A/n: Hello everyone, Psychojack has returned from the unknown realms to once again bring you another chapter of the Holy Nail War! Whew! Last few chapters have been quite steamy, this one should be propelling the story onwards! It would seem our hero Honda successfully 'refueled' his servants with prana, however it would appear that a potential new threat marches on the group as they recuperated. What is the new threat? How will Honda and the gang contend with this new obstacle? Only one way to find out what happens next readers, let's get to it!
-Deacon Estate: Deacon Bedroom-
Stria, once Niki and Miki had informed her of the incoming threat, the young homunculus felt the anxiety one would expect from the severe lack of preparation. She had barely survived thus far against Elias and his right hand man Ursus. Between that and the fact that Honda had unknowingly taken part in a hectic real life battle made her evermore concerned as to what this new threat would mean for them.
At the least, Honda's servants are already reenergized via a good plowing between the sheets, however, with magi being unpredictable as they are, it was likely that the magi in question had their own unique means of ensuring their win for the Holy Grail War. Methods that Idores and herself had yet to take into consideration.
Stria disconnected herself from Honda. Seeing the local celebrity asleep, seeming so peaceful and comforted in her presence made the artificial being feel this sense of thrill she normally wouldn't notice. It somehow felt just right if the currently socially inept homunculus could put her thoughts into words. The fact of the matter was that the silver lining of all this was that the great Warlock was with her and she to him in the battles to come.
'It's only been a short while since we've been able to finally rest and yet another magi comes to us…I hope that somehow we'll pull through.' Stria thought to herself as she smooched Honda's left cheek, making the receiver grin in his sleep.
"Mmmm…missed a spot…" Honda groaned out as he was clearly talking in his sleep, dreaming blissfully despite the current circumstances.
"Mistress, you seem troubled, is everything alright?" Niki asked as she kept taking occasional peaks at Honda's currently nude body, specifically his buttocks before raising her eyebrows minisculely, in apparent interest to the otherwise emotionally unaware maid.
Stria rose herself from the bed. As she did so, Miki, being the servant homunculus that she was, immediately went about reaching for a garb for Stria, in the form of one of Deacon's leftover suit tops.
"Allow us to dress you Mistress! A war cannot be fought without a proper raiment." The youngest maid servant said as Stria sweatdropped.
"That's not necessary!" Stria insisted, still unused to being called Mistress. This was simply too much all at once. Her years of being a servant still ingrained into her mind that she was a follower of Idores. To be considered a mistress out of the blue like this was a slightly uncomfortable change of pace. Or more like, she wasn't worthy of said title.
"Very well, Mistress. Just do keep in mind, outside is below 43 degrees. Going outside naked at this time could result in catching a cold." Miki said with a neutral expression, pointing out Stria's current outfit or lack thereof.
Niki nodded. "Besides, wouldn't Lord Honda protest if you as his lady, were to go outside in your current state of dress?"
Stria sweatdropped, as the homunculi seemed to interpret her refusal to wear Deacon's clothing as an excuse to go out naked. To top it off they consider her Mistress mainly due to her apparent connection with Honda. It made her heart skip a beat, and yet at the same time made her increasingly anxious as to the expectations of a Lady. It was clear to the right hand of Idores that these Deacon family homunculi were younger than her in terms of social and mental development.
Stria had other things to focus on however. The silver haired chauffeur immediately went about pressing both hands against Honda to rouse him from his sleep. The Warlock was many things, but she didn't expect him to be such a heavy sleeper. Perhaps it was an after effect of the tonic he had drunk from earlier, considering how out of it he was. A few extra nudges made the aforementioned groan a bit as he came to consciousness.
"*Yawn* Hm w-what?" Honda drooled as he steadily blinked his currently hazy vision back to focus while Stria shook him up.
"Honda, you have to get up, there's another master you have to fight!" Stria informed Honda.
Honda immediately fell back to sleep, a long bit of drool hanging from the corner of his mouth as he was too tired to raise himself from the fatigue of earlier transgressions.
Stria sighed. "He's not waking…"
Niki looked between her new mistress and lord of the estate. Being the ever helpful homunculus she was, Niki decided to aid Honda's awakening.
"Perhaps I can be of assistance." Niki said to Stria in earnest. Being that she was all out of options, Stria allowed Niki to carry on, desperation being on the forefront of her mind.
With practiced execution Niki slipped off her black pump heels that she normally wore along with her maid outfit. Exposing the pale smooth bare feet of her pleasantly generous and proportional frame to the air before standing on the King sized bed, where all the servants rested. Her movement had roused Assassin, who despite being exhausted from the marathon she endured, was still true to her class, ready to protect her master from all potential threats, even those Honda considered to be allies.
Assassin blinked her purple eyes as she watched the maid. Her purple eyes shone through like a hunter in the darkness, ensuring that the Deacon maid not make an attempt on Honda's life with the use of a dagger she had under the bed blanket.
Stria looked confusedly. "What are you…doing?"
Niki answered simply. "Honda said that one good way for a couple to get excited is spontaneous skin contact. He told me doing this would get skin hungry men harder than tungsten, whatever that means."
Stria looked at Honda. "Really?"
