Fate/Prince of Shadows
Chapter 11
Scathach was quietly humming away while she cleaned up the Emiya resistance. The song she hummed away was an old lullaby her mother sang to her. It brought back fond memories of her childhood, her mother was a kind, but cold at times, while her father was harsh, but still cared deeply for her. He had a reputation for having a devilish smile while in the middle of an entertaining fight. Something that she inherited from him, and an annoyance to her mother.
But her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her door knocking.
"Coming." She cried out towards the door. She put away her broom in the closet, after that. She casually drew closer to her door, but she also felt that something was off. She gently pulled out one of her small throwing knives and held it behind her back.
"I do hope you don't have a knife behind your back, "Anna."" A feminine voice said with a rich and soothing tone. Scathach already knew who this was. it was almost ten years ago that they had shared a phone call. She slid the door open to see that it was indeed who she thought it was.
"Morgan." She said dryly. She wore a casual business suit showed a bit of her chest and had a pencil shirk with black leggings, on her head she had a pair of expensive sunglasses with 24 karat gold trim. Around her shoulders was a black coat with blue trimming and patterns that mimicked her infamous veil from her past. Scathach then looked down to see that she had a carry on next to her, she already knew why she was here.
"Oh, don't look at me like that," Morgan said with something that mimic being offended. "You know that you're going to need some help with this." She crossed her arms and gave Scathach a smug look.
"What do you want?" Scathach said with an irritated voice while sheathing her throwing knife.
"You and I want the same thing. Our loved ones to be happy." Morgan took her sunglasses off and showed Scathach her emerald eyes. "Now…may I come in?"
"…Fine" Scathach said while biting her lip to the point of bleeding, she was angered that one of her kind had to come in like this. "Let me show you where you'll be staying."
"Thank you, your grace." Morgan said with a small curtsy. Morgan quietly followed Scathach to her room, it was the one right next to Artoria slept, but she didn't get a western style bed like her sister, instead she got a futon in the middle of an empty and bland room. But Morgan sensed some magical energies inside it. more accurately, beneath her.
"Don't tell me, you have a stash of mystic codes beneath the floor here?"
"They're actually Kiritsugu Emiya's old weapons. He left them here in case Shirou needs to face off against the Mage's Association. You know better than anyone how persistent those insects are." Scathach looked at the floor with disgust. She may have hated the Magi, but she hated the late Magus Killer's tactics and weapons even more.
"Say what you want about him, that man did have sound tactics when it came to dealing with his own kind. And we both know that the association has done things far worse than what he's done." Morgan said while walking into her room. She crouched down and started etching Fae Runes onto the floor to see what Kiritsugu hid, and to her surprise, he hid just about everything in here. Semi and Full Auto firearms. Flashbang, Stun, Gas and Smoke grenades, as well as some lethal ones. Several hundred bullets of several calibers. C2 explosives and a suitcase partly filled with his infamous 'Origin Rounds.'
"Well…he certainly was prepared for a full assault." Morgan said with some fear in her voice.
"Indeed."
"I know that my son, Agravain would love to play around with these."
"I thought that he was a knight." Scathach said while leaning on the doorway with her arms crossed.
"He was, but that doesn't mean he fully followed the code of Chivalry. He saw it more like a set of guidelines rather than a code of honor. His siblings always hated him for that." Morgan explained while she unpacked her carry on.
"And you didn't?"
"Of course not. I taught him to live that way, he preferred to strike from the shadows instead of a full-frontal assault. "It's always better to strike from behinds to not run the risk of prolonged fights.""
Sounds about-wait…did you say, 'would love to' as in present tense?"
Morgan snapped her fingers; ghostly forms began to manifest around them. Slowing taking human shapes. One was on their hands and knees while the others surrounded it, some of them covering their faces with their hands. Once they were done manifesting, Scathach saw that they were Morgan's late children. One had black hair and looked excited at what was underneath the floorboard. The tallest one covered his eyes and shook his head in disappointment. The one wearing a horned helmet just rolled their head back in jus the same manor. The one with the dress like armor just looked on in confusion.
"Really Agravain… must you drool over just dishonorable weapons?"
"But they're just so useful, some of them are heavily modified through magecraft. I can have so much fun with these!"
"Jeesh…you're not hard to impress."
"Oh, shut up, Mordred." Agravain said with a slight pout.
"What are you guys talking about?" The Smallest of them asked. "you guy's arelady know I have the biggest gun around here."
