[Labyrinth of Fate; Chapter 2]
It might've been the stress induced by the expectations of those back home, the all-encompassing sun, the sight of nothing but sweltering sands for hours, or the attempted raid by the thieves that had clearly set Kougyoku in an irritated mood. No, it was obviously none of the above, and Kougyoku was certain of it. The reason for her animosity at this moment was all caused by that damn Fanalis.
She had to admit, at first she had felt quite entranced by the man; after all, wasn't the scenario something you would see straight out of a poorly scripted romance play? It was every girl's dream to have their prince in shining white armor suddenly come to their rescue at the last moment and whisk them off their feet. Sure the man had been wearing a worn-out and cheap cloak, which Kougyoku was currently in the possession of, but he was tall, quite handsome, and had all the attributes of a prince that Kougyoku never believed to exist!
That was until he suddenly went into full antagonistic mode, and verbally attacked Kougyoku for no apparent reason. This had occurred because Kougyoku had mentioned her status within the Kou Empire as the eighth imperial princess; did he have some sort of grudge towards the royal family? If this were the case, then this was definitely a bad situation. The Fanalis was strong, there was no doubt about that, and if he were to be a part of some rebel group, then that could lead to some big problems.
A Fanalis seeking revenge against the royal family of the Kou Empire based on some sort of past conflict. Perhaps he was enslaved by some noble, and recently escaped in order to plan some sort of rebellion against the empire. He's a dangerous threat to the stability and safety of the country!
But wait, if he were a dangerous person, then why did he chase down the thieves? Actually, why did he let Kougyoku live after discovering her identity? Was this Fanalis a rebel plotting to overthrow the royal family, or was he some sort of rogue hero that despised the royal family for some unknown reason?
The more Kougyoku attempted to solve the puzzle with the little information she had, the more frustrated she had gotten.
"Shirou Emiya..." Kougyoku gritted her teeth with great force. "If I ever see you again... I swear..."
She had continually cursed and mumbled threats about the Fanalis throughout the rest of the journey towards the dungeon. Kougyoku and Koubun resumed their journey within the same carriage, but the number of camels had drastically increased from two to a whooping twelve. Koubun had rewarded the driver the camels belonging the thieves as a way to apologize for their unexpected guests.
After almost an hour of conversing with the city patrols and describing the situation that had just occurred outside their city with the thieves, Kougyoku and company was finally able to enter.
They were now within the city where the dungeon was located, and were a few minutes away from their destination.
"Princess..." Koubun said in a worried voice. "Grinding your teeth together and furrowing your eyebrows will lead to imperfections on your face."
"I can't help it!" Kougyoku replied with a shout. "That man insulted me, a princess of the Kou Empire!"
"Well, he did save our lives," Koubun said as if he were lecturing a child. "Maybe we should just let it slide this time."
"Unforgivable!" Kougyoku stammered and pouted her cheeks while crossing her arms together. "To think I was fond of him at first..."
"I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you princess. What did you say?" Koubun asked in return after hearing Kougyoku mutter beneath her breath.
"Nothing!" Kougyoku immediately yelled in a flustered tone. "Anyhow, stop siding with the Fanalis! I won't forgive him no matter what and that's that."
Truth be told, Kougyoku was never really angry at the Fanalis. Instead, she was in reality very disappointed and deeply saddened by how their meeting played out. Her reasoning for the actions of the Fanalis were excuses she was trying to consider in order to see him in a better light. Of course, Kougyoku would never openly admit this to anyone; it was much too embarrassing.
Thinking about the Fanalis would have to wait for now, as Kougyoku stared out into the city.
Upon looking at the surroundings, it was a relatively small city compared to the likes of the capital, and seemed more like an area developed for the purpose of trade and business for travelling merchants. Numerous open stalls along the strip showcased their goods ranging from exotic foods from the west to dazzling swords and axes that shone brightly underneath the sun. There were people everywhere no matter where Kougyoku had looked; it was a very impressive city. One important aspect stuck out though; there was a lack of beggars or anyone who appeared to be homeless. For this small city, maybe it was possible that this was a tightly knit population that could help one another live. Different types of needed jobs could be filled by the small number of individuals, which would result in the absence of unemployment. Everyone was given something to do, and because of that, everyone had the opportunity to work.
Unlike in the bustling capital, jobs were hard to come by, and in many cases, individuals would have to resort to the extremes in order to live. Illegal sales, extortion, stealing, prostitution; these were prevalent in many areas of the capital where the deemed lower class had resided. They were not 'lower class' because of their inability to do work, but because of the lack of opportunity to do so. The misfortunate group of people could do nothing but beg and lay around miserably until a chance to change their life could be found. Rarely would anyone bat an eye towards these people who really needed help. This ill-fated collection of civilians lived in an area known as the slums. These were citizens who were abandoned by society and their own people. This was the life Kougyoku had once lived in with her mother.
Kougyoku's mother lived a pitiful life where she sold her body to men of all kinds in order to provide enough for Kougyoku to live appropriately. Even though their circumstances could not be described as anything other than dismal by others, the two of them still lived a happy life together. As a child, Kougyoku had realized she was a fortunate child of the slums compared to many others who were of similar age. Some had abusive parents that would sometimes release their frustrations on them; some did not have parents at all...
Those who were happy in the slums were very limited, and the majority were those who suffered and lived each day of their lives in fear of dying from such things that should not exist, such as from starvation. Kougyoku has seen the self-indulgence and gluttony of those in the upper classes of society; they excessively ate the most fabulous of foods, and would waste the necessities in life that those in the slums were missing. How could these people live such luxurious lives just because of their lineage while there were some who were dying on the streets outside of their homes?
It was an imbalance that Kougyoku had hoped to fix one day when she gained greater power. But for now, she was aiming smaller. By clearing the dungeon, Kougyoku was aiming to use the treasures she would acquire to 'eliminate' the slums she had grown up in by sharing what she had earned. After all, each person deserved as much happiness as the next person did. Whether it was someone of royalty or a simple blacksmith, everyone should have an equal chance to obtain happiness.
