.

The one known as Artus has forgotten himself. He's remembering, but it is a slow affair.

He has forgotten.

He has forgotten what he's forgotten.

However, just because he himself has forgotten, does not mean the rest of the world has.

He is remembered.

Beasts fear him.

Gaia curses and adores him.

Alaya observed him.

Monsters dread him.

The Throne holds him.

Legend upholds him.

History remembers him.

Fae are one with him.

…?

So then, where are the Fae?

Where are his friends?

Where are his sworn allies?

Where were they in his time of need?

We await in thy shield friend.

.

.

I woke.

The disorientation I experienced upon waking yesterday was still there, but far less.

I was acclimatising.

I look outside to see it was still night, the sun was a way away from rising.

That was normal. I usually only slept a few hours anyway. Yesterday was an exception.

I didn't feel it a first, but being summoned was a bit of a shock to the system.

Waking up to the light of dawn was a rare luxury.

But back to the dream...

'My shield huh?'

I sense it. I didn't before, but I do now. Like a mist had risen? Or perhaps a light was shone? Yes.

Indeed the mist remains, but now I have light.

With my sword, it lays waiting. It does not exist, yet I feel it's just within reach. I can smell it. I can touch it.

So I do.

I feel grass. I smell earth.

A "shield" appears before me, a shield like no other. You would not find a shield like this in tapestry, only hear in tale. Mine was unique.

Rather than a "shield", you might say it's a small hill condensed. A chunk of Gaia's Reality Marble hewn in into general shape.

There was grass, rocks, soil, earth, metal, wood, flowers and ferns, but standing out above all, there were jewels.

I marvel at its presence. It's very existence is weighty, yet ethereal.

I created it, yet I still feel my heart palpitating in it's aura.

Primal and rustic, yet one could never call it crude.

It was my one and only Shield.

[The Bejewelled House of Fae] A homely hill. A token of friendship.

'My shield...'

From the centre point, a fist-sized red jewel embedded in rounded stone, a single light emerges.

A reddish-purple glowing ball about the size of of my thumb-nail.

I know it. I know it very well.

I couldn't help the watery smile. My eyes involuntarily water.

"Heya Radish..." I whisper.

Warmth. She conveys, then… You're late.

.

.

[Rune-Span] Cry of the Futhark. Fang of Artus.

That is my blade's name.

I can't believe I forgot it. I made it myself along with [Bejewelled House], it had been my partner for decades. Summoning is no excuse.

I am ashamed.

My Sword and Shield, to think I would forget…

I am truly ashamed.

Amnesia is no excuse… well it sorta is, but that's not the point.

Ugh.

The point is I am really, fucking ashamed.

"I'm sowwyyy~" The only way to make it up is through unrelenting affection. "Yoo da best blade a man could ask for Span-span," I switch to the other one, "and yoo da best shield a guy could eva have Fae-fae!"

*Kiss-kiss-kiss* *rub-rub-rub*

I was alternating between rubbing my cheek up and down the blade of [Rune-Span] and cuddling with the body of [Bejewelled House] while sporadically lathering the two kisses to show my apologies.

It was in that state that Rin eventually found me. Myself making out with my sword whilst humping my shield in her basement, Radish was repeatedly ramming herself into a wall.

She damn near used a Command Seal to make me stop.

Radish took an instant liking to her.

'Disloyal bug.'

.

.

My armaments are not true Noble Phantasms. They're damn near, but for whatever reason they have not been "elevated" to the status of NP.

What's the best way to explain it I wonder?

Well, let's look at Saber. Saber as in Arturia Pendragon, "Blue Saber", King of Knights, Once and Future King and one of the three main heroines of Fate/stay night.

Her NP's: [Avalon], [Excalibur] and [Invisible Air].

For now, we shall focus on Avalon.

Full title: [Avalon] The Everdistant Utopia.

You generally have the name followed by it's description/explanation/epithet/title.

It's EX rank if I remember correctly, a bullshit powerful Fae Artefact gifted to the good King Arthur.

It's OP as fuck. No wonder it became a NP right?

"Then what about her armour?"

Armour? You might ask. What armour?

The armour gifted to her, crafted by Merlin, the armour she wore for the majority of her later life, the hunk of metal that protected her, served her and became the object of admiration, envy, hate and adulation to the masses.

