Movement 2
Chapter 4
"Shirou-san!" Xenovia shouted as I rounded up on our house block, she was standing outside Sona's house with her [Excalibur Destruction] in her hands. I waved at her in greeting before gesturing her to stop, she was about to leave the bounded line that would have made the residence take notice upon a girl with a sharp sword, after blushing and nodding silently she waited for me to enter the premises.
"Shirou-san you're still alive!" she said as soon as I entered the bounded field. "Though after a second glance, I can see no additional injury inflicted upon you since we last saw each other. Did you perhaps escape without conflict?" she asked
"No there was conflict" I said remembering Freed for a moment "it was just resolved before serious injuries could occur" I answered
"I see, well the lord's blessing must be upon you this day" she said "I am glad" she breathed, I twitched at the slight pain I felt but shook it from my mind. Thinking over things for a moment I grabbed her shoulder stopping her from walking, she looked at me with a quizzical look.
"What do you know about Kokabiel?" I asked unable to stop myself, during my walk here I kept thinking about his question, the look his face had, the worry and fear that ran down Griselda's face as she stood in his presence. Things didn't add up.
"A lot of things. I know of his history as an angel however he became more notorious after his fall"
"What do you mean?"
"Well he and his army fell almost right after the Grigori faction were formed. On the sin of murder"
"Murder?"
"Oh yes. They took down an army of Rogue Human Exorcists. It was pretty horrific from what the history books tell." She shivered for a moment before continuing "After joining the Grigori's they were adamant to restart the Great War, of course Fallen Angel Azazel being him denied his request. After that news of him just piled up. Angels, Fallen, Devils and humans no one was safe from him and his wrath however despite that Azazel was still able to keep him from death though with this stunt …" She trailed off, sensing that was the end of it I motioned for her to follow me.
As soon as I entered the household of my Master I was greeted with the sight of Sona's whole peerage along with the two Exorcists and –much to my surprise- Rias Gremory.
"Shirou" Sona called out to me
"Good evening Master, I suppose there is a reason for the influx of people?"
"Yes, we decided it might be better to stay in a single place and we decided that my place would be best" she answered me and then gave a look to Rias who nodded
"Shirou-kun I hope this won't offend you but I had my peerage take refuge on your house" This time I nodded. I already knew that as my bounded field had already informed me. It was only a second later before Griselda rose from her seat and bowed to me. Though I knew what would happen next it did not lessen the uncomfortable feeling that was slowly rising.
"Thank you very much Shirou Emiya, if it were not for your help I would surely have died" she said sincerely, I waved my hand trying to send a signal to stop her from bowing.
"Its fine" I answered simply, she seemed to have gotten my feelings on her actions however instead of stopping she bowed lower.
"I owe you a debt for your actions this day" she said and I resisted the urge to face palm. The words were there as were the sincerity however there was the playfulness and slightly mocking pitch on her voice that deeply reminded me of Rin whenever she was consciously trying and succeeding in making me uncomfortable. On the side I saw Sona's eyes glimmer no doubt she was already having plans inside that mind of hers.
"Its fine, you owe me no debts." Sona turned to me sharply before she nodded and took the cup of tea on the table, a small frown on her lips.
"Somehow I had a feeling you would say that" Griselda said as she lifted her head a smile on her face. "More and more I wonder why you didn't end up as an agent of the church. With my recommendation you would go far up the ranks." Before I could answer Sona unceremoniously placed her cup of tea back to the table the action getting our attention.
"Can you start debriefing us on what happened based on your perspective Shirou?" Sona ordered, her eyes was closed but I had a feeling a feeling she was pissed.
"Of course Master, however before I do how about I cook dinner?" I asked, I felt a shiver ran up my spine as if a starving saber cat had just heard my statement but dismissed that idea, it was my time to shine, finally I would be able to show Sona my skills at least give her an alternative whenever she can't order from her restaurant. But alas Sona shook her head.
