He Who Protects the Living
AN: I did say that this would come sooner didn't I? Too bad that it didn't take a couple of days, but I still see this as an accomplishment compared to before. A lot of you thought that Urahara was the one that Yamamoto was going to ask for help. I may not have explicitly stated it, but I figured it would be obvious as I keep talking about the sequel.
This story takes place before Bleach canon. The sequel will take place during Bleach. This means that Urahara is still a criminal. As in, Yamamoto would never ask him. That's also kinda assuming that he knows where he is, which, I think he might, but still. Urahara equals wanted criminal you know.
As for this chapter, still not much happening, but I personally think it's an improvement on the last chapter. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, for all of you being so patient with me.
IMPORTANT**********************************************************************
Sorry this was still late, but a little better than two months anyway. Please read the AN at the end of the chapter, it is quite important.
IMPORTANT**********************************************************************
Here's chapter 10.
Disclaimer: I do not own Fate/Stay Night, Bleach, and any other book, anime, manga, etc. that I may or may not reference in any way, shape, or form.
Last time:An old man was troubled. Soifon had actually found something suspicious. He had wished that she not find anything, for it to be one of the few errors that their system had made. A barrier that erased the memories of the people who knew what was inside was dangerous.
He had no way of telling if it was a threat to them or not. There was something inside. Something strong. Slowly, he walked. He would have to employ a certain man to try and find what was going on. They needed a way inside that thing.
Chapter 10: Monsters are Everywhere
Ryudou Temple was large, with a huge stone staircase leading up to it. It had a lake behind it, and many monks living in it. There was a forest surrounding the temple, and there was also a Bounded Field strong enough to weaken even a Servant, if they did not enter through the main entrance.
Almost immediately after entering, Shirou and Saber found themselves stopped by a sign forbidding entry. Shirou looked at it, deeply concerned. Actually, now that he thought about it, didn't Issei live on Ryudou Temple? This was pretty suspicious. Shirou was pretty much convinced there had to be a Servant here, if the place was like this.
Needing no words, Shirou and Saber went past the sign, both of their guards up. It was a rule to not fight in broad daylight, so as to not let ordinary people know of the existence of magecraft, but if this was the lair of a Servant...
Shirou and Saber searched as thoroughly as they could. It was a rather large place, so it took them a while. It was while they were looking, that Shirou smelled something strange. "Wait, Saber." Saber stopped beside him, looking around suspiciously. Shirou sniffed the air. That was the scent of blood, an unforgettable smell after all that he had been through.
They slowly walked, until they found a spot on the floor covered with dried blood. Saber squatted down to take a look. "This mark is only about a day or two old. Whatever was here was here recently. That boy you killed, Shinji wasn't it? I do not believe that he would have said something false to us in light of the circumstance he was in. He seemed too much of a coward." Saber stated to Shirou, looking at the ground.
Shirou finished her train of thought. "So it is possible that someone got to the Servant here before we did." Saber nodded. "It is equally possible that the Servant escaped however. I feel uneasy that we don't know which, but something was seriously wounded here."
They both agreed to take a look at the lake behind the temple, the only place they hadn't looked yet. Making the trek over there, they were disappointed to not find anything there. The lake was quite pretty however.
Saber was reminded of another lake as she stood there with Shirou at her side. She felt warmth blossom in her chest as she thought of Shirou at her side. With him beside her, she felt complete. Her face slowly reddened as she thought that. Soon enough, her mind went back to the night before, when Shirou had kissed her with such passion, she had-
She abruptly started walking away. "Come Shirou, we waste time by staying here. We need to find Sakura." Shirou blinked at her abrupt exit. He jogged up to her, noticing her red face.
"Hey, you okay Saber? You're all red. Hey, can Servants get sick?" he asked her, grabbing her and holding his forehead on hers to check her temperature. "Hmm, you don't seem like you have a fever. Do you have a cold maybe?"
Saber was reduced to a slightly stuttering mess as Shirou's face was so close to hers. Just like last night...As if sensing Saber's thoughts, Shirou looked at the face of the woman he loved, he lowered his head to hers and...
