chpater 3

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Chapter Text

"Well, long time no see, Ruler."

I turned to Mordred, raising an eyebrow. "You've met before?" I asked.

"I'll tell you later. Gotta focus on those flying lizards. You ready to fight?" Mordred asked a startled 'Ruler'. The newcomer, clearly a Servant if both the title and the fact that the Knight of Rebellion recognized her, nodded back, a bit hesitant before looking back at the wyverns.

"Agreed."

Next to me, Ritsuka turned to Medea. "Medea, you and Mash will be the last line of defense. Chulainn, support Mordred and 'Ruler'."

"Very well," the solitary Caster said.

"You got it!"

"Sasaki, you will support the front group," I said softly, and the swordsman nodded before stepping forward nonchalantly.

"What I wouldn't give for some range attack," Ritsuka muttered. I nodded, smiling as an idea pops into my head. I turn to the Demi-Servant standing protectively in front of us.

"Mash, hold still," I said, stepping forward and reaching into the sack she was still carrying. After a few quick seconds, I grasped something metallic, and pulled out one of the water canteens. "Well, my friend, while we don't have any Archers yet, I have an idea. You said that your family specialized in mystic codes, correct?"

"Yes."

"Can you do it to inanimate objects?"

"Theoretically, yes. Why?" My grin spreading, I unscrewed the cap off of the canteen, and activated my Magic Circuits. I had approached Medea shortly after she had been summoned and ask if she would help me with being able to refine my grasp over my ice summoning magecraft. It took some convincing, but finally the Greek Caster had agreed to tutor me. While I still wasn't able to form a large wall of ice without exhausting myself, as what had happened in Singularity F, I was now able to summon ice to a certain degree with little to no cost in terms of prana.

I focused on the upper layer of the water and closed my eyes. "Eis, bilden! Eiszapfen machen!" I intoned. I imagined droplets of water flying out of the canteen and into the air around me. As I imagined them beginning to solidify, I forced them to stretch themselves out into icicles. Opening my eyes, I see that I had managed to summon about a dozen or so floating over my head. I turn to Ritsuka.

"If I call out for it, I would like you to reinforce the tips of these icicles. While I doubt that it would kill a wyvern, but it should sure as hell do some damage to it.

The first wyvern swooped down, mouth open and ready to breath fire when Sasaki swung his long-bladed sword, severing the head in a single blow. The body of the headless wyvern twitched as it fell for a few seconds before it started to dissolve.

Chulainn crouched down next to the Assassin, a feral grin matching the glint in his red eyes as he clutches his spear. Then he turned into a red and blue blur as he launched himself into the air at one of the wyverns. The next second, his spear was thrust deep into the heart of the startled reptile, slaying it. I shook my head slightly in amusement when I hear Mordred shout "show off," to the Lancer as she decapitated her own opponent with a single, brutal swipe of Clarent.

A third wyvern tried to dive down on the Knight of Rebellion from behind, but she had apparently noticed it, spinning around swiftly as she threw an armored fist into the wyvern's mouth. It snapped to the side, a spray of blood landing on the ground along with a fang or two. With a low grunt, Mordred impaled the winged creature with Clarent, pulling the blade up and disemboweling the wyvern.

However, another wyvern began to dive at her, and this time she seemed distracted. I shouted towards Ritsuka. "Now!" I said, readying myself to sling the ice spikes forward. Each of the icilces started to glow a faint red, and I then pointed at the wyvern.

The ice spikes knocked it off course, causing it to roar. The sound was cut short, however, by a familiar sword being thrown into the throat, slaying it almost instantly. I lowered my hackles as Mordred retrieved her sword as 'Ruler', Sasaki, and Chulainn dealt with the last two wyverns rather quickly

As the last body of the wyvern began to dissolve, Mash slowly began to ease her stance, her purple eyes scanning the sky for a few minutes before she finally spoke. "I believe that was the last one," she reported. Mordred walked over and gave a (somewhat) soft back pat that almost sent me stumbling forward.

"Thanks for the assist with that last one, Master. I totally would have gotten him though," she added with her trademark smirk. I shook my head in amusement and activated the commlink.

"Doctor Roman?"

"Appears so. All right, fine job everyone! I was watching with sweety palms, and sweets in my hands!"

….wait, what?

"Doctor," Mash said slowly, scowling slightly. "Are those the sweets that I got recently?"

"Huh? Is that right? I found them in the command room next to the tea, and none of the staff present said that it was theirs, so I thought…" Doctor Roman's voice trailed off, laughing nervously as Mash growled rather cutely.

"I had gotten them as a token of gratitude for when we return from this Order. They weren't for you, but for Jacob Senpai and Ritsuka Senpai, for fighting bravely," the Demi-Servant responded in a testy tone.

"Mash…you've become such a thoughtful person…" the doctor's voice was muffled slightly, and we could hear the sounds of hurried chewing. "I must say, these are some really tasty sweets. I'm sure Ritsuka and Jacob will be thrilled, too!" That would imply that there would be any left in the first place, an outcome I suspect to be doubtful.

Mash apparently felt the same, for she turned to Ritsuka. "…Master, when we return to Chaldea, please reserve enough combat resources for one last attack. I've registered one more enemy that I'd like to hit with the "back of my blade'," she said to a startled Ritsuka in one of the most serious tones I have heard yet. Mordred snorted in amusement.

