Words Count: 5228
A/N: People need to check out LaSteroid's amazing life on YouTube. What a fucking inspiration…
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(Many years ago, when Vietnam was ruled by the Ming Dynasty, a young King named Le Loi- born to wealth, riches and nobility- abandoned it all to lead a rebellion against the Yuan Army. In spite of his bravery, determination and the overwhelming supports from the People, the fact of the matter remained that Le Loi's Army was both vastly outnumbered and outmatched by the then well-trained, well-disciplined Yuan troops.
One day, as Le Loi was walking along the shore of a lake- pondering the treacherous path ahead, the King spotted a giant Turtle swimming towards him. The creature's unlike any he had ever seen, with scales as big as shields and eyes that seemed ancient beyond measure. As it drew closer, Le Loi noticed a golden sword hanging from its neck.
Without a word, the Turtle handed the weapon to the King and then disappeared back under the crashing waves just as quickly, leaving the young King to wonder at the miraculous event. As it'd turn out, the blade was no mere trinket- but instead the mystical Sword gifted to him by the Heaven- aptly named 'Heaven's Will' or 'In Accordance to Heaven's Will'.
It was said that anyone who could wield the weapon would be able to grow to thousands of feet, control the weather and decimate even the mightiest of foes with naught but a swing.
With the sword in his possession, Le Loi rallied his troops and led them into battle against the Chinese. As the two armies clashed, a strange Aura surrounded Le Loi, granting him powers beyond human strength. With each swing of the Sword of Heaven, Le Loi cut down dozens of the Yuan Army, sending them scattering in fear and confusion by the turn of event.
In the end- only after countless lives lost on both sides- the King and his band of fighters emerged victorious, driving the Chinese out of Dai Viet once and for all.
And as they celebrated their hard-earned triumph, Le Loi couldn't help but marvel at the mystical power of the Turtle and its enchanted Sword, which had played such a crucial role in their victory. Eventually, after the War's won and Peace reigned over Dai Viet once more, Le Loi went back to the Lake where he's gifted Heaven's Will and returned the Sword to its rightful Owner…
Similar to Excalibur and even the clay-creation of the Sumerian Gods- Enkidu, Heaven's Will was a Divine Construct- a Concept molded and forged into a physical form.
If the first represented the Hope of the Mankind,
The second the oppressive Might of the Gods,
Then the latter was the rebellious desires for Independency and as such,
Heaven's Will rejected all attempts to cause unwarranted harms unto the innocent- even if it's the King's Will- for ultimately, it's infinitely more of a Shield than it ever was a Sword.
Then again, was anyone truly innocent in this forsaken World?)
"You dare reject me? Me?! Mine is the Will of the Heaven!" Wrathful growls pushed past his gritted teeth, the Emperor of the Southern Land tightened his grip on the hilt of his once pristine Noble Phantasm. Steadily, his body started to reduce in size from the several dozens-feet tall man he was to a more… Manageable height- his eyes zoning out on the dimming blade laid next to his feet.
Angry, pulsing veins began to creep in his visage at the sight of the gaudily-ornamented hilt clenched tightly in his palm. "I'll deal with you later." With a wave, the Pseudo-Servant dismissed Heaven's Will and turned to face his opponents. Penthesilea already had Berserker all tangled up, it left the Emperor just the other Class-Card Wielder of the Einzbern, and those young ladies to handle.
Bracing himsef as the oppositions got into stance, Emperor Le Loi realized this fight was not going to an easy one, especially without his trusty Noble Phantasm to rely on.
Still, while many might mistake Le Loi for yet another useless Emperor in combat, that could not be further from the truth. The Emperor had spent the majority of his youth training the Arts of Martial, and even more time fighting off the invading Chinese. He was no slouch when it came to shedding the enemy's bloods through fists and kicks- Sword or no.