Saber escaped out of his grasp furiously. "Come master!" Shirou stood dumbfounded for a moment, but smiled. That was the Saber he had fallen in love with. Then he realized what she had called him. "Hey, Saber I told you not to call me master anymore!"
-No one else-
It was at the bottom of the the hill that Saber's stomach growled fiercely, reminding both of them that they had barely had time to take a few bites of their food before they had left the house that morning. Saber's face, which had just turned back to normal began to redden a little once more.
Shirou laughed, but then his stomach joined Saber's. "Well, hunger's the enemy, right?" Shirou asked Saber, an embarrassed look on his face. Saber quickly recovered from her own embarrassment. Saber nodded sagely.
"Yes Shirou. Hunger is the enemy at the moment. It would not be wise to continue on while our stomach's hinder our strength." Saber said, her face lightening at the thought of food. "Looks like we're going back home for now Shirou."
Shirou quickly grabbed her arm, a devious plan in his head. "No Saber, I think we could do something a little better today. The breakfast I made is probably cold by now, so..."
Shirou took Saber to a small cafe near his school. He went there sometimes, when he didn't feel like cooking because Sakura and Fuji-nee both had things to do. Or simply when he felt like a cup of coffee, which wasn't very often.
Shirou felt a little embarrassed though, as it was the first time he had gone with a girl. Let alone Saber. He took a peek at her, to see her looking at the place with interest. She had not eaten while with Irisviel and Kiritsugu, as Kiritsugu provided all the prana she needed. And in her time, she had obviously not been to any sort of place as this, as they had not yet existed.
Of course, the grail provided all information that she would need about the current time, so she knew of such establishments. It was however, different knowing about it, and seeing it with her own two eyes. It was somewhat like knowing the ocean existed, and actually seeing it. The experience was quite different.
They found an empty table quickly, the place wasn't quite so full. It wasn't quite morning after searching through the Ryudou temple, but it wasn't lunch yet either. Soon, a cute blonde waitress came to take their orders. She blushed a bit when she saw Shirou. Neither Saber nor Shirou noticed.
"Emiya-san, I haven't seen you in a while." She told Shirou happily, a little subtly looking him over. She usually took Shirou's orders when he came here, as she found him attractive. Most people thought that he dyed his hair that shade of orange, and so also thought that he was a delinquent.
The fact that some local gangs sometimes got into fights with him occasionally, and he always beat them up thoroughly, somewhat cemented this opinion. This waitress was attracted to him even more by this however. She thought that she could try and fix him.
Shirou smiled politely at her. There was no reason not too after all. "Hello there Yuzuhara-san. I've been quite busy lately, so I haven't had the time to come over. This is Saber, Saber, this is Yuzuhara Rei. She works here, and is nice enough to join me in conversation occasionally."
Yuzuhara noticeably strained her smile when she saw Saber. "I see. Is this your girlfriend Shirou?" Saber did not notice.
"Ah, no. She was a friend of my father, and had some business in Japan. She didn't know that he had died though, so I let her stay here. I'm trying to convince her to stay longer, but she isn't really listening to me." Shirou said all of this with a smile on his face that stunned Suzuhara. She had never seen his face like that.
She glared at at Saber while Shirou was distractedly looking at the same person with a gently smile. "I see. Well, if she can't stay she can't stay. Now what would you like?" She said this looking at Shirou.
Shirou ordered for the both of them. Suzuhara was stunned as she heard the huge order, and asked Shirou to repeat himself. As he did, her mind did a little twirl. No guy would like a girl that ate that much, right? As Suzuhara walked away, swaying her hips a little more than necessary, Shirou and Saber started talking a little mindlessly.
In just a few minutes, Suzuhara came back with their order. First, she placed the food. Just as she started to place the coffee however, she tripped her own foot and spilled some on Shirou. "Oh my!"
Shirou stood hissing as the coffee burned him. Saber also stood, hurrying over and checking to see if he was okay. Suzuhara did not allow her to mind over Shirou much though. She took out a small rag out of a pocket on her uniform, and started drying Shirou.
"I'm so so so sorry Emiya-san! I don't know what happened, I just tripped and then-" Suzuhara was cut off by Shirou, who had a new scowl on his face. "It's alright, it's alright. Accidents happen."
