Orleans: End of the fight (Patreon)

The Witch watched as the ashes from her Phantasm slowly descend.

That's all that remains of Jeanne d’Arc, the Maiden of Orleans, Saint of France.

The Witch slowly reached out, catching the black ash left over from her ability.

What was this before? Something from a melted stone? From scorched armor? Or maybe that was all that was left of the body of the Holy One.

The Witch slowly lowered her hand, watching the black snowflake fall from her hand, twirling in the air, and then slowly raised her face to the ceiling of the throne room. And burst out laughing.

It was a deep, resounding, slightly angry laughter at the very limit of the Witch's lungs. A terrible mixture of a villain’s bass laugh and the hysterical laugh of a madman who have reached his desired goal.

The Witch laughed and laughed, feeling how gradually tears came to her, slowly running down her cheeks.

The Witch laughed like the last time in her life, with a howling bass, unable to keep herself on her feet, she fell down, after which, lying on the floor, rolled onto her back and continued to laugh.

So long…

So long…

So long she waited for Jeanne. So long she tried to find her. So passionately she wanted to kill her.

And finally she did it.

Now Jeanne burned. Burned at the stake in the same way as back then. Now she felt the pain of the Witch, the pain of fire, the pain of betrayal, once again left alone, without her friends and allies.

She died.

The Witch's laughter turned into powerless howls, as if the person could no longer laugh, but still could not stop. Tears continued to run down the Witch's cheeks.

The Saint died. Died! Died!

Now she will no longer be tormented by this flame. Her mind will not be poisoned by her words.

She won.

The Witch sobbed several times, and then slowly rose.

“Jeanne!” Came a voice not far from the girl, and she turned her head, preparing for battle, after which she relaxed a little.

It was Gilles.

“Ah, Gilles,” she smiled, then slowly rose from her seat, looking at the man. “Why are you in armor?”

Gilles did not answer her, only slowly grabbing his blade, looking at the place where the Witch executed the Jeanne.

“Gilles, since when do you have a blade?” The girl once again looked at him. No, something was wrong, it was not Gilles - he looked similar, but he was dressed in armor, a blade on his belt, no mantle...

The girl’s thought was interrupted a second later, when the blade of Gilles de Rais, Saber, entered her stomach.

“Hah?” She stopped for a second, looking at the narrow strip of steel that pierced her through, “Gilles, what are you...”

Gilles did not stop, instead sharply pulling the blade and struck again. This time, the Witch, however, managed to turn up her sword and the silence of the throne room was broken by the clink of blades colliding with each other.

“Witch!” Gilles dealt another blow, immediately blocked by the Witch.

“Who the hell are you?!” The witch used her power to strike, pushing the guy back.

“Gilles de Re, closest associate of Jeanne d’Arc and defender of France,” Saber dealt another blow. The Witch was bewildered.

“You're not Gilles!” The witch struck right after these words, “Gilles is my ally!”

“Your ally is just a miserable fake of the real me, the same as you are the fake of Jeanne d’Arc!” Saber dealt another sharp blow.

“Go to the Devil!” The Witch struck right after. Second Gilles?! There were two of them from the very beginning?!

“You will answer for your deeds, Witch!” Saber stabbed yet again. Under normal circumstances, the Witch could easily fend off his attacks and go on the offensive - Gilles was not the strongest Saber and therefore the Witch could easily fend off his attacks. In normal conditions, that is.

However, the story of Gilles de Rais was full of hoaxes, rumors and half-truths. Some historians considered him a famous patron of the arts, the richest man in France and the great commander who worshiped Jeanne d’Arc, for whom he had fought for throughout the war. However, the public perception of Gilles was not so clear.

Gilles de Rais was a famous associate of Jeanne d’Arc, but the story of Blue Beard was better remembered the people. The story of a crazy psychopath, a murderer of women and children, a maniac who practiced black magic, consorted with demon worshipers - and about the duke executed for worshiping Satan, who fell into madness after the death of Jeanne d’Arc.

It was the separation of these two stories that allowed Gilles de Rais to be embodied in the form of two Servants - the brave commander and savior of France, Saber - and the crazy maniac who wielded dark magic, Caster. However, just as Carmilla embodied the true legend of Elizabeth Bathory, Caster embodied information about the true Gilles de Rais. Not the one that actually existed - but much more famous and significant. Therefore, the appearance of Saber as a Servant was, although possible, unlikely.

