The one that would be known as Angra Mainyu groaned. Well, this wasn't what death felt like. He died plenty of times already and it didn't feel like having slept on a rock hard bed with your muscles aching. Usually it was accompanied by the agony of millions of tortures or being filled with the hatred and evil of all the world. This was positively and weirdly pleasant when it came to post death scenarios. Then he frowned a bit as he looked around. Still inside this underground place. Dungeon. Cave. Whatever. Did he even die? No, he wasn't that worthless to fail even suicide. So the conclusion was that instead of disapearing, his soul went somewhere else.
His fingers twitched and he looked down at his hands, his body. His…new body. He tilted his head a bit as he stretched out the black limb. While he wasn't a stranger to that color being his skin, it was not the same. It felt too physical for a servant. Matter of fact, if he wasn't going completely crazy, it felt like some sort of flesh. Actual flesh. Not his own, like being incarnated through the mud of the grail. His body was off. Weaker in some ways. More importantly, stronger in other ways. It sure was bizarre for the weakest servant.
…Did he reincarnate into an entirely new body or something? Damn, maybe he and the other Avengers should've let their master monologue a bit more, whatever summoned them didn't give him an abridged summary of the world. Maybe then he'd know how he reincarnated. Too many questions, no answers. How annoying. At the very least, his soul was still his own, so his servant skills should still exist in some form.
His thoughts were cut off when he heard footsteps. Not human ones though. He stood up, his stance relaxed, ready to go into motion like a whip. Around the corner, the figure appeared and Angra raised an eyebrow at that.
A lizardman. An actual lizardman. Not a wyvern, not a dragon, a lizardman. He remembered wolfmen and beastmen during his stint in Chaldea, but a lizardman? Weirdly enough, he never met one of those. Wielding a sword, the lizard stared at him with its monstery eyes. Then it opened its maw, letting out a weird noise-
No 'evil' emotion to be detected. Angra blinked. Wait, was that laughter? Sheathing the weapons, the lizardman approached him and patted his shoulders, as if meeting lost family.
"Oh hey, you're awake! I was worried there!"
The Avenger, or rather former, raised an eyebrow at that. Huh, not many times to meet something sapient like that. Last time he recalled was the Lostbelt in Russia and he wasn't even there for it.
"...Huh. Talking lizard."
Said lizard let out an amused chuckle, scratching his scaled cheek sheepishly.
"I suppose that's weird for our kind, haha. My name is Lido." He gestured with his claw. "Come on, this isn't the place to take a nap! Gotta get you to a safe place."
Who was Angra, or could he even still call himself that, to object? Safe place was nice and it didn't seem like that this Lido was doing something convoluted like lure him into a trap. Thus, he followed the lizard, through a rather complicated system, hidden entrances and splitting paths. He whistled at that. Not bad for security. Though having to go through a swim was not exactly what he had in mind after killing himself. Fortunately he was half naked to begin with, somehow. Maybe Lido gave him those pants before he woke up. Either way, soon enough, they emerged in another part of the dungeon, as in yet another cave. Though this time he felt a lot more presences in this place. Not primal once, only intend on trying to murder him and Lido, emphasis on trying, but others like the lizardman. Soon enough, he saw the eyes hidden in the darkness before torches were lit up.
"Look, guys! I found someone new!"
Humming at the sight before him, that sure was a colorful troupe. Gargoyles, arachnes, goat-minotaurs, griffons, small rabbits. It was like an Age of Gods zoo in this place. And weirdly enough, none of them seemed to want to tear his head out. Not even the most anti social one, as the Gargoyle stepped forward with a deep frown, checking the newcomer out. He let out a scoff before turning to Lido.
"You have to stop picking every stray you come across."
The lizard in question tilted his head, blinking almost innocently.
"We are brethren, why shouldn't I help?"
Angra couldn't help but chuckle at that as he playfully gestured with his arm at the crowd gathering around him.
"Brethren? I see a lot of variety here."
"Got me there. But I meant monsters with sapience like us. Xenos." Lido pointed with a claw at Angra. "After all, War Shadows don't speak like you do."
"War Shadows don't look that human," the arachne commented dryly from the background, keeping to herself. The former Avenger smirked a bit, causing her to scoff and look away. Not exactly inspiring name for himself, compared to something like Xenos.
"Fancy name." He shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, I dunno about you, I don't know what I am."
"You got a name yet?"
The Avenger paused at that. A name. A thing he lost a long time ago, way before he even died the first time around and somehow landed on the throne. Or maybe he never had one to begin with. Not a whole lot known about the child sacrificed to be All The World's Evil. He was supposed to be Angra Mainyu, but he clearly wasn't, especially not now, as he once more died before things could get rolling. Though, he mused with an amused chuckle, there was one time where he held a 'proper' name. Once more playing the role of someone else, but a role he genuinely enjoyed compared to being an Avenger. And well, new life, new name, wasn't that just right and proper? With that in mind, he pointed at himself with a smirk, feeling mighty proud of himself for this idea.
