"Well, well, well. Fancy running into you here." The words were mocking, and I snarled, my lips curled as I glared at the smug bastard. Ritsuka stiffened next to me, his own hands clenched fists. "And, to think that you took out Romulus. However, a Servant is still a Servant, one or many. Sorry, but you'll never surpass the power of the Holy Grail," he said, glowering at us. I noticed that, nestled under the crook of his right arm, was a familiar-looking chalice made of pure gold.
Mash gasped and dragged her shield over, putting herself between the rogue mage and Nero, Ritsuka, and I. Mordred, Chulainn, and Jeanne followed suit. "Is that the Court Mage?" Nero asked, and I nodded briskly. "Then, that golden chalice he has is—"
"Yes, that's the Holy Grail. It looks similar in shape to the one we saw before," Mash responded before the Emperor of Roses could finish asking the question.
"Who could've though a court mage would ignore his king's crisis. I guess betrayal is second-nature to you now, Professor Lev?" Doctor Roman said sharply. I almost recoiled at his tone. I hadn't heard such scorn in the ginger's voice since first meeting him. Though, I couldn't help but agree with his anger. "Or perhaps, this is the real you? You seem more energetic than when you were at Chaldea."
"Hand over the Holy Grail!" Ritsuka interjected suddenly, his tone sharp and firm. Lev smiled instead, shaking his head.
"I see. Looks like you've learned to talk back, boy," Lev said, adding extra emphasis to that last word. "I hear that you did quite a bit in France, both of you, actually. Thanks to that, I really got yelled at! I would've been back at the Temple already, but no, I get to be sent back into the field! And as a result, I am here to do some clean-up. My plan was to give the Grail to a fitting fool, then enjoy what would unfold. But you two ruined that."
"Boo-hoo, cry me a river," I said with a sneer. Lev scowled at me, but I didn't back down, nor did Ritsuka.
"I see. Find a human, or a Heroic Spirit, who wants to plunge an era into madness and chaos. Then, if you give them the Grail, that era would surely drive itself into such a state. That's what happened last time in France."
"But not this time. The Holy Progenitor Romulus did not wish for the downfall of mankind."
"So, a true traitor gets to know what betrayal feels like," the Knight of Rebellion said viciously.
"Shut it, trash," Lev sneered angrily. "I never had any hope for humans in the first place. Ritsuka, Jacob. You think you can stop me, Lev Lainur, just because you defeated a few measly Servants?" He said incredulously, a palm pressed against his chest.
"What are you after?" Ritsuka demanded, and the traitor cackled condescendingly.
"I told you already, the last time we met. Something that has been accomplished. The question you should be asking, Ritsuka, is 'why did you destroy humanity?' Although," Lev said, tapping his chin thoughtfully, "Even if you did ask me, I have no reason to answer you. Besides, I think you people misunderstand something. Recover the Grail, repair the Singularity, protect mankind—" I activated my Magic Circuits and concentrated, looking past the gaudily-dressed traitor.
Lev paused, bearing fanged teeth with a gruel glint in his black, soulless-looking eyes. "Protect humanity? Idiots! There's nothing you can do There's no point in struggling. The end is certain. You're insignificant, worthless! You will perish in sorrow!"
"Not this time." Ritsuka said boldly, though this time I could detect the faintest hint of uncertainty. I reached out and clasped his shoulder, squeezing slightly. My friend jumped slightly, looking over his shoulder, and I titled my head downwards slightly, as I tried to convey my intents through my eyes. My fellow Master finally nodded, and looked back at the sneering Lev.
"So, you truly feel nothing for Director Animusphere?"
"That incompetent idiot? Who could feel anything more than pity for that wretch? Honestly, killing her was a mercy," Lev said callously. I could hear Ritsuka's knuckles pop as his fist clenched, his knuckles snow-white. I had to fight down the fiery, burning sensation of my own wrath, instead focusing
"So, you're a traitor and a sociopath, then?" Ritsuka said, the words sounding like he had to force them past sealed teeth.
