This chapter is a reupload, it came to my attention that at some point chapters 6 and 7 had become identical and while fixing the story I needed to reupload this. I apologize for any inconvenience.
AN: One more chapter here, oh joy, oh joy. I've picked up my writing speed again and I'm hoping it stays high for the rest of the week. MIdterms are starting though so don't expect too much. There isn't much else to cover this time but I hope you enjoy the new chapter.
Story Start
Silica had never imagined herself as a hero. She had seen heros in Aincrad. Kirito, Asuna, even Heathcliff cloaked in lies and falsehood was more of a hero than she was. But then again Heroic Spirits never had to be heroes. To reach the Throne of Heroes you only had to be famous, no more than famous, legendary. Even under these new conditions Silica still struggled to justify her status. But perhaps it wasn't about her? She knew that Sword Art Online was perhaps the most well known game ever made. Even more so than Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Pong. Its infamy was greater even than that one Atari game they buried in a landfill. What was it? Some space guy? She didn't know. Silica hadn't been a gamer prior to Sword Art Online and even after she had never played much outside of VRMMOs, especially not anything that old. However it did show that, if not due to her own fame alone, perhaps her connection to others lent her credence as a legend.
Other than her time in Aincrad she had also befriended Kirito, Asuna, and a few other front liners, players who may or may not have been in the throne as well. Also was her presence to mid liners. Though she had never liked the attention she knew it was there. She was an 'idol' to many of them. She had such a status for most of SAO, ever since shortly after she became a mid liner. She hadn't deserved such attention, she had done nothing to earn it, only taking advantage of it to gain easy access to parties. Not until she had met Kirito did she truly push herself. By the time that Kirito had revealed his dual blades she was pushing the boundaries of 'mid liner' and rapidly approaching the front lines themselves. However it was not her fame that worried her. Whether she agreed with it or not she was a Heroic Spirit. It was her strength that worried her. She was aware that the only factor affecting one's status in the Throne was their fame. Strength, age, morality, and era were irrelevant. However it still remained true that all Heroic Spirits were remembered for a reason most often their skills, and those skills were mostly combat oriented. Grated many likely reached the Throne without drawing a blade or blood. Famous authors and used their talents and fame to gain Noble Phantasms just as swordsman did with their blades.
Yet despite her skill with a dagger Silica was far from a master. She could call herself capable, yes. But being capable was like being an infant when your opponents were legends. She was not scared of dying in the war though. She had died once, and even if it was a peaceful death of age this wouldn't even be true death, as had loomed over her in Aincrad. This would be no different than those numerous 'deaths' sustained in ALO, not for her. But it wasn't herself she was worried about but her master. Should her master die she would be done, gone from this world, not even a throne to return to. Silica wanted to protect her, save her from that fate, like he had done for her, in that forest at night. But she doubted her strength. Doubted her skill. She doubted everything but her resolve and her partner, they would hold strong, even in the face of defeat she would do her best to protect her master.
Lancer, or Asuna as she prefered, was stalling. She was not as trapped as her master, Kotomine, had believed she was. True, as the mediator for the war he had many command seals and could prevent her from killing him herself, but despite her desire to so, she had no need to deliver the blow herself. Though she had begun her 'legend' alone, isolating herself in that castle, fighting to prove a point, she had never fought alone after that first boss. Her allies may have changed over time from the self proclaimed 'beater' to other front liners to the KoB and back to that self sacrificing swordsman. She had never again fought alone. And she had never been truly trapped. Even that Sugou bastard had not been able to steal her options, her will. She had not been able to save herself, true, but she had delivered the necessary tools to one who could. Even in Aincrad she had eventually chosen to make the most of life in their, even while seeking freedom.
No, ever since the moment that man had bound her to him she had had an out. A method to kill him and be free. Yet she knew that if she used it now, drew on that power, it would not be whole. It would be false like in any other Grail War. But this one provided a unique opportunity. A chance to use its true strength, but only if she timed it right. Unfortunately for as long as he was her 'master' she would have to fight her friends and allies. True, being in a Grail War meant that possibility, though it was normally by choice, and unless one of them was subject to mad enhancement they would be able to give one another a degree of respect and acknowledgement before battle. But now she had to be cunning. Concealing all knowledge on her foes. True, Kotomine would ask her for information from her fights, but wording was important with the seals. He wanted all information she had learned, all new information, anything she had discovered. She knew the girl in the cloak was Argo the Rat for many years. She had learned that Archer was a girl in a cloak. It was a fine line and it only worked so long as Kotomine assumed Lancer to be as ignorant as he was. Yet no matter how perilous the path she would walk it, even if her fate was no longer her choice her path was, and that was all the freedom she would gain here.
