Disclaimer: I do not own Fate/Stay Night or anything, please support the official release
Chapter 21: The Warrior, the Goddess, and the Assassin Part 1
Son of a bitch!
A legion of Laḫmu surrounded us. After I defeated Mordred, several Laḫmu came down from the nearby ruins ready to ambush us. It was made apparent to me that Alter had this set up because he knew that I would beat Mordred if Artoria wasn't able to.
In short, Mordred was nothing but a throwaway pawn - a decoy.
We fought the most of them off, but the more we killed, more would appear to replace them.
"We aren't getting anywhere like this!" EMIYA exclaimed.
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but you're right. We can't keep this up." Lancer states as he runs through a couple of Laḫmus with his spear. Distracted, a Laḫmu slow creeps up behind him but its head was crushed completely.
As the Laḫmu fell, Lancer turns around to see Taiga holding her club and gave Lancer a toothy grin. Lancer replies with his own grin, internally thankful that he had a partner like Taiga by his side.
With Ludwig Sonata still in my hand, I raise it up and activate its Noble Phantasm, sending an arc of moonlight across the area, killing most of the Laḫmu instantly and creating a path to get through.
"Go, go, go!" I exclaimed.
We all made a run for it with EMIYA and Medusa carrying the girls while Illya simply latched on to Berserker's neck. The Laḫmus simply chased us, all of them giggling and laughing like children, with their numbers quickly increasing as we ran.
These things are endless!
"I got an idea!" I yelled and turned around, now running towards the legion of Laḫmus.
"What the hell are you doing, you idiot!?" Rin yelled, looking at me like I'm insane.
Which, truth be told, isn't that far off.
I dismiss Ludwig and raise my hand as if to grab something.
[Noble Phantasm deployed. Type: Anti-Army]
"I think therefore I am… Dark Hole!"
A large black hole opens up in the middle of the legion of monsters, and the force of gravity instantly sucks them in.
"Hang onto something!" I yelled.
Everyone grabbed onto anything they could find so that they wouldn't be sucked into it. They could hear Laḫmus's ear-piercing screams as they are sucked in and are crushed by the intense gravity along with surrounding debris. Their screams were distracting but I have to concentrate. A black hole is a fickle thing, one false move and the entire city could be sucked in, never to be seen again.
[There's still more coming!]
'I know… Alter isn't holding back anything this time.' I thought as more and more Laḫmu keep appearing as the others are sucked in. I clasp my hands together and focus harder, increasing the size and density of the black hole trapping all of the Laḫmu in its gravity well.
Unbeknownst to everyone, Illya's grip on Berserker was waning. The force of the black hole was just too much for her to handle.
And then… it happens.
Illya's grip breaks and she begins to be sucked in, Berserker lets go of the rubble he anchored himself on, and tries to grab his Master.
"ILLYA!" Shirou yells.
I whipped my head around to see Illya and her Servant flying straight towards the black hole. "NO!" I closed the black hole just before Illya was sucked in, but she still wasn't out of danger yet. The debri that was being sucked are now falling hard into the ground. I leap forward and me and Berserker use our bodies as shields to protect her from the falling debris.
After they stopped, me and Berserker straightened ourselves up unhurt by the massive piles of rocks hitting our backs since there was no way we could be injured by them.
"Are you alright!?" I asked with worry in my voice.
Illya nods.
I let out a sigh of relief… at least she is safe. But moment was ruined by the sounds of Laḫmus coming towards us. I picked up Illya bridal-style and made a run for it.
As we ran, a strange noise caught my attention. I realized that noise came from above us and when I looked up, my eyes widened in shock.
There were Laḫmu eating a building, a building!
And it falls.
The massive structure was coming down on us at an alarming rate. With no time to warn the others or stop its descent, I propel the group to a safe distance just in time for the building to crash right on top of us.
The resulting shockwave was gigantic!
Imagine an explosion going off right in your face, only instead of fire its rubble and steel flying all over the place! The shock pushes me back, and I must have crashed into something because the next thing I knew I blacked out.
Here I am again, back in the darkness, but for some reason it doesn't frighten me as much.
...why?
…?
Why are you standing in my way?
A voice echoes throughout this void, it sounds... angry?
No, that's not right…
Erratic.
Why can't you understand that I'm doing this for the both of us?
I… I didn't want this…
…liar.
If that were the case, I wouldn't be here doing all of this.
"..." I opened my mouth to object but no sounds came out of it. It's as if the world itself is rejecting the notion of sounds.
You may have found meaning here, but life... doesn't appeal to me. I am so tired. I just want to rest. You should understand that more than anyone.
So tell me why!?
