A/N: I moved the 5th Grail War timeline. Don't think too much about it.
He was at a loss for words. Flabbergasted. He should have been pierced by the red sword, his new life snuffed out in an instant by a being that had no remorse for his actions, for who he kills or harms. Shirou Emiya was angry, insulted, to die against such a person. Yet…
Death never came.
Answering his prayers, a figure stood in front of him, clad in white and black. She floated in the air with wings of light, her pale blond hair flowing like a veil.
She turned, gazing at him with her ruby-colored eyes. She was exceedingly beautiful. If he could make an analogy for her, he would call her an angel. He was no catholic, but he knew about the mainstream depiction of them. She fit the bill perfectly.
She spoke, tone even and somewhat robotic, yet carrying with her air air of grace and determination."Valkyrie Thrud, has heed your summon. I'm ready so serve as your Servant."
After a moment, her eyes opened wide, mouth hanging agape. "Eh…? You are… human…?
That sealed the deal. Whatever this woman was, he wanted to be with her.
Sometimes, he had that dream, that memory. And he always wished to get lost in it.
But he had slept enough. He was physically fine and back with the Chaldea crew. Now was the time for action.
Shirou woke up early thanks to the bright morning sun. Of course, being a giant sun that never moved and seemed closer than the one in the solar system made it more effective.
When he finally got himself out of bed, he noticed he was butt naked.
"Damnit," he could not see his clothes anywhere, and he couldn't be certain someone would not come barging in. Even thinking about that was jinxing it. So he opted to use the sheets as a sort of shoddy skirt. He would have to apologize to whoever they belonged to.
He opened the door, stepping into the adjacent room. It was plain and made from wood, the amenities combining a living room, kitchen and fireplace. It was sort of homey.
"Good morning. Are you fine now?" Asked a girl near the fireplace, pouring something into a bowl.
"Ah… yes. I'm alright." He remembered her name, Gerda.
"Good. Come have breakfast. Your friends already had some," she placed the bowl on the table. Shirou walked to the window and looked outside. Everything was plainly bright, not casting any shadows.
"Damnit! Did I oversleep?" he asked himself. He thought he had that under control, ever since he improved his magecraft training regimen.
"We let you. It just seemed appropriate. Now come get some food." Shirou looked around instead of following her orders.
"Hey, were are my clothes?" he asked. At this the girl gasped and nearly dropped her bowl.
"Right!" She rushed back to the fireplace and took out his clothes from a hanger before giving them to him. He thanked her and quickly got changed. Fit inside his black armor and pants, Swan Mystic Code over his shoulders and around his waist, he sat down to eat.
An awkward silence set in, at least for Shirou, but the girl did not seem to notice.
"How old are you?" she asked suddenly. Shirou raised an eyebrow.
"I'm… twenty-seven I think," he replied. Had ten years passed since the war? Since he last saw Thrud or Hildr or Ortlinde? How many years since he saw Luvia? Or Rin? Or Sakura?
"Twenty-seven! How many children do you have?!" She asked, lifting herself over the table.
"Huh?"
"You know that here we can only live up to the age of twenty five before being taken by the envoys. That is if we have children of course. So you must have at least two for your life to be extended so much." Shirou had to pull his chair a little farther from the table. The wonder in the girl's eyes was very strange.
Only living up to twenty five… that was monstrous indeed. People deserved to live. He had seen lives cut down much earlier, and for him twenty five was already too early.
"W-Well… I don't really… have any." At this, the girl seemed disappointed. She sat down again, going back to taking sips from her soup.
"So I guess that's why the envoys took you away. But you returned. How was the other side?" she asked now. She was a very curious girl in his eyes. It was kind of endearing.
"It was…" What could he say? How much did she know of the world outside the village? She seemed alright with everything, so he guessed not much. "Alright." he answered finally.
"Oh, I can't wait to get there. I'm nearly fourteen now. I hope Valhalla is as nice as they say." Valhalla, that ever distant dream. He knew it was a beautiful place were warriors indulged in food, drink, pleasure and warfare in preparation for Ragnarök. But if it had already happened in this Lostbelt then, what awaited there?
