Chapter 13: Karna Gets A Deep Honk
There was a thunderous sound as Adam and Eve collided, the soundwave deafening the group as a brilliant flash of light blinded them. When the group's senses cleared, they found themselves looking at something more like a tableau than a duel; both combatants were totally still, their forms textured like earth and stone as their petrified figures were held suspended.
Then, as the last of the sound echoed away into the night, Eden ceased to exist and the amalgam of plant life and rock that had once been Avicebron fell apart.
The stoney figures of Adam and Eve seemed to grow dozens of fractures in just a moment before they both exploded outwards, Fran and Amakusa falling out of the now-statues. Neither had been left unchanged though; the Berserker's various metal casings were missing from her limbs and head, revealing flesh and blood in their place. Meanwhile, the former Ruler was missing his arms, and his hair was a dishevelled mane around a face twisted in rage.
Amakusa staggered to his feet, rage burning in his eyes as he roared, "Karna! By the order of my final Command Seal, use your Noble Phantasm—GCK!"
Blood poured from his mouth as numerous stakes of reddish-black material ripped through his back and lifted him up, piercing him through several times in the process.
"—and wipe these blasphemers and heretics from existence!" the false Kotomine choked past the blood, a red glow issuing from his shoulder before fading away.
In the distance, a golden-red light began to shine. Simultaneously, the regal form of Vlad Tepes III arrived at the epicenter of Adam and Eve's clash astride a black horse, his face impassive. His eyes, though, were full of arctic fury. He raised his empty left hand, and slowly closed it into a fist.
Amakusa let out a wet sigh as the stakes tore through him, his death rattle ending abruptly as his body was flensed apart by a starburst of metal that exploded from his core before vanishing.
Lancer of Black looked down at the scraps of flesh and gore that were once the leader of the Shimabara Rebellion, a faint expression of disdain flickering across his otherwise unshakable visage for a moment.
"A fitting end, for one such as you," the Prince of Wallachia declared, before turning to regard Fran, who yet remained kneeling and unresponsive. "As for you…"
-x-x-x-x-x-
In the skies above the field, as Karna had readied his Noble Phantasm, arm reeled back and flame building up around him as he chanted, "Know the mercy of the King of Gods!" As he ignored the stinging pain from his lower half, the air around him ignited alongside the armor that was his flesh, momentarily birthing a second sun.
A howling ripped through the air as a furred blur shot towards him, Hyde's skin rapidly combusting and then healing as it closed on the Lancer of Red. Eying the Berserker in curiosity, the Son of Surya continued, "With this single strike, I shall inflict extinction!"
A sound that couldn't rightly be called a howl, a roar, or a scream echoed across the rapidly-immolating fields as the lupine monster sprang into the air, wickedly curved claws reaching for Karna even as burned flesh sloughed off and was replaced by new, unblemished fur as fast as it could be charred.
Karna tried to move out of the way, but was momentarily halted by the pain that the acid had inflicted upon him. That single moment, though, was all that Hyde needed. One claw wrapped around the Lancer's throat, burning all the while, while the other bent unnaturally and dove into the inflamed, vulnerable spot between Karna's legs. Pain tore the breath from his lungs as the furred claw squirmed and burrowed its way up through his abdomen, under his ribs, and closed around his spirit core—his heart.
With a triumphant ululation, Hyde tore his entire arm from Karna's chest, opening a long, bloody trench that started at his breast and ended at his crotch. As demigod and man-made monster plummeted to the ground, the flames in the sky began to wink out. By the time the Son of Surya slammed unceremoniously into the earth, the only evidence that remained of his aborted Noble Phantasm was the scorched and ravaged portion of the land.
Hyde, for his part, landed on its feet, pausing briefly to slurp down Karna's heart before leaping once more, this time towards where Adam and Eve had met.
What passed through the creature's bestial mind at that moment could scarcely have been called a thought; it would be more accurate to compare it to an instinctive reaction: the instinct of a pack animal driven to protect its own.
And protect its own Hyde would.
At any cost.
-x-x-x-x-x-
Strolling through Castle Yggdmillennia, Carmilla couldn't help but feel at home as she allowed herself to enjoy the ambience. It was so rare that buildings with such character would still be inhabited, and it tickled her to see just how closely the castle resembled her own, even down to the furnishings.
The Assassin knew she had a job to do, but that didn't mean that she couldn't enjoy herself while the others took care of the busy work. Honestly, it all seemed rather overblown and tacky, but she understood that some just enjoyed their spectacles.
Following the smell of old blood and squid, Carmilla stalked through the door that had been left open, finding Celenike Icecolle Yggdmillenia staring out her window. Strutting up behind her, the Assassin couldn't help but appraise the woman.
