The Crypters awoke sourly, Archer had not cooked this morning as he usually did, instead studying Kanshou and Bakuya with a glare at the weapons.
"Second thoughts?" His Master asked wearily, rubbing his eyes, after the evening yesterday, he'd had trouble falling asleep, plagued by nightmares and phantom pains. The nightmares particularly were of a starling nature, he yelped as he stood up, pain shooting throughout his chest like fire, but he shoved it down. He ventured outside to find Ruby, leaning against the wall, sighing.
"Rough night?" He asked, the girl looking over and smiling weakly, replying, "A little bit, Yang was really angry at you and um…" she trailed off as Junko finished, "That was Archer, sorry for the backhand last night. He was just pissed I got hurt."
"Don't you have Aura? Professor Ozpin said you were different than him or I…"
"He was right. We're, I and my group, aren't remotely like you. The only real similarity is we're purely human. But ignore that for the moment, let me return to Archer and another friend for the moment." He continued, taking a breath as he paused. "Archer's… complicated, his is a story I shouldn't tell myself, you'd have to get him to tell you himself, but I'll say this. He's been through Hell, more than most, seeing idealistic people walking the same naive route he did. I imagine he's livid. Watch yourself and especially your sister. Revenge never ends well. If you'll let me, I'll tell you a story of a man they called 'Count of Monte Cristo'"
Junko sighed, taking a swig from his hip flask, "He was barely older than you when he was sent to prison, a place called Chateau D'if. It's said he spent ten years in before he escaped, hunting down his jailers and dragging them to Hell after he discovers what they did to his fiancée."
"And what happened to him?"
"Well. He got his revenge, became wealthy, and lived relatively happily. But he's mostly remembered as an avatar of revenge." Junko finished, beginning to walk toward the Combat Room.
"Do me a favor," he called back, "Fight your best. Cause we won't hold back."
Ruby smiled, "Of course, we won't either!"
"Good." The Crypter thought, "Get used to it."
With a few minutes left before his class was slated to start, Junko dashed off to grab a bit of coffee. He ran into that shop owner again, her shades tilted down, her eyes frustrated. "Damned first years left the coffee cold."
He poured himself a cup and dropped a pair of painkiller tablets into it, gripping both mugs, hands burning with flames. Soon enough, both were steaming hot and Junko took his with a nod to the girl.
"Heard you were dueling Yang Xiao-Long for her sister's honor, good on you, I say."
"How do you mean?"
"It's all she'll talk about. Wanting to "put him and the red-coated dick into the dirt for touching my sister!"
"Guess I woke up late…" he murmured, "She can certainly try." He returned, sipping his coffee and downing the painkillers within. "Neither me, my crew and our group are pushovers. The only problem is this damn Aura thing we've heard of."
"Aura acts as a block for physical damage. Hit it hard enough and it shatters like glass." She replied, stepping in the combat room behind as both finished their coffee, Junko gently setting his mug down as Professor Goodwitch spoke up to the students, "Would Junko Raphtalis, Ruby Rose, and Yang Xiao-Long come to the arena? We've a request for a battle from the Headmaster himself."
True to her word, the Headmaster stood in the back, watching intently. Junko came up, opposite the two sisters. Yang racked her Ember Celica, Ruby, Crescent Rose. Junko felt his Archer next to him as he drew his sword.
"You ready?" He asked, Archer snorted, "Are you sure you should fight?"
"To be a Magus is to walk with death. It's the first thing I was taught."
Cutting off their conversation was the combat buzzer, beginning the fight.
Ruby charged for Archer, gunfire flying as EMIYA cut it out of the air, dashing toward the girl, Kanshou and Bakuya flying though the air to intercept Yang as Junko charged. Yang flew forward with a blast of her guns, slamming a fist into Junko's stomach as he sent a fist into her jaw, hand covered in black flames as he slashed, his blade bouncing off as her Aura flared.
"Damn!" He muttered, hit again and flying back, sent to the floor and spitting blood, standing up again. He raised a hand, a dozen or so Black Keys forming above his head, sent forward toward the Brawler. The girl in turn dashed forward toward him, the swords stopping her for only moments as she activated her Semblance, and punched him clear across the room, slamming into the wall as she kept coming, her eyes blazing with rage. Archer tried desperately to stop her, but he was too preoccupied dodging Ruby's sniper fire to do much. Junko rolled sideways, getting to his feet and swinging again, only for Mirror of the World to be torn from his grasp, spinning out of the arena and him hitting the opposite wall like a human pinball, he choked on his breath, spitting blood as he pelted the girl with Black Keys, in a desperate bid to give himself time for his trump card.
"You said you'd come when I called, my friend. So hear me now! I SUMMON FORTH THE AVATAR OF REVENGE! HEED MY CALL EDMOND DANTÈS!" Junko yelled, a blur of motion flying from beside him and hitting Yang in the face hard enough to break her nose and move past her Aura as she was sent flying across the room in an unconscious heap.
