Fate/Shield Chapter 5: Down the Rabbit hole we go.
Shirou knew that this road was filled with monsters. It was abandoned by the Kingdom after all. It was just…were they supposed to be this stupid?
"ARK!"
Shirou sighed as he sniped yet another beast off the road, ignoring yet another blip saying he levelled up…had to be at least the tenth one since they started this whole trip. Shirou wasn't disappointed but more concerned at the lack of intelligence he was seeing. The creatures that were commonly referred to as monsters back home were intelligent. They were more commonly called Phantasmal Beasts though by the magical community and were highly dangerous. Even a little pixie could kill you if you weren't prepared…not that such a thing actually walked their plane of existence naturally anyway. There were of course those that were less sentient than even humans but their wild intelligence was not to be underestimated.
Yet, these wolf demons and demon dogs were just completely suicidal. Even basic animals would show a more impressive intelligence than "Run at Enemy and Die". Shirou watched as his legendary sword absorbed yet another corpse as their carriage ran past it. Pegasus snorted as they pushed the cart, trampling a demon dog underfoot with an imperious shake of its mane. Shirou rubbed his head as another ping echoed within his skull. They were starting to get annoying how frequent they were.
The materials have been acquired. The Beast hunter sword form IV has been unlocked!
The Beast Sword (IV)
Quality: Epic
Basic Attack: 62
Equip Skill Bonus: Beast destroyer (unmastered)
Equip Stat Bonus: Attack +50. Agility +32. MP +29. HP +120
Unique Abilities: Beast Mode: for three minutes increase strength and agility by 25% and deal bonus 10% damage against Beast-type monsters.
The Materials have been acquired. The Monster Tamer Sword form II has been unlocked.
Blade of the Monster Tamer (II)
Quality: Uncommon
Basic Attack: 12
Equip Skill Bonus: Monster Tamer (Unmastered) and Monster Development (unmastered)
Equip Stat Bonus: Attack +10. Agility +10.
They kept coming at him in waves once Shirou had stopped using Hrunting. The corpses of their fallen brethren mattered nothing to them. At least the ones untouched by his sword. Shirou could see why monsters could be an issue if not culled properly. Regardless it didn't matter anymore. After the fourth wave they simply ceased to be. The entire population of monsters simply gone. At least from this segment of the road. Shirou was sure there were plenty of monsters deep into the woods. However, at the moment that didn't matter as a speckle of buildings began to become visible in the distance. A large stone wall covered the circumference of the town. More like a slab of stone, the walls were littered with deep scratches. Shirou sighed in relief as he turned around.
"We're almost there" smiled Shirou.
"Finally!" grinned Ilya.
Shirou beamed at his younger sister. He didn't know what has happened but she seemed more energetic than ever. It was heartwarming. Hell if Shirou didn't know any better she seemed to be a couple of inches bigger. Shirou turned around and almost chocked with spit. He almost laughed at the image of Rin's blushing face as the two children slept on her. Sakura was smiling warmly as she stared out the window.
"About time" stuttered Rin.
Shirou kept the smile on his face as he turned to face the road…but he couldn't help but feel uneasy.
"You feel it too" stated Rider.
It was said quietly, but Shirou heard and nodded.
"The others are on guard but I can't help but feel suspicious. How are towns like this surviving?"
It was the truth. The sheer number of monsters made Shirou almost balk. The wall could hold them off, but the wall itself barely stood at 20 feet.
He had seen these weak monsters jump well over 30.
That and their sheer numbers would allow them to climb the walls. Aside from the absurd number there was also the ferocity. The fact these monsters flat out ignored the fallen forms of their brethren and kept attacking meant they were mostly mindless or just that utterly savage. With that limited information there was not a chance that the towns were never attacked. Yet, there was the town. A hustle and bustle of people in the distance and smoke from several houses.
Were the average people of this world stronger than he thought?
"We may not have to worry about the nobility…but it still seems like we have to keep our guard up" sighed Shirou.
"I thought you of all people would be aware of that much" smirked Rider.
Shirou smiled at her and frowned.
"What about Pegasus?"
The legendary house was without question an eye-catching mount. Ignoring the wings, the sheer presence of the beast ensured that no person would ever consider it a mere winged horse. Rider smiled as she pointed up.
"….Oh right."
Dispersing the beast was something that Shirou wanted to avoid. It wasn't because he wanted the power of Pegasus to stick around but more so because he didn't want Rider stabbing her neck every time, they brought the poor horse out. The Pegasus neighed making Shirou smile at the trot it began to move at.
"He seems happy!" smiled Shirou.
Rider smiled and shook her head. Rider's smile lost a bit of its shine though as she noticed something in the air. It was the smell of blood. Faded as it was the scent was still relatively recent…almost as if it was washed away. It was something to look out for, as it could easily be a butcher or something of that nature. Rider couldn't help but chuckle as Pegasus took to the skies and Shirou began lugging the carriage himself again. She could easily do it with her pinky but the stubborn man decided to do it.
Rin sighed as she rubbed her eyes. The two idiots at the front failed to realize that a single man dragging a carriage into a village was just as attention grabbing as a winged horse, maybe less so. But she couldn't cry over spilt milk, especially since she got to watch Shirou's back muscles expand at the exertion he was doing.
Rin grinned as she looked outside with her sister.
"You ever thought we'd be here?" asked Rin, carefully adjusting the children on her lap.
Sakura smiled as she stared at her sister.
"In an alternate dimension?"
Rin rolled her eyes as her sister laughed.
"No I meant…"
"Happy?" sighed Sakura.
"Relaxed?" added Ilya.
Rin smiled.
"I guess. Who knew that a world this screwed up would be a vacation?"
It was true for the most part. The cut throat nature of their original world made them almost numb to the machinations of this world's denizens. Rin was sure Rider had already taken care of several "stragglers" that had followed them. From what little Rin could gather magic here was in abundance, not to mention far easier to wield. This definitely had an effect on this society as many modern inventions seemed to be created through magic rather than science. Rin almost laughed at the idea of a working toilet in a medieval castle. To put it more simply. This world was a breeze. All anyone cared about was the power of ruling over people. They didn't have to worry about the clocktower discovering Shirou's reality marble, assholes trying to dissect Ilya or Sakura, and not to mention every idiot in the moonlit world thinking they could somehow study Rider. Even the church, home to some of the most self-righteous and obsessive bastards that Rin ever knew, left them alone. It just went to show how relentless the clocktower was in regards to specific mysteries. Not to mention the idiots after her hand in marriage. Honestly it was like they thought she was stupid or something.
Here though, it was calm. There was freedom in their movements. Aside from the waves there was no responsibilities here. She missed home and she would of course return eventually but for now? Home was the furthest thing from this group's mind. Rin scowled as Shirou stopped abruptly, an arrow lodged in front of her lover.
"Who goes there!" demanded a voice.
