--- Section 1 ---
After seeing off Geryon, the party are met with a freezing cold air. They endure it, and advance. Spread out before them is a wasteland of nothingness. The withered land is colored the gray of concrete, sterile as far as the eye can see. There are no trees, no grass, only strange rags reminiscent of people at the verge of death crawling across the landscape. Occasionally, a frozen person, a body without soul, lays strewn at the wayside. Sometimes they are even halfway buried into the ground, as if it were their grave.
No enemies. No peril. Not a single danger. Even so, having journeyed from the first circle to the eighth...
To Fujimaru and everyone else, the ninth circle is bizarre and harrowing beyond belief. There is nothing here. Not even death. The void, the dark, the husks. Outside of that, nothing. The ninth circle is a circular wasteland. It is divided into four areas, going from the edge to the center. Caina, the first round. Antenora, the second round. Ptolomaea, the third round, and finally... In the center, Judecca, the fourth round. With that destination in mind, the party heads ever deeper. The ninth circle of Hell, Cocytus. The deepest layer of man's sins.
Kadoc stops. Amidst the blizzard, he sees a vision of Anastasia. He figures he must be seeing things, and sure enough, the vision of Anastasia tells him she is but a hallucination, though she also says the same thing about him. After all, he's basically a dead man walking, isn't he? Like, literally. Kadoc figures that if it's just a hallucination, he'd rather it be someone else, and so the vision takes the form of Kotomine Kirei instead. The hallucinated Kirei asks why Kadoc teamed up with Chaldea. Is it because he's afraid of dying? Or is it Hell itself he's afraid of? But Kadoc rejects both assumptions. He's neither afraid of Hell nor of dying. A surprising answer, given most people surely fear death at least.
The vision turns into Ashoka now, and asks Kadoc why he continues walking. Kadoc has to think hard about his answer, as no easy answer comes to mind. Now, the vision splits into Kirei, Anastasia, and Ashoka all at the same time, each asking questions in turn.
Kotomine Kirei:
For atonement?
Kadoc:
That's part of it.
King Ashoka:
For friendship?
Kadoc:
That's part of it.
Anastasia:
For your promise?
Kadoc:
That's...part of it.
Except...I feel like I can't make the promise into my purpose. Somehow, I feel like...that would be an excuse.
"I live because she wished me to." Wouldn't that just be putting the burden on her instead?
So it's not really because of the promise. I think...there has to be a more concrete explanation.
The three hallucinations fade, and in their place stands a vision of Kadoc himself, in the clothes he wore as a Crypter. It asks Kadoc to clearly define what he feels, and when he can't do that, he takes a step back. He realizes this is all just him effectively having an introspective moment, standing face to face with himself here in hell. Hopefully, then, he can come to grips with an answer he would've never been able to on his own. And so the hallucination asks its final question: "Wasn't it only after coming to this Singularity that you decided you wanted to live?"
Kadoc seems stunned, and the hallucination smiles in an almost sinister manner. Eventually Kadoc regains his composure.
Kadoc:
Ah, I get it. But if that's the case, I will make sure to survive.
And that's not an answer I give as a human, but one I give because of my magus pride.
So disappear already. I don't need to stare my sins in the face any more than this.
And so, the hallucination finally fades. Next, we see Mashu having seemingly become separated from Guda and Kadoc, and she is likewise drawn into a hallucination. In her case, it's more full-scale, as her mind is filled with a vision of Chaldea's examination room. For a second, the image of Lilith appears in her mind, before she pushes it out. In its place, a Chaldea staff member appears, but it's not someone Mashu recognizes, even though she knew the faces of most of them.
The man tells Mashu not to avert her eyes. That as long as she carries her shield, the burdens she carries will be many times heavier than usual, and continuing to use the shield beyond that will cause her paralyzing pain, which her Demi-Servant body will continue to heal, but never get used to. Mashu knows when this pain first started: in the seventh Lostbelt. She thinks back to the same Tepeu conversation as before, and recognizes that what he said was very true. Because of the fact that she likes everyone in Chaldea, and her Master, she understands that personal differences of value do exist. But that is the very conclusion her shield rejects. Even though it's what Tepeu and Mashu believed what is right, the shield disagrees.
