Disclaimer:Why do I even do this? Whatever I don't control or own Fate.

Following the stream for about half an hour within the woodland had led what looked like a dirt road of some sorts, or at least a well traveled area that had been worn down into a road, at a point where the stream converged with a river. Shirou seemed to be on the right track at the very least when it came to finding civilization. Looking up at the sky it was just about an hour before sunset. If he didn't find any sort of civilization then he'll have to make camp soon.

'Either way would do though it looks like it clears up over to the west,' If he did need to make camp it would probably be a bit of a danger of being exposed in an open area. Such an issue could be mitigated by use of a temporary Bounded Field but still.

Walking down westwards the woodlands opened up as the worn trail was turning more into an actual dirt road. Soon the cleared land gave way to fields of wheat and corn? Yes, there was corn within a separate field next to wheat. As he walked by he saw the people working the fields who didn't seem to pay him any attention. This was a sign though that there was at least a village nearby which was confirmed as he could see a windmill, or rather a water and windmill off in the distance next to a large village.

As he walked into the outskirts of it he could hear the people speaking. From his understanding it sounded like something close to French but with a few words from what he understood as German and he was very certain a few bits of something else was thrown in as well. There was no way he could bridge the language gap so he went with a simple spell taught in order to do so. Touching his throat with a single finger he casted a translation spell as the language barrier was quickly undone.

"He walked here on his own really?"

"Do you think he is human?"

"Can't ya see at all he clearly is!"

"Well, what about his outfit then?"

"Maybe he is a foreigner?"

Comparing their outfits to his own it was very clear he was dressing differently. Modern clothes made of mostly synthetic fabrics didn't look at all the same when compared to hand woven tunics of wool and fur. Overall their features were European but a few he could say showed signs of other traits commonly found in other parts of the globe. It really explained why it was more his outfit that caught their attention.

Slowly, Shirou watched as an old man, who appeared to be within his mid to late sixties. His outfit was slightly better looking than everyone else, likely due to a higher status in the village, and stood leaning a bit on his wooden cane. "I am the Village Elder, what brings you here traveler?"

All around he could see the mutterings of the villagers. Shirou ignored most of them as he decided to focus on the more important matter. "I believe I am a bit lost and if possible I could use some idea of were I am," He looked around as he could see everything talking to themselves as he said this. "Could we do so somewhere in private?"

Explanations on where he currently was by the village elder was giving him a clearer picture of just where he was. For one he was in the Kingdom of Orleans, a human dominated realm. From some out of date but somewhat useful maps he was able to get a better idea where this was. If he could compare it, the Kingdom was mostly just southern mainland France that hugged a space around the coast and below a narrow highlands that cut what would have been this France in two. The Novum Sea was the name given to the greater human dominated region that the Kingdom rested in. From the looks of the maps it was vaguely like that of the Mediterranean from his world.

It was a sea that existed between two continents and was cut and divided by peninsulas and large islands creating various smaller seas and bays within it. What differed from the Mediterranean though was that it actually was cut between the continents. In the west was a narrow corridor but in the east there wasn't a thin strip of land connecting two continents but another passageway for the sea to connect to an ocean to the southeast. An island existed within that passageway like some remnant of a land bridge that had two straits on either end being the connecting line between them both.

"So, before I go any further you're from either the Albionic Isles or perhaps out east from either Indus or Tiax Xian?" The Elder gave him a very inquisitive look as he took a drink of what Shirou figured was something with a low quality of alcohol based on the smell. "Its clear your a foreigner but the way you talk doesn't contain an accent."

Right, the translation spell he is using does kind of eliminate any sign that he isn't a fluid speaker of the language someone was hearing him as. It seems that training to eliminate accents when speaking in another language wasn't really taught in this world. "I confess I am using a spell as I can't really speak or understand your language."

A chuckle came from the Village Elder at hearing this. "Figured as such only the nobility learn how to speak without a noticeable accent and I don't think any noble would come pay us a visit, not even the local Baron does."

Technically, speaking Shirou was considered adopted into one as far as the Clocktower was concerned. Irisviel wasn't disowned when the whole Grail War was upended and was technically speaking the only one who could claim full inheritance of the Einzbern holdings. All of which was mute as the Einzberns probably both don't exist here and nor does the Clocktower. "I see you figured that because I was speaking with you without it that I had to be a mage right?"

