Eri sat trembling, strapped tightly to a cold metal operating chair. The room was dim, lit only by the harsh glare of sterile lights overhead. Her heart hammered painfully against her chest as she tugged weakly at the restraints binding her small wrists, already knowing her struggles were useless.
Her captor, Kai Chisaki—known as Overhaul—stood calmly beside a steel tray of sinister medical tools. His masked face betrayed no emotion, no compassion; it was as sterile as the instruments he used to tear her apart, piece by agonizing piece. To him, she was not a frightened child—just a vessel, an endless source of cells for his twisted experiments.
"Please…" she whispered through choked sobs. "Don't do it again. Please, Kai…"
Chisaki sighed coldly, pulling off his glove to reveal a pale, callous hand that held the power of disassembly and reconstruction. His voice was devoid of empathy, as clinical as the lab itself. "You know your tears won't change anything, Eri. Your quirk is too valuable to waste."
Eri closed her eyes, dread filling her heart as she braced herself for the familiar agony. She hated her quirk, hated the power that condemned her to this nightmare. She'd long stopped praying for help—no one ever answered her cries.
Yet, this time was different.
This time, something else heard her—a being far beyond anything she could imagine, something drawn instinctively toward suffering, toward a child in need. In her overwhelming fear, Eri's quirk—fueled by desperation—reacted instinctively, resonating with something ancient and powerful.
Unbeknownst to her, she had summoned a hero.
A loud crash echoed through the facility, shaking the room violently. Chisaki spun around, startled, eyes widening beneath his mask. Eri's eyes flew open, filled with fear and confusion as the entire room trembled. A brilliant, blinding light erupted in front of her, forcing both her and Chisaki to look away.
When the light faded, standing between Eri and Overhaul was a giant of a man—towering and muscular, skin dark and etched by countless battles. His wild, dark hair flowed freely down his back, and his crimson eyes burned with fierce intensity, radiating primal fury. Thick chains hung heavily from his wrists, and in one massive hand he held an immense stone axe-sword. Despite his monstrous size, the figure moved with surprising speed and agility.
The giant's red eyes flickered to Eri, and a brief softness entered them, replaced immediately by a blazing, protective rage. In that instant, the berserker saw not Eri, but another frightened child—his master Illya. Though his mind was clouded by madness, his soul recognized one truth clearly: he must protect this child at all costs.
"Who the hell are you?" Overhaul demanded harshly, regaining his composure. His voice held barely suppressed irritation at the unexpected intrusion.
The Berserker did not respond. Language was beyond him; his mind was drowned in the fog of his Mad Enhancement. But his purpose was clear. He stood between Eri and her tormentor, muscles rippling with barely restrained fury, stone blade held protectively.
Eri whimpered softly, pulling weakly at her restraints, eyes wide with fear at the massive stranger. He was terrifying—almost as frightening as Kai himself. She had no way of knowing this man's intentions, but the intensity of his stare paralyzed her in place.
Seeing Eri's fear, Hercules felt a pang of anguish. He didn't fully understand why she feared him, only that it brought him pain. He wanted to reassure her, but words failed him. Instead, his fierce protective instinct surged forward, directing his anger toward Chisaki.
Overhaul narrowed his eyes, irritated by the intrusion. "You think you can interrupt my work? You're just another experiment waiting to happen."
He reached forward quickly, intent on disassembling this giant interloper as effortlessly as he'd done to so many others before. But Hercules moved even faster, swinging his enormous stone sword with blinding speed.
The blade shattered the operating chair's restraints effortlessly, freeing Eri instantly. The child fell forward, landing on her knees as she gasped sharply. Terrified, she crawled quickly to a corner, watching with wide eyes as the two figures faced off.
Chisaki lunged again, touching the berserker's powerful arm. His quirk activated instantly, disassembling the massive limb into blood and tissue. But before he could smirk at his apparent victory, something unimaginable happened.
The massive warrior's arm regenerated instantly, muscle and bone reforming seamlessly. Overhaul staggered backward, eyes widening in shock. "What the hell?!"
Berserker roared furiously, his primal scream echoing through the chamber. Though madness consumed him, something deep within remembered clearly the need to protect the child. The warrior charged forward, his enormous body crushing the surgical table and equipment like mere toys.
Chisaki desperately raised barriers with his quirk, but Hercules shattered them effortlessly, his strength beyond comprehension. Panic seized Chisaki—never before had he faced such monstrous power. He could disassemble matter, yes, but this being was beyond mortal laws.
Realizing his imminent defeat, Overhaul fled through a side door, slamming it shut behind him. Hercules, driven purely by instinct, moved to follow—then stopped. A tiny sound held him in place, pulling at memories buried beneath his madness.
