sweethymns | ғaтe/alт.dιѕтorтιon

[ If she wanted muscle, here he is: hopping off of the quickly-dissolving enemy to land back on concrete, tilting his head left and right as if to get a crick out of his neck.

Her gratitude is met with a shrug, and then another ruffle of hair. ]

Can't slack off when my Master's watching.

[She doesn't swat his hand away from her head this time although she might just give a slight pout.]

Well, you're finally making me relent. I don't have room to complain at all.

Let's get moving though, before they try to cook up another dragon.

[ A light "alright, alright", and then, as if he's remembered something, he turns back towards Lien. ]

Need me to pick you up again?

Er. Yeah... yeah, you're gonna have to do that...

Heh, now you're letting me do things? I have to fight more often.

[ Deftly switching hands on his spear, Lancer moves forward and hoists Lien up again, this time, holding her in the crook of his arm. What a guy. ]

Watch out for debris.

Luckily, I've been told I have a hard head. I leave it to you!

[Well. There's a first time for everything. Lien holds on and there's a sense of trust as she secures herself around him.]

[ That's enough for him, and he sets to work on crashing through this poor abused building again, one floor at a time. Thankfully, he ranks way up there in terms of agility, so it doesn't take too long before he's shaking some plaster off of his shoulderguards and looking around at the dimly-lit space of Floor 11. ]

Man, what a dump.

[ Not that he helped. ]

[She dusts some debris out of her hair as well as shaking it off.]

Well, they couldn't have had enough time to find a nicer base. With better security. And better lighting.

Well, better everything really.

Wouldn't want to saddle my kid with whoever this is.

[ Understatement of the century. Setting Lien down, he points to her gloved hand. ]

Did you see where they're being held?

Yeah. It's one of the large meeting rooms, which there are about three on this floor. Shouldn't be too hard to narrow down.

Am I taking care of this while you sit here, or what? I don't mind, either way.

I think you better follow me. [She turns around and takes a step forward.]

After all, I'm the defenseless... one... [There's a sharp pain in her head. And in a blink, the environment around them changes, as if it was where they were all along.

It's a forest in the daytime. The physical senses are overwhelmed by the smell of grass, leaves, and warm if mild sunlight.]

... Oh god dammit. Definitely dealing with a Caster here, aren't we??

[And as if for atmosphere's sake and to mock the Master and Servant, a playful song can be heard, echoing throughout the forest.]

Tch. This isn't a fight, this is just a damn game.

[ Which he doesn't particularly like— there's a sense of pride he likes to stick to, even with all of his seeming playfulness. ]

Let's get this over with. It's stuff like this that pisses me off the most.

Right.

[She takes off her glove again and stretches her hand out to the side, groping for the wall that's supposed to exist and then to the ground.]

... 100 paces ahead. Count it exactly and don't stray off the path.

Got it.

[ 100 paces, in a straight line. He counts the steps in his head, lance poised and scratching at the ground, drawing a line in the "dirt". The song is getting grating, but it fades the more he concentrates, the more he hones his senses towards the heavy aura emanating directly in their line of movement. ]

—100!

[She touches the ground again, her nails digging into the fake earth.]

Gotta break it, gotta break it...

[Lien grits her teeth because the magic at work is overwhelming, but... there's a slip she's able to detect... She bunches her hand into a fist and focuses on concentrating a large amount of prana into her fist and then punching the ground. The ground beneath them looks like it's a cracked piece of glass and she shouts to Lancer.]

BREAK IT!!

[ He barely needs a prompt, working in complete unison with his Master: he has his lance poised the moment she brings her hand up, and he lets out a roar as he slams the blade of his weapon into the fracture of the spell, digging in and dragging out as if he's ripping a seam.

The scenery melts, and Lancer has to squint for a moment as the light around them vanishes. ]

—Stay back, they might attack!

[Lien is swift to get back up on her feet and behind Lancer. But then she spots something that had been obscured by the illusion; a rift, a thin threadlike crack that floats in the air as if painted there by some force.

Also, there is a shadow beast, akin to a fucking large bear, about the size of the dragon he fought before, forcing its way out. And upon the ledge, the cloaked Caster class Servant sits, not too far from the rift, ready to face them. But it looks like she's helping the rift open up...

Yeah, not good. Lien knows she has to make a choice and fast.]

... Lancer, I'm gonna find the kids. I can take care of myself if you get that Servant.

Edited 2014-12-06 09:36 (UTC)

Don't ask me for my permission, kid— leave the fighting to me.

[ A wave of his hand, his eyes fixed on the enemy in front of him, and that's all Lancer offers before he bolts forward: if past experience dictates anything, he should be able to kill the shadow quickly. It's Caster that's the problem— spellcasters always like to hide, and that's a bother.

