A.N - So so sorry for the delay. Things are well still terrible. Still thank you to everyone who has read, followed, favorited and reviewed this. It really helps. To Gamma-X, you have some intriguing points. You're first one, with healing Illya's eyes, Chakravartin may want to win the war but he also wants Asura to suffer. Asura care's for Illya if she suffers, he suffers. So, he will indulge in that. He won't let her die, but the pain he will more than allow her to feel. And Gil acted without knowledge, though maybe the fight has knocked loose some distant tales..who knows. To W8W, it may not be that there is no legend of Asura, but at the time did people write it down or was it just folk tales. That is the question when it comes to Asura's myths. And, indeed Asura is someone who Gil should at the very least respect when it comes to a fight.
To Don Orbit, Caster has been quite busy, though things never play out as people expect.
Chapter 19
The peace of sleep did not grace the sleeping snowflake. She found herself falling through horrors to even greater atrocities. A blurred image graced her as she saw everything out of sync, even her body felt wrong. She could see through herself. Illya found herself forcefully being witness to pain and despair. A burst of cruel laughter filled her mind, her dreams interwoven with fear and pain. The sound of broken bones, slicing of flesh and puncturing of organs. All this tormented her mind in a torrent of images. An open field surrounded by a treeline, panicked muffles. 'What..what is this…' She felt like she was an observer, this wasn't something she recognized, and it certainly wasn't one of his memories. Then she saw it, a snow white-haired woman held aloft in a firm grip around her jaw, a shadowy figure held her up, the same cruel laughter filled the air, coming from this shadow. She could barely make out her features, despite being so close everything seemed blurry. Yet, the smell of blood was heavy. 'What is this…..mmm' She felt pain burn within her chest. A burst of cruel laughter filling the air. The shadows encroached her. The ghostly hands of Illya raised in futile defense as a shadowy figure walked passed two prone bodies, one the snow-white women lay in her own blood. The other she could not clearly recognize, the figure reached out towards her. Fear burned within her chest. When a bright golden light pierced the dark. "BEGONE FILTH!" A loud scream filled the air, the voice was an amalgamation of several as golden lights streaked outwards striking the shadow and tearing apart the entire scene from Ilya's sight. She saw what looked like a feminine silhouette coated in golden light, the beams of light purging everything around them.
Illya awoke with a cough of blood, her ever attentive caretaker wiping the blood from her chin. "How do you feel little one?" He asked as he sat beside her.
"I …..had a bad dream…" She whispered the sight of the snow-white hair filled her mind. 'Was….that…..it….it couldn't have been.'
"Hmm, I have never been good at this….. At best I can punch those who give you nightmares…." Asura said as he looked at his fists. Illya chuckled with pained breathes, "That would be more than enough." She spoke with a small smile. "What time is it?" She asked as she sat up, the effort was not as painful as previously.
"It is late morning, I believe the other two are eating food about now, would you like to join them?" Asura asked Illya who nodded once, and her gentle guardian cradled her in his metallic grip, taking her out of the room.
Rin and Shirou sat at the table, slowly eating as the sliding door opens to reveal the demigod Asura with little Illya resting in his grip. "Good morning Asura, Illya. Would you two like something to eat?" Shirou asked as he stood up. Asura nodded with an appreciative smile on his face, though it didn't convey much warmth. He knelt down lowering Illya onto a seat, she winced slightly but was able to at the very least sit up on her own. Asura sat beside her as Shirou placed some food in front of Illya, though she still needed Asura to feed her, and was essentially still overly reliant on her caring servant.
"So, you two want Asura and I to help defeat Caster and reclaim your servants?" Illya asked as sat up after taking a slow sip of some green tea.
"That is it basically." Shirou responded as he looked at Asura. "Can you really fight while leaving Illya undefended? With that many servants, you'd have your hands full even for a second. You can't protect Illya and fight them at the same time" Shirou asked with a worried tone in his voice.
"I will protect her using the same power that shielded you before." Asura responded plainly.
"I doubt caster will fight me openly with Assassin, Archer and Saber. Can you two deal with her and her master?" He asked, looking at Rin.
"Leave Caster to me, Emiya-kun, Souichirou is all yours." Rin said looking to Emiya with a sly smile.
"I am not helpless, I will help you beat Caster." Illya's voice was stern, even though she didn't move her head in their direction, her tone of voice conveyed her anger at her situation.
"Illya, you cannot fight in your condition, and especially not against Caster." Shirou responded looking at her with concern.
"My familiars do not need me to see, I will use them to aid Rin-san." Illya said with a tone that dared the rest of them to argue with her.
"Please snowflake, I would not be able to fight if I am not certain you are safe." Asura said meekly.
"Asura...I….I can not become...some...pathetic coward needing to be protected…." Illya said defiantly as she tilted her head towards the voice of Asura. "I do not blame you...you saved me, and you have continued to help and care for me. I will always be grateful to you...I need you, but we need to end this war. Before it escalates more so." Illya said with a pained sigh.
After several hours of deliberations and planning the three masters decided on their plan to fight caster. "So, Asura you will fight Archer and Saber if caster has somehow managed to subvert Saber's will. Though you have to fight with the handicap of not killing them…..though I guess you partially want to defeat them to end this war sooner…" Rin's words dragged off as she looked at Illya, feeling guilty for asking them to delay ending the war.
"It's fine Rin, you saved my life, I consider this paying back my debt. Asura, you can fight with that handicap can't you?" she asked with a confident smile.
"Easily..." Asura said smiling, and with a little bit of excitement in his voice.
"While, Rin, and myself fight Caster and Souichirou with the aid of Illya's familiars." Emiya stated as he took a sip of some tea.
"So, we're all set, and we know that caster attacked the church, meaning that she is down a servant." Asura spoke eagerly.
"Indeed, Assassin cannot leave the temple, that at least means Asura has less on his plate. We just have to hope we can carry out our plans without a hitch." Rin said calmly. "Well if that is all settled I think it would be best if we all settle in for the night."
"Agreed." Asura said with a gentle nod as he carried Illya away.' You were silent that entire time spider...what gives' Asura thought as Illya had already passed out in his arms. 'Oh just contemplating...I thought you liked it when I don't speak' The arrogance of the spider's voice was there in a heartbeat, quickly diminishing any hopes Asura had built up of the spider eternally shutting up.
'So…. power and life can be stolen using this inferior magecraft….. Intriguing…...despair huh…..what a weapon to craft from a flawed stock. This will be perfect for the end of our little tale…... After all, Gaia needs to be led by one of her own.'
The night was empty, it was as if all life fled from the sight of Asura and company. The sounds of animals vanished, even the wind seemed to hang in silence eagerly waiting for the cacophony of devastation to be unleashed.
The church was a smoldering ruin, walls caved in and the broken bones of skeletal warriors filled the broken graveyard. The newly formed alliance was met by a score of servants and undead warriors.
"So..she has even more help than we realised…" Rin said through gritted teeth as she stared at the entrance of the church. Archer stood bow drawn, he was flanked either side, saber on his left, adorned her armour. Though her eyes betrayed the despair and fear she clung to. On his right stood the servant lancer spear in hand. "Sorry you lot, if I had a choice I wouldn't be in on this fight but master ordered me to aid Caster in defeating that monster of a berserker lancer spoke as he pointed his finger at Asura.
"Then you won't mind if the kids run past you?" Asura asked, looking at Lancer.
"I don't mind." Lancer responded, he tilted his head to Archer, whom nodded. They didn't look at Saber despite the pained look that covered her face. Asura handed Illya an orb of golden light.
"You know what to do when the time comes." Asura said calmly as Illya held the orb close to her chest.