It was a sound assumption though one that probably wasn't without some problems. None of which matters given that Shirou had admitted to using Magecraft to be able to speak. "That's correct now then just where-"

Before anything more could be said they were interrupted as the door was violently open in a panic. One of the villagers, a young woman a few years older than Shirou, was there with a look of panic. "Sir, we have in issue our hunter Gaston found tracks of what he thinks are that of a Troll."

"Gods damn it," He slammed his hand on the table in a fit, causing a few things on it to shake from the impact. This wasn't something that the Village Elder had wanted to hear right now. Especially, given that they were low on livestock as is. "The blasted Oni must have chased them from the highlands."

Wait, did Shirou hear that correctly? The Village Elder had said Oni. Oni were here within what was basically this world's equivalent to France. To be perfectly honest he really should have expected as much. "Are you going to send someone out to deal with the Troll?"

The Elder shook his head at this. No one in the village had any training in combat let alone a chance against a Troll. "Nay, I will have to send word to the local outpost and hope the Baron's men can take care of it," He paused for a moment before deciding to ask what had just crossed his mind. "I know it might seem rude but would you be willing to take out the Troll?"

Shirou was going to volunteer to do so anyway. It was just what he tended to do. "I will as it's the least I can do for you helping me."

The village's local tavern slash town hall was where the Village Elder pointed him to find the hunter in question. Walking into the big building he was met with the sights of some villagers drinking together and even the smells of cooked food being prepared. On one of the walls was a small wooden shield with what looked like the image of the Eiffel Tower colored in black over a blue background. Unlikely to be the coat of arms for the village but maybe the coat of arms for the Kingdom of Orleans.

Looking around he saw where he was told would be were the hunter claimed as his spot. Gaston the hunter was a man in his late thirties. His beard and hair was unkempt and his clothes permanently stained with animal blood and dirt. As Shirou got closer two things stood out about the man. First, was his knife resting on the table. Its design was very reminiscent of a modern combat knife that he had in a half leather sheath. The other thing was that around his neck was a pendent of a sun with a fox face on it. A type of religious charm more than likely but it didn't remind him of any religion he knew that was practiced in Europe.

"So, if it isn't our wander," Gaston looked up from his seat as the redhead young man. There was a slight annoyance on his face as he looked up at him. "Why are ya bothering me boy?"

"I overheard with the Village Elder about you spotting a Troll," Shirou took the seat opposite of him. "I wish to help take care of it."

Gaston took a swing of his drink at this statement. Once he put it down he leaned in looking Shirou over for a moment. "Ya don't have any visible weapon," He leaned back a bit as he watched him closely. "I am guessing ya can do spells and the like?" Gaston grabbed his mug as he brought it up to drink. "No way anyone wanders over the roads on their own without a blade or spells."

"If you're asking if I am a mage then yes," Mentality Shirou made a note that he was probably going to need to create a sword or a weapon to hide the fact he was a mage. While there was technically no reason to do so given this world was supposed to have no concealment of mystery, he felt like he needed to at least not draw attention to the idea he is one. "Are the roads that dangerous?"

Sure, he knew that this world wasn't human dominated like it had once been. Many phantasmal beasts and races walked the earth and dominated much of it. "Orleans is considered by travelers to be a frontier Kingdom on account we get attacked by the damned Oni, marauders, and wild monsters occasionally roaming our lands."

By the sound of things either the Kingdom was having troubles, or at the very least this part of it. Marauders painted that a lack of order existed which is likely due to either preparing for war or having already fought one. On the other hand it could be the actions of the Oni. As for the beasts it was likely always the case but made worse with the other two factors going on.

Gaston grabbed his knife and stood up. All the annoyance he had with Shirou was gone now as he decided . "Alright, I'll show ya where I saw the monster's tracks so you can work your spells on the bugger."

Shirou followed behind the hunter as he led him back into the dense woodland. After half an hour of moving through the woodland the two of them came across a less dense patch in the woodland. Gaston pointed to the ground where the tracks were still visible in the dirt.

Shirou looked at the tracks on the ground. Having never seen a Troll before he started to go off what he had heard about them. The tracks made it seem like the Troll was quadruped but having a closer look revealed that wasn't actually the case. The way that the troll walked seemed to be somewhat closer to a gorilla. A very large and very heavy gorilla. Judging by the state of the tracks it has been a few hours since the Phantasmal had been here.

"Has there been problems with Trolls before?"

"Rarely, they mostly stay in the hills and the like," Gaston looked at the tracks thinking for a moment. The hunter was trying to remember were he knew they headed towards now that he wasn't in any worry of being attacked. "I think the bestie is hold up at the old hermit's place over that ways."

