18FATE/NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM
"New Order of the Ages"
Chapter 20: Detailed For the Record
"It's quite remarkable, really."
Li Shuwen said those words while standing in the middle of a forest. He was by himself, but that didn't necessarily mean he was alone. He knew someone was listening as he spoke.
"To be able to survive with 90% of your organs destroyed… It seems like you have truly transcended death itself."
After he made that compliment, the purple-haired Witch of Dun Scaith appeared before him. Scathach still looked terrible, but after she escaped into the Land of Shadows, she spent the entire time healing herself while observing the entire battle. Although she wasn't present for the final battles, she knew everything that had transpired up until now.
"Heh," she chuckled. "Didn't you know? I cannot be killed by normal means. Only the crimson thorn, thrust by a pupil who can inherit my legacy, is able to claim my life. But here and now is not the time for me to perish. Therefore, I had to use all of the skills I acquired over my long life to survive."
"If Cuchulainn was not worthy of that task, couldn't you have left it to your final pupil?"
"No. I refuse to allow Connla to shoulder such a heavy burden. Her role was to snap that fool out of his delusions by seeking love and peace for both him and the world. Besides, she's not physically capable of wielding Gae Bolg's true powers without self-destructing. She already proved that in a completely different Singularity."
"I see. So then, you remained long enough to fulfill your end of the deal," Li reminded her.
"I know. Remiss as I am to say this though, I'm afraid I'm in no condition to engage in a drawn-out duel with you. This world is slowly correcting itself as well. I think we only have time for a single round."
"That's fine. After my fight with Beowulf and the Demon Pillars, I only have enough for a single strike myself."
"How fitting for the man purported to defeat his enemies with just one blow – the warrior called 'No Second Strike'."
"Well then…"
"Let's have…"
"An honest match!" both of them shouted at each other, then rushed at each other while pouring all of their strength into this once-in-a-lifetime duel. Whatever the outcome was didn't matter. The important thing was that two warriors, who lived and died by their weapons and amazing feats of battle, unable to meet each other in life due to living in completely different times, could use this one chance to test their honed skills. The match itself was satisfaction enough for them.
March 4, 1797
At the White House, a band of musicians played a patriotic song in celebration. The capital city's grandest structure had long since been rebuilt after the final battle with Cuchulainn devastated the property. Now it was greater and bolder than ever, with the familiar white pillars flanking the entrance, the Star Spangled Banner with 15 stars and 15 stripes fluttering upon the roof, and the lush gardens blooming countless flowers everywhere. A small army of mechanized infantry patrolled the area, though they seemed to be more of a show of power than a necessary security detail.
Now it was 14 years after the Great Mythological North American War, or the Great Myth War for short, and it was the day that America's second President John Adams would be sworn into office. Standing upon the podium were the incumbent president Thomas Edison (who took on the appearance and name 'George Washington' to shield his true identity), the future president Adams, and his choice for vice-present Thomas Jefferson. Lined up behind the politicians were the Servants who survived the Great Myth War and functioned as Edison's officials during his tenure as President.
Helena, Rama, Nightingale, Elizabeth, Robin, Tesla, and Connla watched in silence as Adams made his inaugural speech to the public, declaring his intent to carry on the leadership that Edison demonstrated during the war that could have destroyed America at its very roots. With the signing of the papers, Edison and Adams shook hands – Edison no longer held the title of President, but he knew this was how it had to be. To preserve the US Constitution's decree of two 4-year terms at maximum, he had to forego the notion of being a dictatorial 'Presi-King', or else he could set a bad example for future Presidents to come. Acting as 'George Washington' would also help preserve America's historical foundations.
When the ceremony concluded, the officials went back inside the White House and headed to the banquet hall to enjoy a lavish meal. While the other Servants remained the same for the most part, Connla's appearance and personality had changed the most dramatically. Now in her early 20s, her physical age finally matched her mental age, and she had quite the slender body to go with it as a bonus. She looked a lot happier than when she was younger, signified by her bright red eyes and soft smile. Whenever she graced the White House with her presence, she would garner quite a bit of attention from the gentlemen who wanted to be her suitors.
Today was no different, as Connla took her seat at the table. Several bouquets of flowers and small gifts were already packed around her plate. Elizabeth pouted and muttered to her friend, "Geez, aren't you the popular one? What's next, a shotgun wedding?"
"Don't be silly," Connla chuckled. "I'd never let it get that far. Speaking of which, isn't that the title of your newest song?"
"You bet. It's an anthem of unhinged love and romance. Want me to sing a few chords?"
"I think it's best we wait until the meal is over. We wouldn't want to interrupt Mr. Edison's speeches."