Suzuhara felt Shirou's chest as she dabbed at it with her towel and blushed. Saber noticed this time, and grabbed her own napkins and helped to dry Shirou down. Suzuhara was annoyed, but said nothing as Shirou might notice. Saber and she glared lightning as Shirou had his scowl on as people looked their way and started whispering.
"Let's just go Saber, I need a change of clothes. Sorry Suzuhara-san, here, the money for our meal." Shirou told her, starting to grab his wallet. Suzuhara panicked a little.
"No! I mean, I can get you a shirt Shirou, it's okay. Please, no need to pay, it's on the house. Just sit down Shirou and I'll take care of you." She told him fervently.
Saber was the one to speak next. "Actually, we are somewhat in a hurry, so we're sorry, but we'll be leaving now." Shirou nodded next to her, quickly thanked her for not making them pay, and headed out the door.
Suzuhara started cursing in her mind as she angrily cleaned up. It had seemed like such a good idea at the time too!
Outside, Shirou sighed looking down at his shirt. It was probably ruined now. "I don't know what was up with Suzuhara-san today. She's not usually like that."
Saber herself did not know what the feeling she got from Suzuhara was, but knew that it annoyed her. She hurried Shirou home, telling him that he would catch a cold if he stayed in that shirt.
Back in the cafe, a black haired magus sighed in relief as Shirou and Saber left. She lowered the menu she had been using as cover so they could not see her. She was quite surprised that neither of them had sensed her there. She had certainly sensed them. It was not the time to fight him though. Not only was he at full strength at the moment, she wasn't. Rin was not what anyone would call a morning person.
She stared at the table where Shirou and Saber had sat, wondering why Saber had seemed so affectionate to Shirou. It was weird. Servants and masters just did not have such a relationship like that.
She had really not expected Shirou to be at the place she sometimes went to grab a cup of coffee and wake up. She was lucky she had left Archer at home. He hadn't wanted to, but she needed her alone time too, and she wouldn't get it from Archer always standing behind her.
Though, she really should go back. She had left Archer, partly to get some alone time, but there was another reason. It really wouldn't do to keep her guest waiting on her. It couldn't be helped that she had had to leave her while she came to grab food, she really hadn't expected that person to come to her of all people to look for help.
But, she smiled. 'Tonight,' she decided. It was high time that she took care of one of the biggest threats in this war. Normally, she would have waited for him to go last, but now that that person had come to her for help, she knew she had to do something soon. Her honor, her pride, and her old feelings demanded it.
-No one else-
Back at Shirou's home, Saber sat in his room while he finished cleansing himself. She still had an odd feeling from what that Suzuhara had done. She wondered what about her it was that unsettled her, but decided there were just some people you could not get along with.
She was interrupted from her train of thought when Shirou came in, dressed in just a towel. He did not, however, tell her to wait outside like he might have not two days ago. This pleased her. Her master was learning to trust her. Even as she had these thoughts, she did not notice her face reddening as she took in his almost naked body.
She also did not notice Shirou's pleased smile as he caught her staring at him. He would use any weapon to win this war, even his own body.
In a few minutes, Shirou was dressed and they were out again. Seemingly forgetting about their hunger, they searched desperately for hours, and did not stop until lunch time. They both felt defeated.
"Where could Sakura have gone? She couldn't have gone outside of Fuyuki, not while she's still Rider's master." Shirou asked Saber as they stood at a corner of the market district, watching the people pass by.
Saber held an uneasy look. "Master, do you think there may be a possibility that she could have gone to one of the other masters for protection? That she..." Saber did not finish her statement, but they both knew what she meant.
"NO!" Yelled out Shirou, startling a few of the passerby. "There is no way that Sakura would betray us!"
Saber backed down, not wanting to argue with her master, and also trusting his judgment. Still, at the back of her mind stayed an uneasy emotion, and she still wondered.
Shirou sighed. "We skipped breakfast, so let's go and get some lunch right now. I'd like to look all day, but if Sakura is really trying to hide, we won't be able to find her that easily."
