Resistance

Fo... Fooou!?

Whoa, what is this place!? One minute we're in an endless, narrow cave, and the next...

Senpai, I understand you have a fondness for Bing Crosby...

But please keep your reports accurate and relevant. Otherwise, you'll confuse my analysis!

？！

What a beautiful place. It's so evocative of spring. And this smell... Are those peaches?

It's like the utopia described in old eastern legends.

Ah yes, the one described in "The Record of the Peach Blossom," written by the poet Tao Yuanming around the 5th century.

An old Chinese story about a hunter who goes through a hole he finds in a mountain.

On the other side, he discovers an ethereal paradise.

Call this place whatever you like. What's important is that this is our hideout.

It's in a valley surrounded by rocky cliffs on all four sides. Undiscoverable from the outside.

The walls are pretty much impossible to climb, and the only way in or out is that cave we just went through.

We were very lucky to just happen across it. It's the perfect place for our hideout.

Hi, Rider! I heard the last operation was a huge success!

I don't know if I'd go that far, but we did all right.

Come on, you freed all the men in that town, right? How's that not a success?

Haven't we gone over this before? It's about the war, not the battle.

Modest victories are certainly good enough for me. What matters is that we keep moving forward, even if it's just one small step at a time.

That is how you can always be sure to get where you're going.

...Yes, sir!

But I still want you to take me along to the next battle. I promise to do my best!

Haha. All in good time.

...I see you're greatly admired. I feel like you gave some really good advice, too.

I'm just doing what comes naturally, amnesiac that I am. Don't read too much into it. That said...

I've got a soft spot for enthusiastic youngsters like that. They really do shine brilliantly when they put their minds to something.

But I digress. Come on into my shack here, and I'll tell you what I can.

I don't suppose we could also impose on you for some food?

I can keep going for a long time, but when I get hungry, I end up eating everything in sight. It doesn't have to be the best food, just a lot of it.

Sure, help yourself to the peaches. For some reason, they grow all the time here, so we never run out.

You grow sick and tired of having nothing but peaches after a while, but at least we don't have to worry about food here in the Resistance. Haha!

So...Rayshifting, Chaldea, Heroic Spirits, and mankind, huh...

Sounds like very important stuff. Okay, I think I've got a handle on your story now.

？！

Fou, Fooou! (Munch, munch)

Yes, they're delicious. They're sweet, juicy, and very filling.

We haven't finished the official Heroic Spirits' Top Ten Sweets list, so I can't be SUPER certain...

...buuut, I can say for sure, way more sure than a certain sly teenaged Servant I could say...

...that these peaches get a solid fiiive stars! Yep! Mmm!

Everyone, I understand how you feeland honestly, I'm a little jealous that I can't have any myselfbut please, we need to focus!

First of all, we need to go over everything Rider told us!

Agreed. Let's all make sure we're on the same page here. They can listen and eat, I'm sure.

Point the first: there's no exit to the surface.

None that we've found so far, anyway.

North, south, east, west, up, down, left, right... Everywhere we've looked, there's been nothing but earth and more earth. No one has found a way out.

That prompts an obvious question. If there's no way in or out...

...how did all the Resistance members get here?

Everyone looks and dresses so differently, and even seems to be from different eras, so I can't imagine they grew up here.

They didn't. Every one of them I've talked to says pretty much the same thing.

They say a hole suddenly opened up underneath them, and the next thing they knew, they were here.

Near as I can tell, it sounds like something's abducting them from the surface and sending them here.

We've seen men rain down from the sky on a few occasions ourselves.

There doesn't seem to be any sort of common factor in where they come from, either. They drop in from all over the place as far as we can tell.

Perhaps they have some sort of trap that uses a teleportation spell...

...and that's what's bringing these men to Agartha. But why?

What can you tell us about the Amazons?

I can't speak to the specifics, but they look to be somewhat like uslike Servants.

At least inasmuch as they suddenly appeared down here for some reason. Call it a hunch.

So the Amazons most likely wound up here the same way, and have been abducting men from the surface...

It feels like there's some sort of connection to be made there... Hm?

Oh, hiii! You're that boy we saw earlier. What's up?

Sorry to interrupt you and your guests, Rider!

Don't worry about it. What's the matter?

It's those monsters again. We're doing our best, but there's too many! Can you help?

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Like I told you, it's a valley surrounded by high rocky walls. Nothing can get in here from the ground except through that cave...

