A/N: This chapter includes LB6 stuff, which is not available yet in NA. Just characters tho, but still, be warned.
Where was he?
Was this a dream?
He looked around. He was in the entrance of a palace, roofed with shields.
The sound of feasting and partying could be heard from the inside. He himself stood on what he guessed was some sort of porch or entrance platform with a roof. It gave way to a field of golden grass below an azure sky filled with rainbows.
The outside was… he felt it peaceful and cozy. Yet, Something told him it was a bad omen.
He remembered something. Someone had not reported in.
More information was shoved into his head.
His name was Ortlinde. He… she was a Valkyrie.
She waited for someone. Her sister, Sigrún.
Someone landed beside her. Valkyrie Thrúd.
"Has she contacted you?" she asked. Ortlinde fidgeted. There was no need for words among Valkyries, yet she felt at ease speaking out loud.
"No, sister," Ortlinde answered as she moved, until she was under the sky. She looked everywhere to see if her missing sister was coming.
Thrúd went to her side, lips pursed. "Asgard's doors will soon close. We should go inside. I'm sure there are heroes to train, battles to watch."
It was not proper of a Valkyrie to worry. However, when it came to her sisters that did not apply.
This was Sigrún. One of their first, alongside Brynhildr.
She was the closest thing they had to what would be called a 'commander'. She was stern, she was cunning, she was wise, she guided them and trained them. She never left them behind. If a Valkyrie had a problem, Sigrún was first in line to help. If Asgard was in danger, Sigrún was first to raise her spear.
She was a true Valkyrie.
After Brynhildr fell… Sigrún became their pillar of comfort.
If something happened to her…
Her head shot up. An identical wavelength was detected on the horizon by the young Valkyrie.
She reached out. So did Thrúd. However… their calls were rejected.
In a second, the winds shifted, and Valkyrie Sigrún landed in front of them, crouching.
After a moment of silence, she stood up, but her posture was different. Crooked.
She was covered in blood, her white swan mystic code stained red. Valkyries always cleaned themselves after battle. If she had not done so, then that meant she had come in haste.
Her violet hair was untangled, head wings jagged, and her normally purple eyes had something unhinged in them.
When she looked at her sister, Ortlinde felt the need to retreat, a sensation of cold and breathlessness.
She identified it as fear.
"Sister… Sigrún?" She asked. Her sister did not seem to notice her. She was usually so attentive too.
"Where is he? I want to see him," she caught something in her network. A name… Helgi. An order… to return. Directly from the all-father as well.
"You cannot, sister," Thrúd stated, lips pursed. That seemed to trigger Sigrún.
"Move Thrúd… move!" She shouted. Ortlinde felt a ringing in her ears. This… could not be Sigrún. This fallen maiden…
"Sister… please… if you keep acting like this…" Ortlinde feared for her. Sigrún had her weapons, her Odinseal was activated. If a certain guardian caught wind of it, she would be gone like Brynhildr.
"You oppose me? How dare you betray me!" She moved like a blur and kicked Ortlinde in the stomach, causing her to double over. She couldn't even process the attack.
Thrúd stood still, shocked. Her spear arm did not move as Sigrún's Divine Iron Shield smacked her across the platform and into a wall.
With both sisters incapacitated, Sigrún moved onto Valhalla's entrance.
"Father…" Sigrún muttered, breathing ragged. "...father!"
The doors of Valhalla opened. A tall, armoured figure stepped out, each step resonating. He dwarfed the rogue Valkyrie.
She knew him very well, it was built into her to know.
"Valkyrie Sigrún. You have betrayed the All-father twice, and attacked Asgard. This shall not stand," his voice boomed, so much that it made Ortlinde's ears hurt.
"You… you…!" She screamed, and charged.
Ortlinde pleaded her to stop. There was no point.
The god pulled out his only weapon, a large horn, and blew it.
The sound wave sent Sigrún back so strongly she crashed against the floor, cracking it.
"You have become an enemy of Asgard. You shall be banished, and like your elder sister your divinity will be rescinded. I shall carry out this judgement," with that, he blew on the horn once more.
The winds blew Sigrún back. Her swan Mystic Code turned to dust, her shield melted, her wings became a small crown, no longer able to connect to her sisters.
She screamed, doing her best to resist.
She locked eyes with her, with Ortlinde.
"Ortlinde! Thrúd! Assist me!" she demanded… or more like… pleaded. But neither could help her. They were not allowed to.
With pained eyes, she was taken away, cursing her father until she disappeared on the horizon.
Ortlinde could not ignore the screams of suffering, of anguish.
They played out in her head, again and again.
Their sister, their strongest, their pillar of valour, Sigrún, had fallen.
Shirou woke on his bed, face up.
