Fate/False Order

Raising her head from the scope, Maiya leaned back into the shadows while lowering her rifle to avoid anyone's line of sight.

Removing her non-dominant hand from the rifle, she used it to flick on her comms, pressing the transmission button.

"Lady Irisviel and Saber have been spotted leaving the Civic Center. Over," she murmured into the radio, before turning off her transmission.

It took only a moment before the radio cracked with static, and the voice of Kiritsugu came through. "Copy. Keep observing them at a distance for now, while I'll pack up and make my way to the extraction point. Keep me apprised of any changes to the situation. Over."

Leaning her mouth closer to the radio, she pressed the transmission button. "Copy, over and out," she said, before stopping her transmission, and placing her hand back to her rifle.

Leaning her head out from cover, she squinted her eyes, locking onto the two's position, as they made their way down the street.

After observing them for a minute, she leaned back into the shadows, and started jogging through the building, quickly reaching the bottom floor and entering the alleys.

Not wasting any time, she hurriedly made her way to the next building she had cleared ahead of time, opening the pre-lock-picked door, allowing her to enter unencumbered.

Closing the door behind her, she rushed up the emergency stairs, and quickly entered her next sniper's post.

Raising her gun, she lowered her head to the scope and started scouting for Saber and Irisviel.

It only took a few seconds for her to lock onto them, as they were a bit further ahead than Maiya had predicted.

Seeing that the situation hadn't changed, she started scoping out the surroundings, looking for anything, or anyone out of place.

Her routine sweeping of the area was interrupted by a sudden, and loud boom.

Instantly, Maiya moved her gun to point at the area where the sound came from, while her eye scanned the area through the scope.

The sound had seemingly come from the other side of the Civic Center, or at least that was her best guess, as she could see smoke rise from the other side.

Lowering her rifle, she pressed the transmission button on the radio. "An explosion has gone off close to the Civic Center, the ca—" 

Maiya was cut off by the sound of another boom, along with the sight of one of the rooftops of a building close to the explosion being sheared off, in a flash of golden light.

"Maiya? Do you read me?" The sound of Kiritsugu's voice shook her out of her surprise, causing her to continue. "Copy, but the situation has changed. Archer is fighting someone, probably Rider, close to the Civic Center. Over," she explained, before ending her transmission.

The radio instantly cracked to life as Kiritsugu spoke. "Keep an eye out, I'll have Saber intercept them once we have Iri," he ordered, before continuing. "Make sure Saber follows the plan, and doesn't go rogue. Over and out."

With that, the radio's crackles ended, and Maiya moved a hand back to the rifle, moving it to allow her to use its scope to observe Saber and Irisviel.

She saw that Saber had turned around, and was now staring in the direction of the Civic Center. Maiya was too far away to see her expression, but if her balled hands were anything to go off on, then she was clearly hesitating.

As the seconds slowly turned to minutes, Maiya started to feel increasingly uneasy at the inaction of Saber. Her orders were to leave immediately with Irisviel, and to go to a safehouse. But now she was torn between doing that, and returning to potentially help her descendants.

Seeing that there was no other choice, Maiya lowered her rifle and readied her comms.

Kiritsugu would need to use a Command Seal at this rate, as the longer Saber contemplated, the higher the odds were that she'd leave, or that she'd be ambushed.

Turning her transmission on, she leaned in and spoke. "Saber is sta—" Maiya cut herself off, as her eyes locked onto a tall and imposing knight, leaking dark shadowy mist. "Contact! Berserker has just entered the vicinity!" She said hurriedly.

"Copy," the radio crackled in response. "Stay on the lookout for his Master, he sho—" Kiritsugu's voice suddenly cut out causing Maiya to internally panic. "Kiritsugu?" She asked hesitantly into the receiver.

A moment passed, before the radio cracked to life. "He's here."

That one phrase caused Maiya to stiffen. Kirei Kotomine had made contact with Kiritsugu.

