7 Assassin 3. The Beast of 666

"Bravo! Bravo!"

A man was descending down from the bridge, as if there was wide stairs like in some kind of an old musical.

I even blinked several times trying to check, whether I managed to lost my mind for previous several minutes.

The descending man looked about 50-years old, medium height, quite plump. He was dressed in tweed suit, something you might see in movies about the first half of the 20-th century. Trousers and shoes looked the same. There was even walking stick hanging on his elbow.

If we had been on the stage of a movie shooting of, for example, Jeeves and Wooster, he would look as one of Bertie's smug relatives, with conceit higher then Big Ben and another task for poor Bertie (though I'd call poor there Jeeves).

With his appearance our fight with Shirou died out. Even our Servants broke up looking on the newcomer with suspicion.

"Caster", said Saber suddenly in deep basso.

It is ridiculous, but it was the first time I paid attention to his look as there was no chance for me to look at him in whole, standing calmly.

He was about 2 and a half meters, maybe even higher, broad-shouldered and sturdy. Quite a young Arnold Schwarzenegger. His hair was dark blond and shoulder-long. Beard was also dark blond, also long. Combined with simple chain armor, simple under-armor coat and red boots with ornament he gave an impression of our bogatyrs from cartoons.

And, of course, the sword. A piece of rail that even Guts wouldn't mind swinging. It was a Carolingian-looking sword only long, about two meters or even more. The handle was made in accordance with the blade which, in turn, was double-edged, with fuller and not as monolith as the Rail-san [1] from Berserk.

Having gained time, he took Assassin's dagger from his shoulder and threw it to his opponent's feet.

"You are right, my friend barbarian", answered Caster in amused and conceited voice. "And, as far as I can see, you are Saber and Assassin. Splendid. It's a pity, though, that the battle has taken too long."

As he finished speaking, his feet stood on the ground. Only then I noticed that he was not alone. In the same manner descended a girl of about 20 years, in an old-fashioned long black dress with long, covering most of her back, white hair. Her features were pretty, almost childish, but only her appearance would allow calling her childish. The girl's look was harsh, as if had spilled wine on her dress occasionally and then some more for fun. To be honest, I'd rather call her a Servant than the plump guy.

"My Master was a bit… displeased, how long your battle continued and that none of you managed to deal some critical damage to the opponent, so she ordered me to step in and finish you both", Caster finished with the same voice and took his stick in his right hand.

"You… you are Einzbern?.." asked Emiya Shirou still breathing heavily.

Nani?

I looked at him then on the girl again. Her lips curled, she tidied her hair.

"Elisabetta von Einzbern… onii-chan", she said the last with unctuous voice and obvious German accent and made a mocking curtsy. "And you are famous Emiya Shirou. Heard a lot about you. And you…" she cast a glance upon me. "You are not interesting for me."

Hey, it's not the thing you would like to hear from pretty girl in any case!

"But Acht promised…"

"Acht is not in charge of everything!" she snapped. "Einzberns have been hunting for the Grail for centuries, and some old fart can't stop us from taking what belongs to us!"

Shirou lowered his head. He also used the sudden time-out and healed himself a bit, just like me, while Caster was descending. But in my case it was a bit tougher for even with magic such wounds never heal for a couple of seconds, with magic level of mine, at least. I still needed some rest or bandage. Or a longer spell. Anyway, all those were luxury I couldn't afford.

"So, it's not Acht behind it."

"Ow, he is still grieving for that broken doll. What was her name, Ilya? A name that fits a little girl that cannot even complete a simple task, dying in the end as useless as she lived."

Emiya clenched his fists so hard that his knuckles became white, the sword handles must have got broken at that moment. There was pure hatred in his look, the hatred I didn't see during our fight. Then he was calm and cold-blooded as a sniper searching for the target. Now he was like a bull at corrida, who saw a red cloth even being aware that the next moment a torero will put an end to his life.

"Let's finish it here, if that's the thing you want. But let him go", he pointed with a blade in my direction.

OK, you got me, I am tired of being surprised. Hey, man, I wanted to kill you, remember? Though, you know, I wouldn't mind some tactical retreat…

"Pardon me for my intrusion", Caster coughed into fist, "but that wouldn't be interesting. Plus, it would be strategically convenient to take down two enemy Servants at the very beginning of the War".

"Feel that you're strong enough?" asked Saber grimly.

I stealthily looked on Assassin. He gave a hardly noticeable nod and gripped his weapon even stronger.

"Ooh, believe me." Elisabetta grinned. "I've got something better than a mindless grunt. Caster, smash them."

"Yes, m'lady"

Caster traced a crescent in the air with his stick, calling swarms of fireballs and sent them to us.

Me and Assassin managed to dodge, Shirou too, as far as I could see. Saber simply hid behind his sword.

A series of blasts exploded. When everything cleared, I analyzed the battlefield.

Caster had descended from the bridge several meters away from the place where the beach hit the bridge. To the left for him (right for us) was thick line of the shore and the river. To the right for him (left for us) was the road. Between us was the pavement. No a single cover except for a line of park trees. If he goes on shooting like that we won't have a chance to come closer to him. I also couldn't imagine a way to distract him.