He was covered in sweat, breathing heavily. He looked around the dark room, still face up on his bed.
He was in the Shadow Border, with Chaldea. That's what he remembered.
That dream remained on his mind, even if it was already fading into nothing. Only his nightmares about the Fuyuki fire managed to make him wake up like that. And even then… he was beginning to dream of it less.
He covered his face. Those screams haunted him. As did that name, Sigrún.
Was she a Valkyrie?
He'd have to ask someone about it. But for now, he guessed it was better to get up.
He dressed himself, strapped his Divine Iron Shield and Swan Mystic Code and left his cold room. Despite the warmer climate outside, the Shadow Border was still chilly, which was not to his liking. Someone could get sick, or feel uncomfortable.
He thought about going and cooking some breakfast, he had to go past the control room towards a small room that held a functional kitchen.
Once he entered it, he found Sigurd, waiting for him with a tray of food at his side.
"Good day, Saber," he said with a wave, trying to be cordial. "Where is everybody?"
"Good day to you as well, Emiya. To answer your question, they're outside," he said. It seems he had overslept, but maybe there was still time.
"Have they had breakfast?" Shirou asked.
"Yes. They left some for you here. Your Director made it, to my knowledge," Shirou cursed under his breath as he reached for a platter left near the paper moon console, due to the lack of any other tableware, he decided to eat there.
He hated oversleeping.
As he began eating, he and Sigurd fell into a comfortable silence, with the later closing his eyes as if meditating.
Shirou, for his part, opted to eat quickly so he could join the rest of the Chaldea crew. He was not about to waste a meal. Energy was important after all. The food itself was delicious, better than what he had ever cooked. He could not believe Goredolf made it. Perhaps he would be able to ask for some pointers later.
"You look like someone who is haunted by a dream," Sigurd commented out of nowhere. Shirou looked at him, and he looked back, teal eyes now open.
"I… yes. Well, more like a nightmare, really," he replied, thinking back to his dream.
"Dreams often have meanings. I've also heard Masters and Servant can see each other's past during sleep due to their connection," Sigurd said.
"No. It was nothing of the sort," Shirou replied. It had been a long time since he dreamt of the Valkyries' past. He had seen some of it, during the Holy grail war, but he had forgotten a lot. Dream memories were fickle, after all.
"Oh? Then, allow my curiosity to take over. What was it about?" Sigurd said, attention full.
Shirou looked away. Was it alright to share it? He didn't want to make Sigurd worry, or think he was unfit for battle. On the other hand, he seemed to simply be curious.
"Well, it was about the Valkyries," he stated, hoping that by some miracle, Sigurd would get the wrong idea and not inquire further.
"I see. But it was no normal dream, was it?" Shirou's eyes opened wide at Sigurd's statement.
"How did you–?"
"I have the Crystallized Wisdom of the gods," he said, pushing his glasses up, their lenses becoming white with the reflection of light. "Nothing escapes my sight."
"I… I see…" Shirou said, sweat-dropping. "No. It was… well… it felt real. Very real. Almost as if I were watching a memory. The only dreams I had that were like that… were those I shared with Servants," he stated, taking another bite off his breakfast. Sigurd turned his head away, as if pondering his next question.
"Any details?" Sigurd asked after some time.
"Well… Hildr and Ortlinde were there. Along with two other people," Shirou stated, trying his best to recall the dream as he poked his food.
"So the two sisters. Who else?" Sigurd asked, gaze serious and piercing.
"A tall being and… another Valkyrie. I think her name was Sigrún," Shirou answered. Sigurd's eyes widened for a moment, before his expression returned to being impassive.
"Do you know her?" He asked, leaning forwards.
"Not personally," Sigurd answered, shaking his head. "But Brynhildr told me about her once. She was the second Valkyrie made by Odin."
Shirou sighed. "How strange. In my dream… she kind of got banished."
"Banished?" Sigurd asked, rubbing his chin.
"Yes."
"Hmm," was the only sound that escaped Sigurd's throat. His lips were pursed.
"Why would a Valkyrie be… banished?" Shirou asked him. The events of his dream… in his opinion they had been horrible.
"A variety of reasons. Mostly related to their purpose. In Brynhildr's case, she disobeyed the All-father Odin and was stripped of her divinity," Sigurd stated, eyes closed and somewhat strained.
"Just for that?" Shirou asked, poking at his food.
"Yes. At the end of the day, Valkyrie were created to be tools. When a tool breaks, you dispose of it," Shirou's grip on the fork tightened. He was sure that should he let his anger flow, he would bend it. How hypocritical of him, since he did not mind being a tool… but that was also a choice he made for himself.
