Ritsuka POV
[ILikeQTThings: Why… Why does everything that looks pretty and cute ends up getting corrupted into something else that is not pretty or cute?!!]
[Gloria2Galar: Holy shit, leuk at the size o thae knockers!! They're the same size as ma head!!]
[Kream: Siegfried… you saw didn't you? ]
[Sumanai: I uh, yes. Sorry. ]
[Kream:It's okay, I saw too. But, from now on, I forbid you from watching the stream with your eyes open. If you disobey me, I'm going to be upset. Is that clear? ]
[Sumanai: Understood… sorry…]
"Queen Zenobia? The Palmyrene queen who rebelled against Rome and was defeated by Emperor Aurelian during the Crisis of the Third Century. That Zenobia!!?"
Queen Zenobia's face turned serious, "yes, I am." She crossed her arms under her voluptuous chest, "do you have a problem with me?"
Mash, sensing she was stepping on a landmine, waved her hands in desperation, "N-Not at all!! I was just surprised!! I never expected the dignified Queen of the Palmyrene Empire would be dressed like a-"
He interrupted Mash before she could finish that sentence.
"Ah!! Mash, please do not speak your rude, invasive thoughts aloud, especially towards the woman who saved us. "
Mash's eyes widened, and her face flushed with embarrassment, "I-I'm sorry!!"
She frantically bowed at the woman, who looked taken aback by the gesture.
A gesture which he repeated, "please forgive Mash Your Majesty!! She's lived most of her life cooped up in a facility! She doesn't know any better!"
"Please raise your heads. I take no offense to your words. Also, I told you you can refer to me as Queen Zenobia."
Well, since she said so, he did as was told and lifted his head up. This time, however, he really tried not to stare at her body, but it was hard to do when her entire body was just "in your face."
Given by the deadpan look Queen Zenobia was giving him, he immediately failed the task he gave himself.
Her own stare made his face burn with shame.
[ShortShorts_QUEEN: Damn, I want to call Gudao a pervert for staring so much at Queen Zenobia but… I'm staring more than he is lol. ]
[Electrical★Streamer_Iono(MOD): Same. I can't help it!! She's barely wearing anything!! Even Chiyome's straps and fishnets cover more skin!! ]
[OrochiMochiHime: I also cannot fault My Lord for staring, as her figure is quite distracting. :Head nodding Emote:]
Thankfully, the mostly naked Queen eased off her deadpan and returned to her dignified, prideful look.
Her golden chains clinked as she put a hand over her chest, "it is alright, I am used to the lustful stares.
It would be foolish of me to expect anyone to hold a conversation with me, while looking like a common street whore…"
Oh wow, she actually said it.
"… but there is nothing to be done, as this was how I manifested."
"Um… alright." He cannot argue with that logic.
[IceCold-Melony361: No, it's not "alright," this woman is practically naked!!! What if there are children nearby!? ]
[CasCu: Nothing wrong with being naked on the battlefield. ]
[MinaPaint: Of course the nudist art reference would say that. ]
[Fashionista: While I agree that her attire leaves much to be desired in terms of coverage… I cannot help but comment that she has a body that would make any clothing she decides to wear look fantastic on her. I especially loved that beautiful, but fierce armored dress she wore earlier. ]
"Ah. I see… so um, what happened to your white armor and clothes?" Mash asked a bit sheepishly. Like him, she was also having a hard time facing Queen Zenobia without letting her eyes wander.
"They were a part of my Noble Phantasm."
Huh, a regal transformation type noble phantasm akin to Sailor Moon. Neat.
Mash looked apologetic, "Oh! We're so sorry we made you use your noble phantasm."
Using a noble phantasm is a big deal for servants, so it must have cost her a lot of magical energy for her to use just to save them. Which was unnecessary, since Mash would have been able to bring them down to the ground safely with her own power anyway.
However, the woman waved off Mash's worries, "I do not mind. Magical energy isn't an issue when it comes to saving people in need."
"B-But…"
"I said it's fine. Though if you really feel bad for me using my magical energy reserves to save you, then perhaps you can repay me by answering my questions?"
"Oh, of course, um… what do you wish to know?" Mash looked much more at ease when Queen Zenobia offered to turn the favor into an information exchange.
"You can start by telling me how a strangely dressed mage and their strange servant managed to find themselves falling from the sky in the middle of the desert."
Well, that is a reasonable question.
"Ah. About that, we're not entirely sure what happened. We were supposed to manifest on top of solid ground, but something seemed to have happened on Chaldea's end."
Queen Zenobia tilted her head at Mash's words, "Chaldea? You mean the ancient stargazers that established the Neo-Babylonian Empire that disappeared centuries ago?"
Wait, there was a Chaldea before Chaldea?
"Yes they are. While our organization does have roots with the ancient Chaldeans of Mesopotamia, our secret base currently resides in Antarctica."
Queen Zenobia knitted her brows together, "Antarctica? Forgive me, I just don't know much outside my home and the surrounding territories. Where is this land you speak of located?"
Mash brought a finger up in the same way he's seen Da Vinci do when she gives a lecture.
"Antarctica is a continent located in the South Pole of our planet, which, you can reach by heading south from the most southern tip of Africa or South America. It is a massive desert of ice and snow which never melts." Mash clarified, but the poor Queen seemed to have a hard time visualizing the place.
"I see…" she looked skeptical but still not dismissive of Mash's claims.
[ThunderCles; She looks so lost lol. ]
[Dan-TheMan: No need to be rude. She's from the past, you can't expect her to know everything there is to know about everything in the world. ]
"And I can assume you two are nobles from this Antarctica then?"
This time, he decided to answer her.
"Oh no, Antarctica belongs to no single nation on Earth. It is essentially a neutral ground with very few humans living on it. In fact, penguins outnumber humans roughly 100 to 1."
"Pen… guins? I am sorry, I am unfamiliar with the type of beast you are referring to. "
"Ah yes they're these tall, bipedal birds that live in the Antarctic. They love to huddle together for warmth during the cold-"
"Senpai, we're getting off-topic." Mash bluntly told him, her voice carrying a blank tone.
He then remembered that he was talking to royalty, and was wasting their time with animal trivia.
