-C'mon people, we are almost at the rendezvous spot, - motioned the Black Silence, as they approached their destination.
The evening was slowly taking over the horizon, the sun giving out the last of what it had to offer for the day. Understandably, the evening forest was quite a beautiful thing to look at.
Shame they didn't really have time to dally.
-Sure-sure, slave driver. Would it kill you to take a break, jeez,-whined Cu, after another half-a-day of non-stop walking.
Now, the Lancer himself was not really against it, but a little break would be nice.
-And what else do you propose we do? Have a picnic with moonshine and whiskey?
-Yes, actually!-Billy tipped his hat with a pistol.
-Nope, not happening. I've got an earful from the Master for the last one, -Fixer turned to the rest, his voice making his disapproval quite clear.
Truly, every woman he met so far, who had any kind of power over him, was pushy.
First it was Angelica, and her forceful get-togethers, along with dancing and music classes. Then Angela, who, while a good boss, still left him with a lot of work which needed to be done in the fastest possible time, and now Ritsuka, who was, despite everything, really set on being punctual.
-Mou, Orlando, it really would do good for your popularity if you weren't such a stick in the mud,-commented Nero, trying to iron out the wrinkles on her dress, pouting, for whatever reason.
-Alright, first off, the choice is out of my hands and second, don't call me Orlando. Makes me feel weird.
-Well, that's your name in italian!
-And I'd rather be referred to as Roland, thanks.
-You are no fun, you know that?
-I've been told that a lot on the job, actually.
-Lighten up, then! - she suddenly approached him, taking hold of his arm, pulling him to her, taking hold of his waist.
-Alright, the heck are you doing? - he asked, but his hands, after hours of conditioning, took hold of her own. And at that point, it was too late to actually do anything.
Him reciprocating surprised Nero but she was always the one to ride the waves of fortunate coincidences.
-Umu, I see you are not a mere barbarian. Art of dancing is imperative to any actor! I'll lead!
-Wait wah! - he didn't get to end his sentence, being flung forward, one hand in front of them, another on each other's waist.
-Now a spin! - she pushed him, making him twist and turn. He then pulled her to him instead.
-Are we dancing waltz or polka, you madwoman?!
-Why not both!-was her answer, as her legs moved, Roland trying to catch up to the crazy rhythm.
They spun, stirring clear of occasional bush or stepping over a tree root. Roland would hold onto Nero's hand, going forward, going backwards, spinning again.
The dance was chaotic, yet they didn't fall out of sync, as Roland did his best to match the pace the whimsical emperor by minute details in her form.
It all eventually ended with him throwing Nero up into the air, catching her and then spinning once more.
-Umu-umu! A brilliant performance,-she turned to the rest of their company with a theatrical bow, with Billy a bit slack jawed, Jack clapping vigorously, and Cu just smirking.
-Impressive dance, indeed, - came a voice belonging to someone they were familiar with.
-'Sup, Geronimo. Enjoyed the show?- Lancer's smirk widened.
-Quite,-despite saying so, the only thing the shaman allowed to show was a small smile,-Now, follow me, we've set up camp not too far from here,
Everyone nodded.
-So, did you enjoy the dance?-asked Nero, eager to receive the feedback.
-I haven't practiced in a while but yeah? Maybe?-Roland could only scratch the back of his head, unsure.
He relally didn't know how to go about this. He hadn't danced in a long while, but doing it left a very warm and nostalgic feeling. Even if it was a bit spontanious.
-That's an incorrect answer, mate,-snikered Cu beside them.
-It's an honest one,-Roland shrugged.
-For someone who hasn't practiced, your moves sure were coordinated, Orlando. Have you spent much time dancing in your life?-the curious Emperor continiued to ask questions.
-No, not much. My wife liked dancing, and brought me along for many lessons. She was a partner of mine at work as well, so I guess it helped with coordination. Pretty much the only reason why I even complied.
-Oh-ho, no-no, mate, what I hear is "I was so whipped, I followed my wife everywhere",-said Cu, a playful grin on his face.
Roland could only roll his eyes behind the mask.
-Okay, first of all, don't want to hear it from you, second - it would do you good to remember that you are not invincible,-he threw back the words he had heard just a few days prior.
-Try me, scrub! -his grin widening, Cu stepped up for the challenge.
-I see you boys are the same as usual,-came from the tent, as their Master stepped out in the open, the mop of orange hair blazing in the setting sun's light.
-Gla….
-Mommy! - a white haired flash clung to the girl so fast, Roland didn't manage to finish his greeting.
-Hello Jacky! How have you been? Were uncles behaving themselves? - asked Ritsuka with a motherly tone.
-Yes! Uncle Roland was very strict with them!-she said, nodding energetically.
-Would you look at that, your famed professionalism actually exists!-Master feigned surprise.
-Yes-yes, rub it in, why don't you?-Roland dismissed her, his tone somewhere between bitter and aghast.
-How about we leave the taunts for later, we have plans to discuss after all,-said Geronimo, prompting the five to enter the tent.
Meanwhile, not too far from them…
-You!
-Aha! My rival, we meet at last!
Correction, it was four now.
-So this is the rival she had mentioned, huh…-said Mash, peeking outside to see what the commotion was about.
-We shall leave them be for now,-suggested Geronimo, and everyone flocked into the tent, where a small table was set with a map.
-Alright, Roland, what have you got?-started Ritsuka.
-As I have already mentioned to you through our link, if Fergus was to be believed…
-And we should, old man hardly lies, especially after a good battle…-chimed in Cu, putting stock in his friend's words.
-Then Sita is currently inside a prison on the island called Alcatraz.
-The famed American prison…-muttered Ritsuka once again.
-Is there even a prison there now?-she decided to clarify with their resident historian in Antarctica.
-Actually, as of 1775, the first settlers have arrived, however, Medb establishing a stronghold there is not out of the realm of possibility,-gave his input Romani.
-So now there is. Anything else you would like to add, Roland?-Ritsuka scratched her chin, her eyes still lingering on the map.
-Again, if we believe Fergus, then on his way to Nero, he had managed to kill off three more servants.
-*Whistle* That's bad, - voiced Robin thoughts of everyone in the tent.
-Any information on other servants on Medb's side? Weaknesses, positions?-Geronimo brought everyone back on track.
-He bit the dust before I could ask.
-Well, nothing we can do about it now,-Ritsuka paused,-Billy, could you call Nero and Liz in? We need their input on this.
Some twenty seconds later, a pair of an Actress and a Singer entered the tent.
-Okay, the main dish now,-Ritsuka cut to the chase, clasping her hands.
-We will go along with the plan we decided on prior, with one team heading towards Alcatraz to heal Rama, and the other in charge of assassination.
-After some discussion, we've come to a decision on who will go where, - took Geronimo over,-Team heading to Alcatraz will consist of Arturia, Rama+Nightingale, Mash, Master, Arash and the last spot we wanted to ask Elizabeth to take.
