Part 23: Orchid Words Arc - Megami

Megami




Hot spring visit

We'll just call this the next morning, shall we? Gotta properly relax before the big adventure, of course.

But you can actually fit inside just perfectly. Our knees might bang together, but that's just part of the intimacy. You just don't get that in bigger bathtubs. I would say the size is just perfect.

I think she's right. When it comes to lounging in hot baths, nothing beats what they have in this dimension. My temperature's rising, not just from the water, but from the feel of her knee against mine. And the water alone doesn't account for the pounding in my chest. For the two of us, this bath is just the right size. Or so I'd say.

Just the right size. I'd call it "Love Size". How about you? It's perfect. And I can just make out your gorgeous face though the steam. ♡

I feel just the same. I can see Caster's pink, beautiful skin, the redness of her blushing face. Once again, her cheerful smile gleams like the Sun. Of course I can see her skin. We're in the bath together.

Ah, here we are, Master, point blank with each other. And I see you looking away, or focusing straight on my face... But it's okay, you know? It's Love Size here. That's what it's for.

We've been close for quite a while now, and she's saying provocative words, but she's not coming any closer either.



I'm sorry I'm a bit dizzy... But, well, accidents happen in a Love Size bath.

I don't have time to respond. In the next instant, Caster moves in with no resistance at all. Ahh, she's so... So...



All I'm glad is, Elizabeth isn't barging in any more and ruining things.

What...is soft...my Husband? ...No objections? This tub is small, after all, and... Right...?


Into the dark



Ohoho... I wonder if you've noticed something, dear... Ever since you came back from the Moon Cell core, all we've done is conquer and invade... Not once have we enjoyed a date together. Quite an oversight, wouldn't you say? I've been so focused on expanding our empire that I've neglected what's most important. I... I'm such a fool. Even without the true Regalia on my finger, or all of SE.RA.PH at my feet. I could have had so much more right here... I deeply apologize, dearest. Doubly so because I only had time to plan this cheap, quick date!

Even with Altera on the horizon, Caster keeps her voice bright and cheerful. She's forcing it, of course, but she's doing it for me, because she wants to enjoy our time together. So I'd never call this walk a "cheap date". We're taking a moment to ler her be happy and excited, and nothing's better than that.







Yay. ♪ Ah, I seem to have wrapped my arms around you in all that confusion. ♪ ...How foolish could I be? I should've been doing this so much more, from the beginning. No, no. Regrets should be thrown to the Inugami. Don't want toe nd up like Kanichi and Omiya from "The Golden Demon". Let's cuddle together like a couple of crazy kids, and stay together like a husband and ife. Onwards, to the enemy, to the Zero Dark. It may end up being a short trip, but having you by my side makes me so happy. ♡

It's been a while since the last Japanese mythology reference, huh? "Inugami" is "Dog god/spirit" (basically Inugami are spirits who possess a dog's body). "Kanichi and Omiya' is a more contemporary reference. This Flickr post goes into more detail, but the high and low is Omiya, the woman, is convinced to marry the son of a banker by the son's promise of a diamond, rather than her boyfriend, Kanichi.

I can say the same. I can feel her warmth and softness on my arm. I don't care how far we make it. Let's head out there together, into the Zero Dark... The Zero Dark? Now that I think about it, Caster makes it sound obvious, but how exactly are we getting there? Is this someplace we can just walk to?

You know, that is a good question Flame Poem didn't really answer I guess we can chalk it up to "Archimedes did it". He seems to have a knack for going to and from the Zero Dark.

Oh, are you asking how far it is? It's...not so much a question of distance. I suppose we're more near than far, if you want to put it that way. We can place a portal to get there. The only question is where to place it... If we set it up in My Room, we'll be putting our love next at risk if they ever come through...but the Capital's still at risk, no matter where we put it. No telling when the Forces of Destruction will attack here. Still, I'd rather have the slightest chance that we return to this place than the certainty we'd fall defending it. So if we must, I can live with us leaving it unguarded for now.



Like the surface of water that reflects the golden sunlight, the enigmatic Yin will appear, penetrate, and fall. Like the other side of Yomotsu Hirasaka, we're Underworld bound. The shadow on the moon excavated by the Tear of the Star.

