Fate/Eclipsed Stars (Project Moon/Fate Grand Order)

The aftermath of the wyvern attack left the group in uneasy silence, their breaths mingling with the crisp air of the French plains. The faint scent of charred earth lingered, a haunting reminder of the devastation they had witnessed. As the soldier they had rescued lay unconscious, the group gathered nearby, huddled in thought.

Ritsuka knelt beside the man, checking his condition. "At least he's stable," Ritsuka murmured, wiping sweat from his brow.

Mash stood beside him, her shield at her side. "He's been through so much. Those burns… It's a miracle he's alive after facing that wyvern."

Angela stood slightly apart, her cold gaze scanning the horizon. "The creature we fought… wyverns, you called them? And that village—reduced to nothing but ash. This is no ordinary war."

Mash nodded, her shield resting on the ground beside her. "The wyvern was unlike anything I've ever seen. And the village… It wasn't just destroyed. It was obliterated."

The holographic forms of Olga, Romani, and Da Vinci materialized from Mash's shield. Olga crossed her arms, her expression strained as she processed the team's grim update.

"A wyvern? And an entire village reduced to ash? This isn't some ordinary disturbance," Olga muttered.

"Which makes it even stranger," Romani's voice chimed through the holographic projection from Mash's shield. He adjusted his hair nervously, his usual calm demeanor slipping. "Wyverns shouldn't exist in this region, not in this time period."

Olga, her arms crossed tightly, paced back and forth within the projection. "It's not just the wyvern. The entire situation reeks of something far worse than a simple disruption. Villages burned to ash, an anomaly in the sky… This singularity isn't just breaking history; it's rewriting it."

Da Vinci leaned into view with her usual calm curiosity, though her tone was tinged with unease. "The ring of light in the sky… It's not natural. Not even the most advanced magecraft could produce something of that scale. This is something entirely different."

Angela tilted her head, her voice sharp. "You speak as though this is unprecedented. But surely, in your experience, you've seen anomalies like this before?"

Olga bristled, her irritation barely contained. "We've dealt with anomalies, yes. But this—this is unlike anything we've encountered. And for the record, I don't appreciate the insinuation that we're unprepared."

Hong Lu chuckled, leaning casually on a charred tree trunk. "Dragons, villages in flames, and now mysterious lights. Sounds like something out of a tragic story I read back home." He grinned, adding, "Though, I must admit, I'm disappointed. Back in City, we at least had reasons for such chaos."

Angela's cold eyes fixed on him. "And yet, you speak of it so flippantly. I suppose chaos is a comfort to those who live in it."

Hong Lu smiled, unbothered by her tone. "It's not comfort, pale lady. It's perspective. Though I must say, the language that soldier spoke—it's intriguing. It reminded me of an old dialect from the northern districts back home. Rough, but… elegant in its way."

Angela's brow furrowed slightly, her curiosity piqued. "A dialect? That's impossible. Our world and this one should have no linguistic overlap."

"Strange, isn't it?" Hong Lu mused. "Makes you wonder how much our worlds have in common, doesn't it?"

Before Angela could reply, a groan interrupted their conversation. The soldier stirred, his eyelids fluttering open. His face twisted in panic as he bolted upright, his wide eyes darting to each member of the group.

"Qu'est-ce que…? Qui êtes-vous ?!" he shouted, his voice trembling with fear.

Mash knelt beside him quickly, her voice soft but uncertain. "Calmez-vous… uh… monsieur… nous… sommes amis."

The soldier's frantic gaze flicked to her, then to the others. "Amis…? Non! Vous portez des vêtements étranges. Vous êtes avec eux!"

Da Vinci's calm voice echoed through the projection. "Mash, Ritsuka I'm activating your translation magic in your mystic code now. There, that should make things easier."

The soldier blinked, startled as the words began to make sense. "You're not… with them?"

Mash shook her head, her expression earnest. "No, we're not. We saved you from that creature. Please, calm down. You're safe now."

The soldier's breathing slowed, but suspicion lingered in his eyes. "Strangers in strange clothes, appearing when destruction follows… How can I trust you're not with the devils yourselves?"

Mash stepped forward, thinking quickly to respond. "We are travelers—merchants from the East, as our leader here will explain," she said, nodding toward Ritsuka.

Ritsuka caught on quickly. "That's right. We're merchants, and we've hired these skilled fighters to protect us. We mean no harm to you or your people."

The soldier's shoulders sagged, exhaustion dulling the edge of his fear. "I see… Forgive me. It's just… everything I've seen… It's too much."

Mash knelt closer, her tone gentle. "What happened? Can you tell us what you saw?"

The soldier hesitated, his eyes distant. "The saint… Jeanne d'Arc… She has returned. But not as herself. She is a demon now, a dragon witch, leading monsters and devils in strange clothes. They burn everything. My comrades… my village…" His voice cracked, and he buried his face in his hands.

Hong Lu's smile faded, replaced by a thoughtful expression. "A saint turned witch? Now that's a story. Though I must say, dragons and devils sound far too fantastical even for my world."

Angela's eyes narrowed. "Fantastical or not, we're dealing with it now. And these devils—what did they look like?"

The soldier shook his head, his voice trembling. "I don't know. Their clothes were strange, like yours. But their eyes… they were empty. They weren't human."

Romani's voice cut through the conversation. "If Jeanne d'Arc is involved, this could be tied to the Grail War. But a dragon witch? That doesn't match anything we know about her legend."

Da Vinci added, her tone contemplative. "And those devils he described… Could they be other Servants? Corrupted ones, perhaps?"

Mash turned back to the soldier. "Do you know where they're going? Or what their goal is?"

The soldier hesitated. "No… but their destruction spreads like wildfire. If you're seeking answers, you should go to Vaucouleurs Castle. It's fortified, and the people there might know more."

Angela's gaze was unreadable as she spoke. "You're in no condition to travel. Rest here until you're stronger."

But the soldier shook his head firmly. "I can't. I must return to my post… My comrades… They need to know what I've seen.."

Ritsuka sighed. "At least let us help you get somewhere safe."

"No," the soldier insisted, forcing himself to his feet despite his injuries. "I'll manage. Thank you for your help, but I must go."

The group watched as he stumbled away, disappearing into the charred remnants of the village.

Mash's voice broke the silence. "We should head to Vaucouleurs Castle. If it's fortified, it might give us answers—and protection."

Ritsuka nodded. "Agreed. Let's move."

Angela lingered for a moment, her gaze fixed on the horizon. "A saint turned witch, dragons, and devils… This world's anomalies grow stranger by the moment. Let's hope we can find the answers before it's too late."

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A/N: Short chapter today but the next will be longer