"Those are human terms. I am above them. Beyond humanity, in fact…"
I tuned out the bastard's words, closing my eyes and trying my best to subtly activate my Magical Circuits. I concentrate, drawing water out of the air right behind where Lev was. In my mind's eye, I saw the ice forming a pillar. No, rather, a spike, long and narrow. Flat on the far end, while the near end facing the exposed back of the traitor being sharp and jagged.
"Now, prepare to join that failure." My eyes snapped open, and I gave a mental push of sorts to the flat end of the icicle I had just created, allowing my wrath to take over, now that I could finally avenge Director Animusphere.
"This is for Olga Marie Animusphere!" I howled angrily, sending the spike of ice flying into his back. Lev did nothing, and I heard a wet, squishing sound as the improvised weapon pierced his back before the tip popped out where his heart is.
Or rather, where it should be. The blood that was dripping from the tip emerging from his chest wasn't crimson, but a pitch black, almost tar-like substance dripping onto the floor. Lev cocked an eyebrow and looked down at the protrusion, before looking me directly in the eyes and clucking his tongue reproachfully.
"What the…?" I asked in alarm, eyes wide as I powered down my Magical Circuits. In response, Lev merely threw his head back and cackled, while dragging the ice impaling him out of his chest like it was nothing.
"Pathetic. Allow me to show you the favor of our king!" Lev said, his voice growing distorted. Demonic. His eyes turned a glowing crimson, and his body began to glow brightly. I looked away, unable to look at the brightness until it started fading. When I looked back, I felt a wave of nausea overcome me.
No longer was Lev a human. Instead, it was a tall, column-like mass of flesh radiating a thick aura of malevolence. His skin was a purplish-black, and lines upon lines of massive red eyes coated the surface, each one inhuman and staring down at our shocked party.
"What's that creature?! It's ugly!" Nero said, vehemently recoiling in disgust. "You're uglier than anything of this world!" A shuddering, evil laughter oozing cruelty shook me to the bone as Lev replied. His voice was distorted, its pitch far deeper than before.
"That's right! This ugliness will be you undoing!" The thing that was Lev said. It sounded like there was an echo, or multiple people speaking as one. At the same time, I couldn't tell if the voice was something being said aloud, or perhaps being projected into our minds. However, I refused to let the creeping sensation of terror take hold of my mind.
"Doc, what the hell is that?" I demanded.
"This signature, this amount of energy…" a shocked Roman said softly. "That's not a Servant! It's not even a Phantasmal! Could it be—could that be an actual Demon from legends?"
"Allow me to introduce myself once again. I am Lev Lainur 'Flauros'! One of the Seventy-Two Demon Gods! The Demon God Flauros—This is the true favor of my king!" The thing said proudly.
"How disgusting," Nero said with a sneer of her own. "You are the reincarnation of evil!" The Emperor of Roses declared, readying her sword.
"A giant pillar of flesh protruding out of the ground? A large amount of magical energy…Doctor!" Mash cried out in alarm, as the rest of the Servants charged into the room, no doubt having sensed the presence of this…this abomination!
"…Flauros. He did say Seventy-Two Demon Gods. In that case, the king he speaks of is—No, there's still not enough information. That's impossible, Demon gods do not exist!" Roman cried out in frustration, and I could swear there was also an undertone of anger in the voice of the acting-director. "We don't know the details, but that thing is dangerous. We've got to take it out!"
"Orders, Master!" Mordred barked out, adjusting her posture as the other front-line Servants joined her. I tensed my shoulders, the words normally delivered unwillingly feeling…almost divine.
"Kill Lev Lainur Flauros."
With a cry of pain, a smoking Marie was sent tumbling backwards, the unfortunate Rider out of the fight. A single, direct hit from this supposed demon pillar had managed to deal such devastation? Just what were we dealing with here?! And why the hell did it have tentacles?!
Gilles cried out in alarm as a column of malevolent-looking magical energy slammed into the ground he had been standing just a split-second ago. In the same action, he had tackled Jeanne to the side, who otherwise would have also been caught in the blast.
However, neither of them was able to dodge the tentacle-like appendage that had shot out of the base of the demon pillar. The force of the blow sent the two French Servants flying across the room, slamming into the wall. The duo then slid down to the floor, collapsing into a groaning pile.
