Chapter 4 – Erin 1
Shirou walked on a dirt road skirting a forest edge. Although a 'road' was a bit of a generous term for what essentially was just a stretch of beaten earth, half overgrown and lined with mud. The child he rescued, Scathach, trailed behind him. They traveled in silence; the sounds of footsteps and the wilds seemed louder than they should be.
Shirou had no idea what to do or say.
He acted on instinct when he realized she would die and didn't consider what would come next. Normally, he would probably take her to the nearest village or town and leave her there, and that would be that. But in the heat of the moment, he promised to protect her.
Shirou sighed. So much for Dienu keeping him from doing something stupid. He didn't even last a minute.
He looked for the blue fairy, but she was nowhere in sight, even if her magical signature told him she was nearby. He didn't notice when she disappeared.
He glanced back at the purple-haired girl, but she was still the same. Her tears stopped flowing, but her face was still expressionless, her red eyes still hollow. Her movements were mechanical as if she didn't care what would happen to her. In his Fairy Eyes, she glowed with grief and pain.
Shirou turned away with a wince. He didn't want to see these emotions as beautiful, but he couldn't help it. He didn't know if this was normal for the fae or if it was just him, but every human he had seen so far made him feel like this. He didn't like it. And in this situation, it made him extremely uncomfortable, as if he was enjoying her pain.
They didn't talk much after he introduced himself. Barely anything, really. Shirou only asked the direction to the nearest town and then told her to follow him.
They left the bodies behind. Shirou wanted to burn them, send their souls off, but couldn't bring himself to do it in front of her. He didn't know who her guardians were and didn't want to ask. He was afraid that the answer to that question would hurt him just as much as her telling it.
Shirou examined his surroundings. In the hectic moments, after he arrived in the human world, he had no time to do so.
The human world was … dull. Well, compared to Faery, anyway. Everything there was exaggerated, made to appear pretty to the fae that lived there.
Here, the overcast sky, heavy with clouds, seemed closer than he was used to, making the world look small. The forest of evergreens to his left lacked the flourish he was used to. The hills to his right, sprinkled with ragged rocks, made for a monotone landscape.
But its inhabitants certainly made up for that.
Shirou shook his head; he didn't want to go down that rabbit hole again.
A scent of boiling water reached Shirou from above, making him look up, and as he expected, his friend was floating above him.
"Blue, where were you?"
"…"
The blue-colored fairy didn't answer, just stared at him, unimpressed. She floated down, casting a significant look at the purple-haired child behind him, one eyebrow lifted.
"What?" Shirou asked, irritated. "Do I have to remind you what you said before we came to the human world? It's as much your fault as mine."
Dienu sighed exaggeratedly. "About that. I realized that is an impossible job. Either you have the worst luck possible when it comes to situations like this, or you are doing it just to annoy me. Besides, you would nag at me for years if I stopped you there."
"Fine. Whatever." Shirou said, irritated even more. "Now come here and explain what the heck is going on, Blue." Shirou weaved Dienu closer, indicating at the girl behind him.
Scathach had been looking at him strangely since Dienu arrived. Her expressionless face gained a faintly quizzical look as she peered at Shirou.
His old friend floated closer, looking Scathach up and down, her usual smile back.
"What do you mean, Red? She is just a human child, nothing more. Gasp!" Shirou's eyebrow twitched. The small fairy actually said the word 'gasp' with a shocked expression, one hand covering her mouth. "Don't tell me you fell in love with her. No, Mommy Dienu disapproves! She is just a child, Red. You are way too old for her, even if you look like a twelve-year-old yourself. Stop it, or I will smack you." She threatened with her arm lifted high.
"Damn it, Blue. That's not it. I'm asking why she is so …" Shirou hesitated. He glanced at the girl before using his magic, blocking his voice from reaching her. "… beautiful."
Dienu narrowed her eyes at him, her tone more serious. "I will smack you, Red."
"Not like that! Why is she … radiating her emotions like that. Why is it so … fascinating." Shirou said quietly, frustrated.
