"These guys are either very loyal or complete idiots," James commented, drawing his claws from a Hydra guard who lunged at the group even after the other guards had been eliminated and their weapon destroyed.
"Hydra doesn't really recruit people. It has allies, but for these guys, cannon fodder taken from the Nazi army and brainwashed their concept of loyalty is that as long as they have no will of their own and are obedient, it works," I explained to Artoria, blocking a security door with her foot and hand to prevent it from closing.
Behind her appeared a research center filled with unknown devices and ancient books written in Norwegian, Irish, and Old Celtic.
They had arrived there by chance while investigating the base, which was an intricate labyrinth inside. They could only navigate using James and John's sense of smell and Artoria's uncanny intuition to avoid getting lost or falling into traps.
When they reached the open space of the research center, alarms immediately went off, and a large number of Hydra agents emerged from compartments in the walls more than they had encountered along the way.
Artoria killed a large number of enemies before stepping in front of the rapidly closing security door, stopping it. At that moment, the others dealt with the remaining enemies.
"I really don't understand any of this, miss," James commented, trying to read one of the ancient Celtic books scattered around the room.
They had to report and document every step of Hydra's research as part of their mission, but the assigned team was better suited for assault than infiltration. The most knowledgeable member was the leader before Artoria's arrival, but he lacked the skill to translate an ancient, nearly extinct language.
"Collect any research devices and files you can; I'll take care of archiving the references," I ordered Artoria, signaling the others to start looting the room.
Artoria was a Celtic sage. In fact, she knew all the languages of the world perfectly, including those not of Earth.
"mmm… Skadi," Artoria muttered as she read the books quickly, analyzing every aspect. They were marked with Celtic and Norse runes, with notes indicating whether each item was "functional" or "incompatible." Several books contained Norse legends pointing to a goddess named Skadi.
At first, Artoria didn't understand what was so special about this goddess until she came across an old scroll, centuries old yet intact, depicting a giant serpent under the sea and a hammer falling from the sky.
The runes were real; Artoria could still sense lingering magic within them. However, they were incomplete; their function was unclear. There were more similar parchments and even stone slabs with complete runic engravings capable of opening paths through space, though their locations were unspecified.
Artoria frowned; her divine nature warned her of a troubling premonition. Hydra was calling forth something dangerous, related to Asgard of all things.
"We need to move quickly."
Artoria didn't want to stop. She had plans to rest after this war ended and didn't want to deal with a spiteful god like Odin now.
They gathered everything they needed and moved quickly. Artoria didn't hold back, passing through closed doors with her body or splitting them with her sword.
They ran tirelessly through long corridors until they reached a heavily guarded passage, forcing them to slow down.
It was a trap. They were stalling while the rear guard detonated bombs placed throughout the corridor with the team caught in the middle.
Artoria realized this quickly and acted.
"James, get in!"
I ordered Artoria, extending one hand palm up to form a platform.
James didn't understand at first but reacted quickly, jumping and somersaulting to evade Hydra soldiers, landing perfectly balanced on Artoria's palm, shrinking within it.
Artoria threw James through the air, piercing the line of attackers forming a human wall, landing on the soldier holding the bomb switch and mutilating him.
She threw John differently. He wouldn't obey completely, so she grabbed him by the shoulders without asking and threw him after his brother. Furious, he couldn't take it out on Artoria, so he unleashed his anger on everything nearby.
With both flanks under siege, the situation was quickly resolved, and after eliminating the last agents, they resumed their journey.
Artoria noticed the density of magic increasing rapidly, indicating their time was running out.
She ignored the strange bio weapon like enemies in runic engraved armor, she would examine them later; for now, they had to kill and reach the objective.
By bypassing doors and walls and clearing obstacles, the team finally reached the deepest part of the base.
"What the hell is all this?" James exclaimed in disbelief, looking at the gigantic pendulum like device with rotating rings and a large glowing runic circle in the center.
Nearby were capsules containing human bodies carved with runes. They appeared alive, but not for long.
"...it's an abomination disguised as a magic ritual, replacing several steps with Hydra technology," Artoria said.
"Magic? Like witches? Here?" James asked, genuinely surprised.
He wasn't shocked by the existence of magic, he'd lived over a hundred years and encountered the supernatural but he was stunned that the Nazis' technology attempted to combine magic with science.
"Damn, we have to stop this now!" James shouted, preparing to charge into what could be a difficult fight.
As he thought, a mechanical voice echoed throughout the room.
