Finis Chaldea

[Bloodedge]

In the land inhabited by the Queen of Saints, Vivian met instead with the Dragon Witch who shared the same body. Much had occurred over the course of thirty years. Now, the Dragon-Blooded Knight named Siegfried stood by the black-clad woman's seat. He seemed no less prepared for battle and bloodshed than she, so by the time it became clear there was action to seek, draconic features were already creeping up his neck. "At your service," he said, seeming somewhat antsy himself. He walked slowly, eventually taking off into a full sprint as features of the black dragon Fafnir overtook him. The knight in dragon form leapt and took flight, knowing it was nothing for the pale-haired woman to mount his back in the process, despite his own rather competent speed of movement.

Meanwhile, Gilgamesh boarded his ark and made his way toward the fleet of Francis Drake. He refrained from moving through the open sky at the speed of thought, knowing he would only become more impatient while awaiting the others' arrival. He had to take his time and steady himself for a great reunion, and besides... it was the king's intention to meet the great pharaohs of Egypt en route to AS-IKU and the hidden Albion. That woman among them had a particular deal with him quite some time ago. He did wonder if her end of the bargain was ready for him, and if he was right... it wasn't as if she would be very far from her workplace when they arrived.

[Apollymi]

Walk into a sprint only to hop out and take off in flight and Jeanne would join him, after giving a nod to her sister. They had a place to go and she now knew the direction. They were headed to rescue her other sister and she would be there to help. Churches were heresy, by association these gods were heretics, she'd take the form that would give her ease in killing things here and now. Besides, her control of dragons and the work of her Holy Knights would be fine. Seeing their Queen fly off on dragon back, a single yelled order was enough for those who could come to ready themselves. Off Jeanne d'Arc would ride seeming no less bloodthirsty than she had been a few moments prior.

Vivian showed up in the Temple of the Pharoahs and walked about finding from nearby guards that Nefertari was in her workshop. This also meant that Ozymandias was likely also there. She stood outside the door, not wanting to catch an eye full of anything if anyone happened to be indecent. "Pharoahs! It seems today is the day, and we are to throw another surprise party, our new little brother is quite keen on making an entrance. He plans to fell Ishtar but will leave the glory of felling Enki to all comers. What say you?" she offered her back against the wall. She offered to the pair. "The Fae Princess visits for no casual reason today, a grand celebration is in the making. You know somehow I feel, the Queen of Knights will enjoy this party even more than her last one~" Nefertari stated. "My Sun and Stars, it appears it's time to move," she mentioned seeming to finish up the piece she was working on, with inlaid gold and in red colored cloth. It was one of her special works again for the model of a man. All the while Ishtar was blissfully unaware that anything negative was coming her way. In fact, she was excited to see the King of Heroes moving about. What would he be going to do? What mere mortal was about to be crushed? Oh would there be a battle? She had to know. She lounged with the greatest of ease waiting to see what would come of his actions. Never once thinking about the one thing he'd actually be upset about, and how it was housed right under the island she currently inhabited.

[Bloodedge]

On an ordinary day, the pharaohs were called upon by a most auspicious visitor. Ozymandias did as he always would: watch the Queen of Egypt work. Even when the voice of a certain Lake Fairy sounded through the workshop, his eyes were fixed. Ah, but what this visitor had to speak of was of utmost importance. One of their kin had been missing in action for quite some time, and it was a thing that affected them all in a roundabout way. "H'oh. It's good to hear the Golden King is on something fancier than a simple warpath. Myself, my beautiful wife, and a party full of beaten faces. It reminds me of old times," the male pharaoh declared with a grin. Rising for the first time since Nefertari began her work, Ozymandias stepped out into view. He was sure Vivian had been quite busy, and always one to offer a kindness, he spoke to her en route to the throne. "If we are the last to receive this message, then you are in luck. Your legs must be weary. You will be escorted by the will of the Sun this day!" What did the pharaoh mean by this? Well, they would not be traveling via sphinxes or chariots. The pyramid that visitors and citizens alike reached at the top of Egypt's palace was Ozymandias' own construct, and that electrum structure itself was also his ability. With it, they would take flight the moment he reached the throne. Of course, a second or two was taken to ensure Vivian received a comfortable chair of her own within the throne room... which was just as much a command center for the flying structure.

What would Gilgamesh be doing? For starters, he flew. He waited while taking a leisurely pace atop the fastest vessel this world had to offer, and he... relaxed. Even though victory could no longer be called the only thing he knew, never did the King of Heroes question his future success in every endeavor. Now was such a time. Defeat and loss were not options. The king was at his finest, well within his element, and so clear-minded that his eyes were beginning to see things his mind normally kept from him. He could even see Ishtar watching him with interest. That domineering gaze of his shifted slightly, crimson piercing through the screen she viewed as if it were mere glass between them. It almost seemed he was looking the goddess in the eye, and in a way he was. On his face was a grin that spoke of accomplishments yet to become true, albeit not at all even potentially false in his mind. "Do not sit by idly watching me. Should not a king be greeted with ceremony? I expect nothing less than armies at my feet, with everyone including yourself floundering before me. It is going to be one hell of an entrance," he said directly to the goddess herself.

