Chapter II: Romans 6:18
It was not even hours after their summoning that they had moved to a new place.
For most of them, the idea of where they would find lodging was and an idea far from their mind.
All, but one.
Well… considering this one came from modern times, he would know where they could find a place to see.
Unlike Jeanne, who was born and raised in a village ten times more rural than this town.
Jeanne and the other Horsemen had been walking from the outskirts of the town to the center, where skyscrapers were everywhere.
Well… three of them had been walking, whereas the King of Knights was riding her horse.
A very regal white horse, by the way.
It was ironic to think that they were called Horsemen, but the majority of them didn't even ride any.
Back to the topic at hand, the Counter Guardian known as Emiya was leading them to the place where they could rest.
It was over midnight, so most pedestrians were asleep.
Some were still loitering around, but Scathach's Rune Magic was able to make them invisible to the public.
"We're nearly there," he said while walking and looking at the buildings.
All this time, Jeanne had been busy with her thoughts due to the silence of them walking.
When Emiya spoke, Jeanne wanted to continue the conversation…
"Um… Monsieur Emiya…" she tried calling him.
He then looked behind him and saw her.
"Emiya is fine, Jeanne. There's no need to be formal with me," he replied her calling.
With that reply, she felt a little delighted.
"I see… then, Emiya, where exactly are we going?" asked the Saint.
"The only place that offered lodging at this hour… and we're here," he replied and then he stopped his walking, standing in front of a huge building.
"A five-star hotel?" the question was asked not by Jeanne, but by Scathach, who was walking behind her.
"It's the only place that is easy to access and very welcoming at this time, so I figure 'why not?'" answered the former Counter Guardian.
Jeanne looked at the building and was more than impressed.
She was raised in poverty, so this kind of luxury was new to her.
"I'll check us into a room, all of you stay here and wait for me to come and get you," said Emiya, who then changed his wardrobe instantly, instead of the red cloak and black body armour, he was wearing a black suit and tie.
A very formal wear, and very sharp, in Jeanne's eyes.
He then entered the premises and talked to the one standing by in the lobby.
While waiting for him to complete his booking, the three women were met with silence.
Jeanne wanted to strike a conversation with the other two, but she felt a little shy and awkward for some reason.
Of course, looking at her companions, there was a reason to be a bit tense.
One was the King of Camelot, for Christ's sake!
The other was a Queen that exuded so much wisdom and experience…
"You keep looking at the King of Knights and I, Jeanne… is there something wrong?" Scathach asked the Maiden, who was cut out of her musing by the question.
"Umm… well, it's nothing…" Jeanne answered the question.
The King of Knights then looked at her from on top of her ride, helmet and all were being worn.
"If you have something in your mind, then speak your heart out, Joan of Arc," Arturia said to the blonde woman other than herself.
"Aah… well… it's just…"
Jeanne didn't know how to reply to that, the atmosphere was just too tense, and her mind went blank…
She then looked at her left hand, which was covered by her gauntlet, so she took it off to look at what was engraved.
The red marking...
The symbol of War…
The Red Sword.
Which led her to think of the meaning of it…
"It's such a peculiar circumstance for all of us to be here…" Jeanne followed her thoughts and let it all out.
"King of Camelot… Queen of the Land of Shadows… Counter Guardian…" she mentioned all of those who were summoned here with her.
"What sort of cataclysm that requires all of us to be here?"
It was a question that was plaguing every Horseman's mind.
At the end of times… Armageddon… it all sounded so vague, yet that was the only knowledge that was given to them by the Counter Force.
Which could only mean one thing…
The enemy was not just one, but many… and all of them could bring the end of times.
"I have no clear answer to give to you, Jeanne…" Scathach responded and also let out her thoughts.
"Ever since I arrived here, I've been sensing the Magical Energy of this world. I can now confirm that this world… is still in the Age of Gods…" she continued her talk.
"We're talking about many mythologies, pantheons, and religions that still hold domain and authority in this world."
