The day was slowly over. And soon, a new day would come as the sun is slowly setting. Where by morning, everybody would resume their normal life as they always had. Of course, that was for the normal people of this town. For certain others, involved in other matters, it was much more differently.
"What! You met Berserker!?" Not to mention loudly, as Shirou said as he finally sat down in his home and rested. Ozpin nearby as he drank some hot chocolate, explaining what had happened a while ago. Both giving out details they had from today.
"I have." Ozpin replies as he takes a sip. "And I must say, that girl who commands him is certainly far from normal."
"Normal?" Shirou blinks, a bit confused.
"Let's just say that while she does not seem the type to go on a murderous spree, she has no qualms killing anybody who gets in her way." It has been around under an hour since Ozpin met Illya and Berserker, and returned here back to the Emiya home. Where once Shirou came back from school and put his stuff away, Ozpin explained who he encountered and what occurred. "And I must say, you'd best be careful where you go, Emiya. For it seems she has a grudge against you."
"Against me?" Shirou was now more confused. "But I never even met her before."
"I would say it's because you're a Master, but, it seems she has it out personally to you." Ozpin says gravely. Then looks at Shirou seriously. "Emiya, be careful. While that girl will kill those who stand against her, this grudge she has against you makes her more dangerous when facing you. Because while neither of us are certain what she will do."
"Huh. But, won't she just try to kill me?" Shirou says, not sure what Ozpin meant by Illya being more dangerous to him.
"Most likely, yes." Ozpin then narrows his eyes. His mind flashing back to those who had their own grudges against him...and tried to take him alive. "But there are fates worse than death. And she seems to be the type to do such a thing."
"Great. Story of my life." Shirou mutters as he hears all this. He finally got back from school, and dealing with Shinji. Returning with no problems at all, only for Ozpin to tell him there is a problem. One that involved Illya. "Man. What the heck is up with women trying to kill me?"
"Hey! I'm not trying to kill you!" Stepping out of the kitchen is Musashi, who sat down as she grabbed a fashion magazine. Looking at it intently as she observed the new clothes this timeline had. "If anything, I think I do a good job in protecting you. Even when you ran out of the school like a crazy man."
"A-and I appreciate it, really." Shirou smiles as he gives his gratitude. "Thankfully, it didn't look like I had to deal with much for the matter."
"Hm. But what about that guy you met?" Musashi reminds him while getting Ozpin's attention.
"Guy?" Shirou gulped.
'Right. Shinji.' He forgot that since Musashi was watching him, no doubt she saw him and Shinji talk. Granted, he doubted she knew of the alliance he made with Shinji. 'Though...should I even tell the others?'
It's not that he didn't trust them. It was just that he was pretty sure Rin would get upset that he made another alliance with others aside from her, and that Ozpin might get worried. Hm. For now, he'll keep it a secret. If things got bad, he'll tell them, but otherwise, keep this matter to himself. No need to get anybody else involved.
"I was just talking to a friend." Shirou then says, technically speaking, the truth. "Having a chat of sorts about...school life." Musashi and Ozpin didn't seem to think he was lying, and thankfully, seemed to have bought it. "Um, but in the meantime," Time to quickly change the subject. "Ozpin, you said you fought Illya."
"Not really fight if I'm being honest." Ozpin replies smoothly. "If anything, she was just threatening me while showing me a bit of her capabilities as a...magus, you say. And I must admit, her power is certainly interesting." Making wires to form weapons and turn them into living bombs that rivals a Dust explosion. Quite the power. "Not to mention, she also told me her Servant's identity."
Both Shirou and Musashi gasped.
"You know who Berserker is!" Musashi yells out.
"Yes, I do." Ozpin ignores the shouting. "She told me it was Heracles." The two gasped again, meaning whoever this man was, must be a big-shot.
"Even in my travels, I've always heard of the stories of the great Heracles." Musashi says as she rubs her chin. "Big. Strong. Fast. Not to mention...handsome!" Her eyes lights up, making Shirou and Ozpin deadpan at her. Still, even Shirou knew that what she said is true.
"Even in Japan, Heracles is known to be a powerful hero. Meaning, that's the powerhouse we face." Heck, just a single little blow sent Shirou flying. With Ozpin stating it had subpar speed alongside it. Worse, that was just basic information. So the gang can only imagine how strong it's Noble Phantasms were.
