chpater 11

9

Chapter Text

"Today's the day," I said to myself, putting on my hat, having finished getting dressed and all that mundane jazz. Once more the week had gone by rather quickly, and before I knew it, it was mission time.

Today was the day we were to be deployed into the second of the singularities. I was adjusting my belt for the third time at least, the sword rattling softly in its scabbard. Seeing that I was able to return with it from France, I had decided to carry it with me for future deployments. Despite further lessons with both Medea and occasionally the newly-arrived Amadeus, I was still somewhat below-scratch in regards to my magcraft, though I was certainly improving.

Still, I couldn't shrug off the uneasy feeling that had settled at the bottom of my stomach, hence my nervous fidgeting.

A knock on the door caused me to cease fiddling with my belt, and instead turned to the doorway. "Come in," I said, curious to see who it was. To my non-existent surprise, it was Mordred, back in her armor, smirking as always. "Ah, good morning, Mordred," I said pleasantly, smiling at the blonde.

"Morning, Master. Finished getting ready yet?" She asked with a slightly raised eyebrow, knowing that I was nervous. It was also a gentle tease about how long I've taken to get ready. To be honest, I had expected this to be the case. Perhaps it is just my nerves acting up now that I have experienced one complete singularity already?

"Yeah, I am. Did the others send you to fetch me?" I asked, casually crossing my arms before me. Mordred nodded with a lazy expression.

"Yeah, they did. Now, let's get a move on! It's been kinda boring since the only other Saber here hasn't been interested in sparring, and I want some more excitement!" She said eagerly, giving me a toothy smirk that left me smiling even as I shook my head in mock exasperation.

"Alright, alright, let's get going then," I said with a soft chuckle, turning off the lights in my room and closing the door before heading to the Rayshift chamber with Mordred by my side.

Ritsuka had been very lucky when he had made his summons two days ago, both attempts yielding Servants. Gilles de Rais (thankfully in his saner Saber version), and Chaldea's first Archer-Class Servant. To my amusement, Mordred had cursed the instant she saw him, calling him 'Archer of Black', though he had revealed to us his True Name. Chiron, the fabled centaur who had trained many of Greece's most celebrated heroes. While I hadn't gotten to interact much with the very human-looking centaur, the few moments that I have had have given me the opinion that his reputation as a worthwhile mentor was extremely well-deserved, especially since he had offered to help me teach Ritsuka how to fight after we fixed the Second Singularity.

When it was my turn to roll, however, I was somewhat less successful. To the befuddlement of everyone, including the local genius we referred to as Da Vinci, all that had appeared was a bowl of what Ritsuka had told me was spicey mapu tofu.

Da Vinci had picked up the bowl before anyone else could react, declaring her interest in discovering just what the hell had happened there (my words, not hers), before I tried a second time. To my pleasure, Amadeus had answered, who was in equal parts shocked and overjoyed to discover that he had been reunited with Marie once again. I personally found the unlikely pair of friends to be adorable, even if there wouldn't be a romance blossoming between the two.

"Morning everyone," I said as Mordred and I entered, having been the last to show up. Marie, Jeanne, Amadeus, and Gilles had been clustered around one another, the four apparently having been in an engaging conversation. Sasaki and Medea appeared to be trading verbal blows to one another…which is about normal. Seriously, I have been trying to find out the specifics of their Grail War, and even Chulainn seemed reluctant. Speaking of the blue devil, so to speak, the Irish Lancer leaned rather casually against the far wall, engaged in a conversation with Chiron.

"A good morning to you too, Jacob," Ritsuka said as he walked over, Mash close behind.

"Good morning, Jacob Senpai," Mash said as her own greeting. I smiled back at the ever-polite and demure Demi-Servant as Doctor Roman walked over, Da Vinci close behind. (Mordred and I had started a bet the other day to see if the two would end up a couple by the end of this mess, considering that they were almost constantly together even when relaxing).

"Good morning. Now that everyone is here, we can start the briefing," Doctor Roman said, stifling a yawn just like Da Vinci just did. It seems that the duo had spent another long night studying the retrieved Grail again.

"Where are we going this time?" I asked, one hand resting on the hilt of my sword instinctively.

"You will be heading to Europe in the first century. More specifically, you will be going to the great empire of Ancient Rome. You will be teleported into the capital city of Rome. Once again, I am sad to report that the location of the supposedly existing Holy Grail is unknown to us. Furthermore, be aware of the possibility of historical changes occurring there. I know that is rather vague, but that's all that we have been able to gather for now," he finished apologetically.

"Not a problem, either way, we will locate it," Mash said confidently, and I found myself nodding in agreement. Mash's words seem to have cheered up the doctor, too, as he smiles at her.