"Call me Shirou!"
Unbeknownst to him, far in the North, a certain blonde broke the mug in her hands before blinking in confusion where that burst of rage came from, ignoring the shuddering individuals witnessing such a thing.
Naturally the rest of the Xenos didn't show any special reaction to his chosen name. He'd be surprised if they did. Instead they simply seemed happy for him, for such a simple thing. Then again, for monsters stuck in a literal dungeon, one had to appreciate the little things perhaps? Either way, the Gargoyle harrumphed at that, pointing a claw at him.
"We'll test how strong you are later. For now, just don't start anything funny."
"But I'm hilarious," the new Shirou said, smiling a bit as he put a hand on his chest, acting offended. Gros' eye twitched at that before he spat to the side. Lido laughed awkwardly before patting the newcomer on the shoulder
"Don't take it personally, Gros is like that with everyone."
Shirou hummed thoughtfully as he nodded, his arms crossed.
"A tsundere, got it."
"Tsun…dere…?" The lizard asked slowly, tilting his head with innocent curiosity. It made Shirou laugh as he waved him off. Then he rubbed his stomach, feeling a sense of emptiness in him. Was that hunger or was it some lack of energy for a Xenos?
"Nevermind that. Got anything to eat here?"
"Not a lot in the dungeon, but we'll make do."
Time flowed. He didn't know how fast or how slow, being underground wasn't great for his sense. And during all that…not a whole lot happened. Sure, sometimes a mysterious skeleton guy came by, asking for help, but other than that, the Xenos kept to themselves. During those times, when Shirou was feeling really bored, he decided to share some stories. It was rather hilarious, the shock on everyone's faces when he told them of memories, because apparently Xenos usually don't remember anything. Still, with him retelling the events of Chaldea and other stuff, people soon started to take a liking to him. A personal liking, for some reason. That was his life, as a pseudo story teller. Eventually, one day, he decided to walk to the surface, to see what the world was like. He got quite the scolding when he did it the last time, disappearing without any warning, but they soon changed their tune at the new stuff they got, not limited by Fels. Another facet to his daily life, but nothing else. No secret War for an omnipotent wish. No struggle to save the world. Just…passing the days.
Honestly, this was boring. Meaningless even, considering the most likely conspiracy and stuff that was going on. But as he was sitting at the fire, just taking in the atmosphere after a good day of being an odds job man…He couldn't help but smile.
Boring turned out to be quite nice.
/
Cloaked individuals, people that hide their identities, weren't exactly uncommon in Rivira. People wore helmets, masks, and what not, to keep their privacy. And the unspoken rule in this city within the dungeon? Don't bother, don't ask. Everyone minded their own business, to make money, to enjoy themselves, to just get some rest. So nobody batted an eyebrow when three completely hidden figures walked through the shops, two girls and one adult man. The girls let out noises of wonder, likely first timers, while the lead was amused by their antics as he took the lead in the business. Sometimes the girls would act strange, like stumbling or awkwardly moving as if something was stuck on their backs. Not to mention the weird social skills. Acting nervous when asked simple questions, flustered when they became sparkly eyed by the simplest of things. However, it was their shopping actions themselves that raised the most eyebrows.
Usually, one wanted to get rid of extra weight in this place. Either because their bags could literally not handle the amount of loot or because they needed to purchase something, for obscene prices compared to the surface. Which meant the action of actually selling weapons, of selling stuff, for crystals to boot? It was the opposite of what people did. Some scoffed at the idiocy of such actions. Others just shrugged it off, chalking it off to greed for the last bit of money. Naturally, the Ikelos Familia saw the red flags with ease. Thus, the trio that patrolled the area for rumors, in order to get the next big catch, started to follow the three suspects.
"Ooooh, is this 'BBQ' I heard of?!"
"Hm! It's tasty, you should try!"
"You girls are gonna bankrupt me, haha…"
It was just a moment. Their hoods shifted, in order to eat. The vendor was looking away, already focusing on the next batch of customers. In that instance, the Ikelos members saw their faces. More specifically, the traits of monsters they were looking for. A red jewel embedded on inhuman blue skin. Feathers attached to the face. Pitch black skin.
They hit the jackpot. The largest Xenos, for what else could it be, noticed their stares and stiffened up. As swift as he could, he ushered the two girls with him, leading them to the exit closest to them. Their hunters didn't hesitate to run after them. The moment they were outside, the two groups began to sprint. with the humans leering at the panic the monsters exhibited. Their hoods fluttered away, revealing their inhuman features. A vouivre, a harpy and a very human looking War Shadow. Oh, this bounty was getting better and better!
"Run, quickly!"
Cutting their path through the thick green was annoying but their eyes were on the target. The harpy began to flap her wings to take to the air, but the hunters were experienced at this point. Quickly, they threw out a net, causing the bird monster to yelp as the brown feathered Xenos was entangled by it and crashed to the ground. The War Shadow pushed the blue skinned girl behind him with the harpy, pulling out two curved swords. At that sight of defiance, the trio let out an ugly laugh.
