Part 38: Dawn Arc - Choice

Choice


One again

Flare Effect. Commencing communication with Mars.

*gasp*



It's over, Emperor of Rome. Forgive me. You could not defeat me as a Servant. No man, woman, or civilization could. Though I do not understand what it means to live and die as you did... Though I did not wish to take your life... I...have nothing else but the drive for destruction. So... Since you called me a worthy rival, I gave you the mercy of a painless death.



It's over... Now there's truly nothing standing the way of the reunification and destruction of the Regalia. Archimedes' scheming...worked?

The battle between the red and white Sabers is over now. You're the winner, Altera. Your victory was perfect. The Red Saber is gone now. Crushed. Destroyed. Not even a fragment of her spiritron energy remains. Everything that made up her digital body is gone. All that's left is the third piece of the Regalia. A shock stabs my entire body. A sense of loss and despair. I try my hardest to hold back my tears, screams, and cries. Just like when I lost Caster... I just need to survive this as the Body of Hakunon. This is how it has to be...This is the choice I've made.

..."Mind" of my Master. I've defeated your Servant. I'm your new owner. For the time being, I'll have you slumber within the Regalia. ...I won't kill you. Just wait for the time of fusion.

...No waiting. The time is now. There's no need to hesitate, Sephyr. We can fulfill our ambitions this very moment. Ah, how wonderfully refreshing this is. You erased the two other Regalia wielders and took all three pieces yourself. There is no one left to interfere. Splendid, splendid. The titan may have her size in her favor, but you were the one who brought results. Sephyr's harbinger. For an incomplete being, you did your job remarkably well. For Velber. Now, you're the true Anti-Cell, worth all that travel time in the Tear of the Star. Be proud. You have surpassed the original.

...Archimedes. Is that your true appearance?

Oh, does this surprise you? That my soul is recorded in the Throne of the Heroes and yet I remain an...outsider, in the service of Velber? Yes, I am beyond humanity. I suppose you haven't seen me in this stage before. But that's irrelevant. Finish up your role, won't you?



...Urk!

...I'm sorry, Altera. While you and Saber were fighting, Archimedes snuck up and paralyzed me. Don't listen to him. I have a bad feeling. He's too dangerous. If you destroy the Regalia, it'll end everything...including your one chance at freedom.

Allow me to show you the end of the Earth and the Moon. Sit quietly and watch, leftover scum clinging to a sundered Body.





I told you to not move. This cage of light cannot be broken, even by a Master. It'll only hurt you more. Of course, don't even think of using Command Seals. That's also been taken care of.

What's the meaning of this, Archimedes? Do you dare harm my Prisoner?

Ah, that tone of yours, those eyes, so unbecoming of a machine. I am merely establishing a bit of insurance. Simply fulfill your role, and after all the twists and turns, this world's Regalia will at last be restored. The prize of our harvest, engorged with all the Earth's knowledge and history, the Moon Cell! If all we had to do was destroy it, we could do it on our own, but...all that information would be lost as well. But without the Regalia, the Moon Cell will have no way to stop the Umbral Star's arrival, or its harvest. So restore the Regalia, then destory it, shut down the Moon Cell, and all our greatest ambitions will at least bear fruit. That irritating jammer will finally fall silent, and the Umbral Star will set its proper course! *laugh* Third time's the charm...



Oh, or would it be... More entertaining to reset the ownership of the Regalia to myself? Under these specific circumstances, even I could take control.

...



What "decision"? You've been acting strange... What's wrong? Did Saber give you a blow to the head? You exist to destroy and to massacre. You need nothing else. You have no use for thoughts or decision-making. They would only hinder your purpose. Now, validate your existence. Destroy your target, and erase yourself. Expend the life the Umbral Star bestowed upon you.

...Existence. My own existence, hmm? ...How interesting. The same words, same concepts, but so different now. Saber... My greatest adversary. I should have talked with you more. Hear me, Archimedes. I will not destroy the Regalia. I cannot, and would not.

Ah I see... Playing "human", are you? How admirable of you to give me the honor of performing this great deed myself. A machine can't spontaneously grow emotions, of course, but i can learn to perform new actions. A display of human emotion based on observation. Mimicry, in other words. Very well, then. Allow me to overwrite your programming. Then you can give me the Regalia, and I will destroy it myself. Yes, I should end this personally. I love you even more now, Altera! You, who have easily surpassed humans, are truly the most beautiful thing...

No, I won't let you do that either. The Regalia belongs to Hakunon. I don't need the Regalia. I will rule the Moon Cell by my own will, my own ideals. Great Scholar Archimedes. I find your scheme disagreeable. ...You are my enemy, and I must destroy you.

...I see. So you didn't learn. You broke. Not unexpected. I knew Saber would do you some damage. Irritating, but I did prepare for it.



...Urk!



My vision floods with light in an instant, knocking me down. The pressure is intense. Suffering for the sake of suffering. Every spiritron in my fragmented Body feels like it's being stabbed with a needle, and the pain keeps swelling and swelling... If I were surprised, I would scream in pain as my eyes rolled back, no doubt. But I was ready. I knew Archimedes was about to do something, and I did my best to steel myself for it. I can take it. I've had worse. ...I'm okay. Besides, I'm just an empty shell that could disappear at any moment. I've got plenty of room for pain...! ...And Archimedes, wise as he likes to think he is, won't kill me. If he did that, he'd lose me as a hostage.

