Chapter 11: The Storm [4]
Saber and Mars clashed, the sound of metal resounding throughout the destroyed landscape. Each swing was packed with enough force to split open the ground. Mash would jump in and stop Mars from taking lethal damage. Saber could only improvise and continue her assault.
Saber swung her sword in her right hand, a deep contrast to her former two-handed style of swordplay. Mars was similar in this regard as well. Both their strikes were filled with raw power, and their styles had no elegance, just two beasts duking it out. The winds tore the soil, causing turbulence to burst from their swings.
Saber and Mars both wore stoic expressions, their eyes locked on one another, never bothering to look away. Their arms moved thoughtlessly, and their hair swayed—crimson against pale yellow, sword against sword, a lost soul against a lost soul. The similarities were astounding when one looked at the upbringings of both fighters.
Is that why Mars was trying so hard to save Saber? The thought caused him to slip, allowing Saber to use a push kick into Mars's stomach, sending him skidding back, uprooting more rocks and debris. Saber pumped mana into the sword, causing a geyser of black and red to swirl around it. She gripped the hilt of Excalibur with both her hands.
Was she already preparing another Excalibur Morgan?
Mars regained his bearings as he noticed the lack of movement from Saber. Was she waiting for him to recover? It was clear she had not abandoned her elegant and well-refined sword style in exchange for the wildly untamed power swings. She stared, unreadable…to others. To Mars, it was a sign that she wanted him to use the full extent of Scimitar.
Mars blinked, and his gaze went to Mash, his lips not a frown or smile but straight. Mars's crimson eyes met Mash's lavender, and the fellow Demi-Servant understood the words behind the stare.
Mars wanted to fight Saber in a one-on-one.
<i>A duel.</i>
Mars was grateful that Mash picked up on the hint and nodded. Mars looked back at Gudako and Olga, and his expression remained the same. He turned to Saber, who remained as still as a statue. The low, beastly sounds of the aura encompassing her weapon were the only sound heard throughout the barren land.
"That's what you want, Artoria?"
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"Yes."
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"I see. You're not so lost after all," Mars retorted, his crimson eyes glimmering with excitement. His very soul was beginning to quake with the thrill of this one-on-one. It was like a distant, tucked-away memory beginning to resurface from the depths.
Saber snorted. "I know you're holding back more power. It's rude to do so against an opponent giving it their all."
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"You were holding back before, too."
"Whatever," Was Saber's immediate reply, but there was a red tinge of embarrassment on her face.
"Fine," Mars reared the sword back, his body slanted just a bit. His lips curved into an impulsive smirk. Mars felt Scimitar awaken in earnest. Mars could decipher its emotions, thoughts, and memories. It was a newly made weapon from the fabric of Mars's soul.
The space around the Scimitar began to crack, with vermillion lines appearing. The lines began to spread before they became a swirling vortex of flames. The star's light brightened, and the suffocating pressure became lighter. The stars gave the battlefield a vibrant and delicate air, contrasting with the destroyed lands surrounding Mars and Saber.
Mars' crimson eyes continued to glimmer, matching the sun's glow. His white teeth flashed as a satisfying feeling washed over him. His soul exploded with a fervor unseen before. It was only intensified as Saber expressed the very same excitement.
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The ground shook, and a deafening clang erupted. Two swords intercepted one another, fighting for victory and dominance to prove one's worth. Excalibur and Scimitar. One sword represented victory, but now it represented a sickening despair to swallow the light. The other represents the light, with the burning passion of countless suns packed into a single blade to devour the darkness.
The sword wielders swung their swords, with Saber returning to her roots but remaining unpredictable in her assault, various slashes brought upon by strict training but with the unpredictability of a thoughtless monster that fought with instincts alone. It was a beautiful mix of swordsmanship.
On the other hand, Mars was using the sword's desired way of fighting: rapid slashes. Scimitar was already being powered by its passive ability to dwindle the speed of its opponent, which is, despite Saber's swift swings, was feeling the ability slowing her.
The sword forged by the sun was chipping away at Excalibur's darkness, but the same could be said for Scimitar. They were siphoning each other's energy that it was unclear who would be the victor.
