A/n: Hello again readers to another chapter of Holy Nails War! I hope you've enjoyed last chapter and all the lemony goodness with it. Now we move onward to Honda and friends in their encounter with Eckbert the magus and his enigmatic assistant Ursus. Let us see where this may take us.
--Fuyuki Park: Night--
"Soooo…how do you know my name?" Honda asked as he rubbed the back of his neck.
The three women at Honda's side sweatdropped.
Eckbert looked at Honda with one eyebrow raised.
A faint but chilling wind can be heard brushing along the surface of the park as the two parties were currently in their staredown. Honda, Stria, Saber, and Assassin were currently awaiting Eckbert.
Saber, due to the many battles and years of training in the art of warfare, paid attention to the two in front of her, analyzing their noticeable traits. Combat was as much mental as it was physical. One could instill fear into their opponent or even manipulate their actions with well timed strikes or even bluffs to get an opponent's guard down.
From what Saber could gather the newly introduced magus stared at Honda with something akin to indifference considering how calm he seemed and the lack of strain used on his facial muscles. His body language was neutral, currently lacking the flexing of his muscles that would signify Eckbert's readiness to attack. Just as Saber analyzed the threat, it would seem this magus was doing so as well.
Assassin gauged the more mysterious of the duo. Though unknown to her, the hooded assistant of Eckbert was shifting its legs in the direction of its master. This was clearly for the off chance that should Saber or Assassin make a move towards its master, the unknown assistant would clearly pounce to intercept. Strange enough, its body was somewhat arched, ready to pounce at the slightest of movements.
Considering that it was two magus in a direct conflict with a magus controlling two servants, these two were either suicidal or extremely skilled.
Saber and Assassin could tell it was more of the latter. These two magi are used to combat with just the two of them against seemingly overwhelming odds. The question was, how would they handle this fight if not through sheer strength?
"I am Elias of the Eckbert magus family. I am a master of the Holy Grail War like you, though I can see the glaze of confusion in your eyes. I have heard of your predicament from a 'mutual friend' of ours". He said.
Honda sweatdropped.
'Mutual friend? I don't know many people in the city, so I doubt it's anyone from one of my shows. Maybe he means Idores? But wait, didn't she leave on a business trip?'
"Um, Elijah?"
"Elias-"
"Gesundheit. Look…I don't know how to say this but…I don't really know anyone other than the people here. In fact I don't know if you've noticed but ya nearly made a crater of me and the ladies while we were enjoying one another's company. If you're trying to make friends….well I can see why that thing over there is your only assistant."
"You mean Ursus. He's of no threat to you, so long as you make no unwarranted moves, he'll be sure to behave I assure you. As for our mutual friend, I am referring to Idores of the Velune family. I'm sure you know her quite well, considering you are currently with her attendant, amongst other things." Elias mildly smirked, a knowing expression on his face as he spoke.
"Idores! So where she's been all this time!?" He asked the magus as he took a step forward. Doing so caused Ursus to immediately swoop in front of Honda face to face.
'Damn! This guy is superfast. Note to self: learn how to do that trick for future shows!' Honda thought to himself, taking a look at the now named Ursus in front of him. On closer inspection, Honda couldn't help but notice how even on closeup, the mysterious hooded and cloaked being that was Ursus had no face that he could decipher. He was obscured in complete darkness and his breathing was abnormal. Each breath sounds deep, though not from exhaustion, more like he possessed an extremely big pair of lungs. Ursus' cloak was tattered as well, giving it a somewhat ominous appearance. He couldn't see Ursus' legs either as they were obscured by his cloak.
"Creepy…" Honda mumbled to himself.
"Ursus, there's no need to be so hasty. Come here." Elias asked his assistant, whom immediately dashed towards Elias' side without question.
"Apologies, he is known to jump to conclusions at times. He is a loyal friend, rare in this day and age for mortals and magus alike." Eckbert and Ursus looked eye to eye at each other before looking towards Honda.
Honda seemed to ponder something. 'So Idores is in this game too? As a master?'
Honda blushed. "So Idores is as much a pervert as Stria is."
Stria blushed herself at the "pervert" comment from embarrassment.
"I'm not perverted but I do like how you suck my breasts and the way you use your big thick-"
Elias interrupted. "As much as I would love to drag this conversation further, I fear I am in no mood, time is of the essence. Honda, I ask you now to relinquish your command seals. As you are now, you will not survive the war."
Honda was cleaning an ear with his pinky. He didn't seem to really care what Eckbert had to say.
"And I'm supposed to just quit. Sorry pal, I don't think that's how the Holy Nail War is won. Besides, I think I'm doing a phenomenal job tending to the needs of my servants. Ain't that right, Saber?" Honda looked to the legendary hero with a big perverted grin on his face, raiding his eyebrows conspiratorially.
Saber blushed. "My needs…"
Stria responded. "I believe he means sexually. The way you moan surely must be a sign that you enjoy every second."
Saber balked, her face reddened.
Honda continued talking to Eckbert.
"And why give my command seal receipt to you, where's your servant anyway?" Honda asked.
Eckbert didn't respond for a bit.
