Welcome back, everybody! It's finally time to begin what you've all been waiting for.
This is actually my first time writing a fight scene. Hope that it turned out okay.
Not much else to say, so I'll leave y'all to it. Hope you enjoy!
"Rin, get off the roof! Now!"
It took a moment for Rin to process what Caster is saying. But seeing the only other option is to stay and face that behemoth in battle, a plunge from the tallest building in the city doesn't seem so bad.
Heeding her servant's warnings, Rin took a leap of faith down the building.
A pair of twin blades appear within Caster's hands to defend an incoming blow from Berserker. Instantly shattering to pieces as the blade makes contact with the spear. Caster grunts in pain, the force behind the blow shook his entire body. If he's not careful, he might lose his hand just from the impact itself.
Several more clashes occurred at speeds faster than the eye can see, with Caster flinching and being pushed back with every blow. The fact that his body feels numb just by listening to Berserker's voice is not helping. He could tell that this is not even Berserker's full strength. The crazed hound is only just toying with his prey right now.
"Come on! Put up a fight! Is that all you got!?"
Berserker's taunts were suddenly interrupted by several dozens of swords falling down from the sky. Caster had been tracing and holding them at command as they were clashing. While Berserker remained unharmed as he easily dodged and deflected every single one of them, it had provided Caster with the perfect distraction for him to flee the battle.
Meanwhile, Rin's heart is beating faster and faster as she reaches further near ground. There's no magecraft in her disposal that could possibly save her from this impact. She silently prayed and call for help from her servant. Afraid that he had abandonned her, or worse, died before he could do anything.
Fortunately, her prayers were answered as the black coated servant caught her and jumped off the ground in the last second. Before Rin could even catch her breath from the near-death experience, Caster instantly puts her down the ground and traced a bow into his hands.
"Rin, get to the temple! I will distract him!"
"Wait, are you insane!? You'd die if you stay here!" Rin called out to her servant, worried about his safety.
"Facing down and overcoming against impossible odds is what I've been doing my entire life, and that's what I'll do right now." Caster said as he locked a broken phantasm into his bow, the arrow glowing crimson as it begins charging with prana. "Besides, I don't plan on dying so soon. Now go!"
As Rin runs off, Caster takes aim at the enemy servant giving chase.
"Hrunting!"
The arrow was loose the moment when Berserker takes to the air. In a swift manner unfitting of his berserker class, he pushes himself out of the arrow's trajectory by hitting the walls of the building with the blunt end of his spear.
The arrow suddenly makes a rapid turn mid-flight, tracking the Irish hero at speeds faster than sound. Berserker twists his body mid-air to dodge the projectile once more, and finally destroys it with a well-placed blow from his spear.
"So, you managed to dodge that even in the air... What a ridiculous monster I've stumbled upon."
With the skies clear from projectiles, Berserker safely lands on the ground, standing just a few feet away from the Counter Guardian.
"Neat little arrow ya got there, some other poor servant might've fell to that, but not me." Berserker grinned as he gestures towards the Black Coated servant with his spear. "You wouldn't happen to be Archer, would you?"
"Who knows?" Caster responded by tracing a new pair of blades. "For all that you know, I might even be Saber or the Assassin servant."
"Hmph, tricky bastard. But it doesn't matter. I'll have you dead regardless!"
Berserker goes in on the offensive once again, Caster continues to dodge by jumping from rooftop to rooftop. Taking advantage of the extra ground that he can cover. The foresight from his Mind's Eye keeping him just one step ahead despite Berserker's superior speed.
This prolonged chase of cat and mouse was put to an end when Berserker throws a piece of rubble to shut down Caster's constant movement. Closing the distance between them as he aims to split the masked caster in half with a wide swing from his spear.
"Trace: Overedge."
Caster's prana flows into Kanshou and Bakuya as they extend into a pair of greatswords. The Counter Guardian swings upwards with his full might, aiming towards the cursed spear.
*Crack!*
A sickening crunch of bones echoed as the weapons collided, the enhanced blades had been shattered to pieces, but it had managed to atleast redirect the spear away.
Despite successfully parrying the blow, Caster's arms were overexerted as his right shoulder was dislocated from his chest. Clutching his injury, Caster continued to flee from battle. Tracing and sending few nameless broken phantasms mid-air to slow Berserker down.
'At this rate, it's only a matter of time until that damned dog pins me down.' Caster thought as he continued to run. 'I need a good distraction, or some way to get him off my trail.'
