=== Godrick ===
Leaving the forest behind, Godrick and Jeanne climbed a gentle hillside beneath the light of the full moon.
The night was quiet, the sounds of the distant forest carried lazily on the cool breeze as they reached the crest and looked out across the Romanian countryside.
“How beautiful…” Jeanne murmured at last.
Godrick silently agreed.
Bathed in silver moonlight, the rolling countryside stretched endlessly before them.
Dense forests blanketed the hills, while rivers and streams shimmered like ribbons of polished glass as they wound through fields of wheat and tall grasses.
The wind swept across the landscape in slow waves, causing the fields to sway together as though the earth itself were breathing.
Above them, countless stars filled the heavens, their reflections dancing upon the water below.
It reminded Godrick of Camelot.
There had only been a handful of nights in his life peaceful enough for him to simply stop and admire the world around him.
Most had been spent beside Mordred atop the hill overlooking the castle, where the two of them would sit until sunrise talking about anything and everything.
Those memories still lingered, bittersweet as they were.
He removed his helmet, allowing it and his halberd to dissolve into spirit particles before the cool night air brushed against his face.
His eyes drifted over the landscape once more before settling, almost unconsciously, on Jeanne herself.
The moonlight suited her.
Its pale glow reflected from her long hair, while the breeze gently stirred the loose strands framing her face.
She stood quietly with both hands resting upon the handle of her banner, her gaze fixed upon the horizon with the same peaceful smile she had worn since reaching the hilltop.
For just a moment, Godrick found himself unable to look away.
Then Jeanne slowly turned toward him.
“What?” she asked curiously.
Godrick’s eyes widened.
Realizing he had been caught staring, he immediately looked away and returned his attention to the countryside as though he had been studying it the entire time.
Behind him, Jeanne’s lips curled into a small, amused smile.
After several quiet minutes, Godrick heard the crinkle of paper.
Turning back, he watched as Jeanne knelt beside her suitcase and pulled out a small packet of vanilla crackers along with a bottle of water.
She caught him looking again and raised an eyebrow.
“What?” she asked for the second time that evening, a hint of laughter creeping into her voice.
Seeing the confusion on his face, she let out a soft, embarrassed chuckle.
“I still need to eat while I’m using this body,” she explained, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.
“I may be a Heroic Spirit, but I had to possess this body in order to manifest properly.”
She opened the packet and quietly ate one of the crackers before taking a drink from the bottle.
After a moment, she looked up at the towering knight.
“Would you like one?”
Godrick tilted his head before extending one massive gauntleted hand.
Smiling, Jeanne placed a single cracker into his palm.
She watched curiously as he brought it to his mouth.
A second later, his eyes widened ever so slightly before he immediately held his hand out again.
“You… want another one?” Jeanne asked, unable to suppress a small laugh.
Godrick nodded without hesitation.
Still smiling, she surrendered a second cracker.
He ate it just as quickly, and extended his hand once more.
Jeanne blinked.
“…You’re serious?”
Godrick gave her another silent nod.
“No.” She said with a smile, bringing a cracker to her own mouth.
Godrick continued holding out his hand.
“No,” Jeanne repeated, clutching the packet protectively against her chest.
“These are all I brought with me, and unlike someone here, I actually have to eat.”
Jeanne stared at the enormous armored knight for a long moment before hugging both the crackers and her suitcase tightly.
“They’re mine.”
She took a cautious step backward, then a second.
Godrick remained perfectly still, his outstretched hand never moved.
A grin spread across Jeanne’s face as she could see where this was going.
“No…”
Turning on her heel, she suddenly laughed and sprinted back down the hillside with her suitcase bouncing beside her.
“They’re mine!” she called over her shoulder.
Godrick watched her disappear into the moonlit grass before rolling his shoulders and stretching his arms as though preparing for battle, a faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
It had been years since he’d shared such a carefree moment with anyone.
The memory stirred something warm inside him, reminding him of happier days spent chasing Mordred through the hills surrounding Camelot.
Looking toward the fleeing Ruler, he gave her a generous head start.
Then, he leaned forward as the hunt for the vanilla crackers officially began.
There was no grace to his pursuit whatsoever.
He simply threw himself down the slope with complete abandon, slipping on loose patches of grass, sliding through the dirt, and nearly tumbling head over heels more than once.
None of it mattered.
Every time he lost his footing, he simply caught himself and kept running.
Jeanne’s laughter echoed through the moonlit valley, bright and carefree, and before long he found a broad smile saying everything his missing voice never could.
She reached the treeline first and darted into the forest with surprising agility.
Moonlight filtered through the canopy as she danced effortlessly between the trunks, barely disturbing a branch as she passed.
Godrick, on the other hand, abandoned any attempt at elegance.
