Hiryu walked into the throne room with Another Geiz and Another Tsukuyomi trailing closely behind him. The air was thick with tension, the echo of their footsteps bouncing off the icy walls.
At the far end of the room, Scathach-Skadi sat on her throne, her expression a serene mask. Her deep red eyes watched them approach with a calm that seemed almost otherworldly.
As they drew nearer, she began to speak, her voice resonating with the weight of ages. "Long before this realm was cast into the shadow of despair, I was a warrior and a queen. My hands have shaped the fate of many, and my eyes have witnessed the rise and fall of countless kings and empires. In the cold north, where the very breath freezes in one's lungs, I stood unyielding, a beacon of power and wisdom to those who sought my guidance in the end of times."
She paused, her deep red eyes never leaving Hiryu's.
"But power, as you know, is a double-edged sword. It grants the strength to protect, but it also attracts those who would seek to usurp it. The stories of my past are etched in blood and ice, tales of battles fought and sacrifices made. And now, it seems, another chapter is about to be written."
The dark king of the Another Riders smirked, unimpressed by her monologue. "Nice speech, ice queen. But I'm not here for a history lesson. I'm here to take what should have always been mine."
Scathach-Skadi tilted her head slightly, her gaze growing sharper. "And what is it that you seek, child? What drives a man to such lengths of desperation and madness?"
"Power," Hiryu replied, his voice dripping with arrogance. "Power to reshape this world, to mold it according to my will. And no one, not you, not your Crypter, will stand in my way."
With a flick of his wrist, Hiryu signaled to Another Geiz and Another Tsukuyomi. "Deal with her," he commanded.
The two monstrous figures lunged forward, their movements a blur of aggression and malice. Another Geiz, with its agile and predatory grace, aimed a series of rapid strikes at Scathach-Skadi, while Another Tsukuyomi sought to ensnare her with tendrils of dark energy.
Scathach-Skadi, however, remained seated, her expression unchanging. With a mere wave of her hand, she summoned a barrier of shimmering ice that deflected Another Geiz's blows effortlessly. The ice cracked and reformed instantly, absorbing the impact of each strike without faltering.
Another Tsukuyomi's tendrils wrapped around the barrier, attempting to crush it with their dark power. Scathach-Skadi's eyes glinted with amusement as she raised her other hand, a spear of ice materializing within her grasp. She hurled it with pinpoint accuracy, piercing through the tendrils and sending Another Tsukuyomi staggering back with a howl of pain.
"Is this the extent of your ambition, Hiryu?" Scathach-Skadi's voice rang out, calm and unyielding. "To send your minions to do your bidding while you cower behind them?"
Hiryu's smirk faltered, his eyes narrowing in frustration. "Don't mock me, Lostbelt King."
Another Geiz, regaining its composure, launched itself at Scathach-Skadi once more, this time with a ferocity born of desperation. Its claws slashed through the air, seeking to rend the ice queen apart. But Scathach-Skadi moved with an almost ethereal grace, sidestepping the attack and retaliating with a flurry of ice shards that peppered Another Geiz, freezing it in place.
Another Tsukuyomi, undeterred, gathered its dark energy for a final, all-consuming strike. The room darkened as shadows coalesced around it, forming a massive sphere of destructive power. With a guttural roar, it unleashed the attack, sending the sphere hurtling towards Scathach-Skadi.
Scathach-Skadi remained unperturbed. She extended her hand, and the air around her shimmered with a brilliant light. A colossal wave of ice surged forth, meeting the sphere head-on. The clash of elemental forces shook the throne room, the sheer intensity of the impact causing the walls to crack and tremble.
When the light and shadows finally dissipated, Another Tsukuyomi lay defeated, its form shattered and broken right next to Another Geiz. Scathach-Skadi stood amidst the aftermath, her expression serene and untouched.
Hiryu's eyes blazed with fury and disbelief as he witnessed his minions' defeat. "Impossible..."
Scathach-Skadi's gaze bore into him, her voice cold and resolute. "Power without purpose is meaningless, child. You seek to conquer, but you lack the wisdom to understand what it truly means to rule."
