章 1: Chapter 1: Summoning
This is just a side thing I'm doing. If it gets enough popularity I'll update it again.
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Enjoy!
Next update? Charming Demon!
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Chapter 1
Fate is a fickle thing.
It weaves its intricate webs around life's corners, toying with the harsh strings of destiny akin to an expert puppeteer.
It teases, it twirls, dancing in the haphazard waltz of existence, a dancer in the grand ballet of time and chance.
It senses the quiver of anticipation, the shudder of dread, and the desperate prayers of human hearts.
It flutters and fades, disappears, then reappears, with a mystery as deep and profound as the cosmos themselves.
It teases with the alluring sweetness of a summer's peach, only to reveal itself as the bitter pith of the winter's haw.
It dances on the edge of our lives, twirling a masquerade of promises which may or may not, ever come true.
Fickle is a word too frivolous for the solemnity that fate carries within its vast expanse. It is not merely changeable or erratic, it is like an undulating ocean of possibilities that tosses and sways with the rhythm of life's endless dance.
Lurking beneath its soft shimmering surface are unfathomable depths that swallow dreams, aspirations, and sometimes even lives.
This capriciousness serves a higher order in life's grand tapestry. The whimsical turns it takes only add more color to life's interesting patterns. Like an artist who continually changes his mind, it paints our lives in broad strokes of joy and sorrow, hope and despair.
And yet this fickleness isn't without purpose.
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Olga Marie Animusphere was not having a good day.
She was having what could possibly be the worst day of her entire life, what with all the chaos swirling around her life. Fate, as it appeared, was not in her favor today, or the past three years ever since her father died.
Now here she is! Running for her life inside a singularity she wasn't supposed to be able to even be in!
To make matters worse she was here with a newbie mage who didn't know a single damn thing!
The only light in this rather abyss-black tunnel was Mash now a Demi-servant.
A rather small pitiful light, but she would take what she could get!
"So, you mean to tell me SHE is all we have?!" Olga roared as she pointed at the last master of Chaldea in anger.
"A-All the other master candidates are currently in critical condition D-Director!" Romani Archaman stammered out, his face pale in the dim light of the singularity. "Their pods were malfunctioning due to an unknown error in the system! I have nothing to do with it!"
"An unknown error?!" Olga echoed in disbelief, her eyes wide with incredulous fury. "A whole bunch of mage candidates incapacitated and a singularity sucking us into oblivion, and all you can give me is an 'unknown error'?!"
Romani gulped audibly, shrinking under Olga's seething rage. The medical director had seen her angry before but never like this. It was a truly terrifying sight to behold, Olga Marie Animusphere at the brink of despair, with her survival instincts sharpened like a finely honed blade.
Meanwhile, our last master – Gudako Fujimaru was observing the heated exchange with wide-eyed confusion. The newness of everything around her was overwhelming. One moment she was a newbie mage trying to figure out what the hell was going on and the next moment she was designated as humanity's last hope.
"Why am I chosen?" She finally managed to ask, interrupting the two arguing figures.
Olga paused to glance at her, her eyes glinting dangerously.
"You're not chosen," she corrected her coldly. "You're all that's left."
Gudako's heart sank at Olga's words, and she wished she could disappear into the ground. She glanced down at her hands, dirt-smeared and calloused, and wondered how she, of all people, had ended up being humanity's last chance.
Mash, who was standing guard next to her, put a hand on her shoulder for comfort.
"Then what do we do now?" Gudako finally asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
"We find out what's causing this singularity," Olga said simply, her gaze having returned to the destruction that was Fuyuki City. "And stop it."
"But how?" Gudako probed, her mind whirling with fear and confusion.
"That's what we're going to find out! Now stop annoying me! I'm trying to think!"
With those words hanging in the air, they all turned their gazes back toward the singularity they were trapped in. It was a daunting task, surviving in a place where time and space were distorted beyond comprehension.
The dim, flickering fire of the singularity cast a haunting glow on their surroundings, making the cracked and ruined landscape of Fuyuki City appear even more alien and hostile. Every echo of distant screams, every rumble from collapsing structures served as a grim reminder that they were indeed in the depths of a hellish nightmare.
