Finis Chaldea

[Bloodedge]

It seemed this would not be a battle filled with debate, as their previous bout had been. That was fine; this was a match meant to deliver a lesson. There was a clear difference between Artoria and the late Enkidu yet, as Gilgamesh saw now. Whereas the latter had countermeasures to his every treasure, the former was running about to avoid capture by the very chains Enkidu once utilized. Once more, Gilgamesh saw no purpose in applying seriousness. Perhaps one day, he thought, she would be capable of the very thing he thought to stop her from now. Alas, hopes and dreams only took humanity so far. He doubted hers would make any difference this day.

One treasure aside from Enkidu had been utilized, and it had been deflected just as quickly. Once more, this was expected. She was quick to retaliate as well, even while keeping away from his relentless chains. Alas, the Chains of Heaven could be considered Gilgamesh's most valuable treasure for many reasons. He could always trust Enkidu to be by his side; now was no exception. The chains were moving still while the ziggurat flooded with the king's mana. All of those energies seemed to emit directly from that golden armor, as his arm stretched out. An armor-clad hand halted the arc of Excalibur, even as the energy flowing from the blade tore asunder the dining hall around them. He seemed to be toying around at present, though there was great purpose in his casual approach to this scuffle. "You have no hope of overcoming me, Knight-Queen. Tell me, can you even fathom why?"

[Apollymi]

Artoria's movements carried her forward. She dodged chains, and deflected the weapon tossed at her. And still this smug man was not even exerting himself. Ah, she'd seen this before, but from a very different perspective. She couldn't calm down, she couldn't focus, she couldn't even decide if she wanted to murder or just fight. Things were complicated in the mind of the Queen of Camelot.

Ah, but now her sword's power was not reaching her target while chains were still aiming to capture her. 'Avoid capture, retreat.' Her mind made the decision and her body followed through, enhanced by mana, she followed through the motion with haste, but hopped backward at the end, being careful of those chains. Her eyes shifting about for chains, to keep her steps just a bit ahead of the fray. And what was this now? Why couldn't she win. "I have no idea what you are talking about," she did not wish to waste too many words. She didn't want to talk, she was calm but holding the line between chivalry and assassination was more difficult than she would like. A moment of combat was not something which required her to do anything but what she was doing. She didn't need a lesson from a man whose very visage did nothing but incite her fury. She couldn't even explain why she was so upset, but it was a lot easier to fight than it was to question, she had enough questions she demanded answers. Her mind couldn't rest. 'Kill something. Do something.' Why couldn't she think? Her resolve was unquestionable so why? Why was he so smug?

[Bloodedge]

Still, she was on the move. This could have been the simplest of matters if that blasted woman ceased her endless effort to avoid capture, but... frankly, he would not have chosen someone who stood idly by and let themselves fall to manipulation of any sort. Artoria's rebuttal made it clear, mincing words was far from priority. Why was her focus so different this time, when previously she fought to kill? Time would reveal all, he supposed. Whatever the case, she would be granted reprieve of Enkidu. Each chain segment came to a screeching halt before vanishing. With that, Gilgamesh began to levitate, floating out into the open air through a very fresh hole in the wall. He was just outside the Citadel of Uruk in seconds, still facing and staring down Artoria as if awaiting her approach. The king would land in an open field only a few moments into this bout of levitation, and assuming Artoria made it out without issue, he would continue speaking. "The Holy Sword Excalibur, tool of King Arthur. It is a marvelous tool indeed, perfectly suited to this world's greatest swordswoman and the Queen of Knights. What then, would be so fitting of the King of Heroes?" The offering of this inquiry was joined by no form of assault. His smugness oozed out in full force, his arms crossed again, and he simply... waited.