"Right, that's the spirit. Right, so this will be similar to the last mission: You'll reach and correct the singularity, find the Holy Grail, and either retrieve or destroy it. This goes without saying, but there are almost certainly going to be Servants present when you arrive. Hopefully, some will be friendly like Jeanne was."

"Doctor, I have one question. May I ask it?" Mash asked politely, and Roman nodded without hesitation, allowing the Demi-Servant to continue speaking. "Hostile Servants and neutral Servants…is there any way to distinguish them upon detection?" She asks.

"Yeah, preferably before they try to murder us?" I added a bit dryly.

"Unfortunately, we can't provide such an exact answer. At least, not yet. Da Vinci is working on it though.  However, we can speculate on each situation using observable data from the command room. I will warn you guys whenever there's a 70% or great chance of hostility. Otherwise, we will mainly be able to provide energy and life signatures and assist in directing you all towards them."

"That's not too bad an alternative, all things considered," I mused aloud. Ritsuka looked at Mash with a curious expression.

"Did you ask because you wanted to try to avoid battles?" He asked quietly, and the pink-haired girl nodded.

"Yes. Strategically speaking, it's best to avoid unnecessary battles."

"Well, it's a nice thought. Fortunately, we won't be going in alone, with just the three of us. For one thing, Mordred would probably shove my head down my throat if we left her behind. Isn't that right?" I said, earning a playful leer from the blonde Saber.

"Damn straight."

"Very well. In that case, let's begin the Rayshift. Good luck, and I will contact you once you arrive."

I made my way over to the same Coffin unit I had used last time, adjusting myself so that I could fit into it comfortably whilst bearing a sword at my side. Before the glasses closed, I called out to the Knight of Rebellion as she and the other Servants entered the other Coffins. "See you on the other side," I said.

"See ya there." Then the glass lid closed, and I closed my eyes as I felt the Rayshift procedure begin…

When I opened my eyes, I looked around. The land was somewhat hilly, but lush with bright green grass and shrubbery, looking like a typical serene countryside. The air felt fresh, and the sunlight warmed my body. It felt nice, honestly. I wasn't about to let down my guard, however. After all, if someone was to ask me, I would say that one of the most dangerous parts of a Rayshift is the arrival.

What wasn't nice, however, was the fact that we were not surrounded by buildings. As Mordred and the other Servants appeared, they began to form a defensive square of sorts, while Mordred and I waited for Ritsuka and Mash to appear, which they quickly did. The former was once more in her black and purple armor, the massive shield that gave her the Servant class designation as a Shielder leaning against her arm.

"Well, looks like we all made it here in one piece," I said. I looked around, confused as to why we were in the hills, and not the city. On the bright side, there weren't hordes of skeletons charging towards us or wyverns diving down form above, and we were all together.

"Indeed. The feel of the wind, the scent of the earth…" Mash said in a rather awe-struck tone, looking intently at our surroundings. "The vast blue sky…it's strange. I've seen it on film so many times, but just standing here….it's so much more vivid," Mash said, sounding a bit uneasy. I frowned, and from the corner of my eyes I saw Mordred doing the same, but it was Ritsuka who broke the uneasy silence Mash's words had caused.

"What's wrong?" He asked, sounding worried. "You're breathing deeply." Mash blinked, her eyes wide in surprise.

"Huh? Was I?" She mumbled, before shaking her head as she recovered her composure, blushing slightly still though. "I-I see. I'm sure I was doing it without thinking. I just felt overwhelmed by the surroundings. In France, it was really just one shock after the other. So now, it's like I'm finally able to see this landscape properly," Mash explained, and I relaxed slightly. I tensed back up slightly as I heard movement nearby. Looking around, I saw nothing, and I looked back at my three friends, only to jump back slightly in surprise as I saw another face now present.

Mash's companion/pet(?) had appeared on her shoulder. "Fou…" Fou chirped. "Kyu, kyu?" He barked, as if asking a question. Ritsuka and I, however, merely stared at the dog-squirrel-cat thing.

"So, it seems that you tagged along again, huh?" I said, shaking my head slightly. My fellow Master, on the other hand, was having an entirely different reaction to this latest development.

"D-Did you just pop out of Mash's chest?" Ritsuka stammered, red-faced. Mash released a soft 'eep' and blushed, her free arm instinctively crossing over the aforementioned area.

"Looks like the critter is being a little stowaway again," Mordred said, giving Mash a chance to recover.

"He prefers the outside world to that cramped base," she replied to the Knight of Rebellion. "I can agree with that sentiment. While the battles can be scary, it makes me happy to discover new worlds and experiences such as this."

"Looks like he isn't the only thing to show up again," I butted in, looking skyward as I pointed towards the circular anomaly we had seen in the last singularity. Well, we might not be in the city of Rome, but at least we can confirm that we were in the singularity like intended.