"We've already eaten, after all in the state the town is in I figured it would be better to make sure we had the energy while we had the chance. Hunger is the enemy." I raised my eyebrows at Sona's statement but nodded. With the barest hint of it I felt the starving cat disappear from my senses.
"Of course Master" and as Sona ordered I gave a brief recap of our little scuffle with the fallen Angels, though I purposely ignored revealing Clarent to them, I didn't need the headache.
"He asked you a question and just left?" Rias asked incredulously to which I nodded. "Is there any chance you satiated his curiosity, making him return to the Grigori's?" she asked but I can see in her eyes that she didn't really believe that was possible.
Shaking my head I answered negatively, the man reminded me too much of Archer for me too envision him giving up after that.
"I thought so" Rias said with a sigh.
Suddenly a large shockwave rippled passed us, shouts of alarm and worry came upon the people within the house however all of us knew what happened.
Kokabiel had made his move.
"And so what's the plan?" Rias asked
"We confront him, it's as simple as that" I said plainly, words won't stop him especially since I didn't even know his motive for causing this chaos. But it wasn't hard to garner a well thought out guess. Sona and Griselda nodded, Rias seemed to accept that there was no other way to stop this and nodded after a moment.
"Wait- wait – wait" Saji frantically said, in the midst of everything I had forgotten that Sona's peerage was also here. "You all can't be serious! A high level Angel is already bad enough but this one has an army behind him!" I had to admit he had a point. Maybe antagonizing him earlier was a wrong move on my part.
"He has a point" Tsubaki said unknowingly voicing my thoughts. "We won't be able to fight off the ten thousand Angels that follow him" Sona nodded before she turned her head towards me.
"Shirou" she said simply. Her eyes told me the very question she asked.
"If we were only buying time for the Maou's to show up then yes we could do it however if we were to fight him with the intention of winning then … we will lose more than a few comrades" I said gravely my voice showing my feelings on the subject. This was the moment I've been waiting the unsaid question I've been waiting ever since the day I was summoned and learned of my Master's heritage.
At the end of this day would I still follow her or not?
"Tsubaki" she said suddenly causing the girl to flinch. Her tone was hard and did not give the impression that she was not investing her whole concentration on the matter.
"Yes President?"
"Call both Maou's and explain the situation to them" Rias's Jaw fell at the declaration and it took no genius to figure out who those two Maou's were. "And call Yura back" Tsubaki nodded before rushing up the stairs.
"Wait- why are we calling my brother as well?" she asked frantically as she watched in horror as Tsubaki disappeared up the stairs.
"This isn't the time to worry about petty things Rias!" She snapped before she turned her eyes to me.
"Do you know of possible locations Kokabiel maybe planning on doing this- this war he seems to want to start?" I nodded
"He's at the school Master" her eyes bulged ever so slightly as she stopped and looked at me for a moment, taking pity on her I answered her surely next question "I felt him shred my bounded field just as I entered the house" and I am happy or even maybe proud that it lasted for fifteen seconds and took down quite a few of his Fallen.
She scowled at me -probably for not notifying her immediately- before turning to her peerage and addressing them.
"You're all going to need to stay outside and erect a barrier in case the some of the debris or rouge spell alerts the humans of Kokabiel's antics."
"B-but Prez. You'll need us in there!" Saji said defiantly, Sona raised her hand to stop them from speaking.
"I'll have Shirou there with me as well as the Exorcists and Rias's Peerage" Saji glared at me before grabbing my collar and pushed me towards the wall, knowing his feelings for his king I let myself get pushed.
"You better protect Prez, got that!?" he shouted at my face which was etched in a calm demeanor.
"Of course" and that was the truth. I didn't expect Sona to invest so much on the protection of a race not her own but I was happy about that. It meant I could trust her.
