A/N: Hey peeps, sorry it took me so long to get this part up, but its a bit longer than normal. As in near thirteen thousand words and 17 pages in the writing program I use. Now for a quick Reviewer Review:
1.) The whole reason for the shorter chapter and cliffhanger last time was because it was the best way to end that chapter before starting this one. Also before you all ask, yes this chapter will have a bit of a similar cut-off point. It was simply getting too long otherwise.
2.) Archer EMIYA will make an appearance, but that won't be until the end of the story, as in the last arc for this fic in the battles leading up to the King of the End's appearance. More than that, I will not say.
3.) What the French toast is the 'Mythological World of Hyperborea'? Is that even Campioneverse, or is it something else entirely?
Now with the reviews out of the way, onto the disclaimer:
Disclaimer: I do NOT own 'Campione!', 'FATE', or any other franchise referenced in this fic, and any references used to other fics are credited to the best of my ability as used. This is an AU of Marcus Galen Sands' own fic 'God Slaying Blade Works' with an emphasis on 'WHAT IF', references to other fics and franchises credited as used, a meshing of canon lore in a manner that makes sense, and my own original ideas thrown into the mix every now and then. This is a FREE FANFIC of a FANFIC, meaning an UNPAID story I wrote for no monetary gain and a FAN-MADE FICTION of a FAN-MADE FICTION. If you paid to read this then you got ripped off, and if you do not like it then you do not have to read it. Nobody is making you.
And now onto the story:
STORY START
God Slaying Blade Works: The King of Wrought Iron
Twenty-second Blade: Feast of KingsPart II
Emiya Manor-At the Feast
Third-Person P.O.V.
After Shirou's rather worldview-shattering revelations about himself and Arturia, the Feast of Kings was a rather interesting sight. Be they mortal or divine, current God or former, Divinity or Devil King, the feast was a rather festive and fun event for all involved. [Susanoo no Mikoto] was having a rather animatedly excited discussion with Kurogane Reki about how he got the blessings of both the Demon Swordsmith and the Sword Saint; [Muramasa Sengo] and [Masamune Mifune] were having quite the fun themselves being amused by people's reaction to their relation to the host of the feast; even Guinevere seemed to be having quite the bit of fun trying to compete with the other girls among Shirou's harem for his affections. As for the Host himself, Shirou was having a hard time telling Luo Hao that he was not going to become her personal chef, but he wasn't against giving her lessons on how to improve her cooking.
After about an hour and a half of enjoying themselves, Shirou decided it would be best to begin the main event of the evening and called everyone to attention…
"Everyone, I believe it is now time for the main event for this feast. I would like to ask my fellow Kings, Kusanagi Godou, Luo Hao Cuillion, John Pluto Smith, as well as Lady Guinevere to come to the table over here..." Shirou traced a simple round wooden table and a set of five identical-looking chairs, before one realizes they were the same chair, recreated four times after the first and then continued… "...so we may begin our Competition of Kingship."
This got everyone's attention. The Japanese God of Storms, the Demon Swordsmith, and the Sword Saint all took a sudden interest in how the young Emiya head would play this without it devolving into conflict among his fellow peers. Erica, Liliana, Yuri, Hikari, and Shizuka looked intrigued, though in Hikari and Shizuka's cases, the two were more curious as to how both Godou and Shirou would perform in this contest rather than the foreign god-slayers. As for Luo hao, her student Linghua, and 'John Pluto Smith', the trio were surprised to see such a casual display of magic as merely a means to provide seating for them. Guinevere for her part was completely unsurprised by the casual display of his abilities as a mage; if he could create swords out of thin air, then making furniture was the least surprising thing he could do in her opinion. The only thing she was slightly concerned about was the fact that she was still unsure of just what the competition was going to be.
"King Emiya, shall we get started then. What will the competition be exactly? How will this competition of kingship be decided?" The Empress of the Martial Realm decided to ask in curiosity. In all honesty it was a good question, and Shirou did not disappoint with his response.
"This is a competition as I said before: a competition of kingship in the form of words rather than fists. I intend this to be a battle of ideals of what one's chosen path of Kingship is, and to determine whose path is superior to the others. The only rules are that no violence is allowed and you can ask questions of the others about their beliefs and their views of Kingship. The reason why I asked Lady Guinevere to attend is because she was invited to represent her King and to speak in defense of her lord's rule on his behalf, since he cannot do so himself. However, before we begin, I feel the need to bring everyone here refreshments I had Renji pick out himself..."
After motioning him forth, Renji brought out several bottles of the same rare vintage of wine he managed to finagle a few extra bottles of and keep some for his private collection in the Emiya estate's wine cellar. As he popped the bottle open, Shirou also opened the [Gates of Babylon] to bring out a separate bottle of wine that gave of a divine aura to all those who could sense it. Afterwards, Renji placed two glasses for each person present at the table, and proceeded to pour the wine from the opened bottle into one, while Shirou poured the divine wine into the other. After all five pairs of glasses were filled, Shirou proceeded to continue his opening speech…
"The divine wine here is the wine produced by [Soma] himself, collected by [Gilgamesh] in his travels of the world, and summarily stored within his vault. It was created by a god of wine himself and the taste could only be described as divine..." Shirou stated as he beckoned those gathered to taste the wine, and true to his words, it was most certainly good… "However, it is something that was essentially willed into existence by a god, without even bothering to work very hard to produce it. Now as for the glass next to it, this is a mortal wine, a 1945 Itialianno Libertina, a vintage produced in the aftermath of World War II, by a vineyard in Italy to celebrate the defeat and liberation of Italy from the Nazi's, by the surviving vineyard workers in memorial of and in honor of the memory of those workers very brothers whom died fighting to regain their homes from Nazi Germany's racial supremacist movement. These bottles are of only a couple dozen in the entire world. Now try a taste of it and compare the two..."
After they tasted it, they understood just why Shirou brought this up before he started the main event. The guests all realized the point their host was making even before he said it himself. "Just because the gods can will something into existence, does not mean they are better than the hard work and effort of humans who produce something similar. Just because they can will something into existence does not mean his or her quality of product is greater than a mortal human's own efforts to produce the same product. It is simply the difference between not struggling to achieve something, and fighting every day just to make it to the next without failing." He then gave the four of his guests each a bottle of this very same vintage to take with them as his gift to remember this lesson by. [Susanoo], [Muramasa], and [Masamune] all understood what he was trying to say clear as day and approved of what he said. They were not only Gods of Steel, but also blacksmiths. They knew more than any other how effort makes all the difference between a good quality product and a master crafted product. Talent might help, but without the required effort to refine that talent, it would simply be a horrendously wasted loss of potential quality. The three of them also took a bottle apiece for each of them from Renji before Shirou continued.