...but sometimes, winged creatures that can fly over those walls end up wandering in here.

On that note, I'd better go do some pest control. Would you all mind giving me a hand?

I'd be glad to. I'm only a fledgling, so I may not be of much help, but I'll do whatever I can.

I agree. I believe we should do all we can to put these people in our debt.

Let's go, Master!

That takes care of that.

By the way Rider, let me ask you this purely in the hopes of jogging your memory:

Have you ever heard the name "Leonardo da Vinci" before? One of a kind genius? World-renowned beauty?

...No, sorry, can't say that I have.

Ouch. I know that's just the amnesia talking, but it's still a bit of a shock.

Ah, I'll ask for the hell of it: how about Michelangelo? You haven't heard of him, have you?

Sorry, but no.

Whew. Well, that makes sense. He may be a good friend, but he's still just an artist.

There's no way he could be more famous than a true Renaissance woman like myself.

I mean, I already knew as much, but it never hurts to check.

Still... Hmm...

If he's dressed like that but hasn't heard of Mikey, he really must've lost his memory...

Ahem. At any rate, based on the way you fight, your equipment, and your outfit...

I thought you might have been from my own time. Too bad we never met when we were both alive, huh?

Indeed. Believe me, I wish someone could just tell me who I am...

But, nothing I can do for it now. Just have to take things one day at a time.

If you remember anything, let me know. If I learn something about you, I may be able to look you up in our database here in Chaldea.

？！

(I know, Senpai... I can't help but remember the Archer of Shinjuku either.)

(But, this Rider isn't like him.)

(He's got proper human allies who all look up to him, and he's doing a great job in leading them.)

(...And yet...)

(...Why am I still anxious about him?)

(Is it just that Shinjuku's events left so much of an impact on me that I can't help but feel there's more than what he's telling us?)

All right, let's get back to the matter at hand.

Let me make sure I have all this correct. First of all, you said there are three primary regions, right?

That's right, but it's not quite the whole story. I think I'd better get more specific.

There are three major cities here, each of which is in the center of its respective region.

Each city is ruled by a different Servant, and are at constant war with one another.

...!

Oho, Servants, hmm? That leads perfectly into my next question.

Do the names Helena Blavatsky or Francis Drake ring any bells?

They are Servants who may have ended up there themselves.

I don't suppose either of them is ruling one of those cities?

Sorry... I'm afraid I don't know that either. The ruling Servants here keep their True Names hidden.

I really can't say one way or another.

I see. Figures it wouldn't be that easy.

There's still so much we don't know. Are they hiding their True Names? Did they forget them like you did?

...Are they even here in Agartha at all?

Returning to the matter at hand: there are three powers vying for control over this place.

Four, I suppose, if you count those of us in the Resistance.

Incidentally, the borders between each Servant's territory are not quite clear. That is not counting those of us living in the space between territories...

...The various powers fight each other daily in an endless cycle of gaining and losing ground.

Sure thing. But I'd say you know about one of them now, hm?

？！

We were fortunate to just miss her, but it seems you had the ill luck to run into her yourselves. It's a wonder you lived to tell the tale, really.

She is the queen of the Amazons, the ruler of the golden city in the jungle, which is one of the three major cities of Agartha.

We call her the Berserker of El Dorado, after the Amazons' capital city.

She and her people are the most aggressive of all the major powers down here...

...and also the most numerous.

Yes, we've experienced their aggression firsthand. Peaceful talks had no appeal to them.

That's for sure. To be honest, I found them rather frightening...

I don't blame you, considering how they started shouting "Stray man!" the moment they caught sight of you. Anyway, who are the other two powers?

Yes, we would appreciate a complete overview of the area before we begin dealing with the details.

Another of the powers here resides in a fortress city so brightly lit at all hours of the day that it's known colloquially as the Nightless City.

I'm told it's ruled by a fearsome empress Servant, though I've never seen her myself.

Another woman...

An empress, huh? The term "Nightless City" also reminds me of Kabukicho in Tokyo.

I wonder what sort of empress she is...

The last group resides in the City of Water, located on the bank of the great underground lake to the east.

Word has it that a female Servant rules that one as well.

Another one!? I don't know what I'm going to do against so many female opponents...

(I can't imagine the other Fergus ever saying things like that!)

Aha, now it all becomes clear. This whole place is dominated by women.

It's not just that one Amazonian town. The entire societal structure of Agartha...