The Another Rider clenched his fists, his rage palpable. "Don't lecture me, wretched witch! You know nothing of my struggles, my pain! This world has taken everything from me!"
Scathach-Skadi's expression softened slightly, though her eyes remained stern. "I understand loss and pain more than you realize, would-be usurper. Not being able to see the pain of others and dwelling on past grievances will lead you to an unenviable future."
"Spare me your pity!" Hiryu spat. "I don't need your understanding. All I need is power—power to crush those who stand in my way, power to rebuild this world in my image!"
Scathach-Skadi tilted her head, her gaze filled with an almost maternal concern. "And what of the future? What of a world built on the ashes of your hatred and vengeance? Can you not see that your quest for power will only lead to more suffering for yourself?"
"Shut up!" Hiryu roared, his voice echoing through the throne room. "You think you know so much, sitting on your frozen throne, dispensing wisdom. But you don't know what it's like to have everything ripped away from you!"
The ruler of the Lostbelt remained unfazed by his outburst. "You truly are unable to see anything past yourself. Tell me, what did you see when you and your army were slaughtering my people, as well as the inhabitants of that other Lostbelt? I have seen kingdoms rise and fall, watched loved ones perish. But I chose to move forward, to build something greater from the remnants of the past. Why can't you find the strength to do the same?"
Hiryu's face twisted with rage and anguish. "You think it's that easy? To just forget the past, to move on? I've tried, damn it! But every time I close my eyes, all I see is the destruction, the betrayal!"
The purple haired goddess sighed softly, her eyes filled with pity. "It is not about forgetting the past, child. It is about using it to forge a better future to the best of your abilities. You are so consumed by the flame inside you that you cannot see the possibilities that lie ahead."
"Possibilities? What possibilities?" The dark haired Another Rider sneered. "A world where I'm just another pawn, another victim of fate? No, I refuse to accept that!"
Scathach-Skadi shook her head slowly. "Ah, but being at the whims of fate makes you just like everyone else, does it not? Try as you might, no one is free from it— not even divinity such as myself. But that does not make you powerless, child. You have the power to shape your own destiny, to rise above your pain and create something meaningful. Standing here proves that, doesn't it? You managed to come here, to this land of nothing but snow and flames, yet you chose to use that power for nothing but spreading pain and suffering."
"ENOUGH!" He shouted, his voice cracking with raw emotion. "I don't need your damn pity! I will carve my own path, and I will crush anyone who stands in my way!"
The goddess stood from her throne, her presence commanding and serene. "Then you are truly lost, child. Your path will only lead to more pain, more suffering. Not just for everyone else, but for yourself too. Even if you spit at it, I cannot help but pity you, for you have become a prisoner of your own rage and loss."
"Damn you, Scathach-Skadi! You and your hollow wisdom! I will show you—I'll show everyone that I am not to be pitied!"
With a final, guttural scream, Hiryu took out his Another Ridewatch and transformed. The air crackled with dark energy as his body morphed and twisted, engulfed by a sinister aura. In an instant, he was clad in the monstrous armor of Another Zi-O II before he charged straight at her with red vision.
Scathach-Skadi could only silently bemoan at the arrogance and foolishness the self-proclaimed king was exhibiting. There was little she could do now; that is, of course, except teaching him yet another lesson. She gracefully stood up and simply waited for him to close the distance.
The Another Rider raised his clock-hand swords, preparing to strike down the queen of this icy kingdom… only for her to take a single step. Before he could react, he found himself impaled on an icy stalagmite and raised into the air. The sudden blow forced him to drop his blades which clattered onto the frozen floor and echoed throughout the hall. As he attempted to free himself from the spike, the goddess resumed speaking.
"Truth be told, I am shocked that you've made it this far with how you charge in without a thought," Scathach-Skadi hummed with a look of disappointment. "I've heard you had slain the Russian Tsar but seeing you foolishly assume you can fight me makes me doubt that."
"SILENCE!" Another Zi-O II cried back in anger before punching the spike with all his might, shattering it and letting him fall back down. He quickly rearmed himself and tried again to attack the Divine Spirit only for her to simply respond with a flick of her wand. This time, she froze his feet in place before quickly drawing purple symbols in front of her, summoning beams of white light that shot at the incapacitated monster.