Staffer(?):
Why would it? That shield was entrusted to you by the most noble Knight of the Round Table, Galahad.
He is the mightiest arbiter in any Holy Grail War.
There are no Grands for the Extra Classes, but if there were...he would unquestionably be one of them.
Grand Ruler, Galahad.
Know that so long as you wield that shield, you have a duty to be fair.
Equally benevolent, punishing, and judging to all. Scales measure the weight on each of its sides...
But if one of the sides are unbalanced from the start, they can no longer function as scales.
Mashu cries out that she doesn't want this anymore. She doesn't want to be fair anymore. No one else is, not even Guda, so why must she? Surely she's no different from the rest. The staffer says that maybe it's the case that everyone wants to be fair, but they know they can't really be, because they will always prioritize the happiness of those closest to them. But surely, that presents a clear conclusion.
The image of the staffer cuts out, and in its place stands Lilith, who continues to speak. She says that the conclusion they reach is simply that if Mashu ever stops bearing her shield, then surely her Master will think that "Mash Kyrielight can't fight anymore. So I'll just have to...put her somewhere safe!"
Lilith:
But nooope, you've just gotta keep fighting.
Even if your arms break, if you puke blood, if your eyes are gouged out. Even if your body is hurt so bad it cannot ever recover.
"Keep fighting for the sake of the Human Order." I mean, you gotta.
You're a lost soul to begin with. You reached your goal at the Temple of Time and got your happy ending.
So the rest is basically just a bonus.
The reason, incentive, or motivation for fighting? Just leave that stupid stuff behind.
Serve, serve, serve, fight, fight, fight and then do it all some more, forever, until the end of time.
Perfect job for you, isn't it? I mean, aren't you already used to saving the world?
The conversation is abruptly interrupted, as Guda calls out Mashu's name, and she snaps out of her vision. Kadoc and Guda tells her that she suddenly fell over as they were walking, and that Dante, Moriarty, and Metatron are all gone. You still have your temporary contract with Moriarty, though, so you can at least know they're not just dead. For now, you have to keep moving forward to reach Jeanne the Warden, presumably at the center of this circle. You ask if you can rely on Mashu to do all the heavy lifting, and she almost aggressively insists that there will be no problems for her to fight whatsoever.
On the way, Kadoc asks if you and Mashu also had visions, but decides it's not his place to make you sure. There is, however, something he has to share with you. He recounts the details of him being a Crypter, of committing a sin in trying to erase Pan-Human History and attacking Chaldea. He doesn't want you to debate this. The truth is that he, and the other Crypters, did what they did, and that's important. He then proceeds to tell you that after he gave it everything he got against you in Russia, and still lost, he felt like he could have died at any point, without any regrets. The key part being that he felt like this in the past. Now, he has convinced himself that he will live until that singular moment comes. Not for anyone else's sake, but for his, and for his Servant's.
They then have a pretty dumb exchange, where Kadoc says that he wants them to promise, when that moment comes, they won't try to stop him from dying, because it'll be very important that he does. Mashu says that if they're able to stop him from dying, they obviously will, but then Kadoc just says they won't be able to anyway, so he doesn't care if they try. It's very confusing. Ultimately, you won't agree to that, which Kadoc knew, but he still needed to tell you. Something else he needs to tell you is that you both are just way too ignorant about magecraft, and even though he's not a master himself, it's important for you to know more than basics to really have proper perspective on things. Basically he's gonna force you to study a bunch before he leaves you, as well.
The three keep walking toward the deepest pit of hell, where according to the "Divine Comedy", Lucifer is held.
Sometimes they laugh, sometimes they look fed up, but all the while, they do it as ordinary friends.
Kadoc relaxes his shoulders. The end is set in stone. Now it's about how he sticks the landing.
In a way, throughout his life, he's always been concerned with meaning.
The meaning of life, of fighting, of protecting, of thinking...
Maybe, by throwing all of that away, he's arrived at some...other kind of truth.
"...I guess I don't need any of that."
