Castle of Snow and Ice (Beginning)

...The gate won't open, will it?

No, Gerda. It only opens on the ordained day. Assuming you stay here and don't go out again, at least.

I won't. Nobody has a fever right now.

You did a good deed, Gerda, so the Goddess and the envoys will forgive you. That they didn't punish you is proof enough of that, right?

Still...the gate won't open...

I wonder if we really will have to wait for the next ordained day to set off on our journey, like he said we would.

This has never happened before...

What's going to happen now...? It almost feels like I'm dreaming...

An envoy only comes on the ordained day. The Goddess hasn't permitted them to descend from Valhalla any other time.

At least, that's what that man with that huge metal thing said. Whether it's true or not is beyond me...

Honestly, we're not sure what to do now either. It never even occurred to us that something like this could happen...

Some are saying we should try to force the gate open now, but

You can't! You'll never get to go to Valhalla without an envoy!

So...in that case...

...maybe you could all just wait until next year?

Yeah. I suppose we could.

Of course you could!

All the children were thinking how nice it would be to make the flower bed past the field a bit bigger.

We'd all be so happy if the grown-ups helped us. I mean that, you know?

...So what do you say?

The fire on the mountains? Yeah, I have no idea what's going on with that, either.

The snow and ice at least make some sense, but the fire? I got nothin'.

Really? You know what's going on with the ice that covers the mountains, and the snow that covers all of Scandinavia?

Fou fou, fo fo.

Yeah, more or less. Might as well explain while we're taking a break!

I guess it's about time I told you the point of this march, anyway. Say, I never did tell you where I wanted to go after we left the village, did I?

？！

Haha, sorry 'bout that!

All right then, let's start at the beginning. You two know about the myth of Ragnarök, right?

Well, in this Lostbelt, it looks like the last war between the gods and giants still took place...

...but, as you've likely figured out for yourselves, the Age of Gods didn't end here for some reason.

Thanks to that, civilization never developed, humans are still worshipping gods, and giants roam unchecked around the mountains.

Basically, for the last three thousand or so years, things have remained pretty much the same as they were back in 1000 B.C., when the Norse Age of Gods was originally meant to end.

That's what led to this place heading down a sliiightly different path from the myth we know.

Fo, fou!

!

The Age of Gods, lasting into the present day...! Then, Director Goredolf and Da Vinci were right...

Yup. The real deal's right here in Scandinavia.

Didn't you hear the kids going on about "Goddess" this and "Goddess" that? Well, there you are.

She didn't die in Ragnarök or turn into a Divine Spirit. She's remained, intact, to this day.

Now, she rules this Lostbelt, using her hundred envoys as a go-between to keep both the giants and humans in check.

She's the last god in Scandinavia, and she's kept the Age of Gods going all this time.

She lives in the northern part of the Oslo Fjord, in a castle located in Proper Human History's old Oslo region.

The Queen of Scandinavia, who covered half its mountains in frost...

...Scáthach-Skadi, Goddess of Snow and Ice.

The last remaining deity, and the one in charge of this entire Lostbelt.

We're not talking Servant here. We're talking full-blown, honest-to-goodness goddess.

I'm trying to get to her castle. That's probably where you'll find the Crypter and that Servant, too.

I bet it's also where that Paper Moon thing is, along with...what was it called again...

The Tree of Emptiness? Anyway, I bet they know where you can find that, too.

？！

Yup.

Y-you mean...THAT Scáthach...?

That's what I said.

Fou, fou fou! Kyuuu!

Aah! Get offa me! What is this thing, a dog? I'm okay with dogs!

Fooou!

What!? What's your problem!? What'd I say!?

Fo-Fou! Stay! What's gotten into you...!?

...What about the giants?

Indeed. They may appear to be quite active, but they are not exactly industrious.

I hold absolute authority over them. I can make them attack or sleep with a single command.

But even I cannot suppress their instincts. The giants who survived consume heat in any form they can.

Though most of them remain in hibernation, they will awaken at the slightest hint of a new heat source and devour it immediately.

Then the giants can't serve as a proper, disciplined army. As I suspected.

Of course, I have nothing but the utmost respect for your ability to control many of them at once, but...

Hmph. As familiars go, they're third-rate at best.

