How I Saved History (Fate/Grand Order SI)

[Charles Flynn]

Why would any of the knights ever follow that completely deranged bitch?
She's worse than Nero, and they don't even have the valid excuse of mind control like the people under Umu!

Click to shrink...

In a word, Agravaine. While the other knights followed out of residual loyalty, he was the only one who made a conscious and twenty-four/seven campaign to ensure that his king's atrocious people skills and inability to feel anything even remotely resembling empathy didn't end up blowing up in her face.

 

[Thalton]

I can't help but be reminded of the Warhammer: Space Marine video game, with the absolute legend Captain Titus.

"The Codex Astartes is a set of rules. They guide us, shape us as Ultramarines, teach us to hold duty and honor sacred above all. But how we live with those rules is the true test of a Space Marine. And you, have failed."

Just replace the appropriate parts with chivalry and knights, and you basically have the Camelot Singularity.

 

[1Korwin1]

Wow. Just wow. Goddess Rhongomyniad, you have truly fucked up. Even your knights are slowly beginning to think about betrayal. With everything I' ve read now, I really want to see what Babylon Singularity and Temple of Time will become with you as a Master of Chaldea.

 

[Darko]

So... daddy Ozzy will be the Final boss this time, because I can't see this goddess surviving for long without agravaine.

Click to shrink...

Maybe Charlie can duel him for his throne in the traditional ancient Egyptian ways.

By that I mean singing.



Ah after this Singularity we will see animes other famous Ishtar, aside from Marik.

 

[Reven]

What's sad was those people probably we're perfect like Steve rogers level good people.

And that is exactly why the revolted because while they met her standard she herself does not and is too far gone to realize that this is basically the problem.

 

[Darko]

This fight between Galahad and Lancelot won't exactly be the first fight between a ghost inhabiting another body seeking revenge and the one they want to hurt we've seen in an animated universe.

I'm of course talking about The Boondocks.



I really hope the fight ends like it did in that episode, with peace.

 

[Charles Flynn]

We set our ambush up in a pass through the mountains. Steep cliffs on either side, allowing for us to place our forces above, and, while it's not particularly narrow, Cu's runes and Da Vinci's devices have allowed us to make it impassible if we need to, hemming them in.

The plan is simple: Galahad pulls the old knight on a bridge trick, and shows up in front of them, and attacks, forcing Lancelot to engage him one on one. While that's going on, and the barriers have triggered, trapping Lancelot's knights inside, the rest of our forces descend from above, slaughtering the unprepared soldiers with the element of surprise.

Of course, it doesn't look like things are going to pan out that way.

"Could you repeat that?" I ask the Face serving as my attaché to the Hundred Face collective. We're in my command center, located atop the taller of the pass' two cliff faces. Da Vinci, Georgios, and Bedivere are with me, to act as bodyguards and a reserve force. Cu and Siegfried both stand at the edge of the cliff, ready to deploy.

"Lancelot left his forces behind, and he's making his way to the pass on foot," the Assassin says. "Seems like he knows we're here."

I had thought this might happen. It's why I had Hundred Face act as a surveillance system. I thought Mata Hari might do this. But to find out that she actually did? To find out that she's stabbed me in the back, that she's stabbed Chaldea in the back, that she's stabbed humanity in the back, all for the sake of some stupid fucking crush? That fills me with pure, uncompromising rage.

And so, I turn my attention towards my senses to my still-loyal Servants. 'Attention all Servants. Mata Hari has betrayed us, and Sir Lancelot is aware of our ambush. I'll be informing you of how we'll be changing our deployment shortly, but before I do so, I wish to announce a new directive: Mata Hari has betrayed us, and, in doing so, jeapordized our chances of success, and by extension, the well-being of all humanity, by spilling vital information to our enemy. Consequently, she is a traitor, and should be dealt with accordingly. If you should see her, provide with an appropriate death.'

That gets a round of grim affirmations, although Galahad and Georgios notably remain silent.

'Mata Hari.' I send to her as I stare at the map, and the troop distributions oh-so-helpfully pointed out by Hundred Face.

'Yes, Master?'

'You betrayed Chaldea.' It isn't a question.

'I did.'

'Was it worth it?'

'No. But I couldn't bring myself to betray him.'

'So you betrayed us instead.'

