Ruined Lives And Burning Hatred

Entry 144:

Jeanne D'Arc POV:

As I sit near the fire with the demi servant, I ponder my current circumstances as only a few days ago, I was burned away being called a heretic by those I fought for and against, and now a version of me is proving them right.

It was rather demoralizing as I cannot fathom how or why this other me appeared and was so angry and vengeful, but that makes no sense as when I died, I died knowing that was a part of the plan.

I accepted my end, yet I found that another me refused to, and she is also a ruler and can sense our location possibly, but yet I feel okay. I feel at peace, and I think I know why, as through the contract, I can sense a small fraction of what Lord Ozias is true.

When he asked for a contract, I accepted it as if a voice was telling me it would be my greatest choice, and I was right as when the contract was made, I was showered in power, not just normal mana but mana lined with divinity and holy power.

So my current theory is that Lord Ozias is an Angel or maybe an Archangel sent by god to aid humanity, but he may not wish to reveal this out of a desire to not have us rely on him as angels are guides to humanity and defenders in only the worst of conflicts.

Yet through the contract, I can feel how much power he holds back as I could feel he would shatter this entire world with one strike. Is that the power of an archangel? I truly wish to believe he is what I think he is, and maybe it is selfish to want to know that what you believe in is true.

"You seem to be in deep thought, Jeanne. Are you alright?" Mash asks as I smile and say, "Yes, I am fine as well. My abilities have gone down a rank through my contract. My overall stats have actually risen." 

Mash smiles at this as she says, "It is truly surprising how my delusional Master is able to fall asleep so quickly in the wilderness, but with Ozias Senpai's inventions, it is no surprise." 

I chuckle as I have seen the inside of those houses, and maybe I should ask for one as while servants don't sleep, it's a nice thought.

We sit in comfortable silence as Mash then asks, "I don't mean to pry, but I feel like you are confused, and with the coming battles, one should go in having no issues."

I then respond, "Mostly how I was materialized in this era as I literally died a couple of days ago, and since I have no history in the Throne of Heroes yet, I feel new, so to speak." Mash then asks, "Like a rookie?" I nod  as Mash simply says, "It's all right to feel that way as I feel similar being a newly minted demi-servant, and I feel the same as many of these battles feel just like my first one."

I also nod as I continue, "It's mostly that I feel like a burden as I lack all of my skills other than my Noble Phantasm, and it feels like going into battle all over again, yet these two believe in me. It's the expectation that gives me pause."

"It's not simply who you are in the future that makes you important to us." I hear behind me as Lord Ozias sits down next to us, "It's who you are at this moment, as even without your skills, you have already become an important member of this team."

I smile as I say with renewed vigor, "Well, since I am technically your guide in this place, I'm going to give it my all! But I don't know any towns that sell baguettes." 

Linus then laughs as he says, "Worst comes to worse. I can literally create a baguette from nothing." I nod along with Mash as we sit and enjoy the sounds of nature.

But even then, it seems more vibrant just being in his presence, like the world itself simply loves him being here. I do hope my suspicions are correct, and I also hope that it's not the person I'm thinking of who brought me back.

The "Witch" POV:

Something has arrived. I feel it in my bones, a presence I have not felt for a long time. This one feels more solid and real, and it makes me furious.

If this presents, I'm sensing, and whoever is sending this signature knows I can sense them are taunting me. I can still feel the fires burning me, and it feels worse now that this presence has arrived.

The light is simply there as if saying, "I am here." It's disgusting the level of warmth I feel, and as I push the feeling aside, I focus on my revenge.

I do not feel empathy or compassion anymore, but now I am filled with fear, as if who I am sensing is truly here. It both proves what I have believed but also exemplifies the consequence of what I have become.

It seems that they have also joined with the Lesser version of myself.

Wait?! How has she grown so much in power?! Damn it!

"Gilles! Gather the servants. It's time to move out!" Gilles bows while smiling as the other servants take a wyvern to ride as I sit atop Fafnir. I need to find this presence, and I will burn the lesser version of me to ashes!

I will not be denied again! All who betrayed me will burn! I will make sure of it.

Linus Ozias POV:

As we trudge through the forest, Jeanne leads the way as I take up the back with Tamamo and Medusa, watching our flanks with Mash and Ritsuka in the center. After a couple of hours of walking, Jeanne says, "We are almost at La Charite. If we can't get any information here about what has happened to Orleans, we will have to get closer to that city, but I'd rather avoid that as much as possible." 

