[] "RUN! EVERYONE RUN!"
You picked up on the signs. That was too quick. Something had to give here. Your eyes widened before you held up your hand and screamed.
"RUN! EVERYONE RUN!" you shouted, breaking Rider out of her reverie.
Scathach moved and grabbed Medb from where she stood just as Berserker's body was flushed with scarlet power. It was the same scarlet power which drove him to injure himself. You stared at him in shock as Jeanne grit her teeth to see Berserker's body rise up again.
You watched as his body shifted and the red tattoos which marked his body shine. His muscles bulged as his flesh beneath his hide turned and twisted. Life escaped his nostrils as heat fled his form, his limbs bulged and cracked as his entire being grew and grew. Blood streamed from his body as a defeating growl fill the road in which he had done battle.
His wounds were healed but his body changed. It changed down to a level you can't even begin to describe. Just as his body turned and broke, muscles bulged and bones grew and shattered before growing again, he towered from his previous from as heat melted snow around him.
His visor broke to reveal the eyes of the Frenzied Hero. One eye becoming void as it was drawn in his skull while it's pair turned blood red and grew within the confines of its socket. His jaw warped as his form let loose a haunting rattle while he took the form of an abominable Beast, an affront to all of Creation and that which salts the earth itself.
Each muscle was as large as a man's head and thicker than a fortress wall. The Beastly hide which was his skin trembled from head to toe as his transformation let loose hot magma from his exposed heart and organs. Bone crunched as his ribcage burst from his chest becoming akin to the maw of a hungering monster, his burning heart dripping with liquid fire which burned the asphalt.
With each breath, he drove civilians mad. With just the sight of him, the blood of lesser men boiled. He towered over you and your companions just as the light from his forehead set his mane of blue hair alight. Such was the transformation of Ireland's King of Heroes. What stood before you was no longer a man or Servant but a Legend in the flesh.
A burning giant of violence and death, seeking naught but the blood of his enemies to quench the flames which blanketed his form. He was a Hero of strength, born to create a Wall of Corpses from his foes.
Riastrad .
Madness.
Madness fell upon the populace as the burning hulk let loose a howl into the night. He was a bonfire of magical energy, a testament of strength. He towered and loomed over you and your companions...
And he had eyes on you.
"Rider. Rider we need to go!" You murmured in a cracked voice as you looked at Cu Chulainn's beating magma heart, "RIDER!"
Medb stared at the Riastrad in his full form before he moved. He charged straight for you with his barbed spear being dragged behind him. Smoke and flames danced in your sight before he jumped.
He kicked off air itself to dive down. Scathach and Ruler moved as one and took the brunt of his swing. The impact was enough to knock you off your feet as Berserker pushed back both Scathach and Ruler. Light shined from Berserker's forehead before a streak of flames escaped it to which Ruler blocked with her Noble Phantasm.
She gasped before Scathach dashed towards her student and thrust her spear. He blocked her strike head on as runes lit up all around him. Her strength quadrupled, Scathach disarmed Cu Chulainn but not before being struck with a backhand by the giant's bulging limb.
He move like a man, an animal, a monster, a God as he intercepted Scathach and slammed her into the ground. The road shattered as flames danced in the air, embers scattered as Cu Chulainn howled.
Ruler came up from the side and jumped off a truck, swinging her flag and knocking the Berserker aside. Berserker caught himself before unleashing a pillar of light down on her.
Scathach got up and drew a rune which blocked the attack. She and Ruler held Berserker in place as she screamed.
"MEDB, YOU ABSOLUTE CHILD, BRIE IS GOING TO GET KILLED! HELP US!" Scathach roared before her rune shattered and she was thrown into a car which promptly exploded.
Ruler contended with the frenzied Hero but she wasn't able to keep up with his speed. Despite this state, he retained his skills but it was performed on an instinctual level. Like a mad Beast left to rampage.
Rider gasped out of her reverie before looking at you, "Brie?"
"Rider! We have to go! Pick everyone up!" You pleaded her with tears in your eyes, "Rider!"
Medb blinked before frowning as she moved you aside, "Chariot!"
From the rift came forth Medb's war Chariot pulled by her bulls. She got on alongside you before driving it towards Berserker, Caladbolg in her hand as she had it spin.
"CU-CHAN!!!" Rider screamed as her Chariot nearly struck him. He dodged out of the way but gave Ruler the chance to escape.
From where Scathach was, she etched her runes into the air itself before creating a storm of lightning to streak across the air. Berserker was struck and pushed but the lightning did little damage or none at all. Medb turned her Chariot and swooped down to get Scathach and Ruler.
Pulling the other two women on, you looked down to see Berserker standing there, an Avatar of Madness of Slaughter...
And then he jumped.
"Fucking shit! Rider!" You cursed as Medb took evasive maneuvers and avoided-
Scarlet light erupted from Berserker's hand.
"Not again!" Ruler cried out as she watched the crimson spear fly towards your Chariot.
"Scathach! Keep it off us!" Rider snapped.
"Easier said than done!" Scathach hissed as she drew her primeval runes as the spear drew close. Layers upon layers of runes marked the air before the spear slammed into them.
They shattered one by one until-
"Got it!" Scathach snarled as she caught the spear in her hand.
It was at that time her arm burst into flames which coated Gae Bolg. Her arm burnt to a crisp but she didn't care, only to turn the spear and throw it back at her student.
Berserker saw this and was knocked out of the air, sent flying back to the Earth.
"Berserker's down! Lady Scathach-" Ruler began just as Scathach showed her arm.
It was blackened, almost as if it was fully carbonized by the flames of madness. Scathach merely sweat a bit but didn't seem impressed.
"Typical..." Scathach breathed as she drew a rune over her ruined arm, "I'll be fine."
"That was... Riastrad," you breathed as you sat in your seat.
"We have to get her somewhere safe," Ruler quickly told you, "Her wounds-"
"I'll be fine. Brie. Find your allies. Get Hans. Plan a counter attack," Scathach murmured as she held her arm.
"What we need is to reorient ourselves and lay low. The momentum isn't on our side," Jeanne quickly assessed with a firm tone, "Brie, you're still injured. Now you
two need rest. We're in no condition to fight."
"Is that really all right, Ruler? Given what Setanta could be doing to hundreds of Civilians," Scathach pointed out with a narrowed look.
SLAP
"Don't pretend I don't know that! Don't you dare assume I am unaware! But I'd rather have people who can beat him at full health than not! That way some could be saved rather than none at all! You're under his Madness effect! You need to calm down and not let the bloodthirst rule you!" Jeanne snarled as she looked down at the Witch of Dun Scaith.
Scathach stared at her before looking at you, "It's your decision."
Ruler blinked before glancing at you, "Brie."
Beside you, Rider's knuckles were white as she tried to drive her Chariot as far from Berserker as possible.
Frenzied Soul
[] "We'll launch a counterattack. Rider, head to Kiara's place. We'll start talking with her first. After that, the it's the others."
[] "Let's go to Scathach's cabin. We'll lay low for now and observe the situation. Ruler's right, we can't act rashly."
[] Write in...