The dark clouds swept over what little of the sky they'd left aside to let the moon peek through, plunging the world to darkness. Gilgamesh watched from on high, Berserker awaited below, staring at the King of Heroes with eyes burning red. Kirei began to recover from my hit, twitching, a hollow smile on his face.
Bazett's arm lay at my feet.
Though Shuwen was an Assassin, and best fought by disappearing into the surroundings, he calmly stepped over and positioned himself between myself and the two demigods. Cu Chulainn snarled like a hound, baring sharp teeth as he twirled Gae Bolg in his hands at speed that made the air whistle and the noble phantasm blur.
I should've seen it coming, no, I did but-
"It doesn't matter."
Ignoring the burning pain from Gilgamesh's sword, I forced my fists to rise a certain way.
Withholding him any longer was no different than inviting death.
"With this treasure, I summon-...!!"
The mana coursing through my crest went haywire and lashed out at me. I coughed out a handful of blood, feeling like my entire body had just been set aflame where it'd only been my arm a second ago.
"...How?" I collapsed to my knees, clutching my thumping heart. More blood welled up in my throat, and I was forced to vomit again.
"Hahahahahaha!" Gilgamesh laughed to his heart's content, "Did I not say, mongrel?! Struggle and entertain me! If you were allowed to run away... what point would there even be?"
So... it was him.
"I... see."
It didn't matter if I refused to come here, or somehow convinced Bazett to not join Kirei out here. He would come after us anyway, at some point or the other, and there was no future in which I saw myself measuring up to him.
I needed to abandon Bazett and run away. Else, I'd die here.
...I didn't want to.
It wasn't even about her, really. The mere thought of someone playing around with me like this, no matter who it was, felt... A surge of frustration and hatred welled up from the depths of my very being.
If I ran away, maybe I'd survive. I just wouldn't be able to live with myself, after.
It wasn't supposed to be the same this time around too.
"Hoh?"
Blood seeping from my lips, I reached for the sword buried through my shoulder with that same arm. My fingers wrapped around the cold steel piercing my flesh in a weak grip.
"Well, whatever! Berserker! Get them all~!"
Illyasviel commanded her beast, giggling. From the corner of my eye, I stared at the hulking creature. Slowly, the greatest hero of Ancient Greece began moving. Every step he took was a deafening boom.
"Not without getting through me, ya ain't! You big piece of shit!"
"Come, if you wish for death."
Groaning, I began wrenching the blade out. It hurt less than I expected, perhaps because of the adrenaline. The steel tore my back as I struggled with it, but I did manage it. A disgusting warmth dragged down my back.
I paid it no heed.
There was only an instant before Gilgamesh moved, or Kirei recovered. I didn't know which would happen first.
Instead of the Divine General, what burst from my shadows was the Maximum Elephant. A white wall of majesty that barred away the rest of the world with his own body. His one eye settled on me. Then, I heard the wet slouch of something tearing away at flesh.
Berserker was attacking him, or Gilgamesh, I didn't know.
I hastily called out the Round Deer. He raised his head and the glint of Reverse Cursed Technique drove away the dark of night. In mere seconds, my injuries disappeared, just enough for me to move.
Bazett was still lying on the ground, only unconscious from the surprise attack... at least I hoped as much as I hastily pressed her severed arm against the bleeding stump it left behind.
Pain wracked every nerve in my body.
I paid that no heed as well, and threw myself back just in time to narrowly avoid a kick from Kirei that possibly would have torn off my head. The priest gave me no respite, he closed the sudden distance almost immediately, lashing out with a chop. The same kind of chop that had possibly severed Bazett's arm.
Letting my knees give out for a moment, I flopped down. His hand passed over me. I punched up and struck his elbow at the joint. It felt like I'd hit a bar of pure steel. Seeing my struggle, the priest smiled further.
"You treasure your life, as all do, but I see you can not find it in you to stray from death in the same manner." He said calmly. His other hand shot out to grip my throat, but it found only empty air. I'd already sunk into my shadows up to my knees. "God has made such a way that I can not help but enjoy your futile attempts to do so."
This piece of shit-
Kirei abruptly kicked out, right at my chest, throwing me against the Max Elephant's tough hide. The same Max Elephant that was holding away Berserker-... I waited there, sat up against one of his legs, listening to the thrum of Heracles' hits as Kirei drew nearer and nearer.
"Do you think your servant will save you?"
...There.
I smiled dryly, "Not mine."
He stood over me, calm, perhaps so certain of his victory, that he never expected the Max Elephant to sink into my shadows just as I lay flat on my back. Heracles was mid-swing. His axe-sword struck the priest faster than he was able to react.
Regardless of his strength, he was most certainly not surviving that one. The strength alone was such that the trees behind him leaned over as if they were bowing in awe.
Somehow, the bastard still managed to react enough to take the blow at an angle. His body bent and folded, his arm snapped out of place, exploding in a bloody mess against the blackened steel, but he managed to avoid being cleaved in two. A moment later, the thick trunk of some massive tree was blown into splinters under his weight and momentum.
I'd dealt with him for now... but that still left Berserker and Gilgamesh.
I brought my hands together. The Divine Dogs leapt from my shadows. Heracles... seemed to remember them from last time. He moved far faster than he ever had, and utterly crushed the white wolf under his great club of a sword.
Though no one hit me, it felt like I'd received a blow right to my heart.
Beyond Heracles, the field was littered with ornate swords and spears and axes. Golden ripples lit up the night, and Cu Chulainn blitzed around, deflecting one noble phantasm after the other.
Really, I couldn't possibly compare to these... no, it didn't matter.
Right now, Heracles himself was staring down at me.
...
What the fuck was I-
"Run, Master. There is no shame in it." Someone-... Shuwen placed his hand on my shoulder, "Flee and fight another day."
"I can't just abandon-"
"We servants are but shadows, granted a fleeting chance to witness the world anew. I am a manslayer. If I can use that chance to ensure the survival of a bright young man like you, then there is no better use."
I coughed out blood.
"Take her, flee. Kakaka...!" I did not know why Heracles was waiting for him to finish. A maddened beast had no capacity for things such as respect or honour, "Do not be certain this is death for me. Destroying a monster is but a trifling ordeal."
"I won't-"
"I promised that I would defend you with my dying breath if it was necessary."
With a simple pull, he threw me back. I tumbled and rolled in the grass, stopping near Bazett.
"Now, go! Your mentor orders you to. I will join you later!"
...Liar.
He couldn't possibly stand up to that night-immortal monster.
With quivering lips and a body wracked with pain, I slung Bazett over my shoulders and... turned my back on my mentor. It was what he wanted. I couldn't find it in me to deny him.
If I remained insistent, then his effort would be for naught.
I heard Cu shout over my shoulder, "Oh, yer taking my master too? Ah, good lad! Now I can fight this golden bastard without any worries!"
-
Gimme 300 PS and I'll drop the next chapter. Spoiler, he ain't running.
You can find 8 chapters ahead at patre0n.com/Bleap