...is arranged so that men are oppressed like slaves no matter where they go. Am I wrong?

...Nope, you're dead on. That's exactly what the Resistance is fighting against.

Every man that falls down here ends up getting captured and enslaved by the women.

Down here, they're treated as no more than pets, laborers, outlets for their owners' frustrations, or a means of reproduction. They have no freedom at all.

No one should be treated like that just for being born a certain way. That sort of world just isn't right.

I may be a worthless, powerless Servant, with no memory of my True Name or my Noble Phantasm...

...but as far as reasons to fight go, that one's enough for me.

You think? Does that whole macho man thing really do it for you, Master?

You sure never looked at me with that kinda admiration...

(Sigh) Anyone seems elegant when it's you they're being compared to, particularly someone with the polar opposite Alignment to yours, like him.

Uwaa! That's not very nice!

？！

So, what will you all do next?

Our goal is to find the Singularity that we believe is creating this world...

...and destroy the escaped Demon God Pillar at the heart of it.

At the moment, all we can say for certain is that it's somewhere here in Agartha.

So here we are, searching this place on foot inch by inch, or hoping some unusual signal gets picked up by our equipment.

Anyway, if this is anything like the last times, the Demon God Pillar has probably assimilated the Servant acting as the Singularity's core.

If so, it's most likely fused with one of those three ruling Servants.

？！

Uh huh, uh huh. Now, let me ask you this: what exactly is the Resistance's ultimate goal?

What else? Defeat the rulers of the three cities and free the men enslaved in this world.

I see our goals align nicely.

I agree. And not just because it means I can keep eating more of these delicious peaches!

And certainly not because I have a strong desire to train myself to be stronger in combat!

？！

We might be few in number, but we're each worth a hundred soldiers. You can totally count on us!

Thank you. That will certainly be helpful since the three major powers greatly outnumber us.

So far, our only viable option has been small-scale guerilla warfare, so we'd be glad to have a few powerful warriors to bolster our ranks.

You got more people to join our cause, Rider? That's awesome!

Hm?

W-wait, you've got the wrong idea! I wasn't eavesdropping, I promise! I came to give you a report and just happened to overhear your discussion!

Oh, right, the report! A bunch of dangerous pests have invaded our hideout and are swarming over our peach trees!

Hmm, I see. Well, we certainly can't afford to lose our main food supply, now can we.

All right, ready to show us what you're made of, friends?

Fooou!

You bet! Come on Master, let's go help them! We can get back to talkin' after we're done!

(Yaaawn) ...

It's all well and good that we earned some rest by joining in the battle to protect this place...

...but I must admit, the warm light and sweet peach aroma together are making it hard to stay awake.

Well, Mash and Da Vinci said they needed some time to study the new information we got, so maybe now is a good time for a break.

Why don't we take a leisurely walk arouHm? What's that sound?

Yah! Yah!

It seems Rider is teaching the men how to fight.

Oh hey, training! Seeing that gets me in the mood to train, too!

I wonder if they'd let me join if I sorta wandered their way while doing sets of Celtic jumping jacks!?

Uh, I'm pretty sure they'd let you join if you just asked them...

Good, that's it. Your swordplay is coming along nicely.

Th-thank you, sir!

All right, this next part is very important. Listen up...

(Gulp)

Forget everything I just praised you for. Don't ever let yourself believe you're a great swordsman.

Huh?

Overconfidence kills on the battlefield. It gets you into battles you cannot win, and I don't want you throwing your life away like that.

No matter how much you practice, or how good I say you are, you will eventually find yourself outmatched. When that happens, you need to retreat. Period.

So, it's really okay if I run away?

Of course. I don't know why I know this, but the big secret I learned about war...

...is to keep fighting, without ever giving up. Do that, and you'll eventually win for sure.

Huh? But, isn't that kind of a contradictioAah!

Whup, that kid just came flying in from another sparring match.

His opponent is bigger AND stronger, but no matter how much of a beating he takes, he keeps getting back up.

His spirit is admirable, but he's so focused on the match that he's lost sight of everything else.

I may be young, but even I know a thing or two when it comes to training.

D-dammit... (Huff, huff)... I can still beat you... I WILL beat you!

Stop that.

Ow! Rider...

You could stand to hear this as well. Take a good look at your opponent.

He's bigger than you. He's a better fighter than you. He doesn't have a scratch on him. Do you really think you can beat him?

...

Charging at an opponent you can't beat will only get you killed. That's not fighting without ever giving up. That's just being bullheaded.