Gaston pointed deeper into the forest from where the Trolls' tracks are headed. If that was were the creature had as its lair it made looking for the creature easier. All he had to do was wait as eventually the creature would return or it was already there. "There was a hermit who lived around here?"

With what picture he had about the area such a thing sounded rather dangerous and insane. Unless of course, the hermit in question was able to perform Magecraft. "Some old guy my pa told me was a druid or the like," Gaston was in thought for a moment as he tried to recall what he was told. "The man lived out in the woods in a hole curved out of a small hill with spells and the like."

An old mages workshop or home it seems. There was probably a chance the Troll had anything like a Mystic Code left over or there was nothing. Mages here did not necessarily have to be like the mages he knew back in his world. Still, either way he shouldn't count it out. "Can you lead me to it?"

Gaston gave a nod as he led Shirou back into the dense woodlands. At a certain point the tracks became hidden by the forest underground of leaves, sticks, and whatever else. Finally, there was a small clearing with a raised hill that had half of it curved open into a cave that had shown signs of being overgrown with vines. In the shadow of the cave's entrance something was moving about and threw a broken and gnawed bone out into the opening. That confirmed it the Troll was home.

"Stay out of sight," Gaston looked at him and gave a nod of understanding as Shirou walked up towards the entrance. With a shout he called out to the beast. "Hey, Troll come out!"

That got his attention as the Troll turned to the intruder and walked out of its lair. He was big, at about ten feet tall and that was just slouch over, and about as wide as a car. His skin was hardened to the point it looked almost like rocks and the teeth. Jagged and protruding from his mouth as he glared at him with yellow eyes. His nose was flat, almost only nostrils took a deep breath. Finally, his hands had broad but sharp nails that looked like they could rip out flesh. The Troll finished his bite out of the deer leg literally ripping parts of the bone as he did so.

"Hooman," The Troll took a step forward as Shirou raised his hands, clinging to a projection of a heavy longsword to his hands. His act of Tracing caused the Troll to pause and almost jump back a bit in shock. "Sorcie?" The Trolls' shock turned into panic and then anger. "Sorcie like Oni!"

One did not expect something so large to be capable of moving swiftly. The Trolls hand nearly crashed into Shirou's chest at a speed that almost cut him off guard. Dodging out of the way he slashed into the Trolls side, his blade metting hard resistance at it dug a shallow cut into the Trolls flesh. Seemingly unfazed by the cut rammed his shoulder into Shirou knocking him to the wall behind him. It hurt but he forced himself up just in time to see the Troll about to smash both fists down in a hammering motion. With the sword raised he reinforced his arms, legs, and back in order to block the strike. The sword cracked as it dug into the bones while Shirou could feel the strength behind the Troll.

Thinking quickly he let go of the projected construct and rolled out of the way as the Troll lost his balance. Taking the opportunity Shirou held out his hand as he traced a pair of daggers in his hands and overcharging them threw them at the Troll. With an arm raised the Troll tried to block them but on contact they exploded creating a burst of fire and smoke respectively. A loud cry was heard as the Troll pulled back while several knives came flying through the smoke, each one exploding on contact with the beast.

Shirou held out his hand as he traced into being a large helbert. One that was used by Leys back when she actually did much more than watch tv. He swung the weapon through the smoke and slash into the Trolls stomach. The blade cut deep into the monster who screamed with pain but despite having its gut torn into the Troll backhanded Shirou off of him. Grabbing onto the halberd the Troll removed it from its still bleeding stomach.

Picking himself back up Shirou reached into his hair as the Troll charged forward bringing the halberd down with the intention to kill him. Just as it was about to make contact the halberd dissipated into motes of light as Shirou dismissed the projection. The Troll didn't get much time to react a a katana blade bit into its head and then cracking with excess mana the blade let out a controlled explosion blasting apart the creature's head.

A sigh escaped Shirou's mouth as he looked at the smoking remains of the blade on the hilt of the sword. It dissipated as his strain of hair at its center turned to ash in the air. His side hurt as he was very clearly having a broken rib from that backhand. Focusing on himself he felt his healing spell mend and repair the damage done to his ribs, the blood from the bruises flowed back into him, and finally the strain of his muscles relieved themselves. A spell that he had used to mend and repair swords repurposed to heal his body.