'I'm sorry.' She really does sound like she means it.

'I know you are. But you'll die for it all the same.' I remove myself from the conversation entirely, then, and focus on exactly how I'm going to turn this around.

"Right," I say aloud, shaking my head. "We're going to win this. And Mata Hari is dying, even if I have to kill her myself." I turn to Hundred Face. "Lancelot's position?"

"Three hundred meters out from the pass's entrance."

'Galahad, your father is three-hundred meters out. Advance and engage.'

Hopefully, that'll keep him busy.

I head to the cliff's edge myself, and I see the knight that's making his way at a walking pace towards our now-ruined ambush point.

He's wearing a helmet, and his armor shines brightly in the midday sun.

He's sent tumbling helplessly back when Galahad slams into him, fumbling at his blade as his helmet tumbles off to reveal-

"THAT'S NOT LANCELOT!" I shout, as Galahad stops in his tracks far below me. "THAT'S MATA HARI!"

The newly revealed spy and seductress draws a borrowed sword, holding it shakily with both hands as she faces off against Galahad. And he makes no move against her. Of course he doesn't, that damned chivalry of his won't let him hit a woman!

Shit, shit, shit, this is a classic shell game. "Hundred Face, did you have eyes on Mata Hari?"

"No. We had presumed she was in one of the tents, but-"

"Lancelot could be anywhere right now!" I say, suddenly realizing that I've just been outmaneuvered. "Can you confirm that his forces are still there?"

"Yes, we've checked!" Hundred face snaps back at me.

"Deploy in a search pattern, FIND HIM!"

"Master?" Cursed Arm says quizzically as he pulls himself up onto the rock shelf we're on. "What did you need me for?"

"What are you talking about?" I ask irritably, walking towards him. "You're supposed to be watching Lancelot's armies with Hundred Face!"

Hundred Face grabs me by the shoulder before I can get close to him, though, looking at their fellow Hassan with mute horror. "That's not Cursed Arm."

My guards bristle, and move to act, but Lancelot draws first.

His blade lashes out, and, with a cry of "ARONDIGHT OVERLOAD!" he blasts Georgios backwards off the mesa, before sending Bedivere flying in the opposite direction with a side kick to the chest.

By now, the other Servants have begun to react, with Da Vinci and Hundred Face drawing me behind them, while Cu and Siegfried move in to engage.

Finally, my mind unfreezes, and I begin to react. Come on, how do we take him down?

He's holding his own against Cu and Siegfried, even though its two on one. His every motion is flawless, as he keeps them at bay, taking advantage of his opponents' limited familiarity with each others' fighting styles to make them trip each other up. He's not just holding his own, he's actually winning.

'Cu, use your Noble Phantasm. We can't afford to draw this out.'

Chulainn's Hound leaps back, a wild grin on his face as Siegfried steps in to keep Lancelot occupied, and draws back his lance, the Piercing Spear of Barbed Death glowing with a downright feral light. "GAE BOLG!"

The spear surges forwards. It hits. There is no possibility in which it does not hit.

Unfortunately, it hits the wrong dragonslaying Saber.

Cu freezes as he stares at the spear in his hands, currently driven straight into Siegfried's vulnerable back. "But- I was aiming for Lancelot! How did I miss?"

Lancelot kicks him in gut, wrenching the spear from his hands. "Guess I'm just lucky."

I watch in horror as the Knight of the Lake sheathes Arondight, and Gae Bolg turns black in his hands, red veins making their way up its length. "Nice spear. I think I'll keep it."

He charges in, and Cu goes to meet him, resignation clear on his face as he fights Arthur's greatest knight unarmed.

I only realize that I've been backing away from Lancelot when I nearly fall off the cliff, and Da Vinci pulls me back.

But then, once he's done killing Ireland's most legendary hero with his own spear, Lancelot turns his attention towards us, and Da Vinci and Hundred Face both grimly square up to face him.

He cuts Hundred Face in half as he neatly dances out of the way of Da Vinci's attacks, pushing me off the cliff and then grabbing the front of my shirt.

I struggle to find my balance, feeling a desperate terror welling up in my throat as I realize that his hand is the only thing holding me up.

"So, Master of Chaldea. Shall we discuss the terms of your surrender?"