Mash doesn't know. Like the Lilith in her dream said, she doesn't know if she should keep fighting.
Or whether she should just throw it all away and escape.
She can't choose either, nor does she want to. But that also doesn't mean she can just stand still.
And in addition, she can't hand over her distress to someone else. She has to overcome it alone.
Whatever she chooses, a terrible fate awaits her.
Lilith told her to fight. Everyone around her wants her to fight.
So she will fight. She will accept it.
But Mash doesn't know anymore.
And as for Fujimaru...
Here you're presented with three choices: think about Chaldea, think about Mashu, or think about yourself.
Think about Chaldea:
You ask what will happen to Chaldea once everything is over. Kadoc says the place will probably be full of investigators to take statements, and there's no way Chaldea doesn't get dismantled. Maybe Gordolf can save some of it, since he's from Policies, but he's really gonna have to try hard. This is actually where Guda apparently learns this about Gordolf, so they're quite shocked.
Think about Mashu:
You stare at Mashu for an uncomfortable length of time, before finally asking her what's wrong. She says nothing's wrong, and that she's the same as always, before hurrying you along. Kadoc thinks about how suspiciously Mashu is acting, but when he considers this might be her equivalent of a rebellious phase, he just seems to view her with more warmth than before.
Think about yourself:
You think about what you will do once this is all over. Will you have to work, or study? Kadoc thinks college is the obvious path, but Mashu seems to think worklife would suit you better. After all, you have a ton of experience by now, though whether you can actually count this on your resumé is a tossup. At the very least you've definitely gotten bolder. Kadoc says that wherever you end up, you'll do a great job. But first, you gotta save the world.
The wind is getting stronger where you are now, and suddenly you spot the magical energy signal of a Servant, for the first time in this circle. But it's not Jeanne. It's Mordred, acting as guardian down here, and when you say you're here for the warden, she immediately initiates combat.
[Battle against <Knight of Rebellion>] (Habetrot cannot be used)
Mashu is sluggish in the fight, and Mordred easily gets a deep cut in. Afterwards, she sheaths her blade, finding no more joy in this fight. She tells Guda and Kadoc that they can go on to meet the warden, but she wants Mashu to stay here for a while. And so they do. Mordred recognizes the shield as the Round Table, and wonders what the situation is with Mashu and Galahad, so Mashu takes some time to explain. Mordred wonders why Mashu doesn't just discard the shield, but actually doesn't seem to care when Mashu starts retorting. What she'd rather want to know is if Galahad is here. After all, she apparently thought Mashu was either his Master or maybe even Servant. If he was, Mordred would've liked to given him a good beating.
Mashu asks why that is, and Mordred replies that she just doesn't like him. She doesn't like how he entrusted Mashu with the Round Table, or how he's not even here himself. Also she never got to beat him up while alive. But in that case, Mordred is done with Mashu, and she's free to go on her way. But Mashu would like to ask a question of her own first, about Galahad and what kind of person he was.
Mordred:
Galahad was a quiet and calm lil bastard... Oh, and he liked looking at things with a greater perspective.
Kinda like...the creepy self-proclaimed angels around here. Same machine-like nature.
And I don't mean your everyday selfless devotion. More like he didn't have any human desires to begin with.
Which is why he could have that absolute fairness to him. In an almost cold and detached way.
Though, I do recall even he got a teensy bit frowny when it came to his father Lancelot...
But well, it never seemed like he cared that much about it. Had it been me, guy woulda gotten smacked.
Mashu feels now more than ever that she can't match that way of being. Mordred doesn't agree it was such a "right way" of living, though. After all, Galahad put everyone into his beliefs, and ultimately valued fairness over the future of Britain. In other words, he left Britain to die all because of his "right way of living". Well, maybe it wouldn't have changed anything if he did do anything, but the fact that he didn't act at all is an important act in and of itself.
And so Mashu is sent on her way. Habetrot mulls over what she just heard, and comes to the conclusion that if that's how Galahd was, choosing fairness over the future of his country, then Mashu will be fine, because she would never make that choice. She's long since realized she could never abandon those close to her. Still, there's something about Modred's words that Habetrot feels like she's overlooked. But there's not any time to think about it before Mashu catches up with the others.