The voice was stern and had a hint of age about it. Shirou remained neutral as he responded.
"Just a traveler and his family!" stated Shirou.
Rin was not going to admit that her heart skipped a beat.
"Leave".
Rin was going to admit that she was annoyed with the gate keeper though.
"We're just passing through" said Shirou "and we're hoping to drop off some-"
He didn't get to finish as the voice interrupted again.
"Then go around the wall!"
The chuckle in the voice made Rin walk out, the children waking up.
"Rin" warned Sakura.
The older sibling waved her off as she exited the carriage. She noticed Shirou struggling with what to do. She looked up and sure enough the man looked gruff, an eyepatch covering his eye as a crossbow was resting lazily on his shoulder. The smug grin on his face was telling.
"I don't let anyone in bud."
Shirou sighed as he rubbed the back of his head.
"He wants to be bribed Shirou."
The two turned to Rin as she flung her hair behind her ear. The so-called guard smirked.
"Whatever do you mean?"
"He's alone on the wall, right?" asked Rin.
Shirou nodded.
"He's not wearing armor and his clothes are ratty."
The man grew annoyed as Rin continued her observation, walking towards the wooden gate.
"The fact that he's alone without any support means he's not a guard."
The man drew his crossbow and Shirou's eyes hardened.
"The door isn't locked either"
It was as Rin said. The main doorway of the town seemed to be closed, yes. But it was obvious by the hair crack down the middle that the gate wasn't fully shut. With a flick of her hand Rin sent out a Gandr. The doors were blown wide open and the cocky "guard" almost shit his drawers. There was a difference between sniping melee fighters and fighting magic users.
"We're going in now Shirou!"
Shirou smiled crookedly as he followed his lover. He felt the small girl's eyes boring holes into Rin's back and couldn't help but grimace a bit.
"Rin stop teaching her strange things!" he thought.
Shirou expected quite a few things walking into a village like this. Perhaps apprehension…maybe a bit of a seedy area considering the guard. This was not it.
"PFFT! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Shirou and Rin blinked at the woman who was currently laughing her ass off. She was wiping her hand on an apron she wore around an old but well kept red dress. She was a rather skinny woman, almost dangerously so. Yet, the home she walked from seemed well kept and the smell of food indicated she was at least well fed.
"Serves you right Markol!"
The guard up on the wall scowled as he jumped down from the wall and walked away. The rest of the towns folks, all human as well, chuckled. Although Shirou found it odd that their laughing seemed…oddly toned.
"He always pulls that kind of crap" sighed the woman, wiping her hand on her apron, sweat running on her brow "he has some got of detection skill or some shit and sneaks to the wall. Was almost on my way up there when I found the ladder."
"Who was he?" asked Shirou, hoping the woman didn't swear now that he was closer. The kids learned enough from Rin and Ilya. Which was saying something over the course of a three-hour journey.
"He's a vagabound" chortled the woman "hides in the ally ways and what not. Whatever money he manages to nab he spends in the bar. Honestly. So I think you should be on your way. A lot of unsavory types for good folk like you. I'd love for you guys to stay but perhaps…you should leave?"
Shirou saw the way she cringed at a scene behind him. The way Rider stilled told him enough.
"Say" smiled Shirou, trying his best to remain normal "is there a place we can stay the night and get some supplies?"
The woman nodded hesitantly. She swallowed.
"Yea just down the road here. Be warned we don't get a lot of those fancy stuff from the cities but we got more than enough to resupply you. Although I'd mozy on down if I were you, the road ahead is a little quicker than you might think."
Her tone had changed. Abruptly so. Like she was rushing.
"What about."
"Aww you brought your kids?"
Shirou turned, noticing in his peripheral vision that the woman they were talking with had begun sweating even more at the arrival of this woman. The woman began walking around the carriage, smiling at the concerned expression of the kids. As she looked at Sakura she lost a bit of her gall. She was still confident though as she strode over to Shirou. Beside her was Markol. The man grinning from ear to ear. The woman carried confidence with her, that was for sure. A few scars around her neck showing her experience in combat.
"Oh don't worry about them Saria, I was just sending them on their way!" smiled the woman.
"Oh really, I don't recall us being so…. unhospitable? We got an inn right down the road strangers, in case old Maria here didn't tell you."
Maria narrowed her eyes. Her brown hair was littered with grey hairs but she stood strong against the younger human.
"You need to leave" said Maria, staring at Shirou "now!"
Markol sighed, bringing several collars from behind her back.
"This could have been easy Maria. Simple. But you had to play the good guy."
Shirou looked around, several of the towns folk suddenly had weapons. The ones that had laughed at Markol now grinning from ear to ear.
"….Is this….is this serious?" asked Shirou.
He looked at Rin, who was staring at this whole scenario like she was having a migraine.
"…Let me get this straight…you have this whole village in on this whole…thing?" asked Rin.
Saria didn't like Rin's attitude as electricity sparked up her but nodded, hoping to see that same look that always happened to the individuals that came here.
"About right. Had to keep a few villagers, ya know, to make it convincing."
Rider blinked. Shirou blinked. Ilya looked like she sucked on a lemon as she heard all this and was trying really hard not to have a migraine. The kids were afraid. Sakura was smiling calmly as she stared at the numerous bandits that began leaking out of the building. A simple spell let the children fall back to sleep. It was best they didn't watch this.
"Old Maria here keeps pushing the envelope…guess she can die as well!"
Shulk.
The ring leader looked down and noticed a large broadsword had skewered her through the stomach. Blood escaped her mouth as she looked up and noticed Shirou staring at her, the sword at his side glowing errily. Several other bandits had suffered the same fate, with blades buried in their chests.
"…Swo-URK…the sword hero!?"
She tore the blade from her stomach and casted a healing spell. Shirou blinked in surprise that said spell had actually saved her life. She stood on shaky legs and stared at Shirou lividly. Her new wound an angry red welt of skin.
"You dare!"
"How long" stated Shirou.
Rin smirked as magic grew from her fingertips, A gander ready to fire. Rider stood up, her standard chains ready for battle.
"What?"
"How long have you been squandering these people? This…silly masquerade?"
Silly? SILLY! Saria glared at the hero.
"What does it matter! KILL HIM!"
"One hundred swords".
Easily well over a dozen blades manifested behind Shirou and fired. With Shirou's expertise and the legendary sword's magic the blades flew like bullets…killing several of the bandits in one hit. Rider took to the rooftops and dispatched the numerous mages and archers that had taken station from afar. Rin…well the less said about what receiving a Gander did to you on impact the better.
