It became apparent to Shirou that he was in potential danger.
On one hand, he didn't want to judge Illya. I mean, it was clear she must have helped him considering how he wasn't bleeding or dead. Not to mention no longer was he feeling in pain and brought in a considerably clean environment. So yeah, his life was safe. On the other hand, Shirou noticed a distinct lack of friends, allies, and was in a dark room with the very girl who said she wanted to kill him with two women holding very sharp weapons.
'Come on Shirou, don't be like that.' Shirou then thought and berated himself. 'I'm sure there's a reason Illya brought you here was to help, not to do anything weird.'
"I'm glad you're doing okay Oni-Chan." Illya smiled as she walked up to Shirou and began unhooking his straps. "For a Moment I thought I had to take extra measures to...help you."
"Oh." Shirou said as he smiled, glad he thought wrong about Illya. "I guess you mean taking me to a hospital or something, right?" Shirou turned and then saw a small table where he saw a stuffed bear nearby with a magical circle under it for some reason. Strangely, it was ripped open with little to no stuffing, like it was going to be stuffed with something else.
"Yeah." Illya said with an innocent smile. "Something all right."
Shirou felt a chill just then.
"Um." Deciding to move on from the strange situation, Shirou decided to continue on and change the topic. "So...what exactly," The young teen then looked at where his right arm used to be. "Happened?" Illya's eyes sharpened.
"A coward attacked you was all." She said while thinking back on what happened for a bit before a scowl came on her face. "Just some pathetic Servant deciding if they can't take out a Servant, they'll take out the Master like a dog."
"Okay." While Shirou felt Illya's tone towards the topic was rather blunt, he supposed he couldn't blame her either. Heck, even he was rather upset that he lost his own arm because of some sneak attack. As he looked at his stump, Shirou then noticed that it actually was still bleeding. Just less now.
Illya saw his confusion and answered back. "I did the best I could to heal your wounds. However it seems that it can't be fully healed for some reason."
"What! But why?"
"A curse most likely." Illya said. "I did all I could to treat it and thankfully you're now only losing as much blood as a person does when they give themselves a small cut."
That was good Shirou supposed. I mean, he'd rather not be bleeding all the time but at least it was just a little. So nothing to truly fear or worry about he supposed. Still, a curse huh. On television it was usually some kind of death thing or whatever. But one that stops healing? Shirou supposed he technically got off somewhat easy since he got emergency aid since if he didn't, he'd probably have died from blood loss.
That feeling of helplessness, how tired he felt, not to mention the darkness. While it wasn't like the...the fire...bleeding out didn't feel any better. If anything, it made Shirou scared and mad. Scared that he nearly died again, and mad that he nearly died because of it. His tracing and aura didn't help in the slightest, and while Shirou can be forgiven since he was attacked from behind that didn't make Shirou feel any better.
'How can I be a hero of Justice,' Shirou then clenched his left fist, while gazing at where his right fist had once been. 'If I'm down an arm.'
"You know," Illya then spoke up. "If it helps it might be possible for you to get a replacement arm." Shirou looked at her with interest. "Truthfully, I admit while bringing you here I forgot your old arm. So trying to reattach it is probably gone since it's probably still there in the grass or whatever."
"Come on man. Let's take this...arm, back to the station for study."
"Yes sir."
"But I have a new method to help you." Illya smirked as she then patted Shirou on the shoulder to comfort him. "There are ways to get you a prosthetic limb, and the world of magecraft has many ways to do so."
"That's...neat." Shirou has seen people with such prosthetics. He supposed it wasn't all bad. Heck, his father told him stories how compared to the normal world's prosthetic, the ones in magecraft were capable of moving just as good as a normal one. He just saw one problem. "What about the costs?"
Money. Shirou could barely pay for expensive stuff, and he doubted he had the money for such a crucial item. Illya then laughed.
