Chapter 49: The Golden Crow Soars
(Day 13 of the 6th Grail War)
Shirou stood before the Greater Grail. There it was, the artefact that caused so much death and destruction. It destroyed his former life in the 4th Grail War. It set him on a collision course with fate in the 5th Grail War. Now, it caused Helsinki to fall to ruin in the 6th Grail War.
The other magi gathered around, to examine it. The mana of 5 Servants now resided within. Shirou discussed with the magi, and found out that the restrictions on the Holy Grail could be restored once the mana inside is depleted. To achieve this, the current Grail War must first end, and the wish used by the victor. Only then would the Holy Grail be stable enough to be restricted.
On the other side of the room, a magus raised an accusing hand at Misa. "I recognize you now! You are the one who killed Lord El-Melloi The Second. As a member of that house, I will slay you where you stand."
Rin placed herself between Misa and the magus."Misa Sajyou is under investigation at the moment. You cannot touch her until a verdict is given."
"What's there to decide? She killed someone, and must die.".
Misa knelt before him apologizing once again for being involved in Lord El-Melloi The Second's death. Rin sensed mana building up on the magus' fist. Not at all intimidated, she held her ground. "There's a whole list of mitigating factors to be considered, so hold off your judgement until then." Rin's mana filled the surrounding air as she stared down the magus.
The magus relented. He could not continue arguing with Rin, the head of the Tohsaka Family. Her Family owned numerous magical patents in the Clocktower among other things.
Rin turned to Misa, helping her dry her tears. "The guilt of what you did has never left you."
"No, it has not. I don't think I will be the same again. Where do I go from here?" Misa said, between breaths as she calmed down.
"You will almost certainly be ruled innocent. Sircolia manipulated you from a young age, and you had no idea. Furthermore, you played a key role in this Grail War." As Misa calmed down, Rin decided to tell her one last important factor. "You are the last living member of his inner circle. You can help us identify the suspects, and distinguish between the guilty and those forced into his service."
Misa agreed with Rin, who then offered to be there for her after the Grail War, seeing she would be alone. With eyes filled with tears of joy, she embraced Rin and Rin embraced her. At that moment, the bond between them sealed. Shirou found them, and smiled at their loving embrace, heart welling with empathy for Misa, and a thought came to his mind. A crazy one, though they could make it work. Before he could dwell on it further, the news of an imminent attack arrived.
"Everyone, the Mongolians have returned to the church. They are trying to breach our forcefield sealing the entrance to the catacombs," a magus ran in to alert the others.
"We have a battle to fight," Shirou said.
"We'll take them," Misa said, grabbing her sword.
Shirou and Misa fought as melee fighters against the Mongolian assault group. They were led by Chagatai Khan, second son of Genghis Khan.
Shirou cut down a Mongolian horseman with Kanshou, while Bakuya kept his weapon at bay. A Mongolian archer aimed for him when Misa cleaved him in two, sending him dissipating into mana.
The other magi repelled the rest of the Mongolian warriors. Shirou threw his weapons at two of his enemies, killing them both. A third rushed at him, thinking him weaponless. Shirou projected another set of Kanshou and Bakuya, slashing the surprised warrior across the chest.
Chagatai's scimitar clanged against Misa's sword. Chagati unleashed a burst of wind from his scimitar, blowing Misa away. She tumbled to the ground, her sword clattering out of her hands.
"Gandr," Rin said, appearing from behind. Chagatai sustained damage from the orbs, though he regained his balance and went for her. Shirou got in the way and parried his attack, defending Rin while she threw a blinding gemstone. Misa returned, slamming her sword into Chagatai's chest, throwing him off his horse.
A war-horn sounded behind them. Ogedei Khan, the second Great Khan, third son of Genghis Khan, had arrived with another wave.
The horn filled Chagatai with new energy. He got up, ready to resume fighting.
A Finnish division entered the battlefield. "Remember, target those with the armour and horses. The others are friendly," the commander instructed. The arrival of the Finnish soldiers turned the tables, as their gunfire pierced the armour of the warriors. Many warriors faded into mana, and Ogedei had to step in. He blew his war-horn, creating ghostly horses and bulls that charged at the Finnish soldiers, running them over and trampling them. He had summoned a stampede.