Shirou thought sighed as he steeled his heart. He made sure to avoid killing anyone that was weaponless and hiding from the beginning. Several bandits charged at Shirou, but their experience and power were simply not enough. One had aimed at him from the right. Using his left hand Shirou grabbed the swordsman's wrist as he thrusted, redirected the blow to the ground. A quick jab to the neck ended the swordman's life. The next tried to attack Shirou from the left, a pair of knives were her weapons of choice. She had misjudged the distance between them and jumped, only for Shirou to swipe his blade at her and behead the woman. The sword and his arm length long enough to safely do so. Now facing Saria Shirou quickly closed the distance, a few days of levelling up already granting him a noticeable increase in physical prowess. She blocked his quick thrust but had not paid attention to the ground as Shirou tripped her using his feet and legs. He quickly placed his blade to her neck and narrowed his eyes.
"What was the purpose of this?"
He meant it too. Shirou was honestly confused why they would masquerade themselves in such a rather…shitty means. If it was a con or some kind of kidnapping a normal professional wouldn't allow themselves to drop the act so early…not to mention the way the guy barred them in the entrance.
"Fuck you!" growled Saria "Helmsman will have your head for this!"
Helmsman…a leader of some kind. Shirou turned to Rin.
"I could use Fragrach".
It was the best in this situation. Saria looked confused at his words as many of the actual villagers came out of their hiding spots. Maria had been the only one brave enough to have come out, hoping to steer other travelers from this village somehow.
"She already called you the sword hero. Might as well."
Shirou nodded, ignoring the gasps. Rider had returned, a little blood on her leg. Shirou's sword transformed as he began questioning Saria.
"What's that supposed to do" she chuckled "Scare me?"
It looked like a little black ball. She lost a bit of her composure when a needle like point hit her throat.
"Why are you doing this?" asked Shirou.
"Helmsman will kill us if we don't get him some product. He likes women and children, easier to trade or some shit."
After she finished speaking Saria's eyes widened considerably. The villagers included. More people piled out, making the villagers, or what Shirou assumed to be the "true" villagers, about 20 strong.
"Where is Helmsman located?"
Saria tried resisting but her mouth moved anyways.
"He's got a base in the water ways! If you swim in the well there's a hole that the water pools from. He threatens villagers by cutting off their water supply or even poisoning it. Then he stations us here to nab some products! We than signal him and he comes for pick up!"
"Is the signal a white flare of some kind?" asked Rider.
Saria sputtered as she kept spilling her secrets, the wound from the sword in her stomach now reopening.
Sure enough behind Rider was a pillow of white smoke.
"Y-yes!"
"Interesting" smiled Rin "seems like anyone can question someone under Fragrach. Say, why do all this…the charade?"
"It was easier!" strained Saria "people would stay at the inn and we could drug them asleep! Made bringing the product easier! Maria fucking us over like this!"
"I'd say the horrible guard trying to squeeze a bribe is the one to blame" muttered Rin.
That would explain the awkwardness though. If Maria was throwing their game off by forcing herself into the act than it was bound to cause friction.
"Why keep these villagers alive?" asked Rin.
It seemed a waste when they seemingly had the numbers to just occupy the village itself. Not to mention someone like Maria simply ruining the plan.
"They're on the registry! If they are all killed than a platoon of the King's men is sent to investigate!"
"A registry?" muttered Rin.
If it could tell when a person was alive or dead…than they might explain their reasoning but still. Seemed redundant.
"Alright Shirou, you can kill her."
Shirou hesitated. Rin smiled sadly at her lover. Such a soft hearted warrior.
"Hey you."
Saria looked at Rin.
"You regret anything you did?"
It was obvious the woman tried to say yes. But the truth came out regardless.
"I don't!"
With that her fate was sealed, as the blade of Shirou Emiya pierced her throat. As she bled on unto the ground Shirou turned to Rin.
"I'm going into the well."
"You mean you're going to decimate the bandits in the area right?" she sighed.
Shirou nodded.
"If we travel with those children any longer they may not want to part with us."
It went unsaid that Rin and Sakura wouldn't want to part with them either if things continued as they were. Their little party, while strong, was still a dangerous way to live. The two children deserved security…even if it was being used as an excuse for Shirou to save these people.
"You have no idea of their numbers" stated Rin
"I'll be fine. I levelled up quite a few times just from this encounter."
Rin didn't know how that correlated to Shirou knowing the enemy's strength but whatever. Shirou swallowed as he realized that killing these people had resulted in an easy three levels.
"You're going to go anyways" muttered Rin "might as well take Rider with you. We can at least use one of Sakura's command seals to teleport you back."
Even to Rin that was flimsy. She had no idea if the command seals still worked as intended in this strange new world. However, Shirou had a point in needed to eliminate this threat. If they were going to be a hindrance for their entire journey in this area, might as well just obliterate them now while they had the element of surprise.
"I take it those bandits shot their signal?" asked Rin to Rider.
Rider simply nodded.
"Hmm…Shirou if you go into the well do you think you can cut them off on their way?"
Shirou nodded.
"Although why a well of all places?" he asked.
"Uh…excuse me".
They group turned to the lone Maria. Sakura tilted her head out of the carriage while Ilya hopped out, her demihuman features in the open. Although that wasn't a problem as more than a few of the villagers were demihuman as well.
"Uh…are you actually going to kill Helmsman?"
Shirou nodded. As much as he disliked killing there was no way around it. If these people wanted to be safe from the man than he needed to die.
"Than you'll want to get to the well. It's uh…over here."
The woman must still be in shock having watched the bandits that were terrorizing them simply defeated in the span of several seconds. Hell one of the villagers poked a corpse with a stick. They walked for a few minutes, a few of the villagers leading Sakura and Ilya to an Inn they could use. Shirou turned to Rin as they turned another corner with Maria.
"I should be back within the day, regardless of how far I get I'll come back befo…what is that?" requested Shirou.
Shirou blinked.
"That's the well" stated Maria.
"That is a pond!" yelled Rin.
Sure it was made of stone but the so called well was almost twenty eight feet in width. The sheer volume of water making Shirou realize how it was the so-called Helmsman made his way across to this village.
"Does this Helmsman use water based magic at all?" asked Shirou.
Maria nodded, her wits slowly coming back.
"He always makes a show. At first he presented himself like a hero."
Shirou turned to her. Maria sighed as she rubbed her wrists.
"Our village doesn't get the support of the Kingdom and aside from the monsters we had issues accessing our original well. Monsters and all that. The noble in the area is sympathetic to the villages and Demi-humans though. Always sends us supplies and comes in person when someone in the registry died. Water has always been short since the well dried up."
Shirou nodded, understanding so far.
"Helmsman came here and used his magic to actually create this" she said, gesturing to the massive pond "He connected it to some kind of waterway. For months everything was fine…then a few weeks ago he started taking the young women and children. At first, we thought they were going missing from the monsters…it happens sometimes. But eventually we realized the truth. Then he started threatening us. We know he won't kill them. Thanks to the registry the Kingdom will intervene if necessary…although I doubt it. I know the noble would though."
