[Labyrinth of Fate; Chapter 5]
Enigmatic dreams have always been a part of Kougyoku's life after the imperial castle had become her new home. Some felt pleasant, some had left her in confusion, but most of them... had downright suffocated her in terror. Her nightmares visited her sleeps periodically, always replaying her most repressed memories that she wished she could erase from her mind.
Tonight was no different, as always, the dream began with her in the form of a child standing in the middle of darkness. Figures appeared one by one with no shape or form and surrounded her. They had the same feeling of dread and gave off the same pressure as her past instructors which riddled her with unspeakable anxiety. Red eyes, full of malice, glared down at her from the shadows as they imitated the cruel insults and words of those who called themselves her teacher.
"Useless..."
"I can't believe I have to waste my time with you..."
"Absolutely worthless..."
No matter how many times she had heard those words, their effects were never lessened. They tore away at her brittle heart, and latched itself into the deepest crevasses of her mind.
She opened her mouth to tell them to stop, but no words came out from her trembling lips. In an attempt to cut off the words that painfully stung her, she clamped down on her ears with her hands.
It seemed to temporarily work as she could finally have a moment of relief from those words which had severely devastated her sense of self as a child. However, the mental wounds caused by those people had paled in comparison to what truly haunted her for all these years.
"Kougyoku..."
A voice rang clear throughout the darkness... it was one she could never forget, and the one she had loved the most in this godforsaken world.
"Kougyoku..."
"Mother, where are you?" Kougyoku called out yearningly to the darkness.
Her mother was her salvation, her freedom, and when she was safely nestled in her mother's arms, it was paradise. So before she could properly think it through, she ran aimlessly into the abyss.
"Kougyoku..." her mother's voice repeated her name over and over.
She felt the sensation of someone's icy hands gripping her throat. She knew she should stop, she felt something was wrong... nausea rose up from her stomach as she realized she would regret this. But her legs never stopped running forward, for some reason; she couldn't fight against her wish to see her mother again.
"Mother!" her mother was in her usual attire of a simple grey kimono and stood motionless with her back facing Kougyoku.
Don't go over there...
Her conscious gave her a clear warning, but once again, she walked forward to stand in front of her mother.
"Mother, I'm here," Kougyoku said affectionately.
"Kougyoku..."
It was at this point that her rationality finally came back to her, and the illusory brace gripping her chest grew even tighter. An inexpressible panic was beginning to override all her senses as a choking sensation crawled up her throat and the throbbing stabs of headaches left her unable to move. She should have listened... she should have stayed away... After all, her mother was already dead.
"You killed me."
Like a broken doll, her mother twisted her neck in an unbearable and sickening way without moving an inch of her body. Her mother's neck slowly creaked and cracked until Kougyoku could finally see the demented appearance of her face looking the opposite way of her body. Tears poured down from Kougyoku's eyes as she brought her quivering hands up against her face in agony.
She screamed.
Her mother no longer had the kind and gentle face that Kougyoku had grown to cherish. Instead, it was tormented and tortured... Blood flowed from her empty black eyes and her gaping mouth as she continued to repeat her words.
"You killed me."
Kougyoku knees collapsed under her weight as she no longer had the strength to stand.
"I-I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Kougyoku cried out and apologized as she wept. She shook her head from side to side while clawing at her own anguished face. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."
The image of her mother vanished, and instead, it was replaced by the sinister shadows that lived within the impenetrable void of her nightmares. They spiralled around her and reminded her of her sins. Every so often, she would hear the laments of her mother immersed in the terrifying visceral darkness that engulfed this world.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." Kougyoku wept uncontrollable as she begged for forgiveness.
As if heeding her calls, a blissful phenomenon appeared.
Never had her afflictions ended before the night came to a close, but this time, it was brusquely stopped by something unimaginable.
Twin swords had cut through the darkness enveloping her. One blade was a lustrous white while the other blade was a deep black. They twirled in the air in a dance as they melted away her fears.
And her nightmare came to an end.
Moonlight illuminated the magnificent structures below as Shirou stood silently on the roof above Kougyoku's corridors. He carefully scanned the areas around him as he observed the guards and sentries posted around the castle. He had already created a mental representation of the spatial layout of the castle, especially areas where he could make an escape if needed. Old habits die hard, and in this new and threatening environment, it was a priority of his to determine his choices in the case of a perilous situation.
It has already been a couple days since Shirou had made his vow to Kougyoku to be her knight, and to be honest, it was a lot simpler than he had expected. There were no background profile checks, no ceremonies, no attempts to see if he was a threat... basically; it was almost as they didn't care what Kougyoku was up to.
"Princess Kougyoku has never been welcomed in the royal family."
The words spoken by the mother he had helped back in the slums echoed through his head, and he slightly grimaced. He hadn't thought much about it when he initially heard it, but after seeing Kougyoku again, it dawned upon him.
She was on the verge of breaking down.
Gloom and a dark depression lurked in her eyes as she spoke to him back then. Her words did not match the expression that she bore on her face. Rather than firmly pushing him away, she appeared to be in distraught over her decision, and it wasn't difficult to determine the cause of it. Ostracised by her own people and family, she probably could never place her faith in anyone.
Shirou had discovered some important information before meeting Kougyoku. First, her mother had died from an unknown cause which was not released to the public. And second, she was the only member of the family who was born from a lowly courtesan.
Although Shirou knew next to nothing about who Kougyoku truly was; considering her position in the family, she definitely had her fair share of hardships and pain...
To be honest, Shirou's intentions on becoming Kougyoku's knight were not entirely pure-hearted. He required a way to enter into the castle and thus acquire insight regarding the country's condition. Although he was only a knight, by having access to the inner workings of the country, he could base his actions accordingly. Sure, from the information he gained on the political structure of this world, his main priority was still finding a 'King' that he could accept as a leader to the people, and Kougyoku happened to fit the bill. Even if that ended up falling through, Shirou could merely pack his bags and walk out the door to find a new King's Candidate.
