*I don't own anything. All characters and creations are owned by the Company Type-Moon. *
*M for adult themes*
An Eternal King for the Throne of Heroes
By Try Another Time
The night had given way to a new day. The countdown before they were forced to escape continued.
The group met in the living room of their temporary base. Everyone including Miyu waited for Eero and his decision. It was obvious that he wouldn't sacrifice Miyu to destroy the box, but perhaps only perhaps he would have another plan to try to prevent that box from continuing to create more problems in the future.
Miyu stared at him while waiting for him to decide how to act after learning all about the state of the world. The young girl could see how his arm had not yet finished reforming after being cut by Nero. Just by seeing the effect that "Tanaka" or "the truth of the world" had on Eero's regenerative ability confirmed the severity of the power possessed by that weapon. "Eero."
"..." Eero kept quiet for a few more moments. "Abigail take me to the box."
"What? Are you sure about this?" Abigail asked.
"I need to know more about the box. The rest of you stay here." Eero ordered as he stood up.
Miyu stood up as well and stopped him by putting her arms around his waist. "Don't sacrifice yourself for me. I don't want to be the cause of someone else dying while trying to save me." Miyu said on the verge of tears. The young girl released him and waited for his answer.
Eero turned to look at her. "Don't worry, I'm just going to see what I can do about the box. Maybe I'll be able to stop it without someone having to use that weapon." Eero said as he got down to her level. "We are here for a reason and I am sure that it is not for sacrificing you to save this world. Just wait for me with the others."
"But what-" Miyu continued before she was interrupted by Eero. His arms surrounded her. She was able to feel his heart beating. His body was hot yet not enough to be an issue.
"I'm here and I promised to protect you as much or better than your brother. I don't plan on failing that mission no matter how cruel the outcome is. You're part of my family like everyone else and Kiritsugu. If it is for any of you, I will do whatever it takes to protect every one of you." Eero admitted.
His words resounded in the minds of all present. The adults knew very well the meaning of these words because not once, but on three different occasions in different lives he had sacrificed himself to protect those he loved the most. On the other hand, Sakura and Illya had their own memories of the boy who helped rescue them from their own circumstances.
"Perhaps this is what I didn't pay enough attention back in my original world. No matter how many things are against him, Shirou Emiya will always be willing to put his life at risk for those important people in his life." Sella thought. Eero and the Shirou she remembered from her original world were different in many things, but their desire to protect others seemed no different. With or without power, the being she came to know as Shirou Emiya or in this case Eero would continue to put himself in danger to protect or save something precious to him. "Show us what is our path to follow now, our dearest king."
"This... I trust you. Just come back alive." Miyu said. Eero released her before he smiles at her and stands up.
With nothing more to say Eero and Abigail left in search of a possible alternate solution.
Moments later, Pandora's Box.
Eero left the portal followed by Abigail and her floating teddy bear. In front of them was the mysterious and terrible creation of the gods. One more relic of a distant era in which multiple legends were born and various events occurred due to the gods.
"Without touching it and just by knowing the legend I can imagine thousands of possible scenarios in which opening that thing would lead to the end of the world," Eero said as he watched the object he now knew as the center of this whole problem.
"I still can't make sense of why Darius Ainsworth would do all this. The idea of becoming a legend is not something worthy enough for someone to endanger the whole world." Abigail said.
Eero looks at her for a few seconds before he answers. "Each person is different, but in the case of any magus, the quest for glory or power can be the crucial factor behind their actions. Achieving Akasha, achieving what others have not been able to, becoming rich or famous, everything is connected to the same principle: Ambition. No matter how big it is, anyone can have an ambition and very easily they can get out of hand. Darius is an example of that. Now we have stop him from achieving that dream. Abigail, can you get me close to it?" Eero asked after offering her that explanation.
Salem's former witch nodded and without hesitation, her companion split in half thus freeing several bony tentacles. Eero jumped on top of one of them as it got closer to Pandora's box. Eero felt a shiver running through his back as he approached the artifact.
"Whatever this thing contains, it must be a terrible thing." Theyoung man thought. His right arm had not yet been completely reformed so he only had his left arm at least for now. "Let's hope I don't lose the other one because of this." Slowly Eero placed his hand in the box. Right at that moment, he felt an indescribable sense of terror. For a moment his entire body told him to run. "What the hell is wrong with me? Is this object scaring me? It can't be that. Maybe this is a bad idea, but I can't turn back." Eero closed his eyes and concentrated on his mission.
His magical circuits shone before they began to spread around the entire structure of the cube. Abigail looked at him surprised but that wasn't enough to distract from her task as a servant, protecting Eero's back at all times. Even if they were alone, the Ainsworths' property was quite close and at any moment someone could attack them. This wasn't the time for games. The young girl remained focused while watching for any alterations in the barrier around the enemy base.
Meanwhile, Angelica.
Angelica sat down next to the bed in which Julian was sleeping. His body was in a weak state due to exhaustion. Not only did he keep that portal open, but he no longer rests like he used to.
Even without being able to express or feel emotions Angelica still cares about Julian. Her memories or at least the memory that this doll could remember only focused on protecting Julian and perhaps finding some way to save him from this cruel fate: Being replaced by Darius like everyone else.
For Angelica, her quest for something to free Julian from this "curse" had always been her main goal. It didn't matter how many people died or if the box was opened. Everything surrounded her desire to free Julian from all this. It is true that she had followed Darius's orders all this time and that because of them she had done terrible things, but in the end, it had all been to save Julian. Maybe if Darius could open the box, this nightmare would end, but Angelica wasn't sure. Darius had sacrificed his family for so many years while seeking to achieve this goal that perhaps even after achieving it his soul would never liberate their family and their descendants.
Darius had even altered the card Angelica use to prevent her from using a certain dagger that might be able to wipe out the magic that bound him to this world. This had shattered Angelica's initial plans when the card was given to her. She still remembered how Darius looked at her that day. It was as if he had known from the beginning what her plans were.
"If only I could eliminate you." Angelica thought as she looked at Julian. Her thoughts were interrupted by Erika's hasty entry.
"Something is happening! Something or someone is trying something weird with the box." Erika exclaimed as she looks at Angelica. She was completely scared.
"I'll go. Let Beatrice know to protect the property with the other two. Nothing should hurt Julian." Angelica said as she got up from her seat. Without hesitation, she installs Gilgamesh's card on her body.
"Are you sure you want to go alone? You know that they have several servants in their group." Erika asked as she sees how Angelica is about to leave.
"Julian is unconscious and only I can make sure no one crosses the barrier. If something goes wrong, you know what to do. We must protect Julian no matter the consequences." Angelica said before she left.
Erika stayed in that same place while she grabbed her chest. She and the box were connected. She could feel like something was happening to the box, which scared her. They needed to open the box if she wanted to free herself from this curse that was placed upon her by the gods. "My freedom depends on us opening the box. Without it, I will not be able to..." Erika's thoughts continued as she considered the possibility of not being able to fulfill her wish.
Everyone was trying to achieve something, but someone would have to resign themselves to never being able to reach their desire one way or another.
Back to Eero.
"Show me all of your secrets." In his mind, Eero visualized how thousands and thousands of circuits stretched out while looking for the answer that would solve this problem. He continued the search for several moments until he felt a barrier that prevented him from continuing. "What is this? Is it protecting anything?" Eero tried to continue, but the barrier was strong. "It seems I'll need more power." Eero began to use more power to force his entry.
"Come on, let me in. The answer must be inside." His ability continued to try to cross the barrier without breaking it. Maybe inside there was something important but releasing the contents of the box was something Eero didn't want. "Just a little more." Slowly in his mind, an image formed.
The place was kind of a vault. In front of him, there was a figure with its back turned towards him. It appears to be a young girl with golden hair and her hands were chained to the ground. But what impressed him the most was a big door in front of the female figure. A bolt was set in front of the door with several scriptures in ancient Greek written on the wall of the right.
"Is this the center of the box? But what is she doing here?" Eero again looked at the scriptures and tried to record them in his memory, but his mission was interrupted by what was happening outside the box. The change in the mana Abigail was getting from him told him everything he needed to know.
With Abigail.
At times like these, Abigail hated her luck. Angelica appeared and without any hesitation began her attack at full throttle. Almost the entire arsenal of the Gate of Babylon was fired towards her and Eero. This barrage of projectiles forced her to open the same number of portals to redirect them elsewhere.
"Talking doesn't seem to be an option." Abigail thought as she continued to protect Eero.
"I will not allow you to continue to meddle in our path any longer. This will be your grave." Angelica said before taking an ax in her hand and advancing towards Abigail.
"A frontal attack? That's a bad choice." Abigail thought before reforming her key and blocking Angelica's attack. "You call this strength?"
Angelica increased the pressure on her attack, but this didn't cause Abigail to move an inch. Abigail repelled Angelica before showing her the difference in strength between the two. Angelica's attacks were easily blocked while Abigail's attacks pushed her back. Sparks sprouted from every contact between ax and key. It was metal against metal and the stronger of the two was obvious.
"You are not a heroic spirit. You can't compare your strength to me." Abigail said.
"That's what we'll see," Angelica said. Two large portals of the gate were opened just above Abigail. "Ig-Alima! Sul-sagana!"
Both swords began to descend in the direction to Abigail, but their path was interrupted by two similar copies. The copies blocked the attacks of the originals and with eased pushed them away.
"You know that's not the right way to use those swords." Said a voice right next to Angelica.
"When? How?" Angelica's thoughts were interrupted by a strong kick to the face which sends her flying away. Without realizing it, Angelica had allowed Eero to approach her without being discovered. Angelica rolled several times on the floor before standing up. "You, Emiya."
"Angelica Ainsworth. So, it's you who came to protect the box. Tell me something, do you know what this object is?" Eero asked.
Angelica looked at Eero and Abigail. "You're just like him. Your ability seems to be the same, but how is that possible?" Angelica asked while ignoring Eero's question.
"I could answer your question, but it looks like you won't answer mine," Eero replied.
"Emiya." Angelica opened a portal behind her and tried to cross to position herself behind Eero.
"You're forgetting I'm still here," Abigail said before blocking the portal with her own ability.
"That is going to be a nuisance. I can't use my magic, but it doesn't seem like she can block my Gate of Babylon. I have to get this over quickly." Angelica thought.
"I won't let you get away. I'll make you answer my questions no matter what. This is your end." Eero began to walk towers, Angelica. Every step the boy took rumbled in Angelica's ears. The boy's eyes were cold and serious "But I have to thank you. You were the one who helped the Shirou Emiya of this world to pass its limits. That led to the creation of this."
*Aimer-Zero*
Their surroundings began to change. What was once a snow-covered place became a white grass-covered one. Buildings and the box disappear. The day was consumed at night. They were within Eero's reality marble.
Angelica saw all the weapons floating in the sky while being pointed to her location. "How can this be possible?" Angelica thought. Realizing how dangerous was her situation, Angelica's entire arsenal was summoned and launched towards Eero's copies.
"Original against my copies. Maybe this will be a good test for me." Eero said before his copies faced Angelica's projectiles. Thousands of swords, axes, spears, and other kinds of weapons were shot in the direction of the copies, but a big difference was visible. Even though the originals had to be stronger, they began to be repelled, broken apart and fall to the ground.
"How is this possible? My card is that of Gilgamesh, the first hero. He is the strongest servant." Angelica said.
"Even if he is, that doesn't make you a real servant, and having so many weapons doesn't mean you know how to use them. You're a glass cannon." Eero said before cutting the distance between the two and punching her in the stomach with his fist. Although Angelica tried to use her magic to protect herself, Abigail prevented that from happening. Eero punched and kicked her a couple of times before throwing her some distance away from him. "Another difference between us is that I'm still moving forward and getting stronger alongside my family. I'll show you with this weapon, which is one of many that he doesn't possess, Arc de Triomphe. "
Napoleon's cannon came down from the skies and floated next to Eero. Angelica opened her eyes as the cannon was pointed directly at her.
"Let's see how much you can resist. Fire!" Eero exclaimed and in seconds the cannon fired.
A big explosion occurred. The smoke dissipated before showing Angelica being protected by Enkidu's chains.
"Looks like you haven't given up yet. I wonder why? If you still have the strength, then use that sword. I want to test which is the strongest weapon, Enki." Said Eero as he looked at her coldly. From the sky, two silver twin swords descended at high speed before being grabbed by Eero. "Which Gilgamesh weapon is stronger? I still remember when these swords first appeared. I looked throughout our library for legends that were related to these swords and only one appeared among all the books those gods left for us. Gilgamesh, I don't think it's the same Gilgamesh I know." Eero thought.
From a world unlike any other, a pair of swords were formed to serve Eero.
Angelica got up with difficulty, although the chains protected her from most of the attack, she was injured. "He's got me against the ropes. This kid's not normal. Am I to blame for so much power? How can that be possible? I can't let him get to Julian. I have to finish him off and then that little girl over there." Angelicathought after seeing Abigail.
With Abigail.