"I've had that explained to me many times. And it still makes me angry. Maybe Hildr and Ortlinde know something more," Shirou replied, going back to eating his food.
"It's more than likely. However, when it comes to their siblings, Valkyries are quite protective. You should breach the subject carefully," Sigurd said, as if lamenting something.
"I know that," Shirou said nonchalantly.
"Oh? You know them already," Sigurd said with a raised eyebrow. Shirou froze stone cold, fork still in his mouth. How did he figure it out?
"Y-yes. I summoned them… many years ago," Shirou admitted.
"And you bonded," he stated.
"Yes," Shirou replied with a nod, averting his eyes as he drank water.
"Wait… ah… I see," Sigurd smiled at him, coy.
"W-what?" Shirou said, nearly choking on his drink. He felt like a deer in headlights.
"Oh nothing. I just figured out… that you are one of my people!" Sigurd said, flashing his glasses.
"One of your people?!" Shirou exclaimed, nearly jumping from his seat.
"Indeed. It does feel good to meet another person who has a fondness of Valkyries," Sigurd said. He seemed extremely pleased.
"I… I see… yeah. But I'm not a great hero like you, Saber," Shirou said, finishing his meal.
"Regardless, we are linked by our love interests. Should you need to talk, you can come to me," Sigurd said, smiling brightly.
Shirou was left speechless, opening and closing his mouth, looking for an answer.
He found none. Thus, he opted for the second best option: Escape.
"I better go leave this, you go on ahead," Shirou said, motioning to the now empty tray. "If I need to, I definitely will come to you. But let's focus on saving Fujimaru for now," Shirou said, going to leave his tray in the kitchen.
"That would be the correct course of action," Sigurd said, getting up but not following him. Once the tray was clean and put to dry, Shirou left the kitchen to go outside. He had expected Sigurd to have left. To his surprise, he had waited for him near the kitchen door.
"Emiya," said the Servant, now sporting his usual serious expression. "The current state of affairs will do good to neither of you. I'd recommend you express how you feel."
Shirou looked at him for some time, trying to decipher wether he meant something else. But no, he had meant what he said.
"I plan to," with that he began heading for the exit. He heard the faintest blowing of a nose from behind him, but nothing else was said.
Another Krichat' corpse was thrown on a pile, outside the village. Thrúd, along with Sigurd and Spartacus had spent most of the night pilling them up and burning them for safe disposal.
She did not mind the menial labor, but still found it unsuited for her skills.
It seemed that at every turn, her usefulness was put into question. First Emiya had wanted them to stay behind in Chaldea, then it turned out there were no warriors (potential or otherwise) on the Lostbelt, and finally they had summoned Sigurd, someone who had hurt them greatly.
Still, Thrúd could not very well comprehend this uneasy feeling.
It is strange, isn't it? It makes me… hmmm…
It feels like my chest is on fire.
Yes! Yes! Exactly!
Quiet you two. Ignore it. Do not allow it to distract you.
I know, Thrúd.
U-understood sister. Forgive me.
Thrúd hummed as she traced the rune 'Kenaz' and a fire ignited upon the pile of corpses. They would soon turn to ash due to the magical flames.
"Y-you made fire!" A shrill voice exclaimed. The Valkyrie turned around to see a boy half her height staring at her in wonderment. He looked the same, and wore the same plain white clothes the other humans did.
"That is correct. I assume you have no knowledge of magic?" She asked. While Valkyries did frown upon magic and considered it somewhat dishonourable, their all-father had given them runes, and a mage that fought in battle was a warrior regardless.
"Magic? Uh… you mean the tools the adults have?" The boy asked in return. Thrúd sighed. No, it was not his fault. It was just the world he lived in.
"Not at all. Magic is… something that helps you fight, and survive," she explained. At least, that was the way she saw it.
That's not it at all, Thrúd.
Quiet. I'm simplifying it for his sake. Go back to standby mode.
Roger, roger.
Hildr went silent. Ortlinde's presence lessened.
"I-I see. Why would you want to fight, though?" He asked, tilting his head. Thrúd did a similar gesture.
"Why? Many reasons. Glory, protection, ideals… there are many reasons to fight," she said, turning to look at the burning pile of dead Demonic Beasts.
"I… don't know what any of that is. Usually the supervisors take care of us," the boy said, sliding into her sight.
"Yet they are not warriors. If not for our presence, you would have died," Thrúd replied, harshly. The boy seemed to look at the ground, as if ashamed.
"W-well, we never really… needed to fight," for some reason, Thrúd found that statement wrong. Alien.
"It's part of humanity to face conflict. Or so I understand it," she replied. She looked back at the shadow Border, where the Director Goredolf, Ophelia, Mash, Da Vinci and Holmes were looking over a map, discussing something. Spartacus sat a little more separated, tending to his short sword with a smile.
