8: The Value of the World
"You are a strange creature, young warrior. Are you sure that you're a human?" The dragon sniffed several times, like checking something. "I see… in fact you're not."
"Look, Rin! The cranes are back!"
She looked up at the sky and nodded. A characteristic formation of flying birds made her feel nostalgic, but also extremely sad.
The roads will become passable soon. It was the beginning of the end. The winter couldn't last forever. And the fact, that the spring has come, was impossible to ignore.
The famous sword has been already forged and named. This time, when Siegfried tested his new blade, the anvil broke in half. Now, during their morning training, Balmung was shining brightly in Siegfried's hands, blue from the energy accumulated within the crystal in its hilt, and every single weapon projected by Tohsaka shattered under its blows.
Still she did not intent do go easy on Siegfried and tormented him by various tricks and surprise attacks.
"Fill!" He guarded himself on time with a raised blade and answered with a powerful counterattack, adding a blast of magical energy to the strike. He has already mastered this maneuver, so his circuits were not causing him pain or fever anymore. But Rin didn't want Siegfried to use this ability too often. She feared that higher amounts of energy flowing through his body can cause irreversible changes in its structure and his possible death is not the scariest possible outcome.
"Good." She smiled, but without true happiness. There was nothing more she could teach him. To be honest, he has already surpassed her in a swordfight. Unexpectedly her next words sounded more like a farewell than an innocent joke: "It seems that you don't need me anymore."
"I will always need you, Rin."
Siegfried knew, Tohsaka was sure of it. His smile was peaceful; he looked much older than he really was, a strange wisdom, or rather understanding, was coming straight from his heart. It was not that he ignored the possibility of losing her – he just still hoped, that she'll stay. But it was like waiting for a miracle, wasn't it?
Soon even this hope may be taken away from him. So what will remain to keep him alive?
Only his last promise - to live. For her even without her.
Finally the day came, when Siegfried woke up before the dawn, kissed Rin goodbye and sneaked out from their little cottage, heading straight to the Fafnir's cave.
"I'll be back soon, don't worry," he whispered, like it was nothing, just a short stroll to the nearby village, not a fight to the death with a terrifying magical creature.
Like a coward, Rin pretended to be asleep. There was nothing she could say or do anyway, right? Any intervention was forbidden, she could only follow him and watch, and she'll do it, no doubt, but…
Why she has already regretted her decision of letting him go without a word?
Location: the Well of Fate, under the Asgardian root of Yggdrasil, Norse Mythology.
Main targets: Verdandi and Skuld, the Norns of present and future events.
His task…
"What?!"
EMIYA was not in a position to consider those new, unexpected data. He just took on his material form, under the pressure of triple gravity or more, and needed a while to start functioning properly.
Unfortunately, he hasn't received even a second of peace to take a deep breath or to look around and admire the view.
A surprise attack? I've just materialized, give me a break…
It was a spear, with some runes carved on its surface. The weapon was coming at him with enormous speed, swaying during the flight. With his special abilities, just one glance was enough for EMIYA to know, who has attacked him.
So this is the famous Gungnir? It never misses the target, huh?
All seven layers of Rho Aias appeared before EMIYA's outstretched arm in an instant, additionally powered up by his personal chant. There was no need to hold back and save energy in his Counter Guardian form. There is also no possibility that the shield fails due to a lack of mana, but still the outcome couldn't be truly predicted.
This paradox will never stop fascinating me…
The spear pierced through the first three petals easily, but then slowed down a little. On the fifth it started to shiver and emit some horrible sounds, then broke through the sixth with an unexpected explosion, to finally stop on the last layer.
"That was interesting," said the old one-eyed man with a long beard, who seemed to come out of nowhere. Gungnir came back to his hand like a well-tamed dog.
"Indeed." EMIYA smiled. "It's a nice spear, but I've already seen a better one."
"Fascinating. But I'm sure that you haven't come here to talk about weapons, Spirit of Protection?"
"No. And I haven't come here to fight you. Just to do my job."
"It would be nice to greet the local lord first and ask his permission to act on his lands, don't you think?"
"Oh? You haven't asked Alaya when you involved one of her agents in the Rheingold affair, have you?"
