Spriggan continued to infiltrate Castlevania, porting his AK-9. Even if he would be forced to engage, he had a silenced weapon that would not give away his position so easily.
"So far, so good." He whispered. "Haven't been spotted, but I better be careful on where I step on."
Fate paced the hall, still holding Bardiche and clad in her dripping-wet barrier jacket. The wait was unbearable, so she kept her mind running... though her mind quickly turned to questions regarding Pyrrhus' condition. What were those wounds? She was certain that he didn't get wounded when she shielded him from the impact into the building. What if..... What if one of those creatures from Castlevania managed to wound him with some kind of poison? She had to get in there! But... what could she do? She wasn't a healer like Shamal - she had no major healing spells, just Recovery, which admittedly didn't do much for biological wounds.
It was then that the Engineer approached her with his question. She blinked for a moment, letting his words sink in. What was she doing here? A doctor told her to wait there. But...... I should be by his side...
Fate nodded meekly, before hurrying through the emergency room's double doors, ignoring the surprised looks on the medical staff's faces as she ran past.
'Bakuya' pinged off Subaru's shield and hurtled back towards 'Shirou'. Meanwhile, 'Kanshou' was indeed successfully blocked; 'Shirou' barely managed to dodge the second strike, its blade only managing to whiff his back. He grit his teeth, raising his hand to grab 'Bakuya' as it passed him -
- and missed. The second blade continued to spin in midair, arcing around again to return to its master. 'Shirou' was undeterred; he continued his assault on Shirou, this time ducking and performing a low sweep on the trace user's legs. If successful, he would then attempt to plunge 'Kanshou' into Shirou's chest; if not, he would roll away while on the ground and leap back to attempt to grab 'Bakuya' again...
Having once again sacrificed balance for his spin, Shirou was unable to avoid the doppelganger's leg-sweep. Shirou grunted in frustration as he was knocked off his feet, though he attempted to bring his foot up to catch his double in the chin as he fell.
As he landed on his back, Shirou reinforced his spine to prevent any serous injuries, though he'd still have a nasty bruise. Whether or not his kick had not stopped the attacker, Shirou would roll to the side, attempting to spring to his feet once more, taking him out of the spinning Bakuya's path.
edited 2nd Nov '10 10:52:04 PM by DoctorThunder
Subaru dropped her shield and sped after 'Bakuya'. She loaded a cartridge and raised her fist.
She saw 'Shirou' sweep Shirou's legs out from under him. With a yell, she increased her speed and charged at the doppleganger, aiming punch it off her beloved with a Knuckle Duster.
edited 2nd Nov '10 10:54:46 PM by Gaunt88
"What are you doing now, runt of Aiakides? WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW?"
It took Pyrrhus long enough to realize he could pick up a spear from the ground that had not yet vanished into the collapsing reality to fight back. Maybe it was the sign that his mental capacity was decreasing.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
Was that Kassandros' battle cry, or was that just the echo of the girl's death cry? Sounded all the same to him now.
There was a blunt crash as Pyrrhus barely parried Kassandros' kopis slash. His shoulders hurt, as did his head.
Loneliness. He had never actually given it much thought ever since he called Epirus his. He was not much less a backstabbing bastard as Kassandros once was. When a man was abandoned by his own wife and resented by his own children by that, where would the respite be? War, yes. War and more war. The path to glory would be paved by the corpses of those too weak to hold it... and too weak to stand loneliness... so he had always thought.
Barely could Pyrrhus withdraw his spear horizontally to block a vertical downward swipe.
It was only when a king's death draw close that he should feel the loneliness he had undergone. Would it be this moment?
It would be ironic if his death this day would mirror that of the girl in the background - alone and helpless.
"I wish... I wish my children are here with me..."
Those words might as well be his last. For some reason, those around him in real life might have had a chance to hear it...
Support Taleworlds!
"Wonder where Draki boy's deploying his gooks? So far I haven't seen anyone."