For the past couple of years, Kougyoku had regularly visited the slums of the capital where she had once lived and did everything in her power to help the people there. She would happily donate her accessories given to her as gifts as well as spontaneously help whatever families she would come across. This would include housework, buying ingredients, and cooking, which was done by Koubun.
Recently, before leaving for her expedition to the dungeon, she had spoken to some of the children she had gotten to know very well from occasionally helping out in their household.
"Sister Kougyoku, you're going to go into one of those dungeons?" one of the children called out. Kougyoku had insisted for the children to not call her princess, and instead refer to her as sister. It felt more natural that way.
"Just you wait! After I clear the dungeon, I'm coming back with loads of gifts!" Kougyoku smiled joyfully as she spoke with a group of children who usually sought her attention when she visited.
"Really!? What kind of gifts, sister Kougyoku?" a boy with short-brown hair gaped in anticipation. From his open mouth, Kougyoku could see that he was missing both his baby front teeth.
The other children also crowded around Kougyoku as they suddenly became very energetic at the mention of gifts.
"Wonderful gifts! The greatest treasures of the world, and I'm giving it all to the people here in this area!" Kougyoku explained with pride. "Once I capture the dungeon, you will be able to enjoy healthy meals every day, you will be able to buy the newest toys and clothes, you will be able to live your life just like anyone else!"
"Do you honestly mean that, princess?" the nearby mother of the boy with missing teeth spoke out with a profound emotion. It was hope.
"Yes! I promise I'll give everyone here an opportunity to start a new beginning!" Kougyoku answered with great joy.
Seeing the happy faces around her was one of the greatest gifts Kougyoku could receive.
After a few minutes, they arrived in front of the dungeon. Koubun immediately exited the carriage, and proceeded to escort Kougyoku out as well. Once the both of them graciously thanked the carriage driver, the two of them began making their way towards the entrance. Koubun carried a small amount of supplies in which they believed would be needed in case of an emergency. This included a spare change of clothes, a couple of snacks and a lot of money; none of them had any idea what was really needed. Of course, the weapons that Kougyoku and Koubun had brought along were being carried by their own hands. As the approached the spectacular structure, Kougyoku noticed that it was very different from the other areas of the city in that there was not a single person in sight, except for one.
On top of the brazen stone steps that led to the entrance of the dungeon, a young male stood waiting with an expression that reflected his non-existent care for the rest of the world. As Kougyoku closed the distance between them, the man suddenly turned his attention towards her with an emotionless smile.
"Kougyoku!" the man spoke with familiarity. He was of average height with long braided dark blue hair that reached down to his lower back. A black choli and a white line of cloth draped around his shoulders covered his chest while exposing his midriff. His lower body clothing consisted of a black leg dress that reached down to his ankles, with no shoes. To top it all off, golden bangle bracelets and necklace revealed that he was no commoner. His skin was slightly tanned, and his eyes shone a crimson red. The young male had an attractive and kind appearance, but if one were to look deeper, there was a looming sense of darkness. "What took you so damn long? You're fortunate that I was spending my time glancing down at the miserable people and roaming the streets of this small city, or else I would've left this place a long time ago."
"I apologize, Judal, but we were interrupted by a group of bandits along our journey," Kougyoku replied to his insensitive question.
His cold demeanor and arrogant attitude was something Kougyoku had not appreciated, but Judal was the Magi and Oracle of the Kou Empire. There was no doubt that the empire valued this man much more than they did Kougyoku. So for now, there was nothing she could do but respectfully obey Judal.
"Is that so? Well I'm glad you're okay," Judal exclaimed while maintaining a fake smile that also displayed his false joy over Kougyoku's safety and well-being. "What's with those dirty clothes of yours?"
"Ahh, m-my other clothes were damaged in the scuffle with the thieves, I was given this cloak to use by an unknown man after dealing with the thieves," Kougyoku quickly replied while fidgeting about nervously.
"Okay then, well it doesn't matter to me," Judal nonchalantly said.
Kougyoku had not bothered to switch into a different set of clothes that she had previously packed. Instead, she was stilling donning the same dusty brown cloak the Fanalis had given her to cover up. It was the least Kougyoku could do, after all, what kind of princess could not appreciate the gifts given to her by those beneath her?
At least, that would be her cover up story if anyone had bothered looking further into it. Honestly, she was quite happy to receive this worn-out, torn, and unfashionable cloak from that man. It wouldn't be entirely inaccurate to say that Kougyoku rarely ever obtained gifts from anyone other than the clothes and accessories that the kingdom expected her to wear. So when she was suddenly given this item because the other party was being considerate of her, it was quite the difference in what Kougyoku had normally felt. Even though she parted with the man with bad blood between them, this was still a gift that she probably valued higher than her other articles of clothing
"I assume you're ready to enter the dungeon?" Judal said as if this was an everyday job for him.
"Master Judal, if I may," Koubun addressed Judal in a formal matter and stepped before him. "I understand how little time you have to spare, but would it be possible to grant Kougyoku a few minutes of rest?"
"Hmm?" Judal did not answer, but rather he glared sinisterly at Koubun.
It was said that Judal was not one who interacted amiably to those not from the royal family. Therefore, to someone who was just an assistant, Judal had probably felt like it'd be a waste of time to spare him an answer. Koubun appeared to begin faltering as he directed his eyes to the side to avoid the menacing looking of Judal. Even so, it didn't seem like Koubun had any intentions of backing down. Though Kougyoku was a little fatigued, she couldn't allow this to rocket out of control.
"I'm fine Koubun," Kougyoku immediately relieved Koubun from the foreboding gaze of Judal. "I am ready to enter the dungeon whenever."
"Then shall we proceed?" Judal had replied once it was Kougyoku talking.
"Yes, let's finish this quickly," Kougyoku nodded her head in agreement. They had already wasted too much time in reaching this dungeon; she wanted this to be done and over with as fast as possible.
Judal lazily approached the door of the dungeon as Kougyoku and Koubun followed suit from behind.
"Forgive my impertinence, Princess," Koubun apologized in a low voice. "I shouldn't have spoken to Master Judal."