Mash then asks, "You seem confident. Have you been here before?" Jeanne nods as she says, "I passed by this city as I made my way to Orleans, and the town itself was very welcoming here. But I truly worry that the other me cannot be in our right mind. I will truly never be able to fathom why she is overwhelming these people with her power and turning them into skeletons, as it seems her hatred has destroyed who she once was."

We nod as we continue forward to find the city in ruins as the fire burns the city to the ground as Romani says [Based on the Mana signature, a servant has been detected in that city, but it has seemingly disappeared! Be careful!]

Fou then hops from Mash to me as I state, "All of you, the city is currently a place, and there is a servant in this city. Be careful, but we also need to hurry to check for survivors."

Jeanne nods as we run towards the city, only to find it empty. Romani says [I'm not sensing any life signs the town is dead.]

But as if to mock our efforts, a group of skeletons appears as Jeanne looks greatly affected by the loss of life. We then are forced to fight as Medusa and Tamamo immediately rush the skeletons and begin to dismantle them with Jeanne. I purify the living dead alongside her into dust, with Jeanne fighting harder than I have ever seen.

A great sadness is shown in her eyes, and as the last of the skeins disappear, Jeanne looks on in despair at what her other self has done, but as to not allow us to rest, a group of wyverns appear as I throw lighting spears that split into dozens of the bolts that strike them down.

Tamamo then uses her mirror to reflect the lighting spears that miss and throw them back at double their power. But dozens soon arrive as I fly into the air and begin tearing them apart with my holy sword. One wyvern attempts to bite me as I grab its snout and use it as a weapon to bash its body into the other wyverns.

Soon enough, the wyvern I am currently using as a blunt weapon disintegrates due to the high amount of damage I've done to its body, and as I see the remaining wyverns eating what remains of the corpses, I use this opportunity to thrust my holy sword into the ground and with one blast of holy power a wave of energy appears and sends all of them to the ether.

Silence then envelops the village as I return to Jeanne, who looks distraught at the events. She says, "You know I knew a little girl from this village. Her name was Lillian, and when we arrived to retake Orleans, she was there to welcome us, but from what I found out after we had left, her mother was sick, and yet she gave us the food she had, and this is what happens to her."

Mash then says, "This may just have been a random wyvern attack. It may not have been directed by your other self." Jeanne then says, "It was! I know it! But what I cannot wrap my mind around is to have such hate for your own people!"

Before I could answer the question, I could sense a group of servants flying in on wyverns. As I said, "I apologize for interrupting this moment, but we have incoming as it seems to be a group of servants flying upon the wyverns."

We look up to see a group of servants as Romani says to run, but as Jeanne refuses to retreat, we stand with her to welcome our new guests.

Five servants in total appear, including Jalter herself, with the latter having a smile on her face at the suffering of her lighter counterpart. But then she sees me, and I see a variety of emotions running across her face.

But as if forcing those emotions down, she then says, her smile returned, "Could someone please pour some water on me? That's what I'm looking at is: essentially bad comedy. Do you all see this? Look at such a pathetic version of me, but all I see is a wimp, even lesser than a worm!"

Jeanne then interrupts as she asks, "Who are you?" Jalter then returns her question, "I could ask the same of you. Who are you to look me in the eye as I am the saint that France devotes itself to? I am the real Jeanne D'Arc!"

Jeanne then says with confidence, "You are no saint, just as I am not a saint, but such things are for the past. Why did you attack this town?"

The alter servant scoffs as she says, "That is a stupid question that you already know the answer to, or have you become more foolish now that your alignment has shifted? The reason I attacked the city is obvious. It's for the sole reason I'm doing any of this to destroy this fraudulence people call a country!"

Jalter then looks at me and says, "What are you?! I can feel the light emanating from you. Are you a saint? A member of the church? No, maybe an angel? Hah! That is preposterous!"

I look at her in pity as I see that she really is another shadow, an idea-given form. As for my original theory, I thought that she was simply the other half of the original saint, but no, she is an idea of what someone could be.

Someone wished this version of the Saintess of Orleans into existence, and I have an idea who did.

Her flames then grow as she says, "Answer me, you ingrate!" I then simply say, "I agree with our Jeanne. You are not her. You are an idea given a physical form. The exemplification of rage and despair. You are a shadow of what someone could be."

Jalter then shouts, "I am the real Jeanne D'Arc, and I will not be lied to again! I will not allow myself to feel anything anymore!" But all I say in response "Do you truly believe that, or is it someone else making you believe that?"

This seems to cause the dragon witch some confusion, but her rage overclouds her judgment as she says, "Devour them all my berserk servants and rejoice as all of you shall die but be reborn in a new world beyond this one, and this is my only mercy!"

The group of servants then dismount their wyverns as we stare at one another and prepare for battle.