Chapter 18: Devotion (I)

When she opened her eyes, she found herself in an unfamiliar room; strange machinery occupied most of it. Towards her feet, a magic circle was drawn, and in front of her, two people were standing.

A man and a woman. She didn't recognize the woman, but she did have an idea of who the man was.

She didn't hesitate for a second, and bowed to him.

"Servant Assassin at your disposal, Master." She proclaimed, with a dull tone. "I will offer you my body, my heart…my everything to your will."

She did mean those words; she wanted nothing more than to serve her Master as that was the only objective of her worthless life. A life which was only useful to take other's life, a body whose only purpose was to kill.

That was the Hassan of Serenity and it will always be.

"Eh…okay?"

Or that's what she expected, what she did not expect was such response.

Stunned, she raised her head to see her Master more clearly. The boy and the girl were wearing an awkward smile, as if they were embarrassed.

"I-It's alright; you don't have to go that far." He moved his hands in denial. "Fighting alongside me is enough!"

Meanwhile, the girl approached her.

"You must be one of Hassans, right?" Asked the girl, Serenity just then realized that it was a Servant too. "May I ask your name?"

"I am…the Hassan of Serenity."

"Nice to meet you, I am Mashu Kyrielight" She made and small reverence. "And this is our master, Fujimaru Ritsuka."

"But most people call me Gudao." He added. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Serenity-san. I'll be counting on you from now on."

A cheerful, confident smile appeared on his face, one that Serenity doesn't remember seeing before.

"Let's do our best to save humanity!"

*Scene Break*

"I found you…I finally found you, Master." She repeated as if she herself didn't believe it.

"You did." I whispered, as I stroked her head. I had so many questions about her sudden appearance, but I didn't dare to ask anything. "Good work, Serenity."

She held me tightly and I did the same.

I felt her, the Servant known as Hassan of Serenity, her chest touching mine as I feel her breathing, the force of her hands on my back, her cold skin colliding with the warm of my own body.

In that embrace, our bodies felt like one.

How long has it been since I could be with someone like this? How long has it been since I let someone get so close? I had forgotten about this feeling, this sense of peace.

Time passed, and I couldn't recall how much we remained like that. All I knew is that I wanted to continue being with her.

I wanted to remain like that, and forget about everything else, forget about what happened in Babylonia, forget about Kingu, forget about all those questions that still lingered in my mind.

Just the two of us, being this close, was enough.

"Serenity…."

Alas, that wasn't possible.

"Let's go back Master… let's go back to Chaldea."

It was truly impossible.

I stopped my embrace and broke the hug, finally putting some distance between us. The moment I did that, I felt like I lost something, like I was abandoning a part of myself.

"Serenity, how much do you know about the current situation?" I didn't answer, and instead, began asking the question I was trying to avoid.

She lowered her gaze.

"I was there when you talked with the Founder. I heard everything, about the temple…and the voice…"

So she knows.

"I see…so you too think I am crazy?"

"No! Master, I can't possibly…!" She met my eyes again, desperately trying to deny it.

"It's fine, Serenity. I don't blame you if you think so. There was a time when even I wasn't sure." I recognized, trying to reassure her. "But now I know: the voice in my head was real."

"But the Founder…"

"King Hassan must be mistaken. I can assure you that I meet the owner of the voice, in fact, the attack to Uruk was his doing."

She stayed silent so I continued.

"His identity is Kingu, the one who occupied Enkidu's body during the 7th singularity. And he isn't just messing around with my head; his real objective is to bring Tiamat, Beast II, back to life."

"What!?"

"This is a real threat Serenity, I have to ki- stop that monster."

"But then…" Serenity was reasonably confused, as I had just told her something unbelievable. "If a Beast is involved, then there are more reasons to come back, we have to gather everyone and face him!"

Yes, what she says makes sense, but…

"I can't go back, Serenity."

"Eh…? Why…why are you saying that?"

This time it was me who averted my eyes. How could I tell her? How could I say that I don't fully trust Da Vinci and Roman anymore? How could I say that I may not be human anymore?

She must have noticed my silence, because she spoke up.

"My lord...I don't presume to understand what you suffered, your doubts… your fears… But you don't have to keep carrying that weight by yourself! I…we are here for you, Master, so please… please stop trying to distance yourself from us!"

…

"Would you say the same if I weren't me?"

"Eh?"

I said it; there is no turning back now.

"If I were to become something different, a different Master, a different person…" I breathe deeply. "Or even a different being, will you still remain by my side, Serenity?"

She looked confused at first, but her expression changed immediately.

She prostrated in front of me and lowered her head.