Googling that "Yomotsu" gave me a song of Shin Megami Tensei stuff, but basically, it's the Japanese path to the underworld. Though, you could discern that just from her little speech.



...Now, my Husband. The gate that connects to the Underworld of the Moon has opened. Ever inch we fight for will be an inch of the Forces of Destruction's main stronghold. But in the end, we'll silence that intolerable Altera.



But I guess we ran back to My Room to pick up our stuff or something (you don't need a Code Cast on a date, after all), and one final little talk...



Why don't we treat ourselves to a little enjoyment? Then we can face the battle fresh and ready. Honestly, the enemy ahead is no joke. The records of the Holy Grail War put her up in the top class.

That almost feels surreal. But if Caster says so, it must be true. I don't doubt her, and I don't plan on giving up. This wouldn't be the first time we've done the impossible together - just look at our fight with Gilgamesh - so I won't lose hope now. Let's stand up and strike back, I say!

Yes. I know exactly what we'll do. We'll outfox the enemy and come back to a great victory feast! Or a small, intimate meal in our own little room. As long as we're together, our love next will be brighter than Heaven's rays! Heavens' rays. The Sun. I used to wonder if the Sun might be Caster's true form, or perhaps her ancestor, but maybe the Sun is the origin from which Tamamo no Mae incarnates. Amaterasu, the Goddess of the Sun. Could that make her a match for Velber? I know it's not that easy of a question. It's not as easy as one might think for her to transform at will and use her full power. But it does make me wonder. Can gods stand a chance against the Umbral Star?

The topic of mythology is something that comes up a lot in Nasu's works. So how many gods exist in this universe? Short answer, all of them. The Mesopotamian pantheon, the Olympians, the Japanese gods, Indian gods, Celtic gods, the Egyptian gods, the Abrahamic god, etc. etc. etc. All of them are equally "real" in this universe. Now, as I mentioned near the start of Flame Poem, there was a time long before the start of this game where gods and men lived much more in harmony, but the reign of King Gilgamesh, and 1,000 years later, the death of King Solomon, led to an end to this age, to the world where the gods are *very* much on the backbench.

Hm, I wonder. Altera has a bonus modifier against the world, so... A god who embodies nature might be a disadvantage. But the Sun Goddess, specifically... Most gods' divinity comes from the Earth, but the Sun belongs to the universe. In terms of force, She could be on par with Velber. But... Well... How would you say...? To begin with... If I were to become the Sun, then I would no longer be me. And I would no longer be your Servant. I...don't want that...



Now's no time to be flip, besides, we can rely on the woman before us, right?

...Thank you very much.

Caster may not be the Sun, but her smile alone has enough power to defeat the Umbral Star. And that smile is brighter than the Sun to me.



And we'll shine that smile on the Zero Dark. One could choose either Lightning or Fire for this stage, but personally speaking, I went with an anti-Lightning set-up. We'll just have to see our way through.


Orchid Words Stage 5

So the set-up to this stage is basically identical to Flame Poem's version of this stage, just with Jeanne replaced by Elizabeth. Honestly, that makes it a bit easier, if you ask me. However, I do consider Gilgamesh to be a tougher fight in Tamamo's hands than Nero's, if only for the fact Nero's a faster attacker than Tamamo is, and Tamamo's natural weakness (sans Regalia, of course) against enemy Servants. Still, though, if you've made it through all of Orchid Words until now, you should be fine.



As before, you're better served by largely ignoring Iskandar and Elizabeth / Jeanne and going after Gilgamesh, because his Gate of Babylon attacks will rapidly spread the damage to your side.



That said, I find it prudent to cut through the center of the map before dealing with Gilgamesh. Medusa's more than capable of holding her own against a powerful enemy, and it's not like it'll take us too terribly long to finish things here.



So the reason I find Tamamo vs. Gilgamesh is Tamamo's much more shorter reach compared to Nero gives Goldie a lot more opportunity to get the first hit in, and unless you've dash attacking to and fro like a dope, you'll have to at least get out the claws of doom to stagger / inflict any kind of the damage on the dude. It just leads to the fight being much prolonged than it should be.

The good news is that, even on Hard, his regular attacks aren't too damaging. Special attacks, of course, are a whole other bag.