Raising his hands in an odd stance- completely removed from those Modern styles, Le Loi gestured, taunting the girls into attacking. As the outnumbered party, an head-on assault into their midst would put him at an unwinnable position, and he couldn't wait anymore. The longer this dragged on, the more danger it put them in. They must successfully kill one of the Core Members of Leonis' Faction before the boy arrived, or all their preparations up to this point would be wasted.
There was a brief moment of silence as both sides measured the others- the proverbial calm until the Storm.
Then, like an unholy orchestra, sounds of clashing weapons, of fired magical spells filled the air, throwing the already intense battlefield in utter chaos.
Meanwhile, Rin had managed to hand out all the Potions they brought with them, and now that she no longer had to worry about her sister and Lady so much, Sella hurriedly surrendered control of their joined body to Ishtar. All traces of the Homunculus' emotions were wiped out as the Goddess of War emerged. She looked at Le Loi and snorted. "Heaven's Will…? You stand before a Goddess, Mortal. Kneel and I'll allow you a safe, peaceful passage into the afterlife. Disobey? Well…"
Without a word of warning, she started hurling bolts of lightning down upon the Emperor, who- already readied himself- deftly dodged one after a another. Meanwhile, Penthesilea was locked in an intense battle with Berserker- the two each trying to one-up the others.
Unfortunately, despite her clear advantages in pure techniques and skills- a result of her tamer form of [Madness Enhancement], the Amazonian still found it rather troublesome to break through her Uncle's [God Hand]. As with most invulnerability Noble Phantasm or Class Skills created by a God or Gods, [Divinity] did allow her more respite than others, yet every attack that might've mattered were all blocked- attacks with her giant flail-thingy,
While the lighter ones she unleashed upon the Demigod to deter him from pushing his offense were tanked- too weak to cause any real harm to Herakles. The mighty demigod, swung his axe-sword down in a powerful strike aimed at Penthesilea, and the Amazonian Queen- not to be underestimated- quickly brought up the chain keeping her flails connected to block the blow, but the sheer force behind the impact still sent her crashing to the ground, dazed and disoriented.
Seeing an opening, Herakles began to up the intensity of his assault on Penthesilea. The Amazonian Queen fought valiantly, gracefully dodging the devastating strikes of her enemy and using her more lithe frame to jump on his back, raining down flurries of powerful punches and kicks in hope that would hurt him or at the very least, slow him down.
However, the oppressive might of Herakles not only left Penthesilea struggling to keep up, but her extent of her injuries kept mounting higher with each passing second…
And slowly- gradually, it showed. The longer their battle continued, the worse of a position she found herself in. To make the situation bleaker, Le Loi wasn't having much luck either, she could not rely on.
A proud Amazonian Queen she might be, Penthesilea knew when she's outmatched. There was no shame in admitting she had failed against the God of Might, yet she just couldn't accept it. For an Eternity, she had sat in wait for a chance to prove herself once again after that disastrous loss to one of Zeus' many bastard sons- Achilles. Was she going to lose to yet another of them, God or not? Was her tragedy doomed to repeat itself?!
Was she going to die here? Alongside her Master and their dreams?! "AaaAAAARGH!" The Amazonian Queen roared, her fist quickly finding its mark on Herakles' chin, and just like so, the wild hook successfully shattered the Demigod's neck. A smile bloomed on her lips- a beautiful, triumphant smile, but now was not the time to celebrate.
Simultaneously, Penthesilea threw her flails towards the girls fighting Le Loi. The Emperor of the Southern Land was good- better than most Amazonians she had taught in truth- not that she'd ever verbally admit it- but ultimately he's only one man.
And the enemies outnumbered him three-to-one… Wait, five-to-one.
Let's change that.
At the exact second those thoughts entered her mind, a roar startled her.
Behind Penthesilea, the Legendary Herakles had risen once more, his head quite literally dangling by the threads of his skin and flesh as his meaty palms- the size of her torso- reached forth to yank at her hair, as though trying to tell her. "It ain't over yet!" On Le Loi's side- though angry- the Emperor could not help applauding these ladies for their bravery and decisions-making skill.