They couldn't afford to make a single misstep.
Olga's mind raced with frantic calculations, running through every possible scenario, weighing the scant options they had left. She clenched her fists, nails digging into her palms as she fought to control the rising sense of despair.
If only Lev was here.
Then, Romani spoke up, his voice breaking the tense silence.
"Director," he said carefully, his gaze shifting to Gudako and then back to Olga. "Chaldea's systems… well, they're in rough shape. And given the limited energy reserves we have left… I don't think we can rely on our usual summoning capacity."
Olga snapped her gaze to him, her expression sharpening.
"What do you mean?" Her voice was low, carrying an edge of barely contained panic.
Romani hesitated, clearly aware of the severity of the situation.
"There's only enough energy left for a single summoning. Just one. After that… well, let's just say our resources are tapped."
Olga exhaled sharply, biting down on the rising frustration. One Servant? In this chaotic disaster of a singularity? She ground her teeth. It wasn't enough—not nearly enough. But what choice did they have? She continued to listen to Romani in silence, deep in thought.
She turned to Gudako, her eyes steely and unwavering.
"Alright, newbie," she said, her voice dropping to a level of unexpected calm. "If you're the only one we've got, then you're the one who has to do it. You're going to summon a Servant."
Gudako blinked, looking between Olga and Romani, her heart hammering in her chest. "Me? But… I don't know how to—"
"I'll teach," Olga interrupted her tone a strange mixture of exasperation and impatience. "We're out of options, and frankly, out of time. That summoning ritual is our last hope. We need someone—anyone—capable of fighting whatever horrors this singularity will throw at us."
Gudako swallowed hard, glancing at Mash for any sign of reassurance. Mash managed a weak, encouraging smile, though she looked just as uncertain as she felt.
"C-Can't you, do it?" Gudako stammered, her eyes returning to Olga. "I mean… you're the Director…"
Olga's face darkened as an icy silence filled the air.
Her gaze was piercing, seeing through Gudako as if she were nothing more than a transparent sheet of glass. The weight of the scrutiny was nearly unbearable.
"No." Her answer slipped out, sharp as a shard of glass and twice as cutting. It was clear and definite, a stark contrast to the swirling mess of uncertainty around them. "No, I can't."
She moved away then, stepping towards the edge of their makeshift camp, her form outlined against the harsh reality of Fuyuki City. As ruthless as her words had been, there was no harshness in her voice. No spite or resentment. Just a bitter sort of acceptance that seemed to echo throughout the ruined landscape.
"I'm not like you," Olga admitted quietly, her eyes reflecting the ethereal glow of the singularity. "As much as I wish it were different... I don't have any potential to become a master. In fact, it's already a miracle that I somehow manage to even be here."
She punctuated those last words with grim clarity, her gaze meeting Gudako's in an unbroken stare. Olga's comment hung heavily in the air around them as reality dawned on the young woman like the chilling wind slicing through the desolate cityscape around them.
The truth was all too brutal and yet profoundly necessary: Olga wasn't capable of stepping into the role that needed filling. The mantle fell upon Gudako whether she felt ready for it or not.
"…Alright," Gudako murmured, steeling herself. "I'll do it."
The words hung in the air, bold and unchangeable as the stars overhead. The enormity of her declaration settled heavily over Gudako's heart, echoing against the eardrums of those present like the solemn tolling of a distant church bell.
"Good."
Olga's stony gaze softened just fractionally; a hint of resignation coupled with an odd note of relief, as if some burdensome weight had been lifted off her slender shoulders. She nodded at Gudako—a silent order—a sign that she was counting on her to bring their only hope of survival.
It was Mash who stepped up next to Gudako, her armor reflecting the glow emanating from the chaotic singularity above them.
"Mash," Olga turned towards the lilac-haired shielder, her voice softened from the harsh vocal edges of before but maintained an urgent undercurrent. "You must assist Gudako. Your shield... it could be used as a catalyst for the summoning."