[Apollymi]

A smile was also present on Vivian's face. After all, it was good to see King Gilgamesh not simply wishing death upon others but instead finding it in his heart to be his gushing self when it came to how he dealt with her sister. "Apparently my youngest sister, shared words with him that he internalized. I am glad she could be of help to him... she always was a saint~" she said a bit deviously. Would she bother warning the Pharaohs about Jeanne's nature? Not really, Jeanne was still Jeanne, she was just a bit aggressive right now. Regardless, apparently Vivian was offered transport as Nefertari moved to join her husband. "Yes, love, take a load off. We are sure you have been doing nothing but moving around the last three decades~" she said affirming Ozymandias' generous offer. A smile came to Vivian's face. "You two are too kind. I do appreciate it though... I was thinking I'd end up just popping up in a water barrel on Francis' ship. That would have been quite the annoyance actually~" she said taking the free seat she knew to be for her. The Pharaohs were taking the big method of moving and she would ride casually along with them. It truly was a nostalgic experience when one considered the kind of gathering they were going to.

Ah, but what else was happening? As Ishtar mindlessly watched the goings on of Gilgamesh, the Golden King looked towards her. That was a little pointed. He couldn't really see her could he?! "OH SHIT!" she seemed simultaneously excited and a bit scared. He was talking to her... she could hear him, if she wished to and what she heard was a bit too much. He was headed for them? Surely not. No one could actually know where they were. It wasn't truly worth being worried about. But what if it was?! Ishtar stood immediately and began pacing. Unable to decide the right course of action immediately. If he wasn't coming and she raised the alarm with Enki for nothing it would be bad. If however he was coming and she didn't tell him that would be just as bad. But... wasn't it good to tell him anyway? She was planning to get rid of him for the slight of only giving her half his core. And he was the kind to try and show off for Gilgamesh as well. She could easily play the pair against each other, and Lucius already had everything they could give him, he only needed more time... so Enki dying now would change nothing of her plans for getting rid of Artoria. Hell... she could use this as an excuse to do that as well! Yes! That WAS GREAT!! "Enki! We have trouble.. the Golden King may have just said he's headed this way. He's never lied to me and he might have seen me through my crystal ball!! What do we do?!" Yes she'd play damsel in distress. All men wanted to protect their prizes right?

[Bloodedge]

Of course the Holy Maiden was to blame. Ozymandias had very few direct interactions with that woman, but she did always seem to be the sort who brought light to the darkness. "Saint doesn't begin to cover it, from what I've seen. I would sooner call her a messiah," Ozymandias argued. Had he been the one to name her, that would have been what he went with. Whatever the case, off they went. The pyramid they inhabited moved quickly through the sky, until it flew in-line with a particular ark with Gilgamesh himself atop it. The King of Heroes shifted his gaze to the pyramid, seeming to have been waiting for their arrival. "I've been expecting you, Puppet Pharaoh," he greeted smugly. Stabilizing his ark, Gilgamesh rose from the throne. He could always keep it moving without sitting there, but most times, what would the point have been? "Nearly four decades later, surely you have something for me by now. I have a date several years in the making. My previous best is no longer good enough," he stated, seeming to believe Nefertari had something perfectly suited to the situation.

Meanwhile, Enki continued his observation of Artoria Pendragon and Lucius Tiberius. At least, he attempted to until the sound of Ishtar's voice struck his ear. Oh? Gilgamesh was on his way, only thirty years after Albion's disappearance? He expected it to happen, but not before their champion was prepared. "Tch! And here I thought we had twice this amount of time at minimum," he complained. Why did those lowly mortals surpass themselves so quickly? None of his information implied that any member of Chaldea could find them so easily. He had to think. What would they do with this early arrival? "We should be prepared. If he is on his way, we will lose many fighters just keeping him at bay for a while. Though... I do have a contingency for dealing with the little queen. I may have to use that, and let him watch the girl become forever out of his reach. I will need time to prepare it. Enough soldiers and defenses should be in place to keep him busy for some time. In the meantime, I suppose you can do as you please."

