36 36. Dazzeling Goddess of War

-Jeanne-

Reaching Chiron, Jeanne stabbed her spear into the ground next to the fallen servant. She used it to pry the fallen stone off of him, and drag him to safety. Before she could do anything else though, she heard a furious scream. She turned, only to see the upper limb of a bow coming straight at her face.

Atalanta struck Jeanne in the face, sending her through one of the walls of the Hanging Gardens before sending some arrows after her.

Chiron, who had just regained consciousness, weakly reached out and grabbed her foot to which she looked down at him in contempt before viciously stomping at his face.

He quickly went limp a second time, leaving Atalanta to continue her assault of the Ruler.

Jeanne emerged from the wall at blinding speeds, and swung her spear like a baseball bat, sending Atalanta through the opposite wall behind them.

"I don't have time to deal with you right now!" She shouted as she looked into the dark shadows where the Archer had been sent.

Kneeling down next to Chiron, she grabbed one of his arms and helped him to his feet. He was once again conscious, and able to walk with her help.

"No time for me?" A dark voice echoed through the vast chamber, before multiple arrows came from the darkness and buried themselves into Jeanne's back and shoulders.

Letting out a grunt of pain, Jeanne dropped Chiron to the ground before falling there herself. The arrows dissolved from her back, leaving their holes leaking blood.

An expression of rage made its way to Jeannes face as she looked back. Her eyes flicked to Godrick, as he leapt into the air, taking Shirou with him.

"Please just stop before I have to kill you." She said in a dangerously low voice as Atalanta showed herself.

She had changed, giving off a demonic aura as black and purple energy came from her. Her form was distorted, black wings sprouting from her back.

"I'll kill you," Atalanta repeated in a low voice that slowly increased in volume before she began screaming it at the top of her lungs.

Jeanne stood up, brandishing her spear as Atalanta's wings began to flap. She blitzed towards Jeanne in a moment, but before she could do anything, Jeanne lunged forward and stabbed her in the chest, raising her into the air before smashing her into the ground.

Pulling her spear from Atalanta, she then used it to strike the Archer, causing her to roll over, exposing her wings.

Planting her foot on the downed woman's back, she tore off the left wing, then the right.

Atalanta let out a yelp as her wings were torn off, but she couldn't do anything as Jeanne forced her down.

"Like I said earlier, I don't have time for you right now." Jeanne said as she kicked the servant hard in the ribs, sending her back into the shadows of the wall she had previously come through.

Jeanne turned back to Chiron, helped him to his feet, and started walking towards the wall where they had all come through. They made it about half way when an ear splitting roar was heard, and suddenly the ceiling above them faded from existence.

Atalanta slowly walked back into the spacious room, her eyes glowing an eerie red.

"I won't let you leave!" She screamed as she drew her at full strength.

She then aimed it into the sky, before letting the arrow fly. A faint 'twang' was heard as she loosed the arrow, letting it fly high into the night sky. The blackish purple glow of the arrow soon grew, before there was a sheet of them flying right at Jeanne.

Chiron used his remaining strength to shove her to one side before forming his own bow and firing a magical arrow at Atalanta, which buried itself in her chest.

'THUMP'

Atalanta looked down to her chest to see the arrow sticking out of her before it exploded, finally killing the Archer.

The rain of arrows seemed to have their own mind as they followed Jeanne, but Chiron jumped in their path at the last second, taking each of them in the chest.

He stayed standing for a moment, before falling to his knees, then onto his back.

Jeanne quickly ran to him before kneeling next to him, pulling his body to her.

"Thank you." She said softly, thanking him for saving her.

His eyes began to glow as a faint smile made its way to his face, and a weak arm pointed towards the center of the room.

"Right there." He said faintly.

"What?" She asked.

"I can see it. How we'll win." He said, his eyes fixed on the center of the room.

Unbeknownst to Jeanne, Chiron was using the rest of his energy to activate his clairvoyance, seeing a moment frozen in history that hadn't happened yet.

"Godrick." He said softly.

"My last… Gift." He said before going still, and beginning to fade into blue particles.

-Fiore-

As the masters of Black flew around the Hanging Gardens, dodging the magical beams that were fired at regular intervals, Fiore was seated with her brother and Seig.