Telling an unbeatable opponent that you'll never give up no matter what is foolish.

It's tantamount to giving up on life, and on any chance at victory. The line between bravery and foolishness may be thin, but it is there.

So listen: no matter what the situation, the key is to keep thinking about how you can win, and to act accordingly. THAT'S what you should never give up on.

When you look at it that way, retreating isn't losing. A draw isn't losing. Hell, losing isn't even losing.

As long as you never give up on achieving your goal, it means you're making progress towards it. That is ultimately what matters most.

？！

It's not quite how Celtic warriors see things, but I can at least understand that position.

He's not making them warriors. He's helping them go from civilians to proper soldiers.

If you need money, wait until you have enough. If you need people, wait until you have enough.

The important thing is not to lose when the odds are against you, and to win when you get the chance.

Now then, given all that, what do you think you should say to your opponent?

Um... "I'm pretty tired, so I'm gonna call it a day. I'll be sure to beat you tomorrow."?

Hahaha, you got it! Of course, if things look bad tomorrow as well, don't forget to say that again!

...Hmm, it looks like you hurt your ankle. Well, we can't have you putting more strain on it, now can we? Here, I'll give you a lift on my shoulders.

Ah... Th-thank you, sir!

Yeah... I get it now, Rider! The important thing is to never give up, use my head, and stay alive to win!

That's it. Just do your best, and don't push yourself too hard.

Wowie, he just oozes charisma, huh? No wonder everyone looks up to him, even with things so dire!

He seems to be an old hand at this. Perhaps he had experience leading men as a general or other military officer back when he was alive.

...He also seems to know a lot about things besides combat.

Rider, we tried to till the soil to make a field, but we can't! There's too many big rocks in the ground!

What, are you serious? All right, dig the rocks up! We can use them as ammunition for our slings.

Rider, the men building the new house say they made a mistake in their calculations, and they won't have enough material left for the roof!

What, are you serious? No problem, we'll just have to make it a tavern instead.

That way, you can cook things inside without the smoke filling up the room, and we'll be able to enjoy the peach blossoms while we drink.

Rider, the wind blew the laundry we hung to dry into the mud! Now we don't have any clean shirts!

What, are you serious? Well then, we'll make today into a Mr. Agartha competition!

Everyone'll go shirtless to show off his muscles! The winner gets a week's supply of liquor all for himself!

Does that mean it's training time now!? Great!

I'm not very good at using my head, but I can definitely help out by using my muscles!

I bet our Fergus was super into working out like this when he was young too.

Oh! Y'know, I've even seen him doing handstand push-ups in the halls at Chaldea.

Then he'll get up and do a He-Man pose and a smile REAL big any time a female Servant walks by.

I think that last bit isn't so much part of his training as it is him looking for an entirely different sort of workout...

At any rate, Rider is certainly a master of positive thinking.

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He really seems like he practices what he preaches, too.

Me, I'm not much for the whole blood, sweat, and tears schtick, but maybe it's the thing to do here, huh?

I believe we can put that down to the difference between a free spirit like you, and people fighting for their freedom like the members of the Resistance.

Still, in a situation like this, the sort of positive thinking he embodies is quite encouraging.

He has that drive, that...je ne sais quoi that every leader needs.

I believe that is why even so powerful a force as the Amazons has been unable to squash the Resistance.

Rider, come quick! We need your help!

Now what is it?

We were trying to quarry some stone when the rocks started to just move! I think we've accidentally woken up some sleeping monsters!

Ah, I see... That's definitely no laughing matter. All right, let's go take care of this!

Good, I was just getting tired of this walk. Let's go help, Master!

I'll come too. This should make for good training!

Okay, now that we've studied the new information, and you've had some rest, let's discuss our next move.

Which of the three cities and their respective rulers would you suggest we pay a visit to first, Rider?

Hmm... I think I'd go with the water one.

There's a whole host of reasons, but the most important is that we were planning to hit it next.

I've set up a small Resistance camp on the edge of their territory, so we can stop there to resupply.

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Well if you're all set to attack this water city thing, then it'd make sense for us to go there, too!

By the way, Rider...

The names "El Dorado" and "Nightless City" for the other two cities both sound kind of familiar...

Does this water city happen to have a name like that as well?

Sure does. Did I not mention it before?

The city we're headed for next is called Ys, the City of Water. It's a decadent town that's built on the surface of the great lake.