It was an honest doubt. The fact Helmsman had yet to take action meant that he doubted as well. It meant he wasn't strong enough to brush off the Kingdom. If this woman didn't know the nobles name than it was unlikely, they would get involved. It was a dangerous situation to be sure, held together by doubts.
"I take it Helmsman isn't from here?" asked Rin.
Maria blinked.
"How did you?"
"If he was from this Kingdom, he would have realized he has nothing to worry about. I'm more surprised he doesn't know of the kings dislike of Demi humans."
Maria sighed.
"It was that obvious?"
Rin nodded.
"Noticed a few of the young women in your village. None of them were demi-human. So, he's a slave trader."
Maria scowled as she clutched her Apron. Demi-humans were easy to force into slavery in this kingdom. Wasn't like the king cared enough to stop it. Humans though? Suddenly the King was a compassionate A hole and set out to save them. It made Maria sick.
"He's trying to be. As far as I know he's still has all his…product captive."
Shirou nodded, having heard enough.
"Rider, are you capable of swimming?"
It was a stupid question, but Rider got his point.
"I can swim quickly yes, even with you attached to me."
In the islands of her home swimming happened to be one of the few things she could do to pass the time. And wash the blood of her enemies away. Her monstrous strength allowed for her to swim nigh unimpeded in even the most turbulent waters. Shirou nodded and placed his hand on the ground. Structural analysis was limited when used in this fashion, but it gave him a rough idea of what the terrain was like.
"From what I can tell this water way is one way."
"Good" smiled Rider.
Rin sighed as she rubbed her head, watching Maria looked confused.
"Here we go" sighed Rin "could you show me where your original well is? There is something I want to check."
Maria seemed hesitant but nodded.
"I'll show you. Can…can you save them?"
Shirou turned to Maria, the woman's face blossoming with a hope she had abandoned months ago.
"….I will try" stated Shirou.
He would save them. But months in captivity…they were likely already sold. With that Shirou hopped on Riders back, making the servant chuckle a bit. Maria was about to question what they are doing until Rider slammed into the water like a force of nature. Maria stared at the water, wondering what kind of monsters had come to this village.
"So" said Rin "about that well?"
Maria turned to mage and nodded. She blinked as they returned to central square, to see the other woman using some kind of spell to reinforce the wall. The stone walls pulsated with black energy as the woman stared at it.
"Already involving yourself Sakura?" asked Rin.
Sakura smiled as she patted the stone wall.
"Nothing serious. I was trying to reinforce the wall like Shirou showed me but I think a bounded field would work better."
Normally bounded fields, without the proper regents and timing, were weak. Not to mention that they took time to create as well. The strongest bounded fields could even take months to fully create. However, Sakura's constitution allowed her to create incredible bounded fields thanks to the Matou's natural "binding oneself" branch of magic and Sakura's own "imaginary numbers". These fields were limited in what they could accomplish true. However, the fact that Sakura required no catalysts to create them was a sign of their strength. In this case Sakura was using her magic to create a barrier that repelled beings using her knowledge of the Matou magecraft in reverse of its original purpose. Instead of binding oneself she was rejected "concepts" instead of "binding" them. It was something of a breakthrough she had after the grail war. Thanks to said war she was able to branch her magic to include things beyond herself, making other objects the "self" in her magecraft. In this case the barrier she made reacted to malicious intentions. It was a broad concept and obviously not a "cure all" as some would say. But it offered the village greater protection than it currently had. Ilya was doing something similar. But if Rin were to guess this was less about the villagers and more about Ilya testing her newfound body.
The two children were awake with the little girl bounding to Rin.
"Lady Rin! Where did Mr. Shirou go!"
Rin blushed at the title the slave girl gave her.
"Don't call me that. And Shirou left to handle business. He'll be back before tonight."
The fool better damn well return or Rin would have his head that was for certain. Speaking of.
-With Shirou and Rider-
There were things that Rider would openly admit that she loved about Shirou. His willingness to help others, even herself, was something that stirred Rider. His willingness to jump on her back just to traverse this underwater tunnel…eh not so much. It wasn't Shirou that was the problem. His presence on her back was warm and nice. It was the fact that the idiot forgot he needed to breath. Rider went with this so that it would be another lesson for his lack of self-preservation. She was confident she could resurface on the other side quickly enough. She smiled as she finally found the exit to the entrance. Shirou's chest began shrinking on Rider's back, telling her his oxygen was running low. With a final kick off the ground She flung them out of the water and let Shirou gasp for breath over her ear. Rider smiled as a thought took hold.
"You know what breathing on my ear does to me?"
Shirou sputtered as he rushed off Rider, ignoring the fact his hands brushed over her chest. Rider smiled as she shook her head.
"You are still too easy Shirou."
Older and wiser Shirou may be but he was still under his lovers' thumb, that was for certain. He smiled as he shook his head.
"If only I could be as calm as you Rider. Thanks for coming."
Rider hummed in appreciation, as odd as the compliment was.
"This is oddly intricate" muttered Rider "uselessly so."
"It could be a show of power?" asked Shirou "but I see your point."
The water way had been a bit longer than expected, yet when they arrived the cavern was simply…odd. It was perfectly shaped, the use of magic obvious, and numerous cages littered the walls. Spacious cages, but cages none the less. The people within had bruises on them and their hair and clothes were ratty from months of imprisonment. Shirou saw more than enough demi humans to realize that they were the…staple of this man's business. The structure was also lined with blue materials, Cobalt, and numerous other quartz were used to create "paths" that customers could follow Shirou presumed. It was uselessly showy.
"So many" growled Shirou.
Rider's lips were pursed as she stared around, wondering where the supposed leader was.
"There's no point in freeing them now."
"I know" sighed Shirou "we have to take out Helmsman first."
The sound of growling echoed through the chambers as numerous demon dogs entered the area, guards for the merchandise. Their growling ceased with a simple spell from Shirou.
You have levelled up!
Shirou sighed as he ignored the ping for what had to be the fifteenth time today. Rider noticed his incremental increase and smiled.
"You are getting stronger"
Shirou nodded.
"Slowly but surely" he sighed "I can't help but wonder what needs power like this though. And why us."
Rider shrugged. She tilted her head as she smiled at Shirou.
"I can sense a few people moving through this base. I can hunt them down if you wish."
Shirou shook his head.
"I need you here. Who knows who else is here?"
Rider nodded. She was currently in her standard servant attire. Gorgon Breaker remained clasped around Medusa's head, but a few of the locks began their removal process, ready in an instant.
"I'll be careful" smiled Shirou.
Rider hesitated but quickly placed her palm on the side of Shirou's cheek. Her fingers lingered as she removed her hand and Shirou moved away. The calm smile of his putting her heart at ease. He was still an odd ball, worrying about her safety like this.
"Be careful. I will come running if necessary."
"I understand" smiled Shirou.
