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Who: Ozymandias + you
When: 13th
Where: Looking Glass House/Memories and/or other locations to follow up with him
What: Memsharing!
Warnings: Death, attempts at blowing up an entire city that one time. No other warnings as of now, but will add as needed!

[Strangers will see nothing and pass by Ozymandias' mirror. Much as with other strangers' mirrors, there will be nothing about the mirror that catches the eye or suggests that it even belongs to anyone. But with any sort of familiarity to Ozymandias, the frame gives way the identity of its owner near immediately. How could it not when there is a blatant depiction of himself at the top of the frame? Symbols of Upper and Lower Egypt mark the corners, his beloved wife depicted beside him. Further knowledge of him reveals more details than just this. Great structures and temples along the bottom of the frame. Ramesseum takes center stage. Monuments and depictions of his beloved gods appear interwoven with this seemingly impossible complex. Each side holds depictions of great battles, those he fought in life and those after. An archer, swordsman, and lancer stand in defiance of a brilliant sun on one side. A young man is half-turned, a sea of people reaching to him.]

[The frame itself is, of course, golden. It shimmers with precious stones for those closest to him. A small reflection of his radiant light as pharaoh.]

((ooc: these are ota as far as i'm concerned! some of the memories will have present-day ozy for your character to interact with during the memory while some are going to play out for a bit beyond what's initially posted here. i'm down for your characters interacting with the environment as much as they'd like! any questions or other requests can be pm'd to this journal or to me on plurk (

rebreather)!))

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[The archer draws another painful breath, but continues his prayer.]

Come… Servants of the moon and stars. My actions, my last moments, my sacred devotion. Witness it all!

[No longer having to contend with the divine beasts, the swordsman holds his blade before him. Unlike his companion, he says nothing and closes his eyes. The sword in his hands begins to glow with a golden light.]

With all my might, I shall release this one arrow and my body shall be instantly crushed.

[The archer draws the string even further, his entire body beginning to shake under the strain. The swordsman opens his eyes, drawing his blade back. Just as the archer looses his arrow, he swings. Their shouts overlap.]

Stella!!

Excalibur!

[The arrow flies high above as the archer’s knees buckle and he falls. Any sound or gurgle from the blood that fills his mouth and spills on the temple floor is lost. There’s a greater sound as the arrow he fired takes on a different shape. Rather than an arrow that descends, it is a meteor that crashes into Ozymandias’ Dendera Lightbulb. But before the divine light that was stored in the Bulb has a chance to wildly spark and burn whatever it touches, it is swallowed up and snuffed out by the light of Excalibur.]

[Ozymandias’ throne does not fare much better. It is cracked. Broken. And Ozymandias himself is tossed aside.]

[One might expect Ozymandias to be angered to find himself on the floor of his own temple. To be ready to launch a counter to this assault even with so many of his divine beasts obliterated and his Noble Phantasm shattered. It would even be understandable if he were panicked at how he needs the support of the wall he was thrown into to sit up or that none of his injuries appear to be healing.]

[Instead, Ozymandias sits calmly as a smile crosses his face with a near-silent, brief laugh.]

I saw this once before. [He raises his hand to shield his eyes as the overlapping lights of Noble Phantasms rip his temple apart.] When my friend parted the sea and left my side for good…

[There is a mix of emotion in Ozymandias’ eyes then as his gaze turns to his arm. Anger. Grief. Regret. Pride. Ozymandias is beginning to fade, his physical form becoming translucent and disappearing without enough mana to hold himself together. Nodding a little, Ozymandias slumps lower against the wall. He seems incredibly tired and exhausted, as though fighting off sleep.]

I understand. It’s clear to me now that you are the ones who will save the world in my stead!

[With his final moments before he fades and the memory comes to its end, leaving behind an empty and destroyed temple, Ozymandias remains watching the lingering light of Excalibur with a faint smile.]

