A Dishonored Demigod

The End of Assassin

Twin lasers of green glare at Saber over Perseus' shoulder,"I will not abandon my own, even if they stray from my ideals. That is what truly sets us apart Saber. I am lenient to those who are not fully set in my convictions. Can you say the same? Can you say that you would let one of your knights leave without consequence if they didn't fully agree with you?"
Saber struggles for words but Perseus sighs,"Your silence tells me all I wish to know. You are no king, but a knight trying to fill a king's shoes. You seek to eliminate the works those who served under you accomplished, all for a wish you don't even know will work! The legends of Gawain, Lancelot, Perceval, and the rest of your round table. You seek to render them null all because you run from your decisions."
He faces her once more with his lips curled in a sneer,"You are a coward and a pretender, unworthy to wield the sword that carries the hopes of all heroes!"
Saber trembles as if his words physically strike her,"Pray that Lancer does away with you, because if he doesn't I will rip the flesh from your bones and show you the might of a true king. I will make your demise a legend to be added to my own unending one."
He picks up the pitcher of wine and tips his head back to drain half of it before angrily muttering,"There's not enough to quell my anger."
He takes a seat while breathing out and his hands clench,"My apologies for my rant, but this one needed to be set straight."
Archer's eyes brighten,"For a mongrel you know how to strike at someone's heart. Her visage is comparable to a virgin being deflowered in bed. Exquisite."
Rider glances at Archer before focusing on Perseus,"Your words are indeed those of passion and righteous anger. Still I would like to know why you desire the Grail."
Perseus sighs while pushing his hair back,"I have no use for its ability to grant wishes if that's what you're wondering. I seek to attain it and destroy it. I was summoned due to a corruption present in the Grail itself, a corruption that must be destroyed."
All attention is on him now as he chuckles,"Its funny really. A war of heroes and I'm chosen to enter the field, an enemy of humanity fighting to keep it from being destroyed."
"How dare you!" Gilgamesh thunders,"you claim that one of my treasures has been corrupted! I should kill you now for such an insult!"
He chokes on his own spit when Perseus' killing intent slams down on the entire area,"Watch your words hero. I've tolerated your presence up till now, but I hate it when people accuse me of lying. I don't care what your thoughts are, but I will attain the Grail and destroy it. Get in my way and I will feast on your flesh while you still live."
As he finishes speaking Rider's master suddenly cries out and scrambles until slamming against Rider's back,"Assassin!"
As he speaks more plumes of dark smoke appear and dissipate to reveal more figures garbed in black and wear a bone mask. Iskandar glances at Archer,"This your doing goldy?"
Archer hmphs,"Tokiomi makes a fool of himself."
Rider's master looks around disbelievingly,"Why are there so many Assasins?!"
"We are one split into many," the one closest to Perseus speaks,"we are many and we are one. Yet we are one with many shadows."
Perseus groans,"Great. Multiple personalities and bodies to match, just great."
"Worry not Perseus," Iskandar states,"whether we view them as enemies or guests, they can still decide which of us is the greatest king."
Archer's smile has a hint of amusement now,"You would invite these mongrels as well, Iskandar?"
"Of course," he booms,"the words of the king are for all to hear. It doesn't matter if they are friend or foe."
He dips his ladle into the wine barrel and draws it up full,"Come, don't hold back! Those of you who wish to speak step forward and drink, for this wine is as your blood!"
A curved knife sails through the air and shatters the handle, causing the drink to spill onto Rider's left shoulder and staining his shirt. A collective laughter rises from the servants until Iskandar gets up,"Very well. I did say that the wine was your blood, and since you insist on spilling it...so be it."
A burst of air explodes from his body and his casual clothes are replaced by the armor he usually wears,"Saber! Archer! Joker! I present our banquet's final question. Must a king be alone in their walk?"
"He has no choice but to do so," Saber responds while Joker says,"Never."
Iskandar grins,"You still lack the correct answer Saber. I suppose I will have to show you what a true king is."
A dome of white light explodes and covers the entire courtyard and nearest buildings, forcing everyone to shield their eyes. When they open them they're greeted by a vast desert and Perseus bends a knee to scoop up a handful of sand,"Real."
