章節 1442: Control
Though not outside of expectations, as he had already seen the battle coming, Vahn was still a little surprised that someone would try and charge a static fortification with calvary. He couldn't help but wonder what kind of person would issue such an order, so, while Gawain, Kenshin, and Lancelot took command of the defense, he stood atop one of the many wizard towers, accompanied by Artoria, as they both gazed out over the horizon.
Voicing what he had been thinking, Artoria asked, "Does she not appear similar to Scáthach? There are clear similarities between them...even their weapons are similar..."
Nodding his head, Vahn answered, "If I had to guess, she is most likely Scáthach's older sister, Aife. I have heard a bit about her so that ridiculous chariot and those horses are a dead giveaway."
As the legends surrounding Scáthach and Cú Chulainn were well known to her, Artoria was privy to most of Aife's own legend, including the fact she had, for a time, been considered the equal of her sister in battle. While this hadn't made much sense, as Aife ended up losing to a version of Cú who had yet to complete his training, she should still be a capable warrior.
Preempting Artoria's question, Vahn shook his head, calmly stating, "This may very well be the only battle they have the opportunity to fight. Most of the Captains and Commander should be capable of taking down Aife so there is no reason for us to intervene."
Understanding Vahn had likely 'seen' the outcome of the battle, something he could guarantee by taking no actions, Artoria decided not to press the matter. He had already explained how his ability works, so, if he was confident things would go well, there was no need to worry. She just needed to remain vigilant, ready to step in if things seemed like they were deviating off course...
Though the current Ivory Castle lacked its usual defensive and magical formations, it still had sturdy walls, heavily reinforced by [Faerie Rune]s and Dwarven craftsmanship. Thus, even siege weaponry, enhanced by magic, would be hard-pressed to deal substantial damage to the majestic walls, much less the spears of calvary soldiers. As a result, Gawain had the Militia take turns releasing devastating volleys of magical energy, raining one-sided destruction upon the crystalline warriors attempting to breach the castle walls.
While some might imagine that mounts gave the cavalry an advantage in regards to mobility, the truth of the matter was that the Homunculi could easily match the pace of a fighter jet, much less a supercharged horse. This allowed them to easily respond when the calvary split, attempting to leap over the tall walls and invade the interior of the castle. At the same time, Kenshin led her forces from the backside of the castle, where tall cliffs could usually be found, using the newly created route to flank the enemies with devastating effectiveness.
Kenshin wasn't known as the Goddess of War for nothing, so, by happenstance, her attack came exactly at the most inopportune time for the enemy forces. They had just been splitting to try and surround the castle, leaving less than half of their numbers to meet with the three-hundred elites led by a total of eight Kenshin. She even led the charge directly, riding atop Houshoutsukige, her trusted steed that could gallop at a pace easily exceeding the speed of sound.
With her eight-branched spear in hand, Kenshin tore through enemy lines with impunity, shattering both the skeletal warriors and their mounts with ease. Her attacks even prevented the regeneration of every soldier she cut down, her mastery over the Laws allowing her to severe their connection to Aife. This hadn't gone unnoticed by the vermillion-haired woman, who, from the moment Kenshin took to the battlefield, had been glaring at Houshoutsukige with a covetous expression.
While her own steeds were like masterworks carved by the Gods, there was no way they could hope to compete against Kenshin's Houshoutsukige. The latter was capable of competing against B-Rank Heroic Spirits, and, while it didn't give the same impression of beauty as Aife's beloved pets, the aura that surrounded it, much like a famous General, inspired feelings of awe in anyone who bore witness to his majesty.
Aife had originally been intending to lure out Scáthach, but, seeing Kenshin unceremoniously carve a path through her Noble Phantasm, she was no longer able to sit idle. She grabbed the golden reins of her chariot, shouting, "Onwards!" in a commanding tone. At the same time, she pulled one of the sapphire blue spears resting in a compartment at her side, allowing her to replenish her stock as she used the lethal blue spears as projectile weapons.
Though Kenshin was the focus of her ire, Aife thought to get even with her by targeting the former's forces. Unfortunately for her, the unit trained by Kenshin wasn't dealt with so easily. The Platoon and Squad Leaders had been paying close attention to her movements from the start, so, in response to her movement, they quickly banded together, forming a dome-like structure using shields that had pulled out of interspatial artifacts. As a result, the spears thrown by Aife impacted harmlessly against the barrier they had erected, creating a vibrant, bluish-white, light in the process.