"Testing, testing….can you guys hear me?" Doctor Roman's voice filtered through the commlink.

"We hear you loud and clear, Doc. We have a slight problem?"

"Slight problem? What do you—Oh, I see. This isn't Rome," Roman mumbled in confusion, a sentiment I shared with the others. "That's weird. I just ran a scan of the area. It looks like you are a few miles or so away from the city…"

"Was there perhaps an error in the coordinates?" Mash asked. "Is the era correct?"

"No, the era is definitely correct. We are in the first century AD, during the reign of Nero Claudius, the fifth emperor of Rome." And one of the most infamous, if the historical records of the time could be fully trusted. "Still, this is very strange. It's saying that you are about fifteen miles away from where you should be. Why did you guys end up so far from the capital. Despite the poisoning of Empress Aggripina last year, Nero isn't in his dangerously declining years yet. It's an era where the emperor is loved, and the city of Rome is prosperous…or at least, that's what should've been awaiting you."

"Master, do you hear that?" Mordred said suddenly, her emerald orbs narrowed as she tensed her body, Clarent appearing in her hands. I strained my ears, and at first, I didn't hear anything. Ritsuka and Mash also tried to listen, and Doctor Roman kept quiet, not wanting to distract us.

Finally, I swore that I could hear the sounds of shouting and metal smashing against metal. Something that felt most out of touch with the atmosphere of the area we had arrived in was.

"Is there a battle nearby or something?" I asked Mordred, but before the blonde knight could answer, I spoke hurriedly into my commlink. "Doc, can you do a scan to see if there is a large cluster of human life signatures nearby?"

"Uh, yeah, sure, just stand by…yes, there is a large mass just over the hill near you. There shouldn't be a battle at this time, though!" Roman reported frantically, and I frowned at that.

"That means it is a historical anomaly. We need to check it out. It might be a good place to start looking at what is happening,"  Mash suggested.

"Right. Let's go!"

"Yeah, this is definitely abnormal," I commented numbly, my jaw hanging open slightly, a similar expression on Ritsuka and Mash's faces. Two small armies were engaged in a pitched battle, all dressed like Roman legionaries and auxiliaries.

It was a fight that pitted man against man. No beasts or undead, only mortals made of flesh and blood. Countless armored bodies lay deathly still across the field already, and I saw Ritsuka look away, his face turning a shade of pale green. I myself felt a bit nauseous, but after all that I had seen in France, it felt rather easy to tamp that feeling down. Mash activated her commlink.

"Doctor Roman, there is a large-scale battle going on. One side is overwhelmingly larger than the other. The latter is defending the path to the city," Mash informed the acting-director.

"What can you tell me about the uniforms of the soldiers?"

"Both sides look to be Roman soldiers. The larger force wears tie regalia of crimson and gold, while the smaller force wears it with a different design," Mash reported dutifully.

 "Crimson, gold, and also purple were colors especially liked in Roman at this time," Roman mused aloud. "Mash, is there anything else that's distinctive?"

"Over there," I suddenly said, noticing one of the combatants who looked far more different. Mash noticed and began to relay the sight.

"Yes, there appears to be a young woman, who is leading several groups that belong to the smaller force. She's practically taking on the enemy forces on her own," Mash reported in awe. "She is an extremely strong individual. Is she a Servant?"

"No, I'm not getting any readings on Servants in the area who aren't yours. I am almost certain that the lady is a human of this era. The visual reception isn't that clear on my end, but I swear she reminds me of Jeanne, slightly," Doctor Roman responded.

"Well, I think our next course of action is clear. We must prevent the city from being overwhelmed," I said, tightly gripping the hilt of my sword. Next to me, Ritsuka grunted a soft sound of agreement.

"Yeah. Let's go help that woman."

"About time we get to see some action again," Mordred said excitedly, her eyes gleaming brightly in anticipation.

"Understood, Master," Mash said at the same time to Ritsuka.

"Stay close to Mash. This is going to be a fight against men, not monsters or Servants. What they lack in individual raw strength, they still have numbers on their side. I will be staying close to Mordred as well," I said quietly and quickly to my younger friend. Ritsuka nodded in understanding.

There was another reason behind my words I had just uttered. I didn't want Ritsuka to have to possibly kill a fellow human. A possibility I myself was hoping to avoid, truth be told. Sadly, to achieve victory, at least on this day, that meant that we would have to kill, whether by our own hands or through the use of our Servants. I turned around to look at the others standing ready behind us.