-Wouldn't I be useful somewhere else instead?
-As it stands, there are already too many people in the assassination unit. Bringing any more will just make us an easier target to spot,-he clarified to the somewhat upset Liz.
-Okay, I'll make sure Puppy stays safe then-Ritsuka gently took hold of Liz's arm, squeezing it a bit in reassurance, giving a small smile, which Idol didn't hesitate to return.
-The unit heading towards Washington, will have Me as a leader, Roland, Cu, Robin, Billy, Jack and Nero.
-Finally, some action! I'm itching to see what that imposter is made out of,-Cu fired up as soon as he heared the news, but everyone decided to ignore him.
-We will set out tomorrow, at sunrise, so be sure to rest well, because I need an A game from everyone. Understood?-a commanding lilt to her voice, Ritsuka gave out a command.
A cascade of "Yes" and "Of course" went around the room.
-Good, now, I suggest you guys turn in early, we have a shit tone of things to do, and not enough time to sleep.
With meeting coming to an end, everyone dispersed.
-Roland, can you stay for a second?-came a hoarse voice.
Roland turned around, his eyes falling on Rama.
-Sure, what's up?
-Thanks for asking, you know, for Sita's whereabouts, you don't know…
-Okay, first of all, I'm pretty sure I can imagine how grateful you are. And secondly, don't worry about it, we are in the same boat right now. If that can heal you, then all the better.
-Hm,- Rama hummed contently,-I guess you really can imagine. I still have to say thank you.
-Don't mention it. Just get me a drink or something if you want to later down the line,-Fixer waved it off, not thinking he did something great.
-Sure,-Rama said, smiling at Roland's retreating back.
*****
The night rolled around seamlessly.
The full moon graced the sky with its presence, immaculate and pristine in its untarnished beauty. Even clouds seem to part around it, too scared to hide away its splendor.
Then, there were stars. So, so many stars. A few days passed, but Roland still felt that childlike wonder from looking at them.
With all the light pollution, you can hardly make out even one star in the night sky. But here, the stars were truly free, untouched, unbound and majestic…
It made for a stark contrast to Roland, as he remembered the highest threat rank. On one hand, the Star of the City - is the freest being.
And yet that freedom is earned through sacrificing others.
He was broken out of his thoughts by the breeze. And he allowed his mind to be taken with it. The wind in the forest was fresh and unlike anything he had ever felt as well. Roland might have been in the singularity for a few days already, but the quality of air was really something else. Especially if you compare it to the times of the Smoke War. At that time, you couldn't go out without feeling like your lungs were about to burst into bloody mush.
Speaking about memories.
Roland's gaze eventually moved from the stars to the black notebook on his lap.
The book he decided to write. Even after two years, it wasn't finished. It was partially him being a bit of a lazy bum and Angela trying to iron out the kinks of his writing. On more than one occasion, his Chief Editor ( he came to call Angela this way, after she decided to undertake the daunting task of making him write in coherent sentences), made him scrap the work completely. To get a more solid grip on what he was about to write, he had to retell the stories of his past, which they then tried to capture on paper… it all divulged into a sort of story exchange with other patrons, who started to attend their "editing sessions" after Malkuth spread the word.
A fond smile found its way to his face. He was not ashamed to admit that he kind of missed everyone from the Library.
Anyway, two years later he was very close to completion. Now, Angela was unable to cure his bad handwriting, but they managed to structure everything and what was left is to actually write things.
As of now… he was trying to come up with an opening for the next chapter. To write about the time when the Library had become the Star.
Looking around, his eye catches the vibrant dot up above, shining in the expanse of the endless cosmos.
With idea firm, he writes…
"I try calling each star something beautiful".
Yes, this works very well.
He catches the approach of someone, before they manage to rustle the bushes…
A familiar presence.
-Don't be a stranger, come on out…
*****
Smoke was everywhere. Her eyes couldn't get a single solid detail, with buildings and roads and people enveloped in the shifty and ever morphing veil of smoke.
What she could see was a young man, taller than her by ten centimetres, stepping over a dead body.
-That's twenty one,-he said, his voice nonchalant.
But to her, it rang hollow.
As she followed the man, some details of his appearance became more visible.
He was sharply dressed, there seemed to be a mask on his face. And he mostly wore black.
Really, he was nothing in particular. No quirks or colors, no wounds or anything. Nothing to allow her mind to latch onto. If it wasn't for one thing, she would have probably forgotten about him.
The only thing to take note of was blood. There was truly, a lot of blood on him. Most of it just slid off of him though.
Meanwhile, the man pressed forward, one more body adding to his count.
And the smoke was growing less and less. Until both she and the man came to a square.
Riddled with bloodied remains of different people. The stench was putrid something between the hard metallic of blood, scorched flesh, intense rot and chemical waste.
Nauseating. And that's not adding the scene of bodies being dismembered right in front of her.
Bile rose up her throat, but she discovered that she can't throw up.
It felt like her mind was flicked "ON" and suddenly, she could make sense of the carnage presented to her.
She wanted to scream.
But nothing came out.
Her thoughts though, were catching up. This isn't the first time she had seen a slaughter such as this, no. This wasn't the first dream she had experienced, but this one felt… weird. Perhaps, too real. Like it was a bit more tangible. More concrete?
What she needed to do was to follow the white rabbit… or the black rabbit, in her case.
So she did, her eyes scanning the surroundings, straying from the ground and bloodied walls. It was all modern, which narrowed down who this dream belonged to.
"Roland?" - the name came to her, along with it came memories and perfect clarity.
"Who would have known that information erasure works THIS well".
As she tried not to trip on any of the cold bodies beneath, she came to a halt when the fixer himself did. Cutting a man in the process.
-Fuck off, this guy is mine to kill, - he said, his voice a bit less deep than usual, also, he talked like a punk (which made her smile, if only a little).
-One snappish kid, aren't you? Wearing weird mask too.
-Fuck off, - he dismissed the old man.
Only for the blood to splatter on his mask the next second.
-Try looking forward for once. Keep looking back and you will miss the most important parts.
…
Roland tensed up a bit, his hand clenching and relaxing.
-You're not getting any thanks from me, - just to snap back at the guy.
The older guy let out a bemused "Hm".
-Wasn't expecting any.
-And i'm getting credit for this guy,-sensing the opportunity, he decided to take the yard, having been given an inch.
It didn't seem to interest the old man, though.
-What is a young green sprout like you doing here, anyway, taking part in this war?
-None of your business,-Roland didn't care to respond.
-Heh, bet you are here for that Nest Migration permit.
At that point Ritsuka was only half-listening, as she noticed people entering a big and important looking building in draws. Some of them running out soon after.
-...All we ought to do is kill whoever we are ordered to kill…-said the old man, a touch of… resignation to his tone.