Saji smiled at me though his smile carried envy and disappointment of some kind "of course you will" he let go of my collar before turning to face the others and struck a pose of strength "Leave that to us Prez! As long as Shirou protects you, we won't let that barrier break!" none of us failed to notice how he worded that out. Oh well that's the best we could hope for.
"I'll go and prep my Peerage" Rias said as she left the house.
"Griselda are you fine enough to fight?" I asked and she looked at me as if insulted.
"Of course I am, that was nothing more than a flesh wound" she declared causing Irina to raise her eyebrow and mutter "really? Then why did I have to expend most of my magical reserves to keep you alive?" of course none of the none-human failed to hear that as well as myself and from the glare Griselda sent her way she didn't fail either.
"Anyway I noticed that the two of you have lost your swords" I said gesturing to both Griselda and Irina who have lost both their swords, Griselda shook her hand playfully.
"Oh don't worry about me dearie, I can borrow Excalibur destruction from Xenovia she has another sword to use" Is this her way of telling me that Irina won't be joining us?
"Wait –what about me?!" Irina asked Griselda, Sona looked at me with an expectant look and I sighed. Master really didn't have the patience for this.
"You'll help the Sitri Peerage with their work with the Barrier" Griselda said pointedly at the girl. The girl nodded solemnly knowing it would be pointless. A weaponless warrior is more of a liability than an asset on the battlefield.
"Well then we'll move out in five minutes, get ready everyone!" Sona declared, I nodded and walked off to my home to get ready.
Entering my humble abode I saw Rias's Peerage along with the king herself having their own meeting. Opting not to alert them of my presence I silently walked towards the stairs and walked into my room. And opened my drawer to get my gear. It was a simple steel Kevlar like armor with runes engraved in it and altered to be flexible, it was a crappy imitation of what Illya and Rin had created for me but it'll do. I went with the black long sleeved shirt I also imbued with runes. I was never one for capes as Archer seemed to be, finding them snagging at nails or other sharp edges at important times. I guess that's another thing Archer and I do not have in common.
After changing my clothes I walked down to find Rias and her Peerage leaving through the front door and though I didn't hide my presence I was still silent enough that only Koneko noticed me.
"Shirou – san" she said which made the Gremory peerage look back to me. "Cool" she said with only the bare hint of emotion coating her voice.
"Thanks" I said as we grouped up with Sona and the others.
"Now, Remember our primary goal is to buy time and only engage when necessary, if we can prolong the stand-off all the more better. We only need to hold out for two hours" Sona shouted causing everyone to nod. Tsubaki activated the Magic circle that sent us to the Kuoh Academy.
Gasps rang out as they saw the carnage that was the entrance to Kuoh Academy. Swords littered the grounds and walls of the school and just as sure as blood dripped from it were the numerous numbers of fallen that lay dead upon it.
"Shirou …" Sona tried but her shock stopped her.
"Yes, they tripped my Bounded Field" I answered and that caused all of their eyes to land on me. Worried for a moment I waved my hand and the swords that littered the place disappeared a few of them I noted worriedly were inside the school.
"Your defenses … caused this?" Rias said and I nodded.
"The defenses at our house …" Tsubaki started and I nodded "… well that's both reassuring and worrying"
Shaking her head Sona straightened "well let's not waste time here, Tsubaki prep everyone up for the barrier, we're heading in" with that said she proceeded without looking back with me just behind her.
"Hey Shirou!" Saji called out "I know this doesn't need to be said but if anything happens to the Prez, I'm kicking your ass!" I nodded and he smiled at me. We both knew he wouldn't be able to beat me as he is now however I'm sure that wouldn't stop him from trying.
With that out of the way we all followed Sona's lead while the student council along with Irina started placing defenses.
"Keep vigil everyone, we don't know their location and with the number that was outside I have no trouble believing that we're going to be fighting for our lives" Sona said.
"Please don't worry, nothing will happen to you … yet" a deeply familiar deep voice said in earnestly. I stopped hiding in the shadows and walked out, disregarding Sona's whispered words.
