Heir of Treachery

Son of a Dragon

Blazing red eyes stared into crimson as a figure armored in Greek armor was held by chains. One arm was wrapped by glowing, golden chains that hummed with divine power. A blazing red spear head hovered just in front of a face of a tyrant.

Long golden hair laid messily about on her head as she panted. Her eyes held a mix of amusement and excitement as she lightly laughed at her predicament.

Divine steel glistened against the golden light of the chains, the once raging flame of the spear now embers as power drained from its user. Sweat and blood dripped from the two servants as they tried to catch their breaths.

"I-I almost died!" Laughed Archer as she looked at Saber in surprise, "You, Saber. What is your name? I wish to fight again, this was fun."

Saber replied by spitting at her as he struggled in the chains. He growled as he tried to break the chains with force, pulling and yanking at every instance. These chains weren't normal, he knew that already, but to be caught inches from victory?

He had her, he was so close, but all heroes have a flaw. She unintentionally found his: his bloodlust. He's so quick to kill, with as much efficiency and brutality as he demands. So she fought defensively, using her chains to move him where he didn't want to while shooing weapons at him at the same time.

Saber pulled harder on the chains as he felt the divine strength draining from him, but never feeling the separation of his and that blasted war god's soul. With a sigh of defeat he glared at Archer, "Just kill me. You've already defeated me. Just end it so you win already, making your wish come true."

"Now where's the fun in that?" She asked with a confident smirk that rubbed Saber the wrong way. It just seemed wrong, "Where's the challenge in that? If I kill you now who will entertain me?"

Saber's eyes narrowed in response as his grip on the spear tightened, the chains clanking as he continued to push forward. Archer's smile shifted from entertainment to ambition as she walked closer to Saber, around the spear as chains continued to hold him.

She raised a hand as she traced his jaw in amusement as he pulled his head away from her hand, disgust in his eyes. The glanced at the chains as the continued to glow a magnificent gold as Saber's appearance slowly changed.

His once blazing red eyes slowly morphed to a cyan as his hair returned to a golden wheat. His spear slowly turned to dust as the chains held strong, his divinity being drained but never lessening.

"Oh I don't know," Saber spoke as he snarled at her, "Literally anything! Go gamble or something, I don't know!"

Archer lost her smile as she grabbed his face, forcing his face towards her, "I have known all of life's treasures, pleasures, and more. Yet, here you are, stating I should go gambling. My luck alone would drive them ALL out of business. Say, Saber, do you know what life's greatest treasure is?"

Saber couldn't respond, but he had a feeling he knew what she would say. He fought harder against the chains as they continued to hold him tightly.

Her face went closer to his as she spoke, "It's the one you can't obtain. No matter how much you struggle and work for it, you can't hold it. You can only look and dream of what could have been. That is the greatest treasure, and do you know what that is for me?"

Saber made a decision to retreat into his mind, time outside becoming irrelevant as he stood in a small grass field.

He let out a sigh as he summoned his divine power. The same godly power manifested as its true owner, Ares. The heavily armored manifestation of war looked at him in silence, his face nothing but shadow under his helmet.

"So?" The, former, god questioned.

Saber took a breath as he steeled himself, "Is it possible for you to leave my body? For even just a moment?"

Ares sighed, "It's not that simple. I can't just separate from you on a whim; it has to be agreed upon by both you and I. And let's not forget the energy needed."

"Well I've agreed on it!" Saber exclaimed as he looked at Ares with pleading, "You know the foe we're facing! Hell, you know what those chains are!"

"Yes I know, but-"

"But what! What is there to be questioning?! If we both want to win and live we have to make a sacrifice! Even ones we don't want!"

"I know, but if you'd let me explain-"

"Explain how we'll lose!? Because I think I can explain that with ease right now!"

"Silence!" Shouted Ares, a boom reverberating in the small clearing, "If I separate from you I cease to exist with the current power I hold. If I were to bond with you again I would be substantially weaker than before. And that's if I even continue to exist in any form to contact you again. Understand?"

Saber nodded as Ares sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he attempted to calm down.

"Are you sure you want this separation?" Questioned the god, "This could be our last meeting."

"I'm sure. Because if this works, then I live a little longer and win and that's all that matters here. Even if I just wound her or impair her, then I'll win."

"Are you saying that with confidence or desperation?"

"I don't know."

Ares took a breath, "So you plan to gamble my continued existence and a chance at victory?"

"I don't know. Neither of us know this final outcome until we do it, and I'm willing to take this chance in case it does work."

"And what if it doesn't? What if me leaving doesn't help your chances? And even if it works you would be on your own without my blessings. Do you understand this?"

"I understand. I told you already, I'm willing to gamble everything for this win. So, please, can you do this one act of selfishness for me? Take your powers and strength and save yourself. Let me fight as I once was, and what I'm doomed to be."

Ares took one last look at Saber as he turned and started to walk away. His form slowly disappearing like dust in the wind, "Then I'll leave you with my goodbye. Fight well, son of the king of knights and heir of paradise."

Saber's vision focused into reality as the words of paradise echoed in his ears. He felt the chains seemingly lose power, their strength being taken from them. His soul felt splintered, his strength felt halved, but his mind felt clear.

The form of Archer still stood in front of him, his spear splintering into mere dust in one hand. Chains wrapped around him became loose, his body gaining strength as he regained movement.

With a silent shout he strained the chains as their links struggled to hold, the pressure exerted by Saber making them falter in their links.

Archer laughed at him, his fate was already sealed. He would fail here, as he did in his past life. But her eyes widened when the chains were pulled apart, their strength failing as he bursted forward with crimson electricity. Aqua eyes peered dangerously into hers as she quickly summoned Gates of Babylon, weapons aiming to cut him to shreds.

Saber, filled with thrill, summoned Clarent as he aimed to strike Archer in her heart. The weapons around him not registering as his senses begged him to move, but he fought his instinct.

He would kill Archer here, as would Kiritsugu kill that damn priest. He told him to double tap, so he better do it.

"How'd you get free?!"

Saber ignored the question as blades entered his body, his grip on both Clarent and Archer never faltering. Clarent was raised high, poised to take another life, as its welder blocked out all thought and plunged downwards.

"This is the blade that killed my father, tearing the physical paradise away from us. Now, it will make sure the dream lives." Crimson sparks came to life as the guard of Clarent shifted, energy shooting from it, "Clarent.." The blade pierced flesh as the noble phantasm was beginning to be released, "Blood ARTHUR!"