"How is he doing?" Méuniere asked, sitting on a corner of the cell.
The Chaldea crew were kept in the Shadow Border, then forced out and taken to a cramped, almost decrepit prison devoid of any inmates until they themselves arrived.
The cells were small, made of stone and iron, but relatively dry and well ventilated. At least in Da Vinci's opinion. Beyond the bars, there was no exterior, only the interior of some sort of high tech dome.
Da Vinci looked at Méuniere, before turning back to Goredolf. Their Director had fallen unconscious after his first dosage of medicine had run out. He was dying fast, and without the cure or the Shadow Border's medical facilities, he would not last another day.
Da Vinci recalled memories of her creator, her other self. Memories both modern and from a distant past. Anatomy, disease, death, art, suffering. In her head they played, and she saw them. Yet, seeing them in flesh and bone was different.
But that was no excuse to panic. She was a genius after all.
"He will be fine," she lied, giving him a thumbs up. "We need to figure out how to get out of here before we starve or are executed."
"Well, I could try magecraft–"
"That will kill us faster," she stated, finishing with Goredolf's stabilization. "We need someone, or something, to take us out of here from the outside."
"And that someone is Emiya and Ophelia," Ménuiere stated.
"That would be correct," Holmes said, smoking the only pipe he had managed to get off the Shadow Border. "We can't risk death. Not when we are so close to the Tree."
Da Vinci raised an eyebrow. "What do you–?"
"We will not allow you to die. You'll remain here, as punishment and precaution," a voice announced. The emperor.
"So you have your reasons," Da Vinci said with a cocky smile. She liked riling up people. "Why not us? Can't stand to kill this cute face?"
"Silence. You are in my world. You will respect my desires. Now, tell us where your allies are," Da Vinci smile.
"I would tell you, but sadly not even my genius knows. They are that unpredictable," she said with a wink to the ceiling.
The click of a tongue. So he had that, or something like it. "Pests. No matter. Confucians and heroes of justice cannot resist spreading their disease. It would do you good to abandon your faith. Perhaps then, I'll give you another chance."
He went silent. Da Vinci sighed.
"What now?" Ménuiere asked. Then, Da Vinci pulled out her last trick. A small ball shaped device with spider legs. She had fashioned it from Goredolf's trusty sidearm. He was unconscious, or about to die. She was sure he would understand… given time.
"This little thing will go to them," she whispered. "For now, let's focus on keeping the director alive."
She dropped the ball, and it landed on the floor without moving. Then it spread it's legs, and began walking, first through the bars, then through the prison.
Mash Kyrielight's head swam with thoughts of what she had said.
It had been unfair. Yet, it had also made the tightness in her chest lessen, if only a bit.
Sitting near a tree, sunlight entering through the thicket, she tried her best to fix her Ortinax armour with the self repair tools Da Vinci had given her. It proved to be a considerable challenge, however, given the beating Xiang Yu had given her.
She couldn't stop him. She wasn't strong enough. If only Galahad was there with her. If only her Senpai was there with her.
What would Ritsuka think? What would she say to her?
She'd probably comfort her. Tell her everything was alright, and to keep pushing forward. Neither Emiya nor Ophelia could do that.
They couldn't even protect themselves. They couldn't convince their Servants to listen.
Her screwdriver slipped, messing up whatever circuitry and plate was on her left wrist. She gripped it tightly, anger once again escaping her every pore as she threw it away. Mash couldn't even fix herself.
How was she supposed to save Ritsuka when nobody could live up to her? When she couldn't protect her?
She knew those thoughts were wrong, that Emiya and Ophelia were doing their best.
But a part of her couldn't help but be frustrated. Despaired.
She felt the desire to cry out in anguish but… that would be forcing herself. If left on her own she would simply be there. Exist.
She breathed out.
"Mash?" A pair of boots stepped behind her. She looked back to see Ophelia, a serious expression similar to the one she always wore when in the Scandinavian Lostbelt on her face.
"O-Ophelia-san, w-what are you doing here?" She said, facing away.
"I came for you," she said, stepping into her line of sight. "May I?" She asked, motioning with a hand to the log Mash was sitting on.
"I-I don't know. Are you sure you want to seat with someone like me?" Mash asked, shoulders sagging.
"Mash… what you said…"
"...I'm sorry."
Ophelia narrowed her eye and looked and the ground.
"No, you have nothing to apologize for. We failed, both me and Emiya," Ophelia said, opting to sit on the grass, hugging her legs.
"Y-you didn't fail," Mash muttered.
"Yes we did. You have a right to be angry," Ophelia said, closing her single eye. "Especially because of how much Fujimaru means to you."
Mash said nothing, simply staring at the ground.
