I do not own Fate/Campione! or any other materials that would appear similar.
Chapter VII
The morning sun leaked through and illuminated the room, bringing warmth to the cold temperature from the night before. Birds sang their morning routine merrily as though signifying another wonderful day.
I stirred awake with a startle as thoughts about last night events kept me from falling into a deep slumber My body had shut itself down before I had the chance to 'escape'. Luckily being a morning person, I might get the chance to get out of this predicament.
As I feel for the presence of another, just as I thought, she was still there. Actually, I don't even need to look for her. The culprit was sleeping soundly while giving off soft, cute noises while embracing me. Since she held me tightly, I could certainly felt something soft pressed on my body and it doesn't take a genius to know what that soft object was.
As I struggled gently to escape, she responded by raising her leg over me to lodged on even tighter than before. What am I? Her body pillow!? It was starting get hard to breathe now.
I couldn't really move and change my sleeping position over the night which resulted in suffering from sores all over my body. Just how strong is this girl? I couldn't even remove myself from her. If this goes on, she will probably wake up and things would get ugly if I don't escape soon.
"Hey" I whispered, testing her level of awareness. No reply. Next I poked her cheek to see if she's affected. "Hmm…" She lightly shifted herself, rubbing her cheeks on my chest. Her adorable action caused my face to flush and my pulse to quicken. Why can't she be gentle like this when awake? Wait, scratch that. Gentle is the wrong word. With her death grip, she's far from gentle.
Unable to withstand any longer, I pried open her fingers from my body. There's a risked of her waking up but I have to take my chances. It's better than letting her waking up in my arms.
After much struggling, I finally managed to exit the bed. Phew. That was close. Now to quickly and quietly make my escape while she's still–
*Thump*
A long slender sword was embedded on the door knob from where I was just about to reach. If I was a second earlier, my hand would definitely be skewered. Well damn it. Time to reinforce my body for the oncoming onslaught.
I caught a glimpsed of a black coloured laced object as I lifted up my arms to the side by reflex to block a perfectly executed turning kick. Without a second to lose, I rolled to the side to dodge a followed up back kick. After putting a distance between myself and the attacker, I could clearly see the assailant's furious face.
Using only the bed sheet that did little to cover up her well-endowed body, the beautiful blonde smiled at me. Eh? Smiled?
Erica walked slowly to her sword, extracting it from the door that it was embedded in. Something was wrong. So far, she didn't even utter a single word let alone let out a scream which I was kinda expecting. But instead, she just smiled silently at me. She's mad. I had seen that smile before when we walking here but this one is different. This was on another level. I knew, I knew from experience what kind of smile this is. I unintentionally gulped hard at the situation I had put myself in.
"G-good morning Erica. Did you sleep well?" I asked in a friendly manner. She responded by brandishing her sword, her smile grew wider. "W-wait… Hear me out. This is just a misunderstanding. Let me explain." She started to walk slowly to me. "You were drunk and messed up. I had no choice. I can't leave you like that." She was still smiling, with her sword reflecting the morning sun. "So I brought you back to your room and asked me to tuck you to-"
"I know." She whispered, her voice clearly trembling. "I know what happened last night." She remembered? "As clear as night and day. Everything."
Don't tell me she remembered every single thing that happened last night? I don't know whether to be relieved of the trouble for me to explain or…Hold on. If she know what happened last night then… Shit.
"You, you tainted my body with those vile eyes of yours. My body, that no man had ever laid eyes upon. And you even did that. And I-" She was trembling now, literally. "Hahaha. I have never suffered such humiliation before in my life."
As she approached closer, I continued to retreat until my back hit the wall. "Huhuhu…So can you please die?" she said with her empty eyes while smiling. She broke!
Immediately, she struck. Her sword drew a vertical line upwards, attempting to cleave me into two. I barely evaded the attack, which left a deep wound on the wall. There's no mistaking it. She's seriously trying to kill me. Should I retaliate or flee?
"Hey. Hold still. I can't cut you up if you keep on running around." She said in a friendly voice.
Like hell am I going to stand still and be cut up! The wrath of women must not be reckoned with, especially if she is a talented swordsman or a genius spellcaster if I were to add on.
Dodging every strike she threw at me, I was at my wits end. She's too busy trying to kill me that she had forgotten that she herself was not dressed properly. Still in her undergarments, her well-developed assets bounced each time she strikes. Man, how defenceless could she be?
"Umm… not to interrupt you in trying to kill me but I think you should get dressed first. It's kinda getting distracting to dodge your strikes." I said teasingly.
"Huh? Kya!" Finally realizing her attire, she squatted down trying to cover her body with her arms while letting out a short and cute scream.
Seizing this chance, I hastily made my escape through the open window that she prevented me from approaching before. Pausing midway on the edge of the window, "By the way that was a cute scream you got there." I teased her while giving her thumbs up.
"Why you…" She threw her sword that barely missed me as I proceeded to jump down to the garden. "Get back here!" Then, dozens sword fell from the sky, each was a duplicate of the original.
I continued to retreat, using the heavy vegetation as cover. That ability of hers, to duplicate her sword a multiple of times and launching them like bullets. Interesting. I have yet to see what the magus in this world could do.
As I retreated to safety, the barrage of attacks halted and I started to wonder myself why had I teased her back then? She felt so natural to be with and I had unintentionally make fun of her. I should probably apologise properly when I get back. Well that is if I survive another onslaught.
*Scene Break*
After making my way back to the house, I got changed and wasted no time to prepare the first meal of the day. But before that, I took the time to clean up the mess yesterday except for that place. I didn't dare to check on the state of the wine cellar.
It was a simple breakfast. I found some ciabatta bread and decided to make some panino with ham and cheese together with some salad. While I was brewing the coffee, someone had arrived at the dining hall. It was Godou.
He was looking fine though was being awfully quiet and reserved as compared to before the incident happened.
"How are you feeling today?" I asked as I served him cappuccino and the sandwich.
He gave a small nod. "Yeah I'm fine. Thanks for asking."
He still seemed distant as though thinking of something. I took the seat opposite him. "Godou, I want to apologise for what happened before. It is after all partly my fault for getting you involve in this."
"No. Don't apologise." He gave a small smile. "It was my fault that got me into that situation. I didn't think twice about the consequences and just jumped in head first into the fray…" He paused. "When I saw 'him', my mind couldn't think of anything else but questions. All those people that were affected; losing their home, some even lost their lives. I wanted to know who was responsible for that, to make him answer for all those things he had done. And now I got it smack at my face."
"That guy, the youth. He's…" He paused. Probably remembering what happened back then. "not human…isn't he?"
I nodded, confirming his suspicion. "I see. Then it's no surprise all that could happen. Haha…" Godou hung his head at the realization.
"Godou, you don't need to worry. You shouldn't even be in this situation in the first place. This side of the world, the magic world, is not for any random passer-by to get involve with. The magical world is a dangerous place. To walk the path of magic is to walk a path of death. That's why you shouldn't think too much. Go back to Japan and live your normal life. I had already discussed with Lucretia to help you. She can cast a spell on you to forget everything that happened."
"Forget everything? But I heard, from yesterday's discussion that I was the only person that can use the tablet isn't it? You need the tablet to seal whatever monsters that are going to appear right? Just like what I had done yesterday…"
"True but that's not the only solution. Sealing those 'monsters' will certainly help in our fight but like I said, don't worry. We'll think of something. You just concentrate on preparing to go back. Leave this to us." I assured Godou who had a guilty look on his face.