"Master, when you summoned me, I told you that I would offer my everything to you, my strength, my body, and even my heart. But now…" She raised her head and looked directly at my eyes. "Now I know that you are my everything, my lord. Please, allow me to stay by your side to the very end."

"Serenity…"

Her answer didn't surprise me, I had expected something like that.

I already knew about her loyalty, I already knew about her devotion, and even so, I dared to ask that question.

Do I need reaffirmation that much? To the point of taking advantage of a girl who has made it clear that she has nothing else in her life besides me?

I am the worst.

Kingu is right after all…I am weak, not only physically, but mentally.

"Thank you." Thanking her was the least I could do.

I offered her my hand to help her stand up, but contrary to what I expected, she didn't take it. And instead, she stared at it.

"No, I should be the one thanking you." She put her hands around my own, but without touching it. "Even this gesture, as small as it may seem to you, it's a miracle for someone like me."

She then finally took my hand.

"To be able to touch another being without killing it….it was a dream. A hopeless, unattainable dream. A dream that I never thought it could become reality."

She brought my hand to her cheek, and held it.

"That's why it doesn't matter wherever you change or not, my lord. As long as I can be near you, as long as I can touch you with my own hands, I'll remain by your side."

Her words were kind, but I couldn't help but feel guilty.

"…but I didn't do anything, It's only thanks to my contract with Mashu that I am able to touch you, she is the one you should be thankful too."

"I do appreciate Mashu-san too, but you are the one I fell in love with."

"…!"

She said it, she actually said it.

Even when I knew it was probably the case, being told face to face was different.

I can't just brush it off what she said. She told me her feelings and she deserves an answer.

But how do I feel about her? She is an attractive woman and it would be a lie if I said I didn't like her.

But do I feel the same as her? Do I love her? Should I answer positively even when I am not sure?

No, there is a far bigger problem than that.

Regardless of what I feel, I can't just answer her feelings while I am not even sure If I am even human.

What if I am a reanimated corpse? What if the only thing that keeps my body alive is my desire to kill Solomon? What if we become a couple and I die or disappear after the battle with Solomon?

I can't do that to Serenity, I would never forgive myself if I did.

I can't answer her feelings….but I can tell her the truth, that's the least she deserves.

"Serenity, I am not…"

But before I could say anything, I began to feel something.

A dangerous presence, which seems to come from nowhere, made my hair stand on end, and suddenly, it was followed by a loud explosion.

"Master!"

Serenity reacted first, and tackled me to the ground.

Suddenly I was lying on the ground, with her on top of me. The moment I tried to say anything, I found myself with a gun just above my head, held by a hooded figure.

How…? How did it go so close…?

Another explosion, the gun was fired.

Serenity was quicker, and managed to intercept the hooded man and disrupt his aim, the hole a few centimeters besides my head was the proof.

All this happened within seconds, as soon as I realized that I was almost murdered, my brain finally started working again.

I stood up, as quickly as I could, and analyzed the situation.

Right then, Serenity was exchanging blows with another Servant. The man was completely covered by black and grey clothing, his face, besides being obscured by the red hood, was hidden by bandages.

The knife in his hands was masterfully deflecting Serenity's dagger, although there was a gun in his other hand, it didn't seem like Serenity was giving him an opportunity to use it.

This man was a Servant, and the fact that he managed to get so close without either of us realizing, meant that he was probably an Assassin.

He went for my life without contemplations… why? Could this be Gil's doing? But we haven't even met this time, why would he send a Servant against me…?

…It's because I was with Kingu?

"Servant, stop at once! We are not-"

"Yo." I was interrupted. A new figure suddenly appeared, blocking my way. "It seems like Assassin failed miserably."

"…!"

No…not you…

Another servant was in front of me, but this man… this man…!

"I can't believe that Goldie was right. A single servant wasn't enough to stop you… Although you may look weak, you are not actually what it seems, right?

Why…why it has come to this?!

I knew this man, I knew him very well.

There was no way I could forget the man in blue, a red spear always hanging from his hands behind his back, his deep red eyes staring at me with a defiant expression.

He was my friend.

"Cu…!"

*Scene Break*

"For what reason have you not finished me yet?"

Medusa was stunned for a bit, she did not expect that man capable of exchanging words with an enemy.

Saber noticed her confusion, and continued talking.

"I am a blade; I do not need to talk during battle, for it would be disrespectful to my opponent and my lord."He said, even when he was defeated, his tone remained stoic. "But the battle is already finished, as I no longer can continue fighting."

