sweethymns | ғaтe/alт.dιѕтorтιon

Hm.

[She considers his answer for a second before replying.]

That scary lady who taught you though, wasn't some magic was involved?

[She remembers that woman in her dream whom many warriors including Cu Chulainn flocked to. Even if it was just a vision, just the sight of her made Lien think she was someone to be respected.]

Who, Scáthach?

[ "Scary", "strong as hell", "you wouldn't want to get on her bad side", etc. But more than that, he's fond— it shows in the way he laughs, exasperated as only someone can be when they're talking about someone that was important. ]

Yeah, she taught me things about runes, taught me spearmanship, gave me Gae Bolg. I didn't go there to learn magic exclusively, though.

[Lien is about to continue this conversation because it's pleasant, but as she opens her mouth, she pauses and looks up at the sky which was once clear, but now being obscured by clouds... And consequently, they're being surrounded by fog.]

... I see someone.

[At the other end of the bridge, there is a very tall and broad shouldered figure, standing perfectly straight and poised, with his arms behind his back. While his physique was already large it was also enhanced by the long black coat with a high collar.]

[ Well. The interruption has him flick his head towards the straight-backed figure who... he assumes is their enemy, unless normal people like to stand uninvited in the middle of a bridge. The size of the intruder isn't much of a threat— again, Scáthach comes to mind— but the openness with which they show themselves is.

He can't be too sure, not yet, but he draws a mental line through the word "Assassin" to cross that option out. Too forthcoming. ]

Your type, or no?

[She doesn't shoot back because the large man is approaching and she instinctively moves closer to Lancer. It has to be a Servant. He wasn't a maddened one, but Lien's sense of unease doesn't lessen. His strides were long and heavy and as he comes closer, there's a sense that this isn't his usual clothing.

Lien mutters to herself]

... Hiding something...

[But hiding what? The Servant stops, still a good distance away from the two of them, but enough so that they could probably hear each other and for Lancer and Lien to have a better look at him. His features were undoubtedly western and his hair was long and dark, tied into a ponytail.

He glances at Lien and then at Lancer.]

A brave little Master you have, Lancer.

[ A moment to size the enemy Servant up, and Lancer cants his head to the side, then to the other, stretching his neck the way a canine starts loosening its muscles before a sprint. ]

I can think of a few other things to call her.

[ A dry drawl, and an impatient tap of his foot. ]

But, hey— if you're gonna start making eyes, you're gonna have to ask me beforehand.

[Oh geez, THANKS.

Lien knows when to clam up though and just focuses on trying to figure out what class this Spirit is. And honestly, he's making it hard!]

Did you bring the fog with you? It's a neat way to hide from prying eyes, but you're just leveling out the playing field aren't you?

[Something about this guy wasn't exactly screaming Caster, but there have been bigger surprises. The Servant's lips twitch as if bemused.]

Mm. Sharp eyes too. But forgive me, when I say that it's a shame you can't see this ritual for what it actually is.

[His aura is suddenly enhanced and the force of it makes Lien flinch.]

In any case, my Master expects victory. If I feel you've it, perhaps I will shed more light on the situation.

You see what I have to deal with? Here I am with my lance, with my Servant Class out in the open, and then we have bastards like these.

[ Jerking a thumb towards the enemy, he nudges Lien a little to the back so she won't get in the way of any sudden movements he might make with Gae Bolg. It would be pointless for him to protect her while also injuring her in the process. ]

Save the talking for when I have your heart on spearpoint. I'll give you your last words then.

[Lien nods and turns to jog lightly to the other side of the bridge. As she does, she notices that there's a certain sensation... what it is, she can't quite place.

Meanwhile, the Servant reaches inside his coat to take out a medium length sword, with a handle that isn't unlike a rapier, pointing it at Lancer. Saber?? True, the weapon was a kind of Noble Phantasm, but it didn't seem to match up with a Phantasm like Gae Bolg.]

Prepare yourself.

[ It's hard to get a read on this Servant— Saber?— and it would be easy to underestimate him on grounds of the caliber of Noble Phantasm alone. Lancer is smart enough to know that that's unwise, though, so his stance is kept tight and controlled, calculates the length of his enemy's weapon and the strides necessary to keep optimal distance. ]

Don't blink.

