Chapter 3
"What the hell have you gotten yourself into this time?"
Shiro blinked. He rubbed his eyes almost as if he did not believe what he saw. He squinted as if to ascertain the sight he saw. He may be four kilometers away from his intended subject, but he could definitely see it clearly, no less.
Matou Shinji is lying in the ICU ward of Fuyuki General Hospital. At least that is what he is seeing through the window. He was done making sure that Sakura was still in the hospital beforehand, but somehow stumbled onto this discovery afterward.
His body is covered in blood soaked bandages, with an assortment of wires and tubes attached to him. His lacerated face gave Shiro a hard time identifying him, but there was no mistaking that blue hair.
"Damn it. Just who did this to Shinji?" Shiro wondered as he turned away. Was this the work of someone from the Sophia-Ri faction? Or was this the work of Matou Zouken? Shiro walked to his motorcycle faster this time. He needed to tell Rin everything he saw. She might know.
His thoughts were interrupted when he caught sight of something strange levitating in the air a kilometer away. Whatever it was, its gaze was clearly fixated on him.
"Trace, on."
His six feet longbow materialised in one hand, and a large, three feet long, prana infused arrow materialised in the other as he set his sights on that strange, levitating object.
"So this is the battleground for the War," Bree said, looking around. "I've never been anywhere outside of Britain, so this is quite an interesting sight for me."
"I've been to Japan before on a mission from the Association once, just not to this part of Japan," Mikhel continued.
"We can't afford sightseeing for now. We need to meet with Viola and establish our base of operations," Bram told them. "She has already mapped out the entire city and has familiars in place to keep track of the movements of Lord El-Melloi II's faction."
"She did that? That's no small feat!" Bree said, nodding in approval. "So that's why you sent her ahead of us."
"Of course. I need us to be there quickly now so we can be updated on the situation. All seven Masters should be here now, and I need us to get things under way immediately," Bram said impatiently. "Mikhel, pick up some speed on your driving. We are in a hurry now."
"Yes, sir Bram."
The Toyota LiteAce's diesel engine roared as they tore through the city roads as fast as the van could bring them. Someone was watching them from a distance as they made their way towards the coast, and eventually followed the group all the way to a decrepit warehouse situated at the harbour. The person following them quickly left as the van stopped and the Sophia-Ri faction alighted from the van
"There was someone following us, Master." Caster told Mikhel.
"No matter. Lancer can stand guard here and alert us if there is an attack," Bree told Caster.
"Very well then, Master of Lancer. However, the Caster class is very useful for the purpose of Territorial Creation. I can extend your current Bounded Field by at least two kilometers wide on each side" Caster said. "You will get an alert much earlier than before."
"That would be good. Viola's Bounded Field currently has a radius of a kilometer, so an extra two would be good," Bram said. "As for whoever followed us, they'd better come and take us on quickly," he said confidently. "But considering we have four Servants on our side, that Servant is very likely to be careful," Bram stood there for a bit. "Rider, follow whoever was following us. Don't engage that person, just observe its movements. I want to know where their base of operations is."
"I will not tolerate you sending me on errands like scouting. Send one of these lesser Servants instead."
Bram was ticked off. "You are the only one who has nothing to do right now!"
Rider materialised himself and walked right up to Bram. "I could cut your head off and mount it on a stake here to prove just what kind of fear I should strike in your heart, 'Master'!"
Bram was trembling slightly at the threat, but he had to assert his authority over Rider. He had the Command Seals, but with only three given to him, it was more of a luxury to use.
"Ah, Rider, I have to say that your Master trusts no one else but you," Caster said, turning Rider's attention to her. "You see, your speed among the four Servants here is unparalleled," Caster continued.
"Listen, Caster. I shall take no command from anyone" Rider said, thumping his chest. "I go wherever I please, and do whatever I please. It has been such, and such it shall be!"
"Does it not please you to know where your enemy might be so that you can plan your next move, no?" Caster asked, unflinching from Rider's brash attitude. "Leave menial tasks like guarding a fortress to us 'lesser Servants', while you take the glory of discovering the enemy's encampment," Rider continued, her velvety voice almost intoxicating to the ears of everyone standing there.
Rider stood for a moment, thinking it over. "Fine," his simple reply came as he disappeared in a mist and left the group.
"And that is how you deal with one who isn't tactful with you, Master of Rider." Caster said after a moment.
Bram swallowed hard. All he ever knew of Servants was that they were familiars under the control of their Master, but he had trouble bringing his own Servant under control. When Caster showed him the meaning of using the soft approach against an overwhelming force there and then, he realised he had much to do if he wanted to gain the upper hand on his Servant.
"Many thanks, Caster." Bram said.