Elizabeth Bathory was embodied thanks to her distant mythological relation to dragons. Saber did not have such a lineage y. However, he had a story that united two parts of his existence into one. After all, Caster went crazy and turned to the Devil because he lost his Jeanne d’Arc. And Saber fought for France because he believed in Jeanne d’Arc.

Unlike Carmilla and Elizabeth Bathory, there was a transition between Saber and Caster, which turned one into another. This transition was caused by Jeanne d’Arc.

It was the loss of Jeanne d’Arc that turned Saber into Caster, the murderer and the lost sinner, who lost his meaning of life. Madness was inside them both from the very beginning - the madness that put Jeanne at the center of their lives. And if Caster was the one whose madness had already swallowed his mind, then Saber was the one whose madness was closing in on him, waiting for the opportune moment. And so now it has awakened - and Saber felt his madness turning into his strength.

Therefore, his next blow nearly knocked the Witch onto his back.

“Gilles de Rais!” She tried to shout to the man, “I am your Saint! Back off!”

“You killed my Saint!” not listening, the man struck again, “You have never been my Saint!”

“Jeanne is dead!” The Witch struck again, crossing their blades. “That Jeanne is dead! Now it remains only me! You have nothing to fight for anymore!”

“Go to Hell!” Saber only attacked again. “Do you think that the death of Jeanne will stop the people who fought for her?!”

The Witch even slowed down for a second from this phrase.

“Jeanne is dead! The battle is over!” The Witch tried to repeat herself immediately. “Damn it, your Holy One is dead! ”

“Bullshit!” Saber attacked again, with even greater fury. “We are fighting for Jeanne! For our symbol, for our victory, for what she believed in, and not for the human!”

“This is nonsense!” The Witch blocked another blow. “You lost! I won! Jeanne is dead! You have nothing to fight for anymore!”

“To Hell with you, Witch!” Gilles struck another blow, almost forcing the Witch to drop the blade from her hands, “Don't you understand?! The death of Jeanne will not change anything now. The troops are approaching you, your Servants are dead - you lost!”

“Surrender!” The Witch shouted completely off topic, almost perplexed, “Jeanne is dead! Do you hear me, Jeanne is dead! No one will fight for the dead! No one can fight for her now!”

“I only hear nonsense and rubbish from your lips!” Saber struck blow after blow, gradually speeding up, which forced the Witch to go into complete defense, “We fight for Jeanne — I fight for Jeanne! And her death only convinces me that I am fighting for the right thing!”

“You should have run away!” The Witch, in confusion, only shouted at Gilles, “When I fought, you abandoned me! No one saved me! No one heard my prayers! Fire - I still feel the fire devouring me, every second - I remember every moment of despair! You did not save me then - so why do you continue to fight for her now?!”

“Because I fight for the Saint, and not for you, Witch,” Gilles raised his blade, but when the Witch was prepared for the next blow, but nothing followed. However, the Witch realized that she was getting to the finale.

“Saint War Order”, - Gilles uttered the name of his Phantasm, - “Rally Upon the Holy Banner and Roar!”

The next blow the Witch tried to block, swinging her blade to the blow - and Saber struck down with his sword. Saber's sword, without encountering any obstacles, instantly broke the Witch’s blade into many fragments.

Saber's Phantasm was associated with the Phantasm of Jeanne d’Arc. Saber embodied Gilles de Rais, a heroic warrior who fought for France - an associate of Jeanne d’Arc. And therefore his Phantasm embodied just that. Gilles de Rais, a hero fighting under the banner of his Saint. The moment he felt alive. The time when he believed in the miracle of the Lord. His distant battles for Jeanne and France, when he was not just fighting, he understood that he was fighting for God, for the Holy One, for victory. The moment he knew that under the banner of the Saint, he could not lose. And therefore, there were no barriers in front of him.

The Witch’s blade crumbled from one blow, forcing her to retreat, looking at Gilles with fear, confusion and bitterness. Gilles took a step towards the Witch, pointing his blade at her, feeling the Angels of Vengeance speak through him.

“Why did you betray me again, Gilles de Rais?” Said the Witch, looking at Saber, feeling the bitterness begin to pinch her eyes, “Why didn’t you save me then - and are trying to kill me now?”

“I fought for the Saint all my life,” Gilles took another step, after which the tip of his blade buried itself in the girl’s chest, “I never even wanted to know you.”

A second later, the blade of Gilles de Rais pierced the heart of the Witch.

***

“Jeanne!” cried Caster.