He looks around in awe while Irisviel's eyes widen,"A Reality Marble?! The ability to turn the world into an imagined landscape!"
Iskandar smirks,"My armies once trekked this desert land. A scene that all heroes who shared in my joys and sorrows remembers."
The sound of iron clad feet makes the others turn around and are rendered speechless,"I can make this real because it still exists in the hearts of us all! Behold my matchless army!"
Warriors of all different cultures cover the sand,"Their bodies have been destroyed and their souls offered as heroic spirits! Yet these legendary heroes remain loyal to me! My bonds with them are my most treasured of all, my path of kingship. The ultimate noble phantasm I posses, Ionian Hetairoi!"
A black horse garbed in modified armor prances alongside the king and he rubs its neck affectionately,"It's been a while my friend."
He mounts up and Perseus walks up next to him,"Mind if I join in? They reek of arrogance, and must be shown the error of their ways."
Iskandar nods,"Indeed. Do you wish to ride alongside me?"
"No," Perseus chuckles,"I wouldn't want to take away from your moment of glory. Simply leave ten alive and relatively unharmed. I will deal with them when we leave."
Iskandar nods and draws his sword before letting out a fierce cry,"Annihilate them!"
He thunders forward and his soldiers follow him as one huge wave of destruction, cutting down any who get in their way. As they pursue a small pillar of solidified sand rises into the air with Perseus at the top,"Wow! I wish you guys could see this!"
"Um, we can, remember? We can see through your eyes."
"The brute is correct. Everything you see we see."
"alL I can seE aRe ShEep beInG slaughtErED."
The three presences watch through their vessel's eyes as the army makes quick work of Assassin, save for twelve or so that keep outrunning them and dodging the spears arcing overhead. About half a minute later the scenery flickers before the technique releases and they're all standing in the courtyard of Einzbern Castle. The remaining Assassins are scattered about while Rider finishes off the wine,"I've listened to your request, King of Monsters. Entertain me."
Perseus' lips twist into a demented smile comparable to a murderer's own,"Very well. Allow me to begin."
He raises his hand and snaps his fingers. All is still for a moment before the screams begin and everyone turns to look at a group of four Assassins to see Darklings tearing into them,"Hurry up and finish you four. He's hungry too."
They do a quick salute,"Righto boss!"
They rip chunks of meat from the body and pop them in their mouths before jumping into the shadows, leaving their victims to suffer before Perseus calls out to the air,"Pride."
The air trembles and Irisviel screams when her shadow gains a single blood red eye and a full set of canines,"Devour."
All twelve Assassins have their lower halves bitten off and try to crawl to safety while Perseus walks towards the nearest one,"In the beginning there was darkness."
As he speaks the light from the moon seems to dim and a chilling wind blows through everyone,"In the beginning there was The Darkness."
The shadows crawl over his body, obscuring it from sight for a second before falling away to reveal Hell's Plating in all its glory,"It was alone and solitary until light came into existence."
He grips the upper half of the Assassin at his feet and lifts the remaining body to eye level,"It despised the light and sought to extinguish it."
Hissing can be heard as the two serpents creep over Perseus' shoulders and snap at them air,"To do so it sought out a host, my lineage."
The two bury their heads in the whimpering body and pull out to show them fighting over a bloodied heart before the right one wins and pulls it into its mouth,"But it is always hungry, and must feed!"
He lets loose a scream that makes everyone cover their ears to block it out along with the screams of Assassins when the shadows behind them become lances that hoist them into the air via impalement before the serpents shoot out on either side of Perseus to rip through their chests and devour their hearts before fading away. The lifeless bodies sway on their posts and Perseus plunges his hand into one and moves around while looking form something before pulling out a small orb of light held in a skeletal hand.
"So your soul is also split into many as well. No matter, I will have it all."
He lifts the part into the air and mutters an enchantment before Irisviel gasps when a larger orb exits her back and joins the one in Perseus' hand, along with the parts held by the bodies around them. He then tips his head back and drops the soul in his mouth before swallowing. The orb travels down his throat, illuminating the interior until dropping into his stomach. He sighs and wipes his mouth,"That was a good one. Tasted like aged wine."
He turns his head and grins,"I'll take my leave. See you all on the battlefield."
He takes a few steps before entering the shadows, and vanishes.