"To start off with, how about one of us begin this debate of kingship. Simply explain what your rule is about, what you seek to achieve, and how you plan to go about it. Each of us here will defend our rule and answer questions as they come up in the debate as honestly as they can, with Lady Guinevere doing so for her King's rule in his defense. Simply put, it is a question of 'what do you want', or rather, more precisely, 'what do you want to do with your power and authority as a King?' with Lady Guinevere speaking on behalf of her King. So who would like to start?"
"This Luo Hao will go first." Shirou asked his fellow guests around the table, and it was none other than Luo Hao who decided to go first.
'John Pluto Smith' was quite interested to say the least how 'his' fellow Kings would answer, Godou was nervous and glad he would have somebody else to go before him and give him a baseline of an idea of how to go about it, while Guinevere was honestly intrigued by her decision. After a gesture to proceed, Luo Hao started. "My desire is strength, and the path of Kingship I seek is one of domination."
"...do you care to elaborate for us, Luo Hao?" Godou, 'John Pluto Smith', and Guinevere seemed a bit off put by her choice of wording, but Shirou simply requested of his fellow King to continue without judgment in his words or actions until she finished her explanation.
"I became a Rakshasa Raja as a young teen centuries ago. I did so by slaying the Heretic God [Vajrapani] while pursuing the mystical side of the martial arts after I mastered everything I could to the point of being the pinnacle of its more mundane practices. As I trained in my newfound power, I grew even stronger after a century of training, and decided to go visit my family, or what was left in the century I had been gone. When I finally found them again, all I found was a series of simple graves where they were put to rest. Some time after I left and became a Rakshasa Raja had passed, my own family had passed away while I remained mostly unchanging, be it from disease, old age, or some other manner of death. In my grief, I continued my own training, growing into my power until I had inadvertently created a whole martial school to follow me without meaning to.
"Afterwords, I spent the next centuries isolating myself in pursuit of mastery of the martial arts with my new disciples seeking my guidance in this pursuit, while dealing with any heretic god by beating them into submission with my martial prowess and slaying them for threatening the livelihoods of the people. Over time, I began to view my followers with a sense of protectiveness and a desire to help keep them alive for as long as possible. In a sense, my followers became a sort of surrogate family to me, a way to fill the void left by my own kin's passing. I sought to train them to at least have a chance to survive whatever may come their way."
"If I may ask Luo Hao, if that was the case, then how did the Holy Cult of the Five Mountains come into existence? I find myself curious about that after hearing of your tale." John Pluto Smith asked 'his' fellow King a question that was actually something everyone in attendance was slightly curious about…
"Ah that is actually a good question. You see, my first disciple whom I took under my wing and decided after he had completed my training to travel around the world and rising to the very top of the summit and reaching the peak of the Martial Arts world. He gathered all those who admired his strength and pledged themselves to his service into a single organization and brought them before me to thank me for my lessons and guidance by swearing them into my service. I then took the leadership of this new organization and even took the heads of the respective groups under my wing as my disciples. In fact, my young eagle here is actually the great great great grandson of the founder of this organization."
That actually caused quite a few stares to suddenly turn to Linghua among the feast, most notable being Shirou, Godou, and their respective entourages whom were at the Saitenguu Incident. The fact he was the heir to her first student and acted in such a manner was something of such a hard to believe concept, that if Her Eminence herself did not verify it, they would have called it a bold-faced lie with the way he tended to act outside of her presence.
"But to summarize, what I seek is the strength to protect that which I cherish and to walk the path of domination that ensures those under me do not die without at least being able to put up a fight if needs be."
"...so in other words, you seek the path of a mentor, and seek to be a King of Martial Might, is that correct?" 'John Pluto Smith' asked the Chinese God-slayer, to which she simply nodded in the affirmative. Godou understood suddenly why Luo Hao declared him her sworn brother after the ordeal with the Monkey King and felt a pang of sadness for his new Nee-san. Guinevere seemed slightly taken aback at the pain in her past and realized that the Chinese god-slayer simply trained a cult of martial artists in order to fill the void left by the family that she no longer had, and could not help the pity she felt growing within her for the woman.
As for Shirou, he did not say a word, yet his eyes seemed to say a million things all in the span of a single moment. He didn't need to say anything to her, as he knew exactly how it felt to find family in those around you. When he finally spoke his mind, he simply told her without judgment or pity in his voice, but complete and total understanding what he had to say to that. "Blood is not what makes one family, nor is it a place that makes one's home. It is the people that care for you that make them family, and home is where the heart is. The people who care for you and give you a place to belong is where ones home and family will always be, regardless of blood ties or not." Shirou's words got everyone to understand what he was saying. He wasn't giving words of sympathy or pity, as he knew she didn't wish to receive either, just like he didn't wish to receive them. After he gave her an encouraging smile, he continued the discussion.
"So, who would like to go next then?"
"I think I shall go next."
'John Pluto Smith' answered as Shirou decided to move along to avoid putting Luo Hao under too much more attention than she would have been comfortable with speaking of her past. As the Hero of Los Angeles began to start speaking everyone simply gawked at 'his' words…
"I seek to walk the path of Justice, by driving all evil from my lands and my desire is to be a Hero of Justice that stands for all the innocent."
The various reactions that statement caused everyone to simply gape a bit at his words, but a slightly muffled snigger from Shirou at the sheer hilarity of the irony of said statement was not lost on him. The reactions were about as expected to such a childish desire that seemed more in line with a kids cartoon than with a powerful King of magic.
"I know what you must be thinking, I can see it written all over your faces: That it's a childish dream. I acknowledge this, but at the same time, I still do so, for the sheer beauty behind it."
Luo Hao and Guinevere blinked dumbly and were both simply staring blankly as if they were trying to wrap their minds around such an absurdity and everyone else was no better, though Shirou's entourage had become floored by such a flippantly childish dream, yet they realized that it was exactly the same one that Shirou chased and was always saying he would do growing up. Arturia and Medusa however actually had a ghost of a smile tugging at their lips as the two felt complete amusement over the fact that the Hero of Los Angeles had the exact same mentality as Shirou in that regards.
Godou was simply finding it a bit bizarre how a grown man could say something like that with such a straight face, though he wasn't able to actually see it with the mask but felt like the American King was giving one, but for Shirou, his eyes seemed to take a bit of a glint of sharpness in them, his prior bemusement seeming to disappear as though he knew this was a topic of debate to truly test and confirm his suspicions of his American peer. He detected the subtle undertone of what the Hero of Los Angeles was implying, and decided to clarify his suspicions. "I suspect I know what you are trying to say, but I will ask that you elaborate for those here who may not understand what it is you speak of, John Pluto Smith."
"I seek to walk the path of the Hero of Justice, and live as a Just King lending my aid to those in need, but with the goal of trying to save everyone I can. But I also know and admit this is a pointless endeavor which I will inevitably fail in, but while I may be setting myself up for failure, I still choose to do so. If I am to be a King, I might as well live as one with as interesting a life as possible, and if I shoot whilst aiming for the Sun and inevitably fall short, then I will at least hit the moon. By doing so, my failure will inevitably stand taller and greater than all others grand successes."