"Ooooh. So that's what's going on." Dienu's eyes widened as realization dawned on her. "I guess you never left Faery before, huh?" She paused for a moment, looking at Scathach. "They were always like this as far as I know. Some fae say the World loves them and so we feel drawn to them as nature spirits. But I doubt that. Bihev once told me it's because fairies forged that sword with the help of the World itself, out of the wishes of mankind, and it changed us. But they were like that even before we did it.
"Personally, I think it's because they live so fast compared to us. You spent three hundred years in Nibelung, and almost nothing changed there. The same fairies doing the same things. But here, humans live in the now, each moment precious because they have so little of them. Barely a century.
"So they shine bright, burning their time away, screaming their will into the World. And it's the most interesting thing to a fairy because it's unique. Temporary. They will never be a second chance to witness it. They are like a fascinating toy you have only so long to play with."
Shirou wasn't sure if he agreed. What he felt was different from just simple interest.
"What about Aelfs? They don't live forever."
Dienu's face soured, "Feh! Those freaks are what happens when the wrong fairy falls in love with a human. They are cursed to waste away with time, but they are not humans at all."
"Aren't they born of a fairy and a human, though?"
"What? I mean, if you squint and tilt your head, maybe? Where did that idea come from, Red?"
Shirou told her the story about Aelfs. He was surprised Dienu didn't know it.
"Is that what they tell these days? Because it sure as hell wasn't like that. Tragic romance? Ha! Stop joking, Red. You want to hear the true story?" Dienu asked with a vicious smile but didn't wait for his answer. "Long ago, the dumbest Sylph to ever exist fell in love with a human. A simple man, a warrior of some now long-lost tribe. She lured him into a forest one night and seduced him. She didn't have to work that hard, honestly. Fairies are beautiful by human standards. And he sure wasn't resisting her that hard. They fell in love and lived together whenever she visited.
"It continued for years. Each month, during the full moon, the man would go into the forest and live with his fairy lover for a week before returning home. But as time passed and the man aged, the Sylph grew worried. He had so little time, after all. And she wanted it all for herself. So she asked him to stay with her, to live out his years in Faery, wanting for nothing. But he refused. His family and tribe lived in the human world, and he wouldn't abandon them. A problem, but with a simple solution.
"When he visited her next time, she had a bunch of like-minded Sylphs pay a visit to his village, and kill everyone there. After the usual week was up, and the man got ready to return home, she told him he didn't have to anymore. Yet, he did so anyway, and she followed him, asking to stay with her, telling him that there was nothing in his village to worry about anymore.
"And there wasn't. All he found was blood and bones, picked clean of flesh, and a group of Sylphs feasting on what was left of his family. Mad with rage and grief, he attacked the fae, but for all the mighty warrior he was, he was still just a human. The Sylphs bound him in ropes and locked him in an empty shack while discussing what to do next. They decided to marry and love him as a harem of faithful wives until age turned him to dust.
"But of course, his original lover, the dumbest of them all, couldn't bear to share him. So she snuck into his prison and bound their souls together so that none could steal him from her. The rest was furious at the treachery and attacked her. But unfortunately, she was as powerful as she was retarded, so she held them at bay even when outnumbered. Yet she knew she wouldn't last.
"At the peak of her stupidity, she ate her lover in sight of the furious Sylphs, to spite them, and so that they couldn't get him and that he would never leave her. She devoured his flesh and bones, and only when his soul was left that she realized what she had done. She despaired over the loss and cursed the rest of the Sylphs for making her do it.
"But for all her stupidity, she still genuinely loved the man. When she realized he was dead by her own hands, her heart broke in half, and she could live no longer. She used all her power, even sacrificing her soul, to curse the rest, dooming them with human mortality. She shattered the soul of her lover she still held in her hands and used the fragments to anchor the curse.
"That's how the first Aelfs were born. A bunch of Sylphs implanted with fragments of a human soul and cursed to wither away with time. Those fragments faded away later, leaving them, and any Aelfs afterward, with a 'human'-shaped hole in their souls. That's why they are fixated on humans even more than a regular fairy. They seek to fill that hole, even if unconsciously, while the curse slowly kills them."
