Chapter 03: The departure
!~/Interlude I/~!
***/~inside the room~/***
{Day 2, Tuesday – Nighttime, 3.53 am}
(Nameless girl's point of view)
"…!"
I leap off the bed out of shock.
"This feeling..."
"There is no doubt about it. Friagne has made his move."
Without wasting time, I grab my boots from beneath the bed and summon Yogasa.
"What a typical move… to strike when we lower our guard…" I mutter to myself.
Here I thought it would be a peaceful period to rest.
Heh… who am I kidding?
No rest for the weary.
!~/Interlude II/~!
(General Point of View)
***/~on top of the highest building in Fuyuki~/***
{Day 2, Tuesday – unspecific time}
The man in white apparel appears victorious.
However, dissatisfactory is clearly expressed on his face.
"Strange… I absorbed his Power of Existence. Yet I feel… insecure." Friagne muses.
In the vicinity, something was waiting for the battle to conclude.
It hid behind the water tanks.
After confirming the skirmish is over, the small object flies towards the Lord of Denizen.
Upon noticing the small object, the Hunter forms a smile.
"My dear Marianne… you finally made it to me!"
"I am sorry, Master Friagne." The object, which is a small doll, speaks.
The said doll was in the shape of a little girl wearing gothic Lolita dress.
It lands on the man's right shoulder.
"Hmm…? You look discouraged, my dear. Is something troubling you?" Friagne asks the doll.
"I have lost two of your favourite Rinnes. I even discarded the 'shell' you gave me. Yet, I came to you empty handed. I feel ashamed, Master." The doll says apologetically.
"Now, now… What's more important is you came back to me safe and sound." The Tomogara says softly to his companion.
He plays with the doll's hair as he stares at the city.
"Hmm…?"
Friagne realizes an anomaly in the scenery.
It was invisible to the naked eye.
However, Tomogaras of Friagne's calibre can easily discern the irregularity.
The ley line across the city is surging with power.
"Something is coming… Is this event something unique to this world?" He muses aloud.
"Master, what should we do?" Marianne speaks, bringing Friagne's attention to her.
"There is nothing to worry, my dear. I will protect you from harm."
Thanks to his earlier skirmish, he managed to absorb a large amount of Power of Existence.
It makes him wonder whether the anonymous Tomogara was either suicidal or merely idiotic.
"Hmm…?"
All of a sudden, Friagne senses a familiar aura.
A smirk forms on his face since he has been anticipating her.
"My scuffle with that fodder managed to attract someone's attention. No matter… My dear Marianne, how was Alastor Haze?" He asks out of curiosity.
"She was impudent and presumptuous. But be careful, my Master. She is somewhat powerful." The doll informs him.
The Hunter touches the doll's forehead, absorbing the experience of her encounter.
"Interesting… You have found a Mystes containing a powerful Hougu."
"Ah yes… Forgive me for not speaking of that sooner." The doll says ruefully.
"Stop blaming yourself, Marianne. After I slew this Flame Haze, I'll make a new body for you. And after I'm done preparing, I shall incinerate both cities and make you a real existence."
"Ah Master…" The doll stares at its Master, mirroring a love struck girl.
Friagne pulls out a deck of cards from his pocket.
However, it was not simple trading cards.
It was a Hougu in the shape of cards.
"Let us dance, O' Alastor Haze. Rumours abound of your beauty, making you the perfect vessel for my Marianne."
=exit Interlude II=
!~/ re-entering Interlude I/~!
***/~on top of a random house~/***
{Day 2, Tuesday – Morning, unspecific time}
(Nameless girl's point of view)
"What is going on?"
I can sense Power of Existence all over the place.
However, it was not scattered… it was rather… centralized.
As if something is about to emerge from the earth itself…
"What a remarkable event… "
"Alastor, can you explain what is happening?"
"This is outside of my knowledge. This world's mechanics are different from ours in many ways. Such thing could never occur in the human realm where you originated. Regardless, this event requires our supervision."
I nod at his assessment.
Whatever this event is, Power of Existence is clearly out of control.
It is surging out from the land itself.
I have never seen such event in my world.
Regardless, it is a Flame Haze's duty to govern the stability of its flow.
But how can I stabilize this amount of Power of Existence?
"…"
I draw Nietono no Shana and it begins to flare with Alastor's crimson flame.
"I can see him."
I point my blade at a particular direction.
Friagne is making his presence apparent.
My enhanced eyes can recognize my target from long distance effortlessly.
The Hunter is waiting for me on top of the highest tower.
It was the same place where I used to stand in order to examine the city.
