Battlefield Chaos
Time had passed and the army had advanced towards the Imperial City. In response the leader of the enemy force Mnemon, daughter of the previous empress and one of the oldest living dragon-blooded, had deployed her forces from where she had been hiding them in the imperial city.
The two forces were preparing to fight each other, each entrenching themselves and building up defenses.
Shirou would be part of a "sorcery" squad during the battle. That meant that other than him there would be four soldiers with the job of protecting him as he acted as human artillery.
It had been found that his range was greater than most normal archers so he was being placed on a nearby hill to snipe foes crossing the plain below. This meant that other than his guard he was almost entirely alone.
On nearby hills, allied sorcerers had set up with their own squads. Across from them enemies were setting up their own sorcerers. They had fought land battles since arriving on the blessed isle but this was one a level completely different from those that had come before.
Shirou watched for the signal to begin.
Minutes passed.
Finally it came, he watched each side begin to march onto the plain. Around him nature twisted as sorcery began to lay waste to the battlefield. Shirou simply projected a sword. It was a prototype, made with lacking materials. Caladbolg III: The Reforged Spiral Sword, made from Orichalcum and imparted with the legend of the sword Gram.
He raised his artifact bow and nocked it. He drew back the arrow that was a sword.
In a single moment it soared into the air.
It is said that the blade Caladbolg could destroy hills when it was swung. It is said that the blade Gram is strongest demonic sword that can only be equaled to the strongest holy sword.
The earth shook as the blade struck a hill where an enemy sorcerer was still casting. Light filled the sky in a great beam. Shirou let out a breath as he felt him essence take a sharp drop. He hadn't invoked the blades name for a reason. Had he done so the cost would have forced him to tap into his solar reserves.
The light faded to reveal a large crater in the side of the hill where the sorcerer had been standing.
It would take him roughly an hour and a half to fully recover his normal reserve. He sat down on top of the hill while watching the battle move on. His guards watched out for anyone trying to approached.
"Oh dear, what's this?" He stood up quickly and turned to see three people standing a few meters away from him.
The first of the three was an attractive woman whose clothing made him think about the time in the clock tower that Rin got Creative. When he focused on it he could tell it was a form of light armour made of soulsteel. In her hands she carried a whip.
That whip had a long history, like her armour it was made with soulsteel but he could see that it had been used to inflict pain for over a thousand years.
Behind her to her right was a man wrapped in bandages that was holding a giant scythe. His eyes told him that both the weapon and the armour worn under the bandages had both been made recently sometime within the last few years.
To there was a woman who looked to be rotting away. Bits of flesh peeled away in such a way that made her face look enternally old as if she had aged for millennia without dying. She carried no obvious weapon but wore armour like the other two.
Shirou looked down for a moment to see four bodies covered in blood. They had killed his guards without him noticing.
"That was some power you just threw around," The woman in front spoke in a seductive way "would you be able to show us a little more?"
Shirou's twin blades flashed into his hands an instant later as he appraised his options. He could still run, behind him was the ongoing battle. The fact that there were now three of these Exalted here was bad news. He had beaten one but he had no idea how strong the assassin had been relative to these three.
Choice made he threw his blades forwards before jumping back. As he landed he traced another pair of blades and allowed himself to stumble down the hill quickly.
Unfortunatly they were ready for him. The man vanished and reapeared next to him to grab Shirou as he stumbled. The women ran over quickly as Shirou broke the man's grip and traced his twin swords again to slash at him through his bandages. His blades hit the mans armour and Shirou kicked at him before backing away from the three.
The rotting woman spoke then "If he won't show what he is then you have to push him. Use the whip Rose."
The woman who seemed to be called rose entered a martal arts stance with her whip wrapped and ready to strike out. Even through the obvious focus she was putting in a small smile could be seen on her face as her eyes glittered in a way that worried Shirou.
Shirou lifted a pair of swords before him but the woman merely laughed "Come then, face my form!"
The whip shot out like a thunderbolt. Shirou went to parry but the whip twisted in the air and cut his face. The blood ran down his cheek and he realised that she could have done much worse with that attack.
As the woman readied the whip for another attack, Shirou took his chance and cut at her. She raised her arm and allowed her forearm to catch the blade. It sunk into her flesh but that just made her smile grow slightly.
"Not enough young man, not enough at all." The woman seemed to be getting more excited and Shirou watched as her companions backed away slowly as if leaving her to fight.
"Let's try this then." The woman struck with her whip. Again when Shirou tried to parry it, the whip twisted and this time it cut along his leg which burned with pain.
The woman's grin widened further but it was more worrying than anything else. As she pulled back her whip she spoke "Come young man, we came all this way to see if the rumours were true. Fight me like an Exalted or die screaming."
Shirou let his Essence flow and his forehead began to glow. His blades, enhanced with essence, struck the woman in the shoulder.
"Yes!" the woman spoke with a tone of victory as her blood spilled "It's as I thought. Now lets see just how long you can last!"
She readied her whip once more to strike again.
End of chapter.
Yes I cut off in the middle of a battle. I have written enough words for my normal chapter length.
Regardless still worried about the "Themes" of this character's fighting style (Even though the martial arts charms she's using are entirely canon)