The levity of the moment doesn't last for long, sadly, as I hear the man I had been talking to shout in alarm to his comrades. I look over my shoulder to see the battered and charred gate being closed. Well, so much for camaraderie.

"What was he saying, Jacob?" Ritsuka asked nervously, hands curled slightly. I looked back at my friend.

"He said to run, and that the 'Dragon Witch' was here," I turned towards 'Ruler'. The blonde Servant was staring down at her feet with a forlorn expression on her face, also understanding what the soldier had said. The others looked at her as she started to speak in a quiet tone.

"Thank you very much for helping," she finally said.

"It's what we came here for," Mash replied. "Earlier, Mordred called you 'Ruler'. I assume that means you are a Ruler-class Servant. Then what is you-" Before the pink-haired girl could continue, I spoke up, my arms crossed.

"Jeanne d'Arc, the Maid of Orléans, and one of the nine secondary patron saints of France. That is who you, if you forgive my impertinence," I said, lowering my head in apology at the last part. She may have fought off the wyverns alongside us, but from what I heard, there are two possibilities that came to my mind. Either somehow there were two people going by Jeanne here, or this was an elaborate trap. At the mention of her status in later history as a saint, Jeanne blushed.

"Jeanne…d'Arc?" Mash asked quietly.

"I thought you guys said she was supposed to have just died," Ritsuka added, confused. I briefly looked away from the Servant to look at my fellow Master with a raised eyebrow.

"Rtisuka…" I said with a sigh, causing Ritsuka to chuckle nervously.

"Yes?"

"Learn some tact next time," I gently reprimanded him, causing his cheeks to darken slightly in embarrassment as he lowered his gaze while rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. Looking back at Jeanne, I shoot her an apologetic look  

"Well, I fear we may be overstaying our welcome here," Sasaki suddenly spoke up, gesturing at the wall behind us. A few French archers could be seen readying bows and crossbows, eyes focused on Jeanne with fear and anger. She looked away, unable to see the expressions on the faces of her former comrades.

"Do you know a place that we could go to talk?" I asked, a bit gently.

Jeanne nodded. "Yes. Follow me."

After walking for some time, we paused at the outskirts of a decent-sized grove of trees. Suddenly, Jeanne stiffened, and I noticed her fists clenching the staff in her hands. Medea's staff appeared in the Caster's hands, and I draw my sword. "Large or small group?" I asked the Ruler. She looked over her shoulder towards me as the other Servants readied themselves.

"It seems that some more of those vile things are here. They're too close to the fort," she replied quietly. Sure enough, another dozen or so of those damn skeletal warriors clattered towards us. Mordred rolled her eyes, not even bothering to assemble her helmet as she threw herself forward and past Jeanne, arms outstretched. In one strike she body slams on skeleton and clothesline another skeleton to either of her before summoning Clarent

I sensed rather than felt the threat behind me, even as Ritsuka cried out my name in alarm. Spinning around, my sword sliced through the neck of the skeleton that was about to stab me from behind. "You know," I said to the crumbling enemy, gritting my teeth, "I am getting sick and tired of this cliché. I mean, what's next, zombies?"

Another skeleton with a spear charged forward. Seeing Mash charging forward, I simply lop the tip of off the spear before Mash's shield collides with the center mass of the skeleton. Looking around, I see that the main group of skeletons have also been dispatched.

"Enemy group destroyed," Mash reported. I sheathed my sword before wiping the back of my hand against my forehead, clearing it of sweat. The sun was starting to set as Jeanne turned towards us.

"Seeing as it is starting to get late, I suggest that we should settle here," the Ruler asked. I shoot a questioning look at Ritsuka, wanting to get his opinion. He nodded back in response.

"I see no reason to disagree with the idea. I guess we can start introductions now, huh?" I asked, waiting for Jeanne to respond. When she nodded her head, the metal tassels of her head piece clinking softly, I continued speaking. "I am Jacob Aronson."

"My individual name is Mash Kyrielight," the Demi-Servant spoke next, gesturing towards Ritsuka. "This is Ritsuka Fujimaru, my Master." My fellow Master waved his hand, apparently still a little embarrassed over the whole mentioning of the Ruler's death and whatnot. A thoughtful expression appeared on Jeanne's face.

"Two Masters? So, there are Masters even in this Holy Grail War," she said. Mash shook her head though.

"No, it has nothing to do with the Holy Grail War. I am just a Demi-Servant," she explained, and Jeanne's expression morphed into one of confusion.

"Demi-Servant?"

"Not a true Heroic Spirit." Upon hearing this, the Maid of Orléans looked a bit skeptically at Mash. I turned to Mordred. Her words from earlier and the promise to explain had been weighing in the back of my mind. Now it seemed like the best time for her explanation.

"So, Mordred. You said that you know her?" I asked. My Servant nodded once.

"Yeah. The last time I was summoned, it was in a Great Holy Grail War, between two different factions. In other words, fourteen Servants were summoned. Ruler over here was summoned to serve as an unbiased arbiter of the war, to ensure that both sides were following the rules," Mordred explained. However. Jeanne looked at her in confusion.

"I apologize, but I have no idea about what you are talking about. I have no memories of ever meeting you. If it wasn't for your Master over there, I wouldn't even have known your name."

