Fourth Morning (4)
Shirou couldn't help but raise an eyebrow as the Black Keys embedded in the Apostle's skull were negligently ripped out with a dismissive motion, the orbs reforming within the span of a second.
Apostle regenerative abilities were always odd to look at, what with the rewinding of time.
There would be plenty of opportunity to observe the phenomenon as his fist impacted the Vampire's face, the Bajiquan technique and Reinforced skin caving in the monster's skull and splattering it across the back wall in a fine mist.
Never one to let an opportunity slip by, Shirou Traced several more Black Keys and threw them with excessive force at the Ancestor's reforming face, arms and legs, pinning them to the far wall and unlatching one of the two canisters he had strapped to his belt, pulling the pin and rolling it directly beneath the Apostle's struggling body, quickly diving out of the room as a brief CLINK could be heard-
-and then a rush of air and raging inferno dominated his auditory senses, the white phosphorus contained withing the grenade coating the interior of the room he had just vacated and latching to any and all substances it could find.
Such as the Apostle's body.
A standing doorframe was shattered and a burning form rolled around on the ground with frantic motions, burning gas and poisoned air following in its wake as Shirou calmly took aim with his father's calico automatic pistol, firing a steady stream of bullets that destroyed the head and tore into limbs with perfect accuracy, his features set in a grim line as his mind flashed back to what his teacher had once told him in regards to fighting the older and more powerful variant of Dead Apostles.
"Shirou-kun, what is the secret to an Apostle's regenerative abilities?"
"They can rewind time and reverse damage done to their bodies. They also don't rely on internal organs to operate so destroying the heart or brain doesn't work."
Kirei smirked indulgently, the two of them standing amidst the burning remains of what once was a Vampire's lair, Shirou covered in wounds and bleeding freely from a variety of injuries.
Not that he seemed to notice.
"Correct. Dead Apostle's live within the realm of concepts and mystery, the older they are the more metaphysical 'weight' they carry within them, consequently requiring Artifacts, Mystic Codes or Noble Phantasms of a higher caliber to sufficiently damage them."
An amused smile appeared on Kirei's features, tone contemplative as he began to gather the leftovers of the Apostle's possessions with experienced movements.
"That is the working theory and practice the Church has employed for many millennia now, one that works quite sufficiently. After all, dozens-perhaps more-of the Ancestor's have been sealed this way."
Shirou remained attentive, sensing the 'but' to his teacher's statement.
"However, there remains a largely unexplored method that may be equally effective, were it to be proven feasible. Shirou-kun, would you accept a battle between 'mystery' being described as one mountain trying to crush the other?"
"Yes."
"Good. Now, the only way the mountain overpowers the other mountain is by being heavier and larger, a direct competition of strength and little else. The battle between a C-rank and B-rank Noble Phantasm, if you will. But is brute force the only way to topple a taller, stronger and heavier foe?"
"No, it isn't."
The immediate response from the teen caused Kirei to grin, replying, "Quite right. Aiming at weak points, using their own momentum and force against them, swift and rapid strikes against a slower foe...there exist a multitude of means to attain victory."
Ever the quick thinker Shirou asked, "So does that mean the same is possible in a conceptual battle? Using many weaker concepts to unbalance and topple a stronger one?"
"That is the theory. An Apostle's regeneration rewinds the time and manner in which it was injured or killed...scattered reports over many years of observation have noticed an odd trend, than an Apostle set upon by many different forms of Mystic Code, Conceptual Weapons and even mundane weaponry within a short time frame become dazed and slow to repair themselves, as if the multitude of 'rewinds' becomes untenable when attempting to recognize and fix different forms of death in quick succession."
Shirou nodded, emotionlessly musing, "That would be hard to prove. Having an individual or many individuals both skilled and well-equipped enough to test such a theory would be prohibitively expensive, enough so that it's just easier to get ahold of one powerful weapon or person and take down the Apostle that way."
Kirei offered a twisted, proud smile as he remarked, "Quite right. But you, Shirou-kun...you are in that very specific and unknown category that may just be able to make use of this method. Inbetween your ability to copy and recreate bladed objects, mine and Kiritsugu's tutelage as well as your myriad of skills with various weaponry you may just be the first Magus to properly test this theory of the Church's one day."
It was time to put theory to the test.
The calico ran dry with a mechanical clack, Shirou casting it aside as he moved to the downed and reforming Apostle at a dead sprint.
He wasn't in ideal shape for this. Manifesting and then suffering the backlash of Rho Aiashad left him dazed and sluggish, the subsequent usage of Time Alterat three times it's usual speed stressing his body to the point where it actually hindered his movement, especially that of his right arm, where a hairline fracture had formed across his ulna.
But it was a rare battle where one got to engage at their peak condition, he would make do. He had to make do.
The Ancestor's head finished reforming-
-only for Shirou to Trace the Vulnus Caestu around his left arm, slamming the spiked gauntlet into the back of the Vampire's skull and shattering it into bloody fragments, cratering the floor underneath.
