To War: Prince of the White Country
Emiya arrived at La Rochelle around dusk. While he could have arrived earlier, he had slowed down once he was a far distance ahead of Wardes and Louise and took the time to stop at various towns to get directions.
In hindsight, he probably should have learned where their destination was before setting off.
Emiya shook his head, and then looked up at the sky. Louise and Wardes were still a far distance away, barely visible to a regular human's eyes, but with that guy's griffin they would be arriving soon.
"Wow."
Derf rattled, the sword's equivalence of shaking his head. "You really did it, Sword. I thought you were just kidding."
Emiya gave him a slight smile. "Swords do not boast, Derf. You should know this."
"I do. But still..." Derf rattled again. "A guy like you can make other swords feel inadequate, you know?"
Emiya shrugged. "I am His blade. It's to be expected."
A moment of silence.
Emiya stood outside of La Rochelle, on the road leading to its depths. Since Louise had yet to arrive, he was waiting there until she did.
A few travelers glanced his way as they passed, but left him undisturbed as they went on their way. From their reactions, they were probably used to strange characters showing up around these parts, something expected considering La Rochelle's position as a port city.
Port City La Rochelle. From the name of it, Emiya had been expecting a sea bound port, with their transportation to Albion being a ship. Not having yet been able to look at a map, Emiya had assumed Albion was an island, and so they would be heading there through the sea.
Well, he hadn't been wrong about them taking a ship, but he was wrong about it being a seafaring vessel.
Albion, it turned out, was an island in the skies, kept afloat through magic. To get to said island, people took an airship, which was literally an airship made of wood and all, from La Rochelle.
As for the city itself, it was a defensible place made completely out of reinforced stone. Shaped not by human hands, but rather by magic, the city was essentially the mountain itself, restructured to suit human habitation. Practical, though Emiya wondered if it wasn't just 'Noble Pride' showing through.
Emiya stood outside of La Rochelle, on the road leading to its depths. Louise still hadn't arrived.
There was a stone overhang above the road leading within the city. Likely a strategic placement in case of invaders... or a means for the Nobles to quell any advancing mobs of commoners in times of turmoil without getting retaliation. It was the perfect place for an ambush, after all, be it with magic or arrows.
Derf's voice brought him out of his thoughts. "...Hey, Sword."
"Yes?"
Derf hesitated a bit. Odd, considering that it wasn't in steel's nature to hesitate. "You keep talking about 'Him' and being 'His' blade. Now, even a rusty hunk of steel like me can tell you don't mean an ordinary guy. Your maker... he wasn't an elf or a mage, was he?"
Emiya frowned. "Does it matter?"
"Not really." Derf paused. "But it's strange. I was made with Ancient Magic, but I can tell that you weren't, even if we're similar. And there's something about you, Sword, something that doesn't belong."
So he can tell.
"Of course." Emiya answered like it was a matter of fact. "I am His blade, the Sword of Akasha. I am the one that holds creation and destruction in equal regards, the Sword that severs reality itself to carve a new fate."
Derf stilled. "...Hey. You're kidding, right?"
"A sword makes no boasts."
Derf shuddered. "Then 'He' is... well, damn. No wonder Pinky summoned you as the Heard and not the Left Hand. If she had gotten you as that instead... here I thought you couldn't get any scarier, Sword. I'm surprised 'it' hasn't appeared yet."
Emiya tilted his head. "It?"
"Ah, don't worry about it. As long as you don't cross the World, 'it' should still sleep. Though even if 'it' woke up, you still might not have a problem if you're really 'that' sword."
'It'... is Derf talking about this World's Counter Guardians? Or perhaps a TYPE? If that was the case, Emiya might have to restrict himself to using only Noble Phantasms and deploying his Reality Marble internally.
Emiya grimaced. That would be a pain.
It wasn't that he was concerned about facing a TYPE. Emiya was sure that he could at least repel it should they come to blows, if not outright destroy it with His Magic. But even so, the collateral damage was something he would prefer to avoid. Rin had scolded him enough the last time he faced one.
Well, after she had gotten over the fact that he had managed to not only live through the encounter but destroy half its body before sending it back to its planet.
Anyway, he didn't want to risk an encounter with a TYPE. At least not until Louise mastered her abilities. As his Master, Emiya didn't doubt that she'd incur the wrath of the TYPE as well if it ever awoke and they were designated as a threat to the World.
Of course that depended on whether or not this world actually had an Ultimate One...
"Oi. Whatcha doin' there?"
A voice called out to him, and it wasn't Derf's.
Emiya turned towards it to see a group of men approaching from within the city. A ragtag gathering of bandits, thieves, and mercenaries. Their leader, a balding muscle-bound man wielding a large axe, was the one who had addressed him.
That man saw Derf and then gave Emiya a wide grin. "You 'ere for the job too?
Emiya contemplated his response, and then put a hand on Derf's hilt.
"...Tell me more about this 'job'."
It was an anticlimactic encounter. The group had been little more than hired thugs, and had begged for mercy within the first few seconds of their clash before telling him everything.
Emiya finished deconstructing the last of the bodies and leaned against the stone walls beneath the rocky overhangs, hidden in its shadows. Like he thought, this mission wasn't turning out as simple as it sounded when the Princess gave it to Louise.
Someone was trying to kill Louise. Granted, Emiya had already realized that considering the various incidents involving his Master back on campus. But this time was different. It seemed that she was being targeted simply because she was performing this particular mission, rather than another reason, like her potential magic or familial connections.
'Kill the girl with the griffon knight.' That was the job those people had taken.
It was a half-hearted assassination attempt, one that wouldn't have even posed the mildest threat considering they had been simple hired thugs without an ounce of magic.
Still, it was concerning.
Emiya would have thought that it would be known by now that he was Louise's protector. Not only that, but it should also be known that he was someone far above the capability of simple hired thugs, even if the princess or the headmaster had suppressed knowledge of him surpassing Karin in a duel from reaching the populace.