She had felt Archer be hurt, and knew that he wouldn't last long, but she hoped that he could give his all till the very end.

"Master." She heard his voice in her head.

"Chiron, what's happening, are you ok?" She asked frantically.

"I'm afraid not. I've been hurt pretty bad, and I'm sure I must pass on soon. I'm going to use the rest of my magical energy and life force to release my Noble Phantasm one more time. We can win, but they will need it in order for it to happen." He said softly.

Fiore was silent for a moment before wiping her face of the tears that streamed down her cheeks.

"Alright." She said simply, accepting what was to happen.

"Thank you master." He said.

"It's been a pleasure to serve you as Servant. I pray to all the Gods that we are able to meet again."

"So do I!" She said as she burst into tears.

"Thank you for everything you've done for me, Chiron."

-Mordred-

As Jeanne ran to Chiron, Mordred ran to Astolfo and Frankenstein.

Astolfo was fine, a little beat up, but nothing he could come back from.

Fran on the other hand was hurt pretty badly. One of her arms was missing, and her side was cut open, exposing wires And tubes.

She made a faint whimpering sound as Mordred knelt by her.

"You're going to be ok." Mordred said to her in a gentle voice, trying to calm the girl. In reality, Mordred didn't know if she would last another hour, but she would never say anything.

"Astolfo!" She snapped, to which he flinched.

"Come here!" She said in an exasperated tone, seeing him keep his distance.

He quickly made his way over to her, not wanting to make her more angry.

"I need you to take her away from here, she can't help us at all right now." She said.

Frankenstein looked up at her with anger in her eyes, challenging the Saber.

"Don't look at me like that, you can't fight like that." She said.

"I CAN FIGHT!" Fran shouted, taking Mordred by surprise.

"You can speak? I thought you were mute like my brother." She said in surprise. "Fine, whatever. Do what you think is best." She said as she stood up, brandishing her sword at a new figure that had appeared.

"Oh my dear, there will be no need for that. I'm not here to fight you." Shakespeare said as he walked to the group.

Astolfo helped Fran up to her feet, and helped her back to the exit, where his Hippogriff was waiting for them.

"Come on." He said, helping her up onto the saddle.

"Astolfo!" Sieg's voice rang in his head.

"Master?" Astolfo replied.

"Frankenstein wants you to take her high above the Hanging Gardens. That's the only way she had help. She wants to make one last attack at the cost of her life." He said in a somber voice.

Astolfo looked up at Fran as she pushed a lock of hair out of her eyes and looked at him. She gave a sharp nod of her head, as their eyes met.

"Are you sure about this?" Astolfo asked once more.

Fran grunted in response, nodding once more.

"Alright then. I'll help you." He said as he hopped on the saddle in front of her.

-

Back with Mordred, she held her sword towards Shakespeare, as he slowly circled her.

"You know I must thank you," She said to him.

""You showed me what kind of a tyrant I could have turned into. And now, I know what steps I need to take in order to be a better King when my time comes."

Shakespeare had a sour look on his face, denoting his disappointment.

"Yes… Well, it didn't go how I wanted it to go. But that's not why I'm here. I'm here to watch a good show." He said.

Mordred narrowed her eyes at him. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, you don't know? Well… I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise would I?" He said with a sadistic smile on his lips.

Suddenly, a loud crash was heard, and dust and smoke filled the vast chamber.

As the smoke and dust cleared, she saw a figure standing in the center of the room, having dropped from the sky.

"You're screwed now." Mordred said as her own lips twisted into a smirk. "I know my brother has a pretty hefty grudge with you." She said.

"He does." Shakespeare allowed. "But today, his grudge isn't with me." He finished as he backed away, bowing and gesturing for her to go towards her brother.

-Jeanne-

Seeing Godrick stand in the center of the room, Jeanne knew something was off.

She looked at him and discovered the reason with her True Name Discernment.

His stats were all normal, but next to his name there appeared something she didn't expect.

"Godrick Pendragon, Knight of Ruin. Poisoned."

"Hey!" Mordred shouted at her getting her attention.

"What's wrong with him?" She asked.

"He's been poisoned, I don't think this is very good!" She shouted back.

Godrick looked over to the two women, then to Shakespeare, who quickly hid behind Mordred.