But everything had changed after meeting Kougyoku again. The reflection in her eyes as she reprimanded him for his careless oath had reminded him of someone. It was like looking into a mirror of his past not so long ago.
Betrayal, fear, desperation... Shirou knew these feelings all too well. But that was not everything he had seen in Kougyoku; inside was still a glimmer of light. It wasn't too late to save her.
His very own misunderstanding of Kougyoku had ultimately compelled him to rid himself of his past destructive feelings. Therefore, shouldn't he return the favor?
Back then, before he could even think, his mouth had already moved.
"I won't abandon you."
There was no turning back now, and there was no point in ruminating over his resolution. In the end, It was inevitably up to Kougyoku whether she tries to take the throne or not, but Shirou would remain adamant by her side. Physically saving someone was much different than saving someone psychologically. There was no way he could forcibly intervene and save her from her mental traumas, but it was without a doubt that he'd be her support. After all, a woman clad in blue armour from his past had taught him a valuable lesson.
"A knight's vow is nothing to take lightly," Shirou whispered out contently as he grasped the red pendant in his pocket.
After the brief moment Shirou had taken to reflect upon his decision, he immediately returned to scouting the area. Aside from the resting chambers belonging to the high ranking officials and to the royal family, there was one other area that appeared to be inaccessible and restricted. Not only were there sentries and watches blocking off the entirety of the area, Shirou could also detect small traces of magecraft which he could only suspect as some sort of detector in case an intruder had managed to bypass all the security.
Only characters completely concealed from head to toe in black and white robes with a white keffiyeh had been seen walking in and out of the arching doorway that led them to a stairway descending into pitch blackness. The people had reminded Shirou of those you would find in a satanic worshipping cult, and although he hated to be prejudice, they were definitely trouble. They rarely communicated with anyone outside of their own group, despite being everywhere throughout the castle. However, there was one exception that they seemed to regard as their superior.
She was a woman that resembled the most exotic and bewitching of flowers, but also one that carried a noxious poison with the sharpest of thorns hidden underneath its beauty. Her name was Gyokuen Ren, wife of the former and current Emperor. Although Shirou had never spoken to her directly, the aura emanating from the Empress of the Kou Empire was foreboding to the point where he had to resist the urge to take up a defensive stance in her presence. The Empress was much shorter than him and had a slim build. Her hair was tied into two braids that looped on either side, and she wore a small red headpiece with a golden star in the middle on top of her head. She still retained her youth despite her actual age, and if she were seen by any normal person, she'd probably even be regarded as a graceful and alluring individual who was fit for the title of Empress.
So why, why was Shirou's mind screaming at him to conjure his blades and separate the Empress' head from the rest of her body?
The abhorrent and repugnant feeling was similar to what he had experienced from meeting Judal, but to a far worse extent. Ever since Shirou had arrived at this castle, there was never a moment where his alertness for danger had diminished. He was surrounded by an indescribable feeling in which he had never felt before.
There was much more to the Kou Empire than just a warmonger for a leader, and Shirou was just willing to bet that the core of the problem revolved around the Empress and her army of sketchy individuals roaming the castle...
Shirou always had a keen sense for trouble and ominous situations, and after years of experience where these senses were the sole reason he was not buried six-feet underground, he had eventually honed them to a point where he'd become completely reliant on them. When he was downright lost and unaware, his instincts were the only thing that could guide him.
And after all, he was still alive, that must've meant something, right?
"—Kougyoku..."
"Hmm...?" Shirou turned his gaze towards the source of the murmurs that caught his attention.
It was in the middle of the night, and two servants of the Kou Empire stood face to face a fair distance away from Shirou. Normally, prying into the business of others would be something Shirou would discourage. But of course, he felt obligated to listen into their conversation after hearing them mention his princess' name. Without any feelings of guilt, he directed a flow of od towards his ears to amplify the detection of sound.
"That Princess Kougyoku brought in a Fanalis of all people, can you believe it?"
"What a disgrace; to think that she'd bring in someone from a race of people who are considered slaves nowadays. I've even heard that they've already undergone their own unofficial knighting ceremony without the consent of the empire. That worthless princess has gone too far with her selfishness!"
"Not only that, but it appears he's only half-blooded considering his non-red eyes."
"How disappointing… I suppose a full-blooded Fanalis would be quite a formidable guard, but considering this fella is only half-blooded, what's the point of making him her knight in the first place? The princess is already hot-headed and brutish, only someone ridiculously strong or someone foolish would try attacking her in the first place."
"You've got that right! She's completely unladylike... she's more ogre than princess if you ask me."
"On that note, a miracle must've occurred during her last campaign. I'm not sure how she conquered the country of Kouhei without waging war, but she surely used some underhanded tactic..."
"You know what I think? She probably used the treasures she obtained from the dungeon to buy the entire country! I'm also willing to bet that she's paying that Fanalis as well to pretend to be her knight."
"Knowing how the blood of a prostitute runs in her, I wouldn't doubt that at all. She's probably using the Fanalis for much 'more' than just protection, wouldn't you agree?"
"Like mother, like daughter."
Shirou let out an exasperated sigh as he massaged the side of his head to relieve a little bit of stress. Upon arriving in the castle, he and Kougyoku had become the main focus of a lot of the servant's gossip. Most were pretty baseless, and some, such as the one he was overhearing now were absolutely cruel. He had underestimated how alone Kougyoku really was. But there was no way he could persuade others through brute force. It was for the best that he ignored the hearsay, and instead, focused on creating a better image for the princess through future triumphs.
"But I suppose the princess has a good eye if anything," the two females servants resumed as Shirou was about to take off.