The father of gods did not answer, he only tried to terrify EMIYA with his piercing gaze, but failed. The red bowman has seen enough hell already to be scared by the abyss within Odin's single eye.
"I see," the Counter Guardian said with an annoying smirk. "So this is why there are so many versions of his legend? Because this is not the first time, when you mess with it?" It was more a statement than a question. "It's so hard to admit, that you were just greedy? That you screwed up and now you try to save face, by sacrificing your finest warrior and most talented daughter…"
A strange shade came across Odin's face, but he did not look truly offended. There was also no shame or guilt in his gaze, only a calm resignation.
"Is this how it looks like to a perfect stranger? Interesting." Allfather smiled. "But you don't know everything. It just had to be done."
With those last words, he changed into a golden eagle and flied away.
EMIYA frowned, suspecting, that something irreversible has happened. Odin clearly played on time and now it was too late. He retreated so easily just because he has already got what he wanted.
But the red-cloaked Counter Guardian only shrugged and got back to work. Overthinking things is pointless if you have no real control over the course of events, right?
Siegfried had no real control over this battle. It was too fast, too crazy to focus on single movements. His body reacted even before his mind could, like a machine to fight. Avoiding blows of claws, fangs and tail at once, while you're under a waterfall of furious flames and a hurricane caused by the enormous wings, it's an impossible task.
Well, I knew it before, right? So no complaining!
There was a moment, when the giant claws ravaged his back, and Siegfried was sure, that he won't make it alive. Only his deep faith, that Rin believes in him and awaits his return, helped him find a strength to survive.
Hot. So hot, I feel like melting!
Even Balmung couldn't break through Fafnir's skin without the energy from the crystal. Unfortunately, there was not enough accumulated within the jewel. Tohsaka warned Siegfried, that he shouldn't open his circuits to the fullest capacity ever again, but…
I'm sorry, Rin. I really have no choice.
Now he was burning from the inside too. Surprisingly, the pain did not overwhelm Siegfried, but gave him even more power and determination to finish this fight as soon as possible. He was waiting patiently for the best moment to slip under the raging beast and reach the heart…
Just… fall at last… evil creature! Collapse!
It worked! After an explosion of blue and gold, Fafnir roared horribly and fell on the ground, causing a small earthquake. Siegfried, wounded and exhausted, fell on his knees next to the giant head of the dying creature. He didn't expect that the monster will speak.
"So you've come for this cursed ring and the gold?"
"No," Siegfried replied simply, looking into the gigantic golden eye.
"Oh? Why then? Why you've risked your life if not for the treasure?"
"Because it had to be done, so no town will share the fate of the one you've destroyed before the winter."
Dragons have a poor facial expressions, but something in the fading gaze of the reptile told Siegfried, that Fafnir doesn't even remember that incident. It was another proof that killing the beast is the right thing.
"What are you going to do with the ring?"
"You really want to know?" Siegfried sighed, but he accepted the last wish of the dying dragon and answered honestly. There was no need to keep it secret. "I'm going to cast it back to the waters of Rhein, where it belongs."
"You are a strange creature, young warrior. Are you sure that you're a human?" The dragon sniffed several times, like checking something. "I see… in fact you're not."
"W-What do you mean?"
Fafnir only 'smiled' in response. When he spoke again after a long pause, Siegfried noticed a self-satisfaction in his roaring voice.
"Actually, I'm thankful. You have freed me from my duty, Child of Nature, so I have an advice for you. Bathe in my blood and become invincible, eat my heart and obtain my wisdom, or trust my treacherous brother and die."
The dragon chuckled, or rather tried to do so, but a hot blood has already filled his mouth. The last words were barely understandable and Siegfried doubted, if they had any meaning.
"R…mber, d…ons are… ents of Gai…, the gua… must be… r…aced."
And Fafnir, the evil reptile, the greatest monster of these wild lands, drew his last breath.
These women clearly belong to the Jotun tribe, EMIYA concluded. They were much larger than an average human, probably even surpassed Odin and other members of Aesir. There's something wrong with the gravity here? Like in the age of the dinosaurs, so they could grow larger than animals in my time?