[ A low taunt, and there's the resounding noise of cracking concrete, wires creaking in its foundations as Lancer lunges directly towards his enemy's front. ]

[The Servant parries and attempts to push back with multiple thrusts of his own with the sabre. Despite his size, he's quite agile and swift, enough to match up with Lancer. Strength wasn't anything to disregard either.

Lien's staying out of the way of course, but maybe she could be useful in her own way. She gets down on one knee, taking off her right glove. She's still keeping an eye on the battle of course, it's just that she now has the challenge of trying to read the spell that's cast around the bridge at the same time.

Fog.

Fog.

More Fog.

So much fog, it might as well be white noise.

This isn't the first time it's been used. The Servant uses this spell in order to...

Ugh. She puts her glove back on again. Seems like they've leveled up in difficulty in terms of worthy opponents.]

C'mon... We gotta figure out his identity...

[Maybe if it wasn't for that damn long coat!!]

[ The poor visibility is annoying, to say the least. Thick fog seems to coil around them, managing not to impede vision as long as Lancer is moving. Gae Bolg cuts through the mist like a red light, parrying and sending faint glimmers of sparks flying with every contact of blade against blade.

Something still feels off, and after a few strikes met and a few dodged, he falls back to regroup, restrategize. ]

Is this you, or your Master?

[ A wave of the hand, indicating "all this fog". ]

Does it bother you, Lancer? Me being full of surprises?

[The Servant chuckles, repositioning himself yet again.]

The effect is my doing. Your Master is right when she said its purpose is not only to conceal, but to make this my whole bridge my territory. It was an ability that I achieved in my past life...

Your Master's first mistake was to have the battle here.

[He gives a mocking shrug.]

And if it bothers you so much, I'll at least have you know that this is hardly my main weapon. Come at me with all you have to get to the main event!

[There's something about the fact that he said, having a battle on the bridge was a mistake that's bothering Lien. What's wrong with bridge exactly? This guy was full of layers. She calls out to Lancer.]

Lancer! Make him materialize his true clothing or armor!

[ This guy's true identity might as well be Shrek, he has so many layers. The cryptic note about bridges aside, there's the matter of pride to attend to; namely, the fact that it doesn't sit well with Lancer at all, that this Servant can continue to hide his identity.

A beat, and Lancer's eyes widen, framed by lines that look like thick veins trailing upwards into his hairline. ]

Don't regret saying that.

[ That's not an idle threat, especially with his ríastrad activated, and he proves it by almost disappearing into a thin blur for his next attack: a streak of blue, and he's almost right in front of the other Servant, aiming for a wide sweep to the flank. ]

[The Heroic Spirit is able to dodge, just barely. The wide sweep is able to damage the outer coat, nearly tearing it apart.

Up close, Lancer can probably see underneath the layer a distinctive blue and white coat lined with red. From far away, it's harder for Lien to get an eyeful due to the fog, but it's another clue and it's beginning to jog her memory. Her breath stops as if almost making the realization, but there's a fog in her mind that's obscuring the larger picture.

The Servant spins, and thrusts upwards to parry, causing the ground around them to crumble, earth flying into the air.]

[ Pin him, is his instinct. Pin him, pin him down.

The enemy sword arcs up and barely misses, but not because Lancer only nearly dodged— his intention is to stay as close as possible, and he takes the gamble of the hair's-breadth guard to keep himself inches away from his opponent.

He feels the whistle of iron millimeters from his face, feels the debris around him hit his skin like harsh rain, but stands his ground to drive his lance forward: even if he doesn't manage a killshot, he'll try to at least pin some part of this guy to the ground. ]

[The next few seconds produces an unexpected result. Lien covers her mouth so a shriek of shock doesn't escape from her mouth although what has just occurred would be enough to completely throw anyone off.

What the Servant actually does is move in such a way that he allows Lancer to drive his weapon through his throat.

And he doesn't budge. He doesn't even make a noise of pain. The Servant grins, showing off feral like teeth.]

Mistake number two.

[And in the far off distance, there's a noise that's not unlike... No, it IS a horse.]

LANCER!!

[ This should have done it.

Operative word: "should".

The voice he hears should reasonably be thick with blood, should be whistled through torn skin, but instead... it's almost a laugh, smooth and mocking.

Lancer's first instinct, of course, is to back away. ]

—Tch!

[ Gae Bolg is hastily pulled back, regripped in his hands to make sure of its tangibility. Not exactly the most graceful retreat, and for a moment, he leaves himself open. ]

[This isn't good, Lien thinks. A panic rises up in her. She really did make a huge mistake.