In the corner of his eye, he noticed that a few of the captives had slave crests on their chests or cheek. He found the one opening in this large circular structure pretty quickly and was shocked to find little balls of light illuminating a hallway. He rushed through; structural analysis used judge the floor and walls in front of him. No physical traps at least. Shirou breached each room quickly and efficiently, finding nothing more than food stores, benches, and what looked like recreational areas with rugs and whatnot. Someone lived here fulltime. He kept rushing the hallway, finding a set of stairs that he took up. Shirou's ear twitched as the sound of someone grumbling.
"God damn it Ervir why the fuck are you running up here!"
Shirou sighed, realizing that if he let this man live, not knowing the number of enemies and their strength…well it was better this way. With a call Kanshou and Bakuya were summoned as the holy sword transformed. He reached the top of the stairs and before the heavy weight man could cry out, Shirou's black blade was thrown into the man's skull, silencing him.
You have levelled up!
Shirou cared not for the notification, as he quickly grabbed the body and moved it with less effort than he thought. Reinforcement combining with his stronger body granted him even greater strength. The changes however made his reinforcement less effective than it normally was. Not that it changed his overall strength at this time. The body was removed from the hallway, the blood thankfully pooled into the skull rather than bleed out, so there was no mess to alert other enemies.
Shirou jumped into the rafters of the now wooden building the stairs led to and looked around the second floor. There was a man working at a desk and two others near a window discussing something. As he neared the man working, he listened to the conversation.
"God damn it…why the fuck are those asshats from Zelt not buying?"
The second one sighed.
"Apparently they're like this stupid kingdom. Slaves need to be authenticated for quality or some stupid shit. We aint got the reputation to play in the big leagues, at least for now. So, they're using these kinds of excuses. If all goes well, we can get a deal with that guy Helmsman is talking to in his boat."
The other guy sighed.
"Really? He's still on that thing? The boat isn't even finished!? Don't even get me started on that ass he's talking to. Helmsman always has someone he's "doing deals with" only to fall short!".
Before the other man could speak his friend threw his spear at a wall, destroying part of the cement. This must have been a common occurrence since no one really reacted to it. That or there was just that few people in this area.
"Damnit, I thought Helmsman was on to something with this crap. We've been feeding these things for over a month! And you know what we haven't done in over a month? FUCKING SOLD ONE!? Fuck man I want my damn money. This would be bearable if we were allowed to fuck them!"
The other man sighed.
"Tell me about it. Helmsman killed the last dude who tried. Said something about virgins costing more."
"What a load of shit".
Shirou ignored the other two, now behind the man at the desk. Shirou looked behind him and sure enough there was a someone coming up the stairs, reading a book. He waited until they turned a corner and then threw Bakuya. As the black blade flew through the air Shirou grabbed the man in front of him, slitting his throat silently with Kanshou. A small squelch sound echoed through the building, letting him know what that happened to the person who turned a corner.
You have levelled up!
These people must have been decently strong. If Shirou had been stuck with weapons native to this world…it was likely he wouldn't be having as easy a time as now. But his noble phantasms were weapons that were leagues above most. Even if they were not, the armor these people wore was meaningless when Shirou aimed for the throat or skull. Shirou jumped to the rafters again as the men by the window turned around at the sound of a body hitting the floor.
"Hey did you hear that?"
Shirou jumped down, both blades in hand, and landed in front of the two. His married blades buried within their neck. Shirou sighed as he flicked the blood off his two swords and stared out the window. There was a ship and if he focused his eyes, he saw that there was a man on it, laughing jovially with a few others. The "ship" was not yet completed. Nothing more than a half-completed ship that was open, showing the content of the unfinished vehicle. Shirou sighed, watching the man from a distance as he chuckled with another. Shaking their hand.
He had seen enough when said man leered his way towards Shirou. He knew that he didn't see him, considering that this man and who he presumed to be Helmsman were calm.
"So, this is a storage unit" sighed Shirou.
With a calming breath Shirou emptied his mind. In his hands the legendary sword twisted into a familiar black bow, now having a red crystal design stretching across the bow not unlike tattoos. Shirou wasn't a fan of it but he needed a bow. The bow had finished being devoured a short time ago and now wasn't the time to be electrocuted by his new companion. Shirou didn't bother reading the stats. His bow never had any real abilities.
"Then again Itsuki seemed happy about it for some reason when he copied my bow…maybe there is more to it."
Something to check later. For now, he had to focus.
"Let's try this" he thought.
With a push he brought forth a rainbow. It was devoured by the legendary blade. He pushed another one, twisting this into something aerodynamic. It too was eaten. Shirou sighed, thanking the legendary sword for the boost in mana that he received. Never in his life did Shirou think he could ever summon Caladbolg so casually. He activated the dual wielder skill and smiled at a familiar arrow.
Caladbolg!
Quality: Divine
Basic Attack: 15,825
Shirou didn't even bother reading the rest of it. He stared, floored at the absurd attack damage this thing had. It made Shirou wonder why though. Hrunting was in no way a Noble Phantasm that was lacking in comparison to Caladbolg. Sure it wasn't as destructive….Ahh.
"So that's what you measure" smiled Shirou.
It made a twisted sort of sense, maybe. He had noticed in the progression tree of his weapon some attacks that discharged energy. Shirou assumed it was mana or something of that nature. The resulting attack was improved based on the rarity and "attack" scale of the weapon used. The attack stat wasn't just damage but overall destructive potential. Shirou shuddered, the idea of Excalibur or even Galantine being absorbed almost too scary to even think about. He read the rest of the description in his mind.
Equip Skill Bonuses: Overcharge (the user can overfill the mana of a given weapon/skill, granting greater power but at a cost of greater cooldowns.
Equip Stat Bonus: Attack +310. Agility +89, MP +321. HP +120.
Unique Abilities:
1. "Before Creation comes Destruction" +300% extra damage when overcharged.
2. (MODE CHANGE: CALADBOLG ALTERNATIVE!) "Twist in Madness": In this Aerodynamic state this arrow can twist even space, bypassing even the strongest of defenses both physical and magical. Ignore defensive properties of a certain rank. Increase the mastery of this weapon to bypass even greater defenses.
3. (MODE CHANGE): This weapon detonates on impact. Explosion radius increased by 100% when overcharged.
4. "Destroy all in your path, oh sword of the rainbow!" Caladbolg can release a truly destructive blast that uses all of its might in one strike. This allows for the true power of Caladbolg and Caladbolg Alternative to be unleased. Be warned, this will reduce the weapon form to being unusable for a period of time. This can grant an additional 200% extra damage after all bonuses have been applied. The user can master this sword form to reduce the time delayed. (Current cooldown: 18 days).
Shirou stared at this arrow in his hand with trepidation. He knew that his copies were…inferior to the original outside of his reality marble. The only noble phantasm that he could perfectly trace was Avalon. The legendary sword filled in the "cracks" as it were and brought the weapon more in line with their true power. But this?
