King of Fakers: Chapter 3 Like the New Moon.
Tohsaka Rin was in the basement of her home.
It was nearly 1AM in the the dead of the ever still night, the place was dark and cluttered with books in a fairly untidy matter. "It's my first and last chance. I can't afford any mistake. There's only two servants left, Saber and Caster. I'll summon Saber by force!...If I get Caster... no! I'll summon Saber! I can do this..." And she began.
"Withdrawal within elimination, engrave four areas and surround with the summoning circle... right." Tohsaka Rin slowly engraved the summoning circle onto the floor.
A bloody red pentagram with a circle on the tip borders, several symbols within and out of the circle and a circle like combination closing off the rest.
"Bare and silver and iron. Stone for foundation and the Great Duke of contracts. My great master Shveinorg for the ancestor. A wall for the descending winds. The four gates shall close and come out of the crown. Let the three forked road to the kingdom cycle."
Her words are elegant and beautiful, calm and composed with the ritualistic rehearsed words she had once repeated in her mind many times. She controlled her breath as she continued, her voice being the only thing that could be heard in the emptiness.
The circle was being constructed by a vast quantity of melted jewels,
"Enclose. Enclose. Enclose. Enclose. Enclose. Fives times for each repetition. Just destroy the enclosed time."
"Anfang." Her body began to change, transmitting mana as if she was a machine. Her body began to burn, a melting mixing sensation began to fill her, the sense of the body were being drifted away destroying herself and filling her with something else, death was rebirth.
She was becoming a circuit, the very thing magi are, connecting everything in this world together, that which creates wonderous mysteries and fantastic fabrications.
She made a wince of pain and slight shock, holding it back, her body felt as if her very blood was fire itself and that it was being warped into some unnatural monstrous shape, but she ignored it.
Her body began to sweat, the sensation of metal ripping into her bones and forcing itself into her body resonated throughout her being...
Time ticked, the movements of a clock were now like footsteps in a large spacious hall or the echoes of the tiniest drops of water in the deep of the night.
A harsh ripping sensation drove throughout, like fangs and thorns delving deeper and deeper into Tohsaka Rin, changing her into a whole other thing entirely...
"I announce." Rin began to release the mana she had built up, the fuel for the fire, the summoning of a hero. "I announce. Thy body shall be under my command, my fate shall be determined by thy sword. Follow the call of the Holy Grail. If thou would obey this mind and this reason, then answer my call." She closed her eyes and her vision faded, leaving blackness to protect her from the unknown and the unforeseeable... "Make and oath here. I am the one who shall lay out all the virtue of the afterworld. I am the one who shall lay out all evil of the afterworld. Thou art Seven Heavens clad in the Three Great Words. Emerge from the ring of control, guardian of balance!"
Elation filled her very core, she began to smile in joy, power was racing through her heart and soul, she was sure she had summoned Saber! "...Perfect...! I've drawn the strongest card for sure!
Her vision returns and still sees naught, no change nor disturbance. No hero nor villain.
Only empty cold brick walls and dusty forgotten books. Then an explosion from above, the sound of metal bending and striking, wood being snapped into mere splinters, a vast amount of running water... and the sound of a kettle boiling.
"Why!" Rin ran as fast as she could, up the old basement stairs and to the entrance of the living room, the door was crooked and slightly damaged, pushing and pulling yielding nothing.
Rin kicked forward and smashed the door to the ground and set foot into the living room.
Parts of the ceiling feel off with a notable thud as her eyes adjusted to the scene she saw.
The state of the Tohsaka mansion was probably never this bad; before broken plaster and bricks were scattered in the refuse, snapped upsode down chairs and tables , glass shattered in tiny little diamond like pieces,cabinets thrown around like rag dolls.
But the couch and a single large table was intact, and upon the couch was a woman sitting politely, pointing her fingers at the chair by the table and the two steaming cups of nice fragrant Chinese tea... Rin's favourite and the most expensive of what she owned.
Then Rin looked at the clicking wall clock, sighed, placed her right hand over her face and murmured "I did it again..." realising that it was in fact 1AM not 2AM which would be the time where her mana would be at it's peak. "Well what's done is done. I should reflect on my actions."