-Say, Kid, how many kills have you scored in this war until now?-that phrase took Ritsuka's attention. She knew the number her servant was going to say. Yet…
-Twenty three,-was his curt response, yet it was the tone that ticked her off. It was so… nonchalant.
-Think your life is worth more than twenty-three people?-the old man asked further.
-No, all I did was strike at them so I could live…-an awkward lilt invaded Roland's words, like he was caught breaking something and said: "well it's broken now, nothing you can do about it".
There was no remorse.
-My life probably isn't worth anything more than one.
Something squirmed inside of Ritsuka. A feeling.
-And yet some higher ups believe that a handful of smoke is worth more than tens of thousands of lives.
The older man then took Roland's shoulder into a death grip and dragged him to the same, half destroyed building.
The thing the older Fixer said lingered in her head as she followed them.
As she shadowed the duo, however...
Bringing the scent of flowers along with it, a hand landed on her shoulder, grasping firmly.
-Stay back, dear. There is one atrocious thing up ahead, and I don't want you seeing it.
-Wah, who? - she tried to turn around, but before she managed to do that…
-Now, it's quite early, but how about you wake up and finish your sleep a bit later?-two soft fingers laid on her forehead, sudden drowsiness overtaking her.
Last thing she remembered was a somewhat crafty smile.
*****
-Well I wasn't planning to,-said Ritsuka, as she stepped out of the lush bush, trying to get the leaves off of her shoulders.
-Fair enough,-Roland shrugged,-Not to sound accusing, but wasn't it you who said to go and get some rest?
As he said that, a notebook disappeared into his gloves. Ritsuka decided to ask what that was at another time, though.
-Well, yeah, but it's not my problem I was having a… dream,-in all honesty, it could have been called a nightmare.
-Mm, what was it about? And here,-he tossed her his jacket, patting the place next to him,-don't be a stranger take a seat, and put that on, night is chilly.
-How considerate of you,-she put the piece of clothing on, noting to herself that she felt warm straightaway.
-Hm, so your suit is one of those super armored ones?
-Yeah, it cost a pretty penny, but it was worth it.
-You know, your cover story about being a "grade nine" fixer is being torn to shreds right now,-her eyebrows rose in amusement.
-That's where you are wrong, I am a grade nine fixer,-Roland was resolute in his answer.
-I don't believe you.
-You don't have to, but that's the truth. So what was the dream about?-they circled back to what Roland asked moments ago.
-A lot of smoke, people dying, acidic smell in the air…-her eyes grew somewhat distant as her body tensed, a small tremor going down her spine.
Roland went rigid for a second, before relaxing.
The cat was out of the bag, and he had to do damage control if she had seen something that could hinder his plans.
And comfort her, while he was at it. Smoke war was gruesome at best and downright horrendous at worst. Thankfully, it seems she hadn't seen the singularity. If she did, she wouldn't be so calm right now.
Before Roland could gather his thoughts, Ritsuka took the lead.
-Roland, how about you tell me about yourself?-her tone was that of understanding.
-I can understand if you don't want to… but do you remember the chant I used to summon you?
It came back to him instantly.
- "To withhold judgment on sin", huh…
Roland mused for a second more, and decided to humor her for a bit.
-Well, in the city you would…
-I'll stop you right there,-she raised her arm in a "stop" gesture.
He tilted his head.
-You keep saying "City this, City that"… I know context is important, but to me it feels like you are just hiding behind it, like you are trying to paint yourself in a worse light. To distance yourself.
-That…-Roland was speechless. He looked back at their interactions and…
He really did some of that, even if subconsciously. He might have gone out and talked, but he guarded his secret zealously, still putting up some distance between himself and others.
-Haaah,-he let out a long sigh, and took his mask off.
She nodded, satisfied.
-Let's start from the beginning, tell me about yourself, Roland.
-And what would you like to hear? A story of my life?
-Er, how about you tell me about this thing I saw in a dream.
He hesitated for a bit.
-...Sure. This event you had seen was called a Smoke War. I've mentioned how there are wings and stuff, well, a couple of wings decided to gang up on their fellow. The Old L Corp stood no chance at all. With mercs from R Corp and I Corp at arms, as well as their finances, they hired many Fixers throughout the City. The result, I believe you've seen,-his tone stayed neutral throughout the explanation.
-And you were one such fixer?-she asked, carefully.
-Yeah, I wanted that…
-Nest Migration Permit, I heard,-her curiosity got the best of her and she interuppted him,-But… Why did you need it?
Roland drummed a rhythm with his foot. Why did he?
Ah, right.
-Backstreets aren't the nicest place to live, besides… at that time, I felt very lost. Thought that maybe, if I got a spot in the nest, I would be able to get some of that fabled happiness, you know?
They stayed silent for a second.
-So… did you get it?
-Ha! No, they fucked everyone over, no one cared enough to read the fine print,-his voice was bitter, hate, like venom flowing off his tongue, his shoulders hunched and his brows furrowed.
Anger flowed with his blood, forcing his fists to clench.
Not quite sure what to do, Ritsuka placed a hand on his shoulder, squizzing it slightly, in a weak, but much needed reassurance.
With a huff of air leaving his mouth, he allowed tension to leave.
-I'm alright, thanks.
-If we are talking about reasons for fighting, what's yours? Dealing with all of these singularities and servants, doesn't seem like anything you do on a whim…-he commented, his back straightening.
Ritsuka swallowed down saliva, not quite sure how to respond.
-Ha-ha,-a nervous chuckle escaped her,-Would you be mad if I said I signed up with Chaldea on a whim.
It was funny how his eyebrows could go SO high up, she noted idly.
-And if I were serious… I don't know? I want to save humanity, but I was forced into the position, courtesy of being the only person who could do it…
Roland scratched his head, thinking. He could somewhat relate to being forced into very bad positions, though Ritsuka's took the cake.
-Aren't you doing this for yourself as well? You are a part of humanity too.
She sighed.
-Yes, I guess? The important part here is that I'm in "charge",-she made quotation marks with her fingers.
-I'm the one who has to decide who goes where, and support them in battle, but more importantly, sometimes I'm the one who has to decide whether someone lives or dies…-she stood up, pacing around slowly, her head hung low,-But I can't bring myself to like the idea of someone dying for me. It feels wrong on so many levels. And there are already so many who died, be it from the bombings or in the process.
The feeling was alien, but with her thoughts spoken out, he could see where she was going from. And that rang some alarm bells in his head.
-And everyone around just keeps telling me that my life is invaluable. But…-she raised her hands sharply, breathing out and relaxing them soon after, then glanced at him,-Did you know that in the last singularity, everyone I brought with me died, except Mash? It was a massacre. And they all died protecting me…
Roland could easily recognize when someone was having a meltdown. However, no one bothered to teach him how to comfort girls with the weight of humanity on their shoulders. And some survivor's guilt sprinkled in on top.