'That had always been the case so far…like at the park. I'd best remember this for the next time we have some quiet.' Stria thought to herself as Niki went with her bare feet and held onto the poles that kept the bed together. With a careful shift of her thighs, Niki began pressing the soles of her pale feet against Honda's back, being sure to ensure that her weight would not cause unnecessary pain to her newly instated master. The lightweight pressing of her legs against Honda's back caused the magician to grumble in instinctual pleasured recognition of the weight pressed against him.
Honda groaned pleasurably at the sensation of a well aimed massage being delivered to his back muscles.
"Ohhhhhh….Stria is that you? Giving me a massage in the dead of night…how kinky…" Honda let out as he was like putty to the strangely penetrating and yet stimulating massage.
Honda grinned despite his eyes being shut, completely unaware that it was Niki, not Stria, who was providing said rhythmic sensations.
"My lord, it is time to wake up. You have a battle that is upon your estate. If you do not awake great disaster awaits us." Niki said, with a noticeably innocently eager expression on the usually stoic homunculus' face. With a faint red tint on her cheeks the maid continued to provide her service, pressing deeper into Honda as she herself got into the massage, pressing harder as Honda groaned louder in clear enjoyment.
Due to her upbringing as a homunculus servant, Niki was filled with the sensation of joy when her master was pleased with her servitude. Such noises that emanated from Honda was like music to the maids' ears, thus prompting her blissfully joyous expression.
"You know Stria how about I give you a massage." Honda said before rolling over, causing Niki to slip and land into Honda's arms, he began smooching the left side of Niki's face whilst stuck in half sleep delirium, causing the homunculus to gasp to this new pleasing sensation of her master kissing her. The darkness of night had also obscured Niki's face from being known to Honda, as well as Stria literally being but a few feet away.
Stria sweatdropped as Honda accidentally confused Niki for herself. She made sure to keep this in mind for later that this seemed to be an efficient manner of getting Honda up.
"M-my lord! It's me Niki! Hah!" Niki immediately warned Honda as he was still yet half asleep. He kissed her ear causing the older maid to gasp from the unusual sensation of a man's tongue against her left ear lobe.
Honda blinked his eyes to undo the haze of fatigue brought on by deep sleep. Honda gazed in realization that it was the bun headed maid Niki who he was currently smooching in his arms. The maid had smooches all over her face with a doe eyed expression. Her hands were clasped over her cheeks as a small faint smile was plastered on her face, her eyes constantly looking in his eyes before looking away shyly.
"My lord, is this what you mean when you say relationships should be two sided? If so then I could see why they must be, its quite pleasant being on the receiving end." Niki asked as her face flushed from the amorous barrage she underwent. Her hands were pressed against the sides of her face as she shyly shifted her body left and right gushing over this delightful new experience to store within her memory banks.
Miki pouted as she saw Niki receive such attention from the new owner of the estate. Though the youngest of the maid duo Miki felt envious as despite being an artificial human, she still craved the attention she wished to receive from her chosen, Darius. Being a homunculus made every foreign interaction of this nature a desire for their lot. When Darius wakes, she would make a second attempt to rekindle their relationship.
Honda raised an eyebrow. "Niki? Wait, if your here where's Stria?"
"I'm over here Honda, there are enemies coming towards the estate!" Stria informed the unintentional magus. As she warned Honda, Saber blinked her eyes open. Like a lazy lioness, she yawned prominently into the back of her left hand, not knowing exactly where she was with the fatigue weighing her down.
'Once again I have found myself lacking on guard duty whilst my master is asleep. These exchanges are…exceptionally rewarding and yet also risky.' The King of Camelot thought to herself as she brushed her hair behind her ear. Upon noticing the other occupants the conservative woman covered her nude top with a bit of the bed blanket.
"Ah! S-Stria what is going on? And…you're naked…" Saber observed, looking over ar Honda.
'I didn't know Honda had that much reserves of prana. It's quite frightening how much…endurance he possesses.' Saber gulped as her thoughts made her unintentionally think on how skilled Honda could be when turned on, especially satisfying six women at once.
"What? Didn't we already beat the first boss? I'm no expert on games but isn't this is a little too soon for another boss fight?" Honda released Niki, whose face steamed from the pleasant embrace and smooch volley from Honda. She had found it unexpected and yet the sensations made her more curious as to the origins of this strange sensation that made her breath heavy.
"Besides its the middle of the night for Pete's sake! I wanna snuggle with the lovely ladies a bit more." Honda said before pulling Atalanta and Assassin into his arms.
Atalanta had grumbled upon Honda rousing her from her sleep, that and the aching sensation in her rear end that made her legs feel like noodles. Her ears flicked as Honda nuzzle the top of her head.
'What's…going on…am I…?' Atalanta thought before seeing Honda's face, causing her eyes to snap wide open as she attempted to crawl away, only to find Honda's left arm to hold her tight in place. She sighed at the fact that her master had her caught, just as he did when he claimed her rear end.
'At least my chastity is preserved…though for how long?' Atalanta thought to herself, unfortunately submitting to her current predicament, as Honda was her master.