"We know Gareth. That thing took out an entire Saxon regiment with one shot." The tall one said.
"That's enough, children." Morgan said with a tired, but motherly tone. "Gawain, can you still summon your sword here?"
'Yes. But it would be unwise to use it at nighttime."
"Hold on." Scathach interrupted them. "You brought the spirits of your children here? In MY house!" she was angry at all of this.
"Yes. We both know that with Angra Maniyu is an opponent where we can't take any second chances."
Scathach just stared at Morgan with seething rage. But that was subsided when she realized that Morgan was right.
"Come with me," Morgan started "I'll make us some tea, we have much to discuss, and have a few hours before my son and your sister come back."
"Are you sure that it's safe to visit Illyasviel right now?" Artoria asked while trying to not step into a magical landmine.
"Of course. But I imagine that her tow maids planted more-" he stopped exactly right when he almost took another step. His nose was picking something up, something dangerous. "You know what? I'll just carry you there."
"huh?"
Shirou picked her up bridal style before she took another step and leaped into the air, jumping from tree to tree towards the manor. She was blushing hard while he did this.
"Shirou! what are you doing?" she yelled while trying to hold on to him. "P-P-Put me down this instant!"
"And let you potentially land onto a mine? Sorry Saber, but I'm not doing that." He said with a straight face. But he was also trying to hold in a blush, but her small frame and its shape was not helping in the slightest. Once they made it to the Einzbern manor, Shirou gently let go of her and mentally prepared for her to slap him, but that did not happen.
"Shirou, please refrain from doing that again." Saber said sternly.
"I will if Illya's maids cool it with the land mines." He retorted, causing his servant to just look at him with a calm anger.
"BIG BROTHER!" a high-pitched voice yelled out. Shirou looked up to see that Illya was somehow in the air and just about to land on him.
"I-Illya?!" he cried out as she landed on his chest, causing him to fall back onto the ground. "H-How did you jump that- oh, mana infused jump."
"That's right!" she said cheerfully and with a warm smile, but then her mood quickly changed. "I was so worried about you! how did you recover from a wound like that? You should be six feet under from an injury that severe."
Shirou stayed silent there for a good minute. Saber looked like she was about to explain it but then held back from doing that. He looked at Illya dead in the eyes and said.
"That's what I'm here to tell you."
(Matou Manor)
Zouken looked on towards his pit. His numerous familiars crawled and flew everywhere in a dark, greenish light. But there was another reason why he was here of all places. He felt a presence drawing closer and closer from behind him. he did not have to turn around to see who it was.
"I was wonder when you'd come back…Sakura"
He slowly turned around to look at his "granddaughter." She looked at him with a blank face, a dark aura surrounded her.
"I'm surprised that you haven't used your new servant yet. To think that you could do this is…interesting." He said as he licked his lips. He was ecstatic that something like this could happen. He thought that maybe this time he will win the war.
"Caster." Sakura said coldly. Demanding her new servant to come fourth. She formed in a cloud of red mana particles and a sickly black mist. She kneeled with her staff held high. Showing respect not for Zouken, but her Sakura alone.
"Mistress. What are your orders?" she almost begged to be told what to do.
"Scout out the Emiya residence. I want to know who is trying to steal who is mine." There was venom in her voice.
"Still haven't given up on him yet? Foolish girl, it's time you grow up and accept that he isn't interested in you." Sakura gave him a sour look before she felt great pain in her chest. She clutched her heart before giving Caster additional orders.
"Set up a few familiars around the area surrounded the house, after that. I want you to kill Anna O'Pike. Bring Shirou Emiya to me once you're done."
Caster looked at Zouken with ire. How dare he force her mistress to do things against her will. How dare he violate her. How dare he force her to not confess her love to the one she cares so deeply for.
"As you wish, mistress." She vanished into thin air soon after the orders were given. Holding in her tong as she did.
"Now with that out of the way. I want you to take lancer, I will order Assassin to lead him to you. We could use him to face off against that Emiya boy, but there is that problem, he is somehow immune to his spear. But I doubt that he's immune to the savagery…of a rabid dog."
"So. That's what happening?" Illya said as she looked down to the cup of tea she held. She looked back up to her adoptive brother to see him nodding yes to her question.
"Whenever I get angry, the process only hastens."
"There's no way to reverse it?"