Her speech culminated in what she said next:
-I don't think my life costs any more than yours or Mash's. Yet I can't stand just sending people to their graves, it tears my soul to shreds and…
Okay, he needed to act now, before she lost it completely.
"Angelica's 101 to helping people to snap back to reality:
Step one: make it sudden
Step two: make it physical"
He pressed a hand on her shoulder, his grip firm, then shook her to catch her eyes.
"Step three: make it painful"
He then promptly pinched her cheek.
-Ow-ow-ow-ow-ow!-little drops of tears appeared in her eyes. Was it from pain or sadness, he didn't know.
-The hell are you dmhmh!-he pressed his gloved hand to her mouth.
-Breath with me, will you. Iiiin
She, somewhat confused, complied.
-Ouuuut.
She breathed out.
-Okay, good. Iiiiiin.
Her body relaxed a bit, tension leaving.
-and ooooouut.
-Well would you look at that, works like a charm,-his hand moved back, trusting Ritsuka not to lose it again.
-First of all, I must apologize for that. Sorry for bringing up bad memories. For what it's worth, it wasn't my intention.
-Y-yeah, sorry for being pushy as well, I didn't think it was that sensitive of a topic for you, that war and stuff…-she apologized as well, realizing she wasn't as subtle as she herself would like to be.
-Well, good then, er, water under the bridge?-he offered a way out of this awkward situation.
-Sure.
In silence, they sat for some time. It wasn't an uncomfortable one, but it made Roland ponder.
He might have made an effort to sweep everything under the rug just now… was it the right thing to do, though?
Just hope that she would come to everything herself, trust that she had enough wits and people around her to not let her continue to dig the pit of self-misery.
Well, Roland wasn't the trusting sort.
Damn it, he hated it when he had to come back to something that was finished…
-Our library once had a very interesting guest. She was a commander of a sect, a really scary lady. Mighty strong as well, however, after her husband died, she marched to reclaim what was left of him, despite others telling her not to. Her colleagues, loyal to a fault, died besides her. When she was the last one standing, you know what she did?
-I'd like to say she fled, but married women can be very scary when they want to, Kiyohime is proof enough.
He didn't know who this kiyohime lady was, but he and Ritsuka seem to be on the same wave.
-She didn't. Instead of turning back, spitting on her comrades' memories, she went all E.G.O. and almost won. It were people beside her that inspired her to go further and be better. And if we wail in self-misery, nothing will change, we will instead fall into a pit hardly anyone returned from.
-What's an E.G.O? And didn't she still lose?
-I'll tell you some other time. What I meant by this is… keep pushing forward. It's not about your life weighting more than others. It's a collective effort now, the best you can do to honor them is to keep pushing. And prove them right. To have chosen to aid you.
A bit downtrodden, but with life and calm returning to her face in full, she sighed.
-If this was supposed to make me feel better, you did a terrible job.
-It wasn't, actually,-he said, with a weak and somewhat cheeky smile,-But you have to accept it this way. Otherwise, it's going to break you. I have seen much of that as well. It ain't pretty.
-Sure-sure, I've got it,-she was uncomfortable with the topic, and while he felt like a dick, Roland did what he felt he should have. Now it was all on her to accept his advice and move on. Or don't.
Though, he wanted to make it up to her. He doubted this was how she planned on spending the night. Lifting her spirits would also do her some good.
-Don't feel too down though. How about I make you something tasty as an apology for bringing this depressing stuff up?
Even if he wasn't the one to bring the initial topic up, now that he thought about it…
-Hm, you won't buy me that easily, mister,-she said sulking and turning around.
Feeling bad, Roland doubled down on his offer.
-How about a favor then?
-Something tasty and a favor, you've got yourself a deal!-her voice reclaimed all of her enthusiasm only sounding a little bit strained, but the smile on her face was genuine.
"I've got played, damn it",-he thought, feeling both aghast and amused.
-Sure. Now go to sleep, will you?The day will break in two hours.
-Crap!-she rushed to the tent, craving some of that sleep.
Sunrise wouldn't come for the next five hours.
-Well, better get to writing…-he opened up his notebook, and wrote:
"Reception of Lui Association south, section two."
The talk had given him just the right inspiration.
*****
It took the group in charge of assassination two days to get to their destination.
The group rarely rested and tried to be as discreet as humanly possible, avoiding fights and keeping a low profile.
And as of right now…
-Well, as far as abandoned houses are concerned, this one isn't the worst I've been at,-commented Roland as the group sat around a small chimney.
Because of their numbers, they had to resort to finding something that would suit their numbers. It wasn't hard per say to find a place to settle in, but it took quite a bit of time. And doing that while in enemy territory was stressful to say the least.
Which isn't to say that it was a good place.
It had a lot of moss, very dusty, and had no furniture to speak of.
The smell wasn't helping it either. Roland was pretty sure that something died here. They just hadn't gotten around to figuring out exactly what and where.
-No-no! My dress! This foul stench! It all clings to my dress don't you see Orlando?!
-Then you must be thankful that dust is the only thing that clings to it,-he gave an off-handed remark, sitting cross legged near one of the walls.
-You know, I probably should tell you to quiet down, but honestly, I don't think there is anything that can hear us,-said Billy, pressing a hand to his nose.
-Your way of thinking is correct, Billy. Everything will end poorly if someone speaks out of habit,-encouraged Geronimo.
-I mean, sure, but shouldn't you tell Cu to stop practicing by that logic? The man had been at it for the last day.
-And he is unusually serious about it,-added Roland.
-He has a very serious battle ahead of him, with himself, might I add. I can see why he would like to prepare,-Geronimo reasoned, making his point clear.
-Which, I might add, is not really in character for him,-Roland imitated the speech of the Shaman.
-Well, like a good friend, you must ask what ails him,-Geronimo suggested, not paying what Roland did any mind,-Besides, with Robin and Jack doing reconnaissance, there is nothing else to do.
-Might as well…-after a minute of thought, Roland stood up, and approached the training warrior.
*SWISH* *SWOOSH*
Roland took a wait and see approach, making mental notes of what his fellow did.
Thrust. Measured, aimed at someone's stomach.
A feint, small twist in the trajectory, and the supposed arm is at best cut, at worst, just a lump of flesh hanging on what remained of an arm.
A block, another, sweep of the leg, evasion.
The longer it went, the less restraint Cu showed. Motions more primal, dangerous. A bestial glint in the eye, a wild smirk.
All culminating…
*THUD* *CRACK*
With his spear embedded into the wall after a powerful throw.
-*Whistle*Do you still remember that "keeping low-profile thing" we've been talking about on the way here?
-Hm? Relax, it's not like they are actively looking for us.
-Well, we better not give them any reason to.
-As I said, if other me is as much of a dumbass as me, we have nothing to worry about.
-And what about Medb?