Rin looks at the woman sitting at the couch. Her hair was long mostly straight and black, elegant and ladylike, it could only be described as a shining darkness, her eyes seemed empty and dark, yet very focused and strong, as if looking into the far far future. She wore a mostly black dress that covered her body, at her chest it connected to a large adornment of feathers that circled around her neck, Rin noticed her pale like skin and her charming face. For a moment her heart beat faster, but she composed herself, Rin could at least say that this woman was definitely very attractive.
"So, what are you?"
The woman made what looked like a very subtle frown and pout, she then sighs.
"I see... it seems I have obtained a most interesting, Master." Her voice was as sweet as strawberries and cream, piercing into the hearts of whoever heard it, yet it wasn't one that was sly and seductive but rather a voice that somehow unknowingly teasing, ladylike and yet proper all at the same time, Tohsaka Rin, for the briefest moment felt the melting sensation again. Her voice, while not the same, had a very similar effect to Shiro's , it naturally carried a wish for respect and care that would never fail, not forcing feelings upon the recipient, but rather the listener would devour the words and beg for more of their very own will.
Rin paused for a moment, she didn't know Servant had the appearance of humans, since it was often referred to like a familiar, but she could tell this woman was overflowing with raw power, it's appearance... the womanly charms, her alluring empty yet resolute eyes, the beautiful seductive but proper body; posture and her shining perfect face. These were her strengths and not even the best of them...this woman without a doubt, was indeed a Servant, a hero of long ago born again into this world to fight for their wishes, ideals and dreams to the very end, their souls destined to clash with others, giving their all for their desires and ambitions, to reach a goal.
The swords of their masters that cut the way to the future, burning the darkness of the world and filling it with glorious peaceful light.
"...Just to check, but you are my Servant, right?"
The woman on the couch brought the teacup to her lips, inhaled the scent of the tea, made a very pleased face; took a small polite sip from the rim of the cup and slowly placed it back on the table with skill and poise. "Hm~ I wonder about that young lady... a cute little girl like yourself would make for a very entertaining Master... however my summoning was... rather dreadful."
Her voice was actually rather dull this time, as if she had crafted a beautiful sentence to say but got bored halfway through saying it and killed the emotion in her voice.
"You haven't answered the question. Are you my Servant?"
"Well... for formalities sake, I believe so." She took a sip of tea again, repeating her almost perfectly rehearsed motion. "Yet, I haven't seen ... much worth from you yet. Well summoning me was a sign of your good taste. The flow of mana between you and I was in effect. So for the purposes of this war I shall cooperate with you, if I like you, then maybe I'll stick around after we win."
Her voice was quiet but now had some light playfulness to it. Rin couldn't exactly tell what type of person she was, was she kind, playful and child like, emotionless and cold?
Maybe the woman herself didn't know, she sure seemed like it... but that in itself could be an act, on purpose, completely natural or maybe even accidental... Rin couldn't know.
"Well... you'll follow my orders for now right? Could you clean this room? It's a mess and your fault anyway." The woman's face lost any signs of joy like before.
"...Excuse me? Master, I believe this was, rather your fault, no? Your failed summoning was... shoddy at best. Please do realise, that using a servant, and me of all people to do such a menial task was unbecoming of heroes and heroines. In the future, please refrain from such misjudgements. While cleaning the room was certainly within my abilities and could be done with ease..."
Rin interrupted at this point. "You just said it'll be simple, right? Good luck." Rin headed to bed.
She opened the room door and flung her body onto her bed. Then she made a minor yelp like scream that bounced off the walls of the entire mansion and resounded back to her.
"Why are you here!" Rin saw the Servant she had summoned before her.
"...Master has not thought rationally. You have not asked for my identity or class yet."
Rin calmed down, she realises she should have probably asked earlier, a moment ago back at the living room. "Sorry, so... what was your name?"
"I am the Goddess Ishtar, my master... with me at your side this entire world will be ours!"