But disadvantage or no, doesn't take too long to wrap things up.



Gotta love enemy Servants who barely have time to say hello before I chase them off. In my defense, there's no time to waste when you're recording.



I feel the best way to stick it to semi-divine dicks like Gilgamesh is to ignore them, until you're ready to take them out. To illustrate my point, I decided to go after the other rampaging king. Iskandar and Tamamo are nearly complete opposites in terms of how they fight. Iskandar has range and power on his side, but his speed is...not fantastic.



But he does have a hell of a reach. Watch yourself out there.



Another brawl, another victory. See you in the next route, Goldie. Don't worry, you'll be seeing a lot of him next time. That's for damn sure. Bringing him down also secured my Sector Key victory, which means we could (although we won't) immediately head to Altera.

But, like most stages after all the enemy Servants who have defeated, there's really not much more to say. The most interesting thing that happened is that when I went to the NW Sector, I activated my Regalia too early for the Sector Trap, and had to get the *hell* out of there before the trap actually sprung. Harrowing stuff.



All that blue feels nice...


Kami

The above video includes the stage + scene + boss fight. The link just now is for this scene + boss fight.

I have the power to crush your civilization and your lives. We both know it. So...

Oh, what is this? The self-proclaimed "Great King of Destruction', hesitating now? Are you planning to kill me with laughter? What nonsense. All you're doing here is proving what a mess you are inside. All that power, and you still sent that little newt out to ask for our cooperation. Even now, you still expect us to surrender. You have this sword of invincible power and you hide behind a "shield" of doubt. Do you not see the contradiction?

...I don't need you to tell me any of that. I won't say I have no regrets. But... That has nothing to do with you. And the fact remains, you're weaker than I am. ...Caster. Give me the Regalia, and I promise to protect your lives with all my power.

With her sword in hand, Altera quietly declares her proposal. She doesn't look like the Umbral Star's Messenger right now. She looks like a young woman with an earnest wish. ...I suddenly have to question this whole situation. I think we're misunderstanding the reason she wants the Regalia. Why would someone so devoted to destruction be so interested in the Moon Cell Automaton's Royal Authority? For the Umbral Star? For destruction's sake? It's true that the Moon Cell would be defenseless without it, and would only be able to sit there and watch itself die... So that's the obvious reason why the Umbral Star's Messenger would want it. Which makes sense. But I still think there's some kind of misunderstanding here. Because... Honestly, Altera could destroy the Moon Cell without the Regalia. It's only a nuisance to her, at best. So does she actually want to destroy the Regalia...or does she want to possess it for some reason?

...Ha, ha, HA! This is out...rageous! That speech! That glare! That thought behind your eyes! Now I understand, and I can NEVER forgive you! This Regalia is the symbol of everything I've achieved, everything I craved for so long! I'll never hand it over to the likes of you!

Caster's words are like sharp slams against Altera. I don't think it's wise to provoker her in the middle of negotiations, myself. And I don't know why Caster's so agitated all of a sudden. I want Caster to calm down for a bit. If we can keep talking, maybe we can...

No, darling. I'm sorry. I can't allow it. I just can't. You look at her and you see a woman in need.

...

Well, I'm a woman as well. That's why... I cannot let her take, or destroy, ANYTHING we have! I have nothing to give you!

No. It doesn't belong to you alone.

...Silence!





Decoys are *really* good in this game. When Altera activates her Regalia, I can just deploy Shinji, sit back, and make sure to hang back while Altera is flailing around. Then when she's done embarrassing herself, I'm right there to go after her. And good thing, too, since I currently don't have Moon Crux or anything on my EM gauge. Very dangerous to fight like this.

Now, as I've mentioned a few times, but Tamamo's lack of range really hurts her. She does have her icicle attack, but it's not so good at long ranges like this, so we're basically just stuck waiting until things are done. Well, we can beat up the trash mobs and gain back some EM progress. Just, make sure Shinji's bouncing around doesn't lead right into you, because Altera's attacks *hurt*.



Now this is dangerous. Going by the distance, I only have one shot to stop her: either hitting her or one of her goons with the EM. An enemy's Noble Phantasm will very nearly one-shot you.



