Barely two days had passed since the teams successfully extracted from the large singularity. Many servants remained in recovery due to the intensity of the final battle, but only the ones who sustained the most injuries stayed temporarily within the medical bay; They would likely be fine to go about their Chaldean lives in a day or two at most. The mental tax could almost be as heavy as the physical one though.

With the completion of such a large order, most of the servant population was content with taking the days in leisurely activity. Chaldea slowly fell back into its daily routine save for the absence of any organized training event or supply sorties in favor of the much needed break. Even Emiya was forced to take a break, mainly at the protests of his family and the kitchen staff; He spent much needed and appreciated time with friends and relatives instead.

The only servants who took it further were Da Vinci, Tesla, and Babbage, who were busy trying to speed up replenishment of the Saint Quartz stockpile in preparation for the last major singularity; The mana containers Da Vinci brought back helped immensely in this regard. They also diligently worked on upgrading the Chaldean scanners and revising the Leyshift system in order to reach the distant past.

For the rest of the servants, relaxation and re-consolidation was their only current worry.

Mashu sat on a couch towards a corner of Salon de Marie, petting a sleeping Fou on her lap. She wore grey sweat pants and a loose, pink shirt so she could relax better. With quiet breaths, she looked out the window absentmindedly. The snowflakes fell softly from the skies while she relished in the relative serenity of the empty room.

Mozart sat at the piano, practicing various pieces in preparation of offering Marie new repertoires to play. Vlad and Naomi sat at their usual ottoman cluster knitting a surprise gift for Medea who was currently taking an afternoon nap. The warm glow from the chandeliers bathed all of them within the salon to soothe any lingering echoes from the chaotic singularity.

The shielder looked down at the sleeping Fou and smiled. She felt so tranquil sitting there while the familiar snoozed away, occasionally nuzzling itself a little deeper into her lap for warmth. Running a hand through its soft fur, she couldn't help but smile as she felt its own heat through her hand. Its ear twitched as her hand passed by it, so she gently moved to gently scratch it. She was so engrossed in the simple activity she had failed to notice the approaching servant until she heard the light footsteps on the soft carpet.

With an almost inaudible sigh, the servant came to a stop behind the couch. "Mashu..."

o==(=======-

Epilogue

-=======)==o

The girl turned around gently, making sure not to wake Fou, to look up at Lancelot. He had his hands folded in front of him, resting gently against his black formal pants. They were coupled with a white shirt and black vest that made him look extra dashing with his neatly combed long hair. He adjusted the knot on his ebony tie in slight discomfort as he looked away from her, gaining a curious glance from the shielder. "…May I sit down with you?"

"Sure." The berserker sat down next to the young girl, leaving a respectable distance between the two. Mashu blinked and giggled softly at the distance, drawing the attention of the servant. "You can sit closer you know."

"Is that so?"

"Yes… father."

He hesitated, feeling his eyes widen a little. Looking around with some slight discomfort and uncertainty, he slowly inched himself towards her until he was with arm's reach. When he stopped, Mashu gently picked herself up and scooted closer, taking great care not to disturb the sleeping Fou. The berserker looked down at her as she resumed petting the small familiar, gently scratching with a few fingers behind its ears.

"Is it really alright?"

She looked up at him and tilted her head. "What?"

"To call me… father. It just seems sudden…"

There was a pause as Mashu continued to pet Fou, watching as it twitched slightly in its sleep before nuzzling into her chest. He watched her silently, running the possibilities that maybe he wouldn't receive an answer. Turning slightly away, he let out a sigh and tried to think of a way to remove the uncomfortable silen-

"…I wasn't born. I was created."

Lancelot's eyed widened slightly as he turned back to look at her. There was a small, sad smile on her face. "Doctor Roman never explained why I am a demi-servant, but that's part of it. I never had a mother or a father… I was just made for the purpose of merging with a heroic spirit, so my condition isn't... the greatest."

She scratched Fou behind the ear once more, making it kick its leg lightly into her arm. Lancelot remained silent. "Galahad bonded with me to keep me alive... I guess he was the bigger brother I never had, looking out for his younger sister. His saint graph still does… That's what I like to think sometimes. That he saved me."

"And he gifted you the chance to save others in turn."

Mashu smiled warmly. "Yes. I feel like I can protect those I care about even better now that I know. I can even feel it."

He watched her smile fade once more. "…But I still felt so lonely sometimes. Even with everyone in Chaldea... I look around at the families… and feel envious."

A small tear rolled down her cheek, but she kept her small smile. "I look at Atalanta and her adopted kids... The Emiya family... I want to know what it's like to be loved by a family! I don't want to stay the servant experiment reading books about it. I want to feel like a daughter... a sister... someone loved."

Another tear rolled down her cheek, followed with a small sniffle as her smile vanished. "Senpai's affection is wonderful, but we have to keep it secret and it's not quite the same..."

"Does Gudao know? Gabrielle?"

"If he didn't before, I'm sure he does now… Maybe Gabby too. Doctor Roman probably told them and said not to mention it for my sake. Maybe it could have been after my sudden collapse since Senpai seemed so much more worried... I'm not even sure Doctor Roman knows how much I remember, or how aware I am of my own condition. He's tried so hard to make me feel like a regular girl," she mused with a small giggle. She looked out the window once more as she sniffled, trying to keep another tear from falling.

"You figured it all out. You would make quite the Watson for Holmes…" Lancelot chuckled softly as he noticed her curious glance. "Gabby told me about your meeting with the detective."