Spriggan continued his journey down the hallway, on the lookout for his allies and for anyone and anything hostile.
He had his right index finger on the AK-9's trigger guard.
Fate burst into the room Pyrrhus was in, seeing the general being washed over by the soft red light of the Engineer's dispenser. A doctor approached her, attempting to usher her out. "I'm sorry, but you shouldn't be - "
"Yes, I should," Fate replied sharply, making the doctor step back once. He had a concerned look on his face, but he simply decided to allow Fate to stay, seeing that she could not be deterred. He left, closing the door behind him and leaving Fate alone with Pyrrhus.
The young mage headed over to the Grecian general's side, finally dispelling her barrier jacket and returning to her dry civilian clothes - though her blonde hair was still soaked. She heard him murmuring something, and his words only served to make her feel all the more guilty for what she had to say. "......I'm not sure if you can hear me, Pyrrhus... but if you can, please hear me out."
She sat down on the nearby chair and turned it to face the unconscious general. ".........In the short time that they've been here, I've seen how your men follow you to battle. Their unwavering loyalty...... their resolve in the face of things they probably haven't seen or fought before. They rely on you to lead them, Pyrrhus...... and that's where you should be. Not...... Not sticking to me like glue. You were putting yourself at too much risk trying to help me...... but I can take care of myself, Pyrrhus. I have my responsibilities...... and you have yours. And we can't fulfill those responsibilities if we're both trying to look out for each other too much."
Fate took the general's left hand and squeezed it tightly. "I'm sorry... I know we said we're a family here...... but I can't be your daughter if you keep doing this. I can be myself, however... a powerful ally that fights alongside you without worry. You don't need to coddle me so much...... and I shouldn't be coddling you so much either. You're stronger than this, Pyrrhus; I know you're stronger. So please......... wake up............"
Shirou's kick connected, sending 'Shirou' stumbling back, where Subaru's Knuckle Duster made contact with his right arm. It was reinforced, just like Shirou could do to his own body, but apparently it wasn't enough - an audible crack could be heard and 'Shirou' was sent crashing into the stone wall, sending dust everywhere.
He struggled out of the mark in the wall, his right arm hanging limply. He dismissed 'Kanshou', and 'Bakuya' vanished from the air as well. Another darkened weapon appeared in his good left arm: a red spear. 'Shirou' threw 'Gae Bolg' at Subaru with little fanfare -
- and it struck her left shoulder, not her heart. It passed through, leaving a wound the size of a baseball, and blazed through the air to return to 'Shirou's' hand, where he prepared to throw it at Shirou this time...
edited 2nd Nov '10 11:48:42 PM by Demovere
Shirou managed to leap to his feet, his heart plummeting as he saw his double raised the lance of instant death against his beloved. However, he was relieved to see that, while the monster could use his powers, it apparently didn't know the first thing about the weapons it was creating. Gae Bolg's true power lay within its ability to be used as a javelin, though it sacrificed its divine accuracy when used in such a way. Unless... They're weaker...Much weaker. However, that would still be an extremely painful blow for Subaru to endure. He winced as it nearly tore her arm from her shoulder. Shirou would need to try and repair her arm as best he could.
Seeing the doppelganger prepare to strike at him this time, Shirou decided to show the beast how one was supposed to use Kanshou and Bakuya. Keeping as careful a footing as possible, Shirou hurled both blades at his double - one was on coarse to deflect the divine thorn that was about to be sent his way, while the other was aimed at the thing's midsection. Meanwhile, Shirou charged toward the doppelganger, preparing to Project another set of blades...
edited 2nd Nov '10 11:44:49 PM by DoctorThunder
THE SLORG!
Engineer watched Fate run through the doors, and considered his options. He decided he should wait, in case they needed to move Pyrrhus, and because he wanted to wait on word for how he was doing.
He sat down in a waiting chair, and slowly dozed off. It had already been a long day, and it wasn't even lunch time yet, although it couldn't be far off, he thought...
You are reading this.