"It's fine, I appreciated the concern," Kougyoku innocently forgave him. "For now, we should do whatever we can to have Judal accept us. That's all that matters."
It was a strange edifice with a very distinct architecture that was completely new to anyone. There was only one entrance leading into the dungeon, and from that entrance, an alluring light beckoned towards the outdoors. Great pillars stood on either sides of the door, as if welcoming in any visitors. Those who entered the dungeon should be prepared to risk their lives in their attempts to conquer it. Like many other gambles; the higher the risk, the greater the rewards. For Kougyoku to risk her own life to obtain the high stake treasures was something very appropriate in her mind.
"Welcome to the dungeon of Vinea, the Djinn of sorrow and isolation," Judal fully stretched out both his arms as he displayed an excited grin.
Light began enveloping the three individuals that readied themselves for the adventure that was about to come. Kougyoku immediately shut both her eyes after the flash of light had temporarily blinded her. She deeply inhaled and exhaled as she tried to calm herself for the implicated future she would have after becoming a Dungeon Capturer.
Though she couldn't see, she could feel her body becoming overwhelmed by a strange sensation. It was the feeling of being weightless and probably something similar to floating above the skies. As she opened her eyes, she was met with a spectacular scene. Her body was slowly drifting down a pillar of light that fused with what appeared to be another world. Unlike that of her own planet, this world she was being pulled into was completely covered by a dark layer of water. Nothing existed besides the water in which the light was bringing her into.
Ultimately, Kougyoku braced herself for the impact with the body of water as she drew exceptionally close. However, nothing besides the sense of being submerged underwater was received as her body sank further down. Kougyoku had felt the surroundings were tranquil and soothing, but something deeply ingrained in the dungeon's world was trying to infiltrate her mind. Somehow, Kougyoku knew it was the emotions and feelings of the master of the dungeon; something Kougyoku was very much accustomed to. They were the nightmares that haunted her everyday life.
In fear of being reminded of the torment that she had to live through, Kougyoku struggled to push herself back towards the surface. No matter how hard she fought to relieve herself from the sight of water, she could find no escape. Wherever she looked, only the sight of water were contained in her eyes; everything was the same and nothing ever changed. Her body remained motionless as she eventually allowed herself to be carried wherever the waters desired. And in this never-ending pool of water, Kougyoku was alone.
Perhaps this wasn't an image created by the master of the dungeon; maybe this was a reflection of Kougyoku's inner world.
The waters spoke to her and repeated the same words over and over. Hate and betrayal, these were two words that flawlessly described Kougyoku's perception of the real world. These were the words that isolated her from everybody else. As her body continued to sink further down the recessions of the water, she suddenly realized something. In this world of unlimited water, she had nobody.
Kougyoku silently wept.
"..yoku."
Her head began shaking, as a voice reached her ears.
"...ougyoku."
It was strange, seconds ago she was certain that she was within a relatively calm ocean of water, but now it felt like she was being thrashed about in the center of a whirlpool.
"Kougyoku!" the sound of Koubun calling her name suddenly loudly rang within her head.
With her consciousness back up and ready to go, she opened her eyes which were apparently closed and surveyed what the commotion was about.
Kougyoku's assistant had a firm grip on her shoulders and had been enthusiastically shaking her back and forth which resulted in her head bobbing all over the place. One problem solved.
"Stop that you idiot!" Kougyoku raised her left hand and shoved it right into the center of Koubun's worried-stricken face.
"P-p-princess!" after being launched a few meters back, Koubun's face had a small red imprint of Kougyoku's hand. Tears began welling up at the side of his eyes as he disregarded the pain that should've been left on his face. "You were out cold for over half an hour! I thought you were dead!"
"I was unconscious for that long!?" it felt more like a couple minutes to her.
"Yes, Master Judal and I had been waiting ever since we were transported here. It seems you were the only one who was affected by the transportation," Koubun explained with a much happier face.
"I see... so what I saw was only an illusion," Kougyoku said while looking at the floor
"What did you see, princess?" Koubun asked with interest
"Nothing! We should continue on now," Kougyoku exclaimed as she got up onto her feet. "Where's Judal?"
"Over here."
The voice came from across the room, and Judal could be seen leisurely sitting on top of a large boulder.
"Then let's go see the master of this dungeon," Judal said passively and jumped off the rock.
"Princess, are you sure you're okay?" Koubun asked with worry.
"Don't worry, I'm perfectly fine," Kougyoku said with a smile and hastily followed after Judal after reaching for her weapon which was placed near the side of her.
It was only now that she was certain that she was back in reality that Kougyoku noticed her surroundings. She had been lying on top of a magic circle with the Star of Lakshmi drawn in white on top of an island of dry gravel and rocks. Besides the small area of land that she was positioned on, the rest of the room was covered in water that reached up to Judal's ankles. This place was what you would expect from a flooded underground cavern.
Kougyoku rolled up the hems of her dress and cloak to her knees and tied them in place as she took after Judal. The waters were quite cold on her skin as she dipped her toes into the murky liquid of the dungeon. She had taken her first step in the dungeon, which was also the first step in making her dreams come true.
However, even though this should've been a magical moment for her, she couldn't help but contemplate the meaning of her preceding nightmare. Kougyoku may have been woken back into reality, but was there any real difference? Judal was here beside her only to complete his duties as a priest and his objective of having more Dungeon Capturers in the Kou Empire. Koubun on the other hand was definitely closer to Kougyoku, but there was something Kougyoku had come to understand about him. He had ulterior motives in being Kougyoku's assistant; he wasn't with her because he wanted to, but because it was his occupation. Koubun was one of the closest people to Kougyoku, but it wasn't his choice to do so. It didn't have to be Kougyoku; Koubun could've been the assistant for any other member of the royal family, and he would still act the same regardless.
Kougyoku could not help but think that her nightmare was just a reflection of her reality. After all, was she not alone in this world as well? Wasn't she just being influenced by the water around her?
While the conflict within Kougyoku's mind persisted, the party dove deeper into the dungeon.
