Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Due to his usual combat style, Vahn rarely went out of his way to wear anything like armor. At his level, there were very few instances where armor actually served any purpose, but, in order to show solidarity between himself and his forces, Vahn donned the same outfit that he had worn during the duel between Artoria and Lorelei.

Though it didn't match his usual style, which typically combined muted colors like black and grey, Vahn found the style adapted from Artoria's era rather suitable for 'war'. He was especially fond of the furred cloak, as he thought it look cool, but, more than anything else, Vahn just liked matching Artoria. She gave off a regal and dignified appearance when she donned her armor, so, despite the fact it was somewhat uncomfortable, Vahn was inspired by her example. (A/N: [Charisma] OP)

With his preparations ready, Vahn thanked Gray and Gareth for their assistance, rubbing both girls' heads before teleporting everyone to the staging area, the large courtyard that served as an area to rally troops and conduct parade. There, more than fifteen hundred people had gathered, each with similar armor that denoted their rank and occupation within the Imperial Militia, the majority being Shieldmaidens and Pikewomen.

Since there was little they could do against actual Heroic Spirits, the combat forces comprised of the Einzbern Homunculi had been taught to maintain a defensive line. The Shieldmaidens were outfitted with shields that, alone, would struggle to block B-Rank spells. Together, however, they could form a massive defensive wall that, according to Da Vinci's calculations, could block an A-Rank, Anti-Island Noble Phantasm. This was due to the fact that the shields, while wielded by individuals, were all part of a unified 'Set'.

Vahn had painstakingly forged each of the shields by hand, imbuing them with an ability known as [Unbreakable Phalanx]. This ability amplified the Physical and Magical Defense of every shield used to form a defensive wall, so, while the Homunculi might not be able to match against the average Heroic Spirit, only the most powerful had any hopes of breaking their defensive line.

To support the Shieldmaidens, the vast majority of Homunculi were outfitted with long pikes, each upwards of six meters in length. What made these pikes special wasn't simply their sharpness and durability, which would allow them to easily penetrate magically reinforced metals with ease. What really made them exceptional was the fact that, despite their appearance, they were actually A-Rank magical staves.

By channeling their magical energy into their pikes, the Homunculi could shoot out piercing beams of elemental energy. The element could be adjusted to deal with enemies, but, no matter which was used, they were capable of dealing heavy damage to both physical and magical barriers. They could even be charged for upwards of three minutes, greatly amplifying the amount of damage they were capable of outputting by converting the focused beams into condensed energy that, on contact with a target, would explode to cause massive area of effect damage.

Though there were actually a number of different roles each member of the militia could fill, such as Shock Troopers and Combat Healers, these positions were entirely dependent on the situation. As a result, the only group that really stood out amongst the assembly of nearly identical women were the troops led by Kenshin. They were each outfitted in armor that gave off a distinctly Japanese feel, looking more like Samurai than Knights.

Seeing all of the units gathered together, Vahn couldn't help but be overcome by a sense of awe, as, despite their relatively small numbers, their momentum filled him with power. He could feel the eyes of nearly everyone shift to him the moment he appeared and, though it was always a little awkward to have thousands of ruby-red eyes staring fervently toward him, Vahn still managed an appreciative smile as the entire assembly saluted him due to Gawain's outburst...

After putting the 'soldiers' at ease, Vahn stood in a loose circle with his usual War Council, listening as Gawain reported, "Your Majesty, we have completed equipment checks and have ample supplies to form and maintain a defensive line for upwards of six months. Troop morale is at an exceptional level with each and every member of the Imperial Militia fully committed and capable of fulfilling the duties they have been assigned. We are ready to move on your orders."

Following Gawain's report, Kenshin nodded her head in affirmation, adding, "This is something we've been looking forward to for nearly three years. These girls have dedicated themselves wholly to the Empire's goals, but, more importantly, they all believe in Your Majesty's dreams. If ever a time comes when you feel any kind of doubt, recall this scene. Notice there is no fear or hesitation in any of their eyes, only resolution and the sincere belief that they are contributing to a noble cause."