It was for this reason she had contacted her the holy man when she had seen the petite girl with brown hair following behind the a purple haired beauty. They were on the edge of Fuyuki's residential district, with the forest on one flank and the homes on which Lancer was perched on the the other. "Master, I have found an unknown Servant." She would be respectful in tone, and action, if not in thought.
"Do you see a master with them?" It was a simple question and most would assume the question a matter of curiosity or strategy, learning the identity of an enemy master would expand the moves that could be made against them, and targeting a master to remove the Servant's supply of prana had become an encouraged tactic. But Asuna knew better, Kotomine had called every master to him for a reason. The knowledge of who possessed what Servants would grant him yet another edge.
"There is a girl, she is slim with purple hair." She believed that would be enough for Kotomine. Even in life Asuna had encountered few with hair any color close to that grapelike shade. And when such exotic colorings were found they were almost always on either the Imps or, less commonly, some Spriggans of Alfheim. And based on the response she received strange hair colors were no more common in this time.
"That would make her Matou Sakura, the master of Servant Rider. I want you to gather intelligence on her Servant, you may engage but do not kill the either of them yet." Asuna was fine with that. She had no desire to kill the small girl. Though they had not spent much time together in Aincrad itself after it was cleared they had become good friends. Even if the beast tamer was long dead Asuna had no desire to reaffirm that fact. The issue was the condition attached to her order, yet.
With a small acknowledgement of and a short statement of, "Very well", Servant Lancer dove towards her foe, announcing her presence with a burst of prana as she channeled the speed that had given her the title The Flash.
Rider had detected the oncoming Servant several minutes ago. After a silent conversation with Sakura she had prepared herself for combat. She was glad for the oddities that came with being a Servant, one being weapon storage. Though one could sheath weapons physically as a Servant it was most often only done by those who felt it far too unnatural not to, or those who had passive effects that their equipment granted only by being on their person.
Silica fitting neither category chose not to sheath her weapon. She knew her dagger would be in her hand the moment she desired it, and that until then she could act ignorant to her foes approach, not having to finger the pommel of the sheathed weapon in preparation for drawing, a habit she had picked up during SAO. No, she was prepared simply by knowing an attack could come, and it did. They were in the residential district and the Servant leapt from a nearby rooftop, approaching at a speed that was impossible for any land based animal to achieve.
Her dagger had barely been able to deflect the first flurry of stabs sent her way. She knew who her foe was, and though her shock was great she could not allow it to overwhelm her. This was what she had feared, an opponent who bested her in every category, from speed to strength to skill. Though a proper assessment was impossible at the time she would be willing to bet that her Noble Phantasms were inferior as well. It didn't matter though. Silica knew the girl in front of her, Asuna. She had achieved much in life, great strength, intelligence, fame, and even a family. Her foe had no reason to seek the Grail, not for herself. Which meant that her resolve would be weaker. She would not want to kill Silica or her master. And Silica would be willing to do just that to her foe to defend the one who had called her.
The blows that Asuna rained on her were fast, it was only the nature of their weapons that kept her from being wounded. A rapier gains it speed because the act of stabbing requires less wind up and reset to strike. A thrust of her sword could be pulled back and launched again in a fraction of the time it took a long sword wielder to complete a swing, all because the weapon stayed close to the body. But the same was true of a dagger, even more so on the defense.
The most common method to defend with a dagger was a reverse grip. While a full sized blade may be hampered by such a technique the dagger was made for it. A sword held backwards would lose of its range and a good deal of its power. Yet a dagger lacked any significant range to begin with and held accuracy in higher regard than strength. This made a reverse grip perfect for daggers and a reverse grip is best when defending. Similar to a boxing stance a dagger was able to move fast over and defend the whole body. Rider put this advantage to full use. Her defense managed to turn away her opponent's original onslaught. She lost count of the number of thrusts around a dozen but the attack ended as abruptly as it began when the swordswoman leapt back held her blade at the ready. The move may have placed a few dozen feet between them but they both knew that as Servants the distance could be crossed in seconds.
It was her master that broke the silence that had befallen the battle. "What Servant are you to attack us so suddenly, and where is your master hiding?" The question would seem naive, for no master would so willingly reveal themselves, but any response given would be a hint. And any hint would bring them one step closer to solving the mystery in front of them.