"I do love his stories," she responded with a small smile as she wiped her eyes with a sleeve. "Quite the loop I've gone on... I'm sorry."

"It's fine," he responded, unconsciously lifting a finger to a recent tear from her cheek. How many times had he done so with Gwen? It felt so natural as she glanced to him softly. He smiled. "I'm glad you trust me enough to tell me."

"I guess..." Mashu started as she gazed towards Lancelot with a mix of uncertainty and hopefulness. "…I guess it's because I feel so... You're the closest I've ever had, maybe because of Galahad's influence... But I never asked permission. I just... can you be my father?"

Mozart continued to practice small pieces in the background, the only sound in the tangible silence that surrounded the pair. The seconds passed and Mashu's hope waned. Lancelot sighed. "You're not Galahad. And he never liked me."

Her heart slowly sank with her smile as another silent tear running down her cheek. "I understand..."

"You're Mashu Kyrelight..." he said quietly as he wiped the tear away with a finger, making her turn to him once more. "...but I'd be privileged to have the honor of calling such a noble heart my daughter... May I…?"

Another tear rolled down Mashu's cheek as she gently leaned in and wrapped her arms around Lancelot's neck. The tear was soaked up by his shirt, and the young girl smiled happily into his shoulder as the knight returned the hug. Mashu wanted to lean in more, savoring every moment of her first hug with someone she could consider a parent, but stayed considerate to the small fluff ball in her lap. Unknown to her, Fou was awake and silently enjoying the moment too.

Lancelot was a mix of emotions. Pride, uncertainty, and happiness filled his heart as he held the young girl, gently rubbing her back. He was never the best father, as the real Galahad would attest to. But Chaldea was a golden opportunity… a second chance for everyone summoned to try again if they dared. Arms closed firmly yet gently around the small girl, pulling her upper body closer as she rubbed her eyes against his shoulder. He didn't know how well he would do, but he was certainly going to try, fail, and learn in order to succeed… for her sake and his.

He will gladly dare.

o==(=======- -III- -=======)==o

Mordred coughed up blood as she grasped weakly at the spear that impaled her.

She felt her body grow cold as it fell. Her back crumpled atop the ground next to Clarent which she watched shatter into pieces. Reaching to her torso, she felt the blood pour out of the large wound and soak her glove as she mustered her remaining strength to glare at her false father. Her final attack failed, and she was simply forgotten.

Just like so many times before, even the fake turned her attention away from the fallen knight as she reached a hand out. Tears of pain, anger, and self-loathing poured from her eyes as her outstretched hand shook while reaching for the Lion King. Still she faced away.

Incompetent

Mordred forced herself slowly upright. She groaned and growled in agony at her vicious wound as it hissed back. She glared at the back of the lancer as she charged her lance and shot forward in a gallop atop Dun Stallion. A figure in the distance caught her eye, wielding a blade of light.

Her eyes widened as she watched Arturia, her real father, charge Excalibur and let it loose against their opponent. She mentally cheered as it impacted the charging entity, putting a halt to the assault… but only for mere moments. Mordred tried to move herself, but she couldn't feel her legs. Like a baby, she could only stretch one arm towards the offending divine.

Weak

The lancer burst through Excalibur's attack and impaled the Once and Future King clear through with Rhongomyniad. Mordred yelled in agony as she watched the life slowly drain from the eyes of her father. The blood soaked through her shattered armor and coated her clothes as she melted in defeat.

In one swift movement, the Lion King tore the lance through the side of her target, nearly tearing Arturia in two as she clattered to the ground in a lifeless heap. Excalibur dropped to the ground next to her, and the beautiful blade shattered into large shards upon impact. The fallen saber's eyes stared lifelessly at Mordred and she slowly crawled towards her, yelling in agony.

Powerless

She felt her fingers start to bleed as she scraped her nails against the hard surface.

Meaningless

She watched the blood seep from her torn gloves as she forced her hands to drag her forward.

Worthless

She yelled in torment as she stared forward at her dead father, the only thing she could do.

Useless

An armored foot came down on her left hand, crushing the bone in one swift movement. She cried out as her vocal chords caved in. Her heart raged within its cage, but her body fell weaker. Narrowing her eyes, she glared at the Lion King as she raised Rhongomyniad to the skies.

The prana surrounding it turned into a hurricane that rivalled her emotions. Mustering all she had left, Mordred struck at her leg with her free arm, not even causing the metal to creak. The Lion King stared down finally… into the eyes of the fallen knight with no emotion. The only glint her gaze betrayed was not of emotion, but of simple judgment passed onto her with only a dismissive glance, and a simple murmur from her lips.

"Pathetic."

The spear came down in a blinding light.

o==(=======- -IV- -=======)==o

Mordred writhed in her bed. Her eyes shot open with a groan as the bright lights of the room flooded her vision. The next sensations were the dull pain that throbbed throughout her body, and the occasionally sharp spike like stabbing needles from her newly recovered stomach. Her heart beat like a marching drum, yet she held her breaths by the reigns to calm herself down.

Groaning in aggravation, she shut her blurred eyes once more and slowly brought her hands to her face. Her arms felt sore as she gently rubbed her eyes. Bringing her hands back to her sides, she tentatively let her eyes peer out so they could adjust to the light. She let out a relieved but despaired sigh.

It was only a bad dream again...

Staring at the ceiling with squinted eyes, they slowly opened wider as her vision recovered. She was clearly in Chaldea's Medical Bay. She felt bandages on her left arm tying life monitoring wires to a computer at the side of her bed. She slowly turned to look, feeling a soreness race through her stiff neck.

