Chapter 353: Chapter 320
The light of Dawnbreaker met the maleficent light of Excalibur.
The Cavern was completely illuminated by the cascading energies. It burst out in almost all directions, with one of the few places that was safe was the space between me where the others were standing. It was the epicenter of the clash where the two forces vied for supremacy.
The earth below us shook violently before the lights dimmed. The bright and phantasmal lights continued to fight against one another until the supply of Magical Energy finally wore off and the remnants dispersed back to the world.
She stood there, not too far away opposite of me. Her face adopted a look of surprise as our clash resulted in a tie.
No, I won that clash
My light tore through hers enough that a gouge was taken out of the earth and neared her before losing steam. She had to put out noticeably more power to keep up in that exchange.
However....
She didn't even release her Noble Phantasm's True name.
Still, Meridia should be proud.
Dawnbreaker had contended with Excalibur.
She narrowed her eyes, her hands gripped tighter around her blade as she brought it up into a different position.
This was far from over, that had merely been a greeting. If I couldn't even handle that, then she wouldn't even bother to acknowledge me as an 'enemy'.
I took a single step forward and she reeled her sword back, her eyes flashing with anticipation. Within the blink of an eye, I was already upon her, Dawnbreaker slashed down, and she swung her blade to meet it.
The collision sent shockwaves in every direction, sundering the earth, and shattered the rocky interior around us.
She furrowed her brow again, a slight bit of hesitation. Perhaps the force behind my blow made her pause in surprise, but she quickly recovered. Her sword shook before she stomped on the ground, a burst of Magical Energy enveloping her.
Mana Burst.
I was all to familiar with it.
She knocked my blade away, and followed up with a swing that would cut me in half if I allowed it.
Unfortunately for her, I was familiar with her tricks. I allowed my body to flow with the motion, recovering far quicker than she anticipated. Dawnbreaker streaked back, enveloped in its golden light as the blades collided once more.
My Aura shimmered around me, gathering around my hand. I changed my grip, my off hand pressed against the flat of my weapon, and I pushed forward, sliding it down the edge of Excalibur.
In response, she flicked her wrist, not allowing me an easy hit. The trajectory of my blade changed, but she copied my own movement, her own sword grinding against mine as it moved towards my hands. Regardless of what happened to her, her skills had not deteriorated in the slightest. She could easily read and respond accordingly, countering my swordplay with skill and precision.
I was forced to jerk my sword back to properly defend, allowing her to step into my guard.
I glanced down at her feet, knowing what she was going to do next. Something ingrained in her movements that I learned through the plethora of spars we've had. My Aura gathered around my left hand, her sword came sweeping towards the right side, leaving her lower chest exposed.
She realized too late that I anticipated her, my palm connected with her, releasing the accumulated Aura. The discharge lifted her off her feet and sent her flying back into the cavern wall.
It was easy to see her stand up amongst the kicked up dust and debris. Her yellow eyes glowed in the distance, a swipe of her sword cleared out all obtrusions from sight. There was a noticeable crack where I had attacked in her armor, but otherwise, no real damage had been done.
It would have been a good opportunity to press the advantage I gained. But.....I hesitated slightly.
So many times I've spared with her in the past. The joyful and playful times we crossed blades, the other times where her competitiveness wouldn't allow her to lose.
This wasn't at all like that. Even when she was her most aggressive, she never swung with such intensity and desire to kill. Every one of her movements thus far were aimed at ending my life.
And it made my heart ache.
She stomped on the ground, her Mana Burst activated again, Magical Energy flared around her blade as she swung it down in one quick motion.
I responded in kind, just as I had originally. I released Dawnbreaker's True name, and met with the collision of baleful light that was Excalibur.
This Artoria didn't sit idle this time, she burst through the collision of power, sword swinging at speeds beyond mortal means. Her hands and blade were a blur, but I met each strike as they came.
Watching her action, I could see every familiar movement, every stance, every physical tick and give away to what her next action was. Amidst her onslaught, I tilted my hand on the sword, instead of bringing up Dawnbreaker to block another strike, I thrust forward. Her momentum came to a screeching halt, her whole body was forced to jerk to the side, my sword only severed a few strands of hair, but it put her in a very awkward position.