"Doesn't a Ruler have the True Name Discernment skill?" I asked, rubbing my chin in thought. Jeanne nodded her head in confirmation.

"As far as I understand, I have indeed been summoned as a Servant of the Ruler class. However, a majority of information about the Holy Grail War that should be provided is missing. That's not the only thing, either. My stats have been lowered as well. Not only have I lost the anti-Servant command Spells that I should have had, I am also unable to reveal the True Name of any Servant I encounter unless it is given to me freely." Her cheeks flushed as she looked away from me. "Luckily, this is my homeland where I was born and raised. If nothing else, I can still speak the language."

"So, do you have any idea why people are saying that you have turned into a 'Dragon Witch'?" I asked. Jeanne hesitated once again before answering.

"Having just materialized only a few hours ago, I am not sure about what's going on. With that in mind, it seems that there is another Jeanne d'Arc in this era. A Jeanne who has murdered King Charles, and decimated Orléans," the Servant said, clearly bothered by the idea.

"So, does that mean two of the same Servants have been summoned in have been summoned in the same era?" Mash asked.

"Doctor, are there any records about this happening or being possible?" I asked. After a minute, Doctor Roman replied.

"I've found nothing so far that addresses the idea. However, we don't have access to most of the Holy Grail War's records. That means there could be examples of such simultaneous summons having occurred. On a different note, we now know what the issue is with this era. With Charles VII dead, and Orléans apparently under occupation, this symbolizes the collapse of the French nation. In a few centuries from now, France was the first nation to declare human liberty and quality, an action that many other countries followed suit. A delay of at least a hundred years would stagnate civilization, possibly leaving the world stuck in the Middle Ages!" Doctor Roman said rapidly. Jeanne leapt backward, a startled expression on her face.

"I just heard a voice," she said in alarm, amethyst eyes wide. "Is this some form of magecraft?!? What in the world are you all-" Before she could continue, the acting director spoke up.

"Oh, that's right, I haven't introduced myself yet. Nice to meet you, Saint Jeanne d'Arc. My name is Romani Archaman. Everyone calls me Roman though. I do various support tasks for Chaldea.

"Chaldea?" I feel pity for the girl. Servant or not, she is being given a large amount of information that is adding to her earlier confusion over the loss or reduction of her various skills.

"Excuse me, Mademoiselle Jeanne," Mash, stop trying to use French, I beg you, "but it's our turn now."

"We're not from this era, but what you would consider the future, which is our present. In other words, we are time travelers. Our mission is to correct singularities in history such as this one," I explained before handing it over to Mash.

"Jacob Senpai is correct. We belong to an organization called Chaldea," Mash began to explain before spending the next forty-five minutes telling Jeanne about what had happened to us in the past week. By the time she's done, the sun had finished its descent while a crescent moon began to rise. However, Jeanne's confusion had been dealt with.

"…I see, I understand now," the Ruler-class Servant said. "To think that the world itself has been incinerated." The embarrassed expression she had earlier returns as she lowered her gaze awkwardly to her feet. "It seems my worries were so trivial."

"Jeanne?" I asked. The Servant looked up at me, a grim expression now present.

"I'm an incomplete Servant, and now even I cannot trust 'myself'! The Jeanne d'Arc that occupies Orléans…and not only that, but those flying dragons…"

"Seeing that neither dragons nor wyverns are supposed to be here, and that you are being called the 'Dragon Witch', do you think that this other you is the one responsible for their presence?" I asked. Jeanne nodded glumly.

"As much as I am loath to admit it, but the person controlling these creatures must be 'myself'. I don't know how though, especially since I never thought of such things when I was alive. Summoning a dragon is one of the highest forms of magcraft. To summon so many though…" she trailed off before Roman took over.

"It's an impossible feat for modern mages," he said. Ritsuka's eyes widened while my own narrowed.

"Unless one has a Holy Grail," I interjected. After all, this singularity was supposed to be caused by a Holy Grail, which has been described as an omnipotent device for granting wishes, such as gaining the ability to summon and command dragons and wyverns.

"Bingo! While the situation isn't exactly ideal, at least you guys now have an idea of where to look."

"In other words, we have to cross skeleton and wyvern-infested territory and defeat the forces at Orléans, hopefully finding the Grail and reclaiming it," I summed up, a cross-expression on my face. "Hey Mash, you wouldn't happen to have somehow brought a cannon or rocket launcher with you, would you?" I asked jokingly. The pink-haired girl shook her head, apparently thinking I was being serious before she turned to Jeanne.

"What about you, Mademoiselle Jeanne? What are you going to do now?" The Servant's eyes hardened, her facial features resolute.

"The objective is clear. I will head to Orléans, and once again take back the city. In order to do so, I must exterminate the Jeanne d'Arc who stands in my way," Jeanne said, no, declared, her tone unyielding. Mash stared at her in awe. "The Lord didn't show me the path, but I cannot, will not, turn my back on this." The Servant was certainly brave, no doubt about it.

"Even alone, you will fight," Mash said, awe-struck. "She's just like history said she was, Master." Ritsuka and I both nodded.

"Glad to see you're not throwing in the towel, Ruler," Mordred said, having remained silent behind me. "I never did get a chance to see you truly fight," she added, sounding a bit eagerly to me. The sentence gives me an idea, and I stepped closer.

