Chapter 2 – Yggdmillennia
Darkness.
There was nothing but darkness.
Reaching out his consciousness to the ends of the space of nothingness, Shirou could feel no existence save for himself.
Suddenly, an oppressive and vile aura permeated through the expanse as Shirou's "eyes" widened and his "heart" lurched at the unmistakable feeling.
"So you have come," an ominous voice resounded the expanse of darkness.
"Who … are you?" Shirou asked though words never escaped his mouth, his instincts shouting at him to flee while Shirou forced himself to remain rooted at his spot through sheer will alone.
"I don't have a name," the voice answered.
"Where am I?" Shirou asked, thinking his latter question being more important than the former as he reached out his consciousness to the direction of the voice.
"Don't continue further," the voice warned, its tone slightly raised.
However, Shirou paid no heed to the voice's instruction as he floated deeper into the space unknown.
Reaching out to what was in front of him, Shirou's consciousness suddenly wavered as his "vision" immediately shut down.
"HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE."
"Erk," Shirou resisted the urge to puke as the sin of hate flashed through his mind in many forms of gruesome memories and visions.
"What … is this place?" Shirou croaked out as the feeling of dread clenched his soul.
"Tch, you people never learn when to stop," came the voice resounding in his mind again. "Don't continue further."
"Who are you?" Shirou asked once again.
"I don't have a name though I am known by many," the voice answered cryptically.
Shirou trudged on forward, determined to solve what's going on in this world of nothingness.
Another blast of vile evil shot through Shirou's very soul as the words of sin blazed through his mind.
"KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL."
Shirou "backstepped" from the undesignated boundary as the flood of disturbing flashbacks and memories immediately came to a stop. Horrors beyond even man's wildest imagination flashed through Shirou's mind within just a split second, revealing to Shirou all the sins of "kill" throughout history in that time span. Shirou had just witnessed the very concept of "kill". And one could even say he relived every event of "kill" as well.
"What are … you?" Shirou uttered, his voice strained and low as he "panted" in place.
"I am called as the 'Devil', 'Evil', 'All the Sins of the World', but most commonly as –" the voice abruptly stopped as silence reigned throughout the abyss of darkness.
"Tch, it seems like our time has come," the voice spoke evenly yet with great disdain.
Shirou felt for a moment his entire consciousness getting tugged backward against his will as his consciousness dimmed in awareness.
"Who are you?" Shirou asked for the final time in a frail voice as he teetered indecisively on the edge of consciousness and unconsciousness.
The voice went silent before speaking inside of Shirou's mind. "I am known by most as …"
A pause and a shiver ran through Shirou's "spine" at the malice and hate-filled voice the being's words contained.
"Angra Mainyu," the voice uttered right beside Shirou's "ears" as Shirou widened his eyes in shock.
Because, the voice that spoke was none other than … himself.
Shirou's mind blinked away after the spoken words in the eternal expanse of nothingness.
Shirou jolted up from the bed as he panted heavily with strenuous exertion.
What was that earlier? This was all Shirou could think about at the disturbingly vivid dream he just witnessed. No, that was no dream. It was more akin to a vision if anything. Wiping away the sweat that had gathered on his brows, Shirou's eyes immediately sharpened as he surveyed the unfamiliar surrounding.
"Where am I?" was the first question Shirou wanted to ask himself as he glanced at the bed he was lying on, the bookshelves at the opposite side of the room, and the ornate lights that hung on the ceiling. However, a flood of memories prior to his unconsciousness assaulted Shirou's mind as Shirou gripped his heart and head in pain at the recollection.
The entire scene was madness, there were multiple Servants together battling against each other to the death. There was also more than one Servant per Class in this Grail War, an oddity that Shirou has never heard before … not that he has ever heard of such a thing called a Grail War before until about a week ago when he unwittingly got dragged into one.
Standing up, Shirou's feet weakly wobbled in place as Shirou was quickly forced to hold on to a nearby shelf to stabilize himself. Shirou gritted his teeth in defiance at his body's obviously frail state as he mustered whatever strength he could to continue walking.
"Why am I like this?" Shirou thought absentmindedly to himself when Shirou all of the sudden was swiftly brought back to an unpleasant memory of …
Swords.
Yes, swords of different sizes and kinds shot out through the insides of his body, skewering him where it was impossible for any man or normal mage to live. However … Shirou immediately lifted up his new white shirt that replaced his prior torn up clothing to find his skin completely bandaged on the entirety of his torso. Gingerly peeling off one end of it, Shirou stared at his skin in wide-eyed disbelief when he witnessed his body is perfectly …
"It's … healed," Shirou murmured dumbfoundedly to himself.
Right before Shirou's eyes was perfect skin that looked as if it has never seen the face of battle before. Not even a scar remained on him!
It should impossible is what Shirou will normally think, however, the evidence is shown blatantly right in his face. Revealing to himself what is deemed impossible is right now possible.
Patting back down his shirt, Shirou decided to let go of the mysteries at hand as his legs began to decrease in numbness and increase in mobility. Treading lightly over to the wooden white door in front of him, Shirou slowly turned the doorknob as he created a small sliver of opening for him to see what was outside.
Darting his eyes right and left, Shirou waited for a few more seconds before coming to the firm decision that is was safe to exit the room. Wherever this place is, Shirou knew he didn't belong here. Quickly opening the door to avoid any unnecessary creaking sound, Shirou ran out as soundlessly as possible through the empty hallways.
Rushing through the hallways while turning left and right around the curbs, Shirou quickly came to a sudden halt as he swiftly backtracked a couple of steps backward before gazing intensively at the wall decoration beside him.
"That is one really nice sword," Shirou murmured thoughtfully to himself as he continued to eye at the masterpiece that seemed to glint under the chandelier's shining lights above.
Suddenly, a flurry of chattering and a hurrying of footsteps approached Shirou's direction rapidly. Shirou's heart lurched at the sound as he immediately grabbed the door closest to him and entered without thinking before shutting the wooden door as quietly as possible while he pressed his ears against the wooden barrier.
"Rider has escaped with the homunculus!" a voice cried out as the hurried steps passed by the room Shirou was in.
"Where are they heading?"
"They are heading down the hill straight for the forest, report to Lord Darnic immediately!"
More scurrying and rushing of footsteps resounded the hallway when finally everything came to a silence after a couple of long seconds.
Shirou's back slumped in relief as he gave a relaxed sigh. For now, he has not been discovered yet. But Rider? And a homunculus? What is all that business about? It can't be … Shirou felt his heart gradually sinking into his stomach. It couldn't be that overly powerful Rider Class Servant he fought with during their last encounter, right? If so, Shirou was sure that that Rider is up to no good. Mainly because that Servant tried to kill him though.
"Who are you?" a feminine voice resonated from behind him when Shirou's relaxed posture immediately went rigid at the confused yet demanding voice.