"No, it's impossible. Even as we speak, my human-side is slowly fading." He looked to his servant, she looked at him with a sad look in her eyes. The then looked at Illya to see that she had the same sad look. It hurt him deeply.
"I'm sorry." He said sorrowfully. But that sorrow ended quickly. He, Illya, Saber felt something was approaching. Her maids burst through the doors with halberds ready.
"Mistress Illya, we must get you to safety!"
"Hold on. I think I know who this is." Shirou said calmly.
"Shirou, I must protest, you need to be with Illyasviel." Saber cried out.
"Relax Saber, it's just someone I know." Shirou sounded annoyed. 'Really! Of all the times you had to show up. Now you show up!' he walked out the door, Saber following him as he calmly walked through the castle, passing Heracles along the way, giving him an almost war lust fueled smile. But he held it in. 'Guess I've been around mom too much.' He mentally said to himself. Saber was confused at this action but held her questions in for the moment. She looked towards Heracles, he kept his straight face, but his eyes told a different story, he wanted to go outside a fight!
Shirou slowly opened the door to see someone he is familiar with, wearing blue jeans, a white tank top and a black biker jacket. "Hello Sétante."
"Oh, come on, you're gonna call me that too. Jeesh you guys are a tough crowd, at least Uathach would lighten up." The blue haired servant rubbed the back of his head as he walked towards Shirou. Shirou continued to stare at him in annoyance.
"That's because she loved you, Brother-in-law." Shirou said with a sour tone.
"Fair point." Lancer said while moving his left hand to scratch his cheek.
Saber looked at the two in confusion. She thought that with the two being family that they will get along well, but the truth of the matter is much more complicated by the looks of it.
"What are you doing here, Sétante?"
"I'm just here to check up on you. What? Am I not allowed to do that?"
"Why are you really here?" Shirou said more sternly. His hand opening up as to almost grab something. Sétante remained silent for a minute before speaking once more.
"Things are…a bit complicated right now. Really wish I could just tell you the name of my master, but I'm under a command spell not to. And before you start, like I said before, I'm only here you check up on you. We're family after all." Sétante said while holding his arms up and letting out a sigh.
Shirou eased and closed his hand, Saber relaxed as well.
"Now that we've got that covered, mind telling me what's wrong with this grail war?" Lancer said while putting one of his hands into his jacket's pockets.
"The grail is corrupted." Shirou started. Looking down in anger.
"You don't say? I wondered why I felt like something was off."
"You feel it too? Well…that is not too surprising. Knowing that you trained under mom and all." Shirou sad with some calmness.
"And I had to live in that castle you were born in. The Land of Shadow's isn't a place for the weak. It was a pain in the butt just trying to get to your mom." Sétante continued.
"The Grail isn't just corrupted; it holds the essence of a Rouge God. I think you already know that this Holy Grail War is now under the jurisdiction of my kind." Shirou turned around and started walking back to his sister, Saber followed without a word.
"Hold on," Sétante started. "What's the name of this Rouge God?"
"Angra Mainyu." Shirou said with some hatred in his voice.
Archer looked on towards the sky, sitting on his master's roof, thinking intensely over what he witnessed a few days ago. So many things were different when compared to his war. 'None of this makes since.' He thought to himself. he knew that Shirou Emiya should not be this powerful, yet alone at this age. He was even able to catch up, or even out run lancer. The swiftest of the Servants in the 5th Holy Grail War.
"Alaya." He cursed out loud. He hated all of this. He thought that his was some kind of punishment his master had gave him. A timeline where Shirou Emiya was completely different. Not only that, but it was also a timeline where the aspect where Shirou Emiya would turn into him was impossible.
"I have to fix this, and fast. Shirou Emiya will die tonight." He thought to himself and he stood up, walking away from the Tohsaka Manor.
"Where do you think you're going?" a feminine voice asked from behind his back. Archer turned around to see Rider with her weapon ready.
"Just going to balance out the playing field." He said coldly.
"And how do you plan on doing that?"
"By killing Shirou Emiya."
The moment Archer was done saying that, Rider moved into attack position, ready to pound on Archer.
"Don't even try…" Archer said with anger in his voice. He turned his cold steel gaze towards her. Even under her blindfold, she could still feal the weight of his anger. He lifted his right hand in the air, swords forming from mana particles, all of them aimed at her.
"Try to stop me, I'll have you skewered the moment you start your attack."
