//------------------------------// // Choice and Consequence // Story: Fate/Amicitia // by Sanguine //------------------------------// Saber stood frozen as blood began to flow around the arrow that had plunged into his gut. Twilight heard him mumble the word “impossible.” It was if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. It was a feeling she could sympathize with, because she certainly didn’t want to believe it either. As she watched the life-giving fluids drip out of the wounded human, Twilight felt as if life was draining from her body as well. Exhaustion from the run to Fluttershy’s cottage she’d previously ignored washed over her. Her limbs were sapped of strength at the sight of the wound, and her mind went hazy as the events of the last few hours replayed against her will. As strange and scary as things had been, Twilight wondered if she’d realized how real it all was until she saw that arrow pierce Saber. The explanations from Ruler had been difficult to hear, and the battle had been brutal to watch. But somehow that arrow, a blow struck with intent to kill, changed everything. And so she charged. Every instinct told her it was a mistake to leave her hiding place. She felt no surge of vigor to replace the dire fatigue that was drowning her. If anything, every step felt like it took a year off her life as she continued to watch Saber’s wound bleed. It wasn’t lost on her that she was doing precisely what the Servant had told her not to do either, and she certainly hadn’t forgotten the display she’d seen only moments earlier that made it clear how slim the odds were of her accomplishing anything. But she charged anyway. She charged with the memory of Fluttershy’s blank stare and tears in her head and the smell of scorched earth in her nostrils. She charged because if anything happened to Saber, she would be powerless to prevent much worse. And she charged because his dumbfounded stare made it clear that he simply needed help. Placing herself between the wounded Saber and the arrow’s origin, Twilight invoked the power of her horn. A force field large enough to cover them both quickly sprung into being. Sweat poured from her body in reaction to the volume of magic she was using, making her exhaustion even more pronounced, but she didn’t let herself stop. She injected more and more energy into the dome-shaped barrier with a series of pulses, making it thicker and stacking multiple layers of protection within the boundary wall to increase its strength. It was the technique her brother used for force fields, and though it was a far cry from the version he used to protect entire cities, it was easily the strongest defensive spell she had ever cast. When the second arrow came a moment later, that shield shattered like a dropped snow globe. Twilight’s vision switched off, and intense pain flooded her head as if someone had taken a hammer to her skull. She collapsed in a heap, hitting the dirt face first. Her subconscious brain, desperate to focus on anything other than the agony, wondered if it had hurt Shining Armor this badly when the Changeling army had broken his shield spell and made a note to ask him about it for research purposes if she was ever able to move again. A faint sound of sliced air managed to penetrate her suffering and babbling thoughts, signaling the arrival of a third arrow. Twilight knew she had to move or try another spell, but her body refused to respond to any command. She couldn’t even muster the strength to turn her eyes toward the sound of the shot. She wondered idly if the Servant was attacking Saber again, or if he had turned his sights on the defenseless purple pony that had foolishly thrust herself into his sights. Her thoughts received an unexpected answer when the dull whistle of the arrow was cut short by a deep metallic gong sounding directly above her. It was so unlike the sharp, sing-song ring Saber’s sword had caused when clashed with the female Servant’s white blade. This sound was deep, and strong. It was a permanent sound, like the sound an old textbook makes when you plop it onto a reading table in an empty library. Before it had fully faded, she heard the voice of Saber. “Geras Aphthiton.” Despite her debilitated state, Twilight sensed the unrecognizable words held profound meaning. The motivation of wanting to see what had happened allowed her to dredge a last ounce of strength, and she managed to turn her head toward the voice. She saw Saber, looming over her on hands and knees, covering her body with his own. His regal tunic was gone, and suit of armor was in its place. There were only a few pieces to the whole ensemble. His chest guard was a single, unbroken piece of metal which wrapped around his whole torso. It was the same reddish-gold color as his sword, indicating it was made from bronze. This centerpiece had two additional bits of coverage: a series of simple plates that hung loose at waist-level and formed a sort of metal skirt, and a pair of simple, dome-shaped pauldrons encircling the shoulder joint. That was all there was to the suit, aside from some separate protective plates clinging to the ankles and calves. No particular protection was afforded to the vulnerable neck, arms or thighs. A pony might