Author's Notes I: Alternate summary is that Archer is transported to the DxD world with three of the hottest women in the Fate series... but it ain't a trashy fic filled with lemons and immaturity, I guess. So, hope y'all enjoy it.
Chapter I: Revelation 13:13
Alaya.
The Counter Force.
The collective unconsciousness of mankind.
The drive for humanity's survival.
The World… itself.
Alaya had no emotions, for it was nothing but passive spirals of energy that only responded to only one thing.
The threat of human extinction.
It had many ways to deal with the threats.
Mostly were just things that were passable to many as 'coincidences', but it was actually a higher power.
Some of the times, it would send its Counter Guardians, those that made a contract with Alaya and would become one of its last resorts to deal with those who attempted to face the Counter Force...
This time, it was a unique circumstance.
It sensed that extinction was nigh in a world filled with mostly filled by Mankind.
A world where the Age of Gods was far from over…
Where numerous pantheons and mythologies continued their reign and held their powers.
And yet, the Age of Man continued to prosper...
Where Man created advancements, ruled their lands, and destroyed one another.
They both were segregated loosely and yet continued to exist for many eons...
But, they would reach their destruction in the near future.
The Counter Force automatically had to act.
For that reason, then and there, it had awoken.
For humanity's survival was its only mission and the meaning of its existence, and a world filled with Man was a place where it held authority.
Yet, the authority was a limited one for the Age of Gods was far from over.
It could send its agents, the Counter Guardians, but it couldn't retrieve them if they were to be deployed here.
Their contracts would be released and they would live a new life in this world.
A devastating circumstance for the collective.
Yet, the threat was a massive one that could destroy this world and everyone in it entirely.
Therefore, a sacrifice should be made by Alaya in order to prevent the cataclysm.
The Counter Force had immense power at their disposal.
However, only the appropriate amount could be unleashed to address any particular event.
If the threat possessed a certain amount of power, then the Counter Force would deploy an amount of power just enough to eliminate the threat.
So, it decided it would summon four...
As it were told in the Book of Revelation.
The first one, the King who rallied the Knights…
…who hid her own gender from her own people…
…who chose the lance, instead of the sword…
…who made a contract with the World so that her kingdom could be saved from its own fate.
The Counter Force knew that the King would do anything for it...
And thus, she would be Conquest.
The second one, a fair Maiden who was thrust into a cruel, unjust war…
…who was renowned as a saint for centuries…
…who was betrayed by the people she wished to save from the cruel war, yet, held no malice for it…
…who was burned at the stake, yet, still gave herself to the Lord…
And thus, she would be War.
The third one, a Witch Queen from the land of the dead…
…who was a mentor to one of the greatest warriors known to man…
…who robbed many lives of men, wraiths, and gods…
…who wished the sweet embrace of the erasure of her immortality…
To obtain her was no easy task for the Counter Force, for she dwelled not in the world of Man, but the land of the dead.
So, it promised her a mortal body in a familiar world with some... differences.
And thus, she would be Famine.
The last one, a former Hero of Justice…
…who only wanted to save everyone in front of him, yet only to be followed by the deaths of many…
…who gave himself to the World so that he could save more, yet he became the reason of death for many…
…whose only wish was to be free from the shackles of being a Counter Guardian…
Alaya knew it was losing one of its most powerful agents and at the same time, fulfilling his wish to be free.
Yet, it knew that this Counter Guardian would be needed for this event.
And thus, he would be Death.
At last, the four was chosen.
The King of Knights.
The Saint of Orleans.
The Witch Queen of Dún Scáith.
The former Hero of Justice.
They would be the World's chosen to be saviours…
…to be the ender of destruction…
…to be the preventors of what was to come…
…to be the cancellers of the world's end…
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
Kuoh Town, Japan.
To most people, it was a normal town situated in the country of the rising sun.
To some, a land owned by devilish families.
It was at the stroke of midnight, and nothing was out of the ordinary.
The amount of people outside was low and few.
Some of the lights were off, and some stayed on to light the city after night fell.
There was nothing that disturbed the silence of the midnight sky.
Until…
Somewhere on the outskirts of the town where there was nothing other than trees and no signs of any human life whatsoever.
A circle was formed out of nowhere.
A summoning rift.
The size of it could be compared to a large animal or vehicle.
It showed a beautiful and complicated engraving on it, with a radiant light surrounding it.
The light was constantly changing colours of white, red, black, and pale.
For a full minute, the circle just kept flickering and changing its shade of colour.
After the minute was over, a silent explosion appeared inside it.
