Disclaimer: I don't own neither the Fate franchise nor Granblue Fantasy. However I own a private life, which is not always kind to my hobbies.
Chapter 3: Horizon
From the deck of the Grandcypher, Archer watched Auguste's silhouette becoming smaller and smaller as the airship moved even further apart. Only now, from an aerial perspective, did it hit him how fantasy-like an island floating in the sky was - and one housing a sea on its surface to boot.
"Woooh! What an epic view!" Lowain whistled. "Home sweet home. I miss it already, how crazy is that?"
"Seriously bro, I can't believe we're doing this," Elsam added.
"Becoming skyfarers? Ahahahah! Never in my wildest dreams!" Tomoi laughed.
"Having second thoughts already?" Rackam asked from where he was controlling the ship's wheel. "We're still in time to make a quick comeback."
'Please say yes,' Archer wished inside his mind.
"No can do Rackam bro!" Lowain, of course, saw fit to crush that fleeting hope. "A true man doesn't go back on his word!"
"Definitely!" Elsam and Tomoi said.
"Totally!" The three Erune cheered. "Wheeey!"
With a sigh, Archer moved away from the handrails and approached Rackam.
"How long before we reach this Lumacie Archipelago?" asked Archer.
"It's located very far away from the major routes. I don't even know if people live there." The helmsman scratched his stubble. "If we add restocking, and the time needed to complete whatever job our captain will take on the way, I predicted a minimum of fourteen days."
"Two weeks, uh?" Archer scoffed. "Let's hope that Black Knight didn't send us on a wild goose chase then."
"Yeah, that would suck," Rackam grimaced. "Well, it's not like there is somewhere else we need to go to. For now, Gran wants to gather more pieces of the Sky Map, but without a way to know where to find them any place is as good as any."
Archer raised an eyebrow. "More pieces? Does that mean you already have one?"
"Three. We got them from Tiamat, Colossus, and Leviathan after resolving their issues."
In that case, maybe the pattern would hold true and they were going to find other pieces of the Sky Map in possession of more Primal Beasts. That, however, would make their journey incredibly more dangerous, so Archer hoped it was easier than that.
'No use thinking about it now,' He eventually decided. For now, the most pressing issue was protecting the crew, and Lyria, from Erste.
"Lowain! Elsam! Tomoi!" He called out to the trio. "Stop admiring the scenery. We have work to do."
"Hey! Hey!" The corners of Lowain's lips twitched in anticipation. "Master, you mean...?"
"We are the Grandcypher's cooks now," He reminded them. "Let's take possession of the kitchen."
They cheered again, not noticing Rackam wincing. Archer, however, did. "Is something wrong?"
"...We have yet to clean up Katalina's latest attempt at cooking," He replied with a miserable tone.
"You still let her try?" Archer looked in shock at Rackam.
"She woke up before anyone else to prepare a surprise," The helmsman groaned.
The scene that greeted the four upon opening the door to the kitchen was one of the absolute disasters. Stains of unidentifiable origin all over the floor, the walls and even the ceiling; piles of pots and tableware as tall as them, with more than one knife, stabbed where it shouldn't; blackened stoves; and something Archer was reasonably sure just hissed at him from a corner.
He thought Katalina was simply a talentless cook.
Clearly, he underestimated the level of danger she posed.
"Woaaaah there! Woah, woah, woah!" Lowain jumped in surprise. "What's up with this extinction-level event here?!"
"This is bad! Really bad!" Elsam gaped.
"This poor kitchen is beyond saving!" Tomoi threw his hands in the air.
"...We don't know that until we actually try." Archer unlatched the claps and removed his red coat with one fluid motion. "Get all the cleaning tools you can find. No matter how much time it takes... we will save this kitchen!"
"Miss Zahlhamelina, are you a mage?"
"Uhm, that's not an easy question to answer," The Harvin answered to Lyria's inquiry. "I have never considered myself one, but I can't say I know everything about the nature of my power. For me, it is simply the blessing of the sun."
"The blessing of the sun, huh?" Vyrn mused. "What can you do with it, apart from throwing fireballs around?"
"That is the basic application, but its more advanced uses are more supportive. For example, Flare!" Zahlhamelina raised her hands, her staff floating to her side. High above her a miniature sun came into existence and began to warm the surroundings. "This is Flare. While the small sun cannot attack, it has the power to strengthen everyone that basks in its light."
"Waaah, so warm..." Lyria gaped.
"More like hot," Vyrn covered his eyes with a paw. "But it's true, I already feel stronger."
"A bit too hot maybe?" Katalina raised a hand to wipe the sweat already forming on her forehead but stopped when feeling the cooling touch of her metal gauntlet.
"Miss Katalina! Here, you can use this towel!" Farrah offered said item to Katalina.
"Ah. Thank you, Farrah," The knight took the towel and wiped her sweat.
"Would you also like a cool drink?"
"That would be lovely, yes."
"I understand! Wait for me Miss Katalina, I'll go and prepare one personally!" The silver-haired girl stood on attention and saluted before running towards the kitchen.
She returned five minutes later, long after Zahlhamelina stopped using Flare and the temperature returned to normal, bearing a troubled, ashamed expression.
"Miss Katalina! I'm sorry, I've failed!" Farrah apologized.
"It's just a drink, Farrah, don't worry about it," Katalina waved her off. "What's the problem, didn't you find the ingredients you wanted?"
"Nothing of the sort. In truth, it's all the fault of that heartless individual known as Archer!" Her voice raised in indignation. "He had the gall to tell me that Miss Katalina is prohibited from ever stepping inside the kitchen unless under supervision!"
"Guh!" Oddly enough, Katalina felt like she just received a low blow.