"So it was him all along…"
But even for him… this amount of Power of Existence is ridiculous…
What kind of ritual did he invoke to conjure this event?
Is this the infamous city devouring?
I start channelling Power of Existence into my legs.
"I don't know what you have in mind, Friagne—"
[Air draft]
I halt my statement halfway to leap.
"—but I'll slice your plan along with your existence!"
=exit Interlude I=
!~/Interlude III/~!
***/~unknown location~/***
{Realm of Eternity}
(…'s point of view)
Swords as far as my sight can perceive.
The barren land that represents my soul continues to haunt me.
Each of these swords embodies the innocent lives that I have taken.
The fake sky is covered with moving gears… an impossible prospect in human realm.
That's a given since this isn't human realm.
This is my soul.
This is the world that I created with my 'ideology'.
Time after time, Fate continues to mock it.
I seek to save lives… yet I was forced to take lives.
"When will this torment end?" I utter.
I stand alone amidst the forest of blades.
This is the path that I have paved.
I pledged my soul to Alaya so I can attain the power that I lacked.
"This isn't what I wanted…"
Once again, Fate resumes mocking me.
Bright blue light emerges on top of my world.
This world was dyed in permanent blood red atmosphere.
A new colour should be welcoming.
Yet to me, that light is the beginning of torture.
"I am summoned again…"
My hand will be stained with blood again.
The innocent along with the guilty will perish.
This is my destiny as a Counter Guardian.
I will eliminate anything that threatens humanity's survivability.
Even at the cost of thousands of innocent lives.
=exit Interlude III=
***/~bedroom~/***
{Day 2, Tuesday – Morning, 4.18 am}
(Emiya Shirou's point of view)
[Heart thumping]
"…!"
My body sit up straight frantically.
"W-what was that? A nig-nightmare…?"
My breathing becomes ragged from anxiety.
It was as if my own soul being shaken from something…
The last time I experienced such thing was…eight years ago…
I stare at my shaking arms.
It felt too realistic to be simply dismissed.
It was a standard reaction; something akin to a kneejerk.
"Who was that?"
It was uncanny...
There was a person in that strange world.
But I wasn't seeing that person.
I became that person.
I can even hear 'my' voice.
But that 'man'… is not me.
Judging from the tone, 'I' sound like an adult.
"…"
I should not dwell on it.
A dream is a dream, no matter how realistic it was…
But it still bothers me...
Is this has something to do with my awakened Circuits?
The timing is just too impeccable.
Now that I mention it… let's give it a try.
Just as Kiritsugu instructed, I need a trigger.
In my case, it's the phrase—
"Trace On…"
An image of circuits flashes in my mind.
A single line flares to life.
I can sense prana coursing through my left arm.
"…"
It feels… strange…
So this is how a normal magus channels their prana?
It's like having an extra pseudo limb.
"Though, how did my Circuits activated last night? And why?"
It never activates when I created makeshift Circuits.
Does it have something to do with Shana?
"…I'll ask her later. But for now—"
I remove the blanket that has been covering me and stand up.
"I guess I can start my daily routine early."
I feel exceptionally motivated today.
I should double my training regime.
"I'm officially a real magus."
That's a good thing… is it?
[Trembling floor]
"…!?"
An earthquake, at times like this!?
I need to take cover!
!~/Grand Juncture/~!
(General Point of View)
***/~on top of the highest building in Fuyuki~/***
{Day 2, Tuesday – unspecific time}
Three pieces of cards are thrown; ten of Spades, three of Hearts and seven of Club.
These cards seem harmless and mundane.
However, appearance can be deceiving… for these cards were parts of a Treasure Tool (Hougu), Regular Sharp.
A girl with red eyes, flaming hair slices away the cards with her sword, Nietono no Shana.
To her, the cards are merely a hindrance.
Her sight is fixated on one thing that is her opponent, a man wearing full white attire.
As for the girl, her attire is a direct contrast to the man.
"I have you now, Fri—"
"Retreat…!"
The girl's statement was cut short by the pendant on her neck.
Heeding the pendant's warning, the girl performs backward somersault.
[Thunder crackle]
The place where she used to stand was struck by lightning.
"…I see. So that's the effect of Regular Sharp." The girl mutters.
The card pieces discharge lightning after an interval of time.
In the past, many have fallen to this Hougu.
Simplicity is the word to describe its shape.
Yet, simplicity itself became the demise of the unsuspecting.
"I'll be disappointed if you fall for such simple trick, Alastor Haze." The man says.
There are five cards in his hand, showing that he is about to unleash more of them.
The girl, who is known as Alastor Haze, merely points her blade at him as a response.
