Firestone
She was like a firestone – the one, who can light a fire, and the one able to withstand it. Just like a fire opal, the precious jewel full of an inner heat, which was burning from the inside out.
Rin Tohsaka has chosen the path of the Hero of Justice in place of two heroes, who sacrificed themselves to help her win the Holy Grail War. She seeks redemption even after death, as a Counter Guardian, traveling through time and space. Could a faker like her find forgiveness in an era of Norse gods and dragons?
CG TOHSAKA in this story is a faker, with combined (limited) powers of Archer EMIYA and Siegfried/Saber of Black, along with her own jewel magic. She's the one from the neutral end of "Another Time", but You can enjoy this story without reading the previous one.
Genres and plots are mixed in this one, so if you think: 'I know where it's going', You may be totally wrong. It's just a warning.
If you are here only for EMIYA, proceed to chapter 8. ;)
All characters and features belong to their rightful owners. Mythological creatures and elements belong to us all.
1: It Comes From the Sky
"A good fight for a good reason, huh? It's not as simple as you may think. So wrong, but so justified…"
It was snowing. So beautiful, so peaceful. So cold, that she could not feel the pain anymore.
This is the end, huh?
It was just another war, an ordinary battlefield. She did not even know, for what purpose or idea she was fighting this time. She was asked to help, so she didn't need anything more.
It was not a good fight for a good reason, she knew too well, that something like this doesn't exist. Not in this world, not in this timeline.
She sighed. Not a very classy last thoughts, indeed. As a member of Tohsaka family she should face the death with dignity.
But does it really matter after all those years of mindless bloodshed?
I just… wish I could repay my debt one day. But it's impossible, right?
A blue circle on the dark sky, like an ominous eye, with only an infinite darkness within. Like a path to the hopeless eternity.
"Right, you seem to have the power over timelines. But you can really grant it?" She smiled and reached out her hand to the distant sky. "Fine, I guess it can't be helped. Take this body and soul, do as you please. But let me repay, this is all I ask for."
"Look, Regin! A fire is raining from the sky!"A young man stood up from the branch near the campfire, his cold blue eyes were shining with admiration. "How spectacular!"
It was indeed a burning sphere, coming down from the night sky, a mysterious missile in its way to hit the ground nearby.
"It's a sign that gods are going to war," the old dwarf said, looking at this natural, or maybe even magical, phenomenon. "Don't cross your path with the gods, you will regret it."
But the young one was not listening at all to his mentor's advise, already with his sword in hand, ready to leave their small camp in the woods.
"I'll go and take a closer look!" – he shouted over his shoulder and ran to the place, where the fireball from the sky hit the ground.
His 'mentor' did not stop him, only smiled maliciously behind the back of the young man. He was so reckless, so curious about the world. An adventurous kind of man, who answers to people's requests without a second thought, just from the need to help the others.
He was so gullible and easy to be manipulated… just like the old fox wanted him to be. A very convenient tool to help Regin get back what was once his.
And – again – there was a lot of freshly fallen snow.
The materialization was not her favourite part of a Counter Guardian's job. The moment, when she was transported to the perfect location and her new, temporary body started to form, was the worst. It was like experiencing a triple gravity or even more, a horrible pressure, which is trying to smash every single cell of your body. No way she'll ever get used to this!
Except that, she regreted nothing, still determined to do her job the best she can, still believing, that her wish will be granted someday. It was something, what has to be done, her choice, her path to redemption.
The earth was burning. She found herself in the deep hole in the ground, the snow was melting rapidly around and several broken trees were still on fire, creaking horribly.
It's caused by a mana blast from my sudden materialization? No, rather not. No, something had to hit the ground just a moment ago. A meteorite maybe? It looks like that.
She felt still too dizzy to analyze the situation and had not enough information about her current mission to act immediately, so she just looked around first.
A man was watching her from the edge of the hole. He was not moving, probably due to a shock, caused by her sudden manifestation. Their eyes met for a while.
His clothes – a linen shirt and animal leathers – were simple and typical for the time long before the Middle Ages in Europe. The woods around and a cold winter would imply a central or northern parts of the continent. And the magic was literally everywhere, in some powerful ley lines, even in the air… this was still the Age of Gods, right?
Too bad that he's seen me, Tohsaka thought. She sighed heavily and drew the sword. Leaving no witnesses was an important part of her job. This is the price you pay for being reckless.
