Gold Morning was supposed to be the end. The capstone of a short, frenetic career. Taylor Hebert's fight was supposed to be over. But the end of one story is often the beginning of another, and when she's offered the chance to take part in a mission whose scale and scope feel so very familiar, there's only one answer she could give.
A Fate/Grand Order fanfic where the story of Worm's Taylor Hebert continues beyond Gold Morning as a member of Chaldea's A Team, and how that might impact the events of FGO canon. Expect to see Singularities with tweaked events and expanded rosters of (sometimes OC) Servants to fill in where they might have been lacking (e.g., more Roman emperor Servants in Septem, more pirates in Okeanos, etc.) as well as the team feeling the weight of the events surrounding them and finding their own ways of shouldering that burden.
Yes, now we see the new project I've been working on for the past two months. This is Hereafter, a story much different from An Essence of Silver and Steel, because this is most certainly a baseline Taylor, and she will not be doing any great and grand superhuman feats with the power of Heroic Spirits.
Still around? Okay.
What You Need to Know: Every part of Worm up to, but not including, "Interlude: End" is canon to this story. The whole shebang. The Undersiders, robbing the bank, the Bakuda thing, Coil, the Travelers, killing Alexandria — everything, including Gold Morning. This is a Post Gold Morning story, only instead of being dumped on an alternate Earth with her dad and retiring, Taylor was handed over to Chaldea, and it probably wasn't the healthiest lateral move after saving the world to be thrust into an organization that, you know, is dedicated to the same thing. For Fate/Grand Order itself, I'm expanding things a little so that "Fujimaru Ritsuka" is "Fujimaru Ritsuka and Fujimaru Rika," so that I can inject some humor into the story without Ritsuka appearing bipolar or silly. The rest of it is all as it was in canon. Taylor is technically taking the spot of another "canonical" Master, but only in the sense that there was an unnamed Master Candidate 9 in Chaldea who existed solely to be a statistic and that spot is now Taylor's.
I'm not afraid to deviate from canon, where it needs to happen, but having said that, the Singularities should be familiar to you, because Taylor isn't going to make Goetia deviate from his plans drastically enough to matter.
So far, the plan is only to do part one of FGO, "Observer on the Timeless Temple." That's already going to bring us north of 400,000 words, if the word count of Singularity F is any indication of each Singularity's length. I wouldn't be surprised if it's significantly longer. "Cosmos in the Lostbelt" is too much to commit to, right now, in no small part because that storyline is still ongoing, so I have no plans for it.
What This Story is Not: a power fantasy. Taylor will not trample over all the peons, magically defeat even Servants with her mad skills, and master magecraft in two years that took Clocktower prodigies whole lifetimes (or generations) to perfect. If you're expecting her to steamroll everyone, you've come to the wrong place. I told you already, didn't I? This isn't going to resemble An Essence of Silver and Steel much at all. Welcome aboard the strugglebus.
Well, kinda. Taylor's grit, determination, and cleverness will continue to be her best weapons, and it's an uphill battle, but Nasu's the one who wrote FGO that way, not me.
This is also not a romance story. Seriously. Don't be surprised if Mash and Ritsuka wind up sweet on each other, and the usual Servants who are utterly infatuated will still be utterly infatuated, and there might even be some flirting (Cu is a horny dog) and some female gaze (because Taylor's surrounded by super attractive people, let's be real), but romance isn't anywhere in the plans.
Update Schedule:For the most part, there won't be one. The first twelve or so chapters are already finished, so I'll be posting the first three now and the rest weekly from there on, but I'm trying to rebalance things to be fair to the folks supporting me who allow me to dedicate the time to write this. As and when they're three chapters ahead, I'll post the fourth chapter publicly.
Special Thanks:to all my supporters in the usual place, for helping to make this possible. Without them, neither this nor Essence would have gotten very far off the ground. It's because of them that I could make this a story that updates weekly.
You two might be arguing around each other instead of arguing two sides of the same point.
