Chapter 10
Heavenly Meeting
Archer's instincts were telling him to run or slay the man before him.
The man was clad in golden armor with broad pauldrons and long drapes attached to said pauldrons. His hair was as long as Illya's, his eyes pointed downwards that only gave innocence, and a holo hovered over his head. Everything about him screamed angel in Archer's mind.
"Welcome," the angel greeted pleasantly, a peaceful smile adorning his face. "Please, take a seat if you will."
Archer scrutinized the angel before sending a glance at the couch and plopping himself down. "So... Who are you?"
Despite Archer's tone, the angel's smile did not waver in the slightest.
"I am Michael, leader of the Seraphim and heaven's domain," the angel, Michael, introduced himself with a slight bow of his head.
Illya opened gaped at the introduction. "Y-Y-You're t-the Michael?!" she stuttered, a blush adorning her face.
Michael nodded. "I am," he reaffirmed kindly. "And who would you be, young lady?"
Illya's mind went blank as her mind overloaded. "I-I-I-Illyasv-viel..." she mumbled out shyly, her hands fidgeting with each other.
Archer allowed himself to smile in amusement at Illya's antics. "So..." he drawled, his smile dropping in an instant and his eyes scrutinizing Michael once again. "What do you want?"
"No need for hostilities," Michael said, his smile trying to disarm the duo. "But I do suppose dragging this any longer would be a waste of both of our time."
Archer merely scoffed before fixing himself in a more disarming and comfortable position. "Go on," he motioned.
Michael seemed to deflate as he too went into a more comfortable but more elegant position. "I am sure that father Ernst has apologized on the Church's behalf on the attack on your persons, Heaven also extends an apology for the misdeeds of one affiliated with us. All we ask for that matter is forgiveness." He then made a slight bow, to which Archer dismissed and motioned him to continue.
"Now, to the main reason why I have come to talk to you in person..." A more determined look crossed his face. "The holy grail."
At those words, both Archer and Illya tensed.
"So my suspicions are correct, you both are somehow connected to the holy grail..." he made no movement as both servants tensed for a fight. "I will not force your answer... But what is your relation to the Holy Grail?"
Archer pondered on the question for a tad bit. This was a new world... A new timeline where the Age of Gods has not ended...
If the Age of Gods have not ended, what was the need to rediscover the Third True Magic, Heaven's Feel?
"We were summoned by it," he declared.
"Who was your summoner?" Michael asked almost immediately, his smile gone and replaced with a neutral frown.
Archer shrugged without skipping a beat. "I do not know, all I know I was suddenly in a cave with Illya here," he ruffled the said girl's hair, eliciting a small squeak from her.
Michael smiled warmly. "Do you know how long ago you were summoned?" he inquired.
"A few months ago," Archer shrugged.
"Do you know where you were summoned?"
He tapped his chin before replying, "It was in a cave near the city of Tampa, in the United States."
The angel nodded in appreciation. "My questions have been mostly satisfied, I do suppose it is only fair for you to ask any questions you have yourselves."
Archer nodded in appreciation, however, before he could ask a question, Illya fired off first.
"CanIseeyourwings?!" she blurted out, mustering enough courage and curiosity to ask.
A surprised look dawned on the angel's face before a light chuckle escaped his lips. "I do apologize, as much as I would love to show you, my power is not something the town can handle easily," he said sincerely. "But do remind me if we ever meet in an isolated area."
"Oh, okay..." Illya looked a bit let down but a little ruffle from Archer and she was embarrassed once again.
"Anyhow, to more serious questions... What is the role of the moonlit world in modern society?" Archer inquired, his posture shifting into a more attentive posture.
Michael raised an eyebrow at the terminology that Archer used but chose not to question it. "Most, if not all, pantheons have separated themselves from the unrelated humans. Of course, organizations like the Church do play an active role in everyday life but the more supernatural elements are kept away from the populous.
"There are, however, many elements of the supernatural interacting with the unaware people; kidnapping, experimentations, miracles, and cross-fire to name some."
Archer slightly grimaced at the first two interactions but continued to ask his questions never the less.
By the time he was finished asking his questions, it was mid-day.
"That's all," he declared. Illya was sleeping against his shoulder, the poor girl had been too bored but insisted on staying to "absorb" all the information alongside him.
Michael nodded with the warm smile still plastered on his face. "Before we depart, I, along with my fellow seraphs in Heaven, would like to offer you an offer of sorts."
"Oh?"
"The Great War claimed many of my brethren, ever my father has fallen in the war..." Archer had to blink a bit at what Michael suddenly revealed. "But, one of the things that Father taught us was forgiveness. To forgive the ones who had wronged us... To Him... Therefore," his voice swelled with conviction, "please, help us end this war, end this uneasy truce to a lasting conclusion, and end the cycle of hatred brewed between all three of us."
Archer had a double-take. "What?"
Michael smiled softly. "I know, to ask help from a stranger, one who has no background, is suspicious. But..." his eyes wandered to the sleeping Illya. "I had a premonition, a vision, of you and your sister shaking hands with me, Azazel, and the new Lucifer...
"So, please..." at this, the angel stood up and bowed deeply, "help me end this war, this truce, and create harmony between all of us... It may be a borrowed dream, but I would love for everyone, no matter the background, to love one another as if they were family... This dream may seem impossible but..."
Michael was cut off by an impassioned voice, "It is impossible but that impossibility makes it worthy of an ideal..." Archer blinked a bit before coughing into his fist. "Sorry, a slip of the tongue." Despite, what he had said, he felt no embarrassment.
After all, if he did not follow those ideals, he wouldn't be reunited with Illya.
"Shirou..." Illya began as she awoke from her slumber, a bit slurred but still clear. "Are you a tsundere...?"
Archer looked away.
Chapter 10 End
Been busy I suppose.