They shouldn't have bothered, or at least hired more competent men if they truly wanted Louise dead. Not only that, but the targets should have been the 'girl with the silver-haired man'. Everyone at the Academy had seen him with Louise, after all, and even if they noticed the two were missing, they shouldn't have realized who they left with.
And there was that keyword.
Knight.
It was too specific.
A betrayal?
No. it was possible that someone had seen Louise leave with Wardes this morning. It was also possible that someone recognized Wardes as a knight. It wasn't outside the realm of possibility, but even so...
It's suspicious.
It was too odd, too coincidental.
Was Wardes not as loyal as the princess thought? The man had been hostile to Emiya from the moment they met, so it was a possibility. And there was also that strange feeling that Emiya was getting from Wardes.
Still, he should be trustworthy-
Emiya froze. A foreign line of thought.
Why would Wardes be trustworthy? If anything, he was suspicious. The top candidate for hiring those thugs, as well as any future troubles that might occur.
But he's Louise's fiancé.
He wouldn't hurt Louise. Despite how hostile he was towards Emiya, Wardes seemed to genuinely care for Louise's well-being.
Emiya frowned. Naive.
That was delusional thinking. Irrational. It was highly likely that he just wanted to use Louise, either through her family connections or other reasons... and yet Emiya felt that he could trust Wardes.
Derf's voice cut through his thoughts and brought him back to the present situation. "You still going through with this, Sword?"
"I'm... not sure." Emiya's frown deepened. "Everything about this is wrong. There are too many suspicious coincidences, too many things I can't ignore."
And there was that strange disconnect he had on Wardes as well...
"Why don't you just take Pinky back home?" Derf shifted. "It's not like anything could stop you if you wanted to."
Emiya shook his head. "War is already on Tristain's doorsteps as it is. Even if we returned, she'd be in just as much danger as she is now, and without the experience. No... it's better to follow through on this mission, even if it's foolhardy."
Derf scoffed. "Just cut down their army by yourself if you're that worried, Sword! It won't take long, you know? Even against an army of mages, you'd easily win."
Emiya was silent.
Right. He could do that. It wouldn't be hard. In fact, that would be the most efficient thing to do.
A sword was meant to cut down the enemies before it. His enemies were anyone that would harm Louise, and that included the Albion Rebel Army.
Cut them down.
No hesitation. Running without stopping, cutting down every enemy, every obstacle before him in order to ensure those he protected were safe.
Even if they turned against him because of it.
That was how he existed. That was how he had always existed.
So that was what he should do.
Clear cut. Logical. Just eliminate the threat before it arrives. And from that point on, cut down all other threats that arrive. Leave nothing to chance, and keep her safe.
That was what Emiya should do, what he would do-
But something held him back. Not a compulsion. Not an instinct. Just... something.
Something was telling him to reject that. To go against his nature, or else he would regret it. That rushing recklessly into this affair would end in only regrets.
Regret?
What did that matter to a sword like him? He wasn't human, so that was fine. He could live with regrets. He did live with regrets.
Emiya turned towards the island in the sky, towards Albion. A single bound and a launched sword could land him there in no time at all. From that point on, he just had to systematically eradicate everyone there that opposed him.
Right. Like he had always done. Completely destroy all threats-
Disappointment. Fear. Rejection. Anger. Grief.
Why did you kill them?!
-A searing pain in his core, a gnawing feeling inside his chest.
Something was wrong. Something was wrong. Something was wrong.
There was something wrong, something here he was missing, something wrong here that he should realize, but didn't. Couldn't. A missing piece to a puzzle that was important, that was changing him, that he should know-!
A gust of wind, swiftly followed by the sounds of Louise berating Wardes.
Emiya looked up to greet them, all thoughts of the oddity scattered upon seeing them.
In doing so, he missed Derf speak, the ancient sword's voice muffled beneath the sounds of Louise and Wardes arriving.
"So that's how it is, huh?"
Wardes arranged for them to stay at the most ornate hotel in the city, a place named the Goddess's Temple. It was a place that stood completely apart from the rest of La Rochelle, carved completely out of polished marble.
Emiya didn't like it. The place was far too opulent, reeking of Noble pride. Of the clear separation between the hardworking common folk and those born to privileged.
Like those pretentious magi at the Clock Tower and how they had refused to let Rin get a workshop due to lacking connections and coming from a 'backwater country'.
...Louise seemed to enjoy the place though, so Emiya kept his opinion to himself.
Since they had arrived at La Rochelle far earlier than Wardes had anticipated, and because Louise was worn-out from the journey, they would be leaving for Albion first thing tomorrow morning rather than taking a ship later that evening.
For sleeping arrangements, Emiya would be staying in the room across from Louise, who would be sharing a room with Wardes.
He had considered protesting it, but in the end just left behind a small and discrete sword that allowed him to monitor the situation, as well as allowed him instant access to the room should the need arise. That, and the fact that Derf was going to be there to keep an eye on things was enough for him.
Louise had protested the Derf's inclusion in their sleeping arrangements, probably concerned about the sword speaking up at an unsuitable time or Wardes's reaction to a talking sword, but Emiya had remained steadfast about that decision.
In the end, Louise had to just deal with it, especially once Wardes agreed that Louise should get used to carrying a sword around due to her lack of control in magic.
Speaking of his Master, she was with Wardes at the moment, the two apparently having a private conversation to attend to. Something about their 'promised' status to each other. He hadn't detected any hostility or danger yet, so he was using the time allotted to him to explore the hotel more.
Eventually, he found himself in an ancient practice ground within the center of the hotel. It wasn't far from their rooms, but there, at least, he could be free from the opulent marble everywhere. A wide expanse of concrete, with debris scattered about. He found an unbroken barrel and sat down, taking a moment to sort through the recent events.
