Chapter 11: The Face-off

All of his friends were now dead, reduced into a bloody pulp.

He was the only one left.

He was down the ground fallen, unable to move, eyes focused in front of him.

He was trembling.

The ground beneath him already stained with blood, and so his hands and clothes. His friend's blood.

That monster…

That monster in front of him, overshadowing him. It was delighted in its works.

T-That monster…

He was trembling to the point his pants already soiled.

It pointed its musket at him. Smiling wickedly.

Would this be his end?

*BANG*

A visions of his body riddled with holes, struck his mind.

He shrieked in terror.

It was just too much. Just too much.

He fainted.

Not realizing his Savior saved him from his impending doom.

Scathach just arrived in a moment. She managed to deflect one bloody bullet away from the boy. The boy just shrieked from fear of being killed before rendering unconscious. She was glad that the boy just lost his consciousness although speaking for his friends, it seemed that she was too late.

Scathach glared in front of the monster, known as the Spirit 'Nightmare', who was grinning and cackling madly. Scathach gave an assuring glance toward the unconscious mortal before she turned a glare toward Nightmare.

"Ah, Ms. Scarlet, I'm glad that you decided to join us." Kurumi greeted her. While holding both of her musket and flintlock, she has the audacity to curtsy in front of Lancer.

Scathach just gave Kurumi a judging stare. "What's the big idea killing them on a whim?" Lancer then tightened her grasped of her red spear. No matter how psychotic is the Spirit in front of her, Lancer could sense that something deeper her is in play, seeing she can control her actions.

Kurumi just sighed at her question. "Oh you know, they are ready to kill something and me decided, why not gave them a taste of their own medicine?"

"So you think they deserved it?"

Kurumi then boldly exclaimed. "Of course!" That's it, Scathach now decided to end Kurumi here and now, seeing that she was now dangerous to the society.

Kurumi readied her weapons against the Lancer but Scathach knew she was too fast for the bullets. Scathach was also suspicious oh Nightmare was willing to throw her life away. Scathach immediately raised her spear.

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!" Their bout was interrupted by an ungodly shriek. Shidou, not far from them, was reeling away from shock after witnessing the amount of the blood and body parts that were messily spread apart.

Shidou's knees weakened considerably to the point the gave away, tumbling Shidou down. He couldn't stand to the point he almost retched with utter terror.

Kurumi just licked her lips in anticipation as she eyed Shidou warily. "Delicious, some f*cking food…"

Then hand-like tendrils shot out of her shadows, trying to grab Shidou to her. Unfortunately, before it could reach him, they dissipated like a wind and Shidou was far that where he could be.

Also, Shidou was carried by Scathach ala a princess carry.

Scathach pretended not to know Shidou this time. She was glad that she wore her mask this time. "Boy, know better, escape from here now." Scathach dropped him like a log as she kept her gaze at Nightmare.

When she noticed that Shidou didn't even dare to move, she was quick to scold him quickly.

"I told you to run!" She said without batting her an eye. Instantly, Shidou's legs were kicked back alive but for some reason, Shidou doesn't want to move.

However, Lancer has other things to be bothered with, namely Nightmare who is on the move, aiming for Shidou and only for him.

"You know, Shidou, Ms. Scarlet was very protective of you." Nightmare blatantly blurted out as she shot out many bullets as she can. Lancer easily dispatch all of them in instant. Does Nightmare intend to reveal her identity that easily? Not that it matters for Lancer.

Lancer admitted that she can end this clone in front of her but she doesn't know if Shidou could stand it, especially if it will appear again the next time. For a normal human, they are sure to end up in despair.

Immediately, she zoomed forward and readied her spear. Lancer easily deflected all of the bullets incoming. She could evade them as easy as pie but Shidou will be injured. No matter how his regenerative abilities is amazing, Scathach isn't willing to take risk.

*CHUNK*

A bloody spear was thrown and a weapon was dropped. Kurumi herself was halted by the spear driven in to the ground, through her shoulders. It hole was so large it was hanging by her skin instead. Her other arm was no longer functional and the spear was imbued with her runes, making all of her bodily functions cease like a dead machine, except for her head. Such is the power of the runes. However, Kurumi still have the audacity to grin and smile like a maniac.

"Oh, Ms. Scarlet… so pathetic. Why don't you end me in instant?" Kurumi mocked her, mouth already sputtering with blood. Scathach already deduced that the fight is already done.

"Ms. Scarlet?" Shidou warily asked and by instinct, Scathach glanced at him. A grave mistake as what Scathach thought. Even with her mask on, Shidou readily recognized her eyes and indeed confirm that it was Ms. Scarlet.

Shidou immediately trembled.

Suddenly, Scathach felt her body being invaded by some unknown force. Thanks for her innate Magic Resistance and also, runes, she set herself free before a blade blurred into existence.

*SKLUURCH*

Scathach jumped away, seeing that Kurumi was beheaded by another individual, whom she recognized as Mana Takamiya. Rider already warned her about her existence as a unique CR-unit and being Shidou's genuine sister. Even though Lancer was quite confident of her skills, she wouldn't rather face her alright.

"So you're the Spirit 'Lancer' everyone was saying lately, huh?" Mana was very fast at challenging her. Her general knowledge about Spirit is mediocre at the best and expected Lancer to fight her head on.

But why won't the Spirit Lancer move immediately? Lancer was observing Mana carefully, then to the body of Kurumi and then she dismissed her spears. Even the spear that lodged on the body of Kurumi was gone.

"What's the problem?" Mana was now suspicious, the Spirit in front of her was acting strange.

Seeing that she is no longer obliged staying here, Scathach thought its time to get out of here. "I'm done here. I'm going out." Lancer said before her whole body dissipate into a corporeal form and disappear without any trace. Mana was alarmed.