Whirling his head around and ready to do anything to ensure he comes out alive, Shirou was met with an unexpected sight of a girl in a wheelchair looking at him with curiosity as she made her way towards him.
"It's you," the girl stated as if confirming her own thoughts. "You were the one Saber saved."
"Uh … who are you?" Shirou tentatively asked, having no idea who the girl in front of him is.
"Fiore Forvedge Yggdmillennia," the girl named Fiore introduced herself as she extended her hand in front of Shirou, gesturing for him to shake it.
Shirou gracefully took the hand and gave it a firm shake before releasing it. "Emiya Shirou," Shirou introduced himself before continuing. "You are very good at Japanese," Shirou praised seeing how the girl is clearly a foreigner just by name and physical features alone but yet is able to speak his mother language fluently despite not being a native Japanese.
The girl stared at Shirou for a second before shaking her head. "I don't know how to speak Japanese," Fiore replied, "neither have I been to the country before. Are you from Japan?"
Shirou frowned in confusion. What he heard is definitely Japanese. She's even saying it right now! "You are definitely speaking Japanese," Shirou noted with confirmation.
"I'm speaking my mother language, Romanian," Fiore answered. "I am not speaking Japanese. Are you sure you feel alright?"
"Yeah … I'm fin—" suddenly, an odd distorting sensation invaded Shirou's body as Shirou stumbled backward at the unexpected feeling.
"Who's there?" Shirou demanded with a stern expression, no longer looking straight at the girl's face who is still seated in her mobile wheelchair.
Like particles dancing in the air, the molts of blue mana in the form of brilliant glistening light manifested a figure to reveal a man in what Shirou presumed as his early thirties with long golden hair that reached to his chest.
"I am surprised you noticed me," the Servant chuckled as he gave a warm smile.
"A Servant," Shirou said evenly with a serious expression. What can get any worse than to be caught red-handed by a Servant when you're trying to escape the base headquarters that serves for the purpose of the Grail Wars.
"He can sense you?" Fiore murmured in thought as she placed her hand on her chin in pensive thought. "How interesting."
"As you may have guessed, magus," the Servant continued. "Fiore here is my Master and I am her Servant, Archer."
Looking straight at the man's calculative gaze, Shirou knew the man was telling the truth. Those eyes that can stare intensively at their target for hours on end is only a skill an Archer can perform with pinpoint accuracy.
"Are we … in a Grail War?" Shirou tentatively inquired, lowering his raised personal defense in hopes for an answer.
"Not you, but yes, this is the battle for the possession of the Greater Grail. We are known in the war as the Black Faction."
"Black Faction," Shirou repeated under his breath in thought. This was new. "What is the 'Black Faction'?" Shirou asked.
"I supposed I can explain this to you seeing how you have unwittingly dragged yourself into the Grail War," Fiore smiled before switching to a more calm yet serious expression. "The Great Holy Grail War began when our patriarch, Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia, declared the Greater Grail is in Yggdmillennia's possession and decreed a secession from the Mage's Association immediately afterward. This separation caused an uproar which paved the way to the Great Holy Grail War created by the Grail itself.
"The Great Holy Grail War consists of two factions, the Black Faction and the Red Faction. The Black Faction being comprised of the magi lineage of Yggdmillennia and the Red Faction being comprised of men from the Mage's Association."
So … the two faction colors of this big Holy Grail War just had to be the signature colors of the very Archer Class Servant that tried to kill him back in the Fifth Holy Grail War. Shirou was already disliking where the direction of this conversation is heading.
"Each faction has seven Servants from each individual classes, totaling fourteen Servants and a neutral party by the Class name, Ruler."
"Ruler?" Shirou questioned in thought.
Fiore nodded. "Yes, Ruler is the Servant sent by the Grail to overseer the War. They are normally Saints in the past who have no wish that they desire themselves."
All this Shirou is hearing is very much different from the Grail War back in Fuyuki City which he had experienced.
"What happens when a faction comes out victorious?" Shirou inquired.
"Then the winning faction then battle among themselves for the sole victor in order to wish upon the Holy Grail."
Shirou nodded in understanding. At least the basic and foundational principles of this Grail War is largely similar to the one he experienced. Shirou unconsciously veered his eyes from Fiore to the back of his right hand that no longer had his three red command seals on it. Shirou made a melancholy expression at the sight, the very proof of the bond he had with Saber as Master and Servant is no longer there due to his carelessness and how he was not careful enough against the elusive witch, Caster.
"Master, Lancer has summoned all Servants to pursue Rider," Archer suddenly spoke.
Fiore nodded, "I've heard it too," Fiore replied before turning her head back to Shirou. "I'm sorry I couldn't stay longer, but I have some business to attend to."
Shirou nodded in understanding. If Shirou had to guess, it had to be something about the escaped homunculus from what he had heard earlier.
"I'll see you later then," Shirou spoke as he opened the door to allow Fiore easy exit.
Nodding her head in thanks, Fiore and her Servant, Archer, left the door quickly at Lancer's command.
Once the door was closed, Shirou gave an exhale of relief as he quickly darted his eyes left and right to make sure nothing was wrong around him. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, Shirou gave a content smile as he surveyed the massive room.
Larger than any room in his home back in Fuyuki, Shirou found himself admiring the nice spacious chamber despite it not fitting his own personal preferences. Walking over to the window and out to the outdoor balcony, Shirou glanced at the far-out horizon as he surveyed over at the deceivingly quiet green forest.
Shirou had heard it himself earlier. The men here at the castle are uniting their efforts in an attempt to capture a homunculus and Rider who had escape alongside him. Shirou knew most mages viewed homunculi, manufactured beings from magecraft, as nothing more than a tool for their own purposes. But from what Shirou can gather at Archer and Fiore's short exchanges, why would they go to such great lengths to capture a homunculus that they are even willing to send in all the Servants present out for a manhunt? Isn't that overkill?
And to further complicate things, of all the Servants that escaped with the homunculus, it was the Servant Rider. Shirou knew the Rider he fought against with the last time he was conscious was definitely not a part of the Black Faction, or in other words, Yggdmillennia. The fact that that Rider fought against both Saber and Berserker in whom the man named Darnic commanded to action proved and supported that fact. Therefore, it only left the pink-haired "girl" who is also a Rider Class Servant as the very person who escaped alongside the homunculus.
"But her?" Shirou thought pensively. She didn't seem to be that massive of a threat to warrant these many Servants in the manhunt.
Disregarding the questions running through his jumbled mind, Shirou decided the only way for him to make sure that no innocent lives were involved, even including the running homunculus himself, Shirou needed to be there to witness the entire spectacle and understand what's going on. And if necessary, stop it before any innocent lives are hurt or lost.
Rushing back in the room while saying a quick silent apology, Shirou ripped a blanket off the bed of Fiore as he rushed back to the outdoor balcony and tied the blanket on the outside post of the stone carved fence. Tying two more blankets and a sheet at the beginning and end of each fabric, Shirou had made himself a makeshift rope to climb down the looming castle with.