[Apollymi]

Messiah to describe Jeanne? Hoshimi Emi could indeed be described as such. "Maybe one day~" Vivian said seeming to find her own jokes funny. Ah, but the King of Heroes was here now was he? Apparently he wished to see Nefertari, claiming that he had a date coming up and he had a wish for some new attire for the occasion. "So, I've heard Golden King. You are in luck. I just finished a set I think would be perfect for such an occasion. Assuming of course you have the proper accessories to go with it," she said offering a cheeky smile. She produced for the King of Heroes the particular ensemble with the red and gold threaded robe. In the stylings of his nation, it had a two shouldered white tunic tied beneath it and some matching white harem pants. Both made of light-weight breathable materials and of the finest quality. She'd even taken the liberty of making him some light weight shoes of appropriate type as well. He'd look fabulous. "That one suits you does it not?" she asked looking at it on the mannequin and thinking she'd done a really great job of it. If she was remembering correctly she'd given Artoria a few extra pieces which she'd likely have access to, at least one of which was definitely the kind of contrast which would make looking at the two of them together quite lovely. The attention to detail could not be understated, but Nefertari had plenty of time to spend in Uruk while the Queen of Knights was looking over it, she'd taken the time to familiarize and influence fashion there as well.

Apparently, Enki thought he would have had more time before the King of Heroes showed up? What kind of nonsense was that? He was liable to show up whenever he felt like it. Whatever the case, the plan of Enki was to use some sort of contingency to deal with the 'little queen' as he'd taken to referring to Artoria. There was something about that Ishtar didn't like, and she wasn't quite sure what it was. He claimed to use the defenses and allow men to be wasted for the purpose of preparing this method? "Really, you won't face him... isn't that cowardly?" she asked, as if disgusted. Half her plan went out the window if she couldn't get rid of Enki in this moment. Besides, she didn't really like the way he was behaving lately. Even now he was still watching both Lucius and Artoria. There was nothing more he needed to train that man for, so why did he feel the need to keep looking into both of them? It seemed to her he didn't have enough time to pay attention to her. Ah, but he told her she could do what she wanted in the meantime. "Fine. I guess I'll drop some beasts to help the men and take Maana out with me. He can't permanently separate them from me, and if we can thin out the Knights in the meantime it will be easier for Lucius to deal with the boy-queen later," she said seeming to have taken a more logical step. But she hadn't. He was seriously acting cowardly setting out right now and not doing something directly about the problem knocking at his door. "You'll lose a lot more than just the army if you take too long though... I hate exerting myself," she claimed simply. Yes, light a fire under the man... that is what she'd do.

[Bloodedge]

He was in luck, eh? Gilgamesh flew closer and closer still to the pyramid, even boarding it in time to view the mannequin Nefertari had on display. He disembarked, and gazed upon a true spectacle that spoke only of kingship. Oh, he had the proper accessories to complete this ensemble alright. From the look of this getup, there was no questioning the immediate replacement of his royal garbs. "H'oh?" What a perfect thing to drape over his own skin. These reminded him of the robes ordered to him by Utnapishtim, but were so far above and beyond that one should question Utnapishtim's presence in the assembly of the gods. These clothes were so very Uruk, yet very much above and beyond the expectancies of men. Gilgamesh reached out to touch it, and indeed it was woven beyond perfection. The king beamed at this new ensemble. Did this suit him? "As the fish breathes water, as the bird takes to the sky and the gazelle to the lush plains, I do declare... this suits me." In claiming these clothes, Gilgamesh banished the old and simultaneously donned the new, a golden glow occurring during the shift. He would appear anew, dripped in the finest golden chains, bangles and earrings, the former two of which contained rubies without flaw. "Hmph," he huffed triumphantly while turning his back to the pharaohs and the Lake Fairy. "Now then, I suppose I shall be the one to raise the first chalice."

Gilgamesh stood atop Vimana once more, taking his leave of the pyramid. They encroached upon the area inhabited by AS-IKU; he could see it even through its barrier now with those glowing optics. Nearby was the pyramid Ramesseum Tentyris to his left, the ship Golden Hind and its accompanying fleet to his right, and just overhead... the dragon Fafnir and its darkened rider. The eternally shifting key of Gilgamesh's treasury appeared in his right hand, which rose overhead to unlock the deepest section of the vault through crimson cuneiform branching out into the sky. "Hear me, dogs of Finis Chaldea! Today, you will all know wealth and glory beyond your wildest dreams! Today is the day of reckoning for the gods of this world! Today is the dawn of mankind's golden era, with my own golden form as the beacon!" Those crimson branches emerging from the Key of King's Law retracted into a blinding glow. In his hand then, was none other than the Sword of Rupture with its three rotating cylinders already moving. "Now listen, as I tell you a tale. I speak of new beginnings. Heaven and Earth split, creation scoffed at the established order, and my Sword of Rupture heralded the end of the mundane." A slight alteration to incantation meant the world of change. The stratifications of genesis that emerged from Gilgamesh's "sword" were not the typical wild variety, but instead a forward stream as he pointed to where he knew the barrier ahead was. Those blood-colored winds spread around the barrier spanning an entire large empire as Gilgamesh continued. . .