be forgiven for thinking it inferior to all the other armor she’d seen the Servants wearing given how little of the body it covered. But even to Twilight’s ignorant eyes, this armor was something special. For one thing, it was decorated in spectacular fashion. Each of the plates that made up the armor skirt had a different image of an animal, masterfully engraved into the finished metal. There was a snake, a deer, a lion, an eagle, and more she couldn’t make out in the dark. Each one was rendered in impossibly exquisite detail. Twilight could make out individual hairs and scales and feathers on each creature despite the small size of the images, and their poses gave a startling impression of personality, as if the creatures could spring to life. She was almost certain at one point that she’d seen one move. The chest featured a raised relief of thin, wavy strings covered in broad leaves and bulbous growths, which Twilight recognized as kelp. They somehow evoked the image of an undersea vista, and like the animals seemed almost animate. Their journey toward the top of the armor was not unlike a real plant, stretching toward the sun. Finally, the shoulders each featured a different symbol; a hammer on the left, and an anvil on the right. The armor was a work of art, a flawless masterpiece of craftsmanship and a pleasure to look upon despite the circumstances. But that wasn’t what had stood out to Twilight. It was the stars. She’d thought they were her eyes (or for that matter, the pain) playing tricks at first, but as she looked more deeply, they became impossible to deny. Tiny points of light twinkled faintly in every square inch of the armor. She could see they weren’t from any kind of finish or polish, nor were they gems or some other sparkling object inlaid for decoration. They were some sort of integral essence, an inborn part of the bronze. It was like she was looking through her telescope into a midnight sky. Some seemed closer, others further away, some were brighter or fainter, and she even swore she recognized a few constellations. Only this universe was somehow one with the metal. She didn’t know how that kind of effect was possible, even with magic. Whatever had created Saber’s armor had powers far beyond any pony. The stars seemed to swirl in a carefree fashion, and her mind registered more of the deep, rich gongs in rapid succession. Some part of her knew the sounds were more arrows striking Saber’s armor. She should have been afraid. But somehow, as Twilight stared at the unreadable expression of her Servant and the hypnotic beauty of his armor, she felt safe. Her exhaustion encroached ever more on her mind and body, which were struggling to stay conscious. Twilight felt Saber’s huge hand rest on her head. There was gentleness in the touch she would not have thought possible from the huge warrior. “You did well. Rest now. I will keep you safe.” His permission banished the last of her willpower. Twilight felt the waking world disappear as the armor continued to sing. *** Hector stood alone at the Scaean Gate. His eyes could not look upon Troy. His gaze drifted to the rolling hills and plains beyond the city. Much of it was unrecognizable compared to his youth. After all, this land had been a battlefield for the two greatest armies in all of history for nearly ten years. It had been despoiled, crushed under the feet of thousands of men until nothing remained. All signs of its former beauty were burnt away by wind and sun. There were two streams nearby which fed the holy river Scamander. As a boy he’d often ride near them. It was good land, easy on the hooves of young horses, and leaping over the waters trained them to jump without fear during battle. That it was also a favored gathering place for young women who loved nothing better than to tease and swoon when they saw their beloved prince only gave a lad more encouragement to ride there. There were no beautiful ladies there now. The streams didn’t run clear anymore, as fighting had stained them a sickly brown with dirt and blood. He looked to the coastline. After his wedding, he’d walked that shore with his wife, Andromache. She was still nervous around him at the time, understandable in an arranged marriage. The smile she’d shown him the first time her eyes took in the Aegean Sea had looked like nothing less than a divine blessing on their union from Aphrodite. Now all he could see was the endless row of Greek ships run aground on that beach, protected by stout wooden walls. The previous day Hector had set fire to one of those ships after breaking through their battlements, and for a moment he’d truly believed he would again walk beside the waves in peace. That dream was gone now. Their army had been routed. And it was his fault. Had it been arrogance? Pride? Simple, earnest stupidity? What had led him to order the army to make camp on the battlefield instead of safely behind the walls? He remembered now. It was that special combination of desperation and hope. The last spark of life before a man drowned. After the day’s battle drew to a close, Hector felt certain that the Gods had finally taken up the Trojan cause. They had seen that Hector and his men were worthier, and it showed as they surged forward