CHAPTER 5: SINISTER SHADOW CITY PART 5

Still on their way back, the quartet spotted something head. Saya approached the figure, spying it to be a familiar person.

"Houdini?" Saya questioned. She could tell the Servant was injured badly.

"Good, I made it." he panted. "Never doubt an escape artist's skill of slipping out of danger."

"What's the problem?" Arsene asked.

"An enemy Servant found our base. Marie escaped to find you, but if I found you first, that's not good."

"Da Vinci." Mash called out.

"Ah, yes!" she responded, caught off guard a bit.

"Can you detect any nearby Servants?" Mash asked.

"Let's see. Putting aside you, we're finding two signals close by a few blocks from here."

"Alright. Senpai, everyone, let's go."

—

Marie Therese backed up as the man slashed at her. The bloodstained claws drew close, but always fell short. Somewhere deep down, she knew it was simply him playing with her.

She cursed herself. Here she was, a Servant balking at a little combat. Her strength wasn't much. She knew she was more suited to support than combat.

It was always this way. Whenever things were dire, she was powerless. Tragedy would occur, but there was nothing she could do.

She fell, the enemy standing tall above her. Once more she was that little girl trapped in that place.

"E-enough!" she shouted. She closed her eyes, sending off a small magical blast that barely missed the man.

"It seems you had some fight in you after all." he said. He raised his hand, poised to strike. Bring it down, he grinned viciously.

Yet, his aim proved false; his target unharmed. Wedging itself between the two was a large shield, held high by a certain Demi-Servant.

"Are you okay?" Saya asked, catching up to Marie Therese.

"Y-yes. I am now."

"It would seem I have more targets." the man glanced around. "And it would appear death didn't come easy for you." he spied Houdini.

"Give it up. It only has to be as hard as you make it." Mulan pointed an arrow at him.

"How polite. However, I'm just having my nightly fun." he said before leaping high into the air.

The group watched, weary of his reappearance. They readied themselves, prepared to counter his next strike.

"I've never had a group this big. I wonder how the terror will spread." his voice cried out in the night.

Mulan let loose an arrow towards his voice. However it merely lodged itself in a building.

A quiet filled the air. The six were cautious. He had to be around somewhere.

Their question was answered as the man descended from above. Blue flames poured from his mouth as he grew closer, scattering them.

Arsene swung his bladed cane, coming to lock with the man's claws. As Mulan launched an array of arrows, he quickly turned his head, letting loose more flames. Houdini brought forth chains as he sought to bind him. Yet now knowing his trick, the chains only restrained an empty cloak. He landed beside him, revealing a thin, white garment.

"Nice try, but you'll need to do better." he teased.

Houdini was taken back as the man lunged forward, sinking his clawed hands into his stomach. As Houdini fell, the man grabbed his cloak, throwing it back on.

"Now, who ne-"

A gunshot rang through the air, cutting him off. The man's glowing eyes searched the night, landing on the origin. Smoke poured from a musket as a man in a coonskin cap aimed at him. Beside that person, a spiky white haired man stood, taking stock of him.

"Spring-Heeled Jack, it's over!" the white haired man called out.

"It seems you know my true name." Jack replied. "I suppose I can't let you go."

He leapt at the man, claws raised. Landing in front of him, he slashed away. Yet the man seemed unfazed and unharmed. Jack was confused as he no doubt should have landed the blows on him.

"Now." the man said.

Jack wondered what he meant as the man snapped his fingers. Yet the slight noise he heard alerted him to what was happening. Turning his head to the side, he came face to face with the musket. A flash of smoke, fire, and metal was unavoidable to him as he was unable to react in time.

Saya watched the action go down before her. Spring-Heeled Jack fell as he dissipated into a magical glow. With the enemy gone, the two new people approached the group.

"Greetings Chaldeans, I hope you find this presentable as evidence of our good will. Let's say we have a bit of dialogue, shall we?"

—

"So Spring-Heeled Jack fell." the brunette woman in black spoke to her. "Eventually they were destined to do so. But now is fine."

She watched the glowing object in front of her. It seemed like a diamond seed that hovered in midair. Yet tendril like appendages were starting to come out of it.

"Now that it has begun to take root, the others merely need to continue delaying those who would try to stop us."