Once the twin-tailed brunette was done distributing the Potions, she immediately joined in the assault- throwing Mana-Filled Gems at him, waiting- searching for an opportunity to strike, while the other brunette- presumably the first's sister given the similarities in their facial features- looked kind on the surface, yet every single attack of hers was surprisingly vicious. With the tearing white-haired 'little girl' and the sisters keeping him at bay through firepower,
Coupled with the precise, yet lethal barrages of the falchions-wielding Maiden and the foreign Goddess, even his A-Rank [Martial Art] Skill's having troubles holding up. "Amazing! You fight with such skill, Mortal! Was I wrong in thinking the Age of Heroes has ended?!" The Goddess of War exclaimed, waving around a… Blade of some sort- white ornamented by golden linings which resembled the hands of a Clock.
"You better pay attention facing me." The Emperor grunted, using his armored-braces to deflect the falchions looking to behead him. Utilizing this momentum, Le Loi jumped back- his beard fluttering in the winds as he paused, before giving them the offer. "Join us."
They had the upper hand- that the Emperor couldn't deny. If this continued- sooner or later- Le Loi and Penthesilea would be overwhelmed by their opponents. He needed to lower their guard, which's easier said than done, but the Southern Land Emperor hadn't chased off the Ming Dynasty through brute-force alone… Nay, he's charismatic enough to shake the hearts of battle-hardened men.
Perhaps he could use the same strategy on these inexperienced girls? "Wha–? Don't you fuck with us! You really think we'd betray his Lordship so readily?!"
One of the Elites shouted, to which Le Loi merely snorted in response. "I'm not asking you small-fries. The ones I'm interested in are them." He concluded, pointing at the four girls who're giving him the hardest fight as of yet.
In the Legends and Myths of Vietnam, Le Loi's amongst the greatest Emperors ever.
He was not just exceedingly wise and more martially-capable than his predecessors, but he was also never known for any crippling vices.
Still, as with all Emperors, he too had a Harem once upon a time. He knew well how to seduce and maneuver around women, all he needed at the moment was a chance and- "Young Ladies, instead of serving an unworthy wannabe, why don't you become my subordinates? I can even grant you positions in my Harem. Anything you want, you'll get! Riches, jewelry, lands! You are all far too interesting to die here."
Not a word of his was false… These young women had indeed peaked his interest. Even in the Age of Heroes- where young talents, descendants of Ancient Clans and students of the Gods scoured the Lands, few could truly boast to have gotten the better of Le Loi, yet here they were- Children by all rights, holding their own against him. Albeit, he couldn't use Heaven's Will currently, but for women in this Age to face Heroic Spirits, they're worthy of his admiration.
"Look around you. The boy doesn't care, else he'd be here by now.
"Hard pass." Contrary to everyone's beliefs, the person to say that wasn't the tsundere, nor was it the stunted albino, but Shiro. "I already have a childhood sweetheart and you're not him so-" The auburn-haired Heroine raised her falchions challengingly. "– Square up, Emperor!"
"I have to agree with Onee-chan. Leo-nii is a lot more handsome than you. Plus, that shaggy unkempt beard of you doesn't suit my eyes." Illya quipped in, ripping a few strands from her hair to create artificial lives- Familiars that by all means, shouldn't be able to handle all the Mana powering them. Not to outdone, Sakura and Rin also joined in. ""It's going to take more than words to drive a wedge between us! / I'm sorry, but I also have a childhood sweetheart of my own–""
At that, the younger Tohsaka glanced towards Shiro shyly. "– Although we can not be a pair of lovebirds in this life, if I had to choose, I would pick Leo-senpai over you any day of the week!"
"I see…" Le Loi muttered, snickering loudly. "I respect your decisions. If you had sold him out, you wouldn't have passed the requirements for the Imperial Harem anyway. Treacherous curs are unacceptable."
"Hey! What about me?!" Ishtar gestured at herself- seeming almost offended after being passed up for a bunch of mortals. Le Loi swept his gaze towards her and snorted, "We(The Imperial We) don't have a habit of feasting on diseased flesh, wench. I cared not for other Lands and Religions, but all those tales about the tragic fates of your ex-lovers precede you. Others might believe it an honor to lie with a Goddess of Love, but 'Goddess of Flesh' is a more befitting Title for you."