"You're not welcome here," all the Norns said in one voice. "Begone."
"I will." The Counter Guardian smiled. "But first you need to unravel the threads of TOHSAKA and Siegfried Sigmundsson."
"They both will die if we do it," Skuld explained, clearly not moved by the obvious threat in his voice.
"You're bluffing."
"Try me." The Norn of future events gave the bowman a very annoying smile.
EMIYA sighed. He prepared a missile, a highly overpowered version of his usual Caladbolg, and turned around. Surprisingly, he targeted not the sisters, but Yggdrasil.
"Ladies, please do as I ask, or I will be forced to blow away your sacred tree."
"You're bluffing."
"Try me."
Skuld wanted to make another sarcastic comment, but she quickly lost her typical composure.
Because this time the red bowman wasn't smiling.
"You won't dare! If you shoot the tree, all nine worlds will collapse!"
"Keep your arguments for someone, who makes decisions. Unfortunately, I'm only a pawn in this game. And I really don't care what will happen to your worlds."
The lack of emotions in his voice shook the sisters. Although reluctantly, Verdandi was first to let go. She slowly untied the threads.
The red string just dispelled in the air, leaving no trace behind, like it never existed, while the silver one slipped out of Verdandi's hand. No matter how many times the old Norn tried, she couldn't grasp it again.
"Tch." Skuld did not even try to hide her disappointment. "It's useless. He's far beyond our reach now. He doesn't belong to us anymore."
"Poor thing." The Norn of past events wept their loss. "He was soooo adorable as a child…"
EMIYA exhaled slowly and dispelled his weapon.
"My job here is done. No offence, but I hope that we'll never meet again, ladies."
The last look they gave him before dematerialization – full of disgust or even not well hidden hatred – confirmed his conviction, that it was a mutual antipathy.
"Why am I doing this? Disgusting…"
Dragon's blood was still warm and emitted an awful, metallic smell. Siegfried shivered at the thought of immersing into this filthy substance.
"Odin pierced himself with his own spear and kept hanging on the tree for nine days to learn magic, so I can do at least this much now, right?"
Siegfried has already drunk some blood by accident and it was not a nice experience. Also the heart of Fafnir rested safely in his bundles, waiting to be eaten, just like the dying dragon advised.
"Yeah, later." Siegfried swallowed, not very happy about this idea. It would probably be a dinner from his worst nightmares.
He exhaled slowly, trying not to vomit, and dived into the pool. Surprisingly, the wounds on his back healed in an instant. Fatigue and pain, even in his circuits, were also gone. But, through those wounds, more blood of Fafnir entered his body, making him feel… strange. Fortunately, no drastic changes were visible yet, except a little blue crest, which has appeared suddenly on his chest.
"So… what now?"
He was a kind of a person, who usually concentrates all his efforts, body, heart and mind, on a single task at once. First was to survive, then to forge the blade, kill the dragon and now the time has come to think about his future.
Not so long ago he was obsessed with an idea of reclaiming the kingdom of his father. He needed an army and many allies to achieve this goal and the dragon's gold would be perfect to get them.
Thanks to Rin, he didn't care anymore. He realized that this is the wish of his mother, not his own. He didn't want to start a war, spread the curse of the ring, bring death upon many innocent people. He didn't want allies, whose help must be paid, because there's always someone, who would pay more.
So what is his true desire?
"To travel and learn new things with Rin by my side," he answered his own question without hesitation, then closed his eyes, worried.
That wish will never come true, won't it?
Well, even if a miracle would happen, somehow, someday… after obtaining such power, could he just turn away and ignore other people and their problems? Of course not. It was his duty to help the weaker and to strike evil without mercy. But, as he promised Rin, he will act according to his own judgment. Only when he believes, that this is the right thing to do.
He took a deep breath, ready to end this utterly unpleasant bath, but something tickled his back. He reached out his hand to check it…
"A leaf of a linden tree? It would be stupid to have a heart-shaped mark on my back."
And, although without visible enthusiasm, he dived back in the pool of blood to the top of his head, leaving no single spot on his skin unaffected by the dragon's magic.