"Chiron, can you focus on picking off officers?" I asked the Greek Archer, who gave a simple nod as he notched an arrow to his bowstring and pulled said item backwards, a slight glow in his eyes as he stared at the mass of soldiers fighting and dying below us. "Amadeus, Medea, can you cast spells and attacks to disrupt the rear elements of the attack force? If we play our cards right, we could cause them to rout from these attacks."

"Very well," the cloaked Greek Caster said simply, her staff appearing in her hands as she started to levitate slightly into the air.

"Time for them to face the music, as I believe people say these days," Amadeus added, raising his wand. I turned to my Assassin.

"Sasaki, can you stay back with the three, and keep enemy stragglers from attacking them?" The Japanese Servant gave a simple nod, and I turned to the others. "Well, let's go meet that lady. Forward!" I said, raising my sword as Mordred's helmet slammed into place and she took off down the slope, intent on leading the charge. I turned to Jeanne, standing nearby, and we exchanged bemused expressions before charging forward, with Ritsuka and his own more melee-oriented Servants close behind.

Overhead, beams of magical energy rained down, and occasionally I could catch the briefest glimpses of one of our Archer's arrows as they pelted the unsuspecting attacking soldiers. We hadn't even engaged them in close-quarters combat and already I could see the effects that I had been hoping for were showing. Soldiers began to retreat, at first on their own or in pairs, but soon larger groups signaled the beginning stages of a full-blown rout.

The soldiers surrounding the woman we were heading towards roared in victory, dispatching the remaining soldiers who hadn't fled. I stifled the soft sigh of relief at having avoided seeing Mordred and the others fight and slay men, while Mordred growled in frustration at being robbed of the chance to throw herself into a good fight.

"Don't worry, Mordred. I'm sure there will be more fights that we'll find ourselves in before the day ends," I said in a wry tone as we slowed down, close enough to the victors that I didn't want to appear hostile, sheathing my sword and gesturing for Ritsuka to follow me to the head of our group. It also gave me the chance to see that the four Servants responsible for starting the rout were already making their way over.

Some of the soldiers tensed, watching our approach with wary eyes. Their leader, a blonde woman with green eyes a few shades lighter than those of Mordred, planted her extravagant-looking sword made into the ground by her golden heel/sabaton-clad feet. She wore a rather interesting outfit, a combination of a military-style jacket with golden epaulettes on the shoulders. For some reason, she made me think of Mordred somewhat, if the tomboyish blonde wore her father's hairstyle instead of her more fitting, rough-cut ponytail and bangs, and was bustier. The white-trimmed blouse she wore didn't seem to adequality cover her chest, giving me the impression that she was a person of little self-modesty perhaps.

"Sheathe your swords!" She said, an air of regality in her voice. Her soldiers, who just seconds ago had been ready to attack us, instantly complied with her orders. "It's over. Centurion, send some men to see if there are any more of those rebels. You, over there!" She said, pointing at Ritsuka and I, who had stopped while she walked closer to us. "I seem that you are responsible for that display just now. Are you reinforcements from the capital?" Before either of us could respond, however, the woman continued speaking. "I thought the capital was sealed off…no matter, I, Nero Claudius, fifth emperor of the Roman Empire, commend you!" She declared, causing Ritsuka and I to look at one another in mild bewilderment, before looking at the self-proclaimed emperor.

Well…this in certainly unexpected.

10

Chapter Text

"Umu! I see that you are surprised! Of course, of course. Very good. Be as surprised and amazed as you like. I shall allow it." Nero said proudly, her hands planted firmly on her hips as she held her head high. It looks like she was taking our silence at her revealing of her name and title as shock, an admittedly accurate observation in this case.

Emperor Nero Claudius was a woman?

Somehow, the revelation was somewhat…underwhelming. Granted, it was still a surprise, but after finding out that Mordred Pendragon, the son of King Arthur, was also a woman (as much as she bristled whenever one called her such) kinda reduced the overall shock value.

All the while, Nero continued talking. "It doesn't matter if you perhaps were once my enemy. I am merciful, so past mistakes are water under the bridge, as they say. More importantly, I must also praise you all for your weapons and postures. Umu!" She said brightly, nodding her head in approval, "I must say I like you. Very good, I shall allow you to fight by my side. Revel in the ultimate honor!" Nero said, almost sounding condescending to us, as she finally paused and looked at us curiously, giving me a few precious seconds of silence to process the mass of words she had just thrown out at us. And here I thought that Jeanne Alter had been a talker when we first met. At least she wasn't trying to kill us, for now.

"Still…you people sure dress in a strange and varied fashion. Are you foreigners?" She asked finally, giving us a moment to talk. I nudged Ritsuka forward, having not forgotten my intent on letting my fellow Master try taking the lead, outside of combat at least. The Japanese youth bowed deeply to the Roman blonde.