The now calm beat of her heart echoed on the screen with jagged lines and solid beeps. Her magical energy readings were low but stable. Breathing out, she slowly sat up and felt her loose hair clinging to her back. A spike of pain in her stomach elicited a hiss, making her lie back down. Her eyes began to look around the room from her prison. She observed the potted plants, table with small presents on top, and the chairs to her si-

"You're finally awake."

She froze as the source of the voice came into her now clear peripherals. Turning her sore neck, she looked with slight shock at a casually dressed Arturia who sat next to her bed. Her white halter dress hugged her small frame, with blue accents along the edges. The hair bun was forgone to allow her blonde hair to hang loosely, but well combed, down her back and over one shoulder. She had both hands clasped in front of her as she stared with relief and concern glinting in her eyes.

"...Father?" Her throat was sore too, it seemed.

"…You worried everyone when you took that attack," Arturia started. She looked away to the hem of her dress, unconsciously smoothing it to distract her thoughts. "We... We thought that was it for you."

She mentally noted her words and paused. Da Vinci had often rambled that Chaldea's system was unique in its summonings. The inventor had theorized it would be straightforward to just resummon a lost servant directly, but it had never been tested; No one wanted to test it for possible repercussions and consequences. Even if it was true, her father didn't need any reason to fear after she was…

...The battle! What was the aftermath that she never got to see!? "...Did we win?"

The King of Knights looked towards Mordred and cracked a tiny smile at the amusingly rhetorical question. "Yes. Chaldea won... We won."

She should have been filled with glee… but the relief was swallowed by her recollections of what happened. "…I see..."

Mordred turned away and stared blankly at the monitor, losing herself in its beeps and constant lines. She blinked slowly, not paying attention as Arturia studied the knight. In a barely audible voice, Mordred whispered to herself.

Arturia didn't hear. "Mordred?"

"I'm sorry I'm so useless..." she clenched her fists.

"Mordred..."

"…I couldn't defeat anyone... I rush to my defeat... and everyone has to clean up my mess... I'm all talk and just a third-rate knight..." her fists began to shake slightly from the painful pressure, but still, she kept them clenched.

"Mordred, you're-"

"I see why you say I'm not worthy of the throne… The other knights are so much better! No matter how hard I try I'll never be the best like you!"

Arturia paused, surprised by her sudden admissions. The confident, eager saber was suddenly a self-depreciating mess. Was she always secretly like this? Was this how she felt if all the anger was taken away? "Mordred, you're not-"

The King of Knights almost gasped when she noticed the tear running down Mordred's face. Her fists continued to shake as a sniffle escaped from her lips, but a look of frustration and shame marred her features. Clenching her eyes shut, she hissed and cursed herself silently under her breath.

"I'm such a worthless knight... How could I ever hope to be-"

"That's enough!"

The hard and commanding voice wrenched Mordred's tear stained eyes open. She looked towards her father with a look mixed with shock, confusion, and frustration only to meet eyes of pure determination and steadfast belief. The king's fists were also clenched now as she frowned at her. The gaze felt like it was piercing her soul and she wanted to look away, but she found she couldn't.

"You are not worthless. Nor useless. Receiving a helping hand does not make you weak... That is a lesson I learned well these past days," Arturia declared without hesitation. "That aside, you've personally saved many in that singularity, or have you forgotten? Were it not for you, the village would have fallen. Gawain could have been killed at the gates!"

Mordred stared at her. The escalating turmoil stalled as she recollected her thoughts, but Arturia continued firmly. "You've done more than anyone could have hoped for with your strength. Countless refugees were protected by your blade. Several allies were spared from possibly fatal blows by your watch. You single handedly threatened the Lion King during the final conflict and bought time for Gudao to return with reinforcements… That's not useless, Mordred."

The king's hard gaze softened and was replaced by a smile directed towards her. Mordred felt her breath slow, even as tears fell. She felt her heart ache as her confusion was replaced by both relief and sadness. A small whimper escaped from her lips, an action she would have cursed and denied had she not cared the slightest in that very moment. The tension in her fists had vanished without a trace as she clutched at the blanket that covered her lower body.

"It was heroic… worthy for a Knight of the Round Table. You're a shining, proud knight in my eyes, and I hope you stay that way."

"Father..."

"I'm proud of you… my son."

All of her attempt to compose herself shattered with that one word. "F-Father!"

Arturia leaned in, somewhat hesitantly at first, before she threw caution to the wind, and slowly wrapped her arms around Mordred, taking great care not to move her too much. Mordred froze at first, completely shocked by the sudden turn of events as they registered in her mind. Within moments of realizing the action was not a dream, she cracked further. Tears streamed down her face as she buried her head into the shoulder of her father, ignoring the soreness and slight bursts of pain from parts of her body.

Arturia gently squeezed her in return, letting the knight release her mixed emotions onto her bare shoulder. "I'm so very proud of you, Mordred."

Whatever she replied with, it was inaudible as she sobbed into her shoulder. Arturia smiled with some tears shining at the edge of her own vision. "Just rest… We have a lot to talk about, and many misunderstandings to clear… but we'll get to that in time. I'm just happy you're alive and well."