Glancing back at Saber and Berserker, she felt it was too coincidental. The timing was simply too perfect.

Either Archer was using his Independent Action skill, and Kirei was Berserker's new Master, or the Master's of the two were working together.

Both were thoughts that made her nervous, as neither boded well for them.

But right now, Maiya had bigger problems. To stay and potentially kill Berserker's Master, or to leave and help Kiritsugu.

The two options had barely even registered, before she dashed out of the room. 

Taking into account that Kirei might be Berserker's new Master, and that Kiritsugu was caught off guard by the same man, made it a moot point to stay. Kirei Kotomine was someone Kiritsugu needed to be cautious of, so facing him alone was unacceptable to Maiya.

Dashing down the stairs, she burst through the door she had used to enter the building through, and quickly entered the alleys.

While Maiya didn't know exactly where Kiritsugu was, she could make an educated guess.

Since she couldn't hear the sound of any car starting, it meant that he was somewhere on the way to his getaway vehicle, likely even in the garage building.

Running through the alley, she quickly made her way through a more discreet route to avoid sight, before raising the rifle and firing two shots into a door's lock.

The bullets tore through the locking mechanism like a knife through hot butter, allowing her to shoulder bash her way through the door, entering the building with ease.

Quickly, an alarm went off, not that there was anyone to apprehend her.

Not caring for the noise, she ran a straight line through the building, shooting out another lock, and exiting the place.

The impromptu shortcut had done its due diligence, as she now stood in front of the car garage building. The echoes of gunshots caused her to frown, and quickly pick up her pace.

Running through the car entrance, she rushed down to the next underground floor, where she heard the sound of gunfire intensify.

Entering the garage, Maiya crouched behind a dented sedan, heart pounding as she surveyed the flicker of muzzle flashes across the garage.

Kiritsugu was behind a concrete pillar some ten meters ahead, leaning out just enough to squeeze off shots from his Calico M950. Sparks danced where his bullets struck the metal frames of parked cars.

She glimpsed his left hand yanking the pin of a grenade with his teeth and hurling it at Kirei.

The grenade's detonation was deafening. Dust and fragments of glass showered the area, echoing off the low ceiling.

Instinctively, Maiya pressed herself flat against the car, bracing for further blasts. When the smoke settled, she peered around and spotted Kirei sliding behind another vehicle.

He'd avoided the brunt of the explosion.

She steadied her rifle. She had the flank; Kirei seemed unaware of her. With quick, measured breaths, she aimed and squeezed the trigger. Her gun kicked.

She saw him jerk as two bullets tore across his arm, leaving a dark stain on his sleeve. The priest hissed in pain but didn't collapse. Even wounded, his eyes glinted with cold focus.

Kiritsugu darted from the pillar to another row of cars. He fired twice more, forcing Kirei to duck.

Kiritsugu paused, exchanging the spent magazine with a practiced flick. Maiya did the same, ejecting her magazine and slotting in a fresh one.

Kirei moved swiftly to avoid further crossfire, easily weaving between vehicles with uncanny agility.

As he moved, three red crossguards slid into his hand, each one resting between two fingers, before each hilt grew a thin long blade.

Without a gun, he was forced to rely on close combat or well-timed throws, but that was no comfort. Maiya had read his reports, and knew what he could do in close quarters.

A shot rang out, and one of Kiritsugu's rounds pinged off a car hood near Kirei's leg. The priest frowned, pivoting to hurl a black key at Kiritsugu.

Metal whistled as it sliced the air. Kiritsugu ducked behind an SUV, the blade embedding into concrete a meter behind him.

Maiya exhaled to steady her aim again, as she needed to keep Kirei pinned.

She fired three shots in quick succession. Kirei vanished behind a pickup, the bullets cracking its windows. Kiritsugu used the distraction to unclip something from his belt—a small block of C4 with a timed detonator. He glanced at Maiya, gesturing for her to cover him.