Yes. Sealing the last incarnation was probably the best solution there is. It could help to at least weakened him to a certain degree but I don't want to risk exposing Godou to any more danger. He did not belong here.
Just as I was deep in thoughts, somebody else had arrived. The proud knight stepped down to the dining hall with an air of elegance. Godou was still contemplating to notice the new arrival.
Should I run? She could strike any moment now to continue where we left off but I kept my cool and studied her movements for any intention of hostility. Well she was hostile alright. Upon making eye contact, she glared at me but instead sat down at the breakfast table. Closing her eyes, she sat there as though waiting for… something?
Ah breakfast. Oh well, might as well serve her food. I served her the same as Godou but with additional sweet pastries that happened to be there. Weird. I didn't see that earlier on.
Erica accepted the service as though it was only natural. After silently finishing her breakfast, she got up from her seat and addressed the black haired youth. "Godou, I'm sure things have been explained to you so I would like to thank you for your help so far. I don't think we will be meeting again after this. So this is goodbye. I pray for your safe travel back."
"Yeah. Uh…Thanks." he replied awkwardly.
Without further noticed, Erica walked out of the front door where she was greeted by the familiar black cat, Kuro. "Send my regards to your master. Tell her that I am grateful for her hospitality."
Hold on. Is she leaving? "Hey! Weren't we supposed to discuss how to proceed with this problem?" I called out to her, confused.
She replied by wordlessly glaring at me and returned her attention to the cat. "To further add on, relay to your master that I have already determined my next move and am going to proceed with it. If I require any assistance, I'll be sure to drop a call. That is all. Goodbye." With that, she walked out the door, ignoring me.
Sigh... I shouldn't be surprise. Any girl would be angry if that happened to her. But not asking for any help, she sure is one prideful girl.
Should I follow her or go on with my own investigation? Well she seemed to know what she's doing and working separately will be unproductive seeing that I have to investigate from scratch. Erica is from this world and she is a knight of her own organisation. Surely, she would have her own connections to get information from. Though I was reluctant to work close with someone belonging to a magic association, right now time was a critical factor. We can't afford to lose more.
Confirming my decision, I followed her out, but before that. "Godou, the girl that you saved yesterday, Agatha, we met her on the way here. You were unconscious back then so her mother told me to tell you that she was very grateful for saving her daughter. They said hello."
Caught unexpected by my words, he could only give a small nod. Well that should do it.
As I make my way out the house, Kuro intercepted me and purred, rubbing its body on my legs. Seems like Lucretia was still weak. Well last night really took a toll on her body, she seemed exhausted after that.
"Oh and one last thing Godou. I have already prepared the breakfast for Lucretia so could you send it to her in her room? Thanks." I caressed the black cat. "Tell your master I said thanks too."
As I carried my bag, I noticed that Erica's bag was still here. Was she expecting me to carry it for her? She's not honest, isn't she? I let out a small chuckle as I carried our luggage out.
*Scene Break*
We were both silent throughout the journey. We took a car that Erica had called earlier on. Obviously she sat in front with the driver while I sat alone at the back. We didn't make any conversation nor did I attempted to.
The journey took half the day. So when we arrived at the provincial capital city of Oristano, it was already past lunch time. Since we were already here, I suggested that we have our lunch first before proceeding on.
Erica silently agreed, still refusing to talk to me. She told the driver to have his lunch while waiting for us. Thus, we proceeded to the nearest restaurant that looks somewhat fancy.
"A table for two?" The waiter asked us.
"No. A table for ONE." She corrected the waiter, emphasizing the last word.
The waiter bore a confused look. Alternating his gaze between the two of us perhaps convinced that we were together.
Actually, Mr Waiter, you were not wrong. Sigh…I should have guessed this would happen.
"Is there a problem? How long do you intend on letting me wait?" she glared at him.
"Y-Yes! Right this way miss." Terrified by the knight's menacing glare, he quickly took her to her seat.
When he came back, he was sweating buckets. "S-Sir, t-table for one?"
I nodded and he bought me in the restaurant. There, Erica was seating alone, already making herself comfortable with her appetiser.
"Ah excuse me. I think I shall seat here." I told the waiter that was guiding me to another table.
"E-Eh? S-Sir?" He was seriously trembling now.
"I insist." I told the him. "Miss? May I?" Without waiting for her response, I took the seat opposite of her.
Erica only scowled at me but didn't object. I guess it was alright then.
I sent the waiter away after ordering my food and awkward silence returned. Erica silently continued on her meal, refusing to even look at me.
"You know it is not healthy if this keeps up." I casually said. "Look, I'm sorry for what happened earlier this morning, I really am. I was wrong and should not have done that. I know you won't forgive me that easily but please, for just this once. We need to work together in this situation and the lack of communication could sometimes prove to be fatal. These are gods we are handling. I don't know if you have already experienced meeting one before but know that they are not to be taken lightly. Believe me, I know."
Her hands paused. She eyed me from the corner of her eyes as though carefully weighing my words. A small nod and she continued her meal.
Well I guess that would do for now. At least the menacing glare had subsided.
*Scene Break*
We finished our lunch quietly and continued on our journey further north from Oristano. A thick forest lay out in front of us. Traces of magic lingered in the dense vegetation. I had a guess where it was coming from judging from the tall structure that was protruding out from the tall trees.
We proceeded on foot through the forest. Erica motioned for me to follow as we made our way through the woods. With the sun starting to set, it did not take long before we reached our destination. From far, one could spot the tall building laid ruined and abandoned. As the trees thinned, it bought us to a clearing; the scent of a powerful presence was immediately felt.
She stopped and stared at me, observing my reaction. "It's here." I told her as I sensed a weak barrier present. She nodded, perhaps acknowledging that the information she received was correct.
The Nuraghe sa Bastia. An ancient civilisation dated back to roughly around the fifteen century BC, during the middle of the Bronze Age. The Nuraghe had built dozens of their structures around the island. The one we were overseeing now was one of them. With a few smaller other worn out structures, one towered the area. If I were to guess, it was an average size settlement and this tower was like a temple or perhaps a council hall.
We made eye contact and split up to search for clues. The whole place was reeking with divine presence. Among the abandoned structure, the one that stood out the most was the tall tower that was seen even outside of the forest. I approached it and grabbed on the sill, pulling myself up, finding more footholds from the cracks of the walls, climbing higher and higher. There at the tip of the tower, a sense of exhilaration filled my entire body as the feeling of being in such heights brought me comfort. There I squatted with a bird's eye view of the place, scanning my surroundings using my reinforced eyes to see everything; the entire structure of the civilisation, the whole wide forest, the coast at the edge of the trees that was not that far from here, even the nearby town was visible to my eyes. I looked around the abandoned city, investigating further by using Structural Analysis to gain information. By then, I have a rough blueprint of the entire settlement, and I know where 'he' is.
I inched forward slightly, looking down for a soft landing and there I spotted a pile of dead leaves that had accumulated over the years of neglect. I fixed my eyes to it and drop, scattering the leaves as I landed safely on the ground. That was fun. I missed doing this back when I was training.