on every front. After all their prayers and sacrifices, Zeus’s mighty hand had fallen heavily on the Greeks, and only the slimmest of chances had saved their fleet from the torch. All Hector had to do was accept the divine charity, hold to his faith and continue to strike at the enemy beachhead while the Gods were on his side. He’d even bragged to his friends and brothers around the campfire that night, about the coming struggle and the honor he would win. He had dismissed out of hand the fact that among those ships, Death was waiting. He had seen Death rouse himself for battle, seen him turn the entire Trojan army with nothing but the sound of his voice, and still he had laughed. And now Death was coming with no goal or reason but to take Hector’s life. Death’s name was Achilles. Through his might alone had the Greek’s rallied after days of constant defeat. By his hand had the Trojan lines shattered, brave soldiers fleeing for their lives like wounded dogs rather than men. Hector had watched Achilles butcher hundreds, enough to clog the flow of the river Scamander itself. He’d seen Achilles harry the beaten army from shoreline to city wall almost entirely without aid. Many brave champions had taken up the call of destiny and tried to fight the mad demigod, to stem the slaughter. He struck them all down without a shred of mercy. This was the monster Hector had unleashed upon his countrymen. A voice rose from the peak of the great stone walls behind him. Hector refused to turn, but he listened. It was an ancient voice, strong but cracking from grief and fear. The voice of his father, King Priam. “Hector, my son, stay not to face this man alone!” The old king could see much further than Hector from his high vantage. He had most likely caught sight of Achilles. The growing dread in his tone made it clear that the Greek champion was approaching. Priam spoke of the other sons he had lost in the war, of the people’s need for Hector’s life to be preserved. He begged for his beloved heir to take pity on an old man, to not make him witness his first born brought to a bloody end right before his eyes. Next to speak was his mother, Queen Hecuba. She too begged for her son to return to the safety of Troy. With no thought for shame or the eyes of her people, she bore her left breast to the bright light of day. “Spurn not this breast, but have pity upon me too! If I have ever given you comfort, think on it now, dear son. Come within the wall to protect us from this man. Stand not without to meet him.” Hector would not allow his heart to be moved. He would not hide behind the walls of his home. Things had come to this because of his failures. And, if only for this brief moment, Achilles’ eyes were not fixed on Troy. This was his duty as Prince. The mistake had been his. To retreat now would invite the eternal scorn of his men and people, and he could not bear that. To retreat now risked turning the wrath of Achilles on the whole of the city instead of a single man, and he could not allow that. This left only one path. He would stand his ground. And with all the strength of his lineage, all the hopes of his people, he would test himself on the scales of destiny against the greatest warrior since Hercules himself. He would win, or he would die. Thus, Hector stood alone at the Scraean Gate. And through the dust of the battlefield, clad in armor of pure gold and hatred burning in his eyes, Achilles appeared. *** Twilight awoke with a sharp gasp. She took several deep breaths, but the tension she felt throughout her body was slow to ease. She couldn’t remember ever having a dream so vivid. Then again, she wasn’t sure it was a dream. There were names and faces and voices in the images that were completely alien to her, but also felt as familiar to her as her own friends and family. Her imagination could have conjured them up, but with so much detail? It seemed unlikely. And none of them were ponies either, only more humans. Had she somehow seen into Saber’s memories while she slept? It was a strange thought, but it seemed to fit. He had been center stage for the entire little episode, and she remembered him mentioning that he was a prince and that his kingdom was named Troy. She had to admit on a certain level it was exciting. She had been “standing,” on a whole different world, seeing things nopony had ever seen. As a Servant, Saber was supposed to be a famous hero from his world’s myths, so witnessing a moment from his life was a thrill, academically speaking. Still, she felt a little ashamed. It wasn’t as though he’d given her permission, and if someone had peaked into Twilight’s memories against her will it would certainly be upsetting. Yet like any good reader who is denied seeing a story's ending, what bothered her most was curiosity. She had clearly seen a snippet from some kind of war where Saber had fought, but who were his enemies exactly, those “Greeks?” Why were they fighting? Who was Achilles and why did he seem to hate Saber so much? What was the outcome of their fight? And… “When did I get home?” Twilight realized that she wasn’t exactly keeping her priorities straight when it dawned on her that she was lying in her own bed. She had almost been killed last night and had