Saber knew it was hard for her master to admit that. He held a look of frustration on his face, mixed with worry. She just could not understand why it was that Sakura-san had left like that. Nothing significant had happened the day before.
Deciding that it would be better to dine at home, partly for that morning's slightly disastrous attempt at eating out, and partly because of Shirou's frustration, which only cooking could help with, they found themselves at home once more.
Shirou went to do what he did best, and Saber sat down to wait.
It was as Shirou was setting plates out that Taiga came in, tired, and fell at the table, defeated. "SHIROUU! I couldn't find Sakura-chan anywhere! Where could she be!?" She moaned piteously at him. Shirou, who had still held some hope his Fuji-nee could find Sakura, sighed as well.
Saber, although she did not know Sakura well, knew that she was important to her master, also looked upset. She should have been able to find one girl. She felt like she had failed her master. Lunch was a quiet affair that day.
After lunch was said and done, Taiga began to speak to Shirou. "Well Shirou, it can't really be avoided. School is starting back up tomorrow. We still haven't found anything, but it's been out long enough as it is."
Shirou's infamous scowl found it's way onto his face, and as he started to open his mouth, Taiga continued. "So, I'll make sure to bring your homework every night. As long as you feed me of course!" At this she let out a small, hopeful smile.
Shirou and Saber both looked at her with matching looks of confusion. Close enough, that Taiga started laughing at them, wishing she had a camera. "Fuji-nee, what-"
She cut him off with a knowing smile. "I know you're not coming to school tomorrow Shirou. You're just that kind of guy, that won't stop looking for Sakura, even if you find out she's in another country by now. You'll keep looking for her, even if it takes your entire life."
Shirou's expression lightened up considerably, and he looked at his Fuji-nee with new found respect. She knew him better than he ever thought she had. Saber looked pleased as well, both because her master would not get in trouble for skipping school, and because now they had the entire day to devote to the Grail War and Shirou's training.
"You'd better not take forever though Shirou! I want both you and Sakura-chan to be back at school together as fast as possible!" Taiga added, with a tiger nod for emphasis.
Shirou's face settled in determination. "You got it Fuji-nee."
They talked idly for a while, and soon Fuji-nee left, presumably to get ready for the next day, when she would have to go back to teaching again.
After Fuji-nee had left, Shirou and Saber started trading blows in the dojo. Shirou still needed to train after all. Shirou was frustrated, and while most would have lost their minds and been worse off for it, his anger helped him in his training. He was hitting faster and harder than he did before, and with increased focus.
Saber was impressed. It was a great skill to not let your emotions take you over, and start to get sloppy on the battlefield. That was a quick way to die. Shirou however, focused and channeled that emotion. She herself had never had much problem with such a thing, as she had ignored her sense of self to be as a weapon for Britain.
Hours later, Shirou collapsed, breathing harder then he ever had before, with Saber, having barely broken a sweat on him, looked on with approval. Shirou was coming along nicely. Where it would have taken others years, Shirou absorbed everything she gave him like a sponge. She could not have asked for a better pupil.
Shirou sat up, breathing hard, to admire Saber as he caught his breath. He couldn't help but stare at how she had held him off so effortlessly, while he had struggled so much. She was so strong. He had to be stronger, had to get better, so he could protect her as well.
"Perhaps a shower now master?" Saber asked him, a small smile on her face. "You have gotten much better. It would take most years to master any kind of combat, yet you have stunned me in how you absorb everything I have to teach."
Shirou felt his ego grow a little, along with a small tinge of red on his cheeks. "It has to be because I have the best sensei possible for this." He then sniffed himself and cringed. Saber was right, he did need a shower.
Standing, he declared his intention to Saber, and let her know she could use it after him. Before he left, he grabbed Saber and left a kiss in thanks for his training. He deeply kissed her, feeling her, and showing her his love. Saber did not fight him, but also did not reciprocate.
Shirou felt his heart grow lighter as he caressed her face. This was a good enough reason to survive this war. He would not let her go. He would not let her go. He would not let her go. His heart wouldn't be able to take it if he did. Once, he may have decided that even if he loved her as much as he did, there were more important things, but even as his broken mind told him that, his heart would not let him.
