[] Cast Emergency Evade on Assassin to help her avoid Saber's strikes. The longer she can keep this up, the more time you could think of a solution!
You held up your cane as you directed your prana towards your Servant. You began to cast a spell while Minerva did the same. Saber began to glow red while you shrouded Assassin with spirits of the wind. The two combatants clashed and struck one another with Assassin narrowly avoiding the more decisive strikes.
"Slippery, aren't you?" Saber said as he smiled from beneath his hat, "How long can you last, Shinobi?"
Assassin gasped as she parried his strikes and watched him slide back. Saber thrust to which Assassin took as a chance to deflect it downwards and step on it.
She then jumped and brushed her heel against the man's chin before throwing kunai at him. Saber raised his guard and blocked them before striking at Assassin. Chiyome evaded with the help of your spell while she landed on the ground.
"
Infernal Swirl," Assassin declared a spinning mass of flames rushed towards Saber.
The man simply cut through it as Assassin strafed to his left and struck. He thrust but she caught his blade to slice upwards.
Saber brought down his sword as Assassin flipped back, leaving smoldering firecrackers before the other Servant. The firecracker exploded, deafening and robbing Saber of his senses as Assassin moved. The man cut upwards and merely cut apart a black serpent.
"
Bladed Hail," Assassin declared as she brought down an entire arsenal of Shinobi tools from above.
Saber moved and tore through the rain of blades with his sheathed strike. Electricity dance in the air as Assassin was sliced on half. Her body broke apart into serpents.
The ground beneath Saber morphed and the giant maw of a snake closed shut upon him. Flashes of light sliced through the monster and Saber was able to free himself.
He frowned, "Oil?"
Assassin jumped from the shadows and cut along the ground, igniting the oil beneath her. Flames danced and moved to assault Saber but the man simply cut off the oil and stepped back. His eyes only widened as Assassin closed in with her sword set blaze.
His lips curled into a smile as he drew back and slashed, his sword growing in size and length.
"Come then, Shinobi! Show me what you've got!" Saber roared as his sword shimmered.
You noticed the stench of alcohol longer in the air. You frowned as you held up your arm to mask the smell.
"Assassin, fall back!" You roared as Chiyome twitched and abandoned her clash. She left her sword in the air as she flipped back, allowing Saber to only strike her blade.
Saber's sword crackled and exploded with fire, igniting in a brilliant blast. Fire and alcohol lingered on the air as you grit your teeth as you saw Assassin slid back to see her sword stab itself into the ground.
"A sword of alcohol capable of changing its size and length," you whispered as you frowned.
"And a Kunoichi with an affinity for Serpents, most likely due to a cursed bloodline," Minerva noted as she smiled your way.
Saber snorted as he rested his sword over his shoulder, "Not bad at all. Color me impressed."
"You were intending to immolate us both in that clash..." Assassin breathed as she yanked an invisible string and grabbed her sword.
"I was wondering what you would do. You're lucky that your Master has quick wits about him," Saber said as he stepped forward.
"Assassin, this guy is definitely bad news... Can you take him on?" You asked with a grim look.
"Of course, Master," Assassin replied as she bared her blade.
"Time to get serious!" Saber laughed as he took off his upper garments to reveal his bare chest and arms.
His hat remained as he held his sword in his right hand.
However just as they were about to clash, an explosion rang at the top of the castle.
......
.....
....
Caster had landed upon the Castle alongside her new Master. While her heart burned for vengeance like no other against Assassin, she had another task to do. Liberating Miyu from Assassin's clutches came first and she would gladly take on Assassin at a later date.
Her Master walked ahead of her towards where Miyu should be being kept. They had crashed into the castle's dining hall with abandoned dolls of kings, Queens and other royalty were left sitting in their seats.
"We must hurry, Caster. We don't have much time to dally now," Theodore said while stroking his beard.
"I can feel her. She's close," Caster said as she followed him before stopping.
The man came to a halt and frowned as someone stood at their exit. Caster summoned Djinns in response, sending them to attack the person only for the familiars to be ripped apart before reaching the girl.
A beautiful young woman with blonde hair and serene blue eyes. Once she set her gaze upon Caster and her Master, she knew it was over.
"Oh tragic Caster... Would you weave me a tale?" The girl asked as she spread her hands and bowed, "I knew you'd come."
"Caster, kill her," Theodore quickly ordered but she was already a step ahead.
Calling upon vengeful ghosts and wrathful demons, Caster unleashed their ire upon the girl only to watch as they were shredded. Caster recognized the markings before the girl as primordial runes-
STAB
Caster was barely able to avoid a strike as a Servant appeared behind her. Theodore turned as well in surprise to see a woman with a heart shaped spear and silvery blue hair come into view.
