Souls Of The Fateless (FGO x God's Wrath OC Series Story)

Harbinger of the End (V): Hero's Darkest Hour

★ Gudako POV★

With the proclamation issued, the last order was officially underway. The battle wasn't as simple as light vs dark but humanity vs beast as my allies drew nigh, their silver blades shining with an untarnished purity similar to the article Okita toted with her—Silva's last memories contained within the sealed orb...the lone object that carried all our hopes on its back to restore Silva's humanity. 

Things already aren't shaping up to look well. He has yet to move. He's been silently standing in place, taking every barrage Atalanta's fired upon him. Even with all the fights we've put him through, there aren't any signs of visible damage on him.

"...Master!" I was broken from my stupor with a firm call and an even firmer weight being pressed into my stomach. "For your safety, I need you behind me. I can't fire downrange if you try to stand before me. I'm the last line of defense between you and Silva."

"Sorry, I didn't even realize I was moving." Paying a fair warning to Atalanta's concerns, I took up refuge under her protection, observing things unfold from behind her as she pulled back on her bowstring in preparation.

I'm sure Atalanta's instincts are telling her something similar as well. If Silva's cautious of the orb, why would he idly stand there? Everyone is almost upon him. He'd be swarmed...

"Hey, Atalanta...?"

"...Atalanta?" No answer came from the person slightly spaced out in front of me.

"Archer?"

Risky curiosity steering the wheel, I moved to the front, purposefully blocking Atalanta's line of sight. A few hellos, a frantic wave of the hand, and even some quick snaps all before her sharp eyes garnered no response from the feline archer. Everywhere I looked and everything I attempted, nothing reacted to my movements.

Terrifying...It's as if...

An unnerving gust threatening to knock me aside blew against my back, nearly cutting into my skin, and suddenly felt the presence of another shadow overshadowing mine, near-instantly making me feel cold, as though I had been locked for hours inside a deep freezer.

The world as I knew it turned topsy-turvy. Nothing brought more pain than experiencing my body be turned into a literal tumbleweed made to roll across the battered terrain, meeting an end to my journey against an immovable object as my back cried out with a crack after slamming into a stone twice the size of I.

"DUCK!!!"

"I think...you're a bit too late, Typhoon." The words I coughed sprayed a healthy mix of my blood and saliva as a thin string strung to the side of my face while I weakly pushed myself off the rock to stand.

"Shit. Sorry. I was a step behind. The kid completely nulled my senses. Things have just begun, and the situation feels like we're being barbecued over an open fire."

"What's even happening? I can't make heads of anything. Is everyone afflicted with a curse?" My legs wouldn't cease their shaking, even with the support of the boulder bearing my weight. 

Fiercely grasping and tugging on the sides of my legs with either hand helped accomplish what gravity couldn't, being the sole method keeping me from folding and collapsing like a ship going under. A warm yet tight feeling took me by surprise in the following moments, as though my body was fortified. 

Time felt like it had been repeated, or rather, my life felt like it was being looped so I could reenact the same pain I'd already experienced, almost as if it was some deleted scene in a bloopers reel.

My body folded like origami paper, and gladly, the wind led me at whatever whims it wished, tossing me whichever way it pleased until I hit solid earth again, rolling uncontrollably until friction put up more of a fight and brought me to a halt.