They were safe for now. While he didn't really like Wardes, he couldn't deny that Louise was safe with him (why did he think that?) as Wardes didn't want her harmed in any way.
He couldn't be certain, since he hadn't had an opportunity to use his 'eyes' to determine the truth. Not without risking suspicion on the knight's end, in any case, and that wasn't a gamble he was willing to take. Not yet.
There hadn't been any hostility or malevolence directed towards Louise, however, so that was fine for now. There was plenty towards him, but Emiya attributed that as the usual feelings of a man being overprotective of his fiancé. Irrational, but Emiya recognized the reasoning behind it.
Many a magus at the Clock Tower had felt the same with him spending so much time around Rin, though it was more a sense of delusional entitlement on their end rather than true affection or a promise.
"Ah. A promise..."
That reminded him. There had been a promise he made with Rin before he arrived here. Before he went to intercept the nuclear warhead.
What was it again?
The promise was the reason he had been there in the first place. He was sure of it. The reason he bothered stopping it was because of Rin.
Right?
Emiya frowned, remembered that he was 'missing' something. It was more than just forgetting, or not being able to remember his memories, now that he considered it. They were there, only jumbled up and out of order.
He remembered various incidents in and with the Clock Tower. He remembered Rin continually chastising him for setting off some arrogant magus or another. He remembered meeting Zelretch, as well as being tentatively included among the number of the True Sorcerers.
He remembered something about children, as well as protecting people. He remembered that those he protected pushed him away, and he remembered continuing to protect them from the shadows.
Sakura. Ayako. Rin.
Those three remained prominent in his memories.
Ilya and Archer... no. Herr Einzbern. The latter returning to a human body and trying to become a modern day hero with the former's support. Saving Ilya and reversing her modifications with Rin's help. He remembered that.
Years spent protecting them. Years spent volunteering. Years spent wandering the world.
Years blending into decades, into centuries. Those he cared for aging and fading as time was prone to do to humans.
In the end, the ones left had been-
Emiya felt a jerk in his memories before it continued.
What?
Who had been left behind? He couldn't remember that.
What happened next?
A promise. A promise with Rin...? Right. There was a promise. And then that bomb-
Wait.
A nuclear strike shouldn't have killed him. Something like that, even if reinforced with thaumaturgy, wouldn't have been enough to kill him. Only something that would destroy the planet, or at least an entire continent would have been capable of completely eradicating him, so something about that situation didn't fit.
He had thought that nuclear strike would have ended him. Would have been the end for him.
Why did he believe that?
"So this is where you wandered off to."
A cool voice brought him out of his thoughts. Wardes was standing against the archway leading inside the parade grounds, casually leaning against the marbled entrance. He sighed, and shook his head. "I would have thought Louise's familiar to be more diligent than this."
Emiya rose to his feet. "Where's Louise?"
"My dear fiancé is currently resting in our room, worn out from the day's travel."
"I see." A quick synchronization with the sword he left in the room confirmed that fact. "...And is there a reason you left her unprotected?"
It was foolhardy. Wardes couldn't have known that Emiya could be there in an instant, and Emiya doubted the knight had a similar capability. To that extent, it was reckless. Something a fiancé wouldn't risk. Shouldn't risk, especially considering the inherent danger of their mission.
Wardes smiled. "Is there a reason you did the same?"
A flicker of irritation.
Emiya suppressed it. "You were supposed to protect her."
"Indeed, I was. But it is a familiar's role to stand by their master, is it not?" Wardes straightened and started walking towards him. "Why aren't you there right now?"
The flicker of irritation turned into a small ember. "That's because-
Wardes interrupted him. "It's because you aren't suited to stand with my dear Louise, Emiya. You cannot protect her."
Emiya narrowed his eyes. "What are you trying to say, Viscount Wardes?"
Wardes held that same smile, and he drew his sword. "Let us duel. In it, I will show you the difference between you and I."
That ember of irritation turned into a flame, and Emiya projected a steel sword to meet Wardes's challenge. As he did so, a thought ran through his mind. "...You realize that you face the one who defeated the Heavy Wind, correct?"
Wardes continued to smile, an unchanging expression, and said, "Of course."
Arrogance. Pride. Ambition?
In the moments before the duel, Emiya managed to detect those emotions from Wardes, the motive behind initiating this duel.
A cutting wind snapped him out of his analysis.
Emiya snapped his arm up, batting the attack away with contempt. "Do you think so lightly of me, Wardes?"
The man kept smiling, that same irritating expression. "It wouldn't do to hurt my dear Louise's familiar, would it?"
That's it.
He was done playing around.
A difference in ability. A gap that couldn't be breached.
Emiya would show Wardes the difference between them.
He didn't bother with the steel sword, dissolving it back into the units of prana that created it.
Wardes cast another spell, slightly stronger. Still, it was far from the spells Karin had cast. Far from being able to harm him.
Emiya dashed through the attack, letting it pass over him, and reached his hand out to grab Wardes's neck-
What?
Something happened. In an instant, Wardes surpassed him in speed and agility and leapt clear across the room. Something that should be impossible.
Even Karin hadn't done so, and she was a living legend, a potential heroic spirit. One that was practically guaranteed a spot on the Throne after her death.
This man... Wardes wasn't of that level. Emiya was sure of it. He wasn't of that level, and yet he had moved as fast and as precisely as a Servant had-
"Stop!"
Emiya halted midstride and turned towards the entrance. Louise was standing there, arms crossed and eyes narrowed.
She looked between Emiya and Wardes and then scowled. "I've had enough of both of you! First you compete on the way here, and then you compete when we get to the hotel... just sit down and act like gentlemen already for Brimir's sake!"
Wardes smoothed his expression and bowed his head. "Apologies, my dear Louise. It won't happen again."
"...As you wish, Master."
He lowered his head to Louise as well, though he kept his eye on Wardes.
That wasn't a spell he used. I'm sure of it.