Gae Bolg's impact spun Subaru around, sending her stumbling backwards with a cry of pain and a spray of blood. Falling to one knee, she almost blacked out from the pain of the blow.
The silvery-grey metal of her cybernetics could be seen through the gaping hole in her shoulder, broken wires spitting the occasional spray of sparks. Her left arm hung immobile, her shoulder sagging at an odd angle, the fingers and elbow twitching uncontrolably.
Gritting her teeth, shunting the immense pain to one side, she slowly pushed herself back to her feet. With a battle-cry, she loaded a third cartridge and charged back into the fray, preparing to follow up Shirou's strike with a point-blank Revolver Shot.
edited 2nd Nov '10 11:55:46 PM by Gaunt88
BGM: Baba Yetu
"Hey, dad, what are you doing here?!"
A ghostly figure suddenly appeared next to Pyrrhus, clad in epehebic hoplite armor and light trainer's greaves. The Corinthian helm atop his head was open, signifying his young age and low standing among the hoplites of Epeiros.
"Dad? Didn't you tell me one day we are going across the sea to Italy, did you?" he said. "Didn't you tell me we are going to give the Rhomaioi a good beating? Didn't you tell me we are going to restore the good old days of Achilleos and Neoptolemos? Didn't you, dad?"
Pyrrhus could not believe his ears. This informal voice, this energetic tone...
"Is... is that you?" he turned around, his eyes frantically searching around him. "Ptolemaios? Is that you?"
Before him, standing between him and his opponent was the ghastly apparition of that young hoplite whose posture he could never forget. That hoplite who had once been cradled in his arms. That hoplite who he had seen grown up with every passing day. That hoplite who had joined battle with him in the hope of fulfilling the sacred role of a Hellenas. And that hoplite who he had seen dead by a Rhomaion javelin in the darkest day of his life.
That hoplite was now standing right before him, calling out to him as he used to years ago.
"What... how..." he could barely find the word to say.
"You are not alone, dad," the Hoplite said, smiling. "Did you for one second think you are alone? Look around you!"
And then all of a sudden the background of the dreamscape changed. The image of the girl dying horribly had vanished completely, in its place the familiar image of his palace in Ambrakia. The crowds were cheering for their king, the soldiers raising their spears in waiting, and the royal parade out there to greet him.
"These are your people, dad, your subjects!" the hoplite said. "Did you for one second think they would forsake you after all you have done for them? The one who had raised them from a tribal people to a kingdom worthy of songs? The one who guarded their lives as though your own?"
On the contrary, his opponent on the other side was... fading away.
"What... What is going on here?"
"Fade away, relic," Ptolemaios glared at the now dissipating Kassandros. "And trouble my father no more. Let it be known that your treachery against Megas Alexandros would forever condemn you to the deepest of Tartarus."
"But... HOW?"
"Father, wake up," Ptolemaios turned to his father. "This is but a dream, one concocted by this city given shape by your own mind. As long as you believe in yourself this will be what it is supposed to be - a passing nightmare, no more, no less."
Pyrrhus raised his eyebrows. Just a nightmare, he thought...
His wounds in the dreamscape began to close, as were those in the physical world...
Support Taleworlds!
'Shirou' stopped before he had thrown 'Gae Bolg,' dropping his throwing posture to deflect the first blade Shirou had thrown. He then deflected the second blade, just as Subaru rushed up to him to slam him with a point-blank Revolver Shot. Though he managed to block it, the winds ripped up portions of his shirt and the force pushed him back, leaving him momentarily stunned as he tried to regain his wits...
Shirou's eyes were set, focused...his opponent had been forced into a crouch, thrown totally off-guard by their combined assault. Let's see him try and block this...
The Magus leaped into the air, Projecting his own copy of Gae Bolg. He took aim, then sent it flying straight for his double's neck. With his low posture, he wouldn't be able to duck, and he wouldn't be able to roll to the side, since he was up against the wall. Shirou just hoped this truly would finish this...