"I am Servant Lancer. My master will not be showing themselves." Rider had known they wouldn't be getting any information. Asuna was to smart for such a simple trick, but Sakura had no way of knowing their enemies personality like Silica did.
Silica also knew Asuna intimately enough to recognize something was wrong. Asuna had never been one for surprise attacks, though she would employ them if needed the fencer wasn't skilled in them, she didn't even possess the hiding skill. Her strange tactics aside her tone and demeanor was also offsetting. She was being cold, and serious. Far more so than Silica had ever seen her though Lisbeth had mentioned she used to act as such, early in Aincrad, long before she married Kirito. The Asuna Silica knew would greet her by name, request an alliance if possible and if not fight her with respect. But her poorly done sneak attack and giving of her class title told her one thing. To Asuna this was an act, and Silica would have to play her part.
"Alright Lancer. I am Servant Rider, if your master won't be here tonight than it will be up to the two alone." Though she was ready to act for Asuna she needed to confirm that she would not be attacking Sakura. If her master had ordered her to kill Sakura than Silica wasn't sure she could prevent it.
Her only response was non verbal, a lowering of her foes rapier, from its parallel guard position to a perpendicular thrusting stance. The tip pointed solely at Rider and the fencer's eyes ignoring all else. It was enough though, and with the knowledge that her master would be safe Servant Rider began her first fight of the fifth Grail War.
Asuna dashed towards her foe in battle and partner in acting. She could tell that Silica understood her intent. The girl's self introduction as Rider was enough for her to know that. Now came the hard part, holding back. She would have to push Silica, further than the dagger wielder had ever been before. She could not hold back much. Active use of her Noble Phantasms would be easy to avoid. Her master had discouraged their use himself to add to the mystery surrounding 'Lancer and her master'. Asuna lacked any passive phantasms as well. But it was raw skill and power that had her concerned. She had held back throughout most of the Grail War, but Argo's new trick with her picks and Klein's tag team with Dynamm had pushed her. Her master had seen that strength and would expect to see it again. So Silica would be pressured, the girl was strong but not for a Heroic Spirit. And despite her master's order not to slay the girls she was facing she knew that should Silica show herself as weak and incapable of entertaining Kotomine's 'guest' she would have to kill her.
Her first blows were meant to get Silica used to her sword. Its reach, weight, and flexibility were all very important knowledge for defending against it. To an outsider Asuna looked to be warming up. And it was true to a degree for she would have to get faster. Though excellent Rider's defense would not be enough yet. As Lancer pushed more speed into her thrusts increasing the speed slowly but steadily she watched not her opponent's blade but her eyes. Silica wasn't panicking. There was fear in there, yes, but no panic. She was brave, even if she wasn't strong, fast, or skillful she was courageous. Asuna knew this and that was why she knew to push the girl more. So she began targeting limbs. Prior to now she had been targeting only the torso and head, killing blows. Easily blocked but all fatal. Her first attack on a limb was towards the left forearm. Designed to cripple her ability to counter attack with the empty hand and disrupt her thoughts and balance with pain. It was also easily blocked. Though surprise shone through her foe's eyes her defense did not waver.
The dagger wielding girl chose not to defend, deflecting her sword like she had before, but to dodge. She spun, twisting her torso and throwing her left arm behind her as she sidestepped the tip of the Lambent Light and lashed out with her dagger. Asuna caught the blow with her sword using her superior speed but knew what the attack meant. She could push her more. Throwing more attacks at the smaller girl they were all dodged or guarded. Leg strikes were her weakness as her dagger hadn't the reach to defend those areas as well. Silica resorted to crouching and keeping her guard low, choosing to dodge attacks to her head and arms by leaning or moving to the side. It was effective, and that meant that Asuna could push, and she had to in order to fool the false priest that was her master.
She drew her sword back held it to her side. One hand grasping it as it pointed, angled towards her foe, her target. There was a brief moment when the blade shone a bright blue, it wasn't a sword skill, not really. What it was was an imitation. By channelling the prana she possessed as a Servant into her blade she was able to increase the speed and strength with which her attacks were launched. It was a difficult process, especially for one with no experience manipulating prana. But as a Servant her nature was prana, she was composed entirely of it. And she manipulated that, focused it into a single technique she had learned and refined in that castle. A single Linear. And that was when Silica surprised her.