It was morning. There hadn't been anything to do after Emiya's duel between against Wardes, so they had all retired for the day in order to get some rest.
Now it was a new day, and they would leave for Albion when the first ship departed, around noon from what Wardes said yesterday.
Emiya clenched his hands. The thought of the knight... it irritated him. The fact that the knight had the gall to say Emiya wasn't fit to protect Louise, that he wasn't suited for the job...
Emiya let out a breath, purposefully releasing the tension in his body.
Relax.
It wasn't like him. Since meeting that knight, Emiya's judgment had become... lax. Decisions that should have been made, caution that should have been apparent. It had been missing, and that disturbed him.
He was different. Hesitant. Doubtful.
It wasn't like him. He was a Sword, even if he had the form of a human. Even when he had been with those he cared for, he had never been this clouded, this deluded.
Was it Louise? Did the bond between them have something to do with it?
...No. It couldn't be. His Magic Resistance was too high for his mind to be subverted by a simple familiar bond. But if not that, then what?
There was a knock at his door. "Emiya? Are you awake?"
"Yes, Master. I'm awake."
The door opened, and Louise appeared. She looked at Emiya, and then crossed her arms. "Why do you keep calling me Master? It's Louise!"
Emiya gave her a wry smile. "Master is Master, and as your Servant I shall call you as such."
Louise sighed. "...Are you still mad at me going on this mission?"
"...I wouldn't say that I'm mad," Emiya said. "But Master, this mission cannot end well. And that Viscount Wardes..." He trailed off and then looked at Louise in the eye. "How well do you know him, Master? Truly?"
"Oh, is that it?" Louise crossed her arms. "Are you jealous, now? Is that why you won't call me by my name?"
Emiya frowned. "Is something wrong, Master?"
Louise stared at him for a moment, and then sighed. "No. It's nothing."
She stared at him for a while longer, and then spun on her heel and walked out the door. "Just... come down when you're ready, Emiya."
The door closed, leaving Emiya alone with his thoughts.
Teenage girls... I suppose I still can't understand them. Emiya sighed and headed towards the door after Louise.
She was nowhere in sight when he exited the room. Instead, he came across a familiar face.
"Ah, Kirche?"
The red-headed girl blinked, and then gave him a broad smile. "Emiya, darling! What a coincidence meeting you here!"
She made a show of peering around him and said, "We were all wondering where you and Valliere vanished the other day. Could it be..." She sidled close to him and smirked. "Did you two sneak out to have a private rendezvous here in the Goddess's Temple? Ooh, how daring! And with Lady Karin at the academy as well..."
Emiya sighed. "No, Kirche. I did not sneak out here to have a 'rendezvous' with my Master. There were certain... events that needed to be resolved away from the academy."
"Oho, has there been a falling out between the two of you? To use my name for once and refer to Valliere in such a formal way-"
Emiya cut her off before she could go on a tangent. "Rather, why are you here, Miss Zerbst? Are you seeking an airship back to your home country?"
Kirche frowned. "Fine, change the subject. But no, I'm not here to return to Germania, despite all of the thick-headed Tristanians insisting I do so back at the academy. To tell the truth-"
"Zerbst! We got a lead on Miss Longueville-"
Kirche was interrupted by the arrival of a blonde boy vaguely familiar to Emiya, who was trailed by a petite girl with blue-green hair and a staff too large for her.
Whatever the boy was going to say was cut off by that petite girl reaching out with her staff to hook his shirt and pull him back. "Guiche, danger." Her eyes were on Emiya as she spoke, eyes that he could tell were used to scanning for danger and other hazards.
Kirche sighed. "Tabitha, dear, I know Gramont is annoying but you don't have to choke him to death."
Tabitha gave a curt nod, and then let Guiche go, the blonde stumbling forward and rubbing his throat. She didn't let him off with just that though, giving the blonde a sharp glare.
Emiya had been silent through their brief exchange, but decided then to ask about why Kirche and the others were there.
He turned towards Kirche and raised an eyebrow. "Miss Longueville?"
"...And that's why we're here."
Emiya nodded after Kirche finished telling their story.
It appeared that the blonde, Guiche Gramont, had seen the identity of the thief that broke into the Academy's vault. After reporting it to the headmaster, he had volunteered to chase after her, vowing upon his pride as a Noble.
Kirche and Tabitha conveniently happened to be passing by at the time to report on other affairs, and also volunteered for the mission. Kirche mostly because of the inherent adventure and Tabitha because Kirche was going along.
They had managed to follow the thief's movements to La Rochelle, and Guiche had just learned that a person matching the thief had been seen heading for Albion, which brought the events back to the present.
"I see," Emiya said. "How reckless of you all."
It was a foolhardy course of action for the three, something that only the young who thought they were immortal, who hadn't realized the dangers of war and battle could follow. While Emiya had no doubt that the three were talented and had the potential to become excellent mages, the only one in their group with actual experience appeared to be Tabitha.
The one who responded to his remark was Guiche. "Reckless?" The blonde shook his head, his hand thoughtfully twirling the bronze rose that acted as his wand. "...Perhaps. But even if I am not as capable an earth mage as you, Sir Emiya, I also have my convictions."
It was an oddly mature statement to come from the blonde... though perhaps he had realized something during the events at the academy to make him think so. It might just be a start, but Guiche seemed to have a bit of steel in him.
Emiya sighed. "Do as you want. It isn't my responsibility to protect you."
He turned around, intending to find Louise. He'd wasted enough time satisfying his curiosity. She'll probably be mad that I took so long-
DANGER.
A sudden feeling, thought, emotion cut through his core. So unexpected it was that Emiya stumbled for a step.
SAVE HER.
His chest was burning, burning, burning like something was stabbing through his heart.
NOW!
"Darling? What's the matter?"
Static.
K****e came into his field of vision.
Enemy? No. Not an enemy. Where's the enemy?
Danger. She was in danger. There was danger and he wasn't there to protect her!