He didn't want to think about it. Not that he would ever get there in this life. Still, if the chance existed…
"You shouldn't look forward to the end, you know? You should enjoy the present while it lasts." He told her.
"Why? Everything I do is while waiting for the promised day." He froze for a bit. That empty, innocent look she gave him reminded him of his younger self. A little boy who did not enjoy any leisure, always focused on his dream.
He never would have changed, not by himself at least. It was by hypocritically wanting the Valkyries to enjoy themselves outside their mission that he began to indulge in the simple things in life. He changed their outlook, helped them discover their hearts, and in doing that, he ended up changing himself. Of course, he needed a smack or two in the head from the girls in his life to help him see that.
"Well, maybe you could try some things. Some things that you find fun, that make unique memories or bring you joy." He said, finishing his soup and bringing it to the… sink? More like a bucket with water sitting in the corner along some cleaning tools.
"Like what?" Gerda asked, still seated on the table.
"Well, I like cooking for others." Gerda rubbed her chin.
"Cooking… yes. I like doing that. But I only ever cook for myself." That was normal, especially in this place.
"Well, if you want, I could teach you a thing or two. Maybe…" his words died in his throat. What was wrong with him? These people, they were going to be erased when they cut the Tree of Emptiness. What was even the point of interacting with them?
No. He could not allow himself to think about that. He had to move forward, no matter how much it hurt. No regrets.
"Maybe...?" Gerda cocked her head. "You alright?"
Shirou looked away into the window. He saw his reflection, he looked distressed, but in a second he fixed that.
"I'm fine. Where are the others?" He asked.
"Outside the walls, in that big black box." Shirou nodded and went for the exit. Grabbing the handle of the door, he looked back to the girl.
"Thank you for the meal Gerda, I'll see you later." He smiled. She smiled back; an innocent, happy expression that reminded him of Illya's own.
"Of course. Please be safe." With a nod, he left the cottage.
He strode trough the village, looking for the Chaldea crew, or anyone willing to tell him directions. However, there was nothing of the sort. Life went on without a hitch, however. He could see some adults tending to animals and small children, while teenagers worked on some menial tasks like firewood and cleaning.
He also noticed kids running around. A lot of kids, more than what a single village could sustain without being defenseless against bandits or other disasters. This was the love from Skadi. Living with no objective except having children until the day of dying came. It hurt to think about, because he saw himself on every single one of them. A hollow life, endlessly working towards a foggy goal until his eventual death.
He saw a few children run towards a grassy hill adorned with yellow flowers that rose above some of the houses. At least five kids converged up there, circling around a figure. Curious, Shirou followed them.
Once he got closer, he could make out the figure. He had never seen her before in his life, but, something about her felt oddly familiar. White hair that, on it's inner folds held a star field, outfitted in black and purple armor, she wore a gentle smile as she played with the children, showing them the beautiful flowers and following their every step.
She was beaming despite her cold colors, and he found her exceedingly beautiful. Her sharp features adorned her slim and tall body very well.
The children spun her around, and in that moment her indigo eyes caught his. Realizing he had been staring like an idiot, he turned away with a blush. He was an adult man, yet his reactions were those of a child. What was wrong with him? She had to be one of the new heroic spirits, and if so, he could not afford to be rude. Not when she could run him trough with her noble phantasm.
When he looked back, she was on her way towards him, floating above the ground like an angel.
Before he could think of anything else, she was already addressing him.
"Hello, magus, it's an honor to meet you," her voice was airy and melodic, but it also bore a lot of sorrow. "I'm a Lancer class Servant, True Name Brynhildr."
"Brynhildr?!" he asked on reflex. How could he be so daft? It was her, the elder sister that the Valkyrie sisters always talked about with so much fondness. That's where the familiarity came from, yet she exuded power unlike the one from his lovers. And she looked so different from them too.
She retreated slightly, smile transforming into a frown. "Yes. Brynhildr. Does my presence displease you?" Hearing her hurt voice, Shirou felt he had to say something.