Assassin on the other hand couldn't help but wrap her arms around the eighth magus, finding his warmth a pleasant contrast to the cool night air
Niki blushed. "Well if that is the case then I suppose five minutes wouldnt hurt…" She said as she reached for the covers, attempting to worm her way into the group embrace. Miki swatted her hand away as she wasn't granted permission to do so. Niki then pouted pitifully.
Stria on the other hand was anxious, she couldn't simply allow Honda to refuse to fight in the war. Unfortunately Honda still viewed this as a roleplay, and telling him the truth would lead to him probably wanting to escape (and justifiably so). The best way to live from this is to get him and his freshly banged servants to fight.
'If I am to get Honda up, I will have to use what I know will inspire him to get up, it's the only hope we have!' The albino pumped herself to take action.
"Honda, you must be awake for this! There's an…an epic war to fight!"
Niki tilted her head. 'I don't remember an army being anywhere near the estate…unless they were using magecraft to conceal themselves…'
Honda raised himself up by his arms relying on the strength of his forearms to keep himself upright, lest he fell to sleep again. "Wait! There's a war? Right now?"
Stria nodded, a vibrant blush on her face as she rapidly flipped through her Knight Girl manga for inspiration. "Oh yes! A really big one with thousands upon thousands of foes to destroy. You get to command a whole army and unlock new weapons for your arsenal. All the actors and stuntmen are waiting for you!"
Honda shook his head to get his eyes to open, like a dog that had just woken up.
"New weapons! You're speaking my language, but a war? Man, my body feels like it ran a marathon, and yet all those extras are waiting?" Honda groaned as he wiped the sand from his eyes.
Honda then looked at Niki and Miki. "I did remember reading something like that in the script I was sent, but whose the army I'm leading?"
Miki seemed to follow along Stria's improvised methods of getting the Warlock to fight, unaware that the chauffeur was mostly lying.
"Well between the homunculi maids and security as well as defenses, I would say that is your army. With your terms of Darius' surrender we now follow your command to whatever end my lord." Miki answered honestly.
"We are willing to follow any order you wished. Anything…" Niki emphasized for some reason.
"If you win the war, you could win another servant for the war!" Stria said.
"Another servant wouldn't be too bad!" Honda said with a grin.
Mordred awoke from all the noises. As she yawned she said "Another servant, who needs em when you already got me!"
Atalanta grumbled as she rose from the bed. "After claiming me as you did you grow bored already. How typical of a man! Led by your base desires alone."
Honda smiled at Atalanta. "Oh come now Atalanta, no need to be jealous! Trust me it's not like I'm replacing anyone or anything, right?"
Atalanta grumbled with a red blush. "Jealousy is beyond me, you just want your own personal collection."
Honda petted her ears. "Hah! S-stop what you're doing!" Atalanta protested before Honda scratched the underside of her chin, causing her to stare at him with poorly convincing half anger.
"I'll be sure to take you girls out on a date when this is all over. Promise!" Honda said.
"Date! Like I would ever…" Atalanta said although her eyes were closed and leaning into the scratches instinctually.
'What's with me! Stop falling for such…such foolish sensations!' Atalanta protested internally, practically arguing with herself.
Stria pressed on. "But if you lose, for the rest of the war you'll have to roleplay as a eunuch!"
Honda's eyes immediately snapped open with cracks in his eyes, his fatigue completely eroded in favor of self preservation. Considering how realistic the Holy Nail War has been thus far, the street magician didnt want to find out how being a eunuch would play out in this roleplay. Assassin and Atalanta had noticeably stiffened at that possibility of their highly energetic master being reduced to a eunuch. "I'm up! I'm up!" Honda immediately shook up Saber. "Ladies! Get your shapely well formed asses up! We got enemies at the gates!"
Saber who had fallen back asleep by accident, immediately forced her eyes open, however her expression appeared droopy. "H-Honda?"
Honda immediately shook her like a ragdoll. Her golden hair flapping wildly with the intensity of the shaking. "No time Saber! It's a matter of life and death…and a working long johnson! I need all hands on deck."
Mordred rose from the sheets with a messy mane. In a child-like display the usually brash servant whined. "The one time I finally get some sleep and we're already going to battle, just five more minutes!"
Honda smooched her cheeks. "I need you for this, my kinky knight. Now get dressed!" Honda said before Assassin poked him and got his attention.
Assassin seemed pouting, as did Saber next to her. Honda took the hint and gave each of them a big smooch, one that sent jolts throughout their bodies. By the time he was finished the magician was out of breath.
Atalanta could be seen looking angry, mainly due to the fact that she was left out, something she herself wouldn't admit.
"Want one my little hell cat?" Honda asked.
"N-no! I don't need anymore prana! I-" Atalnata protested before the Warlock smooched the right side of her face making her irritation come to a still. "I suppose this would do…"
Honda looked down at his body. 'Gonna need the costume for this…'
Honda took his clothing and went to the nearest rest room which was within one doorway within the bedroom.
Stria looked in Honda's direction. "Where are you going?"
Honda called back. "Gonna need a minute! A magician is nothing without a wardrobe!"
Stria stood there as Honda had slammed the door before she could protest. Upon looking at his muscularity in the mirror Honda tilted his head.