The woman called "Ishtar" smiled like a little child, what she just said seemed totally out of character. Rin had a very stunned look on her face for but a second then one of great contorted frustration. "Don't joke around. The Grail only summons Human Heroes... sure demigods and the like can qualify but a full on deity isn't allowed."
The woman made her minor frown and pout combination again.
"Sigh, I had wanted you to play along if you knew that. I've always wanted to try saying such an outlandish thing like my spouses or children did, alas, you don't have a sense of humour, Master."
Rin was pretty sure that was an insult of some sort, shape or form.
She got up on her knees and ducked and dived looking around the woman's waist.
Rin then made a very disappointed and far more tired face.
"You're not Saber are you?" The woman Rin stared at made a harsh face.
"I am Queen Semiramis of Assyria! One of the greatest monarchs to ever live and an exceptional assassin and user of magic!" She sighed,"You young girl's and your lust for sharp pointy objects..."
It was a small outburst, but after a inhale of breath the woman was ladylike and composed again, and courtesied. "I have been summoned as Caster in this war Master, may I be graced with your name since I have given mine? It is the only proper and a noble response, no? ...Rest, you probably won't be able to move too well after summoning me."
"...I'm Tohsaka Rin. So your my Servant?" Semiramis rolled her eyes and nodded in response "Good... I'll be going to sleep now."
Rin opened her eyes.
"Mm... morning already?" She groggily rubbed her eyes and looked at the light pouring through the window, illuminating the room as if it was a dream. Her eyes turned to the nearby clock.
Nine, meaning she would skip school today. She slowly lifted her aching body.
Maintaining a Servant made her body feel heavy and tight, as if half of her body was filled with some sort of machinery. Tohsaka Rin was not a morning person, this along with the weight of the contract it sent tides of fatigue and dissatisfaction throughout her.
"I summoned Caster not Saber..." Rin recounted what happened the last day. She sighed.
Caster was often considered one of the weakest classes of the Servants, Heroes given form to fight, Saber was the strongest, having great skill and magical resistance and had always reached the final fight in all the previous wars. Rin check and repositioned her hair with the aid of the mirror on her desk, she lifted her blankets and placed them straight on the bed.
She pondered for a second. "My servant is Caster, Semiramis of Assyria... hm, I... probably should be careful around her. She may have killed her husband and usurped the throne... but she's strong, I think, she's odd but she doesn't seem too bad. They're could have been worse people I could have summoned I guess, and she must be a bit similar to me if I summoned her..."
Rin headed down to the living room.
Semiramis was lying sideways on the main room's couch, sipping the same tea as yesterday, a cup was set aside for Rin too, she sat there nibbling on biscuits. "Good morning, my master." The room was spotless, it was almost... no it practically was exactly as it was before the summoning, maybe even better! "Whoa... you did a good job." Semiramis frowned. "If you think this was impressive, I seriously am reconsidering my thoughts about you. This was simple and took near no effort to do. Servants... Heroic Spirits are not the average servants that serve people for money or out of obligation." Rin sat down and looked at the tea before her and closed her eyes, she sniffed it... lifted the cup and brought it to her lips, stopping before drinking, opening one eye.
"It's not poisoned, Master." Rin looked doubtful... but then drank it, the red rosy liquid quickly disappeared and warmed her. "Your not a bad person, Caster." A tiny small smile appeared on Semiramis's face.
"So, Rin what are we doing today? I can sense some Servants general directions, I'm Caster so it should be easy to find all the others if you want." Rin made a surprised smile.
She had forgotten that advantage, for finding enemies or launching sneak attacks it would be helpful to get the initiative in the fights... "We'll go out to scout the city today. That way you can point out the areas where our enemies are and you can use the layout to your advantage."
Semiramis nodded. "It'll also be entertaining to see this modern world, but first, you need to rest for at least another day before fighting since your probably at around half your mana today."
Rin headed for the door, but stopped and turned.
"If were going out shouldn't you change?" Semiramis made a tiny look of confusion.
"I mean, if you went out like that... some people may think your weird or other Servants could identify you easily... at the very least we'll get a lot of attention..." The Queen's mouth opened for a moment in mediocre surprise.
