Chapter 174:

Chapter 174:

"You!" Lancer – Vlad the Impaler looked furious. "What have you done?"

"Woops, was that important?" I feigned shock.

"You're such an ass." Mordred actually chuckled.

"Well, they don't seem happy." I flex my fingers, getting a good feel on how fatigued my body felt with the adrenaline pumping through me. I was still good to go.

"I wonder why." Mordred's dry tone was noticeable even through her helmet.

"Hehe, master keeps screaming in my ear." The pink-haired rider servant said with a giggle.

"So, quick question." I looked at Rider. "I don't mean to be offensive, but are you a boy or a girl?"

"Why don't you find out." He/she winked at me, tugging on the hem of their skirt.

"Oh my god." Mordred spat out.

"Did a shiver run down your spine too?"

"Fucking yes." Mordred sounded horrified. "Reminds me of when the adulterer cross-dressed."

"Stop ignoring me!" Vlad slammed his hand on the ground, stakes erupting in the entire area except where his allies stood.

I scoffed, slamming my Staff onto the ground in response, forming a shield around me and Mordred.

"Good to know you aren't a complete pansy." Mordred grunted, flicking the shield around us.

"Do you think a pansy would be able to bed Artoria?" I raised an eyebrow.

She snorted. "Of course no—" She paused, head slowly turning towards me. "The fuck you just say?"

"That's right." I intentionally raised my voice. "I fucked your father!" Well, I will at some point at least. But that didn't stop me from posing dramatically. Been keeping that one in for too long.

Though, everyone got really quiet.

"Nice." Rider shot me a thumbs up.

To my suprise, Mordred didn't overtly react. "Should I call you mother then?" She snorted, seemingly pleased with herself at the retort.

"Yes! No take backs."

"Wait, what?"

"Come it's time for some mother-son bonding!" I let go of my Staff, taking back Mirage.

"No, seriously, what the fuck!?"

My attention was drawn elsewhere from Mordred's balking, gleams of light heading towards us in the distance.

I cast condensed Lightning over my limbs again, and reapplied all my enhancement spells. "Lightning.Arrow.Burst." I raised my hand over towards the forest, a dozen lightning arrows shot out, intercepting arrows firing right at us as the barrier fell. I would need to work on the casting sequence when I had time later, but it was actionable for now, I suppose.

As if on que, they all moved on us.

I grinned as Mordred erupted in her own Red Lightning, mimicing my own as it crackled around me. The ground was utterly destroyed as she burst forth, sword smacking into Rider's large lance.Sparks flew as they traded blows, Rider being deceptively nimble with that large weapon.

Oh well, I guess I can support her, she'd been patient this long and really wanted to fight apparently.

Holding out my hand, I cast my Lightning Arrows, dozens upon dozens of them filled the air. The other Servants around me appeared hesitant, and ready for battle, but instead, I pointed towards the forest and fired them off to keep that Archer pinned down.

"Boost." I called out again, regaining double my abilities after using a Penetrate on Achilles. The ability itself consumed all my boosts to use.

"Your presence skyrocketed again." Siegfried commented, moving at me with a burst of speed. "I see, it is tied to your Gauntlet, and quite literally with your words." His sword swung out fiercely, my own swinging out to meet it. According to Raikou, he was an endurance fighter, but that didn't mean he had to be passive.

Speaking of Raikou, I briefly focused on the link between us. I could sense the turbulent emotions flowing back. She was deep into the fight, and it was important to her so I chose not to distract her.

"Haah!" Siegfried swung his Dragon-slaying sword down and I swung Mirage up to meet it, the impact blowing away the surroundings.

His blade struggled against mine. "This wound you gave me it has yet to heal." His eyes trailed the line of blood that was still dripping down his chest.

"Ascalon is a pretty good Anti-Dragon weapon. You may not have the soul of a Dragon, but your body may as well be one physically."

"A Dragon with an Anti-Dragon sword, how amusing." Siegfried actually smiled.

I let out a chuckle. "Like you're one to talk, Dragon-blooded warrior."

"Saber, don't fall into his rhythm." Lancer sneered, jerking his hand up, the baleful aura surging and stakes attacked me from all sides.

"Annoying." I grunted, my other swords swung around me, my own Lightning burst out as well, destroying them all. "Are you just going to stand back, mighty king?"

"Very well." His spear swung at me, the distance closing with a blink of an eye.

My eyes widened as I blocked with my Gauntlet, the force of it actually made my arm shake. He only grinned savagly as the two Servants pressed the advantage.

I tumbled slightly, but quickly regained my foot, deflecting attacks from both foes.

"A physical boost from your legend being intertwined with the land we're fighting on? No, this is more than that. You are significantly stronger than a Lancer should be." I snapped my fingers, Runic Circles summoned in the air, but not aimed towards me.

Mordred.... I looked towards her, she was taking on two Servants, no three. Archer was really screwing with her, there were some Arrows sticking out of her armor, even if she was overpowering the Berserker and Rider Servant.

They began to discharge lightning bolts towards the oncoming barrage.

"Hmph, with my Demonic Defender of the State, as long as you remain within my territory, my abilities are unmatched." He waived his arms out, grandstanding.

"Impressive, but how about......Boost." I called out, shifting through the Kaleidoscope, appearing right in front of him. My Mirage swung at his neck, only to be deflected by Saber.

They made a good combo, makes it hard to get a deciding blow without leaning more into my Gauntlet or Magic.

"I've had enough of this foolishness." Lancer's aura exploded out, the ground shook, and even the sky turned red.