"Oh! Sorry!! I got carried away. But yeah, we're nobility, but only recently ennobled by the Queen of France, Marie Antoinette." he could still smell the faint scent of lilies every time he recalled that event. Hopefully she won't press them about it, it's awkward enough trying to explain the current situation. It would be even more so if he explained he gained nobility by being french kissed by a queen.
"R-Right…" Queen Zenobia still looked confused, however, she quickly recovered by clearing her throat.
"It's quite an interesting, if outlandish tale, but considering I saw you two appear from thin air over the skies of my home, I will take your word for it."
Thank god he doesn't have to explain the French kiss!
"I apologize in advance if I sound rude, but, when you said you were nobles from a faraway land, I assumed that, based on your looks, you were from Serica. Although I never would have guessed that a massive, unknown continent would exist in the far south."
"Serica? What place is that?"
"That is what the people in the ancient west called China in these times, Senpai." Mash his trusted expert in history and geography explained to him.
Had it been anyone else, they would have been offended by Queen Zenobia's assumption, but he honestly doesn't sweat the small stuff like others do, so he let it slide. He cannot blame her, since Japan was a world away, so Queen Zenobia would have no way of knowing where his people lived or what they looked like.
"Oh… um, actually, my family is from the island nation of Japan, but I was raised in the United States of America." He told the Queen, who put a finger under her chin.
"Japan and America huh? While I am unaware of this Japan, America; on the other hand, I have heard of."
"You have?" That was surprising. Then again, even if she is from the past, the Throne of Heroes would provide her with information about it. But then, why would she know about America but not Japan?
"Yes, I have. It's a country that is heavily involved in this region in the far future, so I am aware."
A cold sweat fell down his back when she realized what he was implying. Of coarse that is the reason why she knows about America.
Unaware of his thoughts, Queen Zenobia continued to speak in a lively tone, "So that means if you are from America, then you two are also fellow travelers of time, just like myself!"
Had they forgotten to mention it? Oops, they did.
"I guess you can call us that, yes. We are time travellers that came from the year 2015."
"The year 2015…huh…" Queen Zenobia's smile turned somber and her eyes dimmed, almost like she was remembering a bad memory.
She stood in silence for a while, until it started to get awkward.
[RocksAPlenty: Is she alright? She's just been standing there, staring into the distance like she was reliving some traumatic experience. ]
[Dunno. Maybe she forgot to turn off her stove at home? ]
He cleared his throat, and Queen Zenobia snapped out of her trance, "oh! My apologies for spacing out. It was rather rude of me. Erm, so what brings you so far back into the past?"
He exchanged a glance with Mash, who nodded in affirmation. Getting the go ahead, he decided to come clean and explain the situation.
"We travelled back in time, because in the year 2015, the entire world, every man, woman, and child were incinerated, and only a few survivors remain."
Mash's words hit Queen Zenobia like a freight train.
"A-Are you certain of this? Did the world of the future truly become engulfed in flames?"
Words alone would probably work, but he figured it would be faster to show her a bit of proof.
Looking around, he saw nothing around them. Nothing but sand dunes, rocks, and low shrubs that looked like they hadn't seen rainfall in months.
Seeing the coast clear, he played around with his wristband and brought up a few pictures he had taken of Fuyuki.
"Here, take a look." He showed the pictures to the Queen.
Her face twisted into shock as she saw the still images of the burning city, the broken buildings, and worst of all, the empty playgrounds.
"This… this is horrible… " Queen Zenobia whispered to herself, a deep tone of sorrow in her voice.
"Yes, it is. That is why the Chaldea Security Organization sends us on missions to the past. We are here to investigate and resolve anomalies in history so that we can undo that tragic event."
Mash pursed her lips," unfortunately, before we arrived, Chaldea struggled to locate the exact location of the anomaly in this era, even after they spent weeks looking for it. So we are currently travelling blind."
[I still can't believe they have 6 more singularities left to go. ]
[NinJanine: Believe it. Mash and Gudao still have a long way to go, but I am confident in their abilities to see this mission completed! ]
The Queen closed her eyes, and let out a sigh, "I understand. Thank you so much for making me aware of this. I honestly had no idea something so horrible would come to pass in the future."
She stood up straighter, "if you two need help, I am more than willing to provide you aid to stop this tragedy."
"Really?!" He and Mash couldn't help but exclaim.
Queen Zenobia nodded, "indeed. This incineration of humanity, it will kill my future people as well. That is why, if there's anything I can do to help, just let me know."
"In that case, we just wanted to know if by any chance you noticed anything out of the ordinary when you were summoned?
Perhaps some weird fluctuations in magical energy in some areas, or things that happened that seemed off to you?"
"Hm…. Well, I did notice that almost everywhere I go has a 'wrongness' feeling about it. But that won't be much help to you. And aside from you guys..." she pointed a finger at something and when they followed her gaze, his blood ran cold.
"There's that thing floating around nearby. It's been giving me some weird feeling for a while, it's almost like it's staring at me."
[Uh… this is new. ]
[Tell me about it. No servant or outsider has been able to see us like this before without making a contract with Gudao first. Barring that catgirl from Utube, but she doesn't count.]
"Wait, you can see it?" He sheepishly asked.
"It's rather blatant." she said with a deadpan then she gave them a side glance, "do you know what this strange object is?"
He and Mash looked at each other, "Well, I suppose there won't be an issue exposing this… but can you give us a moment? We need a second opinion."
"Hm…" oh no, now she was suspicious of them. They needed to call Doctor Roman asap.
Mash turned on the communicator that connected to Chaldea, but something was off.
Static, that is all the sound that they heard from the other side.
"Doctor Roman? Are you there?" Mash tried to hail them, but nothing happened.
That's strange, he was sure Da Vinci had fixed the communications so that they could have audio only conversations without needing to hook Mash up to a leyline.
"That's strange. I cannot contact Chaldea." Mash said with a frantic tone.
Communications are down, that's not good.
He looked down at chat, at least that still worked.
[Gudao: is everything alright over there? ]
[GARcher: Romani wanted us to let you know that communications on our side are down as well, and that they are working on solving the communication issue. All you and Mash need to do is find a strong leyline to reestablish the connection. Also, he said that it's okay to reveal chat to Queen Zenobia. There's no point in lying to her if she already caught you and would only hurt you if you tried to gaslight her. Although it would be preferable if you guys don't give out too much detail. ]
"Bad news. Whatever happened that caused us to be transported over the sky, likely also knocked down our communications." He said aloud.
