Artoria Pendragon
Reasons to Fight
Altria: This is Fuyuki, birthplace of the Holy Grail War...
Altria: Horrible. This flame won't disappear for another 10 or 20 years.
Altria: The curse seeped into the very land itself. This place is no longer fit for human habitation.
Dr. Roman: Seems so. Apparently, there's a similar city in America.
Dr. Roman: There are fires on the surface, and the ground bseneath is full of gas. It is expected to burn another 50 years.
Dr. Roman: Well, that was an accident caused by human urban development. This one is a disaster caused by magecraft.
Altria: Disaster by magecraft... What are your thoughts, Master?
Fujimaru 1: It's most likely the Holy Grail.
Altria: You believe it's Holy Grail... As much as I don't want to admit it, it's seems undeniable.
Fujimaru 2: It's because it became a singularity.
Altria: The Holy Grail was not the cause, rather, the very nature of the city was altered by becoming a singularity?
Mash: ...Excuse me. But it was you who protected this city's Holy Grail, Saber.
Mash: Or to be more precise, another aspect of you. Do you have any memories of those events?
Altria: ...My apologies.
Altria: Heroic Spirits who are summoned to be Servants are separated from their original selves in that moment.
Altria: When released from our contract, we return to the Throne and all our experiences are stored as integrated memories.
Altria: My current self is the "me" from when I conducted myself as the King of Knights, a Saber.
Altria: Fujimaru, Mash, please think of that black armored version of me as an entirely different person.
Dr. Roman: Yes, that is both a plus and minus of the Heroic Spirit summoning system.
Dr. Roman: A single Heroic Spirit can employ various facets of itself, but combat between the same Heroic Spirit is also possible.
Altria: But rest assured, as long as my dark fallen self belongs to another class I will never change, no matter what happens.
Altria: My sword serves only you and your goal. It will never attack you even by mistake.
Fujimaru 1: I'm glad to hear that.
Fujimaru 2: I trust you, of course.
Altria: Right. Thank you Master, for the time being I shall answer that trust.
Mash: That growl! I sense a hostile presence, Senpai!
Altria: This should provide excellent combat experience. Mash, follow me. I shall show you how to fight!
--BATTLE--:
Altria: Just as I thought, she has potential. Mash will become a fine warrior, Fujimaru.
Altria: ...Then again. We still need to work on her fear on the battlefield.
Mash: ...I'm sorry. Battles are scary, after all.
Mash: Aren't you scared, Saber? I mean, you're around the same age as me, and you're a girl too—
Dr. Roman: Yes, I'm curious about that myself.
Dr. Roman: It was a surprise to learn that the legendary King Arthur was a girl—but what really surprised me was your strength.
Dr. Roman: I think the quality of Saber's... Altria's Spirit Origin is top-class even among Heroic Spirits.
Dr. Roman: Altria, King Arthur rather, why are you so free of doubt?
Dr. Roman: You went so far as to disguise yourself as a man to take the throne, unite a ravaged Britain, and drive off invaders.
Dr. Roman: What were your reasons to go to such lengths, and what series of events forced you into that position.
Altria: ...What reasons and events you say? Let me see. I can explain the series of events, if not the reasons.
Altria: I was born to eliminate the previous king, a foolish ruler... Rather, I was created for it.
Altria: I believe it's a type of magecraft called "conceptual fertilization."
Altria: Mother was pregnant with the concept of the Red Dragon, guardian of Britain, and gave birth to me.
Altria: The high quality of my Spirit Origin is likely a result of that. Afterwards, I drew the sword that selects kings.
Altria: Having been chosen by the sword, I was saved by Merlin, my guardian as well as a weird mage.
Altria: I was then entrusted with the sacred sword by the Lady of the Lake, and came to rule Britain.
Altria: That is the long and short of my past. Just like the legends.
Altria: What may differ slightly from your preconceptions is my gender, I suppose.
Altria: I mean. When it comes to ruling a country, being a man made certain things easier.
Fujimaru 1: Wasn't that hard on you?
Fujimaru 2: Do you regret it?