Not only will it be easier to avoid detection by getting out of the castle this way, but also he wouldn't have to go through all the trouble to remain undetected in the shadows of the alleyways from the patrolling guards roaming here in the castle.
Gingerly crossing his legs over the concrete ornate fence around the balcony, Shirou carefully let down his foot as he firmly tugged on the makeshift rope in precaution. Double checking that everything was secured, Shirou slowly began to let himself down as the wind softly swayed the hanging blankets in a nerve-wracking manner.
Halfway down through the rope, Shirou suddenly felt a tied-up knot between the blankets loosening as the wind howled louder and stronger while the makeshift rope rocked right and left dangerously, threatening to crash Shirou right at the castle stone walls for several times. Shirou resisted an urge to call for help when he felt the rope of blankets suddenly dropping a few centimeters, making Shirou's body freeze with uncertainty as he eyed at the ground beneath, still about five-story high from touchdown.
Holding his breath unconsciously for a couple more seconds for good measures, Shirou resumed back his way down when …
The howling gust of wind in the night air blasted at Shirou forcefully, sending Shirou right at the castle walls fast as Shirou widened his eyes in horror.
STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP … PLEASE STOP! Shirou desperately prayed for the rope to halt its swinging motion before it slammed his body mercilessly against the ragged stone surface. However, Fate was not on his side when the wind continued to angrily blow in the mountains as the rope swung back and forth more violently. Bracing for the impact, Shirou swore he felt something broke at that moment when his body got flung in the air and crashed painfully into the stone wall as air was forcefully ejected out of his lungs.
Involuntarily coughing out a series of ragged coughs as Shirou greedily breathed air back in his lungs, Shirou slowly turned his head to the right to see a guard by the castle wall looking straight at him.
Shirou's face froze at the direct eye contact as his heart plummeted with dread.
…
…
…
"… Hi?" Shirou greeted with uncertainty and a wave of his hand after a brief moment of stunned silence, hoping with all his heart that the guard will let him go.
The guard stared at him for a moment longer before straightening up his body. "INTRUDER!"
Okay. Time to go!
No longer heeding the dangers of the swinging makeshift rope, Shirou went down the length as fast as he could, just barely dodging an arrow by a hair's width as Shirou mentally gulped at how close he was to dying and falling off from this height.
Another arrow shot out, grazing Shirou's upper arm as blood spilled out from his wound. It was only through the erratic movement of the blankets in the wind was he able to dodge that. If not for the wind, Shirou knew he would be in one tangent place and would end up as a lone cornered target, something which didn't spell too well for his survival.
Leaping off at the end of the rope before another projectile can fire at him, Shirou landed to the ground as his bones creaked and his spine shuddered at the impact from jumping down at the height of one floor.
Shirou didn't have time for a short reprieve when three more arrows whizzed through the night air, forcing Shirou to scramble off the ground and into the forest. This was no longer a simple escapee or see what's the entire situation of the fugitive homunculus all about, Shirou was now running for his life because someone misunderstood him as an intruder of the castle. Thinking back, who in the right mind wouldn't think that when they see a person climbing on a rope of blankets attached to a Yggdmillennian Master's room?
Zigzagging right and left through the dense foliage as Shirou crashed through bushes and feeble branches without heeding to the tremendous amount of noise he was making, Shirou felt something caught his leg as he widened his eyes in surprise.
Before Shirou could even properly react, he immediately lost balance when his foot got caught on an overgrown tree root as Shirou was sent tumbling down the hill painfully. It wasn't until several seconds later did Shirou managed to skid to a stop as he groaned audibly in pain.
Shirou had heard from some of his friends back in Japan that rolling down a grass hill was one of the greatest joy a person can experience during their childhood. However, having experienced it firsthand now, Shirou didn't bother contemplating twice before thinking the exact contrary.
Rolling down a hill was not fun. In fact, it was quite unpleasant to put it lightly.
Lifting up his body with disorientating spinning vision as he wobbled in place, Shirou rubbed his eyes with his hands as he proceeded to blink a couple of times to see a group of people right in front of him. Saber was pointing his sword at the pink-haired Rider in the distance while another man which Shirou has never seen before is slowly approaching a … child?
What's going on?
"Hi," Shirou waved at them after a prolonged silence as Shirou rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. Crashing down through the forest then to here must not have been the grandest appearance he has ever made. Tohsaka will be scoffing at him for his recklessness if she were here, even Saber will give him a disapproving shake of her head at his behavior.
"What are you doing here?!" a blonde-haired man dressed in regal white military clothes spoke. His chubby physique indicating to Shirou that he must be a wealthy man most likely from the castle he just left. Or in other words, an individual working for the Black Faction if he is not a Master himself already.
"Uh …" Shirou gave an awkward chuckle. How was he supposed to answer that? Should he tell him he climbed out of the castle from the outside then tumbled his way in the forest after a group of homunculi was – and still – chasing him? Even Shirou himself had the common sense to not utter this kind of information.
Glancing to the man's hand, Shirou saw a set of red command seals on the back of it, signifying he was a Master of this war. And if Shirou had to guess, he had to be the Master of Saber who is here accompanying him.
"You're the Master of Saber, I'm guessing," Shirou began the conversation with an indirect question.
"You're the one Saber brought back," the man noted with a scowl. "What do you want?" the man proceeded to ask, urgency clearly laced in his voice for some reason as he continued to glance at the seated kid panting by the tree trunk. The child being clearly fatigued.
Shirou hummed in pensive thought. "Now?" Shirou asked. "I was wondering where the escaping homunculus with Rider is …" Shirou trailed off as he veered his eyes over to Rider then back at the panting kid who looked like he had just witnessed a near-death experience and is running for his life.
Shirou at that moment felt like he needed to bang his head at his stupidity. How could he have not noticed it earlier?
"That's him, isn't he?" Shirou asked dryly as he pointed at the brown-haired child.
The Master nodded his head professionally in answer as he resumed his approach at the child homunculus while the homunculus widened his eyes in fear at the Master.
"Wait," Shirou stopped what was going on with a word as the Master veered his head over at Shirou with a face of disdain.
"Why are you catching the homunculus?" Shirou asked sternly as he squinted his eyes in suspicion. Something was not right here.
"It's none of your business!" the Master shouted in anger as he waved his hands to gesture for Shirou to get out of here.
Shirou stepped forward as he closed in the space between the homunculus and the Master fearlessly. Reckless? Yes. Stupid? Perhaps. Regardless, Shirou is going to dig up the root of the problem and see what's going on.
"What is a homunculus to you?" Shirou changed his question as he fixed his eyes at the European Master with a stern and unwavering gaze, the eyes of a person who had survived the impossible and has witnessed battles beyond man's wildest imaginations.
"Get out of th—"
"Answer me," Shirou said calmly, never once relenting his eyes away from the man.
