Like a pitbull seeing an unsupervised child, Aston charged Illyasviel with a hand raised, ready to rip her to shreds.
Under the effects of Oath to the King, all mental inhibitions and interferences were removed.
Under the effects of Madness Enhancement A/ Knight of Atrocity, he lost all his reason in exchange for massively boosted parameters becoming akin to a beast that moved on instinct to bring ruin to those designated as enemies.
So far as the Knight of Atrocity was concerned, everyone there was an enemy.
But, just as his hand was about to pierce through Illya, Aston faltered, confused hesitation appeared on his face for a fraction of a second and he seemed to wonder what he was doing only for his eyes to cloud once more as the knight of atrocity decided that this, was the optimal course of action.
That single fraction of time spent hesitating however, was enough for Heracles to reach him and the Greek Hero, roaring in maddened rage, grabbed onto his face with his massive hand and smashed him into the ground, driving his head into the ground before running forward, dragging the knight alongside him before throwing him to the skies and lunging after him.
Of course, at this point, it was nearly impossible to stop the rampaging knight. He used haemokinesis to stop himself mid-air and turned around, shooting back down slow enough that Berserker could swing his cleaver at him.
Sensing at the last moment that something was wrong, Heracles stopped his swing but it was too late. Aston stepped on the metal weapon, and placing a hand over his head, he vaulted over the massive being and stomped his foot onto the Berserker's master, instantly crushing her head under his spiked metal greaves.
Heracles roared in rage and slashed his cleaver, jamming it diagonally through Aston's shoulder, ripping through flesh and bone before the knight stopped it in place with his hands, grinning to show bloody teeth.
"N-NOT LONG NOW!!"
His haunting roars and jabs didn't quite help either, especially with the continually distorting nature of his voice.
*
Rin Tohsaka's mouth hung open at the nature of the scene before her, "W..What the hell?" She spoke in shock, both awed and terrified of the battle. There was supposed to be only one Berserker in one grail war right?! RIGHT?! Then what the hell was this?!
At least she'd been able to follow the fight between Lancer and Archer, she couldn't even so much as perceive this! Let alone follow it!
She'd resolved herself to end this shitty conflict once and for all, recalling Shirou's words regarding it's messed up nature. N-Not that that was because he was cool or anything!
Her thoughts came to a shocked halt when the fighting stopped abruptly, with Illya lying under the armoured knight's foot with her head crushed to mush. It was only then that the dangers that came with being a participant in such a conflict began setting in, creeping in through a part of her heart she believed to have closed off long long ago.
The girl was her rival, and Rin Tohsaka hated her guts but even she felt reviled and disgusted by the manner in which she'd met her end. Though, Illya's disturbing words resounded through her head for some reason, regarding how she would have Heracles violate her and then behead her... The Tohsaka slightly shuddered. She'd come to a war though, so Rin felt Illya should've been prepared for this to some extent.
"Er dear, as lovely as it is to watch you so thoughtful, I have a bit of a request."
Rin's head shot in the direction of the voice and she found what looked more like a purple-haired corpse than a person, wearing traditional japanese clothing with a small smirk on his admittedly attractive face, "W-Who're you?!" She recoiled, surprised.
"It does not matter, that..." He slowly raised his hand and pointed at the Berserker holding away real Berserker's cleaver with his bare hands, "I would like to think of him.... as a friend. So,.." He coughed blood, placing a hand over his mouth as he did, "And he'd not like his current actions."
"You're a servant?" Rin tilted her head in thought, "You're Assassin?" Archer had described him before and she only now recognised him, partly because of all the blood and the fact that his chest had burst open?
"Why.." She shook her head, "How would I do that?"
He felt too pitiful to be left here to die slowly and besides, she needed a servant and doubted his loyalties would remain after.. well, whatever the hell had happened here.
"Where's your Master?" She asked, just to reassure herself.
This Assassin was a particularly strong one, so Archer had claimed and she'd rather not give up a seemingly free servant.
This time, he pointed near the destroyed temple, specifically at the woman lying in the gravel with her face down and a gaping hole the size of a fist in her stomach, "Playing dead,... I'm certain. I just need Magical Energy and upon my honour, I shall stop that beast." Courtesy of the fact that Aston had begun sucking up magical energy from the leyline like a man who'd been thirsty his whole life.
Rin looked down at him thoughtfully, she was probably going to regret this but maybe shaken by Archer's death, she acted rashly and as droplets of rain rolled down her already wet face, making her glisten with the occasional thunder strike, Rin Tohsaka held her hand out to the dying servant as he reached out for hers with his own bloody one.
*
Aston roared with mad laughter as Heracles cut deeper and deeper into his flesh, spewing blood in every direction. He'd made a gesture with one of his hands moments ago and after a certain amount of blood had left his body, it would harden to form a makeshift spike that pierced through Berserker's body.
"N...Not long now." The mad knight spoke through bloody teeth, seemingly overjoyed with the development. His feelings and thoughts clouded by a mad rage that rendered him all but an animal.
A small glint flashed in the corner of his eyes and Aston instinctively pushed a weakened Heracles away before jumping back himself just in time to avoid a massive blade that proceeded to slice into wet ground as if it was a knife to butter.
"Hello again, my ally."
Sasaki Kojirou grinned widely, attempting to provoke the knight and provoke him he did seeing as how the knight charged him not even a second later only for something strange to occur.
"WEAK!"
Three small chips appeared in Aston's dark armour and the knight was holding onto a sword, seemingly attempting to make the blade dig into his flesh by pushing down on it instead of pushing it away.
"So I've gotten rus-"
Sasaki was grabbed by the jaw and raised into the air before he could finish his words and then shoved into the ground. He was then raised again and smashed down more times than he could actually perceive.
In truth, there was only so much he could have done with the level of injuries his own Master had left him.
"H-Have you no care for my ... delicate self.
He grinned, revealing bloody teeth and once again three chips appeared on Aston's arm, this time on his arm.
A sword could only be so sharp even if it was swung three times within the same instant.
Moments later, the entirety of the mountain was lit up for several seconds by a massive explosion of scarlet flames, followed by the smell of burnt flesh being added to the multitude of smells permeating it.
To the side, Heracles was left unable to attack, bound in golden chains while Gilgamesh stared up at him with his head slightly tilted and arms folded, "You've failed, dog." And in doing so, become too boring for the Golden King to leave alive considering his annoyance.
A little off, Rin could be seen rubbing her eyes in disbelief before declaring the unfairness of the world.
* * *
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