"A full moon, how annoying." I looked up at the sky. Atleast it wasn't a blood moon, that would have been an ominous sign. But it still felt like I was being looked upon by that celestial body.
"Oi, Bastard." I turned to see Mordred standing next to her master.
"What's up, buttercup?"
Mordred frowned in annoyance but otherwise didn't lash out. "After this war is over, I'm gonna kick your ass." She scoffed, before her body started to astralize. "…..don't die." She added right before she disappeared.
I couldn't help but grin. Honestly, I was starting to like her.
"I think she likes me." I laughed, turning my gaze towards Kairi.
He raised an eyebrow, but looked rather relaxed. "Really…I'm starting to wonder if anyone in your family is normal." He shook his head.
"Nope." I said without hesitation.
"Well, not my problem." He shrugged.
"You good?" I asked one last time.
"I got everything I need, and even found a nice spot to hide out and watch from." He patted his jacket. "And your Mystic Codes were appreciated. I hope you don't expect me to pay you back for them if they get used."
I gave him a dozen or so Talismans in case he came across trouble. While not having the same knowledge of the Onmyoji arts that I have, he could still use them, if a bit amateurishly. To him, they were just one-use Mystic Codes that packed a decent punch.
"I told Mordred this but, I look after my people." I gave him a sincere smile. "If you run into issues, use your command seals, run away, do what you need to." I patted his shoulder. "I'll do what I can as well if you run into any dangers."
Kairi barked out a laugh, dropping his cigarette to the ground and stomping on it. "You're a strange Magus. Maybe I'm stranger because I actually believe you." He turned around, throwing up his hand in a gesture of goodbye before disappearing into the forest.
"Master." Berserker appeared next to me. "Why do you ally with them…..I could do this without their help, you don't need to rely on them." She frowned.
I walked up, wrapping my arms around her. She let out a little sound in surprise, usually she was the one to do things like this. Maybe it was the bond we shared, but I enjoyed having her by my side. To say I felt a kindship with her wouldn't be a lie. "It's true we don't 'need' them, but it doesn't mean the help wouldn't be appreciated."
Honestly, I didn't come into this thinking I would have anyone on my side besides Berserker. To find Mordred and Kairi was a boon I was willing to utilize. Not to mention I had a good impression of the Magus, a very pragmatic man, but he didn't have that same 'ruthlessness' that the Magus Killer carried around with him. Adding Mordred onto the equation, well...how could I not?
My life is really strange.
"I don't like relying on others." She muttered, but sounded a bit content.
"We're not." I smiled, looking up at her. "I'm relying on you, you're relying on me. They're here to help, but it's you I trust to have my back without any hesitation on my part."
"Ahh, to hear you say those words, Mommy is happy." She smiled so brightly; it was hard not to get taken in by it.
"If all goes well, this will be the last night of the War." The plan wasn't difficult, the best plans generally weren't. We just needed the location of the Grail within the Castle, and a big enough distraction to pull their attention and Servants away. "Once we're done, would you like to stick around with me?"
"Of course, Master." She said without hesitation. "A son need their Mother always." The happiness was radiating off her.
I let out a small laugh. "Get ready, we're going in hot." Sir Wiggles pinged me, he saw an army moving on the Yggdmillennia castle.
Servants, I was confident to take any of them on. In a fight, I don't think I'd lose to anyone here, but their Noble Phantasms...it would be a lie to say they didn't frighten me. Yet, this feeling swelling up in my chest, this excitement, I wanted to fight them regardless.
I summoned Mirage into my hand, my familiar blade easing my beating heart.
It was time to begin.
***
Lancer of Black (Vlad lll The Impaler) POV
"Lancer." Darnic addressed me. "Our spies have reported in, the enemies are upon us."
"Hoh." I sat upright on my horse, a fine stallion that my Master had procured. A nostalgic comfort, mounted as I surveyed my troops. "If they're so bold to openly march on us, it would be rude to not meet them halfway." I couldn't help but grin.
They willingly want an open battle such as this? Do they take me for a fool? One of their number attempted to assassinate the Ruler, such actions would not line up with this attack.
A distraction, or something more?
Regardless, I can't say I dislike this kind of battlefield, it is where I thrive the most.
Five Hundred Homunculi I counted, another two hundred Golems of impressive quality.
"Do we have numbers, troop composition, and eyes on the enemy Servants?" I directed my question towards Darnic.
He bowed lightly towards me, answering immediately. "We've located three servants moving along with their forces. It appears as though their numbers comprise completely of some kind of Skeletal constructs, as for their numbers….over ten thousand is a conservative guess."
Hmm, quite a bit. "Skeletal Constructs in such number? Likely to be Dragon Tooth Warriors, a common deployment method of the Caster class." Or so says the Grail. It was a common enough method of the Casters that such information was not hidden behind identities.
And the Servants showing themselves so blatantly. This could be nothing but a provocation, and one we had to accept.
It doesn't matter, in the face of absolute strength, their schemes will be for naught.
Not that we did not take many precautions for various avenues of attack ourselves. The Castle is a fortress even a Servant would have a hard time penetrating.
I frowned, thinking of the Assassin that went silent in another city. We didn't have time to figure out what happened over there. "Rider." I called out.
"Yosh, I'm here." The pink haired man appeared.
"Take to the skies." I commanded.