By this time, Enki was scoffing. Ishtar thought his methods were cowardly, but she knew nothing of war. "You're confusing cowardice for the better approach. A hasty approach wins battles, but loses wars, Ishtar. Keep that in mind," he said, knowing the goddess' impatience and hubris had always been her own undoing. "Let the boy be held off, and I will shake things up just enough to ensure a victory. If you're deciding to go out there, just don't let him get the better of you in the meantime. It would be troublesome if this plan had to be altered in the span of a moment." Enki's plan for this encounter was a surefire victory, but it required both timing and accuracy. Knowing this, the God of Water took up an amulet in the shape of a dragon's eye, the orb within possessing the visual of a mountain covered in thick fog and strange, ghost-like wisps. He would begin work on improving this item's enchantment with a few tweaks, leaving Ishtar and her goading to less important tasks.

Meanwhile, the barrier was in danger of being worn away during the continued incantation of Gilgamesh. "Mortar of the stars, the Age of Man is the eve of the gods' downfall. Enuma Elish‼" The stream of wind intensified in a single moment, quite literally poking a hole in AS-IKU's barrier and letting it degrade from there outward over time. Gilgamesh let himself be the first thing visible to those who waited inside, but the others would soon be seen as well... and eventually, the call for fireworks would be made. What would come before that, though? Well, the king had arrived. He did so anticipating ceremony to welcome him.

[Apollymi]

Nefertari watched as the King descended to look upon the garments she'd made. What did he think? If his first reaction was anything to go by he apparently liked them. Ah, but the King of Heroes was never really the type of man to not say what he thought. Accordingly he soon found himself answering her question, and in such a flowery way. A cheeky smirk came to the face of Nefertari and those rainbow eyes of hers seemed to sparkle. Even as he donned those clothes she took in the look after a flash of golden light. "I can say you do know how to accessorize. I cannot hate that in a man. Enjoy. I have a few more for you, but I think that one is occasion appropriate~" she said before heading back. a single hand up a couple of bangles jingled on her own arm. Vivian also took in the look giving a gentle nod of her head. Her younger sister was about to be shocked and exceedingly happy. Nice.

Soon enough there was a time of Gilgamesh explaining that the Age of the Gods ended today and he'd be the one to start the fray. Of course, it would be rather interesting to see that attack once used to divert the attack of Artoria Pendragon suck up and poke a hole in a barrier that was once it was up. Still, apparently Enki couldn't or rather wouldn't be forced into action. He made the proclamation that quick actions won battles but not wars. "Yeah, whatever..." and just like that Ishtar took off. She would step out and find herself atop Heaven's Boat Maana. A truly gaudy way of moving around it seemed to be a lapis lazuli and gold boat with two seats which looked a bit like it had double wings. It had a large eye in the middle which held it together over a big gun as well. It was armed with cannons and floated above. There were large armies on each of the islands seeming to prepare for the battle to come. As the entirety of the barrier seemed to leave a hole. "Oh? He did not come alone?" she seemed to be annoyed. A demon boar, the Nemean Lion, a floating whale, an assortment of sea horses, lots of creatures there were plenty of things to greet the coming of Gilgamesh of course, that didn't make this any better for her.

At the same time, several different groups stood at the ready, Jeanne watched from atop Fafnir seeming to find it amusing just the same. There was a smile on her face as she knew terror would soon rain down on the people who'd taken her sister and the country of Albion. Vengeance was clear in her mind and she'd have it, seeming to relish in it just a bit. Francis Drake looked around. One leg up a large flintlock pistol over her shoulder as she watched a rather ridiculous showing of power from the King of Heroes. One might almost wonder why he bothered with such a spectacle if he could manage such a thing himself. Of course all would be quiet except the shrill laughter of Ishtar, who did not seem to understand the danger as she sat in her own chair with just a single hand control to her right, in a strangely phallic looking state. Just the same the ruckus was already stirring a few of the Knights who were on duty. Artoria had to take rest when she could, which wasn't very often at all really. Now was one such time, she'd eaten, had a bath and been resting for just a couple of hours. In thirty years, she'd returned to her old habits of sleeping only a few hours per night instead of in large bursts to give others the chance to rest she did not need as much. Even so, the time did not seem to wear on her... though admittedly she'd seemed a bit antsy for a while now, waiting for whatever challenge was coming her way. Strangely, she was in for quite the surprise.

[Bloodedge]

What sort of surprise was Artoria Pendragon in for? Gilgamesh did speak of fireworks, but there was one thing to come before that. The commotion had alerted quite a few, leaving knights at the ready for a presumed assault on Camelot once again. Little did they know, today was the day of shifting winds. Whatever all that noise was, it would undoubtedly be considered reason for alertness. Gawain took the initiative of alerting the queen this time around, even with little information beyond the sound of mobilizing forces en masse. "My Queen!" he spoke after tapping her chamber door. "It seems another attack is in the works. We have word of multiple inhuman presences around Bermuda, including a vessel that is presumably of divine origin."