I approached a huge tree that had rubbles laid around it. A small opening peaked through them. I shifted the obstacles away to reveal a long staircase that seemed to be a hidden entrance down below. Bingo. Beneath these ruins, lies a hidden, underground temple. There, he laid still. Judging from the info we got from Lucretia, he was probably healing. This could be a chance.
Should I tell her? This would be a dangerous encounter and I don't think she really knows about the risk of meeting one. For now, I should go alone to access the situation first.
"Ahem"
Geh. I've been caught. When I turned behind, a beautiful blonde was there crossing her arms with a scowl on her face.
"Y-Yo. Looks like I've found the entrance. I was about to call you…H-Hey wait! You can't just walk in like that."
The upset knight walked past me and headed down the stairs without any hesitation. She paused midway to look at me.
"Didn't you yourself wanted to walk right in without me? Hmm?" she smiled at me.
"You're misunderstanding here. I was just going to scout the place before calling you. It could be dangerous there." I replied truthfully, well partially the truth.
"Lies. Don't try to make things up. I know you're hiding something." she snapped.
"Hey! You can't just walk right in. We're still not sure what's inside."
"Why not?" the blonde asked the obvious.
Sigh... I massaged my forehead while bringing my fingers up.
"One does not simply walk into enemy territory. This is not your everyday stroll in the park. Even walking into a magus workshop is considered dangerous, what more of a [Heretic God]." I warned her.
"Of course I know the dangers but didn't Lucretia say that he's worn out from battle. If she was right, then he is now in his most vulnerable state."
"All the more for it to be dangerous. There is nothing more perilous then when the enemy is healing. He might have set up counter measures for intruders. That's why-"
"I know that! Sheesh! Who do you think I am? I'm just going in to gather intelligence, not fight him. I'm not that stupid to challenge a divine being. And I don't want to hear that from someone that just tried to sneak in by himself. Ah why am I even having this conversation with you?"
Abruptly ending the argument, the knight stomped into passageway without another word.
What a selfish girl. I'm not going to babysit her all the time. Still, this situation could come in handy. I waited for a while after she went in before proceeding there myself.
Deep beyond the reaches of the sunlight, the place was shrouded in total darkness. I reinforced my eyes to adjust myself to the darkness, and heightening my senses to its peak for any hidden traps. So far there was none. Was he so weakened that he can't even put up a strong barrier? In any case, I did not take any chances and continued my way with caution.
The passage was long and narrow with many fork roads. It was evident that this was served as an emergency exit or entrance the people here used. Not only that, the channels that they had built stemmed out to many different passageway, linking the whole city together.
*Drip, drip*
The sound of water droplets echoed throughout the silent cave. The sound intensified to the sound of a stream of water. Judging from the sound of it, I suspect it would gather at a certain point. I was near.
Navigating my way through the dark, narrow path, I followed the trail of raw magic energy to an opening. There, Erica stood at the entrance, her hands dangling by her side. One could clearly see that her body was stiff still. My senses went into full alert, as a familiar, unpleasant presence condensed there.
I halted my tracks just before the opening, observing from the shadows. Erica stood still, unmoving as though stunned. No, she was actually not completely still, as her body trembled slightly at the booming voiced that resonated at the background.
"Foolish human! You dare disturb my sleep? State your purpose or forfeit your life!"
Towering over two meters tall, his size was that of Berserker. Downed with a headdress that resembled a crown and bulging muscles that was covered by leather armour and a tattered cape, his untidy white, grey hair dropped below his shoulders with facial hair that covered half of his face, giving him a wild impression of a fierce and experienced warrior.
In the centre of the room consisting of pillars and a dome ceiling, was a round pond that glimmer from the reflections of the flickering torches surrounding the room. There he sat on a structure right beside the pond as though it was a throne.
His presence triggered my instincts to go wild signifying danger. His existence was the epitome of destruction, a similar feeling when I first met Berserker. The only difference between the two was that while Berserker emitted an aura of pure madness and chaos, this being here instead exuded an air of superiority and awe.
"Y-Your majesty, allow me to speak." Erica spoke with a trembling voice. "Your majesty's name is Melqart, The King and protector of the city of Tyre. I have come to seek an audience with you."
"Oh? An audience you say? What gives you right, human, to come in here without my permission? What gives you right to trespass and disturb my sleep?"
Like a king on his throne, looking down on subjects. Like a king that would made one kneel down upon his presence.
"I−"
"Silence!" Before she could reply, the giant king cut her off. "I am in the midst of a battle with a worthy adversary and as you can see, am now recuperating from my wounds."
It was as he said. His body was clearly injured with multiple golden blades, with its hilts broken off, protruding from his muscular body.
"I demand that you leave this instance!" Melqart's voice reverberated in the underground spring, shaking the whole ground. "Now return to the surface and let them be warn, The King has reawaken to reclaim his kingdom! The land shall be purged and cleansed from the tainted hands of you humans. The skies shall fall, the seas shall flood, and the ground shall collapse! All for the sake of reclaiming what that was rightfully mine!"
It can't be. Is he planning to destroy the whole island? To annihilate everyone here? No. I can't let that happen. I won't.
Erica stood there with a dark face. Her hands were clenched tight, unable to protest for fearful of angering the tyrant further.
I couldn't stand her reaction nor could I let go what that bastard said.
"I've been listening attentively up till now and couldn't help but notice those proclamations of yours." I voiced out as I stepped forward to the light. "You mentioned purging the land from humans. Doesn't that mean killing everyone on the island? I'm sorry but I couldn't let that slide."
"Sh-Shirou! What do you think you're doing? Do you want to get us killed?!" The knight whispered in protest.
"Hm? What was that, insect?" Melqart raised an eyebrow. "Do you mean to defy me? Me, Baal Hadad? The King of Kings! Know your place mortal!"
The whole room shook vigorously at the intensity of his voice. I unintentionally let out a snicker at the irony of the similarity between him and Berserker. But if I think about it, Melqart do share a similar origin as Heracles. Well then, it's no surprise here.
"Human! Do not take me for a fool. It seems that you lack the teachings on how to serve a king!" Angered further, he stood up from his throne and let out a thick murderous intent. He's serious but so am I. I glared back at him, hands by my side, ready for a confrontation.
This bastard, he was not joking about bringing down the island. Then it was only natural to oppose him. I won't let him destroy this island, not on my watch.
The two of us continued our silent faceoff, refusing to back down. It was as though whoever turned away first would lose. The situation was so critical that even the slightest movement could trigger the battle.
My hands were itching to trace my swords. One rule that I have set up for myself was to strike while the iron is still hot. Eliminate the opponent before he has the chance to retaliate. From my experience, those that were pushed to the edge, they would usually pull off a desperate move that was more dangerous and deadlier that could endanger not only themselves but also bringing down the entire area with them. I had a few encounters with these types of people and the results were catastrophic.
Just as I was about to move, a sudden realisation struck me. Someone else was still here with me. Erica was still behind me; her eyes were wide in disbelief and her body trembled ever slightly. She was afraid. Her usual confident attitude was instead smeared with fear. It could be said that it was a reality check for her. I could guess from that responds that she never had met a [Heretic God] before and by the looks of it, far from ready to face one now.
Damn it. Change of plans. I need to make a tactical retreat first but how would I do that without stirring a reaction from the monstrous figure in front of us? Could I unleash a swift attack to distract him before escaping? As I was contemplating on my next course of action, an unexpected loud booming voice distraught my chain of thoughts.
