"... how many times do I have to say that I'm sorry?"
"I never asked you to say it."
"Yeah, but... you're mad at me..."
"... I'm really sorry, that wasn't me... ok, technically speaking, that was me, but you know what I mean, Jalter..."
"..."
"Look, if you cheer up, I'll make burgers tonight, ok? I'll even add those curly fries you love so much..."
"... you better keep your promise, insect..."
"That's fair... good, I'm glad we could resolve this. The same goes for you naturally, Salter."
"... don't forget the bacon, idiot."
"I never do."
"Thanks for the help, guys."
"Don't mention it, Nero. I got a bit worried when you started to throw up rainbow vomit, but it seems like Archer's antidote worked like a charm."
"Indeed... you're awesome, Goldie!"
"Clean your face properly, you savage. My eyes will never be able to erase the memory of that horrible moment."
"You have to admit those mushrooms were pretty tasty..."
"How dare you assume that I tried them."
"I guessed you did. After all, you put one through your portals."
"I saw its potential as a decoration."
"Hehe, I'm sure you did..."
"... we have arrived."
"Goldie's right! There's a huge fortress there!"
"Wow, look at those cannons! They make me want to test mine out!"
"Who do you think you are, moron? Some kind of warlord?"
"Stupid insect..."
"Sorry..."
As the group got closer, two guards blocked their way.
"Halt! Who are you?"
"We're-"
"We're people who have to pass through this gate. Now, you better move, mongrels, while I'm still patient enough to ignore your rude gesture."
"Who do you think you are?"
"I could ask you the same question, mongrel."
"Why did this situation needlessly escalate..."
"Hold on, these people look like the ones the King was expecting."
"Huh? Really?"
"I'm sure of it."
"My apologies then, this way."
The group followed the guards inside. Over the wall, there was a small citadel, with a strong castle at the centre. They entered it.
"Continue that way until the third door."
"Thanks!"
"We shouldn't lower our guard."
"Huh?"
"We don't know their true intention. And the fact that they were expecting us is suspicious."
"Yes, for all we know, there could be a Grand here that's been fed information by Alaya."
"Ugh, so we have another problem on our way..."
Saber gripped the handle of her sword as she took a deep breath, ready to open the third door.
"We must not jump to conclusions, but we have to be prepared for ever-"
Just then, she heard the door open, and she felt a force pressing against her face. Something soft hit her and then, like a spring, knocked her back a few steps.
"Ow... what the hell?"
"Oh, my apologies, I didn't think you'd already be here. The big boss has been expecting you."
"You... you are..."
"W-What?"
"Are you serious?"
"What's the matter? Oh my, he didn't warn me about this."
"You're... me!"
"Another Saber?!"
"I guess that's how it is."
"But how?"
"Probably different timeline?"
"Different timeline? You look like me... except... a bit more grown... and... meaty..."
"I like you just the way you are, Saber."
"Shut up, Archer! That's discouraging."
"Mmm... and you must be... but, there's two of you... hehe, this is real fun, I guess he didn't want to spoil the surprise. Anyway, sorry for keeping you here, please come in, the big boss himself will speak to you now. He's inside here."
The new Artoria opened the door. The group went inside. Near the fireplace, there was various luxurious furniture, and next to it, an opulent table, where the head of someone was lying.
"Oh Heavens! He's dead!"
"Oh, don't worry, he's just sleeping. He keeps overworking himself and sometimes he just dozes off. Your guests have arrived, King of Uruk."
The figure rose up, and once again, everyone was in shock.
"You... you... me... you're me!"
"Must you be so loud, mongrel?"
"M-M-Mongrel?!"
"I was enjoying a good rest for once... you truly came at an inopportune time... and yet... the one I imagined... I can see where the conversation is about to end so I'll be short... I'm from another timeline, but one very similar to yours, one lost in time, an error of reality, what one might call a singularity, just like The Lion King over there."
"Indeed, but somehow we've also been summoned here, even though technically we should no longer exist, right?"
"What's impossible in the conventional sense is far from impossible for the Will of Humanity. A being of that caliber is above trivial things like logic and natural order and..."
Before he could go on, the King closed his eyes and smashed his face against the table.
"Oh Heavens, he's dead!"
"Oh, don't worry. He's just a bit tired."
"There's no way any version of me could resemble this narcoleptic excuse of a- Ow!"
An axe fell on Gilgamesh's head.
"What the hell was that?"
"Sorry, it must be the King of Uruk's automatic response to being disturbed in his sleep."
"Ha-ha, what a dumbass, Galt-"
An axe fell on Salter's head too, and she crashed into the other Artoria.
"My, my, I would advise you to keep quiet until he wakes. It doesn't take him that long usually."
"So soft..."