"Kirche. Stairs."
Stairs. She had gone ahead of him, down the stairs to meet with that-
insufferablearrogantincompetent
-knight that called himself her fiancé.
He moved.
A shadow emerged from the stairs to intercept him. An obstacle.
CUT IT DOWN.
Drawing a sword was too wasteful. Time was scarce, and he couldn't afford the delay in selecting a sword among the many he held to use in this situation-
His body is made out of swords
-so he didn't.
Emiya lashed out with his arms, limbs that had become twisted and deadly shards of steel.
"What in Brimir's name-? Darling, you-"
"Turning the body into steel...? I'd known you were a high-class mage, Sir Emiya, but to think that-"
K****e and G****e were talking. Irrelevant.
He moved forward. There were more shadows in his way.
Slash. Tear. Rip.
No hesitation, unlike before.
A SWORD. He didn't need to hesitate. He couldn't.
He ran out into the lobby, having descended the stairs at a breakneck pace.
More shadows were before him, barring his way. She was nowhere to be seen, but she was still in DANGER.
The shadows moved, and he finally realized the nature of the obstacles in his way.
Corrupted souls, empowered with magic that granted power similar to those of Servants. The individuals that inhabited those bodies were long gone, having been overwritten to accommodate the power now coursing through them.
That cutting sensation of urgency, of DANGER filled him again, and his chest felt like it was melting away from heat.
"I don't HAVE TIME TO WASTE ON YOU!"
The fake Servants raised their weapons. A lance, a sword, an axe. Blades and arms of all kinds were aimed at him, fake Noble Phantasms preparing to be activated.
He grit his teeth.
HURRY.
An impulse. Cut them down. She was in danger.
The strongest sword he knew. He didn't have time to waste, so-
USE IT.
-he reached for the ORIGIN of His powers and-
Blazing flames followed by a volley of wickedly sharp icicles filled the lobby and knocked the fake Servants down, killing those that didn't have at least C-ranked Magic Resistance.
"Hah...hah... Emiya, darling. Tell us before you run off like that next time, alright?"
A young woman with red-hair appeared on his side.
"Dangerous to go alone. Even for you."
A petite girl with blue-green hair.
That snapped Emiya out of his trance.
"Kirche? Tabitha?"
"Hah... don't... forget me!"
Emiya turned around to see Guiche stumble into the lobby from the stairs. At the same time, the doors to the hotel burst open to reveal more of those fake Servants.
"Emiya, darling," Kirche said. "Shouldn't you be somewhere else right now?"
Emiya hesitated.
Even if they were 'fakes', those Servants had similar capabilities to the real things. If he just left them behind to go to Louise, they'd die.
Hold on... why does that matter?
Emiya shook his head. Louise. She was his first priority, so instead of debating whether or not to leave this to them, he should hurry up and go protect her.
The decision was taken out of his hands when the fake Servants rushed into the lobby, aiming towards the three by his side.
He stepped forward to meet them-
"Go, Sir Emiya!"
-but they were intercepted by a small ensemble of bronze valkyries, created by Guiche.
The resistance was negligible, but it allowed enough time for Kirche and Tabitha to cut the rest down with their spells.
"...Don't die."
Kirche laughed. "Don't worry, darling, we'll take care of them for you. Now go and protect Valliere already!"
He gave them a curt nod and then sent a sword outside. An instant later, he had left them behind.
Not once regretting, he stands there alone...
Outside was pure chaos. Blood ran through the streets as those fake Servants cut down any and all living things in their path.
Emiya ignored it, focusing on the connection between him and Louise.
Where is she?
He couldn't see her. Was she dead? No. That wasn't possible. The bond between them was still there, if weak. So where was she?
A flash of lightning in the distance, near the harbor for the airships. Honing in on that scene with reinforced eyes, Emiya saw Wardes fighting off a group of fake Servants. An unconscious Louise was slung over his shoulder, Derflinger held in her hands with a death grip.
PROTECT HER.
His mind was scoured white by that impulse, and the next thing he knew he was standing in front of Wardes, tearing apart the fake Servants with a thrown pair of Kanshou and Bakuya (Huh? Why did I choose these swords...?), clearing a path through them.
If Wardes was surprised, he didn't show it. "To the airship!"
Emiya nodded and took a step forward towards the remaining fake Servants. "I'll clear the way." He gave Wardes a single backwards glance. "Protect her with your life, Wardes. If any further harm comes to my Master, I'll sacrifice you to save her."
With that said, he turned back towards the fake Servants and rushed into combat, missing the dark expression that crossed Wardes's face.
After clearing out the rest of the fake Servants, boarding the airship and setting sail towards Albion went off without any trouble.
There weren't any hidden enemies on board, nor were there any hidden bounded fields or enchantments that could harm them.
Emiya was worried. In his entire existence, nothing had ever gone that smoothly.
Wardes had gone to discuss their situation with the captain, leaving Emiya alone with Louise in a cabin room.
Scanning Louise's body while she rested on a bed, Emiya said, "That arrogant fool... just how could he let Louise get like this?"
It looked like she had tried projection again. The damage wasn't as bad as last time, and there wasn't much Emiya had to fix, but the fact that she still tried bothered him.
"She shouldn't have had to fight," he muttered. "What happened, Derf?"
The other Sword was leaning against the wall next to Louise, both keeping an eye on the door and keeping them company.
"Well, Sword, that guy said he wanted to see Louise's magic. Insisted on it, actually."
Something clicked in Emiya's head. All the oddities that had been occurring throughout this trip, the reason why he kept thinking of Wardes as 'trustworthy' even though he was anything but.
"What are you planning to do, Sword? He's your Master's enemy, right?"
"...I'll play along for now. He'll tip his hand soon enough."
Yes, Wardes was nearing his 'end game' for this mission. Emiya could see it already.
And when Wardes did, nothing would save him.
