Finis Chaldea

[Bloodedge]

Vivian showed rightful concern for the future of her loved ones. Enlil believed it was necessary to be concerned, though he also believed all would be well in the end. The gods of this world would soon fall, but just as the Lake Fairy's worries would be quelled, the lack of gods would do better for the world overall. Even now, both situations were looking up. The gods were not needed for the felling of Velber's second envoy, and Excalibur's chosen one could be given an intermediary weapon in the original's stead. "Take hope on your travels, my child. All will be well, even if it does not seem so. You may not be the wielder of that ancient sword you now hold, but always remember this: it is you who places our original world's last hope in the hands of another, and you who enables the wielder to impart new hope. Stay strong, my Lady Viviane." Sharing these words was all he could do to help. Nothing of merit could be done by Enlil, but perhaps he could provide some comfort. After all, her words were a great comfort to him. He would never abandon this world, even as its inhabitants destroyed themselves and all nature around them No matter what, one day, the circle would complete itself as it always did.

Gilgamesh was told he would never want to leave his ziggurat again. How foolish. The moment the Citadel of Uruk was inhabited by one Artoria Pendragon, his every reason to leave would officially be gone. If he had a bit more motivation to never leave his bedroom, however... that would be an accomplishment indeed. "I expect nothing less than months of debauchery caused by your own design choices. Perhaps I will come to inform you how well-done the pieces are after I've finished ripping half of them apart. Surely you would not be opposed to another arrangement, given your obvious enjoyment of this work you do." While speaking, Gilgamesh had to prevent himself yawning. It was high time he left to avoid being seen in a state of weakness, and luckily, it seemed Nefertari was ready and willing to start her work immediately. "I will return only to deliver payment. I have already seen enough of your work to harbor faith," he concluded, alluding directly to the visions he'd already seen. Ah... but there was one final thing to mention as he boarded Vimana again. "Somewhere in that pile, there is the fur of a unicorn. Use it to fashion a shawl or something, fitted to the large one."

[Apollymi]

Vivian heard the words of Enlil and a small smile came to her face. Talking to this man was a special brand of comforting. She couldn't rightly explain it, but in speaking to him, she always felt that everything would be alright. What a life he must have lived, to be able to evoke such peace in another by mere words alone. She hoped one day, she could be that kind of individual. She knew it was not going to be any day soon but... maybe? Whatever the case she went off to work on Excalibur and its copy.

At the same time, the King of Heroes seemed to be fighting sleep, but still had enough quip left to say some rather cheeky things to Nefertari in the meantime. "You are too much Golden King... the poor Knight Queen will never be able to face any of us again if you do something like that. Still, if you enjoy them so much I'd be willing to put in the work to make sure she always had a fresh ensemble. Like I said, she's one of my favorites~" she mentioned. There were several that Nefertari would give the title muse, and Artoria Pendragon was one. "Of course, I do what I love and it never feels like work," she said of her own desire to create. Speaking of, there was apparently one real request to be given by the King of Heroes, that Unicorn Pelt be made into a shawl or something for the bigger body model. "A shawl?? That is about a medieval as a word can get. I'll do one better when I see it an work with it. I almost thought to question the unicorn part... but I'm done being astounded by anything concerning you or the Queen of Knights." That was a declaration if she'd ever made one. There were two Medjed carrying off those two mannequins and the Queen of Queens was soon off to busy herself with work of the creative type.

An entire day from that point and Artoria would be finishing the training of several young knights. A wooden sword in hand, young Gareth was holding a shield in one hand and a lance in the other. Her helmet perfectly fit and even included little ear protrusions. She was being pummeled by the Queen of Knights but this was all part of her training after being knocked down, Artoria offered the pup a hand up and some thorough advice. "Listen clearly, little wolf, you drop your guard again, and I will ring your head like a bell. Shield up. Wait for the opening then counter, yes?" she asked a little nod came from the lass as she could see those emerald green eyes of hers processing that order. "Good lass!" she said stepping back to begin the onslaught again with a fervor that would have made training with a real sword quite dangerous. Several others including Galahad stood to the side watching such a training session with much interest. The Queen of Knights hadn't forsaken any of her duties since coming back. The last of the preparations were being made at Loch Ness so that she could in good consciousness lift the country.

[Bloodedge]

The Queen of Knights being rendered incapable of facing any of the others was, strangely, a pleasant idea. The flustered expression on her face in those moments was the greatest of sights. It was all definitely going to be something Gilgamesh enjoyed with full vigor, whenever the time came around. To do so however, he had to leave Nefertari to her devices for the tall order he'd so recently made. "On your way then, Puppet Pharaoh. Work those floating rags of yours to the bone," he said through upturned lips. With that, he and his golden ark floated into the distance toward Mesopotamia. There remained much work for him to do as well, but this little intermission would eventually prove worthwhile.