"Oh, I know what you mean. The Fanalis has the body of a statue sculpted by the greatest artists of our time; it's hard not to look when he walks by you!"
"Right? And that exotic suit of his... black glossy leather that tightly hugs his body to reveal his impressive physique..."
"Definitely a male stripper. And you know what they say, 'All good men are gay'"
"I see… his attire makes sense now. I can't wait to let the rest of the servants in on our discovery!"
As if he were some sort of spirit, Shirou silently crept behind the two idle servants who would rather chat than perform their duties. He couldn't just stand there and listen to them mock his princess after all. And no, it was not because he had wanted to stop any ridiculous rumours about him from spreading.
"May I have a word with you two," Shirou suddenly asked out loud which had startled the two servants who believed they were alone. The way he spoke made it clear that it was not a question, but an order.
"Eek!"
The two shrieked as Shirou smiled sinisterly with a dark aura around him expressing his indignation.
The sun rose from the horizon and dyed the skies in a creamy orange. Morning had replaced the quiet night which brought upon the bustling activities within the castle. The majority of servants immediately exited their sleeping quarters and got right down to business of thoroughly cleaning the castle to the point where the whole place would sparkle.
It was difficult to comprehend how the royals could enjoy such a lavish lifestyle. For a person like Shirou who did practically everything himself, the thought of such luxury would cause more discomfort than anything.
While trying to emphasize with the nobles, the door in front of Shirou slid open. He was kneeling on one leg as the feminine scent of flowers flowed out of the room, followed by his very own princess. Normally, the rooms belonging to the royals were inaccessible, but as Kougyoku's knight, he was given permission to enter as he pleased.
"Good morning, Princess," Shirou greeted her courteously with his head bowed.
"M-morning," the flustered Kougyoku replied. Although a couple days had already passed, the two of them had barely gotten the chance to meet. Arranging a room, learning their culture and expectations, and introducing himself to quite a few individuals had taken up most of the time. "Although you're my knight, I don't expect you to kneel in front of my room every morning..."
"I see," Shirou answered casually. "It'll take some to develop my routine and to adjust myself to this new life, so I apologize beforehand if I offend you in some way."
"Right..." Kougyoku replied with a little scowl on her face. "Drop the formal act; it doesn't suit you at all."
"Is that so?" Shirou sarcastically asked.
"You're enjoying this way too much, aren't you?" Kougyoku puffed her cheeks out from both embarrassment and irritation. "So, what are those two doing here?"
To either side of Shirou was a female servant seemingly prostrating themselves in front of Kougyoku.
"These two here offered to become your personal maids for a while," Shirou said as he referred to the two servants he apprehended last night. "They said they'd do absolutely anything for you."
"Your wish is our command, Princess Kougyoku!" the two servants announced in synchrony.
Although Shirou thought he had done a fine job in converting those two servants to become followers of Kougyoku, it appeared to go to waste.
"Hah... I don't know what is going on here, but you two shall leave and resume your normal responsibilities," Kougyoku said with irritation and eyed Shirou with suspicion.
"B-but, Princess..." the servants stuttered in confusion.
"Do not disobey," Kougyoku firmly stated.
"Yes..." the two of them scurried away in fear without making eye contact with Shirou.
As soon as the servants disappeared from sight, Kougyoku heaved a deep sigh.
"I won't even bother asking why you forced them to do that, it seems I'd only get a headache from it," Kougyoku said.
"Wise choice," Shirou said, slightly relieved that he was spared from giving away his reason. "Shall we proceed to breakfast then? I believe Koubun is already there."
She nodded her head, and led the way to the designated dining room for the royal family. Walking briskly ahead, Kougyoku carried on in silence. It was certainly hard for Shirou to talk to her with this atmosphere.
It seems she's still a little awkward around me... I don't blame her though...
Their short history with one another had not been entirely pleasant, especially their initial meeting. In order to diffuse their differences and to rid their distance from one another, Shirou had to somehow get closer to her. There was no possible way he could support her if he was being avoided for the most part.
Showing up to her room with the two servants to greet her this morning was a somewhat of a joke and a meagre attempt to remediate their relationship, however, aside from that, he was at a complete loss on what to do.
"Princess, you look nice this morning," Shirou tried complimenting her, and it wasn't just lip service, it was true that she looked more dazzling than usual. It seemed she had applied make-up this morning for some unbeknownst reason.
Unfortunately, rather than responding favourably, Kougyoku sped up her walking pace while bringing up her sleeves to her face.
Shirou followed after her in disappointment; even after a couple years with Rin, it seems he still didn't truly understand the tsundere heart. Or perhaps, maybe the year of solitude in which he had minimal social contact had taken quite a drastic toll on his communication skills.
Nevertheless, things couldn't go on like this.
While contemplating his course of action from now on, the both of them entered the dining room and were met by Koubun.
"Good morning, Princess... your face is really red, are you alright?" Koubun greeted the princess as she took her seat at the table.
After breakfast, the three of them took off for the grand and extensive courtyard. There were few individuals roaming this area, and most were there only to maintain and tend to the vegetation and flowerbeds spread throughout.
"The Princess will usually spend most of her day training to master her Metal Vessel," Koubun spoke to Shirou as they followed Kougyoku from behind. "Other than that, time set aside to eat and study is the only other activities she partakes in."
"I see," Shirou replied. He was surprised to find out how serious Kougyoku was about her role as a King's Candidate. "How about the other members of the family?"
"I am uncertain. Although we may see them from time to time, the Princess rarely converses with her siblings, and as a result, their schedule is unknown to us."
"Is that so..." Shirou suspected as much.
"Also, on a side note, please do try and refrain giving the Princess an emotional burden," Koubun said with annoyance.
"What do you mean? I don't recall doing anything that would make the Princess emotional," Shirou replied honestly.
