[Labyrinth of Fate; Chapter 3]
The serene moon illuminated the quiet desert grounds below as the temperature began to drop to an uncomfortable level. It was a drastic change from the unbearable blazing weather that the environment had exhibited just hours ago, and Shirou was entirely caught off guard.
With both his arms rubbing each other for friction to create heat, Shirou sat shivering in the excessively large wagon which was currently being pulled by a number of camels. It had only been a couple hours since he left Vinea's dungeon, which meant he was only at the halfway point to reaching the capital of the Kou Empire.
"Dammit..." Shirou's teeth chattered as he groaned from his discomfort.
At this point, Shirou highly regretted handing over his cloak to the naive princess he had met earlier today. Just reflecting upon his interactions so far with the royal family of the Kou Empire was enough to give him a massive headache. It's a miracle in itself that this country was still able to function despite the individuals ruling it.
Shaking his head, Shirou shook off the frustration that was accumulating in his mind, and instead, he gazed up into the night sky.
It was nothing like the sky back in his world. There were brand new lights, different stars, brilliant constellations, it was daunting to come to realization that he would probably never be able to go back home. However, for some reason, Shirou had felt at home and peace as he let his mind wander off with the vision of the stars.
Shirou had found a new purpose in this unknown world; one he could fight for, and one he could live for. Although Shirou was out of place in these foreign lands, all he could do was accept it. An individual cannot choose the star they are born under, nor can they choose their fate.
While contemplating about his meaning in being in this new world, Shirou's mind drifted into his experiences over the past month.
Fresh, pure and natural, the air that Shirou inhaled was exhilarating compared to the one he was used to tasting. His body remained motionless as he stood frozen in the center of a vast field of unkempt grass.
What's going on...?
The current situation did not match up with Shirou's memories; he shouldn't be alive...
Shirou stretched out his right hand in front of his face and curled his fingers into a tight ball. His strength was still intact and he could still feel his magic coursing through his soul. The same sleeveless black leather clothes still covered him as well as the precious red jewel pendant which he always kept was still in his pocket; basically, Shirou was in the exact state before being hung from his neck.
With his right hand in front of him, he touched the skin around his neck. Though the stinging pain of the rope strangling him was still vivid, there were no scars, nor any indication that Shirou was hung in the first place.
Was Shirou saved in his last moments? Shirou was never one to feel content about a lack of information, and the missing portion of his memory was not helping at all.
A small surge of energy was pumped into Shirou's eyes as he began reinforcing himself to enhance his vision. The first step now was deciding a direction to head towards. Shirou's pupils dilated, the ciliary muscles relaxed, and more light was absorbed and processed beyond what a normal human could achieve. He could now easily observe the surroundings as if he were using a pair of binoculars.
At least twenty miles away was what appeared to be a city
"Here goes nothing..." Shirou sighed as he finally left the spot he was standing in for a considerable amount of time.
It was probably not the smartest thing to walk into a random city after being convicted as a terrorist, but Shirou was desperate for information.
A line of what appeared to be merchants and travelers had waited at one colossal entrance that led into the city. Many of them brought carts of weapons consisting of swords, axes, but clearly an absence of firearms. Some brought along barrels of wine and others brought along agricultural goods.
Stone borders surrounded the city, and guards carrying bows and spears were positioned neatly around the perimeters.
There was definitely something wrong.
Taking his chances, Shirou stealthily dove into a wagon carrying a mountain of hay. Even though he had nothing on him but his clothes and although this city seemed completely backwards; Shirou could not risk being caught again after having his life spared.
The guards and the people entering the city had appeared to be of Asian descent and also spoke a language Shirou could understand for some unknown reason, despite never once hearing it before. It was another mystery.
"Welcome to the capital of the Kou Empire," the guard spoke with monotone to the merchant of the cart in which Shirou was concealing himself in. "I hope you have success in your trade."
This man surely hated his job.
Besides that, where in the world was this 'Kou Empire'? Shirou may have been a little behind with world news, but he wouldn't have been that out of the picture to neglect something as big as the appearance of a new empire...
As soon as the merchant entered the city, Shirou hastily leapt out of the back of the cart without a sound. Before anyone could place their eyes on him, Shirou instantly dashed into the nearest empty alley.
After making sure he was completely alone, Shirou surveyed his new surroundings. The sight before Shirou left him speechless.
If this was some sort of festival that looked to recreate a time of history, then the founders obviously had too much times on their hands.
Men and women walked the streets in garments such as kimonos and other similar types of traditional clothing. Most of the articles clothing that people donned were plainly colored while few individuals wore brightly decorated ones which revealed their separation of class structures. What surprised Shirou the most were the swords that were casually equipped by some of the higher looking classed individuals.
It was almost as if Shirou was thrown back into a mesh between the imperial era of China and the feudal era of Japan.
"What the hell is this...?" Shirou mumbled as the questions only continued to accumulate.
From the view of the city Shirou had gotten from the outside, there was no doubt that this city was on the scale of any major city in Japan.
Anxiety coursed through Shirou's mind as he quickly sprinted across the city. He no longer worried about whether anyone saw him, but it was quite unlikely anyone would be able to get a good look at his face judging from the speed he was running at.
For minutes Shirou sped throughout the city while maintaining his pace, and no matter where he ran, the city appeared uniform throughout. The buildings, the residential areas, the shopping grounds, they were all reminiscent of the ancient dynasties of the past!
Finally, one last structure had left Shirou in complete despair. It was a wonderful construction that definitely required the conjoined efforts of the greatest architects, engineers and artists. The foundations were built sturdily by the toughest of stones, the walls were fortified by highly durable materials, and some areas of the buildings were layered in gold. Intricate designs were prevalent among the gates and walls as the structure stood both aesthetically pleasing and powerful in the center of the city.