'God dammit! Why won't he stay still! No matter, the next time I get close, he won't be so lucky.' Berserker thought as he gives chase. He intends to end it all with his noble phantasm in his next attack.
With a risky application of force, Caster managed to push his shoulder back into place. Holding it together with some reinforcement magecraft. He begins working on his final projection in this battle.
'It's gonna be a little bit rushed, but it'll have to do.'
Caster traces his trusted bow and locks this next noble phantasm into it's string. Just in time as Berserker closes his distance once again.
"This game of tag is getting dull, Caster. Prepare yourself for my unavoidable blow!" Berserker's cursed spear glows as the crimson mana freezes in the air, taking aim towards Caster's heart.
In response, Caster takes aim at Berserker with his new arrow. A spear that had been shortened into an arrow with a golden tip.
"Berserker!"
A voice suddenly calls out to the concentrating Berserker as he looked towards the direction it came from. It was his master, she had finally caught up to him after the battle had been going on for so long.
Within an instant, Caster's cynicism takes over as he switches his aim towards Bazett. Berserker ceases charging his noble phantasm as he run towards his master to shield her from the attack. The Broken Phantasm was sent loose as Caster calls out its true name.
"Mac-an-Luin!"
The arrow erupted a burst of water erupted and flooded the streets. It was a rushed projection that wouldn't do much against a servant, but it was still enough to instantly kill a human regardless.
Fortunately for Berserker, he had made it just in time to take the hit. Shielding Bazett with his own body as cover. The arrow was like a high pressure water cutter that had completely decimated its surroundings on impact, but it was nothing more than just a soothing shower to Berserker.
However, Berserker couldn't enjoy the calm for long, as his rage took over once again. His master had almost died again for the third time, and it was his fault that he had tunnel vision on his opponent, again!
"Damn it all to hell..."
Berserker cursed under his breath as he took a moment to look at Bazett's condition. She's breathing just fine, but she seems exhausted from trying to keep up with them across the city and the stab injuries she had received from the red headed brat.
Caster was nowhere to be found, he had already escaped during the chaos. And he's not even sure of his identity yet. The utilization of some sort of gradation air magecraft, a bow with noble phantasms for arrows, mastery over dual blades, and a headwear of middle eastern origin. That servant's traits is all over the place, who the hell is he?
To top it all off, he used water as his final attack. The one substance that could cool him down. With a broken phantasm of Irish origin, no less! He knows! He absolutely knows his true name and one of his conceptual weaknesses! When did he let it slip?! It feels like that bastard is taunting him, how the hell did things go so wrong!?
No matter, Berserker had previously overheard where the servant was planning to rendez-vous with his master. It's a shame that he had to kill the girl as well, but Caster is a threat and must be taken out before the night is over.
"Round 2, you bastard. Prepare yourself..."
With that, Berserker leapt into the air and took aim with his spear.
Rin awaited besides the bottom of Ryuudou Temple's staircase as she tries to catch her breath. Even with reinforcement magecraft powering her legs, a marathon across the city was still exhausting regardless. Thank goodness that she had already scouted out the area with Caster before all of this had happened. Otherwise, she'd still be stuck wandering which direction to go in the city.
Speaking of Caster, he had arrived just in time as Rin recovered from the run. Carrying the briefcase that she had previously left behind in the park.
"Sorry for being late, had to pick up some luggage on the way here."
Rin rushed towards her servant and observed his state. He seemed dirty and beaten up, but there's no major wounds. For the first time tonight, Rin lets out a sigh of relief.
"Thank god, Caster. I thought that you were going to die for sure!"
"Don't sound so surprised, now. Admittedly, I got lucky." Caster chuckled bitterly as he thought back about just how outmatched he was in that battle. "Besides, if I had died right there, how am I supposed to fulfill my promise to you?"
Rin's eye noticeably welled up in tears as she thought back to Caster's pledge to her on that rooftop. How long as it been since she had someone that she could truly trust and rely on?
"Thank you, Caster. I'm glad that you're okay." Rin smiled as she said to her servant.
"Don't worry about it, master." Caster drops the briefcase on the ground. "It's only natural for me to do."
The calming moment between the two was suddenly interrupted as Rin noticed a red glow of light shining from across the distance.
"Caster? What is that?"
The hooded servant immediately turned around as his reinforced eyes spots the figure of the Berserker servant charging up his noble phantasm in the distance.
