I let out a pained gasp as my back slammed into the dry rock of one of the plateaus dotting the Burning Plains. But I had no time to just lay there. I pushed myself to the side just before the giant red dragon landed on my previous location and hurled Kanshou at the lizard’s head. The enemy Rider simply deflected it with a quick spell and parried Bakuya with his sword at the same time.

I scowled at that but didn’t waste time thinking about how easily he blocked my attacks. We had already had similar exchanges a few times now after this new Rider decided I was going to be his primary target. Getting grabbed by a forty foot flying gecko and having an improvised fight midair had only been the start.

I looked at the dragon’s bloody forelimb where my swords had sliced through its scales.

At least I was giving as good as I got.

Or at least I was until I saw the wound stitch itself back together before my eyes.

“Really? It’s already two on one and one of those is a fire breathing iguana, but you’re not even letting me have a few scratches?” I complained. “I know you’re an evil bastard and all but there should be limits.”

“Heh, heh.” The armored figure laughed darkly. “You’re probably the only one that would understand this, so, get good noob.”

My jaw practically hit the floor.

“No fucking way…”

“Surprised? What, did you think you were the only one special enough to get a second chance?” The Rider mocked before his voice turned bitter. “Cause I fucking did, but nooo, can’t even have this fucking thing for myself. Instead I get to share this shitty world with a dumbass that went the rebel option and their asspulls, because of fucking course she did, instead of being smart and picking the Empire. Tell me did Eragon tell you about the giant golden surprise he’s been hiding from everyone or did you already know about it?”

Despite being a much rougher society in general most of the people here rarely cursed casually, so the sudden onslaught of swearing actually threw me for a second. Then my brain caught up to what he actually said.

He was a reincarnate?! He fucking knew about OROMIS?!

HE CHOSE TO JOIN GALBATORIX?!

“Sounding pretty judgmental for the guy that ran off to join a mad king.” I shot back, mostly to keep him talking while I processed that.

“Old Galby?” The Rider scoffed. “Don’t get me wrong, the guy is batshit crazy but the thing is, he knows it. That’s why we made a promise; I follow his orders until everything is under his banner and then I’m in charge. We’re gonna Empire of Man the shit out of this world!”

“Oh, how wonderful. Now I definitely want the genocidal madman to win.” I said dryly. “I totally want to swap sides, Horus.”

“Shut up, bitch. I meant the Fantasy game, not that 30K shit.”

Because the fantasy evil German empire that killed anyone they felt was different or dangerous without restraint, oppressed their citizens for everything they were worth, and were just assholes in general was SO much better than the Sci-Fi evil German empire that killed anyone they felt was different or dangerous without restraint, oppressed their citizens for everything they were worth, and were just assholes in general.

“And what does your friend there think of working for the guy who killed most of his race?” I shifted gears and directed my question to his dragon.

“Who gives a shit what it thinks? It’s just a mount.”

And if that didn’t tell me everything I needed to know about this bastard, I don’t know what would.

Even from what little interaction I had with Eragon and Saphira it was obvious one would defend the other to the death if that’s what it took. Yet this guy considered what should be a soul-bound partner as an object for transportation. I don’t even think he cared about the dragon as an animal let alone a sentient creature.

“Anyway,” The bastard continued. “I wanted to kill you quick so I could go catch that blue dragon but that’s not happening. Any chance you really do want to swap sides? If you help with the dragon I’ll even put in a good word for you. Maybe get Galby to let you learn actual magic instead of whatever slow ass shit you’re trying to use. You’ll need to teach me the sword trick first though. That’s pretty badass.”

Even if I wanted to pick up an apprentice, it’d be a cold day in hell before I taught this psycho anything.

“Not happening, jackass.”

“What, you one of those ‘power of friendship’ losers too?” The bastard sneered. “Hate to break it to you blondie, but you’re in the wrong genre for that. You think everything will just work out if you can beat the big bad guy? That’s stupid. Yeah I liked picking that option in games too but in real life the ones with the most power decide how things are run. And guess what? That isn’t your little club of rejects.”

I narrowed my eyes at him and projected another pair of swords.

“Well I guess we have nothing left to talk about then.”

The Rider sighed explosively and slammed his free hand down on the back of his dragon, who twitched under the impact and almost looked back at him before continuing to stare at me. “Fucking stupid-, no. I don’t give a fuck. You should just drop dead.”

I felt the spell slam into my defenses and thankfully stall out. I hadn’t been able to specifically test them against those types of spells but it looked like he would need to completely overwhelm me magically before he could directly influence my body.