"We have similar goals and missions," I said, extending a hand. "However, no one should have to fight alone. We would be honored to fight alongside you, if you will let us?" I offered. Jeanne looked at the hand in surprise, before a small smile crept across her lips.

"I cannot possibly thank you enough. Thank you, Jacob. I had thought that I would be in this fight all alone," she said, appearing relieved. I return the smile before it slips from my face as I look past her at a shadow approaching from the edge of the grove. It was charging towards us.

"Look out!" I cried out in warning as I tackled a startled Jeanne to the ground. If I had waited a second longer, the outstretched claws would have slammed into her back instead of Clarent's blade. I rolled to the side as the French Servant leapt back to her feet, twirling her flagstaff as a large, red wyvern hissed in anger as Mordred lops off its right foot.

Whatever reason behind the quasi-dragon to attack in an area where it would barely be able to hover was unknown. That it would be killed soon wasn't unknown, however, as Sasaki slashed its right wing into ribbons while Jeanne stabbed the breast of the dragon near the heart, slaying it instantly. The Servants and Mash circled around Ritsuka and I protectively, gazes swinging around the horizon when it could be seen for the next few minutes before they all slowly began to ease up.

"Well, that was a thing," Chulainn remarked breezily. Meanwhile, Sasaki shook his head before turning to me.

"Master, with your permission, I would like to take the first watch of the campsite." Medea responded with a bark of laughter.

"My, it seems that you really did enjoy being a guard despite your idle complaints last time," the Caster teased. The Assassin tensed his shoulders briefly, but otherwise did not respond to the taunt. As Mordred look disapprovingly at her, I nodded at my second Servant.

"Very well. Thank you for volunteering to go first, Sasaki," I said, learning a brief nod before the Japanese swordsman walked to the edge of the grove from which the wyvern had come charging in.

"Sorry about tackling you," I said to Jeanne, smiling a bit awkwardly and earning a snort of amusement from Mordred.

 "It's fine. I do feel ashamed though for saying that I would fight on my own earlier, however," Jeanne said, her cheeks burning red once more. "Thanks to you, I feel stronger than ever. Even if I'm up against myself, a witch, I have nothing to be afraid of now that I have you as allies." I frowned, however, noticing the bitterness in her tone at mentioning herself as a witch.

"You sure you're ok?" I asked, my arms crossed.

"I am fine," she insisted as Ritsuka and Mash shot their own questioning looks at the Maid of Orléans. "Needless to say, it does sadden me that those soldiers would mistake me for that other Jeanne. Alas, it can't be helped," she shrugged.

"You're taking this remarkably well," Mordred remarked, earning another shrug from the blonde French.

"It's only been a few days since I was burned at the stake. If a resurrected me caused a massacre at Orléans, then I can't blame me for being scared of me."

"Well, hopefully that'll change soon," Ritsuka said, and I nodded in agreement.

"So, what's the plan now?" Mordred asked lazily.

"I suggest that we break camp come morning, and head to the nearest village. We can ask around, see if they have see anyone unusual perhaps. Since Jeanne can't detect other Servants like a Ruler normally could, we'll have to do this the old-fashion way. Any complaints?"

"Nope."

"No."

"Nah."

"Then it's settled then," Ritsuka said before his stomach rumbled softly, an action repeated by Masha and myself. "Though, maybe we could do with some supper, seeing that we're not Servants and all." We all laughed at that, and soon started to set up a small camp, complete with a fire, but no tents. Thankfully, the sack contained three roll-up sleeping bags that were also used to protect the food, so we wouldn't have to sleep on the ground truly.

Dinner had been quiet but nice, considering the food we had on hand was dry and tasteless. The conversation though, that had been more enjoyable. We had asked questions about Jeanne and her childhood. After all, it wasn't like one could ask such an iconic historical figure to share stories about growing up. Even Mordred had joined in, much to my amusement.

However, there was a question that I needed to ask Doctor Roman. I got up, stretching my back. "I got to go take a leak," I said, a half-truth. After moving away some, out of hearing range unless I shouted, I quickly relieved my bladder and then used the small packet of hand sanitizer I had grabbed to clean my hands. I moved a little closer to the camp before pausing.

Seeing that I was alone, I turned on my commlink. "Hey, you still there, Doc?"

"Of course. What's up?"

"Roman, about what Jeanne had said that she was weaker than she should be…do you have any idea why that could be?" I asked softly, standing away from the others.

"Based on what we know, perhaps it is because she was summoned after another 'Jeanne d'Arc' had been summoned. However, I can't say for certain if that is the case," Doctor Roman finally replied, having apparently been in a discussion over this with Da Vinci.

"An idea is better than having nothing, even if it is only a theoretical one," I remarked. "Thank you, Doctor. Have a good rest of the night. We'll contact you in the morning once we are awake and ready to move out," I added, my eyes focused on the campfire.

"Good night, Jacob. Stay safe," Roman replied, and I grunted in acknowledgement as I turned off my commlink, crossing my arms in thought as I rocked back and forth briefly on my heels, humming softly.

Well, so much for this being a simple mission. And yet, it doesn't feel like an impossible one. Especially considering the progress that we had made in a single day. Saving a band of soldiers, finding out a possible identity of the enemy we will have to face, as well as the location to find both them and the Grail. And finally, meeting and forming a temporary contract with Jeanne d'Arc.