"You've made it." Rin gave Siegfried a beautiful smile and joined him. They were standing up to the waist in the waters of Rhein.
The view was magnificent. The water, in the deepest possible shade of blue, was flowing slowly but steady, full of life and the energy of the land. No wild rivers have survived to Tohsaka's times in such state – they were all tamed, polluted and robbed of their magic.
"Yes, I still can't believe it. What's wrong, Rin? You look pale."
"Well, observing your fight and being unable to help you was not a nice experience, believe me." She sighed. "It was horrible, actually. Don't do this again."
"I'm sorry." Siegfried chuckled and kissed her. "I have no desire to do something like this again, trust me. Wait… can you hear it? The river sings."
Tohsaka focused on the surroundings, but couldn't hear anything unusual.
"Nope. It seems that you really are the Child of Nature."
Surprisingly, Siegfried has lost his enthusiasm.
"Maybe it's just like the dragon said and I'm no longer human?"
"Maybe." Rin tried really hard to not spoil this moment with forebodings. "So, what the river says?"
"The Daughters of Rhein want this ring." He tossed the cursed jewelry in his hand. "They knew that I've already decided to give it back, so they're just grateful, saying: 'Thank you!', blessing us both, you know, usual things."
"Don't make them praise you for too long," she laughed. "Women don't like cocky guys."
"I'll remember that. So… together?" Rin nodded and they joined hands to threw the cursed ring away. "Three, two, one aaaaand… it's over!"
It drowned quickly with a quiet splash. On the surface nothing extraordinary has happened, but Tohsaka could feel a tiny change in the structure of this reality. It seemed like there was more light than shadow right now.
"Your story has just begun," she said and froze, feeling that her body is shattering to pieces, quickly losing connection with this world.
"Rin?" Siegfried's eyes widened in shock, when he realized, what's happening. He embraced Tohsaka, as if it could stop her from disappearing. "Oh no, not now… Not yet!"
She clenched her fists in frustration, unable to stop this process. There was so much to say, but she couldn't choose the right words. It was so unexpected, too fast! After a few seconds, she was only a cloud of condensed red energy.
"Remember about the promise, Siegfried!"
"Will we ever meet again?"
"If this does not happen, then the World is worth nothing."
He wanted to scream, but no sound came out of his throat. Nothing. He had no memory of coming back to the shore, but he found himself on his knees, staring blankly at the footprints in the mud. Even the wild scream from behind the trees couldn't bring Siegfried back to reality.
"How could you?! What have you done with MY RING and MY GOLD, you ungrateful brat?!"
Regin grabbed Balmung and charged forward without a second thought. The sword, which has already killed a dragon, can kill another one easily. It was a dangerous tool, even in an untrained hands.
It was a mindless fury, powered by a pure hatred. And Siegfried did not react in any way, too sad to defend himself. Regin was about to strike and cut off the head of his former pupil, but it was his own head that literally exploded, hit by a battle hammer.
"What's wrong with you, boy?" Thrud pulled out her weapon from the crushed skull of the dwarf and wiped out the blood, using Regin's clothes. "After killing our great Fafnir, you let yourself be defeated by a hideous dwarf?"
"Thrud is right, Child of Nature." Mist too was observing everything from hiding. Now she walked up to Siegfried and gently caressed his face. "You can't give up so easily. There is a chance for you to meet again, just like she said. A tiny chance, but it's not impossible. You must keep trying. And remember about your promise."
Siegfried needed a moment to fully understand her words. After a while, he nodded and stood up. There was something heavy in his moves, like he was at least ten years older than a minute before.
"Thank you for help. Is there something I can do to repay you?"
"Actually, there is something…" Thrud started explaining, but Mist stopped her.
"Let him be for now." She shook her head. "Trust me. It will be fine."
Both valkyries went away, leaving Siegfried alone, more than he has ever been.
IMPORTANT NOTE: This is NOT the end of the story. Rin, Siegfried and the others will appear in future chapters (not many chapters left, but enough, I suppose), as well as some new characters (including my favourite one - I hope that You will like her too.)
Thank You for reading this far and for Your constant support! You're simply the best.
PS. Comments appreciated. ;)
