Camelot Chapter 1: Baptism of Sand

Chapter 1: Baptism of Sand

In Camelot, Sanzang is bidding the Round Table goodbye. The atmosphere seems a bit heavy - the knights do not seem particularly pleased. Sanzang asks them to cheer up, and Agravain says that it was her that decided to part ways with them in the first place.

Sanzang assures them that she does not intend to become their enemy. She only wants to return to India, and then back home.

Agravain does not believe her. She is now a Servant, there is no need to repeat her previous path in life. Besides, in this world her duty and homeland does not exist. Where would she return to?

Sanzang replies that it is not about a physical location, but about where her heart is. She is a traveling monk, one that is lonely without her disciples. She continues by praising the idyllic holy city, which is peaceful, beautiful and bountiful.

Gawain asks if she could not stay, since she likes this place so.

Sanzang refuses, though she does appreciate Gawain's gentleness towards a lady. She will head into the desert, as she planned.

After she has left, Gawain finds it a pity. She was a woman who reminded him of the sun. Mordred instead feels relieved. She never liked Sanzang from the moment the monk arrived. She does not think it would be wise to let Sanzang walk off like that, but Agravain, though agreeing with Mordred's opinion, says that Arthur had already given permission for her to leave. Mordred thinks it's a waste of a good chance to stab Sanzang in the back while she was walking away.

Mordred asks Tristan what he thinks, rudely. Tristan claims to have fallen asleep, not that we can tell with his perpetually closed eyes. He says that if it is about women, ask Lancelot, not him. It saddens Tristan, but Lancelot has more experience in love.

Gawain addresses Agravain, asking if the King had anymore orders regarding the protection of the holy city. There are none. Agravain says that as knights they only need to patiently serve and demonstrate their loyalty. Though Sanzang is a foreigner, she is not the "rebel" foretold by the stars.

Tristan recites the prophecy: When the foreign star shines, the wall of chalk shall crack. The king's majesty will be dimmed and the oracle's tower shall crumble.

Agravain says that they should prepare for the coming of the foreigners. Soon, the last Master in the world will arrive here. The King's burden is heavy, shouldering the world itself, so the knights of the Round Table should take care of all trivialities to lessen their ruler's worries. He ends by exhorting them to demonstrate their true loyalty.

You appear in the middle of a sandstorm. Taking shelter under a rock formation, Da Vinci notes that there are even bones of dragons lying about. All contact with Chaldea has been cut off. Da Vinci confirms that you have arrived in the 13th century Middle East. You are soon ambushed by enemies.

After the battle, you wonder about the giant silver knight you defeated. Da Vinci warns you about the next enemy incoming. It's a Sphinx. After defeating it, Da Vinci says as a divine beast its strength exceeds that of demonic or phantasmal beasts, or even dragonkind. She advises you to leave the area, since a divine beast would regenerate from that level of damage fairly quickly. Detecting a source of water to the west, you begin travelling through the sandstorm.

You've traveled about 10 kilometers. Blushing, Mashu asks if you want her to carry you. You can sit on the shield while she pulls it with a rope. Da Vinci makes a breathing mask for you. In the distance she can see a giant structure. It looks like a temple of some sort. Around the temple are Sphinxes, a lot of Sphinxes. To approach it would be suicide. You would have to find a different route.

Then, Mashu notices some skull-faced shadows fleeing from the direction of the temple. The skull-faced shadows talk about having abducted the queen, which prevents the monsters from interfering with their escape, but if the opponent are people then the amulet would have no effect. They are carrying a tied up girl and you move to save her.

After the battle, you knock off the mask of one of the enemies only to reveal Hundred-Faced Hassan. One of her underlings recognizes the emblem on Mashu's shield as belonging to that of the Holy City. Hundred-Face warns her underlings not to approach as the enemy is a Servant and they, who are normal humans, would be killed.

She calls upon you to introduce yourself. You reply with your name and a "what's your name, pretty lady?" which causes Hundred-Face to blush. She retreats, parting with the cliched villainous line of "I'll get you next time!".

Afterwards, you turn to the girl that you saved. She's mumbling things in her sleep like, "No, Pharaoh, don't pull my hair like that," and "Although it may look like a ear, it's actually a magic catalyst of Horus".

She wakes up, goes into a panic, introduces herself proudly as Nitocris, and then promptly proceeds to accuse you of drugging and abducting her. She does not believe your story that anyone would lend a helping hand out of the kindness of their heart in this blasted desert. It looks like she will not listen to reason, and you are forced to battle her.

After the first round, she summons a Sphinx to assist her. A young man with a silver arm appears and joins the fight on your side. It's Lucius. With his aid, you manage to successfully destroy the Sphinx permanently. Da Vinci goes into a frenzy as she recognizes the arm and asks if it's the famed Airgetlam, the arm of the Celtic god of war Nuada.

Afterwards, you manage to sway Nitocris. She apologizes, and you make loud demands for water - "T-There's an oasis nearby..." - and food, upon which a rather bullied Nitocris seems to cave in. She recomposes herself and says that if you want all that, you can escort her back to the temple.

It is a glorious, ideal kingdom where only those who solve the riddle of the Sphinx (or are able to kill one, presumably) may be invited: The Great Shining Temple Complex of the Sun King, Rammesseum Tentyris.