"Forgive me, forget I said anything," Koubun looked at Shirou with a blank expression, and then sighed.
One of Koubun's self-proclaimed abilities is the power to read in detail the hearts of other people. With great accuracy, he was able to determine the emotional feelings of individuals, and thus any lies would rarely make it past him. It was because of this, that he had accepted Shirou so readily. Koubun had admitted that Shirou was unusually hard to read, but from what he gathered, Shirou could still be trusted.
It was daunting at times for Shirou to realize that this person was most likely trying to understand his motivations every time they talked.
The three of them continued down the twisting pathway through the garden, but was suddenly interrupted by an unexpected guest.
"I found you!"
At once, Shirou had recognized this voice as he tightly clenched his fists.
"A-Ahh, Brother Kouha, it's a pleasure to see you," Kougyoku bowed her head towards her brother.
Koubun had also bowed his head in the attendance of the Kou Empire's third Prince. Shirou, however, only passively looked towards Kouha which had prompted a look of contempt from Kougyoku.
"Hello to you too, sister," Kouha returned the greetings with a big smile. "I heard you got yourself a knight!"
"Yes... his name is Shirou Emiya," Kougyoku introduced him. "He'll be working together with me from now on."
"Ahah! Well isn't this just the greatest coincidence! I really can't believe it," Kouha laughed aloud. "You're the Fanalis I met back then! To think you'd end up working with Kougyoku even after your whole spiel about your apparent hatred for us!"
"H-huh? You've met before...?" Kougyoku asked Shirou with worry.
"Yes," Shirou answered. He still held quite the grudge on the prince of short stature, but showing it now was not wise.
"Weren't you going to kill me the last time we met? Why are you acting so calm and collected now?" the prince taunted him with a grin.
"Shirou!?" Kougyoku was completely bewildered at this point.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Shirou said while returning a wry smile of his own.
"How amusing, I knew you were quite the funny person when I had first met you," Kouha said and shrugged his shoulders. "Well, because this is the first time Kougyoku has done something selfish, I decided to help you guys out!"
Shirou raised an eyebrow as he waited for Kouha to continue.
"W-what do you mean, brother?" Kougyoku who was entirely lost had asked.
"Well, I overheard a conversation father was having with his assistant yesterday before reporting to him. It seemed like he was displeased with your actions of knighting a mysterious Fanalis of all people even after he had hand selected some top-class dungeon monsters to follow you," Kouha retold his story. "I heard you declined his offer, and said having your knight was enough. You of all people had actually refused father! I always thought you were way too obedient, so I was overjoyed to hear you causing trouble for once."
"Father's angry...?" Kougyoku's eyes grew wider as she stared gravely at Kouha.
"I guess some man taking away his overly-submissive daughter struck the wrong chord in him," Kouha replied jokingly and crossed his hands behind his head. "So anyway, they talked about disposing of your knight as soon as possible."
"What!?" Kougyoku shouted almost angrily, catching Shirou off-guard. "They can't do that!"
"Hmmm?" Kouha hummed with interest. "It seems you really care for this Fanalis, hey?"
"I-I-I... No such thing..." Kougyoku's face exploded in a flush of red; it wouldn't be strange to see a puff of smoke erupt from the top of her head.
"Hahah!" Kouha laughed with pleasure at Kougyoku's embarrassment. "Well, I barged in after that and told father and his assistant an alternative solution to this."
"What's the alternative?" Shirou asked intriguingly.
"If my sister's new knight is capable of defeating the dungeon monsters, then there should be no problem with him remaining by her side!" Kouha explained what he had proposed to the King. "Brilliant, right?"
"Wait! Weren't there three dungeon monsters?" Kougyoku asked frantically.
"Yup! Oh, and I was supposed to tell you all this yesterday, but I completely forgot. The match is set for today, and let's see..." Kouha said with glee as he looked towards the position of the sun. "It begins in about an hour!"
"An hour!? But that gives us no time to prepare; this is way too sudden..." Kougyoku bit down on her sleeves in distress.
"Any problems, knight of Kougyoku?" Kouha asked in anticipation.
"No problem at all," Shirou was itching for something to do after all, and this gave him a perfect chance to prove his and Kougyoku's worth. He would thank Kouha for giving him this chance, but then again, maybe some other day.
The match was set in a large training area that was built to instruct soldiers. It highly resembled the coliseums in which gladiators would fight in the past of Shirou's world, and even had its own area created for the intent of having an audience. On the highest balcony sat the King who was concealed behind a veil of fabric to screen him from the burning sun overhead. Immediately below him sat Kouha with a few of his servants, and on the opposite side of the arena sat a few individuals who probably had nothing better to do than watch a fight. One of them was a male of average height and build with long blue hair separated in two long strands. He had heterochromatic blue eyes, with his left eye being of lighter colour most likely due to whatever caused a large burn scar across the left side of his face. The young adult carried a spear in his hand and stared intently down at Shirou. Meanwhile, on the lower seating areas closest to the arena were Kougyoku and Koubun. The princess could not sit still, and could be seen fidgeting around constantly.
She was awfully cute at times, as before the match she could do nothing but fret over Shirou and ask him if being her knight was worth the risk of dying.
Of course, the thought of even leaving Kougyoku from something like this had not even occurred to Shirou.
His answer was simple.
"I promised you already, or did you forget?" to which Kougyoku blushed and no longer agonized verbally. She was still probably uneasy considering how she looked now.
He could understand why though. Standing across from him were three menacing creatures that deserved the title of dungeon monsters. To the left was a feline that had taken a humanoid form, it brazenly wielded a single-handed sword. Next, a monstrous ape stood approximately four metres tall, with eyes resembling that of a spider's. Last, but not least, was what appeared to be an elephant-like abnormality.