Saber.

It's quite all right. That knight of yours is correct, Ophelia.

The giants may have lived through the fires of Ragnarök as the humans and I did, but they are a pitiful shadow of their former selves.

...Still, they were once proud, mighty souls.

That is why I love them. For they, too, are living things here in Scandinavia.

...

We gods may not always have seen eye to eye with giants, but they were still beings on par with us.

The heat of the flames scorched them all. It twisted the frost giants, the mountain giants... No giant escaped its wrath.

Now, they have become so twisted that they are little more than walking calamities. They bring nothing but death and destruction, just like fire.

So I shall keep them in check myself.

With the masks born of mine own hands, I can unite all the giants under my rule!

For I carry the noble blood of Ymir in my icy veins!

...Aha. So you two knew Scáthach from Proper Human History, huh?

Unfortunately, this version of her is absolutely not the person you know.

She's not a Divine Spiritnot a god that has lost its body and dissolved back into nature. She's an actual, living goddess!

Scáthach-Skadi, goddess and queen, has been around for thousands of years, ever since the Age of Gods. A fusion of the Norse goddess Skadi and the Celtic warrior Scáthach.

？！

I see...

I did hear that certain aspects of Scáthach from Proper Human History may have blended in with the Norse deity Skadi...

I suppose that means, in this Lostbelt...Skadi, the goddess of snowy mountains who is herself part giant, would be the predominant figure over Scáthach.

Yup. That's pretty much it.

Here in this Lostbelt, where the Age of Gods never ended, she rules over humans and giants alike. Her goal seems to be for everything to remain as it is.

I guess that part's the same as other Lostbelts? If nothing else, I'm pretty sure she doesn't want to wipe humanity out.

In fact, word has it that Scáthach-Skadi loves all forms of life. That's what I've been hearing, anyway.

Fou?

Loves...?

Means we can reason with her. Long as we don't go openly declaring war on her or anything...

...she won't see us as enemies. Guaranteed.

B-but, Napoleon, we've already destroyed a number of her envoys...

Trust me, it's gonna take more than that to ruffle this queen's feathers. I know that sounds pretty weird, but it's true.

She doesn't call herself the mother of Scandinavia for nothing.

Wait, mother?

That's right.

...That said, I can understand why you'd be nervous. Especially after that big dustup we had with the envoys.

...But that's as much my fault as it is yours! Sorry for getting you two caught up in that!

？！

Hey, thanks! That makes me feel a lot better!

I have to say, Napoleon...I'm impressed how much you know about both this Lostbelt and Proper Human History.

Hm?

Napoleon Bonaparte. You first made a name for yourself after the French Revolution in 1789, eventually going on to become the first Emperor of France.

As the Supreme Commander of the Grande Armée, you were one of France's greatest rulers and conquerors.

For a time, you controlled over half of Europe, and your grand expedition to Russia is particularly well known...

...but at least in our database, I haven't seen anything regarding your exploits that pertains to Scandinavia.

I did hear that you were quite the fan of James Macpherson's Ossian, which had epic poems similar to the Norse Poetic Edda, but that's all.

What I'm trying to say is...you must have acquired your knowledge of Scandinavia after you materialized.

Is that right, Napoleon?

？！

Haha, well sure. I materialized here just a little bit before you all showed up.

That's why I happen to know so much. I've been getting all this information while I travel around on foot and on some skis I made.

As to the source of my information, well...I think I'll hold off on that for now.

An air of mystery makes hotties like me even hotter, don't you think?

Fo, fou fou! Kyaaau!

Oof!

Wh-what is it? You want me to fess up everything, no secrets? Come on, lay off me, doggo! I've got my reasons!

(Um, Fou isn't actually a dog...)

...Phew.

Well, let me be perfectly clear about one thing: this here Heroic Spirit's on humanity's side.

I'm your ally. I came here to save you.

Just make sure you don't forget that. Long as you don't, we could even make a temporary contract if you want.

...Senpai.

？！

Yes... I agree. He is capable and trustworthy.

That's right. I couldn't believe my eyes when I first saw an Archer like you wielding that enormous cannon...!

Hm? Is that so? I didn't think artillery specialists were all that uncommon.

Then again, maybe it's tougher than I thought for someone like that to make their mark on humanity?