How strange, what could have caused such a thing?
"Oh, okay then. Well, since our normal communications are down, I guess we can explain what is going on." he turned to the patiently waiting queen and proceeded to explain the situation revolving chat to her. He did his best to reveal what he could without overwhelming the queen.
He also relayed the need for a strong leyline to re-establish communication with Chaldea.
The Queen looked contemplative, mulling over the information carefully.
It doesn't matter how many times they say it, but it will never stop being awkward to explain the concept of Chat to a person of the past who lived their whole life with no concept of the internet.
"I see, I think I understand what is going on. So thousands of people are watching us at this very moment as we speak, but it's not something you control, correct?"
"Yes. Unfortunately, they just started following me like this one day and have been with me since."
She hummed, "this day has been rather strange so far, but life is full of surprises."
The ping of TTS rang out, but unlike other times when this happened with other servants, Queen Zenobia barely reacted.
[Heart0f6old donated 100 bits ]
["It's nice to meet you, Queen Zenobia. Please don't mind us, we're just here to support Ritsuka, or Gudao as we call him, during his missions."]
Queen Zenobia looked at the orb for while before she awkwardly replied, "Well met… um," She looked at him, "what do you call them again?"
"Chat. We call them Chat."
The queen nodded then turned back to the orb with a soft smile, "Well met Chat. It is nice to make your acquaintance."
She turned to look at them again, "now that we have come to an understanding, I believe I must finish answering your first question, no?"
The queen cupped her chin in contemplation, "while most of this era feels… off, I do recall an island to the far west of here where I did sense something different from the surrounding offness, so that might be a good place for you to start your investigation."
Awesome, they now have an actual solid destination they can go to now!
"As for a strong leyline, the strongest leyline in this region is in Palmyra, unfortunately, it's rather weak compared to the one on Mt.Etna, however, you are free to try using it. Either way, Mt.Etna is on the same trade route that leads to that island I mentioned earlier."
"Once again, thank you so much for your help!" Mash said, then she fiddled with her wristband and opened a map.
"Can you point in the place on this map where we are? I remember you saying we were near your home but… I am unsure of the exact location where Palmyra is located."
Queen Zenobia walked closer to Mash, golden chains clinking louder as she drew closer. Her breasts jiggled with each step-
Stop ogling her.
Focus on her pretty blue, almost sapphire, eyes.
Queen Zenobia stopped before Mash and her blue eyes scanned the map, her eyes shooting up at what she saw. Safe to say she looked rather impressed by it. Finally, her wonder vanished and she pointed a finger at the center of a landmass.
"There. This is roughly where we are on the map. We are a bit East from Palmyra, so it will take a while to get there on foot."
Mash grimaced, "oh, so we're surrounded by desert on all sides."
Yikes. That is a massive environmental change compared to what Romani promised them it would be.
It's a good thing his mystic code kept him cool, or else the desert heat would be cooking him right now.
"Yes, you are. But have no fear, I am fully capable of guiding you outside the desert." Queen Zenobia, once again, is proving to be an invaluable ally.
"Is that alright? You've already done so much for us, having you escort us outside the desert feels like we're asking too much." Mash was right. At this point, it almost felt like they were taking advantage of her.
"Is that so? Well, let me ask you this: Are either of you capable of navigating the desert by yourselves?" Queen Zenobia asked bluntly.
"N-No, not really." Mash looked at him, but he shook his head before Mash even uttered the word: Senpai.
He's been to Death Valley once, and it was hell. But back then, he had the help of GPS, and was able to rely on the comfort of his family's car keeping them cool.
Sure he had protection from the heat, food, and water. But it would be much easier if they had someone familiar with the land to help them out so they don't wander aimlessly and waste their resources.
"Then it's settled, I will help you." She pursed her lips.
"However, it will have to wait until after I finish some business I have to take care of. After that, I am all yours."
[Heart0f6old: Ho-crap, the way she said "I am all yours." She's just saying that on purpose isn't she?! ]
[Krystal: Nah, she isn't. You just have a dirty mind. ]
DargoonRuleZ: :Emoji finger pointing up: This. ]
"That's okay with us. We wouldn't want to keep you…. But by any chance, what exactly is this business you speak of? We might be able to help." Mash asked.
Queen Zenobia seemed hesitant about Mash's offer, "I didn't want to involve you… but that will be impossible considering the scale of the issue."
Her demeanor changed.
The regal, queenly air around her stirred, and gave a dry, almost scorching feeling to it.
"My generals reported that one of my territories was recently conquered by a man who claims to be Alexander the Great."
Oh crap. Alexander the Great?! That's the guy who had the large pike spears for his army and conquered all those places right?!
"Alexander the Great? The king of Conquerors? That man is here?!" Mash looked shocked and worried.
"If the rumors are true, yes. He is heading an army 100,000 strong towards my home. I rushed her as fast as I could so that I could stop them."
"An army one hundred thousand strong. That's a lot of soldiers…" Mash looked like she didn't want to get involved in more fighting, but there's not much they can do.
They need to establish contact with Chaldea, and for that they need to head to a leyline, but navigating the desert by themselves is a horrible idea. Not to mention that it would make them seem like ingrates if they leave Queen Zenobia to fight after she has helped them so much.
"If you'll have us, we're willing to help you out."
Queen Zenobia looked at him with concern, "I do not mean to judge but, you do realize I am going on an open battlefield against an army, yes?"
"Yes we are. But we have fought in a war before…" although it was against dragons and servants, not humans.
Queen Zenobia furrowed her brows, "I will be honest, you two are nice people. I like your drive to save humanity, and while you look the part," she looked him up and down, and now he was the one who felt nervous from her intense gaze.
"Clothing and words alone are not enough for me to properly judge your combat abilities."
[SurgeOfLightning: She's right. From her point of view, they are just civilians cosplaying as soldiers.]
She crossed her arms, "so if you wish to join my army, you must prove yourselves capable through your actions."
