick's right arm off at the shoulder.
"GODRICK!" She screamed in desperation before leaping forward towards her lover.
She was tackled to the ground by her Alter, and forced to watch as the Alter activated ENUMA ELISH straight into her Godrick's chest.
The whole world went a crimson red as Enuma Elish ripped through the surroundings.
Jeanne was able to bring her right elbow back into her Alter's face, cracking her head back before standing up and planting her flag before her.
As luck would have it, she had actually been in front of all the masters, and when her Noble Phantasm Luminosité Eternelle took effect, the power of Enuma Elish was stopped from passing her.
Enuma Elish soon ended, and Jeanne, breathing heavily, watched as Godrick Alter discarded both EA and Caliburn, which both dissolved into golden light.
He then approached Godrick, who was unmoving as he lay on the shattered earth. His armor had been burned away, leaving him bare chested. Only half of his helmet remained, covering a part of the top half of his face.
The other half showed his clenched teeth as he gritted them in pain. He was trying to get up, but as he did, his Alter finally stood over him.
Alter reached down and viciously grabbed Godrick by the throat before throwing his right blackened fist into his face full force.
Again and again he struck her Juggernaut, who tried to raise his left hand to defend himself.
Alter let go of his neck and gripped Godrick's left wrist with his right hand before mercilessly driving his left fingers into his chest.
Godrick let out a roar of pain before Alter gripped his heart, and began to squeeze.
Pain like nothing he had ever felt racked his body, and he could feel his own life force begin to drain from his body.
Alter grinned as he began the process of Devourment, and closed his eyes as he felt his power begin to grow.
Godrick began to feel extremely weak, his struggle against his Alter lessening with each passing second.
Alter opened his golden eyes, and stared into his own blue ones.
"Let her hear you scream!" He said before clenching his first as hard as he could.
Godrick's heart was like a solid object he was trying to crush, but in reality, it was slowly disappearing with each second as Alter sucked all the life force from it.
Godrick howled in pain before a scream of rage overcame his own.
Jeanne had finally recovered, and had flown towards Alter with all her strength.
Alter reacted, and let go of Godrick's left wrist to catch Jeanne's sword, which was positioned hilt first, which ignited into flames.
She flew at him with such speed and rage that he barely caught the sword's hilt and once he did, she released all its power to protect her lover.
The flower on her sword's hilt bloomed, releasing all its destructive energy straight into his chest and face.
He let out a scream of pain as he tried to push her sword away from him, but Jeanne used her new ability to draw on Godrick's stats to boost her own strength to EX for a moment as her hands bled from gripping the blade.
She immediately noticed Godrick falter as she did so, but she could only pray that he held on for a bit longer.
Flames rolled around them, scorching everything save for the servants and masters behind them, but nothing and no one could approach the trio as Jeanne poured all her energy into her flames of pure destruction.
Alter's scream of pain turned into one of rage as he felt Godrick grip his left wrist with his own left hand, and began pulling it from his chest.
He couldn't do this forever, and made the decision that would save his life.
Pulling his hand from Godrick's chest, he clenched it into a fist, and pulled Jeanne towards him into a left haymaker that sent her to the ground.
A loud 'CRACK' came from her neck as she landed on the ground. She didn't move, didn't moan in pain. She just stayed still, her armor returning to its blue and silver color.
"NO!" Godrick screamed, seeing his lover fall to the ground.
Alter took a step back, screaming in pain as he revealed his burnt face.
It was nothing more than bone, sinew, and burnt muscles. His skin had all been burned off, leaving his face and upper chest something straight out of a nightmare.
He fell to his knees as he continued screaming in pain, allowing Godrick to pull himself towards Jeanne.
She wasn't dead, but her neck had been broken, causing her to lose all function below where it had been broken.
Tears pooled in her eyes as she looked up at Godrick, who did his best to sit up with only one arm.
He felt so hopeless. Once more he felt as if he had nothing left.