The beams ended up shattering his restraints as it sent him flying back to the other end of the hall. The Dark King of the Another Riders didn't stay down for long and forced himself back to his feet, looking up at his opponent… only to see another massive ice shard heading straight for him. He managed to swing his sword in time to shatter it down the middle and resume his attempts to fight the Lostbelt King. He swung his swords again in his charge, sending slashes of dark pink energy at her.
The queen of Scandinavia only responded with another wand flick. The energy slashes were intercepted by a wall of ice that shielded the queen, shattering it with no harm done to the caster. Scathach-Skadi didn't make another attempt to stop the Another Rider's charge, letting him get close again.
Another Zi-O II, still blinded by his rage, was unable to see the obvious trap as he wildly swung his blades at her. However, she was surprisingly quick on her feet and was able to evade his swords before responding in kind with her own swing. In an instant, ice encased her wand and turned it into a massive greatsword that sent the monster flying through a nearby pillar.
"You still know little, child," She sighed, the disappointment of a parent dripping in her voice as she mindlessly played with her wand. "Is it not human instinct to avoid that which only brings you harm? Running at me like a barbarian is simply the acts of a simple fool, not a true king." The monstrous king couldn't even respond anymore as he forced himself up yet again, which made the goddess smile condescendingly. "But I will praise you for your determination. To continue fighting, no matter how reckless it is, deserves some admiration. Which is more than I'd give most in your position"
Another Zi-O II pushed himself to walk towards her despite how painful it was now. His grips on his swords were as tight as ever and just as he reached halfway— BOOM! —he was engulfed in flames as he stepped on a trap. The goddess had drawn a rune on the floor between them under the guise of playing with her wand; just as she expected, he didn't notice and triggered the fire rune. It wasn't her usual type of magecraft, but it finished the job with a pretty little bow.
She heard another clatter as something was tossed out of the explosion: the watch he had used to transform. It harmlessly skipped along the frozen floor a short distance away as the flames disappeared, revealing a defeated Hiryu. "No… not yet… Not like this." She heard him mutter through gritted teeth, making her sigh again.
"You are too easily blinded, child. If a few simple words didn't enrage you so, we could have a greater battle but alas…" That was simple childsplay. Not what she expected from someone that conquered another Lostbelt. Surely blindly charging wasn't his only strategy, was it? "But let this be a lesson for you, Hiryu Kakogawa. No matter what you claim to be, there is one thing you cannot change about yourself. It's not your desire for power, or your belief that you're a victim of fate. No, it's that you're human. You may be powerful but you are, at the end of the day, still a simple human being. What makes you believe you could defeat a divine such as myself?"
"Fuc-ACK! …Fuck you…"
"A true display of a king's maturity." Scathach-Skadi deadpanned while raising her wand directly at the beaten form of Hiryu, an icy white beam of light forming at its tip, "Alas, all things must come to an end and I am afraid that your time has come. May you find the peace you longed for there. Fare-"
Suddenly, she stopped, the magic forming on her wand cutting off in that instant as the queen eyes widened.
"But how can this be…" She muttered to herself, horror growing in her tone by the moment, "The only way this can happen is…NO!"
In an icy whirl of wind Scathach-Skadi disappeared from her throne room, leaving Hiryu, broken in both body and ego, to lay on the floor of ice to stew in his defeat.
The forces of this Lostbelt were proving themselves to be skilled and powerful. Ritsuka knew this would be a difficult battle, but this was different than anything he's faced before. After all, the Valkyries were fighting to protect their land while he and Chaldea were…
"Right now, you're the evil in this land, Ritsuka-kun. The people here will be trying to stop someone who aims to destroy their world."
Kaito's words resurfaced into his mind briefly before he shook it off. Now wasn't the time for that. Right now… they had to fight. The main threat was naturally the Lancer known as Caenis but the three unique Valkyries were no slouches either. And then there were the other Valkyries that were just as speedy as they were. Needless to say, Chaldea quickly found themselves barely beating them back and stuck on the defensive.