Normally, Shirou would have taken the time to marvel and appreciate how extravagant and gorgeous the building was. After all, it was not every day he could view a real-life imperial castle. There was no way a castle of this magnitude could have existed anywhere in the world; it was larger than any castle Shirou had heard of in China, Japan, or anywhere else in the world for that matter.
The air was different, the magic was strange, and things that shouldn't be here were… The moment this realization sprung in Shirou's mind, a sense of dread slowly overtook him.
"This is not my world..." Shirou whispered in shock.
Shirou nonchalantly wandered the streets with no sense of direction. Now that he thought about it, getting to live in a new world was a much better deal than dying, and the only real attachment he had back in his world was Rin Tohsaka.
Instead of feeling muddled and disordered from being in a new world, shouldn't he be overjoyed about getting a second chance at carrying out his ideals? At the very least, this should be his train of thought until he had a better sense of what was going on. Moping about his situation would help no one.
While walking down the streets, Shirou could feel the eyes of everyone being directed at him. At first, he was quite disturbed by the amount of attention that was garnered towards him as countless numbers of people carefully observed his every action. They eyed him suspiciously and whispered into each other's ears in worry.
Initially, Shirou was overcome by fear as he believed they had recognized him as a terrorist. But after reinforcing his sense of hearing, it was something completely unrelated.
"My god, look at his red hair."
"I've never seen anyone like him..."
"A Fanalis in the streets of the imperial city?"
Irritation and annoyance was clearly marked on Shirou's face as he aimlessly walked wherever his feet took him. Sure, even back in Shirou's own world he had sometimes been the center of attention because of his red hair. Back in his younger days, he would be called the 'Japanese ginger kid', but he was still proud of who he was.
Having his red hair once again gather attention for him brought back memories he'd rather not remember as he walked throughout the city with a frown. What was he, some kind of zoo animal? They should seriously try to have some decency.
With Shirou's aggravation increasing by the second, he escaped into another different location of the city.
The area appeared isolated on all sides by an imaginary line; it felt completely separated from the rest of the city. Buildings were ruined and the streets were infested with rodents and garbage as far as the eye could see. Some homes were nothing more than small areas which could hold no more than two people, and had fabrics overhead acting as a roof.
It was without a doubt that this was a region abandoned by the rest of society. The rest of the city was bright and sparkling, yet this area was the complete opposite. It was as if the city pooled all the negativities and undesirable things into this spot.
This included its people as well...
The elderly to the young; they all wore tattered clothing and looked as though they would collapse from the slightest touch. Shirou had been in numerous countries where this scene was a common occurrence...
But never has he seen an area in this condition within the confines of what appeared to be a prosperous city. From just his hour-long exploration of the city, he had already seen some obvious high official nobles that were covered from head to toe in golden chains and diamond accessories. How could an area like this still exist?
It looked to be an area where it wouldn't be anything special to see a fresh corpse or two. While being assaulted by the heavy stench in the air, Shirou continued along as he examined the people drowning in this solemn atmosphere.
Shirou travelled down the roads, and eventually found himself in the center of a small marketplace. It was much smaller than the few Shirou had seen throughout the city, but was a breath of fresh air from the crowd he had just seen.
These people may have been in a pitiful and dismal circumstance, but they still appeared to be giving it everything they got. They were just like anyone else; they had a life to live, family to come home to, kids to take care of... Seeing their hopeful expressions despite their unacceptable living conditions only reinforced Shirou's desire to help them.
"I'm sorry!" a woman repeatedly bowed her head in front of two seemingly well off individuals. They certainly stood out, especially among the people here.
A few by-passers stopped to watch.
"'I'm sorry,' doesn't cut it, Miss!" the larger of the two replied sluggishly. He might've appeared decent, but from his movements, he was positively drunk.
"You've got quite the outfit, don't you?" the other skinny drunk said with a grin as he began displaying an aggressive excitement.
It seemed the woman had accidentally bumped into one of the men. Of course, Shirou didn't doubt that the men had purposely gotten in her way. The woman was probably within her mid-twenties with long brown hair and wore revealing rags which only pronounced her womanly figure. The worn-out shirt she was wearing had a very low cut which was probably intentional to openly show her breasts to the public.
Prostitution was undoubtedly common in the slums of the city... There was no reason for Shirou to act unless it was necessary.
"Hey, hey, what do you think you have to do for us to forgive you?" the large drunkard said mockingly.
"I-I said I was sorry," the woman apologized with tears in her eyes. She had no intentions of going along with the men. A large bag containing a bundle of food was grasped in her hands.
More unrelated individuals swarm around them.
"Please... my son is waiting for me back home," she begged them to let her go.
"You bumped into us, so we expect something in return," the skinny drunk explained sarcastically. "Whores are always like this; when money is not involved, they have no empathy."
"Fine, I'll pay," the larger man replied angrily. "So strip off all your clothes right now."
The man then proceeded to toss down a few coins.
From the looks of it; they would only take it further if she complied with their present demands.
"I-I can't do that here in front of everyone..." she nervously replied as she shrank back.
More coins flew in her direction from the other man. They bounced off her head and dropped to the ground with a crisp metallic echo. The woman's shoulders and legs were trembling from the humiliation.
"This is all you're good for; stop acting like a sensible human being," they began to shout forcibly.
"Hey."
"What do you want!?" the larger man turned around to face Shirou.
"She might be a prostitute, but there are some things that can't be merely sold," Shirou said sternly.
