Rin scrambles to and fro in her room; scratching down notes of what Shirou Emiya told her and adjusting her spreadsheet of the servants and masters. I sigh at her spastic toiling. She may sleep and slack off a lot, but when she gets down to work, she goes all out. I place the platter of tea and cookies I just finished preparing down on the coffee table, in the center of the room.
"Rin." The first time I call out to her, she doesn't seem to hear me. "Rin, the tea is ready." This time, she pauses her writing and turns to look at me.
"Huh? Oh, good. I'll come drink some in just a sec." I frown at her response while taking a seat on the couch, debating whether I should encourage her to just take a break now. "It's crazy..." She suddenly continues. "He's been all over the place; fighting and unveiling these servants. Meanwhile, I can't even manage to find out who this Caster is... Have you ever met anyone like him, Archer?"
I listen to her prattle on while staring at the floral-printed plate with the matching cup and teapot on top of it. The steaming, dark-orange liquid has a faint reflection of myself in it.
"No. I've never encountered someone quite like him." She nods absentmindedly at my response.
Shirou Emiya. There are so many oddities about him. And at the center of it all, the arrow. I reflect upon the one time I held it, that night at the school, after he survived the encounter with Berserker. Holding it, looking upon it; it sent a splitting headache down my skull. The object perturbs me to no end.
I sigh deeply. Rin later informed me he told them it was given to him. Such a thing, though- it wouldn't be given, not by a random passerby.
It doesn't sit well with me knowing that he's going to ghost after Irisviel and Saber tonight. If they happen upon Berserker, there's no doubt he'll jump in to fight with them. That worries me.
Rin snaps me from my thoughts when she takes a seat on the opposite end of the couch, rubbing her tired eyes. After a small yawn, she reaches down and takes her cup of tea and two sugar cubes. I continue thinking as she drops them in and stirs the brew.
"Rin..." I begin, hesitantly.
"Hm?"
"If you're just planning on staying in again tonight, studying Caster's actions, why don't we join the others in seeking Berserker instead? He seems like the biggest threat we've yet to encounter, so it'd be for the best if we worked together to take him down as soon and efficiently as possible." It doesn't take her long to respond by shaking her head.
"Irisviel made it clear to me that she had to take care of this by herself." She explains. "Trust me, if it were up to me, I'd prefer to cooperate on all our endeavors. However, I can't deny that I'd also rest a lot easier if and when I identify this Caster and stop their plans once and for all. Besides, this isn't Irisviel's first rodeo. I'm sure she has enough experience to know how cautious to be with Berserker and his master."
That's my master for you. If needed, she can explain things in a level-headed way that can reassure even me. However... I still can't shake this unsure feeling. Because... Shirou Emiya will be throwing his hat into the mix, as well. If there's one thing I know, it's that when you put two people out on a battlefield together, who worry that much for each other, it only complicates things. One of them will always end up hurt.
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I wait patiently in the quiet shed. The large door is open enough to reveal a small crack, just wide enough for me to peek out of. I'm biding my time until Irisviel and Saber head out for tonight. My plan should be seamless. I set the table with Saber and Irisviel's dinner, excusing myself and saying I wouldn't be joining them; that I wasn't hungry and had to dedicate my time to restringing my bow before heading to bed.
Irisviel seemed to believe my excuse well enough. She gave me a hug and told me that she and Saber would be sure to be back home when I wake up. I almost feel bad for giving her the runaround like this. However, I feel in my heart that this is the right choice.
I find myself growing ever-more impatient and worried as time passes and they still haven't left the house. Did they decide not to go, after all? Not long after thinking this, I see, through the dining room window, the light flicker off. Only a moment later, and I hear the front door slide open. Alright… show time.
I quickly pull on and fasten my worn, leather sash across my torso. There are straps on the back of it to holster my bow and secure a quiver onto, which I rush to do once I have it on. I double-check to make sure everything is secure and intact, ending with a hesitant reach into the usual spot my lucky arrow rests, the front of my pants. It's there. No surprise. I inhale deeply and slowly open the shed door. If an officer happens to see me all dressed up like this, there's no doubt I'll end up at the police station.
I gasp slightly upon stepping out into the night air. It's chillier than I expected. After taking a quick look around the backyard, I begin slowly creeping up to and around the side of the house, across the dew dappled grass.
Once I arrive at the corner of the house, I peek around to ensure the two aren't in the front yard. I see no sign of them, so I continue towards the front gate. I stop at the front door and tug on it to ensure Irisviel made sure to lock it, which she did, before making my exit.
The immediate stretch of the street in front of our house is barren, nothing other than the streetlamps present. I gaze down the left and right, worried I may have already lost the pair. I'm relieved to see the two familiar figures several blocks down the right.
I begin slowly approaching them, darting my gaze all around to see any potential cover for me to crouch behind while following them. I decide my best bet would probably the rooftops of the neighboring houses. Just like how Rider did when she was after me. The only question is, how do I get up there?