"I don't remember being this buff…nah must be the lighting!" Honda said to himself before immediately zipping up his clothing.
He looked at his mask with a fond smile. "Let's do this old pal!"
He placed the ornamental like mask on his face, eyes glowing as the Warlock was mentally ready for the next show that was to come.
"I could get used to this!" Honda said as he stepped outside towards the women in the bedroom, still not ready considering how quickly he had dressed in comparison to them. Even Stria was noticeably amazed by the speed Honda dressed up in his performers' garb. Pointing in dramatic flair as he and his half nude messy haired servants were up for battle, the Warlock commanded, his cape defying gravity as it flowed on its own wind via Ebony's magical presence.
"Now onwards!"
-Deacon Estate: Outside-
Under the moonlight one would bear witness to an expansive field of well tended grass and hedges surrounding the almighty magus estate that once belonged to the Deacon Family. Now repaired from the onslaught that had occurred mere hours ago, one would bear witness to this tower like structure befitting a prestigious magus family.
It was isolated from Fuyuki City, on the outskirts by the mountain ranges. Majestically crafted and yet denied an audience from which such architecture could be admired with its many arches and pathways that connected it to subtowers spanning the structure from head to toe. If that weren't enough, on ground level one would find the tower connected to a more dignified and modernesque residence, consisting of a manor, with thick bronze gates that encased the entire estate, safe from unwanted intrusion via its thirty foot tall walls and aquamarine runes that glew in this night, serving an unknown purpose, however it did provide ample lighting on the walkways of the walls themselves.
The view the top of the tower provided enabled one to see the city from afar, requiring quite a drive just to get there. Its back was to the mountains whilst its front was to the open grass plateau that led down towards the hilltops and leading to the roads that would take one back to society.
Along the tower balconies as well as the walls, a massive group of homunculi maids and security guards were lined up, overlooking the open fields. The maids were kept at the towers, fitted with small contraptions on their left wrists that one could presume to be long ranged weapons considering that the contraptions had small barrels pointing outward to wherever the maids would aim their wrists. The security homunculi were by the walls, decked in their white suited attire with white half masks, decked in aquamarine runes. Some held spears and bardiches whilst others wielded their usual prana security batons. It was quiet, the silence belying an encroaching danger, lacking the usual natural ambience of a peaceful night.
Stria made her way past the homunculi as she wanted to see what was going on. Upon using her sharp crimson optics, she couldn't help but notice a lone figure standing close to the entrance of the well maintained bronze gates, too high for them to simply jump over.
This individual was adorned in an emerald outfit, consisting of a green dress that reached conservatively to the bottom of her body, denying all from seeing her lower body, legs included. On top of the dress she wore a black robe with a hoodie on top of it to obscure her eyes. It covered her shoulders and dragged against the ground, though that didn't seem to be a bother for the stranger in question. She stood confidently, unmoving to the size of the tower and the many guards ready to dispose of the trespasser.
Stria could feel the ominous presence of this woman. Though alone she clearly commanded great power considering how the homunculus felt her spine tingling at the sight of her. Her homunculus instincts yelled at her for Idores' preservation. Her own instincts beckoned her to take Honda and Idores and flee.
"Mistress, this is the one I mentioned. What should we do?" Niki whispered into her ear.
Nearby from another window, Idores could be seen peeking downwards towards the intruder, her eyes widening at the sight of the woman by the gates.
"No…so soon!" Idores spoke with her heart hammering in her chest from the sheer amount of fear she was experiencing. Considering all that she had experienced this far, the last thing she wished to be a part of was another battle so quickly after the last one. To make matters worse, it was one of the two magi she had been warned about. He was currently not among the gates however this other magus was known to Deacon enough to establish an alliance for this war in the first place.
'From what Deacon told me, the other magus is known to be from an isolated family, one that was once involved in the First Grail War. Back then, the Holy Grail was founded by the Einzberns, Matous and Tohsakas. They had discovered and formed an alliance, and took ten years to manifest it. Unfortunately, the Grail only allows for one user and required seven masters, each with their own servants. This started the first Holy Grail War as far back as around 1800. This magus' family was one of the outside four who had participated. If that's the case, then the magus outside is incredibly dangerous.'
Behind Stria, Honda made his way towards the outside, having to scoot over past the other homunculi in the vicinity, stating 'sorry' and 'excuse me' as he went to the swarm of the homunculi, now belonging to him. He was garbed in his Warlock garb, fully shrouded in his enigmatic attire.
Upon his reveal to the would-be intruder, the woman was silent, noticing the frost blue eyes and the unusual garb amongst the servants here. From her point of view he appeared to be another magus, one with such a presence that the stranger could not ignore the mask that blocked his face.
'That is a magus if ever I saw one. But by his build I know that he is not Darius. An ally of Deacon's perhaps?' The woman thought to herself.
Meanwhile Honda thought with the wisdom befitting a world class leader. 'Damn! Look at the size of this tower! It's way bigger than any house I've ever seen! How much does a place like this even cost!?'
Miki gave Honda a miniature telescope. "Look over there my lord."
Niki added. "She has been standing there for a while, I hope she's not cold."