"Hohoho! Among the mortals, few had ever dared to go against me. Those eyes, the eyes of an experienced warrior, I like it. Excellent! I sense a great power from you." His deafening laughter shook the cave once more.
He's amused? Ah. I kinda get it. Not many people had ever defied him, so it was a refreshing feeling. It was the same as the youth. He too was excited when he saw me before.
"However! No matter how much I want to test that boldness to challenge the king, I have to decline. As I had said previously, I am in the midst of a battle with a formidable foe. That foe even took the liberty to awaken me. 'A worthy opponent is what I desire that can grant me the taste of defeat!' he said. Hohoho! Then a defeat he shall have for this King shall deliver it to him! Our previous encounter had left both of us wounded and so I am here to recuperate my injuries to prepare for the decisive battle."
"But worry not young warrior. For after my victory, I shall entertain you before proceeding to my main task of reclaiming my land. Still for you to have managed to walk in here easily is troubling. Hmph! Now leave this place!"
Well that's convenient. He's letting us go. Alright, then let's–
As Melqart finished his absurd declaration, sounds of what seems to be like scratching noise was approaching the spring. The noises accumulated more and more that it started to resemble the chittering and chattering of insects. Shit.
"Run!" I shouted.
There was no need for me to explain to Erica, as she too understood what that sound meant. We bolted for the exit just seconds before the entire place was flooded with swarms of locust. The pest appeared everywhere in the cave, be it the stonewalls or the floor of the cavern, they appeared in great numbers, jumping and flying about.
Even though locusts were only insects that fed on crops, these were an entirely different species. Their mouths that were meant to chew plants were now built to chew meat. Their body were protected by a hard shell that was covered with sharp thorns that even the slightest contact could cause one to bleed. Tinge in menacing red colour, the locusts chattered noisily while jumping in random with their wings spread apart.
We fled with full speed, not looking back while manoeuvring through the rough terrain, occasionally brushing off the pest that clung on our body attempting to have a bite. This was bad. The speed and the numbers of the monster locusts were overwhelming and they were gradually closing in. We had to do something and fast before they overrun us.
I quickly traced my twin swords and threw it at the ceiling. The path caved in behind us, blocking the locusts from further proceeding. It proved to be a futile attempt as more scarlet insects appeared out of the cracks of the wall, persistent at making us its meal.
We didn't stop running, even after exiting from underground. The swarm continued their ascend outside, littering the whole ruins with its own kin. We continued to run to the forest until we were convinced that the locusts were out of reach.
As we came upon a clearing, we finally stop, panting heavily to catch our breaths. The sky was hue red as twilight descends upon us. Blood dripped from the multiple cuts that covered our body. Though it was not life threatening, it was still uncomfortable.
Our wounds had started to heal, probably for Erica, using her healing magic, while for me with the help of a certain scabbard.
"Ha…ha…Dammit…" I cursed in between my breaths. I hate those insects, especially those man-eating ones. In fact, I dread them to the core. Seeing those bugs reminded of a certain someone, and it makes my blood boil.
No. I need to focus. That monster is not here. He's dead. He must be dead. I personally ended his life. There should be no worry. Right now, there is a more critical situation at hand.
Anyway, I should probably check up on Erica. Shaking off the feeling, I approach her just to in time to perform a side roll. A glint of steel escaped the corner of my eyes. If I hadn't dodge, my head would probably be gone.
"Are you insane?!" Erica screamed out in frustration. "Are you trying to kill me?!"
Wait! Hold on here. No matter how you look at it, isn't that supposed to be my line!
Dodging a horizontal slash that severed a tree into two, I continued to nimbly dodge to save my neck from separating from my body.
"Will you hold still? I can't aim properly. Sheesh!" the unreasonable blonde knight complained.
"You crazy woman! I'll die. I'll definitely die no matter how you look at it!" I rebutted with all I can.
"Even if I say please?" the crazy woman suddenly changed her persona, pleading sweetly with a smile.
& %#! Scary! That's freaking scary! Is this revenge for what happen this morning too? Ack! I barely manage to dodge that! Dammit this woman! Her violence is exactly the same as Rin. What are they, twins? Wait, could she be Rin's alternate… Ah what am I doing? I don't have time to think about that.
"Calm down!-…Seriously calm down!-…I beg off you." I pleaded while still continued to dodge her fatal strikes. "We have a more…-pressing issue at hand. Right now we need to…-focus and come out with a countermeasure and fast." the attacks finally stopped. "Cause if we don't, this island is going down."
After convincing her to stop trying to kill me, Erica sat down from where she stood, burying her face in her knees.
Ah, now she's depressed. Is it her time of the month? Seriously, her mood swings are killing me literally. But somehow seeing her in that state pains me. Sigh… The next thing I knew, I was sitting behind her; with our backs touching. I knew it was a crazy move, seeing that she just tried to kill me but I just can't leave her alone.
Erica flinched slightly at the sudden contact but did not reject it. I don't know how long we sat there, feeling each other's warmth.
The sun had completely set, replaced by the glowing white orb. Our only source of natural light was gone but the forest night was still visible, lighted up by the numerous dozen gems sparkling in the sky, together with the glass moon.
"Ah…What a beautiful night." I finally broke the silence.
I felt a slight movement from her, probably shifting her gaze to the night sky. We stayed like that for the moment, stargazing. Once I felt she had calm down, I spoke.
"Somehow, this reminded me of a situation with me and my friend had experience before." My voice broke the silence of the night. "Both of us had just escaped from a difficult situation and were stuck, not knowing what to do." I let out a long sigh.
"That friend of mine was known as a prodigy in everything she does. Be it academically or physically. She was the elites. Not to mention she's a magus too. A talented one of course that I am nothing compared to but she had a few setbacks. She was somewhat a clumsy person and was never good at surprises. Even though she was perfect in all other aspect, she had the tendency to mess up the most important part. She would sometimes get depressed and when that happens, I would often become her punching bag…" I shivered, reminiscing of that time as I felt a soft laugh at my back.
"But she's the type of person would not stand being down too long. She would recover soon after and retaliate back hard. She would go back to the one that got her depressed in the first place and strike them back to make them even more depressed."
The situation we were in was somehow familiar. I remembered after Rin and I escaped from the underground church and losing both Archer and Saber, we were both servantless. I was badly injured back then but instead of going home, we stopped by the graveyard, reflecting ourselves. It was during that time that I nonchalantly confess didn't I? And now I am in the same situation but this time with a different person. Why do I feel so comfortable with her? I tried to sneak a glimpse. It's been bugging me for a while but could she probably be…?
"So? Why are you telling me about that friend of yours? What are you trying to imply?" She asked in her usual haughty attitude.
"Nothing really. Just that you're somewhat similar to her. That's all." I shrugged.
"Oh? Similar? In what sense?" Erica asked.
Why is she suddenly asking about all this? "Well the fact that you're a prodigy yourself." I raised my hands before she could say anything. "I can tell even if you didn't tell me. Even if I don't know anything about you, just seeing someone as young as you achieving the title of a knight sounds impossible unless you're a genius."
"Hmm… Is that a compliment I hear? Don't think I would forgive you just by compliments." The Italian girl spoke with an air of arrogance.