Immediately after her opening attack, Aife pulled hard on the reins of her chariot, a vain attempt to try and evade several powerful attacks that had been sent her way. While the [Primordial Rune]s she had carved into her chariot and embossed into the bridles of her horses would protect them against most ranged attacks, her instincts screamed at her to evade. Unfortunately, while her stallions could keep pace with Houshoutsukige, the barrage of attacks loosed by Tristan, famous for 'never' missing a target, proved more than a match for her defensive measures.
Tristan's Noble Phantasm, [Failnaught], was a bow forged from his favorite harp, capable of firing vacuum arrows that moved swiftly enough to hit even the fastest Heroic Spirits. While the might of each arrow left something to be desired, the fact he could fire off dozens in a single second made his assault like a persistent stream of destruction, overwhelming anyone unfortunate enough to be caught in the tempestuous onslaught.
Taking advantage of one of the main weaknesses of a chariot, Tristan had aimed the majority of his arrows towards the second row of horses, overwhelming the defenses in that singular area to easily kill the otherwise defenseless creature. As a result, its body went limp, causing the entire chariot to crash due to the interference caused by its corpse.
As there were few things she cherished more than her stallions, Aife released a feral cry in response to one of their deaths. At the same time, she arched her body in a perfect throwing motion, tossing her primary spear towards the red-haired Knight standing atop the castle's bulwark. This attack was strong enough to tear through the void itself, sending ripples of blue lightning coursing through the area as it reached its target in what appeared to be an instant.
What Aife could have never expected was, despite the swiftness of her attack, someone was able to interfere, stepping in front of the entirely unperturbed Tristan and 'catching' it out of the air. For a brief moment, her thought process came to a complete halt, gawking in disbelief as a purple-haired Knight reigned in her secondary Noble Phantasm, wielding it as if it were his own. Though they were more than a kilometer apart, she could see his lilac eyes, filled with a resolute light as he arched his body similar to her own, throwing the spear back at her with even greater force...
Though not on the same level as someone like Artoria, Aife's [Instinct]s could be directly compared to Mordred. As a result, her body moved even before her mind could completely process everything that had happened. This allowed her to toss out a handful of small gemstones, each inscribed with an Algiz Runes inlaid with the blood of her Ancestors. These were heirlooms that were passed down to each generation, making them one of the most powerful protective charms that could be created using [Primordial Rune]s.
Due to the swift action of her body, Aife was spared the indignity of being struck down by her own spear. This did little to pacify the horror she felt, however, as the attack dished out by Lancelot was able to tear through four layers of protection before it finally lost its power. Since each layer would be able to protect against an A-Rank Noble Phantasm, this left her considerably shaken, her senses dulling as a powerful urge to flee took root in her heart.
In the brief moment where Aife was distracted, Kenshin appeared at her side, startling the red-haired warrior queen as she pointed her spear at the former's neck and stated, "This battle is your loss. Will you concede or fight till your death? Make your choice!"
Momentarily bereft of her weapon, Aife was at a loss as to how she should respond to Kenshin. She didn't want to concede defeat, but, according to the traditions of her people, she had little choice in the matter. Thus, after clenching her teeth and forcibly holding back tears, she begrudgingly stated, "I surrender..." in a shaky tone. At the same time, her soldiers began to dissolve away into motes of white light. Shortly thereafter, her chariot and horses also vanished, leaving Aife surrounded by a trio of Kenshin, a resentful look on her face as she averted her eyes in shame.
Despite Aife's apparent surrender, Kenshin didn't drop her guard for a moment, waiting until the former was restrained using the same artifacts used on Caenis. Her weapon was also confiscated, leaving Aife staring pointedly at the group of women before asking, "What will you do with me? I have already surrendered so there is no honor to be found in shaming me further..."
Hearing Aife's remark, Kenshin stared at her curiously, stating, "You will, most likely, be meeting with the Emperor. You share a lot of similarities with one of our comrades so I imagine he wishes to speak with you before releasing you to your comrades."