"...even if it's a fool's impossible dream that can never be achieved, you would still chase after it? That's hell you're walking into Smith..." Shirou's words sounded emotionless and monotone, but his face was anything but. His eyes showed simple pain, as he swore he met somebody no different than he was: an individual chasing a dream that is doomed to end with the death of those chasing it, failing to ever hope to achieve the purpose for which they strove to accomplish. While his words were harsh, there was no judgment in his face or voice; simply understanding and sympathy, as he knew what that path meant for those who walked it. He had seen first hand what awaited him with two others bearing the name of 'Emiya'...
"Even if it's as you say, I still choose to walk said path. Because even if I die treading upon it, I would at least know I died failing in a futilely impossible endeavor which could never be achieved anyway, I would at least die with the knowledge that I didn't fail, as it was impossible to achieve from the start."
Shirou simply gave his fellow god-slayer a knowingly self-deprecating and sad smile as 'he' responded. It was most certainly an interesting method to go about and a rather unique way to see it, but he still felt he had to say it…
"...the road to hell truly is paved with the best of intentions, isn't it...I guess we would both know the truth behind those words better than anybody else here, or in the world, huh John Pluto Smith?"
"Indeed we both would, King Emiya, indeed we both would..."
After a few sad moments of contemplation, the two shook themselves out of their melancholic thoughts and decided to move things along. But before they could, Godou asked a quick question that got everybody's attention. "Hey Smith, I just gotta ask. Why do you dress up with the mask and costume for? How did that even come about?" That actually caused everybody to pause, even Shirou, as he didn't really think about that one. He was more considering his American peer's methods and ideology, but now that he thought about it, he never did put much thought into that one.
"Ah, that is actually a simple question really, King Kusanagi. You see, I originally started it as a means to conceal my identity. While being a King is with its merits, there are times I would like to go around without people recognizing me and simply living no different than anybody else. Besides, there are those even I wish to protect, and dressing up in a disguise was my way of doing just that. At first I did it just for that reason, but after a few times I decided that if I was going to be a King, then I might as well have fun while I was playing the part."
That actually was quite the interesting way to think about it. Doing it to conceal ones identity in order to live a normal live and protect those one cares for, while still having fun while one fulfills their duties and obligations. To say those in attendance were not intrigued by the Hero of Los Angeles' explanation would be a lie. Deciding to move things along, Shirou decided to speak up.
"So, would you like to go next Godou-san? I feel it would be best if I went last, as my explanation would be a bit long. So, if you would..."
Kusanagi Godou realized what his friend and fellow King was asking and didn't argue. While neither of them exactly liked the position forced upon them, for better or for worse, Godou knew they would both have to defend their ways for living their chosen lifestyle as the two had been… "What I want...is simply to live an ordinary life...and I feel like I have done nothing to deserve being called a King."
That got everyone who did not know the King of Ruin to seem rather surprised by it. Shirou wasn't very surprised by his declaration and simply knew what his friend was saying, so he decided to throw him a bone. Out of everybody there, he probably knew Godou almost as well as he knew himself, as the two were such carbon copies of each other's personality, it was almost near-perfect mirror images of the other's behavioral tendencies. "Simply put Godou-san, you're saying you feel that you haven't done anything yet to earn the title of a King, and to you, slaying a God doesn't count, right." It wasn't a question, but a statement. He knew Godou's character well enough to figure that part out, as it didn't take a genius to understand that much about him. He figured it out only moments after meeting the guy that he had little to no desire to do anything so grand...it was actually one of the bigger reasons why he liked him so much from their first meeting. Birds of a feather flock together, after all…
"That's right Emiya-san. To me, a King is someone who does something to deserve the title, something he has to earn to rightfully call himself such, and to my honest opinion, just because I slew a God does not mean I am automatically a King. Besides, for me the position is simply troublesome. I will step in for a situation if and when I have to, but if I don't, then I won't. I am perfectly content with the guys running the country keeping their jobs; they've done a fine enough job as it is of doing it, there's no reason for me to try and take up a position I am neither capable of nor wishing to do. I'll only use my authority to change the things I feel I absolutely need to, but other than that, I have absolutely no desire to use it for anything else. For me, a normal life is good enough. The guys in charge have done a fine job long before I ever came along, and I have neither the desire nor the need to change the leadership.
"As far as I am concerned, living among the everyday lives of the people is just fine with me, and I couldn't really care much for trying to be in any position of authority. In all honesty, I didn't even want to become a Devil King or steal a God's authority. It was a complete accident and a stroke of pure dumb luck I even met the requirements to become one and got dragged into the whole supernatural thing, latent mage bloodline notwithstanding."
Shirou couldn't help but chortle a bit in amusement at his friends words. Those who knew him also sniggered and chuckled a bit to themselves. As for Luo Hao, Guinevere, and John Pluto Smith, they were surprised by Godou's complete dislike for being in any position of authority or power, and would rather not have to do anything involving such things if he could do anything to avoid it. "In other words, Godou-san, to simplify your rule and path of Kingship, you are a Commoner King, one who chooses to live among your subjects, while not using your authority for anything unless you feel something has to be done, but won't shy away from lending your help if it is needed. Am I right my friend?"
Godou simply nodded with his eyes closed in response. He didn't even need to look to know his friend and fellow King was smirking in amusement at his rather blatant refusal to be anything he was not. Just because he was a Campione and a God-slaying Devil King did not mean he had to change just who he was or what his principles and beliefs were. Shirou simply chuckled and shook his head slightly in a moment of bemusement before Guinevere decided to start her explanation for her King's rule. The Witch of Briton hesitated slightly before she decided to start describing the King of the End, out of nervousness at being the center of attention to four God-slayers, her kind's natural enemies.
"As for Guinevere, she is no King, but she was asked by Sir Shirou to defend her King's rule, and so Guinevere shall. Guinevere serves as the handmaiden to the King Who Appears at the End of Eras, otherwise known as the King of the End. The last time he ever appeared was during the time of turmoil in ancient Europe. The lands were in chaos by an enemy who threw the world into unrest, and my King decided to act in the defense of the people. It was an age said to be the end of times, the fall of an era. Using his Sword of Salvation, he cut down those posing threats to the countless innocent people and defended them, gathering followers in the form of other Gods who pledged their services in his name and under his banner.
"Among these were the Gods Bedwvwyre, Hektor, and Kai, who became known in Arthurian legend as Sir Bedivere, Sir Ector, and Sir Kay. Even Guinevere's protector, [Lancelot], was one of these gods whom originally was another existence entirely but swore service to my King. They believed in the cause he fought for, and even went so far as to submit to him. He was also known as the Strongest Steel, as he had never been slain in battle by even that monster of a traitor, [Mordred]." Guinevere description of the chaotic era that the King of the End manifested was such it made a few questions raised that Luo Hao actually had a strong competitiveness gleam within her eyes.