Despite the use of her Title, the word's said with such disgust, the Emperor might as well have spat it out. "You- You!" Shakily, Ishtar pointed at the Emperor- hands wracked with shivers as she screamed. "I'll have your head for that, arrogant mortal!" Thus, the fighting resumed- or it would have, if not for the sounds of whistles and heartbeats filling the air.
The momentary lapses in concentration of the two Servantswere enough for the girls to fully take advantages, and with a sweep of her leg, Shiro threw up a wall of dust and dirt in order to give herself cover- rushing behind Le Loi for a surprise attack. As though having a telepathic connection in their brains, the Tohsaka siblings and Illya began to fill the empty Space with one Spell after another in an effort to divert, divide the Emperor's attention.
They succeeded,
Unfortunately, what Shiro hadn't accounted for were Le Loi's Martial Techniques.
"[1st Sword, Heavenly Accord Art]." Index and middle fingers touching, the Emperor raised his fist to reveal sparks of chaotic lightning rushing down his extremities. "For such Talents to die here… What a shame. At least we manage to achieve one of our objectives."
A crescent-shaped Beam of Golden Lightning tore its way to Shiro. She tried to defend- tried to do something- anything, but for the first time since she's taught the [Sword God Style], Shiro failed to find an opening in someone's Martial Arts and…
Seeing as the Style's defensive capabilities were severely lacking, there was no way for her defend herself- there wasn't even time to back off in fact. Gazing into the young woman's eyes, Le Loi was about to give her one last bit of honor when he realized, 'Calm… She is far too calm for someone who's staring Death in the eyes.'
"[Rho–" The Seven Rings that Cover the Fiery Heavens. Originally a Shield of Aias the Great- yet another Greek Hero- Shiro knew not how or why he had it, but by some miracles- her male counterpart- Archer- hadn't just encountered it, but he had managed to transform the NP from a Shield to a Conceptual Weapon- a Spell. Still, none of that mattered, as long as she survived this blow, she'd be indebted to him. "– Aias]!"
One instance she's soaring through the air- forced back by the raging winds, the sparkling rays of lightning and the oppressive Aura that seemed to waft off the Emperor in waves, the next she's fine- Nay, she's stuck in that same position- locked in place by the activation of the Conceptual Shield as Barriers- One, two, three pinkish and transparent layers appeared before her. Watching the sight of this, Le Loi instantly paled- droplets of cold-sweat dripping down his face.
The Emperor hadn't expected her to be able to block that.
It's supposed to be a One-Hit Kill so he could refocus on her allies.
In other words, he wasn't prepared for a Mana/Ki struggle.
Certainly not when his back's completely exposed to her allies to attack. Sure enough, a barrage of Spells landed on his Golden Armor- none of which managed to break his defenses, yet he knew those spots were sure to bruise. "Insignificant tricks!"
Making a decision in that split of a second, Le Loi abandoned his first blow and swung- causing a wave of Mana to unearthed an entire section in front of him just as two of three Rings shattered. Then, the Emperor returned his attention to Shiro, but it's far too late. Utilizing a bastardized version of [Mana Burst]- taught to her by Saber- the auburn-haired Heroine leaped forth, falchions raised- about to decapitate him.
She expected a lot of things to happen,
She expected to see him beheaded,
Instead Shiro's confronted by harsh Reality as Le Loi twitched his fingers. "[Heavenly Accords Art, 2nd Sword]."
In spite of the chaotic nature of electrons, the Lightning quickly condensed into dozens of glowing, sword-shaped projectiles which shot forth- all aimed at her most vital areas. "Not- Not yet, I'm not done yet!" Shadowy tendrils burst out from the dust and latched on Le Loi's Sword-Ki, ravenously devouring the Energy to grow larger.