"I mean, it's not like I don't understand his point of view... but such a statement it's still too rude towards Miss Katalina!" Farrah continued. "But you don't need to worry! We're going to settle this with a challenge. All I need to do is winning a sparring match against him, and I'll become Miss Katalina's sole supervisor! Just you wait! I'll show you a splendid victory!"
Ignoring how her words didn't make the long-haired knight feel any better Farrah run away again to prepare for the duel.
"A sparring match?" Eugen leaned against the handrails and smiled wryly. "The poor fool."
Gran looked first at Farrah and then at Archer. "You sure about this?"
"I'm resolute!" The girl shouted, brandishing a wooden sword and shield.
"I know that girl's type, this is the only way," In contrast, Archer's tone was almost bored, arms crossed over his chest.
"If you're sure..." The brown-haired boy sighed before clearing his throat. "This is just a sparring match, so only training weapons are allowed. Also, no low blows, please. Farrah wins if she manages to hit Archer at least once, while the winning condition for Archer is that Farrah gives up."
"You feel so confident, but you'll regret giving me a handicap!" Farrah puffed out her chest, lips set into a cocky smile. "When it comes to Miss Katalina, I always operate at 120%!"
"Farrah..." Katalina looked proud beyond belief. "I'm so blessed to have such a magnificent student."
"Heehee!" Farrah giggled.
"Is this going to become a thing with those two?" Rackam wondered, halfway between amused and embarrassed.
"Archer, what kind of training weapon would you like? I'll fetch it for you," Gran asked the red-clad man, seeing he lacked a weapon.
In response, the white-haired man raised a hand. "No need, I can make my own."
A few sparks briefly appeared above the open palm before being replaced by a sword Archer grasped tightly. It had a curious design none of the others has seen before. It was made of some kind of wood and had no edge, resembling more a stick than a fake sword. The hilt and the tip were covered with a white cloth, while a simple black disk from which was dangling something small and yellow served as a guard.
However, it was not its appearance that everyone first noticed.
"Eeeeek!" Farrah shrieked at the sudden wave of bloodlust that appeared the moment the sword came into existence. If she looked hard enough she could almost make out a red aura leaking out from the weapon. "W-W-What is that?!"
"This?" Archer said with a grave tone while raising the wooden sword. "It's a type of training sword called shinai. But the one in my hands it's a bit special. Its name is Tora-Shinai. They say it's a cursed weapon that, once unsheathed, will keep fighting until it has drawn blood. But since it has no edge drawing blood is, of course, difficult. As a result, the sword's bloodlust kept growing stronger until they had to seal it away." Then he smirked. "I'm joking, I'm joking. This is just a training sword. See? It even has a cute accessory." With one finger he tapped the small yellow cat hanging below the guard.
"Iiieeeeekk!" Farrah jumped back and tried to curl up behind her shield. "A monster! I saw a monster! It roared at me!"
Archer's smirk widened. "Do you give up already?"
"N-No way!" Gulping loudly Farrah charged at Archer, shield held high. "For Miss Katalinaaaaa!"
The bowman easily sidestepped the charge and whacked the girl behind the knees, making her yelp from the pain and trip.
"Before committing everything to a charge make sure your opponent cannot dodge," He said with a light, conversational tone.
"I-I know that!" Standing up she tried a thrust, but Archer parried the blow and whacked her over the head. "Ouch!"
"Without a solid footing, your swings are weak."
"Yep. Truly a fool," Eugen commented from the sidelines as Farrah kept being whacked all over her body.
"I give up," Farrah whined in a miserable tone. She was lying face first on the deck, her head full of quickly swelling bumps. Under her armor, there were more bruises than sane flesh. "Everything hurts. My whole world is pain. All that I ever knew has been replaced by agony."
"Quit the melodrama, girl," Archer scoffed, though internally he was impressed. Farrah lasted much longer than he expected. "Being hit by a real sword hurts more."
"Liaaaaaaarrr..."
"The winner is Archer," Gran declared with a dull tone. He wasn't stranger to pushing himself during training, but that was seriously brutal.
"Man, that was almost scary to watch," Vyrn commented idly while Katalina applied healing magic to Farrah. "Uncle Sword, I think that thing you have there is cursed for real."
Ironically enough, Vyrn was half-right. The true Torashinai has been a completely ordinary shinai, the true source of its reputation the crazy skills and behavior of its owner. But when it was recreated as part of the setting for the Holy Grail War, for some unexplainable reason the Moon Cell decided to consider those rumors true and modify the shinai to insert a true curse. Even Archer was surprised when he and his Master found Torashinai at the bottom of the First Lunar Sea.
Still, compared to other cursed swords he kept in his Reality Marble it was a mostly harmless curse. Perfect to have some fun with.
"You think so? It never gave me troubles, but maybe it's just me. Yuisis," He tossed the sword to her. "Does it look cursed to you?"
"It does have an unusually intimidating aura," She commented while raising her arm and catching the shinai by the handle. "And..."
"And?" Lowain, Tomoi and Elsam leaned forward with an intrigued look.
The tip of Torashinai slammed into Lowain's forehead, sending him flying backward.
"And, now that I think about it..." Yuisis slowly turned to face the stunned Tomoi and Elsam, an ominous look having fallen on her expression. "I haven't confirmed if you three are worthy of being part of the Boss' crew yet. What a grave oversight... that should be rectified immediately."
"We, like, have no idea what you're talking about!" The two Erune screamed while being chased around the deck by a bloodthirsty Yuisis, the knocked-out Lowain carried over their shoulders.
"It's cursed," Vyrn's tone was flat as a pancake.
Archer shrugged. "It may be a coincidence."
