Chapter 24: The Servants Attack!
I want to thank Sawtooth44 for been the beta of this chapter.
I do not own any of these series.
I also would like to invite you to see the others ficcs in my profile.
It is late at night in one of the conference rooms inside the headquarters of the SDF. Where a group of high-ranking officers were having a report of the most recent mission.
"So, you had an encounter with the Nature Sage and the Jewel Sorceress, Lt Shigeru?" asked mayor Kazama.
"Yes sir."
"And Lt Kyouko had an encounter with the Queen of Light and The Phantom Blade?"
"I can't confirm that it was them, sir, all that I saw were those sparks of light that they leave when they use that teleportation spell" answered the Lt.
"Could you explain everything from the beginning one more time"
"We received reports that there some kind of explosions and energy blasts happening on the roof of one of the buildings at the center of the city, because it had been only one day since the events at the magic games we believe that there could be a relationship between the events and proceed to respond" said Shigeru.
"We arrived at the bottom of the building and when we were getting ready to use the fly CAD to get on top of the roof, but then it happened, a beam of pure energy of a similar color as the one used by the The Phantom Blade, and to be honest I can't think of anything that can generate that level of power after I saw his duel with that other swordsman" said Kyouko.
"Thankfully that energy blast was sent to the sky, I fear what could happened if that attack was directed towards the city. After the attack disappeared in the night sky, we saw two figures flying towards the south, but we could still feel some presence on the roof, so I ordered Lt Kyouko to take half the team and got to the roof top, while I took the other half of the team and followed the two figures, but they were so fast that we were left behind" said Shigeru.
"When we arrived to the roof top we only saw pillars of the same sparks of light that we saw them use on the day of that battle, but I can't confirm of any of the others members of their group, we saw the surrounding area and there was battle damage, but we couldn't see nothing more, not even a trace of the enemy that they were fighting" said Kyouko.
"When we managed to reach the two figures that we saw earlier it was obvious that some kind of confrontation had happened, we found the remains of what we believe to be artificial humans and some of the leaders the No Head Dragon syndicate. Also, a pile of ash that the security records shows was Matou Zouken". Said Shigeru with a serious expression, and with a very good reason.
"Are you sure about this?" asked Kazama with a shadow over his eyes. That was something that the members of his team could understand, after all he was responsible for the only mission that he ever failed when he was ordered to capture that monster and he got away.
When the scandal of the atrocities of the Matou become public knowledge the government and the Master Clans give the order to hunt that man down in an attempt to reduce the damage done to the magic community in Japan. But that old bastard manages to get away to his great regret, not because the political implications of him getting away from justice but because as a member of the team in charge of his capture he has full access to the reports about what he did to his victims, children mostly, and the fact that that monster in human form was free for all these years doing gods knows what to other children made his blood boil. To know that he finally pays for his crimes was something that removed a burden from his shoulders.
"The security camera show how the Nature sage burnt him alive while the Jewel Sorceress killed the others" said Kyouko.
"I see, what happened after that?" asked Kazama.
"We try to arrest them and make them come here to answer some questions, but..." began to said Shigeru.
"But what Lt?"
"They ignored us, they seem to no care that they were surrounded by us, even if they looked tired, they didn't care, they even said that they will buy their favorite ice cream on their way home. Even when we tried to force them to surrender, they didn't react, but we managed to confirm that they are Thaumaturgy users when the antinite didn't have any effect on them, hell they even made fun about how they could destroy an army If they wanted"
"Is there anything else?"
"Yes sir, they said that Matou Zouken received refuge in the GAA and that all the information that he has about the Masters Clans and the magicians in Japan must be in their hand by now, they also said that the No Head Dragon and the GAA were the responsible for what had happened, after that they used their teleportation spell and disappeared, even with the antinite active that didn't stop them"
"This situation is getting worse at every moment that something new arrives" said Kazama. "One of our worst traitors and criminals joined forces with our enemies, and with that a lot of confidential information must be in their hands, that also would mean that the ones that attacked the games also belong to the GAA" said Kyouko
"We can't forget that we currently didn't have a strategy class magician that is close to the level that we saw that day and the only ones that can face them aren't under our control." Added Shigeru.
"That is if all that they told us is true." Said Kyouko.
"It doesn't matter if that is true or not, the moment that they said that, it become a possibility and we can't afford to ignore it"
"But what can we do?" asked Shigeru.
"The Emiya" said Kyouko.
"Are you suspecting of them now? In the last meeting you said that the Avalon name was a coincidence". Said Shigeru
"I only explained the origin of the name of the company, but we can't ignore that they are the number one expert in this world when it comes to Thaumaturgy, so I suggest that we recruit them and use the opportunity to learn more about them" offer Kyouko.
"Interesting but even if we manage to ask for their help, how do you plan to spy on them, all the companies and countries on the planet have tried and failed to learn their secrets" asked Shigeru.
"Oh, I have a clue and a person that can help me to do that" said Kyouko
"Who is that person?" asked Kazana.
Kyouko only answer was a smile.
The next night. Yotsuba Mansion.
Miyuki was looking at the moon while she began to think about all the things that have happened in the last few hours, lately this has become a custom. But this time a new felling was also present, Fear.
Ever since she learned about the servants, she began to fear about what may happen in the future. Even in this era of magic and science if someone would have told her about this grail war and servants, she would believe that it was just a children's story. But after what she saw with her own eyes, she became afraid of them. The power that was shown in that duel was something that no one in the Master Clans could match and to know that there is even more of them out there was something that kept her awake.
Especially because now one of them is staying in the same home as her Tatsuya. The information that she shares with them was like what nightmares are made of. The fact that the servants gets their power from their legends, the greater and better know the legend is the more powerful the servants will become, and even if she knew that she didn't have to do it she couldn't help but to search for information about the enemy. By the heavens why it has to be them, historical characters and main characters of myths and legends that probably every person in the world must have heard their names once.
And now they are their enemies.
