Author's Note: I'm really thankful to Mae and Plague for revising this chapter. They've done a wonderful job beta-ing and being patient with my writing. I'm also thankful to the people on the writing discord server for helping bounce ideas around. If you have any questions or criticisms, feel free to review or PM me.
Chapter 2: Pawn Promotes
Some days were confusing, but he doubted that his life was this hectic. Between the taste of blood and the throbbing of his head, all he could mutter was, "What?"
She raised her eyebrow, "You have the Command Seals, do you not? In accordance of your summon, I have come forth as your Servant."
He had no idea what those were. "What are you talk—-"
The neighboring house exploded, timbers and concrete scattered in all directions. The monster crashed back into the yard and as the dust settled, Issei gawked.
"▂▂▃▃▅▅ーーー！"
Crimson veins pulsated and sizzled throughout its blackened muscles. Arms as thick as tree trunks brandished a jagged slab; each slash through the air thrummed in his ears. There was no sympathy or warmth in its gnarled face.
"What is that thing?" Issei shouted.
"An enemy, but this form," the woman frowned. Her armor clinked as her gauntlets tightened around an invisible weapon. "What kind of Servant has such malicious energy? Master, please retreat to a safer location!"
Without waiting for his reply, she dashed forward. Sparks flew as their weapons grinded against another. She surged as lightning, and the enemy echoed like thunder. His eyes widened as he covered them with his arms and dug his heels in. The pressure of their blows flooded the air, setting his tattered jacket aflutter like a rampant sail.
He felt lost, trapped within the brewing storm that their clash created. His arms trembled and legs shivered. His entire world was set off course, plunged into a murky ocean of broken wood, asphalt, and ashes. But his fear boiled off, the moment he saw her in action.
Her radiance came not from her intricate armor nor her beauty, but her will. The sight of her braving the landfall of attacks from the monster awoke something within him — a raw feeling that steadied him. His heart hammered in sync to the beat of their strikes, and he could not tear his eyes away from it all. Excitement welled within him, or perhap it was nostalgia.
Either way, it was familiar.
He was no stranger to the battlefield, it seemed.
He could see how the woman fought with her invisible blade. Her skill and footwork were impeccable — not one step out of tempo. They waltzed across the yard; they tangoed on the walls. This Beauty led the Beast around in this deadly dance, yet he was no amateur either. There was a finesse underneath the frenzy of thrashing limbs. It unnerved Issei to see that it had no issue dealing with her swordplay; every swing met hers with earth shattering force.
They were equal, but he knew it was only a matter of time before the tides changed.
He clenched his fists. He was stranded away from the fight, and growling at the heavens didn't help anything. Doctor Roman mentioned that he was qualified to join Chaldea, yet he didn't know how to use a single spell!
"Damn it all!" Issei cried.
He couldn't save Mashu, he couldn't protect Ritsuka, and he couldn't help this woman.
He had no memories. He had no power. He had nothing.
Useless. Pathetic. Weak.
The dead grass crunched underneath his stomping, and disgust bubbled from the rage brewing within. He wanted to be strong! Strong enough to never feel so helpless ever again!
Issei closed his eyes, trying to douse his anger. He wasn't going to find any answers without a calm mind. The world of flames evaporated around him, leaving him submerged within a dark ocean.
He struggled to breathe. Sorrow and doubt were drowning him, but he couldn't find any reprieve from this deluge. His misery tightened the chains around his frantic heart and leadened his arms, preventing him from escaping this mire of uncertainty and weakness. He didn't want to think that there wasn't salvation. He wanted to break free no matter the cost.
"Issei…"
The weights loosened. There was enough slack to allow him to plough through the surface of the water. He heaved, searching around for the person who had whispered so sweetly through the depths, but there was nothing to meet him but the cold caressing of waves.
"Issei, that's not how you do it. Come over here."
Her voice reeled in his heart. The call was so melodious, so alluring — he was helpless. A siren's song could not damn him anymore than he did himself.
"Inside of you lies an aura. Immerse yourself within it and familiarize yourself with its texture. Feel how it ebbs and flows."
He clung on her words as they echoed inside of his head and delved within himself, desperate to unlock anything. He searched and searched, but what was he supposed to feel? Nothing but despair greeted him: its claws dragged him deeper into the growing pool of misery.
"The foundation of using your power is imagination. Concentrate all of it into an image, an image of what is strong to you."
He didn't know what was strong! He couldn't feel anything powerful inside of him! There was no ebb or flow or anything! He wanted more than this. He needed guidance. There has to be someone to tell him what to do, someone to follow after!
For once, he didn't want to swim against the current.
"You have the potential for greatness. I want to see how far you can — no, how far you will go. No matter what happens, I'll believe in you. Never forget that."