The next instant, Shirou threw a punch directly at the large drunken man's face. Shirou had not reinforced his fist, yet the man easily crashed into the ground gracelessly.
"Take your friend, and get out of here," Shirou ordered the other man without remorse.
He quickly followed Shirou's command without any hesitation. As soon as Shirou disposed of the larger man, the rest of the crowd hastily dispersed.
"You'll regret this you bastard..." it was an empty threat by the other drunkard as Shirou watched him drag the larger man with difficulty out of sight.
After seeing the two of them leave, Shirou spun around and placed a hand on the woman's shoulder which was still shaking.
"It's okay now," Shirou kindly told her.
"Ahh... thank you for your help," the woman seemed to calm down dramatically with the touch of Shirou's hand.
"Your son is waiting, right? You should hurry back," Shirou said with a soft smile and he reached down below the woman's feet to pick up the coins in which the man had not bothered to retrieve.
Shirou had no idea what these coins were worth, but he placed them in the hands of the woman.
"T-thank you!" the woman deeply bowed and rushed out of the area.
A few hours had passed since Shirou entered the area known as the slums, and every so often he would come across a lifeless body lying in the middle of the streets. Civilians would walk over the body as if it was something a part of their ordinary life. Perhaps they were too afraid to acknowledge that the body might've been someone much like themselves not too long ago...
It greatly pained Shirou to witness such a sight as he could do nothing for the deceased.
The moon had now taken residence up in the sky as the streets darkened, leaving the mood of the slums even gloomier. Shirou was hungry and tired, but he was certain he could last quite a while if needed be.
While sorting out his course of action, Shirou came across another body.
In the darkness, the body was nearly invisible except for the small ray of moonlight that revealed the small hands of a child. A sharp and acute pain made its way into Shirou's throat as he forced back a groan.
Not even a child was spared in this god-forsaken place.
The least Shirou could do was to give the child a proper burial...
With both his arms, Shirou scooped the child up into the air. Illuminated under the light, Shirou could now see that the child was a young girl. There was still warmth in her body...
"She's alive..."
Her chest slowly heaved up and down ever so slightly as her thin and frail body hung in Shirou's arms. This girl's life was dangling by a single thread... she needed attention and food immediately.
"Someone help!" Shirou shouted into the night sky. Desperation was evidently in his voice.
He ran back into the areas where there were more people gathered.
"Somebody save this girl!" Shirou yelled out to anyone he had seen.
Everyone turned a blind eye and looked away shamefully whenever Shirou had come close. They probably had nothing to share in the first place...
"Anybody... please help!" Shirou could feel a rising nausea as he imagined what waited in the near future.
No one answered and Shirou quickly turned around one, two corners as the roads narrowed between the housing and buildings. Because of the tight spacing between the tall buildings, barely any light shone down within this tight junction. Time relentlessly continued ticking away for the young girl as Shirou carried her through the hazy darkness.
The marketplace had shut down almost an hour ago, so even stealing was not an option.
Ever since the Holy Grail War, Shirou had never taken a day off of training or studying. After feeling so powerless and dependent on others during the war, Shirou had pushed himself to his limits to become stronger. People around him died because of his inadequacy and lack of strength in protecting them. So he trained; Shirou became strong not to be appreciated, but to achieve a result where everybody could be happy.
But why... why was he still overcome by such hopelessness? Shirou knew how to fight; even back in his world, he was considered a well-above average mage, especially for his age. But what the hell was the point of knowing how to fight if he couldn't even save a single child?
I don't want a child dying in front of me. I don't want anyone dying in front of me.
Fear distorted Shirou's face as he was seeing no results. Nothing was more painful and scary for Shirou than not being able to save someone who needed help.
"Someone help her..." Shirou pitifully cried out.
An image of a man in red with his back faced towards Shirou made its way into his mind. It was a person Shirou had not recalled in quite some time, and he wasn't expecting such a person to float up from his memories.
Probably to mock his way of life…
A goal and dream of protecting everyone's smile was something with significant flaws. Shirou himself had realized that it was somewhat of an impossible ideal, and that walking down this path could only lead to tragedy for him. Isn't that what happened back in his world? Because of his ideals, he was ultimately betrayed and sentenced to death by the very people he saved. Was the goal of becoming an Ally of Justice really worth all the pain he would be succumbed to?
How stupid...
There might have been something wrong with Shirou's method as well as his outlook towards those in need. But that was completely fine.
Because there's no way that wanting to help people could be a mistake.
The man disappeared from Shirou's mind as if accepting his resolution. Still, right now was not the time to get sentimental. Shirou had no money on him, nor did he have anything of value except the priceless pendant in his pocket.
It was Shirou's last memento from his world as well as his memories with the girl he had once loved. There was no other choice but to give it up if he wanted to save the child in his arms...
"E-excuse me..." a soft and feminine voice quickly drew Shirou's attention.
When Shirou spun around, he instantly recognized the face associated with the voice. After all, he had saved the woman just a couple hours earlier.
"Please! Save her!" Shirou passionately cried with a hoarse voice from all his previously yelling.
"Yes... please hurry and bring her inside my home," the woman said and directed Shirou to the inside of a small hut.
"T-thank you..." Shirou said graciously as he choked back a sob.
It no longer mattered that Shirou was in a new world, nor did his experiences of being betrayed. The only thing on Shirou's mind was the pleasure and satisfaction of seeing a young child being saved.
While the mother slowly fed the girl a warm bowl of porridge, Shirou sat off to the side of the room and observed the scene with joy.
"Mister," a boy called out to him.
The boy had short dirty brown hair and wore ragged clothing which was much too big for his size. Unlike many of the other children which Shirou had seen in the slums, this boy had a very bright expression. This innocent happiness was probably due to the mother's efforts in raising the young kid.