"Miyuki-sama, are you still awake?" said Honami from outside her door.
"Yes, is there something that you need?"
"Nothing, I just saw the light on and knew that you must be awake"
"I just have to much in my mind"
"I know what you mean"
"Honami, tell me with all honesty, do you believe that we will have a chance to win this battle?"
"What I believe is irrelevant because we have no other choice but to win because if we lose it will be the end of everything"
"I wonder what can we do to help them"
"Normally I would have said yes without a question, but you have saw that Sakura girl clean the floor with our best warriors and all the planet has seen the power that Shirou-san has, so lying to you will be useless so, I will tell you the truth, in this moment we will just be a burden, we need to find a way to get more powerful and you are the only one that can lead us in that way"
"Me?"
"You are our only Thaumaturgy user and the only one that can lead us through these times"
"But they told me that it doesn't matter what magic system we use, what matters is the is the magus itself"
"That is correct, but because of the many years that the Thaumaturgy users were discriminated, they now have a lots surprises that the modern magicians ignored and what happened in the games have shown them that and they are not afraid, we need you to be our leader if we can survive"
"But what if I don't want to be the clan leader"
"That is something that only you can decide"
"How do I know what choice is the correct one?"
"Just listen to your heart"
"It almost sounds like a song"
"Hey, it has a nice ring to it"
"You and your old songs"
"Hey, it is better that the songs that you hear now"
"Thank you Honami"
"For what?"
"For making me feel better"
"Any…"
"BOOOOOOOM"
The sound of an explosion could be heard inside the complex.
"What was that?!" asked Miyuki.
"We are under attack!" the voice of one of the guards could be heard in the middle of fight sounds.
"We need to go with Miya-sama and Maya-sama!" said Honami as she took Miyuki's hands and began to run.
A few moments earlier in the Saegusa Mansion
In a big room with fine furniture that reflect the status of the family that lives there, we see how three young girls were having a little talk.
"Please big sis, tell us how it was to be there and see the Excalibur from the legends" said one of the two little girls that happen to be twins.
"Please tell us" added the other twin.
"Izumi, Kasumi, shouldn't you be sleeping by now"
"But big sis you and dad just got home and we haven't had the chance to talk about the games, your victories and that fight" said the one now named Kasumi.
"Yeah, besides you and dad look very serious, did something else happen?" asked Izumi.
"We were just tired from the events of the day" Mayumi lied.
"You know for a moment we were worried that now that you have magic circuits your magic would get weaker but not only did you win, you set new records in your events" said Izumi.
"And those two men also have magic circuits, that means that even Thaumaturgy user can be strong" said Mayumi.
"And now our sister can use both magics" said a proud Izumi.
Mayumi smiled at her twin younger sisters; she remembers how worried they were when she returned home after the attack that caused her to now have a set of magic circuits thanks to the Emiyas. For the next couple of days, they remained by her side as if they were afraid that something may happen to her again and when she began to leave with her brother to the Emiya's mansion to learn how to use her new powers they were waiting for her in her room to ask where she had been, to that she only answered it was clan business, something that they accepted as their big brother was with her.
But one day Koujirou, as a way of pay back from a joke that she made about him and the maids of the Emiya mansion, told the twins that she was already engaged to marry a boy that she really liked, that the proof was in the engagement ring that she was now wearing.
The terrified look on the twins as they began to talk how they will hunt down that boy that believe that he can date her sister made Mayumi nervous and because the jokes that she had made to Tatsuya it will not take too much time for her sisters to learn about the rumors about them, so in attempt to stop them from causing trouble, she shows them that the ring is a CSD by using it to store a chair that was in the room to make it appear a moment later.
For a moment it looks like the crisis had been avoided and that her sisters were now focused on her ring, initially she as well as Miyuki and Shizune had agreed to make Tatsuya give them their CSD in the form of rings to use them in the future to tease him, but now that idea had backfired on her. Even more when Izumi asked her
"But big sister, aren't the CSD a magic that only Thaumaturgy users can use?"
"Oops" thought Mayumi seeing that she had a tongue slip. That is how she had told the truth about the incident, how the seats of Avalon saved her life and how she along with her two friends had a set of magic circuits and can use both magic systems.
Both Kazumi and Izumi were concerned that her sister may have lost a lot of her power and for that reason Mayumi give a demonstration about what she could do now. To say her sisters were impressed was an understatement and soon they began to ask her lots of questions.
Now back to the topic at hand.
"Ne, ne Mayumi-onesan could you show us your magic circuits again?" asked Izumi.
"Again? You have been asking to see them every night"
"But they look so pretty" added Kazumi.
"Ok, but after this it will be time to go to sleep"
"Ok"
With that Mayumi actived her magic circuits that glowed through her nightwear, the effect gives a hint of exotic beauty but to her young sisters this was more proof that their sister was amazing.
"Ahh, I wish that I could get magic circuits too" said Izumi
"Me too, Mayumi-onesan if you see the seats of Avalon again could you please ask them if they could give us magic circuits too? After all you know them"
"You know that I can't talk about them, that was a promise that I made and besides my situation was a special one"
"Your life is so exiting big sis" said Kazumi.
"Maybe but for now all that I want to have a nice night of sleep"
"BOOOOOOOM"
"WHAT WAS THAT?" said Mayumi as she looked from her window to the place that the sound of the explosion come from, it was the main entry of their mansion.
There she saw a how a man was walking through the smoke and fire that was their main gate. But something was wrong because even he has just attack one of the master's clans, he didn't seen concert at all, soon the guards and clan members arrive and began to surround him but again that main didn't care. It was in that moment that the moon light could past through the night clouds that she saw that was wearing strange clothes that seem to come from an old movie.
"Stop right there you intruder!" said one of the guards as he and the others guards got ready with their CAD.
"This mansion looks rich, I bet that there are many treasures that I can get here that will help me in my future conquest of this land." Said the intruder ignoring the guards as he began to walk heading to the mansion.