"All it takes is a push, and they will try to destroy one another…"
"If that is to happen, Earth shall be their battlefield."
Scathach ended her long, yet unclear answer to Jeanne's question.
That answer only made Jeanne more restless than ever…
"It makes me think more about how can we save humanity…" Jeanne muttered to the ones who were listening.
"Together."
An answer was given to them.
It was a commanding, yet compassionate voice.
The voice of Arturia Pendragon, who had been silent this entire time.
The other women were slightly surprised by the answer, but they felt reassured.
Jeanne didn't feel restless anymore, for the King of Knights reassured her with that short answer.
"Yes… together…" Jeanne repeated what Arturia said with a soft smile, and Scathach also followed with a small smile.
Unbeknownst to them, the Pale Rider was also listening to them, reinforcing his ears from inside of the hotel to hear everything that they talked about.
He then stepped outside of the hotel to meet with the others.
"We can enter our room now," he said to the women who were waiting for him.
Arturia's horse then disappeared into motes of light, shifting to spirit mode.
"It's about time, Emiya. I almost thought we were going to sleep outside," Scathach replied to the man while also flipping her hair.
"How can I let such beautiful women sleep outside as if they are homeless?" remarked the only man there, who accompanied his words with a smirk.
Of course, them being called beautiful women would spark their attention.
Scathach then walked to Emiya's front and said man could only raise an eyebrow.
She, who was then in front of him, then smirked.
"If you truly think we're such 'beautiful women', surely, you've decided on who's the fairest of the three of us, have you not?" the Queen said to the man while looking up to his face due to him being much taller than she was.
Emiya could only be silent.
Whereas Jeanne and Arturia could only look at them in silence.
But, had Emiya truly decided on who was the most beautiful among them?
In his mind…
He actually had decided.
Seconds passed, and he finally spoke.
"Are you actually waiting for an answer?" he asked the woman in front of him, looking at her with intensity.
For Scathach to get that reaction, her smirk grew…
Because she already knew the answer.
"I have no need to wait. Now, why don't you show us to our lodging?" She answered the man and then changed the topic to their lodging.
On the outside, he looked stoic…
On the inside, it was completely in reverse.
"Ah yes… why don't we just enter the hotel?" interrupted Jeanne, who knew it was getting awkward, so she decided to follow Scathach's lead.
"If you say so, then you can follow me… the Runecraft is still active, yes? Therefore, the reception won't see any of you," said Emiya.
Emiya then walked to the front of the group and the rest joined him to enter the hotel.
When they entered, they could see the lavishness and luxury being put in the lobby of said hotel alone.
The reception only saw a man going to the elevator, and not accompanied by women wearing armours and battle-dresses.
The Four Horsemen then entered the elevator after Emiya pressed the button to call it.
After entering, Emiya pressed the button that read "62"
One of the highest numbers being placed in the elevator.
"Why is it so high up in the sky, Emiya?" the fully-armoured King spoke to the former Guardian.
"It's the floor of our room… and it's the only room available tonight that can accommodate all of us…"
The elevator was pretty fast, compared to normal elevators in normal offices and buildings.
They were silent, with the atmosphere being accompanied by elevator music.
And finally, they had arrived at their floor.
They exited, and Emiya lead them to their room.
"I hope this room meets your standard, by the way… it's not cheap to book the penthouse suite," said the only man there, who then unlocked their room using a card instead of a key.
The door was then unlocked and it revealed its content.
A very luxurious and grand suite.
It boasted a suite with four rooms with king beds, a marble bath with a rain shower, and even a library for some light reading.
There was also a private balcony with breathtaking views of the town's plaza, a dining room that could accommodate a dozen people, even a grand piano.
The size of it was clearly more than enough for four people to live in.
"A room fit for a king, a queen, and a maiden… don't you think so?" asked Emiya, who presented the room for the women there.
For Jeanne, who grew up milking cows and raised in the countryside, it was a little too much for her.
And so, she was there with her mouth being slightly open.