[Apollymi]

Artoria denied the use of Enkidu and eventually they were withdrawn by Gilgamesh himself. The Queen of Knights seemed a bit skeptical of that point, those eyes of hers still in constant motion even though the threat seemed to have disappeared. 'Strange.' Her mind called her paranoid but she truly was at this point. Artoria had too much to focus on to give any one line in her mind one hundred percent of her effort. In the Holy Grail War, Gilgamesh had been labeled an enemy, someone who stood where he should not. It was easy to kill when she was burning with fury. Easy to be furious when not knowing of the layers to his being. It was simply put, easier to face a man with the intention of him dying when you actually wanted them dead. It didn't violate her Chivalry to kill someone who was the enemy in fair combat. But now, even in fair combat, trying to mete death did not feel right. She was also burning with fury so she could not focus. And her mind couldn't quiet because she was tired, doggedly so. It'd been a fortnight since the Queen of Knights knew a true rest. It'd been just as long since she actually ate a full meal. It was impossible for her not to show exhaustion in the face of overwhelming power.

Beyond that, Excalibur would not agree with a full release. To get similar power she had to exert herself and the more she exerted herself, the more fatigue she felt. This was a losing battle, and this time there weren't steps forward she could see. Perhaps, she needed to wait it out. She definitely would not surrender. She'd rather die here and now, then allow herself to bow out of a fight she started. He asked a question and presented it in such a way that there was no denying his lack of aggress. She couldn't continue forward as he waited. She hopped out of that open hole in the wall, denying the physics of the situation and practically using the air as footfall by virtue of mana exertion, only to land on bent knees sword at the ready. What tool fit the King of Heroes, if Excalibur was the ultimate weapon for her? "Is that really a question. Everything about you seems unfair in some way... I assume it is some sort of cheat." That wasn't a malicious statement though Artoria questioned it internally.

[Bloodedge]

Artoria did follow, much to anyone's expectation during a battle she'd initiated herself. On her way to the field, she showed an interesting ability to function on this level of the world. The ambient mana was so nonexistent where she lived down below, it was almost surprising to see such a showing of mana control. Alas, he should have expected as much. Gilgamesh chose well, as always. Moving on, Artoria spoke her mind regarding the weapon most suited to him. Skeptical as she looked overall, she still managed at least that. Apparently, everything about him appeared unfair in general. Oh? What an astute observation when comparing him to the likes of... well, everything else in existence. Was it a cheat, though? If one were to ask Gilgamesh himself, he would call it a birthright that was oddly both earned and gifted. In actuality, that was about the most legitimate explanation of his Mystic Code there was. "Hmph. What is a king, if not one with power supreme enough to be deemed unfair by the commoners? Everything in this world originates from me, Queen of Knights. When I spoke those words, I spoke them truly..."

One phrase from the King of Heroes would, one day, turn the armies and the hordes running back whence they came. One phrase would shape the world around him, turning the tides against the moon and turning the impossible into the mundane by his whim. That day the Holy Grail deemed him Archer was incorrect, but it was no accident. Just as the case had been in a life long since forgotten, he was the strongest Archer, with the strongest arrows. One phrase would prove that fact, and that phrase was... "Gate of Babylon." That simple phrase seemed to bring the very stars to Earth, as thousands of Divine Gates shimmered across the field they inhabited. There was no certain directionality, but instead gates appearing wherever they fit in space. Each gate brandished a weapon, and no single weapon was the same. From swords to axes, to spears, to staves, all manner of things were unveiled, each a weapon in its greatest original form. This was not even the whole of King Gilgamesh's collection. No, for days upon days, he could launch treasures of this quantity without seeing the same individual piece twice. As weapons that were all Artifacts of some caliber, each had their unique properties. Ah, but Gilgamesh could never be bothered to go around learning what each tool did. He merely collected them initially, never thinking to use them until he was forced to do so by Enkidu. Even then, he became rather fond of merely throwing them as if they were stones... or more accurately, firing them as an entire army would fire guns. "Now, my perfect queen, taste of my riches and despair!" With that utterance, his array of tools was unleashed upon Artoria bit by bit. At times one, at times several in unison, rarely if ever being loosed from the same direction. In this light, Gilgamesh was akin to a child at play... a child with too many toys to choose from, and enough hands to pick up as many as he liked.

[Apollymi]

Having landed in front of the man several things became obvious. One of which was that Gilgamesh did not necessarily consider his powers to be cheating, instead he thought of them as his birthright. He argued the point that a king having abilities that commoners thought of as cheating or abnormal made them kings, and after a second of consideration Artoria nodded her own understand. She stood far above most in her own right, and was deemed invincible by others. Her attitude and ability to predict the best possible moves for herself were touted as unusually keen. "In fairness, I can not argue against that point," yes, that was fair, and she could be gracious about it, even in the middle of combat. Yes, she was calmer now, even though her mind still wasn't quite working enough. But what else was there?

