Chapter XVIII-1

Please enjoy this chapter and looking forward to the comments.

If there is any questions, please do so. I will answer if I can.

-

One week later...

A mundane lifestyle was something that Elaine never expect to having it once again. After all these confliction she experience in her life and now taking her turn to cook for this evening.

It's quite soothing, really. Elaine remembers the good old day with her adoptive family when she picked up the kitchen knife for the first time and Galahad instructed her a recipe with a handicap that he took control back and forth, to taught her how to handle the knife.

A cherish memory that she will not forget as she swears as long, her sense of self will not vanish into existens.

"Miss? When is dinner ready?"

She crooked her head slightly, to see whose voice came from behind and saw the head of child who shyly peaked out from the door frame.

"Ah. The dinner will be done in half an hour."

It appeared to be a girl who lived here in this house that Artoria and the twins found her along with three children at the seashore as they explained Elaine where they found them. It seems the children lived here on that island long before the three heroic spirit drifted here in this caged place.

Their appearance might be like a human being, however looks can be deceived as Elaine sense something in her that isn't seemed to be human unlike the other three kids.

The pale girl with eyes so red like blood acting to be shy but in reality she is quite smart for her supposed age, her name is Femirins.

She usually appears to be lively and cheerful around, easy to befriend with her when Elaine met Femirins.

Well, it's for the best for Elaine, not to think to much right now. She hasn't forgotten that one scenario from last week that Dainsleif called Castor with a different name out of confusion.

Flashback

As the twilight sword invited himself into this house as he finishes his investigation of this strange island, out of Artoria's dismay.

Honestly, the nameless king still dislike him from the way he acts to be a forgetful person and right now ignores his surrounding as his attention lies on Elaine.

Heck! Just as Artoria quickly glanced towards the twins and just as she expected, Castor popped out a vein on his forehead and his sister tried to calm him down. She heavily sighed and saw that Elaine was perplexed at her travel companion who was acting like in a hurry that he forgot his manner before entering the house.

"Dainslíf?" Her voice sounded in a way that he understand her unspoken assignment and turned around towards them with his head are bowed slightly.

"I apologize that I came in without your premission. I was in a rush to inform Elaine from what I discover of this place and all that." He said.

Artoria couldn't help but sighed once once more and eyed at him with a deadpanned expression on her face while she still keeping the angry blond cygnet in bay (AKA Castor).

There is a reason why she calling him in her mind, as she had the time for a mock battle against Pollux, she couldn't helped but asked how she and her brother were born. Artoria regretted it when she asked Pollux as the twin sister explained how they where born from an egg along with their other twin siblings Helen and Clytemnestra instead how normal humans were natural born from the womb of their mothers thanks to their father, Zeus. (Greek mythology is legit fucked up considered how many woman Zeus slept with them and took any animal forms to hide his affaire from his wife which makes my head ache)

Just as the moment of time move fast like the soundless wind that carries the future, Dainslíf lifted his head and noticed two persons who standing besides Artoria.

He knitted eyes slightly as he saw the twins perplexed, no one noticed since he has a stoic face that everyone couldn't even tell what he's thinking.

"Aether?" Dainslíf called a name that no one recognized it but to the Dioscuri were alerted as the name was a name of a primordial god of their pantheon and also a element of the five Great Elements from the modern magus community known as Void/Ether.

Nevermind the information, Castor has lost his patient as soon as this wretched human acknowledged him and his twin without importance.

Not even Pollux was able to stop him as she knows If she interfere, his temper will be worsend as it is now. It's the best to vent his anger out, even it's an unfortunate bystander.

Castor aggressively breathed his air out as he walk towards Dainslíf who instinctly knew he did something wrong that he angered a star from outside of his world. Dainslíf immediately prepared for the worst and grabbed his sword from his void pocket, however Castor was way faster than him to act out his action and punched real hard in his gut.

Elaine wasn't sure it was really okay to stepped in to this situation, but as soon Artoria calmly grabbed her right shoulder with deadpanned expression on her face.

"Alright, Stop right there." Her voice was monotounus for everyone to hear, she moved her hand towards the open door which she pointed to Castor with her other hand who glared at her viciously.

"Do it outside. I don't want this house become to be Ramshackle again." The Nameless King commented calmly then turned her back on them and sighed.

"Artoria, shouldn't we stop this?" Elaine desperately asked her which Artoria shakes her head along with Pollux who agree with her.

"No, we shouldn't. Castor is rather a difficult person as he is now, usually he is cool-headed and calm but when it comes to like in this situation. We cannot stop his vengeance towards humans who ticked off his head. And also, isn't it your companion's fault that he caused this? Then he should be responsible for his action."

The gray-haired girl slowly backed away, "Is that so?" A pang of guilt comes in her mind as it would be natural for her to feel this way. After all, she was the one who brought him to a place like this due her curiosity.

Pollux widen her eyes a bit when she noticed her discomfort and approaches her with a calming smile, she grasped her hands together to ensure her that everything was fine.

"Elaine, wasn't it? I don't think you should be in such sort of pain right now. Such state of thing can be happen and I make sure that my big brother doesn't take him to far to disable him for a fragile man he is."

Elaine wasn't sure yet seeing the intense gaze from Pollux that reminded her herself with such a gaze when she looked up to the night sky with countless stars and couldn't helped but admire Pollux's eyes.

Her head nodded slowly when she trusted the divine spirit who came from the night sky.