"Money is of no concern for an Einzebern." She declared with pride in her voice. "I can get you one easily with grandpa's vault of cash."
"Oh." Now that sounded kinda neat. Thinking on it, the outfit Illya had did seem quite expensive. If anything, her family must be loaded. "Although, you don't have to buy it for me." Of course Shirou would rather not have someone buy something for him. Felt awkward.
"Like you can stop me." Illya just said with a grin. "Besides, it would be boring to kill you if you're down an arm."
"Still on that I see." Shirou sighed as he rubbed the back of his head while Illya didn't seem to mind. "Regardless, thanks for helping me."
"Naturally, I won't let some stupid Servant end you." Illya said while huffing. "If anything, I sent Berserker to deal with them." If it weren't for the fact that this Servant had his arm ripped off, Shirou might have felt sorry for this Servant. Instead, he decided to just feel pity and move on with it. Because facing Berserker couldn't be good.
"At the very least, glad I'm alive." Shirou says to himself as he really thought he'd be taken to the next life. "I just need to tell the others I'm good."
"Others." Illya then turned to him. "What are you saying?"
"That I'm gonna tell my friends that I'm alright now." Shirou said as he moved past Illya and headed towards the door. "Since I doubt you knew there number or street address, they probably don't know where I am. I need to tell them tha-" Before Shirou could finish, the two women then stopped him from moving on. Huh?
"I don't think I can let you do that." Illya then says in a way that makes Shirou feel creeped out. Turning where he saw Illya gave her trademark smile that gave discomfort instead of comfort.
"...excuse me?" Shirou slowly said as he turned towards her fully.
"I said I can't let you go." Illya said. "In the end, you are still an enemy Master. And while my Berserker is still doing his business putting down that mutt, that doesn't mean I'll just let you leave." Shirou then saw the two women holding their weapons towards him. Indicating he couldn't just walk out on them now.
Illya then skipped forward towards Shirou and then giggled. "If anything, you're here to stay my guest. As such, Leysritt, Sella, take Oni-Chan here to one of the rooms for now."
"Yes ma'am." Both agreed without any problem and grabbed Shirou who tried to refuse.
Claiming, "But my friends!"
"Oh don't worry about them. I'll be sure to give them the message you're safe." If she bothered to remembered of course, Illya thought funningly. "Besides, they have bigger problems now."
"Bigger problems?!" That didn't sound good. "Did-did you do something?"
"Of course not!" Illya puffed her cheeks, a bit insulted her Oni-Chan would even do such a thing. She only had eyes on him after all. "It's just that apparently something weird occurred after I left with you."
"Weird?" Shirou tilted his head, wanting clarification.
"I'm not sure all the details," Illya continued. "But from what I know, a bunch of monsters of sorts attacked Fuyuki." Shirou's blood froze. As a part of him got a feeling, a dark feeling, in understanding what Illya was talking about as she gave the news. "Mm." Illa crossed her arms. "Yeah, creatures with dark fur and bones came out and while the damage they did was limited, they were out in the open and stuff."
Illya shakes her head. "To think there are people who would break the masquerade we have."
Hypocrisy aside, Shirou didn't know what to think other than shock and horror. The Grimm. They actually attacked Fuyuki!? But Caster had them under control, unless of course she was the one who released them for some twisted reason. I mean, she was already draining the people's mana with no concern if they died, so it stands to reason she might do this. And while Shirou heard that there were rules to ensure this shouldn't happen, as explained by others those were just guidelines and Magus would usually bend or outright break them if they deemed it necessary.
As such, Shirou can only believe Caster did this for some kind of goal.
A goal he hoped Ozpin, Rin, Shinji and the others would stop if that truly is the case. Because for now, it seems he'll be here for a long while. For the better or the worse.
"This is a disaster!" Rin shouted as she angrily punched the wall making a fist sized hole in it, ignoring Shinji's angered response. She had more problems to deal with that a guy who used to have a creepy crush on her. Her head swerving towards Ozpin as her expression turned to rage. Stomping toward him with Musashi clearly looking worried while Archer stood in a corner not looking bothered.