Regardless, I didn't think overhard about the fine print of "how did the Entities not get squished by Mama Earth" or anything like that. I kind of just assume that their species in general tends to look for those species who "broke the cycle" of the local Age of Gods equivalent, precisely because their cycle is about breaking out of their original cycle of "eat, multiply, cannibalize, decimate, repeat," and as a result, they have methods of avoiding smushing by the local planetary consciousness.
I didn't think overhard about it because it's not super relevant to the story. The events of Worm are canon insofar as they are "things that happened." By and large, however, they are not incredibly relevant to Goetia's "Incineration of Human History," because it was an issue that "handled itself." Even if Goetia looked at the Entities and went, "Well, fuck, that's a problem," his Clairvoyance is also bullshit enough for him to immediately conclude, "but it works itself out, so I don't need to worry."
As for the Entities, they undoubtedly would have had a solution to the issue of, "But what if Goetia tries to burn everything away?" If they didn't just quarantine Goetia's timeline to keep it from affecting their petri dish (if that even worked in the first place), then the Thinker would have had a possible solution — and never got to implement it because she got into a distracted driving incident and died on the operating table.
It's not really a question of "who would have handled the other better" as it is "did either side really see the need to get involved to fix the problem." Both sides are incredibly bullshit, but both sides would have had legitimate reasons not to try getting into a pissing contest with the other.
If you want to keep debating the point, though, I won't stop you.
Finding a compatibility match for Taylor was hard. Tamamo is certainly a decent enough fit, but pairing them together doesn't have as much room for character growth as I would like. Taylor and Cu definitely got along well in Fuyuki, and they'd pair up very well in terms of methods and means and the lines they refuse to cross, but CasCu doesn't stack well into the later game and Gae Bolg trivializes a whole buttload of early game enemies. Karna has some compatibility, too, but he has much the same problem as Cu.
My original choice was Vlad, to make Taylor take a good, hard look at her darker side, but Essence was all about that and Vlad is really a better suit for Warlord Skitter than post GM Taylor. Too, Lancer Vlad kinda sucks if he's not hunkered down in one place or isn't rocking the vampire lifestyle.
The editing team's original pick was Salter, but Salter also runs into that trouble of Excalibur trivializing a large number of early game enemies, and I didn't have a solid enough grasp on her personality to do her justice as a deuteragonist.
So why Arash? It's true, their outward personalities are polar opposites. Taylor is reticent and serious, whereas Arash is open and cheerful. But that core value, that willingness to sacrifice as much of themselves as necessary to achieve a greater good, it doesn't match up perfectly, either, but it's close enough. Too, Arash is a look in the mirror. He's her and everything she strived to be, and he's an image of what she might have been like if she had managed to do everything right the first time.
Having them play off of each other gives me an angle on her character that the others wouldn't. I understand he isn't everyone's favorite Servant. He's not mine, either. But he's the right character for the right job.
RE: the catalyst — yes, it failed. No, there's no nefarious reason behind it. There's any number of reason why it wouldn't work. Primarily, dragon's blood would target Siegfried first, and he could very well refuse for fear of bringing another Fafnir into the world, or accidentally dragging the Rheingold along. Ironically, Sigurd's connection is much weaker, because he's more attached to the heart. Dragon-blooded heroes are a bit iffier, because this is dragon's blood that has been spilled in battle rather than harvested or what-have-you.
Of course, it could even be that the ritual twigged to the wrong thing and took her jacket as a whole instead of just the blood that was spilled on it. The jacket being a weak catalyst, even stained in the blood of a dragon, Taylor herself would form the backbone of the ritual and you get a compatibility summon instead.
I lie to you guy sometimes to preserve secrets about the future of the story, but there really isn't anything more complicated at play, here.
This is the trouble with Fate as a series, but this is also a peril of crossovers. One, Fate is so huge, there's no telling how any individual person got into it, which means that there's no way to know who has read the original VN and who hasn't, or who has just forgotten some of the things brought up in it. Two, the people who come into a crossover don't always know that much about the other half of it, so some people came here for Worm and maybe know a little bit about FGO, but aren't familiar at all with the greater Fate series.
