"PFFFFFFFFFFFFT—!" Waver Velvet sprayed the cup of wine his own Servant had offered him and doused the back of Iskandar's head.
Rider, on the other hand, ignored the sudden spray to give her a knowing smile as soon as he finished his cup. "Ohoho, I see that the lovebirds aren't wasting any time. Don't tell me you two already went all the way."
"Heheh, wouldn't you like to know? Apologies, barbarian king, however, our love life is a private matter, Rider." Nobu said as she emptied the second cup with prideful gusto. "But I will let you know that I fully intend to make Lelouch experience every pleasure this world has to offer. Be it conquering or enslaving this world, I shall do it all with him… … by my side," she added that almost too late with a hint of pink to her face.
"Oi, oi! I knew you were a dangerous woman but to this extent? Can't say if your Master is a lucky guy or not."
Nobu gave him a flat look as she snapped. "And what the hell is that supposed to mean?!"
"Nothing! Absolutely nothing! I'm just glad that someone else besides me was able to bond with their Master beyond what the Grail established."
At his hearty chuckle, Waver rolled his eyes but didn't refute it. Even with indifference, Nobu could sense they were far closer than many of the detached Masters Lelouch and herself had beaten. In fairness, neither Lelouch nor Waver carried the same air as the other Masters. Though the amount of blood on their hands were as different as night to day, they still cared about those around them. A testament to their humanity that differentiated them from the magi who created the Grail system.
"Hahahah… ah… Of course, I doubt that my and the boy's friendship can be compared to your relationship with Lelouch Lamperouge." Toasting to that, Iskandar downed another cup while offering Nobu another. She accepted one as he continued. "Still, I'm glad that even in death we Servants are still capable of becoming attached to humanity. That we are, in the end, still human. One would think that after death, we'd be nothing but empty ghosts, shells of our former selves and nothing but our legends incarnate."
He played with his cup, staring at the reflection of the moon in the sanguine pool of wine. Nobu did as well. She never let her guard down, but for this one moment, she sympathized with Iskandar on that thought.
"Despite death, we are heroic spirits. We are this way because humans continue to remember and worship us. And our legends. Their desires, their greed and their beliefs were strong enough to call us. Even if the true origin of this war is nothing but a farce, it doesn't change the fact that human desire to achieve the impossible gave us a chance to experience life again. Even if it will be short for some." Nobu said as she finished her drink.
"A farce?" Iskandar asked, looking slightly slushed but not entirely drunk. "You mean to say that this war was not up to your expectations, little lady?"
"No, it's been more than that." Avenger smiled to herself. Though it left Iskandar and his Master in the blue, she need not tell them. She need not say that this war she was summoned to had both taken away and given her far more than she ever expected it to. "Forget my meandering. At this point, nothing I say should matter to anyone but myself and my own."
Rider truly thought of his master as a friend. Nobunaga was sure the boy who was able to calmly drink with the rambunctious giant thought the same. 'At least this brute found someone to call his friend. It won't save him, but like me, he built a bond with someone.' And she wasn't about to tear that away from them. She may be a demon, but she wasn't that petty, rude and a barbaric bastard, Iskandar may be.
"So, Avenger, your desire to duel with me." Rider stated the fact, already knowing the answer. Both finished their wine and now was time to finish this.
Nobu laughed. "Do you have any more grievances, pretender king? Tonight, I intend to take away your title as promised. You're not here to say you'd back down, are you?"
"Heheh, perish the thought, upstart! Just making sure you're serious about it!" Iskandar smiled. "That title was given to me after my death as the greatest honour my friends and I accomplished. Sorry, but I can't so easily give it up."
"And? What of it? I will just take it away as my tribute should you refuse. You are in my land after all and I take whatever I want here. It is my divine right as ruler of all Japan…"
"So that's who you were…" Iskandar grinned as though glad his guess was on point. "No wonder your fire called out to me so. And? Does the failed subjugator of these isles demand to make a show against the known world's truest subjugator?"
"I may have failed once, but I do plan to expand my empire once again. Of course, I shall be doing so immediately after this war is over."
"Heh, I take it your Master knows about such wish?"
"But of course! My dear Lulu and I have a contract. Upon our victory, we shall then bare our fangs against the rest of the world! After all, he promised to burn the world with her.
Just thinking about it made her excited. The Demon King of Six Heaven and the Demon Emperor who conquered his entire planet in less than three years, two equals ruling everything together, forever. They will make this world into hell. Their hell.
"Hah! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! I envy you, I truly do! Here I wish my master shared my dreams, but he always complains about starting another world war." Rider sighed but kept his cheery attitude. "What a killjoy… I know his ancestors may not have enjoyed their first two bouts, but what's a third one when I will lead them to success, right?"
"That's not the issue here, you big stupid idiot!" Nobu had to suppress her chuckle as the small Master attempted to punch his Servant's massive biceps. No doubt disrespectful to harm a king, or even attempt to, but Rider took it on like a friend being chided by his fellows.
"It seems I'll be doing Waver Velvet a favour by putting an end to you before you enact your crazy plan."