I followed up by slamming my sword downward, forcing Excalibur to be impaled into the ground. She struggled to pull it free as I exerted quite a bit of strength to match her. Seeing that she wasn't going to win a contest of strength, her opposite hand lashed out. A fist donned in a black metal gauntlet shot at me. The crisp sound of the air being distorted at the sheer force.
I shifted my hand to the side, letting it pass harmlessly past me. She continued trying to struggle until I finally caught that errant arm of hers. She struggled once more, unable to free herself.
Her lips pulled back into a scowl, she grunted, trying to force me away. I responded, my Aura flared and I exerted further strength to keep her pinned.
She refused to let go of her sword, so we were finally met with an impasse.
"Would you please surrender?" I had to at least try.
"You...." She grit her teeth. "Why do you continue to look at me like such?"
"I thought the time for words was over?" I replied with a small smile. Even with us conversing, she did not cease her attempts to free herself, just as I continued to match her.
An awkward situation ensued, leading to this.
"Do not mock me." She growled under her breath. "Do you not care about if you win? You have had ample opportunity to strike me, yet you hesitate and.....pity me. You are holding back, it is clearly written across your face."
"Aren't you holding back too?" I countered. "You could have targeted the others at the side, and you know I would be forced to defend them. You could have easily forced me into a corner that way." Granted, she didn't know what cards I had to play.
"I am not so low that I would need to resort to such means." She scoffed, the demeanor of the King of Knights apparently still shined behind those hollow eyes. "However, you lack the desire to strike me down. Am I not worthy of your full effort?" She sounded offended, angry even.
Every word that left her mouth, It felt like being stabbed in the heart. The same voice, the same face, but it was twisted back into anger and annoyance, directed right at me.
".....you remind me too much of someone I care for."
That made her frown deepen. "You will receive no mercy from me." She intoned before her sword erupted into the malevolent energy once more.
My eyes widened once I realized what was she doing. The explosion of power erupted between us, she had used her Noble Phantasm with complete disregard for her own safety.
My Aura flared up protectively, but I still felt my body as it was flung backwards before I could reorient myself.
That hurt.
I could feel it in my bones. Even after becoming a Campione, even with Aura, I could feel the blow that wasn't even directed right at me. Was I damaged meaningfully? Not really, but I still felt it, which was just a testament to her weapon.
Her Noble Phantasm really was extraordinary.
I climbed to my feet, meeting her eyes. They glowed eerily underneath the remnants of ground that now formed the crevice where she stood.
On one knee, blade impaled into the ground, she pushed herself back up to her feet. A little bit of blood flowed down her forehead and her armor looked a little mangled. But otherwise, she was still kicking at full strength.
With the Grail supporting her...I don't think this was the highest she can operate at.
Inexhaustible power.
I looked at Dawnbreaker and quietly put it away back into my ring. It already proved itself, but I would need something else. It felt much more appropriate as I felt Mirage between my fingers.
It was almost like the first time I fought Artoria.
[Kid.]
Ddraig?
[I don't like seeing the little dragon like this.] Ddraig replied. [I don't care if she would willingly change herself, if she became something else. But I don't like that lifeless look she has.]
"....yeah, I feel the same way." I resolved myself.
I don't know what happened to her, why she's doing this, but this wasn't her. She wouldn't listen to words, she wasn't my Artoria.
I would do what I had to.
"Defend yourself!" She roared, exploding forward at insane speeds. Magical Energy began expelling from her every movement in a way that eclipsed her normal Mana Burst.
A large, almost comical, horizon slash came at me, but it was accompanied by that same malevolent energy that coated the sword. It cleaved through the air, released at the same movement, the power tearing through the empty space and utterly decimating the walls of the cavern.
"Wuld." A single Dragon Word left my lips, and my own speed burst forward.
Her eyes were momentarily widened, and her gaze linger, falling to my left arm. "Dragon...." She whispered.
"Boost!" I called out with the Boosted Gear answering my call and formed on my hand.
I slammed Mirage into Excalibur, not allowing her to finish her swing. The power discharged harmlessly to the side.