Of course, if we only could make him retreat to back to the intersection of the bridge and the road or even the bridge…

My thoughts were interrupted by a new salvo, this time a lightning one.

We rolled away again. Hardly managed to.

Damn, that's just out of hell! Alright, I can understand his strength. I can understand that he is a wunderkind that can combine a lot of elements. But how can he chant spells THAT fast? Such a salvo is called by the time twice longer than he gave us. Did he ever do this?

"What are we gonna to do, Master?" yelled Assassin.

"Distract him, I'll take down the girl!" answered I giving the only strategy I could create so quickly and dashed to the left.

There was nothing else to do. We were knee deep in sh@t, so we could do something or let ourselves get killed. The last was not an option for me.

With an inhuman speed Assassin rushed forward and to the right to the very waterline. That was already enough to draw attention, and I also had given him a couple of knives before the patrol started, and he threw them to the Caster. Not very precisely, though.

The opposing Servant only moved a brow, making the pieces of metal stop and fall to the ground. Then he placed his palm at his mouth and blew, as if sending a French kiss. A wave of cold went to Assassin, freezing the water he was ankle-deep in. He hardly managed to jump out but the spell was still stronger so he lost his balance and fell on his ass into the broken ice and water.

I was not that fast, so the distance I'd covered was smaller. And Caster was turning to me already.

I sent several lightnings to him but he blocked them simply by raising his hand and sent his one to me.

But I have already taken a couple of knives and threw them one by one. Magic or not, but the electricity follows the same rules. The first blade served as a lightning rod and the second one flew to the target. Unfortunately, with no result.

Caster changed tactics. He sent a rain of fireballs, too numerous to avoid.

I touched the buckle of my belt, stripped it and stretched my arm. On the inner side there was Algiz defensive rune. The fireballs met an invisible hemisphere and exploded.

F#ing cheater! How the hell should we pass through your defence?

When the second salvo seemed to be inevitable, Saber rushed forward right on the pavement. Caster started throwing spells like from machine gun, but the giant Servant didn't pay attention to it covering himself with his greatsword.

Holy crap. I'd read that this class had high magic defense, but that was something…

Oh, no, Ok. Caster started murmuring something and Saber got pinched to ground. Though, even that wasn't enough. With great effort the giant continued his way.

I and Assassin seized the momentum and ran further to the enemy.

Though, I ran not that far. Something hit me, but I managed to raise my hand with buckle and activate the rune. Protective hemisphere sparked and managed to block the hit but disappeared in a second. That's all, folks. Movie is out, electricity is over.

It was my time to die, but Caster seemed to prefer paying equal attention to us. He switched to Assassin, freezing him rather thoroughly.

"I am so tired of you" said magus-Servant and waved his hand raising it up.

"The Book of the Law!"

Golden light erupted from above, and something landed on the extended hand.

As the light faded a book could be seen.

"Great Beast… 666…" wheezed Saber still fighting with the pressure.

At first I didn't understand what he meant. It took me a second to realize.

Aleister Crowly. The Beast of 666. The greatest magus of the 20-th century.

I turned on my heels and made a sign to Assassin who was releasing himself from the ice trap with his dagger and we tan to the starting point.

"Where the hell are you going?" yelled Emiya who hid himself behind Saber, but I didn't pay attention to him even when he started shouting curses.

Even from that far I could hear Caster chanting.

But that was not a matter. I did what I wanted.

Stop in time. Take a bolt from the quiver at the right hip. Take fallen crossbows. Throw one with the bolt to Assassin. Reload the second one. Put it on the crossbow on the shortened left arm. Shoot in the Caster's head.

I and Assassin shot almost at the same time. Right then Caster finished his spell.

Two magic-piercing bolts, designed to break weak magic barriers flew towards Aleister when some thick black fog.

Sorry, it's not a fog. These are insects!

And rather hungry, judging on how they gnaw the trees and grass they met. My bolt was also devoured. Assassin's bolt flew on the very edge of the cloud, striking his stick from his hand. Too late. If only it were later, it could break Caster's concentration. Time to think what to do to the swarm…

And then an unthinkable happened.

Emiya Shirou, to whom no one was paying attention, suddenly went out from behind Saber's back with a bow in his hand (where the hell does he take weapon from?) and shot forward. Not in the enemy, in the insects.

Something flew and exploded like a cannonshot burning a huge clearing in the swarm.

But it was not the end. Under the cover of the blast Saber suddenly rushed forward and prepared to land a blow.

Caster avoided in the last moment, flying back to the bridge with the Einzbern girl.

We all ran there.

"What the hell?" barked Shirou. Once again he was with his twin blades. Bow was nowhere to be seen.

"Why the hell should I explain?" I answered back, putting crossbows on the belt hooks. "Would you be the only one to hear "I'm gonna shoot him"?"

Here we are.

Caster was standing on the bridge. Elisabetta was standing a bit behind.

Now there was clear rage written on his face. His left hand was holding the tome.

Aleister Crowly and the Book of the Law, his Noble Phantasm.

