The Work Of Blades.
…
Disclaimer: No monetary gain to be seen around here. Quite a few bunnies though.
…
Chapter 1: You Are {Not} Alone
…
My hand trembled as blood leaked freely from the wound I had discovered there earlier. The wince of pain that accompanied it called forth the man who saved my life. I could already feel my energies supplementing his being, and therefore his existence. Memories I tried to forget returned, my father speaking to my sister about the Holy Grail War so many years ago.
At the same moment, I felt something stir nearby, magical energies. Fear crawled into me, inching its way into my heart, at the thought of being in another battle so soon after nearly dying once.
I wondered if I should ask my servant attending me to seek out the magical energy?
…
_Do you wish to pursue Unlimited Blade Works Route?
_No.
Yes
…
"Over there." I managed to not stumble over the words, "Someone's over there."
The golden-haired man's eyes widened, before he leapt from my side. My eyes could not keep up with him and I struggled to perfect my eyesight with magic. The sudden increase in perception sent a stab of sudden pain through my brain, but I dutifully ignored it to watch for any dangers that would come my way.
My Servant reappeared this time crossing swords with a man clad in almost entirely in red, even the man's face was obscured by flowing material.
My heart beat harder when the thought that another Servant had appeared so soon after such a small amount of time. Was I doing something wrong? Was there some sort of signal that broadcasted when a new master and servant were joined? Was there a way to hide the connection that I was not aware of?
I pushed the fear down, getting on my feet though they felt like lead weights.
Had my eyes not been enhanced by magic, I would not have been able to see the two fighters. The flurry of strikes between my Servant's weapons and his opponent were impossible to see, despite the enhancement of my eyes.
Relief flooded through my form, though, when I realized that my servant was most definitely winning in regards of the battle.
Then the man clad in red threw his weapons at my Servant, they were flashes of otherworldly black and white against the night.
My servant parried them out of the air, sending them flying far into the night sky.
Then he was immediately beset by the same pair of weapons, in the same hands that had just thrown them. The attack made the manifestation of a hero in ages past stumble and he sent the pair of weapons into my servant once more. They were blocked, once more sent into he night sky, and once more the man in red attacked with the same weapons in his hands.
It was impossible, there was nearly no span of time between the reappearance of the weapons in the man's hands.
What sort of mage were we fighting?!
My Servant's footwork stumbled once more at the redone attack, but at a smaller span of time than the first of the strikes had done. The span of time allowed my servant to regain the offensive and force the man clad in red back.
Then, I heard the dull thumps of air being sliced through, and I realized my mistake in thinking that the same weapons were just returning to his hands. My eyes caught on to my opponents mouth as he whispered something silently.
It would not be enough.
"Watch out!" I yelled through my hoarse mouth as the boy threw the pair in his hands to his sides, they grew to extraordinary length their backs growing feathers. He was purposefully channeling power into the blades beyond their capacity!
"Two Rivals!" The strange man's voice was far younger than I expected, he brought the large swords up, forging all defense. I knew the strike would destroy my Servant, or gravely wound him at the very least. "Shared a life! Cannot Embrace Heaven Together!"
I could only watch in horror as my Servant attacked, seeking to exploit the opening he was so graciously given.
My knight was struck from the back by the same swords he first deflected, they gauged the armor upon his back with ease. After carving a bloody cross and interrupting my servant's attack, the weapons dissipated into nothingness. The second pair stuck into his arms, making him relinquish his grip upon his invisible blade for the merest of moments.
The strange opponent swung the gigantic blades as I held up my throbbing hand, fueling the Command Seals with my Magic.
"Return to the form of Spirits!" I declared as forcibly as I could, I felt surprise within my mind as my Servant managed to switch to the Astral Plane.
I expected a deluge of energy from the attack that was about to be completed. I brought up my hands to cover my face at the rush of explosive energy, but the sudden release of magic never came.
Instead, I felt a blade settle against my neck ever so slightly drawing blood.
I froze, my Servant's cry for release was incredibly loud and I had to force him to quiet down.
"Open your eyes." My captor commanded, I did so and I looked into his towering form and into eerie eyes of gold. I didn't dare look down. "I want you to listen carefully, blink twice if you wish to hear me out."
I did so, whatever else could I do?
He withdrew the blade immediately, and my hands shot up to my neck. Blood covered my hands, but not nearly as much to warrant my fear of death.
"If I feel any magic from you." The man left the threat hanging in the air as the blade in his hand disappeared. "I ask of you," He stated with ferocity. "Are you in league with the Dead Apostle I have tracked into this town?"
"Dead Apostle?" I whispered my hands going clammy and a cold sweat breaking over me. The voice of my servant stopped at the words. "Here?"
"I see." The man stated with a huff, the mass of fabric that covered his face quivered as they slowly fell to resemble a scarf. "It seems this is but a misunderstanding on both our parts." He looked around, his features were distinct as they searched the area with scanning eyes.
"Is this your home?" He inquired suddenly, his gold eyes seemed ever more so piercing than they had been.
I managed to answer his question about my residence and he gave a nod.
He reached inside his pocket, drawing out a sphere. He cast it into the sky with a blade fallowing it, immediately causing it to shatter as it reached the apex of its flight.
"I had come to investigate traces of magic that I had detected." He mused as black petals fell around us, they sank into the ground. "And it seems I have injured your protector in the quarrel that followed."
I reached out for one of the petals, it turned as pale as my own hand when it touched my skin. Golden eyes immediately met mine in amusement, he was setting up a field of boundary.
"Since you have been deprived of a protector due to my actions." He took two strides towards me, holding out his hand. "I shall endeavor to protect you until he has regained his health."
"How can I trust you?" I blurted out immediately, and I saw a shadow pass through his features. My servant, surprisingly, immediately chided me.
"By the strength and skill your protector employed," He stated with a calm that sent my nerves tingling. "I can gather that he was nowhere near the level of any normal magus, accounting for his dress and weapon with that fact…"
His eyes bored down on me.
"I believe that the infamous Holy Grail war is currently in progress." He paused as if evaluating my expression of shock as affirmation. The curling of his lip told me all that I needed to know. "And that you are now at a serious disadvantage due to my actions.
"There's nothing in this for you." I stated weakly at his outstretched hand.
He gave a snort of amusement, as if remembering an old joke.
"Think of it as an act of good sportsmanship." He stated with an amused smirk. "And maybe because of some level of curiosity."
"There has to be more than that for me to trust you." I argued hotly and the amusement disappeared instantly, replaced by irritation. My unnamed servant warned me in the back of my head.
I could not believe that someone would ever offer help so easily, no person ever did something without reason.
"I want," His stare didn't waver from mine. "To prevent the unnecessary deaths that will come from this idiotic venture." He took a deep, shuddering breath. "I want to ensure, at the very least, that no innocent man or woman will be harmed because of this silly enterprise."
"Why do you care?" I managed to ask, I almost thought he didn't hear my voice until his hands tightened and he looked onto his burned hand. "This has nothing to do with you."
"Because I cannot ignore a cry of help." He admitted quietly, with a small smile. "Never again will I ignore such a cry, as I did long ago."
He held out this hand again, I grasped it tentatively.
"My name is Sajyou." I muttered with a smallest of nods. I gave only my last name, as I didn't seek to know him all that well.
He smiled a slightly bitter smile, and I felt the lightest amount of embarrassment rise within my chest.
"My name is Emiya."
…