Mash's lavender eyes widened at the revelation, gazing down at her weapon, the sturdy bastion of defense that had saved their lives countless times already. The very idea of it being more than just a protective tool seemed almost unfathomable.
"Are you certain?" She asked hesitantly looking to Olga for further affirmation.
"We don't have time for doubts," came Olga's swift reply as she crossed her arms across her chest and stared distantly at the surreal phenomena crowning their city. "We need to try everything in our power."
With that said she began to prepare the summoning circle.
"Romani, get ready to channel as much power as possible."
"On it, director!"
A minute passed as Olga finished preparing the summoning circle before she stood up and looked at the two other women with her.
Convinced by urgency more than understanding, Mash unclasped her shield from her arm and placed it down on the circle that was emitting power.
"It's alright senpai," Mash reassured Gudako softly, placing a hand upon hers atop the aged brass design of her shield. "I believe in you."
The red-haired master nervously nodded her head as she nervously rubbed her hand that had the command seals.
"O-Okay," Gudako said, her voice trembling as she tried to assert some semblance of control over her rampant heartbeats. "What do I do now?"
"Take a deep breath, Gudako," Olga said, suddenly mirroring the tone of a seasoned instructor. "You'll need to focus on your mana."
Gudako let out an exhale she didn't realize she'd been holding in, her fingertips still tracing the contours of the command seals. In contrast to the chaos around them, their immediate space – with the glowing summoning circle and Mash's shield at its center – felt strangely serene.
Olga guided Gudako to raise her hand, revealing the seals that glowed with an ethereal light. The redhead's face tightened in anticipation as they prepared themselves for what was to come.
"Listen carefully," Olga began. She stood next to Gudako, her voice clear over the ambient din of destruction. "I'll tell you the words. You say them. Don't worry about understanding them...it's your will that matters most."
Nodding wordlessly, Gudako turned her attention towards Olga, keen on capturing every syllable that fell from the director's lips.
Mash watched nervously, standing beside them in case of an enemy attack.
As the incantation flowed forth from Olga, each word seemed to hold its own weighty resonance, ancient and potent, hanging in the air before weaving seamlessly into the energy surrounding them.
"Let silver and steel be the essence."
"Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation."
"Let black be the color I pay tribute to."
"Let rise a wall against the wind that shall fall."
"Let the four cardinal gates close."
"Let the three-forked road from the crown reaching unto the Kingdom rotate."
The Director recited the words from memory, the dreams of her childhood of being the one to summon a great hero from myth flashing through her eyes.
"Let it be declared now; your flesh shall serve under me, and my fate shall be with your sword. Submit to the beckoning of the Holy Grail. Answer, if you would submit to this will and this truth."
But her dreams were brutally crushed when her father told her she would never be a master candidate.
"An oath shall be sworn here. I shall attain all virtues of all of Heaven; I shall have dominion over all evils of all of Hell."
All because she had zero aptitude to be one.
"From the Seventh Heaven, attended to by three great words of power, come forth from the ring of restraint, protector of the holy balan-!"
"Enemy servants approaching!"
"Senpai!"
Gudako's recitation was abruptly cut off as Mash tackled her away from deadly metal chains that aimed to tear her into pieces.
"Oh, my~" A silky smooth voice purred out from behind them, causing them to turn around in a panic. "Did I interrupt you~?"
A cloaked woman, with monstrous yellow eyes, smiled at them.
Before anyone could react, the figure in black rocketed forward, her speed breathtaking. Mash thrust herself between her and Gudako instinctively, holding back a scream of pain as her shoulder was pierced by the servant's weapon.
In that moment of chaos and distraction another enemy servant, Assassin, leaped out from the shadows towards Olga and Gudako, blade arching menacingly through the air.
"Shit!" Olga cursed, trying desperately to cast a spell but knew it would be no use.
They were inches from death before Assassin was suddenly blindsided by a blast of magic.
Assassin recoiled back from the blinding explosion as he was blast away by the blast while Lancer and Mash were locked in their battle of a one-sided beating. The summoning circle beneath Gudako flickered uncertainly as she attempted to regain her footing amidst the onslaught.
"Gudako! Continue on!" Olga ordered over her shoulder while erecting another defensive wall to keep Assassin at bay.