So let me clarify a little bit: Heroic Spirits exist outside of time and space. You don't have to involve alternate world versions to start talking about Servants from the future being summoned to a time before their living selves died. Saber references this specifically right before Emiya and Shirou duke it out in the Einzbern mansion during the Unlimited Blade Works route. Because Heroic Spirits are atemporal, King Arthur could be summoned as Grand Saber to Atlantis in 12000 BC to fire a no-limits Excalibur at the White Titan. (EDIT: Saber doesn't reference this specific event, but this specific event is another example of what she does mention. She's saying that the whole reason Emiya can even be there is because Heroic Spirits are outside of time, and therefore can be summoned to a time before their own legend, so trying to kill his past self won't mean anything. Emiya himself acknowledges this and says it's true, but that the paradox might be enough if the Heroic Spirit of Emiya Shirou goes back and kills Emiya Shirou before Emiya Shirou can become a Heroic Spirit.)
That's it. There's no caveats to that.
Necessarily, it would have to be that way for Khepri to be summoned at any point at all, because QA is still going to be alive for the next few millennia, and if it enters powersaving mode, it could probably last until the sun swallows up the Earth it's perched on.
So while it might not happen here, in this story, yes, Heroic Spirit Khepri can be summoned to a point where Taylor is still actually alive, or even to a point before Taylor was even born. Khepri couldn't be summoned at all if it didn't work that way, because QA's lifespan is measured with too many zeroes otherwise.
A warrior queen from Celtic Mythology, the Ulster Cycle.
Sister and rival to Scáthach, it is said that, in a competition of sheer might, she is the superior warrior. She is a master of the martial arts of the ancient Celts.
However, because of Aífe's lesser talent in the mystic arts, Scáthach was the one chosen to rule over the Land of Shadows and hold closed the gate that blocked off its countless ghosts. As a result, Aífe lived a different life and died as a mortal woman, taking her place upon the Throne of Heroes.
Much of her legend has been lost to time. However, her tutelary aspects and her fierce nature as a warrior remain, and it might be said that the things of which she was most proud are the things for which she is most remembered.
Bond 1
Height/Weight: 165cm ・ 53kg
Source: Celtic Mythology
Region: Ireland
Alignment: Neutral Good
Gender: Female
At the boundary of the possible lies the ultimate expression of the martial arts. Only once you arrive there will you begin to understand my strength.
Bond 2
Brutal. Ferocious. A no-nonsense type of woman who puts her all into everything and defeats her opponent without pause or mercy.
The type of ruler who leads from the front, a charismatic tyrant who accepts nothing less than the best effort of those who follow behind her. She is the kind of woman Celtic men loved the most.
Proud and unbowed.
An unstained ruler with a flawless record, undone by a single, humiliating defeat.
Possessing a fierce pride, she can accept any outcome where skill or personal ability were the deciding factor, even if the result is her own defeat. Therefore, naturally, her loss at the hands of Cúchulainn is one that she cannot accept.
Bond 3
Discernment of Potential: B
The capacity of the grasping and understanding of "limitations."
It is mostly used for teaching, and in this area, it would see its highest level of efficacy, allowing Aífe to intuit her students' capacity for growth.
However, when used in battle, it allows her to know when the enemy is holding back or preparing a trump card. Even at this level, it is not possible to fully grasp the true nature and power of such a thing, but at least its existence may be understood.
As a warrior who has pushed herself to her own limits and then beyond, it is only natural that she would possess the knowledge of the exact limitations of those who stand before her, even if they are attempting to conceal them.
Bond 4
Blood-Stained Queen: EX
Rígan Fuilech. The attribute of a Queen of Warriors.
It's a disposition befitting one who has blended warrior, queen, and teacher together seamlessly, to the extent that one is considered a natural extension of the other.
She is a woman who can switch from regal queen to bloodthirsty warrior from one moment to the next and acts with elegant brutality in all aspects.
Representing her nature as someone who is all of those things at once, it allows her to increase her performance by honing her mind towards the action in front of her. By acting in regards to the appropriate position, the efficacy of her actions is reinforced. Whenever she is one warrior amongst many, anti-army tactics are bolstered. Whenever she is fighting one-on-one in a duel, tactics for use against a single enemy unit are bolstered.
