Forward Unto Dawn

Chapter 9: He Who is a Warrior

She had speed, that was very much true.

Her relentless assault was monstrous, a chain of movements creating ripples in the airspace between us. Her every strike was strong and fast, none of her nonhuman strength was traded for the speed she had attained against me.

I was in a very disadvantageous situation, if the barrage of blows coming at me was any indication to the fact. It was a storm, but despite its rage, I persevered.

Her strikes were fast and strong. But I stood with steely conviction against her wrath.

I am a sword, forged in flames, cooled in water.

I am a sword, a piece of tempered steel able to weather the strongest battles.

I will stand, never falling, invincible.

I am a sword, no heart, simply staring forward, forever fighting. It is war that gives me a purpose, the art constant battle.

For a moment in the constant clang of steel against steel, I could almost hear the clockworks within my soul.

She was strong, with pride in her blade work, with a purpose more glorious then simply fighting.

It was almost revolting in a sense, how her blade reeked of courage, reeked of righteousness, reeked of all that is good and against me.

I have no pride in my swords. It is nothing more than a means to an end. My magecraft, my swordsmanship, all of those are just a means to an end.

So we fought, real steel. Iron clashing against iron, both unyielding. Clamoring into the silent neighborhood. Something against nothing. Passion against nihilism. I am empty without battle, in times of peace my swords were only dulled in the armory. I resented that, the feeling of being useless. I hated that, the thought of being put away. So I look for war. Sensou, such a beautiful word. War. It is what I live for.

She was good, Aoi complimented her weapon with her skill. She had brutality in form of her weapon, fineness through her skill. It allowed her to be excessively aggressive, in fact, pressure was probably one of the few tricks she had. It suited her well, her simple mindset and uncomplicated personality made her style exceptionally fitting for her. Being uncomplicated was no synonym for being weak, she was most certainly strong. I could tell her temper and frustration had brought her to use her more esoteric abilities, her inhuman parameters. I could barely match her with my unreinforced body even though I had spent decades bringing my physical strength to the highest quality, maybe it's time synthesize with my predecessor's arm and bring it up an ante, or not, maybe reinforcement is the first step I should use.

But right now it mattered not. Kazuha Aoi was strong, she was fast, she most likely had faster reaction speed than me at this point. She was superior than me in every regards, and I know in a contest of pure strength I will most definitely emerge defeated. But all that did not matter. It cannot matter, because the conditions for my style had just been fulfilled.

My opponent is stronger than me.

The moment that thought flashed into my mind, there was a change.

I originally held my two falchions a bit differently. I held Kanshou with a shorter grip and kept it in front of me at all times to form a defense, and I held Bakuya near the end of its grip for a longer range and more slashing power. This may not be a typical stance for using falchions, but it worked. Or more accurately it worked against those with my physical constitution and parameters, much like Kazuha when we first started our little spar.

When the thought that she was stronger than me flashed into my mind, I immediately changed my grip to accommodate my original style. Jumping back for a bit more distance I let both blades slide out so I held them at the end of the hilt. Letting my arms relax I let them both down in a disarming manner. My arms were slightly bent, but not tense like they had been previously. I stood slightly tilted against her, allowing her vision of my exposed back. I could tell she was confused for a slight moment.

Her amber eyes tightened into slits as if asking 'are you serious?'

I did not fault for this, from a professional standpoint my stance was sloppy. It bought no guard, no angle of attack. From a professional viewpoint my current situation was bad, near suicidal.

But that was what I was.

I am suicidal, my style was the same thing, suicidal.

As my mind decided to run through my own stupidity I felt her move. I didn't see her, for she moved out of my range of sight after glowing blue. But I knew where she was. More of I didn't exactly know where she was, but I had a good idea. The larynx, spine, lungs, liver, jugular vein, collarbone, kidney, and heart. Eight places marking you for death if struck deep enough. Eight places I constantly switch leaving open so I can use the crux of my skills.

It was simple really. If you could not match your opponent's parameters and skills, you just have to see the future. To predict where you opponents are coming at you have to let them attack. It was like fishing, just that if the fish gets away with the lure, I am most likely dead.

A very risky game of fishing, a true personification of conflict.

It was pure instinct that my right hand changed into a backhand grip and swiped upwards to deflect her blow aimed at my spine. It was pure reflex that allowed my left hand to change grip and take a swipe at her throat after twirling myself with practiced ease.

Both maneuvers were done without seeing her, instead, I knew where she would be. I let her be there, so I predicted, and acted accordingly.

She jumped back to avoid my swipe, but I took advantage of her moment of confusion. Both blades were switched back into a forward grip as I moved in for the kill.

She tried, she really tried. But two weapons allow me two angles of attack, an advantage one would kill for in a fight, it is an advantage I abused.

For the first time since the start of the spar nearly five minutes ago I was pressing the offensive. For once I was attacking rather than defending, truthfully, it felt good.

I cleaved and turned, slashed and twirled. I danced around her with my swords, waving my blades in complex maneuvers. She defended to the best of her ability against my strikes, angling her own NOVA BLOOD to catch my every offense. Her gigantic blade played into her favor in this instance, being something not unlike a shield which helped her hide from my barrage.

After roughly fifteen strikes I slowed down to see what she'll do. This is as much a test as a spar. I wanted to see her limits, pounding on her isn't gonna show me how good she is.

She glowed blue before dashing back again, by now I have reinforced my eye to kind of see what she can do. After all, I can't test her if I can't see her move right? She dragged roughly a ten meter distance between us.

Her golden eyes tightened into slits.

Her muscles tensed, every one of them.

I could sense her prana flow circling her, expanding, breaking through her original limits. She seemed to be generating mana at an astounding rate, streaming out of ten particular points on her back. It wasn't any mana point from what I know, I'm pretty well familiarized with the human anatomy in terms of magic. Those ten points weren't any particular expelling points, it seemed almost random.

Then she disappeared.

Escaped even my reinforced vision.

In a blur of blue she appeared.

Kazuha Aoi, Elite PANDORA.

Her blade NOVA BLOOD was pointed straight at me. Held in front of her, as if she was pushing it forward, giving it penetrating power.

That was probably the whole point of this technique. Speed and power, and penetration, a lethal combination against a NOVA which was big and cumbersome. Yes. This was an anti-NOVA attack no doubt.

I almost panicked looking into the gleaming edge of her blade, the exaggerated stabbing point of her oversized knife. The point where the edges converged seemed almost like a mirror, reflecting the afternoon sun into my eyes.

But I was a warrior, I have faced threats more fearsome than a gigantic blade. As on queue my reflexes instinctively cleaved upwards to change her trajectory, deflecting her blade with my now reinforced strength, strength of a servant, strength far above her enhancements.

Her eyes widened as she was flung into the air from a single block, noticeably surprised at my sudden burst of strength.

She recovered with a burst of mana stabilizing in the air than dashing at me again.

I have seen enough.

It is time to end this spar. She was good, but far from my level, far from the level of a Counter Guardian, or whatever I am, something close to my pseudo-divine predecessor.

As a testament to my strength I just grabbed her NOVA BLOOD out of her hands as she descended on me, the sudden removal of her blade caused her to slam right into me in the confusion, luckily, I already threw away both our weapons in preparation for her tumble, or else we might have impaled ourselves on some sharp and unpleasant things.

"Ouffff…" She cried out in pain as she slammed into my reinforced body.

Despite my durability and defense the sudden weight still toppled me over, still threw me onto the grass of the court yard. I did my best in making sure Kazuha didn't get hurt, embracing her in a 'protective' hug to lower the pain of impact for her.

"Arghh…" I winced in pain as a rock dug into my back, luckily it didn't smash into my spine or I'd have a fun time healing that. It was just a rock hitting against my back, unpleasant but inconsequential in the grand scale of things.

We laid there for a while, the two of us, by this time she had rolled out of my embrace and laid a meter or so beside me. The sky was beautiful. Shifting clouds, golden sun, truly something so beautiful it cannot be fully described.

So we just laid there, observing the sky above us, for a moment I felt small.

I felt small and inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. I felt like a nobody, and I realized I rather liked that feeling, the feeling of being inconsequential. When I was younger I wanted to be a hero. Always in the muck of things, saving people.

I've lived life like that, lived several lifetimes of saving people and killing people. I most definitely don't regret it, but sometimes, just sometimes, peace and quiet ain't that bad. Sometimes it is nice to feel peace and serenity.

Well the two dueled, a certain purple haired landlady was watching.

She knew Shirou had a degree of skill in combat along with his more esoteric skillset, and she knew Kazuha was semi-not-human the moment she stepped in. That is not to say Miya Asama was suitably entranced by the two as they crossed blades.

It was beautiful, both sides had beautiful bladework. If only Miya was not the 'civil' lady with 'absolutely no combat skills', she would have joined them. In fact, her hands were twitching and reaching for her katana.

From her observations it was Kazuha Aoi the semi-not-human that first broke the rules of humanity. Her physical constitution far surpassed any of Miya's own kind, her skills making her a menace in battle. Miya was not sure if even Karasuba could take her, their physical parameters were similar but Aoi-san seemed to hold the advantage in skills.

What surprised the landlady even further was the sudden shift in Shirou's stance. His stance had always been unorthodox to begin with, but what he changed into only puzzled the immortal woman.

He had let his guard nearly completely open, as if inviting an attack. He stood tilted towards Kazuha, giving her a view of his exposed back. It was suicidal, it seems like Miya would have to scold her tenant later after he made up for being such a child and sparing in a no fight zone with his friend, without the master's consent no less.

Kazuha was engulfed in blue, a light blue contrasting with her dark hair, covered in energy, then she disappeared. Even Miya's inhuman eyes could only make out traces of the human's movements, she'd like to think at max speed she was a bit faster, but after years of unused her skills may have sunk a bit.

From the dash Miya had thought her tenant would of lost then and there, it wasn't that she had no faith in Shirou's abilities, it's just that Kazuha was just too fast. The loud bang told Miya that Kazuha had broken the sound barrier, so fast, such speed was something none of Miya's kind could do, besides maybe her and Karasuba.

But a miracle happened, Shirou seemed to instinctively react to Kazuha, deflecting her blow even though she blindsided him, then he turned to press to his advantage.

By now Miya had already figured out Emiya-san's trick.

It was a nice trick, but a risky trick.

Something she'll have to scold him for later, lord he's being so naughty today.

He was suicidal, just thinking about it brought anger to Miya Asama. Just thinking of his blatant disregard for his own life brought rage into the alien's mind.

His trick was simple, to let his opponents attack where he wanted them to attack. To guard everywhere but the vitals where he will be sure his opponents will go for the hit. Once he knows where they will strike, then he knows where to defend.

Once he counters, then he just tries to combo them, or repeat the process all over again.

It was a neat trick, but nothing more than a trick.

Miya was sure it was designed to fight beings stronger than him, it was obvious from his sudden switch in blade work that his suicidal style was designed to slay superior beings.

It brought tears to her eyes that Shirou had made a counter against those stronger than him. It only shows the frequency he had to deal with them. Constant battle, weathering through conflicts way beyond his level, the only way he could have built such a crude style.

Miya remembered his mantra, the one he had uttered during his night of weakness, the night Miya had seen the most emotions within him. "Fire is my blood, glass is my heart." She found herself muttering her tenant's own chant.

She was sure this was not it, this was not all of it. The night he left on his job she had followed him, and was rewarded with the second part of his mantra, or rather the first part of his mantra. 'My body is made of swords. Fire is my blood, glass is my heart.'

Miya shuddered at the memory of hearing it. It had made her pause, freeze as Shirou biked away. It was so discouraging, so sad. So revolting someone would see themselves as nothing more than a sword.

A sword has no feelings.

A sword has no fears.

A sword is tempered in the harshest conditions.

A sword will always strike true in battle.

For some reason Miya could not deny the fact that Shirou just might think himself as a sword. His style was a testament to his inner self. No fears, tempered and trained, never faltering, he saw himself as a sword, that fact brought discomfort to Miya, it hurt her to see Emiya as someone so self-deprecating, so self-loathing. But he must have a purpose, at least Miya would like to think his devaluation of himself has a purpose.

Imagine if he didn't, Miya wasn't sure if she could take such a revelation.

Then it happened. When 'it' happened, Miya almost jumped out of the window with her katana trying to protect her tenant. When 'it' happened, she felt fear for Shirou, felt fear for the first time in this supposed spar.

She saw Kazuha charge, charge with speed far higher than her previous charge, blurring into a bullet charging at Shirou.

Miya wanted to jump, her motherly instincts demanded her to protect. But she couldn't.

She was civil after all.

She was a weak woman after all.

She couldn't fight.

Could she?

Her hands clutched her blade at her side. Her body etched for fighting, but her mind forbade her. She doubted. Doubted herself. Denied herself with her false sense of civility. She is a woman. And woman cannot fight. It is not the era where people, civilians had to fight. And so she conformed. And when it mattered, she could not break those chains.

So she stood there stunned. Thinking of the worse that could happen. What if Shirou get skewered? She wondered if she could forgive herself if she let him die.

But Shirou did something even more of a miracle.

It was as if a dam of power broke within him.

For a brief second Miya's senses told her only one thing, danger.

Miya is of a warrior race, and as a member of that race comes with a primitive sense of fight or flight.

And right this instance, her senses told her to run. To run far from that tanned silver-haired man. To run from the man with a single earring. To run from the man with two swords. He was strong. At that instance he was strong, far stronger than she was, far stronger than anything else was. Unnatural, unnaturally powerful.

He simply deflected her charge. Deflected it with a simple swing. From what Miya could see, he wasn't even strained, he wasn't even tired. He was just observing. He had a brief nod, as if everything went according to plan, like there was no danger to begin with.

It was terrifying almost. His strength at this instance. Imposing, Unnatural, an oddity.

But the instance ended, Kazuha was thrown into the air, and when she repositioned herself for another go at Shirou, her blade was plucked right out of her hands. With her balance broken she was thrown right into the arms of Shirou, right into the arms of the victor as they continued to roll from her momentum.

After they finished they just laid there looking at the evening sky.

Miya stood there for a second, frozen in shock and disbelief. But then she willed herself to move, willed herself to go back downstairs, to scold the two youngsters, to continue with her civil life.

I laid there, on the ground, with Kazuha at my right. It was fulfilling watching her fight, it was also extremely satisfying to have a workout once in a while. Sure I run and do some routines, but combat is really the best way to get your body into shape, at least to fighting shape. It was nice to cut loose for a while with an inhuman partner, her strength was truly something worthwhile, but against the big one I fought before, she might as well be an ant. Her brutal yet elegant blade work was astounding, astoundingly beautiful to watch, but even so, it wouldn't hold a candle against something with armor stronger than her blade.

Even a full powered Excali-blast couldn't remove it the first time, the second time it just ran away. Maybe I gotta bring out some of the more obscure weapons in my arsenal, something like Longius might just do the trick. It is a cheating weapons, absolutely obscure but I have it in my armory, it's just I don't like taking out game breakers too often.

Even so, I have to admit it is pretty impressive for girls to train to that capacity even with some prana flowing their veins. I'm pretty sure Tohsaka couldn't do half of what they did, Aoko could but only with some pretty heavy magecraft helping her. In close combat these battle women are definitely something of value.

A groan to my side broke my chain of thoughts. "Arghhhh..." It sounded again. I looked to my side only to see Kazuha slowly opening her eyes. She didn't take tumbling very well, even though I blocked the majority of the impact she was still knocked out cold, then again, maybe it is my reinforcement that is making my body a human armor.

She opened her amber eyes, staring right into me. Narrowing a bit she stuck out her tongue as if to mock me. It was unfortunate, but I couldn't make heads or tells out of this, I did win did I not. So I did what a self-respecting guy would do in place being mocked for winning, I smacked the back of her head lightly. Very gently, or maybe not since I'm in a pissy mood.

"Owwieee..." She glared at me, and I gave her a blank look.

"What?"