Honda took a look at the telescope, finding the hooded figure. Niki tilted it downwards.
"A rather unusual sight, wouldn't you say my lord?" The bun headed maid asked as if concerned despite the fact that the stranger was a literal trespasser.
Honda focused into the scope.
"Yup, definitely got Ying and Yang balancing each other out." Honda mumbled as he looked more specifically at the clothed yet generous assets of the hooded figure, the wind causing them to slightly jiggle with the wind. It would seem that Niki accidentally aimed the scope in the wrong location by a mere stroke of fate.
'Probably another master, I wonder if she's here for some late night 'diplomacy'. Best get into character!' The magician thought before speaking.
Honda spoke with his Warlock voice, booming against the mountainside. "Who dares approach at the dead of night? Reveal yourself!"
The stranger unrolled her hood backwards, revealing her face in response to the powerful voice that commanded her. She was a beauty to be sure. Her face was angular and well maintained, unblemished and mystically unmarked despite the cold in the air that would dry ones' skin follicles. Her skin was fair, her face possessed prominent cheeks.
Her hair was curly, a mane of swirls that together flowed with the breeze. The shade they took was a flame crusted auburn, that danced against the wind like an open flame. One would guess that she was perhaps of Scottish or Celtic descent. Her lips were full, and decorated in red lipstick, the shade bewitchingly vibrant in contrast to the cool shades of night.
The one thing that really stood about her were her eyes. Both possessed sectoral heterochromia, two areas of the same iris that were different in color. For the stranger, her eyes were mainly coated with emerald with sections of blue at the top and bottom of her irises. A rather unusual appearance, and yet excotically surreal that one could get lost in staring at the enigmatic shade. Strange enough under this lighting her abnormally colored optics appeared almost glowing from afar.
The woman's expression was neutral, businesslike, in a manner to those of disciplined self control.
"I've come to speak to Darius Deacon who commands this estate. To discuss terms of his unconditional surrender." The woman spoke eloquently, refined as if she were a politician, a silvery tongue that beckoned one to hear her.
Stria blinked in physically displayed confusion as she had not expected the magus to offer a surrender. It was quite ironic considering that Honda actually gave Darius a meaningful surrender, and enabled him to rest for the time being in the same estate he had claimed for his own.
"Tell him that if wishes to survive come sunrise that he will bestow his command seal upon me, as a testament of his complete surrender for the Holy Grail War, his claim for the grail was forfeit the moment I, Silva of the Busujima family arrived." The woman spoke with elegant confidence, spoken calmly despite the clear threat behind her words.
Idores' eyes widened. 'The Silva Busujima! The Poisonmancer! No wonder she came alone!'
Idores looked at the surrounding area outside the walls of the estate. Outside one would notice that much of the green planes of the mountainside were practically stiffening and chipping off as life was sucked from ground. A faint miasma coated the ground around the estate, an easily missed sign of the powerful magecraft that infested the landscape.
"If we tried to escape, we'll be ensnared by her families' magecraft, no doubt placed all over the mountainside with her powering the spell. We're trapped." Idores whispered to herself, realization flashed on her face. She clenched the red book she had claimed from Deacon's desk earlier after being locked on the closet. Gritting her teeth, Idores knew that escape was currently impossible.
Honda's eyes pierced into the strange woman from within his mask. A tension filled the air as Honda and the stranger entered a staredown. One that made the homunculi shiver from the glowing frost eyes revealed within the mask of their new lord, feeling the silent calculations behind the mask of the Warlock.
Stria felt her heartrate rise from the growing anticipation. 'Honda, surely you might be able to come up with a plan. Just as you have done so before.'
Honda placed his hands on the arches of the tower, the homunculi facing the back of their new master and leader. He would be the symbol of morale and leadership for the rest of the Holy Grail War and as such awaited him to leave his first impression that would serve as the basis of the rest of their servitude.
Honda breathed in the cold night air. His cape defied gravity as its silhouette contrasted with the night sky, making Honda appear otherworldly, a shadow of the unknown. With a deep breath his words echoed in the night.
"WHAT!?" Honda bellowed into the wind, loud enough for the surrounding wind to come to a still. An awkward silence took the atmosphere. The homunculi stared at their master, not sure of the meaning of his words. Perhaps he was outraged by the stranger's audacity to threaten his territory, just as they themselves felt internally repulsed by this magus threatening Deacon. Despite being given to Honda, they did so in exchange for their original masters' safety.
Apparently, due to the hundreds of feet that stood between the woman down below and the tower itself, Honda couldn't hear her from this distance.
Idores and Stria sweatdropped at the fact that Honda, being a normal human, couldn't hear such small amounts of volume from afar like this.
Idores smacked her own forehead, redressed properly, with her back to the wall of a subtower near Honda's position. "I keep forgetting he's not a magus…no normal human can hear anything from that distance…"
The woman in green seemed stumped for a few seconds. Blinking a few times in sheer confusion at Honda's response. Her eyes narrowed in mild irritation.
"I…am here for Darius…Deacon…" She worded each sentence with a little more volume for Honda to hear her with the silence now prominent.