"Humanity… I do not know what that is," the boy replied. Thrúd looked at him for a while.
"It's… what you are," she said simply.
"What I am?" He asked, looking at his hands. "What I am…"
"Yes. You are a human. I am a Valkyrie," she stated. She felt… bad… seeing the boy so doubtful.
"A Valkyrie?" the boy asked, looking at her. Thrúd was not surprised. She did have human appearance, outside her head wings.
"Yes," she answered. The boy looked at the ground, pensive.
"So humans face conflict, then… what do Valkyries do?" he asked her. Thrúd's response was automatic.
"We search for the souls of fallen warriors and heroes, in order to bring them to Valhalla so that they can prepare for the end of times," she stated, like she had done a thousand times before.
"Warriors?" asked the boy.
"People who fight," said Thrúd. She wanted to motion around, but the area was empty. Instead she floated slightly off the ground, to show the difference between her and the boy.
"But… no one here fights," Thrúd pursed her lips. The boy simply looked at her quizzically. No, he intended no harm with his words. It was just the way things were.
"I-Indeed," she answered, somewhat hesitant. She knew where this was going, and she was powerless to stop it.
"Then what do you do? When there are no fighters?" he was so innocent. Looking at him, Thrúd felt something awful well up in her chest. A mix of things she could identify, but that would force her to feel and recognize them.
"I… I…" she looked around for an escape. She could not bear to look into his innocent eyes, she could not bear more questions. Just then, she saw an ironic salvation. Emiya and Sigurd left the Shadow Border and headed towards the rest of the group. "Excuse us. We have important matters to attend to."
She floated away, closing off any words the boy might have.
S-sister. Is everything alright?
Yes.
Something feels wrong. His words…
Do not dwell on them. He is but a child. He understands nothing.
Y-yes.
"Emiya-Senpai, you are awake!" Mash commented with some excitement. Thrúd approached the group, everyone oblivious to her presence.
"Good morning, everyone," he said with a small smile while scratching the back of his neck. Sigurd was at his side. Every time she looked at him, her stomach twisted in knots. "Sorry I'm so late. Really. Have you figured out why the village was attacked?"
"Morning Shirou," Ophelia said with a smile, which caused Shirou to turn away. Thrúd did not care, however…
She's calling him by his given name. They've gotten closer.
They were already close, Ortlinde.
"The Krichat' were probably following their instincts, as did the giants. They needed food," Ophelia said.
"But most importantly, we analysed some of their remains," Da Vinci said, leaning over the small table as if giving a lecture. "They are the Demonic Creatures from Russia, and Jotun from Scandinavia. Same species, same everything. Almost as if plucked from there and dropped here."
Thrúd frowned.
"Why would giants ally with Krichats' though?" Mash asked. Thrúd felt now was the time to speak.
"While the giants were never strictly our allies, they were warriors and thinking creatures. Ragnarök turned their minds to a single task. The destruction of the world, and their own survial," Thrúd said. She felt a pang of emptiness in her chest.
"So that confirms they are from the Lostbelt," Holmes said, scratching his chin. "They do not belong here."
"And they are attacking the villages," Shirou muttered. "We need to stop them."
"We must focus on saving Master," Thrúd interjected. Shirou looked at her with an expression of sadness.
"Thrúd-san is right, besides…" Mash said, face strained and looking at the ground. "... What is the point? We are going to kill them anyways."
An aura of gloom fell over the Shielder servant. Thrúd did not understand why. They were fighting for something, Proper Human History. Lives would be lost, inevitably.
"Mash… do you realize what you are saying?" Da Vinci asked, frowning.
"It's true," Mash replied, sitting on the grass.
"Just because they will be gone doesn't mean we should ignore them," Ophelia stated. "Forgetting them would be like… just killing them in cold blood. We… the Crypters… we knew what we did. Who we killed. It was painful… but we did not ignore them. You need to be better than us."
Ophelia looked at Mash with a strained eye, unwavering. Thrúd felt proud of her valour.
"Well said, Miss Phamrsolone," Holmes commented with a nod. Mash continued to stare at the ground for a moment, before sighing and getting back up.
"I'm sorry. You're right," Mash said, now looking at Ophelia. "But can we really afford it?"
"Even if we can't save them in the end, I think they deserve a better fate than being eaten. They still deserve to be helped," Shirou said, crossing his arms.
"I agree with Master, and Emiya. We must stop this," Sigurd said.
"We cannot abandon the oppressed, master!" Spartacus said then, jumping from his sitting position. "If these poor people are in danger, and their rulers won't help them… then it becomes our duty to rebel and save those poor souls!"
"Right Spartacus," Shirou said. "I guess we are all in agreement."
Everybody nodded. Thrúd did as well.
"Besides," Holmes interrupted, holding up a finger. "I have a theory about the origins of these beasts."
"Are you gonna share it? Or are you waiting until you have the right clues?" Da Vinci asked, a teasing smile on her face.
"This once, I'll let it out free of charge. As mentioned before, these beasts were moved here from other Lostbelts. We only know one other person capable of moving through Lostbelts…" Holmes said. Mash seemed to come to a realization then.
"Koyanskaya," she stated with gritted teeth. Thrúd noted that such an expression was rare for the Shielder to make.
"Correct. It's likely she is behind this attacks in some part," Holmes explained, pacing around the small table set up outside the Shadow Border.
"But why?" Ophelia asked. "If she wants to draw me out… it's proving ineffective."
"What's important is…" Mash said, putting a hand on Ophelia's shoulder. "… she may have the antidote."
"So we go after her, and her creatures. Kill two birds with one stone," Shirou added.
"If only we knew where the lair was. They must have one, right?" Mash asked, looking at Da Vinci.
"Possibly," said the little Servant, tapping her staff. "They are cold climate creatures. They would have to seek shelter somewhere cold and dry."
"Somewhere cold and dry…" Mash repeated.
Thrúd felt a pull on her waist cape. The boy from before looked at her meekly.
"M-miss Valkyrie?" He asked. Thrúd lowered herself to the ground, then knelt to his level.
"What is it, child?" She asked him.
"I… Don't tell anyone but… I think I know a 'cold and dry' place," he said, rubbing his hands together.
"You do?" Thrúd asked, with a much higher tone. The others turned her attention to her.
"Y-yes. It's beyond the village limits a-and the fence. I'm not supposed to go past it, no one is, but there is a cave in the forest," he said, looking around as if someone other than them where listening.
"Take us there."
And indeed, the boy took them into a forest that was cut into the otherwise plain crop fields. Mash was told to remain and protect the shadow border while Shirou, Ophelia, their Servants and the Valkyries themselves investigated the claim.
According to him, the cave sat deep within said forest. It was a dark place that ran for miles underground. The boy rode upon Spartacus' shoulder as they explored the forest. He took the rear. Meanwhile, Thrúd herself and Sigurd took the front.
Even if she did loathe…
No… despise…
No… feel uneasy…
No… disagree...
...with his presence.
Even if she did disagree with his presence, he was still a fantastic warrior worthy of Valhalla. And so, they took point together. In the midst of the formation, Emiya and Ophelia looked around, wary of any flanking attacks.
It would had been a quiet, tense journey had Spartacus not began to speak to the boy.
"Wow! Really?!" The Child asked, excitement clear on his face.
"Indeed. Never once we retreated, even if all odds were against us. That is why you should not just listen to whatever that heavenly emperor says!" Spartacus spoke to the sky, although he often turned to the boy.
The boy himself then turned to Thrúd, who had stared at him for a split second to confirm his status.
"Is that true of you as well, Miss valkyrie?" he asked, leaning over the man's shoulder as if it were a solid platform.
"Indeed, boy. We never give up, no matter what. Regardless of threat, regardless of damage, we never break," that was never a programmed speech. That one had been invented by their sister Sigrún.
Thrúd felt a pang of pain in their network.
Forgive me, Ortlinde.
I-it's nothing sister. I shouldn't let my grief–
–Nonsense! Sister Sigrún should be honoured.
"Hey Thrúd," Emiya interrupted her inner conversation. The Valkyrie turned to him, barely. She would listen to his words once. "Maybe you should refer to him by name. Try to make him feel welcome."
"Why would I do that?" She asked.
"Well… every human is different, no?" He asked. "Just like every Valkyrie has an individual name."
Thrúd looked at him for a long while, and then sighed.
Turning to the boy, she asked. "What is your name?"
However, he only raised his eyebrow.
"Name?"
"Individual designation, identification, serial number," she clarified. She noticed then, Spartacus had tensed up.
"I… don't know what that is. I'm just 'boy'," he said. So the humans there did not even have individual designations. But they were not a collective either. It was strange.
Spartacus did not take kindly to the revelation.
"Impossible! Monstrous! To even strip you of names!" He cried to the skies. "This emperor must be brought down!"
"Even the humans in Scandinavia had names! Why would they do something like that?" Ophelia asked. The boy continued to stare in confusion.
"Let's leave that for now. A humanoid opponent is approaching," Sigurd noted. Thrúd stared ahead, spear at the ready. The ground ahead was stepped on as a figure emerged.
Clad in light grey garments, Thrúd recognized her from Ortlinde's shared memories. It was the enemy Lancer Servant.