I didn't say anything and even if I could, I don't think it's an answer that will be acceptable. The voice didn't say anything either for a good few seconds.
…I see…
The voice gains an apathetic tone as if the person has abandoned all sense of their humanity.
It doesn't matter. Either way, my wish will soon be granted.
"…"
See you soon...
"...ank… Fran…!"
Someone was calling me...
I slowly open my eyes, I can feel my head throbbing from the collision though it quickly heals. Origin's doing no doubt, or was it mine? As my eyes refocus, I see the face of Illya expressing worry only for it to soften as she realizes I'm well.
How quickly the roles have been reversed.
"You're okay…" Illya whispered, giving me a smile.
Illya helps get up and see several figures standing by us. It was Berserker, Lancer, Taiga plus Illya and me we have a total of five. I look behind me to the destroyed top section of the building blocking the other side with everyone else.
"Shirou can you hear me!? I yelled.
"...Frank?" Shirou yelled back.
A euphoria of relief blooms in my chest, he is okay!
"Is there anyone else with you?" I asked.
"We're fine on this end but what about you? Are you alright?"
I turn back to see Illya and her Servant helping Artoria stand while Lancer, EMIYA and Taiga slowly pull themselves out of the rubble.
"We're fine here but," I stare at the building that was separating us. "I don't think we can go the way we came."
"So what now?" Shirou anxiously asked.
I begin to ponder our next move… and take notice of the area we're in. "How long will it take to reach the city plaza?"
Shirou pondered for a moment "... about thirty minutes or so." He surmised.
Shrills and giggling noises can be heard from a distance… they are on their way.
"Tell everyone on your end to meet us at the plaza!" I yelled.
"What's wrong-" Shirou didn't finish the question as he also hears the noise coming closer by the second.
"There's no time. Go now!" I yelled back as we all run to a nearly alleyway as a flock of Laḫmu were flying towards us.
These things can fly, too!?
We enter the alley with the Laḫmu just behind us. Thankfully, the alley was too narrow for them to get through as a group so most of them got stuck but the rest simply flew above us.
"This way!" We took a few turns and arrived at the other side of the area we were. When we got out, three Laḫmus were already waiting for us and jumped, raising their arms/blades.
"I think, therefore I am… THE WORLD!"
The world screeched to a halt as time stopped completely. Not wasting a nanosecond, I summoned three of Hassan's dirks and throw them at each Laḫmu. They travel until they freeze completely, directly at the Laḫmu's mouths.
"Time will resume."
Time begins to move and in that instant, the dirks make contact and travel through their mouths killing them instantly.
I turned to everyone behind me and gave them a smile, "all set, let's move." I turned back and started walking.
"Wait."
I stop and look at EMIYA, "something wrong?"
EMIYA takes a moment to organize his thoughts, "…how can you be like this?"
I raise an eyebrow "I don't think I understand."
"How can you be so strong and yet so weak? I have seen what you are capable of, you can take on monsters and probably gods if you wanted to," EMIYA began, his voice seemed to rise in volume "you could probably end your Alter Ego and this nightmare with probably a simple snap of your fingers… yet here you are, struggling like the rest of us."
[I think I see where he is going with this]
I let out a huff, "can't this wait? We have to get to the plaza fast."
"No." EMIYA stated, surprising everyone by the sudden shift in tone. "When we fought, I could tell that you had skills and the ability to create Noble Phantasms and manipulate reality around you is simply something that no one can grasp, not even Servants, even my magecraft can't come close to that."
"Look Archer it's not that-"
"You have the power to do anything, yet you go so far to sink to our level. Why is that? Is it out of some morbid curiosity? Do you enjoy watching us suffer just so that you can feel better about yourself!?" EMIYA exclaimed.
"Stop…" I whispered, not even looking at him in the eyes.
"Is this some kind of game to you!? Are we just actors for your entertainment!? You think that by acting like this, you can get away with some sort of excuse!? What if someone dies, are you just going to ignore them when you could have saved them!?"
"Shut up…"
"And what if Rider and Illya were in danger or if they died!? Are you going to feign ignorance when you could have done something!?"
"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" I yelled from the top of my lungs.
Everyone stands silent, beliedered by the outburst.
I send a glare at the red bowman. "You have no idea how this feels; what it feels to live like this! " I yelled. "Do you think it's all sunshine and rainbows for me!? To have all the power and not know what the hell to do with it!? I'll tell you: nothing. You're done. You've hit a dead end. There is nothing to be done. Yes, I could have stopped Alter Ego, yes I could have won the Holy Grail War but I didn't. Do you know why!?"
No one said anything.
"COME ON, GUESS!?"
There was only silence as no one could come up with an answer.