"My, I didn't think my Master was so careless to forget that Servant's are spirits. We can take spirit form and not be seen by anyone but our Master's and a few special people. While the thought of moving around in physical form in the city is entertaining it is not wise."
Rin made a look of frustration, she didn't like being thought of as incompetent.
"Alright Then let's go!"
Rin walked through Miyami-cho, a part of the city that was split into two distinct sections, one side for foreigners with more western styled houses. The other side had eastern styled homes and in the far backdrop was a mountain, both had a very suburban setting to them. The area was generally quite peaceful and was interesting for newcomers to look at, considering the unique layout.
Semiramis stopped at the intersecting hill and looked far into the distance, at the area of the mountain, which had a temple on top.
"Rin, that temple in the distance. What is it?" Semiramis's voice whispered into the girls ear.
"Ah, that's the Ryuudou temple, there's a few monks there and it has some legend about martial artists and a dragon living there, though I can't see to much special with it, but it links to a lot of leylines and is a good magical location... is a servant there?"
Caster looked a little longer. "...I don't think so, I can't tell for sure, some servants may be able to obscure my abilities or hide themselves. Actually I possess that ability myself, so you don't have to worry about sudden attacks too much, Rin. However, like you said it seems to be a good base. It would be a good idea to stay weary of it for now, just in case." With that the pair approached a large red bridge, one that connected Miyami-cho with the other section Shinto and they crossed.
The town of Shinto looked like an entirely different city, the buildings were large and modern, stretching up to the skies and never seeming to end. Quite a few workers were around, as if the city was always being improved, evolving; building up higher and higher every single second and step of the day. Rin approached the dead centre of the city. An empty desolate land, with dead trees and whitish grass, a few benches scattered here and there, but next to no people were around, a deep feeling of a frightening silence, a hidden feeling, like something was slowly hardening a grip on your heart.
"Rin. Move away from this location..." Caster's voice carried the faintest hint of fear and threat.
The girl in red stopped in her tracks and took a few steps back.
"A Servant?" Rin brought her back against a nearby wall and looked around, expanding her senses to sense the area. "...Again, I can't be too sure with this one, but this place was like that temple before, but far, far worse. I again advise we avoid this location for the time being."
Rin made a small sign of anger. "You can't be sure about a lot of things, can you Caster?"
"...Let's move, Rin."
They moved a fair bit back, heading to another location. "That places holds a lot of grudges Rin. As if the place was some sort of miniature world. Servants are spirits and can feel these sort of things.
They are four locations that are particularly prominent, but that was indeed... the worst."
Rin took a few deep breaths, trying to distance herself from the park they just left.
"That's where the last war ended, Caster. I'm not too surprised. The place was eerie, it feels like death just being near it." They then walked in silence, heading to see all of the town.
Some time later, after eating and looking around, they headed to the top of the tallest building in Shinto, the night life was blazing with lights, shining together, stretching, illuminating and melting the shadows with the creations of man.
"So do you like the view Caster?" Rin stood and looked below, people looked like tiny multicoloured ants, moving as if they themselves were the tides of the seven seas or like the swarms of insects, moving to complete an objective, all heading to different places, yet the destination always being the same. "It's a very nice view, Rin. Today has been minimally useful. I could tell the basic layouts of the city easily, but this helps me make things more specific. It was a good idea."
Semiramis enjoyed the view very much. It reminded her of the huge walls of Uruk and the ones she constructed in her own kingdom long ago. Designs and immortal efforts heading for the future.
She searched the depths of her mind, remembering seeing huge castle walls as a young girl, while she slept by the cold riverside, playing with doves and little animals, the chirping of birds and rushing rivers settled in her mind.
Rin and Caster headed back home. They had seen enough of the city for one day, it was around 9PM anyway, so it would be good for Rin to rest up soon. They began to walk up the hill that lead to the western section of Miyami-cho and then spotted three individuals.
One girl with long purple hair and eyes, with a plain ghostly look on her face wearing a school uniform, a tall man with spiky blonde hair, wearing white clothing and golden earrings.