Cu spit out, like the name on his lips by itself could poison him.
-The whore… well, she just might. But we are god knows where. And what you need to know about Medb, she can be pretty conceited when it comes to things like these. We are in the heart of the enemy territory and she is too prideful to actually send someone to search for us.
Roland's eyebrow arched, unimpressed.
-Just don't do anything stupid. It will really all go to hell if we stumble here.
-Who do you take me for?-he shrugged, a lazy smile on his face.
-A guy who died in his twenties,-Roland didn't skip a beat when responding.
-Says who? A guy who died in his thirties?-retorted Cu.
-I have ten years on you, yongster…. Damn, I feel old all of a sudden. So this is how Salvador felt…-Roland run a hand through his hair, his mind bending under this new realization.
With Fixer experiencing a sudden existential crisis, Cu smirked, clearly happy with himself.
-Yeah-yeah, laugh it up, it's not like I'm losing my marbles right now,-Roland sent a pointed glare Cu's way.
-And it looks extremely funny, so I'm not stopping.
Fixer huffed, a bit salty from letting Cu get one over him.
-Whatever. It would be better if you told me what got you so worked up, all of a sudden,-he decided to change the topic instead.
Cu pulled the spear out of the wall, a web of cracks spreading over it.
As he turned around, Black Silence found a pair of very serious eyes on him.
-Well, I'm going to be fighting myself, so I'm shadow boxing.
-And how will it raise your chance of survival?
-Somewhat? I'm sure we share most of our tricks. From what Rama told me, the bastard is stronger, tougher as well. I'll have to push my skills to the absolute limit with this,-he prepared his spear again, settling into a stance.
The man before Roland was dead set on doing something, and he was giving his all to achieve it.
-But I know I'm better,-he said,spear splitting the air.
-That's a lot of confidence,-Roland pointed out, with his arms crossed, leaning against the wall.
-A pathetic version of me that wants to rule cannot be better by definition, because that's not who I am.
-Last I checked, that's not how the "strongest" was supposed to be picked,-fixer remarked, still doubtful.
The spear changed directions and stilled in front of the librarian's eyes. For his part, Roland didn't care enough to move.
The red and hungry spear looked Fixer straight in the eyes, but Roland was unimpressed. With an index finger he moved it to the side, as it promptly disappeared into motes of blue.
-Roland, what do you think makes a man strong?-said Cu as he leaned against the wall next to him.
Fixer figured this wasn't about the physical part, so he guessed…
-A goal?-he shot in the dark. He really never had to think about it. But this was the closest he could get from the experience. Roland was very scary when he had a goal, even misguided. Ask the Middle Finger, cartels… they would tell you all about it.
But Cu shook his head.
-A will. If I was any less of a badass, I wouldn't have left Land of Shadows all those years ago. I wouldn't have survived my teacher's training, adventured all around the isles, fucked up Medb and stopped an entire army one man at a time.
-And what makes you think that the version of you on the other side is worse?
-I could give a shit about ruling and I imagine, he ain't better.
-Nor being invested never stopped me from fighting seriously, though?-said the man who had followed some kind of order his whole life.
Cu gave a small smirk, something between "You for real?" and "I have to spell it for him".
-But it does make a world of difference, don't you think? The amount of power they put into it. A person fighting for something not his own is holding back on everything. I will exploit it, obviously.
-Well, what if he gets invested?-Roland kept pushing. He knew what Cu wanted to say, but Roland had never approached his battles from the side of "battle of wills" and he wanted to see Lancer's perspective.
-He won't. A me who decided to rule, is nothing but a pale imitation. From what I could gather, I'm not far from the truth.
Cu's confidence was endearing and Roland would have been glad to drop it here. But more often than not, this kind of confidence, thinking that you know everything about your enemy. It led to death.
However, it won't do to show doubt as well. He knew Cu was good. Like, one of the best fighters Roland had ever seen. And if he can't zero his other self, then their chances here are almost nil.
-Don't overthink this, Roland. This is as simple as me going out, offing the bastard and us returning with the grail.
A black mask met with a reassuring, cocky smile.
-*SIGH* Don't fuck up Cu.
-I'm hurt, friend, who do you take me for?
-A battle junky?
-That I am!-he gave Fixer a toothy grin.
Roland shook his head, exasperated, letting the silence settle as Cu rested after vigorous exercise.
One thing was still bothering the Fixer though.
-Just let me ask one last thing. Why do you fight Cu? You shame the other guy's reasons, what are yours?
-Simple, really. I fight for the sake of fighting. And well, that girl. And all of it is something I can get behind.
Well, this was a very Cu-like reason, Roland wasn't going to question that.
-Uncle Roland, Uncle Cu, Geronimo asked to fe…-fetach? bring you to him! Something about killing the bad lady! I can't wait!
The two men exchanged glances.
-Duty calls,-Roland followed after his self-proclaimed niece, Cu lagging just a bit behind.
*****
The parade was a grandiose affair. Decorations, festivities, alcohol. Lots of it. Tons. Spawned by the grail, probably.
People lined up on either side of the street, looking in awe at the procession.
Whether it was Cu Alter's imposing frame, Medb's bewitching beauty or a carriage led by the pair of majestic bulls that attracted attention was very hard to say.
Despite the joyous mood, however, the King remained indifferent to it all, not paying attention to anything.
It was dull, boring. These people who adored him and his supposed rule, he had no interest in them. These decorations and a parade - a vain attempt to show off their resources that held no real meaning. It rang hollow to him.
-Come now, Cu, they love you! Wave at them! Look, just like me!-she stood up, bouncing with excitement, waving with two hands.
The crowd went wild, cheering.
-Tch,-the mad cheers made his ears hurt.
-Shut up, woman. Can't you see? This is a waste of time.
-No it's not! A ruler has to express his love towards his peoples, this is how this whole kingship thing works! Just give it a try!
-Not gonna.
-Mou…-Medb pouted, visibly upset.
For just a moment though. Her expression brightened as she took note of a blond-haired woman standing in the way of the procession.
-Would you look at that! Look Cu! It's entertainment!
Alter took stock of his opponent-to-be.
"Nothing impressive",-he summarized as his spear appeared in his hand.
As his legs touched the ground everything around them changed, a grand theater appearing out of nowhere.
A hint of excitement passed through his whole being, but remained largely unnoticed, squashed by immense irritation.
Another pest on the way, great.
-*Whistle* Hey, you stupid mutt, come out and play. Stay on guard, if you are lucky, the meat will come walking right to you,-he said as Medb was talking with the woman.
With a low growl, what was hiding in the carriage revealed itself as a big, bad and extremely hungry wolf.
*****
Roland froze in his tracks as black, ragged fur and haunting blue orbs entered his sight.
-This is bad,-Roland stated as a bead of sweat trickled down his temple.