Knowing any other attacks would only serve to strengthen his enemy, the Southern Emperor growled in anger. "[Taiji Arts, Requiem Palm]."
For enemies who fed on Mana/Ki, there's no other Martial Technique more suitable than the Taiji Arts of the Wudang Sect- developed by its Founder Zhang Sanfeng-
A man whom even Le Loi, in spite of his many achievements in the Martial Way, had to give an ounce of respect. Unfortunately, due to the grudges between their Homelands, Le Loi had only gotten to meet the man once- it was how he knew Wudang's most illusive Arts in the first place, albeit only the basics which he later built upon. The [Requiem Palm] was the Emperor's own interpretation of the Art,
It's both Nothing and Everything,
Yin and Yang- when combined- was in fact shapeless and colorless- defying many Laws which governed the World. For this reason, Zhang Sanfeng- the Style's Creator was hailed by the Ming Dynasty as a living Deity. Le Loi effortlessly batted tendrils away with what the girls could only describe as pure Kinetic-Force. "I'm sorry–"
In but a few steps, the Southern Emperor advanced- his palm aimed at Shiro's solar plexus. "– But this is it for you… [Requiem Palm]!" The Force unleashed swiftly cleared away the dust to reveal- "Are you sure about that?!"
"You–!" Toxic green eyes bore into Le Loi's Soul. "Me! [LONGSWORD OF SILENCE]!"
"YOU'RE STILL TOO NAÏVE IF YOU THINK THAT CAN STOP ME!" There was a flash of recognition in the boy's eyes, disappearing as quickly as it came- replaced by bloodlust and unadulterated Rage. Armored Palm and Sword met, colliding in a contest of Strength that Le Loi could already tell he's going to win when- "Who dares sneak-attack this Emperor?! You- What–?!"
The one to greet him- surprisingly- wasn't the Goddess or one of the young women who had been battling him, but Leonis Magnum. Yet… How could this be, the boy was still– [Requiem Palm] punched a basketball-sized hole straight through the doppelganger's head. Seizing the momentum, Le Loi tried to spin back to meet the second Leonis, but the tendrils- which had recovered shortly after the doppelganger was killed- immediately latched on his arms again. 'I am bested by children?!'
The thought briefly crossed the Southern Emperor's mind as the sharp blade neared his neck. "[Heavenly Accord Art, 3rd Sword]!"
He roared- blasting strikes of Lightning everywhere in an attempt to deter the boy from continuing with his attack, yet there did not seem to be a hint of fear or hesitation in those eyes of his- just unwavering determination. "Le Loi, for an Emperor as prestigious as you… To ambush a bunch of women who can barely protect themselves! Do you feel no SHAME?!"
'Barely protect themselves?' The Southern Emperor thought- his mind whirling with the images of all the close-calls those girls had put him in- and nearly lost his cool. Lips twitching, Le Loi howled. "Since I can't dodge, I will just take it head-on!"
Hands moving in a slow, deliberate manner- the Southern Emperor used the Taiji Art to deflect the Force driving Invictus. It's the only reason he survived, for while the Rapier had pierced his neck, it hadn't managed to severe any of his important arteries. Knowing they're bested now that the Leader of the Faction was here, Le Loi didn't even hesitate to use the momentum to escape into the forest. He was strong- that's for sure.
But his specialty lied in guerilla tactics, not head-on battle. Especially not while they were so clearly outnumbered- what with the other Saber whom he just saw land near those girls. "This humiliation, I will remember it! Berserker, we must retreat!"
"Don't think about leaving here alive!" Dozens of Spells rained down on the Emperor, though none's able to break through his most prized Armor. It might not be at the same Level as his Sword- Heaven's Will, yet the fact was it's a powerful Artifact forged for the Emperor and him alone by all the famous Taoist Monks who once served his Court. To cover his tracks, Le Loi even summoned Lightning- using the Wrath of the Heavens- or Nature- to deter the boy.
