A/n: Hello everyone! Welcome back to Holy Nail War! Looks like we made it to chapter 20, quite a journey thus far. Looks like Honda has survived and defeated officially his first magus in an all or nothing duel. Despite his win he spared Deacon but not before his golem now named Ebony took his command seal, earning him quite the advantage of the Holy Grail War while at the same time saving Idores and Stria. Now it's time to begin!
Honda waved his hand at Deacon's face. He pulled his cheeks a few times, testing the elasticity of the youthful supple skin before releasing his cheeks, causing the skin to smack back in place. Deacon remained unresponsive.
"Hello! Darius! You okay? You can stop playing dead now! The act's over." Honda said before placing his head against Deacon's chest. His heartbeat was still prominent.
"I guess he's playing possum. I suppose with that last choice I obtained the 'good end' of this story arc." Honda said, scratching the back of his head before he noticed Stria and Mordred coming towards him.
Homunculi guards had already began steadily taking Deacon away, carrying him off to receive aid since Honda technically spared him and also took Deacon's command seal. The homunculi were gentle in their hold, as despite his brutish exterior, Deacon was their master and as thus they treated him with most care.
Stria stopped for a second, noticing Honda looking at her.
"Heya Stria! Looks like I won the match!" Honda laughed as he had his fists pressed against his hips, chest pushed outward in pride.
Stria immediately rushed and tackled Honda. The air was knocked out of the latter's stomach as Stria had practically jumped him. The albino and street magician tumbled in the process leaving a dust cloud at the point of impact.
Mordred blushed at seeing the impassioned tackle courtesy of Stria. Being a battle hardened knight, the blonde still had to adjust to extreme outward expressions of passion or affection. Even with her recent personal experience with Honda, this whole set up practically alien to her.
"*cough* *cough* Looks like someone's as excited as I am. You act like I was at death's door or something." Honda wheezed out as dust had lodged itself into his esophagus, and thus made his voice come out hoarse. Despite that, he seemed to not care, the warlock brushed the homunculus' slightly unkempt white locks from her face using his right hand, ensuring the performer had an unobscured view of her doll-like face as they spoke. Stria had massaged her right cheek on the palm of his hand in response, placing a smooch on the warmth his hand provided. Her eyes were hooded as she did so, her lashes prominent and highlighted by the lighting of the remains of this section of the Deacon estate.
Stria met his blizzard encrusted orbs with her sanguine ones, her eyes affectionate in their gaze as she hugged him without a word. Hers was one of both relief, worry, and also personal fear of his being. She would have told him about the truth of the situation, however considering the servants and the fact that he was technically an extra master to the war, now wouldn't be the time. This brought both relief in the sense that Honda would be kept from the truth of his purpose in this war however it brought anxiety to the young homunculus that she would have to keep up the charade.
Her hands clenched his torso, almost clawing him from the tightness she held the eighth master. Honda in turn, wrapped his right arm around her midsection, bringing their torsos flat against one another.
Ebony the golem gave Honda a thumbs up, the hands of the titan having to mold into human-like fingers in order to do so as its normal digits were normally far too sturdy and rigid to express itself through the appropriate hand gestures. Honda smiled towards the pale artificial being in his arms, feeling excited at Stria's embrace.
'Man! Stria must have loved that whole boss fight. I sure as hell know I did!' Honda thought to himself.
Mordred continued to watch on, her eye twitching at the closeness of the two in front of her, how openly comfortable they were with one another. The traitor knight clenched her jaw.
"I see. So this Stria means that much to him too.' Mordred thought inwardly, feeling a bit …anxious? Her hands curled her fingers a bit tighter.
"So how did I do Stria? You liked the performance?" Honda asked, his mask still on, curious as to Stria's opinion.
"It was…" Stria said before stopping and blessing Honda with a gentle smile. She slipped the mask off Honda's face, seeing his wide smile as well as his unscathed face, save for some stray dust that went through the eyeholes of his mask.
"It was amazing." Stria answered, before nuzzling her face onto his chest, sighing at her reunion with Honda after all this chaos.
'I'm just glad that you are safe, Honda…' Stria thought. Her eyes closed so she could focus her senses on the touch and smell of her warlock.
"Okay I think that's enough of the lovey dovey mumbo jumbo!" Mordred commented though one could notice her eyebrows twitching along with the gritted fang like teeth she had, as if holding in her rage.
"Awww. Looks like someone's a little jealous." Honda said in a knowing fashion, pointing at Mordred. Stria sweatdropped as she wasn't paying attention to the servant in the room.