The Master eyed Shirou a second longer before indulging him with an answer. "A homunculus is a tool created by the family of Yggdmillennia for the sole sake of defending and serving us."
Shirou nodded his head in understanding. As thought, this magus is no different from the countless magi in the world. A person who views the pursuit of magecraft as more important than the protection of human and intelligent life.
"In that case, I'm afraid I won't let you take the child with you," Shirou spoke frankly. If Tohsaka were to ever watch a replay of this scene, Shirou without a trace of doubt knew she will be yelling curses at him while pulling the roots of her hair out in frustration at his display of recklessness.
The man spat out with dismay at Shirou's words before glancing to his left. It was clear that Saber was currently preoccupied with Rider, therefore making him incapable of coming to his aid. Then that left …
"He's here!" a voice resounded through the forest.
Shirou turned his head to the side as he gazed past the dense foliage to see a group of men ranging over twenty people heading his way with bows and arrows, swords, and halberds in their hands. All of them wearing the same white attire and having the same face accordingly to their gender. They were without a doubt a homunculi squad if you could call it that.
"That was fast," Shirou noted with a frown. At least faster than he expected, it seems like the homunculi didn't bother taking their time finding him.
One by one, the homunculus emerged out of the thick foliage as they stepped into the clearing, the moonlight shining down on them while the clouds drifted through the night sky, periodically blocking the light.
"About time!" the blonde-haired Master spat out. "Get that homunculus!"
The homunculi approached closer while baring their weapons in front of them as they formed a semi-circle around everybody.
"We are here to capture the intruder, Master Gordes Musik Yggdmillennia," a male homunculus spoke monotonously and without a trace of emotions.
"Intruder?" Gordes gave a scowl.
All the homunculi present subtly nodded in answer as they pointed their weapons at Shirou. "Him, Master."
Gordes looked over at Shirou dumbfounded. "What you mean he's an intruder, you useless tools?!" Gordes shouted with rage as he pointed with boiling fury at the homunculi. "Capture the homunculus now!"
Gordes would have liked the homunculi to capture the weird red-headed boy blocking his path to esteemed pride and honor. However, it was his very own Servant, Saber, who had saved the boy somehow from certain death. Even Gordes, a first-rate magus, is unable to explain to himself on how it was possible for the red-headed man to heal from his severely sustained injuries that ran across through the entirety of his body. And because of all these facts, simply eliminated an annoying obstacle became all the more complicated to Gordes.
"Trace—" a voice suddenly uttered in the night.
All twenty-seven of Shirou's Magic Circuits lit up at once as the green neon glow extended from his arms and towards his fingertips while green mana fluctuated in his hands to form an image.
"—On!" Shirou whispered under his breath when the dual married swords of black and white manifested themselves firmly into his grip as Shirou shifted his legs and weight into a battle ready position.
All the homunculi without hesitation advanced forward at their target until the sound of hooves and a group of people walking approached them.
"Stop!" a voice commanded with unwavering authority as all the homunculi soldiers present immediately halted their movement.
Shirou shifted his concentrated gaze from the group of homunculi to what was behind. Now in front of Shirou was a hazy outline of a figure on a stallion as the mane of the horse ruffled in the midnight breeze while the fog settled in on the ground as if flowing and ebbing in the forest lands.
Coming out of the thicket and right before everybody as he sat straight in his saddle with eyes and composure that spoke of a merciless king, the Servant before Shirou gazed down at everybody with cold and calculating eyes.
Following behind and right beside the supreme Servant were the rest of the other Servants and Masters. Shirou was able to identify right on the spot Rider's Master; Caster and his Master; the patriarch of the Yggdmillennia family, Darnic Prestone Yggdmillennia; Archer and his Master who introduced herself to Shirou as Fiore; and lastly, there was Berserker and a guy beside the one-horned girl Servant who Shirou assumed as Berserker's Master. All that's left was … Assassin.
Shirou subtly scanned his surrounding as his senses honed in around him for anything unusual. For all Shirou knew, all this could ultimately be a trap for Assassin to kill and end him. Shirou quickly shot down the idea in his mind the moment it popped into his head. He was thinking too much. The Servants here could much more easily kill him now if they were to all attack him together. In fact, Shirou was pretty sure even the weakest Servant here could cut him into many pieces before he even registered what was going on.
"Shirou?!" a surprised gasp could be heard in the deadly silence as Shirou nodded his head in acknowledgment at Fiore.
"Hi, Fiore," Shirou greeted with a warm smile. "It seems like we've met again."
Fiore didn't answer Shirou's comment as she remained silent, probably not knowing how to reply to such a weird greeting in the midst of everybody present.
"Is this the homunculus, Caster?" the ruler on horseback asked in a cool voice.
The man with an odd-looking metal mask turned his head to face the ruler who addressed the question. "Yes, that is him."
"What do you want with him?" Shirou loudly interrupted the exchange of conversation as he stared at the group of Servants and Masters in front of him intensely.
Silence reigned in the forest at the sudden uttered words as the man on horseback eyed Shirou emotionlessly yet with interest while the Caster simply turned his head in Shirou's direction, his mask not betraying what he felt.
"Isn't he …?" the boy beside Berserker who had brown hair and blue eyes stared at Shirou with a mixture of surprise and disbelief as he trailed off.
The ruler shifted his unforgiving gaze from Shirou to the person beside Shirou's position off in the distance where Saber is still pointing his sword's end at Rider.
"Saber," the ruler raised his voice in demand. "Explain. What has transpired here?"
Saber dutifully nodded as he lowered his sword while Rider gave a relieved sigh. "He is the magus who fought against Rider of Red and saved Berserker and me from certain death." Saber began explained stoically.
"I wouldn't go that far …" Shirou spoke under his breath as he gave an awkward smile. He didn't fend off the Rider Class Servant during the fight, he was completely crushed by the ridiculously powerful Servant whose power is unlike any Servant he has seen before save for Hercules himself in terms of raw strength and speed. For all Shirou knew, he was no match against any Servant no matter how weak they were!
The ruler subtly nodded in understanding. "I understand. Then magus," the ruler fixed his unnerving emotionless eyes at Shirou as Shirou met his gaze with unwavering determination and resolve, "I will allow you to leave this place unscathed, however," mana began to form around the ruler, showing an intense killing intent, "if you stand in our way, you will face against my wrath!"
Shirou lifted both Kanshou and Bakuya a little higher defensively as he eyed the ruler. "Homunculi aren't tools," Shirou spoke with confidence. "They may have different origins than we, man, do. But if they have a soul, then they are human to me!" Shirou finished as he pointed Kanshou towards the Black Faction audaciously. "If you want him to fulfill your own selfish plans, then you have to go through me," Shirou ended coolly.
A tensed silence reigned in the forest as Shirou shifted his legs ever so slightly while the dirt made an agonizingly slow crunching sound in the wake of battle. Mana slowly began to gather threateningly in the forest grounds when …
"Stop!" a voice cried out from their side as everyone whirled their head to the source of noise.