Amid her uncontrolled tears, Mordred smiled and tightened the warm embrace.

o==(=======- -V- -=======)==o

Lancelot didn't bother hiding the genuine smile as he quietly closed the door to leave the two girls in peace. He released the handle, letting it slowly click into placed before hanging the "Do Not Disturb" sign he had acquired from the other side. Watching the sign wave back and forth lightly on the lever from excess momentum, he felt his smile grow a little more for the two of them. Releasing a small sigh, the knight turned around and began walking towards the lobby of the Medical Bay to get a bottle of water; He may be waiting a bit for his visit.

The hallway was relatively empty save for some chairs and decorative paintings. He glanced at open rooms as he passed that held other bed ridden servants who were trying to use as little magical energy as possible to recover faster. The generators focused more energy dispersion into the rooms of the medical bay compared to anywhere else in Chaldea; While some preferred to wait out their injuries while going about their routines, others would rather deal with soreness for shorter period of time and chose to room here temporarily.

It was usually two to three days compared to a week, which made putting up with the ever looming threat of a diligent Nightingale worth it.

Black eyes met blue as he returned the small wave and nod from Drake who leaned against the wall near a closed door. A "changing for release" sign was hung on the knob with the patient label reading "Edward Teach." Further down he glanced through a small crack in a doorway as he heard small bickering between a saint and an amused Asian assassin. Chuckling lightly, he turned the corner into the entryway and gave Roman a nod before passing the monitoring counter.

The knight turned back forward as the doors opened… and he stopped. Any trace of his small smile disappeared as he took on an uncertain expression. The assistant the doctor was talking to ceased her explanation as the two fell quiet and observed the two servants. They'd been respectfully avoiding each other for the most part since they returned, and had yet to actually share a conversation.

Lancelot didn't budge as Gawain crossed his arms, giving him an equally blank expression. His white collared button up was properly pressed and tucked into similarly neat khakis. The blonde saber let out a small sigh as he stared at the other knight, both refusing to move an inch. An awkward silence overcame the area, tarnished only by the low hum of medical equipment and monitors.

"Hello, Lancelot."

"Hello, Gawain."

The silence persisted after the initial greeting. The doctor looked between the two servants tensely, ready to press an alert button hidden under the top of the white counter. The assistant next to him clutched her clipboard tighter, eyeing the two warily while she unconsciously took a step back. The doctor wasn't entirely sure what was going to happen next after hearing from the two masters that things had gotten tense at points during the singularity. They collectively held their breaths for any possibl-

Gawain spoke calmly. "How's Mordred?"

"She just woke up. Her majesty is with her this moment."

Gawain paused. "I see... That's good. They need that time alone."

Lancelot chuckled very softly. "After all this? That's a bit of an understatement."

Gawain chuckled and looked away for a moment to a small table near the doorway. He studied the intricate markings on the vase and the bundle of magically preserved flowers it held. The array of colors covered the spectrum, unified only by their thin, green stems held close by the black and white neck of the porcelain decoration. It was a perfect, circular arrangement of a rainbow that reflected in Gawain's thoughtful eyes.

Seconds felt like minutes as he stared at the vase, partially to figure out what to say next but also lost in such a simple sight. Lancelot looked over at the vase he was observing and found himself staring as well. Its distraction proved brief to the berserker as he turned his attention back to his former friend in the doorway. Still, Gawain remained lost in thought.

It'd taken him days to finally sort himself out after all the chaos. His vows renewed, and his loyalty resworn in silence, he knew what had to be done. He understood what was, what had been, and what could be. With the last traces of doubt sundered from memory, Gawain had steeled his heart, and rid himself of the last reservations that marred his virtues and ideals. This wasn't easy, but it was time to set things right.

"…I don't know if I can ever truly forgive you for what you've done, Lancelot." The darker haired man stared blankly at the blonde knight as he turned back towards him. The last hints of uncertainty and frustration had long since been thrown from his gaze. The berserker remained quiet as Gawain let out a slow breath and colored his gaze with nobility and hope. "...but I'm going to at least try."

Lancelot's eyes widened as he stared at the softened expression. His mouth opened slightly as he tried to register what Gawain had just said to him as his mind reached hopefully at the possibility. First his king did, now a fellow knight who he had horribly wronged was about to attempt to. The lingering tendrils of his subdued mad enhancement tried to whisper he didn't deserve it, but his heart and mind were attracted to the growing hope. "Gawain, I've…"

"You've killed my family members. I still hold you to that... but it wasn't entirely your fault Camelot fell. My own lack of virtue involving my rage and grudge had its part... and I guiltily admit, I held onto it for far too long… I have Mordred to thank for showing how much I can misunderstand someone."

"Don't blame yourself either, Gawain," Lancelot quickly insisted with a tiny upturn at the sides of his mouth. "I know that what I've done is dishonorable. I've wronged you on a level I may never be able to right… But I-"

"…will try your best to redeem yourself. Yes, you've made it apparent to the King… and I was simply too blind to see it myself," Gawain nodded towards the other knight. "Mayhaps… How about we try again from scratch?"

"I would be privileged, Gawain… I'll do my best to set things right by you." As Lancelot placed a hand over his heart, Gawain nodded with a tiny smile.

"Ah geez, so many lovely moments! My heart can't take it" Gabrielle squealed.

Gawain turned around and stared at his two masters as they approached from the lobby's reception desk. They were both in their brand new sets of master uniforms, clean off the presses. A small satchel hung on one of Gudao's shoulders, looking fairly empty save for air. In their tense moment they had failed to sense the two enter the Medical Bay. Gudao let out a sigh, "I'm sure this past singularity affected all of you a lot deeper than I can imagine."