I realize I'd better hurry once Irisviel and Saber cease talking and continue walking onwards. I scuttle up to the first house, eyeing a windowsill about 12 feet off the ground. Without thinking, I kick off the sidewalk, place a foot on the wall of the building, and push off before grabbing onto the bottom wooden pane of the window. I swiftly yank myself up and balance myself on the wooden ledge's sparse space with my tiptoes, using my free hands to reach up to the stone-tiled edge of the roof and finish pulling myself up.
Whew. Didn't know I could do that. I deprive myself of a break and rise back to my feet before looking down the street to see if they noticed my little bit of parkour. Irisviel seems none the wiser, continuing to tread forward with her back to me. Saber, however, has her head turned and a single eye fixated back on me. Without knowing how to respond, I simply wave at her. Her gaze turns harsher, but she gives me a knowing look before nodding and turning her attention back forward with Irisviel. I follow in her serious lead and begin stepping lightly across the stone roof, after them.
The duo spends a good bit of time searching throughout our district. I continue stalking them from the rooftops, seeing as it's my best cover available. It remains a simple task, for the most part, but there are a few times I struggle getting to a neighboring roof that's further from my current footing than the rest. It's also a bit more difficult keeping track of them when they enter into a network of alleyways or when they go through a building.
Eventually, we end up at the Fuyuki Bridge. I begin panicking when I see Irisviel move to the entrance to the bridge's side walkway. This isn't good. If they decide to cross the bridge, the only way I'll be able to follow them is if I walk right behind them on the path. Saber seems to notice this, as she's currently giving me a sideways glance with inquisitive eyes, seeming to ask what my next move will be. I could maybe hail a cab to get me across instead. However, this is only assuming there are any closeby and running tonight. Not only that, but there's no guarantee I'll be able to find the pair once I get across. Seeing as they've already begun walking across, I decide to just take the risk and follow on the path after them.
I make sure to keep as much distance away from them as I can, while also making sure to keep them in my sights. Oh god, I feel so nervous. There's no one else on the walkway besides us three, so it's not like I can just walk close behind someone else to avoid being seen by them. And if Irisviel spots me, even from this distance, she'll know it's me. It'd be hard not to with the bow and arrows attached to my back. I continue cautiously following them, feeling my heart jump in my chest whenever Irisviel stops to look out at the river or passing-by traffic.
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Irisviel continues treading forward, never seeming to have her focus or seriousness falter. Occasionally, she'll ask me if I feel another servant's presence or stop to look at something she thought was moving across the street or in the waters below. With how overly cautious she's being tonight, I continue worrying immensely for Shirou.
I'll admit, he's been keeping himself out of sight quite well tonight, however… I glance back again to see his figure following dutifully after us, further down the sidewalk. With how paranoid Irisviel's being, you'd better hope she doesn't decide to look behind her back, Shirou.
We continue walking in silence, the only noise being the occasional vehicle passing by. We're over halfway across the bridge, about three quarters of the way to the other side. Surprisingly, Irisviel seems to have calmed down and is no longer snapping to look at every slight noise or movement. You just might make it, Shirou. Suddenly, Irisviel stops walking.
"Saber…" She states, quietly. "Do you feel anything?" I pause for a moment, surprised by her suddenly stopping in her tracks.
"No, why?" I answer.
"That's strange…" She begins. "Don't be alarmed, but I think someone might be following us." Oh no. I very subtly move my head to look back at Shirou, before tucking my arm behind me and making rapid, waving hand gestures at him, trying to signal that Irisviel is suspicious. "I thought I've felt it for a while now, even back in our neighborhood. Eyes on me. A figure ducking behind a chimney or wall when I look. So, I dropped a magic pressure thread behind me a few minutes ago. Something just stepped on it, setting it off." I look down to her right hand and, sure enough, an almost translucent thread is being led by her fingers.
"Are you sure, Irisviel?" I ask, trying to sound genuine. She nods.
I hasten my hand movements, trying whatever quick, spastic motion I can to let him know he's about to be caught. Shirou places his hands on either side of his head, jerking left to right in a vain attempt to find someplace to hide. Irisviel adjusts her right foot, telling me she's about to spin around and confront the stalker. I see Shirou run to the side rail and look over the edge, down to the water below. As Irisviel moves to turn around, I face forward, not wanting to see his face when he gets discovered.
"Who's there?! Show yourself!" Irisviel loudly shouts into the open night sky. I wait nervously for her to realize just who the mystery stalker is. A few moments pass by in silence. Suddenly, I hear Irisviel let out a long sigh of relief. I look at her in confusion.
"Huh?" I mumble, confused. She's smiling.
"Ah? Oh, it must've just been my imagination Saber. There's no one back there." I quickly turn around as well to face the same way. Huh? Shirou is nowhere to be seen. "Or maybe it was a seagull or something that stepped on it? Hmm?" Irisviel absentmindedly continues as I rush to the side rail in a panic to look down at the river below.
Other than the normal current, I see no ripples or bubbles to indicate something fell in. After staring for a few moments, nothing surfaces. Sh-Shirou?! Where did you- Irisviel walks up besides me and looks over as well.