While adjusting his breathing rate to a comfortable level for combat, Shirou steeled his mind. The air around him seemed to freeze as he reached a heightened awareness. A constant supply of od was coursing through the entirety of his body, reinforcing it to unreachable levels by normal standards. Finally, he laid out the framework within his mind required to project the twin married swords in which he favoured. Their images were locked into a theoretical gun with its hammer cocked, ready to cast the weapons into reality by his will.
Slowly, Shirou stretched out his arms to his sides, and calmly waited.
"I've never actually seen Shirou fight before," Kougyoku's quiet murmur towards Koubun could be heard by Shirou. "Why is he weaponless? I thought he used swords for battle..."
"It's better that you wait and see rather than hear it from me," Koubun replied.
"Mmm, I'm still worried though... What should I do if something happens to him…?"
Other voices were also audible for Shirou despite the distance between them.
"Show me what you got, Fanalis!" Kouha cheered in delight.
"What a peculiar stance..." the mysterious individual from the other side whispered.
Their talks came to a halt the moment the Emperor stood up from his seat. Only his silhouette was seen behind the curtain of fabric shielding him, but his presence still exerted an immense pressure on those nearby.
"Let the match being," the Emperor raised his hand to signal the start of the battle.
Shirou's opponents carelessly began marching towards him as if they thought he hadn't posed much of a threat for the three of them combined. Although the Fanalis race is well known for their prowess and strength, it seems these three were confident enough in their abilities.
"We apologize, but we're going to kill you," the leopard-like warrior announced as if this was a bothersome job. Although Shirou had studied the existence of dungeon monsters before, seeing these humanoid animals speak was something he was going to have to get used to. "No hard feelings, okay?"
"Here's a tip for you. When going into a fight with the intent to kill, you must also be prepared to be killed," Shirou responded without taking a step.
"You talk big for a little shrimp," the primate scoffed.
Seeing as the monsters had moved close enough, Shirou acted first.
"— Trace, on," a flow of od surged through his magic circuits.
Within the blink of an eye, the air where Shirou previously stood shook, resulting in a billow of dust that blew in all directions. Both his hands were grasped around beautiful yet deadly white and black blades that were materialized from his mind.
"M-magic!?" the leopard-like warrior shouted in surprise.
A commotion had also arisen from the crowd as some were shocked at the display of Shirou's projection magecraft. The Fanalis race weren't known for their large amount of Magoi, as this world called it, so seeing magecraft performed by one was a peculiar sight in itself. However, as Shirou had told them plenty of times, he was no Fanalis.
Before Shirou's foes could even react, the distance between them was already closed. The white and black blades, named Bakuya and Kanshou respectively, had already pierced through the skin and flesh of the leopard-like warrior.
In a fluid motion, Shirou pulled the blades out, and with the sharp wave of his hands, splashed the ground in blood that had held on to the gleaming weapons.
"I-impossible..." the warrior was still trying to process what had happened. And inevitably, seconds later, the pain resulting from its gaping wound sunk in as it fell to the ground clutching its bloodied body.
Although Shirou had avoided any vital areas, assuming it had a physiology similar to humans, the damage was enough to be incapacitating.
Realizing they had greatly underestimated Shirou, the remaining two leapt away in order to collect themselves.
But the battle was already as good as over...
The instant the momentum shifted drastically to Shirou's side, any hopes of counter-attacking was already just a fleeting dream for his opponents. When engaging in a fight with someone relatively unknown, the fundamentals and emotions of the fighters dictated a large part of who would win. There was no time to analyze, or to come up with a plan, whoever had the better instincts and right state of mind would come out on top when fighters were of equal skill.
It was apparent that the two dungeon monsters still standing were reasonably agitated.
Taking advantage of the situation, Shirou crossed his arms to increase his leverage, and swiftly hurled his blades in the direction of the ape- and elephant- like monsters. Despite their colossal bodies, their movements were quite nimble. They clumsily dodged the spinning blades that cut through the air.
"- Trace, on."
But before they could regain footing, Shirou was already in front of the giant ape. Within his hands was another projected pair of swords identical to the ones currently forming an arc in the sky above.
"How...?" the monster questioned hopelessly as the black blade plunged into its right shoulder.
The ape crashed onto its knees, and desperately stopped the flow of blood with its functional arm.
As Shirou turned around, the last of the dungeon monsters had snuck behind him. It raised its arms as large as tree trunks in order to deliver a punishing blow to him.
"You bastard, die!" it screamed out in distress.
The excruciating sounds of metal ripping through tough skin and muscle resounded through the air. The monster never could complete his attack as the swords dancing above had struck down into the muscles of the monster's arms, severing the tissues needed.
These swords had a special ability; each one was attracted to one another as well as the user much like the opposite poles of a magnet. Due to the special characteristic of these swords, their utility was greatly enhanced in battle.
"..." the monster did not move, and instead, let its arms lifelessly dangle as blood dripped down.
Although the three dungeon monsters could probably still manage to move, their will to fight was utterly devastated by this seemingly one-sided match. They showed their intent and conclusion of the fight by doing absolutely nothing.
Sensing the battle was over; Shirou erased his projections and peered over to balcony where the Emperor was. He couldn't see him, but it was evident from the Emperor's voice just how he was feeling.
"That's enough!" the Emperor irately declared. "Finish off those worthless trashes, Fanalis."
"I refuse," Shirou steadfastly replied as if it were an innate response. It surprised even himself how easily he had refuted against the very Emperor. Wouldn't disagreeing with the Emperor cause some detrimental problems to his current standings?
Oh well, can't do what you can't do.
"You dare disobey me?" the Emperor spoke in a forbidding tone.
"If I may, Your Majesty. These warriors still serve the Kou Empire, and are not by any means inadequate," Shirou explained his made-up reasoning. Honestly, it was for a much simpler reason... he just didn't want kill. "They are proud individuals of the Kou Empire; there is no need to get rid of them."