Once Rin walked up to the sitting Ozpin, the man looked up and decided to best get this over with. "Yes?"
"You know why I'm upset, don't you?" Rin coldly said with Ozpin not looking to bothered by her stare. Instead, simply giving a small nod as he was fully aware of why she was mad. After all-
"Reports of unnatural animals are seen."
"Dozens dead-!"
"-viewer discretion advised. More so for small children."
-the channels Shinji flipped through were evidence of how Fuyuki is spreading videos and talks of the Grimm all over with their pictures taken. Especially the gruesome ones of Grimm slicing people into pieces or devouring them whole.
Even worse however were the other images shown.
"On top of the beasts attacking, video footage of two men were seen destroying an entire street battling it out before they fell under a hole."
Of two Servants known as Lancer and Berserker causing chaos and shown with the reporters talking many things about them and what is going on in Fuyuki. The third news worthy thing also being about some people running away from Berserker while some poor person got their arm ripped off or something along those lines. Regardless of the topic, Rin had every right to be upset considering just what was being exposed. Though Ozpin suspected there was more to it than just that.
"Go on then." Ozpin then said. "I know you're not angry at me for this attack, but something else."
"Oh you bet it's something else." Rin snarled. "Because while I ignored it before, I realize now I need the truth. That truth being just where those monster pets of yours came from." Archer paid attention now, as he too was interested alongside the others.
"Do you mean their origin or-" Rin interrupted, not wanting to delay the topic any longer.
"I mean how creatures from America got into Japan?" Right, that. An answer that Ozpin would rather not reply to seeing as he had no idea how they got here as well. The most he could consider was that they were connected to his arrival. But unless everyone here won't consider him a loon, then he cannot speak the truth as they'll just think he's crazy or making excuses.
As such, he needed an excuse which he already prepared for this moment.
"Very well, but you won't like it." Ozpin adjusted his glasses with Rin listening along with everyone else. A certain recorder was also listening in as well for this conversation Ozpin sighed. "As I said, a mad man created them and my allies alongside myself killed them all. However, the truth is more complicated than that."
"Like what, one escaped." Shinji said imagining the Grimm like a zombie apocalypse in a film. Just when the heroes think they managed to kill all the zombies, just one survived to restart the whole mess again.
"Not exactly. But you are close." Ozpin said to Shinji. "You see, the Grimm aren't exactly born like normal animals."
"I think the giant bone claws and mega size says it all." Musashi says with a slight smile. Ozpin smirked.
"Well, that is true." He then got serious again. "However, I should say that how they're born is rather disturbing. You see, they come out of a type of liquid so to say."
"Liquid?" Archer thought back to a film involving a machine bursting from metallic liquid. Something he saw when he had time.
"Yes. Liquid. A vile type where the Grimm spawn from. While my colleagues and I got rid of the Grimm, the liquid that can be used to birth them was taken. We've been searching all over for the culprit until we received a clue." Ozpin set out the words and let them connect the dots that aren't really there. With Rin 'figuring' it out.
"This culprit came here." Rin realized with Ozpin glad she took the bait. He wasn't as good a manipulator as his enemy, but he knew a thing or two about manipulation. Even if he didn't like it.
"Correct. We discovered the magus who stole the liquid came to Japan. And he must have unleashed it somewhere which I now believe is the one place they're concentrated in." It was an answer everyone knew.
"Caster's place." Musashi frowned.
"Considering how the Grimm came from her home, then the source must be there." It had to be. As for as Ozpin knew, the Grimm were located there and as such could give him a clue to why exactly they came from that spot exactly. A way to return home perhaps. While Ozpin held no delusion he was using everyone here, at the very least he was also helping them as the Grimm situation may be solved by going back to Caster's place.