"I said Sto-" the guard never have the chance to finish that sentence as the intruder has just move in the blink of an eye right in front of him and with his sword cut his head.
The other guards look with horror at what happened to their leader and after a second, they reacted.
"KILL HIM!"
All the guards began to cast their magic but the stranger didn't give them time as he began to kill them one by one with his sword as easy as if was killing lambs.
"Somebody does something! ARG" said one guard before his chest was pierced.
"Call back up, we need help!" as the last request from help as the enemy has manage to move behind him and kill him.
Soon more guards arrive and began to shoot him with all their spells at the same time and when they made impact, they believe that finally managed to kill him... Until the intruder steps out from the smoke as if nothing has happened.
"This is all that you got? I was expecting a little more of fun" said the intruder in a bored tone. As he once again began to move through group of guards, avoiding their attacks while with his sword began to reduce their number one by one.
When the last of the guards dies, from the shadows a group of soldiers dressed in black began to move from the outside heading towards the mansion.
"This was pathetic, I can't believe that my descendant fails to conquer this land" said the intruder. That with a whistle called a horse that he proceeds to ride as he keeps advancing towards the mansion.
From the window Mayumi saw the butchering and while the images of what she was seeing were terrifying her and her sisters, the worse part was that she could feel a presence on that intruder.
"Mayumi, Azumi, Kazumi!"
"Dad!" said the twins that run towards their father and brother.
"Tell the guards and clan members that they must not face the intruder, order them to escape at all cost!" said Mayumi with a dead serious face.
"What are you saying! We are the Saegusa clan! We can just run away from our home!" said Koujirou. "We still can-"
"No, we can't, father this is the enemy that we were warned about last night" said Mayumi as she cut him off.
"you mean that he is a"
"Yes, a servant has come to attack us"
There was a moment of silent that increase the tension of the already dangerous situation, the twins were the only ones that still don't know what they were talking about.
"We need to leave now! Koujirou give the order to all the survivors that they must escape at all cost and that they must not face the man on that horse!" said Kouichi
"Yes father!"
"Mayumi you-" began to said Kouichi.
"I am already on it father" said Mayumi as she active her magic circuits, specifically the part of her magic crest that has her telepathy spell, normally she will use that spell to talk with her friends but this time it was something more serious, she was calling for help
Back to the Yotsuba mansion.
The things weren't different as the ones that were happening in the Saegusa mansion. As the ground was covered with the bodies of the guards of the "strongest" clan in japan.
It was like a déjà vu of what happened some time ago with that strange girl, but this time it was a man with a spear and unlike the girl, he was killing everyone that tried to stop him with his spears, as if their attacks mean nothing to him. And if that wasn't enough there was this group of soldiers wearing black clothes that came with him.
Deep in the study room that was a secret secure room that have been modified after the visit of Sakura, we see how Maya the Queen of Night, her twin sister Miya with her daughter Miyuki and a group of guardians been led by Honami.
"So, this is the servant that the Emiya told us about" asked Maya as she saw the all battle from a monitor. Even if she tried to remain calm her worry was growing with each second when she saw how their guards where been killed by a single man that don't look at all worry with the current situation. All this was beginning to affect her as she began to remember the experience of her terrible past when the Yotsuba clan was attacked the last time.
"We need to escape now that we can-" said Honami.
"That will give the impression that the Yotsuba clan has gotten weaker" said Miya.
"And be captured while the clan complex is destroyed and our clan men killed don't show the same, Please Maya-sama you have to give the order to evacuate" added Honami.
"Mother, Aunt, please you already saw what one of them is capable, we need to leave now that we still have a chance."
Maya and Miya look at each other's, the idea of running away was something that they didn't like, but they already knew that they can't win this fight without help, the idea to ask for help was something that they hate but understood that it was necessary, but there also another fact that scared them was to ask for help. If they ask for help Tatsuya will also know that they are in danger and that open two possibilities that scare the two sisters. Will he come to help them and be exposed to this monster or he will ignore them just as they did with him in the past. Both possibilities were equal scarier to them.
But with the time running low they knew that they didn't have any other option.
"Miyuki, call your brother! Honami tell the guards that they must escape" said Miya at the end.
Miyuki did as her mother told her and active her magic circuits while Honami transmit her orders to the surviving members of the clan.
In the Emiya Mansion. A few minutes early
They were all having dinner as they talked about the events of the day.
For Semiramis it was obvious that they were trying to include her in the conversation and while she expected this to happen, she expected that the conversations were focus on what she could remember of the plans of the GAA, but to her surprise it was just a normal talk about what were her favorites foods, what did she think about the moderns times, but more than anything she still remembered how those two woman Irisviel and Aoi keep asking her about her clothes, if they were her design, if she has more clothes besides the ones that she is wearing and if she was willing to use modern style of clothes.
After she told them that she only has this set of clothes but that she has no problem to create more clothes for herself, the two women took her to the room that function as Aoi's office when she is working at home, there she has a lot of clothes and sewing fabrics with their mystic codes impressed on them, after all as the editor of the Mirage magazine that belongs to Avalon tech, its only normal for her to have some samples of the products that her magazine write about.
In that office and for the rest of her first day in the Emiya mansion, the two matriarchs of the Emiya clan used her as a dressing doll as they made her try many different sets of clothes and dresses. But the more interesting part was that even if she didn't want to admit it, she was having fun!
In the past she had many servants that brought her the most luxurious of clothes in her queendom, but she was always silent and the servants remained in silence as they were afraid to say a word to her.
But these women didn't care about the fact that she was a queen and they were talking to her on equals grounds, that fact instead of offending her, it made her have fun, maybe because it was something that she has never done before. Then when they have tried all the clothes that they have in Aoi's office, they were about to get to their own wardrobes to get more clothes when Semiramis asked them about the sewing fabrics that were here.