"Jealous! I-I'm not jealous!" Mordred argued, her hands balled into fists. Her head shrunk into her neckline, an instinctual signifier of her own embarrassment as well as shame at being caught in a vulnerable position.
"Then come on over and get yours. You know you want to!" Honda said, arms outstretched in a 'come here' gesture as he walked towards Mordred.
"H-hey come on! Not in front of people, it's embarrassing!" Mordred denied though the bashful knights' body did not even shift in the slightest backwards as Honda walked towards her.
The blonde roared inwardly 'W-what's with that stupid grin of his anyway! As if I am some skin hungry-'
Mordred had subconsciously taken a step forward as Honda closed in.
Mordred seized her arguing once Honda wrapped his arms around her. She looked to the side shyly.
"H-Honda do I have to? Right now?" Mordred whined in a kid-like fashion. That didn't stop her from leaning against his body with her own.
Honda then raised her and spun her around, the knight nearly caught like a ragdoll from the overwhelmingly transparent nature of Honda, but not really protesting. It didn't stop the faint upturn of her lips at her master's clear affection towards her.
"I couldn't have done it without my fiery kinky knight! You did your part so well!" Honda exclaimed as Mordred relinquished herself to the embrace, her eyes shut tight as she was fighting an internal war within herself, one part denying the affection, the other loving every second of it.
'He makes it sound like that whole battle was a game. Either you're that confident or you're just crazy! And yet…I suppose that makes me even more crazy for following through with that whole plan in the first place.' Mordred thought to herself.
Stria looked on in curiosity. She originally thought that Honda had brought Saber when they had first made their surprise attack. Now however, she had to admit, she didn't recognize this servant thus far. How did Mordred know Honda?
"You were the servant that came with Honda during the fight. I thank you for helping me." Stria thanked the strange servant, bowing down in respect to what seemed to be another servant who had joined Honda.
Mordred, now released from Honda's hug, blushed at the praise. "Look, I didn't do all that much but Honda wanted to save you so I just came along. He is my master after all."
Stria looked confusedly. "Honda's your…?"
Stria looked at Honda, a big sweatdrop on her head as she looked at him with a deadpan expression. Honda seemed completely oblivious, however, given his current view of the war, it's no wonder he wasn't as aware as herself. Stria looked at Mordred and her clearly blushing face as the red garbed warrior seemed to gravitate her emerald eyes towards Honda's face, in a similar admiring fashion to her own.
'I suppose that while I was imprisoned, Honda had met Mordred and had most likely…'
Stria tried to wrap her mind around the whole reason and circumstances behind Mordred's cooperation with Honda. Even if the strange girl was Honda's servant at the moment, who was her original master? Stria's mind began steaming at the lack of answers behind her questions.
'How did he obtain another servant?'
Mordred noticed Stria's look of confusion. 'Maybe I was Honda's servant without this Stria knowing. I swear memory magecraft is hard to navigate when you're the one suffering its effects!'
Before Mordred could explain, footsteps echoed in her eardrums. She took a look at the individual coming towards the group. White hair, red eyes and an almost ethereal blue dress shirt and matching skirt that were form fitting enough to display her curvaceous form.
"Mordred!" Idores called out her servant. She had noticed Avenger aiding Stria during the fight. It was just in the nick of time too, at least that was what Idores thought at first.
However, from what Idores was seeing from further away, Honda seemed extremely familiar with her servant, causing a vein of irritation on the Velune matriarch's forehead. Her eyes possessed the black sclera signifying her Ligare (A/n: Means 'bind' in Latin) was still in effect after her fight with Mara Malga.
Mordred looked at Idores with severely narrowed eyelids. Her pupils were small as she focused her intensive and near malevolent gaze at Idores.
Idores looked confused, noticing the dramatic shift in aura surrounding her assigned servant. Based on the facial expression, Mordred seemed hostile towards her.
"What's wrong Mordred? You seem bothered." Idores mentioned.
"Hey Idores! Finally caught up to you! Looks like I 'saved the day' am I right?" Honda said as he walked towards her. He was blushing a bit as he looked upon the object of his affections since he was first hired for the Velune Residence.
Idores met Honda's eyesight, she was unsure as to what to say to him now. Before, when she had first 'hired' Honda, she had to pretend to be a charming and flirtatious woman in order to make Honda lower down his guard. Now however, considering that she was currently trying to talk to Mordred without disruption, the Velune magi was at a disadvantage. The way she has communicated with Mordred since day one was more honest as compared to her facade she had used when speaking to Honda.