“Napalm,” Ainz used a spell that instantly burned Caster, frying him to the very bone, and then sighed. What stupidity, what stupidity, stupidity, stupidity, stupidity... So long! To avoid battles for so long because he believed that the Servants were stronger and in the end... Why?! Why did this even happen to him?!

“Damn you, mage, my mistress needs me!” Caster, regenerating the damage, rushed past the magician, but Ainz only sighed.

“Hold Species” - he used another spell with a sigh, - “Teleportation.”

Caster froze for a second and Ainz simply looked at him. He couldn’t even kill his opponent now. But hell, he could kill everyone else?! Really?! Damn it! How?! Would?! He?! Know?!

Caster could not even free himself from the shackles of his spell, so Ainz simply walked away to the wall, then leaned on it and began to slowly slide down, covering his head with his hands. He had a headache from all this news.

Caster just stood still, waiting for Ainz's spell to end.

Ainz was in dismay. Should he now apologize to all the other Servants? Or pretend that it was just as  intended? Which of these was worse — to say that he made a fatal mistake, or to hope that the Servants would not find out about it later? After all, if one day they find out, then...

“And who said that they don’t know about this ?!” - Ainz grabbed his head - “If they already know, then... I became a laughing stock in their eyes! I wasted my collection on such stupidity!”

Ainz did not even know what he should have done, beat his head against the wall or pretend that nothing had happened.

Finally, the spell of the magician ceased to work and Gilles was able to free himself.

“I know people like you, mage,” he looked at Ainz seriously. “You play with your victim, not killing, and only giving them the opportunity to run away just to destroy their hopes, knowing that you can kill them any second...”

“Just shut up” - Ainz didn’t even understand, he said it out loud or thought - “I’m sick of you.”

However, Caster just looked at the magician, - “So, you understand the meaninglessness of this battle?”

“Death,” the mage answered with a curse, forcing Caster to shut up for at least a second. Or maybe he should say that he was forbidden to fight for religious reasons? It will be strange, but understandable... No, then in the future he will also not be able to fight... What a bad situation!

“Damn it, my mistress needs me!” Caster recovered a second later, after which he suddenly froze. Ainz even rose from his thoughts a little in order to look at the mage.

“I lost control of Jeanne,” the mage said in a frightened voice, making Ainz breathe. Well, he lost control of the Witch... Stop, what?!

***

The blade of Gilles de Rais entered the heart of the Witch, after which Saber abruptly pulled it out, causing the Witch to sprinkle a little blood and slowly took a step back.

“Gilles...” she said, looking at her faithful companion, “Why?”

“You deserve to burn in Hell, Witch,” Saber only shook the blood from the blade, as if he had stained it with something, “For all your sins.”

This is not the first time the Witch has heard this.

“For all your sins you will be condemned to be burned and I hope that you will burn forever in Hell” - these were the words of Beaufort Henry, Cardinal of Winchester, before she was executed.

“Why did you betray me, Gilles de Rais?” The Witch slowly raised her eyes to Saber, and he could see how slowly tears flowed from the girl’s eyes, “Why do you always betray me? Why does no one ever save me? Why am I always left alone? Why do I feel the pain of fire, why, my friend, why?”

“I have never been your friend,” Gilles de Rais looked into the eyes of the Witch and said these words.

The next second, the Witch fell silent, and then grabbed her head.

And screamed.

It was a scream full of pain, but not a girl's scream. It was the moan of a cornered animal.

“Why, why, why?!” the girl repeated like a mantra, “Why?!”

Gilles swung the blade for a last blow to cut off the girl's head, but stopped for a second. The Witch that stood before him was slowly losing its shape.

Her body seemed to slowly turn into black mucus,then starting to flow like melted wax.

Gilles swung his blade for a blow, and then with one blow cut the head of the Witch. However, the head of the Witch, cut off from the body, falling to the ground, instantly exploded into black liquid, like a huge drop, after which the whole body of the Witch instantly turned into black liquid, immediately spreading into one huge puddle.

But the voice did not stop.

“Traitors, they are all traitors,” a voice was heard, as if from everywhere and nowhere, “They just want to make me feel pain... Every second they betray me, every second they burn me at the stake... They all just wish for my torment.”

Gilles looked around several times, trying to find the source of the sound, before he nevertheless looked at the black liquid left by the girl.

The puddle continued to slowly foam and bubble, as if boiling, although the hall was very cool.

“All of them... All of them... All of them...” - repeated words were heard - “Traitors, traitors, traitors...”

Gilles de Rais retreated. He could not fight against this, so he had to retreat to Ainz. However, taking only a step, Gilles felt that his legs seemed to be bogged down in a swamp.