Understanding the message, Maiya fired another burst, laying down suppressive fire.

Kirei lunged from behind the pickup, using his black keys to slice the bullets.

But in that instant, Kiritsugu dashed forward with surprising speed.

To Maiya's eyes, her partner seemed to blur, crossing the distance in half the expected time. Kiritsugu slid behind a sedan closer to Kirei, then planted the explosives against its rear bumper.

Kirei tried to close in, but Maiya's careful shots cut off his route. He was forced to retreat behind a pillar, still clutching his wounded arm.

Swiftly, Kiritsugu ducked out of sight, likely setting a timer.

With a flick of his wrist, Kirei launched another black key in a sharp underhand arc. It soared toward Maiya's position.

She threw herself to the concrete just as the blade shattered the car window above her. Shards rained over her, some slicing her cheek. Gritting her teeth, she scrambled into a kneeling position, rifle at the ready.

Kirei shifted again, ignoring the blood trickling down his sleeve.

Maiya suspected that pain wouldn't slow him much. If anything, it seemed to make him more dangerous.

He advanced, posture low, trying to force Maiya away from her vantage point. Kiritsugu, too, was pinned behind a cluster of cars. The priest's eyes flicked between them, calculating.

Kiritsugu signaled with a short wave.

Maiya recognized the sign: another push. She fired in bursts, aiming to harass Kirei rather than land a killing blow.

Kirei sidestepped quickly. Still, Kiritsugu used her covering fire to relocate, staying out of Kirei's direct line. Steam hissed from busted radiators scattered across the floor, mingling with the flickering fluorescent lights overhead.

Kirei reversed direction without warning, lunging toward Kiritsugu. The priest vaulted over a fallen motorcycle, landing in a crouch on the other side.

Kiritsugu spun, fired three times. Two bullets grazed Kirei's calf, while the third missed.

Then Kiritsugu triggered Double Accel again. In one heartbeat, he closed the gap and drove a hard kick toward Kirei's midsection.

Kirei twisted, blocking with his forearm, but the impact still shoved him back. Kiritsugu followed up with a pistol whip aimed at Kirei's temple. Kirei ducked, then countered with a rising elbow strike that caught Kiritsugu's ribs.

A strangled grunt escaped Kiritsugu.

He staggered, but used the momentum to roll away, pistol up, finger on the trigger.

He fired once, narrowly clipping Kirei's side. The priest gritted his teeth, slashing at Kiritsugu with a black key. Metal clashed against metal as Kiritsugu parried with the side of his pistol's slide, then jerked backward.

Maiya seized this moment, adjusting her position to keep Kirei in view. She fired two shots at his back.

Kirei spun at the last second, letting one bullet slice across his shoulder while the other struck a parked car behind him.

Sparks flew, glass shattered. Yet, despite all the blood dripping from the priest's multiple wounds, his breath remained calm and controlled, as if he was only jogging.

Kirei darted behind another sedan, forcing both Maiya and Kiritsugu to reposition. Maiya changed magazines for her rifle, as her mind raced.

They had to maintain distance. Letting Kirei get close again was a deathtrap, even in the state he was now.

Kiritsugu took the chance to move deeper into the row of cars, stepping over shattered glass.

A faint beep caught Maiya's attention. The timer on the C4 was set. She tensed, scanning for Kirei, uncertain if he realized the trap.

A jolt of movement drew her eye. Kirei emerged near the center of the garage, stooped low. His eyes darted from Kiritsugu to Maiya, measuring their angles. Maiya glimpsed a small smirk pulling at his lips.

The man was cornered, yet he seemed more amused than anything. She squeezed the trigger, sending another volley at his chest.

Kirei dodged behind a thick concrete column.

Kiritsugu rushed forward again under Double Accel, intending to catch him off guard.

But Kirei whipped around and slammed a brutal kick into Kiritsugu's thigh, which could be heard cracking, or fracturing on impact, nearly knocking him over, but sending him skidding a few inches back.