Did she come from the sky?
The young man was stunned by the view – it was the strangest and the most beautiful woman she has ever seen. Not a big-breasted, blonde peasant from the nearest Burgundy or a Saxon woman, with a dirty face and tangled hair, barely different from her shaggy husband.
This woman had a long black hair, with some white strands, shining like the feathers of a raven. Her eyes were neither blue, nor green, just like… like the nearest river. And a skin of the woman seemed so soft and tanned, but not burnt in a vulgar manner, like a skin of some simple villagers, who were forced to work in the sunlight. It was something different, much more elegant and mysterious, like she was born like this.
A foreigner? Most likely. And of noble birth, these red clothes and armor underneath... so perfectly made. It must have cost a fortune. Two villages maybe.
She was so different, yet so perfect, like some supernatural entity, made of pure magic.
And the ridiculously big sword, which she wielded… The young man found it extremely beautiful. It was a perfect blade for him to wield and he could feel a sudden desire to forge something like that. When stuck in the ground, it would probably be higher than a woman herself. She really was able to use it? How?
With ease, he concluded, when the woman attacked him with no warning. And, on Thor's hammer, she was strong!
"Wait… I've just… Wait!"
But he abandoned the idea of explaining his motives and calming her down. It was useless. So he clenched his teeth and fought back, giving all he's got in every single blow.
Well, sometimes you have to act like a man and fight for your life, no matter who your opponent is, right?
Well, that was quick.
The young man was kneeling before her, disarmed, with a blade touching his throat. But he was still smiling, like some psycho, who does not realize, how hopeless is the situation he is in.
Something is wrong. Where are my data? What's the meaning of this materialization?
Yes, something was clearly different this time. She did not feel an uncontrollable urge to kill this young man. Just the opposite.
She took a closer look at her so easily defeated opponent. He seemed to be almost twenty years old, but he was already much stronger than any ordinary man. He had an arms of a blacksmith, but it could only partially explain his unusual abilities. Not to mention that not every blacksmith was so skilled with the blades he was making. Inexperienced – yes, but he fought bravely enough to make Tohsaka wonder, who he is.
These cold blue eyes, calm and yet full of hope, even of joy after the fine duel… His hair, long and platinum blond, which seems to be almost silver in the moonlight. He was like a young wolf, hungry for adventures, trusting his yet imperfect skills and beginner's luck.
His face seemed familiar too. Rin hesitated, but did not take her sword back from his throat. She tried to remember the details so hard, that it made her head hurt.
"Who are you?" – she asked eventually, her voice was as cold as the night's air and the snow under her feet.
"I'm Siegfried Sigmundsson," the young man replied simply and smiled, despite his not very favorable position. "And you?"
Tohsaka's eyes widened in shock, when she recognized this name. And then a sudden understanding came.
Is it…
…the redemption I seek?
"Well?" He was clearly not the one to give up easily, so he just kept asking. "Who are you? A beautiful shieldmaiden? A valkyrie? One of the elven kin or maybe a goddess of war incarnated?"
She wasn't listening at all, her thoughts were running like crazy in her head, one after another, desperately trying to find any logic in this farce. This is how Alaya decided to grant her wish?
It could be a meaningless timeline, a playground made for Tohsaka, to fulfill her desire. Or just the opposite…
But her instructions came at last and were clear: she's been sent here not to kill, not to clean people's mess, but to protect. To make sure that a certain guy will not die too soon and that the flow of time, of history itself, will be preserved.
And this time their opponents will not be humans. At least not only humans.
Oh, now it makes some sense. So you want to use me anyway? Two birds with one stone?
"What are you doing here?"
He sighed heavily. It was obvious, that he kept talking and wasn't listened at all, but his calm reaction was promising. As expected from one of the greatest warriors in history of this region.
"I've come to see the fire from the sky."
"This?" She pointed a tip of her gigantic sword to the strange stone lying in the centre of this mess. It was still hot, a steam was slowly streaming to the cold air from its surface. "It's just a meteorite."
"What? That's how it's called in your country?"
"Yes. It's just a stone from the sky. A hot metal."
"This is even better," he laughed and stood up at last. "A metal from the sky! A firestone, like you! Just imagine how magnificent a sword forged from this material can be!"