He did. He hated every inch of himself for that.
Her face, her name, her importance — they all eluded him. There was no compass, no lighthouse that could navigate him through the fog of his amnesia.
Yet she believed in him.
He didn't care if she was real or not. Faith was strange. He had little, yet her words uplifted him. He wanted nothing more than to drown within her warmth, to anchor himself in the comfort of familiarity, but he couldn't.
The odyssey must continue.
He needed an image, one powerful enough to help them, but what did he even remember? The answers illuminated the fog away.
He recalled the hearty chuckles of Romani Archaman as the good doctor browsed through the various monitors of his station. The excitement within his questions, the care in assessing his condition, and the ease in which he offered a safe haven — such warmth comforted away the darkness of the unknown.
He remembered the flaxon, shrill and terrifying; its red lights eliminated any shadows hiding within. The fires of the newfound hearth were doused, and his world no longer felt safe. The walls shook and swayed before capsizing into the hellish inferno, and amidst the sea of melted steel and shattered concrete, he found Mashu Kyrielight.
She was as pale as her pink hair, and crimson liquid blossomed across her shirt. Despite that, she smiled and asked, "Could I see the sky one day?"
Issei reached out to her, but she vanished into a shallow pool of water. A drop fell from above, sending forth ripples throughout. Then another. He raised his head, letting the growing rain wash over his sticky cheeks. The thunder echoed his snarl.
A umbrella covered his vision.
"This was not the sky that she wanted to see."
Ritsuka Fujimaru stood before him. Uniform marred by ash and hair bathed in mud, she offered him a hand. Her skin was dry and warm under his.
"It's a long journey to find what you're looking for, but no one said you had to do it alone, right, Issei?"
His past was locked away behind unknown doors yet Ritsuka's words opened one forward. The trio helped him when he had nothing; he would help them in return, for they were now his everything.
He marched onwards, and in the horizon, he saw a woman in blue.
She stood tall with squared shoulders; a strand of her blond hair waved in the breeze that brushed the evergreen pastures. The green stretched as far as his eyes could see, and the sun weaved itself between the clouds, but his breath only stopped as he caught a glimpse of her eyes. They were not wide with innocence nor joy nor fervor.
Pain. Loss. Failure.
He knew them well. They had drenched his actions ever since he had woken up in that bed, in that hospital where he knew nothing. With each step he took, he found it harder and harder to keep his eyes open, but Issei could not entertain the thought of closing them. Not when the faces of the people caught in that explosion haunted him. If he couldn't help himself, how could he help anyone? But even so, there was something else of hers that attracted him.
Determination. Courage. Hope.
Her gaze was fixed towards the rising sun. He wondered what she was looking for.
As he approached her, she asked, "Are you ready?"
He was ready for everything.
They walked together in silence. There was no opening for small talk, no discernable emotions upon her face. He decided it didn't matter. He let the wind comb his hair as he listened to the rustle of grass.
The walk soothed him, seeping away his worries, questions, and doubts. She gave him no hints to where they were heading, but he didn't care. It felt as if they had walked down similar paths for untold years.
Something about her resonated within him. They moved, breathed, and blinked as one. Two parts of a greater whole.
Maybe she was someone from his forgotten past.
Before he could speak, they stopped in front of a black, rectangular stone. The sky painted the glossy sheen a dull orange. A sword, red grip and golden hilt, was embedded within it. He stepped forward to examine it closer.
Did she want him to retrieve this sword? He turned around, but she had vanished. He could see nothing else around him.
There was no other choice. He grasped the hilt.
"We decided to offer you this sword to place our hopes in you."
A voice — he could not tell whether male or female — spoke from afar.
He cried out as the ground rumbled: black chains erupted forth and bound his ankles and wrists. He could not move. Darkness ravaged the sky and ground, as if someone poured paint all over this world, and it seeped towards him. The sword's aura was the last bastion for him. Its dim light held the corruption at bay in a circle around the stone.
"For you are known as the Weakest Host in history, we thought this could support you. In order to grasp a better future for us all, fighting is necessary. You'll encounter various enemies and challenges. Are you willing to accept this mantle?"
Did he make this choice before? Would he accept it again?
This was his only path forward. There would be no regrets.
His grip tightened, and he couldn't help but smile in spite of the situation. Like a friend returning to him,its energy flowed into him, into his heart, and permeated his very being.
"Immerse yourself within it and familiarize yourself with its texture."
Doubt once blinded him, but now he could see it clearly. He stirred the vast pool of energy inside of him. A storm brewed, and this time he stood at the center.
"Feel how it ebbs and flows."
