Previously:
It was covered from head to toe in thickened bone. The bone looked exactly like Kiritsugu's armor, only white instead of black. The creature held a long flat bone in the shape of a kite shield in the right hand and a long sword in the right.
The thing looked Kiritsugu over then said in perfect English, "Hello Father. It's been some time."
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"WHAAAAAAT?" The entire clan screamed in unison
The young Kiritsugu could feel something akin to bloodlust filling the air around him. Yet, he was too shocked to care. He had a child? When? Somehow, he knew he had to flee if he wanted to survived for long. Yet, he could not help but watch the scene before him. He had to watch, had to see. He needed to know, to understand. Why? Why did that...that thing look so familiar?
Kiritsugu-jiji scratched the back of his head with his one good arm. "You know, I don't actually recall ever seeing you. Not to mention, your mother sealed my memory of her after the deal was made."
It nodded once understanding. Mother had seen his potential and wanted it for herself. It was her nature, her very existence that dictated her actions. She, who had lived for several millennia, was a careful creature.
"Actually," Kiritsugu said, "I've always wondered, where are the others? There should have been at least a dozen of you."
If it showed it's mouth, it would have smiled, "I killed them. Such is our way."
Kiritsugu's head lowered slightly. "You killed them. Your brothers and sisters. Every last one of them." He shook his head, "I expected better of you...my daughter."
"Deny me, hate me, despise me. I care not father." She said proudly. "I am her greatest child, and I will prove it to the world."
"All of this." Kiritsugu said spreading out his hands, "All this death, the countless lives you killed and added to your body, to prove your strength?"
"Not that this isn't touching," A third voice interrupted their discussion, "But I have plans for this girl." Shuzen Gyokuro broke in as she dashed for the White knight. Yet, as soon as she neared her target, the white knight pirouetted evading the attack and back handed the vampire with her shield. Said vampire was sent flying several dozen feet from the force of the blow.
"You've been learning." Kiritsugu stated.
"Mother said you would be the best in be the best, over your dead corpse."She said fiercely
Both of them went into their stances. Kiritsugu held his sword horizontal to the ground over his head, while she held hers at an angle. The two stood there, watching, waiting for an opportunity. The wind blew gently by them causing bits of cloth to flutter in the breeze. Kiritsugu shifted his weight just slightly, signaling the attack. White charge black swinging her sword low, only to be blocked by his shield. Kiritisugu was pushed back a foot from the impact, but remained standing. He swung high, only to be blocked by her shield. He could feel his arm shake from the strength she held. Really, she was just like her mother.
Again and again the two clashed with the occasional backhand to the vampire who clearly did not know her place. Again and again Kiritsugu was pushed back just a bit. He could not push her forward, and was always repelled back. To counter this, Kiritsugu kept circling the area as they smashed swords and shields. To an observer, it was clear that the girl had only a basic grasp of swordsmanship. Her swings were too wide, her stance was sloppy. Yet, she more than made up for it with inhuman strength and speed. Skill is, after all, only needed to make up for weaknesses. Herakles hadn't needed skill to fight when he was already impossibly fast and strong to begin with.
"Tired father?" I expected better of you.
"I'm ninety years old now, what do you want from me?" He retorted. She flinched from that, allowing him to nick her helmet.
"How?" She asked uncaring for the blow. "You should only be eighteen."
"Said the child in an adult's body." Kiritsugu countered.
Again and again they clashed, but it seemed that the girl had lost something to her style. Ninety, a ninety year old man. Had her mother mated with an old man? No, he had been but a boy, separated from the herd, forced to mate lest mother kill his unconscious twin. So how was he ninety? She couldn't say he was lying, she could see how he had aged through the broken helmet. She had fed upon enough humans to know how they aged.
So, if he was old, would this undo her victory. A younger man would have vindicated her win, but time...time would be the counter to her win today. She knew older men were slower, weaker than young ones. Could she call herself the strongest now?
Unconsciously, these thoughts were slowing her, weakening her. Had she been focused, she would have seen him pull somethings out of his belt. She focused instantly when something shiny flew in front of her face. She brought her shield up instinctively as the jewel exploded.
She didn't see the dagger pierce her shield.