"It's because it scares me!" I admitted. "It scares me that I have all of this power… all of this responsibility. I could save humanity a hundred times over and yet, here I am, struggling to survive in this city like everyone." I gestured to the entire city. "And no, it's not because of some sick pleasure of mine, no, it's because I know that if I do this I will lose whatever semblance of humanity I have left."
I look at my hand and clench it. "I know that my past is gone, that I have nowhere to return to. If there is any evidence that I was human before all of this is these feelings that I've been hiding - the same feelings that gave birth to Alter Ego."
Illya looks at her lover with sympathy, she did not know how much he was suffering.
"I should not even exist, but here I am, because of an ACCIDENT! Shirou summoned me, and by our contract, I became his Servant. Once that's gone, I will cease to be a 'Servant' and become the 'Will' and that'll be the end of 'me'. Even now, the Servant contract is incapacitating me."
Lancer eyes widen as he realizes what that means. "Are you saying… you aren't at your full power?"
I gave Lancer a deadpan look. "Of course not, you moron. Ultimate Ones can't be made into a Magus' contracted familiars; it would kill them just to summon them. The only way for me to become a Servant is by deliberately sealing 99 percent of my Spirit Origin just so my very presence doesn't eviscerate you all in an instant. Though I wasn't aware of this at first until Origin explained it to me."
"Is that why you were acting so strange back home? Because you were scared?" Illya asked, finally putting the pieces together.
I nod, "You guys are my family… to lose you all would mean losing that bit of humanity that I've been trying to preserve. If you were all to die by Gaia or god forbid, me, I don't think I could handle the grief. I may just end all of reality at that moment."
"Is that why Alter Ego is doing this, because he can't handle the pain?" Illya said.
"... Alter Ego simply cannot accept his existence. He sees himself as an anomaly, a virus in the data. He- we wanted the death that never came, and while I may have accepted this new life of mine… he cannot. He sees himself as a defect so he seeks the Holy Grail to grant him our greatest wish: Death. It's probably why the world looks the way it is, to reflect his wish." I explained.
I let out a frustrated sigh as my shoulders dropped, before glaring daggers to EMIYA. "And that's why I act the way I do, happy Archer?"
No one said anything; too shocked to say something.
EMIYA was the same; he simply did not know what to do. On one end, he was surprised that Frank would admit that his way of thinking was wrong yet on the other he couldn't say that his reasons aren't justified. In the eyes of many, Frank was a powerful being with infinite potential; a god in the form of a man. However, the reality was just the opposite; he is a man in the form of a god. A man who had little to gain yet so much to lose. To him, it was probably like walking on thin rope above a bottomless pit and using his power was like losing balance on that rope.
"You can't live like this…" EMIYA stated.
"I don't wanna hear it… least of all from you." I spat at the end and walked away.
Everyone else began to follow as well, each having mixed feelings about what just happened. Artoria stares at EMIYA for a few moments before leaving. Lancer, however, stops and turns to EMIYA. "You know, I may not like you but even I know when to stop." He began, "he has helped us so many times and yet you can't seem to get over how different he is from the rest of us, and maybe that's good. He doesn't have to be like us and yet he wants to…but I wonder if he's too much like us. I don't understand how that boy ended up becoming a cold bastard like you."
EMIYA doesn't respond and glare daggers at Lancer.
"Seriously, did you just stop caring about what others felt or is it just easy for you to be so apathetic?" With that, Lancer left the red bowman in his stupor not caring if his words had reached him or not.
EMIYA simply started at the empty street… he was right. He had no right to dig into Frank like that without any sort justification.
"Dammit…" EMIYA whispered and assumed spirit form, not really sure on where to stand right now.
I walk through the empty city, dead and ruined with bloody stains in several places. The sight looks like something straight out of a horror movie but that wasn't what on my mind right now… too busy not caring.
Moron.
"Where does he get to question my methods!? Especially with what he was planning to do!?" I yelled.
[You didn't really think that for a moment that someone might… doubt you?]
No!
…
Yes…
So what if I'm forcing myself to be weak, so what if I'm being selfish? I have the right to be selfish! I can't let others dictate how my life will go, what would be the point of having free will if you can't be selfish about this. I'm not heartless but sometimes the lives of the few outweigh the lives of many… even if that means people hate me for it.
[And what about the people you want to protect? Would they agree with you about this?]
I stopped walking and began to think. Shirou would argue that I should save others because it's the right thing to do and the others would reprimand me for keeping such a detail to myself and demand answers.
"No… they wouldn't" I muttered "I… I just don't want them to hate me…"
"And why would we hate you?"
My head whipped around to see Illya, Artoria, Taiga with Lancer in tow.