"Is the one aiming for world conquest calling me insane? Quite a hypocrisy for a pot to call an urn fragile."
"The expression is 'a pot calling the kettle black', you buffoon!" Avenger couldn't help but snap back. It wasn't meant as an insult to his intelligence, but finding herself suddenly falling to banter with the barbarian Macedonian spoke volumes of his charisma. Thankfully, she was already far too entranced by another to lose her will to fight this one. "Truly, despite being hailed as a god amongst men in your time, I can only see a bumbling country bumpkin that needs to be put in his place."
"Hm. I think this is the part where we try to kill each other, Avenger." Rider stood up slowly. The air about him changed like the flip of a coin, so fast that his Master quickly darted from his spot, discarding their cups next to the empty wine bottle to hid behind the Servant's cape. "Though we are foes now, I truly hoped we would have come to an accord. I wasn't kidding when I offered you a place amongst my army."
"Impossible." Nobu scoffed as she herself stood up. Her katana reappeared in her hand as she slung it over her shoulder like a baseball bat. "I bow to no one, Rider. But, I will admit, though I thought about just sniping your master and being done with it, I didn't think there'd be any fun in unceremoniously removing a foe as entertaining as you."
Iskandar kept the smile but narrowed his eyes. "Careful, Avenger. It is one thing to threaten me, I welcome good banter. But my friends are another matter."
Nobunaga waved it away by pointing her katana straight at his throat. "In that case, you'd best kill me immediately with all you have, lest your Master becomes a casualty."
The air was bone-chilling now. Gone was the gentle breeze, replaced by a tension she could cut with her blade.
To demand he go all out from the start may come off as hubris, but Nobunaga knew she was already treading on thin ice, to begin with. Rider had the advantage in mobility. Spawn as many rifles as she could, it would do little to a target she wouldn't be able to hit. And though she was confident in her mana supply provided by Lulu, that carried the caveat of leaving him alone against Saber and the mercenary for far too long.
Should Iskandar opt to wear her out, she'd lose the battle of attrition and cost Lelouch his life.
But Rider was as arrogant as she took him to be. Far be it for the former King of Macedonia to back down from a challenge. He'd revel in it and charge headlong just to prove he was superior.
And thus, the daimyo was assured of her victory when Iskandar drew his spatha and, with it, nudged her blade aside.
"I've rarely seen a warrior so sure of themselves as you." He smiled fiercely. "It is truly a shame that I failed to recruit you to the end."
"But it will be an honour to die by my hand." She snidely smirked back. "This, at least, you can take to your grave with pride."
"We shall see who bears the honour of going to hell first then." Lowering his sword, the giant turned to march back to his chariot. All the while keeping an eye trained on her over his shoulder. Raising a hand to bring a thumb up, he finished with, "May the best conqueror win! To the victor goes the title and the Grail!"
'Pitiful fool.' Just as the Master and Servant remounted their chariot, Nobu spared a thought for the man. 'You who have not seen real hell will also be denied victory. However, I do wonder what you and your Master would say should you find the cup you seek to be nothing but a mug filled with mud.'
With a sigh, she chased away the thought and readied herself. She'd dallied on long enough. It was time to end him.
Iskandar held himself firm. Atop his chariot, he towered over her. But she saw him spare his Master a glance as he said, "Are you ready, boy? This will be quite a ride!"
The boy Waver didn't look scared at all. Instead, he looked at his servant with fire in his eyes. "Then stop fooling around, Rider. I didn't come here just to see you get drunk again."
"Haha! That's harsh, to deny a warrior their mead before they charge off into a fight!"
"I'd rather you win sober than die drunk, stupid!"
"Well, Master, if you want victory, then by my role as your Servant, I shall attain it!" Iskandar beamed with pride as he stared at the boy who summoned him.
Avenger smiled in anticipation. Just the thought of cutting into a man so high in morale, it was titillating. She couldn't help it when her grip on the hilt of her katana tightened so much that she heard her gloves squeak.
'Ah, to be such a foolhardy braggart, just like Archer. It will be my pleasure to cleave him in twain. However, he is one of the strongest enemies in his war. The fact that he shares my wish only makes it necessary for me to be the one to slay him!'
This world was too small for three conquers. She had already made room for Lelouch whilst continuing to plan her Neo Japanese Empire. Iskandar will not be allowed the privilege. This, she swore!
The rasp of Rider's blade tore through the air light lightning. "Tonight, we ride! Go forth and conquer!"
'Come at me, fool.' Avenger readied her sword arm. Her rifles were prepped as well, ready to be summoned at a moment's notice. 'Come at me with your swords and spears, your chariots and armies. Come and have a taste of lead and iron, of rage and hellfire. All of that which broke the great warlords and laid waste to the isles of the orient!'
The bulls roared and electricity crackled. In a flash of lighting, the red bridge was empty. Gone was the chariot and its riders. Gone was a swordswoman who bared a glare reserved only for god-slaying.
All that was left was the calm breeze and flowing river under the moon's blue light.