A swing of his lance, and he swipes at the bear's legs, trying to climb up its girth to reach the Servant. ]

[And without another word, Lien dashes off in the opposite direction, praying for Lancer's success. Her one glove is still off and she quickly assesses the location of the children. She can see them through the flashes of the past, being placed within a large circle, their prana being drained...

Shit!

Any longer and they would provide Caster with enough firepower to give Lancer more trouble than it was worth. Although at this point, maybe he needed a good fight. Lien didn't want to ponder that though and she finds the double doors; of course. Covered by seals to keep intruders out. She yells in frustration and begins to run through ideas, spells she picked up in the book... Of course! Ignition!

She concentrates, going over the text she recalls in her head about ignition spells and with the instructions bright and clear in her mind, Lien snaps her gloved finger creating a spark. Snaps two times, a bigger spark.

Third time's the charm; the power of the spell overwhelms the seal and she gets the doors open. Although she was expecting it, Lien gasps when she sees the children laid across haphazardly in the spell circle, some with their eyes half-open and in a daze.]

No, no, no, no, no, no...!!

[Panic sets in. She needs to undo this. She needs to make sure they're all alive. All of them.

But where was the Master...]

[ On his end, Lancer is having more difficulty than he likes. Casters are always the more difficult Servants to beat for him; he'd prefer Berserker, at this rate.

The bear lunges and tries to gore him with its claws, which Lancer anticipates. A quick half-turn, and his spear goes right through the enemy's paw, pinning it down to the ground. ]

I didn't sign up for a hunt, so—

[ Still talking, he hops up onto the pinned bear's arm and pulls Gae Bolg out, gaining momentum from his enemy's thrashing to, again, go for the jugular. Quick and neat. ]

—Leave the heavy fighting to the real warriors.

[ He directs this last sentiment at Caster, who sits up from her perch on the ledge and frowns. How dare this uncouth Servant kill her pets!! ]

[First thing's first, she needs to break the spell circle without harming the children. Or rather she can change the markings on the circle, redirecting the prana back to the children so they weren't drained. Great. Yes. A plan!

She kneels down ready to change up the circle. She whispers to the children]

Hold on guys. You'll be home in the morning... [And then a magically enhanced knife flies by her face, scratching the side of her cheek. Lien is able to dodge and roll out of the way.]

Oh, you goddamn, ASSHOLE...!!!

[She's faced with a lanky and unpleasant looking magus, a man wearing a hood. Probably not a very refined magus, she's able to tell from his clothing and his body language. No less dangerous. He faces her stone faced and calm.]

[ There's a twinge when he senses danger on his Master's end, but Lancer has his hands full with his own trials: Caster isn't happy with him (predictably), and has taken it upon herself to vaporize the gnat who's infiltrated her territory.

A war is a war, but Lancer's not too thrilled, again, about his opponent being a woman. It's not the time to be talking preferences, of course, when he's being accosted by scores of magical beams.

A low click of his tongue, an internal you better hold out until I get rid of this Servant, and Lancer continues dodging and deflecting, trying to span the distance between himself and his opponent. It's not a good idea to use his Noble Phantasm when he can't get into position. ]

[Lien snaps her fingers, trying to cast another ignition spell towards the enemy Master. But...]

I wouldn't do that if I were you.

[The circle's glow grows stronger and one of the children whimpers, immediately stopping Lien.]

... [She stands up slowly. The man smiles slightly.]

Good, good. I need these children you know. I wasn't born with a good amount of circuits or prana... Caster and I need an edge in this War.

[Lien scoffs, clutching her fists together.]

Yeah, and I can't grow past 5'5 you son of a bitch. They don't have anything to do with this War! What the hell kind of wish would you have for the Grail if you're already resorting to this?!

[ Meanwhile, Caster has taken to laughing softly at her opponent, watching him from her vantage point as he progresses. ]

Your little Master is brave, but not too bright. [ Is her assessment, and her smile widens when she nicks the side of Lancer's face with one of her energy blasts. She's the type that likes slow kills, which is why she's fine with her Master's exploitation of innocents: whatever works. ] She's going to be used, just like the rest of them.

[ Her hand raises, and a mass of shadow pools on her palm to create a flock of inky crows; they fly at Lancer, who cuts them down without blinking, his own expression set in a semi-nihilistic grin. ]

So you'd take cowardice over courage? Looks like we're not gonna get along.

[ And he bounds right through the dissipating black feathers, looking for his opening. He knows she can't cast such big spells over and over without having to stop and recharge, and he sees his chance. ]

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