"Be on your guard. That Hougu has more than one effect."
"Understood…"
She forms a stance, the Gedan no Kamae.
It is one of the most common stances used by katana wielders.
The wielder holds the handle of the katana (tsuba) with both hands and the blade is pointed directly at the opponent.
The sword is held above stomach level while the point of the blade is raised to eye level.
Regardless, the stance meant nothing in this skirmish.
Her opponent is not engaging her in melee combat.
"En garde…!"
The man in white attire declares as he tosses the cards.
The cards fly in five separate directions.
One fly above the girl's head, two heading towards the girl's left side and the remaining two cards fly to the right.
They were not aimed to attack but rather to 'seal' the opponent's movement.
Oddly, a smirk appears on the girl's face.
It is true that she cannot retreat or perform any evasive movement against the incoming attack.
Nevertheless, her front is free.
Without wasting time, she charges toward the man.
[Thunder crackle]
The girl's long hair, dyed red in burning flame, flutters as she strides.
Blazing blade swiftly draws an arc, attempting to slice the man into two.
The man, however, avoids the blade by merely taking a step backward, having already anticipated her move.
This man has faced many adversaries in the past.
The girl's fighting style is no stranger to him.
'Predictable' is the word playing in his mind.
Regardless, a blunt taste on his stomach erased the smirk on his face.
His eyes gape at the boot which is implanted at his stomach.
The brunt of the force sends him flying backward for several meters.
Due to the spacious area of the rooftop, he was not thrown beyond the tower.
"Did I catch you off guard, Friagne?" The girl says with mocking tone.
"How barbaric… My clothes are now dusty." He replies nonchalantly.
He wipes the place where he was kicked, ignoring the taunt.
Once again, the distance between the two has grown.
This is a great disadvantage to a melee fighter such as the girl.
Then, why did she pull that feat?
It was simple; she sensed danger.
Friagne purposely tosses Regular Sharp pieces around her, thus, blocking her means of retreating.
It was an odd move since he didn't attempt to prevent the girl from approaching him.
The girl realized it at the last moment, prompting her to take the best course of action; putting a distance between them.
Nonetheless, planning is not her forte.
She managed to survive the trap but she fails to plan ahead.
Now, they're back to square one.
"You survived that by a hair's breadth." The pendant says.
The girl tightens her grip on the tsuba, not trying to retort.
She finally notices the trap set for her.
A doll flies out from Friagne's white coat, holding some sort of telescope.
The shape of the telescope resembles those owned by medieval mariners.
"We were so close… Marianne almost got herself a body…" The man laments the failure of his plan.
"I'm sorry, my master. If only I was faster…" The doll says apologetically.
"So it's you." The red haired girl says with angry tone.
It was the Rinne that escaped her earlier.
"Do not blame yourself, Marianne. It was my lack of foresight that allowed her to escape." Friagne says to comfort his companion.
"No matter… I will restrain her movement so you can take over her body."
A card appears in his hand, displaying the Ace of Spade.
"It is best to keep your distance from that Rinne." Alastor warns his contractor.
"Why? Is that telescope a dangerous Hougu?" She inquires, but still retaining her sight on her opponents.
"Very. That is Reshuffle. It allows the user to exchange body with a target."
"I'm guessing the target needs to be close in order for it to take effect." The girl muses.
Abruptly, she moves her blade to deflect a flying card.
Friagne tossed the card, believing that his opponent was off guard.
"Now…!" The nameless girl yells.
Once again, she charges toward Friagne.
"Above you…!" Her pendant interjects.
Nevertheless, it was already too late.
The Ace of Spade, which was deflected earlier, is now above the girl.
Countless cards appear and surround the girl completely.
This is the true effect of Regular Sharp; to multiply endlessly.
Originally, it wasn't a Hougu for combat.
It was created from the desire for automatic shuffling cards.
When it falls to Friagne's hand, it became a weapon.
"It's over." The man declares.
[Heart thumping]
"GAH…!?"
Friagne starts clutching his chest.
"Master…! Are you okay!?" The doll asks worriedly.
The blue haired man was about to end the battle.
However, something stops him from doing so.
"That bastard…" He curses.
[Flame roar]
The red haired girl uses that chance to escape from the card caging.
She carves her way out, blade blazing.
Upon escaping, she notices that her opponent is distracted by something.
"Now…!" She tells herself.
Figuring it was an opening, she charges toward Friagne.
"I won't let you!"
Marianne, the doll attempts to obstruct the surging Flame Haze.
She drops the telescope-like Hougu in favour for Regular Sharp.
The doll tosses a single card which lands in front of the red haired girl.