"Mind repeating that!?" Honda bellowed out again, his loud voice echoed against the mountainside, leaning with his ear towards Silva so he could hear properly.
Silva stood there confused at the fact that he couldn't hear her. Her hands clenched in agitation.
She attempted to speak with further volume. Her voice now being put to the test. "I am here for Darius Deacon! Open the gates or by the next hour-"
"I think we're having a little bit of a communication problem! Here, catch this!" Honda said, tossing something at the woman, her body stiffly had reached out with both arms before she missed the incoming projectile and missed it, the object shattering on the floor near her, sprinkling bits of tech all over the ground. Upon looking at the projectile, Silva realized that it was in fact a megaphone, now utterly demolished and destroyed.
"Oh man! You know how much I paid for that!? Why didn't you catch it!?" Honda asked as if she were a moron.
"But I…*sighs*" Silva sighed before raising a finger and placing it against the side of her neck, a green brand appearing there.
As she spoke her voice was amplified a touch. "I am here for the one who commands this estate, Darius Deacon. I warn you that your lives shall end if you do not come down and surrender your command seals of your own free will. This structure will lie buried in rubble if you refuse to relinquish your claim of the Holy Grail. By right of power alone, your fate has already been decided." Silva rambled, a small smirk that crawled on her face as her fiery hair swayed with the wind.
Honda sweatdropped, still trying desperately to pick up the message. If you notice, next to Honda, all the homunculi servants were leaning forwards and placing their right hands to their ears in unison, apparently just as hard at hearing as Honda was.
The simple fact was the woman was way too far and the surrounding area was just too far reaching to carry the woman's clearly weak voice all the way over. As Silva spoke, the maids looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders, clearly unsure as to what the hell she was saying.
Honda noticed their expression. "You can't hear her either huh?"
This resulted in a synced collection of heads shaking in the negative by the homunculi servants.
Stria sighed while thinking to herself. 'I see…Deacon family homunculi are different from Velune variant homunculi.'
Honda looked to Stria for answers. "Seriously, I think there's something wrong with her mic or something, I'm not hearing a damn thing. Should I go downstairs? I did work in a department store, I can fix it in a jiffy!"
Stria immediately stopped Honda as he was about to head downstairs to meet the woman downstairs. "No! No! This is just fine!"
"Fine lemme just let her know, wouldn't want her to waste such acting chops on deaf ears!" Honda said as he wrote something on a piece of paper, and began folding it.
"Watch and learn my lovely homunculi, this is how you make a far reaching paper airplane!" Honda said as he perfectly folded one in front of the servants who stared on in childlike wonder, collectively whipping out notebooks and pencils to begin literally jotting down notes for plane making. Honda's plane was folded with such precision that upon completion it looked more akin to a miniature jet plane origami craft project as opposed to the usual kid-like manner of paper airplane craftsmanship.
Honda tossed it to Silva's direction, who was enraptured in her own speech. The plane was extremely fast and glided perfectly through the air towards its intended destination.
"-do so and I will be sure to…spare…you…" Silva mumbled as the paper airplane made it to her position. Catching it, she unfolded the note, reading it aloud slowly.
"None of us can hear you, do you have a cellphone or something? By the way you are wild cute XO wink face…" Silva read aloud, even reading the written down kiss and hug combo with a literally drawn out customized wink emoji that looked like Saber's face next to the letter.
After a stunned five seconds, Silva immediately crumbled and threw the paper aside. She snarled.
"Ugh! Enough of this foolishness! I bring a message to you. Right. Here!" The woman fired a yellow colored volley of prana blasts towards Honda. It seemed to swirl midair, wispy in its texture and yet shot like missiles. It sizzled through the air as it reached its target. The homunculi servants robotically ducked as one, behind the safety of the architecture whilst Honda stood there.
Stria called out. "Honda!"
BOOM
The blast had missed Honda completely. In fact it had landed near Idores' position, where the albino coughed as she was coated in dust from the bombastic channeling of energy.
Honda placed both hands on his mouth as he called out to Silva.
"I'm sorry I can't hear you! Don't fire a spell while you're talking!" Honda called out towards the fire haired woman.
Saber and the other servants had finally stepped out, hearing the explosion as well as all the yelling.
Honda whispered to Stria. "Hey Stria? Is it me or is there no army? I thought we were going to war. Where are the thousands of enemies?"
Stria looked to the side, ashamed at lying to Honda like this but she needed him awake to fight the war of he is to survive. "My mistake…"
Honda sighed. "Oh man, only one! Then again…wait a minute! Maybe this is like a tutorial right?" He looked at Saber for an answer.
"Tutorial? What do you mean, Honda?"
-Honda Vision Start-
[Minigame Unlocked: Tower Defense!]
From a first person perspective, Honda witnessed his whole area take on a cartoonish like appearance where the environment was vibrant and welcoming. Like a cell phone app a user interface appeared.
[NOTE: As a magus of the Holy Nail War you will come across times when you will engage with large amounts of enemies and will have to fight defensively. Protect your tower and your treasures by fending off incoming waves of enemies. For this tutorial there is only one.]
The red haired woman could be seen appearing as a cel shaded chibi with a pissed off facial expression. Her head was bigger than her tiny stubby limbed body.