An image of a red dragon emblazoned itself onto his mind. Its eyes, a brilliant green, pierced through him. It began to roar, and he joined in. The winds shook the foundations of his world; the dams could not longer contain it.
The chains clinked and crackled as power erupted through his battered limbs. A red tattoo gleamed on the back of his left hand. It was fitting that it was similar to a sword.
"Concentrate all of it into an image, an image of what is strong to you."
Roman, Mashu, Ritsuka, and the woman flashed before his eyes. It was true that he had no memories, and it's true that he was weak.
"No matter what happens, I'll believe in you. Never forget that."
It didn't matter. Faith was heavy, far more than these chains, but he didn't mind bearing it. They snapped off one by one as he pulled the sword upwards and revealed the blade.
"Awaken the truth of Asca— "
"—Lon!"
With a final tug, he freed the sword. Its aura, unrestrained and rampant, enveloped the world before him. The rest of his binds melted within the sea of golden light; it scrubbed away the taint to return the familiar hills. The sun met his eyes and embraced away the cold and numbness.
Such a clear sky, he thought. He would brave any storm, endure any flood, withstand any torrent because at the end of every day, it was worth it to see this gem again. He knew what he had to do.
He closed his eyes and exhaled.
Ash and char laced the next inhale. Issei heard the crackle of steel and the thundering of explosions. He delved into the pool of energy again, suffusing his body alongside with Ascalon. A red glow shimmered through its blade; it hummed with its desire to do battle. He kicked off the ground and the space between them vanished.
Ascalon met the enemy's weapon as he used his hands to endure the weight of the attack. His heels sank into the ground, and dirt entered his shoes. He grunted. If he hadn't tapped into that energy, there was little doubt that there would be anything left of him. One of his shoulders jerked back, and it took him everything to hold his sword steady.
He refused to crumble. It was just getting started!
The monster was forced to block the woman's assault from its right side, and the pressure eased off of him. His arm sagged as he backpedalled. Her wide eyes met his in that moment, but she could do nothing but scowl as she weaved under a slash.
There was no time to waste; he had this one chance. He bit back a moan, regripped the hilt, and forced himself back into position. He acted as the bridge between his soul and the sword, and it hungered for his power. Red aura turned into golden light — the blade cried for its name to be spoken.
"ASCALON!"
He swung down.
"▂▂▃▃▅▅ーーー!"
The monster recoiled. Black ichor gushed out from the stump of its arm. Issei rolled backwards as the woman rushed towards his side. She held him tight as she jumped away, and the rapid flow of air cooled his sweat.
As soon as they landed, she propped him against the broken wall of a house. He winced as she laid a hand on his shoulder. "Master! That was very foolish of you to enter a battle between servants!"
"I don't like the feeling of not being able to help," Issei said.
"At the cost of injuring your shoulder? What if I couldn't stop the enemy in time? Master, you could've easily died, do you understand that?"
"I know," Issei frowned. He raised Ascalon onto his lap. He had charged in without thinking, too eager to do something and almost paid the price. "But still, we managed to hurt that Servant, right?"
"Even if you wounded him, the tenacity of this servant is not to be underestimated," she sighed. Her eyebrows unfurrowed as she glanced upon his sword. "This time, you must remain here. Injuries aside, your Od levels are too low after using your Noble Phantasm."
It was confusing enough without more words he didn't understand, but he couldn't deny the truth: he felt drained and dried up. He could barely move his right arm. He would only be a liability if he insisted on helping. Before he could say anything, he could feel her wrap him into an embrace again. The ground and sky flipped around as she jumped.
A massive explosion sounded one second later; splinters and concrete sprayed the air. His vertigo had no time to settle as she somersaulted over upcoming debris. Wind pounded in his ears, and the broken buildings were a blur at the speed she was going.
It was embarrassing to be carried over her shoulder, but he couldn't complain when he saw what lied after them. Red lights glittered from above, and his eyes widened as he realized they were incoming projectiles. She waited until the last moment to accelerate in order to avoid a direct hit. Several times, Issei could feel the heat whiplash from the impacts.
"We're at a disadvantage," she grunted. "Another Servant is engaging us from a great distance. Judging from the precision of these shots, it might be the Archer Servant."
Issei groaned. They had enough trouble dealing with this Servant, and now another one popped up. How much worse could this get?
"▂▂▃▃▅▅ーーー!"
He wanted to smack himself. The ground shook, and Issei could feel goosebumps rise. His injured arm began to twitch. The monster Servant galloped towards them on a set collision course. Steam vented from its mouth, and the lampposts, walls, and buildings between them did nothing to impede its rampage.
Issei clenched his knuckles white. The Servant was no longer injured.
With heavy strides, the pavement gave way into craters, and its two arms were free to smash whatever obstacle was in its way. The closer it approached them, the more his nails dug into his palms. There was no indication of any previous damage.