"You insolent fool..." the Emperor's anger did not lessen by any amount. "Don't try and lecture me with your peasant-like ideologies."
"Now, now father..." Kouha had suddenly interrupted with an ecstatic look to his face. "The purpose of this match has already been decided. You're already in poor health so don't strain yourself any further. Let me handle the rest!"
"Very well," the Emperor grumbled and furiously exited the arena with his assistant. It seemed the Emperor didn't like Shirou that much.
He hated to admit it, but he was starting to owe this bastard, Kouha, some favours.
With a grin full of pleasure, Kouha winked at Shirou before asking his servants to tend to the injured dungeon monsters below.
"T-thank you..." the warriors expressed their gratitude to Shirou.
"Don't mention it. If you ever wish for a rematch, then I will gladly agree," Shirou nodded his head towards the injured.
At this point, the rest of the arena had already cleared out save for Kouha, the servants, Koubun, and Kougyoku who looked joyfully at Shirou.
"Hey, Shirou was it?" Kouha asked as Kougyoku had stepped down to the arena to meet up with Shirou.
"Yes, my name is Shirou Emiya," he answered.
"How would you like to work under me instead?" the mischievous prince asked. "You're hoping to achieve something here in this castle aren't you? My position in this Empire could help you reach that goal."
"W-what...?" Kougyoku was stunned by Kouha's proposition.
The look on Kougyoku's face was heart-wrenching. She tried keeping up her usual composed face, but it was quite obvious how concerned she was from this. Whatever traumatic past she had, it was definitely eating away at her ability to wholly place her faith in others.
"No thanks, I'm Kougyoku's knight," Shirou hastily declared to dispel her worries.
"Shirou..." Kougyoku mouthed with a hint of cheerfulness.
"Hear that, Kougyoku?" Kouha said teasingly. "Aren't you the lucky one?"
"Hmph—! Shirou's the lucky one to be able to serve someone like me!" although she proclaimed that with a smug face, she was also doing a bad job of hiding her embarrassment from how red her cheeks were.
"Hahah! Of course, sister," Kouha exclaimed with amusement. "Thanks for the show, Shirou. I'll take care of the rest here, so you guys can go."
The three of them said their farewells to Kouha, and headed back to resume their normal daily activities.
While Shirou had not done anything directly for Kougyoku, he felt as though their relationship was slightly mended from what occurred today. From now on, he would truly be recognized as Kougyoku's knight. Hopefully, nothing would go wrong.
The first real eventful day of following Kougyoku as her knight was coming to an end for Shirou. Although he had not accomplished much aside from proving that he was more than capable of protecting the princess, it was the first step needed to begin the journey down a long and winding road.
There was much needed to be done in terms of raising Kougyoku to a higher position within the empire. She needed to accomplish greater deeds, become heralded as a mighty leader among the civilians, cater to the needs of all social statuses, become a dominant figure within the family, and all these only belonged to the tip of the iceberg...
Shirou would see to it that these goals would be met. The current world was a messed up place, order needed to be restored, and the darkness looming across the continents had to be erased. Only by the power that governs this world was it possible to right the wrongs.
And Shirou would gladly offer up his life to see such a beautiful vision come to life. As long as Kougyoku complied with his decisions and worked with him, he was certain that he could make a difference.
Walking behind the princess, Shirou could not help but envision this country, and maybe even this world, becoming a better place from her gentle, yet righteous character.
"What are you grinning about?" Kougyoku suddenly said, breaking Shirou from his train of thoughts. He hadn't even realized the edge of his lips curving upwards. "Y-you better not be thinking about something p-perverted...!"
It was only the two of them walking down the hallways of the castle after twilight had just passed. Shirou had relieved Koubun of his duty to accompany the princess back to her elegant bedchamber.
Now that Shirou had realized his surroundings, they had already arrived in front of her room with him strangely smiling.
"Not a chance," Shirou exclaimed, returning to his stoic expression.
"You didn't have to deny it so strongly..." Kougyoku whispered under her breath with a hint of irritation.
...?
"Well then, Shirou!" the princess spun back to face towards her double-door before Shirou could think of a reply, and heavily pushed both with her open palms. The doors flung back with a thud and the princess stepped into the forbidden area of her chamber. "I bid you goodnight!"
She swiftly closed one of the doors, and as she motioned to close the other, she looked Shirou right in the eye.
"Thank you for being my knight..."
And then slammed the door shut.
Quietly laughing after hearing those words, Shirou turned on his heels and slowly sauntered away from the doors. As he was about to turn around the corner to exit the princess' corridor, he was suddenly reminded of something.
He had totally forgotten about the reason he had apprehended the servants from the morning in the first place. His outfit definitely drew in unwanted attention from females who loved starting rumours as he figured out. Although the traditional clothing of the Kou Empire would reduce his mobility somewhat, it was worth it to save his image.
With the intent to ask Kougyoku about acquiring new clothes, Shirou turned back around to open the doors to her room.
"Princess, I forgot to mention—," Shirou said as silently pushed the doors open. "…"
Kougyoku was situated near the opposite side of the room. She stared blankly back at him with her cherry-pink eyes as if she had not fully grasped the situation that he had put himself into for not knocking before entering. He could see her slim and milky-coloured limbs which were always covered up by her dress, and he could make out the figure of her porcelain-like body.
Shirou was still a man at heart, and thus, it would be normal to feel aroused from such a sight. However, that wasn't the case this time… There was no time to be thinking of that.
Her disheveled clothing that was nearly free from the rest of her body hung loosely from her arms. She was probably in the midst of changing. Gradually, her face began flushing as tears welled up in her eyes. Shirou was willing to bet that she had never exposed anything more than the skin on her hands to the opposite gender. Even he felt pretty guilty over his blunder.