"You don't seem to understand what is going on don't you." Eckbert responded.
Honda looked confused. "We're trying to win the war right? What more is there?"
"The Holy Grail War was meant to have 7 masters. Only 7. With your recent enlistment there are now 8."
Saber and Assassin eyes widened.
Eckbert looked forlorn. "The tampering of the Grail War has caused certain unpredictable events to occur. For one, all servants start out unbound to a master's will."
He whipped out his command seal. It caused Assassin to stare wide eyed under her mask.
Eckbert bore a red dagger symbol, signifying his servant was meant to be an Assassin.
"My servant was stolen from me sometime during you're recent trip to Mara Malgas' Keep. I am not sure how you were able to escape that mages' lair unscathed but I would chalk that up as sheer luck."
Honda scratched his chin.
'Wait so masters are supposed to have only one servant. Did I break some rule or something? Was I supposed to have only Saber and now after knocking boots with Assassin, cock blocked this Eckbert guy?'
Honda looked dumbly at Elias. "Um…sorry?"
Eckbert observed Honda. "Apologies are not enough I'm afraid. Our real enemies are closing in. In order to win this war, I need my servant back. Idores is part of the alliance I am currently in along with Deacon, another master you may not have heard about yet. If you give me back Assassin, I can guarantee the alliance will stand as agreed between our houses."
Eckbert raised his hand towards Honda hand outstretched in a come over here gesture.
"What do you say Honda? Do you want to survive the war?"
Honda thought about it. 'Wait, an alliance? How the hell does that work? Don't tell me Idores…'
Honda sweatdropped. 'Had an alliance with Eckbert and this Deacon guy! At the same time!'
Eckbert interrupted. "Make your choice Honda. You are no trained magi, consider yourself lucky to be considered a master, least of all being offered a means of ensuring your life is spared."
Honda gripped his forehead in thought . 'Uh oh, another one of those RPG choices.'
--Honda Vision Start--
In front of Honda, beneath the stars and aurora borealis stood the strange figure of Eckbert, standing side to side with Ursus as he stretched his hand out, beckoning his hand towards Honda.
"Join me and the alliance will stand. You'll live to see the morning." Eckbert said in a strange British accent that he normally does not have.
Ursus seemed to have a severe hunchback and had red eyes.
Behind Honda he could see Saber with an overly cute voice say:
"Master, please think about this carefully. His friend scares me!"
Assassin could be heard in an overly shy voice say.
"We've been through a lot together. Would you give up on me now to some four eyes? *sniff*
Stria could be seen looking at Honda strangely with a prominent sweatdrop on her forehead. She seemed perfectly normal in this delusion of our hero.
"Honda, why are you staring at me like that?"
[Your decision now will carry consequences later!]
[Would you relinquish your command seal?]
[DECIDE YOUR FATE]
--Honda Vision End--
"Nope!" Honda immediately said.
Eckberts eyes opened a tad at the refusal.
"No?" Eckbert said.
"Yeah nope! I ain't giving you shit!" Honda said.
"You do realize that the alliance will crumble. It was signed as a magical contract, etched in our blood. To break a magical contract is to take on its punishments."
Honda then thought about it. "Yeah, see about that. I never signed anything. I'm not bound by those rules. Besides, you already broke the contract."
Eckbert looked at Honda like he grew a second head.
"What are you saying?"
Honda cleared his throat. His Warlock voice activated.
"I am saying you have already broken the alliance on your own."
Eckbert paid rasp attention now that Honda's voice changed to a deep, eloquent, and yet booming voice.
"Isn't it strange that you happened to turn up right when I escaped Maras Keep? How you claim to be Assassin's master and yet she was held there as a prisoner. Mara was a blood mage and great at geomancy, but her abilities show that she's not a tracker mage. For her to have found my position and steal me away from the Velune Residence, she needed to know where that was to begin with. Someone had to tell her."
Honda gazed at Eckbert's reaction.
"And you assume that I would betray Deacon and Idores?"
Honda thought back to the golem.
"Well…Mara did have quite a creation you wanted more than an Assassin class servant. A weapon that no mage would dare ignore. One that in the right hands could turn the tide of the war to their favor."
Honda smirked.
"That and her grimoire."
Ursus looked towards Elias, it seemed to be waiting for something.
"Plenty of power in that little book that a weak tracker mage such as yourself could use against your enemies." Honda continued.
Eckbert's adam's apple could be seen rising up then down.
"There's also the question as to how I was taken from the Velune Residence. If Idores was of a magus family, then certainly she would have defenses in place. Unless those defenses did not work on someone deemed an ally via contract. Which means…the same person who kidnapped me was an ally of hers. Any foreign entity would find their prana sapped from their bodies, like a Lancer class servant did on the first night of the war."
(A/n: Check Chapter 5 to understand)
"You were probably preoccupied with playing ball with the one called Deacon, but your speedy little assistant here could go in and out without anyone noticing. I think you sent Ursus to take me to Mara as a bargaining chip, and to solidify your alliance with Mara. Me being alive was just not part of the plan." Honda said. He was talking out of his ass, just improvising any lines to keep this roleplay going.