"Hahaha, you shitty monsters! Who would be dumb enough to show themselves when they know they are being chased?!"
Suddenly, the War Shadow smirked at them. Like a shapeless darkness filled with malice, it showed its teeth. A shiver went down their spines as it opened that maw.
"If they want to be chased, idiot."
He pointed upwards. Their heads followed the finger. There, in the trees, they spotted several glowing eyes, radiating menace. That Was the last thing they saw before the figures jumped down upon them.
Minutes later, they were foaming form their mouths, tied up in copious amounts of spidersilk, hanging from the trees. Ranye dusted her hands off, letting out a huff as she turned to the others.
"That went almost too easy."
"When people are winning they don't keep their eyes open," Shirou said casually, not even turning back to her as he rummaged through their pursuers' clothes and bags. "Now let's see what we got here…" He paused before letting out a chuckle. "Weeeeellll, that looks important!"
He raised the orb into the air, glowing against the light. Not only that, it had the appearance of an eye. It wasn't the drop item of any monster he knew of on this level or anywhere close. Not only that, it appeared to have its own dedicated spot in their pockets, which meant it wasn't meant to be sold. Ergo, with his best Sherlock Holmes expression as he took a huff from his non existent pipe, Shirou pocketed it and turned to the other Xenos with a smirk.
"Tell Fels we got a key." He punched his left palm with a nod. "And we're going to use it."
"Well, I came at a perfect time the-Ah!"
A sword cut through air, as the hooded figure ducked just in time. Keeping the hood on his head, Fels breathed heavily as Lido blinked. Then he lowered his sword with an awkward laugh, scratching the back of his head.
"Sorry! You startled me, hahaha…"
"I almost lost my head!"
"Well, excuse us for being a bit on edge, Fels," Gros grumbled, remaining on the trees as a lookout. FEls cleared his throat before nodding.
"I give you that." He turned to everyone else and lowered his head. "Either way, let me thank you for not going on a rampage. I feared for the worst when you told me you were going on the offensive."
Shirou couldn't help but break out into laughter. The entire group of Xenos hid themselves in the forest of the twenty fourth floor, far from Rivira, when Fels appeared in his usual shadowy skeleton self. After all the tension of escaping, of avoiding their hunters, the Alchemist decided that was the first thing he should say to their faces. If that wasn't hilarious, he didn't know what was. Snapping his fingers with an amused glint in his eyes, Shirou pointed at Fels.
"Hey, that's racist."
Taken aback a bit, Fels coughed into his fist, turning his head a bit away.
"Err-"
"Just messin' with ya, ha!" Shirou slapped his back a few times, before crossing his arms, his smile flattening ever so slightly. "Anyway, fun aside, got a report for us?"
Fels straightened up his back at that.
"Astraea Familia have been sent out to search for Gojouno Nana. Reports have said she has left the city after selling us out." He paused for but a moment. "Well, except Senbonzakura. She remains in Orario."
Shirou frowned at that. They lost her that fast? And now their strongest cards were sent on a goose chase. It was inefficient if he was being polite…then again, family made one do some dumb moves.
"Guess killing a blood sister isn't in her?" Shirou asked idly.
"Family shouldn't hurt family!"
The group turned to Wiene who shouted those words, puffing her cheeks up. Shirou smiled wryly. Ah, a child's innocence. He felt the death glare by Rei, the motherly harpy, daring him to contradict the girl. It's a good thing Wiene didn't know about that mercy kill he performed, else he'd be subject to a lot of sad puppy eyes. Well, that, or hatred. Either or. In the end, he just ruffled her hair instead, before turning to Fels.
"So you lost her? Kinda expected you to keep eyes on her."
A long suffering sigh, one only as old as the Alchemist could let out.
"Hermes planned to do exactly that. An enemy you know would be an excellent source of information if kept track of. However-"
"You lost the track," Ranye muttered. Fels nodded in confirmation.
"And Hermes is very good at his job, as is his Familia. That she eluded us so easily despite following her with extreme prejudice is worrying to say the least."
"Guess Astraea going after her directly makes more sense then." Shirou commented with crossed arms.
"Yes. Nana has proven herself to be more powerful than expected back in Melen. If someone finds her, they need to be strong enough to subdue her in the first place." Shaking his head, he glanced back towards Rivira, growing in commotion due to the previous chase. "Anyway, "I request you lie low until we figure out a way to help you with this." The looked at the Xenos, taking a deep breath. "But given what you have done already, I can already tell you aren't going to do that."
"It's either us or them."
The gargoyle descended from the trees, his expression a deep frown.
"Gros-"
He raised his clawed hand, interrupting Fels before he could finish.
"Don't worry. I haven't lost all of my faith yet." He narrowed his eyes. "But this is telling for our future. Mark my words."
Yeesh, way to kill the mood. Lido coughed, to divert the topic swiftly before they went down that particular rabbit hole of a debate.