The Servant makes a "Tsk tsk," making his... head shake somehow at Lancer. His facial features are twitching as if riled up in madness.]

How discourteous of you Lancer! I would have been honored to reveal my identity by having your lance unveil the truth!!

But I suppose I will proceed instead!!

[He begins to laugh and it's unsettling and unearthly, echoing throughout the whole fogged up bridge. His sabre dematerializes and he reaches up grasping the sides of his head.

And he twists his head clean off.

It's too late, but Lien finally gets it.]

The coat... That's... Hessian!! And there's only one infamous Hessian from legend...!!

[There's no blood that erupts from the decapitated area. It gleams ruby red, sticky and sickening, throbbing with some unfathomable rhythm. What's worse is that the prana that surrounds this Servant is intense as if he was more powerful without his head which continues to laugh. His laughter has become even louder to the point where people outside of the Fuyuki could sense something was off and even more magically inclined beings would know that something powerful was released.

What's worse? The fog is getting thicker. Lien is losing sight of Lancer and she coughs, feeling her health being affected.]

Edited 2015-01-16 07:02 (UTC)

[ Assessment: not good. Not only are they being disgustingly indiscreet, the cloud around them has obscured the area to an extent where his opponent's effectively cut him off from his Master. He trusts Lien not to be foolhardy, but in a pinch, he also knows that her skills aren't offensive unless she has something to fight back with.

And even then, it's hard to fight back when it's this difficult to navigate anywhere that's not within a two-feet periphery. Again, not good. ]

The dulachán, huh.

[ That's the Irish equivalent of the headless horseman, though he has to wonder if the Hessian counterpart is a bit different. A low click of his tongue under his breath, and he calls out: ]

Lien! Can you hear me?

Y-Yeah!!

[Sure, she might have gotten her arm torn off by a Berserker, but somehow this is way scarier than that encounter.]

We have to get off the bridge!! I think I understand the conditions he mentioned!!

So you don't know about me, but you know this guy?

[ The banter is a way to keep up morale, but he's still frowning as he tries to make his way to the source of Lien's voice. He'd rather not have his Master die today, or, in fact, not anytime soon. ]

What are the conditions?

I'VE ONLY BEEN LEARNING ABOUT THE CURRENT WORLD FOR TEN YEARS, GIVE ME SOME SLACK IF I DON'T HAVE CELTIC LEGENDS IN MY HEAD!!

[FUCK SHE HEARS THE HORSE COMING FROM THE OTHER SIDE. The Servant has disappeared into the fog, aiming to get on the steed. She quickly answers breathlessly.]

He made this bridge his territory, but that means he can't go beyond it, not without trying to get one of our heads! The Headless Horseman couldn't cross a bridge that was the entrance to the town where he originated from! I'm willing to bet he's a Rider who's more effective with his mount and Noble Phantasms if he creates the boundaries to trap his opponent!

[She coughs, stupid fog.]

This fog... I don't feel good...

[LUCK RANK E IS REARING ITS UGLY HEAD]

We need to... Can't stay here...

Edited 2015-01-16 07:20 (UTC)

[ There's a decision to be made here, whether he tells Lien to run and hide while he prevents the Horseman from getting on his ride, or whether he finds her and tries to get off this bridge, the both of them together. It's not a choice he can afford to think about at length, and he decides, after a moment of consideration, that it's not his style to leave a girl hanging.

He has terrible luck with situations involving women, really.

Cutting through the mist with his lance, he finally finds Lien in the fog and hauls her up by her arm, half-carrying her as he starts making his way towards the end of the bridge. ]

Then run, little lady. Come on, where's your usual backbone?

[As Lancer picks her up (it's a good thing she's light) her Eyes are activated so she can read the nature of this fog, now that's thicker and more tangible.]

Ugh. This fog is death for normal human beings. Even if I could run, I'd probably die by this!

[Seems like Servants are unaffected though, so Cu shouldn't have an issue cutting through the fog.

Hear that cackling laughter?? The clacking of hooves?? The newly revealed Rider is coming up behind them on his deathly white horse, its eyes glowing red.

And instead of the sabre he's now wielding an axe in one hand while the opposite is taking control of the reins. Lancer's agility may be great, but Rider is catching up quickly to the point where he can almost be side by side.]

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