Not eager to fall under the same trap, she stops in her track.
Even so, a wall of cards emerges, blocking her from reaching Friagne.
"Tch…" She clicks her tongue out of frustration.
Her attacks had been thwarted so many times.
"Do not be reckless. You already fell to their traps twice."
"I understand…" The girl replies meekly.
She survived the first trap due to her quick wit.
Nevertheless, the second one was pure luck.
The girl fell prey to the card cage.
Due to unknown reason, she was not charred to death.
"GAH…!"
The girl heard the cry of pain.
"What is going on?" She muses.
The Flame Haze was unaware of Friagne's predicament.
She didn't know about the skirmish the blue haired man had earlier.
"I sense a new presence." Alastor warns the girl.
"What…?"
Heeding his warning, she forms her katana stance again.
Abruptly, the cards burn in blue flame, revealing Friagne's stature.
However, a new element has entered the scene.
There is a new man standing at approximate five meters from Friagne and his Rinne.
The newcomer has blue navy jacket over grey shirt for the top and black pants accompanied with black leather shoes for the bottom.
His hands are shoved inside his pockets, acting aloof.
An everlasting smirk is apparent on his face.
His glowing blue eyes are observing the ragged Friagne, unaware of the girl's presence.
"Another Tomogara…" The red haired girl mutters.
"Do you like my Unrestricted Spell? I call it 'Ancipitia Prandium'." The newcomer says casually.
Friagne resumes clutching his chest, hardly able to stand.
His physical body is slowly disintegrating from lack of Power of Existence.
Regardless, his eyes are not showing any sign of fear.
If anything, they're displaying defiance against the newcomer.
"Master…!"
Marianne, the doll hovers to the front.
She stays afloat in between her Master and his adversary, acting as a shield.
The newcomer runs his hand across his brown hair.
"I got no business with a Rinne. Well, I can spare your existence if you can give me the information I need."
"Dream on…! I am not afraid of you!" The doll declares.
The brunette man blinks his eyes at the absurdity.
"What a quirky one… How the heck did you create this Rinne?" He questions the blue haired man.
Nevertheless, Friagne has no plan to answer it.
Instead, the man in white attire is summoning a new Hougu to his side.
"Oi, oi… Know your place, Friagne. You're not in shape to fight me." The nameless newcomer claims.
A revolver shaped Hougu appears in Friagne's grasp.
"That is—"
"Avoid it!"
The girl's muttering was cut short by Alastor's warning.
[CLANG]
She manages to deflect an ambush from a new Rinne.
The said Rinne was also in shape of a doll.
However, Nietono no Shana was sealed in place by long golden chain.
"What is this!?" The red eyed girl struggles to pull out her nodachi.
"So that's Sfumato… Man, you're full of surprises, Kariudo (Hunter). You actually owned a couch that can hide one's presence. I want one of that." The brunette man says indifferently.
The Rinne was hidden from their sight by a couch-shaped Hougu.
It was a backup plan in case he fails to overpower the Flame Haze.
"If I can't handle you myself—" Friagne starts to speak in shrill voice.
He slowly points the revolver-like Hougu at the red haired girl.
"—then, I'll let her do the job."
"Huh…? What are you—"
[Gunshot]
The anonymous man halts his statement when the revolver was shot.
In a blink of an eye, the bullet has pierce through the girl's body.
The chain on her blade is released, retracted by the ambushing Rinne.
"Feast your eyes on Alastor's true form. I bid you adieu, nameless Lord." Friagne declares.
The white clothing that has been floating around the blue haired man begins to grow in length.
It wraps Friagne, his Rinnes and Hougus before disappearing into thin air.
Nonetheless, the anonymous newcomer merely yawns in laziness.
The grand escape executed by Friagne doesn't faze him in the slightest.
"There he goes… I can't sense his presence in this city anymore. I guess he is back to Misaki." He muses.
Then, he changes his attention to the red haired girl.
After getting shot, she has been standing lifelessly with no sign of movement.
An expression of disbelieve in clearly on her face.
"Hello? Are you still alive?" The man hollers from far.
The man still acts casually despite the situation.
He was unaware of the severity of the situation.
All of a sudden, a burst of light emerges from the sky.
The sky is dyed crimson red, showing that the entire city is now covered in Fuuzetsu.
Earlier when the red haired girl faced against Friagne, only the top of the tower is covered.
"What the—"
[Blazing inferno]
The man's speech is cut short by the sudden event.
The girl's stature is no longer visible.
Crimson flame burns brightly on the spot where she used to stand.
"CRAP…!"
Finally realizing the danger, the nameless man takes flight.
