FATE/LÚNASA FÓMHAR

"August Harvest"

Chapter 17: Infiltration, Confrontation

Way in the outskirts of Uma, two figures concealed themselves behind some craggy rocks. They watched as Parvati, Nursery Rhyme and the soldiers marched through a different entrance leading into the deep caverns.

"There they go," Beowulf murmured. "Now that the bulk of the army is gone, it should be easier for us to move around in the city."

Heroine X nodded, then asked, "So what's the plan? I know for a fact that the Fomorian idol is inside the palace, and I can sneak in very easily. The same can't be said for you – your whole 'burly bruiser' aesthetic is certain to alarm the locals."

"No problem. I've been to the tavern before and know some of the folks here. Your job would go a lot more smoothly if there was a distraction though, so that's exactly what I'm gonna do."

"A distraction at a tavern… Oh, I see. A bar fight."

"Yep. If I'm lucky, the short-tempered Archer should come to try and stop my antics. That'll be your chance to move."

"Got it. By the way, you think you could order some tandoori chicken for take-out? I've been having a serious craving for some lately."

"Didn't you just eat!?"

"My personal fuel tank is surprisingly greedy when it comes to consumption. I am beginning to believe that my stomach is host to a miniature black hole."

"No shit!"

"Ugh, fine. I'll just raid a food stand while waiting for your mission to be successful."

Beowulf rubbed his forehead. "You're hopeless…"

At the bridge leading to Uma, Ashwatthama stood there with his arms folded and watched as Parvati left with the soldiers. He felt uneasy about letting his queen march into battle when it should have been him instead, but orders were orders. If she trusted him to protect the city, then he was going to defend it with his life. He let out a deep huff, then said to Medusa, "I'm gonna go back to my usual patrol. What do you plan on doin'?"

The violet-haired lady calmly closed her eyes, as if she was in deep concentration. Ashwatthama never could tell what the woman was thinking, which irritated him to no end. Normally he would have gotten angry and confronted her in order to force her to talk, but Parvati demanded that they get along for the sake of Uma's safety. He tightened his lips and patiently waited for Medusa to respond.

"I will return to the palace," she finally replied. "I'm not exactly sure what it is, but I've been getting this distinct chill running down my spine."

"'Cause yer a Divine Spirit and can sense things that Heroic Spirits can't?"

"Perhaps. I do not like leaving such hunches unattended, so I will make sure the guardian deity is safe. I'm not the type to protect the citizens anyway - humans can rot in hell for all I care."

Ashwatthama grunted in consternation, but nevertheless understood her position. He said, "Well, whatever. So long as the city's in one piece by the time Lady Parvati comes back, then we can act separately. Leave the streets to me, sister."

"Very well," Medusa murmured, then flung one of her chains so it wrapped around a pole. She pulled herself high into the air and catapulted toward the castle.

Ashwatthama watched her leave, then scoffed to himself before returning to Uma.

In Zhou's town square, Connla took her time investigating the area. Since she was invisible, she could listen in to the people as they conversed with each other about life in the city. She could tell by the citizens' collective uneasiness that they weren't entirely happy with their living conditions. Everyone seemed to live in fear of each other, and there was a deep-rooted resentment for those who climbed up the proverbial hierarchy by snitching on others. In fact, there were rumors that innocent people had been executed, and that the more unsavory characters were enjoying the perks of such sacrifices due to Wu Zetian promoting them into higher social classes.

Alas, none of this was very helpful for Connla's mission. Since she was a complete stranger, she doubted she could rally these folks to her cause. At the same time though, she couldn't just outright attack the statue. Although it was tempting, the risk of her being overwhelmed by the Enforcers plus Wu's personal Servants was too high. She also wasn't the type to take hostages, nor would she resort to terrorism by leaving incendiary Runes behind. She needed to think of something that would cause the least amount of harm to the citizenry.