Thus is the nature of a queen who rules the battlefield and her kingdom with the same ruthless smile.
Bond 5
An ordinary woman.
She who was blessed with nothing at birth except for her radiant beauty.
Charisma, skill at arms, mystical prowess, tactical acumen, leadership — these were all things which she was not born with, but acquired through supreme effort, honed over the course of years and many hours of backbreaking practice.
It is perhaps because she was born so ordinary that the role of steward of the Land of Shadows went to her sister, who overflowed with talent. Then, was it not a foregone conclusion from the beginning? To Aífe, it doesn't matter. Even if the outcome was never in question, she would have raced after that image in her mind no matter what.
Needless to say, there is a strong rivalry between the two sisters. Although Scáthach at that time acknowledged Aífe as the superior warrior, as far as Aífe is concerned, the issue was never settled, and because she is bound by Cúchulainn's geis not to fight her sister anymore, she has resorted to more indirect methods of coming out ahead.
"One day, I will train a student who surpasses your precious Hound. Then, we will truly know who is the better teacher!" is the sort of thing she promises as much to herself as to Scáthach.
Clear "The Resolution of the Final Regret"
Extra
Aided Óenfhir Aífe (The Death of Aífe's Only Son) is the story of the tragedy of Connla's death by the hands of his father, Cúchulainn. By the fate forced upon him by the fate forced upon Aífe, Connla met his father, fought him, and was slain by the Gáe Bolg.
It is a tragedy of circumstances of Cúchulainn's own making, a completely avoidable fate brought to fruition by the imposition of a curse. There is no mention made of whether or not Aífe ever learned of what misfortune befell her only child.
However, as a woman who undoubtedly understood what it was she was sending Connla out to do, there is no doubt that Aífe knew from the very start exactly how this scenario would end. No matter how much she taught her son, no matter how far she pushed his skills, no matter how much she helped him to reach his potential, there can be no doubt that the end result was a foregone conclusion from the very beginning.
That there was nothing she could do to stop it… What terrible knowledge for a mother to possess.
The noble queen of warriors, sister and rival to Scáthach, taking a moment in the sun to relax. Free of all concerns and responsibilities, she is able to breathe a sigh of relief and let go to enjoy these few short months of summer.
Or that's the way it should be.
However, it isn't possible for someone to deny their own nature so thoroughly. Although she should be less intense and far less stern in this form, she cannot help herself, and in spite of the very nature of a vacation, she winds up taking control of the situation and commanding those around her.
As expected, even in her downtime, a queen is still a queen, after all. Whether it is a battlefield, a castle, or a beach, that much cannot change, no matter what.
Bond 1
Height/Weight: 165cm ・ 53kg
Source: Celtic Mythology
Region: Ireland
Alignment: Neutral Good
Gender: Female
Of course, there is nothing to be ashamed of. This body that I earned through endless hard work is in no way inferior to my sister's.
Bond 2
To dedicate herself to nothing of consequence for the duration of the Summer, Aífe decided to don a fetching swimsuit and spend her days relaxing on the beach.
It had absolutely nothing to do with Scáthach. There was no competition involved at all. Anyone who says otherwise is mistaken and should not be believed.
This should be a time of vacation and fun, and yet, in spite of her intentions, somehow, Aífe remains only slightly less serious a person than she usually is. Although she doesn't stress as much, she remains prone to bossing others around and taking control of the plans to ensure they are exacted to her satisfaction. Even a vacation is something that must be done to her own standards and is treated as a challenge to overcome.
It seems it's impossible to convince this hardass to truly take a break.
Bond 3
Critical Gaze : B
The gaze of someone with an eye for quality. Or rather, the gaze of someone always measuring her worth against another.
Aífe is possessed of a competitive spirit. To her, even the most trivial of pursuits might be considered a competition, no matter how small or insignificant.
With eyes that always seek out others, she measures the capacity of those who seek to challenge her, and without mercy, compassion, or cruelty, judges them entirely on their merits.
