Julius Harwey. Master assassin. It fits that he would get an Assassin class Servant, but by the gods Saber worshiped, he was a pain. Barely able to get this far, and only thanks to the help of Rin, I was able to. So, I have her to thank when...er...if I win this. Rin and Saber both say our chances of living is around sixty percent, and that's mainly due to Saber saying she'd use her Noble Phantasm.
"Shall we simply get started?" Julius asked. "I'd rather not waste time in getting rid of you two."
Saber laughed. It was starting to grow on me. "I honestly doubt that you can find a way to defeat me!" She said.
Assassin sighed. "This will be fun. No hard feelings." He chuckled, channeling his energy, taking on an unorthodox pose, well, it was to me. To him, it was extremely basic.
Saber sighed in reply to his sigh, quickly casting her buffing spells on herself. "Saint! Healer! Chronos! Thrice-Setting Sun!" I wonder why that twirl of hers was cute...
"And now we end this fight..." Assassin said. The arena grew dark. All I knew was that something bad was going to happen. He took a slight step forward, swaying his arms to the right, then stepped back, then forward once more as he arms swayed to the left. He took a pose, I could see a symbol glow a bright, crystalline red, then a surge of explosions behind him. It seemed like something out of a Chinese Kung-Fu movie.
"You do know who I am..." Assassin said, taking a mighty step forward. "...because for me, my power is so great..." he took another step, thrusting his clenched fist towards Saber. I seen a mighty gust of chi rush from his arm, in the shape of a lance and shatter the guard she quickly threw up to protect her. "No Second Strike!" He yelled as he watched Saber be forced to the wall made in the arena. "...is needed..." Assassin gathered himself, putting his legs together, clasping his hands and bowing at the defeat.
My mouth hung open. I was shocked. In one move...Saber was out. But, my god was I lucky she knew to use Thrice Setting Sun to keep herself alive. I quickly turned to her, using my new Heal Code Cast, allowing the massive Prana surge to fix Saber's deep wounds. I seen her get up, heard her chant Thrice Setting Sun once more, and felt her rip her crimson sword from the digital ground.
"Looks like you won't have the chance to live up to your Noble Phantasm's namesake." Saber laughed as I seen her brush her bangs out of her face. "Everyone who you fight dies in one hit. I am living proof that it doesn't work!" Saber laughed as she used Veil of Petals to quickly get back to Assassin, slicing through him. Saber quickly spun around, using the momentum to make a Break-style attack, crushing Assassin's guard. "Such a mighty assassin." Saber cheered, the greatest amount of sarcasm in her tone I have ever heard. Despite her sword's length, and possible weight, she was able to throw her guard up to block Assassin's quick jab to her stomach. The shock of energy unleashed from her blade, stunning the red haired assassin. "Thunderous Applause!" she yelled, unleashing her powerful, V-shaped sword strikes against him.
I chuckled to myself. I felt more and more proud of Saber as the days went on, and, if I was reading her signs right, I'm pretty sure she had a thing for me. But, oh well, I'll worry about that after I win.
Julius activated his Code Cast. "Seal: Guard." he said calmly. An odd, twisting, purple seal appeared around Saber. I don't know if it took affect, but we had to play it safe. I quickly told Saber to use her normal, quick strikes to counter Assassin's quick strikes. Yea, I know she would get hurt, but at least the two would be dealing equal blows. I quickly tossed over an Ether Fragment to top off her vitality. I learned to keep my Code Casting to a minimal, but with the Magic Crystal Shards and such now, which I forgot about in the panic of Lancer, I could keep my own energy supply high.
Assassin slowly rose to his feet, looking at Saber. "Well..I guess it's time to get serious." He said, doing what seemed to be chi channeling poses. I could feel three pulses shoot out from his body. I was getting worried, but I stayed still, using a new Code Cast to top off Saber's own magic supply, which was at the cost of mine. Assassin then rushed at Saber.
"I suggest you think again!" Saber yelled, lunging at Assassin, lashing out with a mighty strike. And it looked like Assassin's speed finally kicked in. He easily slid underneath Saber's blade, connecting to her stomach with a mighty shoulder tackle. Saber's eyes open, coughing up spit at the sudden and sheer force of the attack.
"And I suggest you keep your tongue still." Assassin remarked, rising from his hunched state, dropping his elbow on Saber's back. Even before Saber could fall, I seen Assassin quickly throw his knee into Saber's stomach. He...he was insanely fast, it was almost demonic, or godly...take a pick, it's demonic me! Saber fell to her knees, clutching her stomach in sheer pain. I seen the arena go black again.
At that point, I could swear that this battle would be ending sooner than I thought. Assassin seemed to have no limit to his energy as he preformed his poses for No Second Strike. I quickly healed Saber, just in the nick of time, as when I seen her wounds heal, she was sent soaring away from the red haired assassin. I quickly used another Heal Code Cast, then watched as Saber rose to her feet. Thrice Setting Sun, her buffs, and me using a few Magic Crystal Shards were seen by Assassin and Julius, who was quiet in this battle.