Something passed by her, too quick for her to see as it went towards the Assassins' direction.
She had no time to question who had helped them, too busy to make sure they weren't suddenly about to die again.
Steeling her resolve Gudako raised her hand again with rattled determination, trying to find her place in the spell.
"From...the Seventh Heav-" she stammered.
Before Gudako could finish the summoning incantation, a glint of silver caught Olga's eye.
"NO!"
In a second that felt like an eternity, a dagger—hurled with deadly precision—sliced through the air and embedded itself deep into Gudako's stomach. Her breath hitched, her eyes widening as the pain tore through her, and a choked gasp escaped her lips.
The last Master of Chaldea collapsed onto the ground, unconscious.
"Gudako!" Olga's voice broke as she rushed to Gudako's side, momentarily oblivious to the peril surrounding them.
She examined the wound and the weapon, finding it coated by some sort of paralyzing poison.
"Don't you die on me!" She desperately ordered before her magic circuits flared up and a healing spell started to slowly mend the bloody wound.
The summoning circle flickered, its light dimming and sputtering as the energy sustaining it began to disappear.
"Director! You need to finish it!" Romani's urgent voice crackled over the communicator, cutting through Olga's panicked haze. "If the ritual is left incomplete, the energy will disperse, and we'll lose our only chance to summon a Servant! If you don't summon them now, you'll all die!"
She turned to look at Mash's direction and found his words to be true.
The demi-servant was barely holding on without her shield as Lancer sadistically played with the girl.
Grinding her teeth, Olga turned back toward the circle. Her heart pounded with frustration, grief, and rage. This wasn't how it was supposed to go!
"I-I don't have command seals."
"That doesn't matter!" Romani's voice came out sharper, firmer, snapping her back to the present. "Command Seals or not, you're still the Director of Chaldea. You're responsible for those out there. You have to complete it! For their sakes!"
The communication device cut off, no longer having any power left.
The weight of Romani's words struck Olga to the core. Her chest heaved as she looked down at Gudako's still form and broke when she looked at Mash's injured and bruised body.
They paid her no mind, seeing her as weak and insignificant, not a threat to worry about.
Hesitating no more, Olga took a deep breath and stepped into the flickering circle. Her heart pounded against her chest; the fear of failure was momentarily forgotten in light of their dire circumstances. Her eyes hardened with resolve and desperation as she chanted loudly, her voice echoing amidst the ruins of their battlefield.
"Let the filled sigils be annihilated in my stead!"
Fate truly is a cruel mistress.
"Set!"
Letting this girl suffer in her cruel, twisted hands with no end in sight.
"Let thy body rest under my dominion, let my fate rest in thy blade."
Making the poor girls past, present, and future nothing but pain and suffering.
"If thou submitteth to the call of the Holy Grail and if thou dost accede to this will and reason… An oath shall be sworn here!"
Her hopes and dreams were nothing but a sick joke for it to laugh at.
"I shall attain all virtues of all of Heaven; I shall have dominion over all evils of all of Hell."
But surely this time things would be different…
"From the Seventh Heaven, attended to by three great words of power..."
…Right?
She hesitated for a single moment, feeling a cool sweat trickle down her spine before she continued.
"Come forth from the ring of restraint!" she ordered, finishing with what she hoped was enough authority to match Gudako's bleeding determination.
The summoning circle jerked wildly underneath her feet, an ethereal glow pouring out tightly woven symbols and runes that danced across the stone ground as it surged upward in torrents of magical energy.
And then… silence.
For a heartbeat, everything seemed quiet and still, as though time itself was holding its breath in anticipation.
"P-Please…" Tears began to form in Olga's eyes, a single droplet slipping past her guard and sliding down her cheek. "A-Anyone."
In all timelines and universes, Fate heard her desperate plea and laughed.
…
…
Well…
…
…
Fate could fuck off.
A flash of golden light erupted from the circle like a blinding beacon in the black sky. The very earth seemed to tremble beneath the force of its presence. It was pure and unyielding; the manifestation of power itself.