The sensation of mana, the opening of thousands of gates. Ah, the Gate of Babylon he called it. Launching treasures from his personal stores like bullets. All the things he'd amassed and all of the things both given and collected. Artoria looked at those gates and the light of them reflected in her own eyes for just a second. "The archer classing makes a bit more sense now, and where was this, when I was ready to kill you?" Artoria's question came with annoyance, something about the fact that this was missing from their earlier battle seriously bothered her, and she couldn't rightly understand why. No. Never mind, she understood it completely. A half-victory did not fit her idea. If she is trying to kill someone and they are not doing everything within their power to survive, then it feels like murder. And while she was by her own nature a murderer, she had adopted Chivalry and put forth a great effort in keeping it. In this new life time, aside from pure fury, murder no longer tasted sweet. In a moment when someone was completely honest and they were not just part of her empire, Artoria did not know how to feel. Comrades, family, sworn protected, and enemies... four classifications of people who received from her, the four different emotions she possessed. But what did she give this man, who fell into none of those spaces? The fury innate to her soul, but without a true desire to kill?

Her thoughts were playing freely behind her eyes, and those same eyes, were watching as these gates rained down various things upon her. Unlike others who would despair at such a thing, the tiniest upturn of Artoria's lips occurred. Occasionally, things were knocked off course by swings of Excalibur. Other times would see her move to avoid damage to her body. Some things would graze her person as she moved about, but the armor she wore, reinforced by her mana would also deflect things. There was a time, when Artoria would have been able to do this for hours, capitalizing upon a single instance of victory. Still, she couldn't see one yet. 'Dodge, dance, turn. Eyes open, no stopping. Wait for the right step...' Artoria was fully on the defensive but didn't seem to hate the predicament at all. It was easier to defend than it was to attack in this particular case, she should probably be thinking of the victory, but when was the last time she felt she couldn't win? For a person who had started a fight in anger, she was enjoying it in earnest, the the determination to find a way through obvious. Despair? Why? This was fun!

[Bloodedge]

Fun? Gilgamesh was having no such thing this time around. Their last battle was something he could call fun, but the entertainment value of this one had yet to be discovered. He was merely tossing his tools, and she was merely dodging. There was no glory in this. There was no victory Gilgamesh wasn't already certain of, no threat of death, no true gain from flinging his treasures at the Queen of Knights. Well... at least there was banter, for a time. Artoria questioned the lack of presence of his possessions, at least in regards to their previous fight. Simply put, he hadn't any use of them in the grand scheme of things. The battle itself was never meant to happen, but he approached it with what he had once the time came. "H'oh? Does it insult your pride as a warrior, to know that I brought not even a morsel of my strength? Take no offense. It was this," he said, summoning the ornate key to his treasury into his hand. If she had the freedom to behold it while his arsenal rained down on her, it would be brandished for quite some time. "This Bab-ilu was a thing I left behind on my journey. If I were never to make it back, this thing was to collect dust, unusable to anyone else. Had I known a battle would follow that journey, perhaps I would have brought it along for a bit more entertainment. Though, it was for the best that I did not have it then. How else would I have enjoyed our match so thoroughly?"

[Apollymi]

Artoria was given some strange words. She was asked if it hurt her pride as a warrior to know he wasn't exerting himself truly in their previous battle. As she dodged watching those eyes of hers shifting around the battlefield. "Yes and no. It was job..." she gave a pause. Chivalry aside, when she acted on behalf of others it was not a matter of personal pride. "But... I do not enjoy fighting or attacking the weak. There is no honor to be found in a half-victory. I would rather suffer a defeat than celebrate something so very hollow," she expressed those opinions between movements and her eyes. If that had not been a victory for the sake of her sister she might have immediately gone into combat against Gilgamesh upon laying eyes on him the second time. Ah, was that a key of some sort? Surely there was an explanation incoming. Perhaps, through an explanation would be worthwhile, a single moment of eye contact was enough thereafter.