"Maybe Rin will know some weaknesses or whatever." Shirou rubs the back of his head. "While I know of him and his famous Twelve Labors, that's about it. Not like I actually looked up his history before." Heck, truthfully the same can be said with his Servant, Musashi. Knowing she's a famed warrior and swordsman, but that was about it since he never bothers with history and myths.
"That would be wise indeed, and our best bet." Ozpin agrees to it. "Though I don't suppose you have books or perhaps a laptop to search up Heracles's history."
"Uh, no." Shirou tells him. "All I got is some old manga, and unfortunately, no computer." Nothing that would give the history and potential weaknesses of Heracles. Shirou supposed if he had time, he could go to the library and maybe get some answers to search up. Though first, he should tell Rin what he knows and see what she thinks. Though tomorrow of course, seeing as she went back home a long time ago.
"Well, in that case we should just wait and see what tomorrow brings us." Ozpin gets up and ready to head toward the restroom and then the spare bedroom. "In the meantime, we should get some rest. Today has been quite interesting."
"Yeah, I suppose it has." Shirou also gets up, though instead of going to his room, Shirou starts to go outside.
"Hm, were you going Master?" Musashi asks her Master.
"Just going to start practicing my magecraft and aura. If I'm going to be of help, then I need to start learning." Shirou tells her.
"Eh. But, Master-" Before Musashi can continue, Shirou stopped her.
"I know. I shouldn't push myself too hard, and that I should be patient with training myself." Shirou smiles at Musashi, making her slightly brush. "I get it, and I'll be careful."
"That's good." Musashi is glad Shirou is somewhat learning. "Although," Then she laughs nervously. "If I recall, isn't the shed gone now?"
Shirou blinks.
Outside in the backyard, the shed is still in ruins and a mess as it had been since Musashi arrived. With wood and broken tools spread everywhere with nothing left to even salvage properly. All of it covered in soot like a fireball hit it, and not as if it had been destroyed by Musashi's arrival. Not to mention the broken bowl was still there.
"...I'm going to the training hall." Shirou mutters while Musashi whistles innocently. Where she then sneaks off to the kitchen to get some fine food without Shirou noticing. Hey, she worked hard today. She deserved a little snack.
Though while she did that, Ozpin himself went outside for a bit.
'I wonder what Shirou's hiding?' He knew that Shirou had lied, but did not comment on it. The part where he just talked with this friend person he met. That part was indeed true, yet there was more to it than just that, Ozpin can tell. The question was, what? This made Ozpin wonder if he should ask Shirou if they were alone. Then again, did he have to? It wasn't as if Shirou was obligated to spill everything he knew.
'Just another thing that has changed about me I suppose.' Before, Ozpin, Ozma, cared not for secrets. Just facing the next challenge, and saving the next person. From the Grimm, a tyrant, or a mad wizard who tried to kill all. He faced all not even pondering the secrets of the world, and just faced whatever he could. Yet look at him now, wanting to know the secret of a boy which may not even be that important.
Aside from the will and lingering memories, everything else of Ozma has changed.
Sighing, Ozpin then went to go to bed deciding to just forget about what Shirou was hiding. If worse came to worse, he'll deal with it. Otherwise, he'll just ignore while maybe he can try to learn a bit more about this world while he can. Find answers to just where he was exactly, and if he can find a way back.
VM!
"!" Ozpin then turned where for a moment, his aura shined. Looking at the mountainside across the busy streets and buildings. Where for just a moment, he swore he felt...magic?
'An enemy Master perhaps?' Then, as if to prove it, he saw skeleton figures far away. His trained eye sight spotting them with Ozpin frowning. Looking behind him at the Emiya household, he then turns back and starts to move. 'No point in getting them involved.'
He then jumps and leaves to chase after them, going at an astounding speed.
Then, as he leaves, small thin magical wires invisible to the naked eye close in around the Emiya household, where it awaits to capture the one training himself to exhaustion. Then quickly wraps itself on the body of young Emiya.
"Man," Rin sits down and sighs, as she reads some text from the books of the Tohsaka family. "I have to say Archer, after doing some research, the bounded field in the school is showing itself to be less and less good."
"Oh, is it now?" Archer sarcastically says. "I can't imagine a field surrounding a school full of innocents is good at all." He then smirks irritating Rin.