"D-Did I just summon a fucking dragon?!" Olga thought to herself in disbelief.
Everyone stopped, enemies and allies alike as they stared up at the sky in awe and shock.
A giant eastern dragon soared into existence above them, its scales glimmering like polished gold and its eyes burning with power. Twisting and coiling in the sky as if proclaiming its dominion over the Heavens and Earth.
It roared, the sound reverberating off the buildings around them and echoing on through the night.
All the servants of the singularity could feel it… their imminent defeat.
Feral red eyes locked onto Olga, who could feel her legs tremble from its mere gaze, radiating a power so immense it seemed to dwarf the world around them.
As quickly as it had appeared, the dragon spiraled downwards, exploding in a new eruption of brilliant golden light when it met the ground. From within this bright cocoon of light came a figure, their identity shrouded by the overwhelming luminance.
Slowly, as if time itself was bowing to their presence, the figure emerged.
The light dimmed gradually to reveal a man half clad in radiant gold trimmed red armor with a gold crown on his head, his black locks cascading down his back. A brown tail wagged around in the air behind him as piercing yellow eyes took in the scene of chaos and destruction before him – eyes that held an unfathomable depth of power.
He stood tall and imposing, his gaze bore into Olga with a piercing intensity that made her feel exposed yet simultaneously safe.
"Tch…" A low growl escaped Lancer as she moved to kill Olga but was quickly intercepted by Mash, despite her being on her last legs.
Olga's heart pounded against her ribcage as if it had developed a will of its own to escape confinement while she stood frozen, watching the tableau before her play out - waiting for any sign of malicious intent from this summoned Servant.
Finally, after a moment of looking around, the half-armored figure stepped forward out of the summoning circle, his presence dominating the whole area as they watched him place himself between Mash's form while the Lancer backed away.
He looked at the Lancer with an intensity that made the air around them grow cold.
There was something primal and dangerous in his gaze.
The figure raised one strong, muscular hand, and put it next to his ear before pulling something small out.
It gradually increased in size, revealing itself to all who were watching. The staff was a vibrant red color with intricate gold carvings along each side.
"T-That staff!" The director of Chaldea gasped, instantly recognizing who that staff belonged to.
As the Servant swung his weapon, an invisible pressure swept through the battlefield. The enemy Servants flinched backward, their faces turning grim as they grudgingly acknowledged the strength of their new adversary.
"Stay behind me and look after my master," he commanded Mash as he turned to face her. His tone was powerful but reassuring, an unspoken promise held in those simple words that he would do whatever it took to protect her and the others.
"And take this, it'll help with the injuries."
He tossed her three green beans that exuded an unknown energy.
"Is he ignoring me?" Lancer thought to herself as she glared at the back of the unknown servant incredulously.
"W-What do I do with these?" Mash stuttered as she limply took the offered items.
The powerful servant smiled at her question and made to answer but stopped when he felt a sudden shift in the air.
His senses, heightened far beyond any humans or servants, alerted him to the murderous presence nearing the back of his head with killing intent. Swift as lightning yet unhurried, he raised his staff and effortlessly deflected what would have been a fatal blow from Lancer.
The force of the clash sent shockwaves through the surrounding area, making Mash and Olga cower in fear and awe.
Lancer growled as she pushed her entire body against his staff while he continued to hold her off with a single arm.
Undeterred, he turned back towards Mash without missing a beat, "Eat them."
"But—" she tried to interject, only to be cut off by his stern gaze.
"Eat," he commanded once again, his voice echoing throughout the ruins around them. Even with the mayhem that was ensuing all around them, his words were clear and commanding. His words left no room for argument or negotiation.
Dumbfounded, she did as she was told. The beans in her hand glowed with an ethereal light before one disappeared into her mouth.
Meanwhile, lancer was struggling to land a single hit on the servant who wasn't even looking at her!
As a wave of vitality surged through Mash's body the pain that gnawed at her every nerve quickly receded as her muscles bulged for a moment before returning back to normal, all her wounds completely healed.
"W-Wow." Mash gasped as she examined her fully healed body in awe before looking down in amazement at the two remaining beans in her hand.