"You hit me."

"You tried to kill me, suck it up."

"No I didn't."

"Did."

"Did not."

"Did."

"Did not."

"Owwieee." "Ouch." There was a sudden splitting pain coming from the back of my head, and from the groan Kazuha had given, she seemed to have felt the same thing. Then I noticed the day got a lot brighter when we were arguing like kids. A helluvalot darker.

Looking up I saw a demon.

Yes. A demon.

She was dressed in purple kimono, had long purple hair, and very red and angry eyes. Very angry from the looks of it. She is holding a ladle, presumably the instrument that caused me pain just a few seconds ago. And from how she's holding it, she's gonna use it again.

"Owwieee..." "Ouch." I blinked as she whacked us with inhuman speed. Boy she was fast, or is it because I'm currently on the ground and she's standing up. I really dunno.

"Owww...what the...Miya..." I received another smack, then another, then another.

"Owwww..." I glared at her for the pain she's causing.

She looked at me nonchalantly. "No fighting."

She casually walked away after imparting two words upon us.

The two of us downed people simply laughed.

The three of us were back sitting next to the kotatsu and enjoying tea when something interesting happened. As opposed something interestingly good happening, it was really something interestingly bad. It happened so suddenly, one moment we're drinking tea and eating crackers in near silence, the other minute the door to the inn opened and in came someone extremely unexpected.

The door opened to reveal to individuals, Audrey Hoover, and the other being someone with similar looks. From what it looks like the woman is of relations to her, a sister maybe? Well from what precious few conversations I have had with Ms. Hoover before, it had been revealed she had a sister who is a PANDORA. In fact, I remember her sister is the only reason they're in Japan right now. It seems that Chevalier deemed Emily Hoover worthy enough as an investment to also bring her only living relative Audrey Hoover over to Japan. From what I heard from Miya and Taro, it seems that there parents were PANDORA and LIMITER and Emily is somehow continuing their legacy after they were KIA during the clash before the last.

She was taller, just a bit taller with fiery red hair not unlike Audrey. When standing together, there are similarities along with stark contrasts between the two, they were same and different at the same time. Audrey and Emily Hoover, two sisters a with a bit more than an year between them. What I wonder is 'what qualifies Emily Hoover as a PANDORA, and not Audrey?'

But it really matters not, magecraft is some very tricky things. It probably had something to do with Root, maybe Gaea, hell, maybe Zelretch. Yes. Screw Zelretch, the number one problem child in the universe.

Emily was mature, for some reason she looked a lot more mature than Audrey, maybe it was how Audrey normally acted, always so androphobic, always so fearful, than again, maybe it's just me. She really fears me for some reason, but then again, it's probably cause I look like a delinquent.

But Emily was different, slightly taller, eyes still green, her face was much sharper than Audrey. She looked stronger, much stronger, like a warrior, very much like a warrior. Then again, she is a PANDORA right, and from what Audrey had told us a rather good one at that. Like Kazuha she didn't look...ripped. It was interesting, how the PANDORAs I've seen so far, ummm...two, did not have an overly exaggerated physique. Maybe it was the prana strengthening their body like rudimentary reinforcement, or maybe it's just cause they're enhancement made them stronger without the need for physical training.

It was essentially free power. They paid almost nothing for it, unless of course they will die in the immediate future, then it will start being a problem. Well I guess they did pay their humanity, but they don't realize it, they don't realize what I have already realized seeing them fight. The moment they activate their superhuman abilities, they cease to be human, from what I can see it's similar to a NOVA, I'm guessing they are a fusion between humans and NOVA. So they become NOVA, or at least close, they become something inhuman, ceasing to be in the bounds of humanity.

"Kazuha?" It was Emily that broke the heavy silence that seemed to permeate the moment the pair walked through the front door.

"Kazuha?" Her sister repeated behind her, a noticeable difference between the duo's voice with Emily being significantly louder.

"Emily?" My long haired companion had a questioning tone, I suppose she's quite surprised at the outcome. I for one had always known this might happen, more like I knew Audrey's sister was a PANDORA, but this coincidence is simply higher powers trying to screw at me.

