Author's Note: Another chapter, another path into the chaos of Hakuno's decisions. I've made the decision, if you don't already know from the previous chapter, Atreus is an Archer Servant, Kratos is a part of Atreus' legend. Think like Fate/Grand Order's Annie and Mary. They are both considered a 'Single' Heroic Spirit. On that note, Hakuno Kishinami will have two additional Servants to summon, just like all other Digital Human stories. One will be from the Extraverse, and unlike the others, the other will be an FGO Servant! What Heroic Spirits they are is up for suggestion.

Note: I will not take any FGO Servants suggestions currently not within the NA Release… Save for slight possibly of Freya, because that would be hilarious. Still, a decision has not been made.

Dxhologram: BOY! GIRL!

Deep Sea Diver Man: Only partially, most of the first chapter is rewritten!

ToonyTwilight: Thank you!

Student: Plenty of good suggestions, there are many Servants that would do well in this setting, Hakuno will likely need to do some careful planning.

KiroZen: And Atreus! Can't forget about Kratos' BOI.

Zombie Eye: I also look forward to it! In time!

Starlight's Poet: It can't be anything but M-Rated!

DescendantY12: Yeah! Watch out gods! Hakuno has protection under the true God of War! Yep, the first M-Rated Story in the Digital Human series, let's see how this goes.

A crooked branch hangs off the tree, she stands there with the decision to save it, but the Extra within the realm of gods finds herself chained by hands seeking to fulfill their own desires while breaking her own. Now, the Extra must push forward to save the branch from falling into the darkness while keeping her soul untainted.


Digital/Ashes

Chapter 2: The Tumbling State

Hestia walked through the halls of her Familia Mansion, grand and luxurious, it symbolized her Familia's rise from its meager beginnings. Bell and Hakuno were Adventurers without peer, even Loki admitted that Hestia's Children were better in every way. Still, Hestia was happy because her Familia had a comfortable home and-

A city of flames, scorching, burning heat charred flesh and bone, ash filled the lungs with every breath. The buildings, brilliant testimonies to mankind's ingenuity, crumbled and broke apart on to the blackened earth. All the roads perished into oblivion, the streets that once had industry booming through them now empty husks.

Desecration brought on by its own children, the Earth continued to be tainted by their ignorance and folly, the lifeforce of its magical energy fading away, signaling the end of mysticism.

The sounds of explosions and firearms echoed in the distance, continuing a fruitless unexplained conflict even as the world turned into a wasteland. As the dying looked up into the heavens, crying for salvation, many asked the question.

Why?

No answer would be given to them.

As she stood in this civilization bombarded by senseless destruction, waiting for an individual that would never arrive, her afflicted body would sear the memory of this devastation into the soul despite the mental condition.

Truth lied in this.

Remember, she was born through perdition.

An suffering basked through the sacrifice of countless others brought her own salvation and birth.

Even as the soot was washed away by the rainfall, the fire dimmed down to reveal the city remains clouded in smoke, she cannot escape or forget this fact.

After all, this was the only true memory she had.

The only piece that Hakuno Kishinami retained.


Hestia shot upright from the bed, her heart beating so furiously it felt as if it was bursting out of her chest, sweat dripped from her white skin and breathing gasped erratically for air. She raised her hands, they shivered in a manner one would think it freezing outside, but the Goddess of the Hearth pressed them against her large upper breasts and forced herself to calm down. It took a moment, but eventually, Hestia managed to relax her heartbeat and breath, as well as her shaking form.

"What kind of nightmare was that…?" She questioned her vivid dream, it was much too clear and consistent, the imagery displayed beyond any worldly experience.

It looked like a domain of fire and ash, where nobody can survive. But, even as Hestia thoughts out it, the dream already began to fade into memory.

However, there was one thing about it she could still recall.

Hakuno Kishinami.

The little mage girl had been in that scorched city… Was this perhaps because of her kidnapping that she got this nightmare?

Hestia frowned.