On the next day, Artoria Pendragon's brutal training of a young Gareth was being observed by the dog-girl's usual mentor, Sir Lancelot. He saw better than most, that Gareth would one day become a Lady of the Round Table on par with her brothers and sister... if she didn't manage to thwart the lot of them. He imagined Artoria saw the same, considering the Queen of Knights elected to train her directly this day. Strange, though... Lancelot figured the queen would be busy torturing the torturer, Agravain herself, after the latter's miscommunications about a week prior. Maybe with all that happened, she'd forgotten? Maybe she was simply waiting. Or, maybe something had already been done without Lancelot realizing. Whatever the case, Lancelot was willing to do a bit more than observe; he was also content to chime in here and there. "Will you take that kind of talk, Gareth? Bash her over the head with that shield; show her who rings the bells around here!"

[Apollymi]

The Queen of Knights gave her advice to the young Gareth, and the same young girl also received advice from her actual mentor. The words of Lancelot made Artoria smile, he would be the type to preach the extra aggression while pointing out the sort of dominating she was the other day. Perhaps when she got her own sword back, she'd make sure he was actually punished for his sass. "No, I won't just take it," Gareth said. The Little Wolf had quite a bit of spunk. Of course, Artoria took note of this and of course, she would see that the girl could defend herself as best she could while being so small. Lessons to be learned early to avoid any misconceptions later, besides all of that, Gareth had all the makings of a Knight of the Round Table. Even at her young age, Artoria could see clearly this girl's sincerity and her ability. She'd make sure it was sharpened to a fine point to see this girl sit at her side someday.

And to that end, a barrage of bone rattling hits clobbered that shield. Each one seeming to push back against Gareth. Even so, she did not drop her guard again, instead she waited for what she thought was an opportune moment, and when Artoria's arm was coming down again, she knocked outward with her shield, and aimed to move forward. That move was brilliant. Artoria smiled just a bit but it was too early, for such a move to work against her. Artoria used the momentum of the collision to spin in the same direction, and by the time the girl had moved forward that wooden sword was knocking into her lance and tripping her up. She fell forward into the ground but still flat on her chest. "That was a tricky move, you have learned well Little Wolf," she said as she stood to the side but offered her hand up as she took her helmet off. She couldn't believe she'd fallen over. "Footwork should be your next aim of practice, both armored and not. Be conscious of your weapon and shield both should be used in tandem. Grab a snack, have some milk. You did well," she said giving the small girl a pat on the head. "Thank you, Aunty!" the little girl said with a reddened face from the extra attention. In truth, if she'd had a bit more weight to her, such a move would have thrown Artoria around a bit. But the Queen of Knights was already used to dodging opponents, and using their momentum against them, what she currently had over this lass, was experience. "Lancelot, she is far too small to bash me over the head with a shield you know," she said to the man. "Still, your training has done her the world of good." The Queen of Knights praised this man as well, Gareth was coming along far too nicely to avoid giving praise where it was due. Training was done now, and Artoria had a few more things to do before she raised Albion.

[Bloodedge]

Following Lancelot's goading, Gareth showed precisely the spunk he'd come to enjoy when training the girl himself. That much moxie would serve her well as a member of the Round Table. The Knight of the Lake could foresee the girl being his sister-in-arms within a short matter of years, but alas, she was not yet ready to land a proper blow on the queen. Lancelot winced and inhaled through his teeth as the lass tumbled after a failed assault, though it didn't seem to be a bad attempt at all. After a bit of acknowledgement passed from Artoria to Gareth, the former had words for him as well. Gareth was too small to bash her over the head, she insisted. Poppycock. The girl's size had nothing to do with it, whether Artoria actually believed that load of nonsense or not. "She's not too small to do anything. Give her an inch of leeway, and I guarantee you she'll have you checking the backs of your eyelids in two seconds flat. The girl's got grit, I tell you. Another decade, and I might be asking her for pointers," he said. In all honesty, there was a part of Lancelot that believed his own words there. He had every reason to, after all. "Seriously, I occasionally see the return of a headache from months ago. Never purposely take it easy on that girl."

[Apollymi]

Artoria was told how little room one like Gareth needed to make a complete fool out of a fully trained knight. According to Lancelot one should never take it easy on the Little Wolf, lest they have headaches for months after the fact to show for it. The smirk that crossed Artoria's lips could have almost grown into full blown laughter, but she managed to cover her mouth with one hand and take several deep breaths. After a moment she just looked at the man in front of her and shook her head from left to right. "I know of her grit, but I think I have no need to worry," she said with the utmost care taken to avoid wounding this man's ego further. "While I see her being a great warrior in her own right. I would never be so carefree as to purposefully take it easy on anyone. A victory from me will be hard fought and earned, child or adult," she said wondering exactly how the Knight of the Lake had ended up getting his bell rung by a girl less than half his size.