Despite the Ortinax being more offense-focused, Mash was still doing her best to protect him from any harm coming his way. The others sans Hans were fighting off their main foes while the Caster provided as much support as he could. He knew they couldn't keep going like this; they needed to retreat lest they be overpowered.
'Come on… think… what could we do…?' There was one thing he could do; Shadow Summons were risky business but he could do one that could help them escape. Alternatively, their temporary ally had given him something to call him for emergencies.
"Use it and I'll get you out of whatever sticky situation you need, but only once~."
Kaitou told him before they split to do their individual missions. It would surely work, considering what that thief could do, but he had to save it for the last possible moment.
Luckily for Ritsuka, fate seemed to smile on him. It was a mischievous smile, but a smile nonetheless as something stopped everyone in their tracks. It started small— a near unnoticeable rumble —that quickly grew in strength until both the ground and air were shaking. "Hey, what's going on?!" He heard Izo cry out.
"No. It can't be…" One of the Valkyries spoke as horror spread on all their faces. They looked up at something, making Ritsuka follow their gazes to see what was the cause of the rumbling: the black sun. What looked like blood seeped out of it, adding more to the terror that such a side would provide.
Ritsuka turned towards one of the Valkyries that was targeting him and had been fighting Mash, the pink-haired one. "What's happening to the sun?" He asked her; they clearly knew what was going on.
"It's… he's awakening. The one who brought about Ragnarök," she answered with a low voice. There was a hint of anger in her eyes, one that she was trying to mask.
Ritsuka recognized the term, of course. He heard enough of Norse mythology to know what Ragnarök was and Woz had mentioned that event was tied to this Lostbelt's existence… That meant.
"Surtr…" The Valkyrie darkly muttered before, as one, she and her sisters flew off.
"Hey! Where are y'all—! …Damn, guess it's that important, huh?" Caenis scoffed, clearly disappointed that their fight had been cut short. She turned towards Ritsuka and pointed her spear at him. "We'll settle this one day, you hear me? I'll be sure to take your head, Chaldea's final Master." She declared before leaving, heading for the castle.
Well, they survived; that was good. But it was clear there was something else now on the horizon that they needed to face… He decided their next move then and there. "Alright, we're heading there too," Ritsuka declared, eyes on the castle.
When she exited her castle, her worst fears were confirmed.
The black bleeding sun… He was finally escaping his prison. With everything that was happening, she expected this outcome; she simply didn't know what she could do the one who brought calamity to the world by herself was beyond even her. The sky was darkening, the air growing colder with an unnatural chill. Shadows lengthened and twisted, and the ominous red glow of the sun cast an eerie light over the land. The sight filled her with a mix of dread and determination. The balance of the world was tipping, and she needed a plan. She could feel the ancient magic stirring, the ground trembling beneath her feet.
She took a deep breath, steeling herself for the battle to come. She needed allies, strategies, anything to stand aga— CRASH!
A purple blur smashed into her, sending both tumbling to the ground. She felt a weight on top of her, making her look up to see a person in full armor that had a terrible color combination. "And who are you to sit on top of me?" The tiniest anger slipped into her cold voice as she narrowed her eyes at him.
The other person, meanwhile, responded with a quick "Excuse me," before vanishing under the cover of smoke and being replaced with a… child. A blue-haired child who looked just as confused as she was.
"What the—?!" Contrary to his appearance, his voice was as deep as a grown man's. "Where am I?!"
Her expression softened slightly as this time, she knew no fault lied with the boy(?). "May you move yourself first before questioning anything?" She requested politely, which the blue-haired child obliged. "Now, might you be?" Scathach-Skadi asked as they both got to their feet.
"A Caster Servant. And who are you? How did I get here?"
As impolite as it was for him to not actually answer her, she accepted it. She currently had bigger problems than a rude child. "I am the queen of this land, the goddess Skadi. As for why you're here…" She assumed it was yet another Proper Human History Servant manifesting in her lands, but that was too sudden for him to have just appeared like that. That meant… "Are you perhaps a Servant of Chaldea?"
"And what if I am?"
"Then that would do nicely." A small smile cracked on her face as she realized what that meant: potential allies. "If you could, can you take me to your Master?"
The throne room was a scene of utter disarray.