He was really just throwing weapons around. That seemed inefficient. Artoria could use any weapon she put her hands on... she could see clearly though that he'd rather just burst at her defenses in this way. Staying on the move wouldn't allow her to charge an attack with Excalibur and she would need to as a show of force. 'Enjoying that fight was the reason I let him live, right?' Ah, right... he'd started confusing her on that battlefield with that strange reaction, when she stood in defiance of him. Hoshimi Emi seemed to think she liked him in some way, but she couldn't. She respected him as a king and warrior, but that didn't mean she liked him. What did that word even mean? Artoria was a violent woman by her own nature, she was calmer now than she had been before, but could she win? Well, she couldn't see a victory just yet, but... 'Forward, thrust past weapon, both hands and...' she followed through with her own advance, there was an attack to be launched as shining light exploded outward. "EX-" she started from the bottom since the sword needed to go upward into him to accomplish the goal she had in mind. In this space she was no danger to anyone so she didn't bother with the normal windup, she doubted it would do the job regardless, but at least this way, she could continue her assault. "CALIBUR!" a shining arc of light from the middle range going up from the ground that reached for the heavens. She wasn't looking down upon an opponent she was reaching up for one. Even with the restrictions of her sword, and those imposed on her body... she simply couldn't let him stand before her looking so smug all the time.

[Bloodedge]

"Take what you can," he insisted without hesitation. "Of all who inhabit this world, only two have ever matched me in any capacity. Take solace in the fact that you measured up to even a portion of my power." It seemed Gilgamesh actually believed these words, and indeed, he did. None but Enkidu could equal him, and now none but Artoria Pendragon could injure him. That would not be happening today, though; not on his watch. He would allow her to show her resolve, but not to overcome the wall he presented himself as between her and the gods.

The chant of 'ex' was tantamount to a massive, glowing sign telling of the coming attack. She was done playing cat and mouse, was she? Well, he'd rather be playing house instead. This was an interesting little premarital argument they were having. Ah, but it was a mere dream that they could kiss and make up when it was all over. If anything, he imagined she would be of neither mood nor ability for such things. Now, he would show Artoria the defense of the gods in the form of their own gates. Massive and ornate, a great dome of a structure appeared in Excalibur's path. Her glowing arc was something he knew capable of damaging, perhaps even bypassing his golden armor, but this was the immovable object spoken of in the irresistible force paradox. From behind that great wall stronger than even the wall of Uruk, Gilgamesh spoke. "This is what one must overcome to even think of facing the gods. Shall I show you a sample of what must be tolerated?" he questioned. Behind the shield, one could already see a red line climbing into the sky and splitting into a web of cuneiform lettering which gradually shrank inward. Gilgamesh was calling upon the ultimate tool from the dawn of creation, its resting power seeping through all of Finis Chaldea like an ominous mist, and the shield had yet to even be banished to show what the tool was. . .

[Apollymi]

Take what she could, he said. There were only two who had the capabilities of matching him in any form, he claimed? That was that worth taking solace in? Yes and no. Artoria did not like shallow victories, but she could respect that she could win at some point. Of course, that whole thing did not stop anything, she could not win here and now or rather she was not certain. Victory which should be certain was uncertain and that was exciting. She was taking what she could get, but not in the way he offered it. That was the part of her which was uniquely Artoria. "I would be able to do that... if you did not always seem so smug," she admitted. Artoria had no idea why but the smugness of Gilgamesh made her want to argue with and harm the King of Heroes.

Ah, but her attack didn't make it to its intended target. That was a bit of an annoyance, well that wasn't true. It was a little exciting, about as exciting as it was that he kept talking to her after she'd nearly killed him before. That was probably not a good line of thought. Whatever the case, that barrier needed piercing and she could probably do it with the right amount of force, but that might not work out. Well, she had to try, but now there was something more pressing. A large ominous glow. Excalibur was raised up into the air, and in contrast to the red and ominous glow there was instead shining light gravitating towards the Queen of Knights. Still her eyes hadn't moved, from the man before her. Given his previous showing of ability she was preparing herself for something catastrophic, gathering mana, pouring it out from within her body the light of nostalgia, in a fight for her honor.

