Fate/Writer's Dream

Chapter Twenty, Drowning

     The pouring rain splattered across the ocean as more tentacles shot out from the water and caused havoc to the remaining structures. A loud roar tumbled across the surface and could be felt and heard from afar. Lightning struck the surface and thunder bellowed from the heavens. The barrier that protected the skyscraper lowered and the water rushed into the building, but it didn't collapse. Only the top ten floors exited the deep waters.

     The surface of the stormy water rippled and exploded as a person's arms flailed widely in the endless sea.

     Nap gasped for breath and tried to grasp onto anything, but there was nothing. Her body slowly sunk back down into the water. Her body was thrust out once more as a piece of debris smacked her back. She gasped for air and grabbed onto the floating piece. Water flooded her lungs as the treacherous waves tried to pull her back down.

     "S-someone," she stuttered as she clawed on the broken piece. "S-s-save me—"

     In the distance, she could hear crying of a small child. Nap looked up when she recognized the voice: it was Philip crying for help.

     "P-Philip," she stuttered  as she looked around to look for him. She was shivering from the freezing cold water, and she knew that it was probably worse for Philip since he was such a small child. "S-s-stay with me." She tried to paddle through the intense waves, but she was getting nowhere. Looking down at the water, intense fear swept into her and she nearly lost her grip on the debris. "I-I'm sorry Philip. I-I can't swim..." she whispered as her vision started to fade from the corners. "I'm... sorry..."

     "Master," a voice called out from above.

     That voice was enough drag Nap back into her body. She looked up and saw Cú Chulainn crouching on the debris she hanged so desperately to. He looked down at her with a calm face. He wasn't the destructive beast that she influenced, but instead the actual Cú Chulainn, the legendary Celtic warrior who's fame was so great that when enemies saw his dead corpse being held by rope on a tall stone, they feared him never approached his body to make sure he was dead or alive. His tail slid across the metal and plopped into the water. Lightning struck behind him and all of his features could be seen.

     "Cú Chulainn..." she muttered. The creeping cold that was washed over her disappeared and the fear of the ocean ceased for the moment. Her surroundings ceased to exist before her very eyes, and all that was there was a blank white void, her, the debris, and Cú.

     Cú frowned. "I told you not to call me by my True Name," he scolded.

     "Ah, sorry, Berserker. What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be inside me and..." she looked around, "where are we?"

     Cú looked around too. "You're currently in my mind," he answered.

     Nap nodded. "It's pretty bland and... boring."

     "You see it that way?" A small smile could be seen spreading on his face. "Good. That's how it's supposed to be." He looked back down at Nap and stood up. "When your mind is empty, you become calm. Brave. Unstoppable." He waved his hand and the scenery changed. It became a destroyed abyss filled with flames and burning ruins. "Compared to my mind... it speaks for itself. What do you have on your mind?"

     Nap pouted and looked away. "... Why should I tell you?" she asked.

     "I'm already a part of you. I know everything you know."

     "Then why do you want me to say it then if you know everything?"

     "Just say it. It's always better to say something rather than holding it all in." He sat back down and summoned his spear to row their debris forward through the flaming ruins. "We have time here, so I suggest you say it before you die of regret and anger someday."