In this form, she's just self-consciously comparing herself to other women. Even if she is already peerless, she can't help but look for areas of self-improvement where she might be lacking.
Bond 4
Beach Queen: A++
One who rules the beach.
Gathering attention to oneself, gathering devotion to oneself, gathering admiration to oneself, and wielding all of them to command those around her.
As the one who stands out as "most beautiful" on the beach, embodying the ideal form of the swimsuit, she "rules" the beach in the strictest sense. Those who gather around her to admire and devote themselves to her readily accept any orders she gives and hurry to fulfill any requests, all for the chance to receive even the slightest hint of her smile.
Rather than something acquired through effort and work, it is a natural consequence of her own charm and personality. Even those whose forms might be considered more desirable pale in comparison to the majesty that she exudes as a matter of course.
Bond 5
Stone that Cleaves the Waves
Rank: A+ Type: Anti-Army
Range: 10 - 30 Maximum Targets: 1
Thunder Feat.
The ultimate technique of the Celtic martial arts. It carries many forms and may be used through multiple methods. However, in this form, it is nothing more than a smooth stone that Aífe happened to find and admire in its simplicity.
By casting the stone just right, it is possible to cause it to "skip" along the surface of the water. Different from normal, however, the strength behind this throw is also sufficient to part the waves and cleave a pathway through the sea.
Naturally, were such a thing to hit a person, the results would invariably be fatal.
Extra
At least from Aífe's perspective, the two sisters are eternal rivals, forever destined to compare themselves to each other and try to overcome the other. It is their fate that they will always be at odds, no matter whether it is a matter of feats of arms or an eating competition or something as simple as looks.
Naturally, when Aífe saw Scáthach lounging about in a swimsuit, her competitive instincts were aroused and she decided that she would not be outdone in either sense. Therefore, she set about and acquired a swimsuit that she felt was superior to the one Scáthach wore, and used the opportunity of the Summer vacation to show it off. She was also determined to have more fun than Scáthach, by whatever means necessary, and enjoy her vacation more.
What's the point of that, you ask? Well, there isn't one, really. The only one who feels there is something to prove is Aífe herself.
Even if it's just a warmup, I'll try to enjoy this.
Skill 1
I'll put in at least this much effort.
Skill 2
I see through you.
Command Card 1
Understood.
Command Card 2
Of course.
Command Card 3
I'll handle it.
Noble Phantasm Card 1 (Gáe Bolg)
The result has already been decided.
Noble Phantasm Card 2 (Rígan Bíasta)
My chariot is ready.
Noble Phantasm Card 3 (In Glenn Mór)
Shall we show them the spirit of Aífe's warriors?
Attack 1
Ha!
Attack 2
There!
Attack 3
You're open!
Extra Attack
Are you even trying?
Noble Phantasm 1 (Gáe Bolg)
Pierce! Bloom!
Kill the enemy with a single thrust!
Gáe Bolg Prototype!
With this spear, even a flesh wound is fatal.
Noble Phantasm 2 (Rígan Bíastae)
Charge forth! Bán Epona! Rúad Étaín!
Trample them beneath your hooves!
My valiant steeds, my unstoppable chariot!
Rígan Bíastae!
Noble Phantasm 3 (In Glenn Mór)
This land, where I trained my students.
This land, the home of countless battles.
Come forth, In Glenn Mór!
Now, my brave warriors! Crush them without mercy!
Damage 1 (From Noble Phantasm)
So this is your strongest attack…
Damage 2
Kuh!
Incapacitated 1
Damn it, not another cheap trick…
Incapacitated 2
Ah, it seems I went too easy on you…
Victory 1
Ha… Just when it was starting to get good.
Victory 2
You have a long way to go before you can even dream of matching me.
Level Up
You want me to stop holding back?
Ascension 1
Ascension, is it? Bringing me closer to my full power. Very well. If that's what you want, I shall allow it.
Ascension 2
Closer, and closer, and closer still.