"Stop right there!" Katalina, having finished with Farrah, used a hand chop to make the Erune girl let go of the sword. "Yuisis, what has gotten into you all of a sudden?"
The knight leaned down to pick up the fallen shinai, stood up and then slammed the weapon between Rackam's legs.
"My son..." The helmsman whined in a high-pitched voice while falling face-first on the deck, hands holding his groin.
"You know Rackam?" With a disturbing smile, Katalina began to rain down blows on the hapless man. "The first time we met, the things you said about my piloting skills weren't very nice. Don't you think it's time for you to apologize?"
"It's cursed."
"Holding a grudge is a perfectly human reaction."
"Yah!" With a kick, Eugen sent Torashinai flying. It spun in the air a few times before landing right into Lyria's hands.
There was a brief moment of silence, everyone holding their breath as they waited to see what would happen, and then the blue-haired girl turned to Gran with an angelic smile. "Say, Gran?"
A cloud covered the sun, casting a shadow over Lyria's eyes. At the same time a gust of wind colder than normal passed in front of her, making her breath visible. It wasn't much, but it was enough to turn Lyria's expression downright terrifying. "Let's train together!"
"Even Lyria has fallen! Every man and Vyrn to himself!" The flying reptile ran back inside the ship, quickly followed by a spooked Io.
"Lyria, you need to listen to me-!" Gran caught the blade between his hands and pushed upward, pulling it out of the girl's grasp. "And let go of this sword!"
Zahlhamelina and Eugen raised the blunt end of their weapons, ready to do the necessary and knock out their Captain. However, to the surprise of everyone nothing happened. Still completely calm, Gran looked up and down the shinai in his hands before scratching his head in confusion. "Uh... I don't see anything wrong. It's just a wooden sword. What was that, then?"
"They say that suggestion is a powerful force. How we expect an event to play out has a large role in how we experience it," Archer mused while walking closer.
"Uhm, what happened?" Lyria looked around in confusion, as if only now regaining awareness. Yuisis and Katalina were likewise confused.
"Often in extreme ways," He finished, a grin on his lips.
Rackam muttered a few impolite words between each groan of pain.
"Nobody is hurt. Well, too badly, I mean. That's the most important thing," Gran sighed before holding out Torashinai to Archer. "Here. You can have it back."
"No need. You can keep it; in case you want to train safely," It was quite surprising that Gran was able to shrug off the shinai's curse, and Archer wanted to see what would happen if he kept using it. "I can always create another copy. Furthermore, I prefer dual-wielding."
"Those black and white swords, right?" Gran nodded. "Can I see them?"
"Sure," He projected his favorite swords. "The black one is Kanshou, and the white one is Bakuya."
"They're beautiful," Lyria commented with a smile. "Even if they're weapons, it's like they give off a sense of peace."
"That's because they were created without vanity," Seeing the two's confused looks he elaborated. "Most weapons are created with a purpose in mind. To defeat the enemy, to be better than other weapons, to accomplish great deeds... those kinds of things. Kanshou and Bakuya, on the other hand, were crafted more for the sake of crafting. In a way, you can compare them to a piece of artwork."
"Really?" Gran smiled in wonder. As he thought, Archer's weapons were much better than anything he had seen thus far. "I'd bet there is an amazing story behind them."
"Sorry to crush your hopes, but it's neither amazing nor happy," Archer let the blades dissolve and crossed his arms. "Once, in a distant land, the king ordered a famous blacksmith to forge him a great and powerful sword. The blacksmith tried many methods, but none of them resulted in a sword that fit such orders. While he was extremely frustrated and desperate his wife, upon seeing the situation, decided to gamble her own life."
"Gamble?"
"She hurled herself into the furnace, and used her own life to create the metal," Both Lyria and Gran paled, but Archer continued. "The blacksmith, despite his grief, forged the two swords and handed only one to the king, while keeping the other one as a memento of his wife."
"That's, that's too sad." Lyria clenched her hands around the hem of her dress. "Why did she do such a thing?"
"Because disobeying a king's orders at the time meant death. It was the only way for her to protect her husband," With that said Archer left, intending to resume the cleaning of the kitchen.
"That wasn't the whole story," Katalina's voice reached him just before he could reach his destination.
Glancing behind his back, he threw her a disinterested look. "What gave me away?"
"Just a hunch. You just confirmed," She grinned before her expression turned serious. "Is that bad?"
"Just not something that kids should hear," He looked away. He may be blunt to a fault, but even he had some lines he would not cross. "The king eventually discovered the blacksmith's deception and had him killed. But the blacksmith predicted the king's reaction and hid the sword together with his newborn son. Years later, the son learned of what happened to his parents and sought revenge. At the same time, the king dreamed of a youth who desired to kill him and, in fear, placed a bounty on the youth's head. An assassin found the boy in anguish at his current situation and, moved by his story, suggested to the son to surrender both his head and the sword. The assassin himself would avenge the father in the boy's place. The boy accepted and committed suicide."
Archer leaned against the wall, pleased to find out Katalina was listening with great attention.
"The assassin severed the boy's head and brought it, along with the sword, to the overjoyed king. The king, however, was uncomfortable with the head staring at him and the assassin asked the king to have it boiled. He then tricked the king into looking closer at the cauldron, decapitated him and then did the same to himself. When all flesh was stripped and the heads reduced to simple skulls, none of the king's guards could recognize which head belonged to whom, so they decided to honor all three as kings and buried them in the same grave."
"That... is a tragic tale," Katalina sighed. "Thank you."
"About what?" Archer shrugged before walking into the kitchen.