"By Amatera," Gaston walked up to the redhead amazed by the display and almost completely lost for words. He had expected something like fire, blasts of light, or something else one typically pictures when thinking of spells. Watching someone create weapons out of thin air was a sight. "Ya blasted its head apart with a sword ya just brought into being!"

It was all probably amazing for someone who didn't see magecraft performed but for Shirou it was kind of retinue. The use of Amatera caught his attention more than anything. 'Does he mean Amaterasu?'

Shirou sat down as he set up camp before him. A spark from his Mini-Alchemist Forge was all that was needed to get a fire going as he stuck the fish he had caught to cook. He would like to have cooking supplies for something to actually remind him of home. Hell he could just project most of the pots and skillets if he wanted. It was more his limited supplies and that he really didn't have a way to carry everything with the backpack that was provided as part of his reward.

Some coin for the job, a bit of preserved food, and an old backpack that the Village Elder had. Waiting for the fish to finish Shirou took a lot of the coins he was given. First, was a simple copper coin, well mostly copper coins as a quick Structural Grasping told him. At the core of the coin was low quality iron with the copper plated over it. Next was the silver coin which as Shirou suspected wasn't pure silver as he suspected. He didn't know the exchange rates but he was sure he'll figure it out once he got to the nearest town or city.

Putting the coin away he looked as the fish was already cooked. Taking one Shirou was about to eat when he felt a slight disturbance with the basic Bounded Field he had put up with the help of a few knives edged into the ground. Said field wasn't anything but a proximity alarm, unless someone was extremely careful they wouldn't exactly notice it. "Who's there?"

Walking out of the shadowy brush and under the trees was a figure covered in a large black cloak with the hood hung over their head almost hiding their face in shadow. For a second Shirou thought he could see something moving in at the very bottom of the cloak. Like the shadows themself were moving beneath it.

"I just saw the flames and wonder if I can rest by it for a time," Her voice was rather familiar to Shirou. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew who that sounded like but he couldn't quite remember whose that was. "I mean you no harm."

"Alright I guess," Shirou was a tiny bit suspicious given how sudden this all was. Nevermind that he was still very certain he saw something under the cloak. However, he wasn't going to let his suspicion get the better of him.

As she walked up to the flames to sit down Shirou caught sight for just a moment of a few strains of purple hair that seemed to peek from under the cloak. Her right hand and arm wrapped completely in bandages peeked out from the cloak alongside her left arm that was seemingly fine. He couldn't help but stare at the arm wondering about what had happened.

As if she sensed what was going on she answered the question that was burning within his mind. "Oh, it's just a recent burn, no need to worry about it."

A burn that required that much bandages did bring cause to worry. Shirou was going to trust that she knew what she was talking about. He wasn't going to pry into someone's personal matters. Taking one of the cooked fish he decided to offer it to her. A brief pause existed before she took it and started eating.

After a few moments of silence it was broken by Shirou. "So, what are you doing out here?"

Shirou didn't know much about the region but Gaston words from before about the roads not being safe echoed back in his head. The cloak covered woman finished up her bite of fish as she took a seat on the stone next to the fire. "I am traveling about looking through the old Imperium ruins in hopes of finding relics that are slowly being lost in these turbulent times."

Whatever this Old Imperium was, Shirou had a sort of vague idea on what it could be. Given he was inside the equivalent to France and had seen a regional map with a long peninsular landmass that corresponded to Italy it had to be something akin to the Roman Empire. He was really going to need to stock up on history or find some way to get the information of the world into his mind.

"So, you're an archeologist of some sort and you're wandering alone?" There was something not adding up in this whole thing. Mostly because she was wandering alone when she seemingly didn't have any weapons on her.

"You're alone as well are you not?" She pointed off to a little off the edge of where he set up camp. Right were one of the knives he had edge into the ground to create a Bounded Field. "Like me you can perform spells so going on our own isn't that dangerous."

She had picked up on that. Either she was extremely talented or she had seen the knives in the ground. Both were plausible especially after she had admitted that she could use magecraft. Her being alone was explained by the fact she was probably able to defend herself with spells if she needed to.

"Well, where are you heading then?"

"There's a ruined temple to the sun goddess nearby that hasn't been used since the Kingdom of Orleans broke off from the Imperium," She reached into her cloak and pulled out a much more up to date map of the area. "Back when the Storm King led an invasion it was the site of the battle that led to his defeat with legends saying that the most important thing to the warlord was kept there before the temple was abandoned."