"Don't say that. I'm not displeased, just surprised," they fell into an awkward silence that the Lancer servant broke.
"I see. You must be Emiya, the man that was freezing cold. Master was worried about you." Of course he had made Ritsuka worry, and he felt terrible about it. He hated seeing people worry about him. He would need to better care for himself next time, fight more defensively.
Thrud would want that. Better defense, less damage, less need for others to concern themselves about healing. All for the others.
"I'm sorry about that. Really. Where is she now?" he asked.
"Follow me," And so, she guided him to the wall surrounding the village. Brynhildr spoke as they walked. "The settlement is surrounded by a very strong bounded field that masks it's presence and protects it, while preventing entrance from non-human foreigners. The door won't open, but with my runes, I can open a path. They are the same magecraft after all," With that said, they reached the wall.
Brynhildr wrote something on it, and in an instant it shone before revealing a door-like passageway.
"It won't last. If you want to enter again, let me know." As they exited, Shirou spoke without thinking.
"Or you could teach me," he had no time to correct his nonchalant tone, and Lancer noticed.
"You know rune magic? From the Old Gods?" she sounded surprised. Emiya looked away.
"Y-yes. I was taught some. I'm not very good though." The Shadow Border was in sight, resting near the crystal ice forest.
"May I ask by whom?" They trekked quickly trough the snow field. The air was cold, but the sun shone so brightly Shirou had at least some heat on his face.
"I…" Could he really reveal his relationship with the Valkyries? If his experiences with Taiga and Illya was true, then it could end badly, and with a very tall elder sister chasing him around to kill him.
"Fou! Fou!" something landed on his head, and wiggled it's puffy white tail in front of his eyes. Just in time. And if Fou was here, then…
"There you are, Emiya-Senpai! Come on, the meeting is underway!" Mash came from behind the border, clad in her Ortinax and apparently happy. Shirou smiled, grabbed Fou from his head and hurried to the vehicle.
Everyone was rounded up inside the Shadow Border, where the missing Paper Moon device should be.
Napoleon, Brynhildr, Mash, Da Vinci, Goredolf, Ritsuka, and Shirou.
"Alright. Holmes is still recuperating, so we'll need to make a plan ourselves." Da Vinci said.
"Well, We've got Brynhildr to deal with Sigurd. And Napoleon can deal with the Valkyries." Ritsuka said, stepping up. Her amber eyes turning to Shirou for a moment. A small smile spread upon her lips, and he smiled back.
"But what about the Goddess? We need to face her as well!" Goredolf objected. He was right. Skadi was the biggest threat to them. Now Mash stepped up,
"We need to rescue Sitonai, that's our best chance." Upon the mention of Illya, Shirou grimaced. He looked to Mash in the eye.
"That won't work. She stayed behind for a reason. As long as we have her with us, Skadi will no doubt consider us a threat," Ritsuka said. At this, Mash grit her teeth and stepped down. Shirou felt sorry for her, he knew about powerlessness. At least now, he had Fou to pet when things got bad.
"I doubt she'll do anything! That's just the sort of woman she is!" Napoleon boasted.
"I've met her." He said. Everyone turned to him.
"Really? What did she say?" Ritsuka asked.
"That she'll love us. Or at least, me. But once I made it clear what our mission was, she locked me up." Shirou replied, feeling somewhat restless. He did not like their stares.
"You told her our plan?! You fool!" Goredolf screamed, trying to walk towards him before being stopped by the bigger Archer Servant.
"Woah there shorty! We're still in one piece. That should mean something. Either she underestimates us, or knows exactly how strong we are," he then turned towards Shirou. "Still… this is quite the setback. Any offensive action will probably elicit a full force response."
"So… this is still impossible…" Goredolf whimpered, but Napoleon only smiled.
"Ha Ha Ha! Not at all! This is just the kind of thing I was made for! I have the perfect thing for it. A trump card." Shirou's eyes widened. Indeed, he could analyse his massive cannon, but anything else was out of his comprehension, mostly because it was a firearm.