When Iris told her about the mystic codes that were printed on the sewing fabrics, that attracted Semiramis attention and began to look at some of the fabrics, after she study the mystic codes that they had, she began to modify them, once she was done she began to use her powers and made the raw fabrics change to her own design, creating new clothes for her. The contrast between the modern materials and the ancient yet elegant design created a very interesting and attractive looks.
Semiramis just said that it is time to show the people of this world a little elegance, so when Aoi asked her to design more clothe designs that will be published on her magazine, at less until she knows what she want to do; Semiranis agreed showing a serious face but deep inside she has enjoying the experience.
"Maybe staying here for a little longer won't be so bad" thought Semiranis.
And so, her mind came back to the present where she was enjoying a delicious dinner while listening and participating in casual conversations.
"I have to admit that I do not understand you Shirou-san" said Semiramis.
"What do you mean?"
"You are the elder son of a very important and respectable family, yet you made everyone's dinners, that was something unheard about in my times"
"What can I said, I just like to cook" answered Shirou.
"At least you have talent, I can say that you are better than the cooks at my palace."
"Thanks"
"You can see why we want to keep him in the kitchen? I am sure that he will be a wonderful wife in the future, ne Sakura" said Rin joining the conversation. But her real goal was to cheer her up, because she was still feeling a little down because of the events of the previous day.
"I can imagine Shirou in that beautiful white dress" added Illya following Rin intention.
"Ahh, Shirou in a wedding drees, a wonderful idea" said Sakura forgetting the events of the previous day with that image. "Sempai, could you please do some cosplay for us?"
"NO! of course no!" said a blushing Shirou.
"I can bring the flowers" added Illya ignoring Shirou.
"I said no, so could we please cha-"
Whatever thing that Shirou was about to said when Mayumi made contact with them using the telepathy spell, but something was wrong, very wrong because they could feel her fear as she talked to them.
"Tatsuya-kun! Please you have to help us!" said Mayumi to Tatsuya but all those present could hear it.
"What is happening?" asked Tatsuya.
"A SERVANT, WE ARE UNDER THE ATTACK BY A SERVANT RIDING A HORSE!" those words froze everyone.
"Are you ok?"
"He already killed our guards like they were nothing, there also men dressed in black that look like soldiers and are surrounding the mansion, we can't escape!"
"We are on our way! Try to find a safe place to hide until we got there" said Shirou.
"Please hurry up, my little sisters are with me"
And with that the communication was closed.
"We need to leave now" said Shirou as he and the girls active their battle armors. But in that moment, something else happen.
"ONI-SAMA PLEASE HELP US! A MAN WITH A SPEARS IS DESTOYING THE COMPLEX AND KILLING EVERYONE, WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS A SERVANT" said Miyuki as she too made use of the telepathy spell to ask for help.
"Are you ok?"
"We are about to leave the complex through a hidden passage but we need help" said Miyuki.
"And you will get it, avoid all confrontation, we are on our way" said Shirou again as the communication was closed.
"We need to be moving" said Shirou.
"And how you do pretend to do that?" asked Semiramis, attracting the attention of everyone. "so far two servants are attacking the Master Clans and we do not know if they will attack here as well"
"Could they be attacking the other Master Clans?" asked Kiritsugu joining the talks.
"I do not think so, Siegfried has too much pride to do something like this, Gilgamesh will believe that this is to insignificant to bother with this." Answer Semiramis.
"What about that woman, Morgan?" asked Aoi.
"Like Gilgamesh she will not bother with something like attacking these clans of yours, but you should be more worried about yourselves, that crazy witch is obsessed with destroying anything that resemble Merlin and his legend, so there is a chance that she is on her way here, so I recommend you to save your forces and get ready for a possible attack right here"
"But we have to do something, we can't ignore them" said Shirou.
"You are a hero at heart, I respect that, but at the same way that worries me, you are not a single warrior facing his enemies, like it or not you have become the leader of this small group now, you need to make choices using your head not your guts, otherwise you and the people that follow you will die, I am not telling you to abandoned them to their fate, I am saying is that if you want to save as many as you can you need to go there with a plan" said Semiramis.
Those words stopped Shirou in his track, it is true that he wants to safe as many as he could, but the idea of losing any of his family really scared him.
"She is right, you know it, right?" asked Rin.
For a second Shirou closed his eyes and remained silent, but then when he opened his eyes something has changed.
"Semiramis is right, everybody listen up this is what we are going to do" said Shirou as he looked at his family. "We are going to divide us in three groups, Semiramis I want you to stay here on guard in case they decide to attack this place, after all they believe that you are dead so there is no point in them seeing you around"
"Are you sure that you want to trust me with your home and family? I can still betray you, you know"
"Something deep in me tell me that I can trust you, beside if you are right and Morgan comes here you will have your chance to set accounts with her"
"That is a good point" said Semiramis with a little smile pretending to be indifferent when the truth is that she was happy to hear that he trusts her for some reason.
Shirou then turns to see the others.
"Sakura, Illya and Rin you will go to the Yotsuba mansion while I will go to the Saegusa mansion"
"Will you go alone? That is too dangerous" said Sakura with fear in her voice.
"You said it yourselves you are not at the level of a servant yet, but if the three of you face one at the same time you will have a chance and I will fight with all that I got from the beginning hoping to end my fight as soon as soon as possible to go to help you, if you see that you can't win take with you Miyuki and the others and escape, if that is not possible take a defensive position until I arrive"
"Are you sure about this?" asked Illya.
"This is our best choice and we do not have time to think of another plan"
"Shirou is right" said Rin. "But you have to promise that you will come back alive and that if we manage to rescue them before you, we will go to help you"
"I understand but please be careful"
"They will not go alone; I will go as well" said Tatsuya.
"Are you sure about this" asked Illya.
"No, but that doesn't matter now and as you said it, we do not have time"
"I will go as well" said Kiritsugu.
"Dad?"
"I have combat experience and while they face that servant, I can take the others to a safe place"
"Ok then, let's go"
With that all of them leaving to their respective battle fields, Iris, Aoi, Sella and Leysritt began to get ready in case someone come back injured.