In front of Shirou, was a girl in splendor glory as she placed her hand by a tree trunk as if supporting her balance before making her way towards them. Blinking his eyes a couple times, Shirou's mouth slowly gaped open at the awestriking sight. Gowned in blue, silver armor and fabric, the woman before Shirou had braided blonde hair and blue eyes with a metallic headdress to complement her looks. Shirou's eyes bulged out at the impossible sight, she looked uncannily like his Servant, Saber!
"Ruler?!" Gordes exclaimed in shock.
Ruler? Shirou made a frown at the thought. Wasn't the Ruler Class Servant supposed to be the Overseer of this Great Holy Grail War? If so, why is she here involving herself openly like this?
The said woman nodded her head in confirmation as she made her way into the space between the two groups. "I am Ruler, tasked to be in charge of this Holy Grail War."
"Ruler," the man who stood beside the Servant on horseback named Darnic repeated stoically in thought. "Why have you come?"
Ruler glanced at Shirou for a second as Shirou met her split-second gaze with a questioning look, not sure what's she looking for as he continuously stood defensively in place.
"Even the Holy Grail Wars have rules," Ruler began with a peaceful expression as she spoke. "This man did not willingly join the battle between Servants, am I right?" Ruler asked as she pointed at Shirou.
"Wait, what is going on?" Shirou couldn't help but think that thought at the sudden appearance of the absolute authority in the battle for the omnipotent Grail.
Shirou numbly nodded. "Well, I wasn't expecting to get dragged into another one," Shirou muttered under his breath. However, whenever there are any innocent lives on the line due to the evil ambitions of the Masters or Servants in the Grail Wars, whether or not he is related to the event, Shirou will do whatever he can to save them no matter the consequences. And if his very own life will provide that kind of salvation for even only one person, Shirou wouldn't even hesitate to give up his life for him.
"Another one?" Ruler asked as her eyes squinted in suspicion.
Shirou was quick to dismiss the question. "I appreciate your concern," Shirou thanked Ruler as he gave a subtle yet courteous traditional Japanese bow in her direction. "However, more importantly, it should be the homunculus's life behind me you should concern of instead."
Ruler shifted her gaze from Shirou to the figure behind him. Sure enough, lying with fatigue on the tree trunk was a brown-haired and red-eyed child opening his eyes with anxiety which only spoke of his sheer will to live and to survive.
"May I inquire what you are wanting from the child?" Ruler asked with a calculated look as she fixed her eyes at the group of people before her, both the small army of homunculi and the Master and Servant pairs.
"Caster, answer her," Darnic replied after a tensed silent pause.
Caster nodded his head as he faced Ruler.
"We will be using the homunculus for providing us mana from their artificial Magic Circuits," Caster explained with an even voice.
Shirou's blood boiled at the words. What Caster was saying is no better than saying they are using homunculi to be living batteries to power themselves up. This is just simply a more convenient and roundabout way of Servants killing people to collect mana to strengthen themselves. These people viewed homunculi as creatures no better than a disposal tools, using it until it no longer functions before they dispose of it. And thinking back to his naughty yet good-natured sister Illya, Shirou's blood burned with fury at the thought. How cold-blooded can these mages be?
"Is that how you view a homunculus?" Shirou asked coolly before he raised his eyes up to meet the Masters and Servants of Yggdmillennia. "Nothing more than a disposal tool to your liking?!"
"Hand him over, magus," Darnic commanded stoically. "He is the property of Yggdmillennia."
"I refuse," Shirou answered without a lace of uncertainty at what he's doing as he stood in the way of the army of Servants, Masters, and homunculi.
"He is a resource we prepared for this war. With no personality, past, nor family, homunculi are made for the sole purpose to fight," Darnic explained to Shirou as Shirou continued to hold his dual blades.
"That may be true," Shirou responded to the comment. "However, he acted by his free will to escape, he wanted to survive and preserve his life, am I not correct?"
Darnic didn't reply to the rebuttal.
"The only way you're taking the homunculus back with you is through me. I will fight with everything I have to give this child freedom," Shirou stated with conviction.
"Are you crazy?" Darnic asked with a slight hint of being dumbfounded at Shirou's words.
"As long as I stay true to myself, then nothing else matters. Even if I am crazy, I will still save him."
Darnic eyed Shirou dangerously as the seconds prolonged in the tense atmosphere.
"Enough!" Ruler's voice resounded in the forest as the birds perched on the tree branches fluttered away at the sudden sound. "This child will not be dragged into the Grail War."
"But—"
"You may have created the homunculus," Ruler stated, "but if he does not want to join in the Grail War, then you have no right to refuse him."
Darnic was about to say something before the man riding on the gallant horse stopped him.
"Darnic, let it go," the man commanded as Darnic stayed silent. "Rider," the king then addressed, "do you consider your despicable act as treason?"
"Nope!" Rider answered with a smile, it was honestly hard for Shirou to know whether the pink-haired Servant is serious or not at times. "I believe that I did the right thing!"
Rider's Master visibly clenched her fist as her face made a gruesome expression.
"Yet you may not go unpunished," whom Shirou deduced as Lancer stated with eyes closely calmly before reopening them. "Caster," Lancer commanded with a word.
Caster promptly responded to the commanded by going into spirit form before briefly appearing right before Rider and Saber as he enveloped Rider's hands with a purple ball of light consisting of pure mana.
In less than a second, earth began to form and wrap about Rider's hands together in the shape of a ball to serve as handcuffs, one that is nigh impossible to break without the intervention of magecraft. To try to break it will be equivalent in trying to break a solid rock.
"Wait, we're not don—" Darnic began.
"We are," Lancer spoke with no room for arguments. This was a decree sentenced by a longstanding king as Darnic proceeded in shutting his mouth.
"Ruler," Lancer addressed as he looked at whom he deduced as none other than the Maid of Orleans, Jeanne d'Arc, "as my sister before God, will you join forces with us?"
"No," Ruler swiftly replied. "As long as you fight for the Grail in an honorable fashion, I will not interfere regardless of whatever may happen."
The king's lips tightened as he acknowledged Ruler's final decision. Pulling back the reins on the stallion, the horse kicked up in front legs with a neigh as it turned around and galloped back to the direction of the Yggdmillennia Castle. Everyone turned around as well as they followed the leader of the Black Faction.
"Well then," Rider opened his mouth as he turned around to face the rest of the people behind him which consisted of Ruler, the child homunculus, and Shirou himself. "This is the extent which I will help you," Rider continued with a playful yet sincere grin. "Goodbye!"
Seeing the hazy yet worried glances the homunculus was making, Rider's caring smile widened as he made a confident pose. "You'll be fine, you can live on your own now! Go to town, see new faces, learn to love and hate people. Live a happy life, got it?" Rider ended with another beaming grin.
