(A/N: Aston's legend isn't built solely on his skill with weaponry, it's built on his supernatural prowess that, even in his lifetime, was well beyond what was humanly possible. His speed, his strongest parameter, is frankly put, a cheat.)
Bazett was, once again, properly seated, enjoying the calm silence inside the train as she typed away on a laptop while occasionally taking a sip from the tea Aston had prepared for her, "How are you good at this?"
"I'm British, and as such racially motivated to prove all stereotypes wrong, my Master." The reply came in wording that frankly, she did not expect from her servant. She'd found he was usually extremely subtle with his opinion. The truth of the matter was good food was among the few things that could break past his king's exterior, such skill was then absolutely necessary.
"Does the Grail War teach slang too?" She asked curiously, looking up momentarily before going back to her search. It was difficult because Aston was actually a name people used for their children so searching online made it hard to find one specific article..
"I don't believe so. Do you truly intend to meet up with the priest you were talking to earlier?" Aston seemed to be looking outside, his visor shining as he observed the city that had slowly started coming into view.. Bazett had earlier been contacted by someone and looked quite a bit happier, promising to meet up with the man.
"Do you think it's not a good idea?" Bazett spoke in a disinterested tone, thinking up what to search to find his legend. As a magus, technology wasn't exactly her field of expertise but she knew it well enough to not appear completely idiotic..
"Priests... I do not quite hold people who would leave their fate to something else in high regard, my Master." Aston confessed with a small sigh, placing a hand over his chest and staring at the night sky. Not after seeing innocent folk raped and tortured for pleasure, he would never believe in someone who could help but didn't.
"Well you don't have to worry too much." Bazett looked up at him, slightly smiling, "Kirei isn't that kind of person." Kirei Kotomine was someone that she could call a friend, they'd worked together quite a number of times and she did trust him.. It was embarrassing but she was even somewhat elated he called for her himself.
"Found it." The magus clicked on an article related to the Arthurian Legend, revolving around the life of the legendary king of Britain, King Arthur who liberated it from tyranny. What she saw first was slightly astounding, "This depiction isn't correct is it?" Bazett didn't know what to feel about the.. less than 'good' art of 'Sir Aston'.
"What?" The Lancer was quick to appear behind her and lean down, curious about what she meant, "By the... That is very wrong." He was depicted as an absurdly tall knight with the usual ugliness of arts depicting ancient legends..
"Too close!" Bazett attempted to push him away but failed miserably and decided to just not bother, "Hmm.. Are you sure?" She stared between Aston and her screen, there had to be a reason as to why he'd been hiding his face so much right? Maybe this was it.
"I assure you that is not the case, my Master." Aston returned to the window, inwardly lamenting she'd found his legend so easily, it was also true that he was slightly expectant and afraid of how she'd react to the information. Aston had done things he wasn't exactly proud of.
"This explains your absurd parameters quite well." Observing her servant, Bazett couldn't help but nod in appreciation. She ignored Aston and speedily read the entire article, finishing it up in under a minute despite it's length.
Bazett crossed her arms and relaxed back into her seat, releasing a long sigh.. She'd acquired a very powerful servant, hadn't she? Being from the Round Table of King Arthur more than solidified her opinion, if not that then all he'd done that was recorded at least... Or rather, put into story form?
"So King Arthur was real."
"Of course, my Master."
"And you.." She narrowed her eyes at Aston, "Knight of Atrocity.."
The Lancer could only lower his head in shame, clearly discouraged by the mention of his moniker even if he genuinely believed that it was far better than Knight of Heaven or Knight of the Dove..
"One of the most senior knights in the Round Table... Known for your ferocious loyalty and savage way of combat. It doesn't say why you use a spear here." Bazett narrowed her eyes further, it didn't much bother her but if she had to say it, she wasn't liking just what earned him his moniker at all, "The most notable Legend is of the conflict with the Romans."
"It was necessary!" Aston spoke out abruptly, holding up a clenched fist as he turned to face Bazett, "They would have conquered what we all fought for and made our people slaves, leeched off us the same way Vortigern did."
"I am not admonishing your reasons, just your methods..." Bazett closed her eyes and sighed, she really wasn't in the right here was she? What right did she have to dislike him for actions taken in a situation she couldn't even imagine herself in?
The Lancer seemed to realise his outburst and turned back to face the window, "I apologise, my Master. You may continue." It was unlike him to react adversely and for that, he internally scolded himself.