Some sort of smoke or mist then followed the explosion and, with time, dispersed slowly.
Visibilty was regained, and the circle changed.
No longer was the circle empty…
Inside it, four humans stood with all of their glory.
One was clad in silver and blue armour, a cloak, and a helmet carved to resemble a lion's face with mane.
Said person was radiating charisma and regality, clearly displaying of what an ideal ruler would look like.
Another was a blonde woman who wore a purple armoured battle-dress and a silver head-piece.
She possessed a wondrous beauty that scarcely felt real, a mixture of precise and moulded beauty of a maiden and a kind of cuteness that made one's heart flutter just by being nearby.
Another woman with long purple hair and red eyes wore a full-body outfit that highlighted her curvaceous body, with metallic shoulder pads.
An extremely beautiful young woman who possessed a light disposition with a look that signified experience and calmness of the wisest sage or teacher.
The last was a man with white hair, grey eyes and tanned skin wearing a black body armour covered with red clothing.
The man was different than the other women…
Where the women radiated their charm, the man radiated a sense of rigidness and looseness at the same time.
He looked around to see the others, and could only smirk until he witnessed the fully-armoured one, where his reaction was simply narrowing his eyes.
One look, and it was all that it took for the man to know the identity of the fully-armoured one.
'You're very different… but, I sense you're still the same…' he thought.
The fully-armoured one then spoke,
"I ask you…"
It was a voice that was serene and commanding at the same time, and even though the speaker's head was covered, everyone there could hear the words clearly.
"Are you the other Horsemen?" she questioned the rest that was inside the circle.
None of them knew why, but the atmosphere surrounding them were very intense since the moment they were summoned.
The fact that they just agreed to be the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse was probably the reason why.
"I believe we are… considering we're all summoned inside this summoning circle. Well, unless someone decided to sneak up on us before we're here and entered the circle…" the man replied in a sarcastic tone as an attempt to lessen the tense atmosphere surrounding them.
The man knew it worked due to the fact that the blonde woman was slightly smiling.
"I'm sure no one would do that here," said the blonde woman, who looked to the only man there with a soft and small smile.
"You'd be surprised on how great lengths people in this era would go just to surprise or fooling someone," the man responded to the blonde woman, and the respond quickly earned him a small laugh coming from her.
In the time both of them were talking to each other, the other two could only look at their interaction.
'I wonder if he is just a flirtatious man, or he plays with women's hearts unknowingly…' the purple-haired woman thought to herself while looking at the interaction in front of her.
To him, it was just a small talk that was needed in this particular time and looking at their current state, he believed it was needed.
The small talk between the blonde woman and the man stopped and they gave their attention back to the ones present there.
"I still can't believe I've been summoned to this world as one of the Horsemen. I always thought about them as just the stages of the world's end…" said the blonde woman, who gave her thoughts to everyone.
"The Book of Revelation clearly does not say anything about becoming one either…" the fully-armoured one replied the blonde woman.
"I am not really familiar with Abrahamic literatures about our current predicament, and what we should do," added by the purple-haired woman.
To be fair, none of them were given guidelines on what the Horsemen of the Apocalypse should do besides they were summoned to save this world.
So, the man gave a not-so uncommon idea on what they should do next…
"Perhaps, introductions are what we should be doing… considering neither one of us know each other's name," said the man, who, no one besides him knew, was telling a half-truth.
He, at least, knew one…
"Ahh yes, an introduction… maybe we should start in our order…" the blonde woman shyly suggested.
The order that the blonde woman was referring to was the order of the Horsemen they were.
"Of course, It is natural for the first one to start... I shall introduce myself then," the fully-armoured one responded to the suggestion, agreeing with the blonde woman.
"I am the child of Uther Pendragon…"
The women who heard it widened their eyes, whereas the only man there narrowed them.
"Leader of the Round Table's Knights…"
They all knew the Knights of the Round Table, and especially the one that lead them.
"King of Camelot…"
The King of Knights, the King of Britons, and the Once and Future King.
The fully armoured one introduced herself with nothing but her titles, while doing so, one was removing the gauntlet that covered the left arm with the intent of showing it.
Once the gauntlet was removed, the back of the left hand was presented to the audience…
A white marking which was similar to Command Seals.
The mark of the World's chosen White Horseman.
"Conquest."
Everyone there had their full attention focused on the fully-armoured one.
King Arthur, the Horseman of Conquest.
That name and title truly spoke volumes for them.
But the fully-armoured one was not yet done.
"We are all in this together from now on, and we shall fight together… I suppose I should share this detail as well."
The King of Knights then proceeded to remove the helmet attached to the head.