"So what do you wish for us to do?" He asked, this time taking a more stern, and direct approach to show her he wasn't taking this decision lightly.
Queen Zenobia pondered his question for a moment, but suddenly her face lit up.
"Perfect timing. Mash Kyrielight and Ritsuka Fujimaru, consider this following trial as your physical exam." She turned in a certain direction, then she pointed a finger to the horizon.
"It would seem some enemy scouts are galloping nearby. Capture them so I may extract intelligence from them. That is your order, now see it through."
He squinted his eyes and sure enough, a group of men on horseback were riding towards them.
He guessed capturing enemies should be fine.
"Mash, are you up for the challenge?" He asked, and Mash stood up straighter.
"Y-yes!! Mash Kyrielight reporting for battle!!"
"Good," since there were no places to hide, the best course of action was for Mash to rush them.
"Go! Knock them off the horses, and bring them back alive like Queen Zenobia demands."
"Yes!!" Mash crouched low to the ground, then she kicked the ground.
A plume of sand obscured his view, and by the time that it cleared, Mash had already reached the group of horse riders.
It was too far to hear what they were saying, but he could guess the poor riders were cursing up a storm when Mash dismounted one of the riders by ramming her shield on the poor horse he was riding.
[Poor horses are suffering for the sake of their humans. ]
[GroundHippowdon: Unfortunate, but it is how it is. Boudica's horses were just the first victims of many equine victims that will suffer under the tyrrany of Team Chaldea. ]
One of the scouts had managed to slip away from Mash while she was preoccupied with his companions and tried to run.
Not on his watch.
He made a finger gun, closed one eye, and aimed.
This was quite the distance from where his enemy was, but Chiyome and the others had forced him to practice shooting his gandr shots from much further away. So he should be able to hit him.
Pew
The red bullet shot out, and its trajectory was spot on, as it slammed directly onto the fleeing horseman's back.
The man slumped forward in his seat, while his horse just continued to gallop as if nothing happened.
Mash's voice flooded his head through their servant connection, 'All enemies subdued Senpai. I will go fetch the one you shot.'
He saw Mash run after the horse, and in mere moments, she had come back with a pile of unconscious men balanced on her shoulder, who she unceremoniously dropped on the sandy ground one by one.
Overall, six scouts had been captured.
Huh…That was easier than he thought.
"Well done. You two have excellent teamwork."
He felt Queen Zenobia's delicate hand pat his shoulder, "I am especially impressed by you, you have excellent aim Ritsuka."
Her voice caressed his ears, and he dumbly nodded, "t-thank you, I've been working on it the past few weeks."
The queen smiled, "Regardless, welcome to my army, Mash Kyrielight and Ritsuka Fujimaru."
"Thank you. So um…" It wouldn't hurt to ask would it?
"Do you wish to seal the deal with a temporary contract?"
Zenobia paused and pondered the question for a moment, a look of uncertainty in her features.
For a moment, he feared that she would blank out again, but thankfully, she quickly came up with a response, "I suppose it should be fine… It's worth a shot. Very well, I accept you as my temporary Master, Ritsuka Fujimaru."
She reached out her hand and he clasped it.
"Likewise."
He felt the intense connection form between them. If normal connections were strings, then Zenobia's felt like twine.
And so, the contract was sealed.
Queen Zenobia looked shocked at the connection, as if she wasn't expecting the contract to actually go through, but she quickly recovered her composure.
She took back her hand and refocused her gaze at towards the captives, who shrunk under her gaze, "now then, it's my turn to go at them."
✦✧✦
After Queen Zenobia interrogated the captives, they confirmed what they feared.
Alexander the Great had come back to life, and he had actually brought an army to Palmyra's doorstep.
"Hm, thank you for your information. Now then… you lot." She extended them a hand of mercy, "become soldiers in my army. If you swear to pledge yourselves to me, you will live to see your families once again. If not…"
Her voice turned stern, "for the crime of invading Palmyra, the death is the only fate that awaits you."
She tilted her head ominously, "so? What will it be?"
The men exchanged glances before looking at the Queen again.
"We swear loyalty to you, my Queen."
Queen Zenobia smiled, "very well. Welcome to my army."
She turned to Mash, "please, untie them."
Mash looked unsure, "is that okay? They were our enemies just a few moments ago."
Mash was right, and like her, part of him worried they would backstab Queen Zenobia the moment they untied them.
However, the Queen shook her head, "it is alright. Now that they are a part of my army, they will not rebel. Please undo their restraints."
Mash looked at him, and he shrugged, "what the queen demands, you do. So do it."
His kohai went to the group and did as was told. However, something was different about the group.
Their hesitance eased up, and they seemed more passive than before.
"Thank you for your mercy my Queen. What are your orders for us?"
Queen Zenobia pointed West, "gather your things, and head to Palmyra. My army will know you are coming. They will assign you your new tasks."
The men bowed, "as you wish my queen!"
The men eagerly replied with an uncanny eagerness that bordered on reverence. It reminded him of how Madame Romee acted around Saint Georgios.
[CasCu: (≖_≖ )]
However, he didn't have much more time to ponder the strangeness of it.
"Come. Let us not keep our enemy waiting." The queen nonchalantly walked past them. Not wanting to be left behind, he and Mash followed closely after her.
It took a lot of willpower to not stare at her exposed butt during their walk.
[:Pecha Berry Emote:] x 5462
Not helping guys… not helping.
✦✧✦
After an awkward walk, their group finally arrived at their destination.
The knot of anxiety in his gut tightened as he beheld the sea of people marching towards them.
"T-That is a lot of soldiers." The trepidation in Mash's voice was palpable.
"Indeed. So it would seem the scouts intel was not incorrect." The queen said, although she showed a stoic face, her clenched fist told him she was more angry than scared.
Honestly, he couldn't blame her. This was her home, and these strangers were invading it. He would be mad too.
Yet, despite these feelings, he had no idea how they were going to handle so many soldiers all at once.
…Wait a minute. Now that he mentioned it. He took a moment to look around and saw no one on their side.
"Um, Queen Zenobia… where is our army?" Weren't ancient armies supposed to meet in one place and fight to the death? Where are the troops? The generals?
Queen Zenobia didn't look worried and boldly stated: "you're looking at her."