"I won't let you hurt him! he's…"
"Important to Sakura, I know." Archer's cold voice shook Rider to her core. "How could he know so much?" she thought to herself.
"Rin will punish you when she hears about this…" Rider threatened him. but Archer remained determined as ever.
"Did you really think she mattered to me? Nothing will stop me from achieving my goal. That boy will be dead by morning." Archer turned around and leapt into the air, pouring mana into his legs as he jumped. Making his way towards the Emiya Residence. Rider relaxed as the swords dissipated into particles. She knew that she didn't have to chase him down to stop him.
Once Archer arrived, he noticed that the barrier around the Emiya Residence was much stronger than he remembered. Not only did it alert the people inside of hostile intruders, it even blocked them from entering, he placed a hand on it to try and find a weak spot he can exploit, but the moment he touched it, it was already dissipating. Dozens of ravens cried out, alerting the people inside of an attack.
Archer changed into his spirit form and jumped onto the roofing of the house to take this opportunity while he could but noticed that there was someone else on the garden of the house. it was Caster! She had dozens of spells ready. Enough combat spells to level the city if let lose. He was about to turn corporeal and fire at her with his bow, but the door to the dining room open, who he saw terrified him.
It was Morgan Le Fay. "What the hell is she doing here!"
"So," Morgan starting, sounding annoyed as she stepped out of the house. "You must be the minor demi-goddess Medea. The 'witch of betrayal' as they called you. I must say, I'm not impressed." She said as she twirled her hands, strange runes formed in the air and the shadows around her crept up with tendrils.
"What are you doing here?" Caster asked with anger in her voice. "You are not my target. Be gone and I may spare you."
"We were having a nice conversation before you interrupted it." Morgan replied playfully. Shadowy tendrils moved from her feet to surround Caster. "And another thing," Morgan continued. "You should never underestimate a Far-Side God." She said coldly. The tendrils moved faster than a normal human can conceive, but Caster shot them all down with one spell. Morgan chuckled.
"So. It appears that we have another uninvited guest." She said, looking directly at Archer in the eyes. His mind's eye began screaming at him that danger was about to hit him in the back. Time moved in slow motion for him, he spun around and called fourth his swords and blocked a blow from a barbed, blood red spear. He was pushed back by the sheer force of the attack, he looked up to see who attacked him, only to be terrified at who he saw.
Scathach, Queen of the Land of Shadows.
"?!" he grunted in surprise.
"Oh?" Scathach started. "At least you seem to recognize when you're in danger." She moved into a relaxed attack position. "You have good reflexes. Show me more of what you can do." She said with a sadistic smile filled with warlust.
'Just what did I get myself into?!' Archer mentally scream to himself.
He tried to make a run for it but was stopped by a magical barrier. He turned around to see that Scathach had etched a barrier rune, preventing him from leaving. His only chances of escaping are if he used an anti-magic noble phantasm, or by beating her. And beating the Queen of The Land of Shadows is a feat easier said than done.
He whispered his mantra, calling fourth his twin swords.
"Kanshou and bakuya? Just who are you? I've never heard of a heroic spirit of your description." She said coldly while readying her two spears. They waited as the fight near them went on. Trying to anticipate each other's next move.
In a flash, Scathach was gone, Archers' mind's eye was screaming once more, he turned around and blocked what would have been a deadly blow before using his other arm to try and slash at her. He jumped backwards trying to maintain distance from her. Scathach followed him but did not see him banishing his swords before using his bow to fire…a sword? she dodged it, taking a quickly glance as too were it landed. Right in between the two witches in their heated duel. Morgan was winning, but she did not even take out her weapons yet.
"!?" Scathach gasped with confusion. "Firing a sword from a bow. Just how many tricks do you have?"
Archer did not reply. He was afraid. Scathach capitalized on this moment. but he leaned back as to make sure that the blade was barely close to hitting his nose before he used one of his feet to kick in the back of her head.
In her confusion, Scathach noticed the look in his eyes, it was all to familiar. Almost like…
"Shirou…?"
(Fuyuki Forrest)
"Where the heck is he!" Poe questioned himself. "Shirou said that he'd be back by now." The raven familiar cleaned his feathers once more for the 11th time today. He pondered if he should leave to patrol around the city to see if he'll find any Servants breaking the rules.
"Yeah, I should probably do that. He'd want as much information as I can get."