I'm afraid I won't allow that to happen.
The voice couldn't be distinguished as male, female, human, or animal.
We've dedicated much time to this ritual. Though imperfect, it fulfills its purpose; soon Hydra will attain greater power.
The tone was unintelligible, but hints of fanaticism were clear.
"I will not allow this blasphemy," Artoria said, preparing for anything.
That's the least of it, Miss Artoria. You've been a thorn in Hydra's side since the beginning. We've prepared something special. Thanks to our research, we discovered your magical nature and created something very special.
Fragments of mud shot from the ground toward Artoria. She didn't dodge, curious and unconcerned.
The mud impacted her body, spreading rapidly and changing from black to gray.
Artoria understood immediately: it absorbed mana and vitality, expanding through the body. It carried a weak but effective petrification enchantment an impressive weapon for humans barely understanding magic.
(As expected from Marvel villains: give them a chance, and they'll find a way to fight threats; unstable scientists are dangerous.) Artoria thought as the petrification reached her head.
It was effective against mages but useless against Artoria.
She possessed immense magic and vitality, thanks to the magic furnace of her red dragon heart, divine patterns, the Cosmo Reactor, and the Alter Reactor, which converts everything absorbed into magical energy. The mud couldn't absorb all her power in under a second.
Additionally, Artoria's anti magic abilities made her practically immune. The petrification was like a thick layer of dust, merely dirtying her skin.
Lastly, she was extremely strong; this kind of attack could vanish with a sigh.
With Artoria seemingly "petrified," the team panicked slightly but maintained composure they were elite soldiers.
"Get out of here, you piece of shit Wizard of Oz scam!" James yelled, claws extended, but the enemy ignored him.
We'll collect the remains when finished. The British gentleman's body is an interesting specimen; as for you, you're worthless, and we'll delete you.
Hatches opened in the walls, and giant creatures in black leather robes with exposed facial muscles and metal visors with glowing runes emerged. They resembled Nemesis but the Marvel version.
"Damn! Doesn't the disproportionate woman react?!" John shouted.
"How should I know? She's turned to stone!" James screamed, lunging at one of the creatures.
The team was cornered; no matter their mutant abilities, they couldn't cover enough ground. Bullets were useless, and wounds regenerated rapidly a living nightmare.
Amidst the chaos, the magical ritual shone with greater intensity until:
BOMMM!BOOOOM!BAAN!
Several series of lightning bolts struck the runic circle through the skylight, signaling the completion of the first phase of the ritual and heralding the arrival of what Hydra was trying to summon.
"Add!"
With a thunderous scream, Artoria, who had stopped pretending to be petrified, summoned a cage containing a floating cube. Moments later, the cage vanished, and the cube expanded into a giant scythe adorned with intricate gold and silver decorations.
This was the mystical code created by Morgan and Grey, the main weapon in the Type Moon universe.
Artoria moved with agile precision among the creatures, swinging her scythe and cutting down anything unfortunate enough to cross her blade.
The others didn't question it; they had already accepted Artoria's extraordinary nature. Survival and stopping Hydra were all that mattered.
"BOOOM!"
A massive lightning bolt, far larger than the previous ones, struck the rune circle, creating a multicolored pillar of light.
"That's enough."
Artoria, still maintaining a one to one advantage over Hydra's monsters, swiftly eliminated her opponents, creating a breach in the ritual.
The monsters attempted to regroup, but it didn't matter. Drawing back Add didn't mean she was unarmed.
"Wind King's Barrier!"
With a swing of the invisible weapon in her hands, she summoned a whirlwind so powerful it affected everyone in the room, sending debris crashing through walls.
The invisible weapon revealed itself: a beautiful silver blade with a faint golden edge, Excalibur in all its glory.
"The invader must be expelled."
Artoria, now in front of the multicolored pillar, slashed with Excalibur, creating a clash of unimaginable power.
"BOOOOOOM!"
Without releasing any Noble Phantasm, relying solely on her strength, Artoria interrupted the summoning. She bent the pillar of light as if space itself twisted under her blow.
The pillar contorted until it nearly stalled, but Artoria, growing tired of it, decided to finish it.
"Haaa!"
"BOOOOOON!"
She tightened her grip on Excalibur, tilted the blade skyward, and hurled it, creating a massive explosion and crater beneath her feet. The pillar of light shot back into the sky with even greater force, destroying the ceiling and several floors before vanishing into the night.
"......"
"......."