Even for Shirou this thing was a level of bullshit that even he had trouble adjusting to. This much of a difference in power? Or was the holy sword not just "completing" the phantasms but increasing their power? Or perhaps it was more about compatibility? From what he could tell the legendary sword was focused primarily on pure raw power. Shirou sighed, knowing that the reason didn't matter at this moment. Besides, it wasn't as if the holy sword was truly "better" in every way. Unlike his magic, the holy sword itself replicated the weapon. As such it required cool downs for specific weapon forms, much like Shirou had just read. If Shirou wasn't locked with just using the sword itself than Shirou could just create another Caladbolg arrow, bypassing the cooldown.
Shirou knocked the arrow. The tattoo like markings on his bow glowed. Shirou narrowed his eyes at the effect, knowing that it could ruin his cover. But even if it did…it was too late. The two men seemed to have noticed the crimson light in the distance but Shirou had already muttered the words of their death.
"Twist in madness".
The sword glowed brilliantly.
"CALADBOLG!"
It shot with enough destructive force to damage the room Shirou shot from, the hero of steel not leaving anything to chance. It moved faster than human perception and tore through every defensive spell that Helmsman had shrouding his unfinished ship. It did not deter the legendary sword turned arrow. The speed was beyond human comprehension and when it impacted in front of the two men it detonated with a destructive potential beyond anything Shirou had ever produced. The aftermath looked like a scene from hell. The surrounding area was reduced to a glowing area of molten stone. The cave shook as the slavers began retreating. But Shirou narrowed his eyes and notched another arrow. This was a more mundane one, an arrow of steel.
Suffice to say…none survived. Their bodies were skewered across this cavern, their blood tripping into the water they tried to escape to. Shirou sighed, wondering why these people did what they did. Suddenly he felt a presence but before he could react Rider had already wrapped herself around him.
"Your heart is still too warm" sighed Rider.
Shirou smiled weakly.
"I guess it is."
The woman nuzzled her face into his.
"It's alright. You did what you needed to. These men were not the kind that should be left alone. The village will be safer with their passing. Here."
Shirou noticed a paper that Rider slipped into his hand.
"….I can't read this" muttered Shirou.
Suddenly the words filtered into a language he recognized. Since the sword was bound to his soul Shirou guessed it had access to his magic, one of which was a translation spell…although that was supposed to be purely for vocal communication. This sword was weird was the conclusion that Shirou reached for today. He looked his bow as the sword transformed back into its inert state.
"Nevermind" sighed Shirou "…this is a manifest".
Rider nodded.
"You can read this?"
Rider smirked.
"I taught myself to read in life. I can teach myself to read this."
It was concerning just how quickly she had learned to read a language like this. Yet, there was also the fact that she had been left alone with Ilya for quite some time. It was certainly doable with an intelligent heroic spirit like Medusa. Still scary though. Shirou sighed as Rider pulled him in closer.
"Thank you" smiled Shirou.
Rider smiled back.
"You are still the most frustrating man I know" smiled Rider.
Ok ouch.
"But even so…I…" Rider stalled. Her throat getting heavy.
Shirou smiled as he turned to her, cupping her cheek.
"I never need to hear you say it Rider, ever. You've become as much a part of my life as Rin, Sakura, and Ilya have. Whatever term you want to use to describe what we have would be lacking anyway. Thank you…for being here for me."
It was hard to kill. Shirou still detested the act, even though his brain knew it was the correct course of action. The fact that Rider held him, even if only for a little, meant a lot. That he didn't have to carry that burden alone.
Rider meanwhile was staring at Shirou. She hated that she still couldn't utter those words. Yet, this foolish man just accepted it and kept her by his side, by everyone's side, without a second thought. Without a moment's hesitation she stole a kiss, playfully dragging her tongue across him for a playful moment.
Before kissing him even deeper and nearly crushing him into her. She may or may not have grabbed his tush as well.
"We're using that hotel" smiled Rider as she separated from a flabbergasted Shirou "Sakura and Rin would kill me if I took you here."
Shirou blinked.
"When? How?"
Shirou sputtered, wondering why it was that Rider was so enamored right now. He simply stated a truth that he had said time and time again. It wasn't anything new. Honestly women were confusing.
"What about the people" stressed Shirou, sweating.
Rider scoffed playfully. Her hand dragging ever so slowly down his chest.
"I freed them after checking all the rooms. A few stragglers here or there but they were taken care of. As it turned out there is a manmade tunnel beside the water cavern for Helmsman and his men. The people had watched them use it enough times to know where it was."
"You didn't escort them?" asked Shirou.
Rider shrugged. As if she cared about them at all. She was here for Shirou and the others. The rest could just drop dead for all she cared. Shirou smiled.
"I understand."
He really didn't but he did not want to force his views on another. Wasn't his place. A lesson her learned thoroughly from Rin.
"Now" Shirou stared at the sword "I've seen this blade absorb things from a distance before…I wonder if."
Shirou focused his mana, using structural analysis to spread his energy across a distance. The sword…he could feel it piggy backing on his energy, following the trail. It was connected and interwoven with his soul, so perhaps by expanding his magic, like he did for structural analysis?
Without warning the sword's gem glowed and everything in front of Shirou began to flow into the blade. It wasn't a dangerous suction or a wind tunnel. Instead, it was if everything was broken down into motes and absorbed into the sword that way. The corpses and items were all absorbed from a distance. Shirou wasn't too sure what allowed the sword to do as it did but Shirou wasn't complaining. The timer for items in the que had expanded again to a whopping 200 hours.
"Interesting" muttered Shirou. A blip occurred showing a new sword.
"….Oh you've got to be kidding me" sighed Shirou.
UNIQUE WEAPON FORM: The Odyssey!
A weapon form that is unlocked when the user manages to acquire/absorb an item that embodies the concept of "Ship" in its entirety! Use the sword as a catalyst to summon a legendary vessel! Requires 3,000 units of mana. The strength and speed of this boat are dependent on the development of the "Legendary Sword". The boat will disperse when the user wills it. WARNING: Duel wield is required for this weapon form to function. So long as the ship exists the user cannot use more than 1 sword form at a time.
Shirou almost couldn't believe what he saw but the fact this sword could summon a boat was…well than again Arturia had a shield that did that so it must not have been that unusual. Still though…it was different from the other weapon forms. They all had rarity and attack stats but this boat didn't. Was it possible that specific weapon forms had no timer to be unlocked? It did state that this was a unique weapon.
"Shirou?" asked Rider.
"We have a boat" muttered Shirou.
Rider blinked. Shirou shrugged.
"I've checked the rest of this location" snickered Rider "we are free to leave whenever."
Shirou looked down at his inventory and noticed something.
"I think it is best we hurry back. I have something to return after all."
