Entry 4: History of the Blade
A rather sombre silence hung between the blue and red Servants, the simple question hanging around like a mosquito.
"I guess after a while, such a thing would be obvious to anyone that looked," Archer spoke as he closed his eyes. "Though I may as well go out and say as much." His steel coloured eyes met with Saber's. "It is true, Arturia Pendragon. I am Emiya Shirou."
The surprise on Saber's face was quickly replaced by a look of sorrow. "You were such an optimistic person when I was summoned, so... what happened to you, Shirou?"
Archer let off an ironic chuckle. "You'd find it foolish, but it was a similar thing that happened to you." his eyes drifted to the two moons. "Ever since the day I was saved by Emiya Kiritsugu, I dreamed of being a Hero of Justice. Well, in the end, I succeeded. However... I learned the hard way that I was unable to save everyone, and you can guess what happened to me after a while."
"You wished to undo it all." Saber stated plainly. "That's why you sort the Holy Grail, isn't it?"
"Not quite," he responded. "I had no real reason to use the Grail for my goal, I sought to fix my mistakes myself. Well, at least the first time." Saber gave the silver haired Servant a questioning look. "We're currently in a completely different world, it should come as no surprise that some worlds are inherently similar to our own."
"So, you took place in an alternate version of the Fifth Holy Grail war?"
"Indeed," Archer drifted his mind back to those days. "In the first version of the Fifth Holy Grail war, things were mostly the same, safe for Caster being more active, you getting captured, and me actively trying to kill the Emiya Shirou of that time."
"But, from the sounds of it... You failed?"
"Failed? I guess that's one way to look at it." Archer's eyes finally left the moons, and met with Saber's once more. "The way I see it, I... found myself again."
A memory flashed before the Servant's eyes. He found himself in a place he had been defeated many times, once by Heracles, and once... by himself. "On that day, Emiya Shirou reminded me of the beauty behind the dream Kiritsugu left us." the castle around him erupted in crimson and azure flames, and Archer was standing on the barren hill of swords. "The 'Seigi no Mikata', a Hero of Justice whom strives to save every life in the world. It's a naïve dream passed on from father to son, and it was that dream that made me first curse my existence."
As Archer spoke, something in Arturia seemed to resonate. The images he was retelling, she could see them vividly, as if they were her old memories. "While he and I fought, I gradually came to remember just why I had the dream in the first place." the hill of swords dissipated in their minds, and the image of a red haired boy stabbing Archer with a familiar sword was created. "That, while it may indeed be a naïve dream, it is a beautiful one."
From anyone else's perspective, the two hadn't moved an inch since the conversation started, yet to them, they had only just returned to the dark courtyard. "It wasn't long after that war that I was summoned to the one you remember." Archer finally finished. "And there you have it," he materialised the very sword that was used on him in that battle, a gleaming blade that Saber knew all too well. "That is the story of Emiya Shirou."
Over on the side, Louise and Karin continued to listen. The former was barely keeping back her tears, and even the ever-stoic Karin felt herself be moved by Archers tale.
"For one man to be so badly damaged by fate..." the Heavy Wind muttered. "I can't help but feel like this is someone's sick idea of a joke."
"Yet, to be able to stand back up, after all that." Louise whispered, to which her mother nodded.
"Yes, it's proof that he is deserving of the title 'Hero'."
The two Servants stood in absolute silence.
"Archer," Saber broke the still air. "Do you regret it?"
"I did, once." the silver haired Servant responded. "But, I guess that more naïve version of me can be rather persuasive."
Saber smiled lightly. "yes, I guess he is."
The silence had once again filled the void between the two, yet unlike the start, it was welcoming for the two heroes.
"You do know our Masters are listening to our conversation, right?" Saber commented offhandedly.
Archer smirked. "I was wondering if I was going to have to point that out."
The following days had been... interesting, to say the least for the Masters and Servants. Karin Desiree had returned to the Vallière manor, yet elected to leave Cattleya, Eleanor, and the three Servants at the academy. Even Princess Henrietta, Agnes and Lancer had decided to remain.
So the following Day of Void had been a unique experience for Louise.
"Are you sure you wish to go through with this?" Archer asked, his breathing steady when compared to Louise's ragged breaths.
"I... I'm sure... I can keep going." she stammered.
"Very well." the grip on Archer's weapon tightened, and with a thrust...
Louise was disarmed, rather painfully.