"But also," I added on before it gets to her head. "you can be selfish, complacent and stubborn that likes to go manipulating everything so that it goes according to the way you want. But when something unexpected happened, you would get depressed easily, like perhaps for example drinking your way out." Her body jerked at the mentioned of yesterday's incident.
"Ugh… Are you trying to make me feel better or making me worse?" She rebutted. "Cause if you're trying to console me then you're doing an awful job. Just spit it out already! What are you trying to say?" her voice getting agitated.
"What I'm trying to say is that don't harbour any regrets. If there's a wall blocking you, then break through it. It's ok to get depressed once in a while but don't brood too long. Instead hold your head up and continue moving forward."
I look up the sky as though talking to myself. The girl then became silent, perhaps returning her gaze at the stars. I felt her rustle behind me and we enjoyed the silence for a little while longer.
It's kinda ironic. I of all people giving advice to someone I had only known for a few days.
"Hmm...That friend of yours," Erica spoke, her beautiful voice rang in quiet the night. "is it a girl?"
? "Well it is a 'she'. I don't know what answer you're expecting." I replied honestly confused.
Ow! Did she just elbowed my sides?
"So, what is your relationship with this person? You seemed to know her very well." She suddenly asked.
"Huh?" I rubbed my aching sides while thinking how I should answer her. "We're pretty close. We both had gone through some life-changing events that ended up relying on each other for support."
"Life-changing events?" Erica enquired further.
"It's complicated. And I don't really like talking about it." I brushed it off before the interrogation advanced further.
"I see…" She whispered as I felt her rustling from my behind. The warmth on my back disappeared as she finally stood up, brushing the dirt from her clothes.
"Well…I have no idea why you decided to tell me all that. It was as though you think that I was depressed in the first place. That was completely unnecessary. I, Erica Blandelli, couldn't possibly be put down by merely this kind of blunders. Don't look down on me." She proudly proclaimed.
"So you admitted that it was a blunder than?" I pointed that out for her.
"Wha-" She blushed furiously. "Fine then! Yes I admit. That was partially my fault. I was being too complacent thinking that I could handle a [Heretic God] myself. But at least I didn't try to 'challenge' him to a duel." She said, emphasizing the last part.
Geh… I avoided eye contact. Still, it was true. I was being too rash that I forgot about her still being there. If a fight had broken out then, I don't think we would be let off with just minor scratches.
"Well anyway. Let's just calm down for now. Do you feel cold? I do. Let's go make a camp fire. Wait here while I go collect firewood." I gave a half-baked excuse and retreated before she had the chance to complain.
"Than-…you…"
Did she say something? Erica was hugging herself, looking down on the ground. Was she that cold? It's probably not important since she didn't pursue the matter further. Well at least she's back to her usual self.
*Scene Break*
And so we sat around the camp fire from the dry wood I had collected around the forest. The warmth of the flames was comforting from the cold breeze that blew through the night.
"I underestimated him." Erica broke the monotonous crackling noise of firewood. "I thought I could confront him after seeing the divine beast, never have I been so wrong. [Heretic Gods] and divine beast are in a completely different league. We were lucky he let us go."
Ow! She smacked my head as she finished her sentence, glaring at me. Oh no. Is she going to start getting violent again?
"Don't worry. I'm not going to kill you," she said as I tensed up ready to dodge any oncoming attacks. "Yet." Oi!
"Still how could you be so reckless in challenging a [Heretic God]? We're lucky that he didn't get angry at you. Not only will you be killed, obviously, but I was going to be caught up in it as well. I going to kill you if you get me killed."
Uwahh… Here come the complaints. Furthermore how could she kill me if she is killed? It doesn't make sense. They never do.
"But at least we can now confirm his identity. The divine king worshipped by the Seimitic tribes such as Canaanites and Phoenicians…Baal. He was originally the god of storms, lightning and the skies but continued to grow until he possessed many authorities. With that he bored many other titles; top god, god of wisdom, god of life, god of war, god of the underworld, the king and many more. Melqart was the title honoured to him by the people for protecting the city of Tyre." Erica explained in a serious voice.
"The city of Tyre, built by the Phoenicians was a heavy fortified island city that took a year for Alexandra the Great to conquer, demolishing the old city to reuse its cut stone. The city was the strongest in maritime power, controlling the seas and trading." I continued from her. "In Greek, Melqart was identified with Heracles, depicted as a giant man wielding clubs…"
"Oh? You seemed to know your history. But which now brings us to another matter. I think it's about time you tell me who you really are. Judging from that previous encounter, you seemed to have experience handling them. We need every information we can gather to deal with them. So tell me, now."
No mercy huh? I kept my silence and just sat there staring the dancing flames. The firewood burnt with elegance, dancing nimbly according to the direction of the wind. Red and yellow flickered continuously, producing small crackling sound that somehow eased the tension. Erica stayed silent. She somehow knew that I was thinking about her question and continued to wait patiently for my answer.
"Death." My voice broke the calm atmosphere. It was the only word that I could came out with to describe them.
"When confronting one, the only thing that you could feel was death. Just their presence itself was suffocating. There is no means of surviving when encountering them. To flee was to show them your open back. To fight equals death."
"They are a terrifying existence, an irregularity in this world. In order for them to continue existing, they require a huge amount of prana supply to them constantly. They rely on external sources of prana to sustain their existence in this world. That's why, when their prana runs out, they hunt; feeding on humans for life energy."
Blood Fort Andromeda. A boundary field that once covered the school, attempting to make every living thing in there into a source of magical energy for the caster. Utilised by Rider, it forms a crimson dome-shaped barricade resembling a gigantic red eye around the affected area that was completely cut out from the outside world. The field collects energy by converting the live humans inside into blood and organic ooze, melting them alive from where they stood." I gritted my teeth, recalling the hellish scene.
"Wait a minute. I don't remember a [Heretic God] feeding on humans. This is the first time I've heard of something like that." Erica's question snapped me out from my thoughts.
Damn. I've over done it. I was too lost in thought about the war that I forgot. This world is different. The characteristics and behaviour of these [Heretic God] could be different from mine. Still whatever the case, that doesn't change the fact that they threatened human lives. In the end, it did not make that much different.
"I'm going to go collect more firewood." I quickly stood up, taking the chance of the dying fire to go gather my thoughts, ignoring the protest from behind.
I ventured deep into the woods, letting myself bathe under the moonlight. The memories of the war reminded me of the horrors the servants could bring. But even then, their abilities were considered limited, controlled by the command spell and the classes each of them was assigned to. But now, here, these [Heretic God] showed no signs of constraint. Their abilities are not restricted to anything; free from anyone to prevent them from running amok. Facing them will be no child's play. That means, the Campione, whatever they are, that was the only one that could stand up against them, are no different from monsters as well.
However, right now, the Campione is absent. The Italian Campione according to them was on his way here but it will take him at least two to three days to arrive, and time is not a luxury that we have.
If the two gods were to clash, this whole island would be devastated. If I could take one out or at least weakened them further, then there's a chance for us to prolong that period. Judging from what that giant said, Verethragana's main objective was to have a fight with a worthy warrior, someone strong enough to defeat him. I'm guessing anyone would do, since he was aroused to challenge me when we met. And he still has not completely recovered yet with his last incarnation still on the run. Then there's Melqart who was in the process of healing from his injuries declared that he wanted to reclaim back his land and purge everyone in it.