"Alright, fine. We need to go back there." Something that Rin agreed with as she looked annoyed. "Granted, it'll be a pain since Caster saw our moves and the like."
"Then we simply show them moves we didn't reveal." Archer gave a coy chuckle. "It's not as if I showed my hand of all their tricks."
"And I have a few moves that I can reveal as well." Musashi added.
"Don't forget Rider." Shinji adds. "I can just force her to go with you guys this time around."
"Right. And leave your sister unprotected." Rin growled. She then rolled her eyes before giving a sigh. "Though I suppose I can put a ward here in return for borrowing Rider."
"Ha! So you do need my help!" Shinji gave a smug look making Rin wanna punch him in the face.
"Don't overrate yourself. Emiya is of better use than you." Rin insulted before looking around. "Speaking of...where is Emiya?"
"He was apparently doing groceries." Ozpin said with Musashi nodding.
"Groceries. For over an hour?" Archer held a doubtful gaze. "Not even that fool would be out this long."
"Maybe he got caught up by the police or something." Musashi suggested. "Taken away when the Grimm came."
"Or eaten." Shinji added before flinching when Musashi glared at him alongside Rin. "What!? I'm just sayin."
"More likely it's what Saber said." Ozpin agreed with Musashi's words. "It's likely that Emiya was just taken away for his safety and is with the police right now."
Maybe. But I'd rather confirm for myself Saber." Rin looked at Musashi. "Talk to him."
Musashi blinked. "Uh...but he's not here." She then pointed out the obvious.
"No." Rin growled. "I meant talk to him telepathically."
"Oh." Musashi gazes in understanding. "...how do you do that?"
Rin slapped herself in the forehead.
"Let's just assume that idiot is fine." Archer said. "Not like we need him and his mediocre skills. We should talk strategy in dealing with Caster."
"You can do that then and tell me whatever plans you have later." Rin then says as she starts moving. "For now, I have other business."
"And that would be?" Ozpin asks.
"Talking to that fake priest." Rin had a rather irritated look as she just thought about that shift priest. Her so-called guardian and the man her father approved. Of course Rin didn't consider Kirei incompetent, as that man was far from it and an excellent teacher in some ways. She just couldn't find herself to like the bastard for some reason. "After this debacle with the Grimm, the Association will make a move soon. After all, they'd rather not have magecraft come out in the open."
"But, only monsters were shown. And Servants I guess too, but I didn't show magic." Musashi tries to say only for Rin to refute her claims.
"Doesn't matter." Rin responds as she gets ready to leave the Matou building. "Even having Servants seen is a big no-no, and I need to give a report soon. Honestly, this Holy Grail War is a mess. I swear, I blame the bastard who started all of this."
Little did she or anybody else know, the bastard that did start this chain of reaction was the one she was heading to. Regardless, it would seem Casters time was slowly coming up as a second mount would come at her and this time, they would be prepared for all her tricks.
"Finally. That should do it." With Caster being just as ready for the next bout as she looked over her handiwork. Gazing at the dammable creatures that made a mess and potentially exposing her, but grinning as she had finally done it. Where her beloved is watching at her newest piece before him.
"So I assume you managed to control these abominations?" He asked his Servant who just giggled.
"I'll say, it was tough to get a real grip on their core. Whatever these things are, have a lot of aggression towards humanity for some reason. But now I managed to ensure absolute obedience out of them all." The red eyes that stared at her proved it as well as no hostility can be seen in them at all. Caster is finally able to control the Grimm and can use them properly.
"Even better." Caster smirked as she looked at the biggest of the group. One that held a grand amount of bone armor and was larger than the rest. "I found one that can certainly handle a Servant if it comes down to it."
The four meter tall Ursa said it all as it stood on two legs growling. While it's hostility is restrained, the desire to kill was still within it. And Caster knew just who to send that hostility at. For when those brats come next time, and they will come, she'll be certain to enjoy the show.