Ugh. It's times like these that I wish I was as bold as Lord Gilgamesh or Lord Lucius…

As Connla stood there contemplating her next move, that was when she saw Elizabeth and Jack emerge from a side street. She gasped lightly and scurried back to a safe hiding spot so she could watch them. She recognized Elizabeth from the dream she had of the alternate Fifth Singularity, yet was perplexed as to why someone as boastful as her would be one of Wu's Servants. She fetched a small Runestone from a back pocket in her swimsuit, then energized it. The stone buzzed to life, then stealthily slithered along the ground until it was within range of the girls. Connla activated a listening Rune that she connected to the Runestone so she could pick up the conversation.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked.

Elizabeth sounded sullen as she moaned, "Well… it happened to Uncle Vlad too."

"What do you mean?"

"I guess I didn't want to mention this, but five years ago, I used to be part of the Romanian nation; the Dracul Faction. Uncle Vlad was the leader, and both myself and Carmilla were his most trusted agents. We really were at the top at one time, and I thought those days would last forever. But then we…"

Connla nodded in understanding as she heard the Lancer's story. Soon, Elizabeth let out a mortified cry, then sheepishly placated the bystanders before dragging Jack with her into an alley. Connla hurried after them to see what the problem was. She heard them talking about the ridiculous notion of destroying the statue. Once Elizabeth stepped away to take a break, that was when she decided to intervene.

"Jack! Jack!" she hissed from the corner.

"Eh?" the confused Assassin looked around.

"Over here!"

"Where?"

Connla finally dropped her Identity Concealment so Jack could see her, then called out, "Behind you!"

"Ah… AH!? Connla!?"

The Saber barely had a chance to beckon her over when she was immediately thrown to the ground in a fierce bear hug! Jack's eyes welled with tears as she sobbed, "Oh, Connla! I thought we'd never get to see each other again! I'm so glad you're here!"

"I know, I know. Sorry for being so late."

"What happened to you after we split up!? I wanna know all about it!"

"Oh believe me, a lot happened. I'm afraid I don't have the time to explain every last thing though. Listen, I need to talk to you about Zhou's Fomorian idol."

"Fomorian… idol?"

Connla scratched her head. "Aw, shoot. You don't know, do you? Look, the long and short of it is that I'm here to destroy that thing everyone calls a 'guardian deity'."

"You are!? Why!?"

"That thing's bad news all around. Remember the story I told you about Lugh, the Tuatha De Danann and the Fomorians? Well that statue – or rather, all of the statues inside Aspidochelone – are the work of a Fomorian god."

"Fomorian… Wait, those were the bad gods who did nothing but cause trouble, right? And the Tuatha gods were the good ones who stopped them, weren't they?"

"Exactly," Connla nodded. "I don't know what their real purpose is, but the whole thing about them serving to sustain these factions with their blessings is nothing more than a front. Whoever our culprit is, they actually want these sacrifices to continue."

Jack became angry. "That's horrible! Mommy would never allow such a villain to get away with this!"

"Yeah. One has already been destroyed, so we need to get rid of the three that have Roma, Uma and Zhou wrapped around their fingers. I'm just having a lot of trouble figuring out how to attack this one when it's so heavily guarded."

"B-But if I do anything to make Wu mad, she won't give me the antidote…"

"Don't worry. If push comes to shove, I'll force her to give it up."

Just then, they heard Elizabeth's screeching voice as she shouted, "YOU WILL!?"

The girls jolted in total shock, then saw the dragon-tailed Lancer prance toward them as she continued yelling, "You'll beat Wu up and get the antidote for me!?"

Connla uttered, "Uh, well-"

"That's awesome! I didn't think anyone had any guts to stand up to that pint-sized witch anymore!"

"Ack, keep it down, will you!?"

"Why should I!? This is a time for celebration! Soon, I'll finally be able to hold my live concert and show Nero who is the boss of the stage!"

"Ooh, shut up already!"

Elizabeth didn't seem to notice Connla's frustration as she crooned, "This is fantastic! I'll be the main vocals, and Jack can play guitar! Since you're dressed as a dancer, I'll assign you as my backup choreography…"

She paused for a long moment as she realized something extremely important.

"Wait, who the hell are YOU!?"

Just then, the trio heard footsteps rushing toward them. It wasn't even 20 seconds before they were surrounded by armed Kuli from all sides. Connla and Jack sighed in unison, and the former grumbled, "I would be disappointed, but first I'd have to be surprised."