Love people. Shirou completely understood that. But hate? Does the homunculus really need to learn that? It's one thing to hate an action, Shirou himself hates many of the things people did in his past and are still doing now. However, that does not warrant his hate for the individual himself. He didn't appreciate and hated how his sister Illyasviel tried to kill him, yet, never once did he ever hate her as a person.
"That way, we won't all have fought for vain," Rider continued as he gave a reassuring grin at the homunculus.
"I …" the homunculus looked at his own hands, not sure how to respond to Rider's unwavering confidence.
"Live! You're allowed to now, you're allowed to live a life you want to experience," Rider spoke as the child widened his eyes in realization at the implications behind Rider's words. Rider then turned around as he waved his two earth bounded hands in farewell. "See ya! Make sure you take care of him, Ruler, red magus!"
"Red magus?" Shirou grumbled under his breath with dissatisfaction. Why red? The closest things Shirou could relate to the color was – Archer, the very man who virtually killed him due to his regrets of his, and alternatively Shirou's, ideals; Rin, who is clever yet deceivingly sharp with her tongue; and lastly, the color of blood, something which Shirou sees a lot more often coming out from his body than he prefers to. So, with all that said, although red is a nice color in general, it didn't bring back much pleasant memories for Shirou.
The Master of Rider glared at the trio by the tree the homunculus was still lying on with much disdain as she spat out and inaudible curse before abruptly turning away and following the walking crowd.
"Ah," Shirou gave a relieved sigh once all of the Servants, Masters, and militaristic homunculi are no longer present. "I'm glad that was over," Shirou gave a satisfied smile before turning his body over to face Ruler.
"Hi, I guess I haven't introduced myself," Shirou began with a soft enduring smile. "My name is Emiya Shirou, but you can just call me Shirou," Shirou spoke as he extended his hand out in a gesture to shake Ruler's own hand.
"Shirou," Ruler's tongue rolled out as she pronounced the foreign name with interest when she met Shirou's hands with her own as they gave each other a friendly handshake.
Shirou nodded in confirmation that she managed to get the pronunciation right. Shirou expected nothing less from the Servant Overseer of the Great Holy Grail War.
"Anyway," Shirou continued as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly once he retracted his hand. "thanks for saving me out there. Despite all my talk about saving him," Shirou gestured over to the red-eyed homunculus, "I guess I wouldn't have fared too well if a Servant attacked me, let alone all of them."
Ruler gave a concerned frown at Shirou's direction. "You shouldn't be so reckless," Ruler lightly reprimanded.
Shirou chuckled at Ruler's heartfelt concern. "I know," Shirou replied. "But if someone ever needs help, no matter how stupid my actions appear to be, I will still do it just for the sake of saving others."
Ruler nodded in understanding. "You have a kind heart," Ruler responded with a warm smile which made Shirou widened his eyes in surprise as his face tinted a slight red. If his Servant, Saber, were to smile the way this Ruler did, would it be like this also?
"A-Ahh," Shirou stuttered as he averted his sight to the forest beyond them. "I just try to do my best," Shirou said meekly.
Ruler continued to smile gently at Shirou's odd behavior as she approached the homunculus boy leaning by the tree. Kneeling down to face the child at eye level, Ruler extended a helping hand out in the boy's direction. The boy eyed Ruler cautiously for a second before gingerly taking her hand as Ruler stood up slowly, helping the boy on his feet.
"There's no need to be afraid anymore," Ruler began as she fixed her gaze into the boy's eyes as if peering into his soul. "You're free now."
The boy slowly nodded at Ruler's words as if trying to comprehend the very thought of freedom.
"Shall we go?" Shirou asked as he gazed up at the moonlit sky. The countless stars glistening under the night sky, further accenting the sheer beauty and splendor of nature's handiwork.
Ruler nodded in tacit agreement at Shirou's words.
"Go … where?" the child asked as he shakily stood in place, his legs still not having the proper strength and coordination in them despite now being much better compared to when he first got out of the "scientific" cylindric capsules.
"A place where you can be free," Ruler replied for Shirou with another warm and gentle smile. "You can trust me," Ruler continued with soft eyes. "Come."
The child began walking after Ruler until he stepped across the ornate sword Rider handed to him for self-protection. Crouching down and grabbing the sword's hilt, the homunculus child cuddled the blade in his arm as he had a difficult time lugging the weapon with him.
"That's … a bit heavy, isn't it?" Shirou questioned at the silent homunculus boy as Shirou continued to eye the boy's struggling figure. "Do you need help?"
The boy shook his head. "I'm … fine."
Shirou nodded in understanding. "I can help whenever you get tired," Shirou reminded kindly as he walked on a few meters ahead to make sure their path down the forestry hill was safe.
The homunculus child tacitly nodded at Shirou's words as he walked side by side with Ruler while they followed along Shirou's lead.
Shirou glanced as the distant horizon and the far-off city while resisting a tempting urge to sigh. He should have known it was going to take this long to get down from the hill and to the city. It took him three hours last time to get up the high hill by running, but now with a weak child accompanying them, the trip down the hill took them that much longer.
"I can breathe more easily now," the child suddenly said out loud in the still silence as he continued walking.
Ruler turned around to face the child treading behind her. "You ought to remember that feeling," Ruler said seriously.
"Uh … where did this conversation come from?" Shirou absentmindedly thought in his mind. Was right now really the most appropriate time to talk about breathing easier?
"What do you mean?" the child asked as he looked up from his downcast position and at Ruler's face.
"To live is to endure hardships, and occasionally suffer as well," Ruler then softly smiled as she cocked her head slightly sideways. "But if you remember this sensation, it should give you the courage to keep going."
Shirou now finally understood where the conversation is heading. Fear. Fear comes in many forms and types, most of which Shirou has been subjected to yet has overcome through sheer will alone. However, Shirou was not a fool to think he overcame these obstacles he had in life by himself. His old man, Kiritsugu; Saber; Tohsaka; Sakura; Illya, these people just to name a few have all played a critical role in his life which shaped him to be the man he is today. A man who strives to become a Hero of Justice. To create a world where none will cry anymore.
The brown-haired child looked back down in shame as his face made a grimacing expression. "Courage? I have no such thing."
"Did you not refuse to die but chose life instead?" Ruler stated a thought-provoking question. "You didn't passively accept death, but instead chose a path that required courage," Ruler's expression gentled as she said those words. "I'm sure that's why Rider and Shirou were protecting you with all their might."
"I don't think I did anything as grand as you have described there," Shirou spoke under his breath with an awkward smile and a sheepish rub at the back of his head.
The child shifted his gaze away from Ruler as he looked down at the sword he was carrying with him all along the trip.
"Could that be Rider's sword?" Ruler asked.
"He gave it to me for when I needed it," the child answered Ruler. "Should I have returned it?" the homunculus then asked as he looked back at Ruler's eyes.