He finally let go, and enjoyed her red face. He touched his forehead to hers, and let her. Standing stock still with her face red, Saber stood in that dojo for a while before she realized that Shirou was already gone.
-No one else-
It was at night, after dinner was done and Saber and Shirou were enjoying some after dinner tea when it happened. Fuji-nee had already left a while ago, and Shirou and Saber were just relaxing after the hard day. An almost warning signal flared in the back of Saber's mind, and before she knew it, she was flying towards Shirou, the reishi she was filled with as a result of the contract with Shirou flashing as her armor was summoned, that she grabbed Shirou and pushed him back.
Bewildered and slightly frightened at the extreme reaction, Shirou opened his mouth to tell her what the hell she had done that for, when the scent of metal filled his nose, and death rained. Arrows, dozens of them impacted and tore through the walls, landing where he would have been, had Saber not pushed him to the side.
'Wait, those aren't arrows, they're -' Shirou thought, before he was stunned. Swords, twisted into corkscrew shapes, and shot just like arrows. Unbidden, the memories of the first night of the war filled his mind, where the arrows that had inspired Zangetsu to start his shape manipulation training with a bow had been shot at a monstrous figure.
"Man Emiya, I thought this base would be a lot better protected. What are you trying to pull, a magus like you leaving his home virtually unprotected except for an alarm bounded field?" came the familiar voice of a girl that he had once thought would be his partner in this war.
"Tohsaka!" Shirou exclaimed in shock. "Why are you here Tohsaka? Did you just-"
Rin cut him off angrily. "Drop the nice guy act already, it's unbefitting. I caught on to your act the first day of the war."
Shirou's anger quickly grew as well. "What the hell are you talking about!? Act! This isn't an act! Why the hell did you attack me!"
To Shirou's surprise, it was not Tohsaka that spoke, but Saber. "Shirou, you should have known from the first day that this woman is an enemy. She is also a master, and obviously, she has grown tired of your continued existance."
Tohsaka threw him a mocking smile, Archer appearing behind her, silent. Rin did not seem to notice Archer's lack of his usual sarcastic remarks. She was too angry, though for what reason Shirou was clueless.
"I would have waited to attack you, until every Servant was gone. But then, someone came to me asking for help, and I decided that the time was now." Rin told him, practically seething.
Shirou got a sinking feeling in his gut. "What are you-"
"Falling in love with a Servant, I never would have expected something like that. Then again, I suppose you wanted the strongest possible child to pass your magecraft on, and I suppose there isn't much better than a Heroic Spirit. Still, she won't last long enough to give birth you know." Rin told him, a fake smile on her face.
Shirou's world felt like it was crashing down, even as Saber beside him blushed as memories of Shirou's 'attack' on her the day before came to her mind.
"Where did you hear about-" Shirou getting cut off was starting to get old really fast.
"Really Emiya, are you really so slow? Sakura saw you seduce your Servant and came crying to me, asking me to take her in. Oh sure, she didn't want me to hurt you, she just couldn't stay in the same place that you were. But I just can't stand it, you giving up Sakura for this tramp." Rin revealed a crushing fact to Shirou.
Shirou found breathing a little hard. But why would Sakura leave just because she saw him and Saber together? It didn't make any sense to Shirou. One sentence really stood out to him. 'Sakura saw you seduce your Servant and came crying to me, asking me to take her in.'
Shirou could not believe it. Sakura had run away because of him, and now she was with Tohsaka. Had he really driven one of his best friends away? His mind couldn't comprehend it.
Beside him, Saber bristled at being called a tramp. Although she normally would not have reacted to such an insult, as it was beneath her, for some reason, Tohsaka's words angered her immensely. She couldn't stand how this girl was talking about them.
"Watch your words girl. It is unwise of you to try and anger a Servant. Shirou." Saber spoke for the first time since Tohsaka had gotten there. Her last word a silent communication to Shirou, who nodded.
Shirou summoned Zangetsu and shot towards Tohsaka, who began to fire at him, her finger in the shape of a gun. Behind him, Saber had summoned Invisible Air, and had begun to combat Archer, who had also summoned a pair of twin swords.
