Haru's lungs burned as he pulled Asia away as fast as he could, his gaze settled on the church that lay ahead of him. The warm air had made his clothes rub against him uncomfortably, and his burning body was not helping matters. He was not used to running so much, especially not so intensely.
Then again, if he stopped for even a moment—
*bang bang, bang, bang bang bang*
—Bullets whizzed past them. One became dangerously close to him, buzzing against his skin and burning the tiniest hairs on his cheek. A burn trail was left in its wake. Haru cringed, hand touching his cheek but never stopping. Behind them, maniacal laughter rang in their ears as loud and clear as day.
"Where do ya think you're going, you shitty brats?! Just let this onii-san cut you both to little bits! I promise it'll be painless!"
Haru highly doubted that as much as he doubted the man was sane in the least. What kind of psychopath would try and attack him in broad daylight, where a pedestrian could show up at any moment? Then he remembered that the man was also the Master of Assassin. The same man responsible for the many deaths and disappearances in Kuoh.
Just another reason why he couldn't stop running.
"H-Haru!"
"Just keep running, Asia!" he shouted over his shoulder. "We're almost there!"
He vaguely remembered how Sona said that the church, headed by the Overseer of the current Grail War, was neutral territory. Two Masters trying to kill each other were expressively forbidden here. He was hoping the man calling himself Freed Sellzan was sane enough to try and not start a fight in there.
Yet somehow, he sincerely doubted that would be the case.
Minutes later, Haru rammed his shoulder against the doors of the church, not bothering to stop and pull it open. The bullets flying behind him and Asia were flying like a madman's circus. Pulling the blonde nun with him, the redhead rushed in.
He then screamed as pain skyrocketed through his leg, falling to the floor.
"H-Haru!"
Gritting his teeth, Haru looked down. Red was seeping through the black cloth of his pants. There was a small hole where the red was coming in from. It hurt. It hurt really bad. Like something hot had just stabbed itself through his calf.
"I caught you."
At the door, Freed poked his head out, smile lopsided and toothy. Asia recoiled in terror as Haru tried to pull himself up, limping and putting himself in between her and the psychopath in front of them.
"You know, when I got told I was getting to hunt down Saber's Master, I was expecting some badass magus. Instead, all I get is some kid." the nutjob in priest's clothing whined. "What a major letdown. I'm so sad. So sad!" Then, like a flip of a switch, his smile grew more wicked. "Say, I know a way for you to make it up to me! Why don'tcha hand over the flat sister next to you, and I promise I'll make your death nice, quick and painless! You won't feel a thing! I promise!"
Haru glared back in response. "... Fuck you." was the best thing on his mind. Seriously. Those were the two words that he could bring himself to muster up in spite of everything he could possibly think of. He had quite a number of things to call the man, some more colorful than others, but nothing pissed him off more than someone telling him to die.
"Ouch! So cold! Your heart's icy, huh?"
Freed then took aim again and shot another bullet. This time, it was the shoulder. Haru let out a cry, grabbing it in a meager attempt to lessen the pain. Something hot was burning inside. Something scathing. He could feel his flesh sizzling. What the hell kind of bullets were these?
"Light Bullets are my specialty." Freed cackled. "When they hit a Shitty Devil, they squirm and squeal like pigs and bitches, but when you hit 'em with a human punching bag, it burns like a motherfucker!"
"S-stop this!" Asia cried, too terrified to even move. She wanted to ease Haru's pain, but Freed watched them both like a hawk. In spite of his madness, there was keen awareness. He was waiting for either one of them to make a move. "Please! Aren't you a man of the cloth?!"
"HAH ?!" Somehow, Asia's words riled him. His eyebrow vanished into his bangs while a look of disgust marred his features. "Are you shittin' me here, Sister?! Do I look like a pussy who spreads his ass for God Almighty to fuck? Fuck. That. Shit. As far as I'm concerned, God can go suck my cock!" He paused. Then a disturbing smile touched his face. "Or, if God's some super hot bitch, I'll just find a way to chain her right up and fuck her like a whore!"
"Y-you..." Haru hissed. "You're nuts!"
"Oooh, thank you for noticing, Shitty Master!"
This is bad... Haru thought. His eyes roamed the interior of the church. There must be something—anything—for him to use and fight back. He didn't care what it was. A wooden stick. A knife. Anything. Slowly, Freed began to approach. Footsteps echoing in the chamber. C'mon, think, Haru! There must be something you can do!
"So, what'll it be, Shitty Master? A bullet to the crotch next? Or a bullet to your head?"
Think! Think dammit!
Then the answer came to him, plain as day. That was right. How could he possibly forget? He already had something up his sleeve. Something that could be put to good use.
"Not gonna answer?" Freed asked. "Okay, then! I'll decide for you! I'll take that flat nun behind you, fuck her right in front of you, then kill you! How's that sound?"
Haru's eyes narrowed. From inside his chest, power started to swell. His left hand felt like it was on fire. Compared to the earlier sensation, when Assassin had him dead to rights, it was different. His whole hand started to throb.
"Here's my answer."
[Boost!]
A red and green flash encompassed his left hand. The red light wrapped around it and formed into a scaly-red gauntlet with sharp claws and golden spikes. In the center was the green light, forming into a gemstone embedded into the back of the hand.
"Don't you dare..."
Freed blinked, then jumped back. "H-hey! The fuck?!"
"Touch Asia you son of a bitch!"
With surprising speed, in spite of his leg begging and screaming for him to stop in agonizing pain, Haru lunged at Freed.