The last person was a light red haired teen wearing a green survival jacket, under that a white shirt with blue sleeves and had similar green pants that looked fairly mobile, he however looked somewhat out of place as a set of dog tags lay around his neck.
Rin knew them as Sakura, Shirou and Shirou's "father".
She began to turn to hide behind a wall but she had been noticed.
"Yo, Rin? Why are you hiding like a little mouse?...Oh right you weren't at school today. Why?"
Shirou's voice was casual, yet patronising and cruel in this instance.
Rin noticed such actions were more dominant when he was closer to his father, and when near the fake priest they had more mutual hatred for Kotomine.
Rin walked out and greeted the three of them. The King of Heroes stared at Rin.
The air became silent... and deadly.
"W-what!" Rin's body began to tremble, the man's gaze was fixated on Rin, no actually it was fixated on... something near her. "I-it can't be! He can't... be seeing Caster!... Wait if he's friends with the Kirei, then!" Why didn't she think of it before, she was running madly in her mind.
It was highly possible that he was a magus and a strong one at that!...In fact he barely seemed to age over the years unlike Kotomine. Fear gripped Tohsaka Rin.
The King of Heroes face, posture and aura, emanated hostility... like a wounded, insulted, enraged beast, howling and roaring, ready to fight to the death, and kill anything without regret or hesitation, fuelled by rage!
Rin's right arm began to shake... the command seal was reacting! "N-no... that means that at least one of these three must be a master!" Rin was almost frozen to the spot, as if the world was crumbling upon her. She never realised that her enemies in the war could have been the very people she grew up with and knew. Semiramis was tense. Her body was preparing for an attack, in case, just holding it back, like a finger on a trigger that pressed it halfway, a step further and the gun would fire it's deadly shot. What confounded her though was the man's presence.
He didn't seem to be a Servant or a Master, as far as she could tell... yet she could tell by his piercing gaze and snarling, monstrous bestial face... animosity from the man to her could definitely be felt, as if a deep dark and ancient grudge had been forged between them.
A winter breeze surged throughout the pathway.
Gilgamesh began to walk away, with a sour and angered look upon his face, going down the path Rin and Semiramis had just went up, the hostility could still be felt even as it moved and ebbed away... "Boy, follow me." Shirou made a quick nod at Rin and walked off to follow his father.
"Tohsaka-Sempai..." The purple haired girl in a meek voice addressed Rin.
"...Hi Sakura... what did Shirou and his dad ask you about?"
"...Their father and son? ...Well they asked for directions to get to some new restaurant."
Rin couldn't but feel that it was somewhat a lie at best, but she ignored it.
"Well, see you later." Rin and Caster headed home.
They were back at their home now, Semiramis took a deep sigh, and took physical form, and lied down on the couch, the kettle and tea cups suddenly floated over to her and began to make the usual expensive Chinese rose coloured tea, the liquid actually flew out of the kettle, and seemed to be mixing and stirring itself at an alarming rate. The scent of the tea this time was far more sensual and attractive, as if extra effort was put into it to make the drink more relaxing and more comfortable, easing the atmosphere.
The Queen took a long deep sip from the drink, and sighed, taking a very deep breath afterwards.
"I swore he could see me... I can't help but feel a little scared. That type of anger, I've rarely seen it before but when I do encounter it, its always a heart shaking moment..." Her voice now had the dull and detracted sound to it now. She was worried or at least a little stressed, Rin thought she could tell that much.
Rin stretched. The moment coming back to the house had been a near fatal one.
She wiped some sweat off her brow.
"Well I'm going to go to bed now, inform me if anything comes up okay Caster?"
She nodded and Rin went up the stairs again to her bedroom and once again threw herself onto the bed, as the fatigue of the day caught up to her like punishing weights.
"Oh, yeah I should contact Kirei before I got to bed." She stumbled and looked around, carrying her hands with her with a annoyed grimace on her face, which quickly turned to tired reluctance.
"Phone, phone..." Her hands found it and she dialled in the number the response was quite quick.
"Kirei? It's me. I formed a contract with a Servant just yesterday, so register me officially as a Master." Silence deeper then the abyss.