Before them sits a huge block of ice, but in this place, it doesn't house Lucifer, the fallen angel who defied God, like in the Divine Comedy. Instead, there sits Saint Jeanne d'Arc.
Perhaps fitting, since Metatron likely sees this Jeanne as a traitor for allying herself with Pan-Human History. Behind her is some strange light shining down on her.
Kadoc seems to find this whole thing familiar, but can't understand why. For now, you try calling out to Jeanne, and surprisingly, she responds from within the ice. She says it's not often she has visitors down here, and before long, it appears she recognizes you as Chaldea. To be specific, it appears she still retains at least some of her memories from Orléans and the Time Temple. She says she's here precisely because of the sin of helping Pan-Human History multiple times, and so she has turned herself over to the ice. That's how things are under Metatron, and she has to respect it. That said, she's certain she would make the same choice any time you summoned her. But there's one more sin Jeanne is here to atone for: Metatron's sin.
Jeanne:
Her heart bleeds at how things are, and so, she has decided to purge Pan-Human History.
And that is a sin even for her, the exalted Scribe of God.
Metatron should be well aware of this herself.
She will ascertain the next generation of mankind, and once that duty is over, she will abandon herself to the atonement of her sin.
Without a shred of joy, sorrow, or anger, she will spend the rest of her immense time to pray and atone.
If I can in any way alleviate that sin, then all the more reason to undertake this punishment in her stead.
Jeanne doesn't grieve over this though, and if anything is only saddened by the fact that she can't join you. That said, you obviously didn't actually come here to make her join you, you just need her Certificate to challenge Metatron again, and you get it from her without any argument. You ask if she knows where your other Servants went, to which she says she sent them ahead to the Great Library of Alexandria, including the Sloth that Metatron Jeanne had discarded. She says that if you intended to challenge your verdict in court, that Sloth will provide important testimony.
You wonder if it's really alright for Jeanne to help this much, after all, isn't she supposed to be on Metatron's side? But Jeanne says she's not on anyone's side. To her, Pan-Human History and the unknown history that Metatron is trying to bring about hold equal worth. Mashu supposes that's fairness, but Jeanne says there's nothing fair about it. A fog suddenly envelops Mashu, and she feels as if Jeanne's standing right next to her. The saint asks if Mashu also aims to become part of the Ruler class, but she says that she's just trying to be fair. Trying, and failing.
Jeanne:
In life, unfairness forms endlessly. You have to live with the agony of that unfairness.
The pain of bearing that unfairness is something that comes with trying to be fair.
Mash. There is another choice. Right now, you cannot see it, but there is another.
But that will surely prove itself an even more difficult path.
Even though I know you have that choice, I believe you are better off as you are now.
Fair, level-headed, calm.
I'm sorry. I may have lent you too much of a hand.
But it is fortunate that I was able to discuss this with you, if only briefly. You, mankind of the present, who stands at the edge of time.
Whatever you decide, whatever you choose, I will validate all of it, whatever it may be.
The fog fades, and you call out to Mashu. From your perspective, it appears as if she just spaced out for a bit. Jeanne tells you she cannot tell you any more, or it'll surely count as her taking a side. However, she does say that right or wrong doesn't matter as much as whether you did what you did by your own will. That's what will matter the most.
--- Section 2 ---
You meet up with Sloth Jeanne, Moriarty, and Dante again, and fill them in on the details of your conversation with Jeanne. It's too bad that you've lost one of your avenues of attack against Metatron in the case, but at least now with all seven certificates you can access the library again without issue, since you have the approval of all the wardens. So you head inside, show the certificates, and ask to see every legal text concerning this Singularity. However, as if we didn't have enough filler already, the librarian tells you that to read these books you must be acknowledged by them, so you literally have to fight them.
[Battle against <Civil Law Book & Criminal Law Book & Case Law Book & Singularity Law Book>] (Habetrot cannot be used)
--- Section 3 ---
Since you can't actually take the books out of the library, you'll have to stay here while Moriarty and Dante pour over the texts. After killing some time, you're told that you're allowed to stay the night here, though there are no sleeping facilities. Mashu mentions that Romani used to push two chairs together to make a bed whenever he had a lot of work, which prompts Kadoc to note that it's not often they bring up Romani at all.