I growled under my breath as Chiron, Medea, and Amadeus fired either arrows or various magical attacks at the behemoth. Some of them were absorbed by more tentacles by the eldritch-like abomination, though a few, mainly spells, managed to slip past Flauros's defenses.
The entity roared angrily, the vertical structure of its body vibrating violently. "It looks like the attacks launched by our Casters seemed to have some sort of effect against it," Ritsuka said softly, having stood beside me. For once, Mash had thrown herself into the combat, though not without both prodding from Ritsuka and the reassurances of Nero that the Emperor of Roses would protect us. How, or if she really could, I was unsure of, but it appeared to have been enough for the Demi-Servant.
Said Demi-Servant was currently grunting as she threw her entire body mass against her shield, using all of her strength to keep yet another tentacle from lashing out at our Servants.
In a blink of an eye, the tentacle was severed in three different places, sprays of black blood flying in different directions, as Sasaki came to the rescue of his comrade. While his ultimate attack might have limited results when dealing with multiple opponents at once, against a single opponent, his Swallow Reversal Technique was truly something. Another roar erupted as another tentacle shot out of the base of the demon pillar. It swung down, and the two dodged to either side as the tentacle smashed another section of tiles.
At the same time, three more shot towards Nero, Ritsuka, and I, and both the Emperor of Roses and myself drawing our swords to defend ourselves and Rits. "MASTER!" A dearly-familiar voice cried out, and a mass of metal covered with crimson lighting sped by. With a single, overpowered stroke, Clarent sliced through all three tendrils, before its owner skidded to a halt before us.
Mordred's shoulders rose and fell rapidly, her blonde hair sticking to her forehead, damp from sweat. The other Servants formed up a line, Gilles and Jeanne looking battered but still in the fight, though Marie had a slight limp, her right foot twisted unnaturally, even for a Servant.
"Master, we're barely making a dent in that thing!" Mordred snarled furiously. Sure enough, the only real damage that had been dealt to the structure of the demon pillar had been the attacks of Medea and Amadeus, or rather, the ones that got past Flauros's flailing tentacles.
Sure enough, the small wounds that had managed to get through the flailing tentacles were healing, the black blood that had flowed out almost bubbling about the wounds before evaporating, revealing a pristine surface unmarred by injuries.
All except for the ones that had been inflicted by Medea and Amadeus, that is. A brief stand-off began, and I turned towards our Servants.
"I have an idea. With the exception of those delivered by Amadeus and Medea, none of your attacks seem to be doing any damage. However, the Casters are unable to deal enough damage to that blasted thing because of those appendages. I need you guys to keep it distracted, maybe even blind it partially, but just keep it preoccupied on anything other than those two," I said softly and quickly, unwilling to risk allowing Flauros to overhear my words.
The Servants exchanged glances, as if silently communicating with one another. Then Mordred looked back at me and grimaced. "Well, not like we have a better idea on hand," the Knight of Rebellion huffed, before cracking her neck slightly and turning back to the demon pillar, just as the air began to cackle with magical energy.
"Now!" Ritsuka and I called out, running backwards along with Nero, Marie, and Mash, while our Servants charged forward, allowing for the magic-fueled explosion to only further damage the floor.
A rapid volley of arrows arched through the air, all the more impressive due to still being indoors, and took out dozens of the inhuman eyes With vicious battle cries, Gàe Bolg, Clarent, the swords of Gilles and Sasaki, and Jeanne's flagpole ripped massive gashes across Flauros's body, spilling more of the black blood onto the white marble.
Meanwhile, Flauros's tentacles were fixated on the Servants assaulting the base, leaving the rest of him absolutely unprotected, or at least, that was my hope. I turned to look at the two Casters, our final hope for this battle, with hard eyes, my lips curled back in a feral sneer as I violently jabbed a finger at the demon pillar.
"This is it, hit that bastard with everything you got! Make every shot count!" I almost screamed, the sound mixing with the inhuman sounds Flauros was emitting at the same time.