Shirou was silent throughout the story. It was a much grimmer version than he knew, that's for sure, but he wasn't that surprised. For all the fae could be helpful and kind, almost none cared when the Makra attacked him and Tile. Fairy Knights tagged along with him mainly to get into some good fights, not out of the goodness of their hearts. For all they styled themselves as 'knights,' they did it just for fun. Oberon did help with his army, but that was more to play out his role as a Fairy King.
Besides him, Scathach shuffled on her feet, edging away and averting her eyes when he looked at her.
Shirou frowned. Why was she suddenly so wary of him?
"What is this, Red?" Dienu asked when she noticed him staring at the human girl, prodding Shirou with a finger. "Are you going to eat her after all? Like the Sylph from the story?"
He threw her an annoyed scowl. "No. Why is she acting strange all of a sudden?" He asked, his magic still keeping his voice contained.
Dienu lifted one eyebrow, a mischievous grin showing off her sharp teeth.
"Probably because she thinks you are touched in the head."
"… why?"
"I mean, you were just standing here, talking to yourself like you had an entire conversation with someone."
"Blue, I did talk with someone. You!"
Dienu leveled an unimpressed stare at him, sighing deeply.
"You make Mommy Dienu sad, Red. Do you ever listen to me when I try to teach you? Humans can't see fairies. I told you that before."
Shirou palmed his face. He did vaguely remember something to that extent. He usually tuned her out whenever his friend started rambling about random things.
But wait a moment!
"But they could see me. Both Scathach and those warriors."
"That they did, Red." She looked at him askance. "Are you sure you aren't an elemental?"
"This again? I'm sure. You know I was a human before."
"So you say, but as far as I know, only elementals and Great Fathers and Mothers can be naturally seen by humans. Even Oberon has to wear a glamour."
Shirou massaged his temples. He really wasn't prepared for the human world. He thought it would be just like it was when he was still a human, but he underestimated how big of a change his fairy nature would make.
"You know what, Blue? Let's just walk, and you tell me about this glamour thing, or we will be standing here until dusk."
He set off, Scathach following after a moment.
"What is that 'glamour'?"
Dienu settled down on his shoulders. The lazy fairy didn't even want to fly on her own.
"An illusion, basically. You trick reality into believing something is there or isn't; as a result, whoever looks at you will see what you want them to see. And because glamour affects reality itself, they can interact with it as if it were real. Touch, smell, hear. The things. It can be broken and seen through with the right circumstances, but it will work very well if you don't give someone a reason to be cautious. But someone suspicious will have an easier time seeing through the glamour. Humans don't have much magical energy, so it works very well on them, even if they look for it. On the other hand, Fae can see through any glamour with Fairy Eyes, so it isn't surprising you never saw one in Faery."
This sounded promising, Shirou thought. He was worried about how he would enter a human town. Scathach didn't seem bothered by his appearance, but she wasn't exactly in a normal situation. The warriors he scared off reaction would probably be the norm—fear, suspicion, wariness. With a glamour on, it should be easy.
If he learned how to use it by then, anyways.
"Can you teach it to me, Blue?"
"Sure. It needs sufficient mystery, but you shouldn't have any problems with it."
Dienu explained to him how to create glamour as they walked. It wasn't that different from how he imbued magical effects into his weapons, but subtler. A weak or young fairy would have problems forming it, but Shirou was sure he would be able to form a simple human disguise by the time they reached the town.
The sun was slowly setting, even if hidden behind the clouds. At this speed, they should reach their destination before sunrise.
They needed supplies for Scathach. Fairies could make food the same way Shirou created his fire, but humans couldn't live off it. It was food in name only, just the taste and texture, nothing more. For fairies, that was fine as they didn't need to eat, but Scathach would starve to death on a full stomach after a while.
It was getting dark when Shirou heard a thud behind him. The purple-haired girl behind him collapsed, struggling to stand up.
"Shit," Shirou muttered, kneeling next to Scathach and helping her stand back up.
She was flushed and sweaty, panting for breath. He forgot how fragile humans were. They walked for hours without a break; a human child couldn't just go on like this.
"Sorry, Scathach. We will take a break and then find a place to rest for the night." He said, reassuring her.