"Kazuha? What are you doing here?" Emily walked closer to us in the dining hall. "Miya-san" she bowed respectfully at Miya, this tells me she's been here before. "Umm..."

"Emiya, Shirou Emiya." I stood up and bowed.

Returning my gesture, "Hoover, Emily Hoover, but please call me Emily, there's two Hoovers here."

"Likewise please call me Shirou, everyone calls me Shirou, and it's okay to drop the honorifics."

"Same here."

"Hey, you never told me to call you Shirou, or drop the honorifics." Kazuha complained from her seat.

"You were disrespectful to begin with."

"Was not." There was a slight waver in her voice, probably guilt.

I chose not to respond in order to not look childish in front of one of my fellow tenants.

I coughed so everyone would ignore that exchange before asking, "So Emily, by any chance are you acquainted to Aoi-san?"

Nodding to my question, "Well, I wouldn't say acquainted, we're pretty close at school so yeah, she is well...my roommate in the dorms."

"Oh really."

"Yup, we go to West Genetics, you know..."

"The PANDORA academy, if you mean that, yes I know." Despite the glory of being a PANDORA I have noticed there might be some social stigmas with being associated with PANDORAs. It isn't really anything strange of course, humans have always feared the unknown, and PANDORAs were a big part of that 'unknown'.

"I see." She nodded at my easy acceptance.

"So Shirou, you and Kazuha huh?"

Wait what? I almost spat out the tea in my mouth. Miya had her hand covering her mouth, no doubt she had a split grin underneath that delicate looking hand. Of course, Kazuha, being Kazuha, had indeed spat tea out when Emily dropped the bombshell.

I shook my head in a calm and collected manner, "You are mistaken, Kazuha and I are just friends. Mere acquaintances of course, we met at my workplace."

"And where's that?"

"The Lawson near the 3C section in Ikeburo."

She nodded, "I see...3C section in Ikeburo. Did you by any chance know that Kazuha barely knows how to operate her cellphone?"

"In this time and age?" Miya asked playfully winking at me.

"She isn't good with electronics, so why was she at that particular Lawson in Ikeburo."

I looked at Kazuha who was slightly blushing from the embarrassment, "Well, don't ask me, I'm not her." Secretly I was cheering at a fellow techno-noob.

"I was just strolling okay? So I can't walk around?" By now Kazuha had stood up, she looked a bit displeased and her tone slightly fiery. But then again, it was all right, she wasn't like super mad or anything.

Emily just grinned and waved her hands in a placating manner, "No one said anything Kazuha, just asking the lucky boy some questions."

"Lucky? Being stalked by a weird girl isn't my idea of lucky."

"Hey." Kazuha glared at me after giving an indignant cry.

"Hahaha, you sure are an interesting dude." Emily smiled before approaching us and sitting down, Audrey followed not far behind. When she finally got here she greated Kazuha quietly.

"Kazuha-nee-san."

Kazuha just grinned and patted the redhead gently, "Heehee, seeing you always make my mood better Audrey, thank god, I keep getting teased over here."

Audrey smiled, "No problem Kazuha-nee."

There probably is a story behind that, a story behind the reverence the redhead is showing towards Kazuha. Maybe it was because Kazuha was one of the strongest PANDORAs in the era, maybe not, maybe it had something to do with Audrey's androphobia, or maybe it doesn't. I probably won't know until some day when some one tells me, to tell the truth it isn't really that important, just something to take note of.

So the five of us just sat there quietly with the veranda rice paper doors still opened. Enjoying tea and biscuits with the afternoon breeze blowing against us. We sat there and chatted, enjoying the peaceful time. I really liked it, after years of battle I finally found peace, and I rather liked it.

The five of us enjoyed our afternoon of just doing nothing but enjoying each other's company, this is simply heaven.

"Why do you fight like that?" The purple eyed woman asked the silver haired man in an accusatory voice. "Why do you fight as if you don't matter? Why?"

He looked at her, the look in his face shocked her. It had only been hours before that they had enjoyed a nice afternoon in the dining room, but why, why now, why now when she looked at him, he felt so...so empty.