"Take this!" with a grunt, Kougyoku drove the tip of her blade through the scales and into the flesh of the fish-like monster in front of her.
The scales were tough, and only by using the full weight of her body was Kougyoku able to pierce through the monster that resembled an angler fish, but much, much larger. Currently, the party of three was near the final room where Vinea, the Djinn of this dungeon was resting. It has been roughly three hours since they began their adventure through the dungeon, and there was not a moment where they could relax.
Wherever they ventured, underwater monsters crawled out from every nook and corner, and aggressively engaged the three of them. The creatures of the dungeon highly resembled their oceanic counterparts, but because there was not exactly enough water for them to swim through, they had other means of doing so. They had similar looking anatomy, but underneath each of their undersides were a pair of humanoid legs.
It was the oddest things seeing tens of these terrifying creatures literally running at them; maybe their oddity and obscurity worked to heighten them fearful appearance.
Judal had mentioned near the beginning that there should've been no problems in handling the monsters of the dungeon. He seemed to have been wrong, as Kougyoku could tell that even he was starting to tire from fighting off these creatures.
Sharks, eels, and crabs; an entire assortment of underwater creatures continued flowing into whatever area the three of them occupied
"What the hell is wrong with this dungeon!?" Judal shouted irately as he lifted his hand grasping a small sable rod to initiate a spell.
Large spikes of ice formed from the waters which were gathered and solidified from the surroundings. Immediately after their formation, the spikes of ice were propelled towards a group of monsters and speared straight through. Chunks of flesh and fish bones were scattered across the floors as the creatures dropped lifelessly.
"It shouldn't be this difficult, right!? Isn't that why you told me only to bring little help?" Kougyoku shouted while fending off the jaws of the raging fish.
"Dammit!" Koubun jumped towards the fish that Kougyoku was battling and stabbed his dagger into the head. Much like any other living creature, the fish keeled over and no longer moved. "Just a little more and it'll be over."
The door towards the end of the dungeon was within sight, but the closer they got, the more monsters seemed to emerge to stop their advance.
"Shit, that has to be it," Judal angrily shouted and he impaled more creatures with his magic. "Some bastard has entered the dungeon before us."
"Wait, that can't be! Wouldn't that mean they'd already be in the treasure room of the Djinn?" Kougyoku suddenly became very worried. After scouting through each room of the dungeon, they had never encountered another person, which would mean that this unknown individual would be in the last room. It couldn't be that after travelling this far out and getting her hopes up that someone else would prevent her from reaching her goal.
"This has happened before when some imbecile had gotten in the way and drastically raised the difficulty of the dungeon," Judal explained while looking towards the door leading to the treasury. "The level of this dungeon is beyond normal, and it would take someone with a lot of power to affect it this much. Don't tell me it's that bastard again..."
"That bastard...?" Kougyoku had never heard of anyone interfering with Judal's work in the dungeons. But then again, not much information was ever given to Kougyoku.
"There's no time to explain, we have to break through before they get the Metal Vessel!" Judal fiercely scowled and raced towards the colossal door which led to the final room. "We should still be able to make it seeing as the dungeon has not begun to collapse yet!"
Kougyoku could feel an immense amount of magoi concentrating around Judal as he rushed forward. He was going to blow whatever monsters that lie in his wake into oblivion and then force open the gate before more got in their way.
"Let's go, Koubun!" Kougyoku quickly trailed after Judal with enough of a distance between them to prevent being caught up in his magic.
Water was drawn from every direction of the room as it accumulated above Judal's raised hands holding his magical rod. What manifested was nothing less than a mini iceberg; no wonder those in the Kou Empire had feared Judal. His abilities were no doubt the most powerful and destructive things Kougyoku had ever seen.
"Out of my way!" Judal roared and pitched both of his arms forward. The iceberg moved in accordance with his will at an impeccable speed despite its massive size, the monsters could do nothing but stare at the massive object that spelled impending doom. It easily tore through anything unlucky enough to be in the way, and then crashed into the gate.
The contact of the iceberg with the gate created a deafening tremor that seemed to shake whatever foundations the dungeon had. Stone walls shook, and the waters rippled violently as shards and fragments from the exploding iceberg disseminated across the room. Even though the iceberg had completely broken apart, the gate had still remained intact and undamaged.
"Amazing..." Koubun said in disbelief while barely managing to keep up with Kougyoku's pace.
"Yeah..." Kougyoku agreed; the Kou Empire sure had its fair share of monsters.
With nothing to stand in their way, the three of them reached the last gate of the dungeon before the dungeon's reinforcements came. Judal hastily threw both of his hands onto the door and called out the secret words to unlock the gate.
"Open sesame—!" Judal's voice seemed to echo throughout the hall.
Rock floors cracked and the water in front of the double-doors of the gate were pushed aside as the gate responded to Judal's words. While the doors slowly cracked open, a magnificent flash of light was being emitted from the other side.
With no time to waste, the three of them jumped into the beacon of light.
No matter who this intruder was, she could not allow them to take away the Metal Vessel. Giving up the Metal Vessel would be akin to giving up her chances to acquire a better status within the royal family. Without the Metal Vessel, Kougyoku would remain a bastard child, but with it, she could become a worthy individual of the Kou Empire.
After entering the final chamber of the dungeon, the sight of immaculate treasures of all sorts welcomed them. Enough gold was scattered across the room to swim through; rubies, emeralds, diamonds, the room was jam packed with the greatest of riches beyond anyone's imagination. Extravagant golden crowns, priceless diamond rings, ornaments that would leave most crafters and artisans in shambles, it was just like what the legends of the dungeons told of.
At least, that was what it should've looked like...
Instead, the room seemed almost spotless except for back-end of the room where three humungous sacks were placed side by side next to a red-haired man speaking to what looked like a giant woman.
"Ahh... look, it appears more guests have arrived," the giant spoke out in a beautiful yet almost tragic-sounding tone. She wore a peerless teal circlet decorated with sparkling golden fish fins and underneath she had long straight hair with bangs that covered her eyes which gave her a depressing appearance. From the little of her face you could see, it was a fair guess that she was quite the looker. A simple white blouse was all she wore and neatly accentuated her curves. Oh, and she was blue.