"What is it?" Shirou asked with a smile.
"Why is your hair red?" the boy grinned.
"Cause I was born that way," Shirou sighed as he recalled the spotlight he had on him throughout the day.
"Really? Then you really are a Fanalis!" the boy gasped in excitement.
"A 'Fanalis'? What's that?" Shirou asked with a raised eyebrow.
It didn't seem like the boy had any problem with reiterating everything he had heard about the race of people with red hair. Some of the stories sounded completely ridiculous, but there must've been some truth in them considering how the citizens had looked at him in awe.
Legends told of the Fanalis people being capable of reducing boulders to rubble with their own fists, and even fending off the wildest of beasts and the strongest of armies completely unarmed and unscathed.
The boy continued to tell his stories as if he were reciting it from a book in his mind. Most of the feats could be reproduced by Shirou if he were to reinforce himself, but were the Fanalis tribe using some form of reinforcement magic as well?
If this were the case, then Shirou could confirm that magic was an essential part of this world's culture. This would mean that Shirou would not need to be so strict on the secrecy of his magic, but rather, he could use it to its full extent without fearing any consequences.
"I've never seen a Fanalis before! I hear most of them are slaves nowadays, so it's rare to see them on the streets," the boy looked at Shirou with sparkling eyes.
Shirou forced back a grimace as he listened. Even slavery was still accepted in this world... What kind of backwards place was this?
"But now there's one sitting in front of me!" the boy almost seemed to squeal as he scrunched up his face with pure delight. "I wonder if you're stronger than sister!"
As Shirou continued to listen to the innocent boy yap away, the first night eventually came to an end.
Two weeks had passed since Shirou's first eventful day in this new world. The more time Shirou had spent within the slums, the more he understood the destructive destination that this country was headed towards. They were currently at war with the nations surrounding them as they sought out conquest to subjugate those who opposed them. The Kou Empire was expanding its territory at a fearsome rate, and because of that, most of their expenses were directed towards war efforts rather than helping their own people.
Why the hell were their priorities so revolting...?
While seeking out information to get a better sense of his situation from a wide variety of sources, Shirou had found the perfect job in which he could earn money. Because of his red hair which branded him as a member of the Fanalis tribe, he had immediately become a valued prospect for the job.
Bounty hunting; it was a good way to earn money while cleaning the country of the worst of the worst.
The most sinister of thieves, the cruelest of slave drivers, the most ruthless groups of murderers; Shirou had put an end to many of their 'careers' within a short period of time. This had earned him a great sum of money, which he distributed to the mother from the first night, and many others of the slums who required assistance.
But it was never enough...
With every criminal captured and imprisoned, another one would rise and take his place. It was a never ending cycle which could not be stopped by force alone. Individuals will turn to crime and violence when they are backed into a corner; the problem wasn't the people, it was the nation.
Not to mention, the money Shirou had earned was almost negligible when considering how many individuals needed help.
That was when he heard about it.
Dungeons.
Shirou had spent days asking around and interrogating the criminals he hunted in order to pinpoint the exact location of the dungeon.
After another week of scavenging for information, Shirou obtained the new objective of dungeon clearing.
Rain poured down from the grey and ominous skies as Shirou raced back to the home where he spent the night the first day. The mother of the young boy had offered Shirou a place to stay after realizing he had no other place to go. If only this kindness had existed in everyone's heart.
Thunders roared from the heavens above as if agreeing with Shirou's animosity towards the empire and the royalty who ruled it.
The pitter-patter of Shirou's footsteps echoed through the empty streets as he swiftly ran while shielding his face from the droplets of water with his drenched arm. Once he returned with the bounty he was rewarded from his last apprehension, Shirou would take leave towards the dungeon as well as another bounty mission.
Nothing except the unsystematic rhythm of the rain could be heard, until suddenly, an appalling sound broke through the silence of the descending droplets.
"-re you alright!?" a familiar muffled cry made its way into Shirou's reinforced auditory senses.
Without a second to waste, Shirou's magic circuits erupted in a violent stream as prana was being pumped through in order to reinforce the rest of his body. Each stride Shirou took with his legs covered a distance that was unattainable by normal means.
Within an instant, Shirou arrived back at his temporary home where the source of the scream had generated from.
The image of the mother kneeling over her child who was bleeding from his mouth entered Shirou's vision, and he quickly ran towards them. Though his mouth was covered in blood which had become diluted from the rain, his wound did not appear to be life-threatening.
In the distance, a carriage could be seen racing through the rain in a hurry... It wasn't hard to come to a conclusion on what had just transpired.
"Were they responsible?" as soon as Shirou knelt down to look at the child, he asked the mother in an emotionless tone.
"Yes... they nearly ran him over," the mother replied tragically. "But please don't do anything rash-!"
Before she could finish her statement, Shirou had already taken off after the carriage. His irritation could no longer be contained, and thinking of what could have happened if the child was anymore unfortunate caused Shirou's mind to race out of control.
It was because of these monsters that individuals had to suffer as they did. They did not appear to value human life, and seemed to almost enjoy watching others writhe in pain.
Shirou had only been here for approximately three weeks, and yet, he has been exposed to many of those he could not save...
His heart broke, and his consciousness became swamped by the feelings of futility, but never did his belief in his ideals falter. If anything, it had only become stronger after witnessing those who were in need of saving.
And now... Shirou could not help but feel the need to confront some of the bastards who disregarded human life.
The young boy could've been killed by the horses pulling the carriage, but they had not even bothered slowing down to check up on the kid.
