Swords

Shirou looked out of the carriage window to see the fields around the carriage, Nereth had told him that they were approaching their destination; A city far in the east were supposedly there was a dig site containing first age artefacts.

Shirou was not excited about the dig but he was looking forward to stopping finally, they had been on the road for maybe a month and a half in total since his arrival in creation.

He could see ahead of them the city's walls and beyond that a near wall of trees, all the nature here looked incredibly healthy.

Nereth looked over at him smiling softly, "The life here is boosted by the elemental pole of wood" she gestured towards the wall of trees as if the pole were beyond there, "It also is the cause of all these trees".

Nereth spoke again as they were approaching the gates "For the next few days we will stay in a mansion that my family owns out here, I trust you to behave yourself".

Shirou nodded simply and the carriage passed through the city gates.

About half an hour later the carriage had pulled up to the mansion in question. It was constructed, seemingly, out of still living trees.

The party started splitting up, Chloe and the other servants heading to their quarters while Shirou and Nereth entered the mansion proper. The interior of the mansion was odd in relation to the exterior, where the outside looked made of wood alone the interior looked like any normal mansion, it was a bit strange.

The expression on his face was caught by Nereth who answered his unasked question "This mansion was build by a family member who was wood aspect, they grew the exterior themselves. Only later did the rest of us have the house furnished properly" She looks away quickly and mutters about fireproofing.

She and him entered a sitting room to relax and talk a bit.

Nereth was understandably annoyed, a month and a half and he hadn't given away much about his powers or even his home. While she wasn't the best at prying secrets, she should have got something notable by now.

While having a "friendly" chat with Shirou she tried to pull a bit more but nothing would work well. During the journey he had admitted his father had started teaching him magic, "Magecraft" as he called it, but after that she hadn't got anything.

It wasn't as if she disliked Shirou, he tried his best and she was impressed by his battle with the god of the mine. He seemed to be the type that had nothing to do so she was surprised how hard it was to convince him to stay with her, he really was determined to go home, wherever that was.

She looked out the window as the sun began to set, contemplating how to get Shirou to tell her his secrets.

Suddenly there was a bang as the door slammed open and a young man strode into the sitting room, it only took her a few seconds to recognise her half brother Rai. She hadn't know he was this close.

Nereth had known Rai for all her life, he was a few years older than her and they had mostly grown up together until adulthood. After that they had gone their separate ways, archaeology in her case and the army in his. He was a very hot-blooded guy but they still sent each other letters and still thought of each other as family.

Of course that was a dragon-blooded family where plotting to have your mother assassinated is par for the course.

She watched Rai look around the room before settling on Shirou sitting down across from her. "Sister, why do you treat a simple mortal with such luxury" Rai's question was the one she had expected so she had an answer ready "He displays unusual abilities and I want to study him". Rai looked a little surprised before his rebuttal came, "Then treat him as a lab specimen not an honoured guest".

Nereth considers him over steeped fingers, "I think he is more important than a simple specimen, his powers might be very special". "Powers?" mocks Rai, "What powers could a mortal possess". "Power's invaluable for the coming times of battle" spoke Nereth, thinking of an army equipped with weapons Shirou can summon.

"Battle?" spoke Rai quietly "No mortal could ever best us in battle!"

Shirou looked a bit sick, was it fear or simply an unpleasant memory that had occurred to him, Nereth didn't know. Surprising everyone in the room Shirou took this moment to speak up "I am no specimen to toy with", he had been listening to the conversation insult him, Nereth wondered why he hadn't spoken earlier.

Rai looked angered by his sudden denial "If you are 'no specimen' then I don't see where you see yourself able to talk back to me mortal" Rai drew out his red jade Reaper Daiklave, "the burning sabre" with a look of anger on his face.

With a quick slash that looked made to decapitate Shirou, Rai's blade cut the air and only air, Shirou had dodged out the way. Rai didn't seem to notice the twin short swords, one white, one black, that had appeared in Shirou's hands. Her half brother looked like his rage was building to an explosion.

Nereth's next action was then the simple one she could take to avoid burning down the mansion, "Brother dear, if you want to kill my associate that much why not challenge him to a duel?", She hoped this question would not further antagonise him to Shirou, this question should make him split some of his anger to herself. She got the reaction she expected "Me, a prince of the earth, challenge a puny mortal to a duel? Sister have you lost your mind?" Rai asked incredulous. Nereth continued simply "You want to kill and underling of mine, I offer a duel between us, just with Shirou here as my champion" While it was ignoring part of the rules of duels she would not readily admit that.

Rai looked more incredulous than before, the room was silent a few seconds before Rai asked softly "Are you sure sister, I will obviously win and with him as your champion you would lose honour", Nereth smiled, and nodded her head

As Shirou was led by a servant to his rooms he was slightly annoyed, Nereth's manipulation of her brother was excellent of course but why force him into the duel tomorrow. Well he duelled for her honour and his life, she clearly had faith in him.

Shirou lay on his bed contemplating the battle to come and picturing the new weapon he could project, that curved red sword he had seen the man carry.

End of chapter

Another battle is coming next chapter obviously

Just a quick question that may be important later.

for those who know Fate, exactly how much effect does an Origin have on the personality of it's possessor, I haven't seen enough examples from those who know their origin to gauge yet

for those who know Exalted, which beings in creation can somehow read minds (and more specifically memory) , who has the charms/ what is the sorcery. I think the Rakshsa may have a charm but other than that I don't know