They were expecting the face of a beautiful Englishman… well, two of them.
Their expectations were shattered when they saw King Arthur's face.
A long golden hair tied in a bun…
An ethereal beauty of a face…
A woman…
"My true name… Arturia Pendragon," the King of Knights finished her introduction.
The women could only widen their eyes, whereas the man narrowed them even further.
"King Arthur… is a woman…" muttered the other blonde woman there.
"Hooh… I haven't been this surprised in a long, long time," said the purple-haired one.
The man was silent and no respond came from him, but his thoughts were running…
'Completely different… an 'if' version, perhaps? But I'm glad she's not my version… I wonder what you would say to me if you were the one here, Saber…' he thought while clearly being lost in his own mind.
He really didn't want her former servant to see his current state…
He then cut of his musings, focusing his attention to the situation at hand.
"I'm honoured to fight alongside all of you… to save this world from the calamity that is to come shall be an arduous task, but I'm confident we shall walk in the victor's path," said Arturia, who showed a beautiful and charismatic smile, lightening everyone's hearts.
"The honour is all mine, King Arthu- I mean, Arturia. You've always been someone who I look up to since I was a child living in my village," the blonde woman replied the King of Knights.
"I thank you, maiden. That was my introduction, shall the second continue?" Arturia thanked the maiden and asked for the introduction to continue.
It was time for the Second Horseman to introduce themselves.
It was actually the one the others least expected.
"Ah yes, I suppose this is the time…"
The blonde woman who was the shortest here.
"I am Jeanne d'Arc, soldier for the French's side in the Hundred Years' War…"
The blonde woman, who was then known to be Joan of Arc, then removed her left gauntlet to show a red marking placed in the back.
"Horseman of War…" she stated while holding her left hand, showing them the red mark.
Joan of Arc, Horseman of War.
Another heavy name and title to be heard.
'The Saint of Orleans bears the name 'War'…' thought the King.
"War… The Lord once spoke to me about the horrors of it… now, the World has called me to save this world, and bear the name of War…" Jeanne let out his musings to her companions.
The way she spoke was truly like a candle in the dark…
It felt enlightening.
"A noble fight, indeed… one, that I pray to the Creator, that we will win together," she finished her introduction with those words.
The way the tragic Saint of Orleans spoke truly conjured a beautiful yet tragic mind.
Something they could all relate to.
"It'd be my honour to fight alongside you, Joan of Arc," Arturia said to Jeanne in the noblest, most sincere way possible.
Jeanne then showed the King of Knights her most sincere smile.
"And like I said, the honour is mine, King Arturie," replied the Maiden, who was watched by the man.
Said man was also looking at the King of Knights…
Looking at the scenery, it was obvious to him that those two would have a great chemistry.
"My introduction is finished, and I'm looking forward to know the third…" said Jeanne, who then looked at them two who hadn't introduced themselves.
The purple-haired woman looked to the man beside him, knowing what order he was, then stepped forward.
She then removed the clothing of her left arm, showing the black marking.
"Horseman of Famine, Scathach. I came from the Land of Shadows…"
The Queen of the Land of Shadows…
Famine.
It was slightly overbearing to the ones who heard it, especially for Arturia, who widened her eyes in an instant after hearing it.
"You're the Mentor of Ireland's Child of Light…" Arturia said to the Third Horseman.
Scathach raised an eyebrow after that remark.
"Hooh… the King of Knights has acknowledged my mark as a mentor… and my pupil as well, I see…" Scathach voiced her remark.
For the only man there to hear it, it felt like it was a neutral tone between acknowledgement and sarcasm coming from the Witch.
A mark, on his mind, of an unbearable woman…
"Your stories were the ones I listened to before I took the throne. Of course, you are acknowledged," Arturia responded.
"Well then, a thank you from me, you've earned. Still, for me to bear the name Famine is still odd… the only thing that is correlated is that I'm a Witch…" the Witch responded to the King, and also let out her musings.
And thus, the introduction of the women was done.
Which left them with the last…
The man clothed in red and black.
"Now, I'm more interested in you… bearer of the name of Death…" the Witch said to him with a curious tone.
Not only Scathach was curious, but Jeanne and Arturia also felt the same way.
'The Horseman… of Death…' thought Jeanne in a wary kind of way.
'Bearing the name of Death… who are you and what sort of power do you wield?' thought Arturia, who was also wary of the only man there.
The mark on his left hand was coloured pale, and all was able to see.
The man had been silent this whole time, for the only time he spoke was in the beginning.