I stop rocking and instead switched to leaning against a tree while I watched Jeanne, Ritsuka, Mash, and occasionally Mordred exchange stories and occasional laughter. Despite the situation, or perhaps because of it, the sight warms my heart. My group of friends.

Ritsuka, a guy who many might describe as being average, but with an open and trusting heart. And yet, even if he didn't realize it yet, I suspected that there was strength inside him, waiting for its chance. Despite his occasional mistakes or gaffs, I am proud to know and work alongside him to solve all seven of these singularities to save our families and the future of the world.

Mash, the shy, polite, and equally kind-hearted junior of our group. A kouhai, I believe Ritsuka called her once or twice. The two seemed to work well together, even though they had known each other for only a short time. However, there seemed to be a hidden sadness whenever she smiled, adding to the suspicion that there was something else about her that she hadn't shared. Just as I had chosen when we had our first group dinner, however, I wouldn't press the topic.

Mordred, loud, brash, boastful, and reliable. For someone many would lambast as the icon of treachery, only when she mentioned her father did I see that part of her. I had told her shortly after summoning her that titles shouldn't define a person, and that I trusted her. In the time, short though it may be for now, that we spent together, that act of blind trust seems to have been validated. Mordred would forever be my first Servant, as Mash is Ritsuka's.

Maybe it was me being idealistic, but it seemed that the bond between Mordred and I was slowly starting to grow. Not in a measurable way, not let, but she was slowly easing up her reactions whenever I accidently referred to her true gender. She still glared at me, but there hadn't been threats of harm like the first time. Honestly, I found myself enjoying her company, even when she acted like a child every now and then.

Together, the three of them helped reinforce my determination to fight back.

"Oi, Master! Stop acting all dark and broody and get your ass over here!" I shook my head with a smile, pushing myself forward.

"Ok Mordred," I said, sitting down to enjoy the next few hours before it came time to sleep.

Notes:

Ok, so just to note, Jeanne is not going to become the main romance for this story for Jacob. Ritsuka and Jacob are eventually going to end up with Mash and Mordred, respectively. That said, I do have plans for Jeanne along with a few other Servants who have not been introduced yet, so we will be seeing her a fair bit most likely. That being said, did you enjoy the little fluff section at the end, where Jacob reflected on Mash, Ritz, and Mordred?

Also another note: I am not going to sideline Ritsuka in the story. Next singularity I plan on letting him take the lead role. More on that late ron in the story.

As for college. I might be slowed down to posting a chapter every two weeks instead of the more recent a chapter a week. This is going to be a major source of coping for me while I live on campus for the next few months while hoping to not get Covid-19. Wish me a safe semester.

Now, for the fun stuff! Two questions: The first is for those who have played Fate/Grand Order: Which is your favorite singularity and why?

For general audiences: Aside from the orginal form, which one of the various Artoria getups do you enjoy the most? (Including Alters and the Herione X stuff)

Anyways, hope y'all enjoyed the chapter, looking forward to any and all feedback, and I'll see you all next chapter!

Chapter Text

Cold. Everything was cold. It was snowing. Outside of a small castle-like structure, two figures were walking away from the warmth of the building. Straining my eyes in the dark, I quickly realize that it was Mordred, clothed in the same outfit that I had seen before, though without a hood, revealing her wild mess of blonde hair hanging down her back. She kept her arms crossed, hunched forward as she shivered. "Mother, what are we doing out here?" She asked the other figure, who I had by now recognized as Morgan le Fay. The elder half-sister of King Arthur appeared unbothered by the cold, nor did she look back at her daughter.

"I told you when we returned that your training would intensify. Tonight, you will learn how to deal with the cold. Guileless child, either you will survive and grow stronger, or die a failure." The way she spoke about that indicated that if Mordred died, it would be little more than an inconvenience to Morgan's schemes.

Young Mordred stared at her mother with wide eyes, either in shock, or disbelief, emotions I myself was experiencing.

"Mother?"

Instead of responding, Mordred's mother turned around while waving her hand. Shaking her head, the future Knight of Treachery and Rebellion tried to follow, perhaps thinking she was just jesting about her child being left in the cold without winter clothing.

The invisible field that Morgan must have just casted with that flick of her wrist shattered that hope.

Mother…" Mordred groaned as she pushed herself up off of the snow, her small body shaking. Morgan continued walking, showing not a single gesture of remorse for her actions.

"Remember, my child, that the enemy you must kill will be without mercy. Therefore, you must harden yourself both outside, and within. One way or the other, I shall see you in the morning."

Mordred threw herself forward a few more times, crying out as Morgan returned to the warmth of their shelter. I swore that I could see the glint of tears starting to form in her eyes as the snow continued to fall without pity or kindness…

I bolted upright, shivering slightly despite the rather warm temperature. I could still feel the cold. I force myself to breath as I looked upwards. Instead of grey and lifeless clouds leaking snow, the night sky gleamed and glinted overhead as hundreds of stars danced before my eyes.

"Everything alright, Master?" I turned my body slightly to see Mordred looking at me while leaning against a tree, out of her armor. It appears that it was Mordred's turn to watch over the camp. Despite the posture she has that would seem to scream idleness and boredom, her green eyes shone with attentiveness, some of which was now boring into me.