"Yes, we are. More importantly, however, we are beyond words for your generous praise," Ritsuka said in a humble tone. Apparently, while not answering her question, his words pleased the woman nevertheless.

"Yes, yes," she said a bit dismissively, waving her hand lazily for added flair as she preened at the verbal kowtowing. Good call there, Rits. Very good call. "You may enjoy wallowing in the sweet sounds I utter," she added rather vainly as Ritsuka straightened up. "At any rate, this victory belongs to us, thanks in part to your actions. I will reward you all handsomely!" Nero proclaimed, before her cheeks suddenly flushed slightly as a sheepish expression appeared for once.

"Oh, uh, sorry," the emperor said in a softer tone. "I couldn't help myself just now. Sadly, you'll have to wait for your reward, seeing as at this moment I have naught but my sword on me. Worry not, however!" She said, raising her voice once more. "It will all be taken care of after we're back in Rome. Now then, follow me!" Once more declining to wait for our response, the verbose blonde spun on her heels and retrieved her sword before she began moving in the direction of the city of Rome, her soldiers assuming a defensive formation around both her and us.

"I guess that we're going along with them," I said a bit dryly. Next to me, Mordred grunted, her helmet still covering her features, Clarent resting against her shoulder. I could sense her irritation even before she began speaking.

"…Does anyone else have the urge to punch that pipsqueak?" Mordred growled, and I had to cover my mouth with a fist to muffle the laughter her comment made.

"Just try to put up with it for now," I responded as we started to move onwards, led by Nero and escorted by her men. Mordred groaned in frustration, earning a few more muffled snickers of amusement at her as Nero began talking again.

So, in addition to having learnt that the self-proclaimed 'Emperor of Roses' loved to talk, I discovered another fact about her. Nero Claudius didn't walk. No, she strutted her stuff, as some of my classmates would have said back in high school…along with some more vulgar words, most likely. It was certainly amusing, as the green hills became replaced with a more earthen and flat ground as we drew closer and closer to the city of Rome. So, this must have been the fabled 'Via Appia', the Appian Way, the grandest of the roads that all led to Rome.

We had been marching at a reasonable pace for roughly one and three quarters of an hour when Nero decided to call for a short break. After her soldiers had assumed a defensive perimeter around us, the Roman emperor walked over, a curious glint in her green eyes.

"You are indeed foreigners, but where are you from. Surely not Britannia. The Far East? No, that doesn't seem likely, either," Nero mused, and Ritsuka and I exchanged glances. Do we tell her we come from the future, or use the limited knowledge possessed by the Roman world about how vast the earth truly was?

"We come from Chaldea," Ritsuka said, deciding to go with the more vague-sounding and less complicated option.

"Chaldea?" Nero repeated in a puzzled tone before cries of alarm rang out from the west of us.

"I am sorry to interrupt the small talk, but it looks like another group of enemies is trying to attack," Mash said, readying her shield as the other Servants did likewise. Nero drew her sword, a mixture of a scowl and a sneer on her lips as she too looked westwards.

"Damn those restless United Empire fools! How dare they interrupt my beautiful voice!" Emperor of Vanity, much? "Let's go! You!" She said suddenly, pointing to a now-startled Mash. "Very striking-looking girl, I order you to serve as my shield!"

"Huh? Uh…right!" Mash stammered, turning to Ritsuka with wide eyes. "Senpai, now we're the ones under command somehow!" Mordred turned and looked at me pointedly.

"Orders, Master?" The Knight of Rebellion growled, putting on extra emphasis on the title before Nero could commandeer the English Servant as well.

"Push them back, but don't pursue,' I said. As Mordred and the other Servants began taking up offensive positions, I rubbed my chin with a low hum. The United Empire? I couldn't recall there being such a thing during any of my Classics lessons in high school. Perhaps a major change? But if so, whose running them?

Damn it, all these delays are getting quite irritating. Maybe a quick route would be more effective this time? I hummed and turned to Mordred once more.

"Mordred, why don't we give our companions a little demonstration?" I asked, noting the relatively small numbers of the enemy force, about a dozen and a half enemy soldiers. Scouts, perhaps? Mordred released a low chuckle, stepping forwards before taking up her familiar stance as her helmet began its process of separating, earning a gasp of awe from the blonde emperor at seeing the helmeted armored knight in our company was a woman. Of course, if Nero said that line of thought aloud, we would probably end up becoming enemies of the state or something after Mordred finished lashing out.

 The allied soldiers standing to either sider of her moved away slightly, giving her a fair amount of space as the sides of her swords extended slightly, and chaotic red energy covered the silver-and-red colored broadsword once again.