Ruler shook her head as her long beautifully braided hair moved along with her motion enchantingly. "If Rider gave it to you, then it's yours to keep."
"I see," the child simply stated as he carried the sword by his side once again before walking down the sloping hill.
Shirou glanced at Ruler to see her for a moment squinting her eyes as if almost in sorrow ... or was it regret? Shirou shook the thought out of his mind, perhaps he was seeing too much into things.
"I just realized," Ruler suddenly began as the child continued walking, "that we have yet properly introduced ourselves."
The child paused in his footsteps. "I don't have a past to introduce. Not even a name."
"Then let's start with that," Ruler smiled as she turned around to face the child who is now ahead of her. "A name is an important piece of one's identity."
The child closed his eyes in pensive thought as the wind breezed through his hair and Western-styled clothing. The grass swayed at the will of the gentle yet strong breeze while the fallen leaves drifted through the air in a hypnotic manner.
"I ... don't know," the child spoke stoically after coming up with nothing to name himself.
"It's alright," Shirou interjected into the conversation. "You can take your time to find a fitting name. But how about we give you a temporary one for now?" Shirou asked.
The child nodded in consent at the idea.
"What about … Yuuki?" Shirou suggested as he gave a quick thought for a temporary name to gift the child.
"Yuuki?" the child made a questioning expression, even Ruler was confused by the weird choice of name.
"It means courage in my mother tongue, Japanese," Shirou explained. "Perhaps, your name will become a constant reminder that you should never run out of courage and that you should always continue to persevere no matter the trials or hardships along your way."
The child nodded. "Okay, then I am Yuuki."
"Yuuki then," Ruler uttered the name as she smiled in the homunculus's direction. "I think it's a wonderful name. Until you find a better name to define yourself, I believe this will serve to define what you should always be."
"Nice to make your acquaintance," Yuuki said emotionlessly.
"Likewise," Ruler said with a beaming smile.
"That Yuuki," Shirou thought inwardly to himself, "desperately needs to work on his smile. And fast!"
"What should I call you?" Yuuki asked as he faced Ruler.
"I'm Servant Ruler, so you can just call me by Ruler," Ruler answered.
"Don't you have a name?" Shirou asked with curiosity. "Or … even the Ruler Class Servants are advised not to reveal their identity?"
Ruler shook her head at the question. "Ruler Class Servants have an overwhelming power and advantage gifted directly from the Grail to go against any other Servants in the war. My true name is Jeanne d'Arc."
"Jeanne d'Arc," Shirou murmured under his breath in surprise. He should have guessed it, with the somewhat weaponized flagpole in her hand as well as her gender and to the way she carried herself so humbly yet with such charisma, Shirou should have known this was none other than the legendary Maid of Orleans recorded in history.
"Is it alright if I call you Jeanne?" Shirou asked with a thoughtful look. "I think it sounds much better than 'Ruler'."
Ruler looked at Shirou as she subtly nodded her head. "Yes, you may. However, please call me 'Ruler' when in public."
Shirou hummed in understanding at the request.
Suddenly a growl made itself known as both Jeanne and Shirou whirled their heads to see the sound originating out of Yuuki's stomach.
A smile made its way up Shirou's lips as Jeanne's face flushed a slight red in mild amusement.
"It seems like someone is hungry," Shirou joked as he chuckled lightly.
Jeanne smiled as well. "Yuuki," Jeanne addressed. "If you would, allow me to show you a vital part of staying alive."
"Here," Jeanne handed to the homunculus child named Yuuki a ball of pastry. Yuuki met the gauntlet hand with his own as he graciously took the food.
"I never thought you'll bring food with you," Shirou noted with interest. After all, aren't Servants spiritual beings who do not need to sleep, drink, and eat like humans do but only need a constant supply of mana to support their existence?
Yuuki eyed the ball of food with a mixture of confusion and curiosity as he opened his mouth to ask a question. "What is this?"
"That's food. And an army marches on its stomach," Jeanne began explaining.
Yuuki's stomach made another prolonged disturbing growl of agony at the lack of content within it.
"I see," Yuuki spoke as he gazed down on his stomach in apprehension. "So that was what this weird discomfort was all about."
"Go ahead," Jeanne gestured as Yuuki looked at the food in his hands once again before putting it up to his lips and engulfing the pastry.
Chewing for a few seconds, the child's eyes lit up in wonder and awe. "Amazing!"
Jeanne smiled at Yuuki's antics as she continued watching him eat.
"So …" Shirou broke the serene calming silence, "you didn't know you needed to eat?" Shirou carefully approached the question with uncertainty.
Yuuki nodded. "But now I understand."
Shirou met the child's nod with his own. "Sure you do. But … do you happen to know your body needs water too?" Shirou inquired.
"Water?"
"You don't know," Shirou stated dryly. Seeing no response from Yuuki, Shirou sighed as he straightened up his back. "Does your throat feel dry, itchy, or uncomfortable in general?" Shirou asked.
Yuuki nodded. "Yes, it does feel unpleasant."
Yep, this made it official. This homunculus didn't know of the basic concept of survival called "drinking water".
"This is what we call 'thirsty'," Shirou explained clearly as he pronounced the word "thirsty" to place more emphasis on it.
"How do I get rid of it?"
"By drinking water," Shirou spoke sagely. "Do you also happen to have water around you, Jeanne?" Shirou looked to his right to meet Ruler's eyes.
Jeanne shook her head in reply.
"We have food but no water then," Shirou reconfirmed to which Jeanne nodded as Shirou place his hand on his chin in a contemplating manner. "In that case, we have no choice but to arrive at the city tonight to get some water."
Jeanne nodded. "The rural parts of Trifas have some wells posted there. We can draw water there without paying anything for it."
"Wells," Shirou murmured in thought. You don't see those lying around anywhere often in this day and age. But for their situation, the set up active wells have come in handy. "Then we better get going. I'm estimating two more hours before we get there."
Jeanne nodded. "Do you feel better now, Yuuki?" Jeanne kindly asked.
Yuuki nodded his head. "I can continue. Thank you for the food."
Jeanne beamed a smile at the child. "My pleasure."
"The enemies seem to have taken Spartacus," a man's calming voice resounded the interior building of the simple church as the moon shone its light through the windows of the building.
"Nothing we could have done," a man with pasture green hair stated in a nonchalant manner. "He just ran in by himself."
"We had no way to save him," another stoic voice came from the opposite side of the warrior. Her feminine features radiating under the moonlight, showing her unique physiques by having a tail extended from her lower back and a pair of furry ears on her head much like an animal would.
"If you say so, then I have no reason to doubt you," the man clothed in a priest-like attire replied.
"By the way," the same man continued from his last sentence, "what had happened in the battlefield? A command seal was issued on you, Archer."
"It was a magus," a man on the opposite side of the church answered for Archer. "He had witnessed our battle."