Abigail had decided that sitting down and watching Eero take care of this would be the best option. Eero didn't seem to want to eliminate Angelica because he would have done it in a short time. Maybe Angelica would have the answers he was looking for.
Back with Eero.
"Tell me, Angelica, do you think anyone can survive what's inside the box? You need to understand the fact that the box contains things that only people during the age of the gods could have survived. None of you have the power to control the contents of the box. Opening it would mean death." Eero said.
Angelica looked at him before reaching out with her hand to the side. "Come to me, Ea." The sword came out of the Gate of Babylon. "You think I don't know. Even when I'm a doll, my memories are intact. I know we can't survive the box, but I don't have a choice. Darius will keep taking control of Julian until he gets what he wants. I only exist to protect Julian, to protect my only family. No matter if the world falls apart, I will keep fighting to make sure he's still alive." Angelica ran towards Eero as Ea's cylinders rotated at full speed.
"Protect your family. Well, I'll do the same. If you force me to, I'll end your existence right here." Eero blocked Ea with Enki. An explosive wave was caused. Both sides were attacking each other.
Ea continued to concentrate energy as Angelica continued her battle against Eero.
"I will protect Julian from you," Angelica said. Her attacks were frantic and unrelenting yet not technique or experience was visible. It seemed more like the attempts of someone desperate to protect something.
"You can't win, and you never had that possibility," Eero said. Fighting Angelica wasn't forcing him in the least. Her projectiles were blocked and destroy by his copies, her strength was almost non-existent, her magic was blocked and with all that, it was expected for the scale to till in his favor. But Eero wanted something more from this battle and it wasn't revenge.
"Then I will create that possibility with my own hands," Angelica said as she stepped away from Eero and tried to end it all with Ea's final attack. "Take this!" An energy beam was fired at Eero.
Eero did not evade the attack and only ran right into it. "That's not the true power of Ea," Eero said before cutting the beam by using Enki.
Angelica was surprised but her surprise did not end there.
"I'm tired of this, Rule Breaker," Eero called for the dagger as he ran towards Angelica. "This is the end." The dagger was stabbed into Angelica's chest. Angelica felt as she was forcibly separated from the card. The card appeared in front of Eero which he took. "Give up."
Angelica fell to the ground. No power. She had been crushed in every way, but her mind could only think of something. "He owns the dagger. The "Rule Breaker." The object capable of eliminating Darius."
Eero waited for an answer, but Angelica didn't seem to move. "I think I overdid it."
"I'll give you everything you want," Angelica said.
"What?" Eero thought he heard wrong.
"I give you my body, information, everything you could ask, but please let me use that dagger." Angelica continued.
"Wait, I just want information and why do you want to use my "Rule Breaker"?" Eero wasn't expecting this reaction.
"That's the only thing that can end Darius Ainsworth's magic. Without it his soul will depart from this world and Julian will be freed." Angelica tried to get up.
"Couldn't you use it with Gilgamesh's card?" Eero asked. He believed that Gilgamesh had some version of the dagger within the gate. "It also seems that she wants to free Julian, but that doesn't mean he would stop his plans regarding the box."
"That card in your hands was altered by Darius. He knows how to alter any card for his benefit. I'll give you everything you want if you help me free Julian from Darius' magic." Angelica sat up with some difficulty.
"You don't know if this will work. Even if it worked, it doesn't assure me that your brother would not continue to look for a way to open the box or use Miyu." Eero stares at her while looking for any sign that could tell him if she was lying.
"It's my only way of eliminating him. I saw how my own father was consumed by Darius and I will do whatever it takes to prevent that from happening again with Julian. Without Darius, I doubt Julian can continue with the plans to open the box. Without Darius, all we have to do is find a way to stop Erika." Angelica continued.
"Erika?" Eero didn't remember anyone by that name.
"That's Pandora's name right now. The girl who's with us. With each new generation, Pandora takes a new name and lives with the family as part of it. Without Darius, she would be the last problem in your way." Angelica was sure that helping this boy would be the only chance she would have to save Julian. There was no time to doubt and miss the possible only chance to save Julian.
"Hey, think about it. She has the body of a doll capable of helping you create a container for Angra Mainyu." Recommended A.S.
Eero thought about it for several seconds. "I don't trust you, but the last decision should be made by someone else." Several chains appeared and tied Angelica in a way that prevented her from moving. "Abigail we're leaving." Eero saves Gilgamesh's card for later within his clothes and grabbed Angelica like a piece of baggage over the shoulder.
Angelica didn't say anything against it and just waited for the best.