"Ah, just some bad dreams," I said, deciding to tell only part of the truth. As much progress that I have been making with bonding with Mordred, I still had a feeling that it wasn't a good time to start pushing her about the things I had seen so far of her past. "Probably stress-induced, ya know? How has the night been?"

Mordred merely grunted in response, and a moment of silence feel between us. I gazed at her, my mind awhirl with thoughts, mainly regarding the dream I just awoke from. Apparently, Morgan le Fay had considered her own flesh and blood as disposable.

"Something behind me?" Mordred asked with an arched eyebrow, causing me to cough and look away. Thankfully she didn't add further comment.

"Well, I should try to get some more sleep. Good night, Mordred."

"Night Master."

Mordred looked at the now-sleeping form of her Master, her lips curled in a small frown. She didn't doubt that Jacob had experienced some unpleasant dreams, but she noticed how her Master had looked at her. It wasn't pity, but rather, sympathy.

She wondered what he had seen. Back in Trifas, she had noticed how her last Master had woken up with a troubled expression on his face. He had never asked about her past beyond what she had told him in that graveyard the night she was summoned, but it was clearly troubling to him.

Kairi Shishigou. A bittersweet smirk replaced the frown as the Knight of Rebellion thought about the scared necromancer that had been her Master. The outfit she had chosen and left back at Chaldea had been in part to remember the clothes Kairi had bought for her at the start of the Greater Holy Grail War. The other reason, though, was because they had been really comfortable for her. Why change what worked for her last time?

Her two Masters were similar in some ways. Both preferred to be involved in fighting, and neither had treated her as merely a tool. So far, Jacob had shown the same willingness to listen and take into consideration her advice and feelings that Kairi had after meeting Assassin of Red. They also treated her as an equal, though in different ways. The necromancer seemed to, at times, view Mordred almost like a daughter. Jacob seemed to prefer the idea of friendship.

Mordred shook her head, snorting in amusement. It had been a real shock to hear that her current Master was willing to blindly trust the infamous Knight of Treason, and yet he hadn't betrayed his reasons. It seems that the two really were crazy. If Jacob truly was like her last Master in any way, the future would certainly be as interesting as the Greater Holy Grail War had been, even though she had chosen to fade after Kairi died.

This time though, she had no intention of letting her Master die, not as long as she lived.

When I awoke for the second time, the sun had already risen. My nose twitched slightly at the scent of food, and I pushed myself into an upright sitting position. Mash and Ritsuka were already up, and crouched around the fire, warming up some more of the rations we had been given.

"Good morning, Jacob Senpai," Mash greeted me, and I returned the gesture, standing up and walking over.

"Didn't sleep well?" Ritsuka asked, slightly concerned. I grunted in acknowledgement while I stretched my back before speaking.

"Just a bad dream. What about you guys? Enjoying camping?" Mash nodded while her Master shrugged.

"Oh, yes. I had never slept outside of Chaldea before, so it was a very exciting experience, especially to get to see the stars shining so brightly!" Mash exclaimed with near child-like wonder. I feel myself grinning instinctively at the sight before turning to Ritsuka, who shrugged again.

"It was ok. It will be good though to get a move on. Here, we made you some food," my friend said, handing over a small, disposable try. While the food itself seemed rather bland, the fact that it had been warmed up was the cause of the smell. I began to eat as the other Servants all began to make their way over to us.

"Mademoiselle Jeanne, what's the plan for today?" Mash asked the Ruler.

"Once Jacob finishes eating, we should break camp and start moving. First, we'll cut through this forest, in the direction towards Orléans. As we discussed yesterday, it will be difficult to approach the city directly. Therefore, we should try to see if we can discover any information from the surrounding settlements. The nearest one is La Charité. If no one disagrees, I suggest we go there first," Jeanne offered. I looked first at Ritsuka and Mash, then towards Mordred and the others. Seeing expression indicating either indifference or agreement, I nodded toward the Ruler.

"That sounds like a good plan. Just give me a few minutes to eat, and then we can move out."

The next few hours were spent marching through the French countryside in relative silence. Jeanne was leading us, Ritsuka, Mash, and I following right behind her. Mordred and Chulainn were close behind, while Sasaki and Medea brought up the rear.

As it was approaching noon, and the sky above us being clear of clouds, we moved cautiously, prepared to defend against any wyverns that might try to swoop down upon our group. Finally, we paused, with Jeanne turning toward us.

"We're almost at La Charité. If we can't get any information here about Orléans, we'll have to move closer. That is something I would prefer to avoid as much as possible given our current situation. I will not engage in combat with so many uncertainties about what we face and if we could get any support from the French army," Jeanne explained.

"Logical," I grunted.

"You're really calm," Ritsuka remarked in mild awe. Jeanne frowned, shaking her head slightly.

"No, to be honest, I am panicking inside. No matter how one looks at it, the other 'me' cannot be in her right mind. What that monster will do by controlling the people…" Jeanne paused, shaking her head again. "It's easy to imagine. Overwhelming power and hatred can easily destroy a person, no matter how noble they are." For a few minutes, no one commented on that statement. I gazed ahead at the horizon, chewing on the inside of my cheek lightly in thought, idly noting the dark cloud that had just appeared.