[Bloodedge]

Ah, he could feel it. Just on the other side of that shield, there was an opposing power to his ultimate force. How could she fare? He would soon find out. The Shield of the Gods returned to his treasury, and there it was. In Gilgamesh's right hand was the Sword of Rupture, its three segments rotating in opposition of one another, winds whipping out from the cycle and distorting space-time around Gilgamesh as the Sword of Rupture and the Sword of Promised Victory screamed at one another across the open field. "I will tell you of the beginning. I speak of genesis. Heaven and Earth split, nothingness congratulated creation, and my sword cleaved the world!"

What Gilgamesh utilized could be described as the wrath of nature itself. Frankly, he always wondered how the hopes and dreams of mankind would fare against it. Sadly, he had to show restraint. It would not do well to erase the world and his bride before their wedding night came. So then, what would he do? Well, he could at least offer fair warning, if Ea's power alone somehow did not manage as much. "Enuma..." The start of a chant would be the only additional warning Artoria received. In speaking that phrase, however, the cylinders of Ea spun faster. Compressed and intertwining stratifications of wind became a visual reddish torrent of energy that erased even the sands around him. His sword was lifted, soon to be brought down. . .

[Apollymi]

Artoria held tight to the light that was victory, as she always did. Once raised in the air, there was usually nothing that could stand in her way. This was so much the case that eventually restraint was placed upon her blade, she could not keep an exact count at any moment but she knew in most cases full power was nigh impossible to reach. Still, she could use it. Regardless of the power of the 'sword' across from her, she could rather suddenly see it, a path shining towards victory. A road of light to travel along even the darkest and most unknown space, she could go. She'd previously thought her own instincts could not reach so far, but now she was absolutely certain she could do it. Even while looking at those spinning cylinders.

The King of Heroes stood above her, bearing down with the weight of creation on her. And once more, if only for a second that little smirk appeared at the edges of her lips. That was no sword, surely? It in no way resembled a proper weapon, there was no blade. But that power was still obvious and she should have had reason to fear it. She did not though, and perhaps that would be her folly this day. No sharpness was lost to her eyes, and no purpose lost to the swing of her sword. Was he truly warning her of the coming attack? Well, she could clearly see it. "EX-" the start of the light show would grow just a bit brighter as Artoria held on to that final moment. She'd need to be careful, because it would require precise timing to launch herself after fending off something so ridiculous as this. It would be worth it though... she could do it. See that one clear moment which would place the light of victory squarely within her own hands. But that would be in the aftermath of his next attack.

[Bloodedge]

Artoria bore the strangest light in her eye. How interesting; she'd also become the second to witness the Sword of Rupture without hopelessness being what she experienced. What was going through her mind, he wondered. He saw no future in which she overcame him, but he supposed she would always be so resilient. The Queen of Knights could be nothing less, after all. "ELISH!" The downward swing of his sword sent forth the full force of Ea that had been built up thus far. Winds that tore apart reality were unleashed as a beam from the sword's tip. His other treasures had been successfully returned to the vault, leaving only this. How would she fare mentally with this being what she was up against? She hadn't so much as dented the ultimate defense, yet she still strived for more. So then, he'd give her a sample of the ultimate offense instead. He never blinked, he never let his eyes waver. The power of Excalibur would truly be put to the test, and the same would be said of Artoria's resolve.

[Apollymi]

The world was being torn asunder. Even so, Artoria had let go of nothing, no... she was content enough to face down death, destruction or whatever else and search for victory. That golden glowing sword of hers swung down in brilliant light. "CALIBUR!!" The battle cry which won a thousand battles was uttered once more. And what would it accomplish? Holding off rampant destruction with mana as the fuel. It felt like years, but even so... what was Artoria if not defensively capable? A light that was most practically human ambition fended off the power that once split the world and that strange light remained, while Artoria used her own body to absorb the shock. Well, such a statement would make it sound like she did it on purpose, but it was a side-effect of fending off an attack so powerful. All she had to do after the smoke cleared was move forward but...