fallen unconscious while someone was shooting arrows at her! Unexpectedly, she got a response from very close to her ear. “Um… I think around four in the morning? I didn’t think to check the clock. I’m sorry.” Twilight shot out of bed like a bottle rocket, sending her blanket flying as she latched onto her window curtains in terror. Her eyes shot around her sleeping loft in a panic until they finally returned to her bed just as the blanket was floating back into place. Fluttershy blinked a few times before rolling herself free so she could readjust the mussed sheets. “Oh my! I’m so sorry Twilight. Did I surprise you?” Twilight almost managed a sigh of relief before a gentle ripping noise indicated that her curtains could no longer support her weight. She tumbled to the floor in a rather inglorious fashion, but quickly managed to extract herself from the tangle. “Fluttershy? Why were you sleeping next to me? No, wait, before that, are you okay? Last night was…” She found herself completely unable to come up with an appropriate word to fill that blank. As she finished tucking and tidying Twilight’s bed, Fluttershy turned to her friend and put on a slightly strained smile. “I’m alright Twilight. I can’t think you enough for letting me stay here after that awful mess. It was a big help. Especially for my poor critters.” She gestured with her hoof toward the library floor, and Twilight peaked over. The ground was literally carpeted with animals of all shapes and sizes, most of which were still sleeping. How Twilight had managed to miss the sound of bear snoring was beyond her. “As for why I was in your bed, well… I hope you don’t mind but… I was just too nervous in the guest room all by myself. I tried to ask your permission but you were out like a light, so I just took you upstairs and snuggled up with you. I didn’t know you were so jumpy early in the morning, or I would have just slept on the floor.” Twilight relaxed a bit after hearing the explanation. “It’s fine Fluttershy. Sorry if I worried you, I just had a strange dream is all.” “Oh really? What was it about?” “Trust me, you do not want to kno-” Thinking of her dream suddenly brought a fresh panic. How did she get home exactly? Logic dictated that it must have been Saber who brought her here. What happened after she’d passed out? Did he win the fight or only manage to escape? Had Fluttershy seen the human carrying her home? Twilight grabbed her friend by the shoulders. “Fluttershy! Do you know how I got back last night?” Caught off guard by Twilight’s behavior, Fluttershy still managed to shake her head. “I found you sleeping by the front door. I heard somepony knock, but by the time I got there they were already gone. I just tucked you into bed.” That was good news. Saber’s mention of the ‘Rule of Secrecy,’ was still weighing on Twilight’s mind despite the tough front she’d put on while laying down the law on the subject. She hadn’t had much time to dwell on it at the moment, but it changed all her plans. She’d initially planned to make a full report to Princess Celestia so she would know about this extraterrestrial magic that had invaded her kingdom and the danger the Servants might pose. Once that was done she’d have gone straight to her friends and enlisted their help in dealing with this Grail War business. Letters to the mayor telling her to cancel the festival, to Zecora asking if she knew anything about other worlds, to Ms. Cheerilee at the school telling her it might be wise to put classes on hold until this was all straitened out… If things hadn’t spiraled out of control, she almost certainly would have started drafting notes to everypony right after the summoning ritual. But after what she’d learned? Saber had told her that anyone who gained knowledge of the Grail War was to be eliminated. Of course, Twilight knew she wasn’t going to enforce that rule under any circumstances. But even if every other Master was the same, Ruler was another matter. She seemed kind despite how irrationally upset Twilight had been at her after their discussion. But even if she would never hurt an innocent pony by choice, it wasn’t her decision. Assuming the Command Spell’s power to control her was as absolute as she had claimed, the Holy Grail that she served could force her to attack anyone it wanted to preserve secrecy. And after last night, Twilight was no longer so certain she could depend on the other Masters. Granted, nopony had been hurt by the battle near Fluttershy’s cottage. But everything else nearby had been turned to smoldering ruins. And there could be no denying that whoever was firing those arrows had not been intending to frighten. There was no proof that the Master had ordered their Servant to shoot at Twilight, but there was no proof that Master hadn’t given that order either. Which all added up to one conclusion: telling anypony else about the Grail War would be putting their life in grave danger. Given how powerful the Servants were, even the Princess might not be safe. A chilling thought occurred to Twilight. For that matter, telling another pony about the Grail War was putting herself in danger as well. If the pony she told was a Master, they would know she was one as well. All they had to do was feign ignorance, and she would instantly become a target. This lead to another unpleasant idea, one that filled her with fear. Saber’s words from the night before echoed loudly in her mind, that it was possible Fluttershy herself was a Master and the entire situation was a trap. Could that really be possible? All that destruction, a battle between three Servants right outside her door, and yet her house remained completely untouched. Every one of her precious animals escaped without a scratch despite being right in the middle of the crossfire. And she claimed to have not seen a single thing? It was a lot to swallow now that Twilight really thought about it. And it all gave Fluttershy a perfect excuse to reach the safety of Twilight’s library, far away from the place where Servants had been fighting. Far from a vulnerable, isolated location where the Servants could attack with impunity if they learned a Master lived there. Her mind began racing. The Servant who’d fired those arrows hadn’t struck until after the battle had ended and only Saber was left. Why? Was that because he was waiting for an opportune moment? Or was it because Fluttershy had only sent him after she’d arrived at Twilight’s home and seen the summoning circle left painted on the floor? Twilight’s heart was pounding in her ears as she looked at gentle, kind Fluttershy, most unassuming of ponies. She’d managed to keep her face from showing any feelings, but the silence had lasted for a couple of minutes and she was still holding her friend in place. The pegasus looked uncomfortable. Using a heavy dose of willpower, Twilight maintained a normal voice and asked, “Fluttershy, can I take a look at your front hooves please?” Fluttershy raised a confused pink eyebrow. “Why?” she asked, her voice just boiling over with innocence. Her hesitation did not go unnoticed. Twilight unconsciously squeezed her friend’s shoulders a little more tightly. “Please? It’s important.” The world went into slow motion. Fluttershy started raising her forelegs. Twilight held her breath. She strained her senses to their limits. Would the attack come at the moment she saw the markings, trying to catch her in shock? Or before, while we was too focused to see it coming? A shield spell would be worthless. She would use a teleport spell instead. She would need to be quick to dodge whatever might- Fluttershy’s hooves were the same blank yellow color they had always been. There was no sign of a Command Spell. With nothing else to do, Twilight started giggling uncontrollably. In a few seconds she had fallen over laughing. Fluttershy seemed very confused. That made Twilight laugh even harder. When her fit was over, Twilight saw that her friend had been waiting patiently for her to finish. She asked what was so funny, but Twilight just said that it was nothing and offered to make breakfast. The two had a light argument about who should do the cooking, but Twilight insisted and since it was her house she got her way. Her friend was more concerned about checking in on the animals anyway, as most of them had been awoken by Twilight’s cackling. Twilight happily accepted the excuse to be alone. *** As Twilight’s largest pot happily bubbled away, cooking up enough oatmeal for Fluttershy’s entire circus of creatures, she allowed herself to look at the clock in the kitchen for the first time. It was only half past eight in the morning, but she felt rested enough given the circumstances. She was still quite sore, a fact that she hadn’t noticed until she’d tried to clamber down from her loft, but it was to be expected after all the high-level spellwork and other physical exertion she’d gotten up to last night. She appreciated the silence of the kitchen. Spike had tried to follow her, insistent on assisting her as usual, but she had shooed him away with instructions to help Fluttershy check on their animal guests. Not only was she all-too familiar with Spike’s attempts to “help,” with food preparation, she needed a moment to collect herself. Unfortunately, a moment was all she was afforded. Before even five minutes had passed Saber materialized in a shimmering cloud of blue. He appeared wearing his blue robes once again, leaning lazily against the sink counter with a small smile on his face. “Good morning, Twilight Sparkle,” he said. His tone was actually quite cordial. And he’d used her name rather than referring to her as Master. Twilight hadn’t been sure what to expect from the Servant when they spoke again after last night, but cordial wasn’t high on her list. Twilight lit up her horn and telekinetically lifted a spoon into the oatmeal, giving it a quick stir. It made her head throb to use any magic, but she couldn’t stir with her mouth and still talk. “Good Morning.” She hesitated at what to say next. She felt like she should apologize for peaking into his memories in her sleep, but since this was the nicest he’d been since he first appeared she didn’t want to spoil the mood with a potentially touchy violation of privacy. She didn’t want to immediately launch into a debriefing of what had happened after she’d passed out either. After another moment’s thought she finally said, “I suppose I owe you an apology for jumping in the way last night. You told me