He raised his arm, or more precisely, where his arm used to be. Now in its place was just a broken stone limb, the cold grey formation on his skin covered him up to his right arm, and ended just a little before his neck.

"I misjudged the power of your Noble Phantasm, and I paid the price." He stared at the broken stone pieces of his hands and katanas in the ground. "Even if I could stall you for some time, I have no way of making a decisive blow. So let me ask you again, why have you not finished me yet?"

Medusa reluctantly abandoned her alertness, as what he said was true. Even if he could gather enough magical energy to regenerate his hands, it would take hours to do so.

"I said it before, I have no business with this war." She took her blindfold and sealed her mystic eyes once again. "Killing you is meaningless; it wouldn't help me to find my Master."

The eyes of the samurai stared deeply into Medusa, as if trying to discern the true nature of the Servant.

"So that's how it is." The servant slowly kneed and sat adopting a seiza posture. "I sense no lies in your words, nor you have any reason to let me live otherwise."

Saber seemed to have accepted his defeat; Medusa didn't feel any killing intent on the man.

However, what he said next hit her unprepared.

"You are just a tool, like me."

"…? What are you saying, Saber?"

"You don't seem to understand the true purpose of the being you call Master." Saber continued talking, but it was more like he was talking to himself, rather than Medusa. "However, maybe that's what makes a tool so effective, that it can be wielded for any purpose. It doesn't care about the wielder intentions; it only cares about finishing the work."

"True…purpose?"

The true purpose of her master for coming here… that would be to chase after the voice in his head and kill its owner. He deliberately hid the existence of the voice, and chose Gorgon for that purpose.

But how could Saber know that? Even in Chaldea, there are just a few people that know about it.

Was he referring to something else? Or was he just trying to confuse her?

"You know nothing about us, Saber."

"I don't, and I don't need to." He closed his eyes, and continued talking. "As a Servant, I only exist to serve my lord, to be his blade and exterminate his enemies. You are the same, right?"

The old man's words hit her a bit too close to home.

There was a time when she felt like him, a "tool"…yes, that would have been a perfect word to describe her. A silent and deadly tool, ready to kill at her master's command.

But not anymore, not after what they have gone through together.

"You are wrong, I am no longer a tool. We are different from you, we are…something more."

She wanted to say "friends", but the word eluded her for some reason.

"Is that so? Then you must be prepared to face the truth."

Saber opened his eyes once again, and stared directly at Medusa.

"The being you call Master amassed an army of thousands of monsters in mere hours, and lead an attack to the human city of Uruk."

"….!?"

Medusa was taken aback by such ridiculous claim, for Saber to say something like that with a straight face…

"The attack was successfully repelled by my lord, but at a cost. The casualties aren't definitive yet, but I can assure you: soldiers and monsters weren't the only ones who died in that battle."

"…you are speaking nonsense. My master has no means to do such a thing."

"Is that what you truly believe? Then you aren't even aware of his true nature." His voice was cold, and his eyes were devoid of life. "You are indeed, the perfect tool."

"I am not a tool, not anymore!" Medusa was starting to lose her cool, even when Saber claims were ridiculous, she couldn't contain the feeling that both of them were missing the bigger picture.

She knew something for sure; her Master is incapable of that. She would never believe that the boy who was so happy when her summoning was successful, to be capable of such a thing. It had to be another person, someone capable of controlling monsters…

A grim expression appeared in Medusa's face, as if she had just understood everything.

Someone who could control monsters…someone who could be said is the queen of monsters…

Could it be…? Her...?

No, there was not enough information to reach that conclusion.

...

But even so, she wasn't willing to leave that possibility at chance, she had to find Gudao at once.

A large amount of magical energy began to form around Medusa, as a large blood-red magic circle appeared just in front of her.

"Bellerophon."

A blighting light covered the place, and a majestic Pegasus, as bright as a star in the middle of the night, appeared beside Medusa. She immediately took its reins, and rode the beast that once was the symbol of the hero Perseus.

But not this time, this was her Noble Phantasm, the crystallization of her legend and the symbol of her power. A power that she wouldn't hesitate to use.

The divine beast opened his enormous wings, and charged towards the servant Saber, with a gallop that made the earth shake.

"So that's your decision."

Saber once again closed his eyes, and awaited his end. The brightness of the beast was visible even to with his eyes closed. No much time passed for the bright light to cover him completely.

…

Except that his end never arrived.

When he opened his eyes again, he saw the light of the Pegasus, furrowing the skies like a shooting star.

It could be said that at that precise moment, Yagyu Munemori felt, for the first time since he was summoned, surprised.