A Servant? No... This one was different!
"What a surprise!" Theodore barked as he stepped forward and threw a punch.
However the woman simply swung her spear and blew off the top portion of Theodore's body. Gore and viscera danced in the air as Caster screamed.
An explosion of force rang out and blasted blackened woman backwards, sending her flying to the wall. Fear clung to Caster's back as she fell down her knees. She was going to die... She was going to die....
Her eyes turned to the wall and saw the blackened woman drag her spear off the wall. Golden eyes met hers as she gasped.
"It's okay. There's no need to be afraid," a bell-like voice echoed with a giggle and Caster felt a pair of hands cover her eyes.
"It'll be quick and easy. You won't need to be scared anymore," the voice whispered into her ears.
Caster parted her lips-
STAB
The Valkyrie Brynhildr had jammed her spear through Caster's chest as her tearful eyes stared at the empty blue ones Manaka Sayjou had. She tasted blood in her mouth as she felt darkness grip her heart and the blade was extracted from her chest.
She failed... She... Felt black bile rise up her throat... Her body broke apart and she was no more.
.....
....
...
Assassin deflected Saber's blow and jumped to avoid a slash which cut the ground itself. Turning in the air, Assassin threw her kunai at the man as he dodged and cut. Assassin was blown back before she rushed back in.
She entered furious melee with the man before her as the wind spirits aided her evasion against his attack. She let out a breathe and stomped on the ground, kicking up debris in the air.
"
Ground Bullet!," Assassin hissed as she kicked the stones towards Saber.
He rushed towards her and cut through the stones before the two Servant clashed. Assassin kept her posture and weathered his blows as if enduring a wrathful storm.
She dodged and deflected what she could before striking with her own blade. The sound of sword clashing filled the air.
Saber brought down his blade and Assassin countered it with a deflect. This broke his stance as Assassin stepped in and drove her sword into his chest.
Saber caught her blade before if could fully sink into his body. Assassin cut downwards and sliced off his fingers before flipping over his body.
Chiyome landed behind Saber and held her sword in a reverse grip before stabbing it into Saber's back.
"Not bad..." Saber chuckled as he fell down his knee.
Assassin narrowed her gaze before her eyes widened in surprise. Saber's body began to crackle with electricity before she was blown back as a lightning bolt crashed down upon the man
"Assassin!" You yelled as your Servant moved.
She was able to get away as blue lightning danced around Saber. His wounds sealing shut as power radiated from his eyes.
Minerva giggled at the side as Saber's sword changed once more.
"With one swing, all eight shall fall" Saber whispered as he raised his weapon at Assassin
, "Snake Slayer of Heaven."
You held up your hand as your command seal burned, "ASSASSIN!"
Lightning fell but something moved to meet it.
A gargantuan spear descended from the castle and caught the blade coated by lightning. Assassin was blown away by the shockwave and sent sprawling on the ground as she watched the spear crack and take damage underneath the pure might of a god.
The spear eventually shattered but once it did, it had taken the brunt of Saber's noble phantasm and burst apart. Assassin held on to the ground as Saber was forced back even as used his sword to kill his momentum.
Assassin watched a beautiful maiden come between her and Saber... But beautiful she may be, there was something just
wrong with her.
You on the other hand knew who this was. It was the Servant Manaka had been hiding in her hall of mirrors. A woman that could only be described as a reaper of heroic souls...
A Valkyrie in the flesh.
"Saber, we're done here," Minerva said as she sighed.
Saber narrowed his gaze and held his sword in hand, "Already?"
"Looks like someone is cheating in this little war. I don't want to go and go all out this early," Minerva said as she giggled, "I hope you're happy, Brother. See you in three days."
"Minerva!" You barked as you stepped forward but Saber had grabbed his Master and the two of them vanished.
You stopped short as you grit your teeth and stared at the blackened Servant before you. She turned her gaze towards you and you immediately froze, those golden eyes...
"Cough, cough," Assassin gasped as she fell forward. You moved and caught her before she fell, only for her to topple you with her.
Assassin held on to your coat and asked, "Did... I do well?"
The Sword to Split the Heavens
[] You barely made out of that... Hug her close. She did well. More than well...
[] She's injured. Her talk can wait later. You need to patch her up. Fighting Saber like that and pushing him that far, it's too much for her.
[] "Yeah... You did well. Don't make me worry that hard again. We can't stay here. Hold on to me, we need to go to Miyu."
