Chapter 77 - Beyond The Sea

11:16pm, The Shores of GlyfadaMonica, Saber, Lancer, Assassin and her Master wandered onto the thin beach, the familiar place, now isolated in all senses by the fog that overtook the city each night.The clock was ticking, and the anxiety ate away at her. She, a know-nothing runaway entrapped into working at a strip club, was about to conduct a military-style raid aided by mystic beings shot through time, characters literally out of story books, in order to rescue a girl she didn't know from a fate of which she wasn't aware. Her life was on the line, and yet, there was still a part of her that was struggling to find a way out, still looking for a way to claim it was all a dream, or, alternatively, that all her life up to this point was what was truly unreal.Compared to the leap of logic it took just to accept the truth, the leap of assuming the thoughts she'd heard every now and then were indeed a product of telepathy was barely noticeable.'So...' She ventured her thoughts, hoping they would indeed reach her Servant, 'Are we sure that Assassin's Master can actually help us? It seems like a little bit of a leap, doesn't it?'She quietly wondered what her name was; she knew she'd heard it before- then her eyes went wide, wondering whether he'd heard that as well.'It was Massiah, if I remember.' He responded in her mind, 'As for the rest- well, you never know with Mages. It's worth a shot.''Sure...' She mentally stuttered, 'But we really don't know anything about them. Echo seems like the only one who can pass the language barrier... surprisingly.'She reflected back on her own experience. Maybe Servant speech could always be understood? It could be that Echo's curse made that impossible, or was it the only way they could really communicate with Massiah at all? There was another thought as well: times when she didn't just hear Chrysaor in her head, but felt his emotions. Not so much telepathy as... empathy. Maybe that was the answer.Her eyes flitted to Chrysaor and then away, 'So... Do you, like, hear all my thoughts?'She blushed, instinctively reacting to the worst case scenario.'No, no. I only hear the ones you broadcast.''What does that even mean?''You'll understand eventually.'She wondered to herself whether she really would, and, hearing no response, recorded the sensations to be more careful with her inner monologues in the future.Monica sighed, allowing the built up emotions to evaporate in the crisp night air as she stopped in the sand. The beach was small, a few more steps and she'd reach water, but, to her shock and surprise, Massiah and Echo kept walking, wading out into the shallows of high tide- not even flinching as the icy water creeped up their bare legs."W-wait a minute-" She looked to Echo, "You guys can get us to the island, right?"Echo rolled her eyes and placed a hand on her hip, "Us-can get- you guys- to the island,"She gestured out to the open ocean.Monica took a deep breath. This wasn't quite what she was expecting, but, at the same time, she had come without any real expectations in the first place, so she couldn't call herself surprised, especially since she'd come prepared enough with a waterproof bag and a bathing suit under her clothes.She took the blue bag off her shoulders and handed it off to Saber, "Hold this for a minute- thanks."She stripped off her white jacket, feeling the goosebumps raise on her arm in the cold, and handed it to him as well. She saw the corners of his mouth turn, on the edge of complaining about being a coat hanger, but an apologetic smile sent his lips back to where they belonged. She continued her ritual, pulling up on her pink tank top and revealing her navel before a shiver shot down her spine, and not just from the night air.She immediately glared downwards, and Pigsy looked away as quickly as he could, but he couldn't hide his blush, or the drool that leaked from the corners of his snout.Long ago done with the small Servant's shenanigans, her neck grated over to look at her Servant, her own arms frozen over her chest.He raised an eyebrow.She nodded.In a single, swift motion, Chrysaor scooped up Lancer in the bag and zipped it shut. He struggled and cried from within, "Hey! What's the big idea!""Quiet.""Don't give me that -oink-! What did I do wrong, huh!? Is it my fault for being born a man? Huh!?""You're a pig, and you act like one."Not interrupting Saber and Lancer's bitter exchange, Monica gingerly laid her top on Saber's shoulder and moved on to her shorts."You can't trick me -oink! I know what yer really like, you goddamn virgin! Yer a creep! A predator!"As her pants came off, dangling precariously as she tried her best to keep them away from the sand, she felt Lancer's attention shift to her, "I mean, come on, lady! I've been in a damn bag all day! Gimme a break -oink-!"She groaned, his whining getting to her, "Blame