Saber glanced down to see how a black liquid stuck around his legs, forcing him to be absorbed down to his waist.

“Why, why, why...” - the voice continued, but Gilles only brought the blade and with a sharp blow chopped off the part that stretched from his legs to the pool of black liquid.

After a second there was a scream, a girlish scream, after which something threw Gilles de Rais away.

The black mucus that had covered Saber’s legs before, slowly pulled itself into a puddle, which exploded again, and then shot in all directions with black streams that shimmer and are moving about while being scattered. Gilles managed to evade one of these, seeing these huge streams breaking through the walls of the palace, but he could not do anything else in this situation.

Black mucus boiled, slowly taking shape each and every one of the streams, after which it turned one into the other, as if growing out of itself, breaking all the laws of physics and logic, rising up, as if not obeying the law of gravity.

However, gradually the black mucus begin to take shape - changing over and over again, it became covered with scales, growing claws and teeth - before becoming a complete creature.

The huge black dragon was covered with scales that looked like armor.White spikes towered above its back, covering all the way to the tail. Teeth and claws, as if made from darkness  that did not reflect light. Golden eyes which looked at the world with hatred.

A moment later, the dragon looked atGilles from his place, after which it struck him with his huge claws at a speed and dexterity that could not be expected from such a monstrosity, and then brought its face closer to Saber.

“Burn, traitor,” came the roar from the throat of the creature, which was the Dragon Witch.

“I did not betray you,” Saber only looked fearlessly into the dragon’s eyes, “For I have never fought for you.”

After a second, Saber, Gilles De Rais, was consumed by the dragon’s flame.

***

Ainz just disinterestedly looked at the creature that was rising nearby, watching the dragon slowly get out of the ruins of what had recently been a throne room.

‘Black dragon, level around sixtieth,’ he remarked melancholically, ‘However, it can be... Although, is it really?’

“Hey, Caster,” he turned to the mage, who was finally able to deal with the summoned undead at the cost of the many injuries now covering his body. “Is this dragon strong?”

“Jeanne is strong, really strong,” Caster just looked at the black dragon, distracted from his opponent, after which he looked at him, “Stronger than even Fafnir.”

Ainz even perked up for a second, however, remembering which Fafnir they were talking about - he want to clarify away - “How much stronger?”

“Much stronger,” Caster answered immediately with a grin. “Now that Jeanne no longer need to give  her mana to support the Servants, she has regained her full strength.

“So she also strengthened her Servants?” Ainz closed his eyes and planted the back of his head against the wall. That was so... Wrong.

“Of course!” Caster was almost offended, “Each of them reached the peak of their strength thanks to her mana and…”

“Death,” Ainz interrupted the mage’s words. It was simply wrong. Like in some absurdist comedy.

“How many times do I need to repeat it, mage, your magic does not affect me!” - Caster only straightened up after a second - “I can’t die while my lady is alive!”

“Death,” Ainz used the spell once more, after which he slowly rose from his stupor and went to Caster, “Death. Death. Death. Death".

Any of the spells cast could have killed any of the Servants that Ainz had met before - however, right now it was useless. But Ainz did not use it to win. He just wanted to express some of his frustration on someone.

Ainz used this spell several more times, watching how each time Gilles freezes for a second, when his soul tried to leave his body, but returned each time.

“I know what you're doing, necromancer,” Caster just grinned. “I understand that. You want to make me feel powerless, to show how easily you can take away my life - each time, luring your opponent into a trap and then letting it go alive. I saw you fighting…”

“Death,” Ainz used the spell once more and looked at the dragon in the distance. He should have killed him now, however...

“Death,” Ainz used the spell for the last time t, then turned and slowly walked away.

“Where are you going ?!” Caster immediately shouted after him.

“I'll go get some air,” the mage sighed and walked slowly away.

“Damn it, you won’t go anywhere!” Caster instantly opened his book, after which he used a spell while rushing forward.

The spell seemed to crash into an invisible barrier around Ainz, immediately dispersing.

“Below the sixth rank,” Ainz remarked melancholically, “Did not breakthrough Magic Nullification.”

A second later, several monsters were born, rushing at the magician, but their blows only powerlessly crashed into the body of the necromancer, which continued to move on.

“Below of the sixtieth level” - Ainz also calmly remarked - “They did not break through the Physical Nullification.”

Thus Ainz, not paying attention to the monsters pursuing him, and Caster, watching him with a perplexed look, left.