"We are following Shiroucchi's lead on this one. His plan does have merit. Not to mention we can get you guys some information about that hidden dungeon entrance you've been worrying about nonstop."
Fels just stared at them from beneath his hood. Judging. Pondering. Before at last, he let out a deep breath before nodding slowly.
"Very well, I shall put my trust in you." He turned his back to them, before giving them a glance one last time. "Stay safe."
Then, he disappeared, as the ever mysterious figure he was. Shirou rolled his shoulders. Time to get back to business then.
"Arles, you remember one of their hidden entrances, right? One of them nearby?"
"Kyuun!" The almiraj puffed out his chest with pride. Good. They had plenty of locations, they just could never do anything with them, as they were lacking the key. But now that they had one of those, it was time for a proper counter attack. Of course, like any attack, there was preparation to be had. Starting with a healthy amount of discourse.
"We shouldn't take everyone with us. It's too dangerous," Rei said immediately, as the leaders of the group got to planning. Gros shook his head in response.
"It's more dangerous to leave them behind. Without us fighters they are easy pickings. Either it's all of us or none of us."
"There is safety in numbers…" Lido muttered, undecided as of now. Surprisingly enough, Ranye was the one to object to Gros.
"If this is a trap, we could get everyone killed by this. Or separated. We don't know what to expect there. Not to mention we would have to babysit all of them while attacking the enemy. It's hard enough as it is."
Good arguments here and there. Shirou wasn't a strategist himself. The weaker ones could simply hide away. But then there was the risk that hiding would fail and then they could get swarmed. Then again, they would enter unknown territory with not a lot of preparation.
Well, when in doubt, just take a page out of Ritsuka's book. He survived all Singularities and Lostbelts with that audacity, so it should work for him too.
"I'd say let's go all in. We need all the eyes and ears we can get, to use our brawns better." Shirou announced before pausing. "Though if you want to stay out of this, now is the chance."
There was worry. Even fear (no pun intended) in their eyes. And yet, as one, they steeled themselves, with Wiene coming to the forefront.
"I don't want to be seperated!"
"Moooh."
"Damn straight I'm in!"
"Maybe we can save others as well!"
"Kyun?!"
Well, almost everyone steeled themselves. He shrugged at the horrified expression of their resident bunny. Lido closed his eyes, a faint smile on his face.
"If that's what everyone wants…But stick together, no matter what!"
"Here, let me."
Ranye spread out her spider silk, which everyone promptly tied to themselves wherever it was suited. Shirou wrapped it around his arm before wiggling his eyebrows at the arachne.
"D'aw, wanting to stay connected at all costs?"
"Don't worry, we'll be together forever!"
"I love you too!"
Getting hit by Wiene and Fear alike, Ranye spluttered with a red face before looking away with a prideful huff.
"S-Shut up, it's just a precaution!"
Seriously, where did monsters learn to be tsundere. Gros and her, they were the same type. He gestured for Arles to take the lead, the rabbit grumbling that they were all going to die. Soon enough, they reached the wall of the floor, appearing just like any other wall…except for the conveniently placed crystal that totally didn't cover up anything. One loud moo and a crash later and the door revealed itself. Shirou reached into his pockets and raised the eye up, hoping that was actually a key, else this would get awkward very fast. Fortunately, fate smiled for the Avenger somehow and the door roared to life as it opened up for them. Naturally, the entrance only revealed a barely lit, artificially made hallway.
Ominous to say the least, so this was clearly the right spot.
"Into the lion's den we go!"
With the "weakest" members in the middle, Lido taking up the rear guard, they maintained formation as Shirou and Gross were at the front. Once inside, Shirou mentally let out a whistle. Here he thought they were going to enter some hidden base of some kind, the size of a manor basement or at most a small block. Instead, as they walked and as the echoes bounced off the walls, he realized how massive the entire structure was. How long did it take to build all of this, with primitive technology to boot? Inside a place where the walls were supposed to regenerate. Wiene put it best as she looked around with wide eyed wonder, forgetting the tension and danger they were in. She wasn't alone in this, many of the Xenos looking upon the man made structure and feeling respect in their hearts. Even Gros' eyes widened before he steeled himself, keeping watch of their surroundings.
"Whoa…"
"Humans sure can do some amazing stuff…"
"Now if only they used this talent for something else then to hunt us down…"
Shirou exhaled, shaking his swords a bit to relieve some tension from his body. This was weird. There was no way that nobody noticed them entering. At the very least, any self respecting dungeon keeper of a structure like this would have patrols. Either that or security cameras, but those didn't exist yet. At least he hoped they didn't. Being recorded without realizing was an entirely different flavor of evil.
"Wiene, what's wrong?"
Shirou came to a stop, right before a crossroad, turning around. Wiene frowned deeply as her ears twitched.
"There's…so many voices…so many paths…and they change…"
Damn. He knew she had good hearing, but for it to be so much better than everyone else's? Respect. Rei knelt down, gently putting her wing on her shoulder.