Ascension 3
No, could it be…? I underestimated you, Master. To think you would go this far…
Ascension 4
Ah, this feeling… With this, my fist could even kill a god. Master. What you have done for me today is something I'll never forget.
Bond Level 1
Hmph. Even if you're hopeless, I can still make something of you. Prepare yourself. I won't accept any slacking.
Bond Level 2
Affection… Of course, I cherished all of my students. That was why I absolutely pushed them as far as I could. You are no different, Master. If you want my acknowledgement, you must shine brilliantly.
Bond Level 3
Persistence is a trait I find most admirable. The will to keep going, no matter what, the drive to push past all of your limitations in order to reach what you're chasing… Yes. That's the kind of person I like best.
Bond Level 4
Are you familiar with the traditions of the Celts? As both a teacher and a queen, my students and their education are my responsibility. All aspects of their education as warriors and as men are mine to impart. You understand what I'm saying, yes?
Bond Level 5
I have never loved a man before. No, not even once. There were many who sought the affections of Aífe the Handsome, but of all of them, there was only one… Yes, only the one that I ever loved.
Conversation 1
Do you intend to laze about all day? If you have the time to rest, you have the time to train. Saving the world requires your best effort.
Conversation 2
I don't mind following your orders, if that's what you're asking. On the battlefield, at least, command me as you will and I shall obey.
Conversation 3
No, I have no problems. An adventure of this scale naturally has the most challenging fights. What more could I ask for than that?
Conversation 4 (Scáthach)
My sister, Scáthach. My rival. The only one who ever gave me a good fight. I'll have to challenge her to a spar, sometime.
Conversation 5 (Assassin Scáthach)
That manner of dress… Do you mean something by it? Perhaps what you're trying to say…is that if I don't feel inferior, I should have no trouble dressing like that, too, is that it?!
Conversation 6 (Skadi=Scáthach)
Ho? My, my. What an undignified fate has befallen you, dearest sister. In that form, you are nothing more than a goddess's meat puppet. How the mighty Witch of Dún Scáith has fallen.
Conversation 7 (Cúchulainn)
That man is here, too… Heh. I've really…been looking forward to a rematch. This time, I will absolutely…
Conversation 8 (Cúchulainn Alter)
How unsightly. That you would allow yourself to be overcome like that… In that form, you're nothing more than a beast.
Conversation 9 (Herakles)
The mightiest warrior the Greeks ever produced. The most skilled fighter, the strongest man to ever live. Heh. My blood is burning just thinking about matching fists with him.
Conversation 10 (Fergus mac Roich)
That buffoon, huh? I have no patience for his antics. If he tries to woo me, I shall introduce him to my fist.
Conversation 11 (Medb)
Ah, her. Really, now. What standards are there, that even that useless harlot can become a Heroic Spirit? On what merits did she ascend, the strength of her thighs?
Likes
What I like? My chariot and horses, of course. A challenging opponent, above all else.
Dislikes
Something I dislike… Yes, absolutely, I despise cheap tricks. A duel between warriors should be decided by skill alone.
About Holy Grail
My only wish is to train a student who can surpass Cúchulainn. There's nothing else I could ask for. I have no need of a trinket to achieve that.
During an Event
Oh? It seems there is something interesting happening, Master. Do you intend to get involved?
Birthday
Congratulations, Master. You've gained another year of wisdom. May you gain many more.
Summon
I am the Servant Rider, Aífe. A warrior without equal, a queen without peer. From this day forth, my spear is yours.
…Hm. It seems there is more to you than is evident at first glance.
This was posted back in the Essence thread, but since it was requested, I might as well post it here, too.
A mysterious woman of unknown origin, possessed of a simple but striking beauty. She wields a sword and a dagger and dresses like an adventurer from the Middle Ages, and she practices a style of swordsmanship that is as deadly as it is elegant.
In spite of being a Servant and possessing a fairly standard Assassin Class Saint Graph, she claims she is not a Heroic Spirit, but she doesn't offer many details beyond that. Since she is unfamiliar with many of the things Servants are granted as a matter of course, could it be she isn't a Heroic Spirit at all, but something entirely different?