"He must have fought quite the Evil Gods, to have gained the admiration of not only the humans of the era, but also the loyalty of other Divinities of Steel. He sounds like a worthy adversary, and should you manage to successfully revive him, please tell him that this Luo Hao would love to challenge him and exterminate him as a worthy foe." Luo Hao simply stated, with both John Pluto Smith nodding quietly in agreement with Godou apparently finding such a god to be a reasonable sort, before they both started and stared right at her oddly blatant request to face a strong opponent. To her credit Guinevere simply smirked a bit, before giving a response.
"Oh I am afraid you are mistaken about that. The King of the End wasn't fighting against enemy divinities, but against the God-slayers of the time and he slew them as well. If you were to challenge him, your Eminence, I am afraid it would most likely end badly for you. After all, the King of the End has a title that none may lay claim to other than he, as none could ever hope to surpass his might in combat for which earned him that title. He is the Strongest Steel."
The absolute shock that ran through the Four Kings gathered was not a subtle one at all. To his credit, he showed no outward sign of it, but internally, Shirou's mind was racing a veritable mile a minute as he himself felt that there was a reason why the King of the End had such power, yet he felt there were pieces missing and he didn't have the entire puzzle to work with yet to begin with. The fact that not a single one of the four Japanese Deities of Steel gathered reacted in the slightest meant they knew about this, yet didn't tell him for whatever reason, but seemed almost dismissive of the claim for whatever odd reason. To say he didn't mind not being made aware of this was an absolute lie. He was livid with them for not telling him about that particular detail at all...if they didn't tell him about this earlier, then what else were they keeping from him…
Godou could not believe that a god that powerful actually existed, and he himself found it unnerving to think that there was one that could actually take on a Campione and win so often. To say the thought of fighting the guy didn't scare him a bit was an absolute lie of gross proportions...
John Pluto Smith actually would have done an offering to the spit-take gods, for if 'he' had been drinking anything at that moment then 'he' would have done a perfect spit-take at that precise moment. The shock of a Devil King Slaying Deity of Steel was unnerving, to say the least...
As for Luo Hao, the fact that there was a God who made his name famous for slaying the Rakshasa Raja of the time...to say she was suddenly very nervous would have been an understatement, yet at the same time her competitive desire to test herself was simply ignited even more than before…
Guinevere decided to continue and explain before they jumped to the wrong conclusion…
"Before you all start to fret too badly, allow Guinevere to explain the circumstances as Guinevere recalls to the best of Guinevere's knowledge. The King of the End slew the large number of wild Devil Kings of his era as they were tyrants causing all kinds of chaos at the time:
An Evil Tyrant who was hunting those under him for sport, sometimes even letting his prey escape just to enjoy the hunt a little longer.
A former Roman Imperial General who was waging pointless battles simply to satisfy his own battle lust.
A mindless berserker who went around slaughtering and looting the villages he pillaged.
A so-called Hero going around committing brainless acts of valor regardless of the consequences of his actions and without regard for those who suffered in his wake.
"These were the types of Devil Kings that the King of the End was forced to battle against. He slew one of them in order to make the suffering of the people stop, and the other Devil Kings began to march upon the island nation of Briton for various reasons, but not to avenge for their fellow King's death. They simply wished to slay him for more power or to fight a strong opponent, or for whatever reason.
The King of the End slew each and every one who came his way, eventually having several other Gods and followers joining his cause. These Gods were the prototypes of the Gods who became known in the Arthurian Legend as the Knight of the Round Table, with the King of the End being the prototype to the Heretic God of Steel and Warfare, [Arthur Pendragon]. After fighting against three separate Devil Kings back to back and slaying them, he was forced to battle against [Mordred] when the turncoat took advantage of my King's weakened state. The monster even actually managed to wound the Strongest Steel before the King of the End slew him in retribution. He then went to slumber somewhere, and those of us who were loyal to him and became Divine Ancestors have been searching for him since...and we all have yet to find his place of slumber. Even Guinevere, whom was known as the White Mother Earth Goddess had willingly turned herself into a Divine Ancestor in order to create the Holy Grail that can take the power and divinity of Goddesses of the Earth and use it to return my King back to full strength in the even of his eventual revival.
While Guinevere's memories of that time are fragmented at best and gaping blanks at worst, Guinevere at least recalls enough of her time as a goddess to have a near perfect image of what it was like during that age."
That caused quite a stir with her explanation. If the Devil Kings of that era were the cause of that Era's end, than was that the reason the Devil Kings were known to be Lords of Chaos and pandemonium at times? Those gathered could not help but to think so. After everybody had a few minutes to calm down and process that bit of information, everyone turned to the host of this event. Shirou decided it was time to tell his tale, and explain why he does what he does...
"I suppose I should start then. Before I tell you all what the basis of my rule is, as I told to Godou-san, I must first tell a bit of a story for you all. The story of a boy who dreamed of becoming a Hero, who would later become a King..."
This got everyone's attention. They suddenly took an interest in this, because from what they could gather, this was his story he was about to tell them all; the story of his past that nobody knew much more than what he told them about. Even the trio of Gods of Steel in attendance were interested in the tale of this young man…
"The beginning of this story started with a fire...or rather, it began with a dream...There was once a young boy, one who was unfortunate enough to get caught up in a disaster caused by a Dark God of Evil descending upon the mortal plane. This Dark God's very presence exuded curses of such evil, it twisted and cursed everything, corrupting anything it could not destroy. This lone boy, no older than six or seven at most, watched in horror as this Dark God destroyed everything he ever came to call home and had cared for as it went up in the cursed flames caused by its very presence alone. While everyone and everything around him began to be lost to a sea of flames, he refused to allow any who could still be saved to die, so this boy did something he knew he may not survive, but chose to do so anyway.
"This young boy had a very special form of magic, one that allowed him to banish said Dark God back to the plane from whence it came...but at the cost of himself. His entire being, his small body, began to harden into steel fragments as it had begun breaking apart, his mind shattering from the strain of his own power, and his very soul, the very spark of creation from whence gave him life, began to dim out as it had begun to scatter into an ember of ash that dimly glowed to show any sign of life remaining, yet this young life continued to stubbornly hold onto what little flame this small dying ember still had. The boy had saved anyone still alive, but at a great personal cost, and the deed had gone unnoticed, and unremembered.
"This boy didn't remember much when the small ember he had left of the spark that was his soul managed to regain some measure of awareness, however, he was treated to a sight that marked the boy for the rest of his life. The cursed fires that claimed a thousand souls had left an impression upon his very soul. The boy walked through the cursed flames, not knowing whether or not he would even find any safety, as even in his young mind, he knew...what he saw, was Hell. The residents of this town who were still clinging to life were being burned to death around him, and he deliberately shut his own ears, yet could not turn his young eyes away from what horrors he witnessed, as these sights would haunt the boy's dreams to the day he would die.
"He didn't refuse to care about these people, it was simply that he forced himself not to care, for he knew instinctively that if he did not keep moving and stayed in one spot for too long, that he too would have been consumed by the flames constantly nipping at his heels, the fires seemingly sapping his strength as what he suffered was a living nightmare, the curses trying to claim him like everyone else caught up in the hellish blaze of an inferno…
"As he walked, he saw things and sights he could just barely recognize from his fractured mind, the fragmented recollections causing him to realize that if he dwelt upon it for too long, he would not survive. So he did the only thing he could do. In order to survive, he cast off anything that would prove detrimental to his survival. The first thing he tossed aside was his own fragmented memories. He saw sights that reminded him vaguely of things he knew, so he tossed them aside by sacrificing them to the flames. He heard people screaming and cursing him as he walked past, ignoring their pleas, not because he didn't care, but because he forced himself not to...
"Once the memories he tossed aside to create a fragile path to safety could no longer continue, he began to sacrifice his own humanity and his emotions in order to survive long enough just to take one more step…
He was afraid of dying, so he cast aside his own fear...
He was in great pain from the fire and his own wounds, so he cast aside his own pain...
He saw things he liked going up in flames, so he cast aside his own love…
He hated himself, his own weakness, and the fact he could do nothing but watch everything burn, so he cast aside his own hatred...
He then tossed aside other aspects of his own emotions which served as the key aspects of humanity one by one for each step he took to prolong his own survival...faith, joy, despair, sadness, happiness, envy, pride, greed...one by one he tossed all of them aside just to survive taking one more step, until finally hope was all he had left...and oh did he so desperately cling to it, but in the end, even that too was sacrificed to the flames just to take another step.
"He was now completely empty inside, a hollow, lifeless husk, alive, but not truly living. A machine just barely keeping itself functional. For all intents and purposes, he was dead by all rights, the very key aspect that made him human, long gone and burned away by the flames that raged around him. His very heart was rendered empty and hollow inside, colorless and clear...a heart that had been turned to glass...With nothing left to live for, and nothing else left to sacrifice, he collapsed, his strength finally failing him just as a wall collapsed on top of him, with rain clouds finally beginning to gather and shower the flames, helping to smother them and put the fires out. Too late…
"His lingering remnants of a mind wondering why he was bothering to keep living, why he was still trying to survive, after losing everything. He had nothing left. Everything was gone, he was all that was left, and he could only croak out two words with a hoarse voice from the burns and the dryness of his throat due to the heat in that situation: 'It...hurts...'
The boy in question wasn't speaking for himself, but for all those who could no longer speak for themselves, as he had long since stopped feeling pain from his wounds, with the dead bodies around him long burned to blackened ash around him, crumbling away in the aftermath. He honestly was tired, and very close to his last ember of life, which had just barely been holding on up to that point, was finally starting to die out, his life finally ending."
The looks of shock at Shirou's explanation actually caused even those who knew of his past to simply stare in shock. They knew that he nearly died, but they had no idea how truly close he had come to fully dying in the Fires of Fuyuki that day...to say it was absolutely horrifying was an understatement. [Futsunushi], [Muramasa], [Masamaune], and even [Susanoo] could not believe just how he managed to survive his spark of life that had been turned into a dying ember, which had begun to fade could even still be saved after hearing of this. It was no wonder he seemed so warped in mind and his soul so distorted with his worldview so badly skewed after an experience like that...
"The boy, in an act of defiance to which not even he knew the reasoning for, lifted his hand up to the sky, his empty and lifeless eyes devoid of the last embers of life within them as they were snuffed out. Yet, as though to spite the fate he accepted, a hand grabbed his before he could even reach the ground an inch. The boys blurry vision barely made out the vague shape of a man, his ears distantly hearing the sound of the man saving him as he sobbed, thanking him for still being alive, for giving him the chance to save him. The boy saw a golden light that seemed to soothe him as the man placed something within his body that helped save his life, reigniting the dying ember enough to make it burn dimly again so he could survive long enough to get help, but just before he passed out, the last image he saw became burned into his memory forever…
"The man who saved him, had what had to be the purest smile of absolute joy and unadulterated happiness on his face while tears of joy seemed to fall from his eyes that were completely dead inside, devoid of any will to live as though the man had been dead but still living despite this. A single thought passed through the boys mind before the blissful sleep of rest took him…
'He looks so happy...I wonder if I could ever be able to smile like that too someday...'"
When he told them this the reaction everyone who did not know of his tragic background were horrified. Godou, Erica, Liliana, Yuri, Hikari, and Ena was absolutely speechless. As for Shizuka, she looked completely shocked by what she saw as a horrifying ordeal and wondered how Shirou could still even be sane after what he just described suffering. John Pluto Smith, Luo Hao, and Lu Linghua were completely caught off guard by this revelation, and didn't even have any words they could or would be able to say in response. Guinevere was absolutely caught flat footed that a mortal could even survive what he described, as Shirou was as he so put it 'dead in all but body'. Even [Susanoo], [Futsunushi], [Muramasa], and [Masamune] were absolutely shocked by the extent of how far gone Shirou said he was. By all accounts of what he said, he shouldn't have even been alive, much less still as sane as he was.
Not feeling like interrupting him, they allowed Shirou to continue his tale of his past uninterrupted...
"Time passed, and the boy was taken in by the man who had saved him, and came to call him Father. He taught him about the existence of magic, told him of his dream he once pursued, of how he was a magus, but how he was also a failed Hero of Justice. He explained to him how his dream, though beautiful, was flawed in the way that made it an impossibly foolish, albeit a beautiful, dream to pursue. One night, five years after the fire, when the boy was only twelve years old, he sat on the porch with his father, stargazing like the two enjoyed doing together, as the man's failing health from the divine curse he suffered at the hands of the Dark God of Evil behind the fire in retribution for getting in its way was beginning to finally make it impossible for him to last for much longer.
On that last night together with the man he called his father, the boy made a promise to his father: he would become a hero for him in his place, fulfilling his dream for him. His father was surprised at first, before the realization of what the boy, whom had become his son regardless of blood, was to him. He was a man who strayed from the original dream he had, the circumstances of which the boy would not learn until years later, who had nothing but guilt for a lot of the things he had been forced to do. He was an assassin for hire and a freelance mercenary among the Supernatural side of the world, yet he was never motivated by greed or personal gain. Every job he did, he took for the sole purpose of minimizing the amounts of deaths possible to the least amount possible. He hunted rogue magi and dangerous magical beasts that threatened the masses, killing them for the sake of humanity. He was crushed by the guilt of the extent of the things he was willing to go for the killing he did, his regrets neither small nor few in number, and the dream he chased and clung to desperately became but ash in his hands by the end of it all...but even so, the boy whom he had saved and taken in out of guilt for inadvertently taking everything from him became his salvation in his final moments, taking the ashes of his dream and making them his own, even though he saw firsthand what would become of him in the process...the proof of his dream not being wrong, as the boy promised to fulfill it and take it upon himself to finish in his place.
