Camelot Chapter 2: The Sun King's Supper

Chapter 2: The Sun King's Supper

Nitocris stops the sandstorm, revealing a sky blue as far as the eye can see. Mashu's smile upon seeing the sky is infectious, causing Nitocris herself to grin. Da Vinci points out the light band in the sky - Solomon's Noble Phantasm. It disgusts Nitocris. To her, the only thing that should be shining in the sky should be the sun.

From now on they will head west; it would take about two hours to reach the temple complex. Lucius parts ways with you here. There is nothing he needs to do at the temple. Insisting that he only met you by chance, he leaves, saying that as a wanderer he has no right to be around other people. After he has left, Da Vinci asks Mashu what she thought about Lucius, as a Servant. Mashu replies that she does not feel anything particularly out of place, but second guesses herself and says that there is something slightly different about Lucius from the other Servants after all. Da Vinci is suspicious if Lucius is his real name.

Here you can interject, saying that it is the name of an emperor and that he didn't look like one. Mashu is surprised, Da Vinci impressed that you know that name, recorded in the Historia Regum Britanniae. What interests Da Vinci more, his real name aside, is that Noble Phantasm of his: the Airgetlam of Nuada. Lucius himself is clearly not Nuada and the arm is thus a replica of some sort, without any particularly extraordinary power... but yet he managed to defeat a Sphinx. Da Vinci wonders what sort of trickery was involved, before declaring that she too wants to defeat a Sphinx alone!

Nitocris yells at her to stop chattering nonsense. She doesn't have all day here, and if you want to head to the temple, you better get moving. Mashu apologizes - she forgot that the Egyptian queen was here. Incensed at this girl that hides a barbed tongue behind an unassuming appearance, Nitocris demands her name. Mashu introduces herself, Da Vinci-chan, and you, her Master. You give Nitocris your name too. This seems to placate her. She is relieved that your names are not in the list of sinners. You begin your duty of escorting Nitocris back to the temple.

On the way, Mashu asks why a queen like her would need an escort in her own territory. Nitocris replies that it isn't her territory, it is the Sun King's. Besides, once the sandstorm is stopped, there will be monsters popping up all over the place, so we have an obligation to bring her back safely. And right on cue, a monster pops up behind her. Mashu brings it to her attention, asking if it is an indigenous creature. Nitocris panics. It is not, and you will have to take it down.

After the battle, Nitocris calls you strange folk. It is obvious that you are not subjects of the Sun King, but you do not appear to be from the holy city, or part of the mountain folk. Mashu asks her if she knows of Masters and Servants, and summoning rituals and singularities. Nitocris doesn’t really care. All she knows is that she serves the great Ozymandias, and that is enough for her. Before she is a Heroic Spirit, she is a pharaoh that protects this land. Da Vinci asks if that is all she knows as a protector of this land.

Nitocris replies that she does know a bit of the current war. When Ozymandias was summoned to this time, he conquered it in an instant. This territory of Egypt is proof that the summoned Pharaoh has brought salvation to both the land and the subjects summoned along with him. This is proof of his glory. Normally, what is summoned would just be the Heroic Spirit. But Ozymandias is different. He is the kingdom itself. To summon the Pharaoh is to summon the kingdom, which will be revived alongside him. However, there are still those who would rebel against his authority – the indigenous inhabitants, people of the Saracen mountains.

Da Vinci asks if the holy city she mentioned earlier referred to Jerusalem. This question instantly puts Nitocris on guard. As it turns out, Jerusalem does not exist anymore. It was destroyed. There are no inhabitants of this land who would not know of that fact. You have helped her, yes, and she would like to repay that favour, but her responsibility as a protector is another matter altogether. Highly suspicious now, Nitocris decides that she will not lead you to the temple after all, and prepares for battle. She will not fight you herself, in lieu of her debt to you. Instead, she will test your hearts in a trial by combat against the Sphinx.

You manage to chase the Sphinx away. Haughtily, Nitocris declares that she recognizes your strength. But since you are that strong, you can find your way out of this sandstorm yourself, and praying that the king’s mercy will shine upon you, she bids you farewell.

Da Vinci notes that you’ve still managed to avoid the bulk of the Sphinxes, and as long as you cut right through the storm and reach the temple, you can now come face to face with the truth.