Altria: Of course. It was difficult, and I had many failures. Like anyone, my life had its ups and downs.
Altria: Nevertheless, I am satisfied with my life.
Altria: I lost my way many times, but in the end, I finally understood.
Altria: Although I have hurt many, and failed to recognize many, I protected that which I held most dear to until the very end.
Mash: ...
Altria: Oh dear, this is no place for long chats, is it?
Altria: Master, your commands. Let us lift some small part of the curse that infects this land!
--BATTLE--:
Altria: Thank you for accepting my wish to see Fuyuki.
Altria: Let us return to Chaldea, Master. I'm sure there are other matters we should be attending now.
Fujimaru 1: Yes, of course.
Mash: Just a moment. You haven't finished your story.
Fujimaru 2: ...Before we go, tell us one more thing.
Altria: One more thing?
Altria: Of course, I told you how I became a king, but I haven't told you why.
Altria: My aspiration to be king despite being a woman. ...And for what reasons did I fight?
Altria: However, it is a simple, trivial matter. I am sure it is the same as you, dear Fujimaru.
Altria: I did not fight for ideals. I fought for the future.
Altria: One that everyone wishes for, everyone desires for. My hand reached for this sword to protect that.
Altria: I am not sure if I did a good job. But I did my best and laid down my life for that dream.
Mash: ...You have no regrets for how your life ended as King Arthur?
Altria: I have some disappointments, but no regrets.
Altria: My battle was not the correct salvation for everything—But I am certain it wasn't a mistake.
Altria: From this point forward it is your battle, Master. I swear on my sword, I will be there to assist you.
Awakening of the Holy Sword
Altria: ...Hm. This area should serve our needs well.
Altria: No one in sight, no buildings either. I don't think there will be casualties no matter what happens here.
Altria: —Aside from us participants, of course.
Mash: ...Um, Senpai ...Altria is sounding very ominous. What do you think she plans to do this time?
Fujimaru 1: I don't know.
Fujimaru 2: She brought us here without explanation...
Altria: Now then, first I must thank you Master. You listened to another unreasonable request from me.
Dr. Roman: Well, you did ask to go to a deserted wasteland out of the blue. What did you need Fujimaru for?
Altria: Yes. I thought I might carry out a plan that I have been considering for a while.
Altria: As more Heroic Spirits are assisting Chaldea, our battles are also growing proportionally fiercer.
Altria: To be honest, don't you feel we are currently ill-equipped? Since we don't know what we'll run into in the future.
Mash: Well...yes. As a defense specialist, it's not my place to say, but I'm not sure we'll last with our current firepower.
Altria: I thought so. Which is why I think it's time for me to be serious.
Dr. Roman: What! You mean you weren't fighting seriously until now?
Altria: I have been fighting seriously, but with limitation.
Altria: My sword is, shall we say, complicated in its workings.
Altria: For example, it must not strike one pure of heart. I also must not strike a fairy.
Altria: Such are the multiple oaths of this sword. If any are violated, the power of my Mana Burst is reduced.
Mash: Something like a dress code, perhaps.
Mash: So what you're saying is, your sword has never been fully unleashed?
Altria: Yes. A strike with all of its oaths released will probably be an once in a lifetime event.
Altria: I'm not even sure if we'll even get such a chance, but for now, I would like to release some of the oathes to raise its output.
Altria: That's the reason I brought you to this place Fujimaru.
Altria: "Anyone who fights at my side must be courageous"—In order to fulfil this oath.
Dr. Roman: ...In other words, if your Master is weak, your sword won't be at its full potential?
Altria: In this case, it means strength of spirit, not body. Does this person possess the courage to face someone stronger.
Altria: The sacred sword scales to the strength of a Master's heart. With that being said—
Dr. Roman: Wh-What's with all this magical energy! Saber, what are you doing?
Altria: I am summoning a demon that I once struck down and sealed away. Is there a problem?
Fujimaru 1: Don't tell me!?
Fujimaru 2: Impossible!
Mash: This amount of energy is on par with a Dragonkin... Senpai and I can't possibly handle that now!