"In that moment, the man whom was a feared and respected in equal measure among the magi of the darker side of the supernatural, the freelance mercenary and assassin for hire known and hated as the Magus Killer, died with a great deal of regrets as a broken man crushed by the weight of his own guilt, but with the peacefully melancholic smile of a man who received salvation in his final moments, as though finally being alleviated of some unseen burden he had been forced to bare all alone for so long all by himself. And the boy he called his son, though knowing it was going to happen eventually, was saddened by his father's passing, yet no tears could come to him, as his tears had long since dried up in the fires that marked him forever..."
This caused everyone to gasp silently as the implications of what he revealed said about Shirou. He was someone who lost someone dear to him, yet due to the suffering he had already endured at an age far younger than he had all rights to be at the time, he could not shed even a single tear, as he had none left to shed, even for those he loved and the one he called his father…
"Five more years passed, ten years after the fire, and the boy had become a young man, with the very same magic ritual that the boy's father took part in occurred yet again a full fifty years earlier than it should have. This ritual was one that used the lay lines of the Earth itself to power it for a two week time period, taking a full sixty years to activate once more, but due to the unusual circumstances and the fact that the ritual in question had never once been successfully completed in its past four attempts in its over two hundred years of history, it had started up again a full ten years after the fourth, causing its fifth to occur before anybody could be properly prepared for it other than the three founding families of the ritual: the Einzbern, the Matou, and the Tohsaka. These three families were those among its participants whom always had a slot guaranteed in its participation. Its participants were chosen by the wish granter they fought for itself, by selecting only those with some form strong connection to it.
"As for the young man, he was the sole survivor of the curses that had spilled forth and the sole survivor from the fire to be pulled from the rubble...that was his connection, and he didn't have any wish he wanted granted. His only reason for participating was to prevent anybody from being killed after getting dragged into it...though he wound up getting dragged into it in the worst way possible via the business end of a cursed spear through the heart inflicting an unhealable wound...the scar of which shall remain to the day he will die, as he received magical first aid that accelerated the high-speed regeneration the young man possessed keeping him alive long enough to regrow his heart in his chest with some outside help...
"The magic ritual in question he took part in was called the 'Heaven's Feel Ritual', operating as a blood sport of a tournament in the form of a battle royal, where the only rule was to utterly slaughter all of ones enemies and any opposition, and anybody unfortunate enough to get caught up in the fighting was simply seen as an acceptable casualty to the ones overseeing it. They were so corrupt, that the Administrator of this ritual didn't even properly do his job right even when they were first given the position to prevent and cover up any collateral damage, not to mention wasn't even impartial like he was supposed to be, as during the fourth iteration, the Administrator's son was a participant and they made a secret and illegal alliance with the Tohsaka head at the time. During the fourth, that same participant had not only betrayed the Tohsaka head by stabbing him in the back, murdering his own teacher and mentor, but during the fifth when he was supposed to act as the Administrator after his father who served as the previous administrator was murdered, he broke the rules and participated by keeping one of the summoned Heroic Spirits who acted as the champion for the participants by keeping the orphans of the fire in a state of perpetual torture by turning them into living mana batteries, just barely keeping them alive out of his own sick and twisted sense of happiness by making others suffer needlessly and pointlessly.
"About halfway through the ritual in question, the prize the young man and the remaining others had been fighting all that time over, an omnipotent wish-granting cup, was revealed to be nothing of what they were lead to believe it was. It did have the capability to grant wishes, but what it required in order to do so was that it never intended to grant the wished of the summoned Servants to fight for them. The wish granter required a certain number of these summoned heroes of old to be slain before the prize would be able to manifest, but in order to activate this function, it required a specific number of them. Only seven of these Servants could ever be summoned for a single iteration, and each had a wish they wanted to make with the prize, and six of them were required to die before it could manifest...but in order to activate the wish granting function, the number of Servant's souls required, was not six...they needed all seven Servants dead to activate it. In other words, they summoned them with the offer of granting their desire, only to be lying to them the entire time as they were essentially forced to work and fight to the death for free. And if that wasn't enough, the wish granter wasn't even functioning properly.
"During the third iteration, an unnamed representative of the Einzbern family summoned a Divine Spirit in an attempt to cheat during this iteration of the 'Third Heaven's Feel Ritual'. Instead of the usual Berserker Class Heroic Spirit, the entity they summoned replaced it with the Heretical Avenger Class Servant, and it was the weakest Servant in the entire history of the Heaven's Feel Ritual. However, that was because the true identity of this servant was that of the Dark God of Evil in Zoroastrianism: [Angra Manyu]. He was only the weakest because the opponent he fought was Servants, while he was an expert in killing Humans. After all, Avenger fought not to win; he fought not to lose. His specialty was in killing humans, as it was the one thing he was absolutely peerless in. He was the first Servant to be slain during the 'Third Heaven's Feel', but when he died, he cursed the very prize being fought over, twisting it into a monkey's paw. It could still grant wishes, but only in the most destructive manner possible.
"When the young man learned of this, both he and the remaining participants decided to destroy the prize in question, as it was something that should have by all rights never existed in the first place. They succeeded in doing so, but got dragged off by the lingering remnants of the God of Evil's attempts to retain a place among the mortal plane of existence by trying to bind itself to none other than [Gilgamesh], whom the boy was fighting against, and the boy and the remaining participants got dragged along with them. When they finally got their bearings, they had been dragged to Italy, right smack in the center of a highly populated town, where countless lives were lost from the Ancient Sumerian's Fifth King of Uruk and the embodiment of All the World's Evil's were battling it out.
"The young man managed to slay them both using the weakened and fragmented form of the very magic he had managed to regain, slaying them both in the process, and becoming a King by taking divine authorities from them both...the rest, you all may already know. That is my story, the story of the broken sword and young man known as Emiya Shirou..."
The sheer looks of absolute shock over what Shirou said and the shell-shocked silence all those whom were listening was both deafening and spoke volumes at the same time. They were made aware of what Heroic Spirits and their weaker Servant forms were by both Arturia as well as Rin and Illya's further explaining of any details asked, so they weren't completely unaware of what the references were for, but the tale of what Shirou said happened to him was enough to cause people to have all kinds of emotions run through their heads.
For the Kusanagi entourage, it was complete shock, sympathy, and disbelief that someone could suffer that much and still somehow be sane afterwards, with Shizuka actually tearing up and barely restraining the urge to run up and hug her crush…
For John Pluto Smith, Luo Hao, and Guinevere, the whole tale was shocking enough on its own, and they had some suspicions, but now...the full weight of the suffering that Shirou suffered was clearly far more than any one person should have ever suffered, period...