She was frustrated at her lack of ability to save her mage girl and angry at Artemis, who was no doubt responsible for Hakuno's kidnapping given the goddess' desire to have her.

"I got to find a way to rescue her," Hestia moved off the bed, walking to the bathroom mirror. She looked at her reflection, blue eyes glistening and long black hair nearly as high as her petite body, the goddess began tying her hair into her usual twintail appearance with two white flower-like hair accessories.

"Should I ask for help?" It would be a gamble, fellow gods don't appreciate interfering in potential War Games between two Families, especially when dealing with deities from other pantheons. In the event of a War Game, Hestia's First Child, Bell, would fall flat against the outnumbering, out-leveled, and more experienced huntresses of Artemis's Familia… It would be like giving Hakuno away without a fight, even with any magic that her Second Child, Hakuno, had at her advantage to help Bell.

She slammed her fist against the stonewall, "Why can't I think of anything!?" Hestia shouted. "Only a month of having my own Familia and I'm already losing one of them…" Her voice softened, sorrow creeping into her heart, but Hestia shook her head and steeled herself. "There's got to be something…"

Her Second Child wouldn't become some other diety's object! She would not lose a member of her Familia! Not Hakuno or Bell! Only if Hakuno wanted to willingly, and considering that it took kidnapping her, it was a certified case that the monotone girl denied Artemis!

Hestia moved to dress into her common attire, a white dress with blue strings, taking a brief moment to recollect her thoughts, she wondered where Bell could be as he wasn't sleeping on the couch, or in the bed when Hestia awoke.

"Bell!" Hestia called out, leaving the bathroom and looking around the living area. "Bell?" She questioned but couldn't spot him. "You here?" The goddess shouted again.

Where was he?

Seeing how Bell wasn't here, Hestia walked up the stairway to the surface floor, eyes gazing over the ruined, dirty chapel interior and spotting the familiar person.

Bell Cranel sat in full body gear, the white armor plating hadn't been cleaned and he looked awful like the boy hadn't slept a wink. Hestia's concern grew as she noted her gifted Hestia Knife unsheathed and held in Bell's grip, its runes glimmered with blue light, empowered by the Falna his goddess imparted to him.

"Bell…?" Hestia inquired.

"Goddess…" Bell trailed off, his gaze looking towards her, purple marks under his eyes. "Sorry, I didn't sleep well."

Hestia pouted and made her way to him, sitting next to the boy and patting him comfortingly, "You're concerned about Hakuno?"

It was an arrow hit on the center target, or however, that mortal saying went, regardless Bell's expression said it all. He couldn't hide his emotions, but that made his personality traits so appealing to Hestia.

"I don't know what to do," He answered.

"There's…" She was about to say that there wasn't much they could do, but that wouldn't help. "Artemis is stronger than us, Bell," Hestia began. "But you've said that you want to become stronger, so do that! The higher your Status the better chance we have in rescuing Hakuno!"

"Do you think I can get that strong?"

"Of course!" Hestia exclaimed. "Bell, you have the potential to outrival any Adventurer! If you put your heart to it then you can do anything! That's not just how mortals are, that's how you are!" She replied.

"You're… You're right!" Bell stood up with newfound determination. "I'll need to train and fight even harder in the Dungeon!"

"That's the spirit! Just remember to be careful!" Hestia cautioned him.

"By the way, Goddess," Bell turned to her, "Do you know where Lili went?"

Hestia paused for a moment, then said, "No?"

Where had that troublesome prum girl gone?

The Goddess hoped that Liliruca wasn't trying anything desperate to help Hakuno…

She hoped Hakuno was alright.

"Well, get cleaned up first!" Hestia exclaimed. "You can't do your best if you haven't rested well! So take a quick nap!" She said. "I'll try to see if I can get some help."

Maybe Take can offer her some advice?


The Goddess Freya hadn't stopped smiling since the prior night's revelation, an interesting turn of events that backfired spectacularly on Artemis selfish desire. It had been like a series of tablets all lined up in a row before splitting into a fork, a finger would flick the first and they would tumble, but when it reached that fork only one path continued while the other remained standing.