The white haired priest tried to raise his gun to blow the bastard's brains out, but Haru's arm shot out and pushed the gun away before curling his armored covered hand into a fist and smashed it dead center in Freed's face.
The former Exorcist flew from the strike and crashed into a wall.
The power behind such a strike almost came as a surprise. That sort of strength did not belong to a human, even if his hand was armored. However, the rush of power in his systems told him otherwise. His hand was shaking from the impact of metal meeting flesh and bone. Such a powerful blow felt as if it had nearly broken his arm. The rush of adrenaline faded shortly, however, as he soon as the strength fled from his legs and crumbled to the floor.
"H-Haru!"
Asia immediately rushed to his side. She was quick to press her hands against his leg and shoulder, a beautiful green light flowing from her touch. Haru hissed as he felt the burning sensation grow worse. Then it subsided. The pain was beginning to dull and fade away. He looked at Asia, eyes wide in shock. Then he looked back at his damaged limbs. The hole was beginning to sow itself up, flesh piecing itself back together.
"A-Asia... You—?"
"Owwwieeeee! Son of a motherfucking bitch that hurts!" Freed's cry brought their attention back to him as he pulled himself out of the wall. There was blood leaking from his forehead and his face showed a cross between anger and annoyance. "God dammit all! Where'd you get that hand of yours?! The boss said nothing about that piece of shit?! Okay, you know what? Fuck this!" He raised his hand, showing off the red sigils carved into his hand, which fittingly resembled a stylized skull with a spear run through its head and a snake curling around where the jaw should have been. "Assassin! Get your ass—"
Before he could finish, an arrow of pure white light was sent flying and nearly pierced his head. Stunned, all three parties looked up and found a woman sitting above the rafters, dressed in white with a bizarre bow in hand. Her purple pigtails floated in the breeze, framing her face while her eyes remained trained on Freed, unblinking.
"That is as far as you go, Freed Sellzan." a new voice, one that did not belong to the woman in the rafters, called as footsteps echoed in the chamber. Stepping out from the shadows was a mature woman with snow white hair and golden eyes, dressed in black with a white shawl over her shoulders and a gaze that sent frigid chills down the redhead's spine. "Continue this any longer, and the next arrow will find itself a lovely home in your brain."
"Eeeeh?! Who the fuck are you?!"
"Caren Hortensia. Overseer of the Sixth Holy Grail War."
Haru blinked. This was the woman tasked with overseeing the war? 'She… looks like she's at least in her late thirties. he thought. I know that makes her older than me, but… He then took notice of the red markings on her hand and then looked back at the woman in the rafters. Wait a second... Is-is she a Master too?! She's in charge of the war and she's a participant?! How's that supposed to work?!
Apparently, Freed shared his thoughts. "What fresh hell's this shit?" he demanded. "Why's a Master in charge of looking after a War where people get to slaughter each other?! That's cheatin'!"
"Let's just say I have more privileges than you ever could, pompous fool." Hortensia snorted. "Now, as you were so kind enough to tell Saber's Master, allow me to give you two choices. You either walk out of here… or you die in here."
A small touched her lips.
It was anything but kind.
"Do please choose the first. We've only just cleaned up this place. Your blood will only make us need to clean it again."
The madman of a Master scowled. "You… really are a bitch, ain'tcha?"
"You just now noticed?"
"A Church is a place of worship." the woman in the rafters spoke up, her voice soft and like music to one's ears but with a sharp undertone that made Haru feel as if there was a blade at his neck. "Someone as filthy as you doesn't belong here, Sellzan. So do please leave before I shoot you down. We won't ask again."
The psychopath glared at her in anger and annoyance. As much as he hated to admit it… he was up against the wall here. He could call for Assassin, but the Archer up above would shoot faster than he could speak.
He could try and take the nun… but the result would be the same.
What a pain… Freed groaned. The boss ain't gonna be happy, but I ain't stickin' around!
"Oi, Shitty Master!" Haru's eyes blazed as the madman glared at him, aiming a finger at him while he pulled something from his pocket. "You better be ready for when I come for your ass! I'm gonna tear your arm off and then shove it straight up your ass, ya hear?!"
Before the redhead could respond, Freed slammed something to the floor, which shattered and released a blinding light. Hortensia and Archer were barely affected as they could clearly see him making an escape. Haru and Asia, however, were left blinded by the harsh light. It lasted only three seconds before it faded. Once it did, they lowered their arms to find Freed no longer present.
"I truly do detest idiots like him." Hortensia said with a small hostile tone. "How in the world the Vatican thought he was a man of the cloth, I will never understand." The woman then sighed and approached the two. Haru was still left slightly on guard, however, eyes trained on the marking on her hand. Slowly, he inched himself between the overseer and Asia. The blonde was confused by that action, not sure why Haru would be trying to protect her from someone that just saved them. Hortensia, however, smiled. "It seems you understand your role as a Master, it seems. Good. I had feared you would be soft like your grandfather."
Haru was momentarily stunned. "H-How do you know—?!"
"We met a long time ago in Fuyuki." the overseer replied before looking at Asia. "You are Asia Argento, formerly a holy maiden of the Vatican Church, correct? I am Caren Hortensia. I am the overseer of the Sixth Holy Grail War and the current caretaker of this rickety old place. You've come here seeking asylum, yes?"
"Y-Yes." The blonde nun nodded before bowing. "I-I'll be under your care..."
Haru, taken off guard, looked back at Asia and then at Hortensia. When realization came to him, his eyes widened.
"... Eh?!"