"I developed that style."

"I wouldn't call it a style."

"I developed that style, it is something mine and mine alone."

"But..."

He cut her off by holding out his hands. "It's mine."

Shoulders slumping she asked a question she wish she knew the answer to. "Why do you fight."

He looked up at the moon, a silver crescent hanging high up in the sky. "Why do I fight?"

There was a pregnant silence.

"A long time ago I'd say I fought to become an Ally of Justice, to save others. I really liked it you know? The feeling of being relied on. The smile one has when they save another, I really wanted it, to be a hero, to be an Ally of Justice."

There was another pause.

"But then, after years of following that ideal, following that singular goal, I threw it away. Instead I fought for Sakura, I gave everything for her. I gave up everything for her. I killed for her, I fought for her, I gave my humanity to her, and I would gladly lay my life down for her."

There was tears rimming Miya's eyes, she didn't like the direction where this was going. She knew she's not going to like the final answer.

"But that was all long ago. Now. I fight because I have to fight. I fight because I am a sword. I fight because fighting is my purpose. I'd say I'm a sword forged to save others, I'd really like that, but really, that'd be a lie. I'm not some holy and righteous instrument, just another weapon used to kill others. No glory, no honor. I fight for the sake of fighting. I fight in the name of justice, but in the end, it's just all blood, there's really no difference. To answer your question. There's no reason for me to fight. I fight because in the end, this is my purpose, an unending conflict, an unending war." He grasped his hand in the air, clutching into a fist.

A fist in the sky.

Just like a burning fist facing the sun he once remembered, he once was.

But now, it's a fist encased in moonlight, covered in shadows. How far has he fallen.

The two just stayed there, an unhealthy silence between them.

Then she moved. She got closer to him.

Closer, closer.

Until she was right up to him.

When she was right up to him.

She hugged him.

Embrace.

Ignoring the flinch she felt she held him, bringing him to her warmth.

She released the breath she didn't know she was holding.

She released when she heard the sound.

The sound ringing in her ears as she brought her head to his back.

"Badump. Badump. Badump." An irregular rhythm. A strange rhythm.

But it didn't matter.

Because she knew.

Because Miya Asama knew, that Shirou Emiya had a beating heart.

A/N:

A faster update this time and slightly longer.

To tell the truth this could all fit in the previous chapter, but yeah.

I know a lot of people would say I'm bastardizing Shirou with my closing section

But am I really?

Archer knew he wasn't saving anyone. Or more like he wanted to believe he was when he killed as a CG. Is it not right that he's beliefs would be changed? Sure he wanted to save people, but that is no longer his purpose. His purpose as a CG is just to kill, to kill, and to kill. Well that's my interpretation of his character.

And previously I said nihilism, it is almost true, I have some problems against that but it sorta fit.

"thus this life has no meaning, his body is surely made of swords." I'm seeing Archer's life from his Aria, where he claims his life is solely for his reality marble, where his life has no meaning. I heard that he made his RM out of the battle experiences he had, so that makes him who he is. Without his experiences, without his battles SHIROU EMIYA is no body. Since he only lives for his swords he has no feelings, nothing, just battle. Technically Nihilism has lots of meanings, one being a rejection of institutions and established laws so technically it is true.

I see ARCHER as a sword, that's why he contradicts himself a lot emotionally, cause he doesn't know how to deal with it. I see ARCHER as a man who lost everything and just decided to keep fighting. And fighting is the only thing he is. He lost his humanity to fight, lost his empathy, lost his emotions. Total immersion.

But then again this is just my own interpretations.

Miya is also an emotionally conflicted character in my opinion.

She wants to be civil, she lived her life in a lie. Lived her life in a false sense of civility.

And she'll do anything to maintain that. Or will she?

She is strong, but she wills herself to be weak.

That's why she completely overreacted in the previous chapter, denying reality.

Right, and someone asked if MIYA will be PANDORA, the answer is no, there won't be any weird addition to the PANDORA cast, and it'll probably be timeskip in a few chapters, and no SHIROU is not going to highschool

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-Wiltheavatar