"Ahhh There he is, hello there Shirou Emiya, why don't you introduce me to your … friends" I sensed a bit of tension in his voice, deep resentment I didn't understand. He sat there upon a floating Throne made of marble and behind him amongst a small army of fallen angels was …
[ABOMINATION!]
[ABOMINATION!]
[ABOMINATION!]
[KILL]
[DESTROY]
My senses flared as I saw what the Priest was doing. He was trying to magically reforge Excalibur … The Last Phantasm, weaved out of hope, the crystallization of the prayer named "Glory", a sword too beautiful to be called "Beautiful", to have it reduced into something like this … to have it held with unworthy owners and tainted with reforming's …
Clarent held the personality of its owner Mordred and like her it adored Excalibur the same way Mordred Adored Arturia – no matter how much she may deny it -. Now it wanted out, Clarent was Raging at the slight the swords existence had on the image of the king she both hated and revered, as was Arondight and Excalibur Galatine as well as the other swords from Arthurian legends however in contrast Caliburn and Excalibur itself was silent, almost too silent, despite no words ever said by the swords the feelings the swords emitted was like a secret language only I can understand, even when the swords were quiet they would emit a kind of hum however right now it was strangely muted, I closed my eyes and focused on the …
Golden Blonde hair flew in the wind as a resolute face looked forward. Her silver armor that covered her blue dress glistened in the sunlight, her gauntlet covered hand held the sword that he deeply cherished within my own world.
There she stood as beautiful as she was the last time I saw her, so real that I could almost touch her, so close that I could almost feel her.
"Shirou …" the voice of the only woman I have ever loved, so pure and warm it resounded through me even though the king before me had yet to open her lips.
I opened my eyes and saw the light of Excalibur dimming before it resumed that all too familiar hum all swords in my world emitted. I let out a loud laugh inside Unlimited Blade Works. God, have I really change that much? From that boy who was so naïve that he disregarded the giant monster that was, Heracles the berserker to push the servant that was in danger just because he didn't want to see anyone hurt. Once upon a time a red knight told me one day I'll wake up and find I've become him, being the naïve kid I was I disregarded that without a thought. Have I unknowingly started to emulate Archer?
Regardless, I smiled at the Golden sword and nodded in thanks before I felt myself open my eyes, my body feeling at peace, even Clarent was relaxed now.
Sona and the others had gone out of hiding and was standing beside me while Kokabiel was looking at me with curiosity and a bit of worry etched upon his face.
"Are you alright Shirou Emiya?"
"Ha! You're one to ask that question" Rias voiced out loud enough to be heard by the Fallen Angel sitting upon the marble throne, Kokabiel made a face full off disgust before spitting indignantly at the side.
"Do not speak to me you scum" the venom in his voice was just toxic that I seriously thought he would have attacked.
"I'm fine Kokabiel" I said almost conversationally hoping to redirect his attention to me "I just couldn't believe what that old man is trying to do"
"Oh you mean, Valper Galilei? Yes, he's always dreamt of combining all of the Excalibur's, he's not afraid of what he has to do to achieve it. As I'm sure you're friend over there knows" directly behind me I felt Kiba tense before Rias placed her hand on his shoulder.
"So how do you want this to go? I'm certain you have some kind of plan here, though I seriously expected you to bring all of your Fallen here." There's a couple of things here that doesn't make sense however one of the few on the top of my list was the direction the pulse we all felt was from, it wasn't from Kuoh Academy but it was clearly Fallen.
"I did. Who do you think is going to make sure no back up Arrives until this show has ended" then it clicked.
"The Pulse we felt …"
"was them setting up a Barrier" he smiled proudly at me "I know from experience that it won't be easy to muster up an army in short order and with a barrier powered up by thousands of Angels …" The statement was left unsaid and truth be told he didn't have to. Looks like we'll have to buy more time.
"I would like to challenge you to a duel, Shirou Emiya"