"As I was saying, a being like Alaya or Gaia is not bound by order. They're forces that obey only their objective, seem to display their own personality, and just like any intelligent being, without the proper stimuli, they get bored. To them, burning the world down is like watching a play, but we cannot allow them to put all at risk for their flimsy desires."
"But why did Alaya send us to you?"
"It's simple... she wants to be challenged. She wants us to do our best... so that she can crush it. Her confidence tells her that she can beat us in spite of everything we do, which might as well be true, but that's the exact reason we have a chance. Thank you, Lion King."
Older Gil got up as he grabbed the coffee mug Older Artoria had prepared for him and sat down on one of the couches.
"Please, have a seat, so we can discuss the prospect of our alliance."
They all obliged, with the Lion King sitting next to him.
"Archer-"
"You may address this young fool however you wish, but I would prefer if you referred to me as King Gilgamesh."
"You old fool! You'd think Saber would comply with such a-"
"King Gilgamesh, what exactly is this place?"
"These are the headquarters of the United Front, and we are the leaders. Through the future that I saw, and looking through the intentions of the Will of Humanity when she presented before my eyes, I concluded that the only way to oppose such a being is to coordinate and unite as many allies as possible. And so I have managed to gather many subordinates and allies, who are now engaged in this ongoing war."
"And yet you go sleeping around in your mansion..."
"You must be a version of the Lion King that's not as bright, I gather. A king commands from his throne, he doesn't-"
"Rush to the battlefield like a foot soldier, yeah, yeah, go on, you old fool. ... hold on a minute, FOOT SOLDIERS?! WHO THE HELL ARE YOU CALLING FOOT SOLDIERS, YOU MONG-"
An axe fell on Gilgamesh's head.
"Big Bro, I think it's better if you don't say anyt-"
An axe fell on Galter's head, too.
"Ow... ow... sorry..."
"Lion King, would you be so kind?"
"Of course."
Older Artoria moved forward and touched the small table at the centre, which projected a hologram of a map with several coloured areas and points.
"This is a rough map of this world. Those zones are the parts where disturbances and interferences are present. Those are connected either to peculiar creations of this world, Counter Guardians, Gaia's monsters, and existences like Beast candidates. We have sent Servants to get rid of those. These seven points, which correspond to where the Grand Servants are currently located, are Fusion Points, points of spacetime that have appeared in this world. Artificial singularities, if you will."
"Hold on a second, before we just gloss over that, you said you saw the future..."
"Of course."
"... so that's something... You can just do?"
"Naturally."
"So that means... wait, Archer... you can see the future?"
"I... ehm... yes, yes I can."
"ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS RIGHT NOW?"
"So what?"
"So what?! You know, that would have been real fucking useful to know, you dickhead! I almost died!"
"So you're telling me you can just see the future if you want, like, just like that?!"
"Ok, see... this tone, this situation is exactly why I tend not to use it."
"Is it something taxing, something that takes a long time?"
"No, we can simply see possible futures and the way we unfold if we so much as wish so."
"Don't screw me over, damn it... and don't fall asleep right after!"
"Excuse me... possible futures... YOU CAN EVEN SEE WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO OBTAIN A CERTAIN FUTURE... AND YOU DON'T DO THAT?!"
"I don't like it, it's boring!"
"It's boring?! BORING?! I'LL BURN YOU TO ASH, LET'S SEE HOW BORING THAT IS-"
An axe fell on Jalter's head.
"So, what else can you do with those eyes, Goldie?"
"Oh... well... nothing much... just... see people's intentions... plans... abilities... identities..."
"So basically, you can see whatever you want."
"No..."
"And see how you can counter everything."
"That's a bit..."
"And not get fooled by practically anything."
"W-Well..."
"And what's your excuse, idiot?"
"M-Me?"
"Yeah, you moron, you have eyes too, so why-"
"Cursed."
"... so you're the only idiot here, Galter."
"You never change, Archer..."
"W-Wait, cut me some slack."
"I can't defend you this time, Goldie."
"B-But... I used it to save that fool from getting sniped... and to coordinate our attacks against that beast."
"..."
"I swear, at the start I was hesitant, but now I'm willing to use it when needed and when possible."
"What do you mean when possible?"
"Our vision should be absolute, but in an effort to keep things entertaining, Alaya cancels parts of the future that we should be able to see."
"Oh, he's awake again!"
"Would you like a blanket, King of Uruk?"
"I'm trying to keep myself awake."
"Oh, how sweet, she's like a secretary-"
An axe fell on Nero's head.
"Don't speak of a ruler so casually, mongrel. Now, where were we... ah yes, Fusion Points... we sent many agents to slow down the advance of those Grands, but there's one in particular that has been able to defeat everything we've thrown at him... and now, only the freshly manifested part of reality, led by the Servant version of its ruler, stands in his way. So that's where you'll be headed.
That's your next mission."