"Okey Dokey." He did a mock solute, summoning his mount. As majestic the creature was, it seemed to posses a disposition similar to its master. It liked to…..pose when summoned. He shot off at a blinding speed. If nothing else, Rider was capable, even with his eccentricities.
"Saber, remain hidden for now." I glanced at the Dragon Slayer. He was a powerful Servant, he would be crucial in battle. "Berserker, you're with me." I turned towards the other melee combatant. The Woman-thing that wore a wedding dress.
"Raaah." She nodded, aware enough to accept orders.
I turned my head upwards, to the tower sitting aloft the Castle. Archer glanced back at me, his gaze meeting mine.
We both nodded, words not needing to be spoken here. Knowing who he was, I did not feel the need to command him. Perhaps I would feel awkward if I had to do so, he reminded me too much of the teachers I had when I was a child. Nonetheless, he knew the role I wished him to partake, as obvious it was.
"I shall attend to the Castle's defenses." Darnic bowed again, his words indication of his intent to retreat to safety. Not that I expected more of this man who was so keen to hand over such Authority to his summoned Servant. I wouldn't balk at the ease I could command, but it struck me as odd that he was so willing to forgo his lofty throne.
It seemed that no Magus wished to accompany us to this battle. While I could understand the reasoning, it only lowered my opinion of them even more so. A Master is a part of a Servant's strength, the pair are to brave the dangers together as per their contract.
I summoned forth my spear and held it aloft, pointing towards the oncoming army. "March!" I commanded as our forces began moving.
Perhaps it was just my own amusement that I went through with this, they were already almost upon us, we truly only needed to wait a moment or two.
Old habits are hard to break.
The rattling of bones, and cumulative footsteps upon the earth that made the land tremble, my blood started to boil at the thought.
The enemy servants, I could see them accompany the haphazardly organized skeletons, these – Dragon tooth warriors. A single of our Homunculi could defeat a few of those, and our Golems would need just as many Homunculi to be defeated as well. While the numbers were not in our favor, we were not on the losing end of this exchange.
In the distance, I spotted a green blur, dashing through the Air. A chariot pulled upon three horses, I could guess who commanded such a contraption. Our Rider would have his work cut out for him.
And the Lancer Servant that Saber described, he skulked the left side of the army, prepared for battle. He had a good look in his eyes, I was excited to cross my spear with his.
Finally, there was the Archer Servant, bow in her hand and strange animal features, but I cared not about her circumstance. Unique all three appeared, but first guesses at their identities would be fruitless.
I held my Spear up, gesturing for my forces to cease movement. "Hmm, lets see what their first move shall – " A sudden crack of thunder filled the area, and a bolt of lightning struck the ground between our two armies.
My eyes widened at the sudden arrival of two individuals, a Red-haired man that had the same description Saber also gave previously as well as the woman who stood with her back to his, the Servant no doubt.
"Red Faction, Black Faction." The Magus addressed us, his voice carrying more than it should, a sure sign of Magecraft in use. "If you want to fight, we'll take you all on." He declared raising his hand up in a beckoning manner.
"ARROGANT BOY!"
***
Wilhelm POV
"ARROGANT BOY"! The Servant riding a horse, spear in hand, shouted from the Black Faction's side.
Well, looks like I have their attention, now to keep it. Let see…..how did Sir Wiggles do it….something like this? I gathered lighting around my hands, condensing into an almost armor-like form.
Haha, tingly.
Would need to practice this a little bit, but I had an idea.
I raised my hand up towards the thousands of Skeletons coming towards us, unperturbed by our sudden appearance even if the Red Faction Servant's hadn't reacted yet.
Condense the Lightning into an attack, channeling through Runic Circles, shall we call this.... "Lightning Rain." I breathed out, dozens of spears of Lightning manifested in the sky above, and began to rain down onto the oncoming horde.
Each one that struck the ground discharged the accumulated power, they unraveled and erupted at the point of impact, creating a storm of electricity at each point.
{Raikou.} I called out through our mental link. I looked up in the sky and saw Rider's glowing chariot coming down at us. {Take care, don't push yourself too hard and your priority is survival.} I could tell she was going after the Lancer immediately. Whatever strange link she had with him, I would let her settle it on her own if that was her desire.
A quick glance at her, and her smile did fill me with confidence {I look forward to our lives after we win, Master.} She sent back, gripping her sword tight.
I turned back towards the killing intent in the distance. A force slammed into the ground, Rider abandoning his chariot that was in the sky. "WILHELM" He let out a roar, Magical Energy erupted from where he stood, a whirlwind following in his wake. He didn't seem to care about the minions that were utterly annihilated as he pushed right through the army towards me.
A Noble Phantasm?
I couldn't help but smile, and I sent a quick thanks to Thorum for what I was about to do. "WULD NAH KEST" My voice bellowed out, the air shifted around me, and I kicked off as well, a second whirlwind firing towards his with me at the center.
My sword flash out, meeting the tip of a spear aiming for my heart. The surroundings were utterly blown away, the ground ruptured at the sheer impact.
The Magical energy cascaded off the struggling weapons, each edge not budging from their spots.
"You bastard, you're mine now." Achilles had a maniac grin on his face, a mixture of exhilaration and anger.
"I've been waiting for this rematch, Siegfried." I smirked.
***
Round two.
Sorry for the late chapter, I didn't like the first rendition of what I had done so I rewrote it.
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