My eyes widened, the release of his Noble Phantasm was obvious at this point, and I felt a large sense of danger. The lightning around my legs burst out and I moved towards Mordred as fast as I could.

"Come, savages who trample over my territory! It's time to discipline you! I'll turn my compassion and rage into red-hot stakes and skewer you all! And these stakes are not limited, but truly infinite, so despair – and gorge on your own blood!"

The aura around him reached its peak.

"Kazikli bey!"

"And then you –" Mordred stopped, looking at me. "What?"

"Which bitch dares!?" I shouted to the surroundings, feeling a ping from the familiar link. My face immediately morphed into an expression of rage.

"Hoho." A haughty laugh answered. "My, my when things happen you don't foresee, is this how you react? Imagine how we've felt this entire time." A woman with long black hair appeared. I recognized her from before with the priest. She stood upon the castle walls, a good distance away. In any other situation, I may have made a cocky remark, or even flirted, but right now all I felt was unbelievable anger as she held Sir Wiggles, gripped tightly in her hand.

He didn't move, his eyes were closed. I could only faintly feel him through the link, he was still alive.

"Is this rodent yours, hmm?" An evil grin grew on her face as she squeezed a little bit tighter.

"Assassin." The priest's voice echoed out, he stepped up right behind her. "There's no need to be cruel, we've got what we came here for." As soon as the words left his mouth, a large skeletal beast touched down from the sky next to them.

"You..!" I took a step forward but she raised up Sir Wiggles.

"Ah." She looked at my smugly. "Careful, I may accidentally squeeze it too tightly."

I stopped in my tracks, only able to glare.

"There, that's the perfect look for you." She laughed, mounting up with the priest who just stared at me without emotion.

As they took to the skies, she tossed Sir Wiggles down. I moved as quickly as I could to catch him. I immediately called up on the power of Avalon, letting its light wash over him. There were spots on him, green and black.

He had been poisoned.

"Come on, buddy, this is nothing." I ran a hand through his matted fur.

"Oi, you gonna let them get away with that?" Mordred retracted her helmet, giving me a look.

"This is more important." I didn't even harbor the thought.

"You really care about that rabbit?"

"He's family." Was all I said.

"Wilhelm!" Vlad's enraged voice filled the area, already having come back to the castle. "Where is my Grail!?" I guess he had been informed on what happened by someone.

"I don't have it." I spat out, cradling my familiar.

"You're too late." Mordred clarified. "Those other guys stole it."

He let out an angry grunt. "This is your fault, if you hadn't –"

"Quiet." Raikou appeared next to me. "Speak one more word and I shall crush you, insect."

"Lancer." Siegfried also came to calm his companion. Flanked by Rider and whom I believe was Archer since I didn't recognize him and he had a bow.

I ignored them for the moment {You're back.} I sent towards Raikou. With a glance, I could see her condition. She had been fighting with Lancer for awhile now, and it definitely showed, she was sporting many wounds and looked exhausted.

{Lancer was forcibly recalled.} Raikou didn't sound too happy.

{Another Command Seal?}

{Yes but.....He said that he needed one to regrow his arm in such short time.}

{That means three had been used...that doesn't sound right.} Something was definitely up there.

"What happened, why's everyone standing around?" Rider slammed their lance into the ground and leaned against it.

"Look up into the sky and see." I stated.

"What do you me—" Rider looked up. "Oh."

"That's....." Siegfried looked surprised as well.

"How did that appear without anyone noticing." Even Vlad shared their reaction.

"It appears that we've underestimated the Red faction." Archer's voice reached my ears. "Being able to bring something like that out, it would not be simple. For them to do it under our noses, it speaks of detailed planning."

I noticed it when they flew away.

High up into the sky was a fortress.

There was no doubt in my mind that it was a Noble Phantasm. A Noble Phantasm that existed in the normal world, not a single use ability, and it was a flying fortress.

Things were not simple at all.

Sir Wiggles opened his eyes, the foreign colors leaving his body.

Good boy.

"I'm going to bring it down." I declared.

"What?" Mordred looked at me. "You're going to take down that thing? That's probably Caster's fucking workshop, and a Noble Phantasm. It probably has more defenses than this place, and such a stupid thing is probably from the Age of Gods."

"Yup." I nodded at her words. They were surprisingly well thought out. I turned towards the Black Faction members. "Temporary Truce?" I offered.

Vlad scowled. "What's stopping us from taking you now and merely sieging them ourselves?"

"The fact that they have the Grail and thought it was a good idea to steal it implies they can do something with it, so time is a factor." I pointed out first. "And second, how much longer do you think the night will last?"

I knew Ruler was skulking nearby, if we tried to do something overtly during the day.....she had plenty of command seals for a reason.

Vlad looked at me before furrowing his brow and clicking his tongue. "Fine, do what you wish to bring it down we will not interfere. If you fail, I'm putting your head on a spike outside my castle."

"Awesome, team up!" Rider jumped up happily.

"How do you expect to bring it down." Archer spoke up, his eyes reminded me of Scathach's.

"I'm a Magus, what do you think I'll do?" I took hold of my Staff. "I'm going to cast a spell." I took a few steps forward, each time my foot touched the ground, a Magic Circle formed around a Rune. "I'll show you, the strongest spell I've ever created." The completed form of my Nine-Realms.

***

Sorry for the late chapter, took a nap when I got home from work.

Wilhelm going to calmly express his grievances with the Red Faction. First Servant had been killed, -- Berserker. Sorry to the people asking to take care of Fran :p. For those of you who don't know, Berserker of Black is Frankenstein's monster and as is tradition, is a woman.

Anyways, if you want to read 7 chapters ahead or support me, visit my /astoryforone

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