Li Shuwen. This man, he was deadly. I should have know. My eyes glanced around the battlefield, from Saber, who was gripping her blade tightly; Assassin, who was taunting Saber; and Julius, who was simply staying still.
"Praetor." Saber said. It's been a while since she called me that. "I think it's time." She said.
I started to smirk. Assassin and Julius looked at me.
"What can you possibly do that could defeat me?" Assassin asked, crossing his arms.
Saber smirked. "Just try me." She laughed. Lately, Saber's been learning the slang of our world. And it did make me feel more comfortable with her when it came to combat, heck, even just a simple chat.
Assassin sighed. "I think I should end this."
"Just do so, Assassin. They shouldn't be alive anymore." Julius replied.
Li Shuwen nodded, gathering energy. He had focused his energies into a single, glowing orb on his right fist. He took on his battle poses. No Second Strike, huh? He was really going all out. I seen him step back, then rush forward.
Saber laughed. She pulled a rose...wait a rose? Ah screw it. She held her rose close to her lips, muttering to herself before throwing it at Assassin. She quickly grabbed her blade that was resting at her side, and in a quick, three stroke of her blade, she blocked and countered Assassin's powerful Noble Phantasm. The second two strokes blown him back as a bright, white light blinded everyone in sight. "Now behold the glory of the Great Theater!" She yelled. Saber held her eyes closed, her blade downward as she thrust the crimson saber into the ground. "Now gaze upon my greatest feat!" She yelled. A glistening, golden, theater rose from the light. I was in awe. I couldn't move, let alone speak.
"Aestus Domus Aurea! Golden Theater of the Deranged!" She said as she drew her sword from the now golden stage floor. My shocked expression slowly turned to joy. I couldn't help but laugh.
Assassin growled and looked at me, utterly annoyed at this point. "Okay, this is it." he growled, rushing at Saber once more. He didn't even bother with his Noble Phantasm at this point.
Saber smirked as she twirled her blade. "Blossom of the Court." She calmly said as she tore through Assassin, at quicker speeds than he could ever see. I have never seen that skill before, despite her telling me that it was the last ability she could learn. I guess it was linked to her Theater. But now wasn't the time to be picky. Now was the time for victory.
"Trying to kill me twice!" the red clad warrior yelled as she deftly parried each of Assassin's strikes and shattered his attempts to guard. The Theater seemed to weaken Assassin's fighting skills, but I could feel it's aura fade slowly. Saber didn't have enough prana to keep it active for long, and having those migraines for nearly all her life didn't help. But..this arena was nagging at my mind. I knew it from somewhere. I just couldn't put my finger on it.
"I'll teach you to try and kill me! You don't know who I am, do you, Li Shuwen?" Saber yelled. The fire in her eyes could melt steel, her soul was that ablaze. "My name is..." She said as she unleashed Blossom of the Court once more.
It clicked. Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus. The Fifth Roman Emperor. The person many Hebrews though was the devil incarnate. Those headaches. It came from that silver goblet she would drink from, causing an acute poison.
Assassin laughed a bit as he was ably to parry one of Saber's blows. "The Whore of Babylon!" the red haired assassin laughed before he was quickly assaulted by Saber's even hotter and more furious rage.
"How dare you call me by that title!" She yelled, utterly insulted by the name. I know she was supposed to be called 'The Beast of Babylon'...wait...no. That refers to the city of Rome. Either way...I think being called a whore will bring out the beast in a girl. And it shown. Saber's assault grew quicker and more insane as her Theater's luster started to fade. She was taking every second she had to win. Saber and Assassin were tied in speed and strength now, thanks to the fading Noble Phantasm.
"I see without this power you're just as useless as they say!" Assassin laughed as he countered Saber's attacks. "Once a whore, always a whore! I bet people on your senate only gave you the podium because you would show th-" Assassin started before Saber drove her shoulder into his face, throwing the red haired assassin off balance.
"I swear to Apollo I will end your pitiful life!" Saber yelled. Yet again, Berserker traits popped out. And it shown more as Saber burned through all her prana to unleash wave after wave of Blossom of the Court attacks. I struggled to keep her prana up, but by the gods she worshiped it was so worth it, seeing Assassin thrown around like a cheap rag doll.
"Now...just...DIE!" Saber yelled in a bellowing roar. Her blade tore into her rival's body. She seemed to have Assassin caught on her blade. The red clad warrior spun around, like she would using her Break-style attacks. She stopped suddenly, the force sending Assassin back to his master.
The red wall quickly roared out from the side of the never ending arena as Saber's Deranged Theater died down. The chill I felt finally died down.
Assassin slowly got up, looking at us with a smug look. He looked over to Julius, who was hunched over, sitting on his knees. I seen his left hand glow red. His...command seal? My thought was quickly blown out of my mind as soon as Julius let out a painful yelled. I swear, the ground shook when he yelled. And it wasn't once, but a few times before he just vanished. Did...the data deletion get him?
A few thoughts raced in my mind as Saber and I arrived in out Private Room. The thoughts were set to the side. I looked at Saber.
"So, you know who I am, Praetor." She said. "You best keep my identity hidden so that others cannot find out who I am."
Right, right.