Her feet pushed into the stone of the ground, shattering under the impact as I pushed her back. She gritted her teeth, her sword enveloped in that same power once more. She released her Noble Phantasm just to block my attack.
I quickly disengaged, pulled myself forward toward her through a minor application of the Kaleidoscope, narrowly dodging her strike. The accumulated energy sailing off and creating another gouge in this already destabilized cavern.
The rocky ceiling above us shook violently, pieces began to fall down and it felt like the entire mountain was starting to come apart.
It was a miracle the mountain hadn't come down on us already. Maybe this whole cavern was somehow metaphysically enhanced due to housing the Grail for so many years.
I didn't dwell on the nonsensical question, I pivoted to her side, thrusting Mirage forward.
She brought up her hand, clad in that Gauntlet of hers. The tip of my sword met it and she took that small opening to swing Excalibur again. The same as before it erupted in an arc, blowing away everything in front of her with that corrupted energy.
I was forced to dance around her slashes, as every one carried the power to actually harm me significantly if I got hit directly.
But this proved difficult, her absurd instinct allowed her to match my pace, even if my speed started to overcome her own. She barely moved from the spot she was standing, merely stepping due to my counter attacks after each of hers.
Instead, she opted for the most direct strategy. She just kept blasting her damn Noble Phantasm with wanton disregard.
I slid to the side, ducking under another blast and before I even had time to blink, her sword was above her head, bursting with power, swinging down once more.
"Dragon Shot." I discharged from the Boosted Gear, the draconic energy surging forth towards her.
She had to stop her release mid way, bringing her blade up to block it properly. Her feet dug more out of the ground, but she suffered no damage.
I leapt up into the air, pulling my blade back into a thrusting motion. I would give her a proper end to this fight using one of my stronger techniques.
The same move I used against Scáthach when we were training.
Dozens of ethereal copies of me emerged from my position, taking up spots on different world-axis as they forced themselves to align properly with this iteration of the world.
All of them were about to land a hit until she did the unexpected again. She spun her sword, and slammed the tip into the ground.
The surface below us cracked and like a geyser, her energy exploded upward, destroying my technique in the most simple way possible.
She seemingly had no regard for her own well being. Even with her arms suffering backlash, tearing her flesh and sundering her armor, she didn't hesitate in the slightest.
"It's time to end this. You fought well, but this is as far as you go!" She lifted her blade above her head and the output of Magical Energy reached the apex. It transcended what she had been displaying before, and I knew what was truly coming.
I stood straight at the precipice of power. It was almost as if time slowed down, and her blade chopped down like an executioner's axe.
"Excalibur Morgan!" The True Name was released, and so too was the amount of power behind it amplified several folds compared to previously.
I felt a warm sensation bubble up in my chest, and I held my hand aloft.
A golden light broke free and enveloped me, it danced around for a brief moment before taking position in the path of oncoming destruction.
Adorned with Gold and Blue enamel, a shield formed. The feeling of hope and safety radiated out.
But more so, it was the feeling of protectiveness from someone who I shared such an intimate bond with. That she wouldn't allow me to leave unless I took this with me, even to her own detriment.
"Avalon." I whispered.
The Everdistant Utopia came to my defense. The malignant energy of her corrupted Holy Sword completely filled my vision. The intensity was also amplified to an absurd degree, and the sheer power released wasn't just metaphysical, as the blast itself cleared right through the side of the cavern, penetrating the walls of stone, reducing them to not but slag and molten dreg at the sheer heat and intensity of the attack.
And I had no doubt that a good chunk of the city below no longer existed.
Just as quickly as it had come, the conglomeration of energy died out, leaving only wisps of energy, and they too quickly dissipated.
The corrupted version of a woman I loved stared at me, her eyes displaying more emotion than anything I've seen thus far.
I wanted...to stop, to talk to her. The spark of who I knew existed underneath that emotionless exterior she exhibited, it finally shined through just a tiny bit.
Avalon's effect died out as well, the encompassing defense retreating back inside of me.
With guilt, I moved.
Saber's body arched forwards, her mouth silently opening, and her limbs going limp. Her sword finally fell from her hands, and my blade protruded from her back, piercing her heart.
[***]
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