"What a bore. He's just gonna go on and on about himself. I don't know who's worse in the ego department, him or Old Man Tesla."
"I'm sure you could bring some fierce competition with your… impressive amount of confidence."
"Are you implying something?"
"He he. Maybe I am."
They enjoyed a succulent state dinner, followed by dessert and tea afterward. After the banquet was over, the Servants retreated to the Oval Office for one last meeting before they relinquished their roles to the next generation of leaders.
"Time sure flies by," Helena said. "I'm happy, but at the same time, a little sad that we have to leave."
"This day was inevitable, Madame Blavatsky," Tesla told her. "It took a long time, but the Human Order Foundation has been fully corrected now. We must return to the Throne and heed the summons of another world in peril."
Elizabeth frowned, "What a shame. I finally got the basics for Broadway and Hollywood to flourish, yet I have to leave before seeing what will become of them."
"You were running around like a headless dragon for a while, weren't you?" Robin asked.
"Of course I was! Not only did I have to fulfill my own dream, I also felt obligated to make Nero's wish come true! I'm not like you, sitting around and boozing while in female company!"
"Hey, give me a break. I think I earned it after participating in that crazy war."
Nightingale said, "There are still plenty of illnesses requiring treatment, along with many people who are injured from overexerting themselves. Pioneering sounds wonderful on paper, but it is a grueling task if one is not keen to care for their bodies first."
"Even so, you passed along plenty of techniques for everyone to use," Rama told her. "I'm sure everyone will be fine without your guidance."
"I certainly hope so."
"Well then," Edison declared to everyone, "it's time to go. I don't know if we shall see each other again, but there is no need to feel sorrow. We got to know each other and forge some lasting memories that shall never fade. Whether they may be good memories or not is up for debate."
He glanced over at Tesla, and the two inventors immediately averted their gazes from each other. Eventually, the eight Servants' bodies started to glow gold simultaneously, and they disappeared one by one while saying their good-byes to each other. Soon, Connla was the last Heroic Spirit remaining, and she gazed upon the ring that Cuchulainn left for her so many years ago.
Father… I know you've been watching over me this entire time, so I want to say this. Thank you for everything you've done for me. I was able to live through my teenaged years happily, and I made many friends along the way. It's unfortunate that I have to leave my acquaintances from this era behind, but I know it's for the best. Let's go back to the Throne and wait for our next summons. I hope we get to fight as allies for a change – I would love to be by your side as an ally, rather than fighting you as an opponent.
Connla closed her eyes and fell into a deep slumber. Her Spirit Origin disappeared without a trace.
In a strange universe where magical fish swam about in invisible water, Cuchulainn Alter stood there and closed his eyes. There had been a projection shining in front of him, which displayed the world through Connla's eyes as she grew up and assisted the other Servants in restoring that era's foundation. The 'screen' flickered off as she disappeared however. Since he was still connected to her, it meant that he would soon vanish as well.
However, he looked back at someone who was standing behind him. The petite figure was completely invisible save for a warped outline, but he knew exactly where his mysterious visitor was. They had been standing beside him all this time while he showed them the entire story as a long-running 'movie' of sorts.
"Well, that's the end of that," Cuchulainn murmured. "I don't expect you to remember every last detail, but I think you get the gist of it."
"…"
"It's a good thing I caught you before you were lost in this sea that connects parallel dimensions together. If I didn't, your soul would have been transported to a completely different world, and you probably would have never returned home."
The unknown person nodded as a gesture of silent appreciation. It was true – the Novus Ordo Seclorum Cuchulainn had been sent here so he could watch over his daughter's growth, but found this stranger floating around in a daze and rescued them. They never said a word to him, but by only touching their hand, he already had a full understanding of who they were. That was why he felt compelled to show them everything that happened in his world.
"Do you know why I showed this memory to you?" he asked. "It's because I want you to pass along a message from me to that idiot who is also me."
"…?"
"Tell him to stop being a complete asshole. If he wants to be by your side as a Servant, then he needs to stop being so goddamn ignorant and just be there with you. You don't need any more than that, right?"
"…"
"Anything I do to make you happy just winds up backfiring badly, doesn't it? Whether it's this Singularity, the Nevada incident, or some other crisis that neither of us know about, I keep screwing up and making you suffer even more. So tell him to do nothing other than fight alongside you against a common enemy. I'm sure he'll understand. After all, we Cuchulainn Alters share the same philosophy; death to the enemy, defense to the ally. So long as you remain as that one's ally, there's nothing he can do to botch things up in your world. Hell, even if you weren't his kid, betrayal is not in his book. So long as he doesn't do anything stupid, you'll be fine with him."
