Part 39: Dawn Arc - Alter

Alter


Last chance

What...is this...power...? They're...completely surpassing...my value...calculation...estimates... This is...beyond my expectations... This isn't good... I have to find...a new formula... *collapses*

The battle is over. It was intense, but needless to say, we won. Altera defeated the Apostle of the Umbral Star. That's incredible. I'll tell Altera what I've been thinking. I don't think I need to keep it to myself anymore. Maybe I shouldn't have in the first place. *teleports out of Regalia*

First, let's restore the Regalia. I know that's what the Umbral Star wanted, but from there, I'll use the Royal Authority to free Altera from the Star's hold on her. There must be a way to do that. Somewhere in the Moon Cell's endless library, there has to be enough information to tell us how.

*shakes head* I am who I am. You saw that yourself just now. I can only destroy. So...yes. Do what you want.



If you wish to fight me, then do what you have to do. But... If we use the Moon Cell's resources wisely, we can make the darkness within the Zero Dark even deeper. We should be able to isolate the cavern permanently.



Altera also transferred the Regalia to Hakuno's hand. Didn't...see that coming. Something about this ending just don't sit right though...

As of this moment, my contract with you is broken. This game of Master and Servant is now over. ...I would still be erased even if you left me there, but there would still be mana left over. So it would be best if you could erase me with your own hands.

What...? No. That's not what I'm talking about at all. I suppose we COULD stop Velber by sealing off its vessel. But that would mean...isolating Altera for all eternity. And that would defeat the purpose.

No, there is a purpose. If you want to search for a way to free me, fine, but while you're searching... I might receive another order and be forced to destroy you. That's who I am. Archimedes may be in league with the Umbral Star, but he's not the Umbral Star itself. That's why I was able to fight him. But if an order comes directly from the Umbral Star, nothing could make me stop. I would break you. I would kill you.

So that's why she has to lock herself away forever...? She looks like she's resigned to that fate. But is that right? Even now that we have the whole Regalia? Even after all we've fought all the way here together?

Together... Yes, together. If you would think of it that way, then that's enough. ...Hakunon. I had lost sight of what I wanted long ago. Did I want to follow orders, or did I want you? I came all the way here without knowing the answer to that. We've collected the Regalia. Even with Archimedes gone, the Umbral Star still expects me to destroy everything. ...I don't know how much time we have. So this is the best solution.



...You should restore the Regalia, and yourself with it. If the Mind and Soul return, you'll be yourself again. Your true self, the one who used to be with Saber before you met me. Your emotions are temporary and misguided. I don't want your sympathy. You should see me as the enemy, and do what's right as a human. ...Just like the Holy Sword's wielder killed me before.

She thinks my emotions don't mean anything. She wants to see me "restored", and maybe that would be best. Fuse the Regalia, become who I am "really" am again, and then save the world like a hero. I'm sure everyone would love to see that happen. Every civilization on Earth, every NPC and AI on SE.RA.PH. But. But...there's no room in that picture for her.



So I release you. You are no longer my Prisoner. From now on...you are my former Master. be happy for your freedom. Besides, you've learned all you need to know about your "enemy". Who could ask for more? I have nothing else to my name, nothing but my sword, so please accept your freedom. It's all I can give you. If my mainframe were awake, she would make the same choice. Of course, at the moment...she seems to be in her isolation mode, where she can neither feel nor respond. ...But she still seems in that state. "Dreams" about me, so to speak. So if you want to leave, now's the time. Fading away in a dream. I can think of no better way to go.

"You're wrong", I tell her. "This is all wrong. You don't know a single thing about how i feel. I've given up everything else to come this far with you. And not because I was your Prisoner, but because I believed in you. I defeated Caster without knowing her name. I defeated Saber without knowing her name. We vanquished one Servant after another. Knowing full well that we were acting against SE.RA.PH, and that it was something Hakunon would never do. And I did it all so you could be free. I don't want to destroy anything, but more than that, I don't want to leave you alone. Because of what you said. That you want to feel your feet on the ground, that you want to live and leave something behind. I won't ever forget those words. Even now, I can still hear your voice inside me, like an echo in this hollow Body of mine. ...And for all that emptiness, I'm staking my one sliver of hope on your future, our future."

...You want the impossible. There is no other way, and you and I are running out of time. So please, do what I ask, and forgive me later. ...I know we didn't plan it this way, but will you please grant me that wish? Master?



...Archimedes?! Even though his mana was gone without a trace?! How can he still move?!

Yet again, emotions thwart all reason! Even you, Altera, bred to be the Vanguard of the Umbral Star, YOU show that same instability?! I will not... WILL NOT tolerate this any longer. I will have you both eradicated!



...Ack!!





Ah... Ah... What have you...done...you bastard...?! The Star Symbol is...changing... It's becoming...the Umbral Symbol! No, anything... Anything but that! I can't...!! Destroy... I'll...destroy everything...!





Well, this might be tough... No Tamamo or Nero to help out. Man, some guys just never stay dead.







...It's some kind of massive creature. Its mana is off the charts, to a point that shouldn't be possible on either Earth or the Moon. It's not a Heroic Spirit, and it's not an enemy program. There's no record of this creature, not in history or mythology. If I tried to comprehend it all at once, I'd go insane. When did I start to recognize its...human features? When it first appeared? When it started to demolish the cavern? Or when it swung those twin red lights toward me? Yes, it must have been those glittering eyes. The same color eyes as hers.

...!!