The answer was obvious. If I could weaken him further, then that would cause his healing time to extend. But it would probably be best if I could get rid of him completely so that the other would have no choice but to look for other worthy opponent but that's just positive thinking. By then, the Italian Campione would already have arrived to deal with the other. That's the best solution but the problem lies in the first step. Defeating Melqart will be no easy feat. That was why I readied my trump card. If things go out of hand, I would at least have an ace up my sleeve. If I do fail, I would at least make sure he's weaken considerably. I might not return back alive but this was the only way. This is the responsibility that I have shouldered myself and I'm not going to turn back on it.
The cold wind blew on my face as I my resolution was made. My body had already acted automatically to the situation without me realising it. I have to do this alone. This was a suicide mission. I cannot let anyone else get involved in this.
"Erica, looks like this is goodbye." I whispered to myself. I took glimpsed at the smoke from the campfire, feeling a sense of longing from her. It was a short meeting but at least it was enjoyable. A wave of homesickness briefly passes me through before I brushed it off.
No use thinking about it. Right now, I have a more dire issue at hand. I shook off the feeling and continued to run into the darkness of the forest. My destination, the tower ahead.
*Scene Break*
"Death." He said in a solemn voice.
"When confronting one, the only thing that you could feel was death. Just their presence itself was suffocating. There is no means of surviving when encountering them. To flee was to show them your open back. To fight equals death."
He clenched his hands tightly into a fist. Erica observed him carefully as he wore a dark expression as he explained.
"They are a terrifying existence, an irregularity in this world. In order for them to continue existing, they require a huge amount of prana supplied to them constantly. That's why, when their prana runs out, they hunt; feeding on humans for life energy."
As though remembering something else, he went quiet. Only the crackling sound of wood burning returned once more.
Feed on humans? What is he talking about? That's not possible. I have not heard of any [Heretic God] going after and devour human lives.
"Wait a minute. I don't remember a [Heretic God] feeding on humans. This is the first time I've heard of something like that." She voiced out her opinion.
"Hey! Where are going, Shirou?" He then unexpectedly stood up and walked into the forest, using an excuse of collecting firewood to escape her questions.
He was hiding something, wasn't he? Instead of chasing after him, she took the opportunity to reflect on what he just said.
It was strange, illogical for a god needing constant supply of magical energy to continue existing. They themselves were beings of pure energy. The only possible reason for them to do such acts was to recuperate from a heavy sustained injury. However, no matter how one look at it, they just have to go into hiding like what Melqart is doing now.
Though there was a case where a [Heretic God] had manifested, bringing with him a curse that had annihilated thousands, they did not particular chased after humans. After all they assumed us humans as nothing but a pebble at the road side. The thought of a [Heretic God] killing humans who were powerless to oppose them sent shivers down her spine. If that were to happen, it would be a brutal massacre. Clearly a heretic for its name. But so far, she had no knowledge of such events occurring recently. Could she have missed on the information of a [Heretic God] that might have done that?
What was stranger to her was the way Shirou describe them. It was as if he had a one-on-one experience with them before. And he mentioned when meeting one equals death but why was he alive right now? Could he have battled a [Heretic God] and survive? Who was Shirou exactly?
Multiple questions filled her mind. A man shrouded in mystery. It was the first time she met someone like him. Answers. She wanted answers as soon as possible.
"Hm?" Just as she was about to look for Shirou, an irregular movement among the trees caught her attention.
"Shirou?" She called out but no reply came.
A divine presence could be felt approaching. Erica immediately drew her beloved sword, Cuore di Leone, at hand, readying for battle. Could it be the last incarnation, the [Stallion], which was coming?
The cold wind howled strongly in the night, blowing the dying fire out. Darkness returned once more making knight tensed up further. Her senses were heightened to its peak, listening for any sudden movement.
Then, in the corner of the clearing, she heard something approaching, fast. From the sound of it, it was like someone or something was running towards her direction.
Erica shifted into her combat stance and prepared for a confrontation. The sound grew louder as it got closer and closer. If that was the [Stallion], then it was no doubt that the owner of the beast would be here to claim it back.
"Ugh!" The knight shielded her eyes as white light blinded her sight…
*Scene Break*
The chilling night wind stung on my skin as I made my way to the temple ruins.
I hope Erica didn't come here to look for me. I don't want her to get involved in this battle. Things could get ugly.
I was getting close, judging from the swarm of chittering locusts that was idling around the temple ruins as though guarding it. The jittering noises violated the silent night. There was no way to pass through those deadly locusts. Instead, I took a detour.
In my head was the blueprint of the entire building structure. The Nuraghes had built underground passages that link to the entire settlement. And of course, they would build emergency exits that would end far from the place. That was where I was going.
On the corner of the forest lies a cliff. And by that cliff, was a well hidden passage. The sea raging waves crashed violently onto the rocks making the air smelt salty.
The passage entrance was covered with moss that sprouts from within the cracks of the cliff. Rocks piled up naturally, concealing the entrance. If one did not observe carefully from a boat, they would past it unaware.
Shifting the rocks aside, I made my way inside with extreme caution. This place was an ancient structure, undisturbed for millennial. Who knows what kind of traps lie awaits. I have to be in full alert constantly.
The tunnel was pitched black and I had to rely on my reinforced eyes to navigate through. Sounds of crashing waves echoing had started to fade the further I went in.
I was nearing the temple but so far, there were no signs of the giant locusts. It's been bothering me for a while and I had felt faint traces of magecraft ever since I stepped foot in this tunnel.
I closed my eyes and focused my senses to the surroundings. I was already in the premises of the temple grounds. The Nuraghes were clearly prepared when they built this escape route. Even after millenniums, the magical barrier was still standing strong; evident by the buzzing of insects surrounding the exterior tunnel as though they were block off from this area. This made my job a lot easier.
The sound of flowing water became audible telling me I was approaching the underground spring. Slowing down my advance, I suppressed my presence to its minimum as how I would do during my normal missions. I was not sure how it would work against a [Heretic God] but it would not hurt to try.
The exit from the passageway leads me to a hidden trapdoor. I gently lifted it and raised myself up. I found myself at the second floor corridor surrounding the temple ground. The structure of the underground temple was a circular room supported by pillars with a spring at its centre. Large statues from what I can tell were deities the Nuraghes worshipped were erected around the room with many kinds of decoration and writings etched on the wall.
The flickering of the torches softly illuminated the room. The absence of the locusts here was a bit strange but decided not to dwell too much on that matter. With the sound of flowing water swallowing the sound of my footsteps, I approached the edge of the corridor.
There, a giant, muscular figure was sitting down on his throne with his head down. Giving off soft breaths, Melqart was still in the midst of recovery. Now that I got a closer look from above, his bulging muscular body was well-sculptured depicting strength and power. It was the same as Berserker and from what I learned from our encounter was that engaging him in combat was considered suicidal. Even Saber had trouble handling him and she was a Heroic Spirit, a servant to boost. I was merely a human. Though my abilities gave me an advantage, just a single hit from him could end me. That would be the case if I were intending to engage him head on.
No. My method of fighting had always been the same. Strike while the iron is hot. Eliminate the target before he has the chance to retaliate.
Swift but deadly. That was what I've learnt from my experience as a Magus Killer. My predecessor used a more violent but sure-kill method to take out the target. His methods however, involve other innocent lives but that would defeat the purpose. If I could eliminate the target without him even noticing, then more lives could be saved. I'll prove to them that I can change it.