"A magus," the priest looked down at the tile floor before presenting a question. "Then has he been eliminated yet?"
The Hero nodded his head. "The circumstances were absurd. He died from having swords piercing from the insides of his body."
"Archer?"
Archer nodded her head in confirmation to the Servant Rider's words. "We have yet to understand what happened. But we are sure he has no affiliation with either the Mage's Association or Yggdmillennia."
The white-haired man with exotic earrings that took the form of blades nodded with closed and contemplative eyes. "I will not ask what command was issued, Archer," he began. "but I suggest you be mindful of your further doings."
Archer chose to speak nothing at the comment but nod her head subtly in acknowledgment as the still night continued to roll by.
"Thank you very much!" Jeanne gave a grateful bow at the elderly man sitting on a rocking chair out in the front porch of his house before Jeanne came running up back to where Shirou and Yuuki were in the distance.
"I never knew she wore a school uniform," Shirou noted with interest. "Wonder what Saber would look like in that …" Shirou trailed off in an incoherent mumble.
"What did you say?" Yuuki asked as he glanced up at Shirou.
"A-ah, nothing!"
Yuuki turned his attention back to the running Jeanne and disregarded Shirou's strange behavior.
"His name is Serge," Jeanne stopped in front of Yuuki and Shirou as she spoke. "He's agreed to let us stay for the night and is willing to take care of you both for however long you need."
"Thanks for helping, Jeanne," Shirou grinned with gratitude.
"I do not deserve the thanks," Jeanne replied. "You should thank Serge for his hospitality."
Shirou tacitly nodded in agreement. "You're right."
Walking together back to the inside of the house as the old man showed to them each of their rooms, with a last word of thanks, Shirou, Jeanne, and Yuuki retired to their individual beds for the night.
Shirou closed the door to his room as walked up to the window side wall while gazing up at the beautiful starry night. Although Fuyuki City was beautiful and amazing in its own right, Trifas City made Fuyuki's nightly beauty pale in comparison. With the lack of pollution in the air, the glistening stars in the night sky seemed to look all the more vibrant in its glamorous glory.
Shirou stepped a couple paces back until he touched the edge of the bed before he sat on the side of it in pensive thought.
"Trace On!" Shirou whispered under his own breath as mana began to take form to show Kanshou and Bakuya firmly rested in his hands.
This is a practice Shirou found himself doing daily every night back in his hometown. Although he didn't excel in magecraft – one can even go so far as calling him being inept – it was still something he trained every single day without fail as hard as he could.
Slowly rubbing his index finger on the smooth flat backside of the blade, Shirou fixed his eyes on the sword as memories of the very man who used these swords to its full potential crossed his mind.
"You think you can match me?!" Archer had yelled at Shirou right after he brutally killed Caster with a raining barrage of swords. "Your projections are weak! They are hollow and lack the definition for its existence!" Archer's twin blades cleaved through Shirou' projections as if without effort while Shirou barely avoided getting sliced into two.
Shirou promptly opened his eyes after the flashback as saw himself back in the familiar surrounding of his temporary room. "Hollow huh …" Shirou murmured quietly to himself. Maybe he can try figuring out what Archer meant.
Closing his eyes in concentration, Shirou uttered the two words to his incantation.
"Trace On!"
Neon green Magic Circuits all lit up in unison on Shirou's arm as they traveled down the length of his arms to the projected Noble Phantasm as Shirou performed the magecraft, Structural Analysis, on it. Sure enough, as Archer has stated in the past, the projections he created were hollow. They were fundamentally flawed.
"I aM tHe BoNe oF my sWoRd."
Shirou snapped open his eyes at the sudden distorted ominous voice in his head as Shirou darted his eyes left and right around his surrounding in caution. Seeing no one, Shirou frowned in thought wondering where the source of sound came from.
Shirou dismissed his blades back to pure mana as he gave an inaudible yawn. Maybe he was just too tired from all the bizarre events that have transpired in the short few hours he's been awake. Lying down on the straw made bed, Shirou closed his eyes as he drifted peacefully into his sleep.
Jeanne gracefully stood up from her kneeling position after her prayer as she let down her braided hair and swiftly changed into her sleeping gown. She knew the Grail has called her from the Throne of Heroes to act as an Overseer for the Great Holy Grail War. However, something was wrong … fundamentally wrong. Her summons as a Servant failed, forcing her to inhabit in an innocent person's body as a vessel for her to exist in this world.
Jeanne then placed away her folded clothes neatly to the side before she sat down on the edge of the bed. The homunculus, Yuuki, Jeanne could see a grim fate awaiting him. The very laws of fate are going to force that child to fight in the Grail Wars whether or not she approved of it. However, everything changed when she met the man named Emiya Shirou.
Jeanne got a brief vision of the hero, Siegfried, killing himself for the boy. Although she did not know of the reasons, she was sure what should have transpired tonight never did. And it was because of one unprecedent variable, the red-haired Japanese magus, Emiya Shirou.
Jeanne let out a breath of confusion as she proceeded to lie on the bed. Could Fate have accidentally missed him as a factor in the Grail Wars? Jeanne shook away the thought the moment it popped into her head, it was impossible for such a thing to happen. Yet … it's almost as if the man's very existence defies the very laws of fate itself.
Closing her eyes in tranquil silence as her face relaxed peacefully, Jeanne released the insurmountable unanswered questions in her mind as she drifted into the soothing embrace of slumber.
That night, Ruler, Jeanne d'Arc, dreamt of swords.
Thank you for reading!
New story out named Blades of Fate! This is a back in time to Britain story where Shirou summons Saber Lily and Saber Alter, more details can be read in the story summary under my profile page. Also, for those interested, I am looking for a BETA READER for that story as well. Please PM me if you think you are up for the task!
Lastly, A LOT of people have been wondering about the pairings in this story. So far, the top three popular choices are – Atalanta, Jeanne, and Arturia (in no particular order). There are also some people who are interested in Mordred as well.
To put it simply on how the pairing(s) of this story will work, during the course of this fiction, I will be holding a public vote via poll which can be found at the top of my profile page in the FUTURE that will allow readers to vote for their favorite pairing(s) which they hope to see implemented in the fiction. Obviously, the one with the highest vote will be chosen to be implemented in the story.
Thank you for reading and please review on this story chapter and tell me what you guys think about it. Also, please tell me what pairings you guys will like to see in the future so I can get a general idea and understanding on what is popular and what's not.
List of future updates:
Next week: Apocryphal Hero
Week 2: Blades of Fate (2 chapters in a week)
Week 3: Fate/Blade Zero
After week 3, I'm sorry to say that updates may become more irregular due to school semesters starting up once again, so I doubt I will be able to keep up the same pace as I have been going at for the past two months. However, there should definitely be at least one story update per month. If I can remain the status quo during school semesters I will, but I honestly have no idea what kind of workload I should expect when school begins. So … no promises. Hope you understand! – SteelBlades333