What a path it was indeed.

Freya had watched with gleaming eyes as a child she had interested in, the small initially bland looking little girl, Hakuno Kishinami had shined like a brilliant north star guided by the lunar light of the Moon itself. It was exhilarating to watch, breathtaking to behold the mortal's resistance against the will of a deity, even to the level where she resisted Artemis' own divine gift in alluring the same sex with ease.

A minor surprise that had been indeed for a mortal child not to be affected by a divine skill.

But Freya had expected that, after all…

Hakuno Kishinami was the Inheritor of the Moon Cell.

An incomprehensible object exceeding even the gods.

Artemis may have felt a connection by the relation of her own ties to the Moon, but that crude, primitive goddess hadn't any idea of the sheer power that girl had at her disposal, even if the child didn't know it herself.

Then… She did that.

A confliction of emotions swirled and twisted itself into Freya every moment she took a glance at the girl's summoned entities.

They were Servants.

Heroic Spirits.

There was a sense of divinity about them.

He was her enemy… He did something… She could never forgive him.

But why?

She felt that way but had no memory of the reason. Still, it wasn't so much that it outstripped her interest in Hakuno Kishinami, in fact, it only further deepened the mystery behind the Digital Human.

"Ah, I wonder how far these events will lead? How will that boy response to all this? What will the girl do? I look forward to seeing it play out…" Freya said.

She wouldn't have Artemis have the girl, a warning must be issued, but it must be performed delicately. After all, only Hestia had permission to carry these two interesting children, until the day comes that Freya will have them both.


Hakuno Kishinami shivered involuntarily from the chilly wind that breezed through the forest, it had gotten unexpectedly cold in the morning light and boating along the river only caused a cooler temperature. This was the first time she's experienced such feeling and while she appreciated new sensations, the bite and sting of the frosty air against her uniform wasn't pleasant. Her Servants, Archer and Kratos, had the benefits as Heroic Spirits in not being affected by the physical world's weather or temperature, though considering her dreams last night, they were familiar enough with it that it wouldn't matter.

The magus was reminded of the Third Chimeric Lunar Sea, an Arena creation of SERAPH, a program which managed the Moon Cell during the Holy Grail War, had featured a castle created entirely of craved ice surrounded by underwater icebergs. But, even with the frozen designs, the Arena itself had been kept at a moderate warmth, hence why Hakuno wasn't used to the chill.

As for her dream, it had been an odd, yet heartwarming one. The dream had been clear, Archer had been in it, playing outside in a childish manner that befitted his younger age within the memory, before being called inside by a gentle, soothing voice which took the shape of a woman wrapped in garments cooking some sort of stew or soup. However, Kratos had been in the dream, sporting bandaged injuries, the feminine voice described that Archer's Father had been in a conflict with wolves… But despite Archer's excitement that his Father had won… Kratos did not share the same sentiment, his voice, laced with anger, explained he truly lost.

The dream had been very… Hakuno found it hard to describe, but it was a desired feeling she wanted to experience again sometime especially the woman's tone… It had been nice…

"Girl," Kratos spoke while he pushed the boat along with a heave of the makeshift padel.

Hakuno Kishinami looked to him, Archer was seated beside her, "Yes?" She questioned.

"You guide us," He said.

"Right," She replied in understanding, she wasn't some novice, but an experienced Master that had survived the Holy Grail War. While Kratos no doubt had more experience, he seemed content in letting her take the lead as one leader to another.

She pointed down the right side fork of the river, from what she memorized from the layout of the forest since entering yesterday, that direction should in the general location of Orario. Hakuno Kishinami has stated after waking today to return to her Familia, although Kratos didn't seem to like that statement, he didn't voice his complaint… Atreus, on the other hand, agreed with Hakuno.

Though Archer most likely wanted to see Orario City, Hakuno was likewise, there was still much to see.

