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A purple diamond helmet shattered beneath the two heroic servants, one archer and one berserker. Shards of the brilliant purple glistened underneath the high moon, the sound of the initial crash creating a ringing effect to anyone else nearby.
The potentially dangerous shards proved no threat towards the spirits of legend. Both completely uncaring to the ground below, their gazes only towards each other, either side an enemy to another.
The archer, who’s hands gripped the berserker’s own, Bruised the tanned skin lightly where he held. His once scornful haze softened in realisation. The berserker’s face no longer obscured by the crystal helmet, and their stood was a man, facial features soft and eyes blank while bleeding RED.
The archer horrified, leaned closer to the feral individual noting his bright red hair that flowed down, curating an overall handsome appearance.
A hurt look grazed the hardened features of the archer, wrinkles furrowing in both eyes. He opened his mouth, a single word only came out.
“…floyd?”
Up ahead, somewhere where he couldn’t see was an echo of a shrill laughter, as cruel as the mistress that owned the voice.
“so you finally learned of Berserkers true name? Ha! Comical. Who would’ve thought that brothers had to fight each other in the holy grail war.”
Anger in response to the cruel women’s voice corrupted him, dark eyes burning with rage as his grip remained onto his berserker brother.
“what did you do to him?” he questioned, lowly, Floyd only hearing him due to the distance. But, as ever the berserkers nature, could only tilt his head in confusion.
“hmmm?” the voice loudly responded. Causing archer to snap his head to the side, teeth barring and eyes deadly.
“I said. WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?!” he screamed.
Ahead of him, the mistress of cruel, a green haired teenager with bright blue eyes smirked at him. “me? Oh nothing, just summoned him. With of course, a mad enhancement ability set to Max.” she laughed hoitily, as if her statement was the most humoures thing imaginable.
The archers body shook with rage, his target on who to kill changed, as he threw Floyd to the side. appearing in his hand was a bow, black in colour. Appearing on his other hand was an arrow, teal and extremely impressive.
“your much easier to kill anyway.” He grumbled lowly, all sense lost just like the berserker aside him. Who remained standing confused as archer was no longer talking to him.
A smirk, as cruel as he can muster, appeared on the archers square face, as he positioned the bright teal arrow on the bow. He took a deep breathe, eyes steady at the slow motion response that was the enemy.
“noble phantasm…” he started. But was caught off, as suddenly, in the flash of an eye, his own master tackled him. Pushing him to the side, making him land on his back with a thud, his master, A young girl, landing square on his chest.
The small girl bristled upwards, her glare alien to the soft effeminate features.
“Branch! What do you think your doing. You can’t kill her.” she snarled, noise crinkling in frustration.
The archer sighed, knowing his master all to well.
Ever the pacifist, his master wanted to deal with the master’s with as little blood shed as possible. How the grail choose someone who refused to murder even the heroic spirits (who where already dead) was beyond even sanity for him.
Initially, he would’ve disrespected her, throw her overboard and kill the other master in flash of an eye. But sadly, over the weeks he had to deal with her, he found himself enamoured by her, and respecting her way to much despite the age gap between the two.
And besides, it didn’t help his original goal in mind when his master showed her command seals threateningly, if he ever went against her.
He sighed, “okay. Poppy” he began but was cut off when the hands of his brother grasped the young mage by the collar of her shirt, and in a flash, threw her behind him.
Poppy landed with a thud, body landing straight in the asphalt ground they stood upon. The fall was only partially saved by her magic reacting just in time, a small pink bubble had enveloped her just before she landed on the ground. Saving her from death but not sparing her some pain.
Branches eyes widened, as suddenly the berserker was upon him. Followed closely by the teenagers cruel laughter. “this is getting interesting.”
Branch pushed his brother upward. As he did so, his head snapped to the side, seeing as poppy had forced herself upward, looked straight at him and nodded.
“distract berseker as much as you can, I’ll get velvet and veneer” her thoughts communicated to him. In a flash, she sprinted to the side and out of his vision.
He grunted as his gaze went to the heroic spirit above him. His dead, dead eyes staring at him as if a single thought didn’t enter his own head.