Everyone fell silent. Hydra's monsters stopped moving; part of the base had been destroyed. The others survived by taking cover, but the shock of the moment was overwhelming.
Artoria said nothing, Excalibur disappeared, and she approached her team, indifferent to their bewildered faces.
"Well, I don't know what else to expect from you, Captain."
James was the only one to speak.
"Sigh Everyone get ready, we're heading back to camp."
"Yes, sir!"
The mission in Canada was essentially over, but Artoria's intuition warned her the situation was far from concluded.
Antarctica
Near a Hydra base, the gigantic pillar of light had crashed into an icy cave, piercing layers of ice and stone until it ended at a sea level underground cavern.
When the pillar dissipated, it left a single object: a black hammer with a long golden handle.
Agents from the nearby Hydra base quickly located it but couldn't lift it. Only someone worthy could.
Back at camp
The team rested around a campfire, snow and wind battering them. They had planned to move to a nearby city to report, but the storm forced them to stay overnight.
"Hey, miss, don't just stare at the fire, have a drink."
James appeared with a large bottle of whiskey, seemingly from nowhere.
"Sigh Mr. James, you shouldn't drink on duty, even resting you never know what emergency might come."
Artoria rejected it, resolute. As a leader, she had to set an example.
"There's no point in being so rigid. Seize the moment. For me, this is the last bottle of this brand. After this mission, my brother and I will be transferred to Italy's borders."
James swigged the whiskey.
"Sigh He's too carefree, Mr. James."
Artoria worried for him. She knew that years after WWII, he would be captured for Project X, erased of memories, and used as a clandestine agent in the U.S. barely knowing his name or future identity: Logan.
He and Spider Man were heroes with terrible luck, sacrificing happiness for the greater good admirable, but slowly destroying themselves. Artoria couldn't intervene. Timelines, destiny, and chaos were too fragile. All she could do was help heal him in the future; for now, she let events run their course.
Time passed. Artoria returned to the U.S. and submitted a report on the mission. She explained enough to convey the existence of magic without delving too deeply, citing state secrets.
When asked if others could master this power, she answered honestly: only those with talent could. Humans lacked magical circuits or a Solomon to act as progenitor for modern magic.
"You look tired, little sister."
Morgan was outside Chester's office, waiting. She wrapped her arms around Artoria from behind, a tentative hug that felt like a snake poised to strike. Morgan looked slightly annoyed.
"Sister... I'm back. Sorry for not greeting you first."
Artoria apologized sincerely, aware of Morgan's growing attachment and potential danger if ignored.
"Your sister has been waiting for you, putting up with the lab's chaos. You'll have to make it up to me later."
Morgan dug a long nail into Artoria's neck; she sighed.
"How is the serum progressing?"
Artoria shifted the conversation, placing Morgan at her height. The contact of their bodies made her nervous.
"Everything's as expected. That old man is brilliant, and Star even more so. The humans' limitations are the only thing holding them back. The simulated test phase is complete; now they're perfecting safety measures and other mundane details."
Morgan spoke of tests and her fascination with vibranium and adamantium. Despite lacking mystical properties, they were useful for magical research.
Morgan preferred creation over destruction, surpassing even Merlin. Her achievements in artifact and mystical code creation were unmatched, a testament to her dedication.
"You didn't alter the formula, did you?"
"I won't waste my time there, little sister. I could improve this formula in a week, but I'm keeping pace with their progress. The longer we stay, the longer I can torture you physically and mentally."
Artoria didn't care; she was used to Morgan's games. She was relieved the formula remained unaltered. If anything, the serum would create a dead apostle, not a super soldier. Voluntary testing would begin later this year, and if all went well, Captain America would be born without issue.
"Since you're here, why don't we relax?"
Morgan slithered along Artoria's arm, leaving no escape.
"Let's shower together and talk slowly," Morgan whispered, pressing a light kiss to Artoria's ear. She tensed but controlled herself, straightening her back and continuing forward. Morgan smiled in satisfaction.
Time passed uneventfully. Artoria continued missions, mainly in Italy, serving as a wall breaker and Allied support. Her military rank remained valid; she led in every clash.
Her popularity soared in Europe, and she earned respect among Americans, handling racial conflicts among Allied forces and consolidating authority.
Morgan excelled in research, contributing to the super soldier serum and other projects. Her work reached universities in the UK and U.S., earning awards.
Everything remained stable until three months before voluntary trials of the serum: the project director, Abraham Erskine, was murdered by an undercover agent.