He leaps from the tower, wanting to escape the vicinity as soon as possible.
***/~midair~/***
[EXPLOSION]
Giant flare incinerates the whole tower.
Humongous humanoid shape takes form in its stead.
The nameless man gasps at the unbelievable event.
The size of the fiery being is enormous, yet he believes this is only a minor fraction of its true form.
"Alastor, the god of Retribution…" He utters
[Finger click]
He snaps his finger and disappears from his airborne location.
***/~on top of a building in Fuyuki~/***
He reappears several kilometres away from his previous position.
From there, he gazes upon the colossal stature.
"This isn't good… At this rate, he'll incinerate the whole city." He mutters to himself.
The brunette man stares at his shuddering hands.
"What's this? I'm shaking? Is this fear?" He muses.
Yet, his face is not agreeing with his body.
He clenches his hands to form fists, denying the sensation.
"I'm not human but show human-like behaviour. What the heck is wrong with me?" He says with a smirk.
Then, he glances at the fiery giant again.
"None of my spells is suited for this situation. Dammit, I can't do anything on my own." He curses his inability.
Abruptly, he feels something else is coming.
His enhanced sight allows him to see the flow of Power of Existence.
He stares downward where the Power of Existence is centralizing.
"What is that?"
Red light emerges from the very land itself.
The ley line of Fuyuki reacts to the threat posses by Alastor.
Originally, that world is not meant to welcome outsiders.
Creatures such as Flame Hazes and Tomogaras are throwing the balance off the scale.
Unrestricted Spells, Fuuzetsu, Devouring… all these actions are ruining the stability of that world.
To Tomogaras and Flame Hazes, prana is known as Power of Existence.
Regardless of the names, both prana and Power of Existence are representing the Life Force.
That Realm is now reacting to the cancer produced by the outsiders.
Due to the execution of Fuuzetsu, the timeline of Fuyuki is no longer aligned with the rest of the world.
The ability to pause the time; it is a feat on par with True Magic of that Realm.
Even Dead Apostles and talented magi fall prey to Fuuzetsu.
Fuyuki is now under stasis, leaving only five beings capable of motion.
The first is Emiya Shirou, for he possesses a Hougu named Avalon, the very sheath to the holy sword, Excalibur.
The property of Avalon allows him to be disconnected from the foreign spell, as Avalon is the Ever Distant Utopia.
The second being is the nameless Tomogara who takes the shape of a brunette man.
The third being is the fiery form of Alastor.
This is a given since they belong in that world; the Crimson Realm where the concept of time does not exist.
However, the fourth is someone who is completely unrelated to the whole event.
He was depicted as the oldest king in human history.
The blond man, who was minding his business, has to take notice of the event.
The presence of Alastor is threatening even for someone of his calibre.
He adorns his golden armour as a means to escape the stasis effect of Fuuzetsu.
Regardless, the golden king was not the true centre of this event.
The fifth being; a specialist sent by Alaya herself.
It is a Counter Guardian, an agent of the collective unconsciousness of mankind, Alayashiki.
An ironic coincidence; the true identity of this Counter Guardian is a former inhabitant of that city.
This Counter Guardian takes the form of a man.
His hair is white as snow and his skin is tanned.
His eyes are greyish almost identical to steel's colour.
His top consists of body armour made from unknown material; a black sleeveless shirt which emphasizes his muscles.
For the bottom, he adorns black pants and metal plated shoes.
The Counter Guardian emerges from the dimming red light.
"What the heck is he? His presence… this amount of Power of Existence… What kind of monster—"
[ZANG]
The nameless Tomogara halts his statement upon hearing that sound.
Nevertheless, he was already too late.
His left arm is detached from where it belonged.
The brunette man stares at his assailant in disbelieve.
It was the white haired Counter Guardian.
With a bow in his grasp, he unleashed an 'arrow' to eliminate the unwelcomed 'visitor'.
His grey eyes are looking at the brunette man with disdain.
"One thing after another…" The blue eyed man leaps backward in order to escape.
Conversely, the Counter Guardian has begun his pursuit.
In a split second, he reached the building where the Tomogara is located.
"What the—"
[ZANG]
Wordlessly, he executes a single slash across the brunette man's chest.
Blue flame begins to pour out from the Tomogara's wound.
"Dammit…"
[Finger click]
***/~in an alley somewhere in Fuyuki~/***
"Gah…!"
The nameless Tomogara successfully made another escape.
"Marking all over the city was the correct choice. Dammit, I didn't foresee this far… To think something like that exist in this world." He mutters.
"Hoh…? What is this pathetic sight?"
A new voice alarmed the anonymous Tomogara.