A relatively mundane Mystic Code from Ancient Rome, the gauntlet carried the fairly unimpressive effect of causing wounds to close and heal far more slowly than normal...but it was cheap and easy to manifest, a trait that he was going to take full advantage of.
Tracing several more Black Keys Shirou rammed them into the Apostle's heart, calmly dematerializing the gauntlet in favor of the next tool-
-and threw himself into a backwards roll, narrowly avoiding the extended claws of the Apostle that would have ripped him in two.
The head began to reform, eyes the first bits to fix themselves until a simple batch of Kōri Shuriken tore into them, hoarfrost spreading outwards from the lacerations as the Human male leapt into melee range once again, both hands wrapped firmly around the hilt of a traced blade of considerable length and wood construction, lined with jagged obsidian fragments.
The Espada de Tiburónstruck the Apostle across the chest, its unique effect activating and turning what would have already been jagged lacerations into a wild and ragged cut that nearly sliced the Vampire in half.
Eyes frozen over and chest rewinding Shirou calmly unhooked the last grenade from his belt, a normal frag one and tossed it into the Ancestor's regenerating body, planting a solid kick into its gut as the creature slashed away its own face, removing the ice through more direct means.
The skull had just taken on definition when the explosive went off, painting the room red before again regenerating back into normal form. Not that Shirou gave it time to do so, yet another round of Black Keys nailing limbs to the wall as an Azoth Dagger found purchase between the Apostle's ocular organs.
"Release."
Gathered Prana surged into the ceremonial Mystic Code, turning the Vampire's form into drifting motes of ash, swirling aimlessly for a moment before swiftly convalescing into bipedal shape.
This time it was one of the favored weapons of his alternate self that was buried in the Vampire's chest, Kanshou. Replicating one of the techniques he had gleaned from the countless weapons taken from EMIYA's Reality Marble Shirou channeled a significant amount of mana into it, brining the blade dangerously close to becoming 'broken'.
Then he pulled out his father's gun and fired an Incarnation Round at it.
The familiar scream of manifested metal was a welcome sound as it ripped into the Ancestor, scattering viscera and flesh more violently than even the grenade had...and Shirou finally saw what he had been looking for this entire time.
The offal and bits of Apostle decorating his recently created blades shivered, each one seeming dazed, like ants trying to find the laid down trail for them to follow.
Then they began to properly reform.
It seemed the Church's theory had been correct, after all...there was just one slight problem.
Shirou was getting tired.
While his meditation the night before had done much to replenish his energy battling against Archer, manifesting Avalon and then making use of his Reality Marble it wasn't the sort of strain that was fixed after a few hours of recuperation.
Factor in his usage of Rho Aias, the Triple Accel that was actively hindering his fighting skills...all complicated by the fact that Shirou had toensure that the Apostle's eyes didn't reform. Mystic Eyes and their myriad of effects were channeled through the medium of sight, seeing as how the 26th made use of his powers exclusively through their use he could conceivably put up a fight by taking away that advantage.
Except the Ancestor's mind operated at a breakneck pace that complimented supernatural reflexes while Shirou knew he was approaching the limits inherit to a Human, no matter how trained or refined.
Years of said training kicked into gear as the Apostle began to properly regenerate, the head righting itself-
-and a small scrap of Holy Shroud, woven for him by Caren as a gift some years ago, wrapped itself around the Apostle's eyes and sealed them away.
While it didn't contain any mystic properties it was still nonetheless incredibly useful, automatically restraining and molding itself to whatever it was instructed to. For a situation like this it was of paramount importance, the Vampire cursing as he raised an arm, preparing to slash out his own eyes again, no doubt.
That was the plan until a pair of Windschwert Mystic Codes divested him of his arms and legs, the crippled corpse falling to the floor, regeneration yet again slowing as Shirou prepared to destroy the Vampire's body-
-and felt a chill as the Apostle's head turned to face him, despite the blindfold covering it.
His instinctive leap to the side didn't come a moment too soon, cursed fire flaring to life in the spot he had just occupied and turning solid wood to ash within seconds.
Shirou had suffered enough cursed flames to last a lifetime and didn't intend to repeat the experience.
Unfortunately he was now in nothing short of a precarious position, the Ancestor having full control of his body and eyes no longer covered by the Shroud, hellfire dancing within them. Judging by the angle and area now turned into an ashen wasteland they were eyes that could incinerate whatever was in the Vampire's immediate field of view.
...Eyes that Shirou was now staring directly at.
A Traced tower shield of mundane make wasn't a moment too soon in appearing before him, the room around the young man exploding into flame as the heat became almost unbearable.
The initiative had been lost, he had to get it back. Somehow.
Ignoring how the steel was rapidly becoming hot enough to scald flesh Shirou shoved it forward, Tracing a clutch of Black Keys and preparing to catch the Apostle off guard-
-until midnight talons pierced both the shield and his body, the young man grunting but seizing the opportunity nonetheless as the magically induced fires faded, flinging the Black Keys around the shield and preparing to kick himself off of the impaling claws during the distraction.
"You're quite the curious one, aren't you?"