Back to the Yotsuba complex.
We see Miyuki was running with her Mother, Aunt and Honami through a secret tunnel that lead them to a secret exit just outside the complex, next to a road with an escape vehicle that they have in a hidden location, in case of emergencies. And by the root this is one.
"We are almost there" said Honami. As she was the first to exit the tunnel, after she confirms that there are no enemies around, she gives the signal to the others to follow her.
"Just a little more" added Miyuki as she saw the shed that has the escape car. But before she could begin to feel safe the car exploded.
"BOOOM!"
The force of the explosion made their group to fall to the ground. For Miyuki the impact was something that she didn't expect and everything turns black for a moment, but when she opens her eyes, everything blurred, nothing made sense and she couldn't recognize anything.
"-ki, -yuki, Miyuki" she hears a voice that she couldn't locate until someone took her hand.
"Mom!" said Miyuki as her mother took her hand to see if she was fine, it was in that moment that she could focus her eyes again and saw that she was inside of a blue energy dome that she recognizes as Honami's barrier.
"Miyuki are you ok?" said her mother.
"I think so, but what about you and aunt Maya?"
"We are fine but now is not the time to talk" said Maya's voice from behind her. "Because we have company"
In that moment from the fire that was in front of them a lone figure with a spear walked ignoring the flames as if they were nothing for him.
"Nice barrier little girl, you managed to rise your defense to protect the others form the bigger part of the explosion, jare, jare, and I was hoping that that would leave you unconscious so it will be easier to take you with us, but I guess that I will have to do this the hard way"
"How did you know that we were using this tunnel, it was supposed to be a secret?!" said a mad Honami.
"I was once in your position, with my home been attacked by hostile force, and my people running for their lives, so I guessed that you will do the same when your saw that your home was lost, that and that an old worn made a research about you and your home and it gave that information to us"
"The only man that I know that has that description is that useless of Matou Zouken" said Miya, she already knew that Zouken joined forces with the GAA and that all the information that he must have is one way or another is now in the hands of their enemies, thanks to the meeting that she had the other night with the Emiyas but she couldn't say that because that would expose how she got that information and that will expose the Emiyas, but more importantly that would expose Tatsuya to danger.
"I see that you are a smart one" said the man with a spear.
"Who are you? Why are you doing this?" said Miya, following the idea of her sister to hide the information that they had about them.
"Just a person that was asked to invite you to our home"
"We prefer to die before going with you!" said Maya.
"Sorry but that will be against our plans, so I can't allow that to happen" with that he move so fast that they couldn't follow him with their eyes, only to reappears right in from of the energy barrier that Honami has made, and taking the base of his spear he just hit the barrier that broke as if it was made of glass.
"Dam you!" was all that Honami could say as the strike hit her on her side and send her flying until she impacts a tree, but even then, she refuses to give up and fights to remain conscious, but manages to say something. "Maya-sama NOW!"
In that moment the lancer that was looking at her turns to see the elder twin that was in front of him using those CAD's that are the modern version of the items that the mages from his era used to cast their magic. He knew that she was planning to attack him and he was ready for that.
"You will regret the day that you chose to attack us, take this Meteor Stream!" said Maya as she used the spell that gave her the title of one of the strongest magicians in the country, she was hoping that this will finish this but them something terrible happens.
"Troy Wall!" said the lancer as a stone wall appeared in front of him completely stopping Maya's power, what it worse it didn't make a single scratch, that was something that should be impossible, even the phalange of the Jumonji clan couldn't resist her attack, but this man just stopped it as it was nothing for him.
"You are a monster!" said Maya.
"Maybe but everything depends on the perspective of the people involved, when my home was attacked and I had to defend it I believed that my enemies were monsters and I made many mistakes that now I regret, now that I am having the experience to be the one on the offensive I can confirm that should I have acted in a different way I could have safe my home."
"What has that to do with us" asked Miya, equally surprised that her sisters magic was useless.
"Nothing, you are just an experience and a tool that I need to get my wish granted"
"I will not let you!" said Miya as she uses her mental interference magic on him, Miyuki saw what her mother was doing joined by using her Niflheim.
"It is useless!" said the lancer as he moves his spears in a fast movement that dispels both magics.
"While I was not a proper mage, my sisters were and the one thing that she taught me was that your power has to be greater than the one of your enemy if you want to affect them, and I am stronger than all of you together"
"Bastard!"
"But I have to congratulate all of you, you are stronger than what I expected and as a sign of respect I will tell you that my name is Hector, you can curse me all that you want in your new home"
With that he turns around and began to leave that place as more black clothed soldiers began to arrive.
"Take them" was his only order.
With that the soldiers began to move towards the girls pointing their weapons. This was a serious situation, both Miya and Maya had just used their strongest spells against the servant and they didn't work, so they will need some time before they could use magic of that level again and while they could take down these soldiers with the little magic that they have left but they knew that the servant lancer will just take them down himself.
But before the soldiers could get any closer, they put their hands on their necks as if they need air before turning into blue fire and disappearing.
Lancer stopped walking and turned around to see four figures were walking towards him from the shadows the trees made in the night.
"Oh, so you really came, but where is the one that gave Saber a hard time? I was hoping that I could have some fun with him"
"He is busy at the moment kicking the ass of your other friend, but after he is done throwing out the garbage, he will come here to see what we are about to do to your sorry face!" said Ilya through her helmet.
"Oh really? Well if he is facing that salvage, I won't be surprised that he manages to kill it but I seriously doubt that he will have an easy fight or that you will last enough with me to wait for his arrival" said Lancer.
"We will see" said Rin as she got ready to fight with Sakura, Illya and Tatsuya next to her.
Saegusa mansion.
All the residents of the Saegusa mansion didn't know what to think about how this night had turned out to be, but for now they were feeling a sense of relief and hope. After the intruder had penetrated the main entry of the mansion and eliminated the guards, they receive the order to take refuge in the mansion while the ones that were already inside gave covering fire.