Olga could only look on in shock at seeing Mash recover instantly.
"See?" The spiky-haired man laughed while continuously blocking the hail of attacks from behind his back. "Give the remaining two to them, alright? I'll deal with the snake."
"Stop ignoring me!" Lancer roared out as she sprang forward, breaking the sound barrier, a raging inferno burning in her eyes.
The man finally turned around, locking eyes with Lancer, the corners of his mouth curling up into a confident smile.
She would soon regret her words.
"Your wish... is my command."
With that, he launched himself towards Lancer with such speed it was as if he teleported in front of her.
Lancer's eyes widened, unable to gasp at what just happened, while sloppily swung her weapon at his neck.
But the servant's agility and speed were unmatched. In a swift, fluid motion, he ducked beneath her wild swing, twirling his staff expertly in one hand.
He sidestepped her assault with such grace it was as if he was performing an elaborate dance rather than engaging in a deadly battle. Smiling all the while.
The force of momentum caused Lancer's attack to land on nothing but thin air, forcing her to stumble due to the lack of resistance she expected.
She growled as she quickly recovered and tried to attack once again.
And with an uncanny grace, he evaded her onslaught, each move fluid like water.
His staff danced around like an extension of his body, deflecting and parrying every thrust and swing that Lancer threw his way. It was as if a seasoned dancer had taken to the stage, his movements displaying an unnerving blend of precision and elegance.
"Impossible," Lancer muttered under her breath, her attacks growing more desperate. She was a top-class servant known for her deadly prowess, yet this unknown adversary had turned their battle into a one-sided show.
Lancer stumbled as she overextended one of her swings.
The servant wasted no time, striking back at his off-balance opponent. Faster than she could perceive, he aimed his staff straight at her stomach.
"Hrgh?!" She let out a gasp of pain as the air was knocked out of her.
She made eye contact with him, seeing the same damn confident smile on his face as he winked at her.
The blow landed true and powerful, sending her flying backward into the ruins with such force that fragments of fallen masonry exploded upon impact.
For a moment, silence stilled the battlefield that was previously in uproar. His yellow eyes glinted under the moonlight reflecting the satisfaction and thrill of victory while also maintaining calmness that made ice seem like burning fire.
Yet Lancer was not so easily defeated, despite her being on her last legs from that single blow. With a feral cry, unfettered rage pulsing through her veins, she launched herself once again at her adversary from within the cloud of dust and debris.
"Hm," He hummed to himself as he tilted his head, somewhat surprised.
"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" she screamed, veins bulging in strain as she hurled herself towards him with renewed fury.
The servant merely twirled his staff in response.
"The more upset you get the sloppier your moves become."
He teased in his calm voice, getting ready to end this one-sided slaughter.
"RAAAGGGHHHHHH!"
Snap
The sound of a finger snap rang out through the battlefield and the sound of a hate-filled scream silenced.
Olga and Mash, with Gudako resting on the latter's lap, could only stare in shock as Lancer froze midair, her spear inches from their allied servant's face.
He calmly walked to the side of the now immobilized woman, watching her eyes follow him as he got out of the way of her attack.
His lips curled into a slight smirk, not with malice, but almost as if amused by the situation.
He turned back towards Mash and Olga.
"Do you see what I mean?" he asked them with an overdramatic sigh, casually sweeping his hair back, tranquil as can be. "Anger can be a powerful weapon, but only if one learns how to harness and control it."
With that, he drifted back toward Lancer with ease, circling her frozen form. His fingers traced lines of energy around her body, leaving a shimmering veil on her body. He took a moment to look into Lancer's eyes – those orbs filled with rage yet so helpless.
"W-What did you do to her?" Olga stuttered as she pushed herself to ask this extremely powerful servant.
"Oh, nothing much," He shrugged, already feeling Lancer breaking out from his hold. "Just a little spell I put on her."
SHATTER
"ENOUGH! I WILL NOT TOLERATE ANYMORE DISRE—" Lancer tried to spit out through her gritted teeth before she was cut off by his warm voice.
"Hush," he commanded softly, "It's time for you to rest."
