7: A Conversation on the Cliff
The scene returns to the present.
Enosius gazed from a distance at the chaotic battlefield, identifying the parties involved.
The heroic spirits were easy for him to recognize. Caesar, Darius, Alexander, Leonidas—each of them had such distinct features that even from afar, they could be identified clearly.
As for the monsters, setting aside the endlessly mass-produced *Uridim* and *Mu Xiu Hu Xiu*, there were really only two targets worth recognizing on the battlefield.
One of them was the massive lion with golden-red interwoven mane, presumably the "Great Sun," *Ugallu,* one of Tiamat's eleven children.
Yes, also known as "Little Lionheart," *Richard Ugallu.* The thought of Ugallu being a humanoid monster—a literal lion—felt oddly amusing.
In myth, Ugallu was a storm demon with the head of a lion, the body of a man, and bird-like feet. He was the gatekeeper of the underworld (*Irkalla*) and a servant of the god Nergal, who vanquished the dragon-serpent. His name, derived from Akkadian, means "Great Storm Beast."
But myths could only be taken so seriously. While descriptions of Ugallu's abilities were accurate, the "gatekeeper of the underworld" bit was pure invention. Born of fear, reverence, and perhaps a little misunderstanding, people linked him to the underworld and deities.
This was Uruk, in Mesopotamia—not Greece. Ugallu was no Cerberus. If anything, his brother, *Umu Dabrutu*, was closer to that role.
In truth, mythology often diverges from reality. For instance, in the myths, Nergal became the husband of Ereshkigal, the Queen of the Underworld. Later retellings portrayed him as a conqueror who made Ereshkigal his wife and became the King of the Underworld.
In actuality, Nergal was released by Ereshkigal in exchange for giving her the powers of disease and calamity that he had borrowed from other gods. This is how he earned the title of "Plague God." Yet originally, Nergal was a proper Sun God, representing the destructive side of the sun—war and death—unrelated to plagues.
Poor Ugallu, stationed near the underworld, was miscast as its gatekeeper. Without the ability to speak in his defense, his reputation suffered.
The greater concern, however, was the other monster—the dark green, winged serpent.
This was *Bashmu,* one of Tiamat's eleven children and one of the three horned serpents. Covered in dark green scales and venomous barbs, it had two forelimbs and a pair of wings.
Compared to Ugallu, Bashmu drew Enosius's attention more.
In the original timeline, the Bashmu produced by the fake goddess Tiamat (actually Gorgon) resembled a blue and gold Western dragon. However, this one looked more like the version summoned by Semiramis in *Fate/Apocrypha*—closer to the "original" model.
The difference between the two was akin to Western dragons versus Eastern dragons—vastly different, so much so that calling them the same species might earn you scorn.
The question was: why was this version of Bashmu here?
Why was Gorgon producing this version, or how was she even able to?
When Tiamat joined Chaldea as a servant, she wielded a blade made from Bashmu in combat. The handle of that blade bore the head of the Western dragon-like Bashmu.
This suggested that Tiamat herself preferred Gorgon's version of Bashmu. No, more accurately, she detested what the original Bashmu represented: her own role as the primordial mother, hurt by and rejected by her children, creating eleven monsters to harm them.
There was a resonance between Gorgon and Tiamat. Gorgon, having forgotten her own identity, considered herself Tiamat, harboring hatred toward humanity. Meanwhile, the slumbering Tiamat resisted that aspect of herself. Hence, in the original timeline, the monsters Gorgon created deviated significantly from their original forms.
Now, however, the situation seemed to have shifted from a "passable dream" to a "mild nightmare" for Tiamat. Though it wouldn't frighten her into awakening prematurely, it must have been unpleasant.
Tiamat's state seemed stable, and Enosius didn't think that she—who had chained and suppressed herself into slumber—would suddenly change. The issue likely lay with Gorgon, who held malice toward humanity.
Was it a result of some composite divinity influencing her? How had it managed to suppress Tiamat's subconscious and even significantly enhance her productivity?
Enosius pondered.
"Truly miserable."
A calm voice spoke from behind, and a figure emerged from the cedar forest.
Enosius turned and, upon seeing the newcomer's appearance, showed a hint of surprise.
"But perhaps this is my fault. I'll take care of it."
Her light purple hair nearly touched the ground, and she pressed the brim of her hat with her slender fingers as she spoke calmly.
It was Medusa—this time as a Saber. In this state, she appeared younger than her Rider counterpart and wielded a Noble Phantasm unavailable to her Rider form: the golden sword of the monster, *Chrysaor.*
To make matters worse, this Medusa also carried the essence of the Goddess of War, Athena.
"Are you referring to humans, or the monsters?" Enosius asked as she approached him. He turned back toward the battlefield and bent his legs, sitting at the very edge of the cliff.
"Both, I suppose. I can't say for sure where I stand." Medusa's lips curved ever so slightly—barely one or two pixels of a smile. Then she mimicked Enosius, sitting beside him with her legs pressed neatly together against the rock wall. "You're awfully bold, sitting so defenselessly in front of a stranger. If I pushed you, you'd fall right off."
"Is that so? You're quite bold yourself," Enosius replied nonchalantly.
Appearing as a Saber, Medusa's personality was more detached due to absorbing Athena's essence. It acted as a shell to protect her soft heart, creating a thick wall—much like a tough macadamia nut shell. This also made her poor at interpersonal interactions, showing her likes and dislikes quite clearly.
She bore no malice—it was evident at a glance.
"Aren't you going to help them?" Enosius asked.
"I find you a bit interesting, so I plan to sit here a while longer," she said, swinging her legs gently while her body remained still. Coupled with her serious expression, the gesture was strangely endearing. "And you? Why are you just watching? Aren't those your companions?"
"Companions?" Enosius replied ambiguously. "With Merlin there, the frontlines won't collapse—at least not today. They don't need me. Besides, my own situation is a bit complicated. If possible, I'd like to get a clearer picture of the situation before heading to Uruk."
Such as Ishtar's condition and whether *Gugalanna* was still around.
Though often mocked as a "useless goddess," Ishtar still had her role, and her pet Gugalanna was a heavyweight asset. Judging by Uruk's lineup, they'd struggle to fend off Tiamat's awakening. If the other side had even two *Lahmus*, the battle would become nearly unwinnable.
The only forces unaccounted for were the Archer and Assassin classes, and Assassins were largely unreliable. If Gilgamesh's summoned Archer lacked a powerful Noble Phantasm, Ishtar might be the only one capable of sending Tiamat to the underworld. With *Ea* sealed and Quetzalcoatl tasked with destroying Tiamat's horns, the burden on Ishtar was immense.
Then there was Enosius himself.
He needed to test his skills and Noble Phantasms while figuring out how to make his disguise more convincing. He expected to use this identity for a long time—at least until he unlocked the conditions for his third Noble Phantasm.
"Interesting," Medusa said with a slight nod. Her eyes, hidden behind pink sunglasses, fixed on Enosius's face.
What was this strange impulse? Why did she feel this way…?
"I am Saber, Medusa. And you?" she asked, slightly tilting her body and resting her right hand on the ground.
"…" Enosius paused for a moment, then smiled warmly.
"Saver, Messiah."
"Saver…" Medusa murmured softly, her expression briefly dazed. "I'll remember that."
"Goodbye…"
With a gentle push of her right hand, she let herself fall backward off the cliff, facing Enosius as she descended.