"Can you hear me now magus!" The red haired mystery woman yelled out to Honda with her arms flapping rapidly as she yelled. Her voice sounded high pitched like a mischievous little kid.
[NOTE: Defeat this enemy to make it to the next wave!]
"Honda? What's with that look of yours again?" Stria could be heard asking, she appeared the only normal person in this mess as she placed a hand on his shoulder. She seemed concerned as Honda gave the hand a smooch.
"I suppose…you're fine then…" Stria said while blushing at the unexpected contact.
In Honda's eyes, everyone other than Stria appeared like chibis too, looking at him with these cute chubby cheeked pout-like expressions and big bulging blinking eyes.
"Oh my god! You guys are so cute!" Honda let out as he got distracted. Everyone in his immediate vicinity was left with red cheeks, like children being praised.
[Note: To defeat your enemies, you will need to balance out morale, tactics and swagger to get by. Use your servants' abilities as your trump cards for this battle!]
Four slots of 'special abilities' appeared on the bottom of the view, with each slot showing the image of each servant under his command.
"Look at those chubby bobble heads of yours!" Honda gushed at the chibi army he had for this minigame.
Honda petted Assassin's chibi head, causing the dark woman to blush meekly.
"Honda, is this the appropriate…time?" Assassin said while blushing. To Honda her voice sounded shy within this delusion.
[Assassin seems to like it. 1 Bond Increase]
"Cool I could pet them while fighting a war, awesome!" Honda said.
"Hey! Where's mi- I mean we got a job to do!" Mordred whined with sharp fangs on her oversized chibi head before Honda followed suit, petting the embarrassed blonde chibi. Her face had a vibrant red blush as the hot-headed knight was caressed, closing her eyes as she accepted the caress.
[Mordred is skin hungry! She really likes it! 2 Bond Increase]
He looked towards Atalanta, now dressed up and yet bearing a red face from earlier transgressions.
"Nya! I can fire on her from here and…Master? What are you doing? *Honda steps closer* Don't even think about- *Honda pets her*"
Atalanta looked downwards, resisting the urge to look into the eyes of the man who had claimed her. She didn't seem to protest as whatever she had to say was swallowed in her throat. The slightest vibration could be felt emanating from her chest.
"Nya…" Atalanta let out with a cute pouting cat face. Her ears perked in a relaxed position.
[Tsundere Bonus! She purred! 4 Bond Increase!]
Atalanta seemed irritated with her face like a tomato as she spoke with fangs prominent that meshed in a cute fashion as a bite sized chibi. "Why do you have that look on your face like you know something I don't?"
Upon looking at Saber, he noticed her chibi sulked as she had been left out. Honda used two hands on her. Saber's prominent hair strand on the top of her head perked upwards, the lone hair strand stiffening like a needle.
"H-Honda! What's gotten into you! Don't we have a war to fight?" Saber said with flailing arms in her chibi form, her voice sounding cute and high-pitched in the currently delirious realm of Honda Vision.
"C'mon, everybody gets one!" Honda announced.
The homunculi servants seemed to surround Honda as he began petting all the chibi sized servants. They seemed to think of this as strange but not necessarily something to protest about. Their expressions shifted confusion, bewilderment, and unashamed blissful joy in that order to the unexpected skills of his magic fingers.
[Note: Achievement Unlocked: Petting King!]
-Honda Vision End-
From outside the tower, the red haired poison magus stared at the strange behavior of the mysterious individual before her. He was petting his servants for some reason.
"What is he…doing up there?" The red haired magus asked herself as Honda continuously petted his army in front of her.
Idores looked towards Honda. She was feeling embarrassed by the display of Honda and the homunculi of the tower. They were in full view of the enemy too, prompting Idores' desire to crawl back in the closet to avoid further embarrassment. 'What the hell!?'
-Back to Honda Vision-
[NOTE: Good job! Your chibi army is ready for battle with Maximum Morale!]
"Our new lord is very affectionate." A chibi Niki said randomly. In Honda's mind he sees a heart shape appear on top of his half sized army as they smiled towards him.]
[NOTE: During battles you can also utilize improvised methods of combat! Like using random objects to mess with the incoming wave!]
Honda then grasped a random goblet that he pulled out from his 'inventory'.
"Hey Honda, what's with the cup?" Mordred could be heard asking.
"Are you thirsty master?" Assassin questioned.
"I could get you some my lord." Niki offered.
[NOTE: Try aiming for the enemy in this tutorial! Stunning key figures among enemy waves is crucial to buying time while your abilities recharge or when forming strategies!]
-Honda Vision End-
"I don't know who you are but as a magus of the Holy Grail this fight is ov-
BONK
The red haired woman was bonked on the head by the curved thrown goblet that bonked against her solar plexus. Her body swerved heavily backwards from the impact.
Idores, Saber, Mordred, Assassin, and Atalanta stared gobsmacked as Honda had thrown a metallic cup at the master below them and nailed the shot in one go!
THUD
The woman collapsed flat on the ground, a swelling bulging red bump was on her head pulsing in irritation.
'He knocked her out with a cup!?' Idores thought with her eyes wide like soccer balls.