Shirou t'sked in annoyance as he shot around Tohsaka's Gandr, and they began to destroy his house. "Do you know how long it's going to take to fix that!" He roared in annoyance.
"Please, you won't survive to have to worry about that." Rin told him, continuing to fire at him, slightly enjoying seeing him dance around. Archer was still silent, engaging Saber as hard as he could, but he seemed to not put his heart into it.
"What is wrong Archer? Are your swords so weak that you can't fight back?" Asked Saber, a slight smirk on her face. Archer was slightly taken aback. Memories of his own Saber came to his mind. Although his Saber had liked to partake in banter every once in a while, she seemed different. Something in the way she fought, not quite the hard weapon striking at the enemy, but one enjoying herself.
There were still remnants, and Saber was not that different, but it was noticeable, and he couldn't help his eye's split second wandering to find Shirou, who was getting close to Rin. Without a second thought, he retreated for a moment, throwing Kanshou and Bakuya to the sides and instantly summoning another pair.
Shirou, who had gotten uncomfortably close to Tohsaka, was taken completely by surprise when a pair of swords came out of nowhere. He managed to deflect one, just in time for Kanshou to find his stomach. His mouth opened and he gasped out a spray of blood. Blood dripped down his clothes, making Tohsaka smile a little.
Saber, who could not have done more than wonder why on Gaia Archer would throw his swords away like that, watched in horror as her master proved unable to completely block the assault. "Master!" A desperate cry ran out as Shirou fell to his knees. Archer almost seemed to show some emotion at this, standing uncomfortably, and not attacking.
Rin seemed happy with the result. She took a jewel out, prepared to take Shirou's head, when a hollow laugh began to fill the room. "Hehehe, hahahah, HAHAHAHAHA!"
Shirou's head, which had been bowed in defeat only a moment before, shot up, revealing to the world that a quarter of his face had been overtaken by a hard white substance, and his eyes had turned to a sickly yellow. Saber's mind flashed to when they had fought with Gilgamesh. Even as it did, she started to feel odd, as new power began to enter her.
"Master, what-" Saber was interrupted as Shirou tore Kanshou from his stomach, blood spraying a horrified looking Rin, and stood, grabbing Zangetsu.
"I knew King couldn't do anything without me! I knew it! He's not strong enough! To be taken down so easily by such weaklings, I am the rightful owner of this body! Me! HAHAHAHAHA!" The crazed laughter rang out, and the white began to spread on his face.
Any emotion that Archer might have felt towards this Shirou, who miraculously did not seem to embody the stolen ideals of Emiya Kiritsugu, were gone in that moment, as he witnessed the birth of a being who reminded Archer uncomfortably of something similar.
Archer shot towards Rin, pushing her behind him and taking a stance with Kanshou and Bakuya. "Get out of here Rin! Now!" Archer barked to her. Rin had never seen him so serious before.
"But Archer, what-" Rin started, before an exasperated Archer grabbed her and threw her forcibly out the wall they had destroyed, her screaming that she would get him back for his insolence completely ignored.
"You shouldn't take your eyes off an enemy, ARCHER!" The crazed voice rang out. Archer immediately crossed Kanshou and Bakuya as a huge black blade slammed into him. Archer found himself quite close to a madly laughing face, with eyes that made even him shiver in disgust.
"What are you, you crazed being!" Archer shouted, as he pushed off and began a flurry of his own attacks. Shirou's body began to take cuts as he desperately tried to dodge, but was not fast enough. Whereas Shirou might have normally been able to fight harder, right now, while this inner being controlled him, he could not think.
Saber, who had stood still as she watched her beloved Master turn into this thing, now reacted, launching herself towards Archer, once more feeling her legs leave the ground in this enhanced version of speed that Shirou's reiryoku gave her. Archer t'sked in annoyance, not unlike Shirou had done when Tohsaka had began to shoot at him with her Gandr, and knew he had to take things a step further.
He wouldn't have been able to take Saber on a good day, unless he fought at his full power. Even then, he knew he would most likely lose. But he had to. This was his chance. For once, he had a monster in front of him, and the fight was not over yet. He could actually save someone.
He felt old emotions come back to him, as his face set into a cold fury as he prepared to fight for his ideals, for the first time in a very long time. His mouth opened on its own, as he prepared himself to fight one he had once called ally and partner.