"Oh shut up. I had to be certain." Rin says. "I'd like to think the magus in this war are at least honorable enough to not involve innocents," She then shut her book. "But, it seems not."
"So then, will you deal with it later?" Archer asks.
"I wish I could, but from what I learned and observed, I can dismantle the sigils but nothing more. It won't stop whoever placed them there." Rin then growls. "Damn it. If only the coward who did this will just show themselves."
"Coward huh." A shame his memories were in such shambles. After all his time on his 'trips', Archer lost many details he once knew. Though he still had a good idea who did it of course. "Well regardless, we can at least slow them down."
"Yeah I guess." Rin rubs her head a bit. "Still, if only-" She then pauses as she looks outside the window. Growling as she sensed something unnatural in the air. "Damn. Looks like someone has decided to come out and play."
Archer closes his eyes and focuses. "Yes. It seems a Servant has finally made a move. And considering how this mana is moving so freely in the air yet fluidly, there is but one Servant that can do it with such sufficient action."
"Caster." A Class where those who wielded power above any modern magus. While they were considered one of the weakest next to Assassin in terms of combat, given enough time and material though, they became a monster to battle. If Caster was finally making their move, then this can't be good at all. For who knew what tricks they had up their sleeve.
'My home is nice and secure though, so I'm safe.' Rin made many defenses here in the Tohsaka home where her own father also added his own mix before his death. So even if Caster wielded great knowledge, penetrating this stronghold won't be so easy. Or at the least, won't be so fast.
"Rin." Archer then speaks to her. "While it would be foolish not to prepare, you do see what I see, correct?"
"I do." This castle had defenses, but no point in them if the enemy wasn't even banging on the walls. "Whatever Caster is doing, isn't targeting us." Still, this is different from the reports of people going into a coma.
When she wasn't with Shirou, Rin and Archer have been investigating the mysterious 'gas leaks' going on in Fuyuki. As expected though, it's a cover-up and in truth, people being drained of their mana. A lot of them were unable to handle such a strain of their mana forcibly being pulled out of them, especially in the manner Caster was doing. Some even dying because of it. Now Caster was doing something else, with Rin only left to wonder what it was. Not that it entirely mattered she supposed, believing Caster is attacking someone which meant she should do nothing.
However, what if the enemy was someone she knew?
"Tch." Rin looked at Archer. "Archer, I want you to go towards Emiya's house just in case. I doubt that idiot even has defenses for his home."
"I can do that." Archer then looks at her while crossing his arms. "Yet, why should I? It's not as if we have an obligation. Plus, if he happens to be the target of this attack, then maybe it'll be a good thing. I mean, that'll mean the defeat of Musashi herself, the famed swordswoman."
Rin grit her teeth. "I said go to him."
"Very well, if you so insist on me doing so." Archer then leaves to go check up on that fool. "But remember Rin, in the end he's our enemy despite this alliance. Him...and those with him. After all, did you not try to kil-"
"I thought I said to go. Now." Rin firmly tells Archer who scoffs before leaving. Though not before saying one last thing.
"You're too soft." Then vanishes into spirit form. Leaving Rin alone as she grit her teeth. Soft? Her? Rin then looks at a small photo on the desk. One featuring a younger her, her father and mother...and…
Clink.
Rin turned it away and sighed. There was no point in trying to remember the past at this stage of the war. Right now, she needs to focus. There might be a chance Caster attacks her base, and even if not Rin should still prepare herself. Hopefully though, Caster really is attacking another Master and not that idiot. Otherwise-
"Gu-grrr."
-that idiot would die.
'What the-what the hell is going on here!?' It had been a normal day for Shirou, after everything that had happened today. After speaking with the others, Shirou went to the training hall to train himself. Doing his Reinforcement and Projection, alongside Aura. Finding it easier to do Reinforcement now, especially aura when he did the two tasks separately. Granted, he got tired at the end and started to become sleepy.
To his gratitude, Musashi came and brought in a blanket and a pillow, with him accepting it as he was too tired to go to his room. There, Shirou decided to sleep in, yet found himself with strange dreams of him walking in the streets, passing by cars, and walking up a mountain…
Until he realized that this isn't a dream at all.
"Why…" He gritted while struggling to move his body. "Can't…" He couldn't take a single step forward. "I…" Did anybody know he had gone missing? "Move…?"