His fingers touched Lancer's head and as if on cue, her form crumbled onto the ground, disappearing in a glitter of light.
The two members of Chaldea who were still conscious watched in stunned silence.
"He doesn't even look like he's trying." Mash thought to herself looking at him with eyes full of amazement.
She knew Lancer was no easy opponent, as she could attest by the experience, she went through blocking the servant from reaching her master and director.
"I-I summoned him?" Olga on the other hand could only stare at him in utter disbelief, her mind unable to comprehend that she of all people was able to summon someone like him!
The feelings coursing through her body were indescribable, overwhelming, and too complex for her to even begin to comprehend.
Seeing Lancer completely disappear, the summoned servant turned to face with a toothy smile on his face as he leisurely rested his staff on his shoulder.
"Did I impress you? Master~" His smug voice knocked them out of their thoughts as he walked closer to them.
Olga noticed he was looking at her as he said this, making her look at him in confusion.
"W-While I am the one that called upon you," She started to explain upon understanding why he was confusing her as his master. "I-I'm afraid I'm not your master."
While it felt weirdly good, damn good in fact, hearing such a powerful servant call her master.
She knew he wasn't hers.
"Master~?" He raised his eyebrow mockingly while uttering the word again, with a shade of amusement dancing in his eyes.
Olga couldn't help but feel as though he was laughing at her.
"Then I suppose those command seals on your hand are just decoration?" His voice held an undertone of sarcasm as he pointed at her hand.
All air seemed to vanish from Olga's lungs. She looked down at her own hand, and to her absolute shock, three command seals gleamed on the back of it.
Olga stared at the unmistakable marks of three glowing runes embedded in her skin, the sigils bright against the darkness around them.
Three Command Seals, seals that were meant for a Master.
Seals that were now on her hand.
"No... That's..." She glanced between her hand and the servant, a strange sense of bewilderment and thrill coursing through her mind. Her heart hammered in her chest as the full implications of what this meant dawned on her.
"It seems I am indeed your servant then," he continued casually, as though they were having a simple conversation and not standing on a battlefield where they had just emerged victorious against a formidable opponent.
She cast a stunned look at him and turned vaguely towards Mash, who had an expression as dumbfounded as Olga herself.
Olga barely swallowed down the lump in her throat.
"I was unaware of this," she murmured under her breath, staring at her hand, almost as though the hint of a smile was dancing on her lips.
A sense of overpowering happiness washed over her that she had not felt in years.
The servant didn't break his gaze, but his smirk was still prominent.
"Is that so? You sure are a peculiar one, master~" He laughed heartily at her flabbergasted look, without an ounce of malice in it.
As he continued to laugh at her, much to her increasing annoyance, they were interrupted by the demi-servant beside them.
"C-Can I ask who you are?" Mash finally found her voice back and asked him with wide-eyed curiosity, not well versed on popular figures in history.
Olga already knew who he was but allowed him to introduce himself.
"My apologies for not introducing myself before~"
He leaned on his staff and gave a small theatrical bow.
Then with a clap of his hands, as if it was an illusion cast upon them, the scenery changed from a dark and decollate place to a far brighter one filled with life.
The two women were once again stunned into silence.
"I am the great sage over heaven!"
The sky shifted colors in conjunction with his words, becoming a scintillating backdrop of hues mirroring a stunning sunset.
Flora and fauna sprung into being, painting the scene with vibrant splashes of emerald green and a kaleidoscope of blossoms. A myriad of exotic and unnamed birds filled the air with their harmonious chorus.
"I am the disciple of master Subhūti and Roshi, who bathed me in wisdom and force," he continued, and as he did so, an image of an elderly monk and another old man with a turtle shell on his back materialized in the serenity around them.
The glimmering specter radiated a profound sense of tranquility that touched their very souls.
"The breaker of chains and limits, the one who leaped clear through Buddha's palm!" He declared with immeasurable pride resonating in his voice.
With each phrase he uttered, the world around them morphed to echo his grandeur.
"The unchallenged conqueror of Four Dragons under the Eastern Sea." Here his eyes darkened like a stormy sea at night.
