Third POV:
"This is where the attacks first happened," Sebastian stated as they reached the end of the town and revealed a field of crops. The field wasn't big and had a barricade around it.
"We used to have entire fields, but this is all that is left. We're fortunate that Zaraka covered the field with traps to protect it from the ghouls."
Ritsuka looked over the field before looking up and seeing how the mountain and a road to the top was right behind it. "This definitely seems like best place to strike."
"Something doesn't make sense," Scathach commented with a hand on her chin, "Why did they not destroy the fields completely?"
"That's also something I've been wondering," Zaraka crossed his arms with a troubled look. "The attacks also happened days before I appeared, and no offence Sebastian, but these people could not have possibly protected themselves this long. After asking around, I found out that the ghouls always back off at a certain point of the attack and leave something behind."
"That's not how Undead act," Scathach commented and the others turned to her as she has the most experience in dealing with them. "Undead are essentially mindless, but they're not beyond control. If these things are JUST randomly spawning, then they would not stop until everything is dead. This means something is controlling them."
"Should we go up the mountain and investigate, Master?" Mash asked.
"If you're planning to go, then I'm sorry but I can't join you," Zaraka suddenly stated, looking a bit regretfully. "Even with my traps around, I'd rather not take any chances and leave the village undefended. I only leave when an trap is triggered to make sure if its an animal caught in rather than a ghoul."
"It's okay, we understand," Ritsuka nodded, seeing the logic behind what Zaraka says.
"But... If you want help, I think I know something that you'd be interested in," Zaraka said catching their attention. "Yesterday, a group of merchants came into the village."
"Were they not attacked by the ghouls?" Medusa asked with a raised eyebrow. "That's what we asked them. Apparently, they WERE attacked, but someone saved them. They said a single warrior killed all the ghouls," Zaraka finished explaining.
"A servant," Scathach deduced.
"That's the most likely case," Zaraka nodded in agreement. "These things are not very powerful. A well-trained human can defeat one or at best two on their own. But the problem is in their numbers, so one person killing an entire group should be more than a single human is capable of."
"Can we tell us where those merchants had this incident?" Ritsuka requested and Zaraka nodded.
(-X~)
Walking on a dirt road, the group headed towards the direction that Zaraka pointed them to.
"Why are you searching for this servant?" Scathach asked, looking at the Master with a raised eyebrow. "I'm sure we can handle whatever is up on that mountain."
"Well, I'd like to have as much help as possible to be safe," Ritsuka replied while scratching his cheek. "Also, if this servant knows something about the cause of this singularity, that would be really helpful. I don't really want to go in blind."
Scathach shrugged and looked forward again. "I suppose that's reasonable," she said before her gaze turned towards Medusa again.
"Will you please stop that?" Medusa requested with a sigh.
"So, Roman," Ritsuka called out to the doctor. "What can you tell me about Zaraka?"
"Zaraka was an ancient hunter from the City of Uruk," Roman's face popped up.
Like Gilgamesh and Enkidu?"
"Yes, to an extent," Roman crossed his arms.
"Zaraka was said to have been blessed by the second friend of King Gilgamesh, Zakrim, upon his birth. He also received a weapon of divine origin from him. Zaraka slowly worked up his reputation as the greatest hunter in the city, or so the stories says. He was even praised by King Gilgamesh for his skills at hunting and trapping prey."
"So, who is Zakrim?" Ritsuka asked.
Before Roman answered that question, the sound of something 'beeping' was heard. "We got something," he said as he looked at another screen. "Servant signal, two to be exact. And, there's a disturbance in the area. The same kind we get when the ghouls are around."
"I hear battle," Scathach commented as she summoned a copy of Gae Bolg.
Medusa held her chains and Mash looked at Ritsuka, who nodded with a firm look and they all began following Scathach as she ran ahead. When she stopped, they found an interesting sight.
On the side of the dirt road was a large group of ghouls. Fighting them was a single person.
Ritsuka believed the man was about as large as Heracles or Iskandar. He was large, wore a fur vest, had long brown hair tied into three braids, a big mustache connected to a sideburns beard and a compass-like tattoo on his chest. In each hand he held something similar to a half a shield.
Despite being greatly outnumbered, the fight seemed to be in the warriors favor. He was taking down ghouls with great speed despite his size.
Jumping towards a ghoul, the man landed on its chest before pushing it away towards the others. As soon as it reached them, Runes glowed on its body - which Scathach seemed to recognise - and it exploded in flames, taking down a large portion of the ghouls.
One of the remaining ghouls attacked the man with what appeared to be a sword. The man blocked it with one of his shields and used the other to completely destroy the ghoul's head with a single punch.
Turning towards the last group of ghouls, the man tensed his legs and jumped high in the air. Falling towards the group, the man raised both shields in each hand and smacked them on the ground, causing a shock-wave that destroyed the other ghouls. The man stood up laughing. "Hahaha! This wasn't bad. They're nothing on the giants but they had quantity," he said before noticing the group.
"Hmm... travellers? No, wait. There's servants among you? Who are you people?" Ritsuka opened his mouth to reply but the man just waved his hand with a smile. "Bah, it doesn't matter. You're obviously not here to fight or you would have attacked by now. I'm the Shielder servant, true name Svend. Nice to meet you."
Ritsuka blinked at the man's open and friendly greeting.
"A Shielder!? Did you say you're a Shielder?" Mash asked in shock to which Svend nodded. She looked at Ritsuka with a large smile. "Master! We finally met another Shielder!"
"And a famous one at that," Roman's face popped up causing Svend to blink. "Shield King Svend is as famous as Sigurd the Dragon Slayer. As for his class, well, if anyone fits as a Shielder, it's definitely him."
"As famous as Sigurd? No, no," Svend chuckled while waving his hand. "I'm famous but not THAT famous."
"You're selling yourself short. Don't underestimate how far humans can spread a legend." The new voice caused Ritsuka and Mash to blink while Medusa and Scathach tensed in caution.
Suddenly, someone came down from the sky and landed besides Svend.
They all blinked at seeing a little girl.
She appeared to be Illya or Chloe's age. She had chin- lengh blond hair, green eyes, and was wearing a blue short dress. The dress' skirt was wide and firlly while her legs were covered in long white socks and blue shoes. She was holding a staff made from grey and clear, almost crystal-like, wood that was shaped to scepter that held nine jewels of different colours circling the top.
"Holy- These readings are insane!" Roman cried out while looking at another screen.
"Dr. Roman?"
"Careful, Fujimaru! This girl is letting out so much energy I almost thought she was a Grand Servant! Even Scathach's Saint Graph isn't that strong!" The doctor's statement caused the warrior queen to blink in surprise.
"A Grand Servant?" The girl chuckled. "I'm flattered, but I am not suitable to be one of Alaya's chosen guardians. To be honest, I was lucky to join the Throne at all."
"Who are you?" Scathach asked, cautious of the girl.
"I am the Ruler Servant, True Name..." The girl trailed off and tapped her chin with her finger. "Then again, revealing my true identity is not a good idea. It's not that I don't trust you. I'm well aware of who you are. But, my identity isn't something people can handle easily."
"You know who we are?" Ritsuka asked, surprised.
The girl nodded. "Yes. I know a lot of things. As for what you should call me? Saying 'Ruler' again and again would get annoying and make me sound egotistical. So... why don't you call me Drasil?"
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