But now they were trapped in their own mansion with those soldiers trying to get inside and that man on that horse is just there, waiting for his men to get inside the mansion. Something that the residents didn't make any easier as they counter attacked from inside the mansion.
But then that man on the horse took a bow and an arrow out of nowhere and from the top of the horse he shot an arrow that caused a big explosion on the main door.
The explosion was so big that it manages to make everyone inside fall to the ground.
"Big sis, I am scared" said Izumi.
"Me too" added Kasumi.
"Don't worry, we only need to resist a little longer and a hero will come to help us" said Mayumi as she helps them to get up, she prays that the help that she asked the Emiya family manages to arrive in time.
But she couldn't deny the fear that she has when she hears the enemy's speech began.
"Their last defense has just fallen, now get in there and take everything that we come for!" said the rider.
The soldiers of the GAA that were accompanying him give some victories screams and began to charge against the mansion, but their happiness didn't last as a rain of red beams began to fall from the sky killing many of them.
The few that manage to survive fell back not understanding what that hell just happened. But Rider remained still calm as he turns to see the tress in the garden.
"Finally! A real challenge, this mission was to boring and I was hoping for some action" said Raider as he saw a lone figure walk from the shadows.
"Sorry but your fun will not last as I have to finish you right now" said the voice of a man in battle armor as the bow that he had just disappears as a pair of twin blades, one black and the other one white appears in his hands.
"Ne-san Is that the hero that you told us about?!" said an exited Izumi.
"Yes, he is" answered Mayumi.
"You are friends with the phantom blade!" said Kasumi.
"This is not time to talk but pay attention, you are about to see a fight between two of the strongest warriors in this world" said Kouichi just as the two warriors charge at each other, one on top of his horse, the other one running by his own.
Back in the forest of the Yotsuba complex.
"KYAAAAAA!" screams Lancer as he uses his lance to block the shots made by Rin.
Ever since they began the battle the girls and Tatsuya had opted for the strategy of staying in a square formation keeping Lancer in the center at a safe distance and use ranged attacks, and each time that he tries to get close to one of them the others will attack him from the others three directions, they knew that they couldn't win with this tactic but they were just getting enough time.
But unfortunately, time is something that Lancer will not give them by free.
"Is that all that you have? I have to said that I am a little disappointed, while you are stronger that those twins over there, you are still not enough to make me get serious"
"This isn't a game! I do not understand you are supposed to be a hero! Why are you doing this?" said Illya.
At this words Lancer got serious by a moment. Before he turns to see her.
"Two of the men that destroyed my home are now called heroes and legends, Why? They helped to destroy one of the most beautiful cities and cultures that this world has ever seen, yet today the people tell their stories as if they were noble champions! Don't make me laugh! What about the people that had their lives and were destroyed, but it didn't matter to you or anybody in this world because you just love the winners, it doesn't matter what have they done, as long as they achieve victory that is the only thing that matters and the greater the victory the greater the hero that the story will remember you and this time I will win! I will be a great hero"
Said Lancer as he was telling his story. But in that moment Illya believe that she has an opening. Remembering what Shirou has always told them about how words are useless on a battle field, without saying anything she sends her attack hoping to get him in his back.
But lancer jumped at the last second avoiding the attack so fast that his image fades for a second just to appear in front of Illya.
"Good instinct, you went for my back and didn't give any signal of your attack or killing intent, not bad but not enough" said Lancer as he moves his spear and hits Illya in her side sending her flying and hit against a tree that brakes under the impact.
"Big sister!" said Tatsuya and he moves to take his chance as to aim his silver tool against lancer, heroic spirit or not he will just cease to exist if he hit him with his mist dispersion.
So, Tatsuya actives his elemental sight to see the information of his target, that was a bad idea. After all, how should a human interpret the information of a heroic spirit that had been in the throne of heroes? The answer is that they can't.
It happened in a moment, but in that moment Tatsuya saw a force unlike anything that he has ever seen, so intense that that it was almost blinding, but even like this Tatsuya tries to use his mist dispersion on him, that was a terrible error for Tatsuya because it was as if the same eidos was locking the information of the servant and the force that he use to try to active his magic was returned to him in a painful way.
"AHHHH!" said Tatsuya as he takes his hand to his head.
"Children should stay away from this" said Lancer as he once again fades, just to appear in front of Tatsuya and kick him in the stomach, sending him flying just to land next to where Honami was trying to stand up again.
"NOO!" said Miyumi as she runs towards her brother as he lied unconscious with Honami crawling to get closer to him
"Do not worry, he and the woman from earlier are still alive, after all we need them for our future plans"
"What makes you believe that we will allow you to do that!" said Illya as she stands up from her site of impact and joined her sister for a new round.
While this was happening the Yotsuba twins were looking from the sides, trying to process what is happening before their eyes.
It seems that what the Emiya told them about the power of a single servant wasn't fairy tales. And now their family was in great danger. For Miya that was a source of a greater fear as her two children were here and now one of them lied on the ground with her daughter trying to wake him up.
Seeing this made Miya regret her past choice for the millionth time. But now is not the time to be thinking that.
"Sister, we need to take Miyuki and Tatsuya and leave this place" said Miya to her sister that was looking at the battle that was happened just in front of her.
"We were fools" said Maya.
"Sister?"
"All this time, all the choices that we made, of the resources and sacrifice that we made were with the sole propose to keep our position as one of the strongest clans. But look at them" said Maya looking at how Rin, Illya and Sakura fight against that creature. "But now we know that we were only frogs happy to be the biggest ones in a small puddle without knowing about the big sea. All that we had done so far was for nothing"
"We will worry about that later; we need to escape while we have the chance" said Miya.
"That won't happen!" said new voice that come from behind them.