Was this enough to count as ceremony? Gilgamesh thought not. Ishtar, the soldiers of AS-IKU and a few measly beasts would not do much against his onslaught. Perhaps some of them would remain alive long enough to learn as Ea returned to its place deep in the treasury, and another tool emerged from within. Enki, the Sword of the End that took the form of a golden bow, was his next choice. He aimed it at the land itself, and three mana rings of cuneiform surrounded the tip of a single arrow. "Is this how a king is to be greeted? Hmph! Very well; perhaps there will still be some of you to fight. Now, behold! The inferno of destruction fills the heavens! Come forth, Surge of Utnapishtim! This is what it means to destroy the World! Wretched gods, suffer the curse that the insolence of challenging the King of Heroes has brought upon ye!" Gilgamesh loosed that golden arrow toward the ground. It alone did nothing, but it was only a tracer round. Enki was a weapon called the Sword of the End not because the bow could split into twin blades, but because the bow was not at all the true weapon. High above, there appeared to be a large star surrounded by six smaller lights. There, in truth, was the weapon Enki, honing in on the arrow's location as the arrow's light shot into the central star. "Finis Chaldea!" Gilgamesh announced. "Show them the tenacity of man! Let the heavens themselves look upon infinite potential and know despair!" A firm order was spoken prior to the seven lights high above converging their beams at a central point, firing toward the arrow's target location. In its descent, the bolt of light tore through space, its effect spreading far and wide before reality shattered. What came from that shattering was the Surge of Utnapishtim, the very flood which ended the world long ago. How fitting it was to use its overwhelming might against a single island, while expecting the volleys of others.

Though following was not typically his prerogative, Ozymandias wore a face of excitement from within the pyramid. As Gilgamesh flooded the land, he decided upon the perfect addition to it. "A flood, eh? What a shame. Behold, ye Mighty! There will be no survivors beneath the Sun! Ramesseum Tentyris! Show them the Great Lightbulb Amon-Ra!" By Ozymandias' command, the pyramid Ramesseum Tentyris charged from its primary cannon the Dendera Electric Bulb, which shot into the flood as a massive beam. It seemed improbable that anything normal would survive the flood itself, but if anything did manage to make its way up after the tsunami... well, the option of reaching the surface alive was being removed. All the while, the dragon Fafnir flew through the sky, raining its mighty fire breath from above to burn away aerial threats until otherwise instructed by its rider.

[Apollymi]

There was a knock at Artoria's door? And now the sound of Ballista. Francis Drake stood at the bow of her ship now pointing her pistol and giving an order to all the men aboard. "You heard the man, bring the fireworks!" Yes, the men of the ships loaded and fired cannons down and around. They were clearing the way and the sky would be alight with such fire. Artoria woke sitting up in bed only to peek out of her window. A problem outside, but what was this? Fires dotted the skies. A grin crossed her face in a moment like this, and those emerald eyes sparkled with newfound excitment. "Gawain, I will be out, shortly. I must dress!" she said. Ah, but the Queen had been given a specific instruction some thirty years ago. How many times had she seen that memory and how many times as she looked at the dress she thought to wear for the occasion. A gentle smirk crossed her face as she aimed, to dress, not in her simple blue dress, but in what seemed to be a modified ball gown. Short on one side, designed of lapis lazuli with black roses as fringe. It had a halter top of see-through black silk which left her back and shoulders exposed. Her legs were left exposed as well with a matching pair of heels. To be honest, after dressing as such the Queen of Knights would seem to be more ready for a night out dancing than a battle for their lives. But she realized in this kind of moment, that this wasn't a battle, it was a party. "Now this is my kind of party, King of Heroes~" she mused all alone. She picked up Excalibur and walked out with it. "Come old friend... we are going dancing~" she said as she walked out of her room smile on her face. Long gloves on her sleeveless arms. She was dressed as if she had a hot date, and in all actuality she did. There was an obvious spring in her step as she made her way forward.

At the same time, the Pyramid seemed to have a certain lavishness going on as well. The firing of a certain bulb of light after the flood started by Gilgamesh would bring a bit of a smile to Nefertari's face. "If my Sun and Stars would give death, it is only right that I take judgement into my own hands," those rainbow eyes of hers glowing as the waters of Gilgamesh crashed down upon those islands and the light of Amun-Ra shined bright as the sun. A feather was created in her hand and it would be breathed upon by this young woman, when it was, it was carried and split the same way the Medjed did. Every single person they touched would be judged by 42 their sins condemning them to the lowest ranks of the underworld. There would be no respawns here... there would be no second chances, such was the authority of the sun and sky. "I read from the Papyrus of Ani let the feather determine your guilt and sink into the Duat!" the white feathers turned black as sins progressed and those who had this happen would not come back.