Thus, I trained from different masters to equip myself with a variety of skills. And that's why, my target was already determined when I looked upon the sleeping figure. The back of his neck was exposed, making it an easy target with his large body.
I silently traced my twin swords, reinforcing it with extreme sharpness. I went into position, directly above him with the wide flesh clear in view.
I have to make this clean and quick. Though I'm a bit sceptical about this plan to work, I could not let this chance pass. The swords glistened from the flaming torches with deadly sharpness as I prepared to make my move.
I jumped.
Time collapsed as adrenaline rush through my body. My knees tugged in close with arms spread out wide. With the black and white swords at hand, my aerial stance resembled a bird of prey swooping down for the kill.
A double-slice cut at the back of the nape, severing the brain stem and the spinal cord, was what was supposed to happen. However, by the slight movement from the corner of my eye, I instead found myself flying at another direction.
A stone club, harder than any rock rammed me on my sides, just inches before I could deliver the kill. Using my instincts and the momentum from my intended strike, I shifted to defence instead.
Crossing the blades on my chest that protected me from the impact that would crush my bones, I slipped away from the heavy object that was hurling me, barely escaping from being crushed to the wall.
My escape was however short-lived as another club, zigzagging at high-speed hit me from above. My twin swords finally gave in and shattered as again I used it to defend against the followed up attack.
The impact blew the wind out of me, slamming me down on the cold hard floor. My reinforced body managed to lessen the damaged done on my body, getting away with only a few broken ribs. Without wasting any more time, I hastily jumped away as the club returned to deliver the finishing blow but instead formed a crater on the stone floor.
"Ho? You still alive human?" A loud booming voice echoed throughout the place. "Not bad to have live after tasting my clubs. However, do you really think I would be done in by a sneak attack? Naïve."
It didn't work huh. Well it was worth a try. Perhaps I got my hopes up too high thinking I could finish this without a direct confrontation.
The whole ground shook as the giant stood up from his throne. Crossing his arms, he stood proud with an aura of a King as his two clubs hover at his sides. I took in the information flowing through me naturally. This will definitely get ugly.
"Mortal. Did you not heed my warning? Though your enthusiasm is recommendable, but to launch an attack from my back while I was resting. Such cowardice will not be tolerated." The clubs began to move. "Fine then. If you really desire to fight, then I shall at least humour you for a bit. It has been a while since a mere human challenge me. Let's test if you are really worthy to trade blows with this mighty King!"
In an instance, one of the clubs, Aymur, crushed the ground on where I was previously standing. If I didn't dodge in time, I would already be a bloodied pancake.
I ran, retreating to the sides with my re-traced swords at hand. Travelling with nimble agility, its counterpart, Yagrush, came homing on me, following my every move. I had to be light on my feet, constantly dodging oncoming assaults from the twin clubs. But even that, I was not left unscathed. The intensity of the attacks produced shockwaves from its after effect and even a small graze was all it takes to cut through my skin, ripping my clothes bit by bit, shedding blood.
Yagrush the Chaser and Aymur the Driver. Wielded by Baal to defeat Yam-Nahar, these two similar yet different noble phantasms possess their own unique characteristics. Yagrush the Chaser as its name suggested was capable of manoeuvring with high flexibility, homing onto its target. Aymur the Driver on the other hand was only able to travel in a straight line but compensate that with its extreme speed and destructive power. Utilizing these two weapons together was a combination that is to be feared of.
Melqart remain unmoving, standing still from where he stood; just like a King observing a warrior in a battle from afar. Fine then. If he's not coming to fight me, then I'll bring the fight to him.
'I am the bone of my sword.'
Encircling the entire room, I made my way around him with Yagrush hot on my tail, closing up to me soon. I jumped, performing a somersault while simultaneously releasing the blades from my hands as soon as I was merely inches from Melqart's back. Twisting my body mid-air, I dodged the oncoming Aymur, using it as a step for me to ascend further. The two clubs collided on the owner's back as rocks and dust scattered about.
"Hmph! Human, you think you can use my own weapons to hurt me!" The King finally took notice. Unscathed from the attack, he merely flicked away the two swords as though they were nothing. "You think this kind of attack will affect me? How pitiful-!?"
His eyes widened at the sudden danger. The reason being, the sword in my hand.
"Caladbolg."
The sword that was modified to suite the usage for archery was mounted on the bow. I pulled back the string, firing it straight to his chest, all while still in mid-air. As the sword struck him, the explosion produced a huge pillar of light that burst through the ceiling, revealing the night sky. The underground temple quaked violently at the intensity of the detonation, toppling several statues and pillars.
I took cover, taking refuge behind a pillar of the upper floor corridor. As the cloud of dust subsided, I was greeted with an unbelievable sight. The [Heretic God] was still in one piece, but it did not leave him unscathed.
Kneeling on one knee, his arms were brought together to shield his body. As smoke from the heat arose from his muscular built body, his wounds became visible. His breastplate cracked viscously wounding his torso with a missing chunk of flesh, making a deep hole at his side. His arms burnt through his skin, exposing the red flesh within that was previously injured by the broken golden blades that was still embedded into his body.
"To think a mere mortal to have wounded me this far…Looks like I have underestimated you." A deep voice, almost like a growl resonated loudly. "Very well! Human, I acknowledge you as a worthy opponent. I, Melqart, King of Tyre, accept your challenge and shall fight you with my all!" He proclaimed while standing up with a burst of prana.
Great, just great. Just what I needed. This overgrown warrior was serious. I thought that attack earlier on could have ended him while he got his guard down. I was being too complacent. I clutched the pendant hanging on my chest. Will I have to resort to this eventually? If possible, I rather not use this unless completely necessary. But seeing how things were going, I would be left with no choice.
Then, somehow, the ground shook briefly even though none of us was responsible for it. What was that? It was as though an explosion had just occurred on the surface. Is something happening up there? My mind immediately reminded me of Erica. I shook the ominous feeling of my chest. Whatever it was, I need to first focus on the situation here and investigate that later.
Without giving me more time to think, he struck. With Aymur in his hand, Melqart swung the club with extreme speed. I barely managed to dodge, flung away by the intensity of the strike that shattered the entire corridor, grazing my back, which left a cut, drawing blood even with my reinforced body.
I had only seconds to recover before he smashed the ground from where I fell. However my escaped was cut short as the club in his hand suddenly changed trajectory, hitting me in the air. I was thrown away, like a ragged doll, literally. This doesn't look good. I can't carry on like this. Those clubs, I need to get rid of them. Noble Phantasms cannot be easily destroyed. It takes another with a much higher rank to be able destroy one. But there was one other way for me.
"Trace on."
Judging the concept of creation,
Hypothesizing the basic structure,
Duplicating the composition material,
Imitating the production technique,
Sympathizing with the growth experience,
Reproducing the accumulated years,
And, Excelling every manufacturing process.
The firing hammer fell. My magic circuits hummed, burning to accommodate my needs.
'Steel is my body and fire is my blood.'
Forming by my side were two oversized clubs with handles that were far too big for any normal human to wield. Instead, my hands grabbed on the uneven edges of the clubs.
"You…you dare. You dare mock me! Insolence! How you dare insult me with those imitations! I will not tolerate this humiliation!" Melqart roared with ferocity. "Your penalty shall be death!"