Both sisters turn around to see a man that was wearing some strange clothes that looks like a white tiger. Miya immediately recognize him as Lu Ganghu, a member of the special forces that belongs to the GAA. She and Maya were already weakened because they have used their strongest magic against that lancer and she knew that they were in trouble.
But for Maya it was something worse. As the face of that man had hunted her nightmares. Because right in from of her was a man that she had prayed to never see again unless for identify his body.
Lu Ganghu.
The man that had kidnap her when she was younger.
The man that had taken her away from her family.
The man that had raped her and toyed with her body before he gives her to the rest of his men.
The man that destroyed all her dreams and hopes for the future.
And he was right in from of her.
All the fear that she has for him, all the hate, resentment and many emotions more assault her. The memories of those horrible days began to reappear in her mind, her head hurts and it became difficult to Maya to breathe, her legs become weak and she fell to her knees.
"Sister!" said Miya as she knees beside her to see if she was fine.
"And I believed that you would happy to see your first man" said Lu Ganghu.
"You monster! It was you that hurt my sister! Why did you do it, why can't you and your people leave us alone!" said Miya as she stepped to defend her sister. She was without magic but even if she has to die, she will not fail her again, she will never allow a member of her family suffer the same again.
Maya for some reason began to remember the talk that she has with Iris, she didn't know why, maybe because that is the way of fate to tell her that there is no knight in shining armor for her in any part of this planet.
Just when Miya was about to gather all the magic to use her in one last attack, her last thoughts before what she truly believes will be her final act in this world was a prayer hoping that somehow her family will be safe. But just when she was about to attack him, she feels something in her shoulder.
"You don't have to do that" said a voice from behind her.
In that moment that she hears voice that sounded familiar something amazing happened as everything seems to freeze, the sound of the fight around her, the leaves that fell from the trees and more importantly, Lu Ganghu, that monster that has begun his attack towards her. She turns around to see what she feels on her shoulder and saw a hand, but more important is the hand of Kiritsugu Emiya that was also carrying her sister in a princess style.
Before she could ask what is he doing here and how he is slowing time he speaks again.
"I can't keep my spell to long while having to take the two of you, any questions that you have will have to wait, I will take you to where Tatsuya is Please look after him and the others while I take care of this fellow."
Miya didn't know why but she just follows his orders like it was something Natural to do, placing her hand around his arm so he can keep holding her sister Maya, they began to walk towards where Tatsuya, Miyuki and Honami where. Once there he put Maya with delicacy on the ground.
It was in that moment that the time seen to return to the normally.
"Place take care of my son; I will finish him and them we can all leave this place" said Kiritsugu as he turns to face Lu Ganghu and began to walk towards him.
For Miya there was something in the way that he said that Tatsuya was his son that made her heart skip a beat, maybe if she has a husband that was like him and not like that useless idiot that her clan chose for her all would have been different now, but that wasn't important, no in this moment, what was important is that her sister Maya has stopped shaking as she looked how Kiritsugu is heading to face the man that had caused her to much damage.
For Maya, this moment carried a special meaning, because a moment ago she was fearing that all the nightmare of her past will happen again but when she believed that all was over, she felt how she was picked up and carried like a princess, when she looked to see who was the person that was carrying her she was surprise to see Kiritsugu there, rescue her, then he moves towards her sister and while removing one of his hand but keeping her firmly against his body for support he went to help her sister. He just manages to stop her before she could get herself killed and them, they were walking at a normal speed towards where Miyuki and the others where. She knew that the situation was dangerous but for some reason she had never felt safer in her entire life as she is feeling right now in the arms of a man, and now that he heading to face the man that has caused her so much pain she could only pray for his victory.
"You are the CEO of Avalon Tech, aren't you? That means that your company must have a relationship with them" said Lu Ganghu as he points with his thumb the place where Lancer is facing the girls.
But Kiritsugu remains silent.
"You do not talk, that is ok we have some specialists in our base that are expert in making the people talk, I just have to take you as well"
"That will be impossible because you are about to die" was Kiritsugu answer.
"So secure for someone that is only a business man"
"If you were expecting to make time so the soldiers that you sent to take some of the Yotsuba as prisoners, don't bother. I already killed all of them and after I released the prisoners, I told them to take the vehicles and runaway, so you are now alone."
That was something that Lu Ganghu didn't expect, but he remained in calm, after all he was the master of Lancer and while his soldiers were eliminated, he only need his servant to complete his mission.
"That may be true, but I can see that killing my men must represent a great effort for you. I can see that even if you try to hide it, you are sweating and you are trying to keep your breathing under control, you are in not conditions to fight me right now, that magic that you used a moment ago when you took those women to that place with the kids, that was no acceleration magic, it must be some other thing, after all you can't use acceleration magic while taking others with you and you didn't run, you just walked away but from my point of view you moved faster than running. Whatever magic you use was something new, but I can see that it is taking a lot from your body". Said Lu Ganghu, as a combat veteran you do not managed to survive this long without observation skill.
"That is if I will use only magic" said Kiritsugu as he took from his coat a Calico M950 gun and began to fire at his enemy without giving time to react.
But Lu Ganghu used his wind spell to create a barrier that protect him from the bullets, when the bullets cease their attack, he releases his barrier to launch his counter attack but Kiritsugu wasn't in the same place anymore. He was about to look around to see where he could be when something touches his feet, it was some grenades.
"You son of…"
BOOOOM
Front the left side of where Lu Ganghu was, we see now see Kiritsugu looking at the flames that result from the explosion.
"That was interesting" said a voice from the fire as Lu Ganghu stepped out of it. "But you were not really expecting that that will kill me, didn't you?"
"Dream never hurt someone"
"Dreams no, but I on the other hand will break your bones! The fact that you are using only normal weapons means that you have exhausted your magic and those weapons can hurt a combat magician"
"Really lest test that theory" said Kiritsugu as he took out a real antique, a Smith & Wesson M29. Normally he would use a Thompson Contender, but his daughter Illya told him that in a real battle an enemy will not give him the time to reload his single shot weapon, and that he should use another weapon that can have more of his origin bullets ready to be used, that is why he chose the M29 as his new weapon. Illya also helped him to create more of his origin bullets using his blood instead of his bones to create them.