 

[gjsponge]

So... why didn't he use Mata Hari as an human shield by using a command seal? Or force her loyalty through that beforehand, to avoid this clusterfuck?

 

[Charles Flynn]

So... why didn't he use Mata Hari as an human shield by using a command seal? Or force her loyalty through that beforehand, to avoid this clusterfuck?

Click to shrink...

He makes a point of not using his Command Seals to violate the free will of anyone he aims to let live. And he only has one left. He also actively made an attempt to isolate her from any and all critical information beforehand, and didn't even tell her when or where the ambush would take place. He didn't even tell her there would be an ambush.

Problem is, she's a damn good spy, and figured it out anyways.

 

[gjsponge]

He makes a point of not using his Command Seals to violate the free will of anyone he aims to let live. And he only has one left. He also actively made an attempt to isolate her from any and all critical information beforehand, and didn't even tell her when or where the ambush would take place. He didn't even tell her there would be an ambush.

Problem is, she's a damn good spy, and figured it out anyways.

Click to shrink...

>he aims to let live
Thing is, once he suspected traitorous behaviour, he would have done it.
Especially after confirmation of the betrayal.
Don't Chaldea command seals also reload with time?

 

[Charles Flynn]

>he aims to let live
Thing is, once he suspected traitorous behaviour, he would have done it.
Especially after confirmation of the betrayal.
Don't Chaldea command seals also reload with time?

Click to shrink...

Needs a direct connection to Chaldea to do so. Consequently, they don't regenerate when he's in a Singularity. He didn't want to waste it on disciplining his Servants, and generally tries not to use Command Spells on things he could do through other means, like having Hundred Face watch the enemy camp, and then sending Cu and Vlad to kill Mata Hari if the reports stopped matching up.

 

[Silver W. King]

'I'm sorry.' She really does sound like she means it.

Click to shrink...

"Well, I hope you enjoy being burned, and that's not what I'm about to do, that's what will happen if you survive. Because everyone and everything will burn when we fail. Lancelot will live, thus the Lion King will live, thus this Singularity will continue, and all of humanity will die. Congratulations Mata Hari, you have accomplished what no other killer in history could manage, killed mankind. Truly, your legend has surpassed every murderer that has ever lived, or ever will live. For these few moments, you'll be remembered as Mata Hari, Slayer of All Humans. Be proud, Margaretha, Cain could learn a few things from you."

 

[Narmish]

Mata Hari may have already died by way of Galahad. And in the middle of Lancelot talking with MC... Galahad Interrupt! Lancelot will be in a terrible and incredibly sad situation soon.

 

[Bear_Mint]

Even if Charlie surrenders, he has defeated Camelot. He has taken the only pillar that kept it from burning to the ground and Lancelot will return to find an ash kingdom.

I'm not surprised that Mata Hari betrayed Chaldea for Lancelot; He is the stereotype of a white knight. A few nice words to a person that never received any in life, yea, Mata Hari was the worst matchup for this situation.

 

[Darko]

Well... this has proven to be a huge fucking cluster fuck, like seriously Charlie wasn't in this bad a situation since Attila, but I don't think this situation is going to be so funny.

Though it was nice to see why Lancelot is considered the greatest of Arthur's knights.

And nice showing how Mata Hari can figure out information using her espionage skills.

If they ressummon her then I hope Charlie uses her espionage talents. She may not be a powerful Servant, or even all that much of an Assassin, but her info gathering is second to none.

And yeah it is sad that she betrayed them, but after the shit stain her life has been it is kinda sad that spending some time with a nice guy is all it takes for her to turn traitor.

 

[Reven]

The only thing that could work is if Mata was pulling a double agent bit.

But it's gone too far now too many have died.

While the MC has not had much interaction from her does not mean she stopped existing. How likely was it she became friends with some of the others?

Sadly she never considered that he knew she was a honey pot and turned it back around on her.

He is lanclot of course he got game. Half his legend is about stealing another man's wife.

 

[Darko]

The only thing that could work is if Mata was pulling a double agent bit.

But it's gone too far now too many have died.

While the MC has not had much interaction from her does not mean she stopped existing. How likely was it she became friends with some of the others?

Sadly she never considered that he knew she was a honey pot and turned it back around on her.

He is lanclot of course he got game. Half his legend is about stealing another man's wife.

Click to shrink...