He looked around at the broken and injured servants and masters around him.
What could he do? He had been in this position once before, and had found a way to win. But this time as he looked around he saw no hope.
Hope…
That was it.
"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." His mother had told him.
"My true name." He said, pulling Jeanne closer towards himself.
He looked towards the sky, towards the rising sun in the east, symbolizing a new day, a new dawn. And with that, he called his true name.
"Aegeus!" He cried with his whole being before a burning sensation overtook his back.
The brand of Camelot on his back lit up and a massive pulse of energy exploded out from him at its center.
All his allies suddenly felt their injuries heal, and they felt as if they had never been injured in the first place.
Mordred's arm regrew in mere moments, while Artoria got to her knees, using Excalibur to help her while she knelt.
Her eyes held nothing but hatred for her son's Alter, having been forced to watch everything happen without being able to do anything.
She looked at him from beneath her bangs, but knew she had to go after another target. Her eyes caught her own Alter, and with strength that shattered the ground beneath her, she leapt full force towards Artoria Alter, smashing Excalibur into the woman's blade.
Mordred did the same, darting out to shoulder check her Alter.
Heracles, Cu-Chulainn and Igraine all stood up before rushing forward to help their companions, only to redirect themselves when they heard a battle cry from over the hill.
They turned, and watched as the twisted Knights of the Round Table crested the hill, and charged.
Heracles was the first to meet them, throwing his bulk into the charging men with all his might.
Igraine activated her Berserker state and went at it full force, while Cu-Chulainn skillfully darted through the Knights, dipping and weaving through them as he cut them down.
They all felt as if they had been given power beyond their wildest dreams, and in all reality, they weren't far off.
Godrick had done more than heal their wounds. He had cast a magic so potent, that any and all wounds they received going forward would be transferred to him as long as the spell was in effect.
Jeanne's eyes widened as Godrick slumped forward towards her. She felt her body heal, and she watched as her armor returned to its white and silver color.
She quickly sat up and caught her lover before he hit the ground, and cradled his head to her shoulder.
"What did you do?" She asked in horror and amazement.
"I gave us hope." He said weakly, feeling his body gain new injuries before his natural healing and endurance took care of them.
She heard his neck snap back into place before he weakly pushed himself off of her, and stood up slowly.
He was still so weak, and once he stood, he fell back to one knee before Jeanne caught him.
Godrick Alter had stood up, and turned around to reveal his burnt face to the two of them.
"You stupid BITCH!" He screamed at Jeanne, summoning his halberd before walking towards her threateningly.
She stood up from Godrick, and summoned her flaming sword before running towards him, and deftly dodged to her right.
The halberd missed her by an inch, and she leapt onto the shaft before driving her blade into his chest.
She jumped over him, carving her sword up and through the left side of his neck before landing behind him.
He gave a gurgling noise before falling to one knee. His right hand came up and gripped his neck, healing in a matter of moments.
She didn't waste these few moments however as she used her sword to cut and hack at him, making him turn towards her to defend against her attacks.
The two of them didn't see a fourth figure approaching them however, and when Jeanne looked at where Godrick had been, she was shocked to see that he was nowhere to be seen.
A left jab caught her off guard as Alter struck her, but after a moment, he too went still, looking for his target.
He then turned around, and in a voice so filled with hate, he screamed at the top of his lungs.
"JEANNE!"
Jeanne herself looked towards where he was staring, and saw her Alter dragging Godrick towards the cliffside. But once she had been spotted, she stopped and gave a rye grin towards the two.
"He's mine now!" She yelled before hurling herself, and the almost unconscious Godrick off the cliff's edge, straight into the water.
Godrick Alter roared in rage, ready to leap after them, but Jeanne stopped him, slashing at his back before driving her sword into his spine.
He gave another howl of pain as his legs went limp before she pulled her blade from him, and prepared for another fight.
"Better her hands then yours!" She said, seeing his hate filled eyes turn towards her.
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État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
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