"CLARENT BLOOD ARTHUR!" Mordred roared, somewhat excitedly, as she unleashed her powerful Noble Phantasm. The beam of raw energy rushed towards the scouts, enveloping them and destroying the enemy force in a single moment. The dust hadn't even truly settled as Mordred walked back over to me, her face being covered, but not before I could see the satisfied grin on her face.

Well, I guess that I made the right call back there. The combination of dealing with Nero and missing a chance for a good scrap earlier must have been rather aggravating for the Knight of Rebellion.

"Somehow we're out of danger once more. Truly, you all have ended up saving the day again," Nero said with an earnest smile, which was quickly replaced with a rather childish-looking pout. "I'm sure it's not uncommon to be outnumbered in war, but being on the inferior side is no fun. So tiring!" I could hear Mordred's teeth gritting. Well, good thing Mordred isn't going to have to be a diplomat or something in this case. Currently, that would be Ritsuka.

"Forgive me, Emperor Nero, but it's not over yet," Mash warned. "There's more coming!" At that moment, my commlink, which had been silent since we joined the fray back in the hills

"A Servant!" Doctor Roman's voice rang out loudly, startling Nero, whose head spun around as she looked for the source of what she surly thought to be someone invisible speaking as the doc continued talking. "I've detected a single Servant. Get ready!"

No sooner had he finished his warning then a muscular, tallish man with purple hair appeared, flanked by two dozen elite-looking soldiers, with twice that many regular-looking soldiers having followed and now engaging Nero's followers. So, it looks like I was right about the previous group having been merely scouts, then. I focused my attention on the apparent leader of the group with narrowed eyes.

He had a red cape that looked rather tattered at the tail ends, and gold-coated armor. A pair of golden earring dangled from his ears. Aside from a pair of heavy gilded bracers, the newcomer's arms were bare, revealing thick, bulging muscles. He stared intently at Nero with blood-red eyes, and he opened his mouth to speak.

"—My beloved younger sister's child." His voice was deep and sounded somewhat raspy. Nero gasped in shock, taking a half-step back.

"U-Uncle!" Staring wide-eyed at the Servant, she shook her head fiercely, the long stand of blonde hair that pointed forward bouncing like a fishing rod that was reeling in a fish. "No…no, no, let me call you this now. You fool who inexplicably lost his way, aligning with the United Empire…Caligula!"

Well….talk about a touching family reunion. Caligula shook his head slowly as he replied. "My—My actions are destiny," he said harshly, as if forcing himself to utter each syllable like he had never spoken before in his life. A Berserker, perhaps? "Give up…your life. Give up….that body….ALL OF IT! GIVE IT UP!" Caligula roared, tensing his body as his elite guardsmen also readied themselves.

"Uncle, how could you?" Nero asked, still in a mild state of shock even as she readied her sword. I cleared my throat rather loudly, my eyes focused on the threat before us.

"Forgive my bluntness, Emperor Nero, but your uncle will not listen to words at this moment," I said, a bit brusquely. Nero blinked, looked at me, then back at the man she had just called her uncle.

"Indeed, it seems that way then…" Nero finally said, just before Caligula charged at his niece. With a battle cry of her own, the Emperor of Roses dash forward as well, displaying a surprising amount of speed, her sword readied to be swung. I turned to the Servants.

"Sasaki, Amadeus! Focus on those guardsmen. Mordred, Jeanne, support the Emperor!"

"You do the same as well, Mash and Chulainn. Marie, Gilles, Medea, Chiron! You four, help Sasaki and Amadeus!" And with those words, our first Servant battle in this singularity commenced.

Interesting fact most people might not know is that Caligula wasn't the name the emperor Servant was born with. That would have been Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus. Caligula was a nickname acquired at a young age, due to the fact that he wore the garments of a Roman soldier at the tender age of three years old when his father took him on a military campaign, the name given by the soldiers amused by the sight.

When the third emperor of Roman came into power, his initial reign was a peaceful one…for about six months. On the seventh month, he began the descent into madness that would become his enduring legacy even to this day. In a way, it was befitting that a man consumed by madness would be a Berserker-class Servant, for that was what he surely had to be considering his earlier mannerisms.

With a feral roar, Caligula leapt forward, charging at Nero. Mash was the first one to engage the Berserker, holding her shield before her, bracing her body for the jarring jolt of a Servant's body slamming against it. The enemy Servant didn't slow down, it seems, and Mash released a cry of alarm and surprise as two loud thuds were heard before she was suddenly sent flying backwards, skipping across the dirt before stopping. She hadn't even slowed down the emperor.

Apparently, the Berserker used his fists, as there was still no weapon in his hands. Mash pushed herself up onto her feet with a groan, Ritsuka rushing over to help her. Thankfully, Caligula had little interest in us, mainly dodging the various attack launched at him with a surprising amount of dexterity. He barely even noticed the light scratch from Jeanne's banner's steel tip catching his left cheek before he shoulder-checked the Ruler, sending her skidding backwards as well as sidestepping a blow from Clarent.