There was no plan of action, or any thought behind what Shirou was doing. He was merely overwhelmed by his desire to express his indignation.
Overtaking the carriage had not been a problem as Shirou sped right in front of their path they were travelling, and spread his arms out wide.
"Stop," Shirou called out in a menacing voice as he watched the carriage approach at a worrisome speed.
However, the rate at which they closed in on Shirou had not decreased at all. In fact, the driver of the carriage seemed to scoff at Shirou's sudden demand and apparently attempted to speed up the horses.
From the looks of it, the carriage was highly extravagant and was without a doubt carrying someone of high status. For a person within the slums like Shirou, he was probably seen as nothing more than a nuisance.
This was the kind of people Shirou needed to deal with.
"I told you to..." Shirou's body trembled in anger as he contracted his muscles and positioned himself firmly into the ground. "STOP!"
The heads of the two horses made heavy contact with the palms of Shirou's hands as he strained himself to hold place. His feet slid along the wet ground as the impressive momentum of the horses propelled Shirou backwards.
Anguished cries from the horses rang through the rainy surroundings as they were suddenly halted in place by a lone man.
"What are you!?" the driver shrieked out nervously.
"Did you see that kid you nearly ran over back there?" Shirou chose to ignore the driver's question, and asked one of his own. Even though it was highly unlikely that the driver had not seen the boy, Shirou still wished to give him the benefit of the doubt.
"You mean that dirty trash back there?" the driver responded as if it was not worth his time to consider.
A brief moment of disbelief struck Shirou as he had to repeatedly analyze what the driver had said. The young boy was not even being considered as human... but trash. Both of Shirou's fists burned white as he clenched them in an attempt to cool himself down.
"You're not kidding are you..." Shirou growled in disdain as he glared at the driver with cold piercing eyes.
"I-I... b-but..." the driver recoiled as he tried meeting Shirou's formidable stare. Under the immense pressure Shirou was exerting, the man could only fumble around with his words.
Rain continued to flood the streets as the horses loudly whined in displeasure of being held down.
"What the hell is all this noise...?" a new and feminine voice called out from inside the carriage. "Why are we not moving...? I recall telling you, driver, to not stop for anything!"
Two figures exited the side of the carriage in a very pompous fashion. One was a taller woman adorned in wonderful clothing and was very well kept, which was apparent from her pure face and silky hair. Strangely enough, the woman's upper face was concealed by obscure bandages with unknown symbols written on them. But compared to the individual beside her, she was most likely just a servant of some sort.
A relatively short individual stepped out onto the soaked roads underneath an umbrella held by the woman to the side. The voice that called out from before definitely belonged to the shorter individual, and even upon closer inspection, the gender of this individual could not be fully determined by Shirou. Judging by the arrogant voice from before, Shirou's guess of the individual's gender leaned more towards the feminine male side.
The individual had a powerful presence circulating around him; a fusion between the celestial-like clothing and the way he presented himself to the world as if he were some sort of divine being.
Long pink hair with three long braids ran down his slender and youthful face. A teal hat with a pair of golden wings imbedded in the center graced the top of his head, and he wore a white formal Chinese vest, decorated in gold and red.
Before hearing who this individual was, there was no doubt in Shirou's mind about the title this individual most likely held.
But what struck Shirou most was the object innocently grasped in the grip of his palm.
A sword. The hilt was wrapped around in bandages and the black and lustrous blade seemed like a cleaver capable of easily tearing apart limbs.
Dangerous.
Shirou could barely study its composition, nor could he determine its history. The sword appeared to have a mind of its own, a sense of self. As if it was alive...
"Your Highness! I'm sorry, but we were abruptly stopped by this man in front of us!" the driver yelped while lowering his head to the individual.
This was one of the rulers of this country.
"Scum like you probably don't even know who he is!" the driver lashed out towards Shirou now that someone of royalty was watching him. "He's the Kou Empire's third imperial prince, Kouha Ren!"
A prince of the Kou Empire was standing before Shirou. Kouha Ren was one of the selfish individuals who were leading this country into ruin.
"I apologize for my behavior, but your irresponsible driver nearly killed a child with his reckless handling of your carriage," Shirou spoke respectfully towards the noble in front of him.
"So?" the prince replied uninterested.
Guess there was no longer any need for formalities.
"You bastard..." Shirou gritted his teeth. "They're your own people, what the hell do you think you're doing?"
"How dare you talk to the Prince in such a manner-!" the servant beside him shouted incredulously.
"It's fine," the prince waved his hand and looked at Shirou peculiarly. "Hey, you're a Fanalis? I wonder if I should execute you for your impertinence."
"What?" Shirou could not believe his ears.
"Where do you think we are? We're in the slums; that kid or whatever from before should be thankful that he was nearly killed by the carriage I was riding on!" the prince replied with a face of pleasure. "These people are the stain of a perfect kingdom; I don't know why we can't just wash them away!"
"You can't be serious; these people need help, it's your duty as the rulers to provide that for them!"
"Hey mister, I don't know if you're blind or what, but we're in the middle of a war," the prince exclaimed. "Why would we reduce our expenses on lowly trash that can't even help themselves?"
"... Are all the members of the royal family this stupidly ignorant?" Shirou cursed audibly.
"It really feels like you're asking me to cleave your body in half!" the prince said with glee. His bloodlust was repulsive... this prince was positively insane. "Brother En is much better and stronger than me. His thirst for blood and battle is greater than anyone's I have ever seen! He'll conquer the world once father dies, and become king of a new world."
"How do you expect to conquer the world when you can barely keep your own people alive!?" Shirou shouted in frustration. After spending weeks seeing those around him die helplessly, Shirou could not help but feel the need to release some of his pent up resentment. "What's the point of spreading pointless wars and increasing the loss of lives!?"