She was a beautiful woman, if severe. Her body was lush and her hair voluminous, and her beauty was only ruined by the harsh scowl she wore. Even her clothes were cut to show her innate beauty, which caused Carmilla to shake her head.
"What a waste."
As the Servant spoke, Celenike spun on her heel, eyes wide as she went to scream, only for Carmilla's knuckles to slam into her head and break her neck. As the scream fell into a death rattle and the corpse collapsed, Assassin grabbed its wrist and peeled the skin off the back of one of its hands, a pair of Command Seals winking at her as she did.
-x-x-x-x-x-
Meanwhile, the Forvedge siblings, along with Johan, had split from Mordred and Kairi. The Saber and the Necromancer had proceeded towards the main hall to confront Darnic, while the unlikely trio had descended further into the castle to check on the status of the homunculi. The as-of-yet-unnamed homunculus that had joined their group hadn't asked them to, but he hadn't needed to.
What they found...wasn't promising.
Whether because of the battles going on or the advent of Adam, almost all of the homunculi in the tanks were dead. Only a handful of them remained alive, and even those seemed to be in great pain.
A single female homunculus moved quickly from holding tube to holding tube, checking each of the homunculi in turn and making adjustments to the mana batteries.
As the trio entered the room, the homunculus turned, her eyes boring into them. After a few moments, she inquired, "Lady and Lord Forvedge, what has brought you and your…guest, here?"
Fiore walked forward, prompting the homunculus to blink in surprise. "Grandfather—no, Darnic, is about to die, and Celenike should already be dead. Come, let us free those who remain alive among your kin."
"I see," the homunculus replied, processing just what she was told. She then nodded curtly. "This way, then. I suppose the tubby bastard will be following your example soon enough, and need straightening out."
-x-x-x-x-x-
"You know, Gordes," Trent began as he readied a gripful of feathers, the homunculus following behind him, watching the magus warily. Though he did spare a wink for Chiron, who was watching from the distance. "I really hadn't expected to see you again after you failed Darnic so spectacularly, but here you are. Now, roll over like the dog you are, or are you still so loyal to Darnic? How praiseworthy, to be so invested in a sinking ship that you'd follow the captain down with it!"
"Save your smarm, traitor! Saber, cut him down!" the pudgy blond snarled, his cheeks purpling with rage as he pointed at the Canadian. A Command Seal disappeared from the back of his hand as he finished the order, leaving but one sigil remaining.
Siegfried looked as though his Master had told him to swallow dung, but the Command Seal propelled him toward Trent without a word, Balmung carving a silver arc towards the Master of White.
It was slapped away by a blast of emerald, Achilles interposing himself between Saber and the Master with an easy smile. Even as the Rider blocked the strike, a thin arrow sprouted from Siegfried's shoulder, though the Dragonslayer paid it little mind, compelled as he was. "Yo, mystery Master, I ain't too sure whether or not we're actually allies, but I gotta ask: what's your angle for the Grail? I'm basically a free agent, so…"
"No point in lying or trying to obfuscate it. I'd just give the wish to Mister Shishigou, so he can see his daughter again," Trent answered with a weary shrug. All this action was really starting to wear him out.
The Rider of Red nodded, a satisfied smile on his face as he hollered, "Oi, Ruler! Cancel our contract, I'm gonna take out Saber here!"
"Honestly…well, the contract would have been ending soon enough either way," Jeanne replied, the array of Command Seals on her back shining as she stood tall. "By the power I wield as moderator of this Holy Grail War, I dissolve the contract between myself and Rider of Red!"
Quickly knocking aside another blow, Achilles held his spear up before him as he remarked, "Well, Saber of Black, shall we have ourselves a duel? No weapons, no interruptions, just you and me beating on each other until one of us falls."
Siegfried glanced at Achilles' limbs, raw and scarred as they were from staving off Eden. The Dragonslayer then met the Son of Peleus' eyes across their clashing weapons. There was an unshakable resolve in them, and a sort of desperate eagerness besides.
He smiled, though the Command Seal prevented him from pulling back Balmung. "I'd be happy to, Rider."
"Saber! Don't you dare do this to me! After your failures with the homunculus, and now thi—" Gordes' howling was cut off by a stone bouncing off his forehead with not inconsiderable force.
The one who threw it stood beside Trent, glaring at his creator as he interrupted, "You don't get to say that! You've dragged his honour through the mud time and again, while ignoring his wishes, so just… just shut up!"
Before Gordes could retort, Achilles laughed, "Well said, kid! Now, then, Saber of Black, let's duel!" As he declared that, the tip of his spear started shining and he dropped it.
"Diatrekhōn Astēr Lonkhē!"
Xan: Apologies for the lateness of the chapter; I just recently moved and only got access to the internet and such over the weekend.