Rider stilled as she stared at Shirou's sword.
"Rider?"
"You said you acquired a boat, correct?"
Shirou nodded.
"This sword also absorbed a sheath?"
Shirou nodded again. Rider took requested the sword from Shirou. He smiled as he gave her the blade, his trust evident. Before he could ask anything, Rider's nails grew and gripped her palm, drawing blood. The blood fell to the gem and glowed ferociously. The sword shimmering a bloody light.
"Rider!?"
The Gorgon smiled as she returned the sword to Shirou.
"I had a feeling it worked that way. Your sword is like a monster, devouring others to expand its existence."
The timer had increased again. But there were new sword forms already as well.
The strength of your bond grants this sword power! Your bond is extraordinary!
The Companion Sword (Form III)
Basic Attack: 12
Equip Bonuses: +30% to all stats for party members as they level up. EXP gains increased by 100% for all party members.
Equip Stat bonus: +45 Attack, +32 Mana, and +10 health.
Unique Bonus: +20% stat increase per level so long as sword is equipped at the time of levelling.
Shirou blinked. The second one was…well it was embarrassing damnit!
The Strength of your bond grants this sword additional power! Your bond is extraordinary!
The Lovers Sword (Form IV)
Basic Attack: 0
Equip Bonuses: +15% increase to all stats for "Lovers" per level. +15% increase to stats per level for every "lover" the user has. A Lovers Sacrifice (The user can take away pain and injuries but only from those classified as "lover"). This sword form grants a massive increase to health and mana for all party members that are "Lovers".
Equip stat bonuses: +50 defense, +100 Attack, +22 Mana, +150 Health. (AUTOMATICALLY INHERITED)
Unique abilities: Teleport to a lover's side at a moments notice. There is no limit to this skill. Sword must be equipped to use this ability. The sword's teleportation extends to any one of the "lover" status connected with the hero.
Shirou stared at Rider. He knew that her bond with him was…unusual in a sense. Yet, this sword told him the strength of that bond. Of how she felt…not that Rider planned that. Shirou smiled, it was not as if he needed confirmation from a piece of steel either.
"So" smiled Rider "what did you get?"
Shirou tilted his head to lock eyes with Rider "I got two sword forms. Apparently, there is more to come."
His timer increased again by almost fifty hours. He had just finished creating the bow not an hour ago and now the timer was back up.
"Oh, and what sword forms did you unlock?"
He told her. Rider took it in stride and said it was time to go. But Shirou knew. The little tips of her ears were already red.
-Fifteen Minutes Later-
Shirou sighed as he walked out of the man made tunnel with Rider and stared at the forest grounds. He saw the village through the trees and sighed.
"There's not many monsters here" muttered Shirou.
Rider was silent but not overly worried.
"It is possible that we've simply decimated the population."
Shirou grumbled a bit, looking around with his senses and magic.
"…Something's odd. The village is supposedly attacked by monsters constantly before Helmsman came right?"
Rider said nothing as she listened to Shirou's brainstorming.
"Yet there is plenty of wildlife".
As if by providence, Rider took notice of the various creatures that stalked through these forests. Some were like deer and rabbits. Others resembled moose…if they were built like a pick-up truck. Honestly it was kind of disturbing. It was if the creature had evolved without predators. The scent of magic from such a beast was immense, at least by the standards of the villagers that Rider came across.
"…The ecosystem here is quite odd I'll admit" stated Rider "what are you thinking?"
"Is it possible that the monsters were planted?" asked Shirou as they moved through the woods.
"Possible but unlikely" stated Rider "the village here seems ill-prepared for these monsters. There is a barrack but no warriors as far as I can tell. There is also the lack of blood near the walls. If they were frequently defended there would be a lingering scent along with magic that I could detect. What is at the walls is a mana signature that is unsimilar to the creatures we faced on the roads. Weaker and less pungent if that makes sense."
Rider was sensitive to such an environment, since the island she lived on in life was home to armies of men that fell to her blade. It implied that the monsters the villagers were familiar with were not the creatures Shirou decimated on the way here.
"The monsters avoid the town….no it is more as if they are not aware of it. They charge at us due to our magic. You mentioned that monsters devour others to increase the weight of their existence?" stated Shirou.
Rider shrugged.
"The phantasmal beasts that you would call monsters function with such system yes. Others simply age and grow more powerful but there are a few amongst their number in which the number of beings they devour is a direct correlation to their strength. My existence became twisted even further when I devoured my siblings and those that attacked our home and developed me into the Gorgon that Perseus slew. The saying you are what you eat is true for some."
This was not a topic that Rider wanted to discuss but it was necessary. If these monsters functioned in such a way than there was a reason they were staying. It was important that Shirou understood just how deeply such a physiology effected such a creature. The magic power in this area was lesser in the village but greater in the forest. It was likely they avoided this forest due to the overly buff moose that ruled the area. Their magical power, while overwhelmed by even Shirou's, was greater than any individual beast. Distance was also a possible factor of why the beasts never expanded. They needed to feed. A constant hunger born from instinct and need. If they remained where they were…there was a reason for it. Shirou grabbed Rider's hand, making the woman stare at the physical contact. He simply smiled at her and nodded in thanks.
"We can discuss this another time."
Rider felt her core warm as the heat from Shirou's hands spread to her chest.
"You are…"
The words never left. But Shirou never needed them.
"I appreciate you looking out for us" he smiled "and if the monsters we are facing work in such a method than we know they need magic to survive or that their prefer prey are creatures filled with magic. Their sensory abilities must be limited if they do not attack the creatures of this forest. They lack offensive traits as far as I can tell. They also avoid the village, whose warriors are weaker than them. They are not a natural part of this ecosystem…which worries me of who put them here."
No need to drudge up the past. That was what Rider felt in Shirou's words, clumsy as they were. He let go of her hand, knowing that for all her sensuality that she was in fact adverse to such simple affection, at least from him. Rider enjoyed holding hands with Sakura more so than Shirou if she were honest. They had…an understanding that Shirou did not or could not develop. Their love was different but in no ways inferior. And yet this stubborn idiot of a man just accepted it that such a divide existed and loved her anyway: with all his twisted self. Rider's smile widened as brushed her shoulder with Shirou's, the boy having grown into a man of larger stature than herself. Shirou's sword blinked as a thought echoed in Shirou's mind.
"…We are a lot farther from the village than I thought" sighed Shirou "it seems I underestimated just how fast you swim."
The sword transformed into a scaled crimson short sword. It pulsated as a red aura surrounded both Shirou and Rider.
"Hmmm?"
This was.
"I'm going to try the teleportation magic. Get ready Rider."
This was just like the command seal was Rider's thoughts as their world blinked away for a moment. As they reappeared into reality Rider could have sworn she saw something in the void between worlds. Her thoughts were interrupted as they appeared behind Rin. The Magus turned around and smirked at Shirou.
