A Homunculus' Conviction
Fuyuki, Japan,
Fuyuki Church,
From even such a holy place, one could distinctly make out the destruction that ran rampant across the city of Fuyuki.
On one side, several districts razed to the ground earlier were now enveloped by scarlet flames that burnt brilliantly even in the rain, massive craters littered the landscape alongside them creating a sort of hellish scene.
On another, the high end newly built Shinto District previously dotted with architectural marvels that served as symbols of man's progress lay decrepit and hollow. Some had fallen over, others were on the verge of doing so and any affiliated with the supernatural world could easily notice the sizable conflict now occurring there.
"The scale of this... It might rival that of the second war."
".....In terms of collateral damages, I agree... Strangely enough, not much civilian life's been lost."
Two men, dressed in dark priestly garbs, walked in tandem, their hands behind their backs and their cold, unfeeling gazes surveying all around them... The heretics responsible for this hadn't even respected the sanctity of the Church... Blood had been spilled inside.. A grave offence towards the Holy Church.
Still, the squads of exorcists and executioners placed here would normally question why they'd be put up against servants, they didn't though, having great faith in the decisions of those closer to God than themselves.
With Kirei Kotomine, a man well known as a prodigy as their temporary commanding officer, they'd defend this place by any means necessary. The hunting of heretics was left to those tasked with it.
Still, it seemed that in the end, the men and women stationed here wouldn't serve much purpose.
"What do you th-.....!!"
Before he could finish his words, a priest found himself detached from his lower half, blood spraying onto his shocked companion, dyeing his fair skin a bloody red.
"You came here aware of what it could cost, for that, I commend you! Prepare yourselves, you who would surrender yourselves to your God. The War God of Echigo, is here!"
The white haired Lancer proclaimed her arrival with a massive grin, impaling the priest next to her through the chest, smearing blood across her face in the process, a fervent look in her eyes.
"Attack, enemy attac-....!!"
Someone, noticing her arrival, shouted to alarm his or her companions only for their voice to be drowned out by a massive tornado of fire sweeping across the Church's courtyard, instantly reducing any there to nothing ash."You'll have to do far better I'm afraid!"
Nagao Kagetora, wasn't quite one to attack all out like this, much preferring to draw out battles so that they may be enjoyed further BUT, she had a job to do.
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Kirei Kotomine, stood at the front of the Church, a book, most likely the Bible, in his hands. The screaming, shouting and clanging of metal coming from outside went completely ignored by the priest as he calmly read on and on...
Up until the sounds came to an abrupt halt, replaced by low footsteps instead.
"It's over I see..." Kirei remarked, raising his gaze to the main doors... He hadn't really expected the people sent his way to amount to much and they'd just proved it, getting killed off by the assailant despite outnumbering her 8 to 1..
....He didn't blame them though.
"Hello there."
Kirei's eyes shot to his side, mildly alarmed by the sudden appearance of a... servant?..... The priest couldn't help but admit her gaze was unsettling, perhaps because of the blood dyeing her long white hair red or perhaps because of the endless spiral of her eyes, if not that then her crooked smile.
"What do you require?" Kirei smiled, closing his eyes and calmly placing his book on a pew.... Did he stand a real chance here? A chance of getting out alive?
Probably not.
That too didn't bother him much though..
"Are you the one who ordered the Golden King to my Master's abode?" Kagetora asked calmly, wiping blood off her massive katana with her own clothing....., "It doesn't really matter if you are or aren't though.." Her orders were to eradicate everyone here.
"Is everyone dead?" Kirei ignored her question.
"Some got burnt, others evaporated and some torn to shreds. Your point?"
"No point really, did they despair in their final moments?"
".....Nah, they looked like they had hope in something. Probably God."
"....A shame."
Kirei lowered his gaze, reaching inside his own garbs, "Though, I'm afraid that's all the time I have..." In a swift and very fluid movement, the priest raised his leg, smashing it down on Kagetora while stabbing her in the gut with multiple black keys.... or at least he tried to.
"I feel like my Master has a point." Kagetora remarked, completely ignoring the attacks and grabbing her target by the throat, raising him into the air with a strange smile on her face, "Do you think this would please the man? A rather strange one isn't he? I'm of the belief he wanted to be cordial with you."
"....?" Kirei was confused.