Unfortunately for him…
"I call to you- Heavens' Strongest Weapon, [Bull of Heaven, Gugalanna]!" He should not have pissed off the Goddess known for her miles-long streak of pettiness. Tongue clicking in visible irritation, the Southern Emperor too used his strongest Technique- one that didn't require the use of Heaven's Will at least. "Don't think I'm gonna fall here, [Heavenly Accords Art, 8th Sword. Dragon Prince's Protection]!"
In every Culture, the Myth of Human Creation varied. Same went for Vietnam. It was said that once upon a time, a Dragon Prince rose to the Lands and fell in love with an Immortal Fairy… In no time at all, the pair fell deeply in love and bore a sack of one-hundred eggs from which one-hundred Sons were born, who'd go on to become the Ancestors of all Vietnamese. Their Union symbolized the Harmony of the Heaven and the Earth.
One who emerged from the Sea,
The other descended from the mountains,
Sadly, as the Dragon Prince and the Immortal of the Vietnam Heavenly Court, both had responsibilities and duties they must attend to.
The pair- broken apart- decided to split their Children in half. Fifty would go with the Fairy- Au Co, while the other half would accompany their father- Lac Long Quan. For this reason, all Southern Emperors would receive Blessings from their Ancestors. These Blessings came in many forms- Martial Arts, Talents, Unnatural Characteristics, but one thing's clear, if one had received the favor of the Fairy Princess', they would never receive the Dragon Prince's.
That's until Le Loi was born.
Storm raged above their heads as an Azure Dragon descended upon the Bull of Heaven- viciously baring its sharp rows fangs and claws at the Sumerian Gods' Ultimate Weapon. "Get lost, filthy cattle!"
Le Loi's swing was like the gavel of a Judge- forever condemning Gugalanna.
The Bull- not to be outdone by the Gods of a different Religion- started to push its hind legs to gain momentum and charged at the Dragon which- at a closer inspection- were made out of millions of Azure Lightning. "ARTORIA, NOW!"
"ON IT!" The Once and Future King- after collecting all the unconscious Elites and the girls to a single spot- started to chant. "From the inner sea of the planet, from the tower of insight, from the four corners of paradise, let them know; their story is filled with blessings. Only those free of sin may pass... [Garden of Avalon]!"
A Barrier separating Dimensions appeared- enveloping and- technically- transporting everyone into the Paradise that was Avalon to protect them from the inevitable meeting of an unstoppable Force and an immoveable Object. Unfortunately, as he's too far away to enter the Barrier- unable to [Blink] due to the Bounded Field which spanned the whole of Fuyuki, Leo wasn't able to escape in time and-
Claws and fangs dug into the Bull's metallic body,
Ornamented horns pierced the Dragon's form,
When two devastating Powers met- there was no other end for the flies buzzing around but death.
Not unless said flies possessed the powers to resist a collision of two Forces of Nature, not unless…
"[Phantasmal Edge], [Reinforcement], [Strengthening], [Time Barrier], [Triple Accel], [Longsword of–" In a millisecond, dozens of Spells were used by the King of the Clock Tower- some were Enhancement-Type, most were Defensive with the sole exception of the last Technique. 'I might lack talent in Sword Arts, but all this should be more than enough.'
Thoughts raced across Leonis' mind as he yelled. "– Light]." Instantly, every single strand of muscle in his arms, hands, legs and thighs ruptured- unable to support the strain put on them as the teenager turned into a streak of light, charging straight into the growing ball of Mana. At the same time, Penthesilea jumped on Herakles' neck, using both her arms and legs to choke out the other Demigod and force him in the direction of the Mana-Collision.
"""Leonis! / Leo-senpai!"""
Mana consumed the two battling Servants and the struggling Master of Lancer in a bright flash- erasing the surrounding mountains as though a meteorite had landed. The sound alone was enough to rupture the eardrums of any unlucky to be in the vicinity. Despite their chosen location, the explosion could be seen all the way from the City. While the citizens of Fuyuki were busy running- fearing for their lives, the Ball of Light was suddenly cut in half, causing the unstable Mana to disperse,
Sweeping towards the chaotic City.