[The pain in the archer's breath doesn't miss Momo, but the spilling of blood largely does, only because the focus of his gaze is on the light, the magic and how it's going to clash at the end of all this. This very much seems like a final attack, a do-or-die or possibly even a do and die anyway kind of situation, so he keeps his eyes on the outcome, tries not to let his mind wander about the kind of effect it seemed to be having on the one who made the attack. It's done, and regardless of any feelings he might have about it when he hates to watch people suffer, it's not something he could interfere with.

He does move closer to Ozymandias' position when he falls, once he knows he's no longer at risk of getting hit by a stray attack or falling roof and finding out what happens if you die in someone's memory. Though it's clear the man still holds onto his pride, his words make Momo's expression a touch more sympathetic - he still has questions, but as it is, it sounds like this was at least a case of trying to reach a good outcome through terrible methods. As Ozymandias' form fades from the memory, he watches closely, his curiosity about that spiritual nature he'd mentioned before visible even though the whole thing feels quite melancholy to him. But more than that, he feels like it would be disrespectful to turn away before it's done.

And then the temple appears to be empty, and Momo turns, surveying the damage and looking up to the destroyed throne. His voice doesn't sound very loud to him in the vast and destroyed space, but he calls out nonetheless, beginning to walk again, seemingly intent to find the memory's owner whether he gets a response or not.]

Are you here, Ozymandias? [There's no hostility to his words - if anything, it's a mingling of curiosity and concern. It was a lot for him to watch, and he imagines it was a lot to experience as well. Even if Ozymandias clearly respected his opponents and ultimately accepted that fate, even if he's assuming his spiritual nature means this "death" is only one of potentially many, it does still feel a lot like he just watched a man relive his own death.]

[There was never any knot of anxiety once he found himself within this memory. He did not feel anger toward the victors and he did not feel bitter over the battle's outcome. It was a glorious battle between great warriors and he died a noble death, realizing before his final moments that his wish for the world was not meant to be. And so, Ozymandias is proud of this night, not ashamed of it, and he holds nothing but admiration and respect for the knights who stood against him. The outcome was as it was meant to be in the end.]

[But he did not feel particularly compelled to witness the battle again. As much joy as he's taken in recounting this particular night to those who would listen and telling of the heroism of his opponents, Ozymandias chose not to remain in the temple or within close proximity to the conflict. His interest was instead drawn to the city below. He doesn't hear Momo's question to answer, but he's an easy figure to spot against the night sky through one of the ruined walls of his temple.]

[This city does not exist in the world he was summoned to before he found himself in Aefenglom, but there used to be. There used to be many cities like this one. While Ozymandias does not hold a particular love of the modern era like some Servants despite his fascination with some of its advancements, he still considers his sacred duty as pharaoh to be just as important as ever. Even if it was not his place to be the savior to this world, he cannot help but wonder if his fate shall differ in the world he finds himself in now beyond this dream. Or in the world before it.]

[Ozymandias stands tall at the edge of the complex. A step or two further and there would be no more Egyptian soil beneath his feet, merely air. Ozymandias doesn't turn to face Momo when he first hears him approaching and waits until he's closer to look over his shoulder. There is no sign of any sort of musing over such important things as those that were occupying his mind just moments ago. He smiles and his mood seems no different than usual.]

You witnessed a battle between Heroic Spirits. Not many can claim that. [He huffs a bark of laughter.] Fewer can claim that they witnessed a noble fight between Heroic spirits as you have! Setting aside the actions of one that wasn't physically here, of course.

[Ozymandias turns completely from the edge.]

If you are still here in this memory though and sought me out, you must have questions. Ask them.

[Momo's not particularly inclined to go back to the mirror until he finds Ozymandias, so it doesn't take him long to find the other man through that ruined wall. Despite the proximity to the edge of where the temple floats, Momo doesn't hesitate to approach, though he does make sure he's not stepping on anything that's going to wrong-foot him.