Louise was asleep. Fatigue had finally caught up to her.
She had to wake up. She had to prove that she could protect herself, that she was worthy of being by 'his' side.
She wouldn't fail. She couldn't fail.
But she was asleep. The fatigue was too great, and even willpower couldn't bring her back to the waking world.
So Louise slept. And as Louise slept, she dreamed.
Louise dreamed of an endless crimson sky on the verge of dusk. A deep red, streaked with hues of violet and twinkling lights far above...
"It's pretty, isn't it?"
A soft voice, with a tone tinged in nostalgia and... sorrow?
Louise frowned, a fact that caused her frown to deepen when she realized that she had frowned. "Who are you?"
It was a woman. One with an elegant air, raven-colored hair, and intelligent eyes of the deepest aquamarine. She was wearing a crimson coat, and stared up into that brilliant sky. When Louise spoke, she turned her gaze downwards and looked at Louise, a wry smile on her face.
"I'm... a memory. Something that doesn't belong in this time anymore and something that shouldn't exist."
Louise blinked. "...Huh?"
A wide smile on the woman's face. With that, she said, "I'm glad, you know? After all these years, after all he's done, he finally has someone who can see him for who he really is instead of who he was."
She shook her head. "Ah, I'm rambling again... the thought of that idiot always could send me off on a tangent."
A wistful smile. The woman stared off into the distance, into that endless horizon as if waiting for something to appear.
Needless to say, Louise was confused. Still, she managed to piece together what the woman said. "Wait. Are you talking about Emiya?"
The woman was silent, and then started walking away. "Look after Shirou for me, won't you? I didn't go through all of that effort to get him by your side for nothing."
"Wait-! Hey, get back here!"
Louise chased after the woman, pursuing that fast retreating silhouette. But the woman was too fast, and the crimson world faded to black as Louise returned to consciousness.
Even so, the remnants of that dream remained, along with a few words.
"His heart is made of glass...?"
"Hm? Master? Are you awake?"
Louise blinked. She was lying on a bed, and Emiya was sitting on a chair next to it, keeping an eye on her.
"Shirou...? What are you doing here?" Louise paused, realizing what she just said. Shirou...? No. His name is Emiya, not Shirou. Well, it's 'Emiya Shirou', but his name is Emiya, right?
"Master...? Just now, what did you call me?"
She sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Nothing, Emiya. I was just..." Louise yawned. "...Half-asleep."
She turned towards him, but froze when she saw the unnervingly intense gaze he was giving her.
"W-What?! I get people's names wrong occasionally, okay!?"
Emiya nodded and gave her a slight smile. "Right, right. Even Master can get things wrong."
"H-Hey! What are you smiling about?!"
A throbbing in her chest at the sight of that expression.
Emiya shook his head. "Nothing, nothing."
"So what makes you think that the prince is in this 'Westwood', Wardes?"
The airship had arrived in Albion shortly after Louise woke up, and Wardes had immediately set off towards the forests and a place he called 'Westwood'.
"Our spy told us that a wounded young man had been seen there shortly after Reconquista succeeded against the Royalists. If all goes well, our mission should come to an end shortly."
Emiya frowned. "If your 'spy' could find out this information, couldn't the rebels? Who's to say that the prince isn't dead?"
Louise rounded on him. "Emiya! Don't say that!"
"Master. I'm being realistic. What one party in war knows, another can easily find out, especially if the information regards their territory." Emiya turned his attention back to Wardes. "Just how credible is this 'spy' of yours? And why are you so certain the prince is still there?"
Wardes gave him a cool smile. "Let's just say our spy is very good at their job."
"Is that so?"
"Emiya..." Louise warned.
Emiya patted Louise's head. "Relax, Master. If that's what your dear fiancé believes, I'll indulge him."
She spluttered and then brushed his hand away. "Emiya! You-"
Wardes grabbed Louise's shoulder. "Quiet. There's someone here."
Emiya suppressed the irritation that bubbled up at Wardes being close to Louise, and looked around at the wyverns surrounding them, hidden above in the trees, as well as the one hiding his identity before them.
...Wyverns, huh? Well, that explains why the rebels haven't found him.
"Leave. There's nothing for you in these woods."
The speaker was a young man with short blonde hair and a silver mask obscuring his face.
Wardes drew his sword-wand, raising it against the young man. "We are on a mission that depends on us reaching Westwood. If you are to stand in our path..."
The young man waved his left hand and the wyverns revealed themselves.
"...This is your second warning. There shall not be a third."
Emiya moved closer to Louise and readied a sword in his mind. The objective is to just find the prince, right? In that case...
"Wait!"
Before he could act, Louise stepped forward, a ring in her hands. "We've been sent by Princess Henrietta to bring the Prince Wales back to Tristain!"
Emiya sighed. "Master. It isn't the smartest idea to reveal our objective out of the blue. What if he's part of the rebel faction?"
Louise shook her head, taking another step towards the young man.
"He's not." She turned towards the young man, a determined look in her eyes. "Am I right, Prince Wales?"
A tense moment.
Emiya glanced at Wardes, and saw him lower his sword, albeit reluctantly.
"...Ah, I suppose there's no fooling you, is there, Louise?"
The young man sighed and took off his mask, revealing a regal face. "You always were too perceptive and smart for your own good."
Wales led them through the forest, leaving the wyverns behind, and to a small house in the middle of the woods.
There were children playing outside, and a pair of women watching them. One was green-haired and also vaguely familiar to Emiya, but the other was new.
She was young, green-eyed, and with a body that Emiya knew would 'charm' any man who came across her. That, coupled with a kind face hidden beneath an almost too large silk hat would leave any man smitten. That Emiya could objectively state.
She also wasn't human.
Wales called out to them. "Tiffania, Matilda. I'm back."
At his voice, the women looked up to greet him. The blonde gave them all a bright smile, pure and completely devoid of any sense of malice or fear.