"How many? Can you tell?"
Wiene tilted her head, humming thoughtfully before raising her finger.
"More than us? I think?"
Right, it wasn't like she knew how to count. Gros hissed at the thought, glancing at Shirou before he muttered under his breath.
"I was under the impression the surface dwellers don't breed that fast. Shouldn't they be running out of people by now? What are Fels and the others even doing?"
"That's the wonders of globalism for you. You always find more," Shirou said quietly with a dry laugh. One could slaves practically anywhere. Now if they were high quality or not was a whole different question. Still, at least they knew this wasn't a haunted place. On the other hand, actual guards to deal with. Guess Shirou had to give the enemy that. They had an excellent evil lair, if it was able to contain so many…his thoughts trailed off, as his eyes widened.
Wait. What did Wiene say just now? Change? As in-
The ground rumbled. Shirou closed his eyes with a smack of his lips.
"Welp, this is bad."
"What are you-"
The entrance slammed shut in an instance. The Xenos all tensed up as the shaking did not stop.
"I knew it!" Shirou shouted before tugging at the string and forcefully pulling the group with Gros into one direction. It was just in time, as gates crashed down right behind them. He felt a bit sorry for the lighter ones to crash down on the ground, letting out pained noises, but that's escaping death traps for you. Naturally, the world wasn't done yet, as the entire place was still vibrating like some screwed up toy for night time fun. Fortunately he wasn't the only one who dragged people around. Once they gathered their bearings, the faster and stronger Xenos, like Lido, got the message and helped with pulling at the spider silk to keep the group together as the floor decided to open up several holes. Flapping their wings, scaling the walls, they made sure to keep them from falling down. Though it made a funny picture, as people like Arles helplessly wiggled in the air, strung up by the spider silk. Wiene looked down, upside down, before her eyes widened.
"M-Monsters!"
Because of course a death trap needed its monsters. With his feet grounded, he inhaled before nodding at the Formoire next to him.
"Pull!"
With a heave, they all lifted the smaller ones, who were swiftly followed by what appeared to be bug balls of doom. Putting Arles on his head, he saw how Ranye hefted Wiene onto her body, while the fliers like Rei, Fear or Cliff made sure the others kept up with their front as well. Shirou let out a whistle as he twirled his swords, rushing forward as even more holes opened up in front of him.
"Rei, cover our flank!"
"On it!"
The sounds of metal clashing with flesh, of feathers cutting through the air with immense speeds, sounded in the background as Shirou's arms blurred, mimicking the style of the fake life he lived in Fuyuki. Efficient, yet suicidal as his personal touch, he swung and swung, letting himself hit if it meant he could kill even one more faster, quicker, harder. His black body was cut up, bleeding profusely, but he didn't care. After all, he had an all you can eat buffet. Cutting the magic stones out, he chomped them down in one swift move, fueling his flesh once more with energy to heal, to be sturdy. Naturally, as they moved, they had to deal with even more monsters, this time dropping down from the ceiling.
"Violas!"
Wrapping the spider silk around his leg, he kicked forward. At the same time, Four let out a battle cry as he swung down his axe, the spider silk around his arms, with Gros flying forward with the same substance wrapped around him. The force of the attacks was enough to pull the group towards them before they could get seperated by the vines, though Rei let out a pained growl as she smacked against the wall once due to the sudden G-Force. Whistling, Shirou made a head motion at Lido.
"Lido, let it burn!"
"Give me a few seconds!"
"You're getting them!" Growling, he felt his body pulsate with energy, the magic power in his body tearing apart his flesh as it was pushed to the brink. "Death Desire!"
"Wait, Shirou, don't-"
"I got a free buffet here, it's fine!"
With that said, he became a blur, resembling a heroic spirit more than ever as he bounced off the walls, avoiding the obvious pitfalls and traps. He was a pinball of destruction as his blades cut through the plant monsters. He made sure not to go too far away however, as the group navigated through the maze as they tore their way through. Said maze having many split paths, so the gates dropping down was something very tedious to keep track off.
"Need new silk!"
"Shut up, I know!"
"Get back, I'm ready!"
A burst of flames rushed towards Shirou, who slid underneath it, before wrapping the new silk around his arm. Then he saw Four's bulging muscles as he kept one gate up with all his might. Smirking at him, he kicked him right in the stomach, flying past the closed pathway with ease. The Formoire let out a grunt, pained but not spiteful before they had each other's back.
The passage of time became unknown to Shirou, as he swung his sword, as he raised the engine of his core to the limit. If he were alone he'd be long dead by now. But with the other warrior Xenos, as well as the more perceptive but weaker allies, they were a surprisingly well oiled machine of movement and death. Still, they had plenty of close calls. If it weren't for the spider silk to throw others like ragdolls out of traps or through the paths before the gates closed, they'd have long been split up at this point. Honestly though, Shirou let out a wry laugh. He was under the impression this world was on some medieval fantasy level of technology. This was stuff that Edison would pull out for a fun singularity event just for the novelty of it! Only thing it was lacking was actually moving hallways!