"What a mess." Nearby stood an Apostle, his kaleidoscopic eyes narrowing in amusement as laughter bubbled up his throat. "You owe me big time, Leonis. Oh-Well, I suppose I can just put it on your tab like usual, brat."
The Wizard Marshall- the Kaleidoscope- Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg smiled, drawing his Jewel Sword and with naught but a wave, transported all the excess Mana into another Timeline- one where Fuyuki never existed. Meanwhile, at the Lakeside House where Gugalanna and the Incarnation of the Dragon Prince met laid a smoldering crater. As the smoke cleared, Penthesilea hurriedly pushed the wrecked corpse of her towering Uncle off,
Breathing heavily as she clutched her abdominal wound. Even [God Hand] hadn't been able to save the Demigod who had yet to recover fully from his fight with Judas. Slowly, his corpse dissipated- his widened, unblinking eyes staring soullessly at the bright Sun above as he pondered on his mistakes. For a brief moment, clarity returned to the Greek Hero, allowing him to mutter. "S- Sorry, young Lady. I ca-n no longer protect you. Leonis… I leave her protection to you."
"Goodbye, Uncle."
Herakles disappeared, leaving only his sword-axe to lie around while the Amazonian Queen clasped her hands in prayer for the passing of Greece's Number 1 Hero. Unlike other Greeks, Penthesilea hadn't looked up to the God of Might, but she could respect his prowess as a Hero, plus his desire to protect his Master's admirable. The least he deserved was a proper burial.
Inside Avalon, Illya suddenly clutched the back of her hand in horror as she watched the Command Seals fade, screaming herself hoarse without a care about the looks she was receiving. "No… No, no! Do- Don't abandon me, Berserker!"
"Onee-san." Shiro reached out to comfort her, only to be batted away. The glare the Einzbern sent her estranged sister was filled with hatred and resentment, and though the Heroine knew it's not directed at her, she could not help but shudder. Only when the last trace of Herakles was gone, did the Amazonian Queen make for a hasty retreat. While they had succeeded in eliminating one of the Servants in Magnum's Faction, if she decided to linger, it might be her life that was forfeited next.
Wounded as she was, Penthesilea would be an easy prey. "I need to get away…"
"Leaving so soon? I guess it's true what they said about you…" The mocking in the voice's impossible to ignore. "Penthesilea, all beauty- no substances."
Whatever desire to retreat in the Amazonian Queen instantly left as Rage took over. "What. Did. You. SAY?!"
"I said–" One moment, the voice's in front of her, the next it was already coming from behind- within the veil of smokes which limited her vision. "– You're an useless bitch who should have stayed dead. Both you and that cunt whose body you're inhabiting. So go on… Run. Cower. I sure do like the scent of Fear you're emanating."
With a might howl, the Amazonian Queen hurled her flail at the silhouette, clearing away the smokes only to be greeted with the sight of Leonis- his arms both hanging uselessly to his sides- his left nothing more than a cauterized stump, a bloody hole in his cheek and burns all over his naked torso. "Since you took so many of mine, it's only fair if I get to take a chunk out of you also, right?"
"… You can not fight as you are. My Master wishes nothing more than your demise, but I'll not kill a defenseless enemy." The boy huffed tauntingly- an evil, wicked smile hanging at the corners of his maimed, burnt lips. "Give it up, it is impossible for you to use those Spatial tricks inside the confine of this Bounded Field. Get out of my way, and I shall allow you to live yet another day."
"Ah-But I can't do that, you see. I haven't suffered such a loss in nearly a decade, what'd others say if I let the ones who devastated my forces to leave unharmed?" Cracking his neck, he continued."Besides, you seem to be under the misconception that I'm at a disadvantage–"
Green flashed before Penthesilea as the boy- maimed and crippled as he was- instantly appeared in front of her. "– Sorry to say, but you're dead-wrong."
The white-haired woman raised her weapon to block, eyes widening.
'Spatial Spells? But the Bounded Field- No… Not Spatial. It's–!'