By the time he had finished, I had already closed in the distance. With Yagrush in my right and Aymur in my left, we clashed. My reinforced body was pushed to its limits, enduring the blow. "Yagrush! Aymur!" Calling the noble phantasm's names, I activated its inert abilities. The twin clubs flew off my hands, manoeuvring accordingly.
Melqart was agitated, focusing on getting rid of the fake copies of his proud weapons. His pride as a King and a god would not allow his reputation to be sullied by my imitations. If this were to be a pure one-on-one fight, then I would have definitely lose, however that was not my true objective. As Melqart brought his clubs to intercept my own, they collided with such force that it shattered all two pairs to pieces. The impact was so great to the point that it caused the ancient King to flinched, staggering from the force that rendered him defenceless for only but a few seconds. And that was all the time I need to strike back and by the time he realised that, it was too late.
'I have created over a thousand blades.'
In my hand, formed an enormous sword. Though if one were to observe properly, it can't be said it was a proper weapon. Taken from the foundations of a temple the Einzenbern family had used, it was a nameless Axe-Sword carved from rock. By itself, it was just a brittle slab of rock but by projecting Berserker's strength with it, it becomes a deadly weapon.
I stomped on the ground hard, rushing in to the enemy. The upper arm, collarbone, windpipe, temple, diaphragm, rib, testicles, and thighs. I took aim of these eight targets. His eyes widened at the impending danger as I closed in on him.
"Nine Lives Blade Works"
Utilising godspeed to surpass the speed of sound; blood, organs and flesh spilt out. Eight consecutive attacks that overlapped each other, there was no room for escape.
"GGAAARRRRR!" The enemy could do nothing but roared in pain as the attacks struck him mercilessly. By the eight strike, the once proud King was on his knees, his body battered and bleeding but barely breathing. As expected from his counterpart, he would not go down easily. However, this was my chance. I go in for the kill; the final strike to the heart was all it takes to end this…-
"ENOUGH! I will not be defeated by a mere human!"
The dark cavern lighted up in blinding light as lightning and thunder came crashing down. Immediately switching to defensive actions, I shift the massive sword above me, blocking the lightning that attempted to burn me alive. The intensity of the lightning was so great that it broke the sword, throwing me a couple of meters away.
Melqart with his body in a gruesome state, roared with fury. Electricity covered his entire body, transforming his entire being into pure energy. The leakage from the mass of energy spread out far, randomly destroying its surroundings. The already damaged structure from the battle earlier on was beginning to give way. The ground shook violently, threatening to collapse any moment.
I coughed up blood as I took in the situation presented to me. The one thing I wanted to avoid most was happening. Melqart, probably at his dying moments became desperate and unleashed his full power. When people are pushed to the limits, they desperately try to cling onto their life, resulting in them to perform feats and miracles with mixed results. And this entity here was no different. He's going berserk, destroying everything around him as though they were a threat to his existence.
The cluster of plasma ascended to the skies. The deafening crashing of thunder was accompanied by the heavy rain that started to pour heavily. As the rain started to flood the temple, I could taste that mixed among the rain was seawater. Is he planning to push his plan forward? This is bad. I have to stop him, fast.
The underground temple was collapsing from the chaos happening. Enduring the pain that covered my entire body, I broke into a run. Using the fastest route I knew from my structural analysis, I hastily maneuver my way out, dodging the falling rocks. The floor suddenly collapsed and I was forced to desperately cling onto the edge of the wall. The exit was directly above me but the only way up there was by climbing the wall. All pathways had long collapsed down under.
Scaling the wall, I gritted my teeth as my muscles screamed from fatigue and pain. When I finally reached the top, my sense of relief was only temporary as a wave of 'nostalgia' hit me.
Burning. I was greeted by a sea of flames. The forest surrounding the temple was set ablaze. The heat from the burning forest could even be felt amidst the cold pouring rain. In fact, the fire burnt violently, reaching up to the skies, producing thick smoke that shrouded the beautiful skyline. Those flames, those white flames, they were no ordinary fire. Could it be…?
I caught sight of two silhouettes among the fire. Reinforcing my eyes, the two figures became clearer. My whole body froze.
Amidst the flames, a youth with short purple hair stood, unaffected by the fire while wearing a smirk on his face. His gaze was upon the thing he was holding in his hand, the face of a body.
No. This is not happening…
Bloodied and bruised, the body was in a terrible state. The clothes were torn, exposing the major burnt wounds that covered the body. There was no way that it was still alive. It was no doubt that the person was now just a body.
No, Nononono…
And dangling from that body was the familiar yellowish-red blonde hair.
No…!
"ERRRIIIIIIICAAAAAAAAAA!"
Author's Notes: Hey hey hey! Selamat Hari Raya to all the muslims out there! Since it's been a while, this AN section will be a bit longer. So sorry for the slow update. Had difficulty writing with handling my graduation and now had my first job and all. I can't find the time to write after I reach home, damn tiring. I only managed to finish this by sneaking in my writing during my working hours and even as I write this is during my work. Huhuhu…
Btw did you guys got the news? Ufotable has given a green light for the production of another Fate Stay Night anime! Wooohooo! I hope they do Heaven's Feel since they already gave info on Sakura's origin in Zero. Let's wait and see then...
Anw by compensating for my late absence, I give you a long chapter! Well not that long as compared to other people but mostly because I wanted to end it with a cliffhanger. Kukuku…
So what did you guys think about this chapter? I've had a lot of difficulties trying to write the interaction between Shirou and Erica. The conversation between them after their escape from the cave was the most troubling. If you're read the LN of Campione!, then you've notice how similar this scene was with Shirou and Rin after the church incident. I don't know if I managed to portray the scene well here so I'm a bit sceptical about it. Hope I pulled it off.
In addition, I have also laid out some clues about the relationship of this world to Fate's. Since it's a parallel world, there's bound to be similar yet different characters in between them.
Oh did anybody notice some meme reference I've put inside? Kudos to those who notice! Haha. I was very tempted to include that in and well if I get any chance to insert more, I will. So look out for them!
Moving on. The battle between Melqart and Shirou took me a while to choreograph. If you notice, I've include Shirou to have skills he had acquired from his various training experience. In fact, I've actually reference it to other certain character skills like from *cough* AC *cough* SnK. Well you could say I'm not original but hey, I guess I'm a Faker too.
I've also notice that some readers even gave the liberty to correct my grammar mistakes which I really appreciate a lot. So now I'm asking if anybody is interested to be the Beta reader for this, I would gladly accept since my original readers became "busy". And that's why if you spot any of my English mistakes, do forgive me. I don't know much about how this beta reader thing in here works but please guide me. Do PM me if you're interested. But just to tell you, my updates are very slow.
Well now, I hope the next chapter will take too long but if it does, I can't help it seeing that I'm gonna serve army next month and to for my project competition so I'm gonna be damn busy. Expect it to take about a month or more. I'll try my best to write but don't worry, I won't drop this.
In any case the next chapter will have more action. What happened to Erica that had led the Great Knight to fall? The climax is nearing its peak. Blood shall be shed.
Comments, reviews and opinions are welcome! I'll look forward to them!
PS: Try playing Emiya during "Trace on." for a more epic experience. PEACE I'M OUT! I'M BATMAN!