Thick limbs snapped beneath his shoulders, bushes exploded beneath his boots, and smaller trees simply bent aside or splintered as the enormous knight barreled through the woods in pursuit.
For several minutes the chase continued, Jeanne’s laughter serving as the only clue to her whereabouts until, quite suddenly, it stopped.
Godrick slowed as he entered a small clearing bathed in pale moonlight, looking around for any sign of her.
The forest had gone strangely quiet.
Then he felt the faintest weight settle onto one of his shoulders.
Before he could even turn his head, Jeanne lightly pushed off him and flipped gracefully through the air, landing several yards away with a mischievous smile spread across her face.
“Alright,” she laughed, trying to catch her breath.
“You can have one more.”
She pointed a finger at him.
“But only one. That’s the last one.”
Godrick extended his hand.
Shaking her head with an amused smile, Jeanne retrieved another vanilla cracker from the packet and placed it into his palm.
He immediately ate it, and she couldn’t help but giggle at how quickly it disappeared.
“You know,” she said, slipping the nearly empty packet back into her suitcase, “thank you.”
“I’ve been so stressed ever since I was summoned that I forgot what it was like to simply… enjoy myself.” Her smile softened as she looked up at him.
“That little chase helped more than you probably realize.”
For a few moments they simply stood together beneath the stars, the cool breeze carrying the scent of pine through the clearing.
“Now,” Jeanne continued as she raised her hands over her head and stretched, “I think we should find somewhere to stay for the night. Just like I still need to eat in this body, I also need to sleep.”
Godrick nodded.
Leaving the forest behind, they wandered through quiet farmland illuminated by the moon.
Fields of wheat rippled gently in the breeze while livestock slept peacefully behind wooden fences.
After nearly an hour of walking, they came upon a small cluster of homes scattered along a country road.
Jeanne politely knocked on several doors before an elderly farmer finally welcomed her inside, explaining that he had a spare bedroom she was free to use for the night.
After thanking the farmer for his kindness, she carried her suitcase upstairs and settled into the modest room.
Once inside, she quietly called for Godrick.
He materialized immediately, kneeling so his head would not strike the low ceiling.
Even then, his broad shoulders nearly filled the tiny room.
“We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow,” Jeanne said as she set her suitcase beside the bed.
“Something tells me we’re going to be very busy, and… probably fighting again.”
Then her cheeks turned faintly pink.
“…Now, if you don’t mind…”
She gestured toward the door.
“I need to change.”
Understanding immediately, Godrick dematerialized without hesitation, allowing Jeanne the privacy she needed.
She changed into a simple nightgown before climbing into the small bed with a contented sigh.
Though she knew he could not physically tire in the same way she could, there was something comforting about knowing the silent Juggernaut stood watch through the night.
===
Dawn arrived with the cheerful songs of birds outside the farmhouse window.
Jeanne dressed quickly, thanked the elderly farmer for his generosity, and stepped outside into the crisp morning air.
After leaving the property, she called for Godrick, who materialized beside her in an instant.
“Would you mind walking around normally today?” she asked.
Godrick nodded before dismissing most of his armor.
Gone was the towering silver knight that inspired fear on the battlefield.
In his place stood an enormous young man wearing a cream-colored linen shirt with the sleeves rolled to his forearms.
The shirt hung loosely across his massive frame, exposing the strong muscles of his neck and the upper portion of his chest where the collar remained unlaced.
His armored greaves and gauntlets vanished as well, leaving only sturdy leather boots and simple trousers.
Jeanne looked him over, then looked away almost immediately.
“We…” she began, doing her best not to stare.
“…We’re definitely going to have to find you some new clothes.”
Godrick glanced down at himself before giving her a questioning look.
His clothes seemed perfectly serviceable.
Jeanne’s blush deepened.
Rather than elaborate further, she quickly walked ahead toward the nearby town, hoping he wouldn’t notice the color in her face.
The morning streets were already bustling when they arrived.
Vendors opened their stalls while townsfolk hurried about their daily routines, yet nearly everyone slowed the moment they noticed the unusual pair.
Jeanne’s beauty drew admiring glances wherever she walked, while Godrick’s sheer size left many people openly staring.
Conversations in Romanian followed them down the streets, curious whispers growing louder with every passing minute.
Feeling increasingly self-conscious under so many eyes, Jeanne reached over, took Godrick by the hand, and hurried him into one of the quieter side streets until the crowds finally dispersed.
“There,” she sighed with relief.
“That’s a little better.”
After searching a while longer, they eventually found a small clothing shop tucked between two stone buildings.
The bell above the door chimed softly as they entered.
The elderly shopkeeper looked up with a welcoming smile that immediately froze when she noticed Godrick ducking through the doorway.