A few days later, the Grandcypher reached the first planned stop on the crew's journey to Lumacie, a market town on a small island. However, without even disembarking first there were already troubles on the horizon.
"Is that what I think it is?" Rackam asked aloud while making the airship slow down.
"Yes. An Erste ship," Katalina frowned. "I should have expected it would have happened. Auguste renounced the Empire's rule, but their influence remains prevalent over a good part of the skydom."
"Should we just skip this stop?" Gran mused. "I would like to avoid troubles with the Empire so soon."
"That will not be a problem. Almost all the troops on board are leaving the city," Archer replied, standing on the bow with his arms crossed. His steel-colored eyes were staring at the island with intense focus. "Only a few men are left on the ship. If you move in a group they will leave you alone, and even if they send a message to the rest of the soldiers they will come back only after we depart."
"That's good to hear, but where are they going?" Vyrn asked.
"Don't know. There are no cities on that side of the island, so maybe it's a drill?" He shrugged.
"Wait wait wait!" Farrah leaned past the rails and squinted her eyes. "How do you know that? All I can see is the imperial ship!"
"Mister Archer's eyes are amazing!" Lyria smiled. "He saved us by firing arrows from two kilometers away!"
"Two kilometers?! No wayyyy!" Farrah stared at Archer like he was a portent from the heavens.
"Are you done?" The bowman spared them a disinterested glance before going back to watch the city. "If you want to go, you better stop wasting time."
"Uhm, it's true there are a few things I would like to buy..." Katalina nodded. "What about a compromise? Those who want to visit the town can go, and the rest stay here to guard the Grandcypher."
"Fine with me. I'll stay," Eugen replied, soon imitated by Archer and a few others.
"Io, Io!" Lyria called out to the twin-tailed girl. "Do you want to come shopping with us?"
"Thank you Lyria, but there is something else I want to do," Nodding firmly the little mage walked up to Archer and stood behind him. "Hey."
"Yes?" he replied without turning around.
"Teach me Projection."
Archer didn't react at first. "Can I ask the reason behind this, frankly, unexpected request?"
"Just do it!" She insisted. "You have nothing better to do anyway."
'And you are so sure of that, why?' Archer thought with mild exasperation. Some days he wished he wasn't so used to being bossed around by strong-willed girls.
"Before we begin, let me ask you something," Once those who wanted to visit the town left, Archer started his lesson to Io. They were both seated at a table in the main meeting room of the Grandcypher. "Among the spells you know, is there one you developed yourself?"
"Yes!" Io grinned and raised her staff. "Do you want to-"
"No," Archer interrupted her. He raised his hand, palm facing the table. "Now observe. Trace on."
With only a few sparks an oil lamp came into existence.
"Trace on? Are those the spell words of Projection?" Io inquired.
"Yes. But they only work for me," At her incredulous look, he elaborated. "The branch of magic I use doesn't really have spell words. Rather, it has spells and the theory behind them. It is up to the student, after learning how the spell is supposed to work, to find the best way to apply that knowledge. In my case, 'Trace on' is what resonates the most with me, a simple phrase that helps me enter the proper mindset to use magic. It works not because the words themselves have any intrinsic meaning, but because I believe they work. I believe in it the same way I believe the sky is blue."
"Are you telling me-" Io cupped her chin, the look in her eyes turning from incredulous to intrigued. "That you cast a suggestion on yourself?"
He nodded, for once impressed. "That's exactly what I do. Let me guess, you want to tell me it's a stupid method?"
"No," She shook her head. "I'm just surprised because I never heard of something like that. My Master told me that Hypnosis is not a popular branch of magic because there are a lot of ways to misuse it, but this is novel."
"Your Master is wise," She smiled smugly at the compliment. "Anyway, before you can use Projection there are two spells you need to learn: Structural Analysis and Gradation Air. Structural Analysis is a spell where the mage injects his magical energy into an object to analyze it, learning the composition, internal structure and so on. With a sufficient level of mastery, it's possible to also learn the object's history and see everything that happened to it. While Gradation Air is the most basic form of Projection, the creation with the magical energy of the hollow shell of an object."
Archer tapped the lamp. "Your first task is to practice Structural Analysis on this lamp until you can tell me its internal structure and composition. Take a break if using Structural Analysis starts giving you a headache. This is a spell that involves downloading a massive amounts of data in your mind after all so, so overusing it can strain your brain."
Io grinned. "Easy!"
"THIS DAMN-!" Furious yells could be heard from below the deck of the Grandcypher. "GAAAAH!"
"W-What's happening to Io?" Katalina asked with a mystified expression after she and the other returned from their trip.
"She asked me to teach her spells," Archer replied while leaning against the mast, an amused and nostalgic grin on his lips. "The first she got it easy. The second-"
"WHY DO THEY KEEP FALLING APART?!"
"Not so much," Unlike his younger self, Io was quite talented, but even for a genius it takes more than a single day to properly use Gradation Air. His gaze then shifted from Katalina to the group's new addition. "And you are?"
"Greetings," The middle-aged man wore the armor of Erste making, but one denoting a high rank. Both his shield and lance were of excellent making, their histories telling Archer of the skills of their wielder. He was not superhuman, but the man before the bowman was, without doubt, a proud and valorous knight. "My name is Deliford. As per today, I'll a member of this crew. A pleasure to meet you."
"Archer," The white-haired man nodded before raising an eyebrow at Gran. "Is this your concept of shopping?"
"Ah, haha," He laughed nervously. "Honestly, it was a spur of the moment decision. We were talking about Estalucia, and things just evolved from there. Oh, but I also bought a new sword."
He took out the blade from its scabbard and showed it to Archer. A rapier of fine craftsmanship, an elaborated pommel with stylized dragon wings and a rich history. However...