"You sure?"
"Absolutely!" He gave a thumbs up, and Shirou couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. He liked his optimism, he was optimist as well but… his boisterousness annoyed him somewhat. Too reminiscent of another Servant he once met.
"Can it defeat a goddess, tough?" Asked Ritsuka, placing her hands over the empty metal 'table' on the middle of the command room.
"Hmm. Pretty sure. But what happens after is… dubious." His smile faded, and he looked away in embarrassment.
"Then we're still on step one. We can defeat Sigurd and the Valkyries, but Skadi can still stop us if she so desires." Da Vinci added.
"And we have to cut the tree down, urgently. At least, that's what Sitonai said." Ritsuka said.
After this, everyone fell silent. All of them pondered what to do, until Brynhildr spoke up.
"Sorry to speak up like this everyone, but I may have a solution. Even if it's chance of success is meager." Everyone looked at Brynhildr.
"Really?! Then speak up woman!" Shirou glared at the Director, and was about to say something, but Brynhildr shot him a look at told him 'no'.
"Is it another Heroic Spirit?" Ritsuka asked.
"Not exactly. But it is a figure of Norse mythology. And if Ragnarök really was different in this Lostbelt, then it's very possible she's still alive." Brynhildr looked at Da Vinci. "Can you bring up your map?"
Da Vinci nodded. The area map of Scandinavia showed up, or at least the one from proper human history.
"I'm not sure if this still exists, but it's worth a shot. In that mountain…" she pointed to a spot that was on the other side of Skadi's castle, mirroring the distance of it towards Brynhildr's own fiery palace. "… lays Sinmara. Or at least, that's how it should be."
"Sinmara?" Ritsuka asked.
"Surtr's wife. She held a special weapon that had no clearly defined form. She was also a fire giant." Mash answered.
"Indeed. As a Musphel, and Surtr's wife, she held considerable power. Sadly, not many remember her so she's unlikely to be a heroic spirit, but she should still exist in this Lostbelt as a divine being. If that's the case, I'm sure she still hates the gods, much like Surtr once did." At this information, Shirou rubbed his chin, letting Fou down on the floor.
"So, if we find Sinmara, we could have a fire goddess, or something similar in power."
"That is correct."
"Think Skadi knows of her?"
"Most likely."
"Then the moment we go get her, we're done for."
"Hmm, hmm. That's where I come in." Answered Napoleon with a cocky smirk.
"What do you intend to do, Archer?" Brynhildr asked.
"Why, a distraction, of course!" At this, Napoleon skirted around the room and grabbed Mash from one shoulder and pulled her close. "Private here is the master of taunting and goading enemies into attacking her shield, isn't that right private?" Mash blushed slightly at the close contact, and Shirou could see a jealous look on Ritsuka's face.
"T-T-That's right, Archer." Mash said.
"Then while someone gets to that lady, we cause a ruckus big enough so that Skadi has no other choice but have her eye on us!"
"That could work. Still, who will get to her? Fujimaru needs to be near Napoleon and Mash to command them." Da Vinci said.
"Well… I could always go… but… I'm not sure how much I can last outside. And someone has to guard the shadow border…" Goredolf whimpered. Shirou sighed.
"I'll go." He replied. Every eye turned at him.
"Well, we got a brave one! Are you also a Master?" He asked.
"No. But I can take care of myself." Ritsuka looked at him with a worried expression.
"Are you sure? I could make Mash go with you." Mash's eyes turned wide.
"But Senpai…!" At this, Shirou raised his hand.
"I'll be fine." He said.
"So we're all set then. With Brynhildr, Napoleon and Mash we can beat any opposition. We can take out the Valkyrie commanders and Sigurd in one fell swoop while Shirou gets Sinmara." Ritsuka said.
They really were doing it. Thrud, Hildr, Ortlinde. They would be killed. His chest hurt. He knew what he had to do, he had the strength and the resolve to do it if it came to that. But… something inside him screamed out.