"What the hell!? Is he insane!?"
It took Caster a moment to catch on to the irony that he just questioned the sanity of a Berserker servant. But unfortunately for him, now's not a good time for jokes. He needs to figure out a counter right now.
Rho Aias? He's unsure whether if it can hold. Not to mention that even if he managed to stop it, the resulting blast could still destroy the surrounding area. A shield might work if it's just by himself, but the current situation puts his master at risk.
He must find a way to stop the spear before it gets close.
"There's some good distance between us, so this might just work."
Rin watched by the side as Caster's magic circuits roar to life. With a new projection materialized into his hand. A spiral blade that resembles a drill, a noble phantasm he had specifically modified for this purpose. Locking the sword into his bow, Caster takes aim. Trying to predict the trajectory that the spear will be coming from this angle.
"I am the bone of my sword..."
Caladbolg stretches and shifts into the thin shape of an arrow as it pulls back on the bow's strings. Shimmering with a bright light of its own as Berserker himself managed to catch a glimpse of it from a distance.
"That light... I recognize it..."
Berserker said as he stared at the glimmer emanating from the rainbow sword in the distance.
"Fergus..."
The Irish Hero spoke out the name of his old friend by sheer instinct. He knew that it wasn't him, of course. Fergus was never one for bows, much less magecraft. It couldn't be him.
Another one for the growing list of mysteries related to Caster, he supposed. But that's none of his concern, all that matters is this final clash between the two. If they ever have the chance to cross paths once again, he'll find out what's up with him then.
"If that's how you're gonna play it, Caster. Then come on... Give me your best shot."
Locking onto the familiar glow within the distance, Cu Chulainn roared as he unleashed his cursed spear with all of his might.
"Gae Bolg!"
"Now! Caladbolg!"
The night darkens as the two projectiles outshine the stars and raced across the skies. Resembling distant comets of red and blue as they flew at speeds faster than the human eye could see.
Within less than a few seconds, a radiant shine and an impact splitting the clouds was released as the spear and arrow collide. Distorting and twisting the space around them in a fiery blaze of prana and energy.
The sight was almost as beautiful as it was dangerous. The collision of these two noble phantasms would've flattened the entire city block if they didn't meet each other in the air. Caster and Berserker just stood there unwaveringly and watched the struggle between their trump cards. Both of them ready to defend and fallback if the opposing force pushed through.
Their worries are unfounded however as a release of energy exploded at the point of impact, illuminating the night like a miniature sun until it quickly fades. Pushing a large gust of wind that blew down some nearby trees and cracked the ground beneath. The temporary Spiral Blade had been destroyed, but the cursed spear remained and flew back into the hands of his master.
Berserker calmed down and thought carefully about what he should do next. He could try throwing his spear one more time, but Caster could just shoot it down once again as he did before, and it'd just be a waste of mana. He could take this opportunity to chase them down, but Caster would most likely be gone by the time he got there.
At this point, the best option seemed to be cutting his losses and fight another day. His true name and abilities were revealed, and his master is exhausted and injured. Carrying his unconscious master within his arms, Berserker swiftly began to take her back home.
Now the question is, how the hell is he gonna explain this to Bazett by the time she wakes up?
Caster finally drops down in relief after seeing Berserker leave. It had been less like a battle and more like a desperate struggle to run away. The Cu Chulainn in this timeline was infinitely more troublesome than the one from his own timeline and might even be more powerful than Heracles himself.
Which brings him back to this train of thought. What the hell is up with this timeline anyways? Rin got adopted by the Matous, he was summoned as a Caster instead of Archer, not that he minded that, of course.
"Caster?"
And now, Cu Chulainn has been summoned as a Berserker that's not driven mad by warp spasm, and under command of a different master? Wasn't he Kirei's servant during the war?
"Caster?"
So many questions, yet so few answers. How many changes have been made in this world? Did the 4th war occur the same way it was supposed to be? When did the changes began? What about his present self, is he still around-
"Caster!"
The masked servant turned around as his brainstorming session was interrupted by the call of his master.
"Are you okay? You seemed pretty out of it. Did the fight with Berserker damaged your head or something?"
"It's nothing master, I was just taking some time to think, that's all." Caster stood back up, dusting off the dirt that gathered on his pants. "It seems that we'll have a hard war ahead of us if every servant is as strong as Berserker right there."
"Yeah... That's about what I expected..." Rin said disheartenedly.