"Pointless...? We have an honorable and righteous goal or uniting the world as one. It's division that invites destruction; we're merely mending the divide," the prince explained as if it were the most obvious thing. "Those who resist, we will kill. There's no problem if we have to power to do so right?"
"For such a thing..." Shirou felt as if he were developing a massive brain hemorrhage from just listening to his words. To unite the world through power and fear... such a thing was impossible; it was nothing less than a contradiction. "You and the rest of the royal family... you're the real trash here."
The prince crossed one of his arms around his stomach and laughed maniacally into the storm above.
"Then what are you going to do about it, Fanalis?" the prince licked his lips as he somewhat calmed down. "Why don't you try to kill me and the rest of the royal family then? Of course, the moment you try, I will cut you down like the rat you are."
To be honest, Shirou had contemplated that course of action numerous times already after travelling the lands. The country was in a mess, and apparently, so were the countries around the Kou Empire.
But even if Shirou could somehow assassinate the entire family, which he highly doubted he could, what was the use of attempting to do so? The royal family was backed by the large amount of nobility that existed in the country. If the royalty were disposed of, it wouldn't be long before another individual took their place to rule the country with an iron fist.
The royal family was not the root of the problem; the foundations and ideologies behind the country were at fault. As much as Shirou thought about it, he had never come up with a reasonable answer to cure the nation of its disease.
However, at this moment, Shirou could not help but think this world would be better off without this prince in front of him.
"Would you like to test that, Your Highness?" Shirou taunted the prince with a wry smile.
"You insolent man..." the servant scowled in a rage."Don't think you'll get away without any punishments even if that was your sad attempt at a joke."
"Ahahah! Let's see what you got, Fanalis!" the prince mused as he brandished his deadly sword in front of him.
As Shirou stood poised and ready for any sudden movements by the prince, the sounds of approaching footsteps was heard.
The moment Shirou realized who they belonged to, he let his shoulders drop and let out a long and exasperated sigh.
Shirou stood in place as he let the woman wrap her arms around Shirou's core from behind.
"P-please, don't fight him..." it was the mother of the young boy who begged him."My son is alright, the blood was the result of him losing his front teeth when he fell..."
"Still, your child could've easily died because of their lack of morals," Shirou refuted as he continued to glare into the prince's battle-hungry eyes.
"If anything were to happen to the prince here... everyone'll be punished, and you will also be killed," the woman said miserably. "T-t-thank you for caring about my son... but it's okay, we're used to this."
They were used to being treated as less than humans... Shirou's heart groaned in pain as if those words were twisting his heart in knots.
"That's right, Fanalis, listen to that whore and get out of my sight," the prince smirked sinisterly.
Shirou forced back the ferocity he felt from the prince's words. Once again, Shirou had felt completely impotent.
Turning around, Shirou removed and held on to the woman's hands which wrapped his body, and walked away from the carriage in the opposite direction.
"How boring..." the prince stated with an annoyed expression, and proceeded to walk back into the carriage. "You're just another coward who can't do anything with his own hands... Just looking at your face pisses me off."
As the rain continued to pelt down onto Shirou, he momentarily tried to forget about what just happened by absorbing the soothing feeling that the droplets provided for him.
Another week had passed since meeting with Kouha Ren. And as luck would have it, he coincidently saved the eighth imperial princess of the Kou Empire, Kougyoku Ren from a band of thieves which he was hunting.
Before knowing who she was, Kougyoku had thanked Shirou for saving her life. Her dress was torn down the middle, and Shirou could see a bit of her exposed chest as she bowed her body down in gratitude. It doesn't need to be said, but she was quite the beauty, and even Shirou had been captivated by her grace and picturesque appearance when he first met her. Her most striking feature was her deep well-like eyes. It was as if one could see an enigmatic emotion ripple throughout the cosmic blackness inside her pupils; a merger between sorrow and hope.
While she was quite the beauty... it was a shame that she had apparently lost her charm somewhere and forgot all about it. It was bad enough that Kougyoku was a member of the royal family, but her attitude was just as arrogant as Kouha's.
After clearing the dungeon and entering the final chamber containing the treasures spoken of in the legends, Shirou hastily began cleaning out the room. Near the end of the process, one particular object caught Shirou's attention. It was a golden vase with a Star of Lakshmi engraved in the center.
As Shirou approached it, it radiated with magic and once again, the vision of white illuminating birds fluttered across the room in a torrent.
And suddenly, a vast blue giant manifested within a burst of light. It was an abnormal entity which felt like it was more of a vassal for magic rather than something living. Though clearly, the giant appeared to have intelligence as well as a sense of self.
"My name is Vinea, the Djinn of sorrow and isolation. Welcome to my dungeon," the soft-spoken giant in the form of a beautiful woman announced.
Warily, Shirou stepped back a few paces as he vigilantly assessed the giant blue woman named Vinea. There's was no telling whether it was an adversary or friend, and considering every 'life-form' in the dungeon had already attacked Shirou, he wasn't taking any chances.
"I'm Shirou Emiya, pleased to meet you," Shirou returned the introduction as Vinea seemed to have no intention in causing him any harm.
"Well then, Shirou Emiya, as you have cleared the dungeon by yourself, you will be chosen as the King," Vinea declared surprisingly.
"A King?" Shirou said out questionably.
There were rumors about those who had cleared the dungeon gaining an immeasurable amount of power. Shirou had thought that the 'power' was being represented in the form of money, but could there be something else?