"…"
"Got that? Okay, then. You look like you're ready to leave, so I'm gonna cut the connection between us. Make sure you tell that idiot everything I just said. Oh, yeah…"
The man kneeled before the invisible figure.
"It'd help if you stopped being so freakin' hard on yourself. The more you try to do everything on your own, the more it makes that idiot worry about you. You don't need to act like a one-kid army against a cold, unfeeling world anymore. Even though you're a Servant, it's fine for you to behave like a normal girl now. He'd actually be happy to see that."
"…"
"Fine. I said everything I wanted to. You go back to your world and take care of your problems-"
He grinned widely as he finally severed the connection between himself and the foreign visitor.
"Lancer Connla, Servant of Fujimaru Ritsuka of Chaldea."
A pair of large brown eyes shot open from a deep sleep.
Connla found herself lying in her bed, staring up at the blank white ceiling. She was back in her room in Chaldea. She inspected her hands, turning them back and forth to make sure she still had control of them. Her head felt very fuzzy, and it took her a short while to regain her bearings.
Oh, wow, she thought as she rested her head between her knees to soften the piercing headache. How long was I asleep for?
She looked at the calendar, discovering marks made over a two-week period. Someone had been coming in and checking on her daily, noted by the short messages scribbled in each square. She didn't know whose handwriting it was, other than it wasn't hers.
I was out for two weeks? Why…?
She thought back to what happened when she was last conscious, then remembered her fight with Berserker Lancelot in the alternate pre-Camelot era. Her mind wandered everywhere as she thought about that battle, her encounter with Aife, and the entire alternate universe she had witnessed through another Connla's eyes. Everything had been happening so fast that she barely had the time to process it. She covered her face with her hand and quietly cried for a few minutes. She wasn't sure why she was upset, but she couldn't fight back the tears anymore.
Once she got the worst of it out, Connla eventually got out of bed and struggled to walk. She was still exhausted despite sleeping for 14 whole days, but she wanted to at least wash her face. Her legs slowly lumbered forward and carried her through the automatic door. Her gaze was fixed on her feet and her deep breathing, so she didn't notice the person who was right in front of her.
"You're finally up."
Connla turned her head up sharply to discover Chaldea's Cuchulainn Alter sitting on the windowsill directly outside her room. He faced the view of the Arctic while eating some food. She wasn't sure what to do. No one else was around to talk to him for her, but she felt it would be inconsiderate if she walked away without saying anything.
"You've been in a coma for two weeks, y'know," he said flatly. "I've already chewed Da Vinci out for sending you to such a dangerous place alone again."
"Is that so…?"
"You're such an idiot. You don't have to accept every job she throws at you."
"That's not what happened. I wanted some time to myself."
"Why?"
Connla became anxious before explaining, "Well… Because of what happened with Mother… I just wanted to let it out in a quiet place…"
"Without telling anyone?"
"But Mother told me that I should never show my emotions to anyone, lest they become a tool that my enemies can use against me."
He audibly munched on an apple for a moment, then retorted coolly, "That's so stupid. Then again, I'm not one to talk, given how worn out I am of killing all the time. In any case, this new life of yours is not the same as before. A lot of people in this place wouldn't treat you like Aife did. You don't have to be so nervous around everyone."
"Does that include you? Even though you're not the Cuchulainn I fought in my lifetime?"
"Naturally."
Connla was surprised to hear his unhesitant reply. She sighed and murmured, "I never thought you'd be like that."
"Why not?"
"Because… well, you don't really care about anyone, not even yourself. You hate your own existence, so I figured you would extend that hate to everyone else."
"Who said I don't care about anyone? Or is that just a half-baked assumption you made?"
"Um… I guess… it is…" she moaned and stared at her bare feet in shame.
Cuchulainn shuffled his body so that he sat facing the young Lancer. He grumbled, "Ridiculous. You have absolutely no confidence, do you? It seems I need to do something about that."
"Like what?"
"Spending some time on the battlefield as allies for a change. Every time we meet in different worlds, we wind up being opponents. Now's the opportunity for us to follow Master as partners. However, I can't do anything if you're going to be so scared of me all the time. You need to understand something – regardless of what I look like or how I behave, I'm still your father. No amount of corruption, manipulation or brainwashing will ever change that."
She blinked, thinking back about the part of the dream where the other Connla confided in the other Cuchulainn about her true feelings. His words were so similar that she wondered if there was any point in telling him what she experienced during her long slumber.