Kiritsugu cursed, staggering and clearly only leaning on one leg, he steadied himself and fired point-blank. Kirei knocked his arm aside at the last second, so the bullet ripped through the air harmlessly.

Maiya, kneeling behind a sedan door she'd pried open, lined up her shot. But Kirei gripped Kiritsugu's wrist, using him as a shield. Any bullet she fired now risked hitting Kiritsugu. Kirei spun Kiritsugu around, aiming to disarm him, but Kiritsugu elbowed him in the gut.

The moment Kirei's hold loosened, Kiritsugu twisted away and dove to the ground. Maiya found her opening.

She fired. One round struck Kirei's shoulder. He jerked away, black key dropping from his grasp for a moment.

Kiritsugu scrambled to his feet, panting and clearly in pain. Spots of blood dotted the floor around Kirei's boots.

Then the sedan rigged with C4 exploded. The force rattled the entire garage, launching the vehicle onto its side. Flames licked across the concrete, glass shards flying like deadly confetti.

The shockwave knocked Maiya onto her back and sent Kirei slamming against another car's fender. Kiritsugu, though partially shielded by the row of vehicles, was flung off his feet.

Maiya coughed as dust and smoke thickened the air. Her ears rang. She propped herself on an elbow, scanning for Kirei.

A shape stirred behind the half-rolled sedan. A faint groan told her Kiritsugu was alive, but she couldn't see him. She tried to stand, ignoring the ache in her limbs.

Through the swirling smoke, she spotted Kirei's form. He was hunched, arms braced on the hood of a battered minivan. Blood ran down his chin, maybe from a busted lip. Still, he moved to stand, posture rigid.

A flash of metal glinted in his grip—another black key.

Maiya steadied her rifle, ignoring the fire now spreading near the columns. She had one more magazine left.

She aimed and squeezed. Kirei darted behind the minivan, letting the shots ring uselessly against its frame. She cursed and advanced, trying to keep him pinned.

Kiritsugu's silhouette emerged, limping slightly. He reloaded his pistol, then nodded at Maiya.

They moved in tandem, circling to cut off Kirei's possible escape routes. If they could corner him, they might finish this.

Kirei sprinted forward without warning. He vaulted over the hood of a car, black key in hand, aiming to close the distance with Maiya. Kiritsugu shouted, firing two shots to deter him.

Kirei shifted midair, landing hard, his free hand slamming onto the concrete to stop his momentum. Maiya backed up, firing a quick burst. Kirei, crouched, raised the black key in a defensive posture that deflected some of the bullets. One found its mark, grazing his thigh.

His face twisted in pain, but he sprang forward again, forcing Maiya to retreat behind a pillar. Kiritsugu circled from the other side, peppering Kirei with suppressive fire.

Kirei rolled, took cover behind a damaged SUV, and hurled the black key at Kiritsugu. Kiritsugu sidestepped, letting it clatter to the ground with a metallic scrape.

Smoke drifted everywhere, stinging Maiya's eyes. The overhead sprinklers sputtered to life, spraying water onto flames and bullet-riddled vehicles. The floor grew slick underfoot.

The distant roar of Berserker's confrontation with Saber aboveground echoed faintly, but no one in the garage could afford to look away now.

Kiritsugu engaged Double Accel once more, darting behind Kirei faster than a normal human could track.

He jammed his pistol toward Kirei's back, but the priest spun at the last second, deflecting with a raised forearm. Even with that advantage, Kiritsugu found himself struggling to land a decisive hit.

The two exchanged rapid blows, Kiritsugu's pistol butt smashing against Kirei's guard, Kirei's fists snapping out to retaliate.

Maiya advanced again, searching for a line of fire. Kirei locked eyes with her, reading her intent. He shoved Kiritsugu back, pivoting to throw another black key with lightning speed. Maiya ducked, the blade slicing through a flickering lamp overhead.

Kiritsugu took the chance to shoot, landing a round in Kirei's side. The priest gasped but didn't falter. Instead, he slammed his elbow into Kiritsugu's chest.

Kiritsugu coughed, stumbling into the side of a battered sports car. Kirei lunged for him, but Maiya's burst forced him to recoil, stepping aside to avoid a bullet to the face.

Now cornered against a pillar, Kirei's eyes bore into them with their haunting emptiness, as he readied his body to spring into action.

For a second, no one moved.

Water from the sprinklers trickled down his ruined sleeve, dripping onto the floor. Kiritsugu steadied his aim, breath ragged. Maiya paused, muzzle trained on Kirei. Both of them waited for Kirei's next move.

Their advantage was slight, but it was enough. Kiritsugu reloaded with shaking hands, pushing a fresh magazine into place. He risked a quick glance at Maiya, ensuring she was all right. She nodded once, ignoring the throbbing in her side.

Her rifle was almost out of ammo, but they'd cornered him. Now was the moment to finish this.

Kirei raised his hand. A flick of his wrist, and two black keys formed between his fingers. Maiya tensed, expecting him to throw. Instead, he sprinted forward, closing distance fast.

Kiritsugu fired. The bullet grazed Kirei's shoulder but didn't halt his advance. Kirei's elbow smashed into Kiritsugu's wrist, sending the pistol skidding across the wet concrete.

Maiya fired a single shot. It caught Kirei's already injured arm, making him grunt. Still, he spun toward her with shocking speed. Before she could reset her aim, he was upon her.

She lashed out with the rifle's barrel, hoping to push him back. Kirei battered it aside, stepping into her space.

She stumbled, her breath catching in her throat. She tried to ram the rifle stock into his ribs, but he twisted, delivering a ruthless knee to her abdomen.

Pain flared. Maiya struggled to keep upright, forcing herself not to double over. She squeezed the trigger once more. The muzzle flashed, but Kirei threw off her aim, and the bullets merely splintered the concrete.

She couldn't even fight back in the state she was in, forcing her to watch as Kirei raised the black key up high.

~~Fate/False Order~~

"AAAAARRRRTTTHHUURRRR!"

At the sudden cry of her name, Saber was yanked out of her contemplation of returning to check in on Rosalind and the others, to instead hastily turn around to look at a twitching Berserker.

In an instant, her invisible blade sprang into existence, firmly in her grip. Staring daggers into the Servant of Madness, she felt internally uneasy.

Irisviel was still on her back, and she needed to use a hand to secure her, meaning she couldn't fight optimally in any case.

As she stared at the Servant, time passed, and he didn't rush her, no matter how much he twitched and looked like he wanted to.

Seeing the lack of reaction, Saber slowly moved backwards, while keeping her full focus on Berserker.

The action drew no reaction from him, causing Saber to continue with a bit more confidence.

It only took a few seconds for Saber to reach the entrance of an alley, while still having Berserker in sight, who was still glaring daggers at her.

Taking the chance, she lowered Irisviel to the ground, and started shaking her.

"Irisviel!" She said loudly, only earning a slight grunt from the sleeping homunculus.

Feeling that she didn't have the time to be courteous, Saber gave Irisviel a quick slap, literally knocking the sleeping beauty into awareness.

Blinking slowly, the prone Irisviel raised a hand, and placed it on her cheek where she had been struck. "Saber?" She questioned, unsure if what she was seeing was true, before flinging her arms around the Servant.

"Irisviel, now's not the time," she said curtly, causing the homunculus to blink a few times, before finally grasping a few things.

For one, she was in an alley. For two, she was practically naked, only covered by a cloak, or cloth of some sort. And three, there was a very scary Berserker a stone's throw away.

Slowly releasing her friend, she trembled as she pulled the mantle closer around herself. "Wh–what happened?" She questioned worriedly.