Her eyes widened at the sight of the enormous man, and they grew even wider when Jeanne politely asked whether she carried anything that might fit someone of his…
proportions.
After taking several measurements, the woman disappeared into the back of the shop for several minutes before returning with a single pair of jeans.
“I think these are the only ones that might fit,” she admitted apologetically.
Godrick accepted them and stepped toward one of the changing rooms.
A few moments later, he discovered a rather obvious problem.
The changing room itself wasn’t nearly large enough for him to fit inside.
Motioning Jeanne over, Godrick gestured toward the cramped changing stall before spreading his arms, making it abundantly clear what the problem was.
The tiny booth was barely large enough for an ordinary man, much less someone who stood over eight feet tall.
Jeanne stared at him for a moment before the realization finally clicked, and a laugh escaped her lips despite herself.
“You know,” she said, “you could always travel in spirit form. It’s really not that big of a deal.”
Godrick shook his head immediately.
There was far too much in this strange new era that he wanted to see with his own eyes.
Every passing wagon without horses, every unfamiliar building, every piece of clothing, and every face was something entirely foreign to him.
After spending years surrounded by war and then awakening as a Heroic Spirit, he wanted to experience this new world as a living part of it rather than as an invisible observer drifting through it.
Jeanne smiled knowingly before nodding.
“Alright, alright. Let me ask the shopkeeper if she has another place you can change.”
Walking to the front counter, she offered the woman an apologetic smile.
“My friend is having a bit of trouble changing. The dressing room is… well… a little too small for him.”
The elderly clerk followed Jeanne’s gaze toward the towering man standing awkwardly beside the changing stalls.
Godrick offered the woman an embarrassed smile and rubbed the back of his neck.
“The storage room should be large enough,” she replied in Romanian.
“Have him follow me.”
The woman led Godrick through a narrow doorway into the back of the shop where shelves stacked with folded clothing lined the walls.
There was enough room for him to finally stand comfortably, and after carefully pulling on the pair of jeans, he found that they fit surprisingly well.
They were a bit snug around his thighs, but they were far better than the worn trousers he had arrived with.
A few moments later he emerged from the storage room wearing the new jeans, and together he and Jeanne approached the counter.
The clerk folded his old trousers while Jeanne reached into the pockets of her dress before freezing.
She slowly looked up at Godrick.
“You… need to pay for the pants,” she said awkwardly.
Godrick blinked at her before pointing to himself in complete disbelief.
He had been summoned less than a day ago.
He possessed no money, no belongings beyond his armor and weapons, and certainly no understanding of how this era’s currency worked. This story is hosted at novelping.com.
Jeanne folded her arms defensively as though already anticipating his unspoken accusation.
“Well, I don’t have any money either!” she protested, her cheeks flushing bright red.
“The Church didn’t exactly give me spending money before sending me out here!”
Godrick closed his eyes and slowly dragged a hand down his face beneath his helmetless brow.
“Wait.” The shopkeeper said, looking between Jeanne’s embarrassed expression and the giant knight’s defeated posture before shaking her head with an amused sigh.
“Just take them.”
Jeanne blinked.
“Excuse me?”
“They’ve been sitting in my storage room for months,” the woman explained with a warm smile.
“No one around here is ever going to wear pants that size. They’d only continue collecting dust back there, but he’ll actually put them to use.”
Jeanne hesitated for only a moment before bowing her head respectfully.
“Are you certain? We truly don’t wish to take advantage of your kindness.”
The woman waved the concern away.
“I insist. Seeing them finally leave my shop is payment enough.”
Jeanne’s expression softened into a grateful smile.
“Then… thank you. Truly.”
The shopkeeper simply smiled and waved as the two left the shop.
Combined with his leather boots and simple linen shirt, he looked far less like an ancient farmer and more like an unusually massive laborer.
The shirt still stretched tightly across his broad chest and shoulders, its loose collar exposing part of his chest and the scar that crossed his throat.
Jeanne looked up…
and immediately found herself staring.
Her eyes lingered for just a second too long before she quickly looked away, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks.
She silently scolded herself and hurried toward the door before he could notice.
“Come on,” she said, clearing her throat as she stepped outside.
“We still have quite a bit to do.”
Godrick followed after her, though he couldn’t help tilting his head in confusion at her sudden change in behavior.
As they wandered back through the streets, the curious stares from the townsfolk returned almost immediately.
Jeanne drew far more attention than before, but this time many of the whispers centered on the impossibly tall blond man walking quietly beside her.
Children openly pointed while adults paused in their conversations, some wondering if he was an athlete, others joking that he must have descended from a family of giants from the north.
Jeanne tried her best to ignore the growing crowd as she walked with purpose through the city, though every so often she caught herself glancing sideways at Godrick.