Lancer traces were no longer here, meaning she was really gone.

Mana then investigated the whole place here and deduced that this is really Nightmare's doing. However, she was quite confused on why Lancer defended her brother and face Nightmare, not that it matters right now.

Mana's behavior pattern turned 180 degrees when facing Shidou, since they were the only left alone (if they can still ignore the bloody mess around them).

"Onni-chan!" Mana then hugged her brother so much when she saw him for the second time.

"M-Mana?" Shidou readily recognized her.

It seemed that they needed to talk again once more.

By some rare coincidence, Tohka met Ritsuka and Mashu while they were on the date, not long after, Origami also joined their group after spotting them, despite Tohka refusing her 'rival', much to Ritsuka and Mashu's chagrin. Nevertheless, they have enjoyed being in a group with Ritsuka and Mashu. They circumnavigate the mall once more.

It was a happy memory until the mall was getting close. Shidou rejoined the group after Mashu, Ritsuka and Origami separated from them, leaving Tohka and Shidou on their own. Ratatoskr decided to teleport them into the Fraxinus. It was getting dark after all. Shidou pretended that nothing but it was just so hard to pretend too and there's no doubt that Kurumi will reappear again the next day, which is just getting difficult.

One thing though made Shidou reconfirmed: Ms. Scarlet was indeed Lancer and he couldn't still believe it that her own teacher was a Spirit, one that was absolutely good at disguising, just like Kurumi except that Ms. Scarlet was really helpful Spirit to the point he was doubting his abilities. Does sealing Ms. Scarlet will really help them? It seemed that Ms. Scarlet was genuinely happy at helping humanity.

Still, Shidou needed to reconsider Ratatoskr. Their aim was to help Spirit after all so that means they could also help Lancer too in their own way. Lancer's intention were rather genuine for Shidou and Ms. Scarlet doesn't hesitate helping him that time. If only he could reach an agreement.

The park where the trees flourish and the place was where the massacre occurred and one boy being rescued. Suspicious individuals that originated from Ratatoskr who were now cleaning the area were rendered unconscious.

Ishtar and Ereshkigal slipped into the scene while Ishtar activates the bounded field around the park so this place will be blocked all kinds of communications and make this place avoided by the people nearby. Nevertheless, they needed to act as fast as possible.

It took within a manner of minutes with the help of their Master's mana in order to do the miracle: reforming the chopped bodies into whole and returning their soul back to their bodies.

"You know Master said that you don't need to do this! What if it will come back to you?" Ishtar scolded her other half, seemingly concerned about her sister's authority here in this world, she wouldn't rather make Eresh suffer once again due to defying the laws of nature.

"I-I just want to help and I thoroughly believed that they don't deserved their death and don't worry about the repercussions here, it seemed that Gaia wasn't the same back there." Ereshkigal's word were true though, Gaia of this world doesn't actively denying their existence or their miracles, could be attributed to the existence of the Spirit too. Also, the underworld doesn't seemed to exist anymore here in this world, meaning Eresh can call it dibs. Even with the titles of the queen of underworld, Eresh couldn't help but wanted to restore them since their death was already unnatural.

Spirit's merely existing was already a miracle so why not undo the works of the monster?

Ishtar busily tweaked all of the Ratotoskr asset's mind, including the minds of the victim, as if it was a second nature for her. Later, Ishar would need to tweak the mind of the poor sole survivor, at least enough for him to recover.

Ereshkigal was mildly exhausted at the best and Ishtar supported her.

"Eresh, you are not doing this again!" Ishtar scolded her again, which Eresh hastily agreed. It was just a miracle that Eresh managed to nabbed their souls since previous Nightmare's victim were missing their soul aside their body, a fact that Eresh noticed and reported to Master on a whim.

"Alright, I'm done this tonight." Eresh said as she was satisfied with her work. The bodies of that boy's friends were now recovered and restored, although they were still unconscious, also Ishtar was also the one who finished cleaning up the place.

Immediately after finishing their job, they fled the place stealthily as Ishtar cancelled the bounded field and wake up all of the Ratatoskr assets. At least, they were already far away before they could figure the situation out.

"Hey, you don't need to piggyback me." Ereshkigal was embarrassed enough, even if they are under the night.

"I insist. You are exhausted restoring those bodies." Ishtar really held on to Ereshkigal's legs, as if she refused having her walk on her own. Ishtar was confident she will recover the next day but for now extra great care is a must. Ereshkigal just hugged closer to Ishtar's back, much to her chagrin. "Or do you want me to consult Nightingale? She has 'magic' hands I believe…"

"N-no!" Ereshkigal shrieked lowly. "Don't you dare joke on me, Ishtar…"

"You can call me sister though…"

"hmpph…" Ereshkigal just pouted and for Ishtar she was just cute.

They might have been walking for a half an hour already. Ishtar could float and fly straight to their mansion but better safe than never. Ishtar will not worry about fatigue since they were Servants, in fact, she enjoyed this different kind of scenery.

Ereshkigal was half-resting behind her back, until she noticed that Ishtar stopped for a moment.

"Isht— I mean sister?" The Goddess of the Underworld was concerned to the Red Devil Venus.

"Ereshkigal, I think we might have encountered two Spirits." Ishtar warily warned her sister, who immediately leaned sideward to see two individuals in front of them, standing, as if waiting for them. If Ereshkigal would squint a bit harder, she could see looked identical to each other.

"Ora, what do we have here?" One of the 'twins' suspiciously asked. Immediately Ishtar stood guard and let Ereshkigal stood on her own. It seemed that they needed to face the twins and hope nothing bad happens.