"Hey, what did I do!?" Elizabeth yelled at the guards. "Put those god-awful maces down already! I've been on my best behavior! Can't I treat myself to some vocal practice for a change!?"

"By order of the Empress Regnant, any and all trespassers, felons, delinquents, litterers, incessant noise makers, and all other disturbers of the peace thereof are to be sentenced to hard time in the interrogation room," one of the soulless women declared. "Come with us quietly and you may be able to lessen your punishment."

"Give me a break! O-Oh, I know! I was actually capturing this unknown Servant for you! See, haven't I been a good girl!? I did the heavy lifting for you!"

Connla wryly glared at Elizabeth and muttered, "Way to throw others under the bus."

The guard coldly retorted, "Liars will be subject to 100 straight hours of community service."

The furious Lancer screeched, "You're kidding, right!? If there's one thing I'm bad at doing, it's serving the pigs who should be herding en masse to my concerts instead! My voice, beauty and charisma are both to enchant them and to show the world that I am Number One! If anyone tries to suppress my bursting radiance, I'll show them how much of a mistake it is! Since Wu refuses to understand my natural appeal, then I'll just have to get a little rebellious! Come on, Jackie and Little Unknown Puppy! Let's show these tasteless harlots what it means to get in the way of a dreaming girl's path to stardom!"

Jack she teetered on her feet and groaned, "Uuuh, I feel dizzy…"

"Look sharp! Here they come!" Connla shouted as she brandished her twin daggers and parried a Kuli's downward swing of her mace. She swiftly stepped to the side and cut through the woman's stomach, then leapt backwards over another lady as she tried to stab her through the back with a long sword. She retaliated by ramming her own dagger through her opponent's neck.

Jack regained her senses and flipped away from a pair of Enforcers as they jumped over her. They held opposite ends of a large hacksaw and dropped it over her like a crude guillotine, smashing into the spot where she previously was. They suddenly collapsed after being killed with several black throwing knives that pierced their vitals. Right after Jack threw her blades, she vaulted off a wall and dove straight for an oncoming guard. She pointed her short sword at a gap in the woman's helmet, and it slipped through the socket to pierce her cranium.

"Can't dodge this!" Elizabeth taunted as she summoned her weapon – a spear/microphone combination called Sarkany Csont Landsza – and twirled it in her hands before bashing it against a Kuli's shoulder to knock her away. Another woman tried to get in from behind, but Elizabeth cheerfully winked and twirled on her toes so that her dragon tail whipped through the air. The guard was sent flying with such force that she crashed into her comrades, causing them to fall on each other in a pitiful heap. The Lancer chuckled in delight, finally able to release her pent-up frustration, as she leapt over them and energized her spear with a pink aura before slamming it upon the fallen Kuli, crushing most of them to death. She landed on the opposite side and used the colorful explosion as a backdrop for her overdramatic pose.

"Call for backup!" one guard commanded her ally, and the second woman ran off to inform her fellow Kuli. Connla didn't want that to happen, so she hopped on a high-rise platform Rune and shot for the fleeing guard's back while thrusting her daggers forth. She slammed into her and sent them careening along the dirt ground out into the open. People who were passing by cried out in astonishment and immediately fled the area. Connla flipped back onto her feet and glanced around, noting how conveniently emptied out the square had become.

Well, now. It might have been tough by myself before, but now with Jack and Elizabeth causing a commotion, this is my best chance!

She grunted and charged straight for the unguarded Fomorian idol. She was about to raise her arm and call upon Lugh's Halo once more, but wasn't able to conjure it before a series of long thin purple needles rained upon her from atop one of the nearby buildings. Her arm was lacerated, and she had to flip back to avoid being skewered to death.

"Oh ho ho ho!" the Saber heard the familiar haughty laugh from high above. She glanced up and discovered Wu Zetian standing atop a pagoda that served as an apartment complex. The empress likewise returned the gaze with her usual arrogant smile.

"Lady Wu…" Connla murmured.

"Why, if it isn't one of the little girls we sent on our important errand to Uma! We have to congratulate you on a job well done, as well as escaping your fate as Parvati's prisoner! We do not understand why you harbor such hostility though. Should you not feel honored to be of service to one as grand and refined as ourselves?"