The brunette man is greeted with the sight of countless blades.
A blond man adorning golden armour stands in front of them.
His red eyes are staring down the pitiable existence that entered his perception.
"Heh… what luck…" The blue eyed man chuckles.
He teleported twice and still ends up screwed.
"I doubt I'll get anything useful from a worn mongrel. Be grateful that I will end you miserable life."
The golden man raises his right arm.
"Mongrel…? I'm a pure blood though." The anonymous man manages to jest.
***/~on top of a random building~/***
"He got away, huh?" The Counter Guardian utters.
It was the first word he spoke ever since his manifestation.
The tanned man stands atop a ruined building.
The said structure was damaged from his 'arrow'.
However, that was the least of his concern.
"Fuyuki city..."
A frown appears on his face.
It was unexpected for him to be summoned there as a Counter Guardian.
Aside from the Holy Grail War, Fuyuki was never the center of world-threatening events.
It was a secluded town in a backwater country in Asia.
Major events rarely take place in that state.
The Mage Association, the organization that oversees the Moonlit World, generally ignores most events originated from the island nation.
Incongruously, Counter Guardians were mostly summoned in Europe or the Middle East due to the frequency of wars.
Therefore, the chance of a Counter Guardian appearance in a peaceful town such as Fuyuki is close to null.
For this man to be summoned, something of a great magnitude has to occur.
The manifestation of a giant being made from crimson flame is one such event.
"T**** **…"
He summons a sleek black bow into his grasp.
As a general rule, Counter Guardians do not have freewill.
Hence, he has no choice but to obey Alayashiki's instruction down to every letter.
Counter Guardian is salvation and at the same time, devastation to humanity.
When one is deployed, carnage will ensues.
The innocent along with the guilty will be annihilated.
Eliminating the 'aliens' was only a secondary objective.
His true role is to erase Fuyuki from the face of Earth.
The easiest analogy would be the concept of cancer.
A healthy body repairs itself through the process of cell division.
This process will replace damaged tissues with fresh ones, thus prolonging the life of the complex organism.
Meanwhile, cancer is the result of abnormal cell division which leads to the destruction of a perfectly organized body system.
Simply imagine Earth as the complex organism and Fuyuki is a lump of cells which is part of Earth.
Counter Guardians are the white blood cells that protect the Earth from getting sick.
Thanks to the pathogen known as Tomogaras, Fuyuki has now become cancerous cells.
The timeline of Fuyuki is no longer aligned with the rest of Earth, thus throwing the balance of the world into jeopardy when the Root attempts to realign the city into the system.
It is better to dispose the cancerous cells rather than trying to assimilate.
This is how Alayashiki works.
The collective unconsciousness of mankind chooses only the most efficient way to protect humanity, even at the cost of thousands of lives.
The survivability of the species as a whole takes precedence over a thousand ants.
"I am the bone of my sword"
A spiral sword appears on the Counter Guardian's palm.
Its shape narrows when he touches its hilt until it become as thin as an arrow.
The white haired man notches it on his bow.
However, his target notices his attempt.
The flaming giant tosses several meteor-size fireballs at his direction.
Regardless, the man has no intention of retreating.
He aims his bow at the "chest" where its core located.
"Caladbolg…!"
[Swoosh]
Hence, the arrow is released.
White light streak flies across the city with frightening speed.
The air, the medium used by the travelling arrow, is twisted along with the space, produces vacuum.
[EXPLOSIONS]
The archer has already vacated the area before the fireballs arrive.
Nevertheless, the aftermath of the attack was devastating.
Large craters replace the once prideful scenery of sky crappers.
***/~an arrow away, several kilometres apart~/***
In mere seconds, the arrow hits its target.
Time appears to slow down, as the anticipated impact begin to take effect.
The visage of the arrow disappears as it enters the flaming body of Alastor.
[FLASH]
Bright light permeates the whole city.
Nonetheless, not many can witness the brilliance of the light.
In that space where time is withheld, a golden man stands on top of the remaining sky scrapper.
His arms are crossed, his face is solemn.
His red eyes are scrutinizing the event unfolding before them.
"Such a weak blow will not put a dent on a god." He utters.
***/~somewhere on a random building~/***
"Not even a scratch, huh?" The Counter Guardian muses.
He disperses his bow and kneels down.
The man closes his eyes and places his right arm on his chest.
"Steel is my body, and fire is my blood"
He starts chanting.
The space around appears to tremble as he chants.
"I have created over a thousand blades"
[Fire crackles]
The fiery stature of the God of Retribution overlay the building where the Counter Guardian is kneeling.