Ice shards lay scattered across the floor, mingling with remnants of divine magic that flickered and died.
The silence was broken only by the labored, ragged breathing of Hiryu.
Hiryu laid on the cold, hard ground, beaten and broken;. blood dripped from multiple wounds, creating a gruesome trail as he crawled inch by inch towards his goal: the Another Ridewatch, lying just a few feet away.
Despite his grievous injuries, Hiryu's eyes burned with unyielding resolve. He could barely move, every motion sending waves of agony through his body, but his determination was unshakable. Each inch he gained was a testament to his indomitable spirit.
"This isn't over," he thought, his mind racing with a mixture of anger, defiance, and desperation. "It can't be over. I will overcome this, just like I always have."
Memories of past victories, of obstacles he had surmounted against all odds, fueled his resolve. He had faced impossible challenges before and emerged victorious. This would be no different. It had to be no different.
As he crawled, Hiryu's thoughts turned to Scathach-Skadi, the queen of this icy realm. He cursed her under his breath, bitterness mingling with the metallic taste of his own blood. Her words during their battle echoed in his mind, her condescending tone, her relentless power - reminding him of something familiar and despised.
"I'm sure you and I can overcome…that day from our past. So… let go of the past and live for today!"
"Damn you, Scathach-Skadi," he muttered, his voice barely more than a hoarse whisper. "And your hollow wisdom. I will show you. I will show everyone."
Every movement was a struggle, but Hiryu refused to give up. His hand stretched out, fingers trembling as they barely brushed the Ridewatch. The pain was excruciating, a searing agony that threatened to overwhelm him, but he gritted his teeth and pushed through it.
"This isn't over," He repeated to himself, each word a mantra of defiance. "I will rise again. I will reclaim my power."
Just as he was about to grasp the Ridewatch, his vision started to blur. His body was on the verge of collapse, every muscle screaming in protest, but his spirit remained unbroken. With one last, desperate effort, he lunged forward, ready to finally close his hand around the Ridewatch once again…
…Only for a different hand to snatch it right up.
"The power of Zi-O has indeed been reclaimed," There was a young woman standing over him, holding the Ridewatch in her hand. Her presence was commanding, her expression one of stern authority. It was Olga Marie Animusphere.
"You…" Hiryu spat, his voice filled with venom and frustration. "Give that back!"
Olga Marie looked down at him with a mixture of pity and disdain. "You've caused enough trouble, Hiryu. It's time for this farce to end."
"No," Hiryu growled, forcing himself to his knees despite the searing pain. "I won't be stopped by the likes of you. I will take back what's mine!"
"Too late."
Closing her amber eyes, Olga brought the Another Ridewatch up to her chest, causing it to glow a soft magenta light before disappearing into her.
"Zi-O!"
A smile blossomed across the field director's face and she immediately reached into her pocket and brought out her newly restored Zi-O Ridewatch.
"That feels so much better. Like I regrew a lost limb." The white haired magus sighed in relief as she held up her Ridewatch, "I am going to be perfectly honest: I had this really elaborate plan that involved Woz's Ridewatch and making illusions of your dead parents in order to get my power back through you. I really didn't expect Scathach-Skadi to make the entire reclamation process that much easier for me, but hey, never look a gift horse in the mouth!"
"No," Hiryu growled, forcing himself to his knees despite the searing pain. "I won't be stopped by the likes of you. I will take back what's mine!"
Olga raised an unimpressed eyebrow at Hiryu's words, but before she could respond, a brilliant flash of light illuminated the throne room behind her. She spun around, eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"Wait, that's where Another Geiz and Another Tsukuyomi fell when Scathsch-Skadi beat them…" Olga muttered, her voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and dread. Shaking off her hesitation, she strode towards the rubble, her determination overpowering her fear.
As she cleared the debris, her breath caught in her throat.
There, lying amidst the remnants of their battle, were the real Geiz and Tsukuyomi. Both were unconscious but unmistakably alive, their faces serene as if untouched by the horrors that had befallen them at the hands of Another Decade.
"What the—?!" Olga Marie's voice was a volatile blend of confusion and fury. She turned sharply, her eyes blazing as she stormed back to Hiryu, who lay crumpled and bloodied on the icy floor. "How the hell did you bring them back?! Did you make them into Another Riders just to spite me?!"
