Chapter 7

Archer ran back to the throne room. Something was wrong. First off, all the enemies were attack programs. Not a single enemy servant had attacked them. And he could feel strain in the connection between him and Hakuno. Strained but not broken, that was good.

… She was alright, she had to be. She was going to be mad that he left her behind, she would yell at him, but she would be there and safe. When he reached the door, he unlocked it and ran into the room. However, there was no one inside.

Hakuno moaned when she started to come to. When she moved, she heard some clinking. She lifted her and to rub her eyes, but a weight made her movement slow. She opened her eyes to see that wrapped around her wrists and ankles were chains. They were loose enough to enable movement for her limbs, but each chain was extending out of a glowing golden portal. She looked around, she was in the area she and Archer had searched. Thankfully she wasn't in the fort they had surveyed.

She needed to leave. That much was certain, she grabbed one of the chains and pulled. They didn't budge. So, she tried to untie herself, but to no avail, it was like the chains were glued to her skin.

"What are these chains?" She asked herself.

"The chains of heaven," a voice said, she looked up appearing out of gold dust was a figure, "Personally, I call them the name of my only companion, but their original title are the chains of heaven." The figure was fully materialized. He was a man wearing large golden armor, his equally golden hair was slicked up into spikes, but his red eyes were what drew Hakuno. She had learned something about certain heroic spirits. Those who have red eyes have divine blood. This man was part god, as if the gold wasn't intimidating enough.

"Not even a god could escape their hold, if any, they cling to god's even more than mortals," the man said. Hakuno knew this game, he was showing her, his power, that he was superior in strength, and he could kill her anytime he wanted. She wasn't going to let this man intimidate her.

"If it's the regalia you want, I don't have it," Hakuno flat out said, "Even if I did the only way you'd get it is to cut off my arm." From his arrogant tone, and 'better than though' stance she expected an attack. At least a slap to her face, but instead, he laughed. Hakuno was confused, but he was distracted, if only for a second. She didn't have the regalia, but she did have something; her command seals. After the war the ones she used up were restored to her, and every time she used one it would come back the next day.

By order of my command seal: Emiya, come to my side now. She thought. The command seal responded. She could feel Archer, but he didn't teleport in her sight. She decided that would be a good thing. Something told her this servant had more than enough bite to back up his bark. She needed to stall for time, until he could attack.

"You never fail to amuse me, mongrel," the golden servant said, "I don't desire the regalia."

"You don't?" Hakuno asked.

"No, but Altera does," the golden servant said.

"Who's Altera?"

"The hero form of the Titan. She has gathered a couple servants to help her take the regalia." Hakuno blinked, the titan was a hero? The titan was a 'she'?

"Let me guess," Hakuno said, "You're one of them?"

The man gave her a look that almost made her take a step back.

"I am her second-in-command, she is not my master," he hissed.

Hakuno took a breath to gather her courage and then spoke, "What makes her so special that you'd help her?"

"It is a debt," the golden servant explained, "Long before my birth, the titan spared my father, it falls to me to settle that debt or Uruk would be disgraced."

Hakuno raised her eyebrow. Something told her, he didn't care about debts, but decided it was in her best interests to not call him out on that.

"I will help her once," the hero said, "Then that debt shall be fulfilled."

"You're aware that the titan will destroy the moon, and the earth, right?" Hakuno asked, "You won't be able to do anything after that."

"Don't assume you know my plans mongrel," the golden man shrugged, "I have other debts to pay." He looked her square in the eye when he spoke that.

"Let me guess, you're holding me hostage, so Archer will give Altera the regalia for my safe return," Hakuno said, "You think he wouldn't risk my life, well, you'd be surprised at some of the risks my Archer will take."

"I'm aware of the faker's power," the golden man said.

Hakuno narrowed her eyes, "Faker?"

"That is precisely what he is," the servant said as if it were a fact, "His power gives him the ability to copy noble phantasms."

"I know that," Hakuno said. That was what made him so powerful, to have any powerful weapon that he ever saw.

"Then you understand. They may be quality fakes, but fakes none the less."

Hakuno's hand curled into a fist, "He's not fake," she defended, "He has made all those weapons his own just by looking at them. Don't speak ill of him just because you had to collect them the hard way!" Hakuno blinked, then raised a hand to her mouth. Why did she say that last part? She didn't know how many weapons he had, or if he had any.

"So, he is the type of man you want to embrace you?" the golden man raised an eyebrow.

"That's none of your business," Hakuno's face turned red as she flailed her arms around. Causing the servant to laugh again. Then his eyes shot open and he jumped back. A wall of swords divided him from Hakuno. Then four copies of Gae Bolg severed the chains.

"If divinity strengthens them, then something demonic should weaken and break them." Hakuno turned relieved at the voice. Archer was there behind her. She got to her feet and ran into his arms. After a gentle hug, he pulled her into the ring. She was safe and out of the way.

"You have some nerve, Faker," the wall of swords was blasted away by different swords, obviously of higher quality. Behind the golden servant were golden portals.

"One could say the same of you Gilgamesh," Archer sneered. Archer prepared to fight, when Gilgamesh… just turned around.

"I've grown bored of this."

"What?" Archer asked.

"I have better things to do than fight a faker."

Archer narrowed his eyes, "What is your real intention to help the titan?"

"I already told your mongrel master," Gilgamesh glanced at the ring, "I am paying my debt." Then the golden king of heroes, disappeared into gold dust. Archer stood there dumbfounded. Gilgamesh simply let them go. He never did that, then there was his chat with Hakuno; she disrespected him several times and he didn't do anything to hurt her, if anything, he… laughed it off. He frowned, there was something strange going on, and he was sure he didn't like it.