It's not like I was an artillery officer my whole life. Hell, my Spirit Origin and Noble Phantasm are both pretty much afterthoughts...

Hm? Then...you mean you didn't use a cannon like that when you were alive?

Hahahahaha, of course not! You're a riot, mademoiselle! Can you imagine an emperor like me going around with a cannon like this!?

Wait, guess I shouldn't laugh, huh? Sorry about that. It's just not that uncommon in modern Heroic Spirits.

I don't know what sort of adventures you've gotten up to before, but haven't you seen anything like this with other modern Heroic Spirits from Proper Human History?

You know, where they turned out to be kind of a caricature of their real selves?

Oh... Now that you mention it...Babbage's Heroic Spirit materialized as a mechanical suit of armor...

...and Edison...doesn't look remotely close to how he did when he was alive, maybe because of the special circumstances surrounding his materialization...

？！

Right? And in my case, I got this gigantic cannon.

And that's not all that's different: just look how tall I am here! Ooh la la! Won't be getting called short anytime soon! Not a chance!

Well, as far as looks go, I've got my own reasons for appearing like I do...

Enough of that, though! Anything else you wanna ask me?

Yes!

Fo fou!

Remember how Gerda said that, at least in Village 23, an envoy won't come again for another year?

Is there a reason for that? Something you know from your unidentified information source...?

I can't be totally certain it'll be another year, but that sounds right to me. Oh, but that's not my source talking. I learned that firsthand.

How...?

Just look at how many of 'em showed up this time.

The envoys aren't allowed to sacrifice humans on any day besides the one that goddess ladyScáthach-Skadi ordained.

So they must've brought a whole bunch of them along to make sure the ritual didn't go off the rails again.

？！

Oh, right. This wasn't my first run-in with them.

Back at another village, I caught one of 'em trying to open those giant gates and sniped 'em.

There was just the one back then, probably 'cause they didn't expect anyone to attack them, but that obviously wasn't the case with that last village...

Remember them saying something about shared records?

Well, the data from the one I sniped got shared with the rest. It looks like they responded by shoring up their numbers in preparation for another attack.

The envoys don't care about the queen's philanthropy. They're basically machines. No reasoning with them.

...I see...

...Fo fou...

...So, uh, I guess what I'm trying to say is...

I'm sorry!

I had no idea they'd come back with those kinds of numbers. Guess I really messed things up for you two.

Oh no, not at all...!

We never would have won without your help! Especially given how strong each envoy was individually...

Oh, yeah, that...

Guess I oughta level with you. I'm pretty sure the sisters they based the envoys off of are even stronger.

The ones we ran into yesterday are basically mass-produced dolls that Queen Scáthach-Skadi made by infusing them with her own magical energy.

Mass-produced dolls...

... ...

Might as well get this out there, too. The Queen here is merciful, yes, but the whole place is lousy with powerful, vicious enemies.

A shitstorm of envoys... That Lostbelt Servant with his demonic sword... And almost no allies for us.

Even with the odds that stacked against us, are you two still ready to fight?

？！

Exactly. ...Yes. We're ready to fight.

We're the only ones who have a chance, no matter how small, of restoring Earth and Proper Human History.

So, that's why...

Gotcha. That's good to hear.

Me, I'm the guy who once ruled over most of Europe. I'd say that more or less makes me its king.

Fo fo, fo...fooou? (Special Translation: What's Boney here going on about?)

So if you call for me, I'll come running right away. Doesn't matter where, even waaay up north! Doesn't matter how cold it is! I'll be there!

After all, if someone begs for my help, how can I refuse?

Back when I was alive, there was a mountain of problems keeping my hands tied, like budgetary concerns and stockpiling issues...

...but now that I'm a Heroic Spirit fighting for humanity, nothing's gonna hold me back! Haha!

There might only be so many categories of things I can help with, but if there's two things I do best, it's fight hard, and win! If that's what you're looking for, then your search is over!

'Sides, Scandinavia's still part of Europe, and nobody's better at winning in Europe than I am!

S-Senpai! His confidence and spirit are amazing...!

Although, there IS one thing I'm a little concerned about. As I recall, Emperor Napoleon's biggest defeat was...