Dr. Roman: Why would you do that? I don't remember King Arthur being capable of spells like that!
Altria: Oh that, I discussed it with Ms. Leonardo and had her provide me with an instant scroll.
Dr. Roman: Da Vinnnnnci!
Altria: Now's the time to show our courage, Master! Let's overcome this danger together!
Mash: The King ended up being a nutcase! S-Senpai, what should we do?
Fujimaru 1: Looks like our only option is to fight!
Fujimaru 2: Ok, hit me with your best shot!
Mash: How can this be? My Master is the same kind of person as Saber!
--BATTLE--:
Mash: Whew... We managed...somehow...
Dr. Roman: Wow, what a spectacular victory you two... Wasn't that a bit more powerful than a weaker Demon God?
Fujimaru 1: I'm exhausted...
Fujimaru 2: I thought we were goners...
Mash: Still, one of the conditions has been cleared. So I guess it was worth the effort?
Altria: Rest time is over. What are you two doing? More enemies are coming.
Dr. Roman: There's a second army? Just how crazy was the Britain under King Arthur's name!
Mash: Grr! I'm at the end of my rope! Saber, this is the last one right?
Altria: Yes, this is the last. Not to worry, they aren't much different than the previous ones.
--BATTLE--:
Mash: Whew... Yikes, twin demons... But this should be the...
Mash: Oh, come on! Saber, are you serious?
Altria: Hm? Oh...My apologies, I wasn't clear enough. What I meant was, those were the last "demons."
Altria: This time for sure, these are the last enemies we must defeat. We just need to deal with the Dragonkin who serve the demons.
Dr. Roman: —Did you say...Dragonkin?
Altria: Come, Master and Mash, now is the time to demonstrate your knowledge and valor! Worry not, if anyone can overcome this it is you!
Mash: U-Unwarranted trust can sometimes hit harder than a blow from a dragon, Senpai!
--BATTLE--:
Mash: —
Dr. Roman: I can't believe we had to fight a powerful Phantasmal in a wasteland like this for no particular reason.
Dr. Roman: Mash, Fujimaru, well done... I can imagine how tired you must be...
Altria: What are you so depressed for? Now is the time to raise a victory shout.
Altria: By your own hand, you have proven that you are without limits.
Altria: As the Servant who serves you, nothing could make me more proud.
Fujimaru 1: Y-You really mean it?
Fujimaru 2: You're proud, Saber?
Altria: Yes. We Servants are not... interested in our own strength.
Mash: (She said, "very" in a small voice, Senpai.)
Altria: Ahem. Mash, please keep that to yourself.
Altria: In a sense, Heroic Spirits are beings who can see their end, their—final form. We each know our own strength.
Altria: That is not true of you. Where will the humans living in your era find themselves in the end?
Altria: How much will they grow? What heights will they reach? To us Heroic Spirits, it is beyond our imagination.
Altria: That is why I am proud that I met a Master such as you.
Altria: ...It is odd, though. I feel as if something like this has happened before.
Altria: Perhaps I will meet "someone" like you at some point.
Altria: ...I can be inspired by a Master I respect and love, even if they are inexperienced.
Altria: However, this is not the time for that. What I can do is to guide you to your final battle.
Altria: Fujimaru, Master of Chaldea. My sword has acknowledged your worth.
Altria: I too, shall strive to serve you with more strength. Let us continue to fight well together.
Mash: Saber...
Dr. Roman: We got King Arthur's stamp of approval... Plus, we got an upgrade on her Noble Phantasm...
Fujimaru 1: Let's keep fighting the good fight, Saber.
Altria: Yes, please use the increased strength of my Noble Phantasm as your secret weapon against powerful enemies.
Fujimaru 2: Refrain from any crazy stuff next time, Saber.
Altria: Y-You think so? I thought that the ends justified the means.
Altria: Judging from Mash's exhaustion, I see that perhaps I did go too far. Very well, I shall be more careful from now on!
Dr. Roman: She doesn't get it... This king just doesn't get it!