CA [210] War in the Skies

"Now, rise!!!"

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Semiramis' supreme Noble Phantasm, a colossal fortress floating in the sky!

This was the Red Faction's main stronghold. Under Semiramis' command, the massive structure detached from the ground in seconds, transforming into a metallic citadel soaring into the heavens.

"What? It's actually flying? You're kidding!" Achilles gawked, peering over the edge at the forest below, eyes wide.

"A stunning feat." Karna, ever laconic, remarked.

"What do you think? This is my ultimate Noble Phantasm, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon!" Semiramis declared, brimming with pride. Before its activation, she was a mere Assassin, limited to poison tricks. Now, within her fortress, she was a true empress, her abilities vastly enhanced. Though her melee skills remained weak, she'd evolved from a poisoner into a formidable mage.

"Absolutely breathtaking. I've never seen a fortress this grand, not even Troy compares." Achilles said. As the invincible hero who fell at Troy, the "unbreakable" city breached by a wooden horse, he knew a skyborne citadel like this was on another level of impregnability.

"Now, while Saber tangles with their Assassin, let's declare war on the Black Faction!" Amakusa pointed toward Tulifas, rallying his Servants.

"Yes, Master." Semiramis replied, steering the Gardens toward the Millennia Fortress. Though slower than a jet, its speed rivaled a train's.

"It won't take long to reach Tulifas. Their Archer's Clairvoyance will spot us soon." Amakusa said.

"Then the battle begins." Karna noted.

"Let me lead the charge! They've probably set traps to stop us. My chariot will clear the path!" Achilles volunteered.

"Very well, Rider. We're counting on you." Amakusa agreed, trusting his Servants to fight unhindered.

"Lancer, their main force is yours. Our combat strength is limited, Caster must assist me, and Assassin maintains the fortress. The frontline is up to you two." Amakusa instructed.

"I'll handle them." Karna said calmly, nodding. As an exceptional Servant with ample mana, he was the battlefield's strongest.

Achilles, the undying hero, matched him in prowess. "Right! I'll take them out, whether it's that Lancer or the divine Archer who wounded me. They're mine!" Achilles vowed, eager to crush Chiron, a divine Servant from the Age of Gods, the perfect foe for a fellow divine hero.

"It's all yours!" Amakusa said, leaving the rest to his warriors.

The Gardens flew from their launch site to Tulifas in an hour. As predicted, Chiron, the Black Faction's Archer, spotted them with his Clairvoyance.

Just as the Red Faction planned their assault, the Black Faction aimed to strike while the Red Faction was stretched thin. Tulifas was their stronghold, and with the Red Faction approaching, it was the ideal moment to counterattack.

The Red Faction had lost Berserker, and Saber was occupied with Assassin. The Black Faction, unaware of Atalanta's death, believed the Red Faction was short-handed, just as the Red Faction didn't know Siegfried was gone. Both sides were evenly compromised.

Thus, the Red and Black Factions' all-out clash began.

Achilles led the charge, his chariot tearing across the ground, mowing down fodder and drawing Chiron's attention.

Karna hit the ground running, engaging Vlad III, the Black Faction's commander. Vlad's enhanced attributes let him hold his own against Karna in direct combat, though only because Karna wasn't using his Noble Phantasm. If he did, Vlad wouldn't stand a chance.

Astolfo circled the skies on his hippogriff, wary of the Hanging Gardens. Knowing he'd be outmatched on the ground, he stayed airborne.

Frankenstein's Monster, with no direct opponent, gleefully cleared fodder on low-power mode, unchallenged by Servants for now.

Both factions' Casters, Black's Avicebron and Red's Shakespeare, hung back, their limited combat prowess keeping them out of the fray.

This grand battle, meant for the war's fourth day, erupted on the third due to Altair's meddling.

Fewer players, earlier start, but no less ferocious.

Unbeknownst to them, another group observed from the skies as the battle unfolded.

When the Gardens reached Tulifas, Altair had already ended his fight.

Without support, Jack stood no chance against Mordred. Reika's lack of mana crippled Jack's stats and reserves, preventing her from using her Noble Phantasm. Relying on high agility, Jack dodged desperately but was caught by Mordred's Mana Burst-fueled strike and felled in one blow.

Altair tracked down Reika, dispatching her with a stealthy backstab. Finding a non-magical human was trickier than a magus, ordinary people could hide too well if determined.

With the Assassin duo eliminated, Altair, Mordred, and Kairi raced back to Tulifas' battlefield on the Somersault Cloud, arriving just as the war ignited.

"Perfect timing." Mordred said, eyes gleaming at the chaos below.

"Couldn't be better." Altair agreed, nodding.

"What a spectacle. No way I'm joining that mess." Kairi said. As a Master, he'd be obliterated by the stray area-of-effect attacks in the Servant battlefield.

"Stay on the cloud, Master. Mordred and I will handle the fight." Altair said.

"Sweet! This cloud's the safest spot around." Kairi grinned, sprawling out.

"Then, Arthur, Mordred, my Sabers, go wild! I'll supply the mana. Fight to your heart's content and bring me victory!" Kairi declared, issuing his battle cry as Master.

"Seize the Greater Grail!"

"You got it, Master!" Mordred thumped her chest, roaring back.

"Watch and see, Master." Altair replied with a nod.

"Now, Round Table Knight Mordred!"

"Here!" Mordred snapped to attention.

A rare frontal battlefield, a clash of Servants across time, Altair felt a thrill, leaning into the drama.

"Will you follow your king to win this war for our Master?"

"Absolutely!" Mordred answered confidently.

"Then!" Altair drew his cleaver, pointing it at the battlefield below.

"Round Table Knigh, "

"Wait, Father! Where's your holy sword?!" Mordred interrupted, staring at the cleaver in shock.

"Didn't I tell you? I gave Excalibur to the 'you' in my world." Altair said, exasperated but sticking to his prepared excuse.

"I know you gave it to her, but you got summoned without it?!" Mordred pressed.

"Of course. I'm not dead, am I?" Altair shot back.

"So what's that? A new holy sword?" Mordred asked, eyeing the cleaver curiously.

"Nope. Just a chopping knife I forged from ore in Avalon." Altair said, defaulting to his catch-all excuse: Avalon.

"A… chopping knife?" Mordred blinked, floored. Bringing a woodcutting tool to a Servant battlefield? That's bold.

"Don't worry. It'll handle most of these guys just fine." Altair said confidently.

Mordred didn't doubt him, nodding enthusiastically. "Right! For you, Father, even a chopping knife's enough to cut them down."

Perfect. Mordred's trust in him was absolute. That's my girl.

"Now, then." Altair pointed his cleaver at the battlefield once more.

"Round Table Knights, charge!"

The false king and true Round Table Knight dove into the fray!

***

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