"The sword you already have is better."
"Seriously?!"
Archer nodded and sighed. "Seriously. Unless you want to learn fencing, I suggest you stick with the weapon you already have."
"If you want to, Gran, I can teach you a thing or two about fencing," Katalina reassured the depressed young man.
"Captain," Deliford suddenly spoke. "I hate to impose on you, especially after I just joined your crew, but I have a favor to ask you."
"What is it?"
"I told you I left the Erste Empire when I couldn't see eye to eye with my superiors anymore. But the origin of our disagreement wasn't about me," He grimaced. "One of the soldiers I trained suffered a grave injustice, and as a result became a wanted criminal without fault on her part. Her name is Rosamia, and I believe right now she is on this island."
Deliford explained that he was an active soldier during the time Erste, from a simple kingdom, expanded into an empire and gained a lot of experience. After being promoted to an officer, he was recruited for the task of training 'special' recruits.
"I was not privy to the details, but each one of those recruits was given a special mask, an experimental piece of equipment meant to make them more powerful," He frowned. "Certainly they were effective, though the recruits' discipline left something to be desired."
Those masks were probably prototypes, and the recruits test subjects to check for effectiveness and possible side-effects. Archer had met dozens of similar cases in the past.
"Rosamia was one of the best recruits of my squad, though she avoided socializing with the others and was often involved in scuffles. Then one day, while I was away on a different assignment, I received a letter saying one of my recruits turned traitor and ran away. I was shocked, for I knew that lad to be of unquestionable loyalty." His expression became pained. "When I returned, however, Rosamia told me the truth. The recruit suddenly lost control of himself and began to attack the others, to the point they were forced to use lethal force to stop him. The researchers that made the masks took the body away and ordered the other recruits to stick with the cover-up story. She confessed that their masks were cursed, constantly trying to influence their minds to make them lose all sense of self and keep fighting beyond their limits."
'An item that bestows Mad Enhancement?' Archer wondered. The concept wasn't foreign to him. He had several cursed swords (most of them of Norse origin) that made their wielders into a violent berserker. The Servant of Madness may be considered nothing more than an attack dog, but Archer had witnessed firsthand, and on his own skin, how dangerous they truly are.
Deliford finished his story by saying that Rosamia, after their conversation, absconded with the sum of the Empire's research and has been on the run ever since. Deliford tried to do something, but was stonewalled at every opportunity and threatened more than once to stop, otherwise, he would be branded as a traitor too. "It went against my morals, but I had to look after my family. So I took the only remaining choice and left the empire."
"That's messed up," Rackam frowned. "First those dark crystals that can summon monsters, then that weapon in Auguste... they already have a large and well-equipped army, why is Erste researching this dangerous stuff?"
"If you want a comprehensive answer we'll be here all day," Archer snorted before looking at Gran. "What are your orders, Captain?"
"Isn't it obvious?" He nodded with determination. "We are going to rescue Deliford's student!"
"We need to know where she's first. Also, if those Empire troops are here to find her too we may have a problem..." Eugen grinned and looked at Archer. "Sounds like the perfect job for a scout."
The bowman scoffed when every eye turned to him. "Piece of cake, but it will take some time," - Unless he's lucky, which is never - "And I'll need to move alone."
Gran nodded. "Just tell us when you find something, alright?"
Archer nodded back before leaving the Grandcypher. He walked behind a building, out of sight of the people within the port, before jumping on the rooftop to move across the city with Servant speed. His first order of business: find a place high enough.
It took Archer nearly three hours to find something. Specifically, a purple-haired woman traveling alone in the opposite direction from the Erste troops. Judging by the mask with glowing oculars covering half of her face, she was his target.
"Trace, On." He projected his bow and a simple straight sword without an edge, made not of metal but an extremely resistant plastic material. With Alteration, he carved indications to reach his position on the flat of the blade and shot it in the Grandcypher's direction, making sure it would land without damaging anything. With that done, he sat down on the tree's branch and began to observe the woman, who was resting at the edge of the forest he was in.
Gran, Lyria, Vyrn and a few other members of the crew arrived some times later.
"Who uses swords to send messages!?" Rackam asked the moment he saw Archer.
The white-haired man just shrugged. "Someone who lacked other options?"
"Ever heard of tying a scroll around an arrow's shaft?"
"That works if the distance to cover is limited. The speed necessary to reach the Grandcypher would shred the paper."
"Mmh?" Yuisis and Lowain's ears twitched. "Hear that, Yui-Sis?"
"Yeah, someone's running way fa-"
Archer rolled off the branch just in time to avoid a cluster of rectangular pieces of paper, similar to the talismans used by Japanese Onmyouji, wrapping around the piece of wood before detonating.
"You'll never take me alive!" A feminine voice shouted.
Everyone readied their weapons, save for Deliford who just sighed before taking a step forward. "Lesson n. 38!"
"Always make sure to know who and what you're aiming at!" The voice immediately replied before pausing. There was a sound of hurried footsteps before the woman Archer followed emerged from behind a tree, eyes wide as she stared at the middle-aged soldier. "Instructor Deliford?! What are you doing here?"
"Do you believe I could remain in the Empire after hearing how they treated you and the others? I resigned of course!" He began to move forward, but Rosamia stepped back.
"No, don't come close!" For a second, her eyes lost focus. "Would it actually be so bad to be freed from this curse?"
Everyone stared at her in confusion, while Deliford sighed again. "Rosamia, did you mix up your thoughts and words again?"
"So it seems," She seemed hardly fazed.
"Is that the cursed mask you talked about, old man?" Vyrn squinted his eyes at the mask covering Rosamia's face. "It doesn't seem very solid. Whack it with your sword, Gran! That oughta break it!"