"N-No," she gasped out, "I can … I can walk. Please." She said, eyes filled with desperation, her aura shining with fear and determination.
Shirou kept smiling softly, reassuring her that they could take a break, even if he wanted to grimace. He made her sit on a fallen log with him, the girl repeating the same words. Listening to her only made him feel more like an asshole.
He asked Dienu to look for somewhere to spend the night, and the blue fairy floated away, even if she sighed theatrically and grumbled about unpaid labor.
It didn't take her long to return. Shirou had to pick Scathach up, the girl unable to walk on her own and barely clinging to continuousness. Dienu led them to a small cave hidden in the forest, just a deep indent in a rock, but after pulling on his magical energy, Shirou smoothed out the cave floor and closed off the entrance somewhat. He wasn't good at shaping stone, but digging for metal ores and gems in Nibelung ensured he could do at least this much.
He Projected a blanket and some soft furs, all dull gray color of his magecraft, and tucked the girl in. She was asleep not a minute later. His projections wouldn't last long, but a single night wasn't a problem.
He then conjured a small flame in the middle of the cave, making sure to dial down the heat. He didn't even notice how cold it was. He couldn't be sure as his body didn't feel a difference between the scorching heat of his forge and the current temperature outside, but Scathach breath misted over on their way here, so it had to be close to freezing. He hoped she wouldn't get sick.
She was shaking and whimpering in her sleep, tears flowing from beneath her closed eyes. Her emotions were indistinct now, but fear and grief still dominated her mind. She was bottling it all up since he met her, but in her dreams, she could ignore her emotions no longer.
He didn't know who her guardians were, but he suspected they were her family. If that was true, she was orphaned, almost killed, and rescued by a magical being in a single morning. Then she followed that being as her only means of survival.
He wondered if she would be better off if she lost her memories rather than deal with all that.
Shirou was staring at the golden-red flames, lost in thoughts, when Dienu broke the silence, her voice serious.
"What are you going to do with her, Red?"
Shirou didn't answer right away. He didn't have an answer beyond a vague goal of looking for her family.
He didn't know a thing about her besides her name. Not how old she was or where she lived. Why those warriors were so intent on killing her, or why she was there to begin with.
And yet he promised to protect her. Keep her safe. Shirou didn't regret that, but he wasn't sure how to proceed from this point onward.
"I will do as I promised. Protect her."
Dienu frowned, "For how long? A decade? Until she can take care of herself? Until she dies?"
"…"
"I know about Bihev, Red. About your promise. What happens in eight years when you return to Faery? How will you protect her then?"
Shirou kept his calm. He knew Dienu was just worried about him, even if her questions stung.
"We are in the human world, Blue. There is no Faery to enforce the promise. I will protect her as long as possible and then leave."
"You think it's that easy?" The small fairy asked, frustrated. "That the promise is meaningless just because the World itself won't enforce it? It doesn't work like that, Red! You promised! You can break your word here, sure, but do you think there will be no consequences?"
Shirou wasn't that ignorant. He knew a fairy promise was something more than just words. In Faery, reality itself would bend to enforce his word. He may run to the end of the world, but when the time comes, he will appear in Nibelung anyway.
Here, in the human world, his promise was a lot weaker. With enough power, he could break it. The backlash would be harsh and painful, but it wouldn't kill him, just weaken him for a time.
"It will hurt, I know."
"Not only you, Red!" Dienu shouted, "It works both ways! Do you think it's normal that a human child followed a fae without question? She knows you won't hurt her, even if she isn't aware of why. She will trust you to protect her. Depend on it. And if you fail, it will hurt her just as much as it will hurt you."
"Then I will make sure she is safe for the times I'm not there, "Shirou said with conviction.
Dienu glared at him before slumping to the ground.
"Damn it, Red." She said weakly, "That's why there are so few ancient fairies anymore, for all we are immortal. We get involved too easily."
Shirou watched his friend as she sat listlessly on the cold cavern floor. She always appeared energetic and full of life, but Shirou suspected she was one of the ancient fae she mentioned. She was friends with both Bihev and Oberon. A Great Father and a Fairy King. She was the most knowledgeable fairy he knew, often telling him about things that happened far in the past, even if she never stated how long ago some of them happened.