Not expecting Kenshin's remark, Aife showed an expression of disbelief as she asked, "What do you mean by that? I had thought the situation with Musashi and Caenis was ridiculous...do you mean to tell me that your Emperor is truly foolish enough to just release his captives without-"
Before Aife could finish her statement, a flash of light passed through the periphery of her vision, far faster than she could react. Then, with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, Kenshin, while wiping away a small amount of blood from her sword, stated, "You would do well not to insult our Emperor. Take a look around you...I'm not the only one offended by your words."
Without minding the fact her cheek was bleeding, Aife turned her head, matching gazes with several hundred Homunculi, each looking at her with a murderous glint in their ruby-red eyes. Their focused gazes were enough to even send shivers through Vahn's body, so, feeling the killing intent wash over her like a baptism, Aife's body began to tremble as she swallowed her words and lowered her head.
Seeing the warrior woman's reaction, Kenshin released a small sigh, finding the red-haired beauty rather pitiful. Despite this, she offered no words of kindness, as, over the last three years, Kenshin had come to view Vahn in a similar light to Bishamonten. He was her God, Master, and Lover so she would never tolerate someone arbitrarily slandering his name, especially if they were an enemy. This was a notion she shared with everyone in her battalion, each devout believers in Vahn, willing to lay their lives down without hesitation for his cause...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'I kind of feel bad for Aife xD...','Lancelot don't play o_o...','Insulting a God in front of his most devout believers...unwise (UwU)...')
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章節 1443: Internal Strife
Due to the fact they needed to clear a veritable horde of Attack Programs along the way, it took a little more than two hours before Musashi, Caenis, and Altria caught up to Shirou's location. By then, the surroundings had changed even more than before, shifting from a dirt path floated in mid-air to a forest that now spread through the area.
More surprising, at least for Shirou, was the fact that a small cottage had manifested around him, its interior filled with various different weapons he had been fond of using in his lifetime. It was like one of the safehouses he would frequent in between missions, a place where he could relax and lay low when things got particularly hectic.
Seeing peculiar dwelling up close, Musashi couldn't help asking, "Did you make this or did the Moon Cell make it for you...?"
Since he had been given a lot of time to think about the specifics, Shirou quickly assembled his rifle, answering, "The Moon Cell seems to respond to the subconscious desires of its inhabitants, creating a territory in which they can relax. I imagine the terrain is determined by the most powerful person in a given area. I can't be certain, though, as I met with Benienma earlier...she seems to have built the Enma-tei she had been talking about in the past."
Though she had already assumed the Japanese-style region was the domain of Raikou's group, the mention of Benienma caused Musashi to frown slightly as she asked, "Did something happen...?"
Understanding Musashi's concerns, Shirou issued a dry laugh, answering, "I ended up accepting an invitation to spend the night. When the time comes, I may have to trouble you..."
Hearing Shirou's response, Musashi released a tired sigh, rubbing her forehead in an exasperated manner before saying, "Sure, but you'll have to buy the drinks. Don't think I'll let you off easy if any trouble arises, though. Dealing with a few Oni is one thing, but that Raikou woman is in a league of her own when it comes to troublesome opponents."
Remembering her first encounter with Raikou, a shiver ran through Musashi's body. This wasn't due to the fact that Raikou was powerful, however, but as a result of her nature. The woman gave off the impression of an intelligent and rational person, but, the moment you 'triggered' her true nature, she was like a demon. The fact she could keep other troublesome figures in line without any issue was a testament to how scary she could actually be. It wasn't for no reason she had become known as one of the most famous figures in Japanese folklore...
Seeing Musashi's reaction, Shirou felt guilty, as, if he had been more cautious, refusing Benienma's invitation wouldn't have been that difficult. This was always the case when dealing with Yokai, but, due to the impression given off by the petite sparrow, it was hard to remain on guard around her. She wasn't actually a bad person, possessing a kind and caring nature, but that didn't exactly make her any less dangerous.
Deciding to shelve the matter until later, Shirou allowed his rifle to disperse into particles of mana before pulling out a modified SMG and saying, "We should find Jason as soon as possible. I'm also worried about Alice but she should be fine with Lovecraft and Abigail watching over her..."
Though Abigail was, potentially, the most dangerous person in their entire group, her power was kept in check as a result of Lovecraft's influence. She was rather fond of the gaunt-faced man, and, though she spent most of her time cooped up in her own room, Abigail also got along well with Alice. The latter was largely immune to her influence, so, whenever Lovecraft had been busy with his writing, Alice would often keep Abigail company.