"I told you, I am not an old man!" Deliford protested. "I'm still young!"
"Instructor is sensitive about his age as always," Rosamia's eyes lost focus again. When they went back to normal, she noticed the rapier still around Gran's waist. "Is that my Thunder Rapier? No, it can't be! Why do you people have it?"
"Um... Is something wrong?" Lyria asked.
"The last time I saw my father and mother, they entrusted me with that blade," Rosamia explained. "I could never forget such fine craftsmanship."
"Oh, so this sword is yours?" Gran raised it while scratching his head. "I just brought it today in one of this island's shops."
"To think it was so close... Its beautiful form has been passed down in my household for generations. That rapier was my parent's farewell gift until the army took it from me. They said I would have no need for sentimentality. I never thought I'd see it again."
"But you've escaped from the Empire," Lyria pointed out. "Why don't you just go home?"
She shook her head. "Don't be foolish, girl. I have no idea when this mask will go berserk. How could I return home knowing I might lose myself and turn on my family?"
"Right," Eugen patted the bowman's shoulder. "Archer. Do your thing."
"Aren't you relying on me too much?" Even if he was the best choice right now, it wouldn't be good if the crew grow to rely excessively on him. Snorting in mock annoyance, he approached Rosamia.
"Weren't you listening? This mask is cursed. If you approach it careless-"
"Worry about yourself first," He flatly replied before reaching her side with a burst of superhuman speed. Then, before she could react, he touched the mask. "Trace, On."
Information about the mask filled his mind. Almost immediately, the inner enchantments opposed resistance to his prana, but he blew past them by using more of it. When he reached the inner core, the curse tried to take hold of his mind but splashed harmlessly against a wall of steel.
Compared to All the World's Evil, resisting such a weak curse was a child's play.
"Mh, so I was right. This is truly similar to Mad Enhancement." Archer removed his hand, with Rosamia giving him a confused look. "This mask allows you to fight beyond your limits in exchange for increasing your violence and aggression... Well, that's all I can tell." He shrugged. "Want me to remove the curse? It would destroy the mask though."
"Tsk!" She looked away with a frown. "If only it was that simple..."
"For me, it is," He just had to scratch the mask with Rule Breaker, the prana cost to nullify the curse well within his current reserves. But he made a point to never use the dagger lightly, and that required asking for permission if circumstances aren't dire enough.
"You seem pretty confident..." One of her hands reached up to the mask, metal creaking slightly as she gripped it hard. "But even if it was indeed possible, I still need the strength it gives me for now. I'll remember your offer."
"Suit yourself," Needless to say, he was going to keep a firm eye on her.
The rapier flashed out, striking multiple times at such speeds it was akin to a bolt of lightning. And each and every thrust was blocked or parried by the large shield, its owner using the minimal amount of movement required to do so. Then, the moment the attack's impetus began to subside, the long spear slashed out, a single but powerful thrust that was sure to connect with the target.
With a flick of her wrist, Rosamia took hold of one of her talismans and activated it. "Immovable Talisman!"
At her command the talisman glowed with a purple light, ethereal copies of it spreading out and creating a ring in front of her. A purple energy barrier formed in the space between talismans, halting the spear's tip.
"Very good Rosamia. I am happy to see you kept up your training," Deliford complimented the female knight after they disengaged. "However, you have yet to find a way to attack while your barrier is active."
"It is as you said, Instructor. Using this talisman requires a lot of concentration," She agreed, her eyes losing focus. "And I have no interest in learning your parry-and-riposte style."
"...That wasn't my intention," The aged knight huffed. "Not being hit is a type of defense more powerful than thick armor, but it's also less forgiving. You're faster than me and use a lighter weapon, so you should focus on that. Without forgetting to work on your own flaws of course."
"Yes sir!" She replied with a military salute.
It was at that point that Archer lost interest in the match performed on the deck and resumed looking out from his perch atop the mast. The two weeks predicted by Rackam were almost over, and the Grandcypher was on its last planned stop before leaving the common air routes and heading towards the reclusive Lumacie Archipelago. Since this time there was no trace of Erste everyone was given the freedom to spend their free time however they wanted.
Slow it may be, but the bowman had to admit traveling on an airship through a seemly endless sky was a very enjoyable experience. The airplanes of his world may have been faster and a better choice to quickly reach a destination, but it was of no concern for Archer. There were no more battlefields or danger areas he needed to reach as soon as possible in order to save more lives. He was a member of a crew now, and his crew-mates were all within his immediate reach.
"Yo, Archer!" Eugen called out from the deck. "We've finished with the resupply. Where are those still missing?"
"Katalina, Farrah, Lowain, Tomoi and Elsam are still in the market. It looks like they're haggling over fresh fruits... either that, or they're grilling Katalina about her tastes." He shrugged.
Rackam gave a half-laugh. "So the usual, huh? What about the Captain and Lyria?"
"They have followed an Erune woman up the mountain behind the village," Archer's eyes focused on the spot where the group of three people, plus Vyrn, were watching a bird with a gorgeous plumage taking off. "To admire the local wildlife, it seems."
"Admiring the local wildlife...?" The helmsman sounded baffled. "Well, never mind that. I trust those kids, but we need to leave soon or we'll miss an ideal air current."
"Got it," Archer replied while projecting his bow and a sword.
"Well, it looks like I jumped to conclusions..." The young Erune woman with grey hair sighed in disappointment and shame after her target, the bird Nushi, flew away. "Ooh, I can't believe I had the wrong idea about it... How deluded I was. In the end, it seems I have misled you all. I can't begin to apologize..."
