Fate stay/BERSERK (Book 2)

Holy Maiden Of Orleans

"Careful madam! Don't point that thing at anyone."

"O-oh, forgive me." Jeanne watched as the woman behind her, Ella, stumbled with the crossbow before putting it down onto her lap. "S-sorry I.....I'm sorry."

The holy maiden of Orleans and her company of holy warriors rode through the forest towards the misty valley. Ella had volunteered to lead the way so long as it meant she could save her daughter. The older woman sat behind Jeanne on horseback as they traveled through the night, torches lighting the way.

"It's quite fine madam. Believe it or not, young lady Jeanne was just as tense as you are now when she was heading into battle for the first time." Aizen, her mentor now subordinate, spoke in praise as he stared at the mother. "A woman who never saw battle is now willing to take up arms to save her daughter from the antichrist himself! Truly lady Ella, you are the paragon of motherhood!!!"

"T-thank you, Sir Aizen." The woman looked away, not willing to look the man in the eyes. "B-but I don't deserve such praise...." Ella's eyes widened and she looked back up at Aizen, realizing what he said. "A-Antichrist?"

"Indeed." Ella's eyes widened and she looked back at Jeanne, staring at the back of the younger woman's head. Jeanne clenched the reigns in her hands as she made her way through the dark. "The child and minister of satan himself, is walking the earth as we speak.......going by The Black Swordsman."

"B-but that's only a child's story, one made by a drunk priest." Ella responded. She knew the story well, it was one that haunted her as a child. The antichrist would appear near the end of times, leading Satan's armies against Heaven itself, a war on earth. It was in the book of Genesis, written by an author with a questionable drinking habit. "I thought you said this was a wanted criminal you were after? Isn't he wanted alive by the Queen?"

"Yes......" Jeanne confirmed with a nod of her head. She remembered the day her order was requested by the Queen of Camelot. Jeanne once thought the book of genesis to be the story made by a drunkard as well........but it all changed when she met the Queen. "Queen Morgan believes that if we capture this antichrist she can turn him against Satan. Usually my order would kill him regardless just from what he is...." Jeanne's eyes looked down at her chest, were a small metal cross hanged. She grabbed it and closed her eyes. "I believe in second chances. If this antichrist can become good than who am I to deny him that?"

"You......." Ella's eyes widened as she looked at Jeanne then back to Aizen, then to all the other knights that made up this small army. "All of you.......are rouge?"

"No." Jeanne shook her head before speaking, sadness in her voice. "We will still strike down this antichrist if he does not convert, burn him at the stake if so be it.......he's killed so many people, children as well before he attacked your village. From a young boy in Cameliard named Adonis......he was in league with the false king Artoria, possibly even her lover. He might just be attacking like a mad dog because of her death, a form of grief."

"Huh........" was all Ella could muster. She new of the false king Artoria, who ruled for some time before being revealed as a woman and was reported dead the day she was exposed. But someone like the black swordsman would have stuck out in Artoria's army, right? Who could he have been? Surely not Lancelot, who was said to be the most handsome of Artoria's knights. Not Kay, who was the older brother of Artoria, but was slimmer. Not Ector for the swordsman looked as if he was in his late twenties. Merlin was a woman.......maybe he was—Ella gasped as they came to a stop. "Is something the.....matter?"

Jeanne and the others looked up at the mountains above them. Ella followed their gaze and gasped, a forest fire was present on the hill. They could all hear the trees falling in the distance as they fell over violently as a silhouette popped in and out of the sky. The figure dove back into the burning forest and stayed before a bigger trail of trees began to fall. Eventually it popped out of the forest, flying upwards in a spiral before stopping in front of the moon.

It was a monster, a giant monster with wings wider than houses. It looked like a moth, a demonic creature with a figure hanging on a thin blade extending from its head. Ella flinched as what sounded like cannon fire boomed through the sky as the creature's lower abdomen exploded before it began to fall to the ground, the figure hanging from it's blade sliding off.

"The antichrist........is trying to tame demons." Jeanne felt her hands begin to shake. She swallowed her fear and looked back at her men. "We must hurry! All units converge on the Antichrist and restrain him, we might not get another chance!!!!!!"

End.

Thought I'd give Jeanne her own chapter. Kinda feels weird for me to write her since I Admired the real Joan of Arc when I was in middle school.

Criticism is welcome.

Have a good day.