Strangely, Artoria decided to leave such questions alone. "Tell me Lancelot, does anything else here require my attention or anyone else before the proper ascension of Albion? I would have all my bases covered, but I am not sure what was done in my absence," she said. Having talked to Galahad the previous day the Queen had easily returned to herself settling her own nerves. She'd decided around the time of the ascension she'd make her way to Egypt and speak with the female Pharaoh about her nerves and then she'd steel herself. She'd take up such a cause a bit closer to the time at hand, but if Albion was near ready she could put it off until the right time.

[Bloodedge]

"I'm sure you don't," Lancelot agreed. Of course the Queen of Knights would have nothing to worry about. It didn't need saying that she took it easy on no one, whether in combat or in training. It would take another hundred years for someone of Gareth's level to think of wounding her as a result of that fact. "Oh you don't even have to tell me. Forget the headache; I think my liver is still bleeding from years ago," he said in jest. Moving on, Artoria had business to discuss. She wished to know of Albion's readiness. As he recalled, this was something being discussed amongst the knights quite some time ago. Still, Lancelot gave matters a few moments of consideration. He'd use Gareth as his own mental example, at least when thinking of those who would fight. "Everyone who can fight will be able to perform well. I believe even the children being born of the last year or two are having no problems within the barrier now, so all regular citizens across Albion should be fine as well. If memory serves, that has been the case for about three years now. Early preparation has paid off well."

The King of Heroes had returned to his throne and all the work that accompanied it. There was much to do, far beyond even what hundreds of clay tablets could contain. As he looked to the future, he saw more than a single threat. For a full day, he'd been staving off sleep unseen for several years, building atop the strong walls of Uruk's citadel. No laborers were brought in. They had their tasks on hand already, and this particular job was one Gilgamesh could only do alone for the sake of functionality. What was he building? It would be known one day. Regardless, the only rest he saw during this time had been sitting atop the throne to sort through more tablets. That is until, after several hours of laboring and shifting between matters of defense and matters of state, the king's eyes drew to a close while he sat.

Ah, but Gilgamesh was no slacker. Much like he once told Utnapishtim in the garden of the gods, he experienced only a moment of sleep. This time, those words were true. He napped like a cat, closing his eyes for a matter of seconds before opening them anew. What he saw upon opening them, though, was not the citadel of Uruk at all. He still sat upon a throne, but his surroundings were bleak, not a single sign of life in sight. It seemed almost like a cave, dimly lit by cages carrying blue flame-like substances. Confused, he looked from one side to the next. "Siduri?" he called out, mouth slightly ajar as his visual inspection continued. There was no Siduri here.

It was with a sigh that King Gilgamesh leaned against his own knuckles, closing his eyes once more. Suddenly, he understood the situation. "Hmph. I seem to have awoken from my nap in the depths of Kur." How very calm. Alas, there would be no calmness mere seconds later. Gilgamesh stood erect in an explosion of rage, screaming up into the infinite cave around him. "This is no time for jokes! I really am dead here!"

[Apollymi]

More jokes from the man known as Lancelot, what was this about his bleeding liver from years ago. Oh yes, Artoria remembered they'd fought once and she'd seen an opening in his attack pattern and stabbed into the undefended flesh. It had been a decisive victory for her, but a decent injury for him. What did she have to say to this jest? "What do you mean Lancelot? I did not twist that blade, I am sure it is fine," she said in her own form of jest. Strangely enough that wasn't that much of a joke. In the years prior, it had been much harder for her to stop herself from aiming for blows that killed and ones that would maim permanently. Lancelot had been the sort of person she had not tried injuring permanently on purpose, which was about as much of a handicap as she was ever willing to give. With the jokes aside, according to Lancelot, everyone who could fight would be able to do so normally above, and even the babies of Camelot could breathe so there would be no problems with their integration into Chaldea. "Good. That news is great truly. I would not have anything go wrong and I would prefer everyone acclimate with the greatest of ease," she said thoughtfully. "While I do not expect a constant need for combat, everyone being able to do so would be for the best after that White Titan incident, I find it much more settling that no one will be learning how to breathe," she said. Truly she was quite relieved. Her approach in this matter had been a bit tyrannical, but she would not have people dying for her ambition who did not know what they were dying for. Beyond that even the people and animals were ready for the ascension then there would be no problems for the land either. She could move forward with her plans with a clear conscience. Well mostly clear, there was still the looming shadow of the King of Heroes on her heart and mind, but that was a personal matter for her to work through.