"Make no mistake," Cuchulainn said. "Aife may have hated you deeply, but my love is equally as strong. There's nothing to worry about anymore."
Connla's chest felt heavy all of a sudden, and her throat tightened up. She remembered her fight against Berserker Lancelot and of his final words:
"Don't cry… Start over…"
She looked into Cuchulainn's eyes, realizing what she had been missing this whole time.
"You say you love me. But I… don't know what love is."
"Hm?" he raised an eyebrow.
"No one ever taught it to me."
They fell silent for a short while. The arctic winds howled outside, filling the chilly atmosphere around them with breathy, haunting screams.
Connla eventually said, "Maybe I'm so nervous because… I never believed in love. If I don't know what something is, then I can't believe in it, right? All I've ever had faith in is my own talent and resilience to struggle against everything the world throws at me. I could only believe in being self-sufficient, thinking solely of my own survival. Even though I've been in Chaldea for some time, I still don't truly understand how to have faith in others. Of course, that means I don't know how to love others either."
"I see," Cuchulainn whispered. "It is difficult for you to rely on anyone for advice, so you run off to cry in some quiet corner."
"Mm. But I'm so tired of trying. I try and try and try, and it never seems to pay off."
"Then it just means you're trying too hard."
He reached his hand out and snatched her shoulder, forcing her close to him. He picked her up and laid her face-down on his lap, covering her with his dark mantle as she nuzzled her face against his chest. He turned back to sit on the window sill like a lounge chair, then muttered, "Take a break."
"…"
"What is it? There something you want to say?"
Connla stared at the billowing snow and white-capped peaks outside. "I wanted to, but… it sounds kind of silly. I think you would laugh at me."
"Do I look like someone who would laugh?"
"Um…"
"Just say it."
"Well… I had a really strange dream. It was so intense, as if I was the passenger in someone else's life. It was so scary, yet I met some good people and had all sorts of adventures with them."
"That so? Tell me everything about it. I'm in the mood to listen to a story or two."
"Mm."
After news spread of Connla's reawakening, the staff and Servants visited her to see if she was okay. She still felt exhausted from the double whammy of fighting Berserker Lancelot and experiencing that long dream, so Cuchulainn Alter asked Ritsuka to give her some more time off until she recovered. Now that she didn't have any serious obligations to worry about, she retreated into Chaldea's massive library and found a computer she could use. It took some time for her to learn how to use it, but the cynical Caster known as Hans Christen Andersen showed her enough of the basics to at least use some word processing software.
Now a blank document lit the screen, and the blinking cursor beckoned Connla to start typing whatever words came to her mind. With the first few flicks of her fingers, she began to key in letters one at a time. Her typing skills were extremely slow at first, but as she gained practice throughout the coming weeks, her speed and accuracy would gradually improve. A record of the original E Pluribus Unum journey that Ritsuka went through helped Connla add various comparisons and similarities to spice things up.
Along with going on Rayshift missions and doing chores around Chaldea, it would take around a year for Connla to finish the rough draft of her story. Shakespeare and Andersen helped her along the way with edits and critiques that refined the tale into something everyone could read. Although she didn't feel it was perfect, it captured enough of her two-week venture into a parallel world that she could upload it to Chaldea's database as a detailed record. Whether or not anyone would read it was debatable, but she didn't want the adventure she experienced to be forgotten. Sometimes she would go back and read it to remind herself of the hardships she shared with the other Connla, who had never been aware of her presence the entire time.
As for the title, she drew inspiration from Nightingale's speech to Edison about how they were fighting for a new era. Connla could connect that to Chaldea's struggles, so she used the Latin phrase as its title:
Novus Ordo Seclorum ("New Order of the Ages")
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Holy hell, another one done. Seriously, you guys – I've been running on fumes through December since I spent most of the creative fuel writing during NaNoWriMo 2018. I was determined to finish this though, so I pushed myself as hard as I could. What else can I say that I didn't mention in LGF and OE's ending notes? I should thank all of the people who created Fate/Grand Order in the first place, as well as any and all readers who perused this story. Whether it was just one chapter or the whole thing, your time really does mean a lot to me.
"Any more ideas for Connla in the future?", you ask? Oh, heck yeah! But I can't write anymore. I'm literally at my limit here. Perhaps around summer or next NaNo, there will be more content for you all to enjoy. Until then, I'm gonna give my brain a much-needed break. I'm always interested in hearing which Servants you'd like to have her interact with though.
If you have any comments, suggestions or questions, feel free to send a private message to me, a review for the story, or send me a tweet benit149 (more likely to see it that way). Happy Holidays and see you sometime in 2019!
- Benit149, 2018