Elias breathed through his nostrils. Ursus looked at Honda, his feet were now pointed in his direction.
"Then there's the fact that Mara wanted to establish an alliance with me."
Eckbert's hands twitched.
Honda noticed that little detail.
"Mara knew that you wanted her power and thus wanted to use me to prevent you…from getting that very weapon."
Honda grinned. "Now how's that? Did I leave anything out? Do I win a prize for solving the mystery?"
Eckbert stared. They were slightly widened at this long contrived plan.
However, his eyes began narrowing, almost glaring. His hands, which were uncurled, began tightening centimeter by centimeter into a clenched fist. His already yellow eyes began glowing as the winds blew behind him, with clouds obscuring the moon.
"Ursus!" He said in a chilling yet authoritative voice.
Ursus dashed in a magically imbued sprint towards Honda, leaping into the air before aerial spinning into a cut courtesy of a large claw like weapon attached to his left arm.
Assassin countered this strike before flipping Ursus towards a tree, causing the assistant to careen in the air like a ragdoll. At the tree, the cloaked being flipped and landed on its feet on the tree, before somersaulting back to ground level, unscarred.
Eckbert raised his right hand forward, causing a bright white light to emanate from his hand.
"Sternenkugel! (Star bullet)" The revealed traitor mage released a volley of white flaring spherical blasts, each causing a sonic boom from his hand before speeding towards their destined target.
It almost had reached Honda before Saber used her sword to deflect the blast, a stream of white embers emanating from the point of impact.
"Honda, you need to get out of here! It's not safe for you here!" Saber said.
Honda laughed. "Woah you saw that! That was crazy! Do it again!"
Stria ran and grabbed Honda by the scruff of his neck.
"Maybe next time." The albino said before throwing Honda like a rock away from the fight as Ursus had come near their position before taking a full blown blast to the torso, courtesy of Stria's shotgun.
Assassin had then kicked Ursus away from Stria before tossing a hidden dagger towards Eckbert, who utilized another spell to blast himself away from the well aimed knife that would have ended him.
"Ursus now!" He called out.
Stria's eyes widened as Ursus rose up from the ground. Two shotgun shells dropped from his cloaked chest. Red like runes coated his chest. He was wearing a magically infused protective garb of some sort.
Ursus then revealed on his right arm a blood red like blade, as if smithed straight from rubies. Though far from Stria by the impact of her shotgun, the figure swung its right arm, releasing a wide stream of red like energy in an arc shape.
The arc of blood red energy went straight for the house servant, literally disintegrating the grass beneath it. Stria, being Idores assistant for years in the magical arts knew this magical technique.
It was a nekró kýma (greek for Dead Wave).
Right before it made contact with her, a gigantic ebony carved hand blocked the blast, causing its reddish energy to dissipate into particles.
It was Honda's golem. Currently it was stretched over Honda, it's legs were currently fused to Honda's shirt as the magician looked on in blissful glee.
"Woah, check it out Stria, the animatronic is still here!"
Eckbert and Ursus looked in Honda's direction. Ursus leaped towards Honda to quickly dispatch the threat.
"Gentlemen it was lovely to make your acquaintance but something tells me that this battle is over. Hey golem, let's give 'em a round of applause." Honda in a jovial tone of voice said while lifting his hands up, the golem mimicking Honda.
Eckbert's eyes widened to massive proportions.
"NO YOU FOOL! That's a spectral golem! You have no idea how much power you'll unleash!"
WHAM!
Honda had clapped his hands along with his golem, causing an indigo aura to smash outward, flipping over entire trees and boulders along with Eckbert and Ursus. Saber, Assassin and Stria had to hide behind a deep ground hilltop to avoid the purple energy from launching them afar.
Stria had to hold on to Sabers blue dress as the servants could balance themselves with their enhanced strength. Unfortunately, Sabers battledress tore from the pull, causing Sabers pantied derriere to stick out, the once brave knight now skirtless.
Stria in midair was pulled by Assassin's right hand as the three held on for dear life.
As the wave of spectral energy dissipated, the three looked outside their refuge, noticing that the once great park was missing quite a few trees. A lot of the grass was uprooted, leaving a big expanse of the public park barren.
"Damn! Golem, look what you did? Next time dial it back a bit okay?" Honda admonished the golem who stared at its master, tilting its head in apparent confusion.
The three women looked at Honda like he was crazy. The sheer amount of power behind that blast was dangerous to be sure, as Eckbert and Ursus was nowhere to be seen as they were literally blown away by the sonic boom of a clap Honda unleashed.
Honda walked towards the three.
"Looks like we got ourselves a one sided victory ladies! I'd say we've earned ourselves some…grub…hah…oh…" Honda began becoming sluggish before tipping over, exhaustion overcoming his entire being before he collapsed hard against the floor.
"I think…I need some…sleep." Honda mumbled tiredly his eyes unfocused, unaware that his paling skin was an indicator of his serious condition.
Stria rushed to Honda's side before noticing a bluish zap striking Saber and Assassin before she herself was hit with a flare of jolting energy.
The albino looked to and fro, noticing that whoever paralyzed them
Held in their hands a bow.
CHAPTER END