"Look, I'm sorry. I wasn't a good match against him, next time I'll-"
"What? No. I didn't mean it that way, you did great!" Rin quickly corrected herself. "I couldn't imagine anyone else I know standing up against that giant servant, but you did! And you lived to tell the tale! I really had thought that I was a goner tonight, but you saved me... J- Just as you said you would..."
"Huh..."
Caster giggled slightly as he placed his hand on top of Rin's head, patting her gently as he stroked her violet hair.
"Wait, the hell are you doing that for!? I'm being serious here!" Rin yelled out at her servant from this display of affection, the worst part about it is that she can't even say that she hated him doing it! It's frustrating!
"Heh, don't worry about it. It just felt like the natural thing to do. You should try to be less abrasive in the future. Otherwise, I'd pity whatever poor soul that goes out with you someday."
His face might've been covered, but Rin can absolutely tell that beneath the scarf and the bandages, Caster has a smile on his face. That shit eating grin that he always seemed to put on during downtime. It annoys her in a strange way that she can't quite describe properly, almost like the man is babysitting her.
Still... I guess he isn't all that bad. He can still be serious if the situation calls for it.
"In any case, master. I suspect that things will get much more complicated as we go on. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm no match against Ireland's child of light."
"Wait, Ireland?" Rin perked up as she heard Caster calling out a title. "Did you figure out Berserker's true name?"
"Well, it's not like he's doing a good job at hiding it." Caster shrugged. "Cursed red spear wielded with strength that can destroy armies, keen eyes that can dodge and intercept arrows faster than the speed of sound, an incredible speed resembling a wild beast despite his bloated body, who else could it possibly be?"
"Huh... Now that you said out loud... I guess you're right." Rin put a finger to her chin and went in deep thought. "Caster, from a scale of 1 to 10, how well do you think you can take Berserker in a direct fight?"
"Eh, about 2 or 3 out of 10, I guess."
"Well, that's not so bad. Maybe if I power you up with one of my command seals, you can-"
"Wait, I'm not finished. That was the rough estimate of my chances of being capable of killing him, not whether or not if I can beat him." Caster interrupted his master. "Cu Chulainn is known to be one of the most presistent and undying servants in mythology, especially in his berserker form. I'm not even sure whether if I can kill him even if he held still and let me hit him however I wanted to."
"Wait, it's really that bad?"
"Absolutely. I'll most likely die horribly if I directly confront him without retreating, maybe a mutual kill if I'm lucky." Caster said with brutal honestly. "If we want to take him down, we'd have to aim for the master."
"Alright, simple enough. We'll just add 'finding berserker's master' onto the list then."
"Actually, I already did. She's a middle aged woman with short magenta hair that wears a neat looking business suit. I also noticed that she has a mole under her left eye."
"Did you really have to be so detailed as to point out the mole on her face?" Rin deadpanned. "Or is it just a hobby of yours to use your clairvoyence to spy on attractive girls from far away?"
"Oh, don't worry about it, Rin. You'll grow into her sizes someday."
Rin tried to kick Caster on the side of head in annoyance, but was just a few moments too late as he entered into spirit form while laughing.
Nevermind, her servant is still a prick. Hero of Justice her ass!
"In any case, Rin. Even if we know about the appearance of Berserker's master, I don't recommend that you go after her on your own." Caster changed his tone, going back to being serious as he spoke to his mater telepathically. "The participants of this Holy Grail War are all fully fledged magus that has trained for their entire lives. A rogue spellcaster such as you won't do well against them."
"You don't have to tell me twice, Caster. I know my own limits. I've seen first hand just how powerful these despicable bastards really are." Rin said as she thought back to her own experiences with her "grandfather". "I'll be sure to stay close and bring you along. We'll win this war no matter the cost."
"As you command, my master."
The final pair of master and servant finally begins their move. As the opening curtains marked the beginning of this different 5th Holy Grail War.
I'd like to take a moment to apologize that I might've did Bazett a bit dirty in this chapter. But well, I've been having this entire fight planned out way before I've even began the story.
I promise to y'all that Bazett and Berserker would absolutely get more chances to be the badass duo that they meant to be. Unfortunately, it's not now.
In any case, next chapter will be focusing on our good ol pal Shirou. No, not the older one. And just a heads up, for better or worse, he has changed far less than you may think.
No servant profile this time, if any of you have any questions, be sure to post them and I'll try to answer in the next chapter with minimum spoilers. See you next week!