Since his capture, it had been a possibility. But with everything that happened, he had no time to think of a way to save them. Sadly, time had run out. He had to speak out now.
"Listen… I need to make a request," he said. Once again, all eyes landed on him. Many were skeptical, but at least he seemed to have Ritsuka's approval.
"And what would that be?" Goredolf asked with a glare.
"I believe we can save the Valkyries. I know it's a selfish request, but–"
"Selfish?! It's also idiotic! They are enemies, and even if we turn them to our side, then what? We'll destroy them anyways when the cut down the tree!" Goredolf said, pointing a finger at the other magus.
"I don't approve of the tone, but Gordi's right. We cannot afford to risk that, Emiya." Da Vinci said. Shirou grimaced.
"Look, I know them. I believe I can reason with them," At this, Mash shook her head.
"As much as I would like that, I'm afraid… our safety comes first, Emiya-senpai." Shirou grit his teeth. It looked like he would not be able to save them in the end. He could try alone, but that would put everyone else in danger, and he was not about to do that. He try to save everyone he could, but he knew his limits.
At this, Brynhildr put a hand on his shoulder. It was cold, but it also gave him some comfort.
"Emiya, I also know my sisters. They are absolutely dedicated to their duties. But they also have human hearts in them. Are you sure you can convince them?" Asked the eldest Valkyrie. Shirou looked at her in bewilderment.
"I'm sure. And even if I can't, I won't simply give them up." At this, Brynhildr nodded.
"I'll lend you my support, then." She said.
"What?!" Goredolf's expressions of surprise and realization were always very amusing to Shirou, even if he felt guilty about it.
"Sounds like an impossible mission," Napoleon stepped next to him, a serious look on his face. However, he quickly turned to the rest of the crew and smiled at them. "And that's what I'm all about! Doing the impossible! No matter how far the dream, it's my duty to help this lad reach it! Especially if it's for love! Otherwise, my own engagement with Ophelia would be marred."
At the Servant's declaration, Shirou felt his face heat up. "W-Who said anything about love?! I just want to not have to kill them, that's all!"
"Sure! That's the spirit, my dear private!" He slapped him hard on the back, sending him forward a little. It hurt more than a normal slap in the back.
"Private?"
"Well, yeah! I would only go ahead with plans that come from my Grande Armée. That is… if my Master approves." Now, Archer turned to Ritsuka, who was smiling at him.
The young woman looked at Shirou. Her eyes were a mixture of joy, approval and relief. It seemed she had a better sense of duty than him, but at heart, she also wished to save people.
"F-F-Fujimaru! You're not possibly–"
"If we can save them, then I'll go with that plan was well." Goredolf glared at her, but did nothing else. Being the Last Master of Humanity had it's perks it seemed. She then turned to him. "You have one, right Emiya?" At Ritsuka's question, Shirou nodded.
"Somewhat. I agree with Napoleon's distraction plan," he stepped in the middle of their little group, and fixed Archer with a nod. "However, it's likely Skadi will keep track of us. In that case, I'd like to take Brynhildr with me." Once again, pairs of widened eyes rested on him.
"But what about Sigurd?" Mash asked.
"Yeah. He's the reason we rescued her in the first place. Also because we couldn't leave her like that, but you get my point." Napoleon added.
"I guess…" Shirou was at a loss. Sending his allies to fight an enemy they couldn't win against was the epitome of selfishness, but, even so…
"I agree with his plan." Brynhildr said. Her face was no longer with an ever-sorrowful expression, but a serious and determined one. There was no convincing her otherwise now. "I'm sure that, with a command seal, you could recall me back, Master Ritsuka. And I'd be able to take Shirou with me." At her proposition, Fujimaru grabbed her wrist and looked at her command spells. Two strokes were left in the symbol.
A sigh from Da Vinci caught everyone's attention. "I'll modify the Olerus board for maximum speed, with that, you should be able to reach Sinmara and get to the castle without the need for a command spell." Ritsuka looked up after Da Vinci finished talking.