The ambience was peaceful, even though both women felt tension amongst themselves. Mash found it surprising how the natural yet foreign the forest felt.
Even though she was with her friends, Mash felt alone without Ritsuka.
"I think she may mean a little too much to me," she muttered, letting her thoughts flow free.
Ophelia looked at her, eye widening. "That's okay."
"Is it? I said horrible things. I'm not appreciating you enough," Mash said, fist tightening.
Ophelia's hand landed on hers, it was lukewarm, it's heat dwindled even more by the Ortinax.
"I shouldn't be appreciated, not yet," Mash didn't look at her, lips pursed. "I still have to prove myself."
"Yes, and I should be helping you, not belittling you! Ritsuka wouldn't act like this! She would be calm, she would know what to say and what to do. And I can't do any of those things, because I'm no Master. I'm so… useless without her," that selfish train of thought ran free on her mind, making her heart ache.
With Ophelia she felt somewhat safe to express it.
Still, the woman said nothing at that. Mash dared peek at her expression, and found a furrowed brow. Silence reigned for some moments, yet Mash could not tear her sight away from her companion.
"Without Wodime, I'm useless too," she stated. Mash's heart skipped a beat. "It's only because of his efforts, his sacrifice that I survived. And then you came along and kept saving and protecting me."
Ophelia squeezed her hand more tightly, and Mash did the same.
"But… I broke down," Mash muttered.
"Well… I may not show it but, I'm kind of breaking down too," she said, looking away with a smile. Mash couldn't see her face due to her eyepatch. Ophelia shuddered, squeezing Mash's hand even tighter.
The Demi Servant narrowed her eye.
She couldn't break down.
Ristuka wouldn't break down.
Without her support, she was useless. But… without her, what would Emiya and Ophelia do? Would they make it? Would they perish?
She was sure they could make it. But she wanted to make sure they did, and for that, she needed to be stronger. To be there for them.
She just needed to find the resolve.
"We'll be fine. I'll still do my best to protect you," Mash stated. Ophelia turned to her, mouth slightly open, but then, it turned to a smile.
"Thank you."
"But…" Mash looked away, something bitter pulling in her stomach. "I still can't forgive the Valkyries. I can't forgive how they hide their failings, how they keep acting like they are automatons. I'm not like Ritsuka, I can't forgive every Servant."
That was her truth. While she tolerated most Servants, it was mostly because the trusted Ritsuka to see the best in them.
But Ritsuka was not here.
She could not tolerate what the Valkyries had done.
"Mash…" Ophelia sighed. "… could you not work with them for a little while?"
"Of course I will," Mash said, turning to her friend. "But that's it. If Emiya has a problem with it, that's on him."
Ophelia said nothing, but nodded.
Mash feared her disapproval, but every time she thought back to the Lancer Servant, to their irresponsibility, to their carelessness and uncaring attitude, along with the people they got killed, it made her retch.
Ophelia and Mash stayed together like that for a minute, enjoying some of the peace. However, that had to come to an end. They were on a tight deadline after all.
It was Ophelia who stood first.
"Let's go back," she said. "I have an idea."
Mash looked at her face, her expression was serious, something in her eye shone with resolve. Mash was glad, but also felt something ice cold run through her spine.
"What is it?"
"I'll tell you all when we are together."
Shirou swiped off the sweat from the boy's forehead. He was unconscious, breathing heavily, and not waking up.
"I wonder what's up with him," Shirou asked to no one in particular. As luck may have it, Sigurd was in the same cave as him.
"If I were an Emperor set on controlling my villagers through medicine, I'd put a kill switch on it," Sigurd said. Shirou looked at him, pursing his lips. The dragonslayer looked back at him, somewhat sheepishly. "I'm not."
"Not helping," Shirou said, turning back to the boy. "I hope he wakes up soon."
Shirou stood up, putting the rag he used aside, and walked to be in front of Sigurd. He remained silent ever since they got to the cave, which was a few hours ago and while Sigurd was not particularly talkative, this was unexpected. So he decided to check on his health. "You okay?"
The Dragonslater raised an eyebrow. His wounds were gone, now that Shirou took a quick glance at his body. "I am. My wounds are nearly closed, my Dragon Core has repaired most of it without needing to deplete Ophelia's magical reserves."
"That's amazing," Shirou said with a smile. However, Sigurd scoffed at his words.
"Only after suffering a defeat that is," Sigurd responded. Shirou narrowed his eyes.
"He caught you by surprise," Shirou answered.
"Wrong," Sigurd stated, fixing him with a stare that nearly made him freeze. Though most of the hate in that stare was not directed at him. "He was simply better. He had no reservations and no doubts. He only cared for his mission, and knew he would accomplish it."
"And