The two knights remained silent as Gudao looked to his best friend then back. A solemn expression become more apparent as the male master raised a hand in apologetic guilt. "It was my fault at first. I have to apologize once mor-"

Lancelot held up a hand and shook his head. "You've apologize enough, Gudao. If anything, once more, you couldn't have known. Dare I say, it may have been another one of your best decisions for what it has accomplished."

Gawain looked back towards the dark knight, noticing a genuine smile. His composed expression finally broke as he let the tiniest of smirks appear for mere seconds. Then he chuckled and dared to tease, "Don't get too ahead of yourself, friend. I only said I'd try."

"As will I," Lancelot smirked back. "Would a drink be a good start?"

"I like the way you think."

Lancelot's eyes widened once more as Gawain slowly uncrossed his arms and presented a hand. The dark-haired man paused before taking the few steps forward to grasp the hand with his own. Their full smiles now mirrored on their faces as Roman and the assistant sighed in complete relief. Gudao and Gabrielle looked to each other and smiled lightly while the latter let a soft giggle escape her lips. The two knights shook their hands lightly before letting go.

Gabrielle ribbed Gudao with her elbow, making him look at her with slight annoyance at the unnecessary attention grab. "Think Bedivere would be happy?"

"Rhetorical question, Gudako."

"I guess so…" she trailed off, thinking about the conditions of his existence as her smile faded. "Is he really... removed from existence?"

Gawain and Lancelot had turned at the mention of their fellow knight. Near-blank expressions took hold of them with glints of remorse present in their eyes at the thought of his valiant sacrifice. He had been the one to bring an end to the Lion King's invincibility, allowing Arturia to deal the true final strike. The cost for his involvement was unfathomable, but he took it with honor until the very end. Lancelot's fists slowly curled, silently recognizing once more that he was much more the worthy knight than many had given him credit.

"…Not quite." Several eyes widened as they turned to face Gudao, who turned to look towards Doctor Roman. "You told me in private earlier, but you believe the throne recognized him for his actions. Am I wrong?"

"Whether it was that or something else remains unclear... But in the vast possibilities of summons the Fate System has registered, his name definitely appears," Roman stated with a small smile. "Da Vinci ran the check once more in the last hour after I spoke with you. You may see him again sometime."

Small relieved smiles graced the faces of the knights and energetic master. Gabrielle clasped her hands together before her smile faded slightly. "How long will it take to summon him though?"

"Not too long, that's for sure."

Gabrielle raised an eyebrow at her best friend as the knights stared inquisitively at their master. Lancelot took a few steps forward to stand near Gawain before inquiring, "What do you mean, Gudao?"

Gudao simply chuckled before he paused to collect himself. He then began chuckling again much to the confusion of those present. Gabrielle had to poke him a few times on the arm to get him to calm down before placing her arms akimbo. "Well? You going to let us in on the joke? Or are you just going mad at the thought of having to spin that roulette wheel again?"

"Neither, neither…" he relented as he held his hands up. A few new chuckles escaped his lips as he slid the satchel off of his shoulder and began rummaging through the light apparel. His light humming made Gabrielle stare at him with growing curiosity. He smiled as he slowly pulled what he was looking for out of the bag, only making Gabrielle look at him incredulously.

"Scissors?"

Gudao gave her the scissors to hold as the two knights approached for a better look. Doctor Roman, much to the small annoyance of the assistant, also came over to find out what was actually happening since his view was blocked. Gudao finally stood up with a slice of teal cloth in his other hand, then presented it for everyone to see with a proud grin on his face. The four simply stared and tried to piece together wha-

Smiles grew on the faces of the knights as Doctor Roman looked at them and back to the cloth before he too raised his eyebrows. As Gabrielle gasped, Gudao smiled triumphantly. "He never did find out why his cape kept getting torn like a homeless man, huh?"

A contagious, enthusiastic smile quickly grew on his best friend's face as he felt a smirk take over his own. "Gudao, you…!"

"I'm getting much better at acquiring these catalysts."

o==(=======- -VI- -=======)==o

"This is..."

"Masters, you-"

"It was Gabby's idea."

"I'm just glad it all worked out!"

Barely two days later, Arturia stood in a previously unused room across the hall from Salon de Marie. Gawain and Lancelot stood on her flanks, as they stared at the quickly refurnished room, which resembled a tiny lounge. Mashu and the two masters stood nearby with Marie; The French Queen had helped with the new neighboring room to her salon. Marie wore a red dress and white throw over and Mashu wore her normal uniform since they had remained indoors preparing the surprise.

The knights had all recently come from a sparring session at the training grounds to test themselves. They had no time to change from their battle attire when their masters fetched them. It only made the unveiling a bit more… nostalgic. It wasn't a true mirror, but it was certainly something special.

This room was large enough to accommodate nearly thirty people while retaining its open atmosphere, which was impressive by itself. There were paintings along the walls and small banners hung from the high ceiling. Pictures of the king and her knights filled a wall by themselves. But despite the other small tables, potted plants, and temporary un-matching furniture, it was the centerpiece that drew attention.

In the middle was a huge, mahogany table. It was lightly glazed to give a beautiful sheen, with intricate designs carved into the outer rim visible beneath the square table cover. The cloth resembled tapestry in its design and look, bordered by intricate gold designs and centered by a beautiful, abstract logo. It resembled a flower, but all curved lines within were symmetrical and created a perfectly balanced design with no top or bottom. The table itself could easily seat up to twenty without being too cramped.