His expedition to Russia. The winter there was too harsh for his Grande Armée to endure, which ultimately led their defeat.

Apparently, that defeat was a major factor in the decline of his reign...

Yes, exactly! That defeat would go on to be a major factor in the decline of his reign...

？！

Honestly, it would've been nice to get another crack at Russia for my revenge, but, oh well. C'est la vie.

Still, since we're in a harsh wintry environment too, I will settle for avenging my Grande Armée's defeat here!

？！

...Now don't be like that, Private.

Private? Do you mean Senpai?

Yup! You're the first recruit of my new Grande Armée. Good luck! Work hard enough, and maybe you'll even earn a medal!

Fo fo fou!

U-um, I'm sorry, but didn't you already give Senpai a medal...?

Oh, right. I did, didn't I!

...Aw crap.

Guess we lost track of time. Looks like we ran into a group of 'em out on patrol, mademoiselle.

...You're right. Magical energy signals are headed towards us. Fortunately, they're still far enough away that I can use my thrusters to make a clean getaway.

No, I say we let them find us. I want to get a better look at how you two fight.

I'm not saying we do this for kicks. We need to hone our skills against opponents we know we can defeat before we come up against someone really tough.

We need to get better at fighting together as a unit. Call it teamwork if you like.

So what do you say? Make sense to you, Private?

Now we're talking.

Haha, good answer!

？！

All right, here they are! Let's get this battle underway, Private!

...This Hinako person's Lostbelt is absolutely out of the question.

Two of the other four that remain are completely unfit as well.

In which case, I suppose we will need to cooperate with the great ones of Greece, as you originally proposed?

Yes, Your Majesty. I believe that would be wisest.

Peperoncino is an excellent Crypter in his own right, and his Lostbelt is of high quality...

...but in my estimation, it still does not compare to yours, Queen Scáthach-Skadi.

I do find that Crypter charming, but given what you have told me, I cannot say I care for his Lostbelt.

Still, I much prefer it to the one lying right in the middle of a continent.

That aside, what a bizarre name he has. Pepe... Peperoncino? ...It does have a strange charm to it.

No matter. Let us discuss something else.

...The incident that took place in Village 23.

It seems members of Chaldea did indeed join forces with...that man.

I'm told they destroyed quite a number of my daughtersthe envoys modeled after the Valkyries.

...My knight and I will see they are dealt with at once.

Just say the word, and I'll kill 'em. Even a demonic sword gets rusty if you don't use it now and then.

What have I told you? You will kill no one.

Despite your pledge to serve me, Ophelia, I see your heart still lies with another.

However, this is still my world, and so you will kill no one.

They may end up meeting their end at the hands of giants, or at the hands of other imitation Valkyries...

...but that is simply the way of the world; it is as natural as footprints on morning snow.

There is no need to involve your demonic sword.

Besides...did I not tell you I would love them?

...I did not think you were serious.

Haha, you say that as if it doesn't concern you. Ophelia, your deadpan expression is impressive, but also dull.

...Then again, he doesn't want my love, does he?

Be that as it may, when it comes to dealing with others besides myself, my question remains the same.

That is...

...do I kill them, or love them?

If I decide to kill them, I do so immediately. I halt them, freeze them, and destroy them. If I decide to love them, I do so until their dying breath. I nurture them and stay with them as they die.

All humans are my children. As are all giants.

Do I kill them, or love them? My enemies, I kill; my children, I love. That is who I am: the queen, the mother, of Scandinavia.

Yet again, that goes for you too, Ophelia. And you, knight.

You are my beloved daughter, and you, my precious son.

Every life that grows here in Scandinavia is my child.

I...

No. Your kindness knows no bounds, Your Majesty.

Indeed, that goes for the three Valkyries Odin entrusted to me as well. Thrúd? Thrúd, come here!

...Valkyrie Thrúd, reporting for duty.

Wonderful to see you in good health, Scáthach-Skadi, Our Goddess and Protector. And you, Lady Ophelia, Her sworn ally.

Have I not told you to call me "Mother"? Really now.

As you wish.

... ...

Hmph. She sure does rattle on a lot for a doll.

What is your command? We shall obey any order you give us.

For you are our master, Scáthach-Skadi.

After all these years, you still refuse to behave as my daughter. No matter how often I see it, it still manages to impress me.