He recalled her previous words: Servants were more ridiculous that he had thought.
He heard a sizzle and turned around in time to see a trail of fire surged through the ground. It grew into a pillar that consumed their enemy. The flames twisted and grappled it before morphing and solidifying into wooden branches. Issei could hear creaking inside the makeshift entrapment as the Servant roared.
Issei didn't understand what happened, but one threat was gone. Another remained. A giant projectile whistled through the sky. Unlike the others, this one homed onto them. No matter what attempts she tried to zigzag it, the missile continue to hunt them down. The woman shifted him around as she sought to find cover. There was none. She resorted to throwing him off and shouted her apologies before lifting her weapon upwards. Wind began to funnel off from her sword. The barest gleam of golden steel glimmered before a shadow flew over them.
A figure wearing dark armor landed in front of them. She grounded a shield, black and taller than her, to block the shot just in time. A visible shockwave rippled from the collision and sparks spilled over the edges, causing Issei to protect his eyes. The debris pricked all over his hands and cheeks.
"It's alright now, Hyoudou-senpai."
A familiar voice called out to him. He gasped. He couldn't forget it so easily. The first thing that drew his attention was the shade of the figure's hair. It was light pink, the same of the person whose hands had turned cold inside of his.
"Mashu?" Issei exclaimed.
"Yes, it's me, Hyoudou-senpai," Mashu Kyrielight spoke.
Happiness washed away his exhaustion. She sounded alright, yet the image of her blood stained clothes persisted. He scrambled onto his feet using Ascalon as a clutch, and limped towards Mashu. The woman lent him a shoulder to lean on, but he didn't notice. There was only one person on his mind.
Glasses no longer adorned her face, giving an unobstructed view to dazzling violets. It was a great contrast to before. No longer did the light fade from them, instead they were vibrant and full of determination. Her smile melted his goosebumps away. It was genuine, rather than the one she had forced herself to wear before.
Then the blood pounded in his ears, and heat flushed his cheeks. He didn't realize it how much her previous clothes had concealed it, but the armor she was wearing left nothing to the imagination. It gripped around her body with such snugness that it accentuated her soft curves. He couldn't understand how it was supposed to protect her if it left the important parts uncovered!
Issei gulped back saliva, but he had to know if the injury that consumed her before was still troubling her. To his relief, he could see no visible wounds.
"Senpai? Is something the matter?" Mashu tilted her head.
"No," He coughed, trying to clear his mind of impure thoughts. It was not a direction he should go in. They had more important things to think about than what bountiful treasures laid underneath her armor. "What's with the armor? What happened in Chaldea? Why are we here in this city?"
"I'll explain everything later, Senpai," Mashu heaved her shield and turned towards the woman. "You are Senpai's servant, correct? Please escort him and follow me! Ritsuka-senpai and the Director are waiting for us. Caster-san will help cover us."
Issei flinched when a large blue circle popped right next to them. Inlaid with various symbols, it widened enough for a man to step through it. His red eyes flickered to Issei's before widening when he saw the woman. He twirled his wooden staff towards her, causing her to raise her own weapon in response.
Issei gripped Ascalon tighter when the man pointed at him. "Are you this kid's Servant?"
"Yes I am. What of it, Caster?" She said.
"Just making sure," he grumbled. "My runes will hold down Ugly, but it won't last for long. That damn Archer won't let us off that easily either. Go with the Shield Girl, I'll catch up later."
"Very well." She nodded to Mashu. "Lead the way, Servant of the Shield."
His tensed stomach rejoiced as he breathed out. Perhaps their wild voyage could come to a rest. He had so many questions, but he realized he had forgotten something important.
"We didn't get the chance to introduce ourselves," Issei turned to the person who stood by his side this entire time. "I'm Issei Hyoudou."
"Yes, indeed," she paused. "Then let us start over. In accordance to your summons, I have answered and come forth as your Servant. You may call me Saber."
He thought about the Archer and Caster. "Saber isn't your real name, is it?"
"No," she shook her head. "It is the title of the Class that I have been summoned under."
Issei groaned, "I'll just have to admit that I don't understand any of that. Sorry, I'm not much of a 'Master', am I?"
"While your previous actions can be said to be foolhardy," she broke into a small smile, "I could not say it was not courageous. Upon my honor and duty as a Knight, my sword is at your service, Master."
Issei was shocked that such a person would make that kind of vow to him. He didn't feel worthy when he hadn't accomplished anything. But that shouldn't matter, he supposed. Ascalon pulsed inside of him, reminding him of his own oath. If he wasn't capable now, then he'll just have to work hard until he was.
"And my sword at yours, too."