The group stopped. Sigurd and Thrúd got into position, ready to strike. Spartacus began to let the boy down.
"It's the Lancer, moving to engage the enemy," Thrúd announced. The Lancer noticed them, and also readied her spear. Her face was still not visible.
"Wait! Thrúd, stand down!" Emiya ordered, stepping closer to her. She turned slightly, eyes still glued to the enemy.
Why did he get in their way? Why did he prevent them from doing the one thing they were supposed to do? Did he believe them incapable? Undesirable?
Broken?
Something came out of her. Words that were not calculated, set up by her frustrations.
"You are not our Master. Do not order us around," Shirou stopped, and grew quiet.
Just then, the Lancer stepped up a little, enough for dim light to reveal her face.
"It's you…" she said, neutral stare turning into a glare. "… I knew you were behind this."
"You mean the monsters attacking the village?" Shirou asked. The Lancer flinched, and looked at him directly.
"Yes. Akuta assured us you were a threat, but we never imagined you would bring demons into our lands," said the woman, distaste evident in her voice.
"We are not responsible for this!" Shirou protested, swinging his arm to demonstrate his point.
"Why should I believe you?" Thrúd felt magical energy surround her.
"Because if we wanted to hurt your people, we would have done so already," Shirou replied. For a second, the woman hesitated. Then, she retracted her spear, letting the rear end on the floor.
"I know when I'm at a disadvantage. So long," with that, she jumped back into the trees, disappearing in the foliage.
"We can give chase," Thrúd stated, readying her flight mode.
"Let's focus on the demonic beasts first," Shirou said, breathing a sigh of relief.
"She'll bring Akuta. Unless she got more reinforcements… they will still be at a disadvantage. We could take them all out at once," Ophelia stated.
"Then let's not dally any longer. Give us your directions, boy," Sigurd stated, sheathing his sword.
"R-right. Just keep going like this," the boy stated, once again lifted into Spartacus' shoulder.
In ten minutes, they arrived at the cave the boy spoke off. In a place that seemed to lead to a cliff face, a mound of rocks opened up and revealed a cave going down into the depts of the earth.
"Hold!" Sigurd stopped them, holding a hand out.
"What is it?" Ophelia asked. With care, Sigurd proceeded to advance upon the area. He got closer to a rock that seemed whiter than the others, and used his foot to turn it around. It was a dismembered Krichat'.
"There's been fighting here," the group proceeded to look around, but found little else. However…
"Allow us. Dagaz!" Tracing a rune into the air, a bright light was emitted, illuminating the area in a warm yellow. Just then was the destruction more apparent. The floor was stained with blood, little chunks of flesh and bone lying around, but little else remained of any conflict.
"What happened here?" Shirou mused.
"Stay near me, boy," Spartacus muttered, holding the kid close to him.
"Sigurd, stay there. I'll scout ahead," Ophelia said then, stepping past the Valkyrie.
"How do you plan on doing that?" Shirou asked. Ophelia breathed in and out, and then her circuits flared to life.
"Wind, Licht, zeig uns den Weg. Oh Geister des Waldes. Führe unsere Jagd!" A summoning circle appeared in front of her, coloured gold, and quickly summoned a creature resembling an astral owl. Ophelia petted it a little, before it took flight. "Gehe."
It flew into the cave, it's golden glow soon disappearing.
Ophelia closed her eyes.
"What do you see?" Shirou asked.
"Same as here, all dead. Few remains, It's like something ate them," she replied, single eye strained.
"But look at this," Sigurd said, inspecting the dismembered Krichat'. "There's some sort of signature here."
The group looked at the body, and indeed, what seemed to be a seared stamp appeared on it. A design that seemed out of place on a traditional world like the Chinese Lostbelt. It looked more like a company logo.
"NFF?" Ophelia asked. "What does that mean?"
Thrúd did not know, however, Emiya seemed to have an idea by the way his head shot up.
"That's the PMC the director hired to take over Chaldea," he said. "And Koyanskaya seemed to be in charge of it."
"So we are on the right track. She is the cause," Thrúd stated.
"Alright. She must be nearby then," Shirou said, growing tense. So did Ophelia.
"There are bullet casings here," Sigurd stated, lifting one up. "She fights with guns, does she not? Someone else got to her."
"But–"
The air shifted then. Something traveled along with it, almost like a whistle. Then, Thrúd heard the familiar sound of flesh squelching and tearing. Spartacus flinched, left leg blown off.
"M-mister Spartacus!" The boy shouted, eyes wide. However, Spartacus remained smiling.
"Looks like an oppressor wants me to kneel," he said. Thrúd could feel a twisted anger bubble inside of him.