Saber's eyes snapped as she felt her instincts go awry. It was something she thought she lost, but it returned for just a moment. No, her instincts never left. She just had no need for it. Saber saw an outline in which Mars was going to attack, but what surprised her was how he would do it. It was a single-handed slash that would melt through her armor, and the heat from the sword would attack her first, sizzling her skin, allowing for the sword to cut through her with no effort. It was a slash from her left shoulder to her right thigh.
This would undoubtedly finish her off, but she'll be able to counter thanks to this. With her resolve solidifying, she predicted the exact moment when the heat of the Scimitar would strike.
As Scimitar inched closer to Saber's shoulder, the fallen King Of Knights used Mana Burst, but not through her sword, but into the ground, causing the ruined ground to shatter and causing large pillars to shoot up towards the sky. The environment changed, and Mars was sent crashing into a pillar. He felt delirious, his crimson eyes flickering like a dying candle.
He could see Saber coming in to finish the job but-
"My Magecraft is a cage of flames."
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"A flaming yet verdant giant."
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"Retribution."
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"A shrine that purifies the evil of human affairs….the one who destroys-"
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<i>"WICKER MAN!" </i>
The ground beneath Saber erupted, and a giant hand, made of wood and branches, came from her left, grabbing her faster than she could blink. Her eyes reflected her shock. A giant composed entirely of trees and branches, wearing flames like they were clothes, came from the ground. Its torso shot open like a door, and Saber found herself thrown inside of it.
Mars looked on with widened eyes seeing the giant before it inevitably exploded. The explosion radius was bound to hit him.
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It never did. Mars could see the nice view of Mash's….shield. It was blocking off the aftermath, the winds ached, and the earth continued to howl.
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A few minutes passed, and everyone regrouped. Caster had returned with the same sheepish smile on his face, which irritated Mars as the Noble Phantasm almost caught him.
<i>Mongrel.</i>
"Did we win?"
"No doubt," Caster replied, pointing his finger into the fading smoke. "King Arthur is right there."
To everyone's surprise, Saber was kneeling on the ground with Excalibur buried in the dirt, with her hands on the hilt. They knew the battle was finished from the gold particles that were beginning to flicker.
Mars sighed and walked up to the King Of Knights. His eyes landed on her form. He felt disappointed that he wasn't the one to finish her off. Even then, Mars had a feeling he would've won.
<i>No, he wouldn't.</i>
"You were holding back."
"...I wanted to enjoy the fight."
Mars's silted eyes enlarged for a moment. "You're terrible at lying."
"It doesn't matter. In the end, I'm destined to walk this path alone," Saber sounded defeated, and rightfully so, she was.
"It doesn't have to be like that. You did what needed to be done. No one would be able to do the things you did in your situation. You were worthy for a reason. Even though you lost that light, you still used that darkness to fight for the light."
Saber's eyes lit up, and despite her legs being gone, she stood up and stared up at Mars, considering he was taller. "...I will admit my defeat. Mars, the road will be arduous. I have no doubt that you and that sword, Scimitar, will aid you on your quest to finish the Grand Order. If possible…I would like for you to summon me so that I may be able to fight with you again…but not as enemies."
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Mars smiled with closed eyes. The last thing Saber saw was the light she once lost.
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<i>AN: Okay…I think I made myself depressed writing the last few words. I didn't want to make the fight any longer than it was. The manga version was extremely short…and I mean only a single chapter, and I did not like how Saber was done in the manga version of the final fight. Simply put, it was rushed, and it lacked emotion. At least, those are my thoughts reading that. </i>
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<i>I didn't go for the all-action style I'm used to. I went for a more thematic style with the Fallen Excalibur and Scimitar (Since it's called Sun-Forged Scimitar in Smite). </i>
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I very much needed the break yesterday, and I feel rejuvenated. I'll be uploading tomorrow as well then I'm off for the weekend. I also updated the harem…and lately, I've been in the Nero mood, so she might be added. God, the interactions will be insane to write. </i>
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Anyway, let me know your thoughts. And if I somehow messed up anything, please let me know. I'm still trying to learn about the Nasuverse, and honestly, there's so much stuff that its frying my brain. I do like that the Magic system is vast, but I feel like it was thrown in there without much thought at first, and over the years, they knew what they wanted. That's just me tho…</i>
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<i>I also want to say thanks for the support. Truthfully I had no intentions of going this far for the story, but you guys have been very proactive here, so I made this story my main focus. I promise to take breaks so It won't hinder the story in any way. </i>
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