"Burst." Kiritsugu said simply unleashing the prana stored within the Azoth dagger. Not just any Azoth dagger, but Reiko's. Again Kiritsugu regretted using a family heirloom he had been entrusted with, but it had to be done. He would destroy It, and redeem himself. He heard her scream in agony as her armor cracked and chipped from the power stored in the dagger over the course of decades. Her shield shattered into hundreds of pieces and her sword fell from her hand.
Kiritsugu drew back his left arm and slammed his shield into her shattering her armor and sending her flying. For a moment...she looked like a developed teenager in the full bloom of woman hood. Long red hair and green eyes like her father, then she changed. Her body turned into a pale blue, her legs fused into a red-brown snake tail, her ears became pointed, and two horns arose and curved around the front of her head and were almost touching. The horns looked almost like a circlet on her head.
Oh, and she was suddenly the size and development of a five year old.
Kiritsugu looked at his ruined right hand. If he was careful, he could hold the sword with his two good fingers and the stub of his thumb, but not much else. His swordsmanship had been sealed forever with the blow. He picked up his discarded sword 'Honor' and walked over to the unconscious girl.
He held his sword point over her, watching, waiting.
She stirred, then opened her eyes. Her eyes narrowed, then relaxed. The bared her throat and said, "Finish it."
Kiritsugu snorted, "So like me to the end. Will you tell me your name?"
"I have none." She stated flatly. "Mother would not give one to a failure like me."
"Failure?" Kiritsugu asked.
She nodded once, "Yes, laugh. I was the runt. Yet..I killed the rest. What does that say?"
"You needed a better parent." Kiritsugu stated. He raised the sword up a bit and looked her over. "Hmm, red, red, red. So much red, yet clashed with blue. Like the dawn of morning or the hour of twilight."
She looked at him quietly as he mused.
"Dawn? No, to simple, uninspired. Jasmine? Jade? Ruby? No, no, no. Ah, why not? Aurora. Your name is Aurora."
She inhaled, " Aurora huh? Why not?"
He raised his sword up and swung it.
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A young Kiritisugu fell to the ground holding his head as sealed memories flowed through him.
He remembered.
Five years ago, he had been on a trip to Greece. He and Arika had been hiking with their family when it had happened. A landslide, loose earth beneath their feet had given way and sent them tumbling. They had, unfortunately been a bit behind the others as they had stopped to gather a few flowers. They had only been a hundred feet from the others when the ground gave way and they fell. Rolling and tumbling, Kiritsugu had been, shamefully, protected by Arika as they fell. She hit her head, and was knocked unconscious. They had fallen into a cave. A cave that had been there since ancient times. Kiritsugu had dragged his sister inside to protect her, but it was a trap.
Rocks sealed them in trapping them in with those...things. Hybrid creatures that were a mix of dogs and snakes. Kiritsugu had been afraid, but knew his duty. Protect the family, guard the weak. Was it luck that there was a rusty sword there or had it been a test?
Didn't matter, he grabbed it and fought. Though a child, he was decent with a blade, and determined to the core. He fought, he killed, he won. End of story.
Or it should have been...
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Ciel picked herself up after being mauled by the vampire. She had watched as the Knight fought the monster. To think that it was his own daughter. No wonder why he fought like he did. It was his sin, his mistake to watched impassively as he held a sword over her preparing to kill her. The wind was blowing, loose snow billowed and collected behind him.
Wait...
That's not snow.
She watched as the black knight swung his sword as the 'snow' turned into the white armor. Sword met sword, and she was truly lost.
Xxxx
Young Kiritsugu remembered.
"Well done child." A seductive voice said.
Kiritsugu held his rusty blood splatter sword ready. His eyes shifting through the darkness.
"I must admit, I am surprised." the voice continued. "My children are not weak, yet a child kills them all. Dear me, you're not a demigod are you? They make lousy lovers"
"I am Emiya Kiritsugu, son of Emiya Shirou and Arturia Pendragon. Come if you will, fight if you dare."
"hehehehe, spirited aren't you? Yet, son of Arturia Pendragon? Dear me, what a lineage." The voice said amused. "Well now, son of the King of Knights, what brings you to my home and killing my children?"
"ah, um." Kiritsugu was taken aback by this, but responded, "We fell, my sister and I. We just...ended up here."