"That was very impressive, the way you handled that barbarian, lassie." Lancer continued, his crimson eyes fixated on Caster. "I like you a lot. It's good we're not fighting against each other."
"Ah, no problems. I have had my share of such dealings in the company of kings and rulers," Caster said, unfazed by Lancer's approaches. "Shall we prepare our position, then?"
"Much obliged," Bram replied. He immediately set the others to work while he went into the warehouse to obtain his usual reports from Viola.
"Sir Bram, regarding Lord El-Melloi II's faction, it appears that Emiya Shiro was just seen on a building somewhere around the hospital area," Viola said as Bram entered the warehouse.
"What was he doing there?" Bram asked, slightly puzzled by Shiro's actions. He has not seen the way Shiro worked, after all.
"I have no idea. He was just standing on the rooftop of the building. It seemed to me that he was trying to observe something. When he left that location, he noticed my familiar observing him and he destroyed it right away."
Bram began thinking fast. "Then it answers the question of why he isn't in London," Bram replied. "Where is he right now?"
"I dispatched another familiar to search for him right away, but he is really good at blending into the surroundings. My apologies, sir Bram."
"I expect nothing less from him, considering how the Association uses him for very dangerous missions" Bram replied. "If your familiars spot him, try to track his whereabouts. He is already experienced in evading detection thanks to years of performing various missions for us."
"Understood, sir Bram." Viola replied.
"How is Berserker doing by the way?" Bram asked.
"It took a while, but I have finally bonded with him. It isn't easy, considering the amount of prana I expended to keep him under control," Viola said, letting out a tired sigh.
Signs of fatigue were starting to be more apparent on Viola now that Bram noticed. More worryingly, Viola's hand has only two Command Spells remaining. As Viola was not a magus suited for battle, she needed a powerful Servant to offset the disadvantage. However, given the amount of effort needed to keep a Berserker class Servant under control, it was a double edged sword. Berserker would have to be used as a last resort, if things went south. Even then, there was no guarantee that Viola could keep up with the required amount of prana needed to maintain control over Berserker.
Bram's thoughts were interrupted by Viola all of a sudden. "My familiars are being destroyed at a fast rate, sir Bram. Someone is already hard at work."
Bram cursed. After some thought, he formulated a strategy. "Viola, leave the task of surveillance to Caster from here on. Her class is far more suited to such tasks. I am going to require you for other purposes from here on."
He had only just arrived. And they are already seeing action so soon after their arrival. It wasn't a terrible development for Bram however. After all, he was looking forward to a swift resolution to this War; one where he will return to London the victor of the War.
"I am not returning back to the Tohsaka mansion, Rin," Shiro said. "I came across a familiar who started keeping track of me ever since I arrived at the hospital and I destroyed it after that."
"Where are you calling me from, then?"
"I'm at a public phone booth right now. I will be going to the old Emiya residence and will set up my base there," Shiro said, looking furtively around for any activity outside the phone booth. "When I am there, I will call again. I will update you from there."
"Okay Shiro. Please take care," Rin said.
"Ah. I will. You take care too," Shiro said, placing the phone back to its cradle. He cannot afford to have anyone realising that he is in cahoots with Lord El-Melloi II any more than was discovered already. He got to his motorcycle quickly and was speeding off as soon as the motorcycle rumbled to life. The four stroke, 900cc engine of the Kawasaki GPZ900R was put to the test as Shiro quickly made way towards his old home.
Rin placed the phone back to its cradle.
"Emiya, I presume?" Lord El-Melloi II asked.
"Yes. He said he is going to set up base at the old Emiya residence. A familiar has been keeping track of him from time he arrived at the hospital," Rin replied.
Lord El-Melloi huffed. "I told him not to do it, and he did it anyway. That blundering fool has been discovered already."
Rin sighed. "It shouldn't matter in the long run. Either way, he would have already been discovered by other magi sooner or later."
Lord El-Melloi II was not convinced, but he knew that it was pointless to dwell on it. "No doubt there is a familiar watching us too now. Edelfelt is already at work with Archer reporting to the Mediator of our participation in the War, while searching and destroying their network of familiars as we speak. That should hamper their surveillance efforts on us."
"And it will also give us a small window of time to meet up and discuss our next course," Rin replied. "I'm afraid that someone will attack Shiro if he is alone for too long."
"Perhaps we should send Saber to guard Shiro when Edelfelt returns with Archer," Lord El-Melloi mused, stroking his chin in deep thought. "You will be able to relay messages to Emiya and vice versa if we arrange it like this."
"Sounds like a plan," Rin replied. She turned to Saber, who was sitting quietly on the chair across the room. "Saber, when Edelfelt returns with Archer, make your way with haste to the Emiya residence to guard Shiro."
Saber smiled at Rin. "As you command, Rin."