You finally see the shadow of the temple ahead of you. Though the wind is getting even stronger, you make one last push behind Mashu’s shield. At long last you break free of the sandstorm and reach Ozymandias’s temple complex. Mashu is amazed, likening it to a city floating atop a sea of sand. So this is the Great Shining Temple Complex of Ozymandias.

You don’t know who that is. Da Vinci takes the opportunity to give a lecture about Ozymandias’s real identity as Ramses II, the greatest Pharaoh in Egyptian history, he who once bragged that “All temples on earth were constructed by me”… and other similar boasts. She also mentions the possible presence of the oldest power generator in human history, the Dendera Light Bulb. You suppose that the furniture wasn’t made by Nitocris…

You are still unable to get in contact with Roman. To Da Vinci, this proves her theory. You have shifted to the Middle East of the 13th century, that much is true. But where you are now is not 13th century Earth. The quality of magic that she can measure in the air is different. Nitocris said that the land of Egypt was summoned along with the Pharaoh, but it is not just the land. This desert is from the B.C. period. Time and space has been twisted to bring about an Egypt from Ozymandias’s time. Furthermore, there is a location within this land where space-time is further twisted. An oddity within an oddity, so to speak.

Well, that is for later. For now you have to meet with Ozymandias. Da Vinci is hopeful; the legends say that Ozymandias is a difficult but handsome man…

Ozymandias is sleepy, rubbing his eyes on his VIP perch. Mashu wonders if that is really him.

Nitocris is there in the throne room too. Taking on a very official and imperious tone, she greets you, the bunch of strange travelers who are late and who she definitely doesn’t know or care for at all, nuh uh. You who have overcome the ordeal of the Sphinx are now allowed an audience with the King. And you should prostrate yourself flat on the floor right now and not even dare raise your body until the King says otherwise.

You do not respond in a particularly respectful manner.

Nitocris admonishes you for your rudeness, saying that you are in the presence of the most noble, most brave, most majestic God-King – Pharaoh Ozymandias! The ideal king who has brought peace and salvation to this dying land.

Ozymandias speaks, saying that it’s rare for Nitocris to raise her voice and squawk like this. He can tell that she likes us. This pleases him, really. Really. A red-faced Nitocris apologizes for babbling on and on using his real name. Ozymandias says that the punishment for stealing his pleasure is heavy. Later, she should cut off an arm and stuff it in a jar. Nitocris thanks him for his mercy.

Then, Ozymandias turns his attention to you. He introduces himself with his name. He is a god, he is the sun, and he is the pharaoh that rules this earth. Whether it is in the past or the present, that is something that will never change. This miniscule throne of his that you see at the moment is but a meaningless consolation, a trifling thing. At the moment he is sleepy, like an old man waking from the brink of death. Therefore, he would like any words you exchange with him be kept to the bare minimum.

He knows that you are emissaries from Chaldea, and that you have restored five singularities to date. As for the sixth, it appeared here in this sandy Holy Land. He knows that, for the Holy Grail that you are searching for is naturally in his possession. Ozymandias reveals the Holy Grail, and you blurt out that its nature is a Demon Pillar. He is offended that you would think he received this from the King of Magic. He obtained this from the crusaders when he descended upon this land –

Ozymandias’s head slips off his neck, just slightly.

He pushes it back in place and continues as if nothing has happened, explaining that he confiscated the Grail from the crusaders as it was fitting for a true king such as he to own it.

Mashu speaks out in surprise, trying to draw attention to what just happened. Da Vinci is silently agreeing with her.

Ozymandias just brushes it off, saying that you must be tired from your long travels and that he will forgive this impertinence just once. There is nothing wrong with his neck. Returning to the matter of the Holy Grail…

And his head slips again.

Did you see? His silent glare seems to be asking that question. You look away from him, silently.

Ozymandias shouts for Nitocris, his entire demeanor becoming a lot more active than he was seconds ago. She snaps to attention, asking what he requires. The Sun King says that he needs to keep in shape and wants to move his body, and commands her to summon some fire spirits to keep him awake. And, well, he particularly liked that silence just now from Chaldea’s Master.

Mashu warns you that for some reason that she can’t understand, Ozymandias is preparing for battle.