"Ended up here hmm...may hap the Fates led you here." There was a shifting, a slithering and shuffling. "Indeed, I have never met the child of an Epic Spirit and a human before, and a magi at that if this feeling is right." There was a long pause as something shifted in the dark. Whoever this voice was, she was clearly thinking. "By the smell, you've met the Gorgon recently. Humans always seem to think I birthed her, but that is not true. Hmm, yet I also smell others, old beings of my time. A Dead Apostle, Primate Fury, why...even little Gilgy. How is that scamp?"
Kiritsugu nearly chocked at that, but answered, "Gilgamesh? He is well."
"Gilgamesh...so I was right. What a particular thing to find in this boring age. You know some interesting people child." The voice was getting closer. "How extraordinary to find such a catch this day and age. It almost makes me feel young again."
Kiritsugu heard something growl behind him
"Still, I don't wish for weak ones. Prove to me child. Prove that you are worthy and I shall reward you."
Kiritsugu faced the growling. He could see three eyes reflecting thew miniscule light in the dark; and teeth.
Lots and lots of teeth
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Kiritsugu-jiji felt his sword slip from his hands as he faced It. His daughter was never his target, it was the armor.
Where she had found it he didn't want to know. Didn't care to know. He would destroy it today.
"No more," Kiritsugu declared as he slammed his shield into the armor sending it back. "No more shall you take what is mine. No more shall you steal what is mine." Again and again he smashed his shield into the armor. "No more shall you touch her. No more shall you manipulate her."
Kiritsugu brought his foot up and kicked it as hard as he could with a Reinforced body and Mana Burst. "No more!" He hadn't wanted to kill his daughter, but then, she never told him until the fatal blow last time. Last time, she had been silent, fully under the thrall of the armor. Not this time. Not this time!
For the first time since this battle began, Kiritsugu fought with hot rage. For the first time, the world witnessed the fury of Emiya Kiritsugu. No longer was he tired, no longer was he in pain. He fought with the mindless fury of a Berserker with speed and strength to fight against the most powerful of them. Again and again he assaulted the cursed armor smashing it with his shield and pummeling it with jewels and fists. Yet, every time he shipped it, every time he bashed it, it healed the damage.
Good thing he wasn't planning on finishing it.
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Ciel watched as he smashed the unholy object towards her. She could feel it. This...thing was the result of the search for immortality. A creature made by a magi to live forever. A most forbidden thing, and Ciel's specialty to destroy.
"Lets go Seven." She said.
"Haiyo." Her gun replied. She dashed forward gun at the ready. Just before she hit it, the Knight grabbed the armor and held it before her.
"Haaaaaaah." Ciel yelled as she slammed her gun into it, the unicorn's horn slamming into the armor while bullets flew into it. She knew what it would cost the knight, and he clearly did too. The bullets and the horn shattered the armor, and smashed into the unarmored chest of the knight.
She would give him credit though, he made no sound as her attacks pierced him. Instead, he focused on holding the enemy down while she finished it off. As the armor faded, she stopped attacking lest she kill the man outright. For the first time, she saw him face to face, and was stunned. He was old, very old. Not her level of old, but there was something in his eyes that spoke of countless battles and horrors he had fought. Something that seemed to demand respect for her.
He turned form her, something that stunned her completely and headed back to the little lamia, or whatever she was. There was power coming from that girl. More than any normal snake woman had. The snake girl watched with something in her eyes. Horror? Fear? Sadness? The man walked forward, heedless of the blood trailing down his chest. He went down on his knees and...
Hugged Her?
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The creature was about the size of a lion, and for a thirteen year old Kiritsugu, that was an almost unbeatable enemy. Words cannot describe the hideous creature. It was like a platypus, a panther, and a bulldog had been mixed together then colored bark blue. Yet, he had fought tooth and nail, and finally killed it.
Panting, Kiritsugu dropped his sword. He was so tired, and he was bleeding out. Yet he still stood protectively over his twin. He would die before he left her side.
"Well done child. It seems I was right. You are interesting." the voice complemented him.
"Show yourself." Kiritsugu demanded as he bent down to reach the sword.
"Gladly." The voice answered. She came forth, a creature so powerful that even Kiritsugu could sense it and feel weak. This thing, this monster was old, ancient. Yet, she was beautiful. Her top was that of a woman, no not just a woman, but the most beautiful woman in the world. Her bottom half, however, was that of a large green snake.
"Lamia." Kiritsugu whispered in fear. A snake woman.