The giant blue woman was no doubt the Djinn of the dungeon, Vinea, and standing in front of her was...
"It's y-you!" Kougyoku could not help but scream in frustration and point her finger at the Fanalis.
As livid as Kougyoku felt from seeing the man again after a number of hours, for some reason she felt a little delighted as well. After all, this meant she could get her revenge by shouting and making more rude remarks about him.
"What are you doing here you... you... idiot!"
Kougyoku somewhat regretted not preparing her insults beforehand as nothing really came to mind.
He seemed to have lost all his energy the moment he heard Kougyoku's voice as his shoulders seemed to have dropped. The Fanalis slowly turned around to face the three of them as he let out an exasperated sigh.
"I can't believe you of all people showed up... I'm pretty sure I've told you already, my name is Shirou Emiya, or was I too insignificant to remember for your royal highness?" Shirou replied in a sarcastic manner.
"As if I could ever forget a big idiot like you!" Kougyoku yelled boorishly. She was a lot more assertive now that the man was not replying with his intimidating expression from when they had met before. In fact, Kougyoku was brimming with renewed energy! "For all I care, Shirou Emiya is just another word for idiot-!"
"W-what?" Shirou seemed to have been slightly taken back from Kougyoku's devastating attacks. "Well, only an idiot would call other people idiots!"
An effective counterattack was given by the Fanalis as Kougyoku's face reddened with anger. Sparks began flying between the two of them in a vicious battle.
"Don't call me an idiot, you idiot!" Kougyoku lashed out in fury.
"You're the only idiot here!" Shirou returned the same resentment back towards Kougyoku.
"If I'm an idiot, then you're the biggest idiot in the world!" Kougyoku shook her fist towards Shirou and then crossed her arms together and pouted.
"I'm the one who should be saying that," Shirou had also crossed his arms as he looked off irritated to the side.
"Hmph!" the two of them snorted in perfect synchrony.
"Umm... I don't think friends should fight with each other," the Djinn tried to remediate the situation.
"WE'RE NOT FRIENDS!" Kougyoku and Shirou simultaneously retorted against the statement.
"Eek!" the Djinn shrieked nervously and shrank back from the sudden shouts.
Judal had not moved since entering and Koubun was burrowing his face into his hands while watching the show between Kougyoku and Shirou. It was sweet, sweet revenge for Kougyoku; she definitely won this confrontation, right?
"Are you done, Kougyoku?" Judal finally ended the awkward silence.
"A-ahh, yes, I am," Kougyoku timidly replied. She had totally forgotten Judal's presence the moment she saw the Fanalis, and got carried away. Looking at Shirou, it seemed he was also regretting his outburst as he coughed into his hand. What an embarrassing scene to show Judal...
Judal did not seem to mind their little dispute as he motioned forward with only one thing in mind.
"What the hell are you doing in my dungeon?" Judal glared indignantly at Shirou who was also locking eyes with him now.
The expression Shirou gave off was very different than the one he had given before; it seemed to be a mix between confusion, anger, and disgust. Did he have something against the Oracle of the Kou Empire as well?
"Oh? Welcome, Magi, to my dungeon," the Djinn lowered her head in a formal greeting towards Judal. "It seems this man here has come in search of treasure."
"In search of treasure?" Judal infuriatedly shook as he questioned Shirou's motives in disdain. "And you're allowing him to do so!?"
"Y-yes, he's cleared the dungeon for almost an hour now after all," the Djinn answered nervously. "And during that time, he's been in here entertaining me as my chatting partner."
"He cleared the dungeon, all by himself?" Judal asked while maintaining his glare at Shirou.
"Yes, he entered alone," the Djinn replied.
It was obvious after seeing what Shirou had done to the thieves that he was a very capable individual, but to be able to clear a dungeon all by himself...
"Who the hell are you?" Judal asked the same question Kougyoku had been pondering about.
"My name is Shirou Emiya, and well... at the moment, I'm probably something like a travelling treasure hunter," Shirou coolly replied with a smug-look on his face.
"Don't play games with me you bastard..." Judal raised his arm as he readied himself to cast a spell. Likewise, Shirou had maintained a strange stance, as if he were grasping two invisible swords. The situation was escalating way out of hand.
Though Kougyoku had forced herself to believe she had not liked this man named Shirou, it was still disconcerting to see Judal fight him. For a monstrous individual like Judal, this could end in Shirou's death... That was the last thing Kougyoku wanted to see at this point.
"S-st-!"
"Wait, stop!" the Djinn moved between the two males before they could make a move. "Even though he was able to clear the dungeon before your party could, he appears to be incompatible with me and the Metal Vessel."
"Incompatible?" Judal said in surprise. "Is he a magician then? Now that you mention it, the Rukh around him does seem to indicate that he is not some commoner."
Though Judal no longer looked inclined to attack, the tension between the two of them had not dissipated. It still remained a cutthroat moment, where the smallest movement could initiate the start of a battle.
"Yes, it appears so," the Djinn nodded her head. "Even though he has the required attributes and overall seems to be suited to become a King Candidate that I would support; he would not be able to use me."
A King Candidate is an individual chosen because of their potential to master magic and because of their latent ability to emanate an aura that causes others to flock to them because of their righteousness. A King Candidate will battle against others to elevate themselves to the position of a king of unprecedented grandeur. They are also Dungeon Capturers which are rewarded a Djinn in the form of a Metal Vessel. However, there is a bad affinity between using a Djinn and Magicians, because in a sense, Djinns are Magicians as well. They are capable of commanding the Rukh in order to transform magoi into magic.
So Shirou was a magician... That explains how he was easily able to dispose of the thieves.
"I see," Judal said almost uninterested. "Then what proposition would you like to make to solve our situation here, Vinea, Djinn of sorrow and isolation?"
"Give Shirou Emiya the treasures, while keeping the Metal Vessel," Vinea explained her solution. "I can tell, the girl you have chosen as a King Candidate is someone I will easily be able to harmonize with. She is unfortunately someone that also embodies what I represent."