Subaru had skidded to a halt, her left arm numb now that Mach Caliber had shut off the damaged nerves. She saw Shirou winding up for his own attack and sank into a fighting stance again, ready to hit the copy off with another Revolver Shot if it somehow survived.
edited 3rd Nov '10 12:17:03 AM by Gaunt88
Before 'Shirou' could even react, Shirou's own Gae Bolg struck his neck, sending blood spurting out with incredible pressure. Amazingly, however, he was still on his feet, and he even had enough strength to leap towards the giant mirror...
...which bathed him him another bright stream of light. When it faded, another figure landed on the floor, head bowed low. It slowly rose to face the two... revealing itself to now be a copy of Subaru instead. 'Subaru' smirked silently as she fell into Subaru's own combat stance.
"Divine Buster," called out the 'Mach Caliber' it wore in a static-filled copy of the original's voice; it and the Revovler Knuckle were also a darker shade compared to Subaru's. Swirling blue energy flowed into a sphere in front of 'Subaru', which she then punched at Subaru.
"Absorb Grip. Revolver Shot."
'Mach Caliber's' wheels began to glow blue as well, and 'Subaru' rolled onto the walls, firing off pulses of Revolver Shots at Shirou and Subaru at regular intervals, all the while skating along the walls...
edited 3rd Nov '10 12:24:07 AM by Demovere
It did not take long for his memory version of his worst enemy to vanish into thin air like he had never existed. Only the Epeirote general and the apparition was left.
"Ptolemaios..." Pyrrhus tried to speak.
'I never thought I would have to say this to you, dad, but... Believe in yourself, dad. Leave the past behind. The gods favor the brave and the confident.' the young hoplite said with a cheery voice. "Is that not what you've always told me before?"
For a moment neither said a word, so that the cheering from the crowd overrode the entire atmosphere.
"... Thank you, my son," Pyrrhus finally said.
"Still I must ask you, how did you end up here?"
"Don't you remember? You called for me, didn't you?"
"No..."
"Every time you tried to protect that girl in battle, you are unconsciously calling out for me, dad. Every time," Ptolemaios said with a smile. "It is this city's bizarre design and energies that had allowed such dramatic phenomenon. Maybe, just this once, it is a good thing. Just this once."
And then to Pyrrhus' horror, his son's apparition was beginning to fade away just like his old foe.
"Ptolemaios!" he called out frantically.
"It was already an extraordinary instance that I could spend these precious moments with you, dad," said the hoplite as his figure began to blur away. ''"Take care of yourself, dad - know that your life had never been your own to freely throw away... be it in my memory or not..."
And then the figure of the young hoplite vanished completely, as the surrounding background completely dissipated, leaving nothing but darkness...
edited 3rd Nov '10 12:30:31 AM by ArgeusthePaladin
Support Taleworlds!
"I wonder if its possible..."
Spriggan began to bend down to place his ear on the ground and listen for anything familiar.
Shirou leaped in front of Subaru as he sent a burst of Prana shooting into his legs.
"Rho Aias!"
As he skidded to a halt, the seven-layer shield sprung out of his outstretched hand. He knew it would be able to cover the two of them. especially since the double's attacks were weaker than normal. He might even be able to handle two or three Divine Busters...he hoped.
"Subaru, this thing is way faster now. Can you hand offense while I cover us both?"
He eyed her torn and battered arm worriedly. She wouldn't be using it until at least the end of the battle, but he still didn't like the look of that frantic twitching - He would need to take the time to repair it later.
edited 3rd Nov '10 12:33:43 AM by DoctorThunder
Subaru hunched down behind the shield, narrowing her eyes at her doppleganger.
"Roger." She said, nodding. "Devine.."
Subaru raised her good arm, a sphere of energy forming in her own armoured palm. This'll be harder to cast with one arm... I hope I can hit that thing... She turned to track 'Subaru', loading two cartridges.