"Delaqua hates me a little more for requesting such a lavishly ornate piece of wood… and not using it for months. I had it ordered when I first became a master, in hopes of…" Gabrielle trailed off with arms crossed over her master uniform and a chipper grin on her face. "Eh, you get the point… So what do you think? I know it's not the original but..."

"It's perfect," Arturia declared before turning to her master with a smile. "I believe I speak for my knights when I say we never expected this. Thank you for the wonderful gift, Gabby."

"Fou!"

The knights around her nodded their heads with similar smiles. A light blush appeared on her cheek as she her grin grew wider, making her best friend roll his eyes and chuckle. "Aww you're welcome, Arturia! It was worth the bounty on my head to finally use this present! Believe me!"

Gudao raised an eyebrow. "Does she really…"

"Well, she hated my guts before anyway... Though it's not like I ordered a second salon or anything."

Lancelot tuned out of the small talk and turned around to look several meters behind the group at Mordred, who stared uncertainly at the table from the doorway. She clutched her silver armored arm with the gauntlet of the other, either ignoring or not noticing that the others had slowly followed Lancelot's gaze back to the young knight. The clinking of armor shook her from her thoughts as she looked towards Arturia approaching her. The king stopped in front of her and looked her curiously in the eyes. "Is everything alright, Mordred?"

"I... Do I really deserve to sit here again?"

Arturia blinked. "Mordred."

"I mean I-I smashed a fragment of it in a past grail war and did a-"

"Mordred!" She felt a hand on her shoulder. The knight stopped babbling, then looked as the king smiled softly and shook her head. "…We've been over this. Countless times in the past two days, I might add. We're starting anew, and you've more than earned your place, son."

Mordred's eyes shined at hearing that title again, before her usual enthusiastic grin spread across her face. She chuckled, making Arturia's smile grow. "I promise I won't let you down ever again, father!"

The two masters smiled, though the young man let out a small sigh. "I don't think I'm going to get used to those awkward titles..."

Gabrielle chuckled.

Marie was silently clapping with a cheerful grin. Gawain and Lancelot gave tiny smiles as Mashu giggled. On her shoulder, Fou's eyes glistened as it watched the scene. It didn't make a single sound but simply indulged itself in the beautiful sight. Through the familiar's vision, a white-haired magus smiled and appreciated the moment as well. Its ears quickly perked up as Arturia approached Mashu with a happy smile.

"Mashu… Even without the graph of Galahad, you have more than earned your right to this table as well."

"A-Arturia!?" Mashu gasped. She looked around and saw the collective smiles of the room upon her. "B-But what about…!?"

"I've discussed this with the others after Lancelot brought it up… and if you're okay with it, we would be happy to have you among the Knights of the Round. Whether you'd prefer the title to be Lady or Sir Mashu is up to you."

She looked towards Lancelot with glistened eyes. He simply smiled back and nodded towards her.

"Kyuuuuuu~!" Fou squirmed in delight.

o==(=======- -VII- -=======)==o

…He felt himself floating...

…Disorientation held its grip on him as he tossed about in the endless abyss...

…There was light, and there was dark...

…Feint lights of all colors surrounded him...

…He long forgot which way was up and which was down as he tumbled eternally...

…The body was absent... He only felt his thoughts...

…He saw nothing, but the colorful abyss...

…Then there was a light...

…A call beckoned from it... Voices...

…Voices so familiar yet so far... Yet they grew closer...

…He heard one voice call above the rest…

"The fate of humanity hangs by a thread... Dost thou wish to answer its plea, knight?"

…The answer was obvious, but his voice was gone...

…Instead, he reached for the light...

…No hand became visible, but he felt himself reach...

…Not of desperation, but of hope...

…Hope that the growing light would answer...

…And so he reached... His tumbling stopped...

…He fell towards it... Its gravity was strong...

…Its warmth was welcoming...

…He fell into the growing light, and bathed in it...

o==(=======- -VIII- -=======)==o

The summoning chamber fell quiet. All eyes fell upon the origin of the fading light as the glow faded away, revealing a figure basked in the released prana. Small specs of visualized mana drifted from the artificial shield above and floated past the silver hair of the newcomer. The light continued to fade, revealing familiar armor as the soft glow filled the room. The fingers on his hands moved slightly as he felt himself breathe for what seemed like the first in a long time.

He opened his eyes.

The knight looked forward and his eyes widened, seeing his king once more. Her silver armor gleamed in tandem with the equally shining ones of Mordred and Gawain to her right. It contrasted with the dark steel of Lancelot and Mashu's to her left. From the sides of the group came the two familiar masters he had worked with, both smiling brightly as they walked towards him with ironed uniforms. They stopped and gave simple bows before presenting their arms towards the quintet between them.

"I'm sure we don't need any introductions" Gudao smirked.

"Welcome to Chaldea, Bedivere~! Long time no see, eh~?" Gabrielle winked.

"We look forward to working with you once more."

He took in what stood before him and gave a small smile. It slowly grew as his king and her group advanced towards him. Their armor clinked in tandem to fill the room as a chorus of claps roared from the crowd behind. There were a few playful hollers from the spectators, though most were content to simply add to the plethora of loud clapping and small cheers. Bedivere glanced at the various gifts before him and relished them all with a newly warmed heart.

He saw several servants he'd never seen before, and others he'd valiantly fought beside, cheering for his arrival to this facility.

He saw the bright smiles of his masters as they shook his hand to silently complete their contract.

But most of all, as Arturia and her knights came to a halt in front of Bedivere, he saw it after so long ago. He smiled at his King before kneeling down.