Ah, but the Pharaoh Nefertari wasn't the only one bringing judgement. Jeanne d'Arc the Holy Maiden was raining down judgement as well. In the form of burning stakes which she fired with chains attached. Like harpoons each would kill and burn but snatch away bodies tossing them from the land as fires rained down from Fafnir. If there was to be such a thing today there was none more suited than Jeanne, who bore the most evil of grins on her face. At the same time the other of the sisters seemed to be content to sit but from the waters caused by Gilgamesh little droplets began to rise. This was much better for her use in general. "Rise, my little ones. Let Albion know they are not forgotten~" the return of the great Lake Fae would send a pleathora of them to the sides of each knight and member of Albion. Protections of the Lake conferred upon the masses, buffs applied the ability to move through all tides and fight unimpeded was conferred upon all who would need it. Regeneration was boosted and moral was hightened. One such little fae flickered by Artoria finding her already blessed as such. A spring was in the Queen of Knights steps as she stepped outside, the whole of creation finally visible and what she saw made her heart light. Chaldea had come so they could go home.

All the while Ishtar watched, gently moving herself around to avoid undue fire but finding the whole of this situation disturbing. Armies were falling quickly and each member of this group seemed to have quite a problem doing what they needed to. Her own divine beasts were spread out across the islands but it didn't seem to be helping as people who fell stayed down and those who did not seemed to only keep dropping. "Ugh, I am a goddess. Do not make me exert myself!" she practically whined. A powerful laser was charging in the front eye of her ship but it would take a while yet to reach the proper fortitude. The demon boar charged about with a small platoon on its back headed straight for Camelot. Artoria herself would not be spared. And a giant lion with the tail of a snake jumped at the King of Heroes' ship aiming to breathe fire unto him and poison him with fanged bites from the tail. All would be well.

[Bloodedge]

Artoria Pendragon had always been excitable when battle was a topic, but there seem to be something even greater still in her response. Gawain stood outside her bedroom door, blinking repeatedly. "As you wish," he said, electing to await her eventual emergence. Little did he know, she would not pass that threshold looking fit for combat. She stepped out as a woman ready to hit the town, so to speak, even with Excalibur in hand. "... Uncle?" he muttered accidentally. Gawain couldn't even bring himself to follow immediately behind; he was stunned. The woman who'd been his uncle when they met had never looked so stunning. Why, though? He'd find out not long after meeting the other knights outside. . .

"Fu. Haha. Hahahahaha‼" Beyond rushing water, electrocution, the screams of those judged and burned, and even beyond the explosive cannon fire, there was one sound. The King of Heroes' laughter stretched far, overtaking the battlefield as he stood in early triumph. Try though she might, there was no victory for Ishtar this day. "It matters not if you exert yourself, Ishtar! This is not a battle, nor was it ever going to be. This is what you call domination! Fuhahahaha!" Fully within his own element high above those who opposed him, Gilgamesh expressed nothing but brass even as the Nemean Lion ascended to his location. The moment that common beast opened its mouth to breathe flames upon the king, its life was all but forfeit. Massive as it was, Gilgamesh thought its mouth was best filled... with a nuclear warhead directly from Vimana itself. Aboard the golden ark, Gilgamesh would remain protected from the ensuing explosion.

Knights were en route to the battle they could all see quite clearly even from Camelot itself, but it was not knights alone who moved. They ran alongside the protections of the Lake Fairy, which one such as Lancelot recognized immediately. "Oh? It's going to be a grand show at this rate," the Knight of the Lake spoke as twin blades channeled the lake's own light throughout themselves. Enemy soldiers were mowed down with ease, with Sir Bedivere running along behind to pick off any who survived Lancelot's initial strikes.

[Apollymi]

After emerging from her room, Artoria was confronted by the obvious surprise of Gawain. How was such a surprise noted? The utterance Uncle with a look of awe. Artoria gave it only a slight chuckle and offered the man an encouraging smirk. "Come now, Gawain... we can not have you being too surprised~" she mentioned. She was quite ready to 'hit the town' as it were, but only because she was excited to see the King of Heroes. As Artoria made her way out the other knights were already moving about and she heard a noise that made her heart skip a beat. Laughter. That obnoxious laughter of the King of Heroes, which she'd grown so fond of, made an instant smile come to her face. In a moment like this even as a battle started the Queen of Knights had all the confidence in the world and managed to look happy as she approached. A Demonic Boar was headed straight for Camelot but it would be met by the casual steps of the Queen of Camelot. Who paused only long enough to raise that shining sword into the sky. "Hear me now, Knights of the Round Table. Our allies came to free us of the fog. It is our duty and honor to show them, why Albion has no enemies! Show them why trapping us here is their folly alone to bear! EX!-" that battle cry that was to come, brought light from the heavens and all around. Victory crystalized showed itself and in a moment like this her soul shined bright. "CALIBUR!!" The demon boar was slayed and cleansed in the light of the shining Queen of Knights. Dressed for a date, she truly would only show off. After all... there was someone she had to see.