"Dad! If you use more of your bones to create your special bullets you will look like pudding, I will help you to make more bullets using your blood and they will be even better than the previous ones"
Kiritsugu still remember how Illya scolded him, but he was happy and proud with how his children helping him and his wives to improve their magic in levels that they never imagined. Like if they knew something about their own magic that they don't know.
But his current problem is that he only has just one more origin bullet, after he took down all the soldiers and rescue the clan members that were takes prisoners. He needs to made his last bullet count.
That is why he use the Calico M950 and the grenades, to give him the idea that he has no more magic left and make him look down at his weapon. He was hoping that with the failure of his last two attacks Lu Ganghu will underestimate him and, in combat, the worse mistake that he could make is underestimating your enemy.
And that is exactly what Lu Ganghu did when he charges right infront to attack him. So Kiritsugu rise his M29 and aim it toward his enemy and fired.
For Lu Ganghu this looked like a last resource of a desperate man and with his magic he could see how the bullet was moving towards him so to show his enemy that everything that he will try to use is futile, he strikes the bullet with an open palm strike.
That was a terrible mistake that he will regret as soon as his hand cover with his wind magic made contact with the bullet she saw with horror and paid how the bullet pierce his magic and penetrate his hand.
"ARRRRGGGGG! What did you do to me!?" said Lu Ganghu with pain as he saw the hole in his hand. But then something began to happen on his entire arm as his arm began to deform with horrible mean balls that were advancing towards his body, feeling the danger he did the only thing that he could think about in that terrible situation. He cut his right arm out.
"GRAFHHHHHHHHH! I am going to kill you for this" said Lu Ganghu as he once again began to attack him.
While hand to hand combat wasn't Kiritsugu specialty, he wasn't too bad at it, so taking out a knife he began to face the man in from of him while praying so he could bleed to death if he made enough time.
But that was something that Lu Ganghu didn't have any intention to cooperate as he tried to cut his head off with his only remaining arm.
"Damn! If I could only use my double accel one more time" thought Kiritsugu. Initially when he arrived to this part of the woods, his intention was to use his time alter magic to put a bullet on the head of Lu Ganghu, after all he recognized him and knew that he is bad news, but when he saw how Miya was about to sacrifice her life to try to protect her family; he didn't have any other choice but to rescue them first, missing the element of surprise and his best chance to kill this man.
"AHHH!" said Kiritsugu as he receives a hit on his stomach that sends him flying a couple of meters before he falls hard on the ground but he manages to stand up and get out of the way as Lu Ganghu had just jumped and was about to fall on him, but still manage to land a reverse punch on Kiritsugu's face but he manage to resist it and stay standing.
"I can´t keep this for too long and I am worried about the girls, I had no other choice but to risk everything in the next move" thought Kiritsugu as he gathered the mana that he still has and then activates his spell.
"Double Accel!" said Kiritsugu as he charges against Lu Ganghu and began to trade blow after blow, with him using his knife traying to land a lethal attack but Lu Ganghu keeps managing to avoid him.
It was in that moment that all the power that Kiritsugu had left ran out and return to a normal speed, something that his enemy didn't miss and kicked him with all the hate that he feels for the man that has just took his arm. Kiritsugu landed next to where he had left the Yotsuba twins, next to where Tatsuya was.
Miya and Maya saw with great worry how Kiritsugu was trying to stand up, even with all that he has gone through, he was still willing to fight for them, that image and idea will be something that Maya will remember for the rest of her life.
"This is the end of the line" said Lu Ganghu as he got closer to them.
"Yes, it is, but for you" said Kiritsugu as he stands up but instead of facing him one more time he turns around and jumps over the Yotsuba twin as he shouts. "Take Cover!"
For a moment Lu Ganghu didn't understand what is happening, but in that moment he feel something in the side of his armor, when he takes a look he saw that under his armor there was an active grenade, he hurries to try to remove it but it was on the same side as the arm that he was now missing, knowing that he was as good as dead and that he can't remove the grenade in time with the last of his life he prepares to take them with him to hell where he could get his revenge.
So, he began to run towards them.
"I will kill you all, I will see you in h-" BOOOOM!
In a rain of blood and human flesh, Lu Ganghu, elite soldier of the GAA had leaft this world. But he did manage to get close enough for the shock wave of the explosion to affect them but thanks that Kiritsugu used his body as a shield, the two women were intact but Kiritsugu receive some fragments of shrapnel in his back. But before the sisters could ask if he was all right, he give a final order.
"GILRS NOW!"
A few second later Rin, Sakura and Illya appeared next to them and without saying anything they took them and used their teleportation spell leaving that place just as a spear landed in the same place where they have been a second earlyer.
"Oh boy, they did manage to escape, oh well we will see each other again and the next time there will be no chance to run away" said Lancer as he arrives to pick up his spear.
This is chapter 24, I wanted to dedicate this chapter to develop the base for the Kiritsugu/Maya/Miya part of the story. For those that are wondering what happened with the fights between our heroes and the servants, that will be show on the next chapter.
Also, I am in the process to update some fics, I will appreciate you give them a review. But I have to tell you that I plan to make those stories as different as I can from all the other stories that had been writing before using this series as a base.
The first one is a Naruto Fic. The main plot line is that Naruto began to remember his past lives and get stronger as he uses those memories to train, it is a harem fic with Hinata and Hanabi that in my fic will be only one year younger than Hinata. The first two chapters are already with my beta.
The second story, is the continuation of my one shot between Fate Stay Night and Familiar of the zero. From here I plan to tell you that this fic will also include elements of others manga and that I will move the time line of some event to create a fic as unique as possible.
Until the next time.
Beta Note:
This should have been done ages ago, I curse my ability to binge watch XCOM and playing FGO events at the same time