"Hardly child. I am no more a lamia that you are an ape. I have been known many names over my life. Cihuacoatl, Nuwa, Wadjet. But what I am most known as is Echidna."
"The mother of monsters." Kiritsugu said fearfully. There was no way he could face a drakaina, a female dragon and live. She, the wife of a god and the one who gave birth to dozens of famous monsters was an impossible enemy to beat. She was so old at this point she was no longer considered a monster. She was a phantasm race.
He was going to die.
"Well well, strong and smart. Yes, you will do nicely." Echidna said "The newest of my children have been so weak lately. There's hope for you yet child." She slithered up to him. "Tell me child, if you have but one wish, what would it be?"
"Leave my sister alone." Kiritsugu said simply.
She blinked for a moment, then smiled. "That is not a wish, that is a demand." Her tail shot forward and wrapped around him instantly. "I will not repeat myself."
"Leave my sister alone."
Her tail tightens, his bones creak in response. "Now now, how can I test you if I don't know your wish." The tail tightens some more. "Very well, let's say she is not here, then what would your wish be?"
The child glares at her, refusing to respond. In response, she tightens more until a gasp of pain comes out of his mouth. Yet, he does not cry, he does not whimper or beg. He glares at her, daring her to continue.
"My my," The mother of monsters says in amusement. "It seems I have found the rarest of men this day." With that, she loosens her grip, and her eyes flash. "What is your deepest wish."
Kiritsugu's eyes glaze over and speaks in monotone "To be a black knight,"
Her eyes widen. Never before has she heard of such a wish. "And what, pray tell, is a black knight?"
"A freeman. One who will not bind himself to anyone or any cause. One who helps those he wishes and fights who he wishes." Kiritsugu said in monotone.
"So you want freedom." She said contemplating the wish. "Most interesting. Men wish for power, for greed and vices, yet you want freedom, the ultimate luxury." She smiles even wider. "I think I like you. Yes, you are interesting. You are stronger than the men of this time. You are determined for your goals, and you are greedier than any man I have ever met."
She pulls him up til their faces almost touch. "I think you will do nicely." She releases him form her eyes, yet tightens her tail. "You will give me strong children I think."
Kiritsugu does not struggle, does not flinch, he only responds with one thing while glaring at her. "Leave my sister alone."
"Very well." She acquiesces. Such a paltry wish is easily granted.
What happens next can only be described as riding on a rickety boat during a storm. She does not make it pleasant, she does not make it feel good. She is relentless and unyielding. Finally, after who knows how much time, she releases him to collapse in a heap. "I think I'll give you one more gift for your efforts child. I expect a dozen children after this dalliance" She lifts his head up until he stares into her eyes. "Forget."
His eyes glaze over one more time, then he collapses.
Kiritsugu wakes up from his seizure remembering it all. After that, he had woken up and found his clothes torn to shreds. The cave entrance had been cleared. They were soon found, and the whole thing was forgotten, lost to the sands of time.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Shuzen was bored. The monster she had hoped to recruit was but a child, a powerful child, but not one worth recruiting right now. She turned to her two surviving subdivision leaders. "Gather what forces we have. We're leaving." It was clear that the compass was long gone by now, if it was even stolen. This had been a large setback for her organization, but it was meaningless in the end. As long as she had her daughter and the child of Ayakashi, Alucard would be freed soon enough.
Ciel walked forward with her last Knight and looked on at the dying man and his child. "Tell the men to pull back. There's nothing for us here." The knight nodded once and headed for the troops on the hills. She continued to walk up to the father and daughter. "You need to put her down." Ciel said. "She is a threat to humanity."
"She is my daughter." Kiritsugu said calmly. "Over my dead body."
Ciel sighed, somehow, she knew it would turn out like this. She drew a black key. "Don't think less of me, but it's my job."
"Over my dead body." Kiritsugu said putting his shield around his daughter. Ciel could hear the child begging him not to do this. It seemed that the monster still had a bit of a heart left. May hap she didn't hate her father. But still...she had a job to do.
She advanced slowly, watching for him to strike her, but he did not move other than to put his body in the way. She raised the back key.
Rider had seen enough. Before, it had been the fight of a warrior looking for a good death. But this, this was nothing more than a father protecting his half breed daughter.