A cold sweat dripped from his neck as he tried to maintain composure. The fact that she still had her alluring, light coloured undergarments on was very reassuring.
"I'll talk to you tomorrow…" Shirou said casually as he went to close the doors behind him. His instincts were telling him to run, and therefore, that's what he would do.
Walking hurriedly away from Kougyoku's room once again, Shirou could hear the rushed rustle of clothing from the other side of the door.
Oh shit…
"S-S-S-SHIROU!" the door protecting Shirou from the raging tyrant burst open. "You saw, didn't you…?"
"…" Shirou was unable to answer.
Still with his back turned, he could easily imagine the demonic face with dark pink hair coiling around in the air as if they were snakes. It would be a mistake to try and convince her that it was an honest accident. He had, after all, dealt with tsunderes for quite some time.
"You took away my innocence…" wasn't that going to lead to some misunderstandings if anyone heard? "I'll make you regret this… YOU GOD DAMN PERVERT!"
With no intentions of looking back, Shirou broke out into a run…
Tens of minutes had already gone by as Shirou continued running without stopping. Seriously, how long was she planning on chasing him?
As Shirou crossed the gardens and turned every corner to elude the tenacious demon pursuing after him, he eventually came across an elevated area large enough to be called a hill.
Someone was standing there.
It was strange enough that that said person was standing alone on top of the hill after the sun had already set. But what had stopped Shirou mid-run and drew his attention was the fact that this person was emitting a dense and repulsive darkness that seemed to plague a select few here in this castle.
The hillside glimmered with moonlight, glowing against the crisp black sky. The sight of the woman with radiant light green hair and wearing what appeared to be a pink royal dress contrasted against the night behind her. Although the sight of her staring vacantly at the moon while smiling was truly lovely, Shirou could not help but think some sort of tragedy had befallen her. The smile appeared faked. It was the kind one would put on in order to hide away their true feelings from others.
Ever so gracefully, she turned her attention towards Shirou.
"Evening, I'm sorry if I'm disturbing you," Shirou greeted the noblewoman after being spotted.
"Good evening," she said in a soft and noble voice. "I was not expecting company here at this time."
"I'm actually in the midst of getting some exercise right now, and since I've just arrived here in this castle, I decided to explore the expansive gardens while I'm at it," Shirou replied in a friendly manner. He was still wary of this person, but if they weren't looking for a fight, then there was no point in showing animosity. "If I'm bothering you, I'll leave at once."
"Not at all, I enjoy the extra company," she immediately proclaimed politely while maintaining her sham-smile.
"Then please allow me to rest here for a minute," Shirou said as he slightly bowed his head. This was the first person giving off this unpleasant aura that he could actually talk to. Perhaps it was his chance to find out who they were. "My name is Shirou Emiya."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Shirou Emiya," she pinched the hemming of her dress and curtseyed. "It's unfortunate, but I cannot give you my full name. However, you can call me Dunya."
Whether or not she gave him her full name would most likely not mean much to him, considering he only arrived in this world less than a year ago.
"I understand… it's a pleasure to meet you as well. Dunya," Shirou said courteously. "If I may, what brings you out here during this time?"
"I come here often… It's comforting, I can stare absentmindedly at the sky above and let my mind wander…" although the features of her face did not change, traces of sadness were etched into her words. "And what about you, Shirou? What brings you to this castle? I've never seen a Fanalis here within the confines of these walls."
The way she phrased those words sounded as though she were trapped here, and Shirou was her new inmate.
"I've become the knight of the eighth imperial princess, Kougyoku Ren," Shirou introduced his position.
"A knight…" once again, the melancholy was present.
"Yes, I have pledged an oath to serve the princess."
The two of them stood without speaking for a few seconds as Dunya appeared to be reflecting upon what Shirou had just told her.
"So you will stay by her side, and protect her?" Dunya asked a peculiar question after breaking the silence. Looking at how serious her eyes were, this must have held some important significance to her. He could not take this jokingly.
"Yes, whatever enemy or grief that may come her way, I swear on my life that I will protect her," without blinking, Shirou responded with his true feelings.
"I see…" the smile on her face changed; it appeared almost as if she were yearning for something. "The princess is a very lucky person."
"If only she could realize that sometimes," Shirou said lightheartedly and shrugged his shoulders.
Dunya chuckled softly, which made Shirou smile. He could never stand the image of a forced smile which covered the depression lurking inside. Seeing this person before him brighten up even just a little was encouraging, even though she gave off a foul sensation.
However, it appeared his time with his new-found acquaintance would be cut short tonight. In the distance, the sounds of a rampaging individual screaming his name reached his ear. Come on, she should at least have some consideration for those who were heading to bed.
"Dunya, it looks like my time here is up," Shirou said while bowing his head once more. "If it's alright with you, would it be possible for me to join you here sometime in the future?"
She was his first hint into the madness that consumed this country. Being on friendly terms with her would certainly be beneficial.
"Yes, I would love for you to come here once again," Dunya replied contently. "It gets lonely here after a while."
"Then I hope my company can satisfy you in the near-future," Shirou waved his hand to gesture his departure for the evening. "It was nice meeting you, Dunya."
"Likewise, Shirou. I wish you a good night, and I hope to see you soon."
Not wanting to disturb Dunya from her peace, Shirou took off in a direction a little further ways up from the hill. It was an open area without many obstructions… hopefully he could calm the princess down here, and if not… at least nothing would be destroyed.
Five minutes went by, and finally, the stomping individual could be seen from a near distance away.
"Here you are… I finally found you, you disgusting pervert…" Kougyoku growled menacingly as she pulled the golden hairpin from her hair.
"—!" as soon as Shirou analyzed the object, a sharp pain rang through his head.
So this is her Djinn Weapon… Looks like she's serious.