yourself for being so portable. Doesn't seem like there's any other option, anyway."She laid her pants over Saber's shoulder, took her jacket back from the bottom of the pile, and started to fold.Massiah, Echo's Master, watched the whole display in confusion. Looking to her Servant for help, a wordless conversation was held, ending in a look of understanding as she pulled off her sundress, already soaked at the hems. Echo raised her hands and hurriedly waded over, barely catching it before it fell into the water, then bringing it over to the group on the beach. Seeing it was already wet, Monica put the wet dress into a different pocket before unzipping the main.Pigsy's head shot out and took a deep breath before being shoved back in and smothered in clothes. The bag was zipped again."Come on!" Came his muffled cries, "I can't breathe!""You don't need to breathe," Saber shot back."So?"Monica slapped the bag, "Don't mess with my clothes, Lancer.""As if- oink. There's nothing fun in here, anyway."She slapped the bag again, harder this time, and allowed Saber to drape it back over her shoulders, making sure the zippers were completely shut.Saber patted down the bag and took a step back, "Alright. Everything important taken care of?""Um- lemme think. Phone. Clothes. Wallet. Yeah, should be.""Shoes?""I'll keep the sandals on- Hey, wait. Where are you going?"He took a step back up the beach, his hands raised defensively, "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. Just trust me, okay?"Saying this, he gave his signature, sad smile, and Monica watched in horror as his body evaporated into golden ether. She hustled forward in a panic, allowing her small feet to sink into the holes left by his boots as she looked all around for her missing friend."Chrysaor?"Before she could call again, a voice called from inside her mind, 'Relax. I'm here. This will let me stick close to you without taking space. Don't worry, I'll be there at a moment's notice if anything happens.'"Uh-okay?"She didn't quite understand it, but felt a rock tap her on the shoulder- Echo's petrified finger. Looking back, Assassin nodded towards her soaking Master in the ocean and walked back into the shallow sandbar. Still shaken from events past and future, she stepped with uncertainty into the waves, cringing at the cool water, before stepping in completely and wading out with the half-naked women. Following their lead, they continued into deeper and deeper water, until the seafloor finally fell from beneath her feet.Images of the golden sea started to fill her head, peaceful and turbulent: the chaos of the open sea."We're not swimming there, are we? I-I'm not a great swimmer- and is it even possible- this can't be the plan-"Assassin's frozen foot kicked her from under the water, and the Servant's round eyes pointed her to the Master, treading just in front of them, and seeming to be waiting for something.Struggling with her club foot and hands, Echo pushed forward and wrapped her arms around her Master, and nodded her head for Monica to do the same.She hesitated, but another thought came to her. If Echo, struggling with feet and hands of stone, thought this was a good idea, and was willing to trust her life to it, then she ought to be able to do the same. With this cautious confidence rising in her chest, she wrapped her arms around Massiah's neck alongside Assassin's. And, with a nod to both girls, the foreign Master disappeared beneath the waves, taking both her passengers with her....Aaron leaned back against the back of the ship and let the cigarette burn down to nothing but a butt. As he smothered the embers on the deck, he took the pack from his pocket and grabbed the last one in the box-A pair of silver fingers plucked it from his hands, "For shame, Master. To hath so much and not share even a morsel."Rider stood to his full height over Aaron, and allowed his faceplate to dissolve into gold ether, once again revealing his face. It was here that Aaron got a true and proper look at the man behind the mask. His eyes glowed with the same hue and brightness as his hair, his nose was straight and seamless with his forehead, his jaw was somehow both square and pointed, but his skin and lips were fair and soft- surprisingly so.He reached down his armored hand again, "A light, if thou wouldst."Aaron, too tired to argue, slapped his lighter into Rider's hand with a half-hearted glare.Rider, having seen Aaron perform the ritual countless times before, raised the cigarette to his mouth and lit it as if he were an expert in the field...