"Huh? Saber, what are you doing? I said I thought someone was behind us, not down in the river." I look at her with a start, not sure what to say. Should I tell her that her son has been following us up till now only to vanish into thin air? Would she even believe me? "Come on, Saber, let's go. We still have a lot of ground to cover, so let's hurry." She cheerfully states before twirling away and skipping down the sidewalk, unaware of the Houdini act her son just pulled. I look around the bridge and down to the water below one last time, only to see no sign of Shirou. Shirou… Wherever you are, please be safe.
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"AGHHH! DAMMIT!" I shout in fear while dangling from the underside of the bridge, clinging to an iron rail for dear life.
Without thinking, when I'd realized Saber was trying to tell me Irisviel was onto me, I dropped from the side of the bridge and caught onto one of the many, diagonal rails that line the underside. Now that I think about it, it would've probably been better to just let myself get caught at that point.
Surprisingly, my arms aren't struggling to keep me hanging from the support, though I don't know how long that will last. I look around and begin weighing my options on what to do. I can either try to climb back up to the walkway… or fall down into the river and swim across. I look down at the dark water, debating the possibility. For whatever reason, I feel a very, very disturbed feeling when I look at the body of water, so I decide against that choice.
The rail further ahead catches my eye. Could I maybe… swing from rail to rail and get across that way? I almost immediately shoot down the idea, knowing the distance between the rails is too far for such a task. Even if I could make the jump, there's no way my arms would hold out long enough to make it across all the remaining ones. But… I look up at the side of the bridge. The likeliness of me climbing back onto the walkway is just as low. There's no holding for me to grab onto to make my way up.
I sigh. Without letting myself ponder the idea anymore, I begin swinging back and forth from the rail I'm hanging on, to gain momentum. Even if I miss, my only other option is to swim across the river, so it'll be a one-way ticket down, I suppose.
I begin pumping myself up as I swing. You can do it. You can do it. You can do it. You can do it! Without realizing it, I swung forward and released my grip from the rail.
The air rushes past me and my arms flail as I propel forward. As the next rail approaches, I instinctually flatten out and stick my legs back, my arms forward. My hands reach the metallic rim of the red, iron brace. As soon as it's in my grip, I immediately clamp on. In one movement, I kick and swing my legs forward, flying from this rail and to the next one.
Ah…! How am I doing this?! No- wait, don't think. Just keep going. Just. Go.
It's as if I'm playing a video game. I grapple and fling from bar to bar. It's all in a haze, it's all surreal. I try not to think about it, knowing if I do, I'd lose the ability to keep going.
It's just like I'm a kid at the playground. It's just like playing on the monkey bars. As I continue, with only a couple rails remaining, I find myself growing exhilarated and, surprisingly, angry. I huff and grunt as I vault off the last rail. The bridge's large, cross-brace girder protruding from the ground below approaches as I fly through the air.
"Rggh!" I groan as I catch onto the side of the supporting beam. My feet join my hands in hugging the metal, before I let my grip loosen just enough to where I can start sliding down. I keep my eyes on the ground below and, once I'm a safe distance from it, I release my hold and fall down to my feet.
"Y… Yeah!" I shout, raising my fists in the air. What a rush! I didn't think I'd make it at all! I feel a wide grin break its way across my face as I try to steady my rapid breathing. I really am on top of my game today. I'm in peak shape!
I feel another victory shout coming on, but as I raise my fists back in the air, something further away, by the street, catches my eye. It's Saber, staring down at me. Her face is stroked across in disbelief. Huh? Saber?... I wonder how much of that she saw just now.
"Saber?" I hear a voice, Irisviel's, call out from further down the street. Crap! "What are you doing? Hurry up!" I maneuver around the large support beam and duck down just as Irisviel runs into view along the street.
"Right, apologies master." Saber states, pulling her attention from me and giving Irisviel a slight bow of apology. "Shall we?"
With that, the two continue onwards down the street, leaving me behind. I sigh deeply and wipe the sweat from my brow, relieved I didn't get found by Irisviel after all that work. After waiting a moment, I emerge from my hiding and begin walking up to the street so I can continue following them. As I walk, I glance back one last time at the bridge. I stare at the support railings lining the bottom of the massive structure. I can't believe it… the distance between each of them; did I really just consecutively leap across all of that?
I continue following after them well into the night. After everything I've been through, I've more than gotten the hang of the whole stalking thing. There are even several times I'm pretty sure Saber can't tell where I'm hidden as they continue their search. Hours pass and they've yet to run into anything or anyone. Is this really how a night of searching unfoils for them? No wonder Irisviel looked so drained when she got home yesterday morning…
I'm currently perched in a tree, watching as Saber and Irisviel discuss something inaudible to me. We've found ourselves far, far away from Fuyuki Bridge, on the outskirts of the urban city. The duo stands in a street that leads up to, what I assume is, the overseer's church, only a few blocks away. At this point, they've just about covered every inch of the Shinto district. So, unless the little girl is squatting inside the church, I don't think they're over here. It's going to be really frustrating if, in the end, they turned out to be in the district on the other side of the bridge, where we came from, this entire time.
Suddenly, Saber perks up and jerks her head to look at the other side of the street. She shouts something, though I still can't hear it, and points where she's looking. Irisviel looks as well, and I quickly follow in suit. Across the street, there's a barren stretch of land. Barren, except for the tombstones that dot the surface of it. A graveyard…? Makes sense there would be one, considering there's a church right there, but why is Saber calling it out?
I turn my gaze back to Saber to see her and Irisviel have begun rushing across the paved road. As my gaze falls upon her, she briefly exchanges a glance with me, her eyes dead serious, before a light flashes around her and disappears, unveiling her now clad in armor and wielding the wind-swathed sword. …Is this it?
Once the two have crossed and entered the graveyard, I fall from the tree and onto the sidewalk. I run to the outskirts of the cemetery and traverse along the wooded edge, keeping the pair in my sights. As we progress further across the quiet field, I feel myself growing anxious, and a sense of dread begins bubbling up inside of me.
Eventually, Irisviel and Saber stop, having almost reached the forest at the far end of the expansive area. I stop as well, and watch them from behind a tree trunk, waiting to see what they do. The pair only look around, whisper to each other, and slowly pace until they press against each other's back, covering their blind spots. On an impulse, I reach up and grapple onto the lowest hanging branch before pulling myself up.
I climb up the tree until I arrive at the highest branch that is still sturdy enough to support my weight. I quickly situate myself and unlatch my bow, preparing for whatever happens next. I reach for a normal arrow but hesitate. If it wouldn't work on Rider… there's no way it'd do something to Berserker. I retract my hand and reach down to the hem of my pants. My fingers find the familiar wooden shaft immediately, and I quickly unsheathe it. Instead of knocking and readying the arrow, I wait. What happens next?
"You! Mage!" Saber suddenly shouts, quite loudly. "Reveal yourself! We know fully well you're here!" A mage? I rapidly look around, trying to find where the individual might be hiding. I can't sense the presence of magic like Saber, obviously, so I'm looking blindly.
"There." My attention snaps back to the pair when Irisviel utters this word. She's pointing to a spot on the forest line, opposite of me. Suddenly, a clapping noise. From the spot Irisviel pointed out, there's a clapping noise. I squint my eyes to try and find the source, but I see nothing.
As I stare, I notice what seems to be a ripple across the line of trees. Before my eyes, the trees and shrubbery I'd been staring at quivers and melts before dissipating, revealing a clear space with an individual standing in the middle. The individual walks forward, out of the vanishing illusion, while clapping. It doesn't take me long at all to realize who this person is. The little girl…
"Is this the part where I say, 'good job'?" The child asks sarcastically, an unmistakable hint of malice in her voice. She stops clapping after saying this. "Well, good job. It only took two nights, and you found me."
I slowly lift the arrow and press the ridge at the hilt against the bowstring. Slowly, scared I might somehow be discovered if I moved too suddenly. There's a drawn-out silence. Neither Saber nor Irisviel say anything in response to the child. Saber, because she's looking around observantly, occasionally exchanging eye contact with me. Irisviel, because she seems to just be in shock, if her expression is any indicator.
"Illyasviel…" Irisviel finally mumbles, almost silent from where I'm positioned.
"Irisviel." Illyasviel parrots back, mockingly. Illyasviel… So, that's your name.
After a few more moments in awkward- no, deadly silence, Illyasviel takes another step forward, towards the pair. Upon doing so, Saber rushes forward and in front of Irisviel, lifting her blade up at the child threateningly. The child seems unfazed by the action.
"Saber, w-wait." Irisviel orders, meekly. "We should just try to talk for now." The dreadful sensation, the one I'd been feeling lingering in my gut this entire time, suddenly explodes throughout my body, sending chills up my back and shocking all my hair to stand on end. I feel murderous intent in the air. I look closer at the child and see that her expression changed upon hearing Irisviel's suggestion. It's quite similar to the livid expression she bore when I pissed her off.
"Talk?" Illyasviel repeats. "Ten years, and only now you want to talk?" She compliments her question immediately after with a sharp cackle. "Hahaha, no, no. The time for talking is long gone. Any words I've ever had for you, I've long since forgotten." I begin drawing my bowstring back, feeling as though the breaking point is about to be reached. It's only a matter of time before she sends Berserker out at them. …
…
…
…Berserker.
"Illya, please!" Irisviel begs, her voice filled with desperation.
"Shut! Up!" Illyasviel immediately shouts back, her anger extremely apparent now. "Don't go getting a big head just because I chose to show myself to you insignificants!" …Wait.
"You 'chose' to appear before us?" Saber questions, confused. Illyasviel flips her hair, looking to have calmed down a bit.
"Of course, I did. If I desired, I could stay off you fools' radar for the entire war. But, after watching you all throughout tonight, I just couldn't contain my excitement anymore and decided to come out to play." Wait.
"What…?" Irisviel asks, clearly surprised. "All night? You've been watching us all night?"
