The Queen of Shadows

Chapter 16: The Gauntlet

Present Day

Heroic spirits, given form as servants, were stronger and tougher than any ordinary human can ever hope to be. Mana supplied by their masters gave them the hardiness to shrug off tremendous physical damage that no person could survive, move faster than any Olympic sprinter, and endure stress and exertion than someone running a double marathon. As long as they had adequate mana supply, a servant would never tire, weaken, or need rest. What is considered physically demanding for a human was mere child's play for a servant.

Or so the masters of Chaldea have whole-heartedly believed until now...

There they stood on-top the terrace of Castle Dunscaith; Gudao and Gabrielle stared down incredulously at their team of servants, having just been through Scathach's first day of training, and all looking like hell itself ate them and then spat them back out. Many were bruised and battered, sweating profusely and panting heavily for air. Some couldn't even stand up on their own two feet and either had support themselves against the stone wall or sit on the floor.

Mordred was carrying a barely-breathing Jekyll by her arm while looking extremely winded, resting herself and the Assassin against the fortress wall. Astolfo was lying on his back in front of them, limbs sprawled outward comically while having a dazed expression. Arturia and Jeanne were sitting down with their leg armor removed, trying to nurse what the masters thought was painful blisters forming on their feet. Emiya was standing up, bent-over and panting with his head almost between his knees. As for Mashu, she was on the floor lying on her side, clenching her abdomen and groaning from an unbearable muscle cramp. Never had the masters ever seen their servants so drained and exhausted outside of actual combat.

The only servant who was not too worse-for-wear was Cu Chulainn. He had ascended the many steps up to the fortress and was merely stretching, removing fatigue in his limbs while waiting for the others to arrive. Once he was finished, he eagerly blurted out:

"Well, I say we had a great session. Teacher sure hasn't lost her touch giving her pupils a workout..."

"Speak... for yourself... mutt," Mordred growled between breaths after gently setting Jekyll on the ground. She pointed a weak, shaking finger at the Lancer accusingly. "This was... YOUR idea..."

The Saber at last collapsed butt-first on the floor, still panting. Emiya looked up at the Lancer all while being unamused.

"Remind me again..." he said between breaths. "Just how this... is supposed... to help us...?"

"I feel like pancake batter right now..." Astolfo groaned out.

"I have to agree... with Shirou..." said Arturia, wincing while she tended her aching foot. "I fail to see what we just did was for our benefit..."

She carefully lanced a large blister while Jeanne beside her mutters with a groan:

"Oh Lord... grant me relief..."

Mashu struggles to sit up while fighting her agonizing cramping.

"You know something Senpai?" She said while looking up at the masters. "I rather go back to using the simulators in Chaldea..."

"Even I am going to need more than physical therapy after this..." Jekyll remarks, having just regained full consciousness. He could hear Hyde in the back of his mind relishing in the doctor's misery...

I'm so glad I'm not using your body right now... Sucks to be you...

"(grunt)"

Gudao and Gabrielle could only look on worriedly and anxiously as they waited for their host to rejoin them, and they could not fathom how their first day of training with Scathach went so hilariously pear-shaped. Needless to say, they did not know what to expect when they listened to Cu Chulainn and came with their servants to grow stronger from her teachings. The masters were sure nothing would be too much for their servants given how strong they were compared to ordinary mages, and yet their first day with the warrior queen proved them dead wrong. The siblings looked at each other in astonishment; their expressions reflecting what the other was thinking: