Warring Fate

I am slightly annoyed at having to face Gilgamesh again. Still, I am already annoyed with Zelretch triggering the Holy Grail earlier than expected, which led to the Apocrypha Protocol being initiated since I happened to have enough Masters on my side at this point in time. As I followed the King of Heroes outside the city, I had already started some preparations in advance to tip whatever battlefield he chose in my favor by manipulating the weather to make it easier to call down lightning.

We were already a few miles away from the city limits, but it did not seem like Gilgamesh was going to stop anytime soon. Lorelei probably wants to lure me away so she can tackle the rest of the Black Faction; after all, she has some idea of how strong I am, but unfortunately for her, she has no idea about Skadi since we kept her former status of being a Servant quiet. The Queen of the Clock Tower is a bit obsessed with producing an heir for the Barthomeloi Family that could exceed her, and unfortunately, I met her requirements.

It's that she is not beautiful, but she is seeking me out purely to produce an heir, and I have no intention of having any child of mine growing up in the Moonlit World without having a mutually loving relationship with their prospective mother. Plus, with my inhuman nature of being a Faunus and any child of mine likely gaining animal traits, I would not put it past any cold-blooded Mage to dissect and experiment on my children to further their Magecraft. Even Lorelei would be tempted to a degree to figure out how any child between us would tic.

That is why I will never consider the Queen of the Clock Tower or humor requests along those lines with any Mage I do not know and trust. After going twenty miles away from Fuyuki, Gilgamesh finally stopped in a clearing and then turned to face me. Golden ripples appeared in the air as the King of Heroes was about to rain down several Noble Phantasms on me. He then said with a confident smirk.

" Do try not to disappoint me, Silva Branwen."

" I apologize in advance, King Gilgamesh, but I will be ending this early."

In the ten years, I have been in this world, I have done quite a lot. I hunted down Dead Apostles and Heretic Mages, destroyed five Mage Families from the Association, started up a successful technology company, adopted Sakura and made her my daughter in all but blood, married Skadi, and researched and trained to be stronger. While I am unable to perform Magecraft as a Mage, that does not mean I can't apply my Magic in a way to imitate Magecraft, especially those related to Souls.

" I have journeyed beyond death."

" Unbound by the past, seeking a new future."

" Finding both sorrow and joy."

" Continuing to move forward despite my scars and fears."

" Unyielding in the face of despair."

" Overcoming my weakness and faults."

" To aim for an impossible goal to free myself and my loved ones."

" So I do not pray."

" Refine, remove impurities, transcend limits."

"Seek knowledge and greater understanding."

" Break down enemy weaknesses and strengths."

" Identify countermeasures."

" To slay even Gods, I roar out in defiance."

" False Reality Marble, Downfall of my Enemies."

My soul expanded beyond my body, and my divine spark dictated the will I imposed on the world. The world changed to a vast darkness with only a few dozen stars shining down, and at my feet was a mirror of obsidian that faintly reflected the starlight. The world further changed with my Magic; magma bubbled from the ground, the air turned into a burning acidic gas, and the clouds formed as lightning could be seen as thunder soon followed. The distortion of my inner world and reality continued to clash against each other as if the end of the world was being heralded.

I infused Dark Wrath with the clashing worlds, and the lightning turned pitch black, magma dyed into the inky darkness, and the air tinted with a subtle shade of night. Thirty seconds, that's all I have to end this fight before I run on empty. Gilgamesh suddenly had difficulty breathing as the air burned his throat, and the molten earth tried to swallow him. He quickly took out a gold and sapphire necklace and some new golden greaves that allowed him to breathe and stand on air, respectively.

30...

" An impressive display, to say the least, Silva Branwen. But this world you created shall end."

The King of Heroes said as he prepared to draw out Enuma Elish. Not if I can help it.

29...

I cloaked myself with Dark Wrath, then opened a portal at the Sword of Separation to prevent it from being wielded and charged at the King of Heroes. Snærkló was outclassed in any fight against him, so I only relied on my natural weapons, my claws, and my body. I swiped at him, and he casually leaped back before tossing some weapons from his Gate of Babylon at me, and I swatted them aside.

28...

I directed the black lightning against Gilgamesh, but he drew out a shield to block the force of nature fused with my Semblance. However, I was not done there as twisters started to form and suck up the magma to create dark fiery tornadoes that chased after the King of Heroes. He grinned as he drew out a pale blue sword that radiated pure coldness and slashed at the destructive forces that caused them to freeze and break down into icy dust.

27...

Gilgamesh then launched several dozen Noble Phantasms, but I opened a portal in front of me that sent the weapons raining down on the golden king. Or at least that is what should've happened, but instead, they were harmlessly sent back to his unending treasury before they made contact. He smirked at me as he called out his favored chains, Enkidu. He then sent it to me, and I moved at high speed to avoid being entangled by the Chains of Heaven as they reached out almost endlessly.

26... 25... 24...

I closed the distance after pulling the chains as far from him as I could by opening a portal directly behind him and striking him with my outstretched claws, but only to be met with one of his treasured swords instead of his armor or flesh. The King of Heroes grinned as he demanded with fervor.

" Entertain me more, Silva Branwen! For too long, I have had nothing but mongrels to relieve my boredom."

As he wished, I came at him with everything I got. My claws clashed against his golden sword as I did everything to take him down.

23... 22... 21... 20...

Calling down lightning on him, surging molten earth toward him, making the air burn his skin as I infuse more and more of Dark Wrath into it. I did everything I could to prevent him from pulling out the Sword of Rupture. I did not let my impatience to defeat him get the better of me despite my time running short.

19... 18... 17...

I unleashed a salvo of dark energy blasts at point-blank range at Gilgamesh and managed to singe his golden armor. He called out Enkidu again and directed the chain at me as he tried to pull out Enuma Elish again, but I wasn't having it as I conjured a portal at the Anti-World Noble Phantasm. The King of Heroes clicked his tongue in annoyance as he continued to direct his chains at me, and I fired dark beams at him as I evaded being pierced or captured by his weapon.

16... 15... 14... 13...

Gilgamesh's chain then wrapped around my arm as I was just a moment too slow, and from there, I got trapped. Suspended in mid-air, the King of Heroes came up to me and said.

" As much as I enjoyed this, I have a question that I desire an answer to, and you are needed."

" And that would be?"

I asked with some guesses as to what he wished to know.

" I am curious to see if a progeny between you and Lorelei would produce someone of worthy potential."

12... 11... 10...

" Yeah, not happening."

I drew in the pseudo-Reality Marble and concentrated it on a more focused area of effect centered around Gilgamesh and me. The effect was immediate as darkness, lightning, fire, acidic gas, and death were forced into a much smaller place and clouded my sight. I focused on maintaining this miniature apocalypse and condensing all the destructive forces on the King of Heroes. I then heard something I wish I didn't.

" WAKE UP, EA! ENUMA ELISH!"

Gilgamesh broke through what remained of my pseudo-Reality Marble, but I did give him a fair amount of damage. Parts of his armor had melted off, and several burns scared his divine body as he smirked at me and said.

" An impressive but futile effort, Silva Branwen."

He took out a bottle from his Gate of Babylon, then poured its contents on himself, which visibly and rapidly healed his wounds. There I was, almost completely drained, and I got ready for my last resort to try and end this in my favor when suddenly Gilgamesh's eyes widened with shock that turned into fury. He resisted as he drew out a black dagger from his treasure vault and then stabbed himself in the heart as he cursed with outrage.

" I WON'T FORGET THIS, LORELEI, YOU WORTHLESS MONGREL!"

I watched as the King of Heroes faded into gold particles, and I wondered out loud.

" What the heck!?"