Stria had also possessed a serious look. The normally slower and socially deafened assistant of Idores had her hand clasped on a 9mm she pulled from a seal on her right rib. Honda had not noticed but to Idores the message was clear. Stria would not allow Idores to attack Honda here should she attempt to claim the command seals.
In Idores' mind however, the truth was she couldn't, more like she wouldn't. Though a homunculus, Idores knew herself enough to know when she was outmatched. The simple truth was, she could not best Honda, whose possession of his ebony coated gargantuan protector made him a force to be reckoned with. Combined with Stria's own combat experience and seal based armory as well as Mordred's own sword skills and magical resistance made it nearly impossible for Idores to land a win. She was low on prana herself as she still restrained Mara with her Ligare.
The frost wielder thought to herself, analyzing the situation. 'Out of all odds…a non magus has succeeded in stealing my most trusted attendant, defeating a magus I could not beat…'
Idores looked at Honda's face, noticing his joyous expression, as he was more focused on her than anything else.
Mordred snarled. "You got a lot to answer for Idores!"
'And now may have had a part in turning my own servant against me…'
Idores blinked at Mordred's rage, confused. "About what?"
Mordred continued. "When we first met, you said that you were my master. I intended to keep my end of the bargain when I believed you to be my master. You lied to me!"
Idores looked dumbfounded. "What are you talking about? You are my servant! You were summoned by my summon circle."
Mordred shook her head negatively. "You're lying to my face even now! I know the truth! Something you thought I was too stupid to notice."
Idores wrapped her arms in closed body language.
"Oh? And what exactly was that?"
"You're a mind flayer. I know what you did! You toyed with my mind, made me think I was your servant when I never really was."
"Yeah we kind of figured you out, Idores. Holy Nail War and all that." Honda said as he spoke casually, his hand waving along as if it was just another thing.
Idores' eyes slightly widened in self preservation. Honda had somehow convinced her servant throughout his journey around the estate that she was not Mordred's master.
"Yeah, Sa- I mean Mordred here told me everything. How you kind of, you know…' mindflayed' some of the homunculi guys here. And how you also ' mindflayed' Deacon and Elias at the same time. It was a bit of a surprise. I mean it is the Holy Nail War and all, and people should be able to ' mind flay' whoever they want, so I understand." Honda added attempting to empathize, and yet at the same time misunderstanding everything Mordred told him about Idores' skillset.
Idores had her mouth agape, a red tint on her cheeks. Considering what Stria had told her of Honda's ' exploits' it would seem the street performer thought her as a participant in this carnal game he confused this whole war for.
"What!? No! Not with them!?" Idores said, baffled at Honda's accusation, understanding his meaning.
Mordred narrowed her eyes. "Knowing what I know now, she would have been willing to do the same to you in order to kill you Honda."
"She wanted to 'kill' me by 'mindflaying' me first! I…didn't know you felt that way…Well when you're ready, *clears throat* name the time and place…Honda said, a big red blush on his face.
"Why is your face so red Honda?" Mordred asked, confused as to his clearly interested facial expression.
Idores' face reddened as she spluttered her words. Honda's blatant interest in 'mindflaying' had got her distracted in her own defense of Mordred's accusation.
"Avenger, I am your master! Don't let him take you for a fool!" Idores said in desperation.
Avenger was defensive. "It all adds up, I'm not going to let you put me through more of the mind flaying you did to me. And I won't let you manipulate me away from my real master!"
Honda blushed and scratched the back of his head. "Mordred can be quite passionate when it comes to 'mindflaying'."
Mordred looked at Honda. "More like pissed as hell."
Honda himself looked confused. He thought to himself. 'About 'mindflaying'?'
Idores' ears were red. Considering that he uses mindflaying as a code word for intercourse, his statement means exactly this. Honda had practically admitted that he had slept with Mordred.
'So THAT'S why Mordred is helping you!?' Idores covered her ears a bit from the revelation.
Idores, in her irritation, spoke in a more forceful voice. Desperate to survive at this point.
"Honda is not and never was your master, you foolish girl!"
SHING
Mordred pointed her blade at Idores. The metallic surface of the thick blade reflected the lighting of the area. Her eyes filled with deep simmering rage as the edge of her blade touched Idores neck, though not cutting her.
"Don't ever call me 'girl' again…If you were really my master…you would know better than to call me that!"
Honda sweatdropped. "Eh what?"
Mordred blushed but remained firm. "J-just don't call me that okay!?"
'Uh oh! I'm getting the feeling Mordred's one of those overly passionate pronoun types…at least according to her character.'