"Unlike all of you, I really don't have a true name that will bring surprise, or titles that will amaze…" the man said with a neutral tone.
"But to be named 'Death', I find that very fitting," the man continued his words, and made the rest raised an eyebrow.
The women there had been trying to discern his true name from his characteristics since they first saw him.
An Asian man with discerning features, a red cloak that could be a holy shroud, but with clothing more modern than the times they came from, and someone who befitting of the name 'Death'.
"Who are you, truly?" Scathach was the first to ask.
It was a question too hard for this man to answer.
"I come from the modern times such as this era…a third-rate magus that made a contract with Alaya to become a Counter Guardian… I told you, it's not something surprising…"
That actually surprised them.
"I've never seen or met a Counter Guardian before, and I certainly do not expect someone from the modern times to be one," Arturia replied the now-known Counter Guardian.
The others were also bewildered with the fact of someone from the modern era to become one…
Counter Guardians were said to be similar to a force of nature and Alaya's champions, and now one of them stood in front of them.
One who was chosen to be the Pale Rider.
"Why do you say that you're fit to be the Horseman of Death?" the Maiden questioned him, for it was truly eating her.
That made him raised an eyebrow.
"Let's just say that whenever Counter Guardians are called…"
He spoke while visualizing in his mind what he had done when he was called by Alaya.
Bodies were littered…
Corpses were everywhere…
Death… he was.
"Death follows."
He spoke with a voice laced with anger, sadness, and a hint of regret.
A voice that the King of Knights could very well relate.
"That's all from me, I told you… nothing surprising or amazing…" he said to everyone, ending his introduction.
It did feel like it was finished…
But there was one thing that was missing…
The one thing that everyone shared, except for the Pale Rider…
And Scathach was the first to caught it….
"You still haven't told us your true name, Counter Guardian."
The man knew he hadn't told them his name yet…
For it was name he wished he had forgotten…
"Emiya."
Again, he spoke with such a vile tone, that the other Horsemen were able to pick it up.
Anger.
Sadness.
Regret.
All of a sudden, the King of Knights stepped forward.
She walked to the man who was speaking with such malice…
Someone that walked in the path of corpses and regret, like her…
Someone that actually would understand her more than anyone else…
The King was then in front of him.
She looked at the man, and the man looked at her.
While both were looking at their respective faces, they both thought of basically the same thing…
'You have the same face as me/You and I share the same face.'
The face that had endured so much pain.
The King then finally spoke…
"It would be an honour for us to have you lend your strength, Emiya."
Her left arm was in the same position as when she removed her helmet, and that was holding said helmet.
Her right hand though, was placed in front of him, gesturing a handshake.
The former Hero of Justice smirked, and took her hand…
"Mine as well, Arturia."
It was a simple handshake, but it symbolized something more…
Something that only they would feel.
An understanding.
The handshake was then done.
Arturia looked around her, and what she saw was the World's greatest chosen to lead mankind towards salvation.
She then started to talk…
"I ask of you… to ride with me, Horsemen…"
It was a call for them to gather…
"I ask of you… to be all that is good in this world…"
A call for them to invoke justice…
"I ask of you… to banish all that is evil in this world…"
A call for them to banish the wicked…
"I ask of you… ride with me, Horsemen..."
The King of Knights took a long breath, her face focused on the faces of his newly found companions… and then, she spoke.
"Ride with me! To victory! To the end of the world! And to end the Apocalypse!"
The King spoke words that would birth fire inside them.
To the Saint of Orleans, a fire to defend the Creator's garden.
To the Witch of Shadows' Land, a defense for her newfound mortality.
And to the former Hero of Justice… a spark of his ideals, trying to burn as bright as it used to be…
But he would never let it burn, never again…
For that was Hell he had walked through and a place he swore to himself to never return.
Unlike the King…
…who wished to return to the Hell she had walked through.
And thus, they were assembled in the outskirts of the town where it all began, where many creatures other than humans were roaming, and where the owners were one of the biggest parts of what was to come...
Conquest.
War.
Famine.
Death.
Those were the names that would invite attention from the brightest light…
And the Great Darkness.
Author's Notes II: I'd like to thank Jaden Smith's songs for accompanying me when I wrote this. Ok, 6 God here with a new fic that I hope y'all gonna enjoy. Update time can be fast for now because I have so many ideas I wanna put in writing!
Love all these characters from the bottom of my heart. Jeanne is cute and badass AF, Scathach is just dayum, and Lancer Arturia is just hella dayum! Archer is mah boi here cuz cmon he's Shirou with more depth.
That's all from me for now, I'll return when Chapter II is released.