For the very first moment he sees Ozymandias' face, Momo's expression remains neutral, his gaze focused like he's reading the mood. And then he smiles back, a little self-conscious, as if to apologise for the intrusion while still maintaining the slightly more positive note than he himself had after seeing the memory.]

I probably got too nosy for my own good, but it's definitely something completely off the scale in power compared to what I'm used to. So I can't say I regret coming in. [Questions, though. Momo's expression settles as he watches the city below.] I was wondering what your plan was. You mentioned saving the world...I'm probably biased because this is the city I grew up in in my world, but I'm having trouble figuring out where this fit into saving the world.

[His tone is open enough, a little curious. Momo tends not to judge before he has a fuller picture of information about something, so even if the idea of this kind of power being unleashed on a place he loves makes his insides squirm in all kinds of unpleasant ways, he does want to understand what was going on.]

[Ozymandias hums thoughtfully to his question, but he does not turn down to look at the city below. He watches Momo instead, privately wondering if someone as inexperienced and unaccustomed to struggles like the one he just witnessed could fully grasp what it is Ozymandias was trying to accomplish. Although Ozymandias' warmth does not leave him, some of the humor certainly leaves his expression as he assesses Momo.]

You unwittingly ask more than one question with that alone. [Even if Momo can't fully wrap his head around everything, there is a context here that is not exactly plain.] Heroic Spirits are summoned to participate in a Holy Grail War alongside mages. Only one team of a Servant and Master may win the Grail and grant themselves any wish.

My Master's wish was admittedly shallow and nearsighted as it so often is with mages and Servants who choose to participate. I was never interested in fulfilling his wish though. [Ozymandias pauses a moment, his gaze shifting to the city below.] This is why it was not particularly bothersome to me that by this point, he was already dead. I possessed enough mana of my own to eliminate my opponents and use the Grail before I left this world once more.

[It still hasn't entirely answered Momo's question, but it's the beginning of it and perhaps enough that some conclusions can be reached with reasonable assumptions.]

This is the city that you would consider your home in your world, but here it was the battleground for conflicting ambitions.

[Lack of a good comparison point to any of this from his own world aside, context absolutely does help. It takes it from being more of a personal matter to something the people involved were pulled into, whether they ultimately ended up enjoying the combat or not, and lets Momo revise his perspective on it a bit.

And, certainly, what Ozymandias says last lets him draw what he feels is the reasonable assumption out of all that.] And nothing's really sacred in war. More of a casualty than a target, then?

[If that's where the war happens, for whatever reason it might be that that's the location, then there's going to be damage from it playing out. It's not something he likes, but it's something he can understand, and the fact that there probably wasn't much control over that in the first place.]

It might just be from hearing your situation first, but I can't help but wonder how often the Master and Servant have different wishes. I'm guessing from what you mentioned before about your spirit form that it's not normal for one of you to have enough mana to maintain your own form? Otherwise the whole summoning thing sounds kind of like a recipe for disaster for the mage that does it.

[He's going to assume a Servant can't just up and kill their Master with titles like that, but if Ozymandias' died before him, then he has a sneaking suspicion that not stopping them from dying might be valid.] But then, it's not like I know the kind of agreements that are made going into something like that.

[Ozymandias nods to Momo's assessment of Tokyo as a casualty of the war. It is never an easy decision to do something like what Ozymandias was prepared to do, but when weighing the lives of those within the city to the entirety of the world? It was a great sacrifice. Ozymandias realized that even then as he did not simply dismiss the city as something minor or unimportant. But it was one he felt he needed to make at the time regardless of any feelings of hesitation. And there were none in his eyes capable of doing it both in terms of ability and resolve.]

[His perspective has shifted somewhat since then, of course. Although he does not regret his actions, he also does not believe he had taken the right path in terms of saving this world. That much was made clear by his defeat and the presence of that pillar of light. He had been merely mistaken in thinking that this time he was to be the hero instead of the tyrannical villain.]