The green-haired woman, however, stiffened and got to her feet immediately upon seeing them. "Come on children, let's go play inside for a bit while the grown ups talk." She turned towards the blonde and said, "I'll keep an eye on them, Tiffa. Go... help him greet our guests."
With those words, she ushered the children inside the house.
The blonde woman, who appeared to be called Tiffania, frowned and then turned towards Wales, a questioning look in her eyes.
Wales sighed and took a seat on a nearby stump to explain the situation.
Through it all, Emiya was taking a look around.
It was a scenic setting. A house in the middle of the woods, children frolicking about. The atmosphere was serene, peaceful. In fact, it was almost... nostalgic, reminding Emiya of earlier times when-
He blinked as he felt a faint tendril of... something brush against him. What?
It wasn't malevolent, but surprising nonetheless. Something similar to a bounded field, and yet not quite. More like... lingering sentiment in the land? No, it wasn't from the land, but rather... from the young woman?
Emiya turned his attention back to her, and realized what it was. Ah... that's rare. It seemed that the young woman that wasn't quite a human had quite the attunement to the world around them, which was causing odd bits of spontaneous magic, for lack of a better word.
"...I can't leave this place, Louise."
"Why not?! The princess... Henrietta needs you, Prince Wales!"
The sound of Louise raising her voice brought Emiya back to the situation at hand.
Wales shook his head, a sad smile on his face. "I am a dead man, Louise. And should word get out that Tiffania had housed me... I do not wish to inflict such hardships upon such a pure soul. No, it's better for the world to think I am dead."
Normally, Emiya would have left it at that and dragged Louise away. The mission was complete. They had found Wales, and reporting his death fulfilled the objective. But-
It's better for me to stay out of their lives, Archer.
-a fragment of a memory surfaced at Wales's words, and Emiya couldn't leave it be.
"You can't hide forever, Prince. War is coming, and here within the enemy's land you'll be bringing more danger upon them than by leaving."
Wales sighed. "That may be so... but even then, I won't leave." He turned towards Tiffania, and then the house. "...They need me."
Tiffania lowered her head and bit her lips. "Wales... you can go with them. I... someone you love is waiting for you to return. I can't be selfish and keep you here if-"
Wales shook his head and gave her a smile. "I told you already, Tiffa, I won't leave you."
Louise sighed. "Prince Wales... you won't change your mind?"
His response was to hand Louise a ring, similar to the one given by the princess, but with a slightly different colored gemstone that was more violet than the blue gemstone in the ring given by the princess.
"...Fine. Don't come back. But you have to promise! When the war's over... when it's safe, you have to see Princess Henrietta! Promise!"
Wales smiled. "Of course. I promise."
Louise gave him a curt nod. "Alright... fine. Fine. Emiya, Wardes. Let's-"
A flash of gray, and a flash of silver to meet it.
"-go...? Wardes?! What are you doing?!"
Emiya stood in front of Wales, blocking Wardes, who had rushed in towards him.
"Tiffa, get back!"
Emiya took a brief glance back and saw that the prince and Tiffania had retreated a far distance back.
He turned his attention back to Wardes. "...My Master has already concluded the mission, Wardes. Why are you persisting on trying to persuade the prince?"
The gray-haired knight gave a lop-sided smile in response. "Our mission is to bring back the prince no matter the circumstances. Tristain will erupt in the flames of war if he doesn't appear before the princess."
"...Louise. Stay back."
"What? Emiya-"
"I said- STAY BACK!"
He shoved her to the side, just as Wardes rushed towards her, hands outstretched.
Wardes stepped back when Emiya intercepted him and said, "Hmph. I know all about you, 'Emiya Shirou'. Don't think that a few Noble Phantasms will let you beat me."
Emiya straightened. "...How do you know that name? Did Louise tell you?"
"Oh, I know much more than your name, Emiya Shirou. I know all about you. You and the Holy Grail War... I know everything."
"...Is that so?"
Emiya scanned through the techniques he could use. A single blow, one that wasn't too lethal. He needed to find out just how much Wardes knew...
-Vorpal Strike. An ultra high-speed thrust with a long reach.
That would do. He shifted his stance, taking a step back, and drew forth a nameless Noble Phantasm, holding it close to his shoulder.
"Then you should know that you're outmatched."
Emiya surged forward, attacking with a thrust that rivalled a Noble Phantasm's activation-
"What?"
-and was blocked.
"Install, Berserker."
Emiya saw a black card appear for a brief moment, and then Wardes's sword was cloaked in shadows and his clothes were stained black and red. With impossible strength, he pushed Emiya's sword to the side, and then surpassed his attack with one of his own, the black blade reaching out towards Emiya's neck.
Emiya's sword met the blackened blade, and a shockwave spread throughout the forest clearing.
Emiya narrowed his eyes. He's fast...
"What's wrong, Emiya?" Wardes grinned, a malevolent expression twisted with madness. "Shocked that you've met your match in this world?"
He advanced, the blackened sword sweeping out in blinding attacks.
Emiya was quiet, blocking each blow and analyzing the situation.
He's strong and quick, but his precision is lacking now. It seems that whatever he used gives him the attributes of a Servant, like those others back in the hotel, but none of the skill. Raw power.
Emiya grimaced as he parried another of Wardes's attacks.
Even so, raw power is deadly in the right hands, and he still hasn't used any magic yet.
Louise was behind him. He couldn't afford to let Wardes shift targets, but he also couldn't afford to change weapons. It might take no time at all to draw forth another sword from his world, but the moment he did would be enough for Wardes to act.
He also didn't have the opening to use any of his skills as pressed as he was. Sword skills wouldn't work here, and his weapon couldn't stand up to the higher level abilities he knew.
...No. That wasn't the reason why he was holding back.
He caught Louise's troubled expression off to the side.
Ah, that's why.
His Master loved Wardes. Even if he was like this, Louise still loved him, still felt that Wardes was important. Subconsciously, Emiya was holding back because of that.
