They Call me Vox

Singularity 1: Act 2

After an hour of walking, we finally arrive at the place where the soldiers came from, and it's not pretty. The walls of the town, or what's left of the town, show immense damage. Wounded soldiers are scattered all over, having barely any strength left. Hell, no one even challenges us as we approach the gates.

"This is... awful," Mash says.

"It's a complete ruin," Roman says, "The outer wall is more or less intact, but you can't call this a fort."

"Nothing here but wounded and demoralized soldiers," I observe, "What the hell happened here?"

"War," Artoria answers, her voicing carrying a tone that speaks of experience.

"But there's no active war right now," Roman argues, "In 1431, Charles the Seventh of France entered a peace treaty with Philip the Third, an ally of England."

"What have I said about relying on the records, Roman?" I ask, "Singularities can and will deviate from them."

"Here they come again!" a soldier shouts, upon seeing us.

"We're not here to cause any trouble," I interrupt before the situation can escalate, "We are only travelers, who do not wish to cause harm to you or your people."

"You're not... the enemy?" the soldier asks, his tone making it sound like he's almost begging me to say no.

"No, we are friends," I answer, and the soldier sighs in relief.

"Hm, that was rather easy. Perhaps they're rational now?" Roman ponders, "Or, do they have no more fight left in them?"

"Roman!" I hiss into my earpiece.

"Why didn't Charles the Seventh sign the peace treaty?" Mash asks, in fluent French.

'Glad I'm not going to have to play translator.'

"King Charles? So you don't know?" the soldier asks, "The king is dead. He was burned by a witch's flames."

"Dead?" Mash asks, surprised, "By witch's flames?"

"That's doesn't send up warning flares," I comment, "Nope, not at all."

"It's Jeanne d'Arc," the soldier continues, "She has risen again as the Dragon Witch. England retreated quite a while ago. But, where have we to run to? This is our home, but there's nothing we can do?"

"Jeanne d'Arc is a witch?" Mash asks.

"This went from ominous, to bad, to terrible in about ten seconds," I groan.

"Here! They are here!" another soldier shouts from atop the wall.

"Magical energy signals are heading here!" Roman exclaims, "Familiars created using human bodies... skeleton soldiers."

"Are you fucking serious!?" I roar, whirling around to face the road leading into the city.

I snarl when I see that, yes, skeletons are approaching the town. Lugh. Damn. SKELETONS!

"To arms!" a soldier shouts, as the very few healthy soldiers grab their weapons.

"Master, your orders?" Mash asks.

The Gebo ᚷ rune on Solas Dawn, which I've kept out since our first encounter with the soldiers, glows and a familiar white spear tip appears at the end of it.

"Protect the town! Arty, with me," I order, dashing towards the charging skeletons.

"I admit, I am interested to see how you perform with a spear, Master," Artoria comments as Excalibur, concealed by Invisible Wind, manifests in her hands.