A child was crying.
Eri trembled in the corner, eyes squeezed shut as tears rolled freely down her pale cheeks. She curled tightly into herself, praying that whatever punishment awaited would be quick. But instead, gentle footsteps approached, strangely quiet despite their immense weight.
She cracked her eyes open, flinching as the enormous warrior knelt slowly before her, his fierce red eyes softening with unexpected tenderness. She shivered, pressing back against the wall, terrified yet somehow calmed by his silent gaze.
He reached a massive hand toward her gently, hesitantly. Eri whimpered, expecting pain—but instead felt only a soft, careful touch on her head. The warrior's eyes softened further, memories of Illya filling him again. He saw clearly now: she was not his Illya, yet she was like her—a child terrified and alone, in desperate need of protection.
Eri sniffled softly, heart pounding wildly. "W-who…who are you?"
He couldn't speak, couldn't tell her his name. Yet his gentle touch conveyed enough. Slowly, carefully, he lifted her into his massive arms. Eri tensed sharply, waiting for pain—yet it never came. Instead, she felt safe, cradled in gentle yet powerful arms, shielded by a presence stronger than anything she'd known.
She sobbed quietly into his chest, exhausted, overwhelmed. "Please…please don't let him take me again."
The berserker's arms tightened protectively around her, silently vowing to himself and the child in his care that no harm would ever come to her again.
Overhaul quickly regrouped, calling upon the Eight Bullets, his strongest subordinates. Together, they stormed back into the lab, weapons drawn, quirks ready.
Yet, they faced a force far beyond comprehension.
Berserker stood tall and unyielding, placing Eri carefully behind him. His immense power erupted, tearing through opponents with effortless brutality. No matter what they unleashed, his Noble Phantasm, God Hand, rendered their attacks utterly meaningless. He was unstoppable.
Chisaki watched in mounting horror as his elite were effortlessly defeated, broken bodies scattered before him. Desperate, he pushed his quirk to its limits, merging with his subordinates into monstrous forms, unleashing devastating attacks that would normally annihilate any opponent.
But none could defeat Hercules. His strength and speed were insurmountable. Every blow, every attack Overhaul unleashed was regenerated instantly, nullified by the berserker's immortal body.
Finally, Hercules closed in on Chisaki, his massive hand gripping the villain by the throat, pinning him to a shattered wall. The mad warrior's eyes burned fiercely with vengeance and righteous fury.
Chisaki gasped weakly, eyes wide with terror. "What…what are you?"
Berserker only growled fiercely in response, squeezing slightly harder. But then, a small voice called softly from behind.
"Please…don't kill him."
He glanced back to see Eri, trembling yet resolute. "He's done bad things…but please don't be like him."
For a moment, Hercules hesitated, confusion swirling in his mind. Then, with a low growl, he dropped Chisaki, who fell unconscious to the ground. Berserker turned to Eri, stepping softly toward her, dropping to his knees protectively.
She reached out hesitantly, placing a tiny hand on his scarred cheek. "Thank you…for protecting me."
His fierce eyes softened again, and slowly, gently, he wrapped her carefully in his arms. Though unable to speak, the bond forged between them was clear.
Heroes arrived soon after, stunned by the devastation. Mirio and Izuku entered cautiously, shocked to find Eri safe, cradled protectively by the massive warrior who stared silently at them, ready to defend her again if necessary.
Eri smiled softly, reassuring him. "It's okay…they're heroes."
Though uncertain, Berserker trusted her. He gently handed her into Mirio's care, standing protectively behind them. Eri glanced back, smiling warmly.
The heroes knew little about the mysterious warrior, but one thing was clear—he was Eri's protector now, bound by an unspoken promise that no harm would ever befall her again.
And Hercules, even through madness, felt something long-lost return: purpose. Protecting Eri was now his mission—and he would do so, no matter what the cost.
So, I'm branching out from the Tiamat stories as you can see. That doesn't mean I'm done making Tiamat stories though, just taking a break from them before I burn myself out. They have been really fun to do and brought me insane luck in FGO where I ended Lilim Harlot with an NP5 Tiamat and NP2 Draco.
I choose Hercules as the isekaied fate character because he has always been one of my favorite servants in the whole series. I might not make multiple stories about Hercules though. I've had other story ideas pop into my head recently that could be fun some of which aren't crossovers. Some of these ideas evolve Elden Ring and characters like Miquella and Maelenia (very original I know) or other characters like Shabriri or just the Lord of the Frenzied Flame (Tarnished version).
So just stay tuned and enjoy (or don't, it's your opinion) whatever story comes out after this one.