"I must ask, though." the bowman held his hand out to the noble. "Why are you so determined to learn from me?"
"It's simple, I believe." Louise groaned out as she took Archer's hand. "If I am not able to properly use magic, I should at least learn something, as to not be a burden to Saber."
"Yet why come to me? You'd learn the same things from both Saber and Lancelot in terms of using the blade."
"No reason, really. Other than the fact that..."
"You feel your situation with magic is similar to that of Emiya Shirou, is that it?" Louise nodded at the conclusion, and Archer smirked. "Well, it's certainly sound logic." another wooden sword materialised in Archer's other hand, and he gave it to the Master of Saber. "Just be warned, I'm teaching you the same way Saber taught myself, so don't come crying if I break a few bones."
The sound of wood clacking echoed. The eyes of seasoned warriors locked.
Clack, clack.
On one end was the Assassin, Sasaki Kojiro, and on the other was the Berserker, Lancelot du Lac.
Clack.
Black and white met continuously, each swordsman carefully and swiftly anticipated the others next move.
Clack, clack. Clack.
A drop of sweat rolled down Lancelot's forehead. The next strike would decide it all.
Clack.
Sasaki smiled victoriously. "Checkmate."
Lancelot let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "You are quite skilled at chess, Assassin." the Mad Servant commented. "I didn't know they had it where you came from."
"Chess was introduced to Japan long after my time, I'm afraid." Sasaki shrugged. "In it's place, we had a game called Shogi, which was not unlike chess, so figuring it out is easy. However..." the Assassin's eyes fell on the pieces on the board, particularly, Lancelot's king piece. "Your choice of stratagem is quite unique, it really reflects your history."
True to his words, Lancelot's king was around mid left on the board, guarded by one rook and one bishop, yet unable to be salvaged by the two bishops, rooks and queen under Sasaki's command.
And yet, Lancelot's knight piece was one move from putting Sasaki in check.
"You value your king, but I can see you don't view yourself with the same value." Sasaki picked up the knight piece, examining the black horse. "It doesn't take a genius to figure out what you feel, sir knight."
Lancelot held a myriad of emotions on his face. Deject, surprise, and a slight hint of ironic joy. "You are not wrong, Assassin." he responded. "I feel conflicted by the fact that King Arthur has forgiven me, yet I have not yet forgiven myself."
"So you feel you must give your life for them? So that you might forgive yourself through death?"
The black knight chuckled. "You must think me a coward for believing that.."
The samurai shook his head. "We all have our views on honour, to want to give your life for another is a respectable desire. However..." Sasaki placed the knight piece down, and picked up a pawn on the far side of the board. "In our current situation, do we not have someone else we should be protecting?" he placed the pawn down beside the knight.
After a moment silence, Lancelot smiled. "Yes, you're right." he stood from his chair. "I must go find my Master, so if you'll excuse me."
As Lancelot left the room, the door hung open for a bit longer than anticipated. Assassin smirked. "You don't have to wait for my permission to enter, Cattleya-Sama."
Upon the Servant's statement, Cattleya entered. "I apologise, I did not wish to intrude on you two."
Sasaki chuckled. "It is fine, I assure you." the Servant's jovial look left his face rather quickly. "Is something amiss?"
Even for the usually happy Cattleya, a serious look was plastered to her face. "Unfortunately. I overheard some rather distressing news while I was in the nurse's office."
Saber was... conflicted, to say the least.
Archer, the man that she hardly knew during the 5th Holy Grail War, was the future version of Emiya Shirou.
Sure, she had some semblance of suspicion, considering their type of magecraft was identical, but it came as a surprise still.
So here she stood, atop the walls of the Magic Academy, staring across the vast plains that surrounded it.
From the corner of her eye, however, she noticed something that was out of place.
Pushing her vision as far as she could, Saber was able to make out the figure of Lancelot's Master, Siesta, albeit without the Servant himself present.
The next aspect that was odd to Saber was the fact that Siesta was dressed not in her work uniform, but in a dress that would be considered more casual.
As the maid walked along the beaten path, Saber felt closed her eyes. "Siesta," she began, knowing that Siesta probably won't be able to hear her. "I know not what trials lie ahead in your future, but I trust you know that you're not alone."
The words were lost on the wind, yet Siesta reacted as if she had heard them regardless.
Lancelot turned his thirteenth corner in a row, now officially concluding that he was, without a doubt, lost.
Not in the sense that he had no idea where he was going, mind you, but rather in the sense that he was struggling to find someone. With every room he checked, his confusion grew more and more.