And we're about to head for the next round against Caster again. The last time at last as now that she has full control over the Grimm while finding a champion among them, her threat rose again. Where meanwhile Ozpin lies to find the answers he needs to go back home. And thankfully Shirou is safe for the time being, and next chapter he may be able to convince Illya to help out.
But until then, let's go back to check on two Brothers who are now annoyed.
Beyond the world itself, into the void where humanity called the Imaginary Space, two beings of dark and light just floated around doing absolutely nothing.
"I still think we should go back."
"And I say we leave them Not like we owe them anything."
Doing nothing but arguing as per the usual. Even within the void this was their usual habit.
"Honestly." The God of Darkness says while looking out within the empty space. "The only thing that upsets me is that my own newest unique creation is now gone!"
"That's what makes you upset?" Light lampshades.
"Of course!" Dark snarks as he crosses his arms. "She was unique even among the other Grimm. A shame she's now gone."
"Oh boy." Light shaked his head. Still, as 'enlightening' as this talk was, the two needed to get out of here. Thankfully, it was a job that can easily be done considering their power. Walking through the mortal plain and afterlife was child's play, as such, exiting the void was just as easy. The only problem was where they would exit to considering they were still having trouble looking for Ozma for some reason.
'And I doubt looking into the past will help.' Light thought as their attempts to find Ozpin kept on failing. Still, it was only a matter of time until they found him. They had all the time in the world after all. "Alright then." Light says as he stands up fully. "I think it's time to go."
"Must we?" Dark asks while sitting down as if he were leaning on a chair even though there is no chair. "I actually like this place. Nice and quiet."
"Maybe after we find Ozma." Light says as he rips open a portal to get them out of here. "For now we have a job to do."
"Whatever." The God of Darkness justs stretches. "Let's just get this over with."
Like so the two then left the Imaginary Space and exited into the real world once more. This time, instead of absolute darkness they were within space itself judging by the stars. Light turned and saw the moon itself, and a quick check revealed they were actually still in the same world that they were in moments ago.
"Excellent." Dark gives a non-existent grin. Rubbing his hands together "It seems I can pick up my new creation."
"Yes." Light then turns towards the earth...Where if he had eyes they would be widening by now. "Though getting her might be a problem. Assuming she's alive."
"Huh?" Dark turns to see what his brother meant. "She has the power of a so-called Heroic Spirit and your gift of immortality. What can even…" Dark then trailed off as he saw what his brother saw. "...Oh. That's new."
The two then saw the earth they had been in moments ago. One that was already super unstable, and now apparently something has caused it to become a bleached white planet with what seems to be numerous white centered storms on certain parts of the planet.
Both brothers then looked at what was clearly a ruined world where from what they could sense, held little to no life while the white storms seemed to be blinding them from what was inside.
"Welp, might as well destroy it." Dark then says as he aims his hand ready to obliterate the planet.
"Really." Light grabs his arm and pushes it just in time as a beam of energy shoots out and misses the planet.
"Oh come on!" Dark points at the earth. "That planet is practically a wasteland by this point. I can barely sense any life at all, not to mention it's pretty clear that this world is now a lost cause."
"Maybe. But that doesn't mean we have a right to wipe it out." Light points out.
"So then by that logic, whatever horror is down there that clearly wiped out the majority of humanity should stay there, correct?" Dark then makes a very good point. As by leaving the planet the way it was, then essentially they were leaving humanity to whatever horrible fate they had down there.
"..." Light decided to think about this for a moment. On one hand, it felt wrong to interfere with another world that wasn't there own. On the other, Light couldn't deny Dark's words that by not doing anything, the remaining humans were suffering by whatever did this. That wasn't even adding the nightmare that even caused the planet to look like that in the first place.
It also made Light wonder if Chaldea was plain gone.
After a few minutes, Light decided on an answer.
"Alright, here's what we'll do."