A hot pinprick of anger, the remnant he inherited after becoming the Red Hood, surged, filling his insides with hate…
He took it under control. Now wasn't the time, it wasn't his.
-So this is the beast… It's more dangerous than expected,-mused Geronimo aloud.
-Geronimo, change of plans, I know this thing and I don't think we have much of a chance at winning,-the weight and urgency with which Roland spoke made his allies tense.
-Roland what…
-Trust me on this one, best we can do is to keep it busy. I fought it, kind of, before. Leave it to me to stall, take care of Medb.
A second of consideration later, Geronimo's thoughtful gaze hardened.
-Alright. We'll finish this before it devours you.
"You have no idea how accurate that statement is,"-Roland could only silently lament, getting ready to something
The group sprung into action: Jack flanking, Geronimo leading Robin and Billy into the fight.
*CLANK-CHING*
That was Cu and Nero trying to get one over the Alter.
For his part, Roland…
In a swift motion, the Rifle came into his hands. Bullets rained on the animal, not letting it take a step to attack the other group.
A moment later, a short sword got stuck in the wolf's mow.
-Hey there buddy, remember me?-said Fixer, as he retaliated with the sword's brother, painting the fur dark red.
Wolf growled, the man seemed both familiar and foreign. Like a long lost brother and a worst enemy at the same time.
It broke the distance, circling its prey, the man in black doing the same.
In the recesses of its mind there was a shallow recognition, like something just beyond its reach.
But the instinct drew it to attack and not think, thinking didn't make its stomach full, after all.
Much the same picture was going through Roland's head. The patterns, quirks, habits slowly flowing into his mind, engraved into his memory by the rage not his own, along with memories. And not only the Hood's memories no. He remembered his time as the Wolf. How it thought, what its instincts told it - him, to do when he faced Gebura.
He was on either side of the fence once. He knew his opponent well.
Problem was, he was alone, and even as a servant, he had no confidence in beating the Abnormality.
Thankfully he didn't need to.
-Alright bud, I'm no red hood, but I think I can put up a fight, yeah?-he acted confident, but there was a certain strain to his motions.
Scratching the floor with its claws, it gnashed its teeth, lunching at the fixer a second later.
"It usually starts off with a thrust, trying to catch you off guard with its speed"-memories whispered at the back of his mind.
Evade to the left.
"And follows up by trying to bite you some more"
Its jaws tried to bite into his flesh repeatedly.
Duck, jump back, deflect with a parmach, too late to strike with a hatchet.
"When it jumps you, it always looks the opposite direction from what it actually tries to bite"
Handgun fired, taking the Wolf slightly off course, giving enough room for evasion.
Punishing the mistake with a hummer.
*SLAM*
A glottal roar tore through the creature's throat, as it slammed into Roland, sending him flying.
-Damn it, not fast enough,-he took out the spear, singularity enhancing his speed further.
The two were at each other's throats instantly.
A thrust, a block, a few steps back, spin.
In speed - he could match, if only barely.
In everything else? Roland will drop dead in twenty minutes or so.
With a ferocious thrust, the spear sought the beast's neck. And instead found itself in its mouth, being chewed.
They locked eyes as his opponent refused to let go of the lance, trying to get the fixer with a claw.
He shot it at point blank, hits only annoying it further.
It just pushed the spear forward, flunging him with it, forcing him to let go of the weapon.
-Well fuck,-he cursed, a katana appearing in his hand.
Wolf spit his spear away from the battle, somewhere in the direction of Geronimo.
He didn't have a chance to check.
The wolf rushed him. Roland parried everything he could, sometimes sending slashes where the wolf was supposed to step, pushing it in one direction or the other.
But the beast adapted, it saw his attacks coming, pushed faster, more daring, whatever restraint overwritten by overwhelming bloodlust.
-Geronimo! How's it going?!-he yelled, trying desperately not to get overwhelmed.
If Billy giving out a pained cry was anything to go by, things were going south fast.
-Assassin, use your noble phantasm!-barked Geronimo his order, and suddenly, instead of a well-lit theater they were in a sea of fog.
Roland's vision was reduced to zero, his senses, heightened already, were pushed to the absolute limit.
He wanted to believe that the fog managed to block the beast's perception.
He knew better, though.
He tried to get on it once again, who knew what it would get up to, and beside him there was no one strong enough to fend it off.
So he stepped through the fog.
Not realizing it was already too late.
For its part, the Wolf was slowly growing more conscious of its surroundings. Its thoughts whirled around the order the wild human said:
"Protect this woman".
It wanted no more than to tear into her flesh, experience the invigorating blood…
But then, it will not experience this sensation for some time. It would die. Wolf decided to follow the order, and it had just the means to do so. Abnormality's senses were superb, the distinct smells easy to pick up as it navigated through the fog, in search of what it should protect.
Soon enough, it found its prey. Petit in stature, quick in reflexes. Twirling a knife with a manic smile.
She was already on the human's queen, who tried desperately to protect herself.
The girl didn't know that she was its early dinner.
Abnormality launched towards the little one, not giving her enough time to dodge, teeth shredding her leg, tossing her around like a chew toy, slamming the poor kid into the ground.
She screamed, the pain travelling through her nerves.
It took its time. Biting each time at a different place, always increasing the pressure.
It could spare her the pain, the suffering.
But why would it?
It was destined to be the big and bad wolf.
And at this point, the animal found no point in disagreeing.
Jack's death wails, trapped within the fog, weren't heard by anyone.
When the fog cleared soon after, everyone could see the beast feasting on its victims' innards.
For a moment, this part of the battlefield stilled. No arrows came their way, no gunshot rang.
As the beast slowly chewed on the remains, emotions changed on the faces of the group in quick succession. There was pain, a hint of grief, pain of loss, disgust.
And for whatever reason, Jack now just a lump of formless flesh, didn't disappear in golden particles like heroic spirits should.
Like something was mocking them, prolonging the scene of the girl's suffering.
Roland was lost in the abyss of emotions. It came in waves, assaulting his psyche. His feet weak, breath rough, pupils dilated.
Grip firmer.
He didn't notice how this little and bloodthirsty girl wormed her way into his heart. His time in the Library softened him, opening his heart to the sorrows of the world. As a fixer, he grew to accept the inevitability of people dying. That not even those he cherishes most are spared from this fate.
And yet… it didn't make the pain any more bearable.
His soul, filled with emotions and memories, crushed the depth of his heart. Many griefs of the past long gone and the more recent ones leaving their murky footprints in his mind.
He let out a cry, filled with emotions that long lost hold of him.
Yet to the world it came out silent, gloves not letting it escape.
Because while enraged, Roland knew how to temper his fury.
Instead, all of it poured out into an explosive action.
The only thing that alerted the wolf was a sound of the air being split.
With a disgusting splatter, the forelimb was cut with Durandal, flopping onto the ground, black, mud-like blood spraying from the wound.