Tell me, my beloved daughter. As leader of my hundred-odd envoys, what do you make of the incident in Village 23?

I know you are obedient, but despite what that knight says...

...I also know you are no mindless wooden doll.

We are meant to execute our master's commands. We cannot make decisions on our own.

That's quite all right. Just tell me what you think. Keep it to pure analysis if you must.

...Very well.

Of course, if you say these transgressors will be permitted to remain alive, we shall act accordingly. I do think they can be left alone...

As for the destroyed envoys, they were mass-produced units with no ability to adapt to changing circumstances.

Still, based on what I've seen in our shared records, I don't think the three of us will need to respond.

Even if circumstances change, and we do end up needing to deal with them, I think the giants...

...or a mass-produced unit's self-destruct function should be sufficient.

Oh?

I am told the transgressors are a human and one who is half-human, half-Heroic Spirit. There is no need for the three of us to confront such a lowly foe.

...

Heh. Cheeky little doll, isn't she.

Come on, Ophelia, just say the word. I want to break it right here and now.

...Don't be ridiculous. Her Majesty is right there. You will not act without my permission.

That is fine. I like the way your knight speaks his mind. But stay your sword. You are not to harm my daughter.

She is adorable in her own way. I accept her as she is, and love her.

...Hmph.

...Hehe. Very well then, Sir Knight: Would you like to try drawing that demonic sword of yours right now?

Your Majesty!

Give me the command, Your Majesty, and that Heroic Spirit will be destroyed, demonic sword and all.

It may be difficult for Thrúd alone, but our chances of success would improve greatly with all three of us.

...Hehe. Hehehe, hahahaha.

That's all right. At ease, my ferocious daughter. Know that even I tend to jest at times.

...That wasn't funny, Scáthach-Skadi.

Haha, do forgive me. Seeing your adorably innocent faces, I simply couldn't help myself.

Now then, I think I shall return to my throne for a time.

I doubt they will make it here by tonight...but by tomorrow evening, I expect we will have guests.

No doubt they will encounter more of the giants that roam my world, and destroy more imitation Valkyries before then.

I do wonder, though, if they will survive long enough for us to meet...

...All right! There goes the last one!

Nice job, you two! Gotta say, didn't think we'd be running into more mass-produced Valkyries out here.

Then again, both those things and the giants are loyal to the queen, so it makes sense they might fight side by side.

It was like something straight out of myth, seeing Valkyries with giants in tow.

...It was rather magnificent, seeing them both together like that.

At any rate, Master, I can confirm there are no more magical energy signals nearby. Well done.

Thank you!

Huh? Oh, sure. No problem.

？！

Gotta say though, you two handled yourselves pretty nicely. I could tell you've done this before.

You've got real guts, little shield lady. You too, Fujimaru.

How do you summon so many Heroic Spirits at once? I don't suppose you could get them to stick around...?

Fou, fooou.

Well that's a damn shame! Otherwise, I could've put together the greatest Grande Armée of all time!

But there's no sense crying over...uh, milk you can't even spill. Anyway, we'll just have to build up our strength the old-fashioned way.

In other words, the three of us have gotta get stronger. Let's see...

Here, let me give you some tips for hunting giants. First off, try to go for their sensory organs or legs.

That's your best bet unless you've got a real powerhouse of a weapon. If so, you can just go for the vitals and take 'em out in one shot!

Um, you keep saying "sensory organs" but...do you mean their heads?

That's right. The head's full of sensory organs. Those masks they wear cover up their eyes and noses, and it doesn't look like their hearing is exceptional...

...so they might be relying on some kind of sixth sense, or an ability that lets them detect heat sources, but I figure the eyes are a safe bet.

So make sure you go for their heads, even if you have to hit 'em through their masks. They're a big target, so it shouldn't be too tough to damage them.

When going for the legs, the knees and ankles are the best targets.

The giants' size and mass can be intimidating, but once you've knocked 'em to the ground, they're pretty much sitting ducks.

In other words, there's nothing too special about it. Just follow best practice.

Fou fo, fou!

？！

Yes, I'm surprised too. I had no idea you were also a great giant killer!

I don't know of any tales about you killing giants myself, though... Is it possible for stories to be both secret and passed down to others?