Branch heaved as he kept Floyd above him, somehow avoiding every single swiped and attack from the other servant. “Floyd” he yelped, “I know your in their floyd.” He grunted as he availed a clawed swipe. “Floyd please!” he pleaded above, eyes creasing as he pleaded.
In a sorrowful and regretful sigh, he forcefully moved the beserker to the side.
In a flash of a human eye, the archer was now metres away from the other heroic servant.
“Floyd!” he yelled. Fist on his heart. “its me! Your brother.”
“beserkers have lost all their sanity for power silly! He can’t hear you….metaphorically speaking of course.” Velvet added, tone way different to what it once was. She laughed hoitily, followed close by her brother. Veneer.
“no! I refuse..” his voice dropped, eyes watering with tears as he stared mournfully at his brother. Poppy, please hurry up he communicated through the master servant bond. I can’t keep this up. I would have to
I’m on it branchifer she replied back.
Branch mentally eye rolled at the nickname she gave him, focus know returning to the berserker. Whom, dropped on all floors and was now heading his way.
Branch, thanks to his heightened reflex ability and general speed, appeared behind Floyd, grabbing him calmly by the pants, and throwing him via a spin. Letting go, Floyds body bounced on the surface below them. Letting out an feral grunt, Floyd reeled his body to side, landing perfectly on his fours as he skidded to a halt.
“Floyd!” he screamed, hoping somehow, velvet was wrong.
The berserker responded by summoning his noble phantasm, hands know gripping a bright purple flail, a morning star Head connected at the end. The spikes bright and vibrant just like his helmet once was.
Floyd swung the flail back, before moving it ahead of him, the head whipped around, suddenly speeding to collide with the archer In front.
Branch took a quick step back, the morning star Head landing on ground, just inches away from his feet. The asphalt cracked underneath the head of the weapon.
Quickly moving, branch’s hand gripped the hand that carried the deadly noble phantasm. Eyes staring at the berserkers’ with a haze as cold as steel.
“Floyd, PLEASE. Its me, branch. Branch from brozone.” he mind mentally shuddered as he recalled a name he had not ever vocally said outload in many decades.
The mindless berserker awkwardly jolted backwards. Away from branch’s grip, but to no avail. His hand remained in the B-strength Archers own.
The berserkers heads turned upwards, confusing rooted in his features. He shook his head, as if he was at war with himself, something that Branch noted instantly. Having done it himself to many times to count.
Suddenly, the red in Floyd’s eyes depleted, resting in place was a pair of normal purple eyes, eyes that still inferred his non-human ancestry, but normal nonetheless. A single word finally FINALLY came out of the once mute berserker, one that struck a chord in the archers every cell.
“Branch?”
A bucket full of emotions awashed over the archer. And time seemly slowed down. Anger, happiness, relief, sadness and even some disgust. All so confusing, and all so overstimulating. All for his brother who recently gained conscious for the first time since he had been summoned.
Floyd stared at his brother, his eyes communicating his own bucket full of emotions as he stared at him.
Branch smiled, no longer trying to stop himself. He did it, he communicated with Floyd. “Floyd, its been-“
A groan, loud and full of snark halted branch and Floyd in place. Eyes fearfully flickering back to the roof top where veneer and velvet sat, watching the battle like a football game. Disgust was evident in her bold features.
“Really? Geez what’s with herioic spirits being so sappy.” She snapped. “Berserker! Your not suppose to have consciousness!” she yelled.
Floyd ignored her, focusing on the comfort of his own brother as his noble phantasm disappeared from his hands. He took a step forward, and hugged him, not caring for the commands of his master.
Velvet growled lightly, eyes narrowing in thought and frustration towards her servant. Suddenly, they widened, as did her lips.
A smile graced ger features, one that evoked pure fear to the souls around her, including her own brother. A sneer that spoke of her insanities and lust for power.
“uhh, vels?” questioned her brother, as he appeared aside her, genuine concern etched into his body posture and facial features.
Her head snapped towards him, revealing her twisted expression that seamlessly communicated to him exactly what she was just about to do.