Its scream tears through space itself. Not the scream of a human, or a Heroic Spirit. No, it's the scream of a god-slaying menace. It's calling out. Beckoning the Umbral Star from the depths of space, to come and feed. But in parallel with that, I hear what almost sounds like a wail. A curse against its unavoidable destiny, a curse on itself, a curse on everything. The scream brings down what was once the cavern. All the Zero Dark quakes in the creature's presence. It is indeed the White Titan, the one who destroyed everything all those eons ago.

*laugh* Useless, useless! Who needs a world so tied up in meaningless emotions?! Crush it! Crush it! It's not even worth harvesting! All I have to do is slide to another route and bide my time again! But you will die here! You burn for love, and struggle to bond with others! And what lies at the end of your foolish hopes?! Despair! Now feel it crush you and rip you apart!



She's glaring at me. Is she targeting the Regalia? No, that's not it. I unfortunately understand that those eyes see nothing. She doesn't want the Regalia. She doesn't want anything but to smash everything in sight. But those giant orbs of light are still her eyes. She's gazing out...at the world she must destroy. The White Titan lets out a roar as she stands even higher. She reaches out toward me with her right hand. She's nothing like Altera now... I've never witnessed this form from her firsthand. Her presence resonates through every inch of my body. This is who she's become. The very creature who forced the Moon Cell and the Earth to the brink of destruction. Sephyr herself.

▂▂▃▃▂▂



She's rushing at me now. She's coming. She's here. In a flash, her form fills my vision. It's caught so many other Masters this way. The Moon Cell recorded their final moments. I see those moments now, through the Regalia, I see exactly how I'll die. I can't fight. I can't escape. I can't even beg. If I ever had a life, it would flash before my eyes right now. Maybe that's why I can still face the end head-on, because I have so little to lose. I'm just a second or third-rate Wizard, without even any spells to defend myself. So is this it? She's just going to crush me? Without any last words from either of us?

No. That's not right. I formed a contract with you. My name is Hakunon, and I'm your Prisoner. And the two of us have nothing but each other. The real Altera wouldn't want it to end this way. She wouldn't hurt me. I know that, because I've seen her kindness. And I also know how scary she can be. But most of all, I know what she really wants - to leave something behind! ...Don't go down this path. You can leave behind more than regret and despair. "Great King of Destruction". "Killing machine". Those titles don't suit you. Because only one name ever did!



I shout that name from the heart.



*swings sword*

▂▂▃▃▂▂





...Master. "Master". *chuckle* I'm not sure I meant to say that. Technically, our contract has already been revoked, but...as long as you call me, I'll still be your Servant. ...So give me an order. And know that it's too late for the other me. now that she's been transformed into Sephyr, her memories and experiences as Altera have been erased. In other words, those memories only exist in me now. She is not the one you knew. She's no longer the titan who dreamed of me. So...

No. No, I can't do that. I'm not doubting her words. If she says Titan Altera is gone, I'll believe her. But even so, I can't... Regardless of how much she's changed. Even if she IS just a machine now. She's still Altera's mainframe, her source. The root of Altera's being. And... What would happen to Altera without her? Would Altera be safe? No, if she exists like a dream, she'd disappear, wouldn't she? I can't allow that. I won't. There has to be some one-in-a-million chance of separating Altera from the White Titan without hurting her. There has to be. The Regalia must know something...

If there were, I'd have already tried it. There's no way. None at all. Now listen to me. At this very moment, we have two choices. Fight and protect the world. Or fail to fight and lose the world. My heart is laid bare for you, Master, so I say this with no hesitation... I beg of you. Don't ever... Do NOT let that titan destroy anything. I...don't want that to happen any more. And Titan Altera sent me that same wish just before she changed.



I suppose that might have been a bit hasty... if you please, I'd love to have that back on my hand.



...Yes. Yes... It's so much better this time. I was happy before, of course... But right now, I feel like I'm dreaming.

Certain that this is the final battle, I put on the Regalia on Altera's finger. I might be the last one to notice, but that white veil really does make her look like a blissful bride. *teleported back into Regalia*

▂▂▃▃▂▂ ▂▂▃▃▂▂

...Thank you, my Master. Sephyr! I myself will destroy you!




Savior

Well, it's the same Sephyr fight as always, just with a new round of challenges and opportunities because of the Servant we're controlling. Altera's bread and butter, even moreso than Tamamo's flamethrower, is her projectile attack, which as I've mentioned can launch several volleys of attacks at a target, if you're right up next to it. Given that most of your attacking of Sephyr is at close-range, either dealing with the core or one of its hands, this works out nicely for you. Of course, if you have the Moon Drive active, you can pretty much one-shot the hands.

Really, the hardest part about fighting as Altera here is keeping in mind most of her special attacks have somewhat considerable lagtime between the time you complete it (assuming it is completed and when you can resume control. This isn't so much of an issue when you have the big open arena, but can be quite perilous once she's reduced the playable floor space by half (I think even more, but don't quote me on that).

Another thing to keep in mind is that once the hand starts pulling away, it's not impossible to keep doing damage to it. You can follow-up by attacking it briefly in mid-air or having one of projectiles go after it. You'd be surprised the amoutn of damage that move can do, assuming the homing works out in your favor. Altera's flame kick is also pretty powerful, but definitely not something you'll use in favor of the projectiles.



It should be noted that, assuming there aren't any mooks around, the hitbox on the hand is *massive*, which is I think what makes the Balls of Doom so good here. This Extella Maneuver? It's gonna hit, and I'll do tons of damage with it.



Bam. First time in this thread I can prove I broke a 10,000 hit combo. Let's see how long I can keep this up...





Bummer, wish I could have kept that going...



Now, it's finally all over...



With the bonus mook accompaniment.



And there it is: perfect streak of EX ranks for all of the Dawn Arc, on Hard.