-His otherwise handsome features puckered like a raisin as he spat the tobacco out of his mouth and over the edge of the ship, coughing and hacking like a drowning man.Aaron jumped to his feet and raced to the edge in time to see the embers fall out of the paper and simmer in the clouds beneath them, disappearing somewhere along the shoreline below.He shoved Rider in the shoulder, "What the Hell, dude!? That was the last one!"But Rider only laughed his typical, boisterous laugh with some scattered coughs interrupting, a laugh Aaron had found he'd missed over the last twenty-four hours.Once he'd finally quieted himself, he turned to Aaron with mischief in his eye, "I should daresay I hath done thee a great deed, Master, for I hath no memory of a substance so foul in my time. I cannot imagine how thou art able to bear it."He could only sigh, "Practice and addiction." He leaned on the rail and stared out at the now-familiar Athenian skyline, "What do you think'll happen tonight?""Ah, so that wouldst be the cause of thine worry." Rider wandered to the front of the ship, "A great man once told me to think nothing, so that I would never be surprised. I did mock him for it, but I do believe now is precisely the time for that idiom.""You scared?"Lugh raised his eyes to the clear sky overhead, above the clouds so that nothing could obstruct the stars but the lights of the city below. His feet took him back to Aaron's side and he placed his hand on his Master's shoulders,"Aye. And I hath enough fear for the both of us. Thyself, mine Master," He poked Aaron's chest with a metal hand, "-Must giveth thine fear over to me. Thoust must empty thyself of all anxiety, lest our 'friends' among the council begin to suspect. Understand?"It was always difficult to meet Rider's eyes. They glowed so brightly that it was impossible to look at them directly,"Yeah. I'll try."He poked Aaron again with more force, "Do not merely 'try', Master. It must be done."The severity caught him slightly off-guard, "Right... I will."Rider backed off, "Very well. It shant be long, now... though the same cannot be said of the night itself."...Caster examined his model with a furrowed brow, his eyes darting wildly across the scale city, as if searching for a fly which had been buzzing in his ear.Aisha began brewing tea, enough for a party, "Put that thing away, Caster. We have guests."He winced, tensing as if to lob words like knives across the room, but all that frustration let itself unwind as a groan, and he backed away from the model, twirling his finger and watching the table shrink down to the size of a shoebox in a cloud of indigo vapor."You're right- you're right. There are still preparations to be made, and we don't want to punish our early arrivals."He picked up the model gently, cradling it in his arms as if it were a housecat."What's the problem, anyway? It's not like you to be so..." She tried to find the word for it, "...fazed."Around the room, skeletons were arranging furniture, dusting shelves, and sweeping the floor. Caster grabbed one of these by the shoulder, whispered arcane words in its ear, and handed off the model. With a flesh of violet in its empty sockets, it wandered absentmindedly through the door to the basement, and Caster, removed of his toy, flopped onto the couch next to him."I've never been able to track Assassin and their Master, you know that.""I do. Why is it a problem now?""Because suddenly, I can't track anyone."She turned with her own furrowed brow, "Is something wrong with your clairvoyance? Maybe they left the city."He shook his head and brought his hand to his chin, "Archer and Berserker are situated beyond the city. We know that, and it's fine. Berserker's mana is unforgettable, and easy to keep track of when manifested, and it doesn't take much effort to extend so far beyond the city. Archer can hide himself from me, but can only do so much for his Master. It's child's play to keep track of him so long as Archer isn't around- now that I'm familiar with him.""-But that's not the problem.""...The day before last, Saber and his Master disappeared. I assumed they'd died. Killed by Assassin or Archer, most likely. Same thing happened with Lancer and his Master last night. I assumed the same. Today, both Saber and Lancer reappeared- together- and soon disappeared again.""So they've found a way to get around your clairvoyance, then? Smart."He leaned forward further, as if staring into the eyes of some invisible person across from himself,"No- they're too ignorant to have planned this. It was entirely accidental. No, it was an unintended side effect. They've allied with Assassin- I'm sure of it.""You don't think it's temporary? A truce before the war council?""