Silica had known from the moment the fight began that she was outmatched. Even as Asuna held her true strength and speed in check Silica knew she was out matched. Asuna was far stronger than her and so many times faster. There was only one other time that she had seen someone so outmatched, when Kirito had fought those orange players on that bridge. He had moved so fast to strike Rosalind, he hadn't even needed to defend himself from their attacks. They were far too weak, not only in their strength, but also in their resolve. But Silica was different, she had set her resolve on that same day. She had resolved to grow strong. Strong enough to stand by him, to help him in his battles. Now she could prove she was. In life the both of them could grow stronger over time, their battles could change. But now, as a legend, a Heroic Spirit, she was a memory, unchanging, and as such she could prove it that she had that strength.
And so, when she saw that stance and the brief flash, she didn't question the how, or the why, she merely knew. Knew that it would be a sword skill despite the impossibility. Knew that it would be fast, and accurate, knew that Asuna would cripple her in this strike, knew that she was too weak to block it, so she did what she had to, she jumped. Her jump took her several feet in the air, and she saw Lancer's rapier appear below her, and she saw the first opening of the fight for her. Her dagger didn't have the range to capitalize on the opening so she lashed out with her foot. Spinning in the air the top of her foot connected with her foe's head. The blow would hurt, but more importantly it would disorient her. As Asuna leaned to the side and placed her hand onto her hurt face Silica charged. Her dagger lashed out at her foe now held point away from her. The first strike was came horizontally, going across her foes body, the blade encountered Asuna's rapier and slid across its surface Silica used new position to begin the next attack, a backhanded slash was knocked upwards where it became a downwards slash. The pattern continued until the fencer recovered from the head blow and launched another thrust. Silica defended this time, placing the flat of her small blade in the tip's path and using the momentum behind the strike to gain breathing room.
Sakura had been ready to accept her own death. She would miss Emiya-senpai and Fujimura-sensei, yes, but her death was something she could accept. She had thought that her loss in the Grail War was a foregone conclusion when she decided to protect the small girl that was her Servant from her brother. She had expected her to be weak, and Rider herself had admitted herself weak for a Servant. But now she could see. Though her Servant was slower than Lancer she never for a moment hesitated. Every blow was sure and strong. Every guard dedicated and despite being the weaker of the two she had driven back her foe. It wasn't permanent, she could see the two were preparing for a second bout, but it had restored her hope. She had faith now, she believed that her Servant would help her live through the war, that her days cooking with Emiya-senpai were far from over. That she could continue going to the archery club, that she would live.
It was the jerkiness of their movement that caught her eye. Everything prior to it had possessed a certain flow to it. All skillful and accurate, sharp, but never jerky. Both Servants looked towards Sakura, no not her, their gaze fell on the trees and forest behind her. Sakura took one step to the side and turned her body so that she could view both the Servants and the forest at once. The two combatants glanced towards one another one last time before Lancer leapt for the buildings on the far side of the clearing. Rather than pursue Rider moved towards Sakura, evidently ending the battle with Lancer, and placing herself between Sakura and the forest, her dagger once again held in reverse as she prepared to defend.
Sakura followed her Servant's lead and cast her focus solely on the forest, watching to see what could arrive from between the trunks. The one who walked forth was, "Emiya-senpai?"
Story Stop
Rider: Silica The Dragon Tamer
Stats
Strength: D
Mana: D
Endurance: C-
Luck: D+
Agility: B
Skills:
Riding: B+
Though never having ridden as a part of her legend her class itself grants her a degree of skill in the act. She has little in the way of specialization though she favors riding dragons due to her moniker. Since others perceive her as being innocent she is more skilled at riding beasts with good affiliations and worse with those of evil.
Magic Resistance: B
Silica was no magus in life and even in Alfheim her role was never one of spellcasting. However Magic Resistance is a class skill for Rider and she never shunned magic, only using it as a secondary weapon to her dagger
Battle Continuation: D
As a Player in VRMMORPGs Silica was immune to physical exhaustion. As a skilled mid liner and one approaching the front lines she fought many battles, some very long. Though low ranking this does grant her the Battle Continuation skill.
AN: Finally fighting. Not only that, the entire chapter was pretty much one battle. Though that did limit my story progress I was also due for a combat scene. I'd like to know how this battle went, especially if anyone thought the description of it went on too long. No word from team Shirou in this chapter but we are seeing more of Asuna's side of things and some hints towards her plans.