The tanned man opens his eyes and leaps away.
[BLAZING]
Another building fades from existence.
However, the event doesn't faze the white haired guardian in the least.
His victory is already secured.
For the weapon he is about to use… is Varunastra.
It is a Divine Construct mentioned in the Indian scripture, said to be incepted by Varuna himself.
Varuna is a Vedic deity associated with sky, water, justice and truth.
He is possibly one of the earliest Indo-Aryan triads, parallel to Avestian deity such as Ahura Mazda.
Varunastra is a water weapon, a storm that can take shape of any weapon.
Water… the general enemy of fire.
Normally, it is impossible for a lowly mortal to possess such weapon.
With Alayashiki's support, this Counter Guardian can even make a copy of a Divine Construct.
Water droplet begins to coagulate in his grasp, forming solid shape.
Naturally, his choice of a weapon is a sword.
"Eat this… Varunastra…!"
[Swoosh]
The water sword elongates and enlarges as it was swung.
Calling out its true name unleashes its devastating power.
[CRASH]
The left arm of the fiery giant disappears along with a part of Fuyuki.
Tsunami wipes away a residential area, a result of the wild swing.
Bitter is his heart, yet he cannot stop.
The Counter Guardian is only a mere puppet.
He will perform his task despite how much he loathes it.
The white haired man retracts his arm, preparing for another blow.
Alastor, the flaming giant doesn't plan to stand idly while a stranger hacks its body.
Regardless, Alastor was not fully in control of his existence.
This was the effect of Trigger Happy, a Hougu that forces a Flame Haze Contractor to emerge from their slumber.
"Once more…" The Counter Guardian mutters.
The man was not aware of Alastor's predicament, nor does he care.
He raises the blade above his head.
"Varuna—"
Once again, the Divine Construct's true name is about to be called out.
The man pours an insane amount of prana into it.
Should this attack is successful, a huge flood will occur, destroying Fuyuki along with the fiery giant.
"—ASTRA!"
***/~the abandoned park~/***
"Like hell I'll let it end here."
A haphazard looking man says with a smirk.
No… it's impossible to call him a man.
His body is no longer humanoid, only a single leg, a single arm and a floating head.
A part of his head is absent, leaving only one eye.
That shows how badly damaged he was.
"I figured out how you work, O' Counterforce of this plane. It's a good thing you took care of that troublesome Alastor. Now I can deal with you."
He swings his remaining arm.
"In requiem animarum"
First line of the Unrestricted Spell is chanted.
The fabric of the space itself trembles.
"Ego morte—"
[FLASH]
Light envelops his visage, wind starts blowing madly.
"—surgere in hoc saeculo, in tenebris..."
The moment the light dissipates, the nameless Tomogara becomes a complete man again.
***/~midair~/***
"…!?"
The water weapon that he was wielding disappears before it could unleash its fury.
A moment of lapse secures his defeat.
The flaming fist of Alastor engulfs the tanned man from head to toe.
"GAH…!"
He doesn't disintegrate immediately, as his body is that a Counter Guardian.
The pain that he receives was tormenting, unimaginable to the living.
Yet, he manages to form a smile.
"…this is good…" He mutters.
Physical pain cannot compare to emotional pain.
He cannot bear to tear apart the city where he was born and raised.
The city where his friends, family… his loved ones live.
He slowly closes his eyes, accepting his fate.
***/~the abandoned park~/***
"—n fine mundi…nunc"
The final verse has been chanted.
Light begins to surface from the land of Fuyuki.
Vein-like shape begins to vine throughout the city.
It was the ley line.
Within a minute, the whole city is covered in light.
"If you don't want the city, I'm taking it along with me."
The brunette man declares ecstatically.
Henceforth, Fuyuki disappears from the history of Earth.
The land where it used to exist became barren land with no sign of life.
=GRAND JUNCTURE END=
!~/Interlude/~!
(General Point of View)
***/~at the corner of a barren land~/***
{Unknown day – Morning, 7.18 am}
"What the…"
A woman stares at the spanning wasteland.
Strong wind blows her long red hair, sending them fluttering.
Her glowing blue eyes display great disbelieve due to the impossibility of the scene.
"Fascinating isn't it, Aozaki Aoko?"
An elderly voice alerts the woman.
She turns around to see the speaker.
"Oh it's just you, Old Fart. So, you did this?" The young woman says nonchalantly.
"Old Fart…?" The aged man raises an eyebrow.
"Opps… A slip of tongue… The sky sure looks nice isn't it, Zelretch-sama?" She changes the subject.
The man in question merely sips his tea.
"Care to join me?"