"...Understood. You should come and see me at least once. I have something to give you that I received from your parents. They said to give it to you only if you become a Master before you become an adult." The priests voice was as it always was.
"Oh you mean father's will? I already deciphered it and got the item, so it's fine. I'll come see you if I feel like it. Goodbye." Rin spoke slightly nervously, she had in fact lost said item.
"Wait, Rin. If you are a Master now-" Rin hung up the phone and cut him off.
She laid herself to rest, under the sheets of her bed, and took deep breaths, she began to dream dreams of her father as her mind drifted to the thoughts and facts of the war that occurred ten years ago, she carefully thought about how she was going to spend her next day.
Shirou smiled. He was almost done. His body as tense and fiery, he was becoming a magical circuit for the purpose of summoning a servant. Yet he stubbornly held unto himself as a person.
Only people with large egos like himself would think of such things at these types of crucial moments. The blade he had collected from the museum was the catalyst for his summoning.
He was in the unlit room he had worked on Vimana, it was large and spacious and no longer had the ancient air ship in it, the cold isolated walls ever familiar with him. In the corner was the King of Heroes, waiting with boredom upon his face, to see what the results of his project would be.
He finished the last sentence needed to summon. He kept his eyes closed for a moment, and then opened them again. A crash as smoke and debris exploded from the centre of the room, covering it in brown hazy dust...
The figure in the centre of it all... the cause of this minor destruction...
Radiant blonde hair... green sparkling playful eyes. The dust began to clear...
The King of Heroes had a vague look of surprise or even enjoyment, but this was washed away.
The figure smiled, and her figure shone through the spacious garage like room.
Then he saw what was under her face, and he couldn't help but make an annoyed yet utterly amused face... whoever this was, she was indeed a king, no doubt, but not the one he desired.
This was not the King of Knights Arturia.
Her dress was like royal flames consuming and controlling the sights of all around, large imperial shoulder pads and a dominating tiny figure.
The area seemed to have the slightest hint of the scent of roses as the petite woman made a sly grin, the lower part of her dress was... transparent. In her hands was a long oddly jagged shaped black blade with a deadly flame like crimson edge.
Her eyes preyed upon the boy before her. Shirou stood upright and looked directly at her.
Green and Red glared upon one another, with the gaze of playful beasts yet also the ferocity of warriors sizing up their foes. "I ask of you. Are you my Master?"
Shirou smirked, "Of course, but the real question here was... are you worthy enough to be my Servant? You should prove yourself to me soon, I won't accept anything less then the best."
The short blonde haired woman made a small laugh, yet she did seem slightly annoyed.
"I see, confidence is good, you and I seem to speak in a similar way. I can appreciate such a personality, it seems only natural that you would summon me then. I am the Servant Saber, the strongest class of Servant, victory was assured." Her voice was nice to the ears, sweet and light yet powerful and playful.
The King of Heroes laughed, and laughed, and laughed.
His voice echoed throughout the church grounds, the laugh arrogant and haughty.
"A Faker summons a Faker!" Gilgamesh turned and began to leave the room.
"Boy, total victory was the only result I will accept. Anything less will be met with death."
Saber glared at the man who left, and then turned to her Master.
"Well, Praetor, it would be wise for you to let me see the layout of this city, so let us go."
Shirou was annoyed that her voice seemed to command the expected answer from him, he didn't realise it but it had a very similar effect to his voice. He crouched down and scooped up the dagger like blade that was the catalyst and tucked it away into a pocket.
They left the church and were now in the middle of the eastern section of Miyami-cho.
Shirou smiled as he felt a powerful tugging feeling on his left arm. The glowing blood like command seal in it's sword like pattern was reacting. He had found an enemy already.
He stared down the path before him, at the far other side he saw a little girl, with deep innocent mischievous eyes. Her skin and hair was almost pure white, like fresh snow.
She was dressed in thick purple winter clothing that covered most of her body and a matching hat.
She smiled at Shirou as a figure moved next to her, causing the earth to tremble as he moved.
Saber, before Shirou raised her blade. The large hulking figure was clear now.