She would not have another suffer as she had suffered. The air shimmered and Rider dawned her trademark leather outfit and nail weapon in an instant. She took her nail and rammed it into her neck. A seal of blood formed in front of her summoning Pegasus. Rider leaped onto it's back. With a mighty explosion, the phantasm beast burst from the garage.
Altrouge turned off the TV for the first time in weeks, (it had been her turn to have her way with Shirou). She uttered one word. "Come." With a massive explosion, Primate Murder burst into the room. Swift as lightning, She hopped on top of the Dead Apostle. "Go." she ordered. Primate took off light lightning. There was no way she would miss the opportunity to meet the child of Echidna. Besides, she wanted to hold her first grandchild in her arms.
"Omega Protocol Deactivated." The plane responded. Haru turned to Arctemis whom he had bound and gagged to prevent suicide. "Feel like flying?" Haru asked. He watched as she nodded fiercely. She had watched with rapt attention as he defeated his daughter and held her. If she could not save him, then she would save his daughter. That much she could do. As soon as he cut her loose, Artemis ran to the controls and quickly had the plane heading back at red-line speeds. They would be late, but maybe, just maybe, they could save the girl.
Chisame bit her lip till it bled as the satellites were almost in firing range. It would be a difficult shot, but she would not let her brother's sacrifice be in vain. She would save her niece if she could not save her brother. She still owed Kiritsugu too much to let him go down this easy. She still thought of all the new ways he had taught her how to hack and a few propaganda techniques from the future. She looked over at the clock.
Twenty minutes until firing range.
She saw the black key rise up and bit her lip harder. This would be the longest twenty minutes of her life, with the possible exception of her stupid midget teacher's training.
A younger Kiritsugu turned to see his Kaa-san and Tou-san standing over him. "We need to talk they said."
"Yes," Kiritsugu said, "We do."
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"No father," Aurora cried thrashing her tail trying to break loose from his death grip. "Stop.' She was crying. She didn't figure that she would , but she was. Maybe, maybe if she had killed him she wouldn't be sad, but not this. He deserved a clean death, not being pierced a hundred times in the back. Yet, he refused to move, refused to leave her exposed. His body was a shield as strong as Aegis or Rho Aias. Nothing harmed her regardless of where he was struck.
Over his dead body he had said, over his dead body it would be.
"I never hated you." Kiritsugu whispered. "I never resented you." "Don't please don't" She begged. Losers were killed and eaten. That is the way of nature. Why? Why was he doing this? He should hate her, see her as an abomination.
"I do not love anyone as much as you." Kiritsugu continued. "If I must die to protect you, I do so gladly."
"Please..." She begged. He was the winner, he should not have to bear this pain.
"Never forget," He whispered, "You are my daughter. You are my light in the dark and the bearer of my dreams."
"No, no..." She could hear his heartbeat speed up right before it would stop.
"I am proud to be your father." Kiritsugu told her.
She could hear it, his heart had finally given out.
"Live." He whispered as the light left his eyes. Yet, his body refused to fall, refused to relent. Even in death his body fulfilled it's oath and duty. Even in death it still protected her.
"I am sorry." Ciel said, "But you are a threat to mankind." She swung her black Key again cleaving his right arm off. Yet, the left one still held the shield relentlessly.
It was only on instinct that forced Ciel to dodge the laser blast. "What the?"
In the Emiya Mansion, Chisame, Karin, and Matsu were calculating the next shot. "Ready?" Matsu asked. "Fire" Karin screamed. "Firing" Chisame said coldly, "Recharge in three seconds"
Ciel dodged a second laser blast which was even closer than the first. "Where is that coming fro-" She had to dodge a third laser blast lest she get cleaved in two. She was pushed back by the blasts time and time again. She was sure that someone was giving the two support, but where?
She didn't have time for that as there were three streaks coming over the horizon. Two were flying through the air at such speeds that the clouds parted in their path. On the ground, a third streak bashed mountains aside from the force.
One of the streaks turned out to be a black plane with red wings. That one fired twin linked machine guns at her sending her further back. Not that she would have gone forward with what stood before her. Altrouge Brunestud , the former Ninth Dead Apostle on top of Primate Fury. In addition, the legendary Gorgon was astride the Legendary Pegasus.
"Um," Ciel asked nervously as two of the most powerful members of the Emiya clan stood in her way, "What's going on?"