Offering only her name, "Serenity," and the claim that it is "as real as any other she ever had," she is a secretive individual, and although she obviously knows more than she lets on, she shares it infrequently and cautiously, as though every bit of knowledge must be handled with great care.
Is it truly possible to trust someone like that?
Bond 1
Height/Weight: 170cm ・ 57kg
Source:Under the Moonlight
Region: France
Alignment: Lawful Good
Gender: Female
The trick is to have something to hold onto. A drive, a purpose, a reason not to fall. For me, that's revenge.
Bond 2
Her heart is hard to know. Although her demeanor is friendly and easygoing enough, the true depth of her emotion is something she is loath to share, and she guards herself jealously.
Perhaps it is an inevitable consequence of who and what she is. When heartbreak is inevitable and frequent, being selective upon whom she endows her true affections must be a mechanism of survival.
Surely, she has already loved and lost many times over.
Even though she possesses the pragmatism to reveal important details when they are too important to remain secret, she still gives away only what she is and holds close who. To reach the woman inside of her who has hurt so much and covered it up with dogged determination and slow-burning patience — such a thing might be likened to scaling the walls of a castle.
Bond 3
■ Mystic Eyes: A
Possesses Mystic Eyes that enchants the souls of those who the user looks at and of those who looks at the user. Should a person make eye contact, she can exert her will upon them with the slightest effort and enslave them to her own desires.
However, her reluctance to use them means that this skill is functionally sealed. Although the block is mental rather than mystical, it takes truly extraordinary circumstances to force her to resort to this.
■ Vampirism: B
Derivation of vitality through the consumption of blood. By drinking the blood of others, it is possible for her to restore her own health and energy, irrespective of the Master's supply of magical power.
As a vampire in the truest sense, this is less a quirk of her nature and more her main method of sustenance. However, she is careful not to cause undue harm or influence on those she drains, so this skill is lower than it would be if she didn't restrain herself.
Bond 4
?
Bond 5
?
Clear main story of "Fleeting Lunar Phantasia"
Extra
?
I wasn't originally planning on adding this, but congrats, you guys convinced me.
For reference, since these things are kinda relevant.
the Apple-feat
t-ubullchless
the Edge-feat
faeborcless
the Level Shield-feat
faéncless
the Little Dart-feat
cless cletenach
the Rope-feat
tétcless
the Body-feat
corpcless
the Feat of Catt
cless caitt
the Hero's Salmon-leap
ích n-erred
the Pole-cast
cor n-deled
the Leap over a Blow
leim dar néib
the Folding of a noble Chariot-fighter
filliud erred nair
the Vantage of Swiftness/Spurt of Speed
bai brasse
the Wheel-feat
rothchless
the Rimfeat
ot(h)ar(chless)
the Over-Breath-feat
cless for análaib
the Breaking of a Sword
bruud gine
the Champion's Cry
sian caurad
the Measured Stroke
beim co commus no co fomus
the Side Stroke
táithbéim
the Running up a Lance and Standing Erect on its Point
dréim fri fogaist co n-dirgiud crette for a rind
the Binding of the Noble Hero
fornadmaim niad náir
the Thunder Feat
torandchles/torannchless
These come straight out of "The Cattle Raid of Cooley," specifically this passage here. The Thunder Feat is the only one mentioned in another section, this one, and it really puts paid to the idea of Cu being Irish Herakles. Yes, in case you missed it, this also technically buffs Cu and Sca as well, since these should all be things they also know. Explicitly, these are Cu's techniques, and since he learned the "ways of the warrior" from Sca and Aife, that makes them theirs by association.
Obviously, I'm going to have to make some guesses about what each one does. Some are fairly obvious, some are Right There on the Tin, and some are actually used, but some...
Listen, I have no idea why "Running up a Lance and Standing Erect on its Point" is a super secret technique of the Celtic martial arts. I really don't. Some things we just aren't meant to understand.
![Hereafter [Worm x Fate/Grand Order]](/data/threadmark-index-icons/l/56/56510.jpg?1714270131){kind=icon}