Idores felt her heartbeat quicken. Bit by bit she was losing ground with her own servant. And with her last statement, she had almost lost her.
Stria had placed her hand on Mordred's shoulder. "I apologize Mordred but…she is my creator, I can't just allow you to kill her either."
Mordred narrowed her eyes. "I thought Honda was who you protected."
"I wish to protect Honda, but I cannot deny that Idores is still my creator and…I wish to avoid this if possible."
Mordred argued back. "She's a master of the Holy Grail War. So long as she bears a command seal, I am required to take her life anyway."
Idores widened her eyes. She saw her own command seal. It was not connected to Mordred like all the other servants. Her only real defense was non-existent. She couldn't even use it to show her connection to Mordred as proof.
Honda looked at the golem. "Hey Ebony, what's your thoughts on all this?"
Ebony let out a drawled out rumbling sound. It raised its shoulders upwards in a shrug. There was no way to understand what it was trying to say through its empty gibberish-based speech.
"I know that's exactly what I was saying. I think we've seen enough backstabbing for one day." Honda said before taking his right hand towards his mouth and whistling loudly for all the ladies to hear him.
"Mordred, there's no need to 'kill' Idores. I think there's been enough blood for today."
"But she is a master! We have to! After everything she did to me, what she would have no doubt done to you, I refuse!" Mordred argued.
"We're gonna need her alive in order to win this war." Honda suggested.
"I'd rather take our chances on our own! If you think she won't stab you in the back at the first chance she gets, then think again! I'd die before I let that happen!" The chaotic knight passionately stated.
"Didn't know you felt that strongly about me!" Honda teased, causing Mordred's face to light up like a candle.
"Y-you know what I mean! She's too dangerous to be left alive." Mordred edged her blade closer to Idores.
Idores looked pleadingly towards Honda. "Honda…"
SHING
The blade edged closer.
"No more of your mind games! Not another word out of you!" Mordred threatened
--Honda Vision Start--
A majestically armored Mordred could be seen in a tense staredown with Idores. Idores had an overly sized breast and butt proportion and an innocent look to her face, a pout on her face as the blade was tapped against her chin. The lighting appeared dramatic, contrasts sharply defining the light of Mordred's blade as it glinted against Idores' cheek whilst shadowing one of the sides of Mordred's face, giving her an intimidating look.
[Note: Your decisions up to now have led to this point!]
Mordred turns towards Honda, a fanged tooth smile on her abnormally cute face and high pitch voice.
"Master, I say we rip out her intestines and leave them for the crows." Mordred said with a glint in her eyes.
Idores on the other hand could be seen frightened for her life. Tears waterfalled down her face. She sounded adorable.
"No! Don't kill me! I can't 'mind flay' if I'm dead! Honda pleeeaaaasssseeee!" Idores could be heard whining.
Stria looked at Honda, appearing normal as opposed to the other caricatures of Mordred and Idores.
"Honda? What's with that look in your eye?"
[Conflict: Idores Velune is about to be killed by your servant!]
[Note: If Idores is killed, you won't be able to have Idores 'mindflay' you. If you keep her alive, Idores may turn against you at a later point and you may lose the loyalty of Mordred!]
[DECIDE YOUR FATE]
--Honda Vision End--
"Mordred! She knows more about the other magi. We need information as well as strength if we are to beat the other masters." Honds suggested.
"We can get it as we go!" Mordred stood firm.
"Mordred, I'm technically a novice magus. I'm gonna need someone with enough talent to improve my own skillset to beat the opposition. This is how wars are fought after all." Honda touched Mordred's shoulder.
Mordred seemed to hesitate. "But…I don't want to take such a risk…"
Honda placed a gentle hand on Mordred's other shoulder.
"I know you care, Mordred. And I understand, but please, I need you to trust me on this. Can you do that for me, my kinky king." Honda said with a charming wink.
Mordred felt her face scrunch in a bit of a girlish bashful expression. She took a deep breath and clenched her eyes.
And lowered her sword. Idores let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, as her heart jackhammered against her chest.
"I hope you're right, Honda, you better not make me regret it." Mordred submitted, Honda squeezing her shoulder encouragingly.
Idores sweatdropped, seeing clear as day how Honda practically seduced Mordred. Idores felt a pang on her chest seeing the man who looked so much like her own creator touch someone else in such a manner.
'Don't break! You have to obtain the grail. Not today, but soon!' Idores thought inwardly.
Stria pulled out her 9mm from her seal. "Idores? Your eyes?" She was ready for combat.