"I would never hate you." Illya stated.
"Really? I've kept secrets, secrets that could destroy how you view me and the world. Heck, I'm still keeping secrets." I uttered "I'm not someone you can trust…"
"And so what?" Lancer said. "We all have secrets, it's nothing special."
"Right!" Taiga chipped in. "Like one time, I accidentally took Shirou's lunchbox along with my own. It was so delicious that I ate both of them and when Shirou came to look for it, I told him I haven't seen his lunch box."
I smirked. "Thanks, I'll make sure to tell Shirou when I see him."
Realizing her mistake, Taiga clang to my coat and began to cry anime tears. "No, please don't tell him! If he finds out he will stop cooking food for me!"
"Well I don't think he'll stop cooking meals for you. He'll probably make you skip lunch or something for a day." I assured her but she kept crying.
I let out a chuckle and patted her head, getting a reaction out of her is always fun because you never know what you're going to end up.
"You see? No matter what, you're always going to be Frank in our eyes." Illya said, her beautiful smile lid up the streets.
[We really are surrounded by good company]
My face formed a smile of its own, "thanks guys. I don't know what I would do without you."
"Then why don't we test that theory?"
Suddenly something massive crashes right in front of us. We were all sent flying from the force of the crash but each of us managed to find a way to ourselves ground with Lancer and Taiga planting their weapons into the ground, Illya with her Servant and I shifted gravity so I appear heavier than normal.
As the dust clears, two figures can be seen at the center of the crater. The first was a woman with long purple hair and red eyes, and wears a full-body outfit that highlights her curvaceous body, with metallic shoulder pads. The second was another woman, she was blonde and tall, taller than most of us, and wore a Mayan outfit. Both of them have glowing golden eyes.
[Analysis Complete]
Servant Lancer
True Name: Scáthach
Strength: B
Endurance: A
Agility: A
Mana: C
Luck: D
NP: A+
[Note: A female warrior-queen from Celtic Mythology's Ulster Cycle as well as a prodigy of spearmanship and Rune magecraft. She is the mentor of both Cú Chulainn and later his son Connla. Currently under Alter Ego's control]
I turn to the other woman.
[Analysis Complete]
Servant Rider
True Name: Quetzalcoatl
Strength: B
Endurance: B
Agility: B+
Mana: EX
Luck: A+
NP: EX
[Note: One of the supreme existences in North and Central America as well as in Aztec Mythology. In mythology, she is a gentle goddess who loves peace, and it is said that she bestowed many blessings to the humans. Though only a fragment of a Divine Spirit, she is powerful enough to defeat most Servants under mere minutes. Currently under the control of Alter Ego. Exercise caution.]
I sweat dropped. "Oh crap…"
Standing before us were two powerful beings capable of decimating the largest of armies all by themselves. One was the original owner of Gáe Bolg and a prodigy in magecraft… while the other was arguably the strongest god in Aztec mythology.
I turned to Lancer with an unreadable expression on his face, I couldn't tell whether he was surprised or dejected.
As for Taiga, well…
She vanished!
She is now clinging to Quetzalcoatl like, well, a cat.
"Nyaha, I missed so much Kuku!" Taiga exclaims crying tears of joy. But that "cute" moment was cut short when Quetzalcoatl kicked her, sending her flying upwards. The goddess then jumps, creating a sonic boom in the process and meets Taiga in the sky.
'I'm going to die.' Taiga thought.
Quetzalcoatl kicks her in the stomach sending the cat screening towards the earth, crashing through several buildings until landing face-first into the pavement.
[That must have hurt]
'Yeah, it looks like it did.' I replied.
"So…" I began "I'm guessing these are your next pawns right?"
Quetzalcoatl smiled, though instead of human teeth she had fangs. "I prefer to call them 'insurance', but if that's what you want to call them that's fine by me."
Much like with Mordred, Alter Ego is speaking through Quetzalcoatl.
"How did you manage to take control of her?" I asked.
Quetzalcoatl/Alter's smile turned smug, "it wasn't easy, the moment she was summoned she tried to kill me. I had to practically smother her in Enkidu before I could seal her soul away, which granted me full control over her body."
"Since there are more Servants running around, the Grail Reverse System must have been activated otherwise you wouldn't be here." I stated.
Quetzalcoatl's smile morphed into a frown "yes, but it doesn't matter which side loses, does it? The Greater Grail will still activate in the end."
On that we can agree. Even if the reverse system is in place, that really doesn't matter as no matter what side loses the Holy Grail will activate.
"Well then…" Quetzalcoatl power flared as she got into a fighting stance and Scáthach summoned her spear, Gáe Bolg, though it looked different from the one Lancer uses. "Shall we begin?"