"I see." He saw how the light slowly was starting to fade. "Just remember, should the tool stay too close to his wielder's hands, it may end up hurting him without realizing."

*Scene Break*

"Why…? Why is this happening?"It was difficult to talk, my voice was broken. "Why you? Why it has to be you? Cu…."

"Oh? So you know my true name." Far from being surprised, it seemed like Cu was fired up. He took his spear and adopted a battle position. "I wonder what other surprised you have stored!"

"Wait..! Don't-" Before I could even begin to explain, the red lance was already being directed at me; the man who was my friend attacked me.

I manage to dodge it, throwing my body to the side, but that was no skill of my part, Cu was probably just testing the waters with that attack, the next one wouldn't be so easy to avoid.

"Order Change!"

My vision suddenly blackened, and when I could see again, I found myself a couple of meters far away from the Servants.

This spell saved my life more times than I am comfortable admitting, however, the situation was grim.

Serenity was still fighting Assassin, she was incapable of helping me. While Cu appeared to be dumbfounded for a bit, as his spear had just hit air, but he almost immediately found me with his gaze.

This is bad, I have no means of defending myself, even if I can reinforce my body. I am no match for someone as fast as Cu, I wouldn't be able to keep up with him.

He began approaching me, so fast that I wasn't able to follow him with my eyes.

…I didn't want to do this, not to Cu, but I had no other choice. I had to make him listen to me, even if I had to do it by force!

"Connla!"

Cu stopped his spear, just a few centimeters before touching me.

"Why did you say that name?" The previously defiant Lancer now wore an expression of fury, as if just hearing that name was enough to shatter his world.

"You didn't know at that time, you killed him because didn't know, your son-"

A powerful hit to the stomach forced me to stop. My legs gave up and I fell on my knees.

"Do you think you know anything about me!? Do you think you have any idea of what happened that day!?"

"You were the one…who told me." I was struggling to breathe. "Even though he respected you…he couldn't refuse the fight…and fought bravely…and in the end, both of you paid the ultimate price."

He took me by the neck, and with a single hand, I was raised in the air.

"Shut up! I won't let you use my son's death in your mind games!"

He really was trying to strangle me. If I didn't get through him, I would be dead in a minute.

"Ahh…don't let history… repeat itself. Don't let… your anger…determine your decisions…"

"….!"

He couldn't contain his surprise.

Those were his words, the words that he said when he stopped me from killing Gorgon, here in Babylonia. If that didn't reach him, nothing will.

A conflicting expression appeared on his face when he finally released me.

"You...you seem to know me quite well." His voice was full of suspicion. "How?"

"Lancer."

I could hear a new voice, the hooded man had put some distance between Serenity and himself, and now was talking to Cu.

"This is not what we were ordered to." Argued the Assassin, with a cold, unemotional voice.

"I am not keeping him alive." He seemed annoyed."I am just hearing what he has to say before killing him. We may even get new information."

"That's unnecessary, we have to kill-" Assassin interrupted by a barrage of daggers flying in his direction. He was forced to retreat a bit.

"Master I…" Serenity tried to use that opportunity to approach me, but Cu got in the way.

"I am sorry Miss, but I am having a talk with your Master right now."

"You…!"

"Serenity!"

Our eyes met as she stopped her attack.

"Please, let me handle this."

This was a gamble, as everything depended on me convincing Cu that we are not enemies, my life could end if I say the wrong thing.

The concern in her eyes was clear, she really didn't want to leave me...but she also knew there was no other option. She couldn't possibly fight two servants while protecting me at the same time.

There was no need for me to say more.

"I'll make sure that nobody interrupts you, my lord." Her voice was forced, but that also was a sign that she trusted me.

Having said that, she took her daggers in both hands and faced the enemy Assassin once again.

I won't let you down, Serenity. I promise.

"Good, that should keep him entertained for some time." Cu smiled as he had gotten rid of an annoyance.

"You don't get along, huh?"

"Heh, I am not good with the serious type." He chuckled, but immediately went serious again. "But you know that, right?"

"….I do." I breathed deeply. "Because we are friends."

"Oh? I don't remember making friends with someone like you."

"I'll be surprised if you remembered, it was a different you." My breath had normalized, and I could finally stand up. "I summoned you as one of my servants. In fact, you, or rather the other you, are still under my command."

"So that's why you know about my life."

"Indeed. I summoned you, and other servants, as the last master of humanity, with the purpose of stopping a calamity that will occur far in the future."

"Solomon."

"Y-yes…" I replied, a bit surprised that he already knew. Was the Grial of this era supplying information about him too?

Anyway, that just makes this easier.