But, for Arturia and Scathach, who were raised in the ruling class, it was only slightly appealing and mildly adequate for them.
"This lodging shall do, Pale Rider," commented the Queen.
"I concur, it would certainly be more than useful for us all," commented the King.
Emiya expected those kinds of responses from those two women, and then he looked at the Saint… who was still silent with her mouth being open.
"Are those… marbles?" Jeanne asked while pointing at the floor and ceiling.
"Yes, yes they are," Emiya answered.
Jeanne then looked at the only man there, preparing her questions for him.
"How can you afford this? Did Alaya give you 'pocket change' to spend?" she asked the one who booked the suite.
"No, Jeanne, it didn't give me any 'pocket change' and as for your question about affording this, don't worry, I have my ways and this is only temporary," the man answered and also gave the blonde woman a half-smile.
Scathach already made herself comfortable in the large couch situated in the centre of the suite.
Arturia, who was still wearing her full regalia, decided to remove her helmet.
"You didn't bewitch or fool the management of this place, did you?" asked Arturia to the only one who talked to the reception.
Emiya could simply smile at the way she asked him.
'Same-old King of Knights, chivalrous and hates injustice...' thought Emiya while slightly remembered the old times.
"Of course not, Arturia, I'd never do something of the sort," Emiya replied with a half-truth.
After the reply, Arturia smiled at him, showing her approval.
"I see, I trust that you've procured this with an honest way, Emiya," said the King while looking at the man with the previous smile.
He then thought about his method of procuring this place…
Projection was very versatile, of course.
He could conjure up anything in this world, such as pipes, clothes, some Noble Phantasms…
And even money.
So, technically, it wasn't something he could call 'dishonest' because his Projections was as real as real can be.
Emiya then shrugged his thoughts on that and continued to walk around the suite.
"Anyway, there are bonuses that come with the room such as personal service, breakfast, lounge, and even a half-an-hour yoga session. I ordered the reception to send clothing for women as well, so if you hear anyone knocking, it's probably them," explained Emiya, who was talking while walking to the private balcony.
His black suit and pants then vanished and his clothing returned to his red cloak and black body armour.
Emiya opened the balcony's door, and stepped forward out of the suit.
"Are you going somewhere?" Scathach, who had been making herself comfortable, questioned the man who was now on the edge of the building.
"Late-night patrol, besides, it won't hurt to be extra careful. Why don't you all hit the shower while waiting for me?" said the man clad in red and black with a cheeky smirk.
Arturia heard the man's reasoning to go outside in the middle of the night, and a sense of being worried grew in her.
"It's better for you to have company, Emiya, for we do not know what dangers you may face," Arturia told the Horseman her worries.
"I fully concur, we have no idea what's out there…" Jeanne joined the conversation and sided with the King of Knights.
Emiya looked at them, and realized something when looking at their faces…
"Very cute of you two to worry about me…" he said.
Naturally, a smirk grew on his face, whereas the two women who voiced their worries could only stare at him indifferently.
"You really are a flirt, aren't you?" remarked the Witch, who was listening to what he said.
A dry laugh then came out of the flirtatious man's mouth.
"Well, don't worry, I can take care of myself… oh, and if there's any danger for me, I'll be sure to send a signal," Emiya said to all of them before hanging on the ledge of the balcony.
He then leaped with no worry whatsoever.
"That man is too carefree," commented Arturia, who sighed after her comment.
Scathach looked at the balcony where someone had just leaped from the ledge of a tall building.
"Perhaps, he's too intimidated with our presence considering he's the only man here… but I find that very unlikely," she added another comment about the former Counter Guardian.
Then, there was also Jeanne.
From her perspective, it was just a shame to lose the man because she wanted to know him better… and he was always the one to break the ice among them.
The silence in the suite grew after he left and Jeanne definitely knew she was right.
'Maybe… a bath would be nice,' she thought and eyed the bathroom door.
Freedom.
He was free.
Free from any oppression from any force whatsoever.