There's no way she meant what she just meant didn't she?
"I apologize if I sound rude but, are you sure you can handle so many soldiers by yourself? Even if you are a servant, you'll still have to deal with Alexander the Great, who is a possible heroic spirit himself." Mash said and he agreed.
It was frankly quite dumb to be fighting an army all by one's self.
"You two need not worry. I can handle this. You only need to watch."
Who did she think she was, an anime character?!!
Uncaring for his inner turmoil, the queen proudly walked forward, her gaze hyper-focused on a particular area of the giant army.
Using a reinforcement spell from his mystic code on his eyes, he followed her gaze, and it landed on what looked like a 20-year-old bishonen riding a massive black horse.
The young man's red hair blew in the desert winds in a manner that reminded him of those shampoo commercial actors he'd seen on TV.
He had a cocky grin on his face.
Riding just behind him, on his left, was a long haired man dressed in a business suit of all things. Was he someone from their time? What were they doing here?
Well. If things go well, they might just find out.
The red haired bishonen's horse stopped, and with an open palm gesture, his entire army stopped their march.
Queen Zenobia took the opportunity to tap one of the jewels on her person. It glowed a faint hue of green.
He could feel the surrounding air vibrate when she spoke up, in a manner akin to a loudspeaker.
"My name is Septimia Zenobia. I am the Queen of these lands. Identify yourselves!" He shivered at the harsh tone in her voice. She honestly looked kind of scary when she was like this.
The young man clearly heard her voice, but unlike her, he didn't feel the need to use a magical tool for his booming voice to reach them.
"My name is Alexander the Great, the future King of Conquerors!!!! The King of the Macedonian Empire!!"
[Wow that guy is so loud would give a Loudred a run for its money. ]
Queen Zenobia raised a brow, "oh? So the rumors were true. It's an honor to meet such a legendary figure.
Now then, what does the King of Conquerors want with Palmyra?"
Alexander's grin widened, "is it not obvious? Surely the tantalizing, and beautiful Queen Zenobia would know why the King of Conquerors would be at her doorstep."
He gestured towards his army, "I came to reclaim my lands, so that I may match and surpass my older self's legend!!"
All 100,000 men cheered, their voices forming a wall of sound that slammed into them like a jackhammer.
Queen Zenobia, meanwhile, looked crestfallen, "I see, 'tis a shame. One of my allies is a descendant of yours and was looking forward to meeting you, but it would seem she will not get a chance to do so."
The future King of Conquerors seemed to perk up at that, "oh? A descendant you say? I would be happy to meet such a person. However, all you need to do is thus: surrender yourself and pledge your loyalty to me!! And I shall give you and your country autonomy to rule your lands as you see fit but under my rule!!"
Queen Zenobia shook her head, "no. I cannot allow that to happen. While I also admire your feats, I refuse to let even someone as esteemed as you take control of my home's destiny.
Alexander's jolly smile turned somber, "how unfortunate. I was honestly hoping I wouldn't have to come to blows with a beauty such as yourself." His face turned serious, and the air around them felt heavier than normal.
What was this feeling?
[DRaigHan: This guy, even from this far away, his aura is intense!! ]
Alexander unsheathed his blade and pointed it at her.
"However, even if you were goddess Aphrodite herself, I would never yield my dream to surpass my older self to you. For my dream is one that surpasses mere carnal desires!"
His army hollered in approval.
[Based. ]
[ASurgeOfLightning: he might be the enemy but he at least has standards and has also earned my respect. It takes a strong man to reject the pleasures of women for the sake of their goals. ]
Queen Zenobia, meanwhile, just stared down Alexander, unmoved.
"I see… then convincing you is pointless."
She took a step forward and stretched her arms out with her palms facing the clear open skies.
"In that case, my decision has been made, but I am not without mercy."
She looked to the army of men and her voice boomed louder, although her words carried a stronger weight that matched Alexander's.
"If any of you wish to turn back, do so now, and you shall escape my wrath unscathed."
Her voice turned grave, "Because I swear by all the gods in Olympos that none of you will survive if you dare take another step into my home."
Hearing her threat, Alexander merely let out a bark of laughter, and his army did the same.
"I underestimated you, you truly have the heart of a warrior queen. But divine backing or no, you are merely a human servant!"
Alexander slammed his fist on his chest, "whereas I am a demigod!! A son of Zeus himself!!"
The air crackled with electricity, which only added validity to his claim.
"The gods of Olympus back me!! Not some barbarian princess from the desert and her puny army!!"
The men's chorus of approval made him wince.
Poor Zenobia was being treated like an unimportant child, and the way she pursed her lips showed she did not take to the insult lightly
"How unfortunate. Just know that whatever happens, your men's blood is on your hands, Alexander the Great." Queen Zenobia's tone was ice cold, and it made even the great Alexander's boisterous tone shift.
"I am aware. I would be a poor king if I didn't know the value of my own men."
He scoffed, "enough posturing. The gods grow bored with this pointless chatter, let us give them a good showing."
"You are right, talking anymore is pointless. And do not worry, I will be sure to give the gods a show they will never forget."
✦✧✦
Alexander POV
He stared down the arrogant woman, who was still posturing at them like she was some holy woman.
Truth be told, the moment he encountered this woman, he felt the weight of her presence. This woman was not arrogant because she was full of herself, she was being genuine.
When she claimed she would unleash her wrath upon him and his army, he believed her. Why else would a woman bring only two witnesses to confront an army this large?
His senses were screaming at him that this woman was dangerous, but he cannot back down now, or ever.
He reconquered Persia, but that only makes him no different from normal kings with dreams of grandeur. Even his old dream of seeing Okeanos paled when he thought of the memories from his older self.
The modern world.
A grand challenge that his older self wished to conquer. It is something he will now do with his own hands. He will conquer the known and unknown world. From Okeanos, and further beyond to the Americas.
He will have it all and surpass his own legend, but for that to happen, he had to defeat this warrior queen.
He grinned, Tadmur or Palmyra, whatever this place was called didn't matter to him. It was a stepping stone for his world conquest. One which he will overcome, even if it costs him his life.
He raised his sword, "Men! Today we make history! Today is the day when we take our first step into reviving the Macedonian Empire!!"