Moving her left palm upwards, she revealed her command seal, a bright red line that curled effortlessly on both ends, forming a triangle like shape with the other faded curl lines.
Veneer gasped in realisation as the final command line glowed magically from her pale fist. “No! We only have one left!” he yelled, his own hand jolting to grab hers.
She smirked, simply stepping to the side which made Veneer topple over due to his height and initial attack. Slamming down exactly in front of his sisters steps.
Floyd looked fearfully as he suddenly stepped out of Branch’s hug. “MASTER WAIT-“
Meanwhile, poppy, who had somehow seen everything from a fire escape ladder the building had on the side, forced herself up quicker. Body buzzing to stop the other mage from her spell.
Velvet, ignoring everyone’s protest, began to whisper. “berserker.” Veneer yelped his protest again.
while poppy forced herself upwards on the ladder that for some reason had gaps between the bars about at least 1 whole metre.
“by the power of my command seal. I command you, TO KILL THAT ARCHER!”
“NO!” screamed Veneer and Poppy, whom had just arrived on the tower top.
She gasped as she sprinted forward, jumping to tackle the other mage, only to be halted by veneer, who pushed his sister to the side. Causing poppy to collide into him and force them over the building.
Floyd gasped in pain as the command spell took its place, a magical circle appearing below him as the seal forcefully entered his body.
“Branch…” he strained, voice hoarse as he tried to reject the spell. But at last, no one could resist the magic that the command seal had over a heroic spirit. His body began to shake, as it slowly began to move on its own. “run.” He let out. Before roaring like a wild animal, purple irises returning red.
His weapon reappeared in his hand, as he took a stalking step to the archer, whom he was forced to kill.
“no! Floyd. I just got you back I’m not leaving you!” he cried.
“you have to. Otherwise-“ he grunted in pain as his hand moved on its own, he attacked.
Branch effortlessly dodged the oncoming attack from the flail head, curating more space between the two servants. The berserker growled, before pouncing a second time despite the pained look Branch had given him.
“Floyd…please” he grunted, dodging another swipe.
“I” another swipe.
“don’t” two swipes in a row.
“want to” the flail head collided, inches away from his foot. Asphalt cracked dangerously beneath him.
“hurt you!” he let out in a scream as he just avoided the flail head. He panted as he curated even more space between his brother again.
Floyd merely growled, consciousness returning to the Berserker norm as dropped to his fours again, before jolting towards him.
Branch winced, yelling his brothers name again, hoping just hoping, the command seal bond will somehow be broken.
Suddenly, the berserker was upon him. Slamming the larger man in the road, drool-mostly for trying to initially avail the spell-dribbled out of his mouth. Now no longer looking like a human.
Branch gasped, pain flickering over his eyes, as he pushed the berserker back from the ground. “Floyd-“
Suddenly, a loud piercing scream from a girl caught his attention. With Floyd still growling atop of him, branches head snapped to the side. And what he saw, caused his eyes to widen.
Poppy, his dearest master, was bloodied and abused, by the male mage who gripped her savagely by the hair. A genuine angry look noted in his eyes. He snarled as he threw the girl to the side with his magic, causing her to land on the road. Hard.
A sudden need for protecting his master bristled over, like his animal instincts was screaming at him. Without thinking, he threw the other heroic servant off of him. Slamming his body upwards, he swiftly appeared behind Veneer.
which he then proceeded to slam the pretty boys head to the ground, lightly though, not to kill him or anything. Above he just heard Velvet scream in fear.
Rushing towards the unconscious body of Poppy, he held his master lovingly in a bridal carry, before disappearing with the girl from the fray.
Leaving a furious velvet, an unconsciouss veneer, and a Floyd who struggled with the effect of the command seal his body was still dealing with.
++++
Branch arrived at the fuyuki apartment. Slamming his body to the door to open, before lightly placing the girl on the couch and rushing over to the nearest medicinal and mage cabinet.
After finding a spell scrapbook (created by poppy when she was young) and a small orange container full of pills. He dashed back to the teenager, book in hand as he begun to enchant a random spell simply titled “healing”
In a blinding pink light, poppy’s body was healed, at least outwardly, as she had still remained unconscious. As lightly as he can, The servant placed two of the pills along the girls mouth, struggling her head and throat to swallow it as best she can. Before lubricating her throat with water he sipped and placed in her mouth via his own.