Shirou had no idea who the Storm King even was. Nor did he know what she was even talking about because his understanding of history in this world was pretty much ended with the fact time broke and it's basically been reset. "So, what exactly is in there?"

"That's the thing it could be the Storm King's legendary weapon believed to be wielded by dark gods or even the King's heart said to possess the blood of a dragon," Both of which did not sound all that great to just have lying around in a ruined temple. Shirou knew that dragons blood, or even an organ that once pumped it, had many uses in spells and rituals.

True Dragon blood was so prized that it could literally be said to be one of the few things in the modern day that could allow a spell from the Age of Gods to function if it was rendered impossible. Given this world was technically stuck in the Age of Gods it was very likely probably that there were indeed True Dragons running around. Even if not something like that would be invaluable. Shirou recalled that a few of the Einzbern Alchemy techniques did require dragon blood that are now nigh-impossible.

It was arguably as big a danger as some weapon of dark gods. Neither of which was probably a good idea to leave laying around. "If you want I can come along with you and help you find the relics."

There wasn't an immediate response to his offer. Probably much like modern mages she was weighing her options. "If you're serious then I would appreciate it."

"My name is Shirou by the way."

"Sakura."

In a moment, Shirou was taken aback. He almost wondered if the cloaked person was indeed who he was thinking of but quickly reminded himself that couldn't be possible. She had been to his knowledge living her life as someone largely disinterested in the wider World of Magecraft, only practicing for practical aid in living a normal life. It was unlikely she had gotten into something or was pulled to this world.

Sakura watched as Shirou was fast asleep while she took first watch. In truth she was able to get something of a half sleep if she had wanted. A sort of meditative state that slowed her mind into a state of light sleeping. Shirou had something similar and as such it was agreed that they would each take turns sleeping in the night. The flames in the fire flickered lowed as Shirou was fast asleep and Sakura sat there seemingly motionless.

The cloaked girl suddenly stood up as she looked at the sleeping boy. Her eyes looked up to the waxing moon overhead alongside the starry sky. It seems that the young mage hadn't been as suspicious as she had expected. Indeed she had expected to eventually fight him but instead he had agreed to help her. A stranger he had just met. Sure the human sorcerers could have his own motivations, perhaps looking for ancient relics could be useful in his craft or something else.

'I almost feel bad for him,' Reaching up, she pulled her hood down. A slight breeze blow through as the flames flicked and her purple hair got caught up in it alongside a pair of red ribbons that were tied both into her hair but also on the pair of short horns that sprout from the side of her head just next to her ears and ended just before they popped over the crown of her head. 'I wonder if he knew he had agreed to help an Oni?'

Sakura looked at his sleeping form and for a moment a hint of familiarity came over her. It was strange but it had been nagging at the back of her mind as soon as he told her his name. Not once in her life had she ever met him and yet she felt like she had known him for years. 'Just who are you Shirou?'

Regardless, of her strange feelings she had a task she needed to see through. Who knows maybe if all went as planned she could give her new ally a 'gift' when all is said and done.

I am guessing you all expected overused cliches about pseudo servants or what not. Well, unless you actually know my previous writings you would know how rarely I ever do that.

Now for reviews… three of you just put the same thing, well technically four if we go by meanings of what they convey.

ReverseWorld34: Thanks I try my best.

Guest: He knows but what is he going to do? No seriously he isn't as strong as fanon thinks nor are every True Magicians who are treated as overpowered gods. Sll because Zelretch fought an Ultimate One who likely didn't even see a reason to fight him seriously at all. While also implied to being backed up by Alaya and a second True Magician. Dude is utterly terrified of Ort because Ort's typical fighting tactic is overwhelming force from the onset, and is gambling on someone else to fight Crimson Moon. Plus she isn't affecting other Realities directly… yet.

Star Blades: Just got to rub it in huh? Yes, I noticed that I always struggle even in a category I managed to carve out a name for myself. It's really annoying every time I post a new story in the same category I find that I am forced back to square one again! Yes, it is square one as only six people by my estimation show any sign that they had read Blades Forged of Blood though I could be way off in terms of story followers. Everyone else is new like always. I literally can't do sequels because of it.

ShuKirisaki: Basically all Fate/Stay can do plus a specialized use of alchemy in creating swords. I know some people go the smith route but I find that overused. Technically, speaking he has vast knowledge of alchemy due to his upbringing but unfortunately due to his element most of it is unusable without something to help him bypass the limitation.

Anyway, cya all next time.