If he killed Wardes, would Louise hate him? Would she resent him for it?
The thought wouldn't have even come into mind if it was the him before he was summoned, but it seemed that spending time with Louise had affected him more than he thought.
Wardes stepped back, the distance opening up between the two for the first time in countless blows. "Hmph. If you aren't going to fight me seriously, Emiya Shirou, then I'll just end you."
He lunged, a predictable thrust towards Emiya's heart. Being so predictable, Emiya reflexively swung his sword up to parry it, not bothering to avoid the blow.
When he noticed the black lightning crackling on the blade, it was too late.
Demonic lightning cut through his chest.
It was only a moment. After pushing Louise away, Emiya had rushed towards Wardes and the two clashed in a furious steel gale.
She hesitated, her heart still undecided.
She loved Wardes, but she couldn't be without Emiya.
...Did she love Wardes? After that dream, Louise wasn't sure. But he had been the first to accept her, to want her instead of just tolerate her.
But she couldn't be without Emiya. The one who was so broken as to be like a golem, to be so accustomed to violence it had become second-nature... he was like a drawn sword that had gone through so many battles. One that would break if there wasn't someone nearby to maintain it, to watch over it.
She hesitated.
If she called out to one of them, they would pause. Of that she was sure. Doing so would allow the other the chance to kill the one opposing him.
Emiya or Wardes. Who did she want to live, and who could she not live without?
She hesitated, and the choice was taken away from her.
A spear of pitch black lightning pierced through Emiya's chest.
No.
He staggered back, an expression of shock on his usually calm face.
No!
Blood dripped from a gaping hole in his chest, a wound that had torn right through his heart. A wound that was, without a doubt, lethal.
NO!
Louise's mind ground to a halt.
That was a fatal wound. Emiya couldn't survive from that. Even the most skilled water mage couldn't heal a destroyed heart.
Emiya, who had sworn to protect her, was dying. The Emiya that she thought was invincible was dying.
She had taken it for granted. Emiya was so strong. Strong enough to beat even Karin. So she didn't think that he would ever get hurt. That someone could beat him.
No. She wasn't wrong. Emiya had been holding back. He hadn't used his other swords, or even that rain of steel that he had done against Karin.
She saw his expression. His gaze only on her, an apologetic smile.
It was because of her. Because she was indecisive, Emiya held back. He noticed. He noticed how she was troubled by the fight. Even if Wardes was a traitor, she had still loved him.
Emiya, the selfless person he was, had decided not to kill him because of that. Because he cared about Louise, he hadn't given his all, and that led to the impossible situation in front of her.
Emiya was dying, and Wardes had killed him.
A void opened in her heart, a gnawing emptiness that tore at her chest, as if she was the one who had been hurt.
Unforgiveable.
She was an idiot. A blind idiot.
She loved Wardes? Ridiculous. She might have felt something for him, but it was more like an infatuation. Even if he was her fiance, she still hadn't made up her mind.
The reason for that was the silver-haired idiot. The selfless dummy that did selfish things for her sake.
And now it was too late. Because she was so indecisive, because she hesitated, Emiya was dying. No, with that wound, he was as good as dead.
Time ground to a halt.
It didn't matter anymore. Worthless. Because she was so worthless, this had occured. Because she was such a pathetic girl, an indecisive wretch, she had lost the only person who ever believed in her. Who truly believed in her, unlike Cattleya who cared, but didn't understand.
Before she realized what she was doing, Derflinger was in her hands.
"Eh...? Pinky, what are you doing?"
It didn't matter anymore. Nothing mattered anymore.
Worthless.
She was worthless.
This life was worthless.
Wardes was worthless.
-That's right.
Wardes had killed Emiya. That guy was the reason Emiya wouldn't be with her anymore.
"O-oi!" Derf rattled in her hands. "Pinky! If you let loose with that spell, this entire island's going to disappear!"
Louise took a step forward. "So?"
Wardes had turned around, a wicked smile on his face. "Yes! Louise, that power... you've awakened to it!"
Irritating. That voice of his was irksome. That face of his was irksome. Everything about that man was irksome.
Worthless. Pathetic.
Erase him.
Derf shuddered, as if the blade was convulsing in pain. "Pinky- Louise! Stop!"
She raised her sword, Derflinger sucking in everything around her. Light, air, sound. The very colors seemed to bleed away as her vision turned to black and white-
Crimson dyed the ground before her as Wardes fell to the ground, and she found herself wrapped in firm arms.
"Man... you're just as troublesome as Rin was, Master."
A voice broke through the void of sound, reaching the ears that shouldn't have been able to hear anything.
It's a lie.
He couldn't be alive. That wound was fatal, and Emiya couldn't even breathe, let alone be there in front of her.
"Relax, Louise. I'm here. I won't leave you."
Color gradually returned to Louise.
"...You promise?"
"I promise."
The void in her chest faded, and feeling returned to her numb body.
"...Idiot."
"Yeah, I know."
Emiya patted her head. "Everything's alright. Now... rest, alright? We'll decide what to do after you wake up."
Louise shook her head. "But I'm not ti...red..."
She saw Emiya give her a relaxed smile, one that was different from his usual one in a way that she couldn't quite place...
Ah. That's it.
She realized why.
His expression that had been so mechanical for once looked... human.
That was the last thought Louise had before her world faded into black.
A/N: This chapter was... difficult. Even after continually reworking it, the thing still doesn't match up to what I envisioned. Still, this story's been sitting for far too long without progress, so for the sake of the creative well not becoming stale from disuse, I'm leaving it as is. There are probably parts that don't fit or seem odd, and there might be mistakes in there, but it'll just have to stay like that for the time being while I keep the steam engine rolling.
Thanks for reading, and I hope you gained at least some amount of enjoyment from the chapter.
As for review replies, er... I'll start answering them again this chapter onward.