Eventually however, their luck ran out. Sliding over the ground, Shirou exhaled as he lowered the output of his Death Desire. The group was breathing heavily at this point, with minor injuries here and there. Those acid monsters were the closest call, having burned off some of Rei's wings a bit, but not to a crippling amount. Nevertheless, the reason for their stopped momentum was simple.
There was no pathway left in this area. A dead end. Shirou cracked his neck with a dry grin. Here he thought they were outpacing whoever was operating this place, but bad luck just happened sometimes. Just as he thought that, he heard clapping. In that moment, one of the gates actually opened for once.
"He must be losing his touch. None of you got seperated. Guess that's a monster's instinct for you. Well, more fun for me."
Gros growled, forcing Shirou to raise his hand. Now wasn't the time to lose his cool. He could understand the sentiment after all. The Ikelos Familia was basically their nemesis at this point. Dix Perdix sneered as he tilted his head back, spear on his shoulder.
"Gotta admit, I'm impressed by your guts. Who'd enter the hunter's house like that?" He let out a snort. "But man, you really can't help yourselves, huh?"
Shirou let out a laugh, spreading out his arms mockingly before anyone else of the Xenos could retort.
"Dick! Long time no seen, how is the stomach wound?" He raised a mocking eyebrow. "I'm surprised you appeared before us instead of trying harder."
"Please, I know only a handful of you are worth anything in a fight. The rest is baggage for you," Dix responded, his eyebrow twitching at the low hanging insult he received. Then he leaned forward, finger pointed at them with a malicious smirk. "Not to mention, the more there are of you, the better for me."
A shiver went down the Xenos' spine, their animalistic instincts going haywire as energy radiated from Dix.
"Become lost in an endless nightmare, Phobetor Daedalus!"
A dark mist sweeped the area. Immediately, Rei, Lido and Gros jumped to the front next to Shirou, swinging their weapons to create a gust of wind. However, it didn't affect the spell…and the four of them got touched by the mysterious substance. In an instance, eyes went blank and a feral roar escaped them. Then, they spun around and leapt at the other Xenos, weapons, artificial and natural, aimed right at them.
"Whoa!"
"What's going on?!"
"A berserk spell?!"
Four dropped his axe out of surprise, unwilling to hurt Gros. Instead he was forced to grapple with the Gargoyle, wrestling on the ground. Meanwhile Fear and Cliff took to the air, followed by a savage Rei shooting her feathers at them. The rest, with Ranye, dodged or rather jumped away in panic, the attacks of Lido and Shirou, with the former being the most ferocious ones. Dix cackled at the sight, clapping his hands in amusement before slowly approaching the group.
"Have fun trying to see who's friend or foe! Hahaha, now that's a way better look on you fuckers! Monsters should act like monsters!"
The other adventurers of the Familia joined in with his laughter. Wiene stared at him with horror, before Aude the War Shadow pulled her away from a downwards swing of Lido. How could someone hold so much malice against them? They, who did nothing to warrant this? It was only natural that she didn't understand. Not only was she too young, she didn't comprehend what the curse of the Perdix could do to a man. How desperate it would make someone, to find a way to 'live' and not just serve the bloodline.
Dix was fueled by lust. Lust for supremacy, lust for the hunt, the thrill of it. Ranye let out a wail of pain as the spear thrown hit her side, only to stop when she was punched in the face by Lido. Shirou slowly approached the now defenseless weaker Xenos. Four was getting overpowered, the claws digging slowly into his throat. Fear crashed down, Rei's claw pressing down on her head and starting to squeeze.
Yes, Wiene could never understand a man who drowned himself in sin just to feel alive in spite of his curse. Could never understand how even the uncursed would partake in this atrocity, as they surrounded the group, leering and cheering as if they were watching a cock fight.
A dry snort sounded amidst the chaos, missed by everyone but Wiene, who snapped her head at the source, the individual from where it came from.
Shirou could almost respect such dedication to evil.
Dix' eyes widened before he raised his spear, just in time as a foot crashed down into him. Time stopped, as heads slowly turned, seeing the humanoid War Shadow grin like a maniac in midair. Wiene began to smile in relief, before time resumed. Shirou and Dix soared through the room, before the latter let out a shout and forced the Xenos away from him. Shirou laughed as he shook his leg a bit, twirling his blades while he was at it.
"Man, almost got ya!"
Dix hissed as his hand shook, the force of the kick, on top of his lowered status from his curse, having caused quite the damage. Nothing broken, but it would impede his movements. Spitting to the side, he glared at the monster.
"How the hell aren't you affected by Phobetor Daedalus?"
Shirou hummed before dashing forward, blades clashing against spear. Dix bent backwards with gritted teeth, as the Xenos' eyes glowed with gleeful bloodlust.