In some ways, the contract between Master and Servant is similar to Bonds. Servants are beings who should not exist in this era, and so it is only natural that we would spend our own mana to remain. This entire complex was created from my own mana, not my Master's, but as great as it is, I still possess is a finite amount as every Heroic Spirit does.

[Ozymandias allows Momo to do the somewhat imprecise math in terms of how a Master and Servant's respective mana can influence the strength of them as a team. It goes without saying that a Master can either significantly hinder a Servant or enhance it.]

Your assumption that Masters and Servants may differ from one another significantly is correct. Most Servants fight in this war for a chance at rebirth and seek to complete the tasks they were unable to during their first lifetime. Masters often seek to reinforce their own power and ensure superiority over other mages.

[Phrasing it like that, it's probably quite easy for Momo to take the steps in logic to see where conflict may arise between Servant and Master. Masters that are willing to do anything for their victory will not do well with Servants with a conflicting moral code. Likewise, Servants who are more willing to be what the modern era would consider ruthless or barbaric will find their Masters to be dead weight. In either scenario, they may find themselves at odds with one another and they could end up their own downfall rather than the other participants.]

To address this, Masters are granted three Command Seals as evidence of the contract. You may think of them as undeniable orders. Even if the order conflicts with what a Servant desires or believes in, a Servant must obey an order issued by Command Seal.

[It likely goes without saying from Ozymandias' tone that he finds Command Seals to be abhorrent. Setting aside that anyone would be offended at having their will stripped from them, Ozymandias is especially protective of his. None stand above Ra, and so, the Sun King should never be forced to adhere to the whims of what he considers to be a child engaging in war. The King of Kings may be willing to work alongside someone if they are able to prove themselves worthy, but he would never bend the knee and yield to another.]

It is also somewhat a means for mages to leave the war if they believe they are to die if they continue their participation. Without a Servant, one cannot collect their prize.

[And when Ozymandias says "without a Servant," he is not referring to a gentle pat on the back for a job well done, exchanged words of thanks, and then sending the Servant back from where they came.]

[That gives Momo a clearer idea of the relationship, at least, because his own world definitely doesn't have any form of magical bonding that he could compare it to against Aefenglom's own variety. He figures, like anything else, there'd be mages of varying power and skill and the amount of mana they could offer would vary along with it, so he imagines it would be a bit of a complicated dance of a partnership.

Especially when the point about conflict is confirmed. While the Command Seals explain how Servants don't just end up going rogue, Momo's expression when Ozymandias explains it marks his thoughts on them as along the same line of disgust. They might be recalled spirits, but they're still people, and having a method of bending them to their will like that against any thoughts they might have on the matter doesn't sit well with him.

That last remark doesn't really improve matters, either.] ...Wow. I knew wars were messy, my world's had plenty of them, but that sounds cutthroat. Which makes sense if everyone's fighting for something as personal as a wish, but...I don't know how to describe it. It's a conflict just as massive as the wars I know with the amount of power being thrown around, but has all the extra bad points of a smaller, more personal one.

[Machinations, backstabbing...one thing he does have to ask after that last point.] Is there some kind of rule against killing a mage who's left the war, or do most people just not bother?

[Because if this is all as ruthless as it sounds, he has trouble believing everyone would let someone leave the war so...he can't really say "cleanly" with Ozymandias' implication about the Command Seals being used for it, but without any more mess than they make themselves.]

[Ozymandias cannot help but huff a short, sharp laugh at Momo's question. Not because it's a foolish thing to ask -- wars of any kind are meant to have rules to them -- but to trust mages to be forthright and noble in how they conduct themselves? That is perhaps asking too much of some. Their ambition is far too great to care about such matters.]

[And so, his laugh is not one of approval.]