Understanding that time was of the essence, Musashi nodded her head in agreement before turning to Caenis and saying, "We'll leave choosing the path to you. I get that you like to destroy things, but try and leave the monsters to us. The sooner we track down Jason and pass information to everyone else, the sooner we'll be able to do our own thing."
Caenis didn't like being used as a bloodhound, but, knowing there was a fair amount of truth behind Musashi's words, she just snorted before hefting her spear and shield. Then, without sparing them a second glance, she picked one of the split paths that had formed, bolting off at a pace even Heroic Spirits would struggle to keep. This caused Musashi and Shirou to exchange wry smiles, but, as even Altria had already taken off running, they didn't have time to just stand around idling.
---
While Shirou and Co were fast approaching, the man in question, Jason, was sitting with a sneer on his face as a rougish-look individual with windswept golden hair sat over a basin filled with rainbow-hued liquid. He appeared to be in his late twenties, and, though very sparse, a divine aura radiated off the young man as his eyes rolled back into his head, the result of inhaling the strange chemicals within the basin.
After several minutes of inhaling the suspect liquid, the man turned to Jason, his voice reminiscent of someone talking in their sleep as he stated, "Impossible...can't see...the future is uncertain..."
As this wasn't the first time he had heard something similar, Jason erupted from his throne, shouting, "You're absolutely useless...!!" in a high-pitched voice.
In response to Jason's remark, the handsome man just offered a polite smile, his eyes rolling forward to reveal sky-blue irises as he smoothly answered, "I suppose I'll be returning then. Since I'm useless, don't bother calling me for a while~."
With those parting words, the man vanished into motes of bluish-white light, leaving Jason glaring with clenched fists as he attempted to restrain himself. He knew no good would come from trying to force Idmon to come back, as, unlike most Noble Phantasms, he didn't have complete control over his. The entities inside, while not their true selves, expressed the same personalities they had in life, so, if he managed to piss them off, his Noble Phantasm drastically weakened.
Fortunately, he had Change'e there to remind him, "Lord Jason, please, remember what Archimedes said. The future is being affected by the existence of the Sage Dragon Emperor. Unless his influence can be removed, attempting to predict the future is all but impossible."
Hearing Change'e's words, Jason was able to forcibly calm himself down, even if his frustration had only increased. He hated not knowing what the future held, even if most prophecies ended up being vague, at best. It was still better to know, as, when it came down to encountering powerful foes, any amount of information was better than going in blind.
After taking a few deep breaths, Jason exhaled a long sigh before offering a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes as he said, "Thank you, Faerie Change'e. Your words have helped to calm my spirit..." Then, without waiting for her response, he looked toward the duo that had been playing dice at the side, saying, "Castor, Pollux, lend me your ear. I require your aid..."
Instead of responding to Jason, Pollux, identifiable by the fact he rarely wore anything to cover his upper body, flipped a cup containing six dice, glaring at his brother, who, in response, stated, "I'll go with odds..." in a venomous tone. Then, still ignoring Jason, Pollux removed the cup, revealing dice with a value of twenty-seven. This caused Castor to grimace, his teeth clenched tightly as Pollux unceremoniously punched him, sending his half-brother twin tumbling a few meters as he loudly guffawed.
Seeing the duo ignore him, Jason continued to stare in silence, his face appearing grimmer with each passing second. Then, just as his blood pressure reached a critical level, Pollux looked over at him, a crooked smile on his face as he rubbed the stubble along his jaw and asked, "What do we get out of it, eh? You know we don't like fightin' your battler for you, Capt'n. Gotta learn to be a real man one of these days."
Unlike Jason, who had delicate and handsome features, Pollux, a son of Zeus, was rather ugly. He stood at startling 228cm tall, with a build that could only be described as 'heroic'. He was a veritable wall of muscle who spent most of his life out at sea, wrestling serpents, giant squids, and various other sea creatures. It was for this reason that he and his brother Castor, whom he had shared his Immortality with, became the patron saints of ancient sailors, representing St. Elmo's fire and the Constellation of Gemini.