He was leaping through skyscrapers, enjoying the wind blowing his hair and face.
It felt more than decades for him since he could enjoy something… or anything.
He thought that his greatest chance of being free from the World's contract was either winning a Holy Grail…
…or creating a paradox big enough by killing his younger self.
But he no longer needed to worry about any of that anymore…
For the man named Shirou Emiya was no longer a Counter Guardian.
The smile of relief never left his face since he jumped from the hotel's balcony.
Free-running like a child playing outdoor.
He then stopped his parkouring and then started to lay himself down on a building's rooftop.
When he laid down, he looked up to the sky.
'This is it… freedom' he thought while still looking at the moon far in front of his eyes.
With his left hand, he tried to grab the moon…
And what was in front of his vision then was a pale marking engraved on the back of his left hand.
The mark of Death…
The Pale Scythe.
"Horseman of Death, huh… I guess I've been promoted from being a 'cleaner' before being let go…" he said to the silence of the night.
He then thought about his current predicament.
His body was no longer forced by Alaya to do anything…
Basically, he was reincarnated to this world with a living body.
A thought then appeared…
Why would he need to become one of Apocalypse's Horsemen? No one was forcing him to do anything, right?
Then the answer came at the instant he thought about it.
'Apocalypse… how typical of Alaya to do this, letting someone be free… but in a world that's about to end,' mused by the former Counter Guardian.
Again, he was forced to do the job…
If not, his newfound freedom would end abruptly.
He then thought about the ones that were summoned with him.
They weren't Counter Guardians.
So, of course, they wouldn't do the things such as genocides or random slaughters…
They certainly wouldn't do the things he had done.
'The Saint of Orleans, a maiden too pure to be thrust in any battlefield, yet she is War…' he thought about Jeanne d'Arc, the Second Horseman.
'The Witch Queen of the Shadows, a mentor, teacher, caster, and ruler… not very fitting to be Famine, to be fair…' he thought about Scathach, the Third.
'And then, there's you… another version of my former Servant, how very fitting of you, the King of Knights, to be called Conquest…'
He kept thinking about Arturia Pendragon, the First Horseman, and how different she was from Arturia Pendragon, his Saber…
And at the same time, very similar.
"Technically, I fulfilled my promise of meeting you again, didn't I, Saber?" he questioned the silence that was accompanying him, instead of questioning the aforementioned one.
He was then kept thinking of a promise that kept haunting him even when he was in the afterlife…
A promise between a Master and a Servant…
A promise between lovers… that they would be reunited…
A promise… made by a naive and stupid young boy who knew nothing.
When he thought about his past, especially his past self, his hand turned into a fist.
'Never again…'
He would never be that boy again…
He was no longer Alaya's slave…
He no longer held onto broken ideals…
He was free from any of it.
'The Hell I walked through… and where I will never return to.'
The hate-filled thoughts were then stopped.
"One last job and I will end it quickly," he said while looking at his mark again.
Shirou Emiya then stood up from his laying position, thinking that his alone time was enough and prepared for his return.
All of a sudden, he smelled something foul not far from here.
A stench that he had never grown accustomed to…
Blood.
Instead of returning to the hotel, he followed the stench.
And again, he leaped over the buildings of the town of Kuoh.
It was only in a matter of minutes when he arrived at where the stench originated from.
An abandoned house on the outskirts of the town.
The stench grew, which could only mean one thing…
'Multiple bodies were slaughtered inside that abandoned house,' he deduced.
The former Counter Guardian then entered the premises.
It was a large house with many columns.
The lighting was minimal for it was abandoned.
The sound of munching and biting was heard.
He then looked at what was inside the house.
A naked woman…
…eating a dead body.
"It is not nice to interrupt someone who's enjoying their dinner, you know…' the women spoke in a smooth tone.
"But… you smell delicious and unpleasant at the same time… I wonder how you will taste…"
The woman then stood up from her crouching position, and it was revealed to Emiya that the bottom half of her wasn't human at all…
…but a grotesque monstrosity.