Saber only shook her head to the question. "I don't have time, all I can say is to stay put, and run if things don't go our way," she said, before moving a hand to rummage around in her pocket, pulling out a blocky phone, and tossing it to her.

"This is a gift from Vivian, use it to get into contact with Kiritsugu. He should be close by, and would be able to help you get out of here," she explained, causing Irisviel to nod, gripping the phone a bit harder.

"I— I don't know how to call someone…" she murmured, causing Saber to break eye contact with Berserker for a moment, to look down at Irisviel with some disbelief.

"What?"

Color flooded Irisviel's face, as she turned to look away from Saber's baffled look. "I— I've never added a contact, or called someone that wasn't already a contact," she explained, causing Saber to inhale sharply, before returning her gaze to Berserker.

"Do you know his number?" She questioned with a hint of pleading, earning a meek 'yes' from Irisviel.

"Then you'll need to learn by trial and error," she explained, before standing up to her full height, causing Irisveil to look up at her. "Saber?"

Understanding the unasked question, she answered. "I can feel Berserker's patience waning, I must go," she said, before glancing behind her at Irisviel. "Heed my advice, Irisviel. Find cover, and contact Kiritsugu, he's your best chance to get out of here."

Irisviel gave a slow nod, causing Saber to nod back, and look to Berserker. "I shall see you soon, stay safe while I'm preoccupied," she said, causing Irisviel to clench her fists. "I'll see you soon, Saber." she repeated, causing a small smile to find its way onto Artoria's face.

"Good," she said as she moved forwards.

Returning to the spot she had stood earlier, she raised her sword and got into a proper stance. "I thank you for your courtesy, Berserker," she thanked the Servant, before tightening her grip. "I shall show my appreciation by giving this my all!"

Saber's words faded into the still air, and for a brief moment, Berserker only glowered from beneath that warped helmet.

Then, with a sudden growl that echoed through the deserted shopping district, he launched himself forward.

A battered metal bench groaned under his grip as he tore it from the sidewalk and spun it around, metal legs squealing.

Saber reflexively raised her invisible blade to guard, but the bench crashed against her sword in a tumult of sparks and bent steel, forcing her back.

She slid across the concrete, feet digging into the ground to find purchase, her gaze never leaving the violent mist that clung to Berserker.

Even though her muscles tensed in a firm stance, she held on strong. She flung the broken bench aside with a wide sweep of her sword, the clang of metal against pavement echoing through the streets.

Berserker raged, the red haze of his cursed madness flaring behind that visor. He lurched forward in a half crouch, and just as Saber stepped in to strike, he hurled a shattered piece of the bench in her path.

The twisted bar spun, cutting the air. Saber twisted her wrist, deflecting the debris with a solid parry. Sparks danced around her blade, lighting up the dim alley with fleeting embers.

She rushed low, sword at her side as she aimed for Berserker's flank.

His reflexes, heightened by madness or unearthly skill, were terrifying. A lunge of his foot pivoted him away, and the shift in his body's balance flowed seamlessly into a powerful kick.

Metal greaves whistled past Saber's face. She ducked, then answered with a swift upward slash.

He deflected her blow with the scuffed remains of the bench, each impact cracking the sidewalk beneath their feet.

Thunderous footsteps resonated as Berserker charged again, this time with fists ready to strike.

Saber braced herself. With a guttural battle cry, she drew upon her Mana, letting the surging energy flood every muscle fiber.

Her next move came so swiftly that Berserker seemed to freeze for half a breath. She ducked beneath his fist, pivoted behind him, and slammed her blade's pommel into his back.

He stumbled forward, arms pinwheeling for balance, but not for long. He spun with supernatural speed, ignoring any pain.

His gloved hand lashed out, grabbing the handle of an abandoned shopping cart. In one fluid motion, he flung it at Saber. The wheels shrieked against asphalt as it tumbled end over end.