"My Queen, great speech and looking lovely as ever!~" chimed the Lady Kay as ice bridge formed before them between the islands. Regardless of anything else, the sound of those little heels clicking as Artoria's visibility became known. What of Ishtar in a moment like this? Her Nemean Lion was felled and the Demon Boar like Cath Palug before it fell to the lower world free of her influence. She was getting mad now. How dare they show such resistance?! And why did the King of Heroes even bother. That bright light shining upon the world hurt her eyes and the well proportioned little queen now approaching the battlefield dressed like she had a hot date was annoying. "And what does she think she is doing?! How dare she kill another of my pets and approach the one who should be mine!?" Ishtar was furious but as always assumed that Gilgamesh would eventually be hers. In fact if he'd turned up here by himself she would have assumed he came to take her. After all, he obviously didn't come here just to rescue the flat-chested boy-queen of Camelot. All the while, the Lady Galahad with shield at her fore stood at the ready. She did not like the amount of charge time on the laser on that woman's 'boat' was too high for her to care. Artoria took in the scene of this battle in the moment and smiled. her head turned up to see, the King of Heroes atop his ship with a recently felled beast in his wake.

"My Sun and Stars, the Queen of the Hour has arrived!" exclaimed Nefertari, seeming to enjoy the dress and look the Queen had chosen for this particular battle. The Queen of Knights noted the Pyramid as well. The Knights of the Round Table that answered Artoria's words had taken off, but the Lady Kay stayed at her back as always to continue work. Meanwhile Agravain was moving about the battlefield almost hidden and crimson eyes which were being used along with her own chains to kill rapidly any who would encroach upon the Queen's walk. "I really am jealous of how well she cleans up... it makes me want to rethink my look," Vivian said almost huffily. Being a big sister was a problematic existence. Still in a moment like this she could be nothing but happy for her younger sister and the Knights they were freeing from the cursed fog. There was one among this crowd Artoria did not expect. The ship of Francis Drake was among those blasting away at the armies and the thing that had counted as fireworks. How strange. The King of Heroes had gathered many for her sake... she was touched.

[Bloodedge]

The smoke from a nuclear explosion cleared, and Gilgamesh's gaze fell upon the land below. As if she were a character from some form of fairy tale, Artoria Pendragon treaded a bridge of ice to reach the island. Oh? She truly did emerge from her bedchamber in her finest state of dress yet. "Magnificent," the king thought aloud. Sparks and spells flew in front, behind and all around, but he did not care for those sights. He had eyes only for one thing, which happened to be gloriously walking in his direction. "The Queen of Knights, tardy to her own christening! Worry not. I shall forgive it this once, and lo, I am even magnanimous enough to bring the celebration to you! Fuhahaha!" Gilgamesh laughed and laughed, until such a time as his annoyance was triggered. What was the cause? Ishtar, as always. "Be silent, Whore of Babylon. The fools shall not speak while the king addresses his queen," he said in a strangely passive manner. It seemed he had no immediate intention of dealing with Ishtar, now that there were more important things requiring his attention. Vimana lowered over time as Gilgamesh continued to speak. "I see the lapis has gone to excellent use. It's almost a shame these garments will be ripped to shreds in time."

Meanwhile, Ozymandias laughed within the pyramid of his own creation. With all the hullabaloo going on, the Golden King had time for this? Frankly, he respected the decision, and would have made the same if it were Nefertari he'd come to meet. "H'oh? I remember when you made that one. We should be prepared to be without this party's hosts soon, I think. Not that I mind," he said jokingly. The pyramid continued to fire its shots at enemies here and there, picking off what wasn't felled by Jeanne and her dragon, or even that strange pirate woman's fleet. Apart from that, Ozymandias was relaxing quite easily. In fact, he was in a calm enough state to joke around in the presence of Vivian. "Your face is the same! It would hardly be any different if you wore a similar piece," he countered after Vivian's initial observation.