"Valkyrie. Protect the masters!" Sigurd said, stepping in front of Ophelia. Thrúd obeyed, out of her own will, and stepped in front of Emiya, shield raised.
Thrúd looked around, scanning every tiny move the forest made.
"Wow! A guy that doesn't kneel even when his leg is torn off? How admirable!" said a shrill voice. She didn't recognize it. But Thrúd knew something. She found it displeasing.
"Show yourself," she stated into the emptiness.
"Well now. That would spoil the fun, wouldn't it?" said another voice. A male one.
"I know that one," Ophelia said, short on breath.
Just then, out of the dark roof of the forest, two figures fell in front of the cave.
A woman with grey skin and a pink dress, wielding a black harp.
A man with a black shirt and orange pants, half covered in blood.
"Beryl Gut…" Ophelia said between clenched teeth.
"You remember me. That's good to hear," he said, pushing up his glasses as he looked at each and every one of their little group with what Thrúd could only identify as… hunger. "Where is Mash? Here I thought you left us all for her, maybe to get her in bed even?"
Thrúd heard Ophelia click her tongue. "It's not like that at all."
"Regardless… I cannot allow you to have her all to yourself. She was our teammate after all," he said, grin turning into a frown. Sigurd stepped in front of Ophelia, lips pursed.
"If your intentions are hostile, then I shall eliminate him now," he said, unclasping a pair of knives from his belt.
"Oh come on now, I don't want to hurt her. Brodime wanted her alive, after all," he said. Thrúd could tell that he was telling a half truth.
"Kirschtaria wants me back then," Ophelia stated, as if she knew all along.
"Yup. You really broke his heart. Poor guy didn't need that, you know," he was trying to hurt her with words, rather than actions. A dishonourable act. Ophelia said nothing in response. "Still, I'm not against what you did at all. In fact, I'm proud you finally found the guys to do something for yourself."
"You are not taking her," Shirou stated, breaking into the conversation. Beryl simply turned to him, as if staring to a rat or an animal.
"Who the fuck are you? No matter, I have no business with you, regardless of how tasty you look. Give her up. I won't kill her," he said, smiling again.
Just then, his Servant let out a giggle. "Regardless, you said 'alive', Beryl. Even if she won't walk with us, we could always keep her severed head alive with magic. Would also be an amusing challenge for her, to see if she can escape while only being a head."
Thrúd tensed.
"Oh yeah. Guess you're right, Archer. Will make less of a fuss for sure–!"
"–Enough of this. Engaging enemy!" Thrúd filled her lance with magical energy, and it shot forwards in a ray of light. Then, she dashed forwards intending to strike at the enemy.
The ray struck the Servant, but she barely moved an inch. Her thrust was, however, blocked by a black harp. The force of the strike shook the area.
"Well, didn't expect you to be so fun. Will you kneel? I can tell that you serve a ruler as well, little doll," those words, that sadistic smile, they set something alight in Thrúd's chest.
With a groan, she twisted her body and kicked the Servant aside, away from her master and towards a nearby tree.
"Saber! Take him out!" Ophelia shouted. With a single twitch, Sigurd closed the distance between himself and Beryl, and stabbed him through the gut, before retracting his sword and lopping off his head.
The Master of Archer was dead in a second.
"It's over, Archer. You should have protected your Master, rather than keep talking," he admonished. However, soon, Beryl's body dissipated into black smoke.
"A proper ruler does not abandon her subjects," said the Archer, lodging herself out of the tree. "Even if I must make them suffer a little."
She pulled out her black harp, and played a few notes. The strings lit up with a crimson light, and the air shifted. Multiple red slashes shot at her and Sigurd. Thrúd felt the air shift, and was able to block them with her shield, but there were many.
Gritting his teeth, Sigurd threw his sword into the air, and punched it. The emerald blade shot like a missile towards the Archer. The Saber Servant ran quickly behind the blade. Thrúd followed, intending to destroy the woman in a pincer attack.
Once again, the woman used her weapon to shoot multiple projectiles at them, however, that was not enough to stop them.
Saber's blade impacted her bow, and he followed it up with a kick to it's hilt, which once again sent the woman tumbling back.
Thrúd evaded the projectiles shot at her, and positioned herself to stab her. Yet, the Archer managed to upright herself and evade her lance with an acrobatic move. Thrúd moved and used the momentum to strike her with the shield, once more knocking her to the ground.
She laid there, still, for a while.
"Come on, Archer. Start playing around!" Beryl's voice shouted.
"Can you spot him?" Thrúd asked Sigurd in a low voice.
"Negative," Sigurd said. Then, a group of footsteps trailed behind them.
Shirou approached, weapons drawn. Ophelia trailed behind him.