Saber twisted, and she slashed horizontally, cleaving right through the cart's frame, sending it flying aside in two twisted pieces.

She advanced, dashing forwards, to which Berserker roared and responded with a feral rush, grappling the side of a street stall.

He ripped out a thick metal bar from the stall's awning, then swung it in a wide arc.

Saber braced for impact, crossing her sword in front of her. The clash rippled through her arms, and she gritted her teeth under the sheer weight of his assault.

He pressed forward, forcing her to grind her heels into the ground, stone fracturing beneath the strain.

In a snap decision, she released her guard and spun left. Berserker's momentum toppled him to the side, his footing slipping for just an instant.

It was enough. Saber's eyes narrowed, and she lunged. Her sword, wrapped in the swirl of invisible wind, found a brief gap in his defense.

She aimed for the armor at his shoulder, but he wrenched his body at the last moment, the blade skittering across his armored pauldron.

Sparks leaped in the night as metal collided. He elbowed her in retaliation, throwing her off balance.

Her breath caught, and she sidestepped quickly to avoid another savage kick aimed at her thigh.

Creating distance, Saber stared at him, observing that they were almost right back to where they started.

The only difference being the trashed street and walls. Seeing the devastation their fight was causing, she knew it needed to end soon.

Saber decided to up the ante. She inhaled sharply, letting her Mana flow into her muscles once more.

With a swift step that nearly blurred her figure, she closed the distance. Her sword descended in a diagonal slice. Berserker blocked with the metal bar, but the impact cracked it in half, his grip faltering.

Saber twirled the blade overhead, shifting momentum to slash horizontally at his chest. Berserker twisted, the edges of her blade scraping sparks off his darkened armor.

Yet her advantage was short-lived. With a choking bellow, he rammed his forearm into her side. The strike crushed air from her lungs, sending her stumbling.

She narrowly avoided a ruthless follow-up blow that splintered the pavement where she'd stood.

Pushing aside the pain, Saber rolled to her feet.

She inhaled, eyes locked on Berserker. Their exchange had only lasted seconds, yet the one holding the advantage had switched multiple times in those few seconds.

Clutching her invisible sword, she pressed a hand to her chest to calm her racing heart. She could not afford to let Berserker run rampant. In a distant corner of her mind, she was still aware of Irisviel, hiding with the phone, hopefully safe.

A swirl of Mana enveloped her once more as she dashed forward, the ground cracking under the force of her step.

Their blades, visible or improvised, met in an explosion of sparks.

Breaking the blade lock with a push, Berserker slammed his makeshift weapon down from overhead, forcing Saber to raise her sword in a two-handed block.

Sparks erupted where twisted metal and invisible blade collided, the shriek echoing off the shattered storefronts. Saber gritted her teeth under the blow's crushing weight, her boots digging furrows into the concrete as she stood her ground.

She exhaled and shifted her grip, twisting her hips to deflect the weapon aside before countering with a swift thrust aimed at Berserker's midsection.

But before her blade could land, he slid to the side with uncanny agility. His entire frame moved in a fluid pivot, foot striking the ground hard enough to fracture the pavement beneath.

In a single, brutal motion, he lunged and tore a mangled rod of rebar from the rubble at their feet. With a guttural snarl, he whipped it around in a wide arc, metal whistling through the air.

Saber ducked, feeling the wind of its passage graze the back of her neck. She sprang upward into a diagonal slash, hoping to catch him off-guard, but Berserker answered with a backstep. The rebar clashed loudly against her sword, and she recoiled from the impact.

A heartbeat later, Berserker lunged forward, arms spread wide, closing the gap in a bestial attempt to crush her. Saber jolted her feet into motion, twisting her torso out of his reach at the last possible instant.

His gauntlets slammed together behind her back with a jarring clang, missing her by inches. She rolled free across the debris-strewn pavement, heart pounding in her ears.

Berserker wasted no time on pause or hesitation. Sensing her momentary reprieve, he scooped a broken chunk of concrete from the ground and hurled it at her with devastating force.

