Chapter 74

Kill.

Kill Arthur.

KiLl ArThuR.

KKILLLllll AARRrrrTThuuuRRRRrrr.

"AAARRRTTHHUUURRRRRRR!"

The black sword trailed behind Avenger as it threw itself forward, both arms angled backwards like as it thrust it's chest forward in it's charge, legs furiously churning on the snow covered ground. Each step broke the dirt, carving a divot into the ground, the tree roots smashed into oblivion. Deep within the helmet, it's two eyes were locked on both Servants, veins bulging on its face as it roared with jaws almost unhinged.

"I'll go first." Berserker spat her broken teeth onto the ground, spit mixing with blood and white molars as they fell. Steadying herself, she pressed a palm to her neck and passed a light current through it with her electricity.

"Ngh."

The prickling sensation helped focus her mind, driving away some of the disorientation from the kick to her head just now. Swinging her arm experimentally, she stood in front of Ruler, knees bent in preparation to blunt Avenger's charge. Her breathing evened out as she zoned in on Avenger.

While Ruler could fight her in hand-to-hand combat, she was more suited to providing support from the backline with her lions supporting Berserker. If too many people fought Avenger at once, it was possible they'd catch each other with friendly crossfire, undermining the entire point of fighting together. Berserker could technically throw lightning from the side, as well as objects, but it wasn't very accurate, and would likely hit Ruler when she fought with Avenger.

*schwip*

Ruler raised her hands and materialized her cards, green gem-like surfaces sparkling in her hands. Flourishing them like a magician, she stared at Avenger and started flicking them, the cards sailing through the air as their sharp edges gleamed under the moonlight. The cards gradually increased in number, Ruler swinging her arms rapidly as whole decks were unleashed at Avenger like bullets from a machine gun.

Avenger dove to the right and left, zig-zagging with ease while going at high speed as it dodged the cards flying at him. The black armor didn't hinder it at all, allowing him to shrug off the stray cards that hit as well, the cards simply sliding off it like rain on an umbrella. Getting behind a tree, it swung it's sword, cutting the tree in half, then grasped the trunk and pulled it off the stump, charging forward with the entire tree as it's shield. The tree shook as it was lifted, the snow on it's branches sloughing off onto the dirt, then it's branches broke and snapped as it was hurled forward, rolling on the ground towards Berserker and Ruler.

Ruler stopped throwing her cards, a new deck materializing in her right hand as it glowed a dull red, the middle significantly brighter like lava breaking through the ground. Bending the deck of cards inward, they flew towards her left like a bridge of cards, the red forming a continuous line like a red carpet going from her right to her left. From the top right to the bottom left, not a single card fell out of line, each perfectly captured within her hands. When the last card left her right hand, she spun in a circle, her left hand scattering the cards around her, until they were floating in the air around her in a circle by the time she faced forward again, like a glowing red chakram.

"Deal."

The circle of cards rose above her head, floated into the air and flew towards the tree trunk, spinning all the way. The tree trunk crashing through the forest and the circle of cards met each other, tens of meters away from Berserker and Ruler, while Avenger followed right behind it's makeshift shield.

*DZOOOM*

The cards lit up briefly like the surface of the sun, then they exploded, sending the tree to plant heaven as it burst into thousands of wooden splinters and shards that were swiftly consumed by the explosion, with only a small chunk of the trunk at the far end surviving, barely larger than a tire as it bounced on the forest floor. The shockwave of the blast washed over Berserker and Ruler, ruffling their hair as they waited for Avenger to show up.

Their expectations were not betrayed as it burst straight through the vapour of melted snow, the chest and arms slightly melted and distorted. Still, the explosion had done nothing to dampen it's movements, it's drive to kill them fueling it's body as it leaped up and straight towards Berserker, swinging it's sword in an overhead swing with all it's might.

The steel bit into the ground deeply, carving a furrow as Berserker sidestepped to avoid the attack. The red blade of lightsaber thrust towards Avenger's unprotected sides, Berserker's other hand gathering power for a burst of lightning. Without pulling out her sword, Avenger kicked up a spray of dirt, temporarily blinding Berserker, though her sword continued thrusting forward, then Avenger moved forward to impale itself on the lightsaber.

*vuoo-schk*

The plasma blade sank straight through the armor, the end sticking out of the back of Avenger.

"?!"

Berserker deactivated the lightsaber, trying to jump out of range, but she was too late. Reaching out, a black gauntlet rushed forward and clamped down on her neck, refusing to let go. Lifting Berserker off the ground so her legs couldn't touch it, Avenger applied pressure, inexorably increasing it's strength to crush her throat.