Even without Kenshin's reminder, Vahn was well aware of the status he held in the hearts of nearly every Einzbern Homunculi. All of them treated him as their Savior, but, due to his actual status as a God, many had come to proactively pray to and worship him. This had been the case even before he had summoned Jeanne, but, after being exposed to the highly devout woman, seventy-three percent of Homunculi had transitioned from being Subordinates to True Believers. As a result, Jeanne's status had changed from True Believer to Apostle, a title she shared with Kenshin, Lakshmibai, and, as could be expected, Fenrir.

If he ordered them to, Vahn had no doubts in his mind that every Homunculus would willingly lay down their lives for his cause. This awareness placed a heavy burden on his shoulders, but, as a result of his [Will of the Emperor], it also filled him with immense power and confidence.

After letting Gawain's and Kenshin's words sink in for a moment, Vahn gave an understanding nod before stating, "While they are willing to lay down their lives for the Empire, it is our duty to ensure this is never required. I have high expectations for each and every one of you. Show me the results of your efforts..."

Immediately following Vahn's words, everyone gathered in their circle performed a full salute, Artoria included. Then, in preparation for the coming occupation, the various Commanders returned to their individual units while Vahn, accompanied by Artoria, Gray, and Gareth, returned to the interior of the Ivory Castle. There, they found nearly every resident of the Inner Sanctum waiting to send them off, the children included.

Though he wasn't going to be away for a terribly long period of time, Vahn was still heading off for what could, technically, be considered a war. Even if he would be leaving one of his bodies behind to protect Avalon, it would be stuck in focused meditation in order to supplement his rather ridiculous energy expenditures. Thus, if the battle turned into a prolonged engagement, it could take several weeks, projection-time, before he saw any of his children again.

For many of the children, this was their first time seeing their 'Papa' wearing his armor, but, after the momentary awe wore off, they adopted the same expressions as their mothers, being concern and, in their own way, support. The only real exceptions to this were those like Mordred and Isanna, the former showing a slightly annoyed expression while the latter had a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Vahn had already talked to Merlin and Ishtar about keeping an eye on Isanna, as her pseudo-divinity related to War could cause some problems. This was especially true for the Vanir, as, unlike normal Gods and Demigods, their Divinity wasn't tied to the planet's authority. As a result, they could freely use their power even on other planets while Goddesses like Ishtar and Ereshkigal would quickly lose their power as they moved further away from the planet.

With Merlin and Ishtar watching her every move, Vahn wasn't too worried about Isanna successfully sneaking out, so, after exchanging words with most of the other children, he caressed the pouting Mordred's head and reminded, "You still have a responsibility to fulfill within the Clock Tower. This isn't a battle for things like status or glory so don't let it get you...you don't see Fenrir trying to force me to bring her along, do you...?"

Hearing her name uttered, Fenrir's ears twitched slightly while, with a defeated look on her face, the pouting Mordred released a sigh before saying, "At this rate, there won't be any battles left for me to fight..."

Though he had been putting a lot of effort into cultivating a calm and collected demeanor at times like this, Vahn's brows perked up in response to Mordred's words. This brought a lot of attention to him, resulting in Mordred looking around confusedly before staring up at him with a similar look. As a result, Vahn released a dry laugh before ruffling her hair and saying, "It would be nice if that were the case. Unfortunately, even if there are periods of peace, the path I walk passes through countless battlefields. Trust me, Mordred, you will have your fair share of battles...for now, please just focus on becoming stronger..."

Hearing her Chichiue's words, Mordred felt a twinge of guilt, as, toward the very end, she could hear the concern in his voice. This wasn't the same as the concern a parent would have for their children, rather, it sounded a lot like the tone used when you knew the other party was going off on a suicide mission. Since she had led Shock Troopers in her past life, Mordred knew this tone better than most, so, even without him elaborating further, she was reminded of her current aspirations. If she became a God, it was to be expected that, in the future, other Gods would be her opponents...

Realizing the future battlefields were on a much grander scale, Mordred felt like her motivation had been rekindled, changing from a bonfire into a raging inferno. She was still a little disappointed that she couldn't accompany her Chichiue in the present, but, as this was primarily due to her weakness, the only person she had to blame was herself. Thus, with a resolute look on her face, she nodded her head in understanding, firmly stating, "I will become much stronger...I swear to you...to myself..."

Though he had already 'seen' this scene, Vahn felt vindicated hearing Mordred's response so, after planting a kiss on her forehead, he ruffled her hair again and said, "I believe in you, Mordred. You fill me with pride each and every day so I have no doubts you will greatly exceed my expectations..."

If her motivation could be compared to an inferno, before, Mordred felt like the fire inside of her was akin to a solar flare after hearing her Chichue's words. She could feel her body, literally, begin to heat up and, though it earned her an exasperated look from her Hahaue, her face had become visibly red as a wide smile spread across her face...

With Mordred temporarily pacified, Vahn was forced to give most of his daughters a goodbye kiss, either on their cheek or forehead, before departing alongside Artoria. When they were alone, making their final preparations for the assault on the Moon Cell, she released a tired sigh before saying, "As a mother, I can't help but be worried about that girl. Tell me, Vahn, will things become easier once I ascend to godhood...?"

Though Artoria had already accepted Mordred's affections for Vahn, understanding how she must feel, that didn't make it any easier. Even if Mordred really was just a clone of her, she had come to truly accept the troublesome girl as her daughter. Mordred's accomplishments filled her with pride and, in many ways, it was her desire to ensure the former's happiness that led to Artoria accepting her feelings toward Vahn.

Truthfully, Vahn didn't really know how to answer Artoria's concerns despite having an inordinate amount of experience with similar circumstances. Thus, in response to her question, he released a sigh before saying, "Honestly...it is up to you. I have come to learn many things about Divinity, but, in the end, the way it manifests is up to the weilder. Even then, however, I believe the most important thing is staying true to yourself. It is fine to be uncomfortable with something, Artoria, so I hope you never have to force yourself to think or believe something that contradicts your character..."

Vahn's words weren't exactly what she wanted to hear, but, knowing things like this were never easy, Artoria nodded her head in understanding. She had already made her decision, discussed it at great length with various people, and, most recently, even began helping Mordred in her pursuit of even greater strength. Thus, while it filled her heart with a moderate amount of discomfort, Artoria fully intended to support her daughter. She just liked to vent her frustrations to Vahn, as, while she would never admit it, his efforts to calm her always made her happy...

Even without Artoria vocalizing her feelings, Vahn had come to understand almost everything about her character over the last few years. Her resolute nature was one of the key elements that gave him the confidence to carry out his own duties as an Emperor. This was something he had conveyed to her several times in the past, so, during moments like this, he dutifully fulfilled the role she required of him. As for her discussion about godhood, that had never really mattered...rather, if anything was going to influence Artoria's mentality, it would be her draconic heritage.

The fact Artoria had been the one to spearhead the situation that led to the development of his Sex Divinity showed just how much her bloodline influenced her decision making. While it was still in its nascent stages, Vahn's experience with Terra and Alexa allowed him to see the signs of Artoria's slow, but inevitable, awakening. The more they fought alongside each other, and the more he showed off his own draconic forms, the more prominent the changes in her behavior became. Thus, every time a battle approached, Vahn couldn't help but offer a silent prayer, hoping Artoria remained the same woman he had come to love, no matter how much she changed...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Waifu squad, assemble...!','The battles have only begun','I wonder how long it will be before Artoria's transitions from 'Phoenix Empress' to 'Dragon God Empress'...?')