Bulging muscles restrained by metal bonds and chains. As it breathed the cold air of the city it formed into a singeing fog like breath that consumed the air, growing ever larger.
The rough blonde haired giant roared, the fog like breath grew larger, the figure smiled as it drew its blue metal sword, holding it tightly with his right hand.
The girl then spoke. "My name was Ilyasviel Von Einzbern." She bows playfully for a moment.
"Now, please. Take the first hit." Shirou didn't hesitate.
Shirou's magical circuits flared to life... if he was going to have a free hit he was going to use one of his strongest weapons. "Trace On." In a single instant a large Chinese Dao blade appeared, the blade was wider and larger then usual, as well at the hilt. He gripped it with two hands and charged.
"Yaarrrggghhh!" Shirou had moved at incredible speeds for a human, he propelled his body into the air with a single powerful leap and step. He raised the blade over his head and forced it down, the sound created rivalling the most violent of thunderstorms, crashing and rending the air between him and the giant warrior... "The Glory of Ten Powers, The Seventh Light...Gravity... Core!"
The sword enlarged and transformed, the hilt and blade was a thick metallic white, the edges pure black as the night sky!
At this moment Shirou looked down. Below was Saber, who was about to swing his own sword.
He made a smile, to him it showed she knew that she should follow his lead.
The solid embodiment of flame met along with the heavy broad blade at the flesh of the warrior.
An earth shattering crash and the blades tore and forced the body of the man a fair distance away, into a nearby wall, smashing it utterly into oblivion.
Ilya's eyes widened for a second, but then became collected again. She smiled.
"Thank you, my Berserker is ready to win now." The hulking figure's pale blue eyes roared to life, he howled like a beast, the sound of his voice ripped apart the very air, the large muscular man slowly stood again, moving it's body slightly to clear away the debris, the engine of his soul was now alight and ready to go.
Shirou's sword had returned to it's original state just after hitting Berserker.
He held it now only with his right hand, and pointed downwards. He looked at the rubble and the roaring figure, Shirou could tell... his first hit wasn't foolishness from the Master or Servant, the monster before him needed to get riled up before fighting.
"So Berserker was that type of battle lusting person. This should make for an enjoyable battle. By his appearance, he was a strong enemy. I'll defeat him perfectly, Praetor."
Berserker had a huge grin on his scarred face... and then of all things, he spoke.
"Oppression... I feel it from your voices!" Ever smiling he shrieks his battle cry, lifting his sword in an absurdly quick motion, and brought it forth, aiming directly at Saber.
The quick counter movement of the petite blonde was perfect, the blades clashed, and the winds ripped apart from mere contact of blue and red, the sound of the swords meeting at that moment was like music to a warriors ears. That one strike caused hundreds more with blinding speeds and elegant dance like movements rivalling a ferocious naturalistic one.
Sparks were flying through the dark, brining tiny flame like lights for a brief instant which then faded away into the recesses of the world. The combatants smiled, their blazing souls meeting one another on the sacred field of battle, their hearts were shining and shaking, the sensation of life rung through their fingers and then rampaged throughout their being. This was what they lived for.
Saber was winning. That was what it looked like, at least. For every powerful blow Berserker threw Saber would block and retaliate with several more quick successive strikes. Yet the minor cuts she was inflicting seemed to do little, each was more ineffective then the last, losing momentum...
No she wasn't. Berserker was getting faster, stronger and more skilled with every passing second and every wound he took. Saber realised something. The man she was fighting... was only getting started, he was fighting pretty much, half awake.
She began to lose ground, his figure was bigger then hers, and his attacks were far more powerful in pure raw strength, what damage she did too only seemed to improve the combat prowess of her enemy. At this rate... Saber jumped a distance back.
Then launched herself back into the fray, she flipped her body upwards dragging the crimson sword across the many large scars on Berserker's body, and she used her tiny legs to fuel energy for a kicking motion. She landed perfectly on her two feet a few metres away from the warrior she had just struck, if she had inflicted any real damage, no large effect could be seen, he merely seemed to make a fraction of a stumble for but the vaguest and shortest of moments before recovering and rushing forward like the mad charging warrior he was.