An act he would’ve been embarrassed if this wasn’t such a dire situation with someone he truly liked.
In about 30 minutes, the girl coughed to life. Sitting upwards, the mage coughed her heart out, water dribbling slightly from her mouth. She smacked her lips as she squinted ahead of her. The situation of past events had finally dawned on her.
Bristling upwards, the teenager rushed around her apartment, a mission to try to find her servant as she searched around her property.
She sighed in relief as she found him in the study, his head deep into a random spell scrapbook she had personally made when she was 12.
She walked over to the heroic spirit, head ached slightly due to previous head trauma she had dealt with during the battle.
Her hand hovered over branch’s shoulder, hesitant and slightly surprised that the heroic spirit hadn’t reacted yet. Before it lightly curled around his shoulder. She gave a comforting squeeze.
A sharp breathe came out of branches nose as he moved his body around on the swivel chair he sat upon.
“poppy!” he recognised, taking off the square glasses he had randomly found, “are you okay?” he questioned, lightly placing a large calloused hand on her forehead.
Poppy frowned as she glared St him, eyes glistening over with tears as her fists lightly shook on her sides.
“am I alright? What about you?” she exasperated, suddenly tackling the older person In a hug as he still remained on the chair.
Branch’s body stiffened, before slouching slightly as he placed a hand on his masters upper back. Heart pounding in his ear at the closeness his body was to the girl that had a chokehold on his heart and mind.
“i-im fine.” He whispered.
“Archer!” poppy whined, moving her head backwards to face him, hands enclosing on his strong jaw.
Branch grimaced at the girl, ever so determined. He sighed. “berserker, he…he’s my brother.” He admitted slowly.
Poppy’s eyes widened, frozen in place. Before her features melted in a sympathetic cry as she quietly placed her head near the nook of his shoulder and chin. “ohh branch. I’m so sorry.” She said.
Branch frowned, sadness inevitable as his hug for his master somehow tightened. Poppy closed her eyes, hand caressing his back.
She had questions, a lot of them. But seeing the distressing sight of Branch made her forget all of them, and instead made her mind empathise the adult mans comfort on her study chair. A single peck later, and poppy found herself sitting idly on Branch’s thighs, as he softly combed her hair with his hand.
“I have three other brothers, but Floyd…” he paused in thought. “Floyd was my favourite. When the others abandoned me, he made sure I was happy before leaving himself. I didn’t even know he was a heroic spirit i-“
“Floyd zone? The spirit of music. He’s legend is fairly well known in my own family.” She read from her phone, a messaged app opened. “from what my father said, he was killed by two jealous musicians who desired his talent. They where succubi, apparently.” She leaned her head up to the archer above her.
“he’s not as popular as the other servants. But then again, neither are you.”
Branch’s brows furrowed, a slight bitter feeling tumbled in his stomach at the statement. He suffered by the hands of fate so much in his lifetime, and the fact that he was essentially unknown despite being a heroic spirit, made him jealous.
Silence returned after poppy’s statement, as she slowly began to remove herself from the archers legs, and to the side table. Hands caressing multiple scrapbooks that sat idly on the mahogany table.
“…what are we going to do?” she ended up whispering. Eyes turning to branch’s.
“I don’t know. Knowing Floyd, he’s probably still in control of the command seal. Meaning his still out to kill me.” He sighed at the situation. Leaning his body against the back of the swivel chair. “which means. I’ll probably have to kill him-“
“don’t say that.” Poppy interceded, manoeuvring her body in front of him. “well find a way branch, we have to.” Her eyes glinted in determination as she said that.
Branch snorted, a playful smirk marking his features as he stared at her. Even if the subject was near impossible, his heart lurched at the girls determination. “well okay then, popifer.” He replied, hand joining her hair as he aggressively pat it.
Poppy’s smile widened, nodding her head with vigour. “I guess we need to plan right now.” She finally added.
Fin