not to involve myself in the fight under any circumstance and I went and did it anyway.” Saber stroked his violet beard thoughtfully at those words. “Well, on a certain level I’m glad to hear you say that. It means you recognize that you put yourself in grave danger, you appreciate the risks I had to take in saving you, and that the pain I saw you in when your spell was broken didn’t go to waste in teaching you those things.” He paused, and his smile grew broader as he reached out and rested his hand on her head, just as he had last night. “Still, you owe no apologies to me. If anything, I am tremendously proud of you. If you must apologize, do so only to yourself for treating your life in a cavalier fashion.” Twilight blinked several times. Her Servant was full of surprises this morning. “Proud of me? Why?” “Is it not obvious to you? You acted with great courage in trying to aid me when my wound made me falter. Foolish, ignorant courage perhaps. But still, you saw what Servants were capable of during the skirmish, but remained undaunted and joined the fray when you saw me hesitate. In my time such behavior was to be lauded. To risk one’s life against a great opponent, to seek glory even in the face of death, is the essence of being a warrior.” He paused as a sour look came over his face. “I indulged too many during my life who disdained battle even when it was their duty. I won’t deride one who seeks it for good cause, even if it not their place.” The comment seemed important, and Twilight’s thoughts returned to the memories she’d seen, but she decided to wait. There would be other chances to ask and she wanted to keep the mood light. “Well, I didn’t exactly do it for glory or anything, but I appreciate the compliment.” She continued to stir the oatmeal. Since the air between them was a bit clearer now, that left only one thing to discuss. “What happened after I lost consciousness?” “Strangely enough, nothing.” He shook his head a bit, as if still finding it hard to believe. “Our enemy loosed only about three more shafts, as if he refused to believe I was stopping them. Then he vanished completely. He was already at the very edge of my ability to sense him, so there was no chance for me to pursue even if I hadn’t had to look after you. I didn’t catch so much as a glimpse. It could only have been Archer from that kind of distance; Assassin wouldn’t have the skill for such long-range shots.” A troubled look passed over his face as he continued. “I got a brief look at the arrows before they vanished. They were made from bone rather than the white steel of our friend the warrior woman, so I can be thankful she didn’t praise me with one hand a slap me with the other I suppose. Still, it’s incredible that any arrow would be capable of hitting me. That is why my wound gave me pause. “After I was certain he was gone I carried you here, knocked on the door so your friend could care for you and assumed my spirit form so I could observe, in case she was a Master as I feared.” His smile returned as he added, “Well done inspecting her by the way. After only a single battle you already display excellent instincts.” Twilight sighed deeply. “Don’t remind me. I’m not exactly happy about my freakish paranoia. It was silly to suspect her anyway. Fluttershy couldn’t have summoned a Servant, she’s not a unicorn.” “You mentioned that last night. If I were you I would not take such a thing for granted. I admit this is only a theory, but from the knowledge of your world imparted to me by the Grail it seems that all three of your kind’s races have magic, not only the unicorns. The pegasi can alter the weather and walk upon clouds, and the earth pony tribe are deeply linked to growing things and living creatures. To presume they cannot call forth a Servant because they lack a magical horn would be folly.” Twilight wanted to slap herself and she let out a loud groan of frustration. She should have realized that much. It seemed so obvious once somepony said it out loud. “You’re right! That’s just great. I thought I could at least count on that much narrowing down who the Masters might be. Now I have nothing to go on. And with all the tourists in town on top of everything… what a disaster.” Before too much of her depression could set in, Saber clapped his hands together. “None of that, Twilight Sparkle. I won’t have my Master sulking. Besides, things aren’t as bad as all that. If nothing else, last night gave you an excellent chance to gauge our competitors since three appeared at once. How did they rate in terms of parameters? Could you discern any of their skills or Noble Phantasms?” Yet again, Twilight felt completely lost as Saber spouted what seemed like complete gibberish. In a moment he clearly realized she had no idea what he was talking about. His sigh of frustration was almost crushing. “Of course. I was so impressed by your valor I’d completely forgotten that you are a babe lost in the woods.” Straitening his back and making his expression firm, Saber spoke in tones of command, setting aside the role of ‘servant,’ in favor of ‘sergeant.’ “That settles things. Finish your breakfast and eat well. When you are done, I will give you instruction as best I can. We must prepare you for war.”