"Is that the name of the curse? Well, it ain't half bad. Unfortunately for you…" He licked his lips, as if tasting the mist from before like a tasty snack. "What's one curse to six billion?"
Dix could only gape in incomprehension before he saw the magic lines light up on Shirou's body. Swiftly, he made his decision, and lifted the curse, before both shouted with renewed power, pushing against each other. At the same time, the fogginess in Lido's and the others' eyes lifted up. They blinked before looking horrified at what they were doing. Rei quickly stepped off Fear, while Gros pulled his claw back as if burned.
"Ugh, my head…what-"
"Watch out!"
Lido swayed back as quick as he could as an axe almost took off his head. The adventurer growled at his failure, before he got a face full of almiraj in his face for his troubles. Thus, the chaos intensified, Xenos against humans. It was a stalemate, for while the Xenos had quality, the humans had numbers. While the Xenos had their natural advantages, the humans had their tactics, experience of hunting monsters and Xenos encircling the monsters.
The very stalemate was happening between Shirou and Dix, their arms a blur as steel met steel, creating sparks. Shirou laughed like a maniac, through the pain as he cut and parried, while Dix was more annoyed that he couldn't land a proper hit. The Xenos was full with openings, openings he aimed for…and yet he never hit them. He cut flesh, yes, but nothing vital. And each time he thrusted forward, it was as if a chance opened up for Shirou, who managed to get some nicks of flesh himself. The two fighters jumped and dashed through the area, the most mobile ones. Kicking off walls and ground, to pick up more force and speed, Dix soon grew too frustrated with this. With a whistle, he then let out a vicious snarl.
"Get your asses over here, you useless fucks! Use it!"
They didn't hesitate to follow the order. One of them pulled out an orb as the others retreated. Lido and the others growled at the sight and leapt back themselves, unwilling to get hit by whatever that was. The item hit the ground and yet another mist emerged. This time nobody got hit, but it served as a wall.
"Shirou!" Wiene shouted, trying to run forward, only to be pulled back by Gros. Yet she blinked when she saw his expression through the substance, even as the group surrounded him, restricting his movements.
Why was he smiling?
With the numbers, he was on the backfoot. He couldn't just move as he liked, with weapons now standing in his way. It was only natural, that his luck would run out. Dix smirked viciously as he managed to stab right through his right thigh, stopping Shirou's momentum completely. Sliding and stumbling over the ground, Shirou was kneeling on one leg. And yet, his smile remained, causing Dix to blink before frowning in annoyance.
That was before the damn monster opened his mouth, sounding way too cheerful for his situation.
"Alright. I'm going to warn all of you cause I'm a nice guy now. Went through a transitional period and what not. So really, listen to me: Don't attack me. Don't hurt me. Or else you'll regret it."
A threat at this point? Dix scoffed and made a hand motion. As one, his people stabbed forward. Credit to Shirou, he managed to deflect most of the attacks, avoiding lethal damage. They cut against his shoulder, dug into his side, but his swords moved true.
That was before Dix moved himself and pierced him right through his chest. Shirou coughed up blood, doubling over. The Xenos gasped at the sight, some even screamed, covering their mouths. Dix clicked his tongue after smiling for a bit.
"Tch, missed the crystal."
He knew the sensation of cutting through that stone. There was none. Well, better for him, he could still sell this fucker after all then. Just had to deal with the rest and then they'd be do-
"Y'know what I really like about being a Xenos, Dick…?"
It was a weak voice. The words of a half dead monster. And yet…the atmosphere changed. Dix looked down, staring into pitch black eyes and a twisted smile directed at him. In that moment, he didn't see a Xenos, but something else. And he would never admit it…
But his blood went cold at the sight of this thing. And that thing knew it, as it let out a chuckle, pretending as if Dix responded.
"I can shrug off way more than I did as an Avenger. Don't say I didn't warn y'all."
"The he-"
Monsters couldn't use magic. Most of them couldn't. They could perform the equivalent of magic, with their natural abilities, but it was too rare to consider a problem most of the time. Of course…most monsters weren't heroic spirits, as lowly of one as he was. His soul was simply different from most monsters. So it was only natural he could use his soul as a tool more handidly than others. With that in mind, he tightened his grip on the spear, as a shadowy aura radiated from Shirou, his eyes staring straight into Dix eyes, relishing in the fear he saw in them, relishing in the confusion and ignorance of the other adventurers.
"Die in reverse. Verg Avesta."
Naturally, it was no Noble Phantasm. The mechanics and nature were different. Yet, the result remained the same. The injuries, the damage that he received…were sent right back at his assailants without mercy.
One moment, they were physically fine. The next moment, a hole opened up in each of their chests. They took a moment to realize the missing flesh within them. It was as if time stopped as they blinked, looking down at the injuries, copied one for one from Shirou. Then time resumed…and blood spilled out like a sprinkler. They collapsed, unable to even scream in agony. The Xenos witnessing the sight had their eyes wide open, unable to comprehend what happened. It was even worse for Dix, who collapsed on his knee and coughed up blood himself, gasping for air. Shirou then slowly rose to his feet, pulling the spear out of his chest before letting out a whistle.