Rin smiled in return to Saber, but her smile gave way to worry soon after. "Shiro may be able to fight against a magus, but not against Servants."
"He fought Archer and Gilgamesh before, so that should count for something," Saber replied. "Shiro has become strong."
"Archer and Gilgamesh are special cases, and not the norm," Rin replied, her voice slightly shaky. "Archer and Shiro were one and the same, while Gilgamesh was too arrogant to fight him seriously. Against a Servant with no such arrogance and the total mastery of their Noble Phantasm, Shiro may not be able to hold his own for long, no matter how strong he has become."
Sleep is increasingly hard to find at times like these. When you are placed in a stressful situation, the adrenal glands which is located above the kidneys produce adrenaline, which in turn fuels your senses and your muscles with the stimulant needed to react quickly to emergency situations. It is a convenient mechanism enabling a human to prepare its physical and mental state for a fight or flight response.
In order to maximise its physiological potential and minimise the risk of debilitating injuries, the heart pumps faster, while constricting blood vessels around the extremities of the body and unimportant bodily functions such as digestion and bladder function. Meanwhile, blood vessels around the large muscle groups dilate in order for those muscles to receive energy. Hearing is diminished while vision becomes more sensitive.
Emiya Shiro knew full well that he was followed, despite the speed he rode his motorcycle back to his old residence. Instead of getting rest, he is now seated on the floor of his living room, his body flushed with adrenaline, scanning his surroundings often. He was all alone, with hardly a chance to fight a Servant should one come for him right now-
*Ring, ring*
He heard it. The bells that was placed above the ceiling, an early warning system of sorts, placed by Kiritsugu in the past.
Someone is here.
Instinctively, Shiro jumped away from his spot, and he saw a black figure coming down at him from the ceiling.
Thud!
There he was. A Servant. With a blade stuck in the tatami mat, right where he was sitting. In the darkened room, the black figure was hard to see, save for the white skull mask he wore.
"Trace, on!"
Kansho and Bakuya materialised in his hands. "Who sent you here?" Shiro demanded.
The Servant in black said nothing. Instead, he dashed at Shiro, the blade thrust straight to Shiro's heart. Somehow, Shiro was able to see it coming from the start and easily parried the blow aside with Kansho, while Bakuya flew in from the other side towards the Servant's neck. Six months of harsh training by Saber seemed to be paying off.
The Servant was able to dodge the blow, though. He rolled aside and prepared for the next assault on Shiro. Before anything happened though, he was interrupted by the sight of Kansho and Bakuya flying toward him. Whoever this human is, he was being outfought at the moment. The Servant cursed as he parried the blades, then disappeared in a black mist.
Shiro's heart was pumping faster. He knew that the Servant is serious now. He traced another set of his twin blades and started looking around in a state of heightened alert. He did not have the benefit of the bounded field that Kiritsugu set up now since the Servant is already inside the field. There was no telling when or where the Servant would strike.
*Ring, ring*
"Eh? Someone else is here?" Shiro turned around to find out who came into the house, and saw the black blade of the enemy Servant coming straight for his head. "Oh crap, too late!"
Suddenly, a flash of silver and blue.
He knew who it was.
Saber rushed into the house in a gust of wind, shattering the glass window outside and breaking the door down in the process, her invisible sword landing a hit on the unsuspecting Servant in black right in the neck, effectively decapitating him in an anticlimactic fashion.
"Saber!"
Saber stood and watched as the dead Servant's body dissolved into the air. "This Assassin is not dead yet."
"That was Assassin?" Shiro asked. "Wait, how did you know that this Servant is not dead yet?"
"I witnessed this Servant's capabilities in the Fourth Grail War. By the way, Rin sent me over to protect you and to act as an intermediary for the both of you to communicate with each other."
"Oh. T-thanks, Saber. You really saved me back there."
"It's fine," Saber said, a smile forming on her face. "As I was arriving at your place, I witnessed your initial fight with Assassin. You have grown strong indeed."
"Yeah, but there was no way for me to tell where the stealth attack was coming from."
"Nobody would have, which is why I said that you have grown strong, since you were able to hold your own for that period of time."
"Well, I don't know what to say," Shiro said, rubbing the back of his head shyly.
"Just take it as a compliment," Saber replied. "Perhaps, you could cook something for me to eat right now as thanks," Saber continued.
Shiro grinned. That was more like the Saber he knows. "Sure I will. By the way, do check with Rin on what the plan is for tomorrow."
"Lord El-Melloi II will decide tomorrow. Till then, his message to you would be to rest. Archer is guarding the others right now, so you don't need to worry."
Now feeling relaxed, Shiro got started on finding something to cook, and came to the realisation that the fridge was empty. The house had been vacant for ten years after all.
"Oh, crap."