"I fail to understand your logic, but that's not important right now! Please listen to me, Empress Wu Zetian! You absolutely need to destroy that statue! If you don't, then-!"

"What!?" Wu shouted in abject horror. "You dare give us an order!? Furthermore, you tell us to ruin the foundation of our glorious kingdom on a whim!? You have genuinely lost your mind, little one!"

"No, I haven't! I am completely and totally sane! More than that though, I am 100% serious about this! That so-called guardian deity is hiding a deadly secret that could destroy your faction! I'm here to make sure that doesn't happen!"

"Oh? Are you saying you seek to protect Zhou from this 'deadly secret'?"

"Not just Zhou, but Roma and Uma too!"

"Goodness, your insanity certainly knows no bounds, does it? First you suggest doing something blasphemous, and then declare that you are fighting for Zhou's enemies as well."

"Yeah, because I know the truth!" Connla retorted.

"Hmph!" Wu scoffed, then jumped from her perch and fell until she landed squarely atop the statue's head. She squatted while staring intently at the Saber, then said, "Whatever your 'truth' may be, it is inconsequential to us. You seek to threaten our reign, and so we have no choice but to render the worst punishment imaginable for you."

Connla didn't seem to care about Wu's threat. Her skin paled in horror, and she cried out, "Get down from there this instant!"

"Grrr! You still seek to confuse us with your nonsense!? What an irritating child you are!"

The empress leapt off the statue and plummeted over the child Servant. She produced a bottle containing lethal poison and opened the top before throwing it all over where Connla stood. She cried out in shock and tumbled away moments before the liquid splashed on the ground. She was caught by surprise when Wu landed next to her and stomped her high heels upon her back. Wu then conjured another bottle of poison and popped the lid off, intent on pouring the corrosive substance all over her opponent.

"CONNLA!" they heard Jack scream aloud. Before they knew it, Wu was knocked away from Connla, and she skidded backwards on her feet. Jack landed after delivering her roundhouse kick, then grabbed her friend's hand and helped her up while yelping, "Are you okay!?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

They looked over and saw that Wu had recovered. She was especially furious now that she had two Servants challenging her. She summoned her wand into her hand and whipped it about as she shouted, "You too, Jack the Ripper!? How could you oppose us knowing the situation you are in!?"

Jack retorted, "How stupid can you be!? You can't force people to be loyal to you through poison and dirty tricks like that!"

"It is our privilege to utilize any and all methods to achieve our desired greatness! Not that a nameless street rat like you would ever understand!"

The Assassin became incredibly irate when she heard that insult. Her eyes widened with ferocity as she howled, "That's it! I'm gonna dismember you until you're unrecognizable!"

Before she could charge in though, Connla raised her arm to block passage, and urged, "Calm down. She's just trying to provoke you."

"But-!"

"If you kill her, we'll never find out where the antidote is."

"Ungh…"

"Ah hah hah hah! Now that's more like it!" Wu laughed. "Our death is meaningless unless you know where our most precious treasure is! With that insurance policy, we can bend anyone to our will! Of course, that doesn't mean we will allow any of you to live to become our Servants! Now that you have committed an act of terrorism against our guardian deity, meting the most cruel and unusual punishment upon Zhou's enemies is the only way our anger shall be appeased!"

As the empress spoke, more and more Kuli surrounded them in an encircling formation. Connla and Jack grimaced when they realized just how outnumbered they were. They heard Elizabeth approach them from behind, heavily panting as she gasped, "Geez, this is ridiculous! Just how many of these bimbos did she mass produce!?"

"What do you mean?" Connla wondered.

"Isn't it obvious that these things aren't human!? I don't know how she does it, but she uses her power to create her Enforcers! Even if we kill one, she can just replace it with but a mere thought!"

"I see. I thought something was off with the vast number of guards placed throughout such a small city. Lady Wu couldn't have possibly recruited that many women throughout the citizenry, after all."

Wu became incredibly appalled, and she shouted, "Small!? You dare call our nation small!? What unbridled insolence! For that, we shall give you our most special punishment, reserved for those who do not know how to watch their mouth within our presence!"