As for the other guests and those not entirely in the know about Shirou's past, it was a bombshell that rocked their theories about Emiya Shirou's origins and opened an entirely whole new can of worms for the questions they now had no answers for. His story gave them the answers they wanted, but the questions that it made were even more numerous than the ones his story about his past answered…
"To answer you all as to what I seek from my rather unwanted position as a King, the path I wish to walk is like John Pluto Smith, as that of a Hero of Justice, but the rule I wish to have is one as a King of the Forsaken, acting as a beacon of hope for those drowning in a sea of their own despair. Not simply because of the promise I made to the man I called my father, nor because it is the path I chose for myself. Simply because it is all I have left, the singular desire left to me that is entirely my own after the fire that burned everything else away from me and left me a husk of my former self."
Those gathered simply did not bother to say anything for a few moments as they began to finally sink into an uncomfortable silence before they moved on rather awkwardly. The one to break the silence was the Hero of Los Angeles. "...they say that great power can only be achieved through great suffering. In that regard, King Emiya, you are by far someone whose strength could very well be limitless..." Shirou nodded in acknowledgment before he continued speaking to further relieve the lingering uncomfortable tension in the air…
"That is most certainly the most true saying to apply to me you could possible say, King Smith. With this, I declare this competition of Kingship to a close. To sum up the competition so far, we have a King of Martial Arts, a Commoner King, a Just King, a King of the Forsaken, and a Protector King, with them walking the paths of Domination, two Heroes of Justice, a normal life, and a Guardian. I would say I feel this competition of Kingship would end in a draw, as all those present have good and noble reasons for their rule and their chosen paths in the life of a King and each are ones I approve of. Therefore, all of us are declared the winner here of this Feast of King's Competition of Kingship."
After gesturing for them to stand, Shirou then dismissed the table and chairs after they got up. He then proceeded to nod in the direction of the house, as two figures made their way to the four gathered competitors along with their host for this evening. It was none other than Agatha and Johanne, both pushing a pair of carts with two somethings lain atop them, each object covered under a piece of cloth. The Dragoon and the Apothecary were each wearing a matching servant outfit, as they were both tasked by Shirou to grab the two carts after he began the main event. Johanne was wearing a typical British butler uniform, which he pulled off perfectly, while Agatha wore a stereotypical western maid uniform.
When Illya first saw the two of them wearing it, Shirou actually had to pull Illya off of her and Johanne came very close to actually having to restrain her with a heavy duty chain of magically reinforced metal before she snapped out of it, much to her own admitted embarrassment...apparently, Illya suffered from a maid fetish, and seeing someone in a maid outfit was enough to flip her switch if she doesn't consciously try to restrain herself…
After bringing the two carts up to him, Shirou then proceeded to speak of what he had planned for them.
"When I thought about what to do as gifts to give each of you, I tried to think of something that would suit each of you, but also be something practical that you would use, and so I came up with these..." Shirou then pulled the clothes covering the two carts revealing what was underneath them. After the dual clothes hiding what was on the carts were removed, there appeared to be a bundle of four objects wrapped in more cloth, yet these were actually mantles with an obvious design on them used, as it appeared the cloth was actually a mantle just like the one that Shirou was wearing but with a different emblem and colors to his own on each of them.
On one cart was a pair of mantles used to cover whatever was underneath. The first was green and had a white fist and black fist twisted into a Taoist yin and yang symbol with a blue square with its four corners pointed up, down, left, and right. The second was a dark gray mantle with a golden scale holding two masks, a black frowning one for tragedy and a white smiling one for comedy, held in a rectangle of silver.
On the other cart was one more mantle of similar design and appearance to Shirou's own as well as another one next to it. The first mantle on this cart was a pure golden colored one with the kanji for 'warrior' and 'resolve' and a pair of two familiar swords crossed behind them: a Golden Persian sword and [Ama no Murakumo]. It was held in a red octagon. The second mantle was a pure white one, simply designed without any embellishments other than a symbolic grail on a typical shield of light yellow.
The four invited guests of honor realized instantly what they were: mantles with designs that symbolized each of them in some manner. The golden one was for Godou, the white one for Guinevere, the dark gray one for John Pluto Smith, and the green one for Luo Hao. Before they could think deeper on this, Shirou continued his explanation…
"Since I could not really decide on what to get you, that I felt would suit your status while also fitting your personal preferences, I decided to give you a double gift, in the form of a mantle similar to my own with a weapon that fits each of you perfectly. First, for Luo Hao..." Shirou then went over to the green mantle he had and pulled it off, revealing a beautifully crafted Ji, a halberd of Chinese origin, a master crafted weapon that had a wicked spearhead and a crescent-moon shaped blade on the haft just under it to the side, with a blood-red tassel hanging from it giving it a contrasting color to the other materials. Its length was made from a gleaming black wood polished to a shine with a silvery color to the metal, showing it was both well cared for and maintained. It was similar enough to a Qian, a Chinese spear much like Luo Hao's own favored weapon of choice to be only minimally awkward.
"...this is the weapon of the famed Chinese warlord, Lu Bu Fengxian, [Houtengenki]. While it may be beautiful to look at, it is more than a strong weapon. It is a weapon with the ability to grant more power and strength when wielded by skilled hands; the more skill with a spear the person has, the more powerful the wielder then becomes. I felt it would possibly be the best one for you to have as one whose mastery of skill is the basis of your combat style. And though he might have been evil, it might serve you as well, albeit through happier times as well. It also has one other feature, but that would have to wait until I finish giving out the other gifts to the others."
The Empress of the Martial Realm was utterly floored by the gifts of the mantle and the spear. She lifted the spear and gave it a few experimental swings and moves. To say she was awed by the sheer craftsmanship and history behind the spear was an understatement… "King Emiya...I have no words to even describe this gift's value...you have managed to render even this Luo Cuillion speechless with awe..."
Shirou simply handed her the mantle to go with it and she graciously wore it after accepting it. It fit her Chinese-style dress regardless of the obvious discrepancy in its western influence. "I felt it would be perfect for you. This mantle also has the same enchantments as mine. It is resistant to damage to a certain extent and can also repair and clean itself, while resisting the elements. Each of these mantle have the same enchantments woven into them, by the way."