-Aaaaaauuuuuuuuu!-the wolf wailed in pain, its prey abandoned, gnashing its teeth, to attack the one who attacked it.
The battle resumed, with Geronimo trying to create an opening now that they were one man less.
Anger flowed in Roland's bloodstream, replacing any notion of strategy.
His instincts took over as he pushed his body to the utmost limits.
Durandal sought blood. Fixer deflected the strikes, sidestepped attacks, parried the claws as he himself bit into the hateful animal with his trusted sword.
And for the second, the sheer hate the man emanated reminded the wolf of its arch nemesis, making it shudder taking a small, limping step back out of instinct.
And Roland sensed the hesitation, pressing the creature harder and harder, the onslaught picking up in speed, losing any kind of rhythm to it.
With Durandal providing a boost to strength, Roland started to gain ground.
If only things could go like this a little longer, the battle would have ended differently.
The two people, both called the best celtic warriors, stood against each other.
-Huff-huff-huff,-Cu's eyes never left the opponent, despite how tired he was and how much he had to apply himself to have one over the bastard in technique.
It was a hard battle.
And he loved every second of it.
Alter, on the other hand, felt no such things. His stance lax, eyes bored. Hands sore. In his heart-of-hearts, he would admit, if only in passing, that it was an achievement that probably only his original could achieve.
-Haaaa!-the emperor announced her attack, flanking the king.
Not to forget the lousy pest, of course.
Spear met sword, sparks flying off on impact.
-You guys just can't see the point. This is useless,-said Alter, annoyed, deflecting the spear with his tail, throwing the lancer back a bit, giving just enough ground to maneuver.
*Swish*
The king turned around, the tail nearly sweeping Nero off her feet, making her slide back, while Alter delivered some devastating thrusts, which were deflected masterfully.
But the king kept on pushing, growing in speed.
Each swipe blocked, he grew faster. Each thrust evaded, he became more cunning.
More feints, less waisted movements, more refined.
To become the strongest, vilest king. Unrivaled.
Yet not enough to leave a scratch on the real thing.
Something simmered just below the cold mask that was his face.
As for Cu… he couldn't contain the wildest of grins.
-Why the long face, o "king"? Heavy lies the head that wears the crown?
Something cracked. Alter could hear it. Something within. What little restrain he had, he decided to forget.
-I tire of this, so let's get this over with…-he took a stance, air filling with tension, almost enough to make Nero suffocate.
-Now you are speaking my language,-Cu's grin became wilder, he prepared for a throw.
-Gae…
-BOLG!
The spears roared, bathing the area in red. In their bloodthirsty pursuit, they clashed with one another over and over, until coming to a standstill.
-A draw, ha…-Cu lost his smile.
His opponent used Gae Bolg. Which means he takes him seriously now.
He also didn't fail to notice how the man restores himself during the throw with rune magecraft.
…This didn't bode well for them.
Cu was out of the fight for the time being and Nero…
-Your movements lack grace! Your eyes hold no will to rule! Tell me!-with a clang, Alter took the sword on his plated forearms,-why do you seek to lead?! You find no elation in people's happiness, as there is no goal for you to achieve, so answer me, why?!
Cu could only watch, disarmed, as the Emperor fought on. Her form was vibrant and untarnished despite some heavy hits she had sustained.
-Yeah, I don't care about it in the slightest. I was just told to do things, so I'm doing it. I'll just keep on going until I'm out of steam. My destination is where my body drops. Nothing much to it.
As Gae Bolgs ran out of steam, falling to the ground, Cu tried to use this opportunity to rearm himself…
Not missing however, how scales slowly overtook Alter's skin.
Cu was too late to alarm his ally. But it was a moment too late.
-How absurd, a king, who wishes not for a kingdom,-a sardonic lilt in her voice, Nero couldn't help but scowl.
-Hey, watch out!
-Well, it doesn't matter,-claws of red appeared on King's arms, as he and emperor once again went at it, but with the slightest of movements, Alter's hand slipped into Nero's abdomen, ripping into her.
-Argh!-a strangled scream echoed through the street, as Alter crushed her innards with his hand, blood splattering on the cobblestone with Reality Marble disappearing.
-Shit!-Cu rushed his opponent, evading the tail, but not being able to get away from the scaled arm.
Skidding on the cold cobble, he heard how Nero fell on the ground.
The Emperor letting out gurgling sounds made it pretty easy to understand that she was about to die.
Cu's mind was occupied with something entirely different, though. Something a lot more terrifying.
-So this is the trick that you've developed, fucking madman. You can hardly be considered me, damn, you are no longer human. A human can't experience the pain you are going through, it would fry their brain in the best of cases.
The Alter's body grew scales out of his skin, gradually taking over the body, painting it pitch black.
-Pain can be tolerated, what matters is might.
-A-gum, tell me about it. I pity you, to be honest…-there was no playfulness to be found in Cu's tone. The opponent took them seriously, and now, he was becoming even stronger.
…Cu realized that there was no way he could win this. If this madman did what he thought he did, then it was unlikely he could do any damage.
He should retreat.
He should bide his time, play it save, meet with the others…
But "Cu Chulainn" and "retreat" cannot exist in the same sentence. Besides, Lugh be damned, he was having so much fun!
These tremors, this pleasant tenseness in his muscles, adrenalin in his blood, fueling this desire to go even further beyond his limits.
Cu Chulainn lived for this. He would gladly die for this as well.
-I'm having so much fun right now, and all you have to say is some bullshit.
Alter stood for a second as his head was slowly growing with dark plates.
-And I hoped you would be a bit more of a challenge,-he retorted, not batting an eye.
-And I hoped that every version of me would have enough sense not to get close to Medb, life can be disappointing, aye?-he commented sarcastically, a feral grin reappearing.
The blood-red horn appearing out of the Alter's head was an answer in itself.
-Well, here I go…GAE!
-Currid…
-BOLG!
-Choinchenn!
Two attacks met each other.
But the lone spear could not pierce through the scales of the beast that begot it.
With one motion, Alter deflected the spear, with the other, he striked. Try Cu as he might, he couldn't leave from the line of fire.
And when the clawed hand pierced through his abdomen and invaded his body he knew.
The game was up.
The Hound could feel clearly how his organs were torn to shreds by the growing spears, how he only had a few seconds left before he would become a fountain of blood.
He also knew, instinctively, that the other was looking him in the eye and decided to smile.
-This was a great battle. If we ever meet again, let's duke it out once more, okay?
He enjoyed this, perhaps too much. Even knowing how much was at stake, he couldn't stop himself from having fun.
Cu was a bit sorry to leave his dork of a master behind, but she was in good hands. And if Roland survives this… well, he knew man had an ace up his sleeve to turn this around.
With the way the opponent's arm flinched, he knew that he managed to shake the guy somewhat.
-Just die already,-the winner grumbled.