Medea shouted out in her native tongue of ancient Greek, and a dizzying array of portal-like structures appeared in the air around her. In unison, each began to glow brightly, magical beams of pure energy beginning to form as the Witch of Betrayal floated high in the air. Nearby, though on the ground, Amadeus waved his tool, and ghostly silhouettes began to form around him, each holding some sort of musical instrument, as the 'God-loved' composer unleashed his Noble Phantasm at the same time as Medea unleashed her barrage.
An unearthly wail was emitted from the demon pillar as the twin attacks struck home. Unlike the other attacks, however, the wail seemed to contain more pain than anger, and the wounds left behind were fairly substantial, all things considered. My theory about the demon pillar being more susceptible to magic-based attacks seemed to have proven correct, as massive gouts of smoke began rising from the creature.
"Hit that son of a bitch once more!" I said. The two Casters responded with loud grunts, and this time launched even stronger attacks. This time, they punched straight through the demon pillar, the magical beams launched by Medea even scorching the gold filigree on the opposite end of the room.
Through the smoke, I could see that the wounds weren't healing. Instead, the tar-like blood started leaking out in waves, like a ruptured bucket.
"Once more!" Ritsuka called out, and for the thrice time the Casters' attacks hit their target, this time above the base, carving another series of holes through the entity. Thankfully, it turned out that there was no need for a fourth volley.
With a groaning roar, the 'demon pillar' began to glow weakly. The ground shuddered as the groaning intensified, before suddenly the column of writhing flesh vanished, and a humanoid shape was sent tumbling backwards.
"We've defeated the enemy lifeform, Master!" Mash said.
"Don't let your guard down!" Ritsuka replied swiftly. Mash nodded, and the other Servants adjusted their stances once more.
"Right!"
"WHAT?!" A bloodied Lev roared, his clothing torn and scorched. His top hat was gone, and his eyes were brimmed with abject hatred. "Impossible! Mere Heroic Spirits…do you really think you can repel one of the gods?!" The look of rage was forced down, and Lev adopted a more shrewd expression, and I noticed how he was still gripping the Grail. "No, this is a simple miscalculation. That's right, that must be it. It's been too long since I left the temple. My cells are starting to die off."
"A pity that you can't just do the same already," I hissed, eyes narrowed as I drew my sword with a shrill ringing sound.
"Idiot. I am entrusted with the mission to incinerate the future. It's not as if I didn't have a contingency plan."
"Is something else coming?" Mash asked, but instead of answering her query with words, the traitor instead held the Grail aloft, and the golden chalice began glowing brightly.
"Watch out! I'm detecting the Holy Grail's activation!" Roman called out at that moment.
"Rejoice, Emperor Nero Claudius," Lev said, the title being hurled as an insult at a glaring Emperor of Roses. "I have summoned the strongest hero possible for this task. One truly fit to bring the demise of Rome."
"Rome is the world, and the world shall never come to an end!" Nero shouted back, as the light grew brighter.
"Even pride is nothing more than ultimate stupidity, if misdirected, huh? See with your own eyes the end of your world! We'll pull the floor out from humanity! We'll destroy one of its seven foundations-by the esteemed words of our king! Come forth! The great hero of destruction, Altera!" The name sounded both familiar and yet unfamiliar.
The light faded, and between us was a thin girl with lightly tanned skin and bright red eyes. Her grey hair was long and thick, falling behind her shoulders. A colorful and unusual sword was gripped in her hands, colored almost like a rainbow. The Servant said nothing, her gaze sweeping over us without any emotion visible. Lev cackled manically from behind, a crazed look on him.
"Kill. Destroy. Incinerate," the traitor instructed with malicious glee dripping from his voice. "With your power, burn both Rome and this singularity to the ground! It's over, Romani Archaman! Your dream of continuing Humanity is just that, a dream! This Servant is the ultimate destroyer! Altera here is a Heroic Spirit, but her power—"
"Silence." The voice was cold, her singular word delivered in a crisp monotone. However, it carried the invisible weight of a mountain, ending Lev's rant.
"Huh?" A visibly startled Lev managed.
Instead of answering the words of who I would have thought was her Master, the Servant turned around, and sliced her sword downwards, cleaning bisecting the traitor down his entire length. A gush of blood sprayed out of the wound, before the two halves fell to the other side of another with a wet pair of squishes.