I blinked as I processed that last part. I narrowed my eyes, focusing on the cloud. It's dark, almost black. At the same time, a breeze blew past us, carrying a somewhat familiar scent. The smell of burnt wood. That's not a rain cloud.

"Something's wrong. We got to move," I said briskly. I hadn't noticed it at first, but the 'cloud' was hovering in the direction of the town. "Look," I added, pointing at the plume of black smoke.

"Be careful guys!" Roman's voice broke over the commlink. "We just detected a Servant just ahead of your current path. It appears to be in the town you guys are headed to."

"Any idea if they are friendly?" I barked, my senses at high alert as an all-too-familiar gut feeling formed.

"No idea. Crap…it appears to be moving away from the town," Roman said, falling silent for a few seconds before letting out a frustrated curse. "We've lost the signal. It's moved out of range. We'll keep scanning for it or any other Servants, but be careful!" Doctor Roman advised.

"Understood," I said curtly before I began jogging forward, Mordred and the others close on my heels.

'Please, let there be someone to save,' I thought desperately.

It took us another fifteen minutes before we arrived at La Charité. The smell of fire had grown stronger the closer we got, the acrid burn of smoke filling my nose.

"Oh no…" Jeanne whispered in horror as she gazed at the devastation. If memory served me right, she had led the army that had retaken the town from the occupying English forces only two years ago from the current date. Now, it looked like it had been in vain.

Bodies littered the street, men, women, and children. Some were burnt, while others had been cut or mangled. The metallic scent of blood soon joined the smoke, and I saw Ritsuka recoil in horror.

"Spread out! Search for survivors!" I said, shaking off the shock and horror. I pushed forward, gripping my hilt as I moved to the nearest house. I pressed my weight against the door, seeing if I could open it, to no avail. It appeared to be either blocked, or jammed shut due to whatever had happened here. Taking a few steps back, I activated my Magic Circuits and flooded my leg with prana to reinforce it before kicking forward. I repeat the action two more times. On the third attempt, the door groaned as it fell forward. I drew my sword as I pushed inside.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" I called out. The scent of death struck hard, and my heart plummeted at seeing the mangled remains of three bodies. The father, with a kitchen knife, had apparently attempted to defend his wife and infant daughter. The trio of remains had been slashed and hacked, and I looked away.

I fight to keep the contents of my stomach down as I backed away. Looking back, I see a pale Ritsuka stumbling out of another house, leaning against Mash in support. It seems to have been a slaughter. Mordred was scowling, her eyes chips of cold emerald as she surveyed the area. Medea's slight smirk was replaced with pursed lips, while even the unexpressive Sasaki looked troubled.

It felt like the bombing of Chaldea all over again, only this time, we could help no one. "Doctor Roman," I said sadly, activating my commlink. "Are you getting any readings of life other than us?" I asked desperately.

"Aside from you guys, there is nothing left alive, be it humans or animals," Roman reported in a mournful tone.

"Damn it!" I snarled, while Mash muttered something that I couldn't hear to Ritsuka in shock. "It's no use-" I was cut off by the sound of metal rustling. We all went still, on guard. The noise appeared to have come from somewhere ahead of us, towards the center of town. However, we couldn't see much in that direction due to the smoke.

Something wasn't right…

"Jacob, duck!" Ritsuka suddenly shouted out, appearing to be making a finger gun towards me. I ducked down and hurled myself to the side as my fellow Master fired a single shot of Gandr. Looking at the spot I had just been standing in, I see the body of a French soldier falling backwards. Eyes narrowed, I push myself up off the ground, drawing my sword as Mordred and the others summoned their weapons.

"Thanks for the save, Ritsuka," I said, eyeing him from the corner of my eye for a brief moment. The Japanese youth had a queasy look on his face as he lowered a trembling hand. If memory serves me right, this is the first time he took down an enemy. The fact that it was apparently a person didn't help, no doubt.

However, there was no time to offer words of comfort or anything else that could be helpful, as the sound of shuffling feet filled the air, getting louder and louder. I activated my commlink again.

"Roman, I thought you said that you weren't getting any lifeform readings?!?"

"I didn't! Still only getting readings from you guys only!

I cursed under my breath as a certain dismissive comment I had made the other day came to mind just as more figures appeared from the smoke.

"No…" Jeanne gasped in a mixture of shock, horror, and anger. "It can't be!"

"Whoever is responsible must have also turned them into the living undead! Master, I will scatter them," Mash said to Ritsuka, moving forward as Sasaki hurried over towards us, taking up a defensive stance before the Masters of Chaldea.

"Those bastards," Mordred snarled in disapproval before her helmet slammed back into place. She hurled herself forward, impaling a zombie on Clarent before swinging to the side, dragging her blade out of the side of the undead foe and then bisecting the next two walking corpses in a single stroke.

Medea raised her hand, and a dozen dragon-tooth skeletons arouse from the ground, silently charging into another cluster of zombies. While her familiars engaged in a brawl of the undead and unliving, she point her staff at yet another cluster of zombies, chanting briefly in ancient Greek before a column of fire erupted from the ground beneath their feet, incinerating the entire group in a single strike.

Chulainn became a blur once again, the Lancer thrusting and stabbing with Gàe Bolg effortlessly, though not engaging his Noble Phantasm against shambling corpses.