"If things take a turn, I won't hesitate to use one." Declared the Master. It made Napoleon smile more than usual.
"That's the spirit! Looks like we've got ourselves a plan, right?" The Archer looked at everyone in the room. All members nodded, Da Vinci, Goredolf and Mash were more reluctant than the others, but they were outnumbered anyways. Shirou almost couldn't believe they went with his plan, and it was all thanks to Brynhildr. Yet, he could not figure out why the white haired Servant trusted him with the life of her sisters, and that made him uneasy.
"Yes, but what about Ophelia's mystic eye? We still lack a countermeasure for that." Da Vinci said. However, any concerns anyone had disappeared when Brynhildr smirked.
"I think I might have a rune for that. Don't you worry."
"Oh, well, I guess we're all set then. Tomorrow, we'll set off for Skadi's castle, and the tree of emptiness. Be ready and rest well everyone." With that, everyone was dismissed, going off to prepare in their own ways.
Mash and Ritsuka went together into the village, along Brynhildr. Napoleon decided to remain stationed atop the Shadow Border, guarding it.
Shirou decided to exit the vehicle. The day was still young, and despite all the skills he inherited from Archer, his training in the clock tower and other parts of the world, and his own experiences, he liked to keep sharp.
Luckily for him, the phantasmal beasts from the Lostbelt were not much more powerful than a Magus.
Two ravens flew in circles above him, almost like waiting for the man to be lifeless meat.
That time would never come.
Shirou jumped away from the ice beast. It dug it's claws and teeth into the icy ground, leaving it trapped. Seeing it's neck exposed, the magus cut it open. Black blood spilled out as the best struggled and began to disappear.
Another tried to take a bite out of him. It came from his left, but he already knew it would do that. He raised the divine iron shield. It's huge maw clamped around the defensive armament, but it could do nothing else. Despite it's struggle to crush it, it did not give in.
It was a material he could not comprehend in it's entirety, being made by gods and all, but it's effectiveness was incredible even after all the years he used it. It could not be bent by anything that wasn't in the realm of mystic eyes, noble phantasms, or special abilities. And even then, any force received by it would not make it's wielder move.
Shirou used his free sword and stabbed it into the beasts' neck. Nine more were coming, but the last one would not disappear just yet.
Seeing no other option, Shirou left she shield behind, reinforced his legs and jumped away.
The beasts were fast and vicious. They would not let up.
He stood his ground, and channeled the magical energy in the air. Twenty-seven in his mind. The circuits flared to life. He could push each one to the limit, and create a barrage of seven swords. Just like practiced with Rin.
"Projection; Start" Magical energy swirled. He did the steps. He searched for what he needed in his reality Marble. Simple, durable swords made in the Age of the Gods would do. He would thank Gilgamesh if he could, albeit with some sarcasm.
"Beginning multiple projections," They appeared above, nothing more than specters. The ice beasts rushed him.
"All steps perfected, manufacturing process exceeded. Projections, stand by," Golden, immaculate swords, aimed at his targets.
"Deploy traced weapons!" They fired, blue motes trailing behind them. The beasts were impaled into the ground, much like a piece of cheese that too many people with forks tried to grab. In a second, they were gone along with his fake weapons.
"Good grief…" he said, breathing a sigh of relief. He really had pushed his body. The next day he would be fine, but in that moment he was spent. He had managed twenty-two, spaced out as to not get overwhelmed. A far cry from where he needed to be so truly be helpful in the lostbelts.
He looked up. Night had fallen. It was time to turn in.
He had found a small clearing with demonic beasts, far enough from the shadow border to not need to worry about them finding it, so he at least had some time to walk.
His thoughts drifted as he walked in the snow.
What would Taiga be doing? Nothing. She was dead. Turned into white dust, or worse. Same with Rin, Ayako, Issei. Even Sakura. Just months before joining Chaldea, he and Rin had finally managed to save her from an eternity of suffering inflicted by Zouken. She didn't even get one year of enjoying her new life before being erased.