"A truly great one, indeed." Tohsaka saddened visibly and she put her weapon back in its usual place. Yes, she could easily imagine the sword wonderful enough to be remembered an eons after the death of the one, who forged it. A blade with a name, a holy one, blessed with a power of dragon slaying.
His enthusiasm is the most tragic here, she thought. It's an innocent joy of the one, who wants to do his best for the others, not yet spoiled by the outcome of his own heroic deeds…
"You're staring at me," she noticed and gave him a cold look. "Stop it."
This bothersome brat was not embarrassed at all.
"I'll explain why, but please tell me your name first." His wide, innocent smile made her blush a little.
"Tohsaka. So?"
"To-o-sa-ka…" It sounded really strange, but he was trying hard. "It's because I have never seen a woman like you."
"And you will never see again."
"Why you're so cruel, To-o-sa-ka?"
She snarled, utterly annoyed, and turned away.
"Just give me a chance, I will learn to say it correctly. Sorry!"
It was not the real problem, she got used to hear her name spelled imperfectly by many people before. It was… HE was… Hopeless. Just like she remembered.
"Rin." She rolled her eyes, still not pleased, but at least a little calmer. "Just Rin is enough. Don't you think that you're too young to comment on women like that?"
"Sounds nice." He completely ignored her last remark. "Like something… cold but with a certain dignity. A proud but somehow sad name."
"Yours too. It says that your future will be full of battles."
"But also victories. To achieve peace."
"A good fight for a good reason, huh? It's not as simple as you may think. So wrong, but so justified…" She stopped suddenly and jumped to him, alarmed by the strange sparkle on the night sky, like a distant flash on metallic surface. "Oh, shit, look out!"
He reacted correctly, like a warrior to the core, with a perfect position to face an attack from the sky. A truly good instinct, he clearly had a swordplay in his blood. But a simple weapon, which he was carrying, was not enough to stop the charge from above. This blade would shatter to pieces, along with Siegfried's bones.
That's why the Rin's sword blocked this powerful strike before it could reach the young man's head.
"Ha! You need to try better than this!" – Tohsaka said with a cruel smile and pushed back her opponent with an enormous strength, like it was no true exertion for her.
The woman on a flying mount, fully armed and with a characteristic winged helmet, shouted something obviously offensive and attacked again, trying to smash Tohsaka with a brute force. But Rin only smiled and raised her ridiculously gigantic weapon with disturbing ease.
"Get out of here," she said and kicked Siegfried, sending him flying a few meters away and make him fall into a snowdrift. A short "Ouch!" came from under the snow, a clear sign that he was alive and – probably - unhurt.
The clash of two supernatural beings was short and fierce, some broken branches and rocks were flying around their improvised battlefield. Both women were extremely strong and both ended this duel unscratched. The rider withdrew quickly; it was certain, that she had expected an easy victory and came here unprepared for a fight with a stronger opponent.
"Yeah, run away, you coward!" Rin was truly trying to not give up to the raising bloodlust in her magical veins. "I'm sure you'll be back with your sisters. I'll be ready."
"What the…" – the debutant adventurer scrambled out of the snow and joined Tohsaka, not really sure, what was going on.
"That was a real valkyrie, if you want to know."
"Wonderful!" His eyes were shining with admiration, both for Rin and the enemy warrior. It was hopeless, the people of this age were truly insane. "But why did she attack you?"
"Not me! You!" Tohsaka angrily poked his chest. She was so strong in this form, that she could easily break his ribs by accident. "She attacked YOU!"
"But why?"
He wasn't as terrified as Rin expected him to be. No, he wasn't terrified AT ALL and it made her extremely angry. So he was really born like this, not brave, but 'just' a fearless psychopath with no self-preservation instinct. The one, who would rip out his own heart and give it to someone else! How annoying!
"Ugh, I've almost forgotten, how stubborn you can be!"
"What?" A blink of surprise was his only answer.
She sighed heavily and decided to be serious at last.
"Listen to me, Siegfried Sigmundsson… it seems that your gods want your death."
Note: The surname Sigmundsson, which means: "son of Sigmund", is made rather in a Swedish way, but it's only because I really like the sound of it.
I'm going to play a little with some various versions of the legend, because I really like mythological gags. You've been warned.
I'll be glad to know Your opinions. Thank You for reading!