The hundred thousand men all cheered.
He pointed his sword at the woman, "but first, a rock stands in our way! Let us crush it into dust beneath our might!"
Thousands upon thousands of unsheathing swords resounded across the flat, arid desert.
His partner let out a valiant whinny as he reared it on its hind legs.
"Charge!!!" Bucephalus charged forward towards his enemy, and his loyal army followed after him.
The earth beneath them shook as thousands of horses stomped across the desert.
He let out a war cry, and his men responded in kind.
While the greenhorn witnesses looked nervous and fearful of them, the queen herself seemed amused.
And it soon became clear why.
The clear sky darkened.
The sands of the desert picked up, carrying dust and debris into the air.
He could hear the sound of chains clinking together, even from this far a distance.
The woman's golden chains glowed and sparkled bright despite the harsh weather.
He squinted his eyes as the sandstorm grew in intensity. The sandy weather didn't slow him down at all, but it did slow his men's charge.
Then, the storm abruptly abated, and in its place was a blinding light shone with the same intensity as the sun.
Most men would be blinded by such a light, but he was able to bear witness to the beauty at the center of this new sun.
In a move that he did not anticipate, the newly clothed warrior queen slowly rose to the sky.
The large halo behind her spun like a wheel on a speeding wagon.
It spun, spun, and spun with such intense speed that it resembled a halo of light.
Then it happened.
The queen raised her hands higher into the sky.
Flares of light flew from her halo and into the air above her, their trajectory arching downwards in their direction.
Then the first spear of light struck.
BOOM
"Aaaaahh!!""
Unlike the rays of the sun, the light that fell on them was physical. So when it struck the ground, it caused an explosion powerful enough that it blew apart a handful of men on impact.
If that alone was all she could do, it would not have been an issue.
However…
BOOM.
BOOM.
BOOM.
The attacks fell like smoldering rain over an army of ants. He could feel the scorching winds from the impacts hit the back of his neck, but he did not dare to look back.
He could hear the anguished cries of his men as they disintegrated or exploded into pieces.
He gritted his teeth.
It was as if Apollo himself decided to smite mortals the way his father Zeus did.
This was bad.
He severely underestimated her.
Her state of undress and her lack of numbers made him blind to the truth.
At this rate, this woman was going to be the end of him.
His army, no matter how numerous, will never reach her. Because he who controls the air, controls the battlefield.
BOOM.
As a servant with such a powerful noble phantasm, all she has to do to win is to just pick them all off from where she hung in the sky.
A treacherous part of his inner self suggested he surrender to her, but he refused to allow such a thing to happen! His men have already paid the price of his mistake in blood. If he surrenders, their deaths will be in vain.
No. That is what she wants. She is intentionally striking only his men so that he surrenders. Too bad for her, such a tactic will not work on him.
He knew he was outgunned, and without his Gordius Wheel, he too would fall before her might. So the only answer is…
His eyes landed on the young boy and girl, specifically on the sigil etched on the boy's hand.
They were the ones he needed to crush first. Without a master to sustain her, she will run out of magical energy, and while he may incur heavy losses, at her current rate, she'll run out of magical energy before she can eliminate them all.
"Men!! Do not fret!! Keep charging!! We shall all overcome this trial of the gods!!" He pointed his blade at the master.
"Capture or kill the enemy Master!! Without him, the enemy will not be able to sustain this level of power!!"
He gave his men a goal, and his words roused them to move forward with a stronger fervor.
This was no longer a war for conquest, but a battle for survival.
If he wanted to live to see another day, he must strengthen himself once more.
The air crackled with electricity.
Bucephalus whinnied in vigor as he sped faster at his command.
The shield girl immediately went into action and stood to protect her master.
The boy master, to his surprise, didn't cower behind the girl.
He was making eye contact with him.
Even after he concentrated the attention of his entire army on him, he was not letting it get to him.
The boy pointed his finger in his direction, and to his surprise, charged a magical attack on his fingertip.
"HA!!" he swatted the magical attack away from his body. He looked at the boy again, and despite his previous attack not working, he was still charging another attack.
This boy had a fierce will.
Incredible!! Truly, this master is a man that surpasses all Magi in bravery!! It's such a shame he's an enemy, because he would have loved to have someone of this potential in his army.
Well then, let's see how strong his will is when faced with a sword aimed at his neck.
He willed his father's lightning once more, and he could feel his body shift again.
He had already been forced to use Zeus Funder so many times against Darius the 3rd. It was a tough battle that his child self was unable to accomplish.
And now he was being driven to do the same here.
…truth be told, he didn't want to hand the reins to his older self yet. Like he told the Queen of Palmyra, he wanted to surpass his older self as he was, but at this point, there was no hope for victory in his current state.
He had to unlock his Gordius Wheel so he could challenge the warrior queen in the sky in one-on-one combat.
The world slowed to a crawl.
His instincts told him to dodge, and he moved.
His heart sank as Bucephalus let out a wail of agony as the bolt of light struck its body.
The explosion caused them to tumble to the ground.
A heavyweight fell on his stomach. Opening his eyes, he saw it was his own horse that was pinning him underneath its massive form.
He cannot stay on the ground longer, or else it will be his end.
"I'm sorry old friend, you may rest now. I will continue from here."
The massive black horse let out a sad whinny before it vanished into motes of light.
With the weight of his partner off him, he managed to get back up, albeit with some struggle.
The battlefield was pure chaos.
The air was filled with so much dust and sand that it was hard to see. The relentless explosions still beat on his eardrums. They were so frequent now that it became background noise.
While his eyes struggled to see the battlefield, he could still see the outline of the master.
With his goal now standing before him, he ran.
As a servant, he could run faster than any horse, and at his speed, it would take mere moments to reach him and the shield girl.
He was so close, just a little more and he would-
Suddenly, the light descended.
The queen who was slaughtering her men now held a spear in her hand, her arm cocked back and ready to strike.
The spear shot out at a speed that he didn't expect.
CLANG.
He batted the spear away before it could pierce his heart.
CRACK
But it wasn't enough.
He looked down, and past the blurriness in his eyes, he could see there was a hole through the side of his midriff.
He felt an intense sensation of nausea hit him.
She got him good.
But, while he might be badly wounded, he can still fight.