The man cackled and helped his new contractor up, his eyes glinting with mirthful vengeance, his smile one of bloodthirst as he turned to the pair of red engaging each other in sword to scythe combat. With Junko thankfully safe, Archer was able to focus on Ruby. For her part, the girl wasn't as easy to hit as usual, even his Mind's Eye was having trouble. He made a gamble and lunged, tackling the girl and throwing her to the ground, her scythe skittering away from her grasp. She kicked him off and had just reached her scythe when a swung sword sent her staggering into Yang, jolting her awake.
"It's time to end this, wouldn't you say, Master?"
"Show them, Archer. And let's be done with this."
"Very well. Activating Noble Phantasm."
"I am the bone of my sword." He began, a small flame growing between as Yang lunged, the room already changing around them.
"So as I pray, Unlimited Blade Works!"
The arena was now full of sand, the dust blowing in a newfound wind, gears floated in the sky, slowly turning in circles as smoke filled the air around them. The sisters stood up, eyes roving the ground that was beset by thousands of swords, standing like grave markers as far as they could see.
"W-what is this?! Where are we?"
"You're inside of my Noble Phantasm. Consider it my ultimate weapon. A 'Universe of Infinite Swords'. Each one you see represents a person I've had to kill. Each one a reminder of my failure. My ideal, to become a hero… led me to this."
"You… all these swords…" Ruby gasped, pale as a ghost, Yang conversely growled, "Save the damn sob story! Why should I-"
She was silenced when a blade slashed through her Aura and slashed open her cheek with all too much ease; Archer glared at her, his eyes boring into hers.
"I spent my life trying to be a "hero." My entire life. And my death."
"He's right." Junko's voice came to them weakly, held up by Dantès, "We all spent our lives to be heroes, to save people we cared for and all that was left for us was pain. All that was left was loss and heartache. Because we lost everything we cared about in the end."
"Such is the reason that Archer is so incensed with you. He sees himself in you, yet you will not accept what he says." Dantès spoke up. Ruby glanced up at him, "That man… are you?"
"The Count of Monte Cristo." Edmond said, looking at Ruby. "You're sharp."
The Reality Marble faded away, and Junko grimaced, swallowing bile and blood, his Circuits protesting at the Mana overuse.
"The battle is decided. It seems Junko Raphtalis is the victor."
Junko staggered a few steps and collapsed into Dantès, groaning in pain. The Avenger took him in his arms softly, hopping down and rushing toward Beacon's infirmary.
Ruby made to follow, but Miss Goodwitch took her arm, "He'll be taken care of, Miss Rose. No need to shadow him. Return to your seats."
The Crypters, she noted, had followed the green cloaked man, as had the Headmaster, but she brushed it off and finished her class as the two sisters limped back to their seats.
"He's going to need rest, real rest. I don't know what you all do, but his body is quite literally fighting itself at this stage. Those flames are eating at his body, literally. It's a miracle he's alive." The head nurse spoke to the Crypters, her voice solemn. "The best I can do will be done, Oum willing, he'll be out of here in top shape just in time for the trip to Forever Fall."
The presently bedridden man grimaced, "Get me out of this damned bed… and a Silver Apple…" Junko groaned and sat up, taking the offered apple that was provided by Ewan, rather than the metallic silver he'd asked for, a deft toss to him and he caught a shimmering golden fruit, biting into it as if it were a normal apple and sitting up, standing with a grunt and beginning to walk out.
"I gotta find a Phantasm Catalyst, I'll be away for a bit."
Junko exited the room, picking up his cast away sword and securing it to his hip. Noroi was next to leave, Koyanskaya by his side. Jacob looked back at his friends and glanced at Charlemagne looking out the window. He followed the Saber's gaze and cursed under his breath, a shadowy form stood under a farcoff tree, dashing off as it was seen. The Savior calmly left the room, his spear appearing on his back as Li Shuwen stepped up to his side, alongside Charlemagne. The King of Paladins murmured a curse, drawing his sword and disappearing from view.
Jacob rushed outside, watching the shadowy figure dash away and following the rapidly moving shadow,
"Damn, Scathach, cut them off!" Jacob ordered, drawing his spear, the blade already reacting with his Ice Magecraft, a edge of rough-hewn wind bolstering the jagged side of the blued ice. He reeled back and leapt forward, polearm cutting through the air but missing the shadow. He raised a hand, recalling the blade to his hand as Constantine yanked him up by his neck, onto the man's horse. The black cloaked skull masked Grand Assassin appeared ahead of the shadow, driving his blade through its chest. Constantine's mount slowed, coming to the Shadow Servant and the First Hassan, the Shadow slumping on the Assassin's blade and fading away into Spiritron Particles.