Shirou grabbed her, placing the small fairy on his lap and hugging her gently. She didn't even complain.
"Are situations like this common?" He asked softly.
"They are. The story about the Aelfs? It's not that rare. The only unique part was that Wento's stupidity lingers to this day. And it's always humans. Bihev locked himself in his mountain for the last twelve thousand years and is happy to ignore everything else. Here? In the human world? You would be lucky to survive a single millennium.
"We love them too easily. Hate too. If it's not a hero or an army that kills you, then your heart breaks in time. It starts innocently enough. You follow someone interesting. Watch them from a distance. Then you get involved. Fall in love. Make a promise. And when they finally die, part of your heart dies with them.
"You tell yourself that it was the last time. Never again. Because the pain never fades, no matter how much time passes. But you remember. How beautiful they were. How full of love they made you feel. How warm and happy. And you do it again while telling yourself that it will be different this time. But it always ends the same way. You make too many promises, and it chips at your heart when they die.
"Until it becomes too much, the pain too great to endure, and it's easier to just let go. Fade away. That's how immortals die, Red. By giving their heart away, piece by piece."
Shirou patted Dienu between her long rabbit-like ears. He didn't know if she was speaking from experience or if she had lost friends like that, but there was sadness hidden in her words. He wasn't used to seeing her like this.
"You think that's my fate now, Blue?"
She sighed, "I don't know. It's not like you are doomed the moment you involve yourself. And you aren't a normal fairy, Red. I had never heard of a human that became a fae. Even when a fairy kidnaps a human baby and raises it in Faery, they are still human, even if soaked in fae magic. You are unique, and I don't know how your human origins will affect you in the long run. But, Red," she turned around, looking him in the eyes, "Please, don't … don't promise me, but please, don't stretch yourself too thin. Take care of this girl, protect her, but wait until she is gone before involving yourself again. Don't offer your heart so readily. It's more fragile than you think."
Shirou ruffled Dienu's hair with a smile, eliciting a yelp from the blue fairy, dispelling her vulnerable expression. It wasn't a good look on her.
"I will try, Blue. And I think my heart isn't made of glass to break so easily."
"Feh!" Dienu huffed, swatting away his hand, but didn't leave his lap. "I bet it's as hard as your stupid head if that's what I get for worrying about you."
Shirou hugged her again, leaning his chin on the top of the grumbling fairy's head. This was better. He much preferred an annoyed Dienu to a sad one.
He watched the human child sleeping on the other side of the cave. Scathach was sleeping peacefully now; whatever nightmares plagued her were gone. He didn't dismiss Dienu's words. He would take care of the girl, at least for the next eight years, but will try to avoid involving himself like this again for now.
Still, there was a question of how to protect the girl when he was gone. And what would 'protect' even entail.
The easiest solution would be to gift her a powerful weapon so that she could protect herself. But then she could be targeted because of that alone. A sword or spear good enough to ensure she would win against any human that may attack her would be too noticeable. Would that be 'protecting' or just painting a target on her back?
If she has family somewhere, he could just leave her with them. It wouldn't be ideal, but better than just giving her a weapon and wishing her good luck.
He doubted he was that lucky.
Bringing her with him to Nibelung was another option. But he didn't want to do that. He ended up thousands of years in the past after his own trip to Faery, not to mention that the realm of the fae wasn't that safe for a human. Hell, even fae had it rough there sometimes. Just the other day, he fought hordes of Makras, monsters that preyed on humans. And there would be thousands of other fairies, half of which would do worse to her than a Makra.
Nope, Faery was right out.
Shirou sighed. This was getting him nowhere. Still, he had eight years to figure something out.
In the meantime, he could train her up a bit. She was wielding a spear back then, however clumsily. If he could take her to a level where she could fight off a group of humans like that, he would be able to leave her in the human world at least somewhat reassured she would be safe.
In the morning, Scathach jerked awake with a scream, breathing heavily. Her eyes darted from corner to corner of the small cave they spent the night in. Her eyes filled with tears when she noticed Shirou sitting beside his conjured fire.
"Good morning, Scathach." He greeted her softly.