Underneath their feet, a translucent water surface emerged, and four dragons soared beneath it, each more majestic than the last.
"Born from stone but nevertheless flesh, blood, and spirit!"
He paused dramatically for effect, which was very effective as the two members of Chaldea paid rapid attention to his every word.
"I am! Sun W-Wuk-"
He stopped his dramatic introduction, much to Olga and Mash's confusion as they watched the beautiful illusion die a pitiful death as the scenery returned to what it was before.
"A-Are you alright?" Mash hesitantly asked in concern with the director of Chaldea agreeing with her words, just as worried.
He waved off their concern and furrowed his brow, unsure of what was happening as he tried again.
"I am! Son G-Gok-"
Again, he abruptly cut off, a look of incredulous frustration replacing the earlier grandeur. The vibrant displays that had painted their surroundings like an artist's fantasy flickered out, returning the setting to the stark reality.
His confident grin turned into a grimace. His smug demeanor shrank into an unexpected perplexity.
"Ah... no that doesn't seem right either…" he mumbled mostly to himself, rubbing his chin in bewilderment.
Stride broken and pride slightly bruised, the newly summoned servant stood before them as though caught in a predicament he hadn't foreseen.
Olga couldn't help but feel another wave of surprise wash over her; disbelief mingling with a touch of amusement, watching the unexpected anticlimax.
Untamed panic was beginning to seep onto his expression, and he raised his voice a bit louder this time as if hoping it would solve this bizarre mystery:
"Wait… I-I know! I'm definitely Su-Son W-What was it again?"
He cursed lightly under his breath, shaking his own head at his sudden lapse of memory in disbelief. He opened his clenched fists to reveal nothing but air.
Mash and Olga exchanged a glance. Alarmed by this sudden situation they found themselves in? Yes. Annoyed at the anticlimactic ending to such an elaborate presentation? Definitely. But they also couldn't shake off a growing sense of concern for him as well.
'How could he possibly forget…?' Olga worriedly thought while Mash decided to voice both their concerns.
"Do you... not remember your own name?" She blurted out with an edge of worry.
The Servant attempted once more with an air of firm resolution. "I am! Wuk—Gok—," He exhaled sharply, and fell silent again.
"It seems like I'm having a bit of trouble," He admitted sheepishly. His theatrical bravado from earlier had entirely vanished, replaced by genuine embarrassment.
Olga frowned, her inquisitive mind at work as she scrutinized the situation.
"Is your name not Sun Wukong?" She asked with a raised brow.
The black-haired servant was deep in thought as he pondered over that name.
"It sounds right… but it doesn't feel right?" He rubbed the back of his head, unsure of what his name really was for some reason.
"…Fine," She retorted with a huff, not wanting to dwell on a simple name that she already knew any more than she had to. "It's no big deal. We'll just call you... Son."
His eyes lit up when she said this, seemingly finding the suggestion appealing.
"Sun... eh, it'll do." He mumbled more to himself than to them.
With his identity crisis seemingly temporarily solved, 'Son' straightened and beamed at them both. His face relaxed into a genuinely relieved expression, eyes sparkling under the gloomy ambiance of their surroundings.
"Thank you!" He exclaimed heartily, his earlier flustered reaction had been replaced with fortitude and grandeur once again.
The three of them were lost in silence momentarily as they took a moment to absorb the sudden shift in the affair. Mash was the first to break it. She extended her hand towards the Servant with a shy smile on her lips.
"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Sun." She spoke with a polite smile. "I'm Mash Kyrielight."
His eyes softened as he accepted her extended hand. Giving it a firm shake, he turned his gaze towards Olga, who stood slightly taken aback by either his tacit acknowledgment of introduction or the sudden change in scenario.
"And I am Olga Marie, director of Chaldea," she added briskly after recovering from her short-lived surprise.
"What a lovely name my master has~" He cooed with a charming smile, causing Olga's cheeks to tint a shade of pink.
With introductions out of the way, the atmosphere had decisively lightened somewhat despite their bleak location.
However, they were not here to make small talk, it was time to achieve what they had set out to do.
Stop this singularity.
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