"Khhkaahk-"

Berserker's eyes bulged outwards, her mouth opening and closing as her hands clawed at Avenger's arm, her fists impacting on the steel and failing to even scratch it. Instead, her own fists were bruised. Her legs jerked and twitched, her body starting to spasm from the lack of oxygen. Darkness creeped in at the edges of her vision, her mind growing fuzzier and fuzzier.

"GGAAAOORRRR"

Avenger left hand, drawn back to punch through Berserker's core, quickly whipped around to punch the lion in the face, the plated fist digging into the light, passing through it with ease. The lion exploded in a flash of light, bright enough to blind Avenger even with the slit visor protecting their eyes.

Another lion bit into the arm holding Berserker while Avenger was stunned, forcing Avenger to drop Berserker in a bid to shake off the lion. Ruler hurled a red card, the rectangular weapon flying true until it slammed into the helm of Avenger, blowing up in its face. Avenger's head was thrown backwards like it had been punched, it's entire body bending backwards from the force of the explosion, though it's legs still remained planted on the ground.

*KrnCH*

Avenger tugged it's left arm, but found it locked in another lion's mouth, black blood oozing out of the punctures the fangs had made in its arms as the armor was easily crushed within the mouth of the lion. With both arms securely locked by the lions, Avenger roared.

"ARRRTTHUUURRRRRR!"

Slamming one leg into the ground so violently that it shook, the aberrant Servant lunged forward, straining against the two lions pulling it backwards from each arm. The metal plates on her arms snapped and buckled under the immense pressure of the lions, the flesh of her arms straining as they were pulled in two directions by Avenger and the lions. Avenger glared ahead at Ruler, it's entire body shaking as it struggled to pull free to reach Ruler. Pushing it's entire body downwards to lower it's center of gravity, it applied even more force, the muscles fibers on the verge of snapping as the bones creaked. The two lions on each side planted their large paws firmly on the ground, four anchors each to keep their prey from escaping their grasp.

*snick*

The sound of the tendons and flesh snapping and pulling apart one by one came from it's arms, and then the left arm broke free from the body, a stump of black substance and sharp edges of bone sticking out of the broken hole near the shoulder of it's armour.

"AARTHUR!"

*KRANG*

The sound of metal being crushed and distorted resounded in the clearing as a third lion manifested in front of Avenger to bite into it's torso with it's maw sideways, crushing the ornate steel plate. Before Avenger could even do anything more than tilting its head to look downwards at it, a fourth lion showed up behind Avenger and went low, clamping down on it's legs. With its arms, body and legs restrained, Avenger was a sitting duck, left squirming within the lion's grasp as the broken armor plates scraped against each other, roaring helplessly like a wounded animal.

A light yellow glow suffused the air around Ruler as she started to chant.

"Noble vessel Ehangwen, deploy intercontinental heavy cannon! Fire away, Rhongomyniad!"

Three halos manifested in the air above Ruler, energy thrumming in the air as a pillar of light shot through the halos and into the sky. Avenger stared at Ruler, howling in futility.

"ARRRTTHUURRRR!"

The beam of light fell from the heavens, divine judgement from the strongest dealer of Las Vegas, laying bare the truths and lies on the table of cards.

*DOM*

The lions vanished as soon the beam hit the ground, the energy vaporizing the ground and creating a perfectly circular sinkhole.

Without even debris thrown up, all that was left in the center was a hole, the dirt melted and fused together. All the snow was melted, evaporated into the air, and the roots were burnt to ash. On the sides, Berserker stared at the former location of Avenger, who had disappeared into thin air.

"So this is what Ruler is capable of."

Berserker suspected Ruler didn't even need her help to take out Avenger. About all she had done was serve as bait to keep Avenger in place while she was being choked. Ruler stepped forward to the edge of the hole, peering downwards into the darkness.

"..."

Didn't seem like anything could survive that. Turning her back on the hole, she walked towards Berserker, ready to award her with the Command Seals.

*Schk*

"Father."

Ruler froze in place, her eyes wide staring at the blade that had pierced through her chest, blood welling up next to the sword as it flowed past her skin, bodysuit and down her legs.

*shf*

"Die."

The sword was pulled out, allowing Ruler to utilize her legs to jump away to put some distance between her unknown assailant. Before her legs could even begin to bend, a fist slammed into a back, hitting her spine and sending a massive wave of pain running through her entire nerve system, her body unable to respond as she was sent flying forward into the forest, her limbs loose and unresponsive as they flopped around while she bounced once, twice off the ground and rolled to a stop at the foot of a tree.

Berserker stared in horror at the new Servant, recognition finally dawning on her face as the armor was completely gone, having been destroyed in the blast that they assumed had killed Avenger.

"Mordred."