"Illya… I want you to go on ahead and get to the plaza." I told her.
Illya looks at me. "No, I can help! With Berserker by my side, we are-"
"Have you been tracking how many lives Berserker lost?" I interrupted her.
Illya's mouth clamped shut as her eyes widened at the realization.
"When I fought him, I took nine of his lives and then Archer took two more. And when he attacked Alter Ego, he took the last one but Origin was able to erase the damage just before Berserker banished. Do you understand what that means Illya?" I asked.
"He… Berserker has-"
"One life Illya, that's all he has." I finished. "If you send him to assist us, he will lose that last life and leave you defenseless. So it would be best if you and Berserker go on ahead and leave these two to us, alright?"
Illya didn't like to feel like this… to feel weak and useless, but she couldn't argue with his reasoning. If she lost her Servant then there will be no one to protect her in the most crucial moment. She summons Berserker and clings to his shoulder and begins to leap upwards with all of his strength, jumping from rooftop to rooftop.
"Artoria, go with her. Berserker could use the extra help." I suggested.
Nodding, Artoria quickly followed her leaving just Lancer and I.
"Hey, are you sure you're going to be okay?" I asked concerned.
Lancer merely frowns as he stares at Scáthach. "Under different circumstances, I would have enjoyed fighting my teacher, but seeing her in this state I don't think I'll be able to enjoy this fight one bit."
Quetzalcoatl made the first move, she dashes forward and knees me in the stomach. Afterwhich, she grabs me and tosses me hard into a nearby building.
Lancer looks in shock at how fast the goddess managed to deal with him, but was knocked out of his stupor by the sudden killing intent he felt coming from her mentor, who was already mere meters away from him. Lancer narrowly manages to dodge her spear and leaps back to make some distance between them. But that wasn't enough, Scáthach simply closed the distance again though this time she thrusted her spear with the force of a jet. Lancer quickly raises his spear to parry, missing his cheek by a few millimeters. The two spear users entered a deadlock, each of them using their knowledge of runes to maximize their strength. Lancer winced, though controlled, Scáthach was still as strong as she remembered her heck, maybe even stronger.
This was going to be a tough fight, one of the few that would not give him any satisfaction.
Quetzalcoatl/Alter blankly stares at the hole where Frank landed, so far there hasn't been any movement - no attempts of digging himself out, maybe he was unconscious?
"Come on, I thought you were made of sterner stuff." The possessed goddess taunts. "If all it took to knock you out of commission was to throw you into a building, I would have used this instead of the knight."
"Well then, I guess I'll have to disappoint you."
The goddess merely had seconds before a beam of crimson energy crashed into her and slammed her into the building before exploding. The resulting explosion causes the building to tilt as it falls onto the two spear users, but Lancer manages to leap away, not bothering to see if Scáthach escaped but she'll get out.
She is immortal after all.
A figure in red armor, the Red Dragon Emperor, reveals himself from the shadows. "Did you really think I would be beaten that easily? You hurt me Alter."
From the wrecked building, Quetzalcoatl/Alter can be seen pulling herself out and slowly walks towards me. "I should have really anticipated this, you always seemed to pull things out of your ass at the last moment. A crucial mistake of mine."
"Well it's part of my charm." I quipped.
Quetzalcoatl/Alter gives a sadistic smile. "Yes… it is, isn't it?"
My eyes widen as she suddenly vanishes. I look around frantically, where the hell did they go!?
[Look out!]
It took me a second to register Quetzalcoatl on my left running straight towards me. I raise both of my arms before she kicks me with enough force to send me flying. The force was intense, with enough friction that could kill any normal human.
Luckly, I wasn't human.
I am a dragon.
Instinctively, I used the claws on my hands to dig into the road slowing me down. I send a dead glare at the possessed goddess, emerald eyes glowing with power. My back unclips as I activate my boosters, sending me straight towards her. I cock my left arm and form a fist. Quetzalcoatl/Alter sees this and forms a fist on her left hand and pulls her arm back.
Our fists connected, creating a shockwave that blew us back as well as shattering any glass nearby.
Lancer stabs Gáe Bolg into the ground and propels himself to kick Scáthach in the face. She raises her spear to block the kicks.
That's when they hear a loud crashing noise.
"What the-!?"
Scáthach is blown away but Lancer is able to stay in place thanks to planting his weapon into the ground.
Let it be known that Cú Chulainn is a master at staying firmly in one place.
I groaned and shook my head a little, that really hurt.
[So this is what it's like to fight against a true Divine Spirit… interesting]
No joke, Quetzalcoatl is on a totally different level of power compared to the other Servants that I've fought; she really is a cut above the rest. I slowly stand up only to find the goddess nowhere in sight.