No doubt loomed in Shirou's mind about the presence of magicians in this world after observing Kouha's mysterious sword as well as the existence of dungeons itself. It wouldn't be surprising if clearing the dungeon granted the individual some sort of magical item as well.
"Judging by your expression, I suppose you are not informed about becoming a King's Candidate and what it means?" Vinea said with a look of interest.
"And if I'm not?" Shirou replied while still being cautious of the being in front of him.
"Then..." Vinea said as she glared down at Shirou who returned the perturbing stare. "I have no choice but to tell you everything! Please come chat with me, I haven't met anyone in years; it's been a little lonely here all by myself."
Her innocent and pure expression, mixed together with a sense of optimism left Shirou with no other choice but to accept. Shirou was never one to turn down an invitation to have a friendly chat, and if the giant lady looked at him with those eager eyes, how could he possibly turn her down?
If this was all an act to lure Shirou in, then he was probably as good as dead.
Time went by as Vinea explained the situation of the King Candidate and the Metal Vessels they obtain from clearing the dungeons. This granted the individual the capability to become King by gaining the power to use Magoi. With this power, these individuals can rise to higher heights, and become someone who can lead the people to a better world, a utopia. A place where differences are set aside and individuals are united as one country under one king.
Exactly what the individual has to overcome to achieve this dream-like destination was unknown, but it had once been a reality because of the work of an individual known as Solomon. A King Candidate is essentially someone who has the potential to take Solomon's place.
A thought emerged in Shirou's mind; perhaps there were King Candidates in the Kou Empire, and their method of completing this dream was by conquering the world through sheer force. The weapon Kouha carried must've been a Metal Vessel then; after all, it gave off the same magic that the Djinn, Vinea, was giving off.
"Then let's see if you're compatible with me," Vinea said with slightly blushed cheeks.
She concentrated her gaze directly into Shirou's eyes as if she were scanning deep within his soul. A minute went by, and finally she diverted her eyes with a surprised expression.
"What is it...?" Shirou asked as the Djinn seemed to mutter to herself. If she had actually looked deep into Shirou's soul, then it was understandable that she'd be surprised.
"You're a magician loved by the Rukh... but at the same time, you're a little strange," Vinea explained.
"Strange?" Shirou replied.
"Ahh sorry! I didn't mean it that way," Vinea quickly exclaimed and waved both her hands in front of her. "There's something different about you, but I'm not sure exactly what... I'm certain of one thing though, you're not from this world."
"You can tell?" Shirou asked in amazement.
"Yes, you were brought into this world by the flow of Rukh, but I do not know any more than that," Vinea answered.
"I see..." Shirou said dejectedly. He had hoped Vinea knew the explanation for why he was brought into this world. "Then what about our compatibility?"
"I'm afraid you'd have no use for me as a Metal Vessel," Vinea said depressingly. "Your magical affinity is much too different from mine."
Shirou would've loved a partner to chat with from time to time, but he supposed it just wasn't meant to be.
The image of the Kou Empire capital entered Shirou's line of sight as he suddenly woke from his daze. Beams of light brightened the surroundings as the sun began rising from the horizon.
Shirou rubbed his eyes and let out a large yawn as he readied himself to enter the city.
Approximately seven hours had passed since he was transported out of the dungeon with Kougyoku's company, and now he was nearly at his destination. Still, the male in black clothing who had accompanied Kougyoku was someone Shirou could not shake from his mind.
It was like staring at an embodiment of darkness and evil. Upon seeing that man, Shirou was suddenly reminded of the villagers back in his own world. They were all surrounded by a flurry of black birds. Shirou's instinct had told him that the man named Judal was definitely a problem.
Eventually, Shirou was allowed into the city with his large wagon, of course this was after he bribed the city guards to let him in without inspection.
As the wagon was being pulled in the direction of the slums by the camels, Shirou thought of the naive princess.
Kougyoku had been quite opposed to giving over the treasures to Shirou, and just thinking about it was infuriating him. She was already a part of the selfish royal family, and yet she still wanted more than she already had? To think, that if Kougyoku had gotten to the dungeon before Shirou had, then the people of the slums would have to continue to suffer.
However, that wasn't the only problem; Kougyoku had been chosen as a King Candidate by Vinea. There was absolutely no way such a person was qualified to become King. She cared more for herself than the people she was already responsible for.
"Hah..." Shirou let out a long sigh. "Getting angry about it now won't do any good."
Shaking his head, Shirou continued along the roads, and after a few minutes he arrived in the center of the marketplace.
The usual activities of this shopping area was still limited due to how early it was in the morning, but this was the perfect time for Shirou to distribute the treasures without the interference of outsiders.
"Hey you four!" Shirou called out to a group of teenagers who were loitering around.
The four hesitantly walked over to Shirou and asked what he wanted.
Their hesitation magically disappeared after Shirou had given each of them a few golden coins in exchange for bringing every single individual living in the slums to the marketplace. He had given them incentive by promising them even more gold after they successfully brought everyone to this area.
"Money can sometimes be more powerful than any mind control spell after all," Shirou said jokingly as he watched the four run off to do their jobs.
Hundreds and hundreds of individuals arrived on scene over the course of the next hour. Once the flow of individuals came to a halt, Shirou began his next step in his plan.
Shirou announced himself as an official of the Kou Empire in order to gain the authority of the people, and commanded everyone to separate into their respective families if they had one. This way, he could avoid the mayhem of individuals trying to get more than Shirou would distribute to them.
When Shirou had first hauled one of the bags over his shoulder and opened it to the first family, the crowds of people nearly fainted from bliss. They cheered and wept as Shirou handed out the items of untold value to each and every one of them. Grown men broke down in tears as they grasped Shirou's hands while giving him their heartfelt gratitude.
