Chapter 42: Battle Of Helsinki Harbour
(Day 10 Of the Grail War)
Midnight, the earliest minutes of the 10th Day. While the others slept, Aasaa did not. He pored over historical articles on Genghis Khan, trying to find a way to defeat him. Hours passed since their mission failed, and now the creeping doubts and fears had full reign. Simo Häyhä's death reminded them of how inadequately prepared they were. Frustrated, he crushed one article into a ball and threw it across the room. Its content, yet another tale of his exploits and conquests, all but confirmed Genghis Khan could not be hurt. He snatched a different article from his desk, one on the failed Mongolian invasion of Japan.
The article worried him. It made him wonder if a naval invasion could happen. Kublai Khan, one of the successors of Genghis Khan, tried twice with a fleet of ships, only to be stopped by typhoons. He recalled how Genghis Khan turned away from the shore after defeating Simo Häyhä. He would return for sure, with a fleet and lay siege to the shores of Suomenlinna. The realization made him slam the table with a balled fist, as his tired yet panicked eyes scanned the words for a possible weakness. He could not find any, which only fed the bonfires of dread in him.
"Master." Hou Yi entered his room.
"Yes Hou Yi?"
"Helsinki Harbour burns." Hou Yi shuffled his feet, collecting himself. "Genghis Khan is raising a navy."
Studying Helsinki Harbour from Suomenlinna's shore with his binoculars, Aasaa felt a churning sensation of dread. Smoke and fire were visible. Genghis Khan must have attacked to take control of the ships.
"This won't do. We must go there to investigate." Aasaa motioned Hou Yi to bring him there in a projected boat.
They did not approach Helsinki Harbour unharmed, for arrows pelted their position once they were in range. Hou Yi surveyed the area, and detected 23 Mongolian ships, already assembled and battle ready, built by Genghis Khan's Item Creation using salvaged materials from the wrecked harbour. Aasaa applied Reinforcement to his trench-coat, as he took cover behind Hou Yi who readied his Noble Phantasm.
"Piercer Of The Nine Suns." Hou Yi sent 9 golden arrows soaring towards the nearest ships. They tore into their hulls in a burst of gold and sent them sinking into the icy depths below. Hou Yi's onslaught bought them a window to reach the harbour.
Now on the harbour, they could see the devastation first hand. Hundreds of Mongolian warriors demolished and disassembled buildings and ships to use for material. The law enforcement fought a losing battle to stop them, as Mongolian warriors attacked indiscriminately with civilians caught in the crossfire. Fire and smoke all around, he caught a whiff of the oil from destroyed ships coating the waters. The carnage before him drove him to action.
Projecting swords, he attacked the nearest enemies, while Hou Yi fired arrows from behind. Their coordination was sloppy at best, as an arrow from Hou Yi almost caught Aasaa's thigh while he fought from the front.
"Master, get out of the way, I'm firing." Hou Yi fired another shot at 3 attackers, though it missed Aasaa by a disconcertingly short distance.
"No, you just need to be careful." Aasaa drove his sword into the skull of a Mongolian warrior, causing him to clatter to the ground and fade to mana.
Aasaa drove ahead, projecting a barrage of swords, each one set to kill the dozens arriving to challenge him. The swords cut into them, as Aasaa slashed a Mongolian cavalryman across the chest, causing him to collapse. Caught in the thick of battle, Aasaa did not notice Hou Yi's arrow fire near him. He barely avoided the golden explosion which sent him flying several metres before he crunched on the cold ground. Wincing, he gestured accusingly at Hou Yi, who insisted he intended to aim at a group of warriors. Their quarrel did not run its course, not because either party decided to be the better man, but due to the arrival of Kublai Khan, Genghis Khan's naval expert.
"Brave warriors, you have brought low my first wave." He pointed at Aasaa and Hou Yi. "If you continue to persist, I will crush you." He blew a war-horn and called for troops.