She gulped and closed her eyes tightly. In his Fairy Eyes, Shirou could see a tide of dark emotions welling up, but she managed to suppress them, forcefully keeping herself calm.
She opened her eyes, exhaling deeply, and wiped away her unshed tears.
"G-Good morning, um, mister Avel." She responded shakily.
"Just Avel if fine. Do you remember what happened yesterday?"
She nodded, her hands balling up into fists.
Shirou grimaced internally. This conversation wasn't going the way he wanted it. He wanted to ask about her family, but at this rate, she would break down in tears soon. He was surprised she was able to hold herself so well, but he probably needed to sidetrack for a bit.
"Do you know what a fae is?"
She blinked at his question before answering, uncertain.
"Umm, father told me it's a spirit of the wilds. And that I should be polite to them if I ever met one, but to get away as soon as possible."
Shirou smiled. "That's not bad advice. You can probably guess, as I don't look exactly human, I'm a fae. Or fairy, if you will. Humans also call us the 'fair folk.'"
"Oh…"
Shirou glanced to his right, where a certain blue fairy was sitting and playing with a piece of rock, ignoring the rest of the cave occupants.
Shirou cleared his throat, and Dienu sighed before pulsing with magic. The air rippled, revealing her form to the human girl when she weaved a simple glamour.
"And this," Shirou pointed at his friend, "Is Dienu. My friend and another fairy. She will help me answer any question you have regarding the fae."
Scathach looked between the two fairies with wide eyes but didn't react much more. Shirou guessed there were only so many sudden revelations before you went 'whatever' and just accepted whatever happened next.
"Hello, miss Dienu. My name is Scathach."
"Yes, yes. Hello, human. Know that I'm only doing this because my friend asked."
"Heh, don't listen to her. She is a giant softy underneath all those barbs." Shirou said, earning himself a glare from the blue fairy, "Do you know anything else about fairies?"
"Father said to never lie to a fae."
"That's true. Fairies can see through lies, so they would just assume you are trying to trick them and get angry."
"And eat you," Dienu added.
Scathach face paled.
Shirou sighed. "And probably eat you." He agreed. "But don't worry. We aren't that kind of fae. We won't harm you just because of that. But if you ever meet another fairy, tell it no lies."
The purple-haired girl nodded, face serious.
"What about never inviting a fae to your house or never promising a fae anything?" She asked.
"Well, I don't know much about the first thing, but promises are very important to the fae. If a fairy promises you something, you can be sure it will fulfill it. On the other hand, if you promise something to a fairy and don't deliver, it will get angry."
"They will eat you," Dienu added again with a grin.
"… they will probably eat you, yes. Do you have anything other than that to add, Blue? What's that about never inviting a fairy to your house?"
"Eh, it ties into the other things, really. The invitation alone will mean that the fairy can enter your house anytime it wants to. They will always treat it as an open invitation and make a nuisance of themselves. But if you offer them guest rights and they accept, they are bound by their word and will never harm you there. We are creatures of our word. Promises, lies, and agreements. It's all the same. In the human world, we can go against it somewhat, but it's not worth the effort usually. But in the end, they are still just words. Fae can and will twist their meaning to their benefit as much as they can. That's why humans have those sayings. That's why when this guy here," Dienu poked Shirou in the side, "Promised he would protect you, he means it."
"I do. Scathach, I don't know why those men wanted to kill you, but if they appear again, I won't let them hurt you."
The red-eyed girl looked to the side, her eyes filling with tears, her hands trembling.
"T-They wanted to kill us all. Father was a king back home, beyond the sea. The king of this land invited him here. I don't know why, nobody told me. Those men were supposed to take us to him, but they turned on us halfway there. T-They killed them all."
Shirou's lips pressed into a thin line.
"Do you have any family left back home?"
Scathach shook her head.
"Do you want to return there?"
"I-It's far away."
Shirou paused for a moment. Maybe it was too soon. Barely a day passed, and he was making her make hard decisions. But under all those heavy emotions, pain and loss, the steel of determination never disappeared. She lost everything, yet she didn't stop or shut down. She followed him, a stranger she was warned against, even if his promise smoothed her worries, and continued on.