"They may have simply stayed away, rebuilt and prospered after surrender.. But you went too far."
"I did.." Aston confessed, "It is not on my King however, It was I who lead the charge. My King only reaped the glory of subduing the Romans."
"I see." Though she said that, Bazett doubted it.. His Legend also made it very clear that the man in front of her rarely did something drastic without being commanded by his 'King'.
Allegedly, he had led a small force against the Roman Empire after they demanded tributes from Britain, armed with the jagged spear in his hand, and slaughtered everything, tore open every Roman soldier in his path with not a care for the injuries he sustained.
Sir Aston had battled for days on end.
According to few, he returned to Camelot on the door of death and only AFTER his King had joined the few stragglers that remained of the force he led.
What the others saw on the way there was a horrendous scene, fields littered with the rotting corpses of men and beasts alike, a display of utter savagery not thought humanly possible and kept under wraps so as not to draw to him the fear of the masses.
It all boiled down to the fact that every battle he joined ended in a bloodbath none could really spot him in. Bazett understood that was what gave him his insane speed, a knight not being spotted on the battlefield, returning with blood and wounds could only mean he'd moved too fast for others to even keep up.
The conflict ended with the Roman Empire ceding to King Arthur, offering tribute after losing well over a hundred thousand men, a number of generals and subservient kings.
It also meant he'd had absurd speed in his lifetime, speed enough for figures of legend to not even register his movement, "Doesn't this mean you were absurdly powerful during your lifetime as well?" Even if stories exaggerated the facts, this was a little too much.
"It's this.." Aston held up his spear, "I for one, fail to grasp why one would favour a sword over a spear. Would you truly make a sword your weapon of choice only for it looking better?" With better reach, spears were way more convenient and easier to use too.
"A spear is..?" Bazett tilted her head, fairly confused.. Better reach meant massacres?
"I was of the belief you were an intelligent person, my Master. I sincerely apologise for my misconception." Aston waved his spear around a bit before looking down right at her, "It is a construct of magic, a gift from Lady Morgan."
"Morgan?"
"Precisely the one you're thinking of." Aston nodded his head, smiling under his helmet.. They'd met when he was travelling to aid some rural village and promising her a favour coupled with a few compliments ended with her crafting for him a spear that reinvigorated him each time it drew blood, many might think it a cursed object but it was his greatest companion... A good tale to tell if not for the curses he forced Merlin to remove from it.
"It feeds on my blood to strengthen itself and has some semblance of control over it too." He didn't have any qualms about telling his Master about his abilities, seeking a relationship built on trust..., "My speed is, admittedly, supernatural without much explanation to it." As a Heroic Spirit, it was further enhanced by the legend of 'A knight too fast to even comprehend'.
Bazett figured the spear didn't have too much to do with his actual noble phantasm seeing as something like that was nowhere near enough to have an A+ Rank.
"My noble phantasm is all about acceleration, my Master." It wasn't hard to figure out what Bazett was thinking considering their discussion..
"I get it." Bazett rubbed her chin for a moment before smiling at him, "It seems I got a really good servant." She was genuinely happy with this development, even if still bitter about not summoning Cu Chulainn.
"What?.. Are you certain you are feeling well?" Aston tilted his head in complete confusion, "Are you plagued by some form of disease?" That was NOT the reaction a person should be having to summoning a slaughterer.
"You do realise the Romans weren't exactly innocent? They attacked first and while I'm no expert.." Bazett shrugged, "I think that's what happens in war.." Maybe she could only say it because she didn't see the grisly spectacle he left but these were her real thoughts on the matter.
"I suppose so." Aston visibly relaxed and Bazett could feel he was smiling, even if it was hidden under a helmet...
"Did King Arthur really conquer Rome though?"
"How could he even manage such a massive empire?" Aston spoke in a strangely awed tone, "We backed off after they paid their dues and lost most of their combat forces. Is that not common sense, my Master?" The Roman Empire was vast, even if it had lost much of the glory it had in it's prime and Britain was in no way, ready to assume control of that...
Huh,
"Could it be the thousands that fell by my hand were inconsequential?"
Couldn't be right? How could they, even if they were an empire, not be affected by such huge losses?
* * *
Boiling it all down, Aston fought off the Romans when they moved on Britain and went haywire during the battle, slaughtering everything in sight leaving behind a bloodbath because he was ordered to crush their enemies.
Anyone wanna guess what his personal skills are?
Please lay any criticism you have on me.