"...Buster!" She yelled, speeding out from behind Shirou's shield and letting the spell loose.
edited 3rd Nov '10 12:40:33 AM by Gaunt88
As Spriggan bent down, he would hear the sounds of combat echo through the floor. If he listened more carefully, he would notice that it was coming from a nearby sewer grate built into the floor...
'Subaru' was too fast; she skidded around the Divine Buster hurled at her. The shot tore out a chunk of the stone wall, but 'Subaru' herself was unharmed.
"Wing Road."
The familiar blue energy road appeared, heading straight for Subaru. 'Subaru' rolled off the wall onto it and rushed at the TSAB agent.
"Knuckle Duster."
The gears on 'Revolver Knuckle' began to spin violently, though not as fast as Subaru's. 'Subaru' pulled her right arm back and prepared to punch Subaru...
There!
Shirou saw his chance to deal a potentially-decisive blow. Once again, he dashed forward, placing himself between Subaru and her double, dismissing his shield to Project Kanshou and Bakuya again. Only this time...
Shirou made no attempt to parry or block the incoming Knuckle Duster. If she's standing in front of me preparing to attack, that means she's not trying to dodge. he thought in an astounding leap in logic. reinforcing his chest to take the blow head-on, Shirou brought his twin swords arcing down, attempting to catch the doppelganger on either side of its neck to cut straight through its collarbone.
"Subaru, now!" he grunted as he took the full brunt of the attack, hoping Subaru could finish the job if his assault should fail.
edited 3rd Nov '10 12:50:22 AM by DoctorThunder
"I can hear Shiro and Subaru..."
Spriggan stood up and shoved some of the carpet aside, seeing a sewer grate.
"I see. Better get to work." The combat specialist slinged the AK-9 and began to pull the grate as hard as he can.
Alternate plan: I may have to use a frag..
edited 3rd Nov '10 12:47:24 AM by Ominae
Subaru had loaded the last of her cartridges, preparing to meet 'subaru's attack herself - and she was taken by surprise when shirou jumped in to take the blow himself. Seeing the insane logic behind his apparently-suicidal move, she lunged foward, fist raised.
As 'Subaru''s fist neared Shirou's chest, the real Subaru vaulted over his shoulders, Revolver Knuckle's gears spinning at a blistering speed.
"Knuckle Duster!"
Subaru roared a battle-cry as she slammed the blow home, aiming for her doppleganger's face.
edited 3rd Nov '10 12:59:47 AM by Gaunt88
The grate came off with ease; its sides were rusted over and crumbled in Spriggan's gloved hands. Down below, he would find a few platforms he could use to jump down safely - or climb back up if needed. The sounds of combat continued to rage...
Shirou did take the blow; it was weaker than Subaru's own Knuckle Duster, but it still caused a few of his ribs to crack under the strain. His blades found their mark, slicing 'Subaru's' neck on both sides, while Subaru caved her face in with Knuckle Duster.
The doppelganger flew into the air, blood spewing out of the wounds in its neck; it headed for the mirror and phased through, after which the mirror fogged over, showing no reflection anymore.
Above Shirou and Subaru, sparks of light appeared and converged in the center, revealing a bottle full of a strange, rainbow-colored liquid, which slowly floated to their hands. They didn't know it, but Alucard had encountered this elixir as well; it was a gift from the innocent souls trapped within Castlevania's walls, which fully-healed the drinkers...
Engineer followed into the medical bay, once they moved Pyrrhus onto a bed Engineer placed the dispenser down next to it. A docter had been moving to protest Engineer being there, but recognised the dispenser from when Engineer placed one in the medical bay days ago.
Once the dispenser was up and healing Pyrrhus, and by extension, the nearby medical staff, Engineer told the medical staff to come inform him if they needed to move Pyrrhus so he could move the dispenser with him. He walked to the exit of the medical bay, noticing Fate in the hallway there. "Weren't you going to follow after, girl?" Engineer asked, already used to Fate's maturity.
You are reading this.