Saber threw herself aside, the debris obliterating a nearby metal stand in a hail of sparks and rusty steel. In the flickering glow of fractured neon lights, she rose swiftly to one knee, drawing mana into her limbs for the next strike.

Her eyes never left Berserker as he prepared another charge, feet pounding the ruined pavement, madness pulsing behind his visor. She inhaled, steadied her arms, and braced for another collision.

With one mighty leap, she bridged the distance and slashed forwards with all her might, forcing him backward into a row of decorative pillars. The cracking concrete rained dust on them both as Berserker slammed into the structure.

Saber saw her chance. She darted in, pivoting on her heel, and delivered a fierce slash aimed at his abdomen. But his free hand shot up, catching the invisible blade with a vice-like grip.

Even though her sword was hidden by wind, his inhuman senses guided him. His gauntleted fingers pinched the wind-shrouded steel, holding it in place just long enough to swing his makeshift bar with terrifying force.

Saber wrenched herself free with a surge of Mana Burst, the violent eruption of energy forcing Berserker back a step, but it came at a cost.

She staggered, an ache blooming across her arms from the earlier impact. Berserker dropped the bent bar, letting out a low growl as he recovered.

Berserker suddenly disengaged.

He hopped backwards in an almost fluid arc, clearing several meters in one bound. Saber stood rigid, her sword at the ready, unsure if this was a feint or a moment of genuine retreat.

Saber held her breath, waiting for the next move, eyes squinting as she considered the possibility of a decisive attack.

Instead, she witnessed something altogether unexpected. A purple haze coalesced around Berserker's right hand. It twisted and churned like living smoke, condensing into the silhouette of a weapon.

He held out his palm, and the black mist started swirling faster, forming a shape of a sword's hilt that glinted with an all too familiar sheen.

Her heart lurched with recognition that she couldn't yet place, a gnawing sense of déjà vu. She stood at the ready, absolutely still except for the rise and fall of her shoulders.

Slowly, that purple miasma grew, clarifying lines of polished steel beneath an eerie glow. Saber's eyes widened as the blade within the mist slowly revealed itself. A shape she knew too well. A shape that should have been lost to history.

The fog that surrounded Berserker started to bubble, revealing the armor beneath, before covering it once more. Then, the black aura that cloaked him like a fog cloud suddenly dispersed.

The sword in his grip caught the moonlight—a regal blade, physically tarnished by the stain of dishonor, but unmistakable in design.

"No…" Saber whispered. Her stance faltered, and for one dreadful second, her entire body seized in shock.

She recognized the sword's lines, the crossguard, the unmistakable shape that invoked memories of her past. Pain lanced her heart as she recalled years of shared loyalty, honor, and bond.

"It can't be," she murmured, stepping back in disbelief.

There, standing before her, was the Knight of the Lake, once her dearest companion, now consumed by darkness and madness.

Her grip on the invisible sword slackened, trembling at the horror of realization.

In that singular moment, all the frenzy of battle and all the destructive clamor around them faded away.

Saber could only stare, unable to tear her gaze from the towering knight, the sword of her once-loyal retainer gleaming in his grasp.

Shakily, she spoke. "L— Lancelot?"

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5 Hours, 26 Minutes And 32 Seconds Until Zero 

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A/N

Welcome back, my reader Overlords, please add this to your library and give me some comments, stones and reviews, as it would be much appreciated.

Ugh! I need to find a hobby, another 6 K words long chapter.... Well, I'm still sick, so maybe it's not that bad a thing... anyways!

Things are ramping up, fights starting everywhere, shit is going down. Question is, what is going to happen next? 

https://discord.gg/HAPhryp5M2

Now I'm still sick, puking and shitting almost every other hour! So have a nice day, or at least one less shitty than mine, and send me some stones or some shit (Not literal shit), as I need motivation to overcome this illness!