Pollux's face brighten in approval and was over the stars. "Then I am glad that I help you out from your small brink of somber. As is my duty as a god of guidance to do so along with my big brother, Castor who shares the titles with me."

Flashback end

-

Ah. That event was truly a moment she couldn't forget. Elaine hoped not to forget everything of what she experienced in her life and the people she had met in her long journey that has no destination yet.

'To lose your memories means to lose your identity of one's self and makes you a stranger of yourself.' A quote she quoted herself in her mind. It doesn't mean that it sounds a bad thing to Elaine. To her, it means a new start and closing off an old life that is foreign to her even her scramble memory. It's more important to look ahead to the distant future.

It also makes her think, when Elaine was thinking about Dainslíf.

He didn't reveal that much of what happen to his homeland as he told her when they are alone, since this place shrouded in mystery that Celestia didn't know this place, also his relationship between him and Dr. Romani AKA Solomon.

His summon was more likely an accident as the court of mages in his homeland tapped a bit of this power from beyond and is stuck in this world as it doesn't have a safety access to return where he came from.

Though there some question that lingers his mind why Romani looks the same as he is now. Elaine has the gist why as she still has some access of Galahad's memory of his time where he met Solomon during the search of the holy grail. Apparently, his god asked Solomon what he wishes for and the king asked for wisdom which god granted him along with 'true omnipotence' that are shaped in ten rings.

When she asked about the strange island,

Dainslíf has some speculation what this Island could be as he saw the strange tree roots that causing to crack the sky like a fragile glass that shatters to the ground. Truly, this world is mysterious and beautiful at the same time.

"Excuse me miss? Are you daydreaming?"

A question from Femirins snapped her long thoughts and stopped from working the dishes Elaine made for todays dinner.

The blond haired girl standing besides her with a small grin on her face which Elaine turned her head to her side then turned back to do her kitchen duty.

"Well, I was deep in my thought." She answered Femirins while stirring the chowder in the pot. Barbatos Ratatouille is a famous and common dish back in Mondstadt and it is simple to make that it needs only few ingredient for it, also the adventureres loved it when they make it outside, very far from the monsters to ensure to not attract it by the foods smell. The hot-pipping chowder also gives the sense of quick filling thanks to the potatoes in them and gives them the energy to survive the next day.

"Then that long thinking of yours is very long that you forget you surroundings." Femirins widen her big red eyes in astonish and her shake her head. "Well, you humans are complicated beings that are moved by their emotion and action. A reason why I like them so much as they are my creators who I love them."

Elaine blinked. "Then you are an artificial being made by man?" She question Femirins who only giggled in respond.

"It must be surprised for you to hear this but infact, I shouldn't have a real body like this one after all, back in my world where I came from, humans developed technology that are highly advanced compare to this world and I was created for a very purpose to protect humanity's Future out of 0.0001%."

Her eyes widen in shock. Elaine knows that this girl speaks the truth due from her eyes that are now distance. She doesn't know how to confront her even so, a question plagues in her mind.

"Do you love humanity?"

Femirins only smiled gently. "Yes, I love my creators very much, always. So much, that I even didn't gave up on them as they giving up to the unstoppable apocalypse. It's my way protect them even in this world are humans that I want to protect with my own free will as long as I live."

These words gave Elaine a lot to think about it.

Will it become someday that she to protect humanity as well when there's danger approaching them? From the state she is now even being a demi-servant, there's no way but gather more power to protect everyone that are dear to her without any failure.

Again, unknown to Elaine. Her eyes shines in many colors that are hard to count even by Femirins.

And the golden entity who is hiding in this space rift is also reacted by this wave of phenomenon who is caused by the human girl who is selected by himself that she will handle his mantle of his power that she seeks to overcome.

-

"This is the last day of this Island to them at least." Said Castor with his arms crossed and observed the ship that they built then huffed in approval. "Mmph, this ship is nice but nothing to compare it to Argo."

While his twin sister, Pollux hummed in happiness. "When I thinking about it, what do you think of what the others doing now? You know, our crew who we set out journey together with them."

"Who knows." He sighed and turned his head towards Femirins. "Then let you do the rest. The weather is good to sail safely to the Mainland."

The blonde haired girl put her hand to her chest in confident. "Leave it to me!"

The demigod huffed and ruffled her hair into a mess. "Don't be so confident, human! Act like it when you made it there and kick some butts, is that clear?"

It only made Femirins giggled.

Meanwhile Elaine, Dainslíf and Artoria watched them at the distance.

"Why is it that you don't go with them?" Elaine asked Artoria.

The blond haired fae only lightly raised her head and then turned away. "Isn't that obvious? This isn't our home. We, the heroic spirits already left our marks in our history in our world. Let the kids find their home on their own but not in this place."

Artoria waved her hand in goodbye as the kids finally leaving this place that aren't fit for them to survive and Femirins surely looks after them.

Now as the ship disappeared in the distant horizon, Castor and Pollux suddenly appeared in fastest approach that the twilight sword catched off his guard.

The trio began walk where Dainslíf investigated before.

"Where are you three going?" The former knight asked firmly and was ready to do in force if they don't give an answer when his hand covered in some sort of a mist with stars.

Artoria stopped for a moment while the Dioscuri didn't as they going further.

She glancing them in their way. "Well, to the one who brought us to this place, a god who came outside this world. If you also willing to help us out of free will then do as you please."