At the same time, the newest entry into the Underworld made his voice know. First he called for the wine-maker of the gods, that one had been banished ages ago, but she'd been in good care. Next he seemed to accept that his death had happened and relaxed back into his throne. But soon after, it seemed he was absolutely furious in the most hilarious way possible. A gentle laugh escaped the young woman known as Kur who appeared in front of him. Her pink locks held together by a dark crown. She had long hair down to her knees at least and a surprisingly happy disposition, even with the black nail polish and assorted gloomy accessories. "Of course you are dead. This isn't a joke worth making, King of Heroes. I would never just pull you down here," she said seeming to think about it more. "Still, I suppose even I have to respect your work ethic, it takes a bit of moxie to work yourself to the point of death by exhaustion."

[Bloodedge]

She didn't twist the blade, she said. That didn't at all mean the very same blade hadn't nearly gone completely through him. "Nor did you have to. If I didn't think there was a chance of me winning that fight back then, I'd still be a little upset over that sort of wound," he added. Thinking back on it, that fight they had so long ago was one of the reasons Lancelot was glad to have the chance of joining the Round Table. "Good on Gawain getting himself kidnapped back then. For a while there, I figured you actually wanted me dead," he recalled further. Based on Artoria's words, it seemed the ascension of Albion was due quite soon. He and some of the other knights had been talking about it recently, and most seemed rather excited to properly experience Chaldea's atmosphere. Of course, much of the cause was the belief that Chaldea's parties were all as incredible as the one they attended recently. "So then, are we rising soon? Gawain and I were talking about testing our mettle against a few of those Medjay."

Gilgamesh was far from pleased. How the hell did he wind up in... well... Hell? This was by far the dumbest turn of fate he'd ever experienced, and he'd experienced fate in the stupidest ways possible! Where was that damned goddess? He could hear her laughter, then suddenly, there she was in front of him. "Of course it is a joke; it must be! I cannot be dead!" he exclaimed. Towering over the pink-haired goddess, an aggressive hand of Gilgamesh's soon found itself upon her head, twisting at the scalp repeatedly. "It is fine. I will allow your pitiful attempt at jest, just this once. But, I have work to do, and this is an interruption I cannot afford! Release me to my citadel immediately; I am not the company you should seek because you have become bored in this gutter."

[Apollymi]

It seemed he took offense to the type of wound he'd taken in their first battle. Artoria could only smile at the memory. That fight was indeed thrilling but she'd never doubted her own victory, the struggle is fun... but there is no satisfaction without victory. "It was not so bad... and who gave you permission to think you could win against me?" she asked with a playful sharpening of her eyes. Artoria remembered fondly the day that Lancelot had returned with her nephew from behind enemy lines. She'd wanted to rain down hell upon the Saxons for daring and she'd been told she could wait by Merlin. "Yes, it was quite good you were there. I did not specifically want you dead, I just did not specifically want you alive near me..." she said only joking. "But I cannot deny I might have gone a bit crazed about Gawain, so I was willing to let you be both alive and nearby, after you saved him. I could not deny the character of a man who would do such a thing with no thought of reward," she said. She'd come to realize she'd been quite a handful when gathering Knights for her table. Even so, she couldn't say she didn't respect every individual who sat at her table. Would Albion be rising soon? "Yes, within the week. I am running my final checks and making sure that Loch Ness is ready to sustain itself for a while. Once I am certain... we will be in the clear. I will use my connection to raise the kingdom and everyone and everything within its borders," she said understanding how it worked. "As for the Medjay, they are quite a talented group. Quick on their feet, be careful if you face any," that was her advice. Of course she'd faced a few while she'd been visiting with her sister, if only to keep herself amused while not being able to draw her weapon.

Meanwhile, Gilgamesh was having a none-too-friendly conversation with Kur. Strangely, the pink haired girl found that this man had the audacity to be rubbing his hand across the top of her head while demanding to be placed back. Did he not hear what she just said?! Why was he being such a bully? Did such actions actually work for him? "It is not a joke, unhand me King of Heroes!" she said stepping back and aiming to smooth out her hair. "I cannot return you. You actually died and you are outside of the reincarnation cycle. Though your actions and that of the world serpent, gave the ability to move between life and death to others at variable exchange rates... you were outside of the world when that change was enacted. If your tale is to be believed, you did what you aimed for and gave the ability to live forever to the people... just not to yourself," she explained of the situation. "You literally died of exhaustion, no food, no sleep, no water, hard work and force-of-will, that has been you, right?" she asked him while shaking her head. "I brought you down with your body, because you do not deserve a life as a soul in a cage..." she stated. "And for the record, I prefer the company of children and animals and as you are neither I would not have brought you here... I also think your purpose is best served above. But I cannot return you..." she said very specifically.