Isolation and sorrow; Kougyoku had been chosen as a Dungeon Capturer after Judal had realized that she was the perfect individual for this task. Should Kougyoku curse her fate as an isolated and sorrowful person? Or should she thank it for giving her the opportunity to acquire a Metal Vessel. It was something she could never truthfully answer.
But wait, the Djinn had previously mentioned that Shirou was also someone who matched the requirements; does this mean he was similar to Kougyoku?
"As long as Kougyoku is given the Metal Vessel, then so be it," Judal gave his consent hesitantly. "Though it's distasteful, the beggar can have what he came for if that's what you wish for, Vinea."
"W-wait! I can't let him have the treasure!" Kougyoku interjected and sternly refused the agreement. "I need it!"
With the treasures obtained from the dungeon, it was possible to erase the existence of the area known as the slums in the capital of the Kou Empire. It was where Kougyoku had grown up, and it was her wish to end the poverty that stained the streets there. She still needed to keep her promise with those in the slums who trusted in her.
"You're already living a lavish life as a member of the royal family... Does your greed have no limits?" Shirou had regained his formidable stare that seemed to exert an immense pressure.
"I don't care what you have to say, I absolutely need it!" Kougyoku remained firm and kept her gaze on Shirou. "Judal, there's no reason why we need to hand the treasures over to this man!"
"Kougyoku, that's enough," Judal said in a tone that did not give room for any arguments. "We've come for the Metal Vessel, and if Vinea wishes to give her treasures to this insignificant bug in front of us, then so be it. Frankly, I'm not in the mood to waste any more of my energy on someone not worth my time."
The words of the Oracle were final, and for someone as powerless as Kougyoku, disagreeing would result in serious consequences. There was no way she could jeopardize her current position for monetary funds. In the long-run, if she could obtain a greater power within the empire, then she could work to rid starvation and poverty throughout the country. Though it hurt her deeply, she had to accept the conditions.
Frustration was clearly marked on Kougyoku's face as she bit down hard on her lips.
"Can I ask one thing, Mr. Emiya," Koubun surprisingly spoke up. "Before, when you had said you were hunting the thieves, was it out of your goodwill, or was there a bounty placed on the heads of those thieves?"
It was a question that Kougyoku had completely forgotten about. Why did this man chase after the thieves? Bounty hunting was a good source of income for individuals who had the necessary skills to do so. Since the country was in the midst of wartimes, the rise of criminals to take advantage of the situation was inevitable. Thieves and murderers were able to run rampant because of the lack of security, which was why the rate of Bounty Hunters would also rise in these times. For the group of bandits they had encountered earlier today, there would definitely be a high reward for their capture. Kougyoku waited with a bated breath as she listened intently for Shirou's answer.
"Both," he answered calmly. "I needed the money, and hunting the thieves down was just a plus."
"Then your true objective was to earn money? I guess that's a stupid question considering your presence here in the dungeon," Koubun said almost pitifully.
"Yes, long-story short, following the thieves was just a side-mission of mine while travelling to the dungeon to acquire the treasure of legends," he answered honestly.
"I see, I finally grasp what your true nature is then," Koubun said as he shook his head incredulously.
"So in the end, you were just another person overwhelmed by the desire for money..." Kougyoku said dejectedly. "You absolutely disgust me."
"Hah... You're free to think whatever you like, princess," Shirou sighed as he wryly smiled.
"You know... it might sound a little ironic coming from me, but if you two just sat down with one another and talked, I'm sure you'd find one another to be very alike," the Djinn once again tried to mend the broken relationship. "At least, that's the feeling I get from you two."
"I could never get along with a man like him," Kougyoku immediately disagreed.
"It's impossible," Shirou confidently exclaimed.
There was no need to talk with the Fanalis any further as Kougyoku brooded inaudibly.
"Yeah, yeah, so the greedy man gets the treasure," Judal spoke up with annoyance. "Let's move on to the more important matters, Vinea."
"I suppose so..." Vinea replied hesitantly as she repeatedly looked from Kougyoku to Shirou.
Vinea moved forward and stood tall in front of Kougyoku. How long Kougyoku had waited for this moment to come in her life as she was now seconds away from gaining her Metal Vessel. But was she really worthy of such a thing?
"What is the matter, Kougyoku Ren?" Vinea spoke softly from above as she looked at Kougyoku's strained expression.
"Nothing's wrong…" Kougyoku replied. She wanted to punch herself for showing pointless weakness now of all times.
"Do you doubt your ability to become a King Candidate?" Vinea accurately uncovered Kougyoku's worries.
"…"
"There's no need to fret about such a matter; you are the most talented one when it comes to using me," Vinea proclaimed with a gentle smile. "Though you have had a lonely past… it has not stopped you from trying to become someone great; I will support you. You have a long journey ahead of you, and what you accomplish by using my power is up to you to determine."
Kougyoku clenched her fists as she glanced up assuredly after listening to the Djinn's words.
"Please watch over me," Kougyoku said with fire in her eyes.
The form of the Djinn disintegrated into a vortex of small glittering birds that projected itself towards Kougyoku's golden hair stick. It continuously hoarded itself onto the accessory until finally, only the Star of Lakshmi was finely imprinted onto the handle.
Once completed, the room itself began to irradiate powerfully as a magical circle was suddenly conjured underneath everyone to prepare for transportation outside of the dungeon.
The dungeon was successfully captured by Kougyoku.
"I look forward to the king you become, Kougyoku Ren."
Kougyoku's hand held on tight to her golden hair stick as she continued glossing over it, and running her fingers over the engraved markings. From now on, her life would change.
For minutes, she was motionless as she remained kneeling on the patch of dirt that the dungeon had transported her to. Her mind continued replaying the events that had occurred today, and despite all the misfortunes that the Fanalis had brought, she was still overwhelmed with joy from obtaining her Metal Vessel, and becoming a Dungeon Capturer.
"I did it..." Kougyoku announced to nobody in particular.
"Princess, are you okay?" Koubun could be heard from a further away distance.
"Yes, I've never felt better," Kougyoku replied.