I felt sick at the gore that had once been Lev Lainur. Sure, he was a traitor, and I wouldn't be mourning his parting, but holy shit, that was brutal! The Servant, whose name apparently was Alter, slowly turned around, showing an impassive face stained with a few small streaks of Lev's blood. She stayed still and silent, watching us like some stony sentinel. In addition to the instinctive queasiness of seeing such a gory death, I also felt a selfish wave of disappointment at Lev's fate. Damn it, I wanted for us to kill him, and avenge the loss of Olga Marie Animusphere and the others who had been killed in the bombing of Chaldea.
"Fou!" Fou cried out in alarm, leaping off of Mash's shoulder from where he had ascended onto her.
"What? Lev's signature has disappeared!" Roman called out in a mixture of shock and alarm.
"Yeah, that kinda happens when you're sliced in two, I would image," I quipped back, unable to hide the trace of hysteria that was creeping into my voice.
"What?!" Mash, however, between Ritsuka, her, and I, was the one least unphased by the grisly display.
"He…He was cut in half by the Servant he summoned!" Mash said, trying to keep her voice calm. Her True Name is Altera. Class is probably Saber." I noticed then that the aforementioned Servant was moving to the side, bending down and picking up the blood-coated Grail that had been used to summon her. She held it close to her chest.
"Altera has the Grail! It's being absorbed…she's absorbing it…" Mash's voice trailed off.
"I am a warrior of the Hun," Altera suddenly said in her monotone, though I could detect the faintest traces of an accent. Possibly Turkish? "I am the King of the Huns. I am the King of Destruction, the one who destroyed the western world." As Altera continued to speak, her body began to glow, and she pointed her multi-colored blade towards us.
"I got a bad feeling about this!" Nero called out suddenly. "Mash, something's going to happen. Even can tell!"
"Huge spike in her magical energy signature! This must be her Noble Phantasm, and an Anti-Fortress level to boot!" And we're stuck inside a building….fuck.
"Master!"
"Deploy your Noble Phantasm! Hurry!" Ritsuka shouted back to Mash, while I look to Jeanne.
"Help her out, Jeanne!" The blonde nodded and closed her eyes after moving over to stand next to Mash, the two girls readying their response.
"This is what you people said," Altera said, resuming her 'speech'. "That I am the divine punishment itself. The Scourge of God.
At the last moment, the attacking Saber's words clicked together. In history, particularly Roman history, there was only one person who had been given such a title. A leader from the Eastern Steppes, whose horse-borne warriors had been the tale of horrors for the 'civilized' world, I couldn't believe my eyes. Attila the Hun, the Scourge of God, was also a woman?
"Now, die."
Original Endnotes: And done! What did you guys think? I've decided that I am going to write the demon pillars as more 'eldritch-horror' type creatures, because otherwise it would just be a disgusting column of creepy eyes that cast spells. Exciting for a video game, sure, but not really for reading, if you know what I mean? That being said, any critiques you would like to make? Also, do you think that writing Altera as having a voice devoid of emotion seem apt? I haven't really gotten to work with her before, (including the Santa Version), so I am kinda winging it in some ways.
As I said at the start, I finished my finals, and I have passed all my classes. Zlatz, that means you can have your hackers stand down, okay buddy?*Looks towards my window nervously* That means that I can write with (relatively) less stress, which is also wonderful!
We're almost at the end of the Roman Singularity. In fact, last chapter might be a rather long one, as well as the last one for Rome (Please don't quote me on that). It will be out sometime between Friday and Sunday, but no firm guarantees yet other than that time range.
Now, for the question(s) of the day! First up, what was your first anime? Second one is, if you won the Hoy Grail, what would your wish be?
As always, thank you guys and gals for being such wonderful readers and fans. It's been five months, and it's fantastic to see how this story is doing well. Honestly, I kinda expected for people to grow bored of it by October, so the fact that hasn't been the case is really wonderful, ya know? Eagerly awaiting y'alls feedback and answers, and I hope you enjoyed! Stay safe and warm, and see you guys in the next chapter!
Updated endnotes 8/27/21: As always, fully-updated version can be found on the original version on AO3