Fate/Parallel Colors

Chapter 17: Sanity Slippage

FATE/PARALLEL COLORS

Chapter 17: Sanity Slippage

Once Connla's confession concluded, Cuchulainn Caster turned off the transmitter that Roman, Da Vinci and the others were listening through. He, Lancer and Prototype left so that Alter could take care of her for the night, and the trio went to Roman's office to discuss Chaldea's next move. A decent crowd of Servants, plus one Master in Waver, were gathered around the table with numerous scribbled notes and diagrams strewn about everywhere. Roman in particular looked like he hadn't slept well, and Waver languidly balanced a pencil between his nose and upper lip.

Caster sat down next to Waver, leaned back in his chair and lit up a cigarette, then uttered the first question on everyone's minds:

"So... what's the plan, people?"

"Hmmm..." Roman sighed in annoyance. "Well, we certainly have a lot to sort through here."

"No kidding. Who would've thought the kid would reveal something so crazy about Aisling?"

Da Vinci maintained her sunny disposition as she said, "All right. Let's go through what we know. We know that Aisling is another Connla, and that she is not the one trying to kill ours. It is actually an Outer God controlling her body, while she is whisked away to an endless dream on some kind of training to become the god's priestess. The Cuchulainn of her world went after her, going full riastrad as a result, but the Outer God cursed him to wander millions of parallel worlds. What can we deduce from all of this?"

"Other than this is ridiculous beyond belief?" Prototype grumbled.

"Yes, other than that."

"Well... I don't really know. I mean, what are we supposed to do when we have absolutely no information on Aisling's whereabouts?"

"At the very least, we don't have to go looking in her original world since she's long since abandoned it," Caster said. "I doubt it'd be worth it to investigate there for clues either. Daoloth's been doing everything he can to cover his tracks."

"Damn it," Waver groaned and grabbed both sides of his head. "No matter what we think of, we keep falling back on square one. If only Cliste was alive, she would've been able to help us."

Suddenly, Sigurd raised his hand and blurted, "I have a question."

Roman faced him and asked, "What is it?"

"If we are to take Connla's tale at face value, then it means Cuchulainn Riastrad is currently hopping between dimensions as a result of Daoloth's curse."

"Yes, we've already established that."

"Then let's turn our thinking a little. Why didn't Daoloth just kill Cuchulainn during that fight?"

Everyone glanced at each other, as if they were sharing the same epiphany. Da Vinci exuberantly smacked her hand on the table and shouted, "There! That's the point I wanted to get at!"

"Oh? What sort of point, madam inventor?" Sigurd wondered.

"Why did Daoloth banish him, thus risking even that astronomically tiny chance that he would be able to find Aisling again? It's simple - Riastrad is too strong for Daoloth to defeat! That means he has to know what Daoloth's weaknesses are! If we want to have any shot at fighting against an Outer God, then we need his cooperation!"

Lancer shot to his feet and screamed, "Are you insane, lady!? Do you have any idea how dangerous the warp spasm really is!? Whenever it happens, you lose the ability to discern friend from foe! It's like the humanoid equivalent of a nuclear bomb!"