"Aw, don't worry about it!" Vyrn reassured her. "All we really needed was to see it for ourselves!"
"You think so...? Well, it was certainly worth the trip up here," She agreed with a small nod.
"The Nushi wasn't powerful, but it certainly was beautiful," Gran commented. "So yes, I believe seeing it was worth the trip."
Lyria giggled. "Teehee! I wanna see it again!"
"I'm glad I made this detour. I feel like I've gained something valuable," The Erune smiled. "And if I hadn't had this misunderstanding, we probably wouldn't have come here together."
"Yeah! You're right, lady!" The baby dragon cheered.
"Detour?" The blue-haired girl tilted her head. "Come to think of it, where are you headed next, Sutera?"
"Well, let's see-"
Before the now-named Sutera could reply, something dived down from the sky and stabbed into the ground. After the initial shock subsided, the group could see the projectile was a sword, the words 'Time to come back' carved on its surface.
"Oh, it's just Uncle Sword," Vyrn sighed in relief. "Seems like time's up Gran, Lyria."
"Ah, I guess that's true," Scratching his head Gran looked up at the sun's position. "The trip up here took a while, if we delay-"
"Please wait a moment!" Sutera exclaimed, gaze still locked on the sword. "Where did this sword come from!?"
"It was shot by Archer, a member of our crew," Gran explained. "He has this bizarre style where he uses swords instead of arrows for his bow, but despite that, he's incredibly good. Sending a message carved on a sword is something he did before, so it's not surprising."
"Using swords as arrows?! Astounding!" Sutera's eyes widened. "Where is this amazing bowman? I can't see him."
"Likely still on our airship, back at the port," answered Vyrn.
Sutera froze, then slowly turned around to stare at Vyrn. "At the port?"
"Uh-huh!" The baby dragon nodded. "Uncle Sword has amazing eyes. He can hit a target even from a distance of two kilometers, saw it myself."
"Archer! Look, look!" Grinning, and obviously pleased with herself, Io showed the bowman the pocket-watch in her hands. "Pretty good, uh?"
He checked the watch with Structural Analysis and nodded. "You managed to replicate 50% of the original one, you are definitely progressing fast."
"Fifty-no! This time you're not making fun of me!" With a defiant look in her eyes, she winded up the watch. "It's a perfect copy and nothing you can say will-"
The watch's face leaped off, quickly followed by small cogs, springs, and other components.
Archer didn't say a word, he merely raised one eyebrow as Io glared fiercely at the traitorous watch before stomping off.
"My, I thought Io was getting better in her attempts at Projection." Zahlhamelina tilted her head. "Was I mistaken?"
"No. This time she just tried something above her current abilities." Archer projected a copy of the pocket-watch and opened it, showing the Harvin the dozens of components inside. "The more moving parts an object has, the more difficult it is to form a correct mental image. Even I have trouble doing it, one of the reasons I use only swords and other bladed weapons."
"Oh? But I recall you're pretty good with a gun, Archer." Eugen remarked.
"I can use them, but I don't project them."
"EXCUSE ME!" The conversation was interrupted by the Erune woman Archer saw with Gran and the others running on the deck of the Grandcypher, the sweat on her face and heavy breathing showing she ran for a while, possibly all the way from the mountain. Limping much behind her were Gran, Lyria and Vyrn. "Who among you is the supreme master of the bow who goes by the moniker of 'Archer'?!"
Zahlhamelina blinked. Eugen blinked. Even Archer blinked.
"...I'm Archer," He finally admitted. "But-"
Before he could continue, the Erune kowtowed before him.
"My name is Sutera! I realize that someone who has still much to learn like myself is unworthy of such honor, but I beseech you to be generous and allow me to become your disciple!"
For the first time in a long time, the red-clad bowman had no idea how to react.
In the end, the sudden visitor who introduced herself as Sutera joined the Grandcypher's crew.
Archer didn't have a problem with that. To decide who could join and who couldn't ultimately would be up to Gran. It was one of the duties the boy needed to shoulder if he wanted to become a proper leader. All Archer was willing to contribute were his own opinions on the matter, because a leader also needs to be aware of the thoughts of his subordinates.
It wasn't as if Sutera was a bad addition to the crew. It doesn't take long for an onlooker to figure out the Erune woman is a very honest and earnest person with nary a deceitful bone in her body. The calluses on her hands and her bow's history told the incarnated Servant a story of constant and long hard work. All in all, Sutera was a praiseworthy and reliable ally.
So why did he have to teach her about archery!? A request (if a polite one) from the Captain, that was why.
"Before we begin, I want to warn you I never taught someone else before. Well, about archery," Archer and Sutera were standing on the stern of the ship, where they would be partially protected from the strong winds. Needless to say, they had a little peanut gallery eager to see how things would play out. "So I don't know what I can teach you, or how well."
"Do you mean, I'm your first disciple? I have no words, this is a greater honor than I could ever hope for!" The Erune's eyes light up with shock and elation. "I swear I'll do my very best to prove myself worthy of your teachings, Master!"
"Please, don't call me that," Archer resisted the urge to facepalm. "My name is Archer."
"I understand, Master Archer!"
"...No, you don't." Archer deadpanned. He could hear Eugen and Rackam snickering in the background. "We'll address that later. Now, let me begin by saying that almost everything I know about using a bow I learned through years of practice and actual use on the battlefield. I never had proper training. However, the core of my style is based on the traditional style of archery practiced in my homeland, the [Kyudou]. Kyudou is above all else a mental discipline. The process and mindset behind it are critical to its success, and the ability to visualize what you want to do is how you improve."