Godrick slowly walked towards Jeanne, his heavy steps loud in the opened room.

"Godrick?" Jeanne called out to him. "Come on big guy, don't do this!" She said, trying to reason with him, but he made no reply.

"Fine, we'll do things the hard way then." She said, brandishing her spear.

"I'll knock some sense into him." Mordred said, lunging with her sword.

Godrick knocked the sword aside effortlessly, then knocked the second and third blows aside as well.

He grabbed her sword on the fourth strike, then delivered a right haymaker that threw Mordred out of the room.

Jeanne readied herself for his assault, which came the next instant. Lunging at her, Godrick brought his right fist down, trying to smash her skull in, but she sidestepped the blow, striking him in the side with her spear, drawing the battles first blood.

He didn't flinch as the spear bit, only continued as he swung out with his left fist, which Jeanne tried to knock to the side.

She noticed something as the two of them fought. While Godrick was fighting with all his strength, holding nothing back, there was no technique in his strikes. No rhythm in his attacks, as if he were nothing but a puppet.

"Come on Godrick!" She shouted, as she jumped up, bringing her knee up and striking his face.

"Snap out of it!"

Godrick retaliated by catching her in the air, and slamming her into the ground back first. The breath was knocked from her lungs, causing her to curl up in pain as she struggled for breath.

She looked up at her Juggernaut, praying, hoping that he would stop, but his eyes were cold and unfeeling.

He raised his foot to stomp down on her, but he was knocked to the right as Mordred appeared from the wall, striking him with all her strength.

Different from last time, now he only took a step to the right, instead of being thrown.

"Shit." Mordred said as Godrick retaliated with another right punch that sent her into the ground.

She responded quickly, using the momentum of his punch to roll away from him, only to summon her sword.

Red lightning covered her being as she stood up, bringing her sword up to her side in a ready poster. But this time, instead of cold indifference, Mordred saw something new in her brother's eyes. Something she had never seen before.

Uncertainty.

Godrick looked at the sword that had killed him in apprehension, judging if he wanted to challenge the sword. Some sort of instinct was telling him to not fight against the sword, but he couldn't go against his orders.

Jeanne finally took a deep breath before using her spear to thrust up into Godricks left thigh, causing him to recoil, and back away.

Jeanne rolled backwards, joining Mordred as they stood against the Juggernaut.

"Keep him busy for a couple moments." She said to Mordred.

"What? Why me? What are you planning?" Mordred responded.

"We can't beat him. I know you don't see it, but I know how much he can take, and neither of us have the power to do it. Just trust me." Jeanne said, causing Mordred to look at her quizzically.

"Fine…" Mordred said, taking a step forward.

"Come on you big bastard!" Mordred shouted, readying her sword.

Jeanne took a few steps back as a sword materialized at her waist before she knelt down and began praying.

"Come on!" Mordred shouted, sprinting towards her brother at full speed.

Godrick held his hand out, summoning his own weapon, as a massive halberd materialized in his hand a moment before it met Clarent. Godrick quickly knocked the sword to the side, and drove the butt end into her face, drawing blood as he knocked her to the right before his halberd swung from the same direction, catching her and throwing her to the left.

Mordred hit the ground, but used her hands to bounce back up, only to charge once more. Her sword met the halberd once more, sliding up the shaft to take one of Godricks fingers of his right hand.

Pain unlike anything he had experienced shot through his body, leaving him open to another lung from Mordred, which bit deeply into his side. Pain again shot through his system, but it only served to anger him as he finally showed something other than complete indifference. Using his left hand, he knocked Clarent to the side, dropped his halberd, and caught Mordred in a huge bear hug.

Slowly crushing Mordred, his attention was drawn away from his sister as a massive pillar of fire grew from where Jeanne was kneeling.

The flames dissipated to show her standing tall, her sword held above her head. Her blue and silver armor had been replaced by pure white armor, while her hair that she had braided was flowing freely behind her.

She looked like a Goddess of war, dazzling her Juggernaut with her glory.

Taking advantage of the momentarily distraction, Mordred drew her head back before smashing it against Godricks face, making him release her.

The moment she was free, she rolled away from him as Jeanne released her flames.

"LA PUCELLE"