Misa engaged Chagatai again, slamming the pommel into Chagatai's scimitar. He unleashed another wind blast, only to be slashed by Shirou from behind. Rin used Gandr again, aiming for his hand. She disarmed him, and Misa finished him with a forceful thrust, running him through with her sword.
"There is nothing you can do to stop us. We will be victorious." Ogedei unleashed another stampede, crushing dozens of Finnish soldiers in its wake. The ghostly animals kicked up the dust and when it settled, broken and bleeding bodies remained.
"We have to stop him," Misa said, turning to Rin and Shirou for leadership.
"Rin, use Caladbolg to run him through. I will block the stampede with Rho Aias. Misa, engage him in your light form."
Misa found a safe spot, under protection from another magus, she summoned her light form. Her real body fell unconscious.
Rin used a freezing gemstone to freeze Ogedei's arm, before using Gandr to draw his attention. He blew his war-horn, summoning his ghostly stampede.
"Rho Aias!"
Shirou's shield blocked the stampede, routing the animals away from him. Misa rushed past the animals, in light form, and slashed Ogedei. He drew his scimitar and engaged her. Misa was forced on the defensive, as Ogedei proved to be a skilled fighter. She parried a sideways cut, followed by an uppercut. She brought her sword down on his uppercut, unleashing a shower of sparks. Rin leaped over Shirou and his Rho Aias, and drove Caladbolg into Ogedei's exposed back, killing him.
Safe in the catacombs again, Misa sat down with Rin and Shirou, discussing more about her situation. Their conversation drifted to deeper topics, about family and their life in Fuyuki.
(Day 13 of the 6th Grail War)
Aasaa and Shiori's group rested for several hours a few blocks away from a recent battlefield they had returned from. They had aided the Finnish Army in breaking the Mongolian forces in the area. The helmet of another defeated General lay on the ground, fading slowly into mana. As the Sun dipped below the horizon. Nightfall of the 13th Day. Hou Yi got up, beckoning the others to rejoin the fight. As he did, an arrow found his back.
"Shhh. Hold still, Genghis Khan is on his way." Qasar stood before them, atop a white horse. His orange cape fluttered in the wind as he drew his bow again.
Hou Yi fell over, clutching his chest. Bright red blood spurted out from it.
Shiori saw the spurting of bright red blood and diagnosed instantly. "One of his arteries has been hit. He needs aid immediately."
"I will use my Nightingale Pledge."
"No save it. I will occupy him," Aasaa said. "If Genghis Khan is coming we need that for later."
Two swords materialized in Aasaa's hands. He reinforced his clothes and sprinted towards Qasar.
Qasar responded with the logical action for a person with a ranged weapon. He retreated, maintaining the distance between him and Aasaa. Aasaa found himself unable to continue pursuing him. An arrow found his leg, piercing through the reinforced clothing.
Aasaa projected more swords, launching them at Qasar. Realizing Aasaa had a ranged attack, Qasar called his fellow warriors to swarm Aasaa's position.
Hou Yi was back on his feet. He gripped his bow tightly, eyes glinting with fervour. He was not going to sit this battle out.
"The God Of Archery almost killed by an arrow? is this some cruel joke?" Hou Yi shouted to Qasar, who responded by aiming for Aasaa. Aasaa was fending off Mongolian warriors with his swords.
Hou Yi showered Aasaa's opponents with arrows, then charged his Noble Phantasm. Qasar closed the distance, and shot Aasaa again. Aasaa parried the arrow with a projected sword, though it broke after that.
"Piercer Of Nine Suns." Hou Yi's Noble Phantasm rushed to meet its target. It homed in on him, nothing would stop it now. It was the mark of the Golden Crow.
Qasar fell to pieces, blasted by the arrow. However, Qasar then emerged, climbing from one level below to behind Hou Yi. Raising his bow, he shot Hou Yi from behind, landing a successful hit.
"How are you still alive?" Hou Yi managed to say, coughing as the arrow pierced his back.
"I could tell you. You won't live for much longer. I can create clones of myself."
As he said, 8 more of copies of himself emerged from various hiding places. They were positioned to fire from different angles, making defence futile. Aasaa was checkmated, as was his wounded Servant.
Florence Nightingale and Shiori arrived, ready to lend their assistance. "Nightingale Pledge."
Qasar's clones ceased hostility, and lowered their weapons. She healed Hou Yi, and he brought Aasaa and Shiori to safety. Florence Nightingale waited for him to leave the borders of her Nightingale Pledge. After he did, he charged up his Piercer Of Nine Suns, and when he was ready, Florence Nightingale lifted her Nightingale Pledge. Aasaa and Shiori watched on as his golden stream met their marks and killed Qasar's clones.
"Congratulations. You have just used up your only trump card."
Florence Nightingale turned in horror to see Genghis Khan, and beside him, the real Qasar.
"Florence Nightingale, I command you to my side. We retreat at once!" Florence Nightingale vanished before Genghis Khan's eyes, appearing a distance away, beside Shiori who had one command seal left.
Aasaa and Shiori were now transported away by Florence Nightingale, while Hou Yi found a new hiding spot, preparing his arrow once more. He had a plan.
"We did not anticipate that," Qasar remarked to Genghis Khan, who cursed them for being cowardly. Qasar then handed him the replica of Misa's blade, recovered from Isilda's corpse.
Qasar was about to mount his horse to join Genghis Khan in hunting them when nine arrows pierced him, sending him falling into the streets below. Genghis Khan turned to the assailant. It was Hou Yi, standing a distance away. He made no sound, and ordered his horse to take him there. Quickly.
Hou Yi did not have enough time to perform what he needed. He spoke to Aasaa though his connection. "Master. You have one command seal remaining. Use it to empower me. I will send Genghis Khan to the depths of hell with 9 Anti-Fortress arrows."
Something deep within Aasaa clenched itself when he heard those words. Sacrificing that command seals meant the end of their time as Master and Servant. The reminder that their friendship as Master and Servant would come to an end pierced his chest.
"Alright. Hou Yi, with my command seal, I command you to draw all the mana you can from me and unleash a blast worthy of the gods to strike Genghis Khan down." The last command seal faded from Aasaa's hand. He shrivelled, drained of mana. He would have collapsed, if not for Florence Nightingale.
While she treated him, the entire city was bathed in a golden light as Hou Yi unleashed his most powerful attack yet. The glow lasted for several minutes, filling their view with its light. The air was saturated with residual mana. As the power of the Noble Phantasm finally faded, a giant crater was revealed, where Genghis Khan once stood. Hou Yi approached the crater. As he looked from the edge, a hand reached out from beneath the rubble in the crater.
"Flail Of God."
The ground beneath Hou Yi broke, and he was brought into the crater to join Genghis Khan, who was still alive.
The Finnish army did not cease their attack. As the night went on, the Mongolian army faced their full might. It had taken them about 2 days, but they now responded with all their military power. Naval ships delivered reinforcements and supplies. Tactical bombers ruled the skies, carpeting groups of Mongolian warriors with bombs. Artillery and tanks provided unmatched firepower. Paratroopers wreaked havoc on Mongolian supply chains. Trebuchets shattered and splintered by consistent mortar fire and air-strikes.
The Finnish army pushed the Mongols out of Helsinki. Thousands of losses were inflicted within the first few hours of concentrated fire. Reinforcements came from all over Finland. They surrounded what was left of the Mongol army in Sipoonkorpi. The remaining Mongol generals retreated to their last defensive positions, as their army dwindled. Facing overwhelming response from all sides, the Mongol army finally folded before the Finnish forces. Without Isilda's mana, that was the best they could accomplish.
There will be time for questions. To ask where these supernatural warriors came from and seek for a worthy compensation for all the lives taken by Genghis Khan. However, that time would only come later. Now, the people of Finland banded together and drove the invaders from their land. This was their finest hour, as the war drew to a victorious close.
Aasaa observed the turn of the tide with Florence Nightingale and Shiori. Overhead, they could see Finnish planes filling the sky. Florence Nightingale saluted them as they flew past. They set off to find Hou Yi.
Genghis Khan's window to claim victory was rapidly closing. He had lost the majority of his army, and was cut off from them as he battled Hou Yi in the crater.
"Your men are dying. And you're next," Hou Yi said, as he tried to avoid Genghis Khan's rage-filled onslaught. Genghis Khan burned through his mana like a roaring furnace. His abilities were every bit as costly, and they were potent. He was beginning to feel its effects as he became sluggish and weakened.
"After I kill you, there is only one more Servant left. The Greater Grail is all that matters now." Genghis Khan brought his scimitar down upon Hou Yi, crushing him with Sole Ruler Of The Plains. Hou Yi was defeated, though he was sure it was not yet the end for him, as three people approached the edge of the crater.