"Take her out now!" Ophelia shouted, she sounded terrified.
Just then, the Archer servant stood up, heels digging into the ground and apparently lifting her entire body without need for anything else.
Her smile was gone. She now looked at Thrúd with an impassive face.
"What bothersome servant," she said. Her eyes flashed, and Thrúd felt something. Her automaton instincts activated. "Kneel, my doll."
Before she could react, she was on her knee, weapons on her side. She didn't even resist. Sigurd turned to her shocked.
"Thrúd!" Shirou shouted, going to her side.
Thrúd didn't want this. Yet, she felt compelled to do it. It was… almost like an order from the All-father. And those orders were absolute.
"Wow! Can't believe it works! Can't believe someone made you specifically to serve someone like me! How wonderful! Now…" her smile was wicked. Thrúd's stomach churned. "… kill–"
A flash of emerald forced her to jump back, followed by a barrage of knives that duck into her shoulders. The Archer Servant screamed in pain.
"Agh! How dare you–!"
"–Leave, fiend!" Sigurd responded, he sounded so… angry. "Although I'd rather have your head."
"Why you…!" Thrúd shook with anger, just like her. Her body stood up on it's own.
"Enough Archer. You had your fun. Let the meat go tender," The Archer looked at the forest, then back at Thrúd, who was filled with dread, powerless to control her body.
The Archer smiled.
"Very well," she snapped her fingers, and Thrúd felt control return to her body. No, it was more like… orders were rescinded. "Oh, we'll have so much fun, doll. I promise you that…"
The woman faded into the same black dust that Beryl's corpse had, and disappeared.
Her energy signature also disappeared.
"Battle finished," Thrúd announced, letting out a breath. She felt weak. Her hands were shaky. What was this?
Sister… our connection cut out! What happened?
Y-yeah. You feel wrong. Was o-our spirit origin affected? Share your–
No! I am fine!
Sister–
"Thrúd?"
She felt a touch on her shoulder, and her head shot sideways, her sight landing on Emiya's.
"Are you alright?" He asked, not phased by her reaction. His touch… felt… wrong. But she was a Valkyrie. She was a Valkyrie. She was a Valkyrie. And nothing more.
"I am fine," Thrúd replied. However, she found her teeth clenched.
"That doesn't seem to be true," he stated. Just then, she turned to him, her flame alight.
"Then maybe start believing in me. I am aware of my full capabilities, you are not," she said, completely calm tone of voice despite the turmoil in her chest. Shirou retracted his hand slightly.
"Is this because I told you to stay behind?" He asked her, fixing her with an unwavering gaze.
"I just don't understand why don't you want us to fulfil our purpose?" She asked him, prodded by something else.
"It's not that at all. I just don't want to lose you," he said, stepping closer to her. However, Thrúd retreated, looking away.
"We won't die. So stop this. We don't need your doubts," she replied. For the first time, Emiya's expression looked hurt.
Before he could say anything else, Sigurd cleared his throat.
"I don't think this is the proper place for this talk. Although the way you… reacted to that woman is cause for concern," Sigurd said. He also doubted their capabilities. She turned to him with a glare that could kill, but said nothing else.
"We can think of that later," Ophelia replied, her breathing somewhat uneven. She was afraid. "Let's go back to the Shadow Border. Bring back one of the corpses. Maybe we can prove to Akuta that we are not a threat."
"Understood. What is Spartacus' status?" Thrúd asked.
"I told him to stay and heal his leg, then to bring the boy back to the village," Shirou stated.
"A waste of his talent," she stated. "Let's keep moving. There is much to do."
She did not speak a word, neither to Emiya nor to her sisters. She operated on automatic pilot, while recalling the sensation that woman injected in her. The sensation of doing what she was supposed to do, while also not wanting to.
For the first time in a while, she felt broken. Unfit to be a Valkyrie.
How she wished Sigrún would grant her guidance.
In the end, they managed to retrieve one of the corpses, and leave the forest with their mission apparently accomplished.
A/N: And that's it. Baobhan Sith and Beryl gut enter the stage, along with one more Valkyrie Sister.
I actually rewrote that scene with Sigurd and Shirou three times, each one with a different character, but none ended up sounding right until I got to Glasses Boy.
Now Sigrún… if you have seen the other Valkyries in the NP or in illustrations, she is the purple haired one. Coincidentally, Takeuchi made her as a reference to a character from Planet: Valkyrie whose named 02. So… I ended up making her the second Valkyrie to be born, and the second to fall.
But for now… she's just background.
As for Baobhan Sith, she has a special skill called Blessed Successor EX. Gameplay wise it seals NP and Skills, and lore wise… well… you'll see. I had to make up some things since I don't play JP.
That is all for now. Chiao!