Freezing for the briefest of movements as the Apostle's voice sounded out directly behind him, the claws disappearing from his flesh in the blink of an eye Shirou quickly whirled around, finding a rip in reality identical to the one Cato had used not long ago, the Apostle close enough to shake hands with-
-and he was simply too tired and too exhausted to properly fight back as the Vampire latched onto his neck with pointed teeth, biting deep into flesh...and something began to flow into the young Magus' veins, eyes widening as the briefest stirrings of panic contaminated his normal calm before training reasserted itself.
"I am the bane of her foes..."
The Apostle reared back with a hiss of pain, mouth lacerated and torn to bloody shreds as writhing blades knitted Shirou's flesh back together, his Reality Marble and nature as an Incarnation affording him a last-ditch means of healing wounds. After all, he was but one blade comprised of many.
Ignoring the corruption eating its way through his veins Shirou prepared to engage the Apostle once more...and stopped, noticing that the Vampire had ceased his assault and was staring at him with something that could only be described as bewilderment.
"What exactly are you, young Magus? Your skills and craft...they are far outside the norms of what most Magi are capable of or would consider 'usual'."
Shirou hesitated, mind racing through his options even as he tried to ignore just how...thirsty he was, no doubt the beginning stages of Vampirization.
The Ancestor had him in a highly disadvantageous position but seemed more intent on talking rather than finishing him off...and then there was the matter of him being turned into a fledging undead rather than outright killed. While the longer he waited the more the vampiric curse would spread...he couldn't do much else but stall. Stalling meant he could regain some of his strength, wait for outside interference or even allow for his allies to come help. And he was used to ignoring his body's impulses.
"I wouldn't call myself a particularly good Magus. In fact many would consider me something of a failure."
A dismissive snort left the Apostle as his arms crossed, eyes not once leaving Shirou's averted gaze.
"I know a thing or two about being a failure of a Magus. You're not one of them, a failure of a Magus wouldn't be able to push me as far as you did. An inspired strategy, by the way. Striking with so many conceptual weapons and tools that my ability to rewind damage became oversaturated and sluggish. You're one of the few throughout history that chose to employ that method and I daresay you're the one who almost made it work."
His eyes abruptly shifted form, appearing like geometric graphs as an odd chill crawled down Shirou's spine, as if he'd been stripped bare before some unknown force.
"By the Gods...an Incarnation."
The Apostle's eyes returned to their base state, his mouth curving into a frown.
"It was fortuitous that I ordered Saber to strike beforehand and wear you down. An Incarnation as trained and versatile as yourself may very well have killed me had you been in peak condition. And even now your soul fights back against the process to turn you into an Undead. I don't doubt you'll skip the initial stages entirely and turn into a full-fledged Vampire right away."
Running a dry tongue over equally dry lips Shirou rasped, "And why turn me? You have those eyes of hypnosis or some other title, surely that would have been easier."
The Ancestor scoffed, remarking, "Yes, because making direct eye contact with you had been working out so splendidly beforehand. And this war is not yet over, having one as powerful as you at my beck-and-call is a terrific boon. Although..."
Genuine curiosity overcame Cato's features, tone questioning as he asked, "Why is an Incarnation like yourself fighting in this war? You were there with the Lesser Grail Homunculus when we spoke not long ago, yet you are not a Master...a bodyguard, perhaps?"
Exhaustion and weariness fell away from Shirou like a ratty blanket, his spine straightening as the consuming thirst for something red and sweet no longer seemed so important, compared to a pair of crimson eyes that he had come to cherish despite only encountering them a few days ago.
"In a way. We're family and I'm going to ensure that she survives this war, no matter what enemies appear before me."
"...Family?"
Kanshou and Bakuya flared to life in his hands, the young man finding a smile tilting his lips upwards.
"She's my sister. And you're threatening her life. That's reason enough for me to kill you, no matter how lopsided the odds may be."
…
Shirou had expected a number of different reactions from the Vampire. A renewed assault, a scoff of disbelief or perhaps even a dismissive bout of laughter.
A harsh flinch and thunderstruck expression weren't one of them, especially not the bitter laughter that followed afterwards.
"Of course...of course fate would be just that cruel..."
Shirou frowned, compelled to ask just what the Vampire was talking about-
-and felt his eyes flick upwards as soft, golden light illuminated what had been a blue and cloudy sky.
Then information began to flood his brain, countless constructs of metal and steel slowly manifesting from the brilliant light and logging inside of his Reality Marble, numerous Noble Phantasms and Mystic Codes of varying power and lethality meshing with his myriad others.
He barely even noticed, eyes widening as he realized the weapons were aimed over a wide area of battlefield...specifically where Illya, Sakura and Caren had been fighting.
Real, unadulterated fear overwhelmed the Vampiric infestation coursing through his veins as Shirou realized the King of Heroes had come to the battlefield...and he wasn't there to fight him.
"ILLYA, RUN-"
Ancient weapons fell from the sky like rain.
Bad enough you get bitten by a Vampire, then it turns out the final boss decided to show up at the midgame.