***

George looked at the dragon, rising in the distance, and sighed.

“Well, well, that means the Witch’s trumps in her sleeves haven’t run out yet,” sighed Cu Chulainn, then turned to Rider, “What are we going to do?”

“Kill the dragon,” Rider just nodded. “We have no other options.”

“And where is Master, when there is a need for him?” Caster was indignant, “Wasn't Ainz's plan to get inside and not allow the Witch to throw out something like that?”

“So, now he is fighting with someone,” George gave out the most logical thought in the given conditions, after which he again looked at the dragon.

The huge black body of the monster slowly turned around in place in order to find its opponents, after which, finally finding them, let out a roar.

“That is the Witch,” George immediately recognized her, after which he turned to Cu Chulainn.

“Seriously?!” the guy turned his eyes to Rider, then back to the dragon. “Well, in this case we now know for sure that her moniker as the Dragon Witch was not for nothing.”

However, Rider only frowned.

The Dragon Witch was protected from magic as much as possible. Having taken the form of a dragon, she acquired incredible strength in the physical plane. In other words, defeating her in a direct battle was now incredibly difficult.

“She is stronger than Fafnir,” George said this, after which he looked at Cu Chulainn, “Mage, do you have any strong spell?”

“Yes, but if it’s the Witch, then she doesn’t give a damn about all my abilities!” Caster turned his eyes to Rider.

“Mashu,” he turned around right away, “Get your shield ready.”

“Rider?” The girl looked at him, but George only returned his gaze to the dragon.

“Siegfried fulfilled his duty,” George nodded. “Now it is my turn.”

A second later, Rider rushed forward.

“Rider!” Caster just managed to shout to him, but George no longer listened to him.

“Bayard!” George called his faithful stallion, and after a second, the white horse of the Saint instantly appeared next to him, as if woven from the glare reflected from the sun by the walls of the ruined city.

A second later, George jumped on his horse and rushed forward.

The dragon, seeing the movement of the rider, only growled with all his might and inhaled.

“I hope Mashu had time to put up a shield” - the horseman had only time to think, after which the figure was consumed by the flames.

The dragon flame of the Witch was like a fiery whirlwind, instantly sweeping away everything from its path. The stone touched by the fire did not float like wax - a moment later it simply evaporated, turning into boiling steam. The remains of the monsters still fighting under the command of the Witch evaporated, turning to ashes, immediately burning from incredible temperatures, after which the houses and buildings that stood in the path of the fire exhale ceased to exist.

The flame consumed the Rider, not meeting any resistance, and then travelled further.

Cu Chulainn's runes flared up, after which Mashu’s shield stood in the inferno’s path, but the flame, instead of dissipating, only thoughtlessly hit the exposed defense.

Caster continued to cast  spell after spell, trying to keep the flame from devouring the runes like a hungry beast, and Mashu continued to hold her shield, feeling the fire creeping behind it, scorching her hands and slowly melting her armor.

“George!” The girl managed to cry out at the moment when the figure of Rider was consumed by fire.

“We have serious problems!” Cu Chulainn only shouted to her, using one rune after another.

The flames continued to strike the shields for just a few more seconds before it calmed down and Mashu could turn her gaze to the dragon.

To see George, completely unscathed, rushing forward.

Rider was a great dragon slayer. His legend was named for his main achievement -Saint George the Dragon Slayer. In his legend, George killed a dragon while on his horse, after which he converted the whole city to the Christian faith. But reality does not always coincide with legend.

George was a dragon slayer and he really fought once with the Serpent. But the legend was inaccurate in how his battle went.

His battle with the dragon did not occur in only one line - "and he defeated the snake." It was an exhausting battle in which George fought to the limit of his abilities. In addition, George was not really a good horseman, so instead of fighting on a horse - having arrived at the dragon's den, he preferred to dismount.

What is the point of talking about that battle? One wound after another, a battle to the limit, a battle that drained the two fighters.

Many blows, many wounds, many losses - George lost his hand when he chopped off the dragon's claw - after which the dragon lost its tail when he managed to deprive George of his ear.

However, in the end, when the two fighters were exhausted, when the battle is undecided and anyone could win, George lost.

In the last reckless bout, the dragon managed to knock George away and knock him to the ground, pinning him with its body. George lost his blade and prepared for death.

Then something hit the dragon and distracted it.

Bayard, the old horse of George, with whom he traveled throughout Europe, escaped its leash not far from the battlefield. And instead of escaping from the roar and clash of blade, from the flame and from a dragon, it rushed into battle.