"That's great, congratulations on becoming a Dungeon Capturer, princess," Koubun said with a wide smile.
"Thank you..." Kougyoku clutched her hair stick containing Vinea against her chest as she suddenly felt the full rush of emotions. "Thank you..."
Tears caressed her cheeks as she could no longer contain the feelings within her. For the first time in her life, she had accomplished and obtained something worth praising. She was certain her mother would be proud of her if she were still here.
However, this was not the end. This was merely the beginning of Kougyoku's journey with even grander accomplishment waiting to be fulfilled. There were much more important things to save her tears for.
"I suppose we should retire for the night then," Kougyoku stood up and announced after seeing the black skies illuminated with the sparkles of the stars and moon.
"Yes, we'll return to the capital tomorrow," Koubun said proudly and began walking ahead of Kougyoku. "It seems Judal has already taken off back towards the capital to report the capture of the dungeon."
"Is that so," Kougyoku said as if her mind was on something else.
"And the Fanalis named Shirou was nowhere to be found when I regained my consciousness," Koubun declared as he continued leading the way to a place to rest.
"I don't care about him!" Kougyoku said displeasingly; it seems Koubun was able to answer the question on her mind.
Whatever the case, at this point, Kougyoku wouldn't mind if she never saw that despicable man again. It was because of greedy people like him that poverty and starvation was still spreading rapidly across the country. The Fanalis was no different than any of the other nobles that Kougyoku has seen throughout the nation; overcome by the desire for wealth and power. It was a plague that Kougyoku ultimately aimed to erase in the near future when she was in a more respectable position.
Forget about him! Kougyoku tried shaking away her putrid thoughts about him. Hopefully, the Fanalis named Shirou would be out of her mind by the end of tomorrow. From now on, Kougyoku would become more involved in her country, and she couldn't let that damned man distract her.
After finally lying in bed, she had barely gotten a single hour of shuteye from the images of Shirou that tortured her throughout the night.
Their carriage ride back to the capital was very pleasant for Kougyoku, because it was uninterrupted which gave her the chance to catch up on some sleep. The sunlight of midday beamed down on Kougyoku as she exited the carriage with Koubun. Enormous buildings and the sight of hundreds of civilians going about on their day welcomed Kougyoku back home. It was an environment she was completely accustomed to, and she couldn't be happier to be back.
However, there was one thing bringing down her mood. Kougyoku had a broken promise with the people of the slums, and she was now on her way to break the bad news to them. The hopeful looks of the children and parents had made Kougyoku exceptionally pleased, but now it was her duty to destroy it.
Reluctantly, Kougyoku started down the streets with Koubun towards the area of the slums.
"'I'm sorry, something came up and I wasn't able to get the treasures'... how about, 'What? I made no such promise. What are these gifts you are talking about...?' No, that wouldn't work at all!" Kougyoku bit down on the sleeves of her dress in agony. She was no longer wearing the cloak given to her by the Fanalis, and had instead changed to one of her spare dresses. "How am I going to tell them, Koubun!?"
Watery eyes looked up at Koubun as he chuckled lightly.
"Princess, you owe those people nothing. Just tell them the truth, and be done with it," Koubun said harshly.
Koubun was never fond of Kougyoku's kindness to the less fortunate, and instead was a firm believer in rising up with one's own power. It was true that the riches Kougyoku would have given to the people would only serve as a momentary release from the struggles of the poor, and that they would still have to fend for themselves after they exhausted their goods.
What Kougyoku was doing was not giving the people of the slums a better life, but giving them a chance to build a better life with their own hands. There's a clear dichotomy between the upper and lower classes, and this was exceptionally true within the capital of the Kou Empire. The poor were unable to appropriately work for themselves, because they lack the funds to afford training and education. With the expansion of the Kou Empire, there was an increasing emphasis on individuals who were literate, or have special talents. There was only so much of a need for individuals who could do hard labor, and the rest were cast aside.
A sigh escaped Kougyoku's mouth as she crossed the line which separated the slums from the rest of society. It was not an actual line, but a metaphysical one the civilians had created themselves. The area of the slums was actually quite noticeable; it was a wide community made up of inadequate houses, dirty streets, garbage littered throughout, rodents running carefree, and an abundance of homeless individuals lining the walls for shade. Not many individuals visited the slums, which made it relatively silent for the most part.
Although it may appear like an empty and tragic part of town with nothing going for it, that was entirely false. There were a pronounced number of children within the slums who played in the streets and overall lightened the otherwise gloomy mood. If there was one thing in the slums that the rest of society could learn from, it was the resilient feeling of hope. It was an empowering feeling that kept the people on their feet as they continued to believe that one day, they would be given the chance to join the rest of society.
It was something Kougyoku had wished to give her people.
And that hadn't changed. Kougyoku may have failed this time, but all that meant was that she would have to succeed in her next attempt! Losing sleep over it would not benefit anyone in any way, so for now she had to keep her composure, and show the people that she would not give up hope either.
With a recovered vigor, Kougyoku walked straight into the heart of the community where most of the people usually gathered; the marketplace.
There was something going on as Kougyoku and Koubun neared the area. Usually, not much activity occurred despite it being the most popular area of the slums. But at this instant, Kougyoku could barely hear her own thoughts over the apparent cheers and laughter of an amassed group of people.
The afternoon sun had only been up for approximately an hour, but there seemed to be some kind of festival going on as individuals downed jugs of beer and ate from an assortment of plates full of food. Ecstatic and joyful expressions were plastered on everyone's faces; it was something straight out of Kougyoku's dream.
"Sister Kougyoku!" a small boy with short-brown hair dashed over to Kougyoku the moment he laid eyes on her.
"Princess Kougyoku!" the mother of the boy also pranced over with water-filled eyes.
"W-what's going on here?" Kougyoku asked in confusion.
"You did it, sister Kougyoku!" the boy leapt up in down as if he could barely contain himself. "I knew you could do it! Everyone called me a liar when I told them your promise, but now they know!"