He pushed himself to keep going.
The queen was looking at him with surprise, which turned into a smile of deep respect.
The floating objects around her were all pointed in his direction, and in an instant, the spear she threw rematerialized in her hands.
She reared her muscular arm back, the point of her spear poised to strike his heart.
'Ah, I see, so if I decide to dodge in either direction, the floating objects will strike me. So I have no choice but to face the spearhead on."
He smiled, clever girl. You managed to drive the King of Conquerors into a corner.
Very well, he accepts his fate.
He sped up, and let out another war cry, to show this barbarian queen that he was not afraid of death.
The spear shone in a brilliant light, and at that moment, the woman's brilliant body vanished, and a familiar form took its place.
His eyes widened.
The King of Heroes?
WHOOSH.
SHLICK.
He didn't have the energy to dodge the blow that came next, as the spear pierced through his armor.
He fell on his back, with no energy left to stand back up.
Darkness started to encroached upon his vision.
Ah, he failed to surpass his older self…. But that is okay.
Dying in the heat of battle to a goddess of beauty and power is the greatest honor he could hope for.
A much more fitting end for him than dying a slow death, buried alive without being able to move a muscle or call for help.
"I guess we can't always have our way…"
The darkness consumed him, but unlike before, he died in peace, not fear.
✦✧✦
Ritsuka POV
He heard Mash ask him a question, but he was too distracted by the fading corpse of the servant that was once Alexander the Great.
This man directed thousands of people to either capture or kill him.
He should be mad or vindicated that the man lost, but, he couldn't help but feel bad for him and his men.
Looking at the aftermath of Queen Zenobia's noble phantasm, his tongue did not taste victory, only ash. The once flat desert was now a battlefield marred with craters, stained with blood, and littered with corpses.
With their leader now dead, many of the survivors scrambled in every direction.
Many are screaming in fear and running in the opposite direction of Palmyra.
He looked back at Alexander the Great, but at this point, he was already gone.
So much death.
So much suffering.
This was war.
… he didn't like it, he didn't like it at all.
The ground crunched as Queen Zenobia landed before them, a somber expression on her face.
[Fuck. That was… excessive. ]
[(O_O) ] x 1632
[CasCu: *Whistles* I'd say about a quarter of that Army just died from those explosions. ]
[Um… I honestly never expected Queen Zenobia would be capable of killing so many people… ]
[Kream: That is the reality of war. Unlike the movies that Master and you Witnesses watch, real war is gritty, brutal, and ugly. ]
[SurgeOfLightning: Exactly. Why do you guys think a lot of us vets don't like talking much about the glory of war? Because war is not supposed to be glorified. It's unfortunate, but the end result of this battle is what happens when a medieval army decides to fight a modern one. Or in this case, a one woman army with magical bombardment powers. ]
"How… how can you kill so many people so easily?" He didn't mean to sound ungrateful, but this amount of killing at least warranted some explanation.
Queen Zenobia stared into his eyes, and she sighed, "it's not easy Ritsuka. I am not someone who enjoys needless killing for sport."
She gestured towards the battlefield, "for every life I snuff from existence, I also snuff a potential smith, a farmer, or a warrior. Quite frankly, it is a waste.
Men of ambition, those who seek to conquer and build empires, mere words do not reach them."
She clenched her fist, "the only language such men understand, is a supreme display of force. That is unfortunately the way the world works Ritsuka."
Queen Zenobia lowered her hand, "I can stand here and justify myself all I want, but, just know that as a ruler of a nation, it is my responsibility to protect my home and my people from invaders and anyone who wishes to harm them, by any means necessary. And if that means I have to bloody my hands to keep my people safe, I will."
He wanted to argue against her, he really did, but looking back on the various enemies he has encountered so far. She was right.
Gilles de Rais could not be talked out of harming Madame Romee and killing an entire town. Neither could Lev, who so sadistically killed Olga despite her pleading for him to stop.
It was the same case here.
These men came to her home with ill intent, and they were stopped. He shouldn't judge her for that.
"Senpai, watch out!!"
"Wha?!"
Mash grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back.
SLAM
A stone pillar fell between him and Queen Zenobia.
He opened his eyes and saw several more pillars fall around the shocked queen until she was trapped.
She tried to escape by flying upward.
"Guh!"
But a hexagonal roof with a glowing yin-yang symbol fell over her head and smacked her down into the sandy ground.
The newly constructed building then started to emit a bright light and that is when the screams began.
"AAAAAAHHHHH!!!!"
Whatever conflicted feeling he had about Queen Zenobia vanished as he heard her screams of anguish.
"Queen Zenobia!!" He ran towards the building, but suddenly, the air crackled with magical energy.
"WANADA!!"
A beam of light shot forward.
Such an attack was too fast to dodge for him, however, Mash came in clutch and swat the attack away.
"Tch."
He heard a click of the tongue come from nearby, and when he turned to look at the source, he saw that same business suit man from earlier.
Except, this time, his once immaculate suit was stained with dirt and blood. His glasses were cracked, and he looked like he was struggling to stay upright.
"It's no use. Your heavy hitter is now trapped inside my Unreturning Formation. She won't be escaping that stone maze anytime soon." The mysterious man looked like he struggled to say those words.
"Who are you? Based on your attire, you look like a modern mage… but you're clearly a servant." Mash demanded, but the mysterious servant merely pulled out a cigarette and using what looked like a simple magecraft spell, he lit it on fire.
He took a long, deep puff of the tobacco stick before exhaling a cloud of smoke.
This guy was intentionally dragging the conversation, wasn't he?
He looked to Zenobia, who was still screaming in agony then back at the mysterious servant, who was now smirking at him.
"Go ahead and try, I won't stop you from trying to save her… but don't expect your efforts to pay off."
[Bastard. ]
[Gudao! Save your future girl!! She's too hot to let die!! ]
He cleared his throat, "now then, You wished to know who I was, so here it is. My name is Lord El Melloi the Second, although I am not a proper heroic spirit. The actual name of that spirit, I will keep for myself."
[GARcher: Of coarse its him. At this point I'm not surprised by all the familiar faces I keep seeing appear.]