Aasaa turned to the shore, only to see 6 ships setting sail for Suomenlinna, ready to attack before the Sun dawned. He brought his sword up and threatened to kill Kublai Khan for attacking innocents. Kublai Khan merely twirled his beard and declared, "the Finnish people have the resources we need. We have the right to take what we please as long as we fight for it."
A golden blast caught Kublai Khan, courtesy of Hou Yi who could not contain his displeasure at the ruthlessness of his foe. He declared Kublai Khan's mindset to be despicable and unleashed another salvo. The General did not flinch, and created a swirling tornado to tear apart their position. The sweeping winds forced Aasaa and Hou Yi to retreat, as it sheared buildings, sending fragments of rubble flying through the air at high speeds, each one as deadly as a bullet. Dodging and ducking, they escaped in the chaos.
Hou Yi and Aasaa's feet pounded with rapid steps as they speed along the jetty and boarded one of the Mongolian ships still preparing to set off. They killed the guards on board, and took control of it.
"Is this your plan? To fight the 6 other ships?" Hou Yi shot dead several warriors as he spoke.
"Yes, I'm commandeering this vessel." Aasaa lunged at the captain and brought him down with a forceful stab.
They set off, before Kublai Khan and the others on the shore could stop them. Now gaining on the earlier ships, Hou Yi shot them down with his Noble Phantasm, sentencing all their foes to the frigid waters. Aasaa watched them drown, his eyes gleaming with bitterness. He found it justified, as Genghis Khan killed Simo Häyhä in a similar way. He wondered if he became crueller as a result of the war, though he dismissed it as the Mongolian warriors were only targets for following the irredeemable Genghis Khan.
They reached Suomenlinna to find Shirou and Rin waiting for them. Aasaa explained to his concerned parents what had happened, only to receive an earful for rushing off on his own. Admittedly, his actions were too hasty, and they could have got him killed. He shrugged before mentioning that Genghis Khan planned a massive naval invasion.
Aasaa took a rest before formulating a strategy to retake the harbour. Now late morning, he spent the better part of the day rehearsing coordinated combat with Hou Yi, after their sub-par performance. Target dummies were spread out across the room, retrieved from the Vault. Aasaa practised parrying and attacking, defending Hou Yi's position, while his Servant launched arrows to provide support for his Master. Aasaa also trained himself in battlefield awareness, keeping track of both the enemies and his Servant behind him, so he did not wander into the line of fire.
Rin oversaw the training with Gordafarid, who decided to interrupt Aasaa's training with a proposal. The Lancer entered the training area, and asked them to take a break, before showing Aasaa her scimitar. She wanted him to project his own version of it, so he could gain the ability to fight multiple foes better by harnessing the power of her Noble Phantasm, A Lion Eager For Battle.
Aasaa's Projection of Gordafarid's scimitar now rested in his grip. He practised with the weapon, getting accustomed to its weight. His new weapon represented the fight against insurmountable odds, used by Gordafarid to hold off a hopelessly large army in her time. He found it eerie in the present context, as Genghis Khan's army loomed ever closer. Thee training concluded after he and Hou Yi mastered their coordinated attack, the two of them now fighting together seamlessly, covering for each other's shortfalls.
Nightfall of the 10th Day. More Mongolian ships gathered at Helsinki Harbour, constructed at supernatural speeds. Aasaa activated his plan to retake the harbour, realizing the possibility of another invasion. Everyone boarded the hijacked ship from yesterday, and set off. Their foes had a numerical advantage, though Hou Yi's firepower far outstripped theirs, and Aasaa planned to use it. He gripped his copy of Gordafarid's scimitar as they approached the harbour, its metal grip grew cold in his hands as the temperature dipped.
Hou Yi opened once again with his Noble Phantasm, crushing the nearby ships. This time, the Mongolian warriors deployed early cannons, sending iron projectiles at them. For now, they were safe, as Hou Yi out-ranged them, and all the attacks missed. Hou Yi taunted them as his arrows sent ships sinking, until a clean hit from a Mongolian cannon tore a hole in their ship and wiped the smile from his face. The projectile came above the water-level, though it wrecked the interior of the ship, where the Masters were sitting
Inside, Shirou held his palm forward, his shield Rho Aias summoned to project everyone inside. The cannonball headed straight for them, and would have killed, if not for his split-second defence. Aasaa realized they could have all died. He turned to Shiori, who let out an outburst of fear as the cannon barrage rocked the ship. She clasped her hands around her ears, shaking her head and insisted they turn back to Suomenlinna. The cannonball would have struck her, if not for Shirou's Rho Aias. Misa tried to help her up, though Shiori screamed upon being touched, hysterical from nearly dying. Florence Nightingale got up, knowing what she needed to do. She joined Hou Yi on the deck and activated her Noble Phantasm.
"Nightingale Pledge." She raised her lamp to call forth all its power. This time she added a line to enhance its potency. "I Will Abstain From Whatever Is Deleterious And Mischievous."
The blue figure emerged from her position, towering above the waves. It brought its massive sword down upon Helsinki Harbour, ceasing all hostilities at once. Now, they could reach the shore safely.
"Come on, couldn't you have let me fire a few more arrows first?" Hou Yi lowered his bow.
"Our Masters were nearly killed you buffoon."
Hou Yi made another irritating comment, causing Florence Nightingale regret activating her Noble Phantasm to cancel violence, as she now wanted to throttle him.
Now on the harbour, Florence Nightingale's Noble Phantasm faded, and they began their attack. Hou Yi invited her to join in the battle, though she insisted she remain behind to protect Shiori, still trembling in fear.
Aasaa knelt before her as she let out a series of scattered mumbles and whispered to herself, eyes closed. She had never come this close to death during the Grail War until now.
"Shiori, I..." He found himself unable to continue. Shiori's panic state meant she needed protection.
"Let me go!" She shouted. "I want to go away from here, away from this Grail War."
Aasaa tried to comfort her, taking glances at the battlefield behind him. So far, their allies provided enough cover. His efforts were futile, and Shiori told him to leave her alone. "I'm sorry, but I have to go and fight now. Florence, please, take care of her." He looked at Florence Nightingale, who shielded her from the battle, and carried her away.
Mongolian warriors rushed out at them. This time, Aasaa waited for Hou Yi to blast them to shreds before he greeted the survivors with Gordafarid's scimitar. Gordafarid and Rin attacked elsewhere, making their way towards Kublai Khan, while Shirou and Misa, both close-ranged fighters, cut through the army.
"A Lion Eager For Battle." Aasaa activated his version of the Noble Phantasm. It did not grant the same power as Gordafarid though he could feel himself gaining strength as more foes engaged him. He prevailed against all odds against 10 warriors who made the ill-advised decision to surround him. With a sweeping cut, he beheaded them all, before charging ahead to kill another group. Constant support from Hou Yi's arrows made way for him. Each golden arrow sent his enemies flying. The combined attack overran the Mongolian warrior's hold out, and Kublai Khan emerged to face them. He barrelled into Aasaa, and knocked him off his feet. With Aasaa now on the ground, he slammed his sword down on him, forcing Aasaa to block the impact with his scimitar. Kublai Khan drove the weapon downwards, bringing his sword closer to Aasaa when Hou Yi shot him and sent him flying into a building. He crashed and tumbled into a collapse of bricks.
"Hou Yi, destroy every last ship. I will kill him." Aasaa brandished his weapon and approached Kublai Khan. His Servant nodded and found a vantage point, wishing him the best of luck.
Kublai Khan rose from the debris, incensed by his foes' actions. "I will take your pitiful island." He rallied his men, and an army descended upon Aasaa, the lone Lion Eager For Battle. His scimitar empowered him, and he faced them, slashing them down, before projecting swords, and driving them into his foes. He rushed ahead, and killed another warrior, before turning around to project two swords to kill warriors sneaking up on him. Freeing his scimitar from the dead warrior, he bashed the helmet of another warrior, dazing him before he cut him down.