"I am the bone of my sword." These words, although whispered, seemed to reverberate throughout the entire room, making Shirou's unconscious soul to resonate, and his inner monster to open his eyes wide. Archer kicked Shirou off of him, who's face still filled with white, half of it now unrecognizable.
Saber attacked at an obvious blind spot, and Archer would have smirked if he was not in complete battle mode at the moment, as he defended from the blind spot he had made on purpose, and immediately counter attacked. Saber found herself actually having to take Archer a little more seriously, as he began to attack with a fervor he had not shown before.
"Steel is my body, and fire is my blood." Another line. Shirou stood, his inner monster reacting to the lines that resonated from his body. Had the true Shirou been awake, he might have noticed that although the lines resonated within him, they also felt wrong.
Shirou split Zangetsu into two, to better combat Archer, who held two weapons, and Saber instantly felt her body burn. Gasping, Archer was able to slash the distracted Saber off of him, throwing his weapons as he had at Shirou, and instantly summoning another pair.
"I have created over a thousand blades." The next line. Saber, who know knew what the swords would do, avoided them, even as she winced in pain. Unnoticed to her, black began to seep into her armor, as Shirou smiled.
"My Queen is coming!" He laughed out, as he did everything. Whereas the true Shirou was usually more stoic, this version could not seem to stop showing exaggerated emotion. Shirou shot towards Archer, who threw his swords at him as well, the attraction of the lovers causing shifts in the swords that Saber was avoiding.
Archer spoke a different line this time, that did not resonate with Shirou. "Spirit and technique, flawless and firm." He summoned a third pair of Kanshou and Bakuya, the new pair once again causing the rotations of the ones circling around Saber and Shirou to change. Archer began to pour prana into them, and Rin, who had not left the site, but merely stayed out of sight, watching with wide eyes as her Servant displayed power she had no idea he had. At the same time, she felt a slightly greater drain on her circuits, and the accompanying burn as Archer began a greater attack.
"Strength that pierces the mountains. Sword that splits the river. Fame reaching the imperial villa. We cannot reach heaven together." He spoke sorrowfully.
His swords, for lack of a better word, exploded. As Archer poured more prana than Kanshou and Bakuya could handle, they become broken. Dangerous. The swords cracked and split, until they looked like beautiful wings, with feathers made out of shards of blade.
Archer threw himself forward, the circling swords backing off for a moment as he proclaimed, "Crane Wing Three Realm!"
His broken swords met the intended targets of Shirou and Saber, and the shards of the swords began to fly and explode on contact, leaving a slash in Saber's armor, and a wound on Shirou. Yet, for all of that show, it seemed a little too weak an attack to Saber, considering the dramatics that Archer had gone to to set it up.
It was then that her eyes widened as she felt two swords cut through her armor and into her body. Had she looked towards Shirou, she would have seen the same. Three Wing Crane Realm was not a phantasm, or a mystery, or any kind of spell. It was a strategy that Archer had perfected in hislife, where he would distract the enemy with a seemingly powerful attack, his Broken Kanshou and Bakuya, and make them forget about the still circling Kanshou and Bakuya copies.
Even then however, even as the white on Shirou's face covered it completely at his scream of pain, even as Saber's eyes seemed to turn black at the same time, Archer continued to speak.
Even his Three Wing Crane Realm was just a bigger distraction for the true spell, one that took a little bit of time to build up. At least, at the moment it was.
"Unknown to death, nor known to life." Shirou's body transformed next, the white, in contrast to when it was on his face, spread quite fast on his body. Saber seemed to have lost it, as her armor turned black, and black began to cover her eyes as well.
"Have withstood pain to create many weapons. Yet, those hands will never hold anything." Archer was almost done. Rin stood behind the wall, just staring at the battle unfolding before her. Rin was a master, she had expected grand battles from this war, yet this was the first large scale battle that had unfolded before her eyes, and she could not help but to stare and watch, not doing anything else.
Shirou's body had seemed to turn into a giant lizard, and Saber's armor had now turned completely black, red veins pulsing, her face now more pale, her eyes yellow.