A laughter is then heard.
A sweet laughter coming from a soft and feminine voice.
Shirou got chills.
"My, what a pleasure to see you young man." From the air in front of him, a shadow is formed. One that takes the silhouette of a person, before materializing into an actual body. A woman in robes with a hood, and while Shirou could't tell because of the hood, he can see what appears to be a beautiful face beneath the hood's shadows, yet even then it just reminded him of the phrase: a beautiful rose has thorns.
"You…" Shirou still struggles to even take a step forward. The best he could do was just move a tiny bit. "Who are you? Where am I?"
"Come now boy, are you blind? Look around." Hearing her words, Shirou decided to do that. Eyes looking around, and recognized the buildings around here.
"This is...the Ryuudou...Temple…" He says as he's been here before a few times. Heck, Issei actually lives around here if he recalls. "But...why here?" He then asks.
"Hehehe." The woman chuckles. "Why, simple." Beneath the hood, Shirou swore he saw those eyes flashing a bit. "Because this place is a place of gathering for the ley lines here. One that can be used for the successful summoning of the Grail."
"Summoning of the...Grail?" That couldn't be right. Sure Shirou couldn't say he understood all he knew about the Holy Grail, but didn't Tohsaka say that the Grail could only be summoned when all Seven Servants were dead. Unless… "You're trying to gather the other Servants here to kill them."
The woman then falls silent.
"Ehe...Hahahahaha!" Then laughs as she bends over a bit, which only makes Shirou confused yet angry at the same time.
"What. What's so funny?" He demanded while trying to move still, yet unable to do anything.
"Oh, I apologize. How rude of me." The woman goes. "It's just, you really are a third-no-your below any magus I've seen." She then grins at him. "You truly are the weakest magus in this war. And most short-sighted. I mean, really? Gathering the Servants here. Pah. Talk about foolishness, especially since you can't even see how I've trapped you."
"Trapped me." Shirou then realized it. "You called upon me here. Why, instead of bed, I'm at the temple."
"Bingo." The woman giggles. "I brought you here using a special spell that entraps and guides one to me." She then brings a hand up to Shirou, where he then sees many small wires. "To the average eye, there is nothing. One can't even touch it. But useful when utilized to capture those who are...weak."
"Damn you!" Shirou then tries to use aura, where he tries to infuse his body with it. For a moment he felt himself move just a bit more. Thinking he was doing it.
"Naughty boy." Only to see a flash of wires and restrain himself more. Now he couldn't even lift a finger.
"I have to say, that power you're using is certainly….intriguing." the woman admits with a small smile. "I have seen many types of magecraft, and yet what you used is different from it. Makes even a Caster like me interested in it."
"Caster." Shirou says, before finally realizing who she is. "Then that means your-"
"A Servant specialized in magecraft. Magecraft far superior to modern day folks like you." The revealed Caster bluntly says. "And using my knowledge here," Suddenly, Shirou saw the entire temple sky and ground, dyed in red for a moment. Like a wall squaring against them. "I have turned this place into my own fortress. One that defends against others, and have even used it to start draining the mana around here."
"Huh? Draining." Shirou says as he hears Caster's confession. "Then...does that mean…"
Caster smiles at him. Where she then walks up to him...and touches him.
"Gu-gah!" Where he felt his own mana being drained away from him. Caster smoothly touching his face.
"Yes boy. With my power and the time I've set up, I am draining this city's people of their mana." She admitted. "Just a shame some can't handle the drain of such a thing."
"A shame? A shame?!" Shirou then shouts at Caster. "Those are innocent lives out there, and you're getting them involved for no reason. How could you?"
"Silence boy." Caster then spoke more seriously, and not in the sweet voice from ago. The wires around Shirou tighten sharply, making him flinch. "I will not take such an attitude from a nobody like you. At best you're a research subject I wouldn't mind studying. At worst, I will kill you like so."
Her eyes then gazed at the Command Seals before her. "However," She then made a smile that caused Shirou to feel cold, as she then touched his hand. "Like I said, you have a use for me. More particularly, those Command Seals of yours. They will be quite useful."
"What?" Shirou spats. "What could a Servant do with Command Seals? I might be a amature Magus, but even I know Servants can't use these things."
"Maybe the average Servant, yes." Caster admits. Her hand then glows. "But not like you need to know what I need them for. And once I'm through with you, your friends are next. That Servant of yours, and the old man."