Before too long, he found himself in the kitchen, which, as he may have come to expect, didn't have the person he was looking for.
"Blacky!" the head chef called out, waving the Servant over.
"Chef Marteau," the knight responded kindly. "I'm wondering if you might provide me with some assistance."
"Of course!" Marteau patted Lancelot on the back. "What seems to be troubling ya?"
"Unfortunately, I haven't seen Siesta since early this morning. You wouldn't happen to know where she is, would you?"
The joy in Marteau's face drained alarmingly quickly. "So, you didn't hear?"
The Servant raised a worried eye-brow. "No, I don't think I have," he could feel himself almost manifesting Aroundite. "Explain."
Louise and Saber knew something was wrong the moment Lancelot set foot in the room, and now the black knight was pacing from wall to wall, looking both distressed and heavily angry.
"Lancelot, if you don't talk about what's eating at you, how are we going to help?" the King of Knights spoke, causing the Berserker to halt mid stride.
"But just what can I do with so little information?" he finally spoke. "My Master was just sold to some Count whom could be God knows where, and from what the chef told me, he's got planned some things I'd rather not say!"
The two females looked appropriately shocked. "Do you know whom it was that bought her?" Arturia asked, though it was quite evident to Louise that she felt guilty of something.
"According to Marteau, the Count's name was Mott."
Louise was unable to keep her palm from reaching her face. "Of course it would be him." she muttered disdainfully.
Saber looked at her Master. "Louise, do you know this Count?"
"It'd take a miracle not to have at least heard of him," Louise responded, taking a pose that seemed nostalgic to her Servant. "Count Mott is the palace messenger, a Triangle mage affiliated with water, and is disliked by just about everyone." she shifted her position, crossing her arms. "From what I've heard, this isn't the first time he's hired a mistress, and after all previous times, they were not heard from again."
Berserker and Saber looked suitably distressed by the news. "Then, we have to go save her!" the Mad Servant proclaimed.
"Hold on, we can't rush something like this." Louise interrupted. "First of all, Mott holds some influence over the courts, if we're not careful, we might just find ourselves facing the gallows. And besides," she looked out the window. "Considering our luck, I'm guessing Mott's going to have a Servant of his own."
"A fair point, in all honesty." Lancelot contended. "But really, what is the deal with this Grail War? We've got six Servants on one side, and two of them are the same class."
"A question praying on all our minds, my knight." Arturia responded. "But it's something that's going to have to wait until after we save Siesta." she turned to the window, as if knowing that someone was there. "Archer, do you know where Mott's estate is?"
Upon being addressed, the white haired bowman materialised, perched atop the windowsill. "I did make sure to tail her a fair distance, so I know the way." the replied. "However, he does indeed have a Servant, Lancer class, by the looks of it."
Saber pondered the information. "I'm guessing you were unable to identify him or his weapons?"
"Unfortunately, all I can guess at is that he's probably from Irish mythos."
"Well, that does seem to be the trend with most Lancer's." the king muttered. "Louise, what would you recommend?"
Louise seemed fittingly bewildered by Saber's question. "I'm far to young to be making these calls..." she muttered, before straightening her posture. "Well, I know Lancelot will go regardless, so..." she looked at Saber and Archer with a look of determination. "Mount up, we may as well play the heroes for this one."
A/N
*The insides of the Kotomine Church form, Kirei is standing before the alter with a book in hand.
Kirei: (closes book) Welcome. If you're wondering where FlameOf is, he's currently preoccupied with other projects, so for this chapter, I shall be handling the Notes.
First, to the matter of 'complaints'. (pulls out a sheet of paper, and starts reading off it) In regards to pacing, prioritisation of characters between the Fate-verse and FoZ-verse, and overall questions left from the start to here, FlameOf apologises, yet goes on record to say that he knows where he wishes this story to go, and if you have complaints about it, he will hear them, but it won't matter in the long run.
(smirks) Not a bad attitude to take for that.
Well, that aside (scrunches up paper and puts in pocket), here's your preview, and do try to be patient for next chapter.
Preview:
The Servant Lancer stood before them, with a face that was all to familiar. "Funny how these things work, isn't it, Saber?"
...
Kanshou and Bakuya clashed and broke against images of themselves, and two words echoed in the clearing...
...
Blood dripped down the spear, as rage filled Lancer's eyes. "For the crimes you have committed, I will show no mercy!"