She snapped her fingers and cried out, "Come to our side this instant, Li Shuwen!"

A moment later, the group noticed a red-haired man deftly leaping across rooftops and terraces until he landed several feet away from Wu. He stood tall, shouldered his qiang-type spear, and smirked while asking, "You called?"

"Indeed! We bring you the most spectacular challenge you could ever ask for!" she replied and pointed her wand at Connla. "Teach that little upstart a lesson or two about respecting authority figures!"

"A lesson, huh? As an instructor, that sounds like right up my alley."

Connla frowned hard. Just as she remembered Elizabeth from her dream of the alternate Fifth Singularity, she likewise couldn't forget about the Chinese martial artist who challenged her counterparts Ituha and Fia-Leanbh to a two-on-one duel. She also couldn't ignore the correlation between Li and her own mentor Scathach – both were battle-crazed teachers who loved pushing their students to the edge and beyond. With such insurmountable odds being stacked against the three female Servants, Connla needed to even the playing field somehow.

Guess there's no choice, she thought, then raised her arm once again and cast an Ansuz Rune. Instead of launcing it at the surrounding enemies though, she fired it directly above and commanded it to explode when it reached the apex of its flight.

"What in the world are you doing?" Wu wondered.

Li narrowed his eyes, then smiled and asked Connla, "Ah, I see. So you came prepared, didn't you?"

"…"

"You may be youthful in appearance, but your eyes shine with years of experience. That spell you just used was actually a signal, wasn't it?"

The empress demanded, "What are you going on about?"

Her bodyguard turned to face a completely different direction, then said, "Sorry if I'm breaking orders, but my skills will be put to better use if I keep the child's backup preoccupied."

"Backup? What do you-?"

Just then, she noticed a peculiar flash of light twinkle from the distant clifftops. Gritting his teeth, Li Shuwen leapt high and swept his spear in a wide arc.

"HAH!" he shouted.

His weapon unexpectedly made contact with steel. He glared into the eyes of a new opponent for a moment, then forced him off and dropped back to the ground. As the second man likewise plummeted, he let out a bellowing, mirthful laugh.

"BWA HA HA HA HA HA!"

"W-What in tarnation!?" Wu snarled.

A familiar red-haired man clad in armor and a black coat draped over his shoulders landed in front of the three girls. He tapped his sword against his shoulder, arrogantly glaring at the empress and bodyguard while asking one simple question:

"Did someone call for a conqueror?"

Ashwatthama let out the biggest yawn of his life. He rubbed his bleary eyes and muttered to himself, "Aw shit. What the hell is wrong with me?"

Simply put, his boredom was getting worse and worse the longer he walked around Uma. Sure, he had an important job to do, but it certainly wasn't very exciting for a battle-hardened man such as himself. He was tempted numerous times to get some sleep on any one of the benches he passed by in the park, especially since his head felt heavy and his eyes refused to stay open. It didn't help that he had been working nonstop ever since Parvati summoned him to be her royal guard. Even so, Ashwatthama was afraid of slacking off on his patrol during this precarious time when most of the men were gone to war. He knew that his presence alone would ease the civilians' minds, but it wasn't very exciting nonetheless.

He felt kind of bad for wanting a commotion to happen just so he could stay awake. He needed to do something to shake off this sleepiness so he could focus better. As he headed for the commercial district, he grumbled under his breath, "Maybe I should get something to eat."

The Archer looked around to see which establishment he should enter. He spotted a bustling Indian tavern and read through the menu posted outside while thinking, Maybe I should try this place. I hear their tandoori chicken is to die for.

KEE-RAAAASH!

Ashwatthama suddenly snapped out of his lethargy when he heard the sharp sound of glass exploding into tiny fragments and raining all over the sidewalk directly in front of him. A somewhat obese man had been thrown through the window, and he helplessly tumbled along the ground. A thinner man frantically scrambled out of the bar as if he was afraid for his life. For a moment, Ashwatthama had no idea what was going on. He soon got his answer when a dark-skinned, blonde-haired fellow with numerous scars all over his body stomped outside with purpose in his steps and a delightful grin plastered on his face.

"Heh heh heh," Beowulf chuckled and audibly cracked his knuckles. "I'm usually a generous guy, but I make execptions when it comes to pickpockets."