Shirou had never seen an actual Djinn Weapon being used, and since he lost his chance to see Kougyoku practice earlier today due to the interruption, this was a first.
However, this wasn't how he thought his first encounter would be like!
"Princess, wait!" Shirou gestured wildly with both his hands in front of him. "I apologize for what I have done!"
"Unforgivable… I won't forgive you for peeping at me," Kougyoku said with a harsh, cold voice. "I've never completed a full Djinn Equip, but from how I'm feeling at the moment, I know I can do it…"
For some reason, Shirou knew it would come down to this. He took a step back and sighed after coming to the conclusion that he should've just hid away for the rest of the night.
Oh well, at least he'd get to see the power of a Djinn Equip, even if it was aimed at him. In the near future, it was highly likely that he'd be facing down individuals who were capable of using the Djinn Equip, might as well learn how to dodge them now while he was at it.
"T-to look at the body of a princess—! It seems you need to relearn just where you stand," Kougyoku said as her shoulders shook vigorously.
"Spirit of Sorrow and Isolation, in the name of my Magoi, and my will to grant me a greater power, I order you and your members. Come forth, Vinea!"
Coming out from the princess' soft peachy lips was an incantation used to summon the powers of her Djinn, Vinea. Shirou could sense the vast amount of Magoi enveloping her.
At that instant, a vortex of water had manifested and consumed her body. The water condensed and swirled around her figure as it formed the shape of gills and fins that covered her arms and legs. It was like the image of a mermaid, light blue scales covered her skin, and even her hair had turned the same shade of color. Her golden hairpin had taken the shape of a massive two-handed sword with various intricate designs around its hilt and guard.
She was majestic in appearance to say the least, and Shirou had nearly forgotten to breathe for a second. Of course, this might have also been due to the fact that the cerulean scales did not conceal every part of her body. To a similar degree, she was revealing as much of her chest as when he had previously seen her.
Realizing what would happen if he continued to stare; he glanced slightly off to the side.
Wondering why Shirou had looked so nervous, Kougyoku looked down at her appearance which barely managed to keep from fully exposing her chest. Her clear eyes immediately widened.
"Kyaa! No—!" Kougyoku speedily squatted to the ground and wrapped her arms around her knees in an attempt to hide herself from Shirou's eyes. "What's with this outfit!?"
She sat there huddled in a prone position as her face reddened by the second. Moist ripples swam through her eyes as she looked down in embarrassment.
"I-I want to die, this is too embarrassing…" Kougyoku said with a quivering voice.
"I hope you don't get mad again, but I think you look rather pretty, Kougyoku," Shirou said sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head. It wasn't like he had a fetish for these kinds of getups of anything, rather, Kougyoku looked as cute as she always did. But Shirou still felt the need to mention it if there was any chance of cheering her up.
"You called me by my name…" Kougyoku murmured loudly enough for him to hear. At this point, her face resembled a tomato as steam rose from her head.
"Ahh, I apologize," Shirou hadn't even realized it himself.
"If you want my forgiveness, then you have to call me by my name from now on!" she blurted out really loudly.
…?
"From now on, you must refer to me by my name, and not my title! Only then will I forgive you for everything that has happened today…" Kougyoku made it clear after seeing Shirou's confused face.
"I see," Shirou replied while nodding his head. Perhaps she had become tired of being referred to by her status and not by whom she was. "Then let me say it once again. I think you look pretty, Kougyoku."
It almost felt like he was teasing her, considering how much he was enjoying watching her become flustered over his harmless words.
"Ahhh…" in a puff of smoke, the Djinn Equip wore off. Although it didn't seem like she had noticed it as she remained crouched over in a daze.
"Shall we head back, Kougyoku?" Shirou said as he walked over and offered her a hand to help her up.
"Mmmm…" Kougyoku nodded and grasped his hand.
Shirou was Kougyoku's knight; he would protect her and the world that she lived in.
Cheerful and embarrassed, she looked at Shirou with a smile.
"Idiot."
[Chapter 5 End]
Author Notes:
In honor of the second season of Magi coming out soon, here's the next chapter of my story!
I hadn't really planned anything in this chapter aside from the dream in the beginning and the ending part, so hopefully it still flows properly. Aside from that, just a bonding chapter for Shirou and Kougyoku before we move into the Balbadd Arc. There'll be another short time-skip next chapter, so you can assume during those times, the two of them did dumb stuff like this here and there, and thus strengthening their bonds.
On the matter of Metal Vessel tracing, it's still up in the air. I'm still leaning towards Shirou not being able to trace Metal Vessels for various reasons such as the sentience of these weapons. But Household Vessels might be something I may consider as they don't house the actual Djinn.
Kougyoku's self-esteem is definitely low, and I'll give my reasons for them in the future. Hopefully they'll fit into canon without being too unbelievable. Without Shirou here, I believe Kougyoku would've gone down the route of being 'crazy and bitchy' as one reviewer put it. Reasons are: 1) In my made up conquest of Kouhei, Kougyoku would've gone to war with the country if not for Shirou, and thus making her a lot more cold-blooded. 2) Without Shirou, she would've concentrated on becoming a warrior more than anything else as that was her only goal.
I'm really looking forward to writing the meeting between Shirou, and Yamuraiha and Sharrkan. After all, Shirou can act as the middleman between their rivalry, combing both swords and magic. And yes, there are monsters in the Magi-world. Examples are that sand-worm thing in the beginning that gets drunk off alcohol, and the fish-dragon thing that attacks Sindria.
Some reviewers have commented on Shirou seeming a bit weird and too human. It might seem that way when I'm writing him under Kougyoku-vision, but if it's still not fixed this chapter, definitely point it out so I can fix it up.
Thanks so much for reading, let me know what you think and if you have any ideas for me!
Till next time,
Cheers.