Musashi!
Ozpin!
"Don't you even touch them!" Shirou then tries to infuse his body with mana. To reinforce himself. Caster's spell was too strong though, and all he did was the equivalent of nothing. Caster not even caring as she just smirked at his helplessness. At how he could do nothing but play the victim as she desired.
'Yes, struggle all you can little Master.' Caster grins as she gets ready to strike against Shirou and take his Command Seals. 'It matters not. You're nothing but bait for that Servant of yours, and I'm already keeping the old man busy.'
With her scrying, Caster can already see the Servant Saber on her way here rapidly. It clearly took her time since she isn't an expert at sensing mana disturbance, but clearly even Saber noticed her Master vanishing. Not to mention had good instincts and luck, as she seemed to know exactly where he was. Impressive. As for the old man, Caster has kept him occupied with her Dragon Tooth Warriors. Later, she'll 'collect' him and see just how he had such wonderful mana that was above most magus she has seen, including that pathetic man of her first Master.
He can be a good battery.
'But first,' Caster got ready to invoke her spell on Shirou. 'Let's take command of Saber.'
Then with a touch, a sinister glow came as she held Shirou's back hand. The young magus feeling something bad was going to happen, then, felt like the back of his hand was being ripped off. Like someone grabbed hot water and poured it all over his hand, then gripped the skin and started to try and remove it like one would rip tape off a wall.
"Ahhhhhh!" Shirou shouts while Caster continues happily to extract the Command Seals off of him. Though while she does so, she then becomes puzzled while attempting the process of removing them.
'Strange...why do these Command Seals feel di-' Then such thoughts are interrupted when a roar is heard. "Huh?"
The power she used stops, and Shirou feels relief at no longer feeling his skin being torn off.
"Raaaa!"
Then pauses as he hears a roar just like Caster, and turns to the source.
"Assassin!" Caster then calls out, with Shirou hearing the title and wondering if Caster had also made an alliance with someone else. "What are you doing!"
Then a large thud could be heard, and then from there a form could be seen and landing on the ground. Caster and Shirou watch, and from the dust a man can be seen getting up. Wearing some old style clothing and having long hair and an even longer sword with a youthful appearance. He then sees the two and narrows his eyes, before smirking while wiping the dust and dirt off of him.
"My oh my. Caster, are you doing some kind of 'play' with the boy." Clearly he could see the invisible mana strings, and was messing with them. Caster particularly who blushed mad.
"Y-you fool!" Shirou then felt himself move freely now, amazed by it. Caster herself clearly did not care though that he was freed, and it made sense since Shirou didn't even have any power to harm her as she shouted at the man known as Assassin. "Anyway, what is happening? Why are you not at the front gate?" She demanded to know. "That woman Saber should not even be here yet!"
"Oh, it isn't this interesting woman you speak of. Instead, it seems to be some kind of vermin of some sort." Another roar is then heard as everyone then turns as they hear footsteps. "I got rid of most of them, but the last few remaining managed to get me and send me here."
Finally climbing up and moving past the gates, it was then many shadowy figures finally arrived.
"So Caster," Assassin then looks at Caster. "Any idea what those are?"
A clawed foot stepped on the ground and cracked it.
Bone white claws and feet with bone plated armor. Red soulless eyes that seemed to see into one's soul. Black fur that didn't absorb or reflect any light. Numerous knife-like teeth with growls that put real wolves to shame. Shirou felt like he recognized them yet not at the same time.
"Are those...werewolves?" He asked.
"No. They aren't." Caster hisses as the small pack of wolf-like creatures finally were across them and gazed at them all. Then, they roared and ran at them. All while a lone Servant known as Archer watched while cursing more changes he did not recognize. Unsure what they even were other than a form of familiars or demonic beasts.
It seems things in this time and place just got grim.
Yep, Shirou got captured by Caster like canon, even if for slightly different reasons.
Musashi headed toward Shirou to save him like Saber did, also checking.
Archer arriving is also the same.
Creatures that we all know are Grimm coming and crashing the party...huh, that's new. Then again, ask yourselves this. How did Ozpin even arrive here originally? And more importantly...can anybody or anything arrive the same as him?
See if you can solve that question, and the answers will arrive much sooner. But until then, action next time at long last!