"The hell's wrong with you, buddy!?" the obese man retorted. "All I did was bump into you!"

"Oh yeah? Then what was my wallet doing inside your pocket?"

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Man, this is the problem with countries that allow anyone and everyone to pass through its gates. You wind up inviting unsavory pigs who want to take advantage of such altruism."

"Pig, huh? Why don't you try looking in a mirror?"

"Is that supposed to be an insult or a tired cliché?"

The obese man scowled and wiped the blood trickling down his lip. He then shot to his feet and pulled out a knife, pointing it at the bemused Beowulf in a threatening stance. He swung the blade at him several times but missed. When he found an opening, the Berserker delivered a high kick to the man's face, knocking him back to the ground. He retrieved his knife and tried to rush him, but Beowulf instantly punched him so hard that he flew several meters away and passed out.

"H-Hey man, no trouble! It's cool, all right!?" the scrawny fellow raised his hands in surrender and backed away.

"Is that right? Then pay for my meal and we'll call it even."

"But we don't have any money on us!"

"Precisely why your partner-in-crime tried to filch me while you provided the distraction with your racist insults."

"I-I didn't-!"

Beowulf curled his hand into a fist and sneered, "This is what happens when you call a born Swede a danskjävel." †

"Heek!?"

Suddenly, Ashwatthama got in between the arguing pair and summoned his giant chakram, using it as a shield to block Beowulf's air-rippling punch. The Archer grinned and remarked, "Nice punch."

"I can say the same for your weapon," the Berserker said, then stepped back. "Huge, flashy, and larger than life. Just like its owner."

"The hell is THAT supposed to mean!?"

"Yeesh, can't take a compliment, can you?"

"Just who do you think you are, waltzing into the city and acting like you own the damn place!? I ought to pound some manners into that thick skull of yours!"

"Hah! Give it your best shot, Red! We'll see who the bigger man is here!" Beowulf taunted, summoning his swords Hrunting and Naegling into his hands.

With that, the two Servants rushed at each other with reckless abandon. Anyone who was in the immediate vicinity instantly fled to avoid getting caught in the inevitable crossfire.

Heroine X watched the violent exchange from her perching spot atop an unoccupied balcony. She munched on some chicken skewers she stole and waited to make sure that Beowulf was successful in keeping Ashwatthama occupied. Once the men initiated their brawl in earnest, she turned away and leapt toward the palace. It didn't take long for her to hop across the rooftops and climb along the elegant castle's walls like a spider until she found the window leading to the altar room. She hauled herself through and flipped around, dropping to the floor without her sneakers making a sound when they made contact with the ground.

X kneeled there for a moment. The Fomorian idol was just meters away. She could just charge in and wreck it as she pleased. However, she wasn't going to act hastily. Even though there didn't appear to be anything out of the ordinary, she sensed that something was very wrong. It was as if the very air had chilled itself several degrees.

She's here. If I know anything about how she operates, then…

Without warning, X slashed her sword through the air in a wide arc. At first it didn't look like she had struck anything. Soon though, invisible threads shimmered into existence, revealing the presence of numerous chains that were interwoven throughout the chamber. If she had touched any one of them, it would have alerted the person who laid this trap to her location, giving them a chance to ambush her. Luckily, she wasn't stupid enough to fall for such a trick. The chains retracted and were sucked back into the darkness.

"Hm hm hm…" a woman's voice chuckled softly. Soon, Medusa stepped out of the shadows dragging her sliced chain along the marble floor. "Well, well, well. Look what crawled out of the woodwork."

"So you finally appear, Rider," X said, brandishing Secret-Calibur and pointing it at her foe.

"Oh my. You were expecting me? I suppose using cheese on a mouse trap has become much too obvious these days. If my understanding is correct, you are that Rogue Servant who hunts Sabers down, no? Why are you loitering in the palace?"

"Simple. I have declared all of the factions' guardian deities to be the same as Sabers. Thus, I have made it my sworn duty to cut down the cancers of this world and bring peace to the galaxy!"

Medusa's lips tightened into a bitter frown. She raised her dagger and glowered, "You know I can't let you do that."