...Rider left the city grounds today as well. Southbound. No- Lancer, Saber, and Assassin are planning something- perhaps Rider and Archer too, and I have no idea what. If that were the case, then we'd be the only one out-of-the-loop, which, needless to say, is a goddamn problem, Aisha."The final words growled out, spoken by a tiger ready to pounce."Do you fear Assassin that much?""Aisha- the world's greatest killer is not weapons or people: it's ignorance. Knowledge is the greatest weapon and shield, and we are being stripped of it."Now, Aisha was beginning to feel concerned as well. She had always been arrogant, yes, but there she also possessed a certain neuroticism which had been quieted by the assuring and powerful presence of her Servant. Seeing him anxious ate away at the walls that kept her stress otherwise at bay."Do you know what could be causing it? Anti-scrying mystics aren't uncommon, but this isn't mere scrying- it's clairvoyance: hiding from you is no different than-""-Hiding from the planet itself- yes, I'm aware.""What would even be capable of that?"His eyes continued to narrow on the invisible point, the goal, the answer he sought but which still lay under the horizon and out-of-view,"Only three: the Divine, the Anti-Divine, and the Beyond Divine. Archer, I suspect, is a combination of the first two, but, knowing his True Name, I do not fear him. As an Assassin, I fear this one may be too much of the second category- especially given the circumstances..."To her own surprise, perhaps for the first time in her life, she felt some twinge of pity in her chest, "There's someone particular that you're afraid of, is that it?""Yes. Very. If he appeared, all this would be for nothing- though I don't know if he exists or not... he well and truly could be me, but that's beside the point."It occurred to her that here, for once in what could have been thousands of years, her Servant, Caster, Dionysus, was laying it bare. He was being completely honest, genuinely and desperately scrounging for answers to his questions. Watching his veil of pride fall away, something inside her, the womanly nature she'd always suppressed, responded to it, and left her no choice but to dedicate all her mental energy to squaring the circle they'd found.She leaned against the counter and crossed her arms under her bosom,"...What if it isn't the Servant? It could be the Master. What then?"He tasted this new thought with care, like the sommelier that he was, "...Then it would surely be the third category: Beyond Divine. Something beyond the understanding of the Earth, like a fey or a devil. Things that like to meddle from beyond without leaving a trace of their existence."A smile crossed her lips: they were making progress, "If that's the case, then we can modify the leylines to be able to detect those beings. Then this creature and their influence would be perfectly observable.""Bah!" Caster shot up from his seat and began to pace the room, causing even the skeletons to look around nervously, "That is certainly possible, but we'd need to know what we're dealing with first! Without that, it's blind trial and error and we don't have the time for that!"Her smile faded, but another light gleamed in her eyes: this was exactly the sort of intellectual back-and-forth that she lived for,"-Not if we attuned to the True Leylines. It's beyond the scope for a modern mage, but for a demigod magus from the Age of Gods... surely..."Leylines were invisible currents of energy. Though nonexistent to those who were unfamiliar with mana, they were the undergirds of all reality. These currents connected all things, and acted as the foundation of the universe's laws, and especially the magecraft which manipulated and abused these laws to its own ends. There were lesser leylines, currents of magical energy that were temporary in nature, such as magical circuits and the bonds of a familiar. Then there were the leylines of the Earth which connected all people, places, and things on the planet, and kept nature in balance. After that were the True Leylines: nearly impossible to detect, these leylines connected everything in the universe, and mediated such forces as gravity and the laws of thermodynamics. It was also known that leylines spread across the dimension of time, allowing glimpses into the future, as well as a theory about multiversal leylines for those inclined to believe in such things, but all these were far and beyond the scope of a normal magus- but the being in front of her was far from normal.Caster bared his teeth at nothing in particular, "No, that wouldn't work. The Earth can be persuaded to see things beyond its imagining- it can evolve and adapt like all her creatures, but the universe is far more rigid- it's properly addicted to the way of things. If she were from within this Universe and its laws, then it would help, but if she were beyond it, it wouldn't matter." He slapped the open air, "-Doesn't matter. The True Leylines would reject me, anyway.""We'll just have to play it by ear, then.""Yes-well. We should focus on the here-and-now. Whatever is being planned, tonight is sure to be climatic- though perhaps not for us.""There's tomorrow for that.""...Indeed."There was a certain pleasure behind those words, one that not even Aisha felt comfortable delving into.....