"What the hell?… First Dead Apostles and now Shadow Servants…"
He heard the ringing come to his ears, a familiar bell echoing its tune as the Crypter took a wary glance forward.
A church stood at the end of their path, it's bell tolling in the distance, the ominous sound cutting through the dead silent air. Jacob slowly dismounted his Rider's horse, his spear slung over his shoulder as he began to advance on the chapel, the doors coming up to meet him. He walked up the steps and reached out, pushing the doors open…
Noroi grimaced, rubbing the bridge of his nose in exasperation, "Damnable… He just refuses to quit…" The Hero of Humanity sighed, looking down at his katana's scabbard, the personal hand made wood and steel sheath hummed in his grip, warming around his hands. "You believe I should let him go, Izanagi?…"
The sword hummed in affirmation, the hilt "nuzzling" its wielder's cheek. Noroi chuckled, sighing, "Are you certain?… Even after all this time… I still feel responsible for them…"
"I'd worry more for yerself, you aren't normally this sloppy without me, are ya?"
Noroi whirled, his blade already drawn and meeting the blade of his assailant, the amber eyed youth smirking in return.
"You've gotten faster, Master. Or rather, not my Master. She's made sure of that."
"And you've come to kill me, Senji? Is that it?"
The Mad Swordsmith laughed, "Not now, Noroi Kanshu. Not my job, yet." Even as he said that, neither man made to disengage the lock on their blades, Muramasa's amber eyes glinted, the man smirking before he kicks the Crypter in the stomach, disappearing from view. Noroi stood back up, sheathing his sword and tearing out of the room in a rage. That damned Headmaster had shit to answer for.
The Eldritch Lord sat down, his Foreigner on the bench next to him, an ice cream in her hand as the sun set over the horizon, its glow casting shadows over deeply toned face, his hair shining like the sunset he watched. The sun fully disappeared and Abigail finished her ice cream, licking excess off of her fingers, the Scot smiled at her antics, trying to eat it with purely her tongue. He stood up with a startled yelp, his chain knife shooting out on reflex, piercing a nearby tree; the tree shook something loose, a bloodied, thorned rose lay in the grass, the petals shimmering in the light, Ewan stared at the flower, the grip on his chain knife slipping and going slack as the chain retracts and winds around his arm. He vaguely felt Abigail at his side, holding onto his arm as he drew a flask with the other, taking a swig of the burning spirit and returning it to his hip with a dazed, shaking hand. He shook with emotion, the name whispered on his lips as he took off running, scooping up Abigail and just trying to get away from the fountain.
"Sith…" the Scot whispered, finally skidding numbly to a stop in front of the Crypter's dorm, his breath ragged, heavy. He shook and clenched a fist, kneeling to Abigail's level, the girl gazing at him and quietly saying, "Are we going to get her back, Master?.."
Ewan nodded, his eyes pricking with tears as he gripped the girl's shoulders, his voice low and emotional as he responded, "Yes. Yes, Miss Williams, we're going to get her back. I swear on my life." He picked the girl up, carrying her inside quietly and gathering his Servants, looking out at the moon, the shining split circle laughing at him silently as his Servants surrounded him and he began to prepare.
The Ashen Swordsman slumped tiredly, his sword was heavy and his armor even moreso. To save his Magical Energy, he'd kept his Servants around, but in Spirit Form, the Heroic Spirits only appearing to clean up what he couldn't. He patrolled the outskirts of Vale, Hessian Lobo and EMIYA beside him. The spirit of the Hound of Shinjuku sniffed the air, barking and growling as it brought down a Beowulf, ripping off its head and cutting down two more as they appeared.
"Damnit… Ambush!" He grimaced, shouldering his blade as Archer came into view, Kanshou and Bakuya swinging and cutting down even more Grimm. Conversely, Junko grimaced, swaying on his feet before EMIYA grabbed him, throwing him onto the Hound's back as both got out of the surprise attack, the wolf stumbling and slowing to a halt.
Junko's armor dissolved, the magic used to maintain its form finally spent as he rested against the Hound's fur. Lobo lay down where he'd stopped, and Junko gently slid off, leaning on the dog's shoulder.
"Let me rest a bit… just need to let my Circuits relax…" he hissed, Lobo's fur was soothingly warm, and eventually he was about to doze, until Archer calmly looked over where Lobo had lain, the ground in front of them had been dislodged, a steel staircase leading lower into darkness.
"Seems we have a lead, Master. Shall we check it out?"
"Yeah. Let's go." The Crypter grunted, "Lobo, guard the entrance while we're gone. Me and Archer will check it out"
Both ventured down the stairs, coming into a corner lined with old fashioned torches. With the deft toss of a fireball, Junko lit the torches along the wall and began to advance, reaching into his cloak and withdrawing plans, schematics, more accurately, tucking them under his arm as he continued into the stretch of darkness, the Archer following behind.