Jeanne twirled her flagstaff like a baton, using both ends of the rod as weapons. One moment she swept a zombie off of their feet, the next driving the spear tip into the head before the zombie could get back up and attempt to continue its assault.

Mash charged forward, using her shield to both block and unbalance any zombies that tried to attack her, staying close to both Jeanne and Mordred. The fighting continued for what felt like hours, but in all honesty was probably only a few minutes. Towards the end of the fighting, some wyverns joined in, but Chulainn dealt with them quickly with his cursed red spear.

Jeanne remained crouched as Chulainn impaled the last of the trio of wyverns that had joined the fight. The blonde Servant was panting slightly, sweat drenching her hair. Mordred flicked Clarent to the side, flinging away the blood sticking to the metal. Her helmet remained over her features, undoubtedly scowling at what had just happened.

"That's the last of the wyverns," Mash reported, adjusting her own posture. "No sign of there being any other enemies nearby. The battle is over." There were no cheers or words of acknowledgment. "Jeanne?" Mash asked in concern, noticing how the Ruler was bothered, and not just in a physical sense from fighting.

Jeanne slowly straightened her back, forcing herself to take a more neutral stance before speaking. "It was most likely 'me' who was behind this," she said bitterly. I stepped forward.

"We can't be sure of that yet," I began to say before the Maid of Orléans swung herself around, looking directly at me with hardened features.

"No, I can tell it was, Master. I am sure of it." She said, the bitterness growing. "There's one thing I don't understand though. How much do you have to hate others to wreak such havoc?" She gestured at the burning buildings and scattered bodies before she continued speaking. "I can't understand it."

I was trying to think of something, anything to say to comfort my temporary Servant when my commlink began beeping rapidly and urgently. I activated it as Roman called out.

"Servant signatures had just appeared! They're headed your way, and are coming in the direction the previous signature was going when we lost track of it. They must have sensed you guys were here," the acting-director explained rapidly and in an urgent tone.

"How many?" Mash asked as Mordred growled. Doctor Roman made a choking sound of disbelief and shock.

Well, that wasn't a bad sign now, was it?

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me!" Roman groaned. "There are five! They're moving fast, too…are they Riders or something? You've got to get out of there!" Roman urged us. Knowing that we had four Servants operating at full capacity as well as Mash and Jeanne only highlighted how bad the readings Roman was getting were.

"But," Mash began before Roman cut her off.

"We might be able to face them if we knew who they were, but right now they are probably fresh and you all just finished fighting off wyverns and what seemed to have been half of the town. It's stupid to fight an opponent that's possibly stronger than you, is there? Retreat like any sane person would! It says so in the Thirty-Six Strategies of War!"

Jeanne planted the butt of her staff into the ground, a determined expression on her face. "No. I won't run. I must at least find out what their true intentions are!" Jeanne declared.

"But Jeanne," Mash protested as most of our party readied themselves for whatever was decided next.

"It's no use, we won't make it! Mash, Ritsuka, Jacob, just take your Servants and run, got it?"

I looked at the French Servant who was resigned to dying if that was what would happen next, and bit back a curse. "No."

"What?!?"

"Jacob Senpai?" Roman and Mash roared and asked respectively at once.

"I said no. If they are moving in as fast as you say they are, Roman, then running would only further tire us until they do catch up. Besides that, I'm not leaving anyone to die. This town has seen that happen too much today. Mordred, Sasaki, prepare to fight!

"I haven't run from a fight yet, and I'll be damned if I start now. Let's give them hell!" Mordred snarled under her helmet, taking up position to the right of Jeanne. Sasaki merely sighed softly with his eyes closed, before opening them.

"Nor while any pass me whilst I stand," the Assassin said in his near-monotone manner as he took up his position on the other side of the wide-eyed Ruler.

"Master…" Jeanne started to say before I raised my hand.

"Remember, you're not fighting alone. Besides, Mordred would harass me over this if I just left this fight," I added, looking dryly at my first Servant. She merely shrugged without a shred of apology or denial, causing me to snort in amusement. Jeanne however shot me a small and beautiful smile before looking back forward.

"We're staying too then," Ritsuka said, standing next to me as Mash and his other Servants formed up behind mine. I grinned and nodded to my friend.

For a few minutes, we saw or heard nothing. Then, the sound of several sets of footsteps, walking calmly and at an even pace, until we saw them emerging from the smoke.

The five Servants appeared before us, though my focus, along with that of the others, was drawn to the lead Servant. Her armor was blackened, as was her clothing. Her skin was pale, almost ashen. Her hair was a pale blonde that bordered on the edge of being white in color, and was cut short. She carried a banner that bored aloft a stylized dragon emblem. Her yellow eyes blazed at hatred as she stared at Jeanne, who stared back at the Servant that looked like her.

Notes:

And now we have the scene set for the Saint Sisters first interactions! Time for tea, cookies, and talking about boys *Mordred appears and whispers in ear* Well, apparently that's not the case.

Anyway, in all seriousness, I felt inspired to do this scene at a rapid pace because aside form a view extra things, it was mainly a transitional chapter to set up the Servant duels at La Charité and all that other stuff, so I hope you enjoyed! Especially hope you like Mordred's perspective. Planning on doing it from the third person a bit more often in this story.