That armour.

Why isn't it a Noble Phantasm?

Mostly because it doesn't have a name other than "King Arthur's Armour", but even then that is more than enough to warrant "Phantasm status."

But it is not.

Because [Avalon], [Excalibur] and [Invisible Air] has taken up all the space. Or perhaps taken up all the weight?

That armour was special, my memory is still rather faint, but Merlin put a hella lot effort into it. I remember that it had numerous magical effects and skills embedded into it, yet none of that is shown.

Rather those effects were eliminated, got rid off… Put simply, it got nerfed.

It is an armament fully capable of becoming an NP but did not due to all the space getting taken up.

The circumstances are different, but my Sword and Shield are in much the same situation.

They are "incomplete?" I think.

The names [The Bejewelled House of Fae] and [Rune-Span] are more like the "second name." Not the "True Name."

They are the "The Everdistant Utopia." to their [Avalon].

It should really be: [True Name] The Bejewelled House of Fae. And: [True Name] Rune-span, Fang of Artus, or something.

It's a bit confusing, but that's the best way I can explain it.

I am pretty sure there is a reason for this, something that I myself did, but I can't yet recall it.

It's not like my Armaments are weak or anything, they are my pride and joy, but it's just they have not received the typical boost from being a Servant's main weapons. They are like King Arthur's armour; part of the Servant but not a NP.

I'm sure in time I will come to remember their True Names (or maybe not) but in the meantime, this will do.

Or rather, this will have to do.

Time is slipping away, the day of conflict approaches.

"Well then, I've looked over your books to see how the spell has changed over the years and I'm mildly impressed."

Thus I will make do.

"But there are quite a bit of things that have been forgotten since when I was taught it, so listen up."

Sitting before me was my Contractor, not my Princess.

"Right now I'm not your Servant, I'm your teacher. I expect compliance, this has little chance of going wrong but I will take no chances."

That said...

"Flowing and Transferring of Power, Age of Fae edition…"

I'm certainly not against stacking the odds in my favour either.

"I.e. Jewel Magecraft. Let's begin."

My Princess will be strong.

.

.

"An Origin of Youth… unexpected." My mouth is a bit cottony and throat a bit dry, so I try not to talk too much.

"We rarely do anticipate our true natures."

"True."

I listen to the sound of my (sorta) mentor bustle about, cleaning up the mess we made to divine my attributes.

I lay there on the floor shirtless as he worked, body and circuits still numb from the ritual. The residue heat of the runic circle painted on my back was still making me sweat a bit.

"What about my Alignment then?"

"Hmm? Well…" his voice grew impish, "most would have need to perform yet another ritual another time to confirm, but for a Wizard as great as I- Merlin!- such effort is unneeded!"

Eesh, flamboyant as always.

"Hmmm."

"Ugh! Such a tone from mine own student! Woe be me, the shunted teacher!"

"..." Drama queen. My voice is still shot is all.

"... The silent treatment is perhaps even more disheartening…" Merlin sulked then shook his head, shaggy white mane flopping around. "Student mine, thy have dual alignments I believe."

My ears perk up.

"Yes, a quite rare combination at that, as thy should know; Origins and Alignment tend to effect or represent a Magus to some effect, but I'm not really sure what thine might imply about ye…" a bout of silence, "one is of the five great elements, the other an irregular."

"..."

Another bout of silence, I can practically hear the cogs turn for a bit, before he came back to topic with another shake of his mane.

"First alignment, one of the five great elements: Ether. An element that did not even exist prior to the current age. Fairly rare. Magical Energy at its most raw form." He listed off.

Once more I was surprised, another unexpected outcome. I was honestly expecting Earth or Fire. Did my bugs have any effect in this?

"Second element, irregular: Storage." I twist round to look at the half-breed in confusion. "Yes. Best I can tell thy possess an affinity with 'storing'. To store, to keep, to hide... That is the feel I got."

'Well… I have always been a bit of a pack-rat, and in Skyrim I would take literally everything I could take with me. Even the pots and pans.'

"Prior to this, I was a tad troubled on what thy main magical focus might be, but with this new knowledge there's a practically perfect art for thee to invest in."

Body no longer numb, I sit up and turn to him.

"Have thee ever heard of Jewelcraft perchance?"

'... Yes actually.'

.