"Princess... Thank you so much..." the mother wiped her eyes while continually bowing in gratification for an unknown reason. "Because of you... my child will be able to grow up as a normal child... I promise, I will never go a day without thanking you from the bottom of my heart... you truly are a saint!"
"Sister Kougyoku, come join the fun with us!" the boy shouted with glee.
"Yes! Please do, I'm sure everyone sincerely wishes to express their thanks to you!" the mother also
chimed in.
It wasn't that Kougyoku did not want to join in, but she seriously had no idea what was going on.
"Stop, stop!" Kougyoku stretched out both her hands in front of her as she tried calming them down. "Please tell me what has happened here!?"
The mother and child looked to one another with a perplexed look in their eyes. Was it something Kougyoku should've known?
"I'm sorry, Kougyoku is still weary from our travels, and so could you explain to us what has happened?" Koubun made up a lie to excuse Kougyoku's apparently strange reaction.
"Ahh! Mother, maybe her servant messed up the timing or something," the boy suddenly said as if he solved a mystery.
"Oh, if that's the case, then I hope he isn't punished by our princess," the mother softly laughed.
"My servant?" Kougyoku looked to Koubun who shrugged his arms in response.
Kougyoku's heart began rapidly beating as the image of a certain man appeared in her head. It couldn't be...
"Yes! This morning, your red-haired servant arrived into the slums in a wagon with three large sacks being pulled by camels!" the boy excitedly retold his experiences from earlier today. "He's the first I've met that has red hair; the people around me called him a 'Fanalis'!"
"He called out to a few people around him, and gave them some gold coins to round up everyone in the slums," the mother continued the story. "Because it was still in the early morning, most individuals had not left for work yet, and as a result, nearly all five hundred people of the slums gathered. He then announced that he was an official of the Kou Empire and asked everyone to separate into their respective families if they had one."
"When everyone finished separating, he then opened his bags and showed everyone all the treasures!" the child raised his voice as he overtook his mother in the story-telling. "Everyone was surprised and some people even cried when he started handing out the treasures in the bag! When he came to me and my mother, I asked him 'You work for sister Kougyoku right?', and then he looked confused!"
The boy drew in a deep breath as he continued talking at a very fast pace.
"He said 'Why do you think I would work for Kougyoku?', and then I replied 'Because sister Kougyoku promised everyone in the slums that she would bring back all the treasures as gifts once she captures the dungeon. She's super strong after all, and I believe she would keep her promise!' The red-haired man then went all silent and just continued looking at me," the boy once again took in a gulp of air as he prepared himself. "It was weird, for a couple seconds he just stood there without moving, but then finally he started laughing and smacked himself in the forehead with his palm. He then said, 'Yes, I work for Kougyoku! She told me to give out the treasures to everyone here,' and then he gave me and mother very expensive objects and rings!"
"Could it be...?" Koubun whispered in shock.
At the end of the story, the red-haired man left on foot after donating the wagon and camels to a lucky couple. Kougyoku was determined to completely forget all about that man, but now... it was becoming impossible.
"Princess Kougyoku!" the voices coming from multiple people from the market place brought Kougyoku back to reality as a stampede of individuals could be seen racing over. "Everyone! It's Princess Kougyoku!"
She couldn't meet with them now; she could barely breathe let alone converse with the people teeming with bliss.
"I'm sorry, excuse me!" with all of her might, Kougyoku forced herself to bolt off as far away as possible.
The calls of her name continued to reverberate throughout the city as she ran away from the slums and slipped into an empty alleyway. Of course, Koubun had been right on her heels the entire time. They hadn't been running for more than a couple minutes, but Kougyoku was in desperate need for oxygen and could barely breathe.
"Princess, are you alright?" Koubun asked in concern. If Kougyoku appeared breathless from running and Koubun wasn't, then something was unquestionably wrong.
"Y-yes, I, I just n-need... to catch... my b-breath," Kougyoku was facing in the opposite direction of Koubun.
"It appears we have misjudged that man," Koubun stated.
"..." only the ragged breathing of Kougyoku could be heard.
"Princess?" the sound of Koubun's footsteps was approaching.
"Stay away!" a flustered Kougyoku suddenly shouted. "J-Just leave me alone for a minute!"
Koubun seemed to have complied as silence enveloped Kougyoku's surroundings. Externally, Kougyoku appeared to be frozen in place, but internally, she was a complete mess.
Her heart felt like exploding straight out of her chest, her head felt like it was being attacked by a hammer as blood continued to pump intensely throughout her brain, her body felt like a furnace as it continued heating up beyond all comprehension, and finally, her face was flushed in the fiercest of pink.
However, despite what Kougyoku might say about her current predicament, she was fully engulfed in euphoria. There were too many coincidences, far too many cliché developments, way too many similarities to the second-grade romance plays and novels she would sometimes immerse herself into. In fact, if Kougyoku had suddenly woken up, she would have no problems believing this was all just a dream.
Ever so slowly, Kougyoku's slender digits reached up to her face and brushed against her soft cherry-red lips. She was in a complete daze, and only after realizing what she was doing, Kougyoku quickly darted her shy eyes from side to side as she checked if anyone had seen that.
Kougyoku's long and beautiful eyelashes closed together multiple times as she was unsure of what else to do. Eventually, habit took course, as Kougyoku brought up the sleeves of her dress to shield her face behind the wall of fabric. She was lucky that this was an empty alleyway, because surely if anyone had seen her, she would have fainted from embarrassment.
"Shirou Emiya..." she whispered happily beneath her breath.
[Chapter 2 End]
Author Notes:
For anyone who's unfamiliar to 'Magi', and there's surprisingly a lot (I thought Magi was very popular, but after looking at the FFN list of Magi stories, there does not seem to be a large fan base for it here), the world this takes place in will be further explained in the upcoming chapters from Shirou's point of view. Since I started these two chapters with Kougyoku's point of view, I kind of dived right into the middle of everything. Just building up the mystery!
So anyway, Shirou's POV and his experiences up to date from when he first enters the Magi world starts next time.
Will be working on my other fanfiction for a bit before writing the next chapter. So thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it. Reviews are always welcome!
Till next time,
Cheers.