Raising his fists, he slams them down at Nero. The Emperor of Roses leapt backwards as the ground upon which she had been standing on shatters. Caligula roars in frustration, and chases after his niece. I could see a frown on Nero's face for a brief second before she suddenly became a blur of red and white, cutting and slicing furiously.

The Berserker used his bracers, however, to block the blows, and continued to lash out with his own attacks. No doubt a single, solid hit to her body by one of his fists would wreak havoc to her internal organs, and that was if she was lucky to survive the impact in the first place, seeing as how she wasn't a Servant. The Servants  that had been instructed to assist Nero in dealing with her assailant continue to try to land hits on the Roman Berserker, but the 'Emperor of Madness', as I would refer to him as, either ignores or somehow dodges the strikes. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ritsuka's Lancer preparing himself for an attack

Chulainn made a leaping jab at the Roman Servant, only to release a surprised cry of alarm as the Berserker ducked while grabbing the Irish Lancer's right ankle. In a blink of an eye, Caligula spun in a circle before releasing, sending Ritsuka's Servant flying into Sasaki, Marie, and Medea, knocking the trio off of their feet.

By this point, most of the soldiers that had accompanied the maddened emperor had either fallen or were distracted by our Servants and Nero's own soldiers. Two had broken through, however, large, armored men bearing the short gladius swords and large, square shields with an iron boss in the center that had become the iconic image of the Roman soldier. They were bearing down on Ritsuka and I. Turning to my fellow Master, I saw the Japanese youth taking up a somewhat still-clumsy stance. I shook my head, speaking quickly as I adopted one of my more offensive-oriented fencing stances: a two-handed grip on my sword.

"Ritsuka, stay back. You're not ready yet," I warned as a groaning Chulainn got up onto his feet. His red eyes widened at the danger. "Lancer! You take the one on the left! I'll hold the other one off in the meantime!" And if need be, kill him to defend my friend, though I pray that today would not see that moment happening. The blue-haired Servant nodded, before turning into a blur of movement, slamming into the soldier I had asked him to take on, as I locked my gaze on my own opponent.

The soldier sneered at me as he drew closer, and we watched each other warily, circling one another, waiting to see who would make the first move in the first few opening seconds. Finally, the Roman soldier grew bored of waiting, and took a step forward, lashing out with his sword. I bring my sword up and deflect the probing thrust, before returning my own strike. The veteran warrior blocks the stroke with the edge of his wooden shield, and my blade cuts a small notch into the side as he tries to lash out at my exposed stomach the instant his defensive weapon caught my blow.

With a fierce tug, I yanked both my sword and myself backwards, and the deadly tip of his gladius misses my shirt by a few inches. Furrowing my brow, I circle around the soldier, who does the same once more.

The fight must have been less than a minute long, and already it felt that it had gone on for far too long. Damn it, Cu, hurry up. The soldier must have noticed my discomfort, for he laughed and spoke in foreign language, his words unintelligible to me. However, his tone made up for that fact, taunting and cruel. I forced myself to not respond to it and simply maintain a neutral stance, a kind of pose that would give me the ability to either attack or defend at a moment's notice.

With a growl, my opponent suddenly charged forward. I feel my eyes widen slightly, and I lash out at my sword. I was aiming for his chest, to force the man back, but at that moment he had decided to go low, and I feel a familiar sensation travel up my arm as my sword pushes through the exposed skin and flesh of the man's throat.

I stared into brown, pain-filled eyes, feeling a wave of mounting horror building inside me. The soldier's mouth was open, but a horrid mixture of gurgling and whistling of sorts was all he could manage, his teeth dyed red with blood as he clutched at his throat. I stumbled backwards, my hands trembling, but my body refuses to drop my sword.

I had killed before, multiple times. But this? This was the first time I had slain a fellow human. A person who may have had a family. God, what have I done?

"Yo! Master, you ok?" Chulainn asked, jarring me out of my stupor. I shake my head once, before flicking my blade to the side to clear off the blood as I gazed at the Lancer, nodding.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said, half-truthfully. "Just focus on helping the soldiers with the others."

"Right," Chulainn replied, and I turned back to see the three blonde girls taking on the enemy Servant.

"Ruler!" Mordred shouted out to Jeanne, moving to one side. Quickly grasping the intent of her fellow blonde, the Ruler nodded and moved to the opposite, the two female Servants aiming to outflank the solitary Servant, even as he tried to land an undoubtedly-fatal blow on the rather-agile blonde girl he was focused on. Before either of them could strike and slay the Servant, however, Nero manages to break through Caligula's guard, and a spray of blood flies behind him. It wasn't a fatal blow, however, but it certainly wasn't a minor scratch, if the way that Caligula's face contorted in a mixture of visceral rage and pain. The Berserker leapt backwards, and Mordred and Jeanne flank the blonde Roman, weapons at the ready, though it looks like the fight is over, at least for the moment, as the Emperor of Madness began to open his mouth.