She may have gotten to know some of the other Servants and staff of Chaldea, but I don't think she fell in love with them like she did with Lancelot.

Her wish, if I remember correctly, was to have a family, and now she probably met a guy with who she would most likely want to start that family with, and Lancelot, aside from a few things, is a pretty good catch.

Granted compared to some of her previous husbands, most people would be better matches.

 

[Darko]

The weight of responsibility has never felt heavier than it does now.

Click to shrink...

Charlie can use a Mood Kindred right about now.

 

[Drake D Zero]

Let's say they kill her, she would most likely be summoned again because GACHA. If that were to happen, would she get the hassan treatment of the bat, or simply cold indifference even if that version of her doesn't have any recollection of her predecesor?

 

[Darko]

Even if Lancelot were to to help chaldea and part of the surrender's Terms were to not kill matahari, she would definitely die when they come back. Even with George protection or Charlie approval to it kill her, It is hard to believe that another servant wouldn't kill her because of this. Notable example: Medea, because she betrayed HER aprentice and because mata Hari would remind her of her past.


So...yeah, unless you have a good narrative solution, she's deader than dead. But you are still the word of God so... have fun writing the story.

Click to shrink...

Don't forget Vlad.

Spartacus may also try something since she helped an oppressor.

Boudica is also a factor since she fought against a horde of mass murderers that wanted to 'civilize' her lands, and she and Charlie may get along.

Let's say they kill her, she would most likely be summoned again because GACHA. If that were to happen, would she get the hassan treatment of the bat, or simply cold indifference even if that version of her doesn't have any recollection of her predecesor?

Click to shrink...

Charlie could use a Command Seal on her that prevents her from betraying them.

The Servants he typically has killed after summoning are in some way unstable and need to be put down.

Her espionage abilities are also extremely useful.

 

[Hidden Variable]

"So, Master of Chaldea. Shall we discuss the terms of your surrender?"

Click to shrink...

I would honestly spit in his face right here. But I'm a prideful, bullheaded, spiteful bastard more than willing to doom my chance of winning through intrigue just to throw one last verbal barb. Flynn might talk his way out, he is still processing his rage over Mata Hari's betrayal and that will overpower his fear once he has time to think for a second(has in the past), or Galahad might beat Lancelot over the head with his shield.

But this is a literal cliffhanger and I'm taking it very personally you #@#$.

 

[Quacking duck]

"So, Master of Chaldea. Shall we discuss the terms of your surrender?"

Click to shrink...

The moment Flynn gets out of this sticky mess and gets his hands on Mata Hari, he is going to gut the little traitorous bastard and fucking flay her alive.

 

[qOwOp]

This is what happens when you're a sociopath that can only consider things in the short term. You lack long term planning skills.

Like yeah, you stalled Lancelot with a damsel in distress, but you also gave a damsel in distress to the attractive and chivalrous ntr knight with literally less than nothing to keep the damsel loyal to you.

The whole plan was pretty small brain.

 

[Darko]

This is what happens when you're a sociopath that can only consider things in the short term. You lack long term planning skills.

Like yeah, you stalled Lancelot with a damsel in distress, but you also gave a damsel in distress to the attractive and chivalrous ntr knight with literally less than nothing to keep the damsel loyal to you.

The whole plan was pretty small brain.

Click to shrink...

I don't think Charlies a sociopath.

Though he's certainly easy enough to be mistaken for one.

 

[qOwOp]

I don't think Charlies a sociopath.

Though he's certainly easy enough to be mistaken for one.

Click to shrink...

He might not be one, but he purposefully acts like one, so there basically isn't a functional difference.

He's literally the hard man making hard decisions meme. Complete with making exceptions for his friends and conveniently sacrificing nothing personally while said hard decisions bite him in the ass.

 

[Darko]

He might not be one, but he purposefully acts like one, so there basically isn't a functional difference.

He's literally the hard man making hard decisions meme. Complete with making exceptions for his friends and conveniently sacrificing nothing personally while said hard decisions bite him in the ass.

Click to shrink...

I don't think he really makes exceptions for his friends.

He also can't sacrifice all that much since he's the last Master they have and if he gets too injured, we'll everyone's fucked then.

 

[Charles Flynn]

I look up at Lancelot and internally panic.

"Tell your Servants to stand down," he orders, his hand not moving in the slightest as he holds me up.