She was a child, but it didn't mean she was stupid or didn't understand her situation.
"It doesn't matter. If you want, I can take you there. Even if it takes us years to reach your home."
She looked at him for a long moment, a mix of emotions crossing her face before settling on a determined expression.
"Yes. I want to return home."
"Good. Now let's go out of this stuffy cave."
Outside, the morning cold was slowly dissipating, the sun peeking through the lifting mist. Scathach shivered a little; her thin dress didn't seem to provide much insulation. Shirou used his fae magic and surrounded them with a nimbus of heat.
He would have to buy her something better soon. Relying on his magecraft or fae magic for everything would be too noticeable.
"How old are you, Scathach?"
"I'm nine."
Shirou led her to a small clearing, Dienu watching from above.
"I won't be able to keep you safe for the rest of your life. I have to leave the human world in eight years." He explained. "So I will help you protect yourself." Shirou Traced a simple short spear. "Do you know how to use a spear?" He asked, handing her the weapon.
The girl took it, holding the weapon against her chest, and nodded.
"A little. My father insisted I learn how to protect myself; he said that spear is easiest to learn. But he only instructed me on our way here and not that often."
"I see. A spear is indeed one of the most accessible weapons to gain a measure of expertise in, but one of the hardest to master. If you already have a foundation with it, then there's no point in switching now." Shirou traced another spear for himself. "You are young, so we won't do anything extreme, but I will train you as much as possible. I will instruct you daily, and we will spar when you are skilled enough not to hurt yourself on accident."
"Yes, Teacher!"
Shirou paused at Scathach exclamation. Well, he was her teacher now, so that was appropriate, he supposed.
"I hope that in eight years, you are proficient enough to defeat any human at least. Now, follow my movements."
Shirou showed her a series of basic thrusts, and the girl followed her movements with her face pinched in concentration. In his Fairy Eyes, she radiated eager determination, but an undercurrent of darker emotions swirled underneath. Sorrow and anger spiked every time she pierced an imaginary target.
He glanced at the small floating fairy overhead. He was glad she was here with him. When he first arrived in Faery and got trapped in Nibelung, she was the main reason he didn't spiral into depression and stew in hatred at his circumstances.
He hoped he could do the same for Scathach.
AN
Some clarification about issues raised in reviews.
While Shirou does possess a Reality Marble, it's not complete yet. He isn't even aware he has it. He knows he can 'record' weapons in his memory and Trace them, but he doesn't know why he can do it. That's why his Tracing is slower than UBW!Shirou's despite his improved magical capability. For now, when he 'touches' his soul, which for all intents and purposes is his Reality Marble, he thinks he's just connecting his fae and human magic, and well, he does. He does it the same way any other version of himself does when they boost their Tracing/Projections without fully realizing Unlimited Blade Works. But in his case, his fae magic/nature invades his soul at the same time, melding perfectly with his magecraft and giving him the impression that that's what is supposed to happen.
His inability to record any blade but his own is an intended nerf. There may be some narrative reason later on, but the truth is, I just didn't want him to have it. Fairy!Shirou is strong enough as it is, with his fae nature/body and Fairy Patterns instead of standard Magical Circuits. The other reason is that many stories that send Shirou into the past will force as many Noble Phantasms or similarly powerful weapons to cross his path, no matter how unreasonable or contrived it is. Usually, it's a large part of his strength, so it's understandable, but it always broke my suspension of disbelief when he stumbled face-first into one after another. Admittedly, I did something similar with his blacksmithing, but this Shirou won't be spamming Noble Phantasms like discount Gilgamesh anytime soon, if ever.
Timeline-wise, he arrived around 500 BC and is currently around 200 BC. And yes, both Excalibur and Avalon the Scabbard already exist. If they didn't, Shirou wouldn't have been sucked into the past in the first place and instead ended up in contemporary Faery.
Feel free to point out any inaccuracy or error. I'm no Loremaster of Nasuverse, so there probably will be a lot I get wrong or omit due to ignorance, but there will be some parts of canon I will change on purpose to better fit the story and because some things in Nasuverse make no sense at all.