Fate / Chronos

Chapter 12: A Divine Clash

Talia looks at a sky full of stars. She thinks she can reach out and touch them. The view from above the clouds is so much more beautiful without the light pollution. Every little light is a distant star in the vast expanse of space.

Even though her hair is messy from the strong winds at above five kilometers, the rare sight is definitely worth it.

"Shoddy, inferior, unacceptable!" Ozymandias says.

Unfortunately, the Cosmic Sphinx and its passengers aren't riding through the sky to sightsee.

"Is there no architecture in the modern era worthy of standing close to the splendor of my temple?" Ozymandias asks, his eyes scanning the city below him.

"P-Perhaps I could help you in your search if you tell me what to look for," Talia says.

"Fool, you do not possess the disposition of a pharaoh," Ozymandias says, not averting his eyes from the city. "Therefore, you cannot determine a suitable location. Hm?"

Talia follows his gaze as he abruptly stops. Ozymandias seems to be focusing on the forest area outside the city. Namely, an area with a magnificent castle in white.

"Tell me, what do you know of that castle there?" he asks.

"Uhm, if I remember correctly, that is the residence of the Einzbern Master," Talia replies. "According to information on the previous three Holy Grail Wars, they use that castle as their main base of operations every time they come to Fuyuki."

"Hmm, Berserker is the Servant of that homunculus if I recall correctly," Ozymandias contemplates. "Or so it seems..."

"What do you mean?" she asks.

"No, it was nothing," he says, waving his hand dismissively.

It clearly isn't nothing, but Talia doesn't press the matter.

"Those castle grounds should be adequate," he concludes.

The Cosmic Sphinx descends after those words and approaches the castle at a rapid pace. Talia holds onto the sphinx's skin with her hands as to not fall off. How Ozymandias can freely stand with no need to hold onto something at this speed, she will never know.

Everything seems quiet when two rays of sunlight shoot left and right past the sphinx. They each hit an axe that falls back to the ground.

"Very well, let us settle this!" Ozymandias shouts downwards.

The sphinx comes down to the ground. Talia carefully peeks over the cover of the sphinx and sees Ozymandias staring down Berserker who just collected his second axe off the ground. The enemy Servant looks at them with a blank expression.

There are a few seconds of silence. Only the leaves in the trees rustle due to the passing wind. Then...

"Heh," Ozymandias says. "Huhahahahahaha! I knew it!"

The Pharaoh bursts out laughing.

"You cannot fool me," he continues. "I know who you are imitating. Maddened or not, a ruler always carries himself with pride. You, on the other hand, are devoid of it! I can see it all over you that you do not even possess the tiniest sliver of the disposition of a ruler."

The Servant in question gradually shrinks in size, contorts, and his whole body turns to a shade of grey. A few seconds pass until a person about the same height as Ozymandias stands before them. He is draped in a white cloak, has lush green hair with matching turquoise eyes, and is barefoot. There are no visible weapons on this Servant.

Talia squints at the shapeshifting Heroic Spirit.

What a strange Servant. Despite having the face of a beautiful woman, all other parts of their body make the Servant appear male. It almost looks unnatural, like a doll or something.