-Ha!-with a last bark of laughter, Cu dropped to the ground, his body being punctured from within, eventually scattering with the wind.
People didn't give Medb enough credit.
She might not be the most stellar of fighters, but she was a brilliant tactician in her own way.
Momentarily dividing the group by making her carriage run at them, just to let Arjuna take a good shot while they are distracted was proof enough.
All the while beating the shit out of Geronimo.
*SWISH-SWISH-SWISH*
A rain of arrows found its mark in Billy's back.
-Agh damn it!-the outlaw cried out as his back became riddled with arrows.
Cowboy couldn't stand on his feet anymore, taking the knee, his left hand hanging limply.
-Geronimo, I think this is the end of the line for me…-he whispered, but…
-I'll give you an opening…-he swore to himself.
Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes focusing. His hand was hovering just above the gun in his holster.
His eyes lit up with red.
Robin took down the arrows heading for the outlaw, and then…
-Thunderer!-Billy declared to the world his phantasm, drawing the gun at lightning speeds, letting two bullets find its mark in Arjuna's shoulders, only one missing the mark.
He only made sure to see the blood being sprayed, a small curse escaping Arjuna, not that he could hear it.
-Hm, good enough…-he brought his hat over his eyes, as the last of the energy left him, turning into golden dust.
Geronimo didn't let the opportunity go. The breathing room earned with painstaking effort mustn't be wasted.
-Oh Spirits that walk this earth. By the True Name of *****, lend me your power. "Tsago Degi Naleya!"
A majestic wolf came into being with a deafening howl, bouncing around broken cobblestone, trying to bite into Medb's neck…
Only to be pierced by the blood-red spear.
-Gha!-the rebound of his summon being killed rocked the Apache shaman to his core, making him stumble.
Regaining his focus, finding Cu Chulainn Alter approaching, he made the only right choice.
-Robin, take the communicator and leave, relay the information to the Master.
-What of Roland?!
-I'll cover for that fool, go!
The faceless rebel stood, indecisive for just a second.
Before nodding reluctantly.
-Good luck. "No Face May King"!-the green Archer disappeared with the passing wind.
His gaze leaving the bowman, Geronimo caught Arjuna knocking another arrow on the bow.
His eyes widened. Pushing limitations, Geronimo ran to Roland who was oblivious to the danger.
Roland knew they were losing.
He heard Billy's last shots. Cu's laughter. Robin's reluctant goodbye.
He heard them all, but had no time to respond.
The boost in power, given to him by Durandal, drove him to attack again and again and again. A momentum given to him by his recklessness. He had enough power to at least make the beast more miserable, more hurt. The fire of anger pushed him to do it, forming an almost desperate desire to stay here until the bitter end.
But Roland wasn't about to go on a rampage. Yes, he was angry, but he knew his limits. And he had things to lose now.
However, he was knee deep in trouble. If he lets go of the pressure for a second, the Wolf will regain the ground he painstakingly…
No, it's not about killing it anymore, survival was prevalent. He needed to cut his losses and do it now.
Besides, the animal could keep going for another hour. Roland would run out of steam in five minutes. Adrenalin could keep the person going for so long.
As he reasoned in his head, deflecting and inflicting strikes, his hearing picked up on the sound of an arrow going his way…
Shit. He couldn't defend from the wolf and an arrow at the same time!
A sudden push was what saved him the misery of being punctured, as Geronimo took the burn of not only the arrow in his abdomen, but also held off the biting beast.
Roland's eyes quickly scanned the surroundings, and he realized that they were pinned on all sides. With the Archer pressuring from the rooftops, Alter covering the main road, and the wolf blocking the road to the backstreets of the city.
-Roland!-the shout took him out of his musings as Fixer cut in two the arrows going for his head.
Quickly summoning a pistol to the other hand.
*BANG-BANG*
-You have a plan, Geronimo?-he said, suppressing the pain running down his arm from the recoil.
-Yes,-he sidestepped the claw, his knife only scratching the skin,-you have to run.
Roland kept his silence, the only sign of him being uncomfortable with the idea being the slight delay between the next shot.
He quickly found that Alter wasn't standing still anymore, annoyance clearly written all over his face.
Fixer was running out of time. And Roland hated what he was about to do.
-Thank you for this…-a black-coloured ball slipped into his hand while he fired with the other.
In a fluid motion, he threw it to the ground and it exploded into a cloud of pure darkness.
Tricks like these weren't beneath him even when he was just a grade six.
Arjuna tryed to score a lucky shot, but lacking any sort of target, while also lacking presence and sound, it was a hard thing to achieve.
As soon as it cleared, Geronimo felt how his arm was torn apart and he himself was flung into a building.
Geronimo nodded solemnly. The fight was lost, but two of the people getting away was the best course of action.
He sighed, content and the next second the jaws closed in on him.
-We have two stragglers… hm, who should we follow, Cu?
-Hm...-Alter looked at the animal beside him.
It sniffed the air, trying to get the scent of the other prey, while also not moving an inch.
It didn't want to go after the black suited man. He felt dangerous, even now, weakened and tired. It knew that prey is at its most threatening when desperate, so it left him be. Besides, it had to heal and had a very delectable meal right in front of it. Why bother going anywhere?
Seeing the Wolf unmoving, Cu Alter let an irritated "Tch" escape, before giving out a command.
-Arjuna, see to it that the black one doesn't escape, track him down, take as many men as you need. Me and Medb will go after the other one,-Alter's eyes settled on the wolf, which was vigorously chewing on Geronimo's remains.
Understanding that the wolf won't be going anywhere, Cu straddled the carriage along with Medb and went after Robin Hood.
*****
-Haaa, haaa, haaa,-giving out labored breaths, Roland reached one of the corners of the town.
His bloody frame would scare most people who came across him, thankfully, he wouldn't even register in their heads.
His only problem was a trail of blood he was leaving behind.
Barging into one of the abandoned houses, the eerie silence overtook the area.
-*swallow* Ha, ha. Damn it, fucking damn it!-he hit the wall with whatever strength was left in him, the last of his anger being replaced with venomous woe.
Leaning and then sliding down the wall, he sat down, bleeding, bruised and broken.
He squinted, regaining some of his composure and coming to the only viable choice of action.
He needed to get away, but not in the condition he was in, no. He won't make it, with whoever it is that was sent to finish him.
There was a place that could provide him with the needed time, though.
-I have nothing but my sorrow and I want nothing more
It has been, it still is, faithful to me.
Whatever emotions, deep and painful he had, he put into this chant.
Why should I begrudge it, since during the hours
When my soul crushed the depths of my heart,
It was seated there beside me?
HIs voice came out raspy, with raw feelings permanating each and every word.
O sorrow, I have ended, you see, by respecting you,
Because I am certain you will never leave me.
With a flurry of golden pages, the patron librarian was gone. Leaving only a pool of dried blood for Arjuna to find.