"I thought I told you to be quiet." Illyasviel doubles down. "Quit thinking you have a say in any of this. If he wasn't here tonight, you wouldn't even be as lucky as you are to have this conversation right now. I would've just kept avoiding your boorish self, or just flat-out killed you. At most, you may have been graced by seeing my face for a moment before you died." Where…?
"What…? 'He'?" Irisviel questions, only getting more confused. "Who are you-"
"Illyasviel…" Saber interrupts Irisviel to address Illyasviel, sounding grave. Where is- "Where is-" Berserker? "your servant?" After a prolonged silence, Illyasviel answers by smiling playfully.
"I'll answer both of your questions." She states. "Riiiiiiiiight- now."
It's then that I finally hear it. A whirring noise, so identical to the night I first heard it. If I was asked to describe it, I would say it's the muffled sound of a chainsaw starting up and running. I turn to face the sound.
"urrrrrgghhhhRRAAAGHAAAAAAH!" A red blur, high in the sky, rapidly diminishes the distance between it and the graveyard. He'd been stationed further away in the forest, outside of Saber's detectable range, so that Illyasviel could get the drop on them. So that she could send him in for an aerial attack. Only, his target, Illyasviel's target, isn't the two girls. It's me.
As he enters the airspace immediately around me, I only have time to rip my lucky arrow from my bow and raise it in the air, to try and block his godly strike. His stone blade smashes into the wooden shaft of my lucky arrow. A brief red crackle courses through the interlocked weapons, before sending out a small shockwave. His face invades so closely that it almost presses against my own. His breath I can smell, hot enough that I feel as though it could it burn my face. The expression he wears, that scowl, the bared fangs, the beady, piercing eyes; it's a visage I'll never forget.
I take in the whole picture in the one, brief, intimate moment. I take it in, before I rocket away from it, the force of the shockwave and of his huge, arching strike sending me flying.
My right arm screams in pain. I can't turn and look, can't move my body, as I fly away because of how forcefully I was flung. I collide into the ground and skid across the dirt, covering my head with my left arm and tucking into a ball as soon as I can control my limbs again. One. Two. Three. I skid and roll across the dirt three times.
"Shirou?!" Irisviel screams, her tone of voice sounding far too dire to simply call it "worried".
As soon as I'm sure I'm no longer flopping across the ground, I jump to my feet. The rush to my head, upon standing up, catches me by surprise, and I almost fall, but manage to steady myself before doing so. Saber and Irisviel both look at me in a mixture of concern and terror. Illyasviel is looking at me in amazement, a blush coloring her cheeks.
"Ahh! You were right! You weren't lying! You're so much stronger with your weapons!" Illyasviel ecstatically calls out to me. I have no time to acknowledge the absurdity of her actions. I have to account how badly I was injured.
A deep pain is radiating through my upper right side, the slightest movement causing it to pulse in agony. A rib broke. I don't think it punctured anything. One look at my right arm, I can tell it's broken. No telling in how many spots. I rapidly lift and clasp each of my right fingers individually around my arrow, ensuring it can still function, despite the pain. Because of the blood trickling into and tinting my left eye, and the pain and lightheadedness radiating throughout my skull, I can tell I suffered a gash throughout my collision with the ground. I glance back to see the path of trudged up dirt from the path I paved as I skid across the ground. About halfway through, there's the crumbled remains of a tombstone. I slammed into and shattered through it as I went. It must've been there that I suffered the gash. Even sparing just a moment of thought at just how hard he hit me terrifies me. My left arm and both legs are fine, I can still go.
Finally, I focus my attention forward again, to the three girls. Irisviel is rushing to me and Saber is alternating looks with me and Berserker. Even she doesn't know how to react after that.
"Shirou!" Irisviel shouts as she approaches. "I'm coming, stay still! I'll heal you, ok?!" As soon as she states this, Illyasviel's giddiness dissipates and she dons a sadistic smile and glare.
"Oh no you don't! Berserker!" She shouts up to the night sky. Irisviel and I look up to see the dark figure hanging on to the tree he knocked me from, clasping the trunk with just one hand.
"rrrRUGHHAAAAAGH!" He shrieks into the darkness, the force of his billow causing the surrounding leaves to flutter and flicker. His body quickly takes on the red hue once more, casting an ominous glow on the surrounding foliage. Midway into his shout, he kicks off the tree and rockets down towards Irisviel and I.
"Not so fast!" Saber yells, putting herself up as a wall in front of us.
Her swirling, wind blade collides into Berserker's humongous weapon. The gusty shockwave it kicks up is even greater than the one resulting from my arrow clashing with him. I can't resist the force, and I topple over from the gale.
"Sh-Shirou!" Irisviel shouts while using her arms to cover her face from the wind. "I'm coming! Please, just wait!" I weakly lift my heat and look to her. My eyes widen. Behind her, there are three white, glowing blades, appearing to be constructed from a network of strings.
"Iris- viel! Behind you!" I scream, mustering all my strength to lift myself up with my good, left arm.