[You know him? ]
[GARcher: I have encountered him in the past, yes. He's not a strong mage by any means, but he's a well respected teacher in the clocktower. ]
[Ms.Roxanne: Is he now? I would have loved to learn more, but it seems like that's not going to be possible now. ]
"Lord El Melloi the Second, but how is that possible? The current head of the El Melloi family has no heirs that match your description." Mash asked, confused by the information he gave them.
"Don't worry about it too much, my names and titles don't mean anything now. So forget them." He took another puff of his cigarette.
"Now then, tell me, what is a Master and their weird feeling servant from the modern era doing here?"
He stepped up, "we are with the Chaldea Security Organization, we were sent here to resolve this singularity, so that we can stop the incineration of mankind."
Lord El Melloi pushed his damaged glasses up, "I see… that is a noble mission you two are undertaking."
"Yes it is, if you understand that, then please, release Queen Zenobia! She's agreed to help us! We don't have to fight anymore!" Mash tried to reason with the man, but her plea was dismissed with the shake of his head.
"As much as I feel for your cause, I cannot join you. I already pledged my services to my king… a man which your queen just so brutally murdered."
The man clenched his fists, "I vowed to him that I would help him achieve his dream, and yet again, I failed him. So I would be spitting on him if I chose to side with the enemy now."
[So much for getting help. ]
[Blue-TheCHAMP: Queen Zenobia called it. This guy cannot be reasoned with, albeit for a different reason than what she claimed. ]
"Besides, all is not lost… " Lord El Melloi the Second stared at Ritsuka, "so long as I can get my hands on command spells, I can always have someone resummon my king."
Mash stepped between them, "if you want his command spells, you will have to get through me first!"
Lord El Melloi the Second smirked, "I do not know if you've noticed but, while your Queen may have killed a good portion of our army, we still heavily outnumber you "
He snapped his fingers, and waves of men came running towards them. They all lined up around them, cutting off their escape.
Shit. They were surrounded and with a servant here, and Queen Zenobia out of commission, they were sitting ducks.
"Now then, please, surrender yourselves peacefully, and I promise no harm will come to you-"
CRACK
Lord El Melloi's calm demeanor abruptly broke into shock at the sound that just came from his formation.
There was a huge crack on one of the stone pillars.
The space inside the formation glowed bright with raw, magical energy.
It grew brighter, brighter, and brighter with each passing second.
The soldiers around them took a step back in fear of what was happening.
More and more cracks appeared until finally, the makeshift building could not handle the strain any longer.
BANG
Men screamed as the pieces of shrapnel tore their bodies apart.
He would have met a similar fate had Mash not been standing protectively in front of him, shielding him from the shrapnel the explosion had caused.
Lord El Melloi II looked at the scene in utter disbelief, "Impossible… "
Queen Zenobia floated towards them, a trail of blood coming down from her head and staining her once pristine clothes red.
She aimed her glare at the mage, "I commend you for your loyalty to your liege, Lord El Melloi the Second…"
It happened in a flash.
One moment, Lord El Melloi the Second was standing before them, whole.
The next, his head was now rolling off his shoulders.
Blood erupted from the severed man's head, further dirtying Queen Zenobia's white armor and battle dress. The servant's body, no longer controlled by his head, fell on the ground with a soft crunch.
[Σ(ﾟ口ﾟ)] x492
She looked down at the remains of the servant, "...but, respect alone will not suffice in stopping me from taking your life when you continue to threaten the lives of my people and the independence of my home."
He could only look at the motionless of Lord El Melloi in pity as it disappeared into motes of light.
The air vibrated once more, and this time, it was much harsher than before.
"To all of you who survived my onslaught, I, Queen Septimia Zenobia, have felled your leaders. And so, I ask again, will you kneel and join my army, or will you choose to follow your leaders in the afterlife?"
In a near unanimous action, every single soldier fell to their knees before her. All of them swore fealty to her.
Taking a moment to observe her newly acquired soldiers, she narrowed her eyes.
"Good. Now all of you, gather whatever you have left and stand in formation. We will march to Palmyra where you will be given a new assignment."
The men all synchronously agreed and immediately got to work.
With her work now done, Zenobia released her noble phantasm dress.
He winced when he saw just how much blood was dripping from the open wounds on her body.
She turned back to them with a smile on her face, "I apologize you two had to see me in such a state. I-" a trail of blood escapes from her mouth.
He didn't let her finish her sentence and was at her side before she could utter another word.
"Please excuse me Queen Zenobia, but healing spells work better with skin in skin contact. So if you would give me your hand."
Queen Zenobia suddenly turned shy, "I-I'm fine…"
He gave her a deadpan stare, "no, you are clearly not, please, allow me. It's my duty as a Master, even a temporary one, to care for my servants."
"V-very well. I shall accept your offer to heal me," she placed her warm hand on his, and immediately, the green healing aura enveloped her body.
Her slightly haggard breaths eased, and her tense muscles relaxed as her open wounds closed.
[Burning_Jealousy: Grr… ]
[PerfectlySaneHex: Oh relax, will you? He's only healing her, nothing inappropriate is going on. ]
[Burning_Jealousy: parasite girl has no idea that caring for another person's wounds is how many romances begin. ]
[PerfectlySaneHex: This is real life, not a movie. ]
After a moment of holding her hand, she let out a sigh, "thank you for your assistance Ritsuka… and you as well Mash. Your efforts in defense of Palmyra are greatly appreciated, and I am in your debt."
She gingerly took back her hand.
"It's not a big deal. You were kind enough to help us so much, it would be cruel of me to let you suffer." She smiled at his sincerity.
"Thank you, truly."
Her smile then turned brighter, "I hope you two are hungry, because when we return, we shall feast in honor of our victory!"
The taste of ash still refused to leave his mouth, but before he could say anything, she grabbed him and Mash in a respective one arm hug, "and you're not allowed to refuse. Queen's orders, understood?"
"... Understood." Maybe he'll feel hungry again after a nice, long walk back to civilization.
_____________________________________________________________
AN: Writer's Block kicked my ass this week, but I managed to cobble this together. Hope you guys enjoyed.
My Expert in explaining Bullshit with more bullshit: Flowerman (He helped me plan the outline of this arc).
Well, give me a like or comment if you liked my content.
I'll see you next week.