"You're really lucky you didn't hit the heart area! Good thing you're made of tougher stuff than your mooks!" He smirked a bloody smile before popping some magic stones into his mouth from his pouch. "Though I doubt it'll last long, haha!"
"You…filthy…!" Dix grit out before gasping for air. He may not have hit the lungs or the heart, but a gaping hole in the chest was still enough to kill most people. Only his status as a level five kept him alive, his supernatural endurance compensating. But it only bought time against the inevitable if he didn't get any help and everyone knew that in the room.
"Phew, that stung a bit."
Shirou rubbed his now healed up wound, patting it. That was when Wiene tackled him from the side, causing him to let out a pained oof. Then he was being hit by the small knuckles as the vouivre cried.
"You idiot! What if they hit your magic stone?! Stupid, stupid, stupid!"
"Suicidal style for life. Don't worry, I knew what I was doing."
"That doesn't make it any better!" Wiene wailed before hitting him even more. Shirou laughed awkwardly before looking the other Xenos with an uncomfortable smile.
"Any help?"
"You absolutely deserve this," Fear said with a flat look, voicing out what everyone was thinking. Shirou winced. He really could never get used to these family shenanigans. While he was suffering from a cute kid crying, Gros loomed over Dix, growling threateningly as he raised the man's own spear.
"We have won. Release the other Xenos! We know they're here!"
"Ha…hahaha…"
They all tensed up at the laugh. It wasn't a hysterical one. It wasn't one that came from a broken man. Shirou looked him in the eyes…and saw they weren't dead yet.
"You animals think defeating me makes a difference?!" With a bloody grin, he raised his middle finger, one eye wide open while the other was half lidded, adding to his insanity. "Up yours, bro!"
The room shook.
"Oh crap-"
The ground opened up. With the fight from before, they were too exhausted to react in time and could only scream as they dropped down, trying to hold onto each other. It wasn't a long fall as they soon hit the ground. The ceiling above them began to close up just as Rei tried to shoot upwards, but not before they heard Dix' final words.
"Merchandise delivered, you bitches, hahahahahahaha!"
Their escape route closed, with Rei smacking her face against the now closed holes. Shirou shook his head with Wiene in his arms, exhaling as he tried to get his vision to stop spinning.
"Hm hm, excellent service as always!"
The warrior Xenos shot to their feet, weapons drawn at the taunting female voice. When their eyes adjusted to the new darkness, they felt a pit in their stomachs.
They were completely surrounded by cloaked figures. The ones that stood out was a cloaked figure radiating the most emotion, giddiness, but also disdain. The others were mostly emotionless, one looking like a giant toad, the other a small knight, the rest just faceless mooks. Next to her was a Far Eastern young woman. It had to be Nana then. Shirou scoffed. Great, so Astraea Familia were sent on a false trail. Then he blinked as he…recognized that aura. That aura of hatred. It appeared he wasn't the only one who recognized someone else. The leader blinked under her hood before giggling playfully, leaning forward.
"Well, look at that~! Here I thought it was just going to be another boring business transaction…"
"Heh. Surprise." Shirou grinned as he pushed Wiene behind him, one sword aimed at the woman. "I lived, master."
"Not for long," the Night Queen responded. Raising her hands, she snapped her fingers. "Gojouno, if you may."
Thus, all hell broke loose once more, with Shirou aiming straight for his former master, blades drawn.
/
The sound of battle was almost soothing for his injuries. Not as soothing as actual medicine but it was something that made Dix smile at least. He breathed heavily as he leaned against the wall for support, forcing his body to keep moving, to get to a damn medic. It'd be easier if his 'dear' old brother would just move Knossos to get one to him, but the singleminded fool was probably too busy foaming from his mouth at the interruption and chaos occuring in their family's legacy.
He hissed as he felt his head become lighter. He survived that damned curse attack, but a hole in his body was still a hole. He was leaving quite the trail of blood behind. If nothing else, he could pay for his hospital stay with the cash that the Night Queen would pay. If at a reduced rate, as that bitch will definitely consider dealing with the Xenos herself as a reason to pay them less. Well, at least the job was done. Once he was healed up, he could hunt down the rest of them, with their top fighters gone at this point.
His thoughts came to a stop when he heard footsteps, causing him to chuckle as he slid down, allowing himself to relax a bit. Heh, maybe his brother had a heart after a-
He saw them. The three. His eyes went wide and he tried to grab his spear, but it slipped out of his bloodied fingers, rolling away from him. Fuck. He coughed up blood as he tried to rise to his feet, but they were too close at this point.
No way. How the fuck did they get in her!? All keys were accounted for, even the stolen ones. Except for…Horror went down his spine. There was one person that didn't have their key with them. Dix couldn't even let out his forming snarl at the betrayal before a long katana beheaded him without hesitation.