"It's an honor to continue to serve, my King."

"It is my honor to have you again, Sir Bedivere."

"I just have but one question, if I may."

"Speak, my knight."

Bedivere opened his eyes and looked up at his king, a clear and pleasant smile present. He teased to bring up a question they had discussed on that Cliffside of the southern town. "Is this the continuation of your dream?"

Arturia smiled fondly, but shook her head playfully. "Not quite… but it's just as beautiful."

He chuckled.

o==(=======- -IX- -=======)==o

"I still don't believe it came right after Bedivere!"

"Mayhaps it followed him here?" There was chuckling.

"Did the memorial essence contain anything else, father?"

"I'm afraid not, strangely enough," Arturia replied and shook her head gently as they entered the Camelot Room as it has come to be called. Only two days after its creation, and they found themselves within it for the first time with Bedivere. They would give him a proper tour of Chaldea, but first Arturia had an idea with her recent memorial essence. Lancelot and Gawain were showing him around the room while the rest went about their own business.

Mordred, her armor now dematerialized in favor of her comfier, revealing red clothes, jumped into a chair with eagerness. All the chairs were the same, and they often rotated who sat where, especially when guests came by to mingle. There was no real formality with the seating arrangement with guests; It was very clear who was a Knight of the Round and who wasn't, so it felt more like their own little lounge where they could hold private activities at a nostalgic table.

Mashu giggled as she sat next to Mordred. Fou quickly leapt onto its caretaker's armored lap before jumping onto the table to watch Arturia. It waggled its tail as she moved to a wall that had finally received its proper furniture. Besides the two large banners and the beautiful, large panorama of Camelot, there were several display stands and cases for anything they may acquire over time.

With a small smile, Arturia moved a bunch of the items around to separate them from a raised display at the wall's center. On its top stood a shimmering marble stone right at chest height. She took the copied Royal Guard sword out of it and placed it on the round table temporarily; It could be used for something else.

As she turned back, she took a lingering glance towards the nearest display case. It had a lone picture of a smiling Takisha, flanked on both sides by Mashu and Arturia. It stood with several other photos of that recent singularity, and it served as the only memento she had of the young girl with chivalrous dreams; After all she witnessed at the gate, she still wanted to be a beautiful knight like her. She hoped she could continue to inspire from now on as a newly enlightened king.

Arturia breathed out gently with a smile as the knights all turned to watch. Squaring herself to the wall, she closed her eyes and held her hands forward, summoning the newest arrival with the memorial essence. The noble phantasm took form, revealing its beautiful gold craftsmanship and vibrant blues. As the gold dust fell from the ornate sword, she looked upon Caliburn and smiled. It had been a long time since she had held this sword, with the last being with Shirou. She turned the blade upside down and gently slid it into the display stand.

Mashu started a small round of applause as Arturia smiled brightly. She took a few steps back form the display case to admire the noble phantasm. For it to have arrived after the defeat of the Lion King was beyond meaningful to her. It solidified her belief and newfound resolve along her chosen path. Her ideal would be kept with the necessary changes to ensure she would never walk the path alone; Her Knights would gladly guide her back on course if necessary, as she would for them. It sparkled under its display light, almost as brilliantly as her smile.

It fit in perfectly with the room since it wasn't as strong as Excalibur in combat. It was more of an iconic sword tha- "Mordred, even if you pull it out, it doesn't count. That's not the real stone."

"Awww…" Mordred complained as she held the newly drawn sword from the display. Arturia laughed at her reaction and sulking face as the rest of her knights soon joined in. Mordred pouted and carefully placed the sword back in its display holder, though she soon flashed her toothy grin anyway.

It was worth a shot at least.

o==(=======- -X- -=======)==o

"Father, drop!"

Arturia dropped to a knee as Clarent flew clear overhead and impaled a charging Demon in the eye. The beast roared and clawed at the offending blade. It tried to claw it out before its attention was changed by a kick to its other eye. It roared angrily as Mordred back flipped from her swift kick and grasped the handle of her blade, tearing it out with a stream of dark blood. The angered, horned beast thrashed its head before it glared at the pair with its remaining eye-

It was blinded as an arrow struck the second eye, roaring once more in agony. It flailed in agony amid the overcast meadow to join the other shrieks of battle. Mordred looked behind her and smirked towards a tall tree at the edge of the clearing. Standing among its branches with a follow up arrow nocked, Emiya smirked back.

Arturia dove towards the blinded demon, swung Excalibur towards its knees, then loosed a burst of invisible air. The jet stream slammed into the legs of the demon, forcing it backwards and temporarily off balance. One of its feet lifted off the ground but it remained relatively upright-

The two legs were sliced near the hamstrings by two equal strikes. The demon began toppling forward as its clawed hands tore at the ground in front of it to soften the landing. Behind it, Lancelot and Gawain reestablished their fighting postures. They looked to each other and nodded before turning their attention to a pack of werewolves swiftly closing in. Leaving the fallen demon to the others, the pair swiftly charged towards the pack.

The fallen demon, its wounds rapidly beginning to close, began getting up with its weight on one arm. It lifted the other and blindly fired bolts of charged prana where it sensed its targets, roaring in frustration when one was intercepted by a large shield- The defensive weapon came forward with the weight of its bearer, slammed into the firing arm of the demon, and forced it backwards until it snapped.

Seizing the opportunity, Mordred closed in after Mashu and yelled as red lightning flared from Clarent. She swung in a wide arc, slicing the arm through its elbow and causing it to fall back to the ground. Two new arrows from the red archer's bow embedded themselves in its regenerating eyes to ensure it stayed blind.

