Saturday, October 19, 2019

Chapter 55 : Archer against Assassin


Assassin threw several daggers against Archer but he was able to dodge them and counterattacked by shooting three arrows in a row, but the arrows passed through Assassin who quickly attacked his rival with drawn daggers. Archer parried the various shots using the bow and then, with incredible speed, he launched a kick but did not hit Assassin and then Archer remembered that the ability of the rival had a limit: he could only avoid one attack at a time.
Archer jumped back and shot two arrows at the same time and then Assassin was forced to dodge to avoid being hurt but counterattacked by throwing more daggers that Archer parried using  the steel armor.
« Finally you are proving yourself a worthy rival, knight. » Said Assassin.
« Thank you, but I am not one who likes to be complimented by a swindler. » 
« It wasn't a compliment, I was sarcastic. You will always be weaker than me because I am a true professional when it comes to playing cunning, you are too fixated with idiocies like "honor" or "respect" which is why you are unable to give your best. »
« Do you think I'm holding back, Assassin? »
« It seems obvious to me. If it were not so you would be the weakest Archer ever. »
« Or I'm the smartest one. »
« What? »
« You're not wrong to say that I'm an honorable and respectful type but I'm not a fool, Assassin, I know how to adapt to different situations. You call me "knight" but I remind you that I am also a war man, I am a commander of soldiers. »
« So? »
« You shouldn't underestimate me, that's all. »
« Tch! You really are a lost cause. »
Assassin threw two more daggers with an irritated way of doing but Archer jumped off them, made an aerial somersault, and after landing he headed for one of the two Trafalgar Square fountains and jumped into the water. Assassin joined him and when he put his feet in the water Archer noticed that he did not splash and did not even move the liquid. Assassin threw three daggers against his rival but Archer, after dodging them, counterattacked by shooting a single arrow that wounded Assassin's shoulder.
« Curse you! » Shouted Assassin, who immediately came out of the water.
« I guess you didn't even know about it. Apparently you don't know your own ability very well, Assassin. » Archer said with a proud smile.
« Be quiet, Archer! Don't dare to utter another word! »
« But why? The Assassin class is one of the most feared due to the presence of Heroic Spirits who excel in stealth, agility, murder and possess different weapons and abilities to carry out their murders. But you ... you're a strange Heroic Spirit. It's from Regent's Park that I think about it: what kind of Assassin does fight in such a monotonous way as you? » 
« I told you to be quiet, Archer! »
« Who are you actually? »
Assassin tore the arrow from his shoulder and exclaimed angrily:
« You must be silent! »
He threw more daggers at Archer but this parried them easily by twirling his bow and then shot two arrows at the same time, Assassin was forced to dodge the blow and then asserted:
« Do you really want to know who I am? »
Assassin took off the hood that covered his head and at that moment ashes rose around him, which joined together creating an ancient rifle whose barrel was stained with blood and whose stock was wrapped in bandages and a rosary was tied to it. 
Assassin showed his face full of cuts and burns, his left eye was closed with seams. He had no hair and his ears seemed to have been eaten by rats. When Archer saw that horrible face he almost vomited. Assassin opened his right eye, blue like the ocean, and uttered these words: 
« I am damned and now I ask for God's forgiveness. »
« Who are you? What happened to your face? »
Assassin did not listen to Archer and got down on his knees, in front of the rifle he was pointing upwards, lowered his head and began to pray:
« Ойча наш, каторы ёсць у небе, свяціся iмя Тваё, прыйдзi валадарства Тваё, будзь воля Твая як у небе, так на зямлi. Хлеба нашага штодзённага дай нам сёння, і адпусцi нам правіны нашы, як мы адпускаем вiнаватым нашым, і не ўводзь нас у спакусу, але збаў нас ад злога. Амэн. (tran. Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Our daily bread give us today, and let us our debts, as we let go of our guilt, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. ) »
Assassin got up from the ground and asked Archer: 
« Do you really want to know my identity? »
« Yes, who are you really? »
« Let my Noble Phantasm speak for me. Ya Ne Tsar ’! (The Monk Without Faith). »

Assassin fired a shot from the rifle into the sky. From the clouds came out a glow similar to that of a fire and suddenly a flaming cross appeared that cut the sky, the flames assumed a crimson color similar to blood and fell from the sky in the form of a rain concentrated on Archer who felt heavy, the bow fell from his hand and then he could no longer stand, he fell with his knees on a puddle of blood from which they came out like arms that immobilized him and then they began to become stone.
Assassin had a sadistic smile on his face and exclaimed: 
« Let your sins devour you, Archer! That blood will become stone and that stone will become dust and nothing will remain of you! »
« Why can't I ... move?" »
« That Noble Phantasm is my story, it's who I am. I was a monk blessed by God but I left my way to pretend to be tsar. I was tempted by the devil for this reason I am here. I am the one who is known as the False Dmitry I of Russia. »
Archer tried to break free but the arms of blood were too strong and Assassin mocked his rival's vain efforts:
« You are obstinate, I cannot deny this, but you will never be able to win against me. My Noble Phantasm will kill you, Archer. The war is over for you. »

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