Fate/Writer's Dream: Immagine Speculare

Chapter Seven, Fearsome Opponent

     Nero took a step back and looked over at John. "Master, be careful. This Servant is stronger than us two," she whispered.

     "That's right," the unknown Servant said with a grin. "You wouldn't stand a chance."

     Waver took out a handful of marbles from his pocket. "Who are you? What kind of Servant are you?" He spotted the girl's sword and frowned. "A Saber perhaps?"

     The Servant chuckled and covered her mouth with her gloved hand. "Humans are so simple minded. I can see why my Master wants the Grail so badly now."

     "Your Master? Who is he?"

     "Are you an idiot? Of course I'm not going to tell you who they are." From the cracks in the ground, fire spewed out from the cement and engulfed the nearby buildings around her. "I can tell you this though. My Master's orders are to eliminate you quickly, and to use whatever method that's the most effective."

     John took a step back and extended his arm out to protect Liz. "Are you saying that you'll even tear this city apart just to kill us?"

     "If it does the job, it does the job," the Servant replied. "But oh, don't worry about being lonely. I brought a few friends to keep you company."

     Invading from all around, hundreds of people wearing black robes walked into the open. They all were chanting spells, the glow of their Magic Circuits lighting up the shadows of the buildings. Many more mangled bodies were revealed from the light, each corpse slaughtered in a different way. They were the residents of the temple. Their blood was drained from their bodies, and there were holes in their chest from where their hearts should be.

     Liz fell on her knees and covered her mouth as she gagged. The sight was too terrifying for her. Even Philip was feeling a bit green.

     Nero's grip tightened around her sword. Her teeth gritted together as her seething rage exited from her soul. "You Monster! How could you ever do something like this and consider yourself human?!"

     The Servant smirked and let out a giggle. "Look who's talking! Have you forgotten? We're not humans! We're Servants! Tools made for slaughter! If you don't like your role as a weapon meant to kill, then end yourself before I do!" She lifted her sword up and slammed it into the ground.

     The temple shook from the force and threw Waver a bit off balance. "Tch. Gray! Take care of the Mages attacking us! Saber! Tango with that Servant!"

      "Umu!" Nero kicked the ground beneath her and launched herself directly at the Servant. She swung her rose red sword in an arc, aiming for her head.

     Raising her sword up, she blocked Nero's attack with her own blade with one hand. Their two swords clashed, causing a ferocious explosion. "How weak!" she yelled and raised her leg. With a swift kick, she sent Nero through the ruins of the temple. "A disgrace to the Saber class! Saber's are supposedly the strongest Servants, but all I see is a whimpering girl!" She jumped into the air and dropped straight towards Nero.

     "Don't underestimate me!" Through the rubble, Nero swung her sword up and an explosion of flames encircled her, catching the unknown Servant by surprise. "My name is Nero Claudius! The great emperor of Rome! I will show you the power of my homeland!" The rubble around her evaporated into dust as her sword became illuminated with a burning hot flame.

     The Servant slid across the ground, sparks flying from her boots, and stood up straight. "Oh?" She smirked and raised her sword to her chest. "How pathetic. That weapon is nothing more but a steel toothpick. I'll show you REAL flames! Reveal yourself, Heshikiri Hasebe Nobunaga!" A tornado of flames encircled the katana and shot upward into the sky.