This is... wait.

I push past the adrenaline and the fear, and actually think. He hasn't killed me. The Lion King's orders, as reported by Mata Hari, were for Lancelot to hunt the Chaldea-Hashashim Alliance down and put us all to the sword. But here he is, using me as a hostage to ensure that we surrender. If he was actually following his king's orders, he wouldn't be bothering with this. Just like with the refugee camps Mata Hari mentioned. That means... I've learned my lesson from Attila and Duryodhana. If the enemy isn't killing me immediately, it's because they want me to stay alive. I am the Achilles Heel of humanity's last hope, after all. Killing me stops Chaldea dead in the water. And he doesn't want to do that. He's rebelling against his king's orders, even if it's through deliberately misinterpreting said orders, which would indicate a moral conflict. I can use that.

Of course, all of this is relying on the word of an extremely biased spy and now confirmed traitor. But, well... I know the look of a man who's actually planning to kill me from the look of a man that's bluffing. And Lancelot's bluffing.

Of course, the half-formed arguments crystallizing in my mind won't work if they're delivered from a position of weakness. I need to remove his current power over me. Moreover, I need to gain the upper hand.

I have just the thing on hand.

'Galahad, get ready to catch me.'

'Flynn, what the Hell are you planning?'

I don't answer, instead looking up at Sir Lancelot, my left hand drawing my teacher's first-ever gift to me behind my back. God, please let this work.

I grab his arm to pull myself up, smiling as I do so. "You make a solid case. I guess I have no choice but to say-"

I then drive the poisoned dagger, enchanted just enough to let me hurt Servants, into his wrist, forcing him to release me.

"-No."

His look of absolute shock is far more hilarious than it really should be. I think I might be slightly hysterical.

The cliff's cracks and textures fade into a blur as I fall, gaining momentum as I do. For a second, just a second, I wonder if this how I die.

And then Galahad catches me in midair, before driving his shield into the cliff face to brake our momentum.

"I swear to God, Flynn," he grumbles. "Have you ever thought that maybe, just maybe, one of these days I won't be around to bail your ass out of whatever fire you've jumped headfirst into? Where would you be without me, huh?"

"Dead." I grin as he unceremoniously dumps me on the ground. "So, it's a good thing I can rely on you, huh?"

He looks nonplussed at that. "Well, at least you admit it." He raises an eyebrow. "Where'd you get that dagger?"

"Medea gave it to me. It's enchanted just enough to hurt a Servant, but she didn't bother to enchant it any further. Not much point, really, there's no way I'm landing a hit on a Servant twice. Only way I could ever hurt one would be with a surprise attack."

"Fine." Galahad smiles. "I suppose I'll have to finish the job, then."

"We're negotiating with him." Honestly, this entire idiotic ambush only happened because I yielded to peer pressure, and it's already proved itself to have been a terrible idea.

"WHAT?" Galahad yelps. "Flynn, you promised!"

"And I'm not going to keep it if it means hamstringing our entire war effort against the Lion King." I look at him sternly. "I just saw him in action, and he was an absolute whirlwind of death."

As if to prove my point, Da Vinci is sent flying off the cliff, and lies, groaning, in her impact crater.

"He took on six Servants and won. We just lost Cu and Siegfried, two of our heaviest hitters. I still don't know if Georgios survived. Your father is a freaking juggernaut, and even if we manage to beat him, I'm beginning to suspect any victory we could pull off would be pyrrhic. Thus, we're negotiating."

"You're just going to roll over for him? You're surrendering?"

"Of course not. We're negotiating the terms of his surrender." I walk over to the still whimpering Da Vinci and start dragging her to her feet.

"You're fucking insane."

"Look on the bright side. If my plan fails, you still get your fight in." I struggle to lift Da Vinci, who's babbling something about spiders. "Now help me with Da Vinci, would you?"

He looks at me, still incredulous, before snorting and shaking his head. "I'm not sure if I want to applaud you or just punch your face in."

"Yeah, I get that a lot. Now come on over and help, she's a lot heavier than she looks, and your father is both very scary and very close by."

He snorts, and then grabs Da Vinci's other arm.

'All Servants, converge on me. We're parleying.'

---​

I see Lancelot draw near, a white flag raised high to match my own. Thank God. After what I've seen from him, I'm not sure that even having all my Servants on hand would be enough to beat him.