The homunculi servants clapped and whistled with dazzled expressions on their faces for Honda's amazing throw. Stria, being still socially inept in some regard had whipped out two cheerleader pom poms and shook them with a small smile on her face. "Perfect shot!" She cheered.
Atalanta looked at Stria strangely. "You're cheering him!?"
Saber narrowed her eyes. "Such vulgarness. Honda, what about the chivalrous art of combat."
Assassin added. "Technically she did strike first…"
Saber found herself begrudgingly admitting to that fact, but still. Her master used a cup as a weapon. And it worked!
"What can I say! Fuyuki boy born and bred!" Honda said in pride as he bowed to the homunculi servants. He clapped five with Stria who didn't see any problem with the way things turned out. The servants on the other hand were simply amazed at the behavior of these people.
Idores pressed her brow in growing irritation. "Idiots…I'm surrounded by idiots…"
Silva laid on the ground as a black clad figure immediately sprinted onto the scene with sound breaking speed in a defensive position to her master.
Honda looked again through the spyglass provided by Niki. What he saw made him pause.
Saber whispered. "What do you see Honda?"
Honda pulled down the spyglass and gave it to her.
"Looks like someone's copying Assassin's sexy outfit!" Honda asked as Assassin tilted her head, confused at his statement.
Saber focused on the site. Her eyes widened. The sight was a figure that in a strange way, she felt she was familiar with and yet couldn't really grasp as to who it was. An echo from a past, or perhaps from some other time far from this one. Saber couldn't tell as to how she knew this, but it was like breathing, an internal unconscious reaction.
Wearing a black dress top with black thigh highs the tall figure stood on the near dead landscape on all fours, in an almost animalistic position. She stood between them and her master.
A woman with long straight pink hair that ran the entire length of her body and a blindfold that blocked her eyes from the rest of the world. She scooped up her master, who limply laid on the woman's back.
She sprinted off before the group could blink, vanishing into the night. Upon leaving their vision, a thickened haze began fogging the horizon. A steadily growing chill filled the spines of the tower occupants.
Idores and Stria felt their eyes fidget in fear of the overwhelming sense of growing dread that filled their beings. As if all life ended here at this moment.
Idores softly spoke. " He's here…" Idores recalled what Mara Malga said to her earlier.
-Flashback: Chapter 16-
"Trust me when I say this, what other choice do you have? If you can't even handle Deacon with that elementary paralysis spell, then what makes you think you can handle the two masters your alliance was preparing for."
Idores looked at Mara at the mention of the remaining masters.
"They both formed an alliance of their own. He's on his way." Mara said with an ominous tone.
Idores' eyes widened.
"Honda's little squabble with Elias alerted him. He's on his way here as we speak. Both of them will be here come nightfall. When they get here, this little craft project you call a tower won't be enough to keep them out." Mara warned.
-Flashback End-
"Anybody else feeling cold right now?" Honda echoed in Idores' eardrums as she snapped out of her flashback. In the present, Idores' enhanced ears could hear it, clittering and clattering. A growing collection of thin and yet forceful steps.
RUMBLE
RUMBLE
It was synced in movement, the homunculi guards prepped their weapons, a tension filling their muscles as they flexed, ready for combat. Saber clenched her blade as Assassin pulled out her dagger. Mordred narrowed her eyes as Atalanta readied her bow with an arrow.
Idores opened the book, a rune glowed as she opened the book, a melancholic expression on her face. On the first page was a photograph of a man who looked completely identical to Honda, although he bore a well groomed goatee that framed his face majestically. His outfit consisted of a purple and gold raiment. Wearing matching pants and a pair of black gloves, the man stood tall with arms opened out in flair. He appeared smiling with an internal wisdom that reached his otherworldly frost blue eyes. Next to him was Idores, who appeared to be in her teen years, before her growth as an adult homunculus. The two were in front of the Velune Residence. Idores in the photo appeared jovial, her face alight in comparison to the gathering darkness outside. She had her arms wrapped around the left arm of the individual as she smiled. Her own attire appeared punkish, with a pair of slightly torn blue jeans and a black top. Her hair was long even then, however it was slightly unkempt, covering her left eye, whilst the remaining one gleamed in happiness.
She caressed the photo where the face of the Honda lookalike was.
"Ford…*sighs* I wish you were here…" Idores said with hooded eyes, as she gazed longingly at the man she called master. She hugged the book into herself as she sat against the wall, blocking herself from the danger that approached.
Honda slipped up his mask from his face. A growing look of excitement on his face as he bore witness to that which he sought. Ebony, in its normal golem form, reached its head looking over Honda.
"This is what I'm talking about!"
Idores peeked outside, noticing the incoming noise. She still felt anxious about this fight, but for her wish to become real, she needed to survive this.
Revealed to them was a walking army of skeleton undead approaching the tower, at least a few thousand in number. All snarling with blades and garbed in variants of armor, ready to slaughter the inhabitants as they made their way towards the tower, hissing as they went.
"Somebody better be filming this! Look at how many extras they brought! This is the army I've been waiting for!" Honda said with arms outstretched, echoing the mountainside with the excitement of voice.
CHAPTER END