No screams from you, I see. Just dirty looks. Well, some humans do prove their worth in a crisis. But no human's endurance is limitless. If you suffer that a third time, your eyeballs will boil, and your skin will know eternal suffering.

..."Eternal" suffering?

Oh, I won't kill you - you've figured that out - but I will render you permanently helpless. You won't find this program anywhere else on SE.RA.PH. It's the power of the Umbral Star. It's a virus that will continue to destroy and restore the target forever. Restoration for the sake of more destruction.

...Stop.

I can stop at any time, of course. But it's up to you. You obviously know where this is going, yes? What will you do, avatar? If you hand over the Regalia, I'll release the hostage. I know this woman is an important source of mana for you. It'd be a waste to lose her.

...Stop! Please stop. I beg of you. Don't...destroy...my Master... I'll hand over...the Regalia. So, please... My Master... Please...

"You can't. You can't do that, Altera! If you hand it over to Archimedes, you won't ever get your wish!"





...You're nothing but a powerless doll, Sephyr.



*gasp*





AAAGGGH...!!





...Naturally. Leave it to Gilgamesh to show up at the exact right time, make a big grand entrance and Tomokazu Seki to chew the scenery to an amazing degree. This entire scene is like Peak Gilgamesh.

Or did you think that you had the world right in the palm of your hand? If so, you truly are the greatest. The greatest of fools. *laugh* I cannot stop laughing! Take this as a reward! Receive my treasured swords!





Impossible. Why would YOU stand in my way?! Did you not say you owed Altera but a single favor?!

Yes. Indeed I did. In accordance with the ancient contract, I would save the White Titan once in her time of need. But you fail to understand. I did not settle for being second in command for Altera's sake. It was for that foolish contractor... I was lending my power to Hakunon. Never to Altera herself. And if that's the case, then...well, technically, I believe I'm still under contract to Altera, since I have yet to save her.

Urgh... Ugh...! How illogical. What trickery is this...?! Do you not see the flaws in that fallacious argument?

*laugh* Call it royal whimsy, then. It's a wonderful thing. It's a shame you'll never understand.

...King of Heroes.

For the record, Gilgamesh's attack caused Archimedes to have to drop the barrier around Hakunon.

...Hmph. What exactly is that face you're making? I don't need your thanks. I'm only fulfilling our terms. It's up to you from this point on. What will happen to the Earth, where human history will go from here...that's not for me to intrude upon. And so, stranger who fell from the sky, I hope your flowers bear ample fruit.



And of course, no other Gilgamesh exit could be more appropriate than "Bored now. You handle things."

I'd expected to get out of that one way or another, but Gilgamesh...I didn't see him coming. Regardless, what can I say but, "Thank you, King of Heroes"?

...I apologize. His appearance here was a stroke of luck. Regardless, I should have been the one to protect you. Because you're mine. I'll never let anyone hurt you again.

What do you call a moment like this? I hadn't expected her to say that. But it seems like a good time to tell her I understand. Not just her feelings, I mean, but the King of Heroes' feelings too. "What now, Archimedes? You're outnumbered two to one. Feel the power of a Servant AND her Master!"

...Why? Why, why, why?! Why is there always a snag at the very last moment?! This world! Any other world! How many trials must I endure to please you, Umbral Star?! Very well, human, play with your doll! The Umbral Star has given me power - behold! Altera! your mana is almost empty! There is nothing you can hide from me. You expended all you had fighting Saber. A counterfeit Hero like you, harnassing so much power. Connecting with Mars? With the very "god" Sephyr last fought against?! No gods would answer you! They loathe you more than anyone! That power was the very same light of authority they once used against you. And yet, here you stand, judge, jury, and executioner! Sacrificing so much of yourself, all to give your vanquished enemy a painless death. And now look at you. Nothing but used-up, worthless garbage, like your Master!






Third choice

Dammit, dammit, dammit! Do what you have to! Just destroy the Regalia!

My Prisoner, give me strength...! I will not allow that man to do as he pleases!



Ah, our first time actually seeing Archimedes in a fight. Well, when he talked to Nero about his fighting prowess, he wasn't kidding. In spite of his talk, he's pretty damn weak. Most of his attacks are short-range and don't do much damage. He does have one thing you should be maybe watch out for.



Utilizing a series of mirror, he can fire up to 4 lasers in a straight line. I guess it's slightly dangerous, just because it's a projectile, and at full power can cover a pretty wide range for a projectile. But even so, you've faced way more dangerous projectiles, and all his lasers fire in a perfectly straight line, so it's pretty easy to dodge.

However, as you might expect, he does become pretty dangerous at close range and when he's in Moon Drive mode, he can stack on some damage if you get sloppy.



"Sloppy", as in using Altera's projectile attack when he's fairly close and him using this fairly powerful attack. Luckily I dashed out of the way quickly enough.






This was by far the diciest moment of the fight. He began to use his Noble Phantasm just after I decided to use Altera's Photon Ray attack, which threw me wildly out of position to stop him. Thankfully I recovered fast enough to use an EM against him and stop it. His Noble Phantasm is actually pretty cool-looking, but that story will have to be told another time.



I guess he can do that, but it's still a pinprick's worth of damage.





As expected.