Those who have been eliminated because of their Servant's death rather than their own will seek sanctuary. [While Ozymandias does not like the cowardice of surrendering like that, there is no purpose behind killing the weak. If they have given up and yielded, allowing their wish to die, there is no point in pursuing them. The focus should, instead, be on opponents who still have fight in them.] But this is not quite as common as mages are often the targets, not the Servants.

[As his own was. Of the two, Ozymandias was the one with the power and strength, and his opponents knew and understood that. It can be assumed by his tone alone that this conclusion is one often reached during such conflicts.]

Mages, regardless of their power, cannot hope to hold their own in a battle against a Servant for long, and the strength of Servants varies as much as mages. Masters are the natural and obvious ones to eliminate as without them, the Servants will fall as well.

[Momo listens to Ozymandias' explanation as if he's digesting it, without much of a visible reaction besides wrinkling his nose slightly at the mention of Masters being the obvious ones to eliminate. It makes sense, strategically, if they're the easier target and the Servant is reliant on them to keep going, though he can't help but give a rather humourless laugh of his own at how the explanation ends.]

But I guess it can vary just as much how long it takes the Servant to fall? [A pointed, one-sided smile to Ozymandias, considering what he just saw and what he mentioned about his own Master previously. He imagines if someone killed that mage hoping Ozymandias would go down with them, they got a rather nasty surprise.] I know attacking the problem like that makes sense tactically, but I don't think I could throw myself into a war like that knowing what decisions I'd have to make. Not for myself, at least.

[He's already had to make plenty of decisions about what he is and isn't going to compromise on morally, and the only times it's involved death is when he's had to put his foot down on how willing he is to die for people close enough to him. Momo is the kind of person who acts for others more than he does for his own interests.] I'll stick with protecting what's closer to home. Drags less people into it.

[Ozymandias catches on to the look that Momo gives him as far as how long Ozymandias managed to last without a Master, but he does not return the smile. He doesn't get particularly somber or serious, of course, but he doesn't feel the particular need to gloat. The power he displayed before his defeat works just as well for gloating. Momo's acknowledgment is really only proper.]

You are better for it. There is nothing to be won in a war like this.

[And he does not just mean the difficult decisions and the potential sacrifices in order to win the Grail. The Grail itself is corrupt in the end. Its power could never truly be used by Servant or Master.]

[Momo is the kind of person who feels like achieving a wish through sheer power and ruthlessness and not hard work would devalue it quite a bit, so he hums in agreement to Ozymandias' point.]

I wouldn't think there would be. Seems like a good way to end up with a lot of trauma and regrets.

[People manage that well enough in his world without incredibly powerful magic aiding them in doing it. He doesn't really want to know what the personal and emotional fallout of something like this could be on the people who throw themselves into it.

He glances across to the other man again, this time more curious.] Are you going to stay here?

[He's not...completely sure how the dream logistics work in terms of wandering someone else's memories as opposed to leading them through one's own, honestly. He feels like he's going to be very confused when he wakes up.]

I shall remain for a while longer.

[He looks back out over at the city with a smile then.]

This world is not the one I was summoned from through the mirror, but cities like this no longer stand within it and it is...nice to observe.

[Even if it is not the correct world and it is off by a couple of decades, and Ozymandias certainly tried to destroy it once, it is worth remembering that cities and lives like this are what Chaldea seeks to restore.]

[Momo nods understandingly - if it was his own world he landed in, he'd probably want to hang around for a little bit just for the familiarity. At this point, though, he feels a little bit like his own presence here is intrusive, so he turns on his heel, away from the view down to the city on the ground.]

I'll give you some peace and quiet, then. Thanks for answering my questions. [It made the whole experience a lot less confusing, and certainly gave him some things to think about in terms of the kinds of worlds people are coming from compared to his own.] One of these days I'm sure I'll actually meet you in person in real life, but until then...

[He grins and waves a hand in farewell. Even with this new and harder-to-digest information than their previous talks, his thoughts on Ozymandias have mostly just gained depth rather than changing his opinion much.]

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