[] Assassin will step out of the Pyramid and lure the Blackened out of his place. This will give the others the chance to fight him all at once.
Assassin inspected the necklace in her hand before she held it tight. She had to get out of this place and put some distance between her and the Blackened for now. She could escape easily given the security would be tighter the further she went in. Assassin vanished from before the pedestal and made her way back up the steps.
She took out a gemstone given to her by Luvia before she crushed it in her hand. It should lead her out of here if she just followed it. It was a premade spell locked within the Gem that should answer according to her desires and intention. Assassin ran and moved through the tight halls following the green light as it drifted through the air.
She kept moving with the necklace in her hand until she sensed the outside just ahead. However the Pyramid began shifting its layers once more, seemingly changing the layout of the interior passage by passage. Assassin pushed her top speed as she ended up dashing the last stretch just as stone walls and pillars appeared in her way.
Assassin managed to get out by sliding the last few feet out and throwing herself into the air. She looked at the chamber she flew out from before landing on her feet and turning away. She ran straight out the entrance and darted towards beyond the Pyramid's influence.
She then took the necklace in her hand and raised it in the air, "BLACKENED GOD KING! I HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S YOURS! COME FORTH AND FACE ME IF YOU WISH IT RETURNED!"
Assassin then took another gem from her pouch and tossed it into the air, letting it explode into bright crimson light.
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Caren looked towards the distance and saw the red flare, she knew it was from Assassin. Only one person could get that close and do that in this stage, then could that mean she got out as soon as she got in? Did she get Miyu at last? What came next wasn't what she expected however since Hans contacted her through their blue gem communication device.
"Chiyome called. She's bringing the Blackened to you. Get ready!"
Caren blinked before she turned to the others, "Brace yourselves! The Blackened is descending!"
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Assassin looked up to see something flash in the sky from the top of the Pyramid. She moved, dodging a pillar of light that came her way before she broke into a sprint. A golden boat emerged from the Pyramid and aimed their cannons straight down at her, firing volley after volley as she ducked and weaved, dancing through the storm of beams as the Boat itself descended.
Assassin kept running with the necklace in hand as the Blackened glided just above her, firing the entire time as she dodged behind some trees. The golden boat used its main guns and fired straight into the ground, piercing through soil and bedrock beneath the earth, burning through with such raw power that it caused earthquakes beneath the earth's crust.
Using a grappling hook, Assassin jumped and latched on to a tree, giving her more maneuverability but the Boat simply tried sniping her out of the air. She jumped and kicked against several tree trunks only for the volleys the golden Boat fired to miss her entirely, this lowered her guard since she thought she was safe, only for a hand to grab her neck as she flew out the woods.
Chiyome was smashed into the ground as she looked up to see golden eyes filled with rage above her.
"YOU DARE?!"
The Blackened's booming voice roared in Chiyome's ears as her neck was squeezed. She didn't let go of the necklace and before the Blackened could smash her head open, a blast of wind knocked the Blackened away. His staff returned to his grasp and he swung it down but the King of Knights was there to meet him and they exchanged blows.
"I WILL HAVE WHAT IS MINE, SERPENT."
The Blackened roared as he managed to deflect Artoria's blow and call upon a pillar of light to hinder her advance towards him. He was about to swing down his weapon on Chiyome as she stood up but he was stopped once again. Lancer and Rider held their respective Harpe to block the blow before pillars of light burst from the skies.
The two were knocked back just as Artoria lunged to stab him in the back. The Blackened turned and parried her blow before turning in place to evade the rest of her swings. The Blackened met her blows as Lancer and Rider joined in to push him back. Seeing his disadvantage, the Blackened roared and his golden boat fired.
The Servant were then scattered as the Blackened was left standing in the inferno. Massive figures appeared and caused the ground to quake with each of their steps. Golden wings unfurled above the flames as a body wrought from the image of the cosmos revealed itself. It was a beast that resembled the monsters the Servants had been fighting at the beginning of the evening but it was much bigger and the power they felt from it was far stronger.
It was a Sphinx but at the same time it wasn't, it was a concept, a being of raw power, a creature that could no longer be rightfully called a monster. The very cosmos swirled within its form as its faceless head turned to look upon the Servants surrounding it. Its visage began to glow before gaining more and more power.
"RUN!" Rider yelled before the Sphinx fired off a blast of raw power which devastated everything that got in its path. The ground was sundered and the air was split, debris was kicked into the air and the flames could be seen for miles.
The faceless Phantasmal Beast spread its wings and howled before the Blackened raised his staff.
The Golden Boat aimed its cannons downwards as Chiyome stood alongside Artoria. They bared their weapons but before the golden Boat could fire, lightning descended from the sky and smashed into the barrels before they could fire. Saber had managed to cut apart the artillery cannons connected to the Boat and landed on the side.
Lancer used her chain to swing Harpe in the air and slam it against the Sphinx and tugged at its shoulders to make it face her. Rider then moved in and jumped to try and slash at its neck but the Sphinx managed to knock him into the ground. Artoria charged forth and swung Excalibur, only for the Blackened to block her with his staff.
He turned and evaded, summoning a barrel from his golden Boat to stop Saber from cutting him in half.
His golden eyes were filled with rage and even with all the foes which assailed him, his eyes remained on one person. It remained fixed on Chiyome as she held the necklace of his beloved wife.
"RETURN IT! IT IS NOT YOURS TO TAKE, THIEF! RETURN IT AT ONCE AND YOUR DEATH WILL BE SWIFT!"
"Assassin! We'll handle him. GO!" Artoria cried out as she glanced behind her, "We can take him!"
The Cosmo Sphinx howled in the night sky and spread its wings, flapping once to create powerful gusts of dust and smoke. The Golden Boat fired once more, forcing Saber and Artoria to split up. Rider and Lancer tried dragging the Cosmo Sphinx back down with their chains but it refused and simply fought back with raw strength.
The Blackened proceeded to summon beams of sunlight which Artoria and Saber moved to evade.
Assassin simply ran back to the Pyramid in hopes of getting to Miyu.
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You were watching the events unfold before you as you leaned against a tree.
"Hans, the others have the Blackened. I'm returning to the Pyramid to get Miyu," Assassin reported as you looked at the Pyramid in the distance.
"Good. The plan's working... I think?" you murmured as you observed from a distance, "Be careful though. There's no telling what's waiting up ahead."
"Understood. Just stay there. I'll be with Miyu soon."
Staying, huh?
You held your chest, right on the spot where Manaka inscribed something on your heart. You were knowledgeable enough to know it's not a curse or a hex but it did provide a convenient effect of negating ill effects on the body. Almost like... She was inviting you in the Pyramid itself.
A Petty War
[] Follow after Assassin. You want to get to Miyu as well, besides you promised.
[] You paused, sensing the presence of someone nearby. Turn and face them, whoever they were.