The fight was on. This time Saber's moves were far more defensive.
Berserker was getting closer to Shirou who only smiled and watched the fight with excitement in his boyish eyes, the battle between heroes burning deep into his mind, this would be engraved in him for all of his life. There was no way he could forget it.
"Saber, why aren't you winning? Perhaps you really aren't a worthy Servant after all?"
The words left Shirou's mouth with poise, but it was like a teasing question or command, rather then an outright insult due to the way he said it. Saber looked annoyed, but she focused on the fight.
She was being pushed to her limits in a mere straight on combat with her preferred weapon.
It was insulting to her, who wished to be perfect in everything... yet it excited her just a little bit.
She was being pushed to her physical limits in sheer force, she couldn't have asked for a better battle to applaud her onto the stage that was a whole new world... a whole other life.
She then saw an opening, and took it.
She bent down and pushed her body forth, dragging her flame upwards to her neck and then twisting and turning, the thrusting forward with all her might!
The tip of the sword accelerated at near sonic speeds for that one moment, smashing and tearing right through the left side of her rivals waist!
But this didn't end it. It wasn't even close to over! With another animal like howl he brought his blade down again! Saber moved on a powerful pure reflex, she twisted the sword and kicked off of her enemies body, dodging the full front of the attack. However...
A fairly deep cut appeared on the right side of her stomach, causing her to wince in pain.
Yet she endured. She was the best, and she was being judged, she was a hero and an Emperor.
She wouldn't die this easily! She landed using her left hand and her feet, raking them across the pavement, she regained her battle stance and composure and again she attacked, using the momentum to attempt a rigorous offensive! Her arms shook from the force accumulated between the movements and strikes of the heroes. Her heart beat faster... no matter how much damage she inflicted... he only got stronger and stronger!
"My Hero is the best don't you think? Kotomine-san? I believe that was your name? Not like it matters.
He's like the sun, shining and fighting for everyone and for himself, happy and powerful, when people are in trouble he becomes stronger to help the weak. He can save everyone in the world! My Heroic Spirit, Spartacus! Breaking oppression to free the souls of the world! A true hero!" Ilya giggled happily, she was confident in her victory.
Shirou shook his head.
"A Hero? That's what you think a hero was? No. What you described isn't the perfect hero. The perfect hero... holds the sins of all the world upon his back from the moment he was born until the end of time! They have the power and right to rule this world, carving their names into destiny and the history of this world." Shirou's eyes were intense, burning like the most passionate of fires.
He lifted his left hand and pointed his index finger to the deep empty dark skies.
"A hero... is like the new moon. Always growing and always ambitious. He gives in and moves for no one but himself. If he helps and saves the people of this world he will do so because he desires to, not out of obligation of being a hero. The price of the worlds sins give a hero the right to do away with this world and the lives in it as they please!"
This was the idealism of a hero for Shirou. The new moon was a sacred happy thing of ancient Babylon, a full moon will disappear over time, growing weaker and weaker. The new moon, can only grow, forever and ever.
End of chapter 3
Authors Note:
Wow 64 Favourites and 64 Alerts, as well as 5 C2s.
By the way I really want more reviews xD
Also in regards to the facts pointed out by Fallen Angel Cyril.
I really like your advice, thank you for the constructive criticism. The grammar should improve once December ends because my editors won't be tied up then.
Yes I've noticed the description problems myself and will do my best to rectify this and get progressively better. In regards to the 7/11 scene, they do indeed exist in Japan and rather frequently, they are actually kind of rampant in Korea and Japan, along with vending machines, when I visited I often couldn't go down a road without seeing at least one!
On the case of sexism... I'm not too sure about modern Japanese stance to it. I naturally assumed that it was at least of a better standard then ancient history. However, I'm pretty sure that Shirou here does see his actions themselves as under the definition of sexist.
Ancient Babylonian women had rights surprisingly so... yeah.
Also, yes that sword is pretty much what you think it is. You'll get what I'm saying when you reach it, and for a fairly valid reason.
I hope to have a better writing style as I go on and will try to take your comments into account and do some research whenever I can.