He flew off towards the city to try and find what he could, and luck was on his side it seems, he found his master's brother-in-law, Lancer, wandering the streets with a lit cigarette between his lips. Poe tired to fly closer to him, but Lancer noticed. He turned around and looked up right towards Poe.
"What the heck are you doing, birdy?" Lancer said with annoyance.
*CAW! CAW! *
"You're definitely not one of hers. Teacher would want her birds to be quiet. So, you must be the kid's bird." He said between breaths of smoke.
Poe landed onto a lamp pole before ruffling his feathers.
*BOOM*
a loud, fiery explosion was heard, Poe looked towards the source of the sound to see that a car had exploded. He turned back to see if lancer ws going to help out, but he was gone. Poe looked around for a second before he found his target and the possible perpetrator who did this. A mand wearing black and red like Archer, but he wore a red hood and white banding s around his face, making it hard for Poe to figure out who he was.
They were on a red crane on the Fuyuki Port. Sparks flew as Lancer scrapped his red spear on the steel of the crane. "So, you're the one who did that?" He said with anger. This Servant killed innocent bystanders just on and about on their business and personal lives.
The Red hooded Servant remained silent. Just staring at Lancer without even a hint of emotion. Lancer readied himself, but the mysterious Servant was already gone. He leapt backwards onto a nearby building before making a break for it on the now empty streets. Lancer pursued and Poe tried his best to catchup.
("These guys are just way too fast. Lancer I get because he's the student of Lady Scathach, but this other guy is just crazy! How is he able to run this fast…wait a second?") Poe noticed a trail of magical energy coming off of this new Servant.
("Time distortion!? Just who is this guy.)
Their target stopped in the middle of a cross section before jumping onto a semi-truck carrying cars. Lancer began to move faster to keep up with the vehicle. "Fast one, aren't ya."
("Hey! That's not fair!") Poe screamed.
The Servant poured magical energy into his body to lift a car to Lancer off his trail. Lancer saw his plan and readied his Gae Bolg. The car was free from the Semi, rolling around until it just about reached Lancer. He destroyed it with a fiery explosion.
"!?" Lancer grunted. "This guy thinks he crafty. This is getting better every second." He said with a smile.
The red cloaked Servant just stared at him as Lancer jumped onto the back of the Semi. Standing on the back of the cargo hold and staring angerly at his opponent. Poe noticed that something was off this whole time. The red and black Servant didn't give a direct fight, only baiting his opponents. He used explosives and modern knifes. He was an Assassin!
("Lancer. Get out of there! It's a trap!")
Lancer couldn't hear the familiar. There was too much noise from the chaos of his fight. He readied himself once more, pulling his spear back before unleashing another flurry of attacks, melting the metal of the cargo hold's framing.
"Time Alter: Triple Accel!"
Assassin dodged every blow flawlessly. He leapt out of the cargo hold before the Semi-truck went out of control and crashed. Lancer pursued on, chasing his prey was easier said than done it seemed. Assassin ran up the side of a building before making a break for it. Lancer was having trouble keeping up while Poe was left behind.
"GO!" Lancer screamed, throwing his spear at his target, but Assassin deflected it with two M9 bayonets. Lancer remained focused as he continued the chase. Assassin jumped down and landed onto a fountain, he took out a shadow covered Calico M95 submachine gun and fired 8 rounds into the dark corners of the fountain's walls. Lancer called fourth his spear, it moved in a lightning fast motion and left a blood red trail as it flew. The moment Lancer laned in the middle of the fountain, the bullets deflected off of the walls and made their way to their target, but the moment they were about to make their marks, a gust of wind erupted off of Lancer.
"Those cheap tricks of yours wont here on me." He was angry. How dare he make a mockery of this war. But he couldn't deny that this Red Servant was a joy to face off.
"Protection from arrows." He grunted, his voice was a deep base, but also sounded robotic, like he was devoid of emotion. "Guess I'll just have to be faster next time."
"Next time?"
TIME ALTER: DOUBLE ACCEL!"
("This…this is…just…not fair.") Poe barely had any air left in his lungs. The poor familiar was just about to pass out from how much effort he put into trying to follow his master's brother-in-law. But he soon gave up. nearly passing out from out much effort he put into chasing down those two.
("Maybe I over did it.") the thought to himself. as he was catching his breath, he heard the cries from other raven Familiars. He turned his head to the right to see several of Lady Scathach's familiars were closing in on him.
("Poe! Why are you not with your master?") one of them cried out.