[Apollymi]

The King of Heroes had words to share with Artoria Pendragon and she was keen to hear them. Yes, there was a battle going on, but it wasn't like everything required their direct attention. Besides, she'd been waiting thirty years to see him again when the time wasted was only supposed to be a day, she was allowed a bit of excitement. Of course the first words to spew from his mouth were absolutely embarrassing, but he claimed to have brought the celebration to her and she could only smile about it. obviously she could ignore that first bit. Why? Well the laugh probably did it, why did she like it? Emotional honesty probably. "I would not ask forgiveness for tardiness not my own fault..." she said her face practically beaming with a smile. "But this is more my style of celebration..." she admitted happily. Still there was now, a whining voice in the background. It sounded quite familiar too. Gilgamesh had silenced her and she to her credit she shut up. What would Gilgamesh say next? Something that had to process in the Queen of Knights mind, and when it did, she immediately went wide eyed and had her face reddened. "Can you not say such embarrassing things immediately after we meet?!" she said yes, Artoria Pendragon had returned to her normal self. Still she couldn't say she wasn't happy to see the King of Heroes. "Admittedly that is the easiest way to know you are yourself. I do not dislike your new attire either..." The Lady Kay stifled a giggle. 'That barely counts as flirting you know...' she mused, as she took the time to turn back around. Galahad only shook her head at the ice bridge, the princess fantasies of the Lady Kay concerning Artoria Pendragon always played out interestingly. The Queen of Knights finally became a girl and it was rather funny. All the while, Ishtar couldn't take being ignored this long and for what? A flat-chested boy-queen in a blue dress. "UGH! DO NOT IGNORE ME JUST TO TALK TO SOME FLAT-CHESTED BITCH!" That tone so shrill and annoying finally made Artoria turn her gaze if only just a little. That particular insult was one she'd heard before... ah she remembered now. That avatar as well... was one she knew. How would recognition play out? "Who actually made the cam-girl a goddess? Why was that a good idea?! No wonder the whole world is in ruins that is something people thought worthy of worship!?" the Queen was outraged almost immediately. Jeanne from where she was could only nod her head... it was quite true, the one who Ishtar had originally been made perfect sense of the terror this woman had been causing everyone.

The other Knights also looked up. Of those who had played that video game and ended up here, quite a few also recognized the goddess Ishtar as the cam-girl known as Mai Valentine. Well a lot of things about the imbalance of the world suddenly made plenty of sense. Nefertari found it funny as well, "Yes I do remember you saying such a thing when it was first made. I did always think it very cute and very fitted to her own style..." she said with a knowing smirk. At the same time, Vivian found herself only able to shake her head. "I mean yes our faces are all essentially the same but, she has a different sort of flair. My youngest sister as well... I think we all look fairly different, and I definitely couldn't pull off anything that innocently attractive~" she said of her younger sister's current stylings. "That really is a great look by the way~" she said to Nefertari in passing. You could always tell when passionate people did things. Every piece they made seemed to sing. Ah, and while there were barely any people living on the ground level Ishtar was an ever present threat herself, but she never acted in a normal way so it wasn't really a problem. Or rather her laser wasn't done charging yet, so she'd have to continue putting up with all of this sass. But she wouldn't forever, she'd beem that little Knight Queen clean off the planet if she had to, Gilgamesh would not ignore her.

[Bloodedge]

"Hmph. You are allowed the hubris of not seeking forgiveness, as I will grant it to you freely regardless," Gilgamesh countered. She did have a point; this form of celebration was much more her style. In truth, it was more to his speed as well. There was always something satisfying about the glory of a battle ending in victory, and this would certainly be no loss for their side. What of the embarrassing things he said, though? To that, he had only another laugh to offer. "Don't be so foolish. Thirty years in the making, why should my first sight be anything other than your fluster?" he questioned without so much as a second thought. His own change of outfit was noted, was it? Good; it would be a waste otherwise. The king spread his arms as if to grant a better view of his form and ensemble. Of course, the smugness on his face was going nowhere soon. "H'oh? For you to claim you do not dislike something, I suppose I shall take it as utmost adoration. Very well. You shall have the privilege of ripping it to shreds, if you can manage the gall to do so."

Much to Gilgamesh's chagrin, Ishtar would not remain silent for very long. She always reared her cursed head again eventually. This time, he couldn't even have a full conversation with his queen before she crammed that bristled voice into his ear. Worse yet, she had some choice words to offer regarding the Queen of Knights. He'd tack that away for later, as Artoria herself had some strange things to say regarding the goddess. What the hell was a cam-girl? "I know not what this cam-girl thing is. Shall I assume it is something like a green-dyed warthog with the laugh of a hyena?" he asked almost seriously, yet with that same cheeky grin on his face.

Ozymandias was finally leaving the throne of his pyramid, stepping down to view the ongoing battle more directly through the command room's display. In doing so, he continued watching Nefertari through the corner of his eye, until the moment he stood before the display. "You remember the rest then? I haven't seen you make something of your own for a while now, what with all those other works in progress." That comment was all he thought to offer for the time being, though the Lake Fairy had chosen to comment on some alleged difference between herself and her siblings. Did they look so different? He didn't think so, but oh well. "You could have fooled me. I thought you were all the same person, but if innocence is not suited to you, it is your prerogative to avoid the look. There is something for everyone, I suppose."