She turns just as they thrust forward to stab her. However, thankfully, she somehow manages to defend herself. With a swift flick of her hand, a thin barrier forms between her and the blades, seemingly constructed of the same material as the weapons.
"Tch! Seems old age hasn't hindered you." I hear Illyasviel state. I finally manage to rise to my feet and turn to see her approaching Irisviel and I. More of the threaded blades halo her figure, and several bird-like constructions float readily in front of her. Irisviel glances back at me briefly.
"Shirou, I can't manage a moment to heal you right now. Please… please, get as far from here as you can and conserve your energy. Mommy will wrap this up quickly."
I open my mouth immediately to insist I help, but she rushes forward, kicking up dust in my face before I can. She whips her hands around gracefully, threads protruding and growing from them like tendrils and taking on the shape of weapons instantaneously. I'm surprised to see she formed giant hammer-like weapons in her hands. I'm even more surprised to see her aggressively press the offensive on the little girl, smashing her swords and birds with ease. Illyasviel clearly looks surprised, moreso pissed, at Irisviel's rush attack.
For the time being, I decide to listen to Irisviel and begin moving away from the conflict. My bow… It fell from my grip when he hit me. Where is it? Somehow, I managed to keep ahold of the lucky arrow, in the arm he shattered, no less, but I wasn't so lucky with my bow. Most of my arrows… fell from the quiver when I landed. There's only- *cough* a handful left.
I pass by Saber and Berserker's conflict, from a safe distance, taking note of how advanced Berserker's combat prowess is. Irisviel… Irisviel told me to run away from here, but I know… I know… I know Saber can't win. I felt it when Berserker and I struck each other. She can't win. Not now, not like this. I-
"*COUGH* *BLEGH*" I profusely choke and cough as blood rushes up and out my mouth, bringing me to my knees. "*huff* *huff*… *wheeze* I guess- I guess it did puncture a lung."
I see Saber offer me a quick, concerned look. Nooo, Saber- This small gesture gives Berserker an opening, and he sure makes good use of it. His already apparent advantage against her only increases as he pulls out all the stops and rushes her with even quicker strikes, with even more force behind them.
I look back to Irisviel to see she still maintains the upper hand on Illyasviel, but it's still, overall, a stalemate. No… At this rate, they'll die… She'll die. I pull my gaze from Irisviel and look towards the tree I'd been perched in. At the base of it, jabbed into the dirt, is my bow, still intact. Do something, Shirou. You can keep going. Use some of that energy from earlier, at the bridge. Push… through this.
I grit my teeth and shake my head. In the next instant, I mimic my move from earlier, after my collision with the ground, and hop back up to my feet. Just like before, I stagger and grow lightheaded, but I power through it and take a strong stomp forward. Yes…! I take my other foot and trudge forward. And again. And again. And again. Before I know it, I'm jogging towards the bow with as much speed as I can manage. Albeit, a hobbling, wobbly jog, but still, more than I thought I could possibly do right now.
When I reach it, I flop over and roll across the ground once, eliciting another cough and spatter of blood from my mouth. Keep… going. I lift myself up and kneel onto my knees, not believing I can manage to stand again. I quickly yank the bow from the ground and pull it close. I move my right hand to knock the lucky arrow but hesitate. I stare at it for a moment, then turn to stare at Berserker. …not yet. I gently set the lucky arrow down, from my broken, jittery fingers. Don't use that arrow, not yet.
I weakly reach behind me and to the quiver on my back, pulling the remaining two arrows out. This'll do. I knock both of the arrows simultaneously, but I don't draw the bow just yet. I aim at Berserker, waiting till the right moment. I see Irisviel, further away, notice what I'm doing. She shakes her head at me, her eyes pleading me not to. I merely avert my gaze. I don't like disobeying you, Irisviel. But when it comes to saving your life, I'll do… whatever it takes.
The fight between Saber and Berserker intensifies. It's clear who is on top, who will come out the victor. Berserker isn't even giving Saber enough time to think, a hindrance that doesn't ail him, as he runs purely on skill and instinct. Saber grunts and goes for an upper diagonal slash, but it's futile. Berserker scrapes his blade against hers, parrying it aside, before socking her in the chest with his free hand. It momentarily knocks the wind out of Saber, and her eyes lose focus. Berserker follows up by swatting his weapon to the side, knocking Saber's blade from her loosened grip. It's over. Berserker wins. The monster lets out a victory howl and readies his blade for the final strike on the disoriented, deer-eyed Saber. …NOW!
"BERSERKERRRR!" I shout, as loud as I can muster. It works. My voice manages to reach him, and he glances at me while hoisting back his stone sword to cleave Saber with. The braided tussle of hair affixed to my bow billows and flaps in the sudden gust of wind, catching his eye. The last thing he'll see is the hair I yanked from his skull… Heh, poetry.
I tighten my jaw and yank my right arm back, pulling the bow to full draw. All along my battered arm, pain wracks the appendage. My fingers weaken. I release my grip on the twin arrows. With seemingly more force than ever before, the bow snaps back into shape as the two arrows jettison out. The arrows fly faster than even I anticipated, reaching Berserker, in what appeared to be, instantaneously. His eyes widen as the two arrows line up perfectly with his pointed, beady irises.