The greatest magus of the 20-th century and his greatest work

"Now you got me angry. And believe me, you won't like the anger of Beast 666!"

The book opened itself on a certain page and Caster started chanting.

"Cap, to the right!"

We rushed to the opposite edges of the bridge and forward. There was no time to reload, so I took throwing knives and threw then hoping to break his concentration.

But here his Master remembered that she also was in the middle of the fight. She pronounced a spell and the blades met magic shield.

Alright now I've got only daggers.

Elisabetta started chanting something else. I shot a lightning. She dodged and was about to answer as a black lightning hit the shield. Taken aback she stopped letting me to come closer. Now, just one strike…

And then Caster released his spell with the yell:

"Hands off from my Master!"

A wave of energy rushed outwards forming a swirl that felt like a black hole.

"And you are from mine!"

As Caster was to chant something else Assassin jumped on him after having crawled under the vortex in the very last moment.

Aleister had no time to react so he answered with the simplest thing he had, a Gandr.

Shots flew out like from automatic shotgun and hit Diego. In pain he flew away. The vortex spell was broken.

Seeing that Saber and Emiya were coming in hot and I was about to reach his Master, he pronounced a short spell. We all flew away like feathers. I hit the floor with my head.

As I was getting up with great difficulty I saw Emiya.

"Peace for now"

"Yeah…"

Meanwhile Caster opened another page and started chanting.

"Saber on center, Assassin to the left, you follow me."

It was rather order than instruction. I felt too weak to say something against so I agreed to the plan. Separating, drawing attention and getting closer one by one was a better idea in this case.

Till now our attacks were poorly coordinated. We advanced as soon as someone else seemed too dangerous to Caster. Now came time to shine.

"Cap, use Phantasm if you can!"

And we ran.

We made about a 1/3 of the way as Caster vomited with something. It was a slime-like liquid which went to us like a river, covering the bridge in a thick layer. Something started hissing. I hope, it's not asphalt melting? If so, can't even imagine what this stuff is going to do to us!

Saber hit the ground with his sword. The liquid trembled and flew away revealing boiling road, and he jumped on the free space.

Assassin with an inhuman jump crossed the way to the vertical farms of the bridge arch and started climbing up.

The two of us, possessing no such powers, jumped on the concrete blocks, dividing pedestrian part of the bridge and the car road. Sometimes the slime tried to cover us but every time Shirou threw his blades as boomerangs and sliced it.

Meanwhile Caster was chanting a spell.

Don't know, what it is, but it's freaking dangerous.

Assassin was the first to reach him with but Einzbern girl made him fly away.

Saber went on stomping and crushing his way through. Suddenly the liquid, as if being a true slime, gathered up and tried to hit him. The giant sliced it but lost precious time.

I and Emiya went forward. The mess was also trying to stop us, hitting, trying to catch our ankles.

The spell was about to come to an end. As this desperate thought shined in my brain, I decided to give a try. Instead of hitting the opposing Servant with my lightning I shot it into the bridge-wide slime near me with all my strength. Magic Circuit roared releasing so much energy that my body seemed to explode in a second.

The whole thing trembled, even Caster was affected.

Having lost his focus he had to start a new spell.

Something was whispering in the ear that it wasn't much better. Bu at least we had the window of opportunity!

Shirou doubled his efforts in slicing trying to reach Elisabetta. Assassin had already got back to senses and rushed back. His left hand was bent as if to hit with a dagger but there was nothing.

Saber was about to be covered with the tide of the slime when he made another hit and right after jumped forward using his sword as a jumping pole.

I could do nothing as Shirou slowed down too much, having nowhere to go. Or…

Suddenly an idea flashed in my mind!

In a pocket on the quiver there was a gem given by Bruce!

In the most inadequate stance, balancing on a block in the sea of black acid mud I reloaded a crossbow and put the gem instead of a bolt.

Just don't let me down, dear…

Dong!

The string straightened up sending a strange projectile to the target. My will followed it and exploded.

Boom!

Caster stopped and even fell back. Some mud flew everywhere around.

As I was the one who launched it I was the only one prepared.

I jumped right into the opening and raised a dagger to the girl's throat as Caster, enveloped with light, appeared near her, making Assassin's blade chirp on asphalt.

"I underestimated you. I won't let this happen again!"

Suddenly the mud gathered in one tentacle and tried to hit us. We evaded and suddenly the slime fell back as liquid. Saber took Emiya and me in his arms and ran to the pedestrian side, Assassin ran behind. They didn't manage in time, so they jumped there bootless and with wounded legs.

Crowly and Elisabetta were no longer there.

The mud curdled and crusted.

We were breathing for some time when I started swearing. I did it long and heartily for some time in Russian, English, Japanese, adding occasional words in all languages I'd heard in my life.

My devoted monologue made everyone look at me, Alatriste with some kind of respect, Saber with surprise and Emiya with barely hid disapproval.

"…#@%$!!! Suka, nya!!!" I finally ran dry.

[1] Rail-san (russ. - Rel'sa-san) Russian nickname for Dragonslayer from Berserk manga.