Mashu says it's not like she tries to avoid it or anything, just that whenever she does, she can feel her memories fading more and more. She mentions how there were many of Chaldea's staff who died that day because of Lev's bomb, and how she still remember the names and faces of a lot of them. However...
The more the days pass, the fainter my memories grow.
The names remain, but their voices, their faces, and all other unnecessary information is fading.
And there is something very sad about that to me. Even so...
I think this sadness is that of having lost someone close to me. If so, isn't that unfair of me?
Thinking about that has made me hesitate to say the Doctor's name.
It feels almost like his existence is proof of my own unfairness.
But Kadoc and Jeanne say it's only natural that memories fade with time. If for no other reason, remembering sad things is painful, so if you were to hold on to those memories forever, you'd forever be sad and the dead would become the tormentors of the living. But Mashu can't help but feel that she'd gladly stay sad forever if it meant never forgetting the Doctor.
Once it's bedtime, Mashu decides to stay up a while longer and talk to the librarian. He asks to confirm what Heroic Spirit she's fused with, and muses to himself about whether Galahad entrusted her with his power because he empathized with her, or if there was something he found unpardonable regarding her. When he notes that Mashu is obviously dealing with a very deep issue, she says that's true, and that the answer to that seems further away now than ever. But the librarian says something that surprises her: just because that's the answer, doesn't make it the truth. And something being the truth doesn't always mean it's right.
Later on, Mashu is spending some time outside the library. She looks up at the sky. From here, she can't see the Storm Border, only an ashen sky. The chilling bite of Hell doesn't bother her, as her mind is engulfed in thoughts about truthfulness/righteousness and ideals/dreams. What does snap her out of her thoughts is a massive tremor.
There is nowhere left to run. We are already at the bottom of Hell, with nowhere to go.
Before the library stands a girl with her shield readied.
I have cornered them.
Wherever she runs, however he runs, I will always keep chasing them, and so now I am here.
Faking their deaths was clever.
Had I not committed to the irregular action of investigating this personally, there was a high chance of them getting away.
But I did not believe they had had died, and so, I kept chasing them.
I will erase them once and for all, and make the Seven Mistresses whole again.
With Popess Johanna purged, the only Servant suitable to become the seventh Ruler is her.
Praise be to this world's new arbiter. You will be a wonderful Ruler.
The Judge, Metatron Jeanne, addresses Mashu from high above.
Judge:
Unseal---Omnipotent is He Who Presides
Univers Immortel Metatron
Mashu calls out to her Master, but there is no response. Metatron has stopped time outside of the Bounded Field surrounding the two of them, making them the only things capable of moving right now. Metatron tells Mashu that she has been charged with an additional crime: that of incitement. She says it was because of Chaldea's actions that Johanna revolted, and why Metatron had to kill her. The wardens had always been allowed to administer their respective circles however they wished, and were allowed to hand over their Scales Certificate however they chose, so Metatron's conclusion is that the only logical reason why Johanna would have rebelled would be because she was influenced by Mashu's actions. And that definitely makes Mashu guilty of a sin. The verdict will have to wait until after their battle.
[Battle against <Judge>] (Mashu solo fight. On the first turn, Mashu will be stunned and instakilled.)
Mashu doesn't stand a chance, but Metatron will grant her a chance at atonement, and in so doing, save her life.
Judge:
Be merciful, temperate, and have high morals. Employ the power of justice, and judge everything fairly, with great prudence.
The newest arbiter, Mash Kyrielight. We welcome you.
Until then, you can feel free to relax within my womb. I'm sure you will change your mind.
When your class has changed to Ruler, we will meet again. By then, I'm sure your rusty shield will have regained its former luster.
