FATE\Deus Decipit

Chapter 98: The Salmon Who Wisdom Sought

...

Rider, without the hint of hesitation, approached the Adonis, scorched earth crackling under his metal boots. The two men, the two demigods who approached true divinity, stood nearly at eye level with one another, the awakened Heracles just a hair taller. Light gleamed from each of their eyes, Berserker's with the sharpness of an unstoppable spear, and Rider's with the incorruptible radiance of the sun.

"Rider," His voice echoed like thunder, deep, strong, with all the majesty of nature but none of her madness, "Are you not the one who killed my Master?"

His booming voice touched all the onlookers and, from their airborne perches, they began to whisper among themselves with awe, shock, fear and hope: 'His Master is dead? How much longer can he be manifested? Did we win? Is it over?' Aaron alone knew what had happened, but, in the face of his new foe, his excitement had simmered out, and was replaced by fear for his Servant, who faced the monster alone.

Athena shared his trepidation. She was unable to shake the feeling that the battle, far from ending, had only entered a 'phase two'.

"Aye. May I ask how thee came to know such a thing?"

"Who else would that man have listened to if not you? I doubt he would have listened to his own Master had he ordered such a thing."

"Thou knowest who I art?"

"You are Lugh, Champion of Light." His eyes glazed over the Servants overhead, "I know some of them, too, though not all of them. My... current state has allowed me memories otherwise locked away."

"From previous wars, I gather? I do wonder how I fared 'gainst thee thither."

"I can't recall, but I remember I held some admiration for you- for your character. Your underhanded tactics in this war... surprise me."

"Assassins hath their place on the battlefield. All is fair in war, no?"

"It is, but I suspect you would've rather done differently."

"Aye, but I saw little other choice. We did what we must have."

"Allow me to offer you a choice, then."

Heracles ripped his blade from the ground and brought it down towards Rider, hovering just off his shoulder. Rider didn't flinch even while his ribbon-like hair was blown away.

"I challenge you to a duel. With what is left of my manifestation, I will avenge my Master by defeating you on my own terms. Should you refuse," His glare sharpened further, "Then you should expect the same courtesy as you gave my Master."

"Ha- haha!" Lugh contained his laughter to a chuckle, then managed to compose himself again, "Of course! Thou art truly a man worthy to be called a hero! I wouldst be glad to duel thee."

Despite the situation, the smallest semblance of a smile cracked the Adonis's stoic façade.

"Good." He returned his sword to his side, "My True Name is Heracles! Son of Zeus by Alcmene, hero of Lera, Nemea, and innumerable others. I've been summoned as a Berserker in the vessel of a Divine rather than Heroic Spirit. This-" He raised his blade, "Is Atlas, the Sky-Cutter, the sword who cleaved the heavens, a conceptual weapon which represents all that I accomplished in my Twelve Labors."

He dashed his sword back, a roaring gust of air filling the vacuum it left behind, "Rider, I challenge you."

Rider took two steps back and, with each, his armor began to disappear. His face revealed, fair yet handsome, beautiful yet strong, soft yet firm, and underneath his armor was a tight black cloth that covered all but his arms. Over the chest it was like a vest, with silver buttons near the collar and a splash of blue along his sides while silver buckles ran along his legs before reaching his black boots. His ponytail unfurled into its full splendor and, in his outstretched hand, his spear of purple lightning manifested.