"Did you think he, wouldn't see this coming? Why do you think you survived all this time, hmm?" Kagetora slowly but surely strengthened her grip, her smile widening to unnatural proportions, "Not that it really matters anymore."
Just as Kirei started losing his consciousness however, a mad grin etched itself across his face, "Whatever he saw coming, he didn't see this!" The priest shrugged his arm violently, revealing numerous command seals all over his arm, "By all my command seals, I order you, Archer! Display your full might, King of Heroes!"
In an instant, the command seals on Kirei's arm glowed and faded away.
"....?!" Kagetora's eyes widened and she quickly snapped the man's neck, alas, it was a little bit too late now.
... Again, she hadn't learnt from her mistakes, lowering her guard in situations she thought herself unbeatable.
"No, no, shit...." Kagetora, thanks to her Master, Roman, was well aware of just how powerful Gilgamesh was....
Who the hell was going to stop him when he was reinforced by so many command seals when just one was enough to replenish the prana they had?!
There were dozens of command seals there!
Dissipating into her spiritual form, the War God of Echigo rushed for her Master's mansion.
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"Wait, excuse me, what the hell?"
Tamamo no Mae exclaimed, her ears rising in alarm, just what hell was going on? She'd been holding off Gilgamesh well enough on her own but wha, her barrier had just been torn to shreds by a storm of noble phantasms.
"Hu...HahahaHAHAHAHA!! Rejoice, mongrel! You get to face me at my fullest!"
The King of Heroes grinned jovially, floating in the air with his arms folded, golden armour covering his figure as waves of magical energy rolled off his figure, "That priest, he managed to entertain me even with his death." He slightly praised, knowing full well that Kirei had just died.
"Listen, homunculus wom- Thea! You need to take the girl and run." Tamamo addressed one of her current companions, an unusually serious expression was on the face of the usually relaxed fox eared woman, "We've no choice here... Otherwise, we all die." She spoke in a low voice...
The battle had been going well until a few moments ago! She'd been holding him off well enough thanks to her new combat prowess but then this happened! Had he been playing around the whole time before? Tamamo no Mae found herself at a loss for what to do.
How did he even have that much Magical Energy in the first place? No Master should be able to provide for this much!
Thea, hid Sakura behind her, ignoring the Edelfelt girl that seemed to be looking at the servant in defiance, "I..... think you should be the one to do that." She admitted with a small sigh, showing emotions unusual for her.
"...Why?" Tamamo no Mae didn't quite understand the logic behind that.
"You must know too, right?" Thea's gaze was a bit downcast, perhaps due to the fact that she was all of a sudden thrown into a situation where she and the girl her Master had adopted would die if nothing was done or perhaps due to the suddenness of it all, "It has been almost a decade since I've entered the service of my Master."
"....." Tamamo could vaguely grasp what the homunculus was hinting at, she was nearing the end of he-
"I've not much longer to do so anymore..." The stoic homunculus cracked a rare smile, "Even my daily duties can now be performed by someone else...." Thea stared at Tamamo accusingly, this went mostly unnoticed by the latter though with her being busy with maintaining her new barrier.
"So..."
These were thoughts Thea had never really had time to express nor did she want to... They were rather irrelevant after all.
"For what might be the last opportunity I might have, would you....." The homunculus lowered her head to a person she detested, for Roman, "Please, let me be of use to my Mas-... Roman?"
"Firstly, how do you even intend to do that? Do you think a homunculus nearing the end of it's life stands even a chance against.. that?" Tamamo no Mae gestured towards the laughing Gilgamesh, a calm expression on her face.
"My Master told me that he has sadistic tendencies.... He will surely take his time killing me.... Enough of time for you to get away....." Thea spoke with both hands on her stomach, a strange look in her eyes, "Don't you dare disappoint Roman after this....."
"...And do you think he'd agree with this?"
Both Tamamo and Thea looked down in mild surprise, taken aback by the words of Sakura... The purple haired child didn't speak much....
"My Master cares for very little.... and in the end.." Thea's gaze turned downcast, "I am but a homunculus." She admitted with a self deprecating smile, perhaps that was just the way Magicians were.
"But he can easily ext-"
"That's enough, young mistress. Don't give me false hope... please."
"... Alright that's it." Tamamo no Mae folded her sleeves, her eyes resolute and fully convicted.
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