Despite his intimidating size, he carried himself with surprising gentleness, patiently looking around at everything with the quiet curiosity of someone seeing the modern world for the very first time.
After a few minutes of walking, Jeanne slowed and looked up at him with an expression that had become noticeably more serious.
“Stop here.” She said, coming to a halt.
“I’m feeling remnants of magic in the area. Let’s look around and see what we can find,” Jeanne said as her attention drifted away from the busy streets and toward something only she could perceive.
Godrick nodded and fell into step beside her without a word.
While he could not sense magical residue as keenly as she could, his heightened instincts allowed him to notice the subtle shifts in the area around them.
Together they followed the invisible trail through the city, weaving between pedestrians until the lively streets gradually gave way to a district that bore the unmistakable scars of recent violence.
The destruction became more apparent with every step.
Sections of the brick roadway had been ripped apart as though something impossibly heavy had plowed through them.
Stone walls had collapsed into heaps of rubble, shattered windows glittered across the sidewalks, and scorch marks blackened the sides of nearby buildings.
Workers moved carefully through the devastation while police kept curious onlookers behind makeshift barriers.
A battered sedan was slowly being winched onto the back of a tow truck, its frame twisted almost beyond recognition.
Godrick’s gaze lingered on the ruined vehicle.
As he drew closer, he noticed dozens of bullet holes peppering the doors and windshield, while deep gouges carved into the metal hinted at weapons far beyond ordinary firearms.
To everyone else it would have looked like the aftermath of a horrific accident or terrorist attack, but to the silent knight the signs were unmistakable.
Servants had fought here, and the battlefield had been hastily cleaned before the ordinary people could realize what had truly happened.
Leaving the ruined intersection behind, Jeanne led him deeper into the city until they arrived at another crossroads.
She paused there for several moments, quietly studying the streets before glancing around to ensure nobody was paying attention.
Satisfied that they were alone, she crouched and gently placed her hand against the stone pavement.
A golden magic circle blossomed beneath her palm, intricate runes spinning silently before a stream of radiant light raced away from her hand.
The spell flowed along one of the streets like liquid sunlight, weaving around corners before stretching toward the hill overlooking the city.
After several seconds the trail faded from view, leaving only silence behind.
Jeanne rose to her feet and pointed toward the old church standing atop the hill.
“Up there.”
Without another word the pair made their way toward the ancient building.
Its weathered stone walls and towering bell tower overlooked the surrounding countryside, giving it a commanding view of the city below.
Everything about it appeared peaceful from the outside, yet the lingering magical pressure surrounding the church was enough to tell Jeanne that something had happened here.
Godrick lowered his head as he stepped through the entrance behind her, careful not to strike the doorway with his head.
The interior was quiet, with rows of empty pews stretching toward the altar as sunlight filtered through colorful stained-glass windows.
It looked abandoned.
Then the trap activated.
The instant Jeanne crossed the threshold, a glowing violet magic circle erupted beneath her feet.
Chains forged entirely from magical energy exploded upward, wrapping around her arms, waist, and legs before tightening with surprising speed.
For only the briefest instant she looked genuinely caught off guard.
Then, her silver armor materialized around her body in a flash of light, and she spread her arms with enough force to snap every enchanted chain binding her.
The links shattered into fragments of mana before dissolving into nothingness, the summoning circle beneath her feet flickering violently before disappearing altogether.
She turned toward Godrick just in time to see him raise one armored foot.
The massive knight brought it down, and the entire church trembled as the stone floor cracked beneath his boot, fractures racing across the room like lightning before sections of the flooring collapsed inward.
Hidden arrays buried beneath the stone were crushed instantly, while others activated prematurely as their inscriptions were broken apart.
Explosions of magical light erupted throughout the sanctuary as dormant traps triggered harmlessly, their spells discharging into empty air before fading away.
One after another they revealed themselves, only to die before they could threaten either of them.
Satisfied that nothing dangerous remained hidden beneath the floor, Godrick looked back toward Jeanne.
Before he could take another step, she suddenly recoiled as though struck.
Her eyes widened, and both hands flew to her head.
She staggered backward, breathing sharply as an overwhelming flood of knowledge poured into her mind.
Godrick crossed the distance between them almost instantly, placing himself beside her in silent concern.
Though he could not ask if she was alright, the urgency in his posture made the question unmistakable.
Jeanne remained still for several long moments, her breathing uneven as the vision slowly came to an end.
Finally she lowered her hands and looked up at the giant knight standing protectively over her.
“Everything about this Grail War finally makes sense… or at least part of it does.”
She looked toward the church doors, her expression hardening.
“We need to meet with the Master of the Red Faction immediately.”
===
I promise I’ll take good care of them:)