"Where did they go?" I asked.
An animalistic cry catches my attention, looking up I see what seems to be a pterosaur with trivial marks all over its body. Riding it was Quetzalcoatl looking down on me, like a true god looking down at mortals, an aspect that the actual Quetzalcoatl does not seem to have.
At least I understand why she is classified as a Rider-class Servant.
With a thought, I swift and changed the boosters into dragon wings and quickly took to the skies. The possessed goddess looks at me with a grin and orders her pterosaur to attack, manipulating the weather itself to hinder me. The skies darken as thunder clouds begin to form, the pterosaur sends lighting-based attacks my way but I was able to dodge them despite the wind working against me.
Quetzalcoatl/Alter looks at my resilience and ponders for a moment, only for an inhuman smile to appear on her face. "Playtime's over, Foreigner." She kneels on the pterosaur's back and places her fist on it.
"The past is here! The present is here! The future is here!"
Raising their hand, an image of the Aztec calendar appears above them.
Come winds, come lighting. When the morning star shines... let all know the sun's light reaches every corner of the earth!"
The Aztec calendar spins rapidly creating a "gate" that drags out a portion of the Aztec god's authority. She grabs it, igniting her hand with brilliant light.
The power of the sun itself!
She leaps straight towards me at great speeds while leaving a trail of brilliant flames in her wake.
"Piedra…"
They're coming in too fast, and with the weather as is now I can't dodge.
"...del…"
[Shit!]
"SOL!"
Meanwhile, Lancer is cornered by Scáthach but before she was about to activate her own Noble Phantasm, she freezes in place and suddenly falls as her body twitches violently as if she is having a seizure.
Lancer slowly approaches but remains on guard only for her arm to suddenly pull his spear and uses it to stab herself in the head with it. Her head wound slowly heals as the immortal warrior slowly stands up. Lancer could see that her eyes were shifting from red to gold but it was clear that Scáthach was fighting for control.
"Teacher…?" Lancer uttered.
Scáthach said nothing and, to his shock, reached out and pats his head all the while a beautiful smile is plastered on her face.
Before he could say anything, Scáthach leaps upwards and disappears into the ruins.
Lancer looks on but merely smirks. Her teacher was mad and there will be hell to pay.
The Noble Phantasm makes contact with my face, it was like being hit by a supernova. The resulting explosion instantly eviscerated the entire area destroying everything within 6 kilometers. I could feel the titanic force that is her Noble Phantasm tearing me apart molecule by molecule, melting my Balance Breaker like it was nothing!
I'm not done…
I-We came too far to quit, to die from a simple explosion.
We will protect them - our family - and make sure that they have a future.
Suddenly power begins to swell inside of me as I hear someone calling out my name. When I open my eyes, they have turned completely green with slit pupils; like a dragon.
""We will not be denied!""
….
Quetzalcoatl looks on high at the smoldering pit that once was part of Fuyuki City though from deep within Alter Ego looks at it with an analytical eye. He knows that something like this wouldn't kill him, but it should slow him down long enough to activate the Greater Grail. Now all that's left to do is-
"I, who shall awaken,
Alter hears a voice coming from down below, booming with authority.
I am the Heavenly Dragon who has stolen the Principle of Domination from God
Something rises from the pit as if it was born there.
I mocked the "infinite", and I fret over the "dream"
I shall become the Red Dragon of Domination
And I shall sink you to the depths of the crimson purgatory!"
It was the Red Dragon Emperor though has gone through a metamorphosis. The armor has shifted and grew, gaining height of and seemed to have merged with its user becoming organic in appearance. It possesses claw-like growths on the hands and feet, as well as horns and a fanged mouth on the helmet. His wings grow and expand, gaining orbs that look more like eyes.
Alter was not expecting to rise so soon, the Noble Phantasm of the Aztec goddess should have knocked him out. Unless…
"Shirou…" Alter growls the name, he knows the situation he and his friends are in but to think he would be desperate enough to use a Command Seal.
The situation has grown dire, his plans are at risk.
The Dragon took to the skies and was now right in front of Quetzalcoatl. It lets out a mighty shout as the chest and torso part of the Scale Mail opens revealing a launcher. The launcher starts to shine in red aura as it gathers energy.
[BOOST, BOOST, BOOST, BOOST, BOOST, BOOST, BOOST, BOOST, BOOST, BOOST, BOOST, BOOST,BOOST, BOOST, BOOST, BOOST, BOOST, BOOST, BOOST, BOOST]
Quetzalcoatl/Alter seethe in anger at this act of defiance. They begin to gather all of the energy left from her Noble Phantasm, returning it back into its form. They take it and slowly let it sink into their body, effectively gaining back more of their Authority than the World is allowing them to. This was it, with the power of reenacting the cataclysmic event that killed off the dinosaurs, they were going to destroy the Heavenly Dragon of Domination.