Mashu is restrained by golden rings of light, and forced into something like spirit form, before she's absorbed by Metatron. To Metatron's surprise, Lilith just waltzes right into the Bounded Field. Cancelling out the timestop is an incredibly impressive feat, but this should only be possible with a Grail Drop, of which Lilith has obviously collected a lot by now. Metatron says Mashu will be reborn a Ruler, and that Lilith wouldn't have been able to win against her regardless. She may be a demon from the Age of Gods, but she would have never been able to overcome Mashu holding her shield in full glory. Metatron will let Lilith go unscathed this one time, but Lilith gets an idea. If Mashu is inside her womb, then Lilith's children could be used here.
The screen fades to black before we get to hear what they're planning, and in the next scene we see Guda and co break the Bounded Field and confront Metatron. You're told that Mashu will become a Ruler, just and fair, and consider her achievements, that she'll surely ascend to the Throne as well. Guda is fuming, ready to strike at Metatron, but Kadoc holds them back. There's obviously no use in attacking her like that.
Metatron confirms she's come here to execute you. Since your sentence was that of exile, and you found residence in Purgatory, it's entirely logical that she'll have to carry out execution because of you breaking the sentence originally given to you. Sloth Jeanne asks if that includes her, and while Metatron says it would include anyone who helps Chaldea, there's no point in killing Sloth Jeanne, because she can't do anything against Metatron anyway. Sloth Jeanne argues this for a while longer, until it becomes clear that she was actually just stalling for time. Moriarty and Dante have finished reading the books, and are ready to take their place as your legal cousel.
--- Section 4 ---
With the Certificates in hand, you're able to make your appeal, which Metatron most judge, as the executor of God's will. Of course, the moment the appeal was submitted it was made so that any further punishment would have to be deferred until the appeal is resolved, and so the imminent battle is averted. However, she says, you're still under sentence of exile, and since you're at the bottom of Hell right now, that means there's nowhere for you to go, which would entail an obstruction of your already existing sentence. To solve this, Moriarty requests a deal. The Certificates contain great power, and with all seven combined they should rival the power of a Holy Grail. Considering you have the person who created the Singularity here with you, it's possible he could use this power to undo much of the Singularity. Thus, the deal is that you won't use the Certificates for any purpose other than the appeal, and in exchange Metatron says that she herself will stay her attack.
Moriarty is too quick to accept the deal, and Metatron immediately puts both condition into law in this Singularity. Of course, she only included herself in her part of the deal, just like she said, but not the angels. And so, as a bunch of angels arrive to carry out your exile sentence, Metatron leaves, saying she'll await you at the courthouse, if you survive.
You've gotta escape, and quick. Dante recites how he escaped back to Purgatory in the Divine Comedy, by climbing Lucifer's body into a corridor where gravity is reversed. Unfortunately, Lucifer isn't here in this Singularity, but Jeanne d'Arc is. Specifically, he points out that the light shining behind her was likely a ladder of sorts. Jacob's Ladder, that is.
Ptolemy appears, saying he'll help you out. He's shutting down the library now that you've been here, and hopes that you'll be able to destroy this Singularity for good. He disagrees with how Metatron handles sinners and punishment, and how this punishment of never reaching Heaven is something that's been applied to all of human history, instead of on a personal level, and he just can't agree with that. He also turns to Guda, and asks what they would do if Mashu can't fight any longer.
Fujimaru:
There's no whats about it!
Mash is my most beloved and precious kouhai!
Ptolemy is satisfied with your answer, and asks you to flee now. He manages to hold off most of the angels, but a few of them catch up to you as you're running, forcing you into battle again.
[Battle against <3x Angel (5th rank)> + <2x Angel (4th rank)> + <Angel (3rd rank)>] (Mashu cannot be used. You must defeat the first two waves in 2 turns each, and the third wave in 4 turns, or you lose)
You reach Jeanne, who activates the "ladder" for you.
She tells you to take care not to fall, as the laws of physics are still intact here regarding that at least. You start making your way up the staircase, but your mind is heavy with thoughts of Mashu. Sloth Jeanne says you still have an active contract with her, so you know for sure she's not dead still. All you can do right now is survive for her sake. She'll come back, that much is certain. Sloth Jeanne just hopes that she doesn't come back as a Ruler, which would make her your enemy.
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Originally Posted by Comun