And Luvia. He had told her he would come back from his trip in no time. Now he was a liar. Their relationship was complicated, or more like his own feelings were. The Finnish woman was quite sure about hers, and she always let him know about them.
He thought he was beginning to understand his own, but with Thrud, Hildr and Ortlinde back, along with an organisation that could summon servants… everything was up in the air.
But Luvia was also dead now, and the Valkyries were all he had left. They had pushed him forward once in the past, but now they were threatening to hold back his future.
Shaking off those thoughts, Shirou refocused on the path back to the Shadow Border.
He reached the vehicle. No one was around, he guessed they were asleep. However, on the top of the vehicle, he caught a glimpse of a figure.
White hair, pale skin, purple armour, looking at the sky with a large spear by her side. Brynhildr sat alone in the night.
He did not wish to disturb her, however, a question still lingered in his mind from the meeting they had.
He climbed the vehicle. The sound of his hands and feet grabbing onto it startled her, but upon seeing who it was, she lowered her weapon.
"Oh. Emiya, it was you. Good night. What brings you here?" she asked. Her expression was pleasant enough, the shadow of a smile creeping upon it. She was exceedingly beautiful. Unfairly so. By that comparison alone, he could tell she and the Valkyries were sisters.
However, now was not the time to be speechless.
"Well… I… wanted to ask you something," he said, scratching the back of his head. The eldest Valkyrie sat on the roof of the vehicle and tapped a spot next to her.
"Sit with me," He obeyed. They remained in silence. It was strange, meeting a woman as tall as him. "What did you wish to ask?" He took a breath. He did not want to offend her, but to not ask her would leave him with guilt.
"Why did you agree with me?" Brynhildr stiffened for a moment, before relaxing herself.
"You want to save my sisters." She replied simply. He hated when people did that.
"But you barely know me. How are you so sure that I can do it?" She looked at him, donning her usual sorrowful expression.
"You wish to back out?" She asked. He blushed, embarrassed. Seeing her sad hurt him, it was like making Ortlinde sad.
"Not at all! But, still, why do you trust me?" he asked again. Brynhildr took a moment to respond.
"Those clothes you wear, and that shield you wield, they were given to us by Odin, forged and sewn by his very hands," she replied. Shirou looked at his shield, a gift from Ortlinde, and caressed it. "For a Valkyrie to have given it away to a human, they must have really respected them, as a hero and companion. Or loved them even." She looked at him, straight in the eye. "Do you understand how much you meant to them?"
He looked away, because did. And he still let them go. How could he forgive himself for that? "I do. That's why I want to save them." The Valkyrie looked away and nodded.
"Then I trust you'll be able to accomplish that. And to tell you the truth, I don't want them to die either. They may not be the sisters I once knew, but I love them nonetheless. It brought me great pain to hurt Thrud, and... I left them behind once, in search of my own path, my own love. I don't wish to do that again, but it seems fate is not so merciful." After that, they remained in silence for a moment, looking at the moon. He liked it, he liked her.
He could trust her.
He yawned against his will. A lucky escape from the tense atmosphere.
"Well, I'm going to turn in. Night, Brynhildr." As he stood up, a hand grabbed his wrist with a strong, iron-like grip.
"Emiya," he turned to her, and saw her face contorted, as if in great pain.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Do not be kind to me, please," she asked, voice on the verge of cracking.
"What?"
"Abuse me, hate me, abandon me, but whatever you do, do not show me any affection. Otherwise, I fear for the worst," he understood. Her legend, that which would allow her to defeat Sigurd, would also mean she killed whoever she loves or considers a hero. A type of madness brought unto her by Odin.
"I understand. But I'll still refuse hurt you. Good night." Without looking at her, he pulled his wrist away and headed into the vehicle.
How could she ask something like that? He was a hero. Heroes did not hurt people.
Perhaps the Valkyries weren't the only ones in need of saving.
A/N: Not much to say other than to apologize for the delay. College is starting, and I'm having trouble finding the time to write with all this anxiety building up. But I absolutely love this Lostbelt story so I'll keep going.
See you next chapter!