Only to suddenly feel an odd sensation coming from their chest.
Looking down, they saw the tip of a blood-red blade poking out of their chest. They begin to cough up blood as they slowly turn around. Their eyes widened in disbelief as they saw Scáthach stabbing them in the back with their cursed spear.
"Y-you…!?"
Scáthach looks at the possessed goddess with a smug smile on her face. "Did you really think you could control me? Fool. Monsters like you always think that they have the upper hand, but the reality of the situation is always the opposite."
"Even if you stop Quetzalcoatl you still haven't stopped me. You just sealed your fate, you idiot." Quetzalcoatl/Alter states.
Scáthach hums for a moment. "As if that matters, even if I die I'll just return to the Land of Shadows but I'm curious, where will you go when you die?"
[BOOST, BOOST, BOOST, BOOST, BOOST, BOOST, BOOST, BOOST!]
The dragon stops gathering energy into its launcher.
[LONGINUS SMASHER!]
A powerful beam attack is released from the launcher as it reaches its target. Scáthach and Quetzalcoatl are both engulfed into the beam. Their bodies turn to dust as they are blasted with the full power of a Heavenly Dragon, an existence capable of killing even the mightiest gods; all the while Scáthach keeps her in place.
The eventually dissipates leaving a trail of emerald light. The dragon descends and their form begins to change again. When it reaches the ground it has turned back to its Scale Mail form.
"Well, that was something…" I said to myself.
Behind me, Lancer appears but doesn't say anything merely stares at the sky. I look at Lan- Cú Chulainn expecting some sort of reaction from him, like rage or anything of the sort.
Instead, he looks at me and seems… fulfilled.
Despite this, I still need to know whether he is alright or not. "Are you going to be alright?"
Knocking him out of his trance, Cú turns to me and simply smiles. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Just thinking about stuff."
I feel that I should apologize, but doing that will probably earn me a spear to the chest.
Just then, something crashes between us. As the dust clears, it is revealed to be Taiga who has survived and to have gained new motivation.
"I have returned! Kuku, I am here to rid you of the evil which has plagued your soul!" She exclaims.
She looks around to see the destruction but no signs of Quetzalcoatl or the spear woman.
Taiga scratches her head in confusion. "Where did she go?"
I gave her a long sign, "they're gone, Taiga. I've already beaten them."
Upon hearing this, Taiga drops her club and collapses on the floor. "But…" Tears slowly began to fall from her face, "I had this epic speech planned and everything."
[Don't tell that while we were fighting she was pondering over some dumb speech!?]
Feeling the same, I gave her a deadpan look. This woman needs to get her priorities straight.
I turned to Cú Chulainn who by his expression had the same opinion. "Could go on ahead to the city plaza. I want to know if Illya has made it there safely ."
Cú raises an eyebrow. "Sure, but what about you?"
I raise my arm and tap at the helmet. "Shirou has used one of his Command Seals and from the sounds of it, he needs my help. I've held back the urge to go to him immediately in order to finish off Alter's pawns, but now I can't hold it any longer so I'll see you later." With that, my body assumes spirit form and disappears.
Cú drops his shoulders as he now has to babysit, the cry baby tiger. Don't get him wrong, she is a great warrior but beyond that, he might as well as be dealing with a brat.
He has the worst luck sometimes.
Noble Phantasms used:
Quetzalcoatl: Winged Serpent (A) Anti-Unit~Anti-Army Noble Phantasm
The Noble Phantasm of Quetzalcoatl as well as the reason she has the Rider-class. It allows her to summon the Quetzalcoatlus, a Cretaceous-era pterosaur that was given a name derived from her own, and rides it. In reality, it is a Phantasmal Species on the Phantasmal to Divine Beast level, which is also far more powerful than the Quetzalcoatlus that actually lived in the Cretaceous period. The Quetzalcoatlus is known as the largest flying animal in history. During the moment of its True Name release, the mounted Quetzalcoatl is able to perform the manipulation of large-scale lightning, winds and rains.
Piedra Del Sol: The Sun Stone (EX) Anti-Army~Anti-Fortress Noble Phantasm
The megalith of the ancient Aztecs. The Aztec calendar said to show all the world's past and present. This megalith with a 3.75-meter diameter appears overhead, this being a "gate", and it drags out a portion of her Authority because of Quetzalcoatl being the great foundation of this very activity. Intense solar winds rampage over a vast range, and it will certainly be reflected as god's majesty itself.