It was as Archer spoke this last line, that embodied everything that he was, that he remembered. His mind opened to himself, and he remembered something that suddenly made things a lot more clear to him. He smiled coldly.
"So as I pray, Unlimited Blade Works." Fire came from Archer's body, overtaking everything, as Shirou's body finished it's transformation, the swords being ripped from his body, as giant white wings sprung from his back. He fell onto all fours, looking to the world as a distorted version of a dragon.
Saber's transformation also finished, as a helm of black, like her armor, pulsing with red veins covered her eyes, and her face formed a twisted and cold smile. Invisible Air faded from her sword, and a mangled and darkened version of the once great Excalibur was shown to the world. She also ripped the swords from her body, and gazed lovingly at the form of Shirou's new body.
The world had changed. Tohsaka now had nowhere to hide as she found herself in a desert, with giant rotating gears in the far distance, smog in the air, covering the sky. The remarkable thing, was the thousands and thousands of swords covering this entire new world.
Her mouth opened in a strangled gasp, as she spoke aloud. "Reality Marble!" What kind of hero was her Servant!?
Shirou, rather, the giant dragon, still laughed, voice unchanged despite the huge transformation from humanoid to the perverse distortion of a great and noble beast. Saber, or rather, this Alter Saber stroked him with care, and turned to Archer, even as a giant red ball formed in the dragon's mouth, and released with a shout of, "Cero!"
-No one else-
A man, if he could be called that, studied the barrier in front of him. Although he could not see it, he knew that there was something there. It was his job to be able to figure it out, but more than that, he needed to know what it was. He felt a sick smile grow on his face as he tried to figure out the mechanics of the barrier, when a horrible reiatsu seeped even through the barrier.
His clown like face's eye's widening, he backed away from the invisible barrier. This was so interesting. Oh, the experimenting he could do when he finally got in!
-No one else-
A certain man felt a terrible growth of power. "Oh? This grail war may not be as bloody as mine, but it is interesting nonetheless."
-No one else
A blond man with red eyes laughed coldly as he felt an insignificant power attack his senses. "That mongrel mutt. I can't wait to put the trash down. Saber is mine, no one else's." A second power then assaulted his senses. "Oh? My Saber's power, it's turned different. I am curious." He decided he would wait before he went. He still had wine in his glass.
-No one else-
A purple haired woman watched as her charge, with lighter purple hair, closed her eyes as the power of the one she loved went through her. "Rider, Onee-sama has..."
"Don't worry yourself Sakura." Rider told her, hiding a smile. Oh, one of her guards was about to die. How she hated those blasted Shinigami. Why did gods have to constantly ruin her life?
-End Chapter 10-
IMPORTANT**********************************************************************
AN: Man, was that a wild ride or what? I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. It was quite the experience, especially the fight at the end. To those wondering, Shirou looks like Ichigo did during his Visard training, except for the exception that he is on all fours, with giant white wings. For the wings, if you need to, think of Sasuke Uchiha in the first half of Naruto at the Valley of the End.
Sorry this took a while, but at least it wasn't two months again. Next chapter will come faster, I promise! And, speaking of the next chapter, I have a surprise!
NIX'S WARDEN and I were talking, and he suggested a story idea for me, that I knew I would write the instant that I read it. I started to go into my own little author world, and started PM'ing him with huge PM's, that started to make even him confused.
To those of you who know him, you know how hard that is, as he is kinda like Jason from Fairy Tail. "COOOOOL!"
The story is like this – Shirou heard the sound of a gun firing, and Lancer retreating with a small wound on his body. He looked up, and the moon shined on a figure that he instantly recognized. "DAD!?" - Yup, that is the story I knew I would write the instant I read the description.
So, within the next two weeks, my new story, 'Happy Tears are Red' will be born. If you wonder about how that will affect updates to this story, review or PM me. I'll explain during the first chapter for, 'Happy Tears are Red.' It will be up withing the next two weeks, I have already started on it.
Gazzadcs, if you're out there somewhere reading this right now, thank you for being the one that brought me into this world. I'll always remember you for it.
Till next time, Ja ne!
IMPORTANT**********************************************************************