With Or Without You

When Cú and Ria arrived back on the field, there was a brief moment of shock as now two nightmares stood toe to toe.

"So it would seem you have awakened to your final self. That is good. Now I can show you just how ignorant and incapable you are." A predatory rumble permeates Nightmare Alter's words.

"If I were weak, I wouldn't have lived three lifetimes with this woman you seem so interested in possessing."

"Anyone with brains would wish to possess the Mother of Man. Because you have managed to seduce her over three concise lives doesn't mean you are her rightful mate, mutt."

"I think I am the only one capable of judging who gets to stay by my side and who doesn't." Ria placed her staff on the ground before walking over to Cú. "I need you to trust me. Turn back into lancer, and let me see Gae Bolg."

He does what she says without question. With its weight in one hand, she pulls a cloth and two small vials from her bag. Dousing the fabric with the contents of one of them, having taken the antidote beforehand, she wiped the blade with it carefully. When the cloth had completely coated it, she tapped the tip against the ground three times before raising it and handing it to Cú.

"If all else fails, turn back but do not use it if you do."

He looked at her quizzically, but Ria ignored him and walked towards Em. Placing the cloth back in the bag, she wrapped her arms around his waist and looked into his eyes as she secretly removed a dagger and slipped a vial into its slot. Em's eyes did not falter, but she knew he could tell what had just happened.

"I might need this later." She smiled before walking back to her staff. "Shall we begin shade of Cú?"

"No amount of preparation will allow you to survive. If you think you are ready, let us begin."

Emiya disappeared seconds before Ria fired a volley of arcane missiles at the shade while Cú charged in to assault it from the front. Able to anticipate his embodiment, Nightmare Alter swung his tail at Cú, who managed to block it with his spear before dodging out of the way as a volley of arrows whizzed toward the beast. Blocking them with his armored back, the shade turned in time to barely stop an assault by Assassin and his twin daggers.

"For a minute, I thought you forgot I was immune to arrows."

"I forget nothing and use everything." Emiya's voice was challenging as he broke off the attack and disappeared again while the shade whipped his tail around to counter Cú again.

This time Cú dodged the swipe before launching over the shade to land on its opposite side as Ria fired another volley of missiles before casting "Times Requiem."

As she chants the words to slow time for the enemy, Alter summons Curruid Coinchenn causing his body to transform in slow motion into a demon made of bone. Before the last section of his chest is covered, Cú launches Gae Bolg at the shade, which gets stuck, tip barely touching the flesh of the monster before them. Laughing, the shadow reaches to pull out the spear, but as his arm tugs with its immense strength, his chest begins to melt and screams of agony rip from once jovial lips.

"WHATEVER YOU DO, CÚ, DON'T TOUCH YOUR SPEAR OR HIS WOUNDS!"

At that moment, Emiya materialized behind the dying beast and slit its throat with one of his concealed daggers, silencing his screams as his neck melted and he was decapitated in seconds. Cú stands in terror as Ria walks towards the liquid that remains quickly forming around his spear.

"She will be fine; she has taken the antidote. The dragon's bane will not harm her." Emiya's voice was flat.

"Dragonsbane?" Cú asked in confusion.

"The greatest weapon against dragons. It is a poison that eats away at their body no matter how tough their hide. It is like acid to them and cannot be removed, though I created the antidote that temporarily nullifies the flesh-eating nature of the poison as it comes in contact with the skin. As long as it is taken before contamination, you cannot be harmed by the effects of the poison." Gingerly Ria removed Cú's spear before pouring a crystal clear liquid on the head, causing the liquid to turn purple as it washed away the acid.

"Your spear is safe to touch now. The acid has been nullified. Make sure never to touch any vial marked DB or DBA, and you should be fine."

"I'll make a note of that. Thank you."

Ria nods. "Shall we go home?"

Em nodded and walked towards her, his concern emanating in the possessive way he guarded her. "Thank you for not being too reckless."

Ria smiled. "I wish I could say the same."

"That was hardly reckless. That idiot over there did a pretty good job backing me up." Em scoffed, gesturing casually back at Cú.

Cú snorted, but Ria cut him off before he could retort. "That's good because he's one of us now."

"One of us?" Emiya's eyes go dark as he looks at Cú with anger.

"Seems she took pity on me and let me bond to her, seeing as my master is dead. Guess that makes me your partner and your rival." He grins wickedly.

"Ria, you can't be-"

She placed a hand on his lips. "We will discuss it when we get home. I want to get out of this place and make my report, then take a bath and eat before having any serious conversations that will surely ruin my night."

Emiya set his jaw but said nothing as they all walked in silence back to the portal and the memories they had been trying to forget.