"AUGHRRRH! ARURRRR!" He screeches in pain, forgetting entirely about Saber and instead beginning to swing his blade in the surrounding area wildly. The halves of two wooden shafts protrude from each of his sockets.
"Berserker?!" Illyasviel calls out in alarm, turning to see the source of her servant's pained howls.
"Hya!" Irisviel yells as she conjures up two swathes of the threads in each of her hands before pouncing onto the distracted Illyasviel. Quickly and efficiently, Irisviel pins down the little girl and flicks and wafts her hands across her, encasing her in a cocoon prison of the glowing, white threads.
"D-Dammit!" Illyasviel grumbles, struggling beneath Irisviel. Irisviel responds only by pulling her hands up, threads draping from them like marionette strings, tightening the cocoon around Illyasviel. "Ugh! Nn!"
"Iris- *cough* IRISVIEL!" I struggle to call out to her, feeling my body weakening by the second. She turns to look at me and I answer by pointing to Saber. I immediately follow up by mouthing two words to her. Noble Phantasm. Her eyes light up in understanding and she nods.
"Saber! Hurry, now! While he's distracted, unleash your sword's true glory! Hold nothing back!" Saber had already regained her composure and took up her blade by the time Irisviel finished her command. Without wasting any time, Saber lifts the wind-cloaked blade into the air, a brilliant light beginning to pierce through and illuminate the surrounding graveyard.
"Of course!" She shouts in response to her master. The torrent of air begins to expand from the blade, billowing up a cloud of dust around her. At this point, Berserker has removed the arrows from his eyes, but they remain shut and injured. He's turned with his back to Saber, not even aware of what's about to happen. Illyasviel struggles to raise her head from the dirt and look to Berserker.
"N-No! Berserker, I order you to-" Without skipping a beat, Irisviel covers Illyasviel's mouth with her hand and shuts it tight.
"No, Illyasviel." Irisviel sternly commands. "That's enough, now." I continue to hear muffled protests from Illyasviel as Saber readies her final attack.
With one final, strong gust of wind, the invisible cloak of her blade dispels, revealing its true form beneath. A glimmering, golden sword that casts a magnificent glow across the entire graveyard. As if he felt the heat from the intense shining, Berserker turns to face the source of the light. I notice golden specks rise up, not just around Saber, but all across the dreary graveyard. What in the world… Saber hoists the brilliant sword even higher up and behind her while exhaling in preparation to announce its true name.
"Exxx!" She shouts, the blade somehow expelling even more light than before, turning into nothing more than a golden cross within her grip. "SCALIBUR!"
She slashes straight down, vertically. As soon as the glowing blade cuts through the air in front of her, it violently expands and bursts, sending off an absurdly large beam. The beam collides into the blinded Berserker, eliciting a brief, painful shriek from him as it envelops his figure. The attack doesn't stop there, however. I watch, wonderstruck, as the fissure of energy streaks through the sky, hitting the top of the treeline and continuing into the foreseeable distance. …Excalibur…
The torrent of energy constricts on itself, after the strike, until it's just a lengthy pinneedle of light, before vanishing entirely. Once the brilliant glow subsides, and the sword is once again coated in its wind sheathe, Saber falls onto one knee, supporting herself with the magnificent sword. Before her, lies the smoking, charred blade of Berserker and his smoldering lower torso, nothing else. We… We won!
I feel a relieved, exuberant smile spread across my face as I witness the scene before me. We did it! S-She's alive, she's ok. I turn to see Irisviel, who looks just as happy as I do, as she stares at the weary Saber. …Thank goodness…
The only one who doesn't seem to be relieved is Illyasviel. She's struggling even harder than before beneath Irisviel, her eyes filled with both hate and tears. I can't even bring myself to feel sympathy for her. No, not after she made such a heinous attempt on Irisviel's life.
After a few more moments of Illyasviel's struggling passes by, Irisviel removes her hand from Illyasviel's mouth, and the accompanying threads acting as a gag. She coughs a few times and sniffles, appearing to me as nothing more than a child having a tantrum.
Then, she does something that turns my spine cold. Illyasviel lifts her head up. And she's smiling. The same sadistic smile as before, in stark contrast with her watery eyes. Or… are they crocodile tears?! I reach down with my shaky hand and grab the lucky arrow I'd set aside.
"…Tell me something, you callous fools." Illyasviel spits out at us. Her words already scare me. I try as hard as I can to fill my motionless legs with the energy to rise up. "Have you ever heard the tale… of Hercules?" …Hercules? Irisviel and Saber look at her in frazzled confusion. "It's a wonderful tale- the best tale- the tale of a hero who overcame 12 impossible tasks." I see something bubbling and rising up, quietly, behind Saber. "And in doing so, gained 12 lives." The bubbling mass suddenly, instantly takes the form of a giant, skin-flayed man.
"IT'S ALIVE!" I shout, attempting to warn Saber. The horrid creature rushes forward, snatching up its still-fuming blade as it passes. Saber turns just as it arrives right behind her. No… She's finished.