Jason was no stranger to Pollux's barbaric nature, so, while it incensed him to have his masculinity questioned, he forced a smile and said, "That horse bitch, Caenis, might be coming for my life. If she turns out to be our enemy, I don't care what the two of you do with her. I'm really not asking you for much, only that you confirm whether or not that group of mongrels is trying to kill me."
Hearing Jason's words, Pollux's face formed into a frown while, at the side, Castor rose to his feet and asked, "Caenus? Isn't that the name of Coronus' father? Are you trying to pick a fight with us, Captain?"
Feeling killing intent radiating off the duo, Jason paled slightly as he shook his head and explained, "No, no, you have it all wrong! The Caenis I'm talking about is a female! She is a bit muscular for my tastes, but she is the same woman that Poseidon had taken a liking to in the past! You're free to go and confirm it for yourself if you don't believe me...!"
Before Castor and Pollux could respond, a wispy green projectile whizzed by Jason's head, bloodying his ear as a cold feminine voice stated, "I will go...you despicable scoundrels can stay here and keep each other company. To think, people actually consider you to be Heroes...pathetic."
Though Pollux found Jason's expression amusing, he took exception to the woman's words, his face darkening as he shouted, "Shut your mouth, Atalanta! I had enough of your crap back when we were alive! You don't have Artemis here to protect you any longer so don't tempt me, brat! You might not have any charm, but I'll still make you a woman if you keep pushing your luck...!!"
Hearing Pollux's remark, Atalanta, appearing almost identical to the Heroic Spirit summoned by Astrid, showed a resolute expression as she readied her bow. Green energy began to swirl around her in response to the lightning that flickered across Pollux's right arm, but, before a fight could break out between them, a deep voice echoed through the chamber, silencing everyone with a simple, "Enough..."
Following the booming voice, a muscular man one full size larger than Castor and Pollux stepped into the room. His skin was a deep bronze color, appearing much like tempered iron, and, though his facial features were even more horrifying than the twins, his aura inspired fear and respect, even in other Demigods. As a result, Pollux took a step back, and, though she continued putting on a strong front, even Atalanta lowered her bow, clicking her tongue as if she had been looking forward to a fight.
Seeing the appearance of the mountain-like man, Jason's expression visibly brightened, but, before he could say anything, the man glared at him, stating, "You are still the same coward..." Then, turning to Pollux, he added, "Your licentious ways are what got you and your brother killed. You pointed out that Artemis is no longer here to look after Atalanta, but how many times did Zeus have to save you when you dug yourself into trouble? If you're not going to help, return to the abyss and stay put. If you continue behaving like villains, I will crush all three of you..."
A stark contrast to the bravado they had wielded toward Jason and Atalanta, Castor and Pollux could do little more than grind their teeth in response to the man's harsh rebuke. They were well aware of the fate that would befall them if they chose to make the man their enemy, so, while his words were enough to make their blood boil, Pollux, with a grim expression on his face, ultimately replied, "There is no need for that...we were just joking around, isn't that right, Atalanta?"
Instead of responding to Pollux's words, Atalanta leaped down from her perch alighting from the room with a simple, "I'm going..." as she passed the bronze-skinned man. This earned her a slight nod from the massive man who then, as if blocking the passage, crossed his arms, alternating his gaze between Jason, Castor, and Pollux. This was enough to exponentially increase the tensions in the room, even after Jason tried to laugh things off, saying, "Geez, Heracles, is this any way to treat your own allies? We're all friends here, right? I mean, the three are you are practically family so there is no reason for such hostilities, haha...ha...ha..."
After glaring Jason into silence, Heracles snorted aggressively through his nose, superseding the former's commands, stating, "If you are going to stay outside, prepare for battle. Worry about the rewards once you've accomplished something. If that fool ends up dying, you'll also disappear. Keep that in mind before you do something stupid..."
With his words finished, Heracles stopped glaring at the trio, turning his eyes upon Change'e who, from the start, had been standing silently at the side with a smile on her face. She noticed his gaze and offered an elegant wave in response. To this, Heracles gave a courteous nod before promptly turning, his instincts telling him not to get involved with the unassuming woman. She gave off the same feeling as Goddesses like Athena and Hera, so, while he was always respectful to the Gods, he would rather not get involved with them a second time...
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Don't mess with Yokai','Greek Heroes aren't very Heroic...','Heracles laying down the law')
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