The looks the four of them gave him was obvious. How could anybody have such an obvious amount of resources to pull such a thing and still not think of using it as more than a gift to be given freely…
"Next up is John Pluto Smith..." Shirou then lifted up the next dark gray mantle on the cart. He removed the weapon beneath, and the thoughts that ran through the Hero of Los Angeles' head screeched to a halt in response to the awe that 'he' felt in that moment. It was a blood red spear save for the small section of silver on its hilt separating the haft from the blade. It had Fae runes engraved unto its blade, with a smooth surface save for the vein-like ridges that resembled roots and made it look like it had somehow been organically grown rather than oddly forged. While it might not have had the same presence of power as the spear gifted to Luo Hao, it was without a doubt something the Hero of Los Angeles could not turn 'his' gaze away from due to the awe of wonder that was given off from the spear, albeit it more subtly subdued…
"This spear is something I felt most appropriate for you, not only for its history, but also its abilities. As you've already shown, you have an authority that gives you dominion over the fae folk of the astral plane, and you've also a history of dealing with magic crimes. This spear is the weapon of the legendary Irish Hero, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, otherwise known as Diarmuid of the Love Spot, [Gae Dearg], the Crimson Rose of Exorcism. It is a fairy made weapon with the power to literally pierce through any magical defense of any mortal magecraft and severe the source of said magic so long as its blade remains in contact with it. It was gifted to him by the fae, and I felt it would have been most appropriate for you to receive as a gift."
To say that 'John Pluto Smith' was speechless was an understatement. 'His' mind was racing a mile a minute on how many mages this one spear could have made so much easier to deal with had 'he' had something like it sooner. So focused was 'he' that there was only one thing that the American God-slayer could only say one thing in response…
"King Emiya...this is a most precious gift that shall never go to waste nor be misused on my honor as a Hero of Justice..."
Shirou simply nodded and smiled at 'his' promise. He handed 'him' the mantle and John Pluto Smith proceeded to don it, no different from Luo Hao, and just like hers, it fit 'his' image perfectly. "Now for Godou-san, yours gave me quite a bit of trouble on what to get you, as you were something of a challenge, but even so I settled for one I felt fit your personality perfectly, while its abilities matched as well..."
Shirou then picked up the golden mantle, and revealed the gift beneath it of a two-meter long spear. However, while it seemed to be made of gold and had gemstones embedded into it, the blade itself was blunted to the point it could not even cut much of anything, maybe bruise someone, but not very much harm. Luo Hao and John Pluto Smith both had eyes filled with discontent, before Shirou could continue his explanation, Luo Hao seemed very disapproving with her obvious anger…
"King Emiya, what is with this obvious insult to my sworn brother? Is this supposed to be some kind of insult to King Godou?"
Rather than seem guilty, or even angry or upset, Shirou's rather approving smile at her defense of Godou caused everyone to pause slightly in response before he answered. "While I am glad you stood up for what you perceived as an insult towards Godou-san, please keep in mind Luo Hao, that when it comes to the world of the Supernatural, things are not always what they may appear. Do you really think me someone so petty as to give Godou a lesser gift that ill suits his nature or capabilities?"
All arguments died on the spot by his words. Continuing his explanation, Shirou did not wait to let them voice any confusion…
"This spear may look purely ornamental as a parade arms, but know it is actually a fully functional armament. This is the spear of none other than Astolfo, the Twelfth Paladin of Charlamagne himself, the [Trap of Argalia]. This is a spear with the enchantments that best reflected his extreme dislike for killing. Though the blade may not kill any whom you hit with it, it does however inflict a minor curse, nothing lethal, but it essentially forces those struck by it to the ground on their knees. It is a weapon that does not kill, a reflection of Astolfo's extreme dislike for killing, by instead incapacitating them for a time. The curse in question can not fade unless over time or by tapping them with the pommel of the weapon to release the bewitchment."
The silence that suddenly overtook all protests spoke volumes louder than any shouted words ever could. Luo Hao actually hung her head in disappointed embarrassment of her outburst. Mumbling a barely audible apology, Shirou just simply smiled as he responded… "It's fine Luo Hao. Had you simply waited, I would have explained my reasoning for the seeming disparity between the gifts you received compared to Godou-san's." Godou for his part was floored to receive something like this spear. It was something his fellow Japanese King and friend gifted that he felt fit him and his beliefs perfectly. To say he was moved would be an understatement...donning the golden mantle, it most definitely suited him perfectly. In fact, if he wore a golden coat, it would not have looked out of place given how well the mantle seemed to suit him...
"Last but not least, Lady Guinevere's gift from me..." Shirou moved along by removing the last mantle on the cart. He pulled the white mantle and removed a final spear, one that Arturia recognized instantly. How could she not, for it was her spear, the very one of which she still had, but realized why Shirou was gifting her a copy made with his magic…
"This is the spear of King Arthur, the one which he used to strike down Mordred in the Battle of Camlann of Arthurian Legend. It's name is [Rhongomyniad], the Spear that Always Strikes and Slays. It has the power to render such defensive measures or abilities as enhanced healing or invulnerable skin as null. Before this spear, all flesh is rendered mortal, unless it is overwhelmed by a greater power than itself."
To say Guinevere was shocked was an understatement, however the sheer stillness she gave off along with her eyes being shrunk down to pin pricks made Shirou worry slightly by her bizarre reaction. "...Lady Guinevere, are you alright?"
"...it's not possible….this spear should not even exist."
Her words caused a bit of curiosity to form with those in attendance. Before anyone could ask what she was referring to, the Witch of Briton continued…
"This is a spear that was only added to the legend after Camlann by the bards in question of the times after Artus struck [Mordred] down with [Excalibur]. This spear was only added later into the legend by the bards as an embellishment to the story. This spear should not even exist. If it did, it should not as a mortal one. If it was, it would have been as an authority already incorporated into [Arthur]'s legend. But this is not an authority, merely a mortal spear that should not exist. If it should exist at all, it shouldn't be as a weapon of a mortal."
The sheer disbelief on her face only was broken by Shirou's rather blunt yet cryptic response to that. "Lady Guinevere, all stories are real. Just because one says something should not exist, does not mean it doesn't exist with another. All stories are slightly different, but at the same time, all stories are real." The rather cryptic meaning behind his wording was not without some slight confusion, but before any more words could be said, Shirou's eyes widened in response, as he paused and stood stock still. It took Guinevere but a second later to notice and spin around quickly in response, only to freeze at the sheer wrongness of what the threat that was detected was…
"...What in the fucking HELL have YOU DONE, you ROOT-DAMNED FOOL?!"
...as a [Soul Eater] had just been manifested upon the world once again...and it had appeared right before the Feast of Kings and all those in attendance. The repercussions of this incident would later spread far and wide...
A/N: And that's part two of my planned three part Feast of King's filler arc. While you all might complain about Shirou's telling of his past, keep in mind, he had never said a word about extra-dimensional travel. He hasn't revealed that aspect of his past yet, and those listening were more than willing to move on to avoid thinking about the implications of his past traumas and pain. Next Chapter will involve Shirou's besting of the Soul Eater, a fight scene with his new authority being used for the first time, and the aftermath of the Feast of Kings and the appearance of the Soul Eater. Suffice to say, next chapter will also be a bit of a long one. Until next chapter, PEACE OUT!