"Oh…oh," Caligula gasped in pain, one hand clutching the large cut on his bicep as he stared fondly at Nero. "My beloved…younger sister's….child…" Caligula panted, his face strained, though I doubt that we had truly defeated him, as no sign of his form fading away in a golden cloud of dust had been shown. Nero watched silently with pursed lips, looking somewhat distraught as her uncle continued speaking. "Why won't you…give it to me? Why can't you give it to me?" He asked mournfully, smiling sadly. "My beautiful…My…My…My…My…"

Whatever it was, we weren't to find out, for the golden-armored Servant suddenly phased out of sight, startling Nero. "H-He's gone?" She gasped, staring with wide eyes at the now-empty spot that only seconds ago had stood Caligula. "Uncle…"

"I can no longer sense his presence," Mash reported, and I nodded dully at her, still feeling numb. "The enemy troops seem to be withdrawing as well." Or rather, those still alive, which looked to be a rather paltry dozen, and none of them being Caligula's 'bodyguard'. It looked like a dozen or so of Nero's own men had fallen defending their leader, with at least an equal number of wounded.

"My uncle must have been the commander of that battalion," Nero mused, a thoughtful expression on her face. "I didn't think I'd ever see him again." That last part sounded more her own benefit, rather than something to share with us, so I activated my commlink.

"Doctor Roman?" I asked in a clip, brisk tone. I was forcing myself to not focus on the sea of nausea rocking around in the pit of my stomach, forcing my emotions down, and instantly drawing more than a few stares from my fellow Chaldean comrades at my sudden shift in mannerisms. I ignore them, however, at least for the moment.

"Looks like he turned into a Spiritual Body and left. Or fled, rather. Good work. If that Servant really is a Berserker like he seems to be, I find it hard to believe that he'd flee," Doctor Roman answered. "Could it be that he has a Master?" He asked. An excellent question, but before I could comment on that, I looked up to see Nero standing only inches away from me, staring in a mixture of bewilderment and fascination at the device on my wrist.

"Hmmm. Huh?" Nero hummed aloud. Mash stared at Nero in surprise, while I instinctively backed up a few steps.

 "Wh-What is it?" The Demi-Servant stammered, puzzled just like the rest of us at her latest action. Nero frowned slightly, looking at the Shielder.

"There's a man around here, who can be heard but not seen. From the feel of it, maybe another Mage like those two?" Nero asked, gesturing at Ritsuka and I. Well, it's not that far off a guess, and it reveals something interesting.

"I'm glad you know of magecraft. Yes, we're from an organization called Chaldea—" Doctor Roman began to talk before he, too, got to experience the dubious honor of being verbally runover by the verbose blonde.

"We can talk more about this when we reach the city! Come, we're nearly there, and I wish for my men to have their injuries seen to as swiftly as possible, before more of those foul jackals show up!" Nero declared, and turned to her men as we all got ready to move on once again.

"Master?" Mordred asked softly, standing close by. She must have noticed my overall silence, and either she or Jeanne, or perhaps even both, had seen what had happened. The blonde Ruler stood a bit back, and I could clearly see the compassion and worry in her eyes. I shook my head subtly.

"Later, Mordred. Right now, let's just get to the damn city."

We had finished the rest of our journey unharried by further attacks. I was equally thankful that Nero's constant talking distracted me from my actions, justified though they were. I could feel gazes of both Mordred and Jeanne landing on me periodically, but I kept silent. The shock had faded slightly, as had the horror, though remnants of both were still present in my system. I knew for a fact that one or both of the two Servants would confront me by nightfall over this, at the current rate at least.

Finally, we reached a rather awe-aspiring sight, the indication that our path along the Appian Highway has come to an end.

Before us stood a double-arched gateway, surmounted by bow windows and flanked by two semi-cylindrical towers, on which Roman soldiers stood guard. It appeared like it was one of the few, if only, entrances into the city of Rome through the strong-looking, thick stone wall that ringed the city.

"Unbelievable…" Mordred muttered next to me in shock, a feeling I was sharing with her. I had read a fair amount about Rome in high school, and knew we were looking at the Porta Appia, now known as the Porta San Sebastian, but reading about something was far from the same thing as witnessing it in person. Nero turned around and flourished a hand towards the opening door to grant us passage, pure, unadulterated pride on her face as she spoke.

"Welcome, and behold the glory of Rome!"