"As if I need your permission! All of you are hopelessly clueless about the true nature of these statues! Once I destroy it, the truth will shine as bright as the light of my sword!"

"Enough with your idiotic blathering. It's time you died already."

With that, Medusa leapt for X and flailed her daggers about in a frenzy. The swordswoman parried each strike with frightening precision, then ducked low and kicked straight up at her enemy's stomach. Medusa twisted her lithe body to avoid the blow and simultaneously attempted to strangle X with her chain. X grabbed it in time and chucked it aside, then slashed the air twice to generate a cross-shaped shockwave that shot for Medusa. She flipped aside, but soon realized that it was a mistake because the energy slices headed right for the Fomorian idol.

SMASH!

X gasped in anticipation, believing she struck it. When the smoke cleared however, there was a lightly shimmering green barrier surrounding the effigy. She scowled, "Tch. Not enough, huh?"

Medusa chuckled and asked, "Did you think the guardian deities would just leave themselves unguarded like that? Not only do we Servants protect them, they also have the ability to defend themselves from potential harm."

"Is that so? I won't let that discourage me though! After I emulate Perseus' feat, I can take my sweet time bringing that lump of evil curses to ruin!"

The Rider tried not to show it, but hearing the name of the hero who killed her greatly irritated her. Without another word, she disappeared from X's vision for a brief second. She felt a peculiar gust of wind rush past her feet, and she twirled on her heel to clumsily parry the incoming dagger. Since X lost her balance, she struggled to keep up with each of Medusa's powerful blows. Sparks rained around the two warriors, illuminating the dark altar room with momentary flashes of light. Medusa maintained a tight offensive, determined to not let her opponent regain her momentum.

Suddenly, X felt cold steel wrap around her throat. She had no idea how it happened, but the chain snagged her before she even noticed it was there. She was forced to drop Secret-Calibur and wring her hands beneath the chain before it could tighten over her neck like a noose. She needed to use all of her strength to resist the taut forces, which didn't help when Medusa kept pulling harder and harder. The violet-haired lady's smile was sinister and wrought with malicious intention.

X clenched her teeth and thought, Gh… N-Not like this!

Crack!

"Hm?" Medusa suddenly appeared vexed by a strange sound echoing in the chamber. She and X glanced over at the statue. For some reason, cracks formed in the stone, and the surface beneath glowed an ominous crimson color. The Rider's jaw dropped as she blurted, "What in the world?"

While Medusa was distracted, X retrieved her sword and cut through the chain to free herself. However, X didn't capitalize on this bizarre turn of events to strike down her enemy. She instead stared at the statue and wondered, "Did I actually get it?"

"That can't be. Its barrier should be impenetrable."

"Then why is it falling apart so easily? Is it just really old?"

"Cease your nonsense. The deities are supposed to be eternal. Why would ours suddenly destroy itself like this?"

"You tell me! You're supposed to be its protector, aren't you!?"

Medusa couldn't give X any sort of answer. They watched in astonishment as the idol shattered into countless pieces. What happened afterward was truly horrifying; a malevolent black ooze poured out of the broken statue and spread itself throughout the entire altar room. Their hearts raced when they sensed a tremendously evil force loom over them like dark storm clouds. Soon, a humanoid hand clawed its way through the tar-like substance, followed by a person clad completely in black armor. A second figure likewise crawled out of the abyss, proceeded by a third and a fourth.

"This can't be!" Medusa yelped.

X asked, "What's the matter?"

"Those are the Servants of the British kingdom that we defeated before!"

"You mean from the Albion Faction that perished several years ago?" ††

"Indeed. The last Servants had been sacrificed to prevent them from regrouping, but…"

The silhouetted figures gradually hunched to their feet and glared at the pair with reddened eyes. The first figure's face was covered beneath a full helmet, so the entire slit around his eyes shone like a thin line. His entire body shivered, and his armor eerily creaked along with it. He turned his attention toward X, then let out an inhuman roar as he screamed a singular name:

"ARRRTHUUUUU~UUUUURRRR!"

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

† - Swedish for 'son of a bitch' or 'motherfucker'

†† - Alternative, antiquated name for the island of Great Britain.