"Mh. I see, I see. So Kyudou begins within the mind, and only later moves to reality. This way both the mind and the body are trained. How profound!" Sutera nodded, clearly impressed. Why? Archer had no idea. "Master Archer, what are the process and mindset of Kyudou?"
"The mindset is [Seisha Seichu], which translates to [correct shooting is correct hitting]." Archer began to explain, trying his best to recall the memories of when he still went to school. "Hitting the target is not the goal. Rather, it becomes the natural result of correctly performing the act of shooting. By correctly performing Kyudou, the arrow has hit the target even before it is released. So there is no need to check if the arrow has hit or not because if you think the arrow will hit, it will hit the target, and if you do not, the arrow will not hit."
Sutera remained silent once Archer finished his explanation, staring up at him with slowly widening eyes. Just as Archer was beginning to wonder what he did say wrong the Erune once again kowtowed before him. "Master Archer! I, Sutera, am grateful beyond belief for the incredible kindness and unique opportunity you have decided to bless me with!"
Archer was almost too scared to ask what she meant with that. Unfortunately for his sanity Sutera kept talking. "To teach my unworthy self what is surely the greatest, most sacred secret of your homeland. A bow technique to hit the target without fail even in the most dire of circumstances! It would be impossible to repay you even if I spend my whole life doing so, but I'll nonetheless try!"
"No, that's wrong-"
"Don't worry, I'll take your teachings with me to the grave! Even if they torture me I'll sooner take my own life rather than-"
"STOP RIGHT THERE AND LISTEN TO ME!"
"There are eight steps you need to perform to achieve [Seisha Seichu]. This is the process," Archer continued once the misunderstanding was (mostly) resolved. It was almost a miracle, the way this woman's mind experienced wild flights of fancy when given even a smaller bit of rope. "Observe closely."
The red-clad bowman projected a bow and an arrow in his hands. Utterly mundane tools, perfect for the task ahead.
"The first step: [Ashibumi], placing the footing," He turned to the target, a simple red circle painted over a wooden board they took from the ship's storeroom so that the left side of his body faced it. Archer then set his feet apart so that the distance between them is equal to the length of an arrow, followed by shifting them outward at a 60° angle from each other, forming a 'V'.
"The second step: [Dozukuri], forming the body," Archer straightened his back and posture, forming a straight line from shoulders to feet. At the same time, the pelvis and the line between the shoulders were parallel to an imaginary line connecting the bowman with the target.
"The third step: [Yugamae], readying the bow," He gripped the bowstring with the right hand, the left hand holding the bow. Then he turned his head to gaze at the target.
"The fourth step: [Uchiokoshi], raising the bow," The bow was raised above the head to prepare for the draw.
"The fifth step: [Hikiwake], drawing apart," The incarnated Servant began bringing down the bow while spreading his arms, simultaneously pushing the bow with the left hand and drawing the string with the right.
"The sixth step: [Kay], the full draw," Archer continued bringing down the bow while drawing it until full draw was achieved with the arrow placed level with the mouth.
"The seventh step: [Hanare], the release," The bowstring was released, the right arm extending behind the bowman. The arrow flew true and landed right in the middle of the red circle.
"The eight and last step: [Zanshin], the 'remaining mind' or 'continuation of the shot," Archer said while lowering the bow. "Zanshin is the mental aspect maintained before, during and after the action of shooting the arrow. It is the suppression of your normal 'self' to become the bow. To give oneself completely to the shooting is the spiritual goal, achieved by the perfection of both the spirit and shooting technique."
He shrugged. "That's the gist of it. The real difficulty is learning how to achieve the proper mindset, which may even take years."
"Eeeh, that's so deep Uncle Sword," Vyrn commented. The rest of the crew looked equally impressed, though it was clear some of them didn't really understand his explanations and were just going with the flow. "How much did you train to get this 'mindset' thingy?"
"I didn't. Due to certain circumstances, I was naturally able to achieve the right mindset from the beginning," Said circumstances involved deep mental trauma and untreated survivor's guilt. Not something he wanted others to imitate. "As far as I can remember the only times I missed the target were when I willingly chose to miss."
Sadly, admitting to that made the rest of the crew firmly persuaded he was some kind of natural prodigy. Sutera overreacting again and trying to become a bow didn't help at all with Archer's resulting headache.
It came into view the sixteen days since they departed from Auguste. By the next day, they had yet to reach it.
The Lumacie Archipelago. If Auguste was the Mediterranean sea, then Lumacie was the Amazon Rainforest. The group of islands reached as far as the eyes could see in both directions, each of them covered by a dense forest that blocked out the sun. Archer had memorized the scents of many forests, but none of them transmitted him such a deep sense of age, both in the temporal and mystical sense. A place out of primordial times, when humans still lived within mud huts and feared the darkness.
"Wow! The trees are huge!" Lyria exclaimed with all the excitement of a young child. "Maybe even bigger than an airship..."
By contrast, Io was much calmer despite her physical age. "So? Is there supposed to be something here? We're in the middle of nowhere!"
"Settle down, Io. A young lady maintains her composure." Katalina admonished her, but her words fell on deaf ears.
"I mean, what's the Black Knight's deal anyway?" The young girl continued. "Talking in riddles all the time..."
"Can't say I don't share the feeling, Io," Rackam muttered while stroking his chin in thought. "Just what is she trying to trick us into doing over there?"
"The best way to find out is to ask the woman herself," Eugen suggested.
"In my experience, people like the Black Knight rarely give a straight answer," Archer shook his head. "For now I believe we should focus on finding a port to dock at. Besides, the less of them there are the easier it will be to discover signs of the Black Knight's presence."
"You're right Archer," Gran nodded. "Let's go, everyone! Our next objective is Lumacie Arcipelago!"