Hiryu, barely able to breathe, looked up at her with a mixture of agony and bewilderment. "I... didn't... I didn't even know it was them..."
Olga's fury intensified, but as she stared into Hiryu's eyes, she saw the raw, undeniable truth. He was too broken, too defeated to be lying. Her mind raced, trying to unravel the mystery. Geiz and Tsukuyomi, the real ones, were here, and somehow, Hiryu had been unaware of their transformation. The scene played out like a cruel jest.
"How... how is this possible?" Olga muttered, her voice a taut whisper of rage and confusion. Her fists clenched as she spun back towards Hiryu, her face a storm of emotions. Once more, Hiryu lay sprawled on the cold floor, his body broken and battered, but his eyes burned with a defiant fire. "Explain yourself," Olga demanded, her voice trembling with intensity. "How did they come back?!"
Through gritted teeth and a rasping breath, Hiryu managed to croak, "They were already with Finis when I got in contact. They needed the powers of Woz, Geiz, and Tsukuyomi to bring back the Another Zi-O Ridewatch. It was Finis... they brought them back to life."
A dark realization dawned on Olga's face. Her eyes widened, a flicker of comprehension igniting behind her gaze. "So Finis... they resurrected them to help bring you into the Tree of Emptiness and played you like a pawn. It was never about your ambition—it was always their grand design." Her voice grew colder, more calculating. "So they were the true mastermind, the one manipulating you all along. You were just a tool in their twisted plan."
Hiryu's anger flared in response, the agony in his body fueling his rage. He managed to spit a gout of blood at Olga's feet, the red splatter a symbol of his defiance. "I am no pawn! My power, my destiny—they are my own! I will rise again, stronger and more ruthless! I will subjugate all who stand in my way, just as I will do to Geiz and Tsukuyomi again!"
Olga's gaze fell upon him, her expression a mask of cold pity mingled with a steely resolve. "You're deluded by your own arrogance, Hiryu. Finis used you as a mere stepping stone. Now, you're left with nothing."
Hiryu struggled to push himself up, his voice a low, venomous growl. "This isn't over. I will claw my way back to power, like I've always done! And when I do, I will crush you all beneath my boot!"
Olga's face hardened at Hiryu's declaration. "You… will never stop, will you? No matter what. She may have called it admirable, but I'm calling it what it really was— pure idiocy." She looked down at him; she knew what she must do now. Despite being, or because of him being the roach he was, she couldn't treat Hiryu with mercy anymore. She reached into her coat and took out the Ziku Driver, slapping it on her waist.
The dark king wasn't able to do anything— too weak to stop the person he despised the most from the bottom of his soul from using his power. He couldn't do anything as he felt a gloved hand grab his throat and raise him off the icy floor. His feet dangled a few inches off the ground as he stared at the emotionless mask of the fake wielder of Zi-O's powers.
"You… I thought you wanted to become the kindest ruler there was?" Hiryu spat out with a maniac grin before—
Crack!
Silence…
Three Kamen Rider references in one scene! Did you catch them all?
Hope you all enjoyed this one, especially with the long fight scene between Another Zi-O II and Scathach-Skadi! I remember one person having an issue with how much of the Kamen Rider side of the crossover was being shown as stronger than the Fate side, so hope this evens out a bit!
And for those wondering if it was too one sides - do remember that Hiryu came into the fight without healing up completely with this fight with "Sigurd", not to mention him having "red in his vision" caused him to not be focused enough to use his future sight ability, causing him to get his ass handed to left, right, and center.
FB113: And just like that the roach went the way of the sand. GG Hiryu, you will not be missed and continued to be spat on by everyone. Either way, there's still two big issues now left in this LB. How will our friends finish things? Come back next time to find out. In the meantime, I will be laughing my ass off how Hoyo announced a collab with FSN after we made a couple references here and there. Now I will continue to cope for FGO to finally have a collab cause come on man! I know Nasu doesn't want to do one while its story is ongoing but this is the second Nasuverse/Hoyoverse collab!
Er… anyway, see you all next time!