"Berserker!" Illyasviel shouts, her voice filled with impatient fury. "Get this witch off of me, NOW!" …
…
… huh…?
Berserker passes Saber, not so much as touching her, as though he lost any and all interest in her, before continuing forward, past her. Past her to what? Hm, to what? TO what? Illyasviel said to Irisviel? Go to Irisviel. Get Irisviel off her. Kill Irisviel.
The image of that monster swinging his blade clean through Irisviel flashes through my mind.
My body lifts up and onto my feet, effortlessly. I take one step forward, bounding over a distance that places me right next to Saber. I kick my other foot forward and plant it firmly on the ground, before propelling myself onwards once more. I pass by the fuming monster and exchange a harsh glare with it, before flying the rest of the way past it. When I reach my destination, I stomp both pads of my feet as hard as I can onto the ground, stopping me dead in my tracks. I lift my gaze to see Irisviel, only a breath away, giving me a look- a look filled with fear, confusion, and despair. Aw, come on. Don't let that be the last expression you give me.
I raise my left hand and plant it onto her shoulder. Then, I push her over and away, tossing her off Illyasviel.
As soon as her body exits the space, a blade occupies the area. Berserker's sword slams into my right side, forceful enough to make my body fold over on itself. The last thing I see is Illyasviel meeting my gaze, with an expression incomprehensible to me, before I get flung away for the second, and last, time tonight. Everything blurs and fades in and out as I fly away. I just see brown and grey streaks as I soar across the tombstone-riddled ground.
*SLAM* I crash into something. My body straightens out a bit upon impact into whatever it is I hit. I try to move my head to get a look at where I am and what I struck, but I find myself unable to do so. I can still look around with my eyes, a bit, so I do so.
I lower my gaze to my crushed-in right side. My broken hand still dutifully clutches my arrow, which crackles with red energy slightly. Given the crackling energy, and the crumpled-up arm smooshed against my side, beneath the arrow, I gather I must've tried to block Berserker's attack again. Clearly, I wasn't successful. I lower my gaze to my stomach.
Nng! My vision flickers in and out from what I see. Without going too in-detail, the contents of my stomach seem to mostly exist draping outside of it now.
Considering the blood-splattered stone I lie embedded in; I assume I crashed into an above-ground tomb. How regretful, I hate to desecrate whoever's resting place this is. I finally focus my remaining attention back on the other inhabitants of the graveyard.
Because of the distance, and my vision blurring in-and-out of focus, I can't really discern what's going on. I eventually garner Irisviel is saying something, while tears stream down her face, but I can't hear what it is. I can't hear anything, aside from a steadily decreasing ringing in both my ears. Saber, Illyasviel, and even Berserker say nothing, only stare at me with blank expressions.
Eventually, Irisviel jumps to her feet and begins running towards me, stumbling and falling a few times. No… don't… there's still an enemy, right there. I focus my attention past her, onto Illyasviel. The threads Irisviel had wrapped around her are now dissolved and vanished, and she sits on the ground staring at me. As the corners of my vision darken and slowly envelop what I can see, Illyasviel lowers her head and averts her gaze from me. I can't hear anything, but what she says next I can hear. Whether I actually heard or just managed to read her lips, I'm not sure. But, I heard her.
"Berserker… get the other one." Other one? I pull my attention forward and focus on Irisviel again.
…
Berserker rushes forward, readying his blade to the side for his next kill.
My vision clears up. The blurriness goes away, and the dark corners recede. The ringing ceases. I can hear every sob of Irisviel's, every shout of protest from Saber, every tread of Berserker as he draws closer. I lift my ragged excuse of a right arm up and exert as much force as I can to point my hand forward, clutching the arrow as tight as a vice. The scraggly arm extends forward, and I point the weapons threateningly at Berserker and his master.
"…don't…" I mutter, barely comprehensible.
Illyasviel's eyes widen and her lip quivers at my exertion. I meant it as a threat, though I have no idea how the gesture, performed with my crushed body, appeared to them. Even still, I remain still as a statue, using my scraggly arm to point my scraggly arrow at the enemies. Illyasviel rises to her feet, suddenly appearing enraged.
"Berserker… stop." She states with shaky breath. The servant complies, halting a few strides from Irisviel. "Just… go!" She yells before turning around and running off. Berserker ducks down and leaps after her, into the forest. It may have been my eyes playing tricks on me, due to me being right at death's door, but I thought I saw tears dripping from her eyes as she ran off.
Regardless, as soon as the pair disappears into the woods, my fingers go limp. The arrow falls down and clatters against the dirt. My arm loses its stiffness and hangs down from where I'm pinned, along with the rest of my body. I lose my hearing and my sight rapidly blurs and diminishes again.
The darkness envelops around the figure approaching me, crying and shouting something at me with terrified eyes. The last thing I can discern is her face. The expression still just as disappointing as before.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Within the darkness, void of my sight and hearing, unable to feel anything, I pick up on a faint scent. The smell of flowers.