Such an accident and such a trifle decided the outcome of the battle.

The dragon was distracted for only a second, after which he killed the stallion with its blow. However, this horse gave enough time for George to grab his blade - and cut off the head of the snake.

Bayard saved George in that battle - and so became his Noble Phantasm.

George rushed forward - but already without a stallion. He died after taking the blow of the dragon flame.

“Sorry, old friend” - Rider just rushed forward.

That was his essence. Bayard, a faithful horse, always perished before George. Because his strength allowed him to always save his rider from any final blow. At the cost of his life.

The dragon, however, did not care about such trifles - instead of thinking, he preferred to breathe again.

“Damn it, he is attacking again!” Cu Chulainn shouted . Mashu just squeezed her shield - no matter what happens, they must survive!

However, when the dragon breathed out again, a wall appeared on the dragon’s flame path. A golden shield instantly rose in its path, after which the dragonfire struck it powerlessly.

“Ascalon!” Came the voice of George, “The Blessed Sword By Which Force is Slain!”

The dragon’s flame hit the golden shield that appeared in front of the dragon, but it didn’t even move when the inferno collided with an immovable gold wall.

The blade of George bestowed upon him in that battle was not intended for murder. It was intended only to protect the weak. Such was the reflection of the dragon-killer, which became not a hero like Siegfried, but a Saint.

The flame of the dragon died down after a second, after which the golden wall on the enemy’s path disappeared. George rushed on, while the dragon roared, noting that its attack had not reached its target.

George was approaching with great speed - even though he was on foot, he still remained a Rider, so the few hundreds of meters that separated the dragon from him did not become an obstacle. In addition, he was a Saint and a dragon slayer. Such a title meant at least a certain level of strength.

“Interfectum Dracones" he called after a moment, when the dragon began to inhale again for the third attack, “Dragon Slayer!”

After a moment, a golden flash pierced the sky, similar to the one that appeared when using Ascalon - however, this time there was no wall in the way of the dragon's attack.

Yes, Ascalon was granted to George only to protect the weak. However, not always as the wall that appears on the enemy’s path will become an obstacle for the enemy- for having failed for now, the enemy will eventually return, only stronger. Sometimes, to protect the weak, it is necessary to stain your hands with blood - and defeat the enemy, once and for all.

A golden flash in George’s hands struck the dragon a moment later - and the Dragon Witch understood. She has found her nemesis.

The dragonslayer’s blade easily cut flesh through the scales, then cut off one of its huge paws in one single movement, after which, without stopping, it struck further, cutting the body, tearing the wing, to the very bottom.

After all, the legend of Saint George concerned precisely with the killing of dragons.

A moment later, the Witch breathed out the flame, but this could no longer save her.

“I did everything I could” - George, finally fulfilling his duty, sighed - “Then it's up to you.”

A second later, Rider, Saint George, was consumed by the fiery inferno.

“She lost her Magic Defense!” Mashu turned to Cu Chulainn, “George removed it!”

“Damn all these Servants who don’t communicate their plan!” Cu Chulainn only complained “I need time for Phantasm!”

The blade of George was Ascalon, the holy blade protecting the weak and punishing evil. Obstacles could not hide from it and evil machinations could not keep it in its scabbard. The evil overtaken by this blade could not be saved. The holy blade of George was a weapon for punishing evil - and therefore the evil, which became its goal, could not be protected from it. Protection, artifacts, abilities, skills - if the target of this blade was evil, then everything that gave it power turned out to be useless and destroyed.

And what was more evil in the vision of the Saint and the dragon-killer than the Witch and the dragon?

Therefore, the dragon, who received a terrible blow, burst into a roar, after which, leaning on its still remaining limbs, as if anticipating its death, it began to draw in air.

“He's attacking again!” Mashu turned to Cu Chulainn, who hastily laid out his runes.

“Damn it, I need time!” Caster was in as much hurry  as he could, “Do something!”

“Blood Fort Andromeda,” came a sudden third voice, after which it was as if a whole field covered the city.

“Medusa, you are just a miracle!” Cu Chulainn rejoiced at the appearance of Rider.

“Do your Phantasm!” The girl shouted at him. “I won’t last long!”

Blood Fort Andromeda. The Second Phantasm of Medusa.

Medusa was a monster - at least that is what was told in many legends. However, at the same time, there was another story of Medusa. The story of a young and beautiful girl who lived on a distant island with her two sisters. The story of a girl who was cursed for something that she was not to blame.