The demon roared in pain as a silver blade tore into the muscles of its other arm. Its silver haired wielder swiftly re-positioning to strike the other side with praiseworthy agility granted as a new heroic spirit. It stopped its struggle when the golden blade of Excalibur was slashed clear through its skull, aided by the remains of the wound dealt by Clarent.

The quartet pulled off of the demon and formed a defensive line as Lancelot and Gawain finished the last of the werewolves. They stood in the middle of a large clearing with forests to the west and south. The east was blocked by a large canyon and to the north stood a lone hill with clear sight to the plains beyond. There was no forest around the hill, but a river between them and the hill made access more difficult.

The duo swiftly returned to the group as Heracles leapt onto the field from near Emiya's perch to the west, cradling Gabrielle in one arm while Hans held onto the other. Gudao came running not too far behind flanked by Boudicca, Billy, and Sanson with weapons at the ready.

Gawain glanced over. "Gabby, how many more in the forest to the south?"

"Martha said she spotted another wave with a bunch of soul eaters," she answered as Heracles gently let her down. Gudao and his bodyguards slowed to a stop next to her.

"We'll need to split the forces since the sun is nearly set," Gudao proclaimed. "Half need to take them out then scout for possible night threats, while the other sets up a base camp on the hill where the leyline is strongest."

"Do you need me to setup the shield, Senpai?"

"Nah. Honestly? I think we'll be fine," he reassured with a small smile. "We're still a day from the source of this malignant singularity, so if anything changes we have plenty of leeway."

She nodded firmly. "Understood!"

"If that's the case, Gudao, I volunteer my team to intercept the incoming wave," Arturia declared, looking to her knights who gave their own signs of approval. Mordred's grin grew extra enthusiastic.

"Our team is much better suited for defense," Emiya affirmed as he appeared from spiritual form next to Heracles, bow drawn and ready. "And if things go south, we have Herc."

The berserker growled in what appeared to be an approving manner. The masters nodded and Gudao approached his team. "Mashu-"

"I've got you covered, Senpai," she answered quickly with smile.

He grinned back. "Alright, let's hold them on the far side. We'll use the river to keep them from using their numbers effectively."

"We're off then. Be safe!" Gabrielle cried as her team turned and sprinted towards the hill a few hundred meters away. Gudao's team followed as soon as her team reached the river. Gabrielle clung to Heracles as he jumped it in one bound while Hans groaned in slight annoyance. Mashu wrapped her arm around Gudao's waist as their team also cleared the watery obstacle. Martha appeared from the southern forest, bounding swiftly towards the teams.

Upon landing on the opposite bank, Gudao took his place next to Mashu as the knights spread out. They formed a thin line as the wave of enemies appeared from the southern edge of the clearing. Arturia took her place in the front of the line, taking a stance she'd shown countless times in front of her armies.

The sun disappeared over the horizon, basking the area in early twilight as the servants at the river line accessed their opponents. On the hill behind them, Emiya and Billy and prepped their weapons for fire support as Hans began to tap into the leyline. Martha had reached the river and bounded over it, landing next to Gudao before she kept running.

"Arturia."

The King of Knights, with hands on the pommel of Excalibur as it stayed planted casually on the ground, turned to her master. "Your order?"

"Think you can clear those spriggans with an Excaliblast?" he smirked. "We're at the leyline, so we should be fine once we establish the links."

She smiled back, "I can do that."

Without moving her feet, Arturia gripped the hilt of Excalibur and held it in front of her, closing her eyes in concentration as the roars of phantasmal beasts grew closer. Excalibur began to glow with its golden light. The prana took flight all around in the shape of golden fairies as it rose gently into the sky. A hundred of them formed in the fading twilight as she continued to concentrate. To the sides, her knights glanced over to admire their king once more as she prepared her attack.

Bedivere smiled another of many genuine smiles he's had since his arrival as he noted the faces of the others. How long had it been since they had been like this? It was so very much like then, but then it wasn't. There was no army and kingdom behind them, just the memories that have come to pass... But they didn't need the army or the kingdom. They didn't need Agravain to hold the table together in mutual hate. They'd found and rebuilt all they needed for now.

King Arthur had united them once before, but these days were different. Now, the King of Knights had no reason to hide, and no reason to be alone. She was their way forward once more, and to her, they were the reason forward. Resolved to not repeat the mistakes of her past, King Arturia stood proudly as she channeled her noble phantasm with her loyal knights standing behind and ready.

He smiled genuinely as he watched the golden prana erupt from the sword, creating a bright beacon that lit the area around as more bright specs lit the field. Indeed… once more they found their way…

As he stared forward with the line of knights, united once more behind their perfect king, he knew they had found their guiding light.

.

o==(=======-

The End

-=======)==o

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Final Words

You have made it! Thanks for reading through the first supplement of the Fragments Series!
It's hard to believe this monstrosity, longer than the first 21 fragments combined…
…was supposed to be Fragment 22.

This means you can proceed to Fragment 22 with full understanding and comprehension of all new developments!
Or, if you didn't read Fragments, you can just be glad it's all over.

To the readers who took the time and gave it a shot, thanks for sticking with it!
I'm going to give a special thanks to ffure21 and SKYS for all the help you've given! Thanks much!

I hope you've left this feeling content.
To the continuing readers, see you back in typical, crazy Chaldea!
To everyone else, thanks once again!

~GhostXavier