“Tch, of course it wasn’t that easy.”

I ignored his complaint and hurled my swords at him. Then quickly projected a second set and threw those too. A third set fell into my hands as I rushed forward, doing my best to avoid the Dragon’s mouth, because teeth, and trying to find a way to unseat the Rider.

While the bastard was distracted by the blades arcing around him I slid under a bite that would have torn me in half and slashed at the dragon’s exposed neck. Sparks exploded as the blades skittered over both the bastard’s wards and the dark red scales but this time they failed to cut through.

Bastard probably added something after I cut through them last time while we were talking.

Even if the edges didn’t do damage, the dragon couldn’t ignore the pressure of two metal objects attacking such a vulnerable spot. It reared back - and I could hear the bastard curse at the sudden movement - but more importantly, I had an almost completely open shot at its chest.

Some distant corner of my mind complained that this would be the perfect time for me to Trace an anti-dragon weapon but I still hadn’t worked my way back up to Noble Phantasms besides Kanshou and Bakuya, and if they were having issues a normal weapon would be even worse. That didn’t mean I didn’t have options.

In an instant I sorted through the limited number of Zanpakuto I had added to my arsenal and selected the one I wanted. I threw my twin swords away once more and grabbed the tan handle of the segmented spear.

Hōzukimaru shot forward taking advantage of a key feature most of the other Zanpakuto I had lacked.

Reach.

The speartip just barely missed a flailing forelimb where the dragon expected me to try and get closer and stabbed the giant lizard at the base of the neck. Once again sparkes jumped from the point where magic and scale fought to resist sharp metal but this time I was using something specifically designed to cut through souls. It could slip through a general defensive ward with enough effort.

A roar of pain almost deafened me as Hōzukimaru stabbed deeply into the dragon. Too bad I could instantly tell it was mostly a flesh wound. Between the wards and scales my attack shifted up enough that I stabbed mostly into the shoulder, cutting through enough muscle flying would be a challenge but not something that would kill.

It did distract the bastard enough for me to knock him out of the saddle though.

I hadn’t just randomly thrown my last pair of Kanshou and Bakuya away. I had arced them in a way I’d hoped meant I would get a cheap shot in. If I was actually up to EMIYA’s level I might have been able to say I planned it, but it was mostly luck that the two swords came anywhere close to hitting the bastard of a Rider. That one of them sliced through the leather straps securing his legs in place while the other smashed into his armor was nothing less than a miracle.

Once again the glancing attacks failed to actually hurt anything through his defenses but between his dragon shifting in pain, one leg slipping its restraint, and getting smacked with a sword, the Bastard wasn’t staying in the saddle.

He was quick enough to cut his second leg free before he was shaken like a ragdoll though, unfortunately.

And going by how quickly he stood up, he wasn’t exactly hurt by the experience either.

Still, he was off the dragon and now I was facing two opponents rather than one combined one.

…Why did I think separating them was a good idea again?

Right, I didn’t want the bastard to just fly around out of reach throwing spells at me.

“Tsk, you think I don’t know what your fucking plan is?! Huh, bitch?! Nice try, but it won’t be that easy!” The bastard screamed at me and charged. At the same time a dust cloud suddenly kicked up between me and the dragon, obscuring it nearly entirely. Obviously he didn’t want me getting close enough to do more damage to his ‘mount’. Which was a shame because killing or crippling the poor creature would have made the rest of this fight much easier.

I decided to burn one of my trump cards.

Without modern machining equipment, replacing my spell pistols was almost impossible so I had been limiting any potential use as long as I had another option. I hadn’t planned on using one today, but why have them if you don’t use them when fighting a dragon?

The small silver device cleared the holster, I aimed, fired, and had to quickly parry a sword thrust as Bastard finally got in range. But that didn’t stop the yellow beam that lanced through the cloud of dust and slammed into the dragon’s side even as it tried to retreat.

It didn’t do as much as I hoped.

It didn’t burn straight through the wards protecting the dark red dragon or blast a chunk out of it, but it did hit the giant lizard with the force of a runaway train and throw the creature skidding off the side of the plateau.

Probably wouldn’t seriously harm it, considering the amount of protections it had and that despite everything else it was a dragon, but with the earlier damage, it wouldn't be making its way back up here without either climbing or getting healed first. Either option gave me time to deal with the Bastard one-on-one.

I slipped the burned out device back into its holster and turned to stare the Bastard fully in his face-concealing visor.

Just you and me now, asshole.