"Teleportation magic? Almost wish I had that sword myself. How as your little outing?"
Maria sputtered as she clutched her chest, the red mist that turned into the sword hero and his companion making her heart almost skip.
"You…you're back!" she stuttered "is everyone!"
"As far as I can tell we freed a number of people. They left earlier than I did through a man made tunnel and exited into a forest."
"The northern woods!" breathed the woman with a smile "oh thank the heroes. The monsters have never ventured there in fear of the guardians that stalk it."
Before Shirou could question the concept of how many guardians there were the woman ran off.
"Rude" scoffed Rin.
"Rin" chatisized Sakura "you pestered the poor woman with questions she barely understood for almost an hour."
Rin shrugged, almost uncaring as she looked down a well bleeding black energy.
"What…is that?" asked Shirou.
"That" smiled Ilya "is a dungeon!"
"….they built a dungeon inside of a well?" asked Shirou.
Ilya scoffed and shook her head.
"Of course not" she smiled "A dungeon in this case refers to an area filled with monster and traps. At the end of it lies a super strong enemy that you kill to gain rewards and treasure!"
Shirou blinked. Ilya pouted at the lack of understanding.
"The point" said Ilya "is that in the game dungeons were made by rifts."
Rin took over as Sakura continued her investigation of the energy.
"Basically a rift are tears made from the waves. Small little holes that monsters spill out of. According to Ilya the legendary sword can seal such small rifts and gain a weapon form from it."
Shirou stared at the sword.
The legendary sword has such a function. The tears that create the waves are too large and unstable for the legendary weapons to seal individually or united. However, the capability to seal smaller rifts are within the range of the user's abilities. Due to their stable nature they can be closed but in return monsters lack the world sickness debuff and instead gain a buff from being in proximity of the gate. They will be stronger than normal but in return part of that rift's power can become your own as bonus experience. Greater rifts require a greater overall power base to seal. Analyzing mana signature...the user's current strength is sufficient to seal the rift.
"Interesting" stated Shirou.
Ilya chuckled as she stood near her brother, her head now just under his pectorals…Shirou blinked but before he could double check Rin was taking his attention again.
"Seems like a we need to shut this rift if we want to move on" sighed Rin "no sense in wasting a good hunting ground."
Rin's grin said it all. She was excited to continue this "level up" process and the benefits it gave her. Her magic had increased from her doing jack all as Shirou slayed the monsters previously. It was time to spread her legs a bit.
"….I feel like rushing in might not be the best idea" sighed Shirou "we're still unsure of how much of a difference there will be."
"Shirou."
The man blinked. His face becoming covered in darkness as a chill ran up his spine.
"You are not just saying that out of some misguided notion that I need…protecting do you?" smiled Rin.
"Never" was Shirou's immediate reply.
"Good!" smiled Rin "than we can be on our way."
With that she jumped into the well, a stone opening well over eight feet in circumference. It was massive, much like the so-called pond. Shirou sighed and shook his head with a smile.
"She researched that entire dungeon before we got here?" asked Shirou.
Sakura smiled as she nodded.
"She's very excited to test her new limits."
Shirou blinked. He had forgotten about that. Their experience was shared between all of them now, as they were a part of his party. They were developing as he did.
"….Oh god" muttered Shirou.
He quickly jumped in, horrified at the damage Rin might produce without him there. Protect her? At this point Shirou was more worried about the surrounding area than Rin. Sakura giggled as she followed close behind. Ilya rolled her shoulders and jumped in as well. Rider was last…a peculiar scent bother her.
"…."
"So many human scents lingering here" thought Rider "for a well that was abandoned…there is a lot of movement."
She turned her head to the village, the one scent from Maria…the rest congregated here the well and dispersed faintly to the west. Rider scowled under her mask, her throat aching at the thought of hidden enemies. More to discover in this so-called dungeon. After all there was still one burning question that Rider had.
Where was this supposed Noble that Helmsman feared? There were no guards…no knights or warriors. Something was up. For now, Rider kept it to herself, wanting to see how Rin and the others handled the monsters without such distractions on their mind. As she fell to the darkness…Rider felt a familiar hunger echo in her chest. As her hair flowed from the back of her neck, one could see purple scales developing on her nape.
Till Next time! CHAPTER END!
WHOOOO THAT TOOK A WHILE. Placement sucks balls, Pandemic sucks ass, and my work is a bitch but I got this out. I had another 2,568 words but it couldn't end it there as it was a horrible cliff hanger that did nothing to propel this chapter further than it did. So, I now have a almost three thousand head start on the next chapter! Speaking of next chapters, the next story update is Ultimate Weapon.
Now for some clean up points. I am trying to create a Poly Relationship between Shirou, Rin, Sakura, and Rider (Medusa). I myself have not experienced such a relationship so for those that have such relationships by all means give me some pointers. I swear to Christ though if someone just mentions "MAKE THEM FUCK!" or something I'll do two things. One, laugh my ass off. Two, ignore it. This is not an M rated story so…no lemons. It's T for a reason. I mean there was that one story my buddy and I made as a joke for a Summertime sage fanfiction but that's the closest I ever got to M rated stories…SO STOP BUGGING ME! (This is for the one PM dude who can't take no for answer, for the rest of you thanks for the support!)
Now second clean up. Absurd attack numbers and the lack of status pages. I'll be honest. Levels are meaningless in my story. Even if Shirou was equal level to everyone else he would utterly and I mean UTTERLY decimate every single warrior this world had to offer. The king with his staff? Just throw black keys at his shadow from behind his back with projection and go ham on the idiot. The four spirit beasts? Bitch we got a rider...Bellephron? The noble Phantasm for controlling phantasmal beasts? Them beast be his bitches (As awesome as that is I won't be doing that XD). It was due to having his whole family here that I decided to deviate from Shield Hero lore quite a bit. So, the expected number of chapters for this story should be about 20-24. It will not be a massive Epic like Journey once was or Arcane Craftsman currently is. I got an end in sight unlike Journey and it won't take more than two, possibly three, waves to get there. Now it could take five for all I know but I got story elements that I want to it and that's that. I felt like shit for abandoning Journey last year (or was it two years ago?) so I don't plan to overextend myself again.
What was the point of this rant? Basically, it was an announcement. NONE OF MY STORIES ARE DEAD! I'M JUST UBER FUCKING BUSY! So vote for the next story to be done after Ultimate Weapon which is just over the half way point and be safe! Live laugh and enjoy the time that we have and as always enjoy the story!
P.S: Will be getting grammerly shortly. Just had a new Beta Tester who quite literally tried to steal my story (which delayed this chapter by like 8 days). Third fucking Beta I've had who has either tried to steal it or adjust it into something new. So now I join the grammerly squad as me new editor since I cannot trust anyone it seems (you guys are cool though XD)