Thorns


Shirou stood ready to react. The woman had her whip ready.

Pain burnt the wounds he had taken so far, he felt his life ebb away with each wound.

He knew about soulsteel from his look at the assassin's blade and this whip. It was truely a cursed metal, formed from the spirits of the dead and a dark ore mined in the underworld. When it wounded someone it leeched their essence out, weakening their ability to fight back. Each time she managed to open up his skin it gave him three problems; A new wound that could bleed out, The loss of some of the little essence he had to use and the pain.

It was honestly amazing how much it hurt. Shirou wasn't immune to pain, it normally just didn't bother him as he could fight through it. Here however he felt each cut burn him. He knew it wasn't some ability the whip held so it had to be the wielder.

Her whip struck towards his head. With his movements enhanced by his essence flow he was able to parry the swinging whip to make her pull it back. It was limited however.

Behind him an aura of light had formed, sunlight arcing off him like he was a mirror. It wasn't just in gold though, reds like the setting sun or the sky within his soul. He felt that with only a little more essence it would be as bright as a bonfire.

He took a step to the side and tossed one of his blades, quickly replacing it with one that he newly traced. He parried the next strike the woman shot out as he followed the blade's return.

Just before it was about to strike it's target, the woman turned and cut it out of the air. Shirou took the chance to get in close and slashed towards the arm holding her whip only for her to sidestep. He wasn't done yet though as he slashed with blades in harmony.

She stumbled back as the blood fell but he could hear her laughing. She was enjoying the pain he inflicted on her.

"Oh my, you're not even putting your all into that are you?" The woman spoke as she prepared to clash with him again "You were skilled even before your second breath were you not? A soldier in this army?"

Shirou said nothing, his gaze locked. He needed to end this fight now, before she had a chance to turn it around. Her armour made a shot at her vitals unlikely to do major damage. She didn't seem to have any protection for her head though, he would have to try to aim for the neck and brain.

"You're giving me the silent treatment?" She grinned at him as she twisted her whip to strike at his side, a predatory smile on her face. Though he tried to protect himself he was still too slow to stop the slice to his side. Pain shot through him again, sharper than any he had felt before. Whatever charm she was using was causing him greater pain than he had ever felt before.

She caught the whip and stretched it taut before continuing "Perhaps this will help you speak up;" then she cracked her whip before sending it in toward his face. As it flew towards him, Shirou raised his blades to parry while filling his arms with essence. Just before the attack connected the woman called out "Bark!"

He cut for the whip only for it to dive, he was able to dodge to the side to keep it from cutting open his chest but it still left a wound on his leg.

A moment later he felt a second impact, all the pain in his body struck him at once. Pain shot through him and bit into his mind.

It didn't matter though, with a shake of his head the pain cleared. His body still hurt more than it had ever before but it was no longer assaulting him.

The woman watched him closely and cracked her whip. When he didn't respond, the woman actually cursed under her breath "He is that strong? Why on earth was he able to resist that. He has to be in agony."

Shirou held his blade towards her, point forward "Leave, this is your only warning."

At that her eyes lit up again "Oh, you do know how to talk. You have not said anything for this entire fight, I was worried you were mute like old rusty over there." She jabbed her finger towards one of her allies, the one wielding a scythe.

Shirou shook his head "Is that your answer then? I will kill you."

Quick as a flash, her whip struck out at him as her answer. It was too fast for him to block properly and it cut open his shirt's shoulder. It ached for a moment but it was a smaller wound than her previous ones. Maybe she just missed?

That thought vanished as the wound burned as if set on fire. After a moment he saw that a black mark appear on his flesh, something like a heart covered in thorns.

Though pain filled his mind, Shirou once again raised his swords and cut towards the woman. She went to lazily bat away his attack while beginning to say "Stop that" before she was shocked when his blade cut at her neck. She jumped back and held her hand to her neck were blood was slowly dripping out of the cut he opened.

"How, how could you?" the beautiful woman drew up to her full height "Answer me, how did you do that?"

Shirou remainded silent and her eyes filled with anger along with her joy of the fight.

She pointed at him with her elegant hand and declared "You bear my Brand of Obedience! You should obey me."

The woman was beautiful as she gazed at him, Shirou felt some magic eating at his mind. It wanted him to kneel to her, to obey her. He wouldn't listen to it.

Finally the woman's friend spoke "It might take more than one slash. He resisted your Instructive Punishment Method too after all, his will must be strong."

Was that it? Would he be forced to obey if he got hit again? Shirou shook his head "You won't cut me again."

She laughed at his declaration and her whip shot out. He parried it, pouring essence into his skills. His sword danced with superhuman skill as it cut the next three strikes out of the air without them touching him.

His Anima blazed to life, first as bright as a bonfire and then transforming. The flames became ethereal swords made of light. The hillside around them twisted and shifted before becoming an illusory copy of the reality marble in his dreams, swords stabbing into each surface and the grass vanishing from the hill.

The reality marble itself hadn't been materialised, it was something closer to a reflection of what it was meant to look like.

"Weapons of death, how lovely your anima is." The goddess complemented him as he parried her next few strikes. How much longer could he last?

As she continued to strike, Shirou's blades broke and reformed in his hands. They fought for at least a few minutes like that. Occasionally Shirou would dance closer to land a blow before jumping out of danger. Every so often she would leave a glancing blow, not enough to draw blood but enough to bring thoughts of giving up to serve her to his mind. Each time though he thrust them away.

Finally though, after enough time, she struck for him and when he reached for essence he found he was out. There wasn't any left in his body.

Her whip struck him in the chest opening a new gash all down his front. He felt pain from his shoulder again as the wound "Locked" itself into place.

Shirou froze then and the woman cried out in success before pointing at him and ordering "Kneel before me."

Within Shirou he felt the order take hold of him. He shook as he tried to resist and the woman frowned.

Again she pointed down "Kneel on the ground." Shirou shook harder, refusing to bend. He knew though, he wouldn't be able to resist again.

Finally the woman walked forward, fearless of any counter attack he may have for her. She pointed right in his face and ordered "Kneel!"

Shirou sluggishly knelt. He was still himself but he knew he wouldn't be able to resist his goddess's commands anymore. His will was frayed but not broken.

The woman laughed out loud at him finally obeying her. Her rotting ally rolled her eyes and the bandaged one remained as silent as ever.

"Stand!" The goddess ordered. After he stood she grinned at him, her emotions were cooling now that the battle was over, she was going from energetic to chilly.

"You will follow us now and follow our orders."

The goddess servent obeyed without question. Shirou's remaining will shone gold but it was too small to resist, he would have to wait for his chance.


End of chapter.

Remember what I said about being worried about the themes of this martial arts style? Yeah, laughing wounds style is a really bad thing. Good way for villains to turn people into followers though.

For those who worry that Shirou went down too easily; He really didn't. His Mental Dodge (What you use to ignore mind control things in exalted) is ridiculous. It's 8. For comparison his weapon parry (in this fight, when unboosted by charms) was 5. The strike that let her finally bind him was a really lucky shot.

If you have not read scroll of the monk (The book the style is from), For him to break free he just needs the Abyssal to order him to do something against an Intimacy. He then only needs to pay a willpower and (Thanks to his great mental dodge) he will be able to make the roll to break free easily.