Idores sighed. "I'm holding down Mara as we speak. Had Honda not unintentionally saved me, she would have been released."
"I see…I am…"
"Don't apologize to me Stria. I made my choice, and maybe for the first time…you made yours." Idores said somberly.
Stria then pointed the gun downwards. The two albinos shared a staredown of their own. One of sadness at how their paths have diverged from the war thus far as once trusted comrades.
BOOM
Honda heard a noise from atop his position, it sounded like an explosion. He looked in the direction of the noise. Being a guerilla style entertainer without a permit has trained Honda to notice the slightest sounds or disturbances when police tried to intrude on his shows.
'Wonder what that is?'
Whatever the source of the explosion was, it seemed to be heading straight for him!
FWAP
Whatever it was, it was definitely something that required two hands to carry.
Honda looked in his arms at the strange position he found himself in.
For you see, the thing in his arms, was not actually a thing. It was a person, specifically one beauty clad in green clothing. Her hair is stretched out long and unkempt, and it is completely lacking in silkiness. To describe her would be a beautiful beast in human form. She seemed to be a bit beaten up.
For Honda however, it was the cat ears that drew his full attention.
'There are catgirls in this roleplay. Oh God yes!'
The Warlock looked on as another explosion appeared from the roof. One clad in shadow.
It was Assassin, hunched in a combat stance.
"Master, what are you doing?" Assassin could be heard as she had a dagger carved from stone ready for combat.
Honda sweatdropped. "Assassin! Where have you been all this time? Look what I got, a cat girl!" Honda exclaimed as his mask accidentally slipped over his face again.
Said catgirl opened her eyes, as she was beaten from an enduring fist fight with two servants at the same time. Atalanta saw with her eyes what she can describe as an enigma. The man was clad in strange formal like clothing, with an a strange otherworldly mask blocking his face from her view. And this same being was carrying her. She found herself struggling just to move.
"She is an enemy servant master! We must destroy her!" Assassin said.
Mordred came to view, noticing the Assassin.
"You're the other servant Honda was looking for ain't ya. Assassin right?" Mordred asked Assassin.
"Honda, who is this?" The shadow garbed servant asked confusedly.
"This is Mordred. She's my servant as well. You girls have already met though." Honda said as Atalanta was trying to struggle in Honda's grip but her strength failed her.
"Master? I have never met this servant." Assassin insisted, her guard up.
"Oh yes, forgot about the memory wipe. Don't let her new looks fool you, this is the same old blue cladded little blonde that we always knew and love, ain't that right Mordred?"
Assassin tilted her head at Honda. "Master…Saber was with me…"
"Saber was...with you?" Honda let out.
Mordred raised an eyebrow. "Blue?...And for the last time its Avenger!"
BOOM
A flashy particle infused explosion filled the environment. A figure landing perfectly next to Assassin. It was dressed in a well designed blue dress, lined with steel plating, giving the figure an equally regal as well as beautiful aesthetic to its wearer. Blond hair flowed from the figures' crown as emerald eyes peeked through the golden locks.
It was Saber, and in her hands was her blade.
Saber noticed Honda carrying Atalnata. She had never seen him with his mask before or his raiment. It made him look astonishingly different than his normal demeanor. It even felt different, the mask definitely being a great factor.
"Honda…?" Saber asked with shock.
Honda sweatdropped slipping his mask upwards. "M-mordred?"
Saber looked confused. "Mordred?!"
Honda looked at Mordred "Saber?"
Mordred was also confused. "Avenger!"
Honda looked at Saber. "Who?"
Assassin looked at Atalanta. "Atalanta."
Honda looked at Assassin. "What?"
Atalanta groaned out. "Avenger?"
Mordred looked at Atalanta. "Archer?"
Honda lifted Atalanta a bit more, looking at her with a lost look. He squeezed her ear, causing an airy gasp to come out of Atalanta. "Cat?"
"Honda!?
Both blondes called out to Honda, hearing the gasp coming from Atalanta bringing pangs of jealousy from their chests.
Honda, now broken from his distraction looked at Saber and Mordred, back and forth, his mind turning its wheels. "W-why!?"
Mordred looked at Artoria with a deadly gaze, their emerald eyes meeting in sheer hostility.
Mordred simply whispered sinisterly. "Artoria…"
Saber matching Mordred's hostile glare with her own. "Mordred…"
Honda blinked twice, clear confusion plastered n his face, completely unsure how to deal with this new event the Holy Nail War set him with. "Shit! There's...two of you?"
CHAPTER END