When used in the Babylonia Singularity, while retaining half of her Divinity, Quetzalcoatl's usage of this Noble Phantasm still managed to evaporate a majority of Tiamat's Chaos Tide. Ishtar speculates that had Quetzalcoatl used this on the city of Uruk, the entire city would have been vaporized, which is considered very impressive by Corrupted Ushiwakamaru, who claimed that only a Noble Phantasm capable of gathering all the magical energy of the entire era would be able to destroy the Sea of Life, implying only the Bands of Light in the sky could rival Tiamat.
Xiuhcoatl: Flame, Burn the Gods to Ashes (A~EX) Anti-Army~Anti-Fortress~Anti-Unit Noble Phantasm
The second coming of the flames that burned down her own temple in order to prevent the Evil God Tezcatlipoca from acquiring its many treasures, during a time when Quetzalcoatl was leaving the Aztecs. Flames envelop the surroundings, and enemies are temporarily prevented from invoking the True Name release of their Noble Phantasms. However, this Noble Phantasm has become extremely ridiculous because of the person's addiction to lucha libre. Basically, she spins the opponent around in the air and drops them on the top of their head in a piledriver, or accordingly to the situation presented, she might aim to kick the opponent from a height of 1000 meters, becoming a strike as if it is a meteor. The person herself calls it the "Ultimo Tope Patada".
By internalising the power of her other Noble Phantasm, Piedra Del Sol, the power of her Ultimo Tope Patada is increased to the point where it replicates "the cataclysmic impact that annihilated countless lives" becoming "the comet that killed Earth"; in other words, the meteorite that killed the dinosaurs. She sacrificed herself to use this against Tiamat.
Gáe Bolg Alternative: Soaring Spear of Piercing Death (B) Anti-Unit Noble Phantasm
When its true name is invoked, it combines the two functions of Cú Chulainn's Noble Phantasms, "Barbed Spear that Pierces with Death" and "Soaring Spear that Strikes with Death". First, a close-ranged attack from the first demonic spear would rob the enemy's movement by "pinning them in a spot in the air", and the second demonic spear would strike through everything if thrown with her full might. Obviously, any enemy caught in the line of the thrown spear would be killed.
Boosted Gear - Scale Mail: Juggernaut Drive (EX) Anti-Divine Noble Phantasm
Also known as the Dragon of Supremacy, like Divine Dividing, Boosted Gear also has access to this form. This form unleashes the full power of the Welsh Dragon, but the user will lose their sanity and their life will also be devoured. It grants power that can rival that of Gods and Satans. The immense power is so great that, upon activation, its aura would have destroyed the local areas. Like the Balance Breaker state, the user can use Boost and Divide without the 10 second limit.
While in this form, the user has a greatly increased flight speed to the point where it can be hard to follow with one's sight. This form is also capable of fending off powerful attacks by simply flapping its wings. From the various jewels all over the armor, the user can grow multiple limbs and blades akin to the appearance of a dragon. On top of that, the user obtains the ability to shoot lasers out of their mouth.
Its most powerful attack is the Longinus Smasher, previously only available in the Boosted Gear's Juggernaut Drive. It is an energy beam of immense destructive power fired from a launcher hidden in the chest.
Gáe Bolg Alternative is a spear possessed by Scáthach. Although their shapes are similar, this is actually something different from the spear that Cú Chulainn possesses, Gáe Bolg. A specialized weapon one-step older, but of the same model as Gáe Bolg that has been used since earlier. There is not only one, but many copies of them which Scathach made using the "branches of Tonelico".
Dark Hole allows the user to summon a miniature black hole within a certain range that will swallow any and things in its way. However, it is difficult to control and caster must fully concentrate to keep from going out of control.
Author Notes
So… it's been a while. I've been conflicted on whether I should make this a two-part or a single chapter. I eventually decided on the former. I am making a Valentine's Day Omake (yes, I know its late) and I should have it out later today so keep an eye on that. I've been active on Shiro's server lately and I was surprised that there were fans of my work there and actually gave me some suggestions for the next chapter. As for part 2, I'll have it out by later this month or early march. Surprised? I finally put in the Juggernaut Drive into the story and yeah, it is short-lived but I think I outdid myself (I would have made the fight longer but this chapter is already long enough as is so I had to shorten it). Now you're wondering why the MC is using now, well to put it simply Shirou used a Command Seal weakening his hold on the MC and allowing him to use more power than usual. If that doesn't make sense, don't worry it'll be explained later.
OR you can troll and complain about it... I really don't care.
Leave a comment and review and tell me what you think or you can PM me or find me on Discord for more stuff.
Peace~