"Chaldea's mission is to stop Solomon's plan and protect humanity. We are not enemies of Uruk, there is no reason for us to fight."

"Not enemies, huh? What an amazing way to show your friendship, sending us a horde of monsters ."

"What!?" Chaldea is not responsible for that attack!"

"Is that so? But according to Goldie, you were quite friendly with the monsters, almost as if you controlled them."

"…!"

Gil…? Did he see me with his clairvoyance when I was with Kingu and the monsters?

"You are wrong! I wasn't there by my own choice, I was a hostage of Kingu, he is the true culprit of all this. He is the true enemy of humanity, this…this is just a tactic to put us against each other!"

"…"

"Please, please, you have to believe me, Cu!"

He went silent and seemed to be debating wherever or not what I said was true.

"If you really want me to trust you, then you will have to do something for me. Can you?"

He was still doubtful, but it seems like he was willing to give me a chance.

"Yes! Anything."

"Good. Then show me your true self."

"…..eh?"

No…

My mind went numb, my hands were trembling. The only thing that I could hear was the pumping of my heart.

No…this is not happening.

My breath accelerated, my heartbeat echoed in my ears.

This is not real. Cu is not saying that I am not human, he would never-

"I said show me your true self. Take off that human disguise, and reveal your true form. Only then I will consider trusting you."

No….no…no…no…no!

"I….I….have no idea what are you talking about."

That was a lie.

We both knew it as soon as the words left my mouth.

His expression hardened, and now he was looking at me with disappointment.

"I don't believe you."

Cu didn't buy it for a second. If I had gained any trust in our conversation, then I had lost it all with that single statement.

This…this was the end. I failed.

….

….

….

No, I am not letting it end yet.

I won't let it end until Solomon had paid for everything he had done to us.

I am not letting it end!

"By my command seal, I order you to….!" I shouted with all my might, but I was too slow.

Or was Cu too fast?

I could hear a strident sound, like metal clashing with metal.

When I realized, I had Gae Bolg in my chest, the force of the weapon had made me step back.

But something wasn't right, the spear that should have been piercing my chest, destroying my heart with a single hit, was just lightly stabbing me, as if the blade has lost it sharp, the deadly weapon just stayed there, resting against my chest.

Even Cu Chulainn was surprised.

I am sure he didn't expect someone with the form of a human to withstand that blow.

Even when you knew I am not human, you still try to kill me as if I were one.

Too bad, Cu.

"…come here, Gorgon!"

I am not letting it end, Cu. Even if it's you, I will not let you stand in my way.

However, I could have never predicted what happened next.

As the command seal in my arm disappeared, a reddish energy began to form in my arm. The magical energy accumulated around my entire arm and started adopting a foggy form, similar to red clouds. Before I could even begin to understand, it suddenly expanded without my control and swallowed us whole.

And then, the world turned red.

The mountains and desert of the ancient Mesopotamia disappeared, as well as the orange sky of the sunset above our heads.

In its place, the sky had turned a blackish-red and the desert was replaced by hard stone tiles. Columns and stone human statues populated that nightmarish place; most of them were broken or partially destroyed

This was not Babylonia, we were no longer in Babylonia.

But that didn't matter, that didn't matter at all, because what was in front of us was much more frightening.

An enormous figure, as tall as a small building, towered before us. She had lost her legs, in favor of gaining a serpent body that ended in a long tail, almost completely covered by yellowish and black scales.

Four majestic wings of the same color adorned her back, and at least twelve gigantic demonic snakes, big enough too shallow a person whole if they wanted, came from her hair.

And between all that, the only part of her that still vaguely resembled a human being, were her torso and head. However, her blood-red eyes lacked the normal defiant look, now, it only screamed one thing.

Vengeance.

What was in front of us, was no other than the monster Gorgon.

END OF CHAPTER 18

AN: How's going guys? Happy late new year.

This was supposed to be a short chapter, to end the Babylonia arc, but it extended more than I expected and end up being pretty much a normal chapter-length hahaha.

Anyway, I am happy how it turned out.

Important: I was thinking of creating a Discord server, a place to talk about the story or maybe just chill and talk about animu and such. What do you guys think? I will do it If enough people are interested.

Reviews:

rorem-cire : I'll be honest, I am not the best at writing Da Vinci, however, I like to think that her behavior made some sense. I still have to reveal more about her and Roman tho.

spectree: I am not really sure, but I think this story will have at least 2 or 3 more arcs until it's finished. I personally want to end it before the 150k words, but I don't know, some times chapters get longer than expected, like this one.

And that's everything for now, see you all next chapter.

TNG-san