Afterwards, Ozymandias finds the warm-up agreeable, and that his neck is back in good condition. Nitocris asks tentatively if you should be punished. He says that is for certain, since you are after the Grail and the Grail belongs to him. Nitocris feels guilty about having led enemies of the Pharaoh to this place. Ozymandias does not admonish her for this, saying that it was his fault he didn’t tell her about the Holy Grail and the singularity.

Though really, he thought that you would have been snuffed out in the fourth singularity.

Having said that… you’re late. You’re far, far too late. Ozymandias scolds you for your tardiness, saying that the human reason of this era had long collapsed before you arrived. According to him, this era was supposed to be a period where two factions warred over the Holy Land, one defending, one attacking. The two peoples that could not co-exist would slaughter each other to the end, and should the Grail fall into the hands of either side, the Holy Land would become a seedbed of demon pillars.

That is, if you had arrived a little earlier.

Da Vinci theorizes that since the Holy Grail is in Ozymandias’s possession, he had to have been summoned by the Crusaders. Obviously, he would be hostile to them, and thus he took the Grail for his own. She ponders if the Egyptian territory summoned by Ozymandias was the cause for the disruption of human reason in this era.

Ozymandias is impressed by Da Vinci. Brains and beauty. He tells her that he will reserve a spot in his harem for her should she want to join it at any time.

Da Vinci is flattered by the great Sun King’s praise. Still, she asks if she was right about her theory.

Ozymandias laughs. He says that she is wrong. She thought that he, this omnipotent, all powerful Sun King, would seek to use that poisoned cup of a Holy Grail? He is the owner of the Grail and its guardian. Something like the Holy Land is of absolutely no interest to him. He tells you to listen carefully: this singularity is special. If you want to find the culprit of humanity being smashed to smithereens, you should look towards the remains of Jerusalem, where the holy city of despair resides, and to seek the pure-white Lion King.

Outside, Mashu feels that it has been a stormy development. Da Vinci didn’t think that after a battle they would actually be treated to a sumptuous banquet, complete with dancers. And right after that, you were kicked out with a “Now go away.”

As one of the people of the desert, Ozymandias would be ashamed if he did not offer the utmost hospitality to a guest from afar. But he asks you not to mistake this as an agreement, telling you to travel this world more and witness its cruel truths. After that, you can return here and meet him once again. He is the despot of this era, and he is certain that you will return seeking his head. At that moment the Pharaoh will welcome you not as a guest but as a foolish beast who dares to bare its fangs against him. Thus, Ozymandias exiles you from Egypt, and sends you packing off to the Holy City.

Nitocris demands to know what you are unsatisfied with. Her King had decreed that you be provided plenty of precious food and water. After all, it would again shame him if you dropped dead in the wilderness after leaving Egypt. Furthermore, Da Vinci was allowed to procure a lot of materials from the temple. Nitocris brags about the King’s infinite mercy and brave, noble heart. She says that Ozymandias seems to have taken a shine to you. Perhaps your gentle demeanor reminded him of an old friend from times long past.

Still, Ozymandias has his scary side. Nitocris warns you that if you show up again she will bestow upon you the fate of death. Mashu thanks her for the warning. The two girls share a few words about the fear of battle. Nitocris is afraid of showing her weak side to Ozymandias, but Mashu can be herself in front of you, and she is a bit jealous about that. Grinning, the Egyptian queen tells her that she hopes they can both support their respective Masters well.

You come over and ask what they are talking about but get chewed out by Nitocris for trying to listen in on girls talk.

Finally, she bids you to be careful upon leaving Egypt, and flies off on a Sphinx. Mashu watches her leave, half-wishing she had a Sphinx of her own.

Meanwhile, Da Vinci has completed her very own ‘Sphinx’, cobbled together with materials so graciously granted from Ozymandias’s temple. She dubs it the multi-purpose vehicle, Ornithopter Sphinx.

Fou-kun: Fou, Foooooooouuuu! (Translation: Da Vinci-chan you idiot!”)

Well, this is the best that Da Vinci can do with this era’s level of technology. It can go up to 60 kilometers an hour. Your destination is a hundred kilometers to the west, so let’s cross the desert and get to your real target. As you cheer and prepare to depart, a monster cheers along with you, going “yeah----!!!” Having drawn your attention, getting stared at silently, it awkwardly goes, “y,yeah---!!” once more.

Mashu is displeased that it would get in the way of your first drive – a precious memory to be treasured – and prepares to exterminate.