The great God of the Sea, Poseidon, fell in love with a beautiful girl, but was rejected. The God, however, did not stop his pursuit.

Fleeing from his pursuits, she broke into the temple of Athena - however, the desecration of the temple was not something trivial for a God. Frightened and alone, she became a victim to his deeds.

However, Athena did not see who committed the desecration of her temple - and therefore, when Poseidon disappeared, she could only find a crying girl on the steps of the temple. And cursed her for the act that she did not commit.

Athena turned her into a monster, after which Medusa, abandoned and losing her faith, now known only as a monster, fled to her distant island, wanting to find her peace there.

However, people learned about her actions. Now they saw in her not a girl, but a desecrator of a temple, a monster. Many wanted her head - and many went after her.

Medusa did not want to fight, but neither prayers nor escaping could save her. And Medusa defended herself. And the curse of Athena, which made her a monster, gave her strength.

Thus a legend was told that no one who went to the Shapeless Island of the Gorgon sisters would return alive. So the Noble Phantasm of Medusa is formed.

An incredible concentration of magic in the air that could turn any person into stone - suck them dry  to the last drop, leaving only an empty shell, or a corpse. The power of the Blood Fort was such that the magic scattered in the air would make the blood boil in the veins, seeping outward like bloody dew that appears on the skin. A second - and a person loses consciousness. A minute - and a person loses his life.

However, for the dragon, such an ability was only a shallow distraction- a short second of delay. The second that was enough for Caster.

“Ochd Deug Odin!” Smiled Cu Chulainn, “Great God Carved Seal!”

A second later, an explosion consumed the dragon.

The eighteen runes created by Odin himself after he drank from the source of wisdom were a great creation, eighteen keys to magic of Northern Europe. They contained the power of infinite knowledge from Odin himself, the ancient god of the Scandinavians, and the power of all his wisdom. Only eighteen runes carried the full power and fury of thousands of ensi. The fury that was instantly released on its target.

An explosion of phenomenal power consumed the dragon in an instant, after which the blast wave literally razed the Witch’s castle to the ground, destroying those small buildings that still remained in the city after the battles and attacks between the Servants and dragons. A cloud of fire rose up hundreds of meters, slowly turning into the likeness of a cloud from an explosion of the strongest weapon available to mankind.

“At least I can add one opponent to my account,” Сu Сhulainn grinned, after which the blast wave, reaching their positions, knocked him down.

For a second, deafening silence was established throughout the city, before Caster could rise from his place, looking at the defeated bulk of the dragon. Even such a powerful creature as the Dragon Witch, having acquired a new form and strength, could not withstand the attacks of the primordial power of the runes.

“That was cool,” Cu Chulainn nodded his head slowly, “And now...”

After a second, however, the dragon bulk jerked, and then slowly began to rise.

“You are kidding me!” Caster looked disbelievingly at the slowly rising dragon.

However, having finally managed to move, the dragon stopped, and then collapsed again.

***

“Death,” Ainz lowered his hand, looking at how the huge dragon collapsed again. George’s ability was able to overcome the Witch’s magical defense - however, even the power of the three Phantasms could not kill the Witch. Ainz, however, did not even need his Noble Phantasm.

The dragon’s mass fell, and then began to flow slowly, turning into a purple slurry, immediately spreading under it.

“Excellent,” Ainz sighed, and then noticed how contours emerge from the slurry.

The Dragon Witch lay motionless, feeling the mucus remaining from the dragon slowly waning.

She did not have arms, legs. Her whole skin was covered with burns and her whole body was torn to pieces. Her armor was melted into the skin, and her eyes could hardly see through the caked blood crust on her face.

“Well...” the Witch tried to grin, but her whole body responded with pain and she froze, “I lost... I always lose, right?.. Haha.”

After that, the girl tried to look around, but instantly saw the figure of Ainz standing nearby.

“Ha, mage,” the girl smiled. “So you will be my executioner?”

“Yes,” answered Ainz and slowly moved toward the girl.

“You don't know how it feels to be betrayed,” Ainz, holding his hand for the last spell, stopped.

“What is it like to be alone, at your last moment,” the girl tried to smile, but her body returned with pain, “How does it feel to meet the end alone.”

Ainz slowly lowered his hand.

“Oh, have you really decided to spare me?” The girl sighed. “It will not help... Nothing will help me now...”

Ainz slowly took a step toward the Witch.

“Traitors,” the girl sighed. “All of them... Nobody will share my last moment with me. They all escaped as soon as they could. I was never needed by anyone. They all left me, left me alone in the end... What irony, isn't it? This has already happened, right? Once again, one - and the only one standing next to me is my executioner.”