Another in Altera's bag of tricks is this massive charging attack. This thing will zoom all over the battlefield, and, as always, does a ton of damage. Actually, there's quite an interesting little factoid about this move, but I'll save it until the next arc.



...This is why you don't get sloppy with the doll bouncing around. Even though I made it out of this unscathed, just a little less distance between us, and I'd be taking a huge hit.



That was a good hit.



Something...seems to be wrong, though.



*Ouch* That's what getting hit by her projectile attack can look like. 'course, with the distance on her sword, almost everything she does might as well count as a short-range projectile.





So when I said something looked wrong, this is what I meant. For some reason, after I used my NP (or maybe it was her twirling attack shortly thereafter), her character model started to twirl in place like an idiot. As amusing as this is (and personally, I've NEVER seen something like this happen), it actually makes her considerably more dangerous. Usually I can see an enemy who is about to attack by their, you know, moving toward me. But if the enemy's not moving toward me, I have no idea when they're about to launch an attack.

Obviously, I can't totally demonstrate what this looks like in screenshots, but trust me, watch the video after I use my NP and you'll see what I mean.



Look, she's even turning in place during her NP charge-up! It's bananas, is what it is. Luckily, I think my last EM knocked her out of that. That was good for the both of us.



Can't say I saw THAT coming...



And with 4/4 missions completed, can't ask for a better result.


Aftermath

Knowledge! Courage! Those are the powers of humanity, and the bane of all monsters! And you are no exception, Altera! You're nothing but a lowly beast who fell out of the blackness! I've made my mistakes. But I am a fragment of the Sun's embodiment, the fox of the heavens. And now, by the Royal Authority...

...No, you're wrong. I am not a monster. We are decay, and we welcome the civilizations that nourish us. You cannot win against us. You cannot kill us. ...Flare Effect. Commencing connection with Mars.

!



...Tear Drop Photon Ray.



Forgive me. No Servant, nor any human heart, could ever stand a chance against us. I...didn't wish to take your lives. I hope to understand what those lives mean someday. But... If you stand in my way, I will destroy you.



How naive! What, just one little pillar of light? You've bragged about the power of the War God, so go ahead and use it! Oh, I see what you're up to, you little minx! You were afraid to hurt my Husband! Oh, you're hilarious, and so incredibly naive.

Where...?

The gods reside in Izumo. To free this is proof of my purification. This is the sacred treasure, the Mirror of Uka... Eightfold Blessing of Amaterasu.





...!!

Five consecutive attacks slam into Altera. I recognize the spell: Gyokutenhou. It's the strongest spell in Caster's repitoire, and now it's seized Altera's whole body. Caster pulled off the perfect surprise attack. She played on Altera's knowledge of her recklessness, then tricked her into lowering her guard. It wasn't Caster herself who was swallowed up by the pillar of light. It was a digital decoy constructed to look like her, at the cost of most of the Regalia's resources. Caster herself had been lying in wait above, hiding her presence. Waiting for the perfect moment to execute the perfect attack. Caster doesn't have an innate presence-blocking skill, but she was able to rig the Regalia up to give herself something similar. It cost her all the resources the Regalia had left. Of course, the Regalia's not intended to be fiddled with that way, but then, that's Caster for you.

...Honestly, I thought we had a fifty-fifty chance at best. Thank you very much, Master. You piloted my decoy perfectly, and gave me just the chance I needed. I never could have gotten close enough to her on my own.

...I fell...for your trick? A simple ploy...that even all my light couldn't reveal... That's what I lose to now? ...Caster.

That's right, vassal of the Umbral Star. Weak as we are, we've brought down the giant. Humans gained knowledge through sin, but they use it to do the impossible. I've witnessed human struggles for centuries. I've learned from my Master. So all I had to do was think, "What would humans do?" And that's how you were beaten today. Of course...I'm sure you've seen something like it before.

One thing I do really like between Tamamo and Nero is how, while fundamentally pretty similar, approach life in two different ways. Tamamo may seem really goofy and hard to take seriously, but she's actually quite intelligent, and tends to favor making her point through logic.

Nero, on the other hand, starts from an absolute conclusion about everyone and everything, and tries to power her way to a resolution. It didn't work out so well this time or in Flame Poem, but you can hardly blame her.