Emiya then narrowed his eyes at the man-eating half-women, half-monster.
"This is the first time I met something as disgusting as you," he said, focusing on the size of her standing up way higher than him.
"Hooh… then it will be your last!" she screamed and the appearance of her upper half was no longer human as well.
Her bottom half was a gigantic mouth with feet and arms twice the size of a normal man, and her upper half was more humanoid, but with sharp teeth and large, pointy ears.
Her giant left arm then directed its huge claws to the man standing in front of her.
He just stood there, no movement whatsoever, so, she was going in for the kill with her claws.
Instead of him getting sliced to pieces, it was her hand that was halved.
The monster screamed from the pain she experienced.
"Aarrgghhh! You… what have you done?!" she angrily questioned him while screaming due to the pain she was experiencing.
"I'm just defending myself," he answered.
She then looked at him, or more specifically, his right hand that was holding a black Chinese falchion.
"You dare fight back, human!? I'm a Devil that can pulverize you like the insect that you are!" she screamed her arrogance, and then her breasts fired yellow beams to attack him.
To be honest, it wasn't the weirdest thing Emiya had seen.
The yellow beams nearing their target, so he put Kanshou in the way of said beams.
It was not to his surprise that Kanshou was enough to block this creature's attack.
"Devil, huh… first time facing one this unsightly," stated the man holding the black sword.
The now-known Devil was shocked seeing her attack was easily defended by the human.
"You… did the Gremory Heiress send you instead of her Peerage? I expected them to come here since this is her territory," she stated.
That share of information made Emiya narrowed his eyes.
'Gremory… one of the demons that was mentioned in the Lesser Key of Solomon, and she just said the Heiress, huh…' Emiya processed the information in his head.
It was more troubling for him to know that the town he was occupying was controlled by demons.
'I guess I finally know the reason we were summoned in this town to begin with…' he thought.
Devils.
He deduced them to be vital for what was to come.
There was one other thing that bogged his mind…
Peerage.
Emiya, who was busy with his thoughts, then looked from the corner of his left eye that a gigantic right hand was coming to him.
Thus, he leaped to the column near him and far away from her attack.
"Get back here!" she commanded.
Her claws of her giant right were again directed at him.
When her hand arrived at his front, he, again, separated the hand from the arm.
Kanshou always had a great affinity against monsters, so for him, cutting her arms was like cutting through butter.
And again, she screamed in pain.
"You insufferable insect! I will feast on you until nothing remains!" the monster proclaimed.
She then charged at him, intending for her giant mouth to swallow him whole.
Emiya didn't feel any fear…
Disgust? A little…
But not fear.
He then crouched down, readying Kanshou at his right side, and activating Reinforcement on his feet.
He intended to leap forward to the charging monster in front of him.
The ground shook when he did what he intended.
In a fraction of a second, he was already in front of the monster's waist.
Another fraction of a second, and Kanshou sliced the monster in half, separating her upper and lower body.
Blood then spluttered everywhere.
The monster was no longer screaming or threatening him.
But she crawled to the exit using only her humanoid arms, intending to flee from the man that would slay her.
He then appeared in front of her.
"No… I've just regained my freedom… my life…" she said, only looking to the ground and not the man.
His reaction to those words was a dry laugh.
"Heh, what a coincidence…" he said to the crawling one.
It wasn't only him who had just regained freedom that night.
"Please… spare me… have mercy…" she pleaded with all the strength she had left.
He then thought that his old self would probably spare her.
Especially considering that she was begging sincerely, and they both experienced the same thing.
But then, he looked at the back corner of the room.
Where the remains of men, women and even children were gathered.
The remains of her eating…
He only had one question before deciding her fate.
"What about them? Did they receive… mercy?"
The silence was her answer.
In less than a fraction of a second, Kanshou separated her head from her body.
And again, he could only become Death…
Instead of saving those in front of him.
Author's Notes: Told you I'd be quick. Love them follows and favs, keep them up! Oh, and don't forget to leave a review.