The sudden shift in direction had Hakuno grip the boat subconsciously, Archer looked to her with a curious expression, but the magus released her tight hold in a few seconds.

She did not want to fall off the boat.

She can't swim, after all.

"Father?" Archer spoke up.

"Hm?" Kratos acknowledged him as he continued to push the boat along.

"Got any stories?" He inquired.

"A cloaked stranger approached a man one day asking for a map of the region," Kratos began, Hakuno listened. "Out of kindness, the man provided the stranger a map, and the stranger left. The next week, another cloaked stranger appeared and asked for a shield, again, in kindness, the man provided him a shield made of iron, then the stranger left. Again, in the week thereafter, another stranger appeared asking for a sword and the man gifted him one. Now, someone attacked the man's estate, the enemy circumvented his defenses, defeated the posted archers, and approached the man."

Hakuno Kishinami had a vague feeling she knew the culprit already.

Kratos finished, "The man discovered that his enemy had a folded map in his pouch, a shield on his arm, and a sword in his grip. The stranger was his foe, and the man had given him all he needed, and so, the stranger killed the man."

"But why would the stranger do that when the man gifted him so much?" Archer questioned.

"Greed, the stranger wanted the man's estate, and so used his kindness against him," He answered.

"Trusted to much," Hakuno commented.

Rin Tohsaka had pressed the lesson harsh into Hakuno Kishinami, the Spirit Hacker had helped Hakuno but never in her time as a Master provided anything that would potentially be used against her. Don't trust strangers at first glance, don't give away information, and don't underestimate your opponent… There were other lessons, but Hakuno had learned those in harsh ways.

The boat shook as Kratos landed the craft on the river beach, the forest had begun to clear and Hakuno could spot Babylon Tower through the tree canopy. The Master and Servants left the water vessel behind as they begun trekking by foot, an act that Hakuno appreciated more than traveling over water.

Fortunately, they hadn't come across any more monsters, not that the creatures would match Heroic Spirits, from what Hakuno learned the monsters outside the Dungeon were weaker than their original variants.

Even then, Kratos had insane levels of strength, like a Berserker, but restrained. So most monsters probably wouldn't be able to even harm him.

So… Then… Why did the Moon Cell summon Atreus with Kratos? Isn't that a bit overkill?

Or will she need that level of power?

The altered goblin from before might be a telling sign of things to come… Coupled with Artemis illogical actions in kidnapping her… Hakuno will have to be more cautious.

They came across a large cliffside which blocked the way between them and the forest exit. This would not have been the case if they left through the dirt road out of Artemis' Familia mansion, but they didn't have a choice with them potentially pursued by the hunters. Archer climbed up first, rather quickly and with relative ease, but as a Heroic Spirit, he had the enhanced physical attributes to do such a deed.

Kratos walked up to her and lifted her up without a word, Hakuno Kishinami didn't complain as she was carefully held on his back and told how to avoid the blades sharp-edged while holding on. The large man proceeded to climb up the cliffside with practiced efficiency, the magus girl held firmly and watched herself.

It didn't take them long to reach the top.

"Is that it, Hakuno?" Atreus asked.

Hakuno dropped down from Kratos' back, patted her clothing a bit, before looking to spot the grand view of the not-to-far-off city of Orario.

"Yes, we're heading to the older part," She answered. "The more ruinous section," The Digital Human clarified.

The girl hoped her Familia were alright, the sun was high in the sky, indicated it to be around noon, Bell and Lili would usually be in the Dungeon by this hour.

Her eyes caught a small group heading down a dirt road in the distance.

The Artemis Familia, or at least, a few of them. She couldn't tell exactly, but one of those figures looked different than the others.

"We should avoid them," Hakuno said, then noticed they heading toward one of the gates that were closest to the old section. "Nevermind… We're tailing them."

If they were heading toward her Familia… Then she would be there to help in case it got ugly.

Knowing her past experiences with enemies, it always turned into a fight.