Ainz slowly took another step toward the Witch.

“Well, I’m left alone,” the girl grunted a little, “Alone  at the very end. What a pity - even Gilles... They all betrayed me. No one is fighting under my banner anymore. No one looks at me with admiration. No one sees my death. All those whom I called friends, all those who admired me, again left me alone. Tell me, mage, do you know how it feels to be alone?”

Ainz slowly looked at the Witch.

Once he also asked this question.

There, far away, in a distant world, he slowly met the end of Yggdrasil.

What is a game? Entertainment. A way to kill time. A pointless waste of time.

Players of Ainz Ooal Gown were such. Each of them was unique in something. In the game, they fought, completed quests, found equipment, clashed, talked, laughed...

And then they left.

Family. Children. Work. Study. Plans. Career.

All of them had a life other than the game. A university professor, a happy mother, a student at a prestigious university, a voice actress.

Satoru Suzuki had no life.

There was no education. There were no friends. There was no family. There was no career.

He worked every day, from eight in the morning until six in the evening, after which he returned to his apartment. Empty, dusty. Knowing that without education he will never find another job. Knowing that without money, he will never find anything for himself. That without looks she won’t find a girl for herself.

He played because he had nothing more to do.

And the game was different. A Girlfriend? Why does he need it, he is a great magician! Career? He is the ruler of a whole world! Friends? Forty-one people whom he considered his friends were with him. Adventure? He had so many quests and stories that he could compose a dozen books about his story.

And while Ainz lived, everyone else was playing. And then they left.

Yggdrasil held the top spot for popularity  for twelve years. Incredibly long time for a game. But time does not look at the dreams of one person.

Yggdrasil announced its closure. And Ainz returned to the game for the last time.

He sent out invitations, prepared fireworks, and returned to the meeting room.

On the last day of the game, only one person returned. It was even more painful than if no one had come at all. Only one person who spoke about the closure of the game as something trivial, after which he complained about work - and went away.

That is his whole story.

And Ainz returned to his throne room for the last time, after which he sat down to wait. Expecting the end of everything.

“Yes,” finally Ainz said, “I know how it feels to be alone.”

“Hah,” the Witch grinned, and then slowly turned her head toward the magician, “Then you will understand me.”

“Yes,” Ainz sighed. “I understand.”

After this, Ainz took another step towards the Witch and she closed her eyes, preparing to die.

Ainz slowly crouched next to her, after which he held out his hands in the girl. After a second, he lifted her body from the ground and hugged her.

“Irony, huh,” the Witch only grinned, and Ainz felt a tear fall on his clothes, which were already soiled during the battle, “Who would know that I would sink so low that my enemy would console me...”

Ainz just sighed.

“I am enraged by your pity, mage,” the Witch tried to smile through the pain, but the tears flowing from her eyes did not stop, “But still... Thank you.”

After a second, the body of the Witch in Ainz’s hands swam, turning into purple slime, after which, after a second, a golden goblet appeared from the slime, hit the stone loudly, and slowly rolled over granite.

The creature of the Holy Grail, Jeanne d’Arc (Alter), ceased her torment.

“Jeanne,” came a voice next to Ainz, after which he turned to Gilles de Re, who was just looking into the void, “Jeanne... Forgive me, please, Jeanne…”

Ainz slowly got up, and then directed his hand at Caster, but he did not even respond to the actions of the magician. Slowly, Gilles moved to the fallen golden goblet, after which he lifted it.

“Forgive me, Jeanne, for I am guilty of everything,” Gilles closed his eyes, after which he lowered his head and slowly trudged away.

Ainz could have killed him now at any second - but Caster did not even realize it. Slowly he walked away.

Ainz extended his hand, after which he slowly lowered it.

“Hey, we won!” the voice distracted mage, after which Ainz slowly turned to his Servants. To those who remained of them.

Cu Chulainn slowly walked forward, leaning on his staff. Beside him, Mashu was limping. Medusa walked close to her, supporting Archer. Somewhere beside them, behind Archer, Kiyohime was slowly moving at the back.

“Well, is everything finally done?” Cu Chulainn sighed, taking another step forward, after which he glanced at Ainz.

“Yes, almost.” Ainz closed his eyes and then turned around. “Wait for me here. Now, I just have to... Find out something.”

After that, Ainz went after Caster in order to end his doubts once and for all.

***

Yggdrasil: ★ (E---)

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