Not today. In her own mind Artoria clearly saw the use of Avalon and the follow up attack after she was proven still capable of continuing. In that moment, some three steps ahead, she could have reached her target. She could have found the victory she was trying to accomplish but just because she could see the victory, didn't mean her body was capable of seizing it. Right. She hadn't slept in weeks, her body couldn't quickly recover from the recoil of several moments. She barely had the energy to power her armor, it shattered as her body took wounds to balance out the pressure. Artoria had been touted as invincible, how long had it been since she'd been so hurt in battle? Probably not since her battle against the Usurper. There wasn't enough magic left for Avalon to passively heal her and she could barely open her mouth to activate it. Of course this would happen, she'd never hear the end of this from the smug King of Heroes. That shining light in her eyes that held so much certainty, faded as her consciousness went along with it. There were several steps she could have taken before now, that would have contributed to her victory, but as far as she was concerned she'd made the point she'd intended. If she were to fight gods, odds against her with only the sword in her hand and the armor on her body, she'd do it to her last breath and that little smirk on her face, her eyes forward and her honor intact. One last thing, one small uttered word as she realized her current limitations were her own fault. "Fuck." Whoops, she could practically hear the Queen of Saints telling her not to curse. She could see nothing else. The light was fading from her eyes as she lost consciousness sword planted in the ground her hands on the hilt. She would not fall. Even as her wounds bled it seemed she was still upright waiting for the next. So far she reached, and so close she came. Maybe next time.

[Bloodedge]

Suddenly, there was a clash between two things that should never have met. Enuma Elish against Enuma Elish had once made glass of a desert, but Enuma Elish against the light of Excalibur seemed to erase the very atmosphere for just a moment. Had he been a bit more serious, and Artoria been without the restrictions applied to her weapon, perhaps all of Mesopotamia and beyond would have suffered. Instead though, only Artoria suffered heavily from the collision. She deserved a great deal of credit for even surviving, though he expected that much. Surprising however, was the fact that she was still holding onto that sword when the struggle came to an end... as well as the vulgarity passing her lips the moment she lost consciousness. When would she fall? It seemed she wouldn't. Bleeding, beaten and armorless, an unconscious Artoria Pendragon still upheld the visage of a knight ready for the last stand that would never come. How noble, yet how foolish. How unsightly, yet how absolutely stunning. Ea vanished, and Gilgamesh stepped forward to reach for the queen. His hand first went out to her face simply to touch its cheek, and soon enough, he was lifting her into his arms and walking to the Citadel of Uruk once more.

Sir Tristan had not been completely idle all this time. He'd listened to the commotion, and he'd observed the ensuing battle. He was there to meet King Gilgamesh while Artoria was being carried off. His bow was at the ready, though it seemed Gilgamesh expected this interjection. "Arrogant king, release my queen immediately. This battle is over," he insisted. Gilgamesh, however, continued moving forward. "H'oh? And what will you do? Loose your paltry little arrows and risk killing the queen you serve before dying yourself? I will forgive your empty threat just once, but hear this. This queen is mine, whether she has come to realize this or not. You are in her charge, are you not? Stand aside as I tend to this sleepless girl," Gilgamesh demanded. By the look in his eye alone, Tristan... could not stand against him. There was something in there, something beyond the pomposity of an old king... something even beyond the fury with which he spoke.

Gilgamesh would not halt once on his way inside. He did hesitate just briefly upon entering the throne room though, choosing to address... "Siduri." That word was the only one he spoke, meaning to have her follow along to his personal chambers. Within was all the lavishness expected of the hedonist king, including but not limited to a bed large enough to accept a full harem, velvet and lions fur adorning it. That bed was where he placed Artoria, gently upon her back. Just as gently, he aimed to wrest the sword from her hands. His free hand took the time to sweep hair from her glorious face, which once done, freed the king to press his lips upon her forehead as a doting parent would do upon tucking the child in for the night. With that out of the way, he spoke his order to Siduri at last. "The queen has been taken by the filth of combat. Have the murk stripped from her body, and the sands washed from this magnificent flesh. Three days, you have. In three days, this beautiful woman shall wake in Uruk's finest dress, to consume only the freshest meat and bread, and the sweetest wine made by your own hand. In three days, she shall want for nothing but the next bowl or cup to fill her hand. Care for her as you once did for me, at journey's end."