In a blink of an eye, Aozaki Aoko finds herself sitting on a wooden chair.
In front of her are a picnic table and a served tea.
"It's Darjeeling tea. I assure you it is of the highest quality."
Michel Kishur Zelretch says casually.
The aged man, who is now adorning red tuxedo, is sitting next to her.
"I didn't come here for tea though…" The young woman says tiredly.
"Oh, that's a shame. I was looking forward to chat with you, Blue."
A newcomer joins the tea party.
It was a blond woman with medium length hair.
Her red eyes are scrutinizing Aozaki Aoko, looking for any sign of obscurity.
"That being said Gramps; can I join this tea party?"
The serious expression turns into playful expression.
Zelretch gives the newcomer a wink, telling her that she is welcomed.
"Geh… What's a True Ancestor doing here?" The red haired woman says with scowling face.
"The sole reason is cameo, Aozaki! That is an essential part of any story!" Zelretch declares joyfully.
"That's right! That's right! I never got a chance to take part in major events. At least let me join a tea party." The blond woman says childishly.
"You ruined my image of the fearsome Arcueid Brunestud…" The red haired woman mutters.
[Sigh]
She lets out a sigh and let go of her luggage.
She was 'made' sitting while holding her suitcase.
The woman loosens her red jacket to ease breathing.
After watching Aoko doing so, Arcueid attempts to pull off her sweater.
"Wha— Stop, stop, stop…!" The red haired woman starts to panic.
The blond 'woman' halts her action and stares at her companion.
"What are you doing?" Aoko asks.
"The same thing as you… I'm taking off my clothes." She replies casually.
"I'm not taking off my clothes! I'm just loosening it!"
"Why?" Arcueid inquires innocently.
"It's getting stuffy. I thought it would be winter—"
"It is the spring season right now." Zelretch interjects.
The red haired woman averts her face out of embarrassment.
"Scratch that! What are you two doing here!?"
She recovers from her awkwardness and get straight to the point.
""Having a picnic"" Both Zelretch and Arcueid reply.
Despite being slightly shaken by their unity, the young sorceress points her finger at Zelretch.
"GAH…! Stop playing stupid and tell me what's going on. Where is Fuyuki City!?"
Instead of answering straight away, the user of the Second Magic takes his time to enjoy his tea.
"Oi, oi… don't tell me it's one of your pranks…" Aozaki Aoko concludes.
"Why people always blame me for any dimensional crossovers?" The aged man says in confusion.
"I dunno… You're the head canon troublemaker." The blue eyed woman claims.
"Well it's true that most of the time, Gramps is the source of the problem. But that's only in nonsensical universe where he is depicted as a power abusing pervert. Sometimes, he became surprisingly helpful… no… I'd say he's biased towards a guy called Emiya Shirou. But we know the real Zelretch won't do that." The White Princess of the Moonlit World makes an offhand remark.
"Ugh… don't remind me of that." The old man shivers.
"So… you're not the one behind this incident?" The red haired woman still probes the subject.
"Of course not…!"
"Then… what happened? Where did Fuyuki city go? Why nobody in the Mage Association say anything about it?" Aozaki Aoko bombards the man with questions.
"I can't answer a question if I don't have the answer. However, I can answer the last one." He claims.
After clearing his throat, he clasps his palms and rests his elbows on the table.
"We are the only beings in this realm that still remember Fuyuki city."
Zelretch's statement confuses the red haired woman.
"What do you mean?"
"That city is no longer in our history… as Root has completely erased it from its Archive.
#Chapter End#
[Author's note]
Okay, admittedly I was rushing the plot a bit.
Anyways, I got a review saying my story is crap.
I don't expect everyone will come and sing praise to my story.
But I'll admit that I'm salty about it.
Let me get this straight; my story is crap because I tried to cooperate Shana-verse into Nasuverse?
Understand the concept of perspectives before throwing accusations.
When it is told in first person narrative, don't expect everything to be facts.
It is called a perspective, an opinion.
In similar case, that review is an opinion albeit a childish one.
What? You expect me to write a Kirito-ish character in here?
I'm sorry but that's not going to happen.
Furthermore, I have something to say about lore.
Lore is fun and all but it's not the core of a story.
If you judge a story solely from lore perspective, you might as well go watch Adventure Time.
Trust me; Adventure Time lore is just as interesting as Nasuverse.
A friend of mine always say that writing a story is like cooking.
Lore is just the spice that makes the story "tasted" better.
But even the best spice in the world can't support a terribly cooked dish.
Well, I ranted too long already.
As always, thanks for reading!
Give me a week or two for the next chapter.
I think I'll take it easy and slow down the plot.