Just as a I thought... Caster... No, Tamamo no Mae... You...know my...past...?



Right next to Altera, a figure who looks like me appears and stands in front of her. By now, that's the most natural thing in the world to me. It's just like I saw before, with Saber and my Mind. It's the Body of Hakunon. Even though our positions are different, there's no doubt she's me. No matter what happens, she stands up for her Servant. Just like I would.

So far, this is just like last time, minus the details. Thankfully, we haven't seen Archimedes around for a while. He had quite the knack of stepping in and ruining the moment...



My Prisoner... No, you can't leave the ring... I...can't protect...you...from the destruction...

...Of course you can't. You can't protect anything. There's no way you ever COULD protect anything. All you know how to do is destroy. So why don't you drop the whole "tragic damsel" routine? It's not funny or anything. It just kills your mystique and... Oh wait, I see. This must be your human side. Well, you know what? It's boring as hell.

...Elizabeth. What do you want?

Nice to see you again, my lonely little "Queen". Where would you be without that Regalia, huh? Your Spiritual Core's as weak as ever. Ah-ah, think before you try anything. My reflexes might go off and kill that little squirrel.

Elizabeth Bathory... Her face still looks the same. She strolls up to us through the dust, without a mark from our last encounter. She's different. She still looks like she did when she first consumed Saber's Regalia, but there's something missing from her now. Elizabeth was the one who told me to run away from the "wicked Queen" of the Capital. She even got herself shocked on my behalf, more than once. That Elizabeth is no longer here.

Now then...Altera, I think it's time for you to wake up. You're not a Heroic Spirit, not an Anti-Heroic Spirit, and this human act doesn't suit you at all. Really, it's kind of pathetic. Maybe it makes you feel better? I won't even ask why you made your "outdoors" clone a Servant. Doesn't matter. You lost, so playtime's over. Time to put on your serious face. Your real face. The Umbral Star's embodiment, Sephyr the White Titan.







I...don't...want to...kill anybody! Enough! No more...! I don't...want...to destroy...anything...!

No, my Husband! This way!

*laugh* Don't you hate when you can't admit who you are?! Oh, I know EXACTLY how you feel! Do you not know your Secret Garden? Really? Oh, c'mon! Stop lying! You know it! Right, Altera?! I'll be nice and spell it out for you! You can live with no worries and no regrets. You know why? Because you never really had the in the first place! Because you don't belong to this place - you're just a monster! *flies off*





...It's a giant...something. Its Spiritual Core is firing off a terrifying amount of pressure. Its white light is blinding hot. It's so large I can't take it all in at once. A human shadow... When did I first start noticing its features? When she first appeared? When I saw her in profile? Or could it be...? When I saw the two shining spots on its head?



The scream seems to shake reality itself. It's not human. It's not a Heroic Spirit. It's a monster. It's hunger. Vast, unstoppable hunger.

...O-ho, that's just disgustingly delicious! So bloodcurdlingly beautiful! So big and loud! Fun fact: This is just her hatchling stage! The more she destroys, the bigger she gets. How big do you think she'll be in the end? Now, titan, destroy to your heart's content! You have the Umbral Star's blessing! In fact, you have nothing BUT that blessing! Destruction is the only proof of your existence! Destroy! Destroy! Destroy EVERYTHING!

...Goddammit, Elizabeth. And here I was telling everyone about how saintly you were... I still stand by that, just that she makes it hard sometimes.

She's glaring at me. Does it still want the Regalia? I understand in an instant. Whatever makes her scream, she's still aware enough to know what she must destroy. And that's why she's looking at us. I remember... A little late now, but I remember what happened at the Moon Cell core. It's a perfect match. The giant creature standing up in the dark, the one that split me, and the Regalia, in three pieces, the "unknown threat" to SE.RA.PH.... I remember the feeling of my digital body being broken and split. Myself. The Regalia. All by this same hand.



That time, I couldn't avoid it. It caught me. I was alone then, without an ally by my side. But... It's different now. At least for this moment, I'm not alone. By my side is "the blade who protects Hakunon". The golden-eyed Servant who's chosen to stay with me to the end.



...MASTER!



We have to fall back! Please hold on!







...Altera...the Titan...