Alright, then, I've got my improvised ideas lined up into a proper speech that might do the trick.

Almighty God in Heaven, please let this work.

"Sir Lancelot!" I call from behind Georgios, Vlad, and Galahad. "Thank you for joining us."

"Why did you call for parley?" Wow, not sparing any time for pleasantries, is he? Well, I can work with that.

"To offer you terms of surrender, of course!" I say cheerfully. "If you and your men surrender now, we'll pardon you for your previous acts of treason, and allow you to seek your own atonement on the battlefield at our side." Hook...

"Treason?" He repeats with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes. Your harmful and treacherous actions, deleterious to the goals and well-being of your liege lord." Line...

He glares at me. "Even if I have failed my liege, those actions are not yours to forgive."

"Sir Lancelot, who is your liege?" Liiiiiiiiinnnnneee...

"The Lion King."

"An incorrect assumption. The liege you owe fealty above all others is not the Lion King, although I can understand the mistake." He looks confused, but he also looks like he's going to argue the point. Sinker!

"I think I should count myself qualified to know who's my liege."

"My good knight, what is a liege lord?"

He blinks. "It is the king or noble to whom you have sworn fealty."

"And the relationship is quite clearly defined: The liege offers gifts to his vassals, and enriches them, and in return, they serve him in battle. You would claim that Arthur is your liege, for he has so enriched you?"

"Yes!" Lancelot snaps. "And I repaid my king poorly. I will atone with my service!"

"I'm afraid I would have to disagree, Sir Lancelot. I know of one to whom you owe a greater debt."

"And that would be-"

"Humanity."

He looks at me skeptically. "I'm not entirely sure I understand."

"Humanity is your liege before all others, for it has given to you before all others, as it has to every human being. It has birthed you and it has named you, it has seen your deeds and called them glory. It has given you gold and lofty keeps, it has fed you, and it has given you meaning. It has created you, Lancelot, woven you together on the loom of civilization. All you have loved, and all you have hated, your very existence, all of it you owe to humanity! Your every moment, your every joy, your every sorrow, YOUR EVERY BREATH you owe to humanity! Your Lord and Master beyond all others is humanity, for it is a web of a thousand promises, the greatest fealty any thinking being could ever know, and IT NAMED YOU ITS KNIGHT! It raised you up above all others, enshrined as all mankind's defender by their collective will, the only reason you stand here in this moment, centuries after your death! AND HOW DID YOU REPAY THAT GENEROSITY?"

"I-" He's struggling for words, trying to come up with a way to respond to my tirade. He's actually backed up a step, looking like a deer in headlights. But most importantly, he looks guilty. And if there's one thing that Lancelot is vulnerable to, it's guilt.

"You betrayed it for a lesser lord," I say, relishing every word. "You are a traitor, Lancelot. You have betrayed your father, and you have betrayed your mother. You have betrayed those who served you, and you have betrayed those who served beside you. You have betrayed every human being to ever live, every human being who knew you and called you a hero, every human being that trusted you to save them." I snort. "And for what? To slavishly follow a twisted parody of the king you once served, not because you believed her, but because you wanted to prove to yourself that you were still a loyal knight." I laugh outright, there. "Funny way of showing it."

He's buckling, now, my words hitting him like actual physical blows. "I'm... I'm sorry."

"I suppose you are," I admit, making him look up at me in shock. "It's not too late, Sir Lancelot. You can turn back. You can atone for your treachery. Make up for your misdeeds. And the first step? Put down your sword."

He stares at me for a long moment, and I feel myself begin to doubt. Was it enough? Did I screw this up? Did I peg him wrong?

And then Arondight hits the ground.

 

[Wheenesss]

One day that emotional manipulation trick isn't going to work, Flynn, and it's going to be amusing to watch. But that day is not today.

 

[Majster Man]

At the rate he is going Flynn will end in Throne of Heroes as Silver-tongued Scoundrel

 

[EVA-Saiyajin]

Honestly with how many MCs would forgive Mata Hari, between the betrayal and it's reasons and the way he shut down Lancelot, I'm looking forward to her death/trial. Call me morbid, but it's a nice change of pace. Maybe he'll shove her stupidity in her face first. And that I can easily say is my sense of schadenfreude speaking.