Aasaa fought with his soul, each foe he sent dead bringing him closer to avenge Simo Häyhä, Hannes and Don Quixote. He would have continued to chop down the Mongolian warriors if not for Kublai Khan summoning winds to blast him back.
"These are the winds ruined my invasions. Twice, my fleet fell to typhoons, or what you would call Divine Winds. They were my greatest failure in life, but now they are my strength!"
Aasaa got to his feet, scimitar covered in blood, and yet beneath it, it still glimmered, remaining flawless despite the number of attacks he performed with it. It was untarnished by the battle. He wiped off the blood, and entered a defensive pose. "For all your empire's power, you still had to bow to forces beyond your control, and we will never fall to your control."
Kublai Khan created a swirling typhoon centred on him. He stood, safe in the eye of the storm while he walked forward, his winds ripping apart anything around him. Aasaa retreated after several failed attempts to stop him with gemstones. Kublai Khan prevented his escape by picking him up with the winds and slamming him into the ground. The scimitar clattered out of his grip, and Aasaa lay defeated, heaving in agony.
Kublai Khan brought his sword to Aasaa's neck, vowing to kill his allies next.
"Beware the mark of the Golden Crow! Piercer Of Nine Suns." A voice called out from the rooftop of a nearby building.
A stream of golden light blasted away Kublai Khan's typhoon. He took a step back, dodging arrows that stabbed the ground, kicking clouds of dust with shattering bursts of energy. Hou Yi leaped into the air, and shot Kublai Khan, aiming for his chest. He raised his sword to block the arrow, only for the arrow to smash through his weapon and hit him. It struck true, and he received a hole in his chest, the gaping wound smoking with heat. He stumbled over, taking one last look at the battlefield. Nearly all his ships had been destroyed, and most of his forces were defeated. In the face of crushing defeat, Kublai Khan fell over and faded into mana.
Aasaa returned to the fortress to find Florence Nightingale and Shiori waiting for them inside. The two of them left the battle early to return to the fortress for Shiori's safety.
He gave the door to Shiori's room a few gentle knocks. According to Florence Nightingale, she suffered from trauma after the cannonfire almost blasted her to pieces, and closed herself off. No response came from the door, and agonizing thoughts sprouted in him. He opened the door slowly to find Shiori sitting on her bed, staring blankly.
"Shiori, just now...at the ship...I-"
"I can't do this. It almost killed me."
Aasaa stepped towards her, attempting to console her. His hands held on to a cup of coffee.
"Don't get any closer. I know you want to convince me or motivate me. Then, I'll find myself out there fighting again."
The words broke Aasaa's momentum, his planned words of comfort dying before they even left his lips. Shiori looked at him, a timid civilian compared to a fully-fledged magus. They were at the opposite ends of the spectrum, and yet somehow both found themselves expected to fight in the Grail War. She could not compare.
"Only half of our original team remains. We're no closer to stopping Genghis Khan." Shiori hugged herself, fearing the next loss.
"We killed his navy." Aasaa knew those words would do nothing. Deep down, he knew Genghis Khan's threat still loomed, and they only bought themselves some time.
"I don't want to keep running from him. Our teammates die one by one to buy the rest time to run. I don't want to die here in a hole in the ground cowering for my life." Shiori sounded on the brink of tears, as she avoided Aaasa.
He tried once more, even though something told him they would not succeed. That never stopped him anyway, he could never truly abandon something he found worth fighting for, and he made restoring hope to Shiori his greatest priority. Shiori's further refusals dug into his chest like knives, and he relented.
"If you were a hero, you would have sent me to safety." Shiori had curled into a ball, bringing her head to her knees, her final statement said without even looking at him.