("He's at the Einzbern manor. Last time I checked; they had a barrier preventing familiar's from entering their grounds.") Poe said with a hint of annoyance. Scathach's familiars were much like herself, stiff, cold, and no tolerance for slacking.
("Be that as it may, it's still your responsibility as Price Shirou's familiar to stay by his side.")
("Oh screw off! I just chased down two servants chasing each other.")
("What were their classes?)
("Lancer and Assassin.)
("We don't have time for this!") the other raven cried out.
("Poe, we need to get to Price Shirou. The Emiya home has been attacked.")
("WHAT!? Why didn't you just tell me that when you got here?")
("We were…") The other familiar was about to explain but Poe just held up his wings angerly.
("Never mind. I'll go get Shirou, you two just go thell Lady Scathach that I found her former student.") Poe flew off angerly back towards the Einzbern, but he soon realized that this task might be the death of him from the sheer distance he flew around the city.
"Are you sure its safe to be out right now, Shirou?" Saber asked. "It would be wiser to just stay in the Einzbern manor for the night."
"You're right, but I don't want mom to be worried." Shirou said with a hint of fear in his voice. Holy Grail Wars were one thing, but an angry mother was on a whole different level of terror. The thought of his mother being angry with him for being late made Shirou's spine tremble.
"A wise decision." Saber quickly agreed. Once they stepped out of the barrier, Shirou looked up in shock to see that his familiar was panting hard from exhaustion. The familiar cried out but saber could not understand him.
"WHAT!" Shirou yelled in shock. "When did this happen?" his voice took a more serious tone. Something was happening. The familiar finally passed out once he told his master what happened. "Just get some sleep Poe, you've earned it." Shirou said to himself as he carried his familiar.
"What happened?" Saber finally asked.
"The house was attacked. We need to get moving."
"Right." Saber nodded.
The two started sprinting like their lives depended on it. trying to make up for lost time as they made their way towards the Emiya house. Once they reached the city, they started to use the rooftops of buildings to get their faster. Shirou held on to his familiar but not too hard as to hurt his friend.
"Almost there." Shirou thought out loud. The sound of metal clashing rang as they got closer and closer. Shirou looked up to see his mother was holding off Rin's Servant, Archer, but her eyes were…different. Almost like they were in pain, but from what?
Shirou tossed this thought out and jumped onto the roof, landing in-between his mother and Archer before calling forth his weapon to strike his target, Saber landed yard near the shed to strike down a shadowy Servant that was attack someone that looked just like her. Archer parried it, but the moment their blades stuck each other, a spark of Magical Energy traveled through both of them. Flashes of memories from a different life flooded Shirou's head. It was too much for his mind to handle.
"What?" they both said in unison. Shirou looked at Archer in confusion. How was this possible? A Servant's memories shouldn't travel to another Master like this, it's impossible. Shirou felt something wet touch his lips, he moved his free hand up to touch his lips and looked down at his fingers, they were covered in blood.
"Shirou…" Scathach said with a pained voice. "Stay back."
'Stay Back' Shirou repeated in his head. None of this made sense. Why was his mother telling him to stay back from this enemy? He tried to kill either her or Shirou himself, and that black servant bellow in the house. She was here to do something similar.
"…I need to do this." Scathach said with renewed determination.
"But-"
"Go. I will handle this. you go help Mogan." Scathach glared at her son, he hesitated and sighed, but in the end he did as his mother told him to.
"I need to see if he really is who I think he is." Scathach muttered to herself. She moved into a defensive stance, ready to take any hit her opponent threw at her. But it never came. Archer was about to, but he vanished in a flash of light. A command seal from his master to teleport him back to her side.
"Damn..." Scathach cursed under her breath. "Is it really you, my son?" She said to herself while trying to hold back a tear.
AN: I LIVE!
I terribly sorry for the long wait, and I'm also here to inform you guys that I'm not dead.
I so happy with how this story has turned out and I will continue to write for it until I finish it.
The reason why it took me so long was because I was busy with work. I work retail and it was just draining me of energy. But yeah, at least it's a good workout.
And I have an announcement, I'm cross posting this onto AO3 with some fixes. And I'm putting The Protector on hiatus until I decide what to do with it. I'm also making a new HGW story. this one is going to be a bit crazy with some Strange Fake influences as well as having my first Original Magus. Its currently in the planning stages but rest assured, I will try to make it enjoyable.
And Happy Holidays.