Nothing in the world could give Shirou more pleasure than seeing the expression of the individuals in front of him now. All his troubles, all his worries; they were tucked away in the recessions of the deepest corners of his mind as he continued to bask in everyone's happiness.
Eventually, he stood in front of the mother with the young boy who was now missing his two front teeth.
The mother could barely let out any understandable words as streams of tears crept down her face filled with joy.
"You deserve this," Shirou said compassionately to the mother.
"T-thank you so much..." she openly cried.
"Mister, mister!" the young boy tugged on Shirou's hand with excitement.
"What is it?" Shirou asked the boy innocently.
"You work for sister Kougyoku right?" the boy asked with a bright smile.
Kougyoku...?
"He means the eighth imperial princess, Kougyoku," the mother cleared away the possibility of it being someone else. "You said you were an official of the Kou Empire as well, so it wouldn't be too farfetched to believe."
"Why do you think I would work for Kougyoku?" Shirou asked the boy with a very perplexed expression. The idea of him working under the princess was quite a distasteful picture.
But the next words coming out of the boys mouth completely caught Shirou off guard.
"Because sister Kougyoku promised everyone in the slums that she would bring back all the treasures as gifts once she captures the dungeon!" the boy explained as if he were a detective solving a mystery. "She's super strong after all, and I believe she would keep her promise no matter what!"
Time froze as Shirou tried racking his brain in order to compute the extremely confusing information that was suddenly flooding into his head.
Kougyoku was planning to distribute the treasures to the people of the slums much like Shirou was at the moment? Then could it be that the reason for her intense objection to Shirou taking the treasures was because... she did not want to see the people suffer any longer than they had too...?
But wait... why didn't she just tell Shirou what she was planning to do with the treasures? It would've saved them the arguments.
Same reason why I didn't tell her.
They both believed that the other was a greedy scumbag that wanted all the treasures for their own self-centered desires. Who would they waste their breath on someone like that?
Everything was falling into place as Shirou began taking an entirely contrary perspective towards the princess.
And there was one last piece of the puzzle that Shirou had only realized now.
"What are you doing here you... you... idiot!"
"As if I could ever forget a big idiot like you!"
"Don't call me an idiot, you idiot!"
...
"... heh... hahah... Hahah!" Shirou could no longer contain himself as he burst into a full out laughing attack. He could not recall a time when he had laughed so hard in his life. "Hahahahah-!"
Shirou's eyes brimmed with tears and he tightly clutched his stomach as he tried gasping for breaths in between his hysterical laugh. It was all because of one fact that Shirou had somehow missed completely.
There was no doubt about it.
"She's a tsundere-!" Shirou shouted up into the skies and smacked the palm of his hand onto his forehead as he once again broke into another spell of hilarity.
It was a little disappointing for Shirou in a sense; after all, he had spent nearly a year of his life around the tsundere queen. Shirou should have at least developed a tsundere sensor of some sort at this point, but oddly enough, he hadn't suspected a single thing from Kougyoku.
But the reason was clear... the betrayal of his allies, the scorn from the villagers he had saved, the pitiful lives of so many people in this world, the actions of the Kou Empire... these experiences Shirou has had over the past month had begun to accumulate and change his views on humanity. He had assumed that because Kouha was an arrogant bastard, then the other members of the family had to be as well. If this were to continue, Shirou may have eventually become someone who could no longer trust.
Fortunately, his mindset had been cleansed by the very princess whom he believed to be a part of the cause.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Shirou said happily to the crowd of people that looked on in worry. "Yes, I work for Kougyoku! She told me to give out the treasures to everyone here!"
"I knew it," the mother said happily as she once again began wiping the tears from her eyes. "You and princess Kougyoku are so similar. The both of you always tried your best in helping me and my child, as well as those from around here. Princess Kougyoku has never been truly welcomed in the royal family because she was not born in the royal palace and is a lowborn."
"I see..." Shirou whispered beneath his breath.
"Her mother was a prostitute here in the slums much like me, so I can't imagine what sort of harassment she gets in the palace," the mother said with her eyes closed. "But now that I know you work for her, I feel a lot better. Please continue to protect princess Kougyoku from here on out!"
The mother deeply bowed her head not for herself, but for Kougyoku. A sense of guilt began arising from Shirou's gut as he thought about how much Kougyoku had meant to these unfortunate people.
I seriously misjudged you, princess Kougyoku.
"I'll take care of her, don't you worry," Shirou promised to the mother and himself.
Inside Shirou's pocket was the pendant he had always carried with him no matter where he went. It was because of this very pendant that Shirou was allowed to live and he would continue to be thankful for it.
He gently grasped the pendant by the chain and held the red jewel up into the sun where it began to dazzle brilliantly underneath the light.
Shirou could at last see where his journey would take him.
It was finally his chance to repay the favor to the lovely red jewel.
[Chapter 3 End]
Author Notes:
Well that's that, my introduction is finally over… From the reviews, it seems pacing is a problem so far, and after 30,000 words… I can't help but agree. I seriously tried to reduce the number of words in this chapter, but I couldn't. My habit of writing everything I think of is still going strong, so don't expect a change in my pacing anytime soon. It'll gradually improve though, I promise.
Of course, now that I'm getting into the actually plot of my story, things will drastically speed up in terms of advancement in the story.
For those of you who would like to know the direction of where this story is headed, the last three sentences will give you the answer. If you know what red jewel translates into Japanese, then there's your solution. Just a little play on words lol.
Thanks for reading! One last question, whose perspective do you like better? From Kougyoku's or Shirou's POV?
Reviews are always welcome!
Till next time,
Cheers.