Don't worry, you're not missing any stories. Things just sorta worked out this way.

Fou fou?

Worked out?

Pretty much.

...Gonna be nightfall soon. Perfect. What do you say we make camp for the night right around there?

Besides, I think it's about time we talked tactics.

Oh wow...

There really are camping facilities here. Did you set all this up ahead of time, Napoleon...?

You bet. I've got base camps like this set up all around this Lostbelt. Set them up with gear I pilfer

Ahem, BORROWED, from the village where I drove off that one envoy. Still, the best part of being a Rogue Servant is...

...you never have to worry about supplies. All you need's a place to rest your body and mind for a while.

'Course, I doubt it'll be that easy for you two...

Oh no, we'll be fine. But thank you for your concern.

We always carry food, water, and sleeping bags with us. My shield has storage space, you see.

There we go.

Fooou! Fou fou!

Don't worry Fou, we have some for you, too. Here, I'll put some water in your dish right now.

Fou! Fou!

Huh, that's pretty handy! But you can never have too many blankets. Here.

？！

We still have the rations we brought from the Border...but for tonight, why won't we have Gerda's bread?

It's too bad we had to say our goodbyes so hastily... I wonder how Gerda's doing right now.

... ...

...Yes. I hope so too.

？！

Fou fou, fou!

Ah! Fou! It's rude to start eating your food before everyone's been served...!

Fou!

Hey, that looks good. Let me try a bite. Hmm... Hey, it is good. In fact, it deserves a medal!

You said her name was Gerda? Looks like she's earned a medal of her own!

Phew. That hit the spot.

All right, let's talk tactics. ...Sorry for springing all this on you.

Not at all. It's good to discuss this as early as possible. Thank you for doing this.

I'm the one who should be thanking you.

So, tomorrow, we're gonna make our move on the enemy. We'll be sneaking into the castle near old Oslo. Right?

And when we do, we'll almost certainly have a fight waiting for us.

？！

Good question. So to begin, we need to define our conditions for victory!

Fo? Fo fou?

Well, the question we need to ask is: What must we do to win? And, conversely, what would mean that we have completely, absolutely lost?

Can we only win by wiping out the enemy? No. We can't possibly kill every giant and envoy in Scandinavia, and we wouldn't want to.

So that's not a suitable condition for victory.

No, what you two need to do more than anything is...

？！

Retrieving the Paper Moon is our highest, most urgent priority.

And we also absolutely require information on the Tree of Emptiness, since we can't see it.

It may end up being after we've made contact with the Wandering Sea, but we will eventually need to destroy it and...

...make this Lostbelt disappear...

Then that's your victory condition. That's what you need to do.

Get this Paper Moon thing back, and find out what you can about the Tree of Emptiness.

So what is your defeat condition? Easy: you both end up dead.

So your only choice is to keep yourselves safe and set about meeting your victory condition.

If it were just a matter of defeating your enemies, things would be simple. Unfortunately, your condition for victory is pretty far from straightforward.

Fooou...

Now, now, doggy, cheer up! I know it looks bad! The queen's influence extends to all of Scandinavia, after all!

But...she has no intention of throwing everything she's got at us.

She doesn't...?

If she wanted us dead, we would be. The envoys and giants all act as she desires, almost like puppets.

If she ordered the giants in this area to find and attack us, we'd be fighting them off every minute of the day...

...but that's obviously not what she's done. They haven't even raised any kind of alarm about us, let alone created a defensive line or anything.

？！

That's right. As the Supreme Commander of the Grande Armée, it pains me to say this...

...but she doesn't even think of us as an enemy. I think, at worst, she sees us as something more like a pack of wild animals.

But, that's okay. It's our in. She's leaving herself wide open by not putting up her guard.

Oh, and one more thing...

...Listen close. Once we make our way into their base...

All right! It might be kind of a stretch to call it a strategy, but that's the plan!

Understood!

Good answer. Anyway, don't worry! I didn't bring you two all this way without anything to show for it.

I've got more than one trump card up my sleeve. As for what they are, well...you'll just have to wait and see.

Fooou! Kyaaau!

Hahaha! Sorry 'bout that! If it makes you feel better, I'm only half serious! Hahahahaha!