Determination

Opening her eyes, Shaltea found herself lying at the center of a queen-size bed, one with pristine cotton sheets, cloud-esque pillows, and parted velvet curtains that were hung at each corner of its roof. A faint glow of light could only go past her curtained windows, signalling the approaching start of another day.

It was such a cold moment in dusk.

"You are finally awake."

Hearing the familiar sound of her servant's voice, Shaltea gradually rose from her position and sat. Her dazed irises fell towards Gilgamesh' figure, who was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed; almost shadowed by the darkness that crept into her chamber.

Focusing her eyes towards the other, it didn't take her long to become aware of his current expression-- pure aggravation.

"Was that your way of gaining the upper hand to this battle?"

"What are you talking about?" Shaltea paused over her words and mulled over his, before finally coming into realization of what he had meant. After analyzing her current attire, a blank look was what she could only give to him. "You... saw me."

Hearing none of his voice to deny her claim, she slowly dragged herself unto the ends of her bed and let her feet dangle and touch the carpeted floor. Her voice was as cold as the atmosphere that surrounded them, becoming more tense as she spoke. 

"Despite my orders for you to refrain bothering me for a while..." Under her servant's stoic gaze, her hands could only tighten onto the mattress. "You almost broke my ritual apart--"

"And you refuse to provide me a response--"

"Caster!" Shaltea shouted, cutting him off. "What more of a response do you need me to say?!"

Tension embraced their beings throughout the moment bask with the air of dusk. Her lungs rose and fell, back and forth, gaining the breaths that she spent from her emotions running in sudden disarray. Indeed, what was there to explain about? The war matters to her more than to anyone else. Attaining the advantage is what she values the most. She didn't care of the follow-up risks, nor whatever kind of methods that she has to commit.

"I had to do that..." She trailed off, holding herself together as she grasped her own arm. "If I didn't... what will be left of me once I fail?"

If it is to achieve her goals and have her wish be fulfilled by the Holy Grail, death has no meaning to her. Shaltea will do whatever it takes to make that dream come true, even if she has to perish over it.

After all, that was why she was given the chance to exist in the first place. 

Bronze eyes to crimson ones, both pairs stared towards each other down. And no more than a few seconds later, the latter broke away from the connection. Gilgamesh pushed himself away from the wall and stood a little bit more nearer towards her. Still with arms crossed and a resolute countenance, the servant spoke after a round of uncomfortable silence.

"You were never akin to this compared to before..."

Shaltea's eyes widened.

Before she could even speak about her confusion over the matters that he had recently said, Gilgamesh turned into golden lights that soon dispersed into the air. Only an empty space can be seen from Shaltea's point of view. He had already disappeared, and she didn't know what to think of anything else, anymore.

Glancing towards her command seal, she caressed her thumb towards it absentmindedly. Fortunately, the ritual succeeded and she achieved what she had wanted-- just as she desired. Her mana was fully replenished, thanks to that, and the amount was surprisingly more enormous than ever before; more than how she expected it to be.

However, despite the numbness on the entirety of her body gone, she could still feel a raw ache that was throbbing behind her back. As if her limbs had a mind of its own, Shaltea turned around and halfway shrugged off her nightgown, just enough for her to gaze upon her back from the vanity mirror beside where her servant stood before. 

In an instant, gloom fell heavily over her shoulders as vein looking marks had already gone past the borders of the symbolic seal that was embedded at the center of it. Shaltea immediately cringes over the sight, yet only sighed afterwards, deeming it useless for her to keep pondering over such trifling thoughts.

It was already clear that her time is apparently running out. She had to take immediate action, or else, the tides will turn against her soon.

"You will fail."

The contemptuous voice of the Old Woman visited her memories once more. Gritting her teeth, the devitalized Shaltea turned towards the window, where a peek from the light of the gradual rising sun was passing through the curtained panes.

'I can't...'

Leaning on the bedpost for support, she clutched her hands together and watched the scenery unfold.

'I could never afford to do that, Grandmother...'

A few strands of her hair fell in front of her face. However, she paid no heed to it. The only thing in her mind was the echoes of her thoughts that spiralled within the darkness, fading one by one as she began to doze off.

'Even if I have to use the same method... or resort to performing countless other choices-- especially that one...'

Slowly, her eyes fluttered close, completely unaware of the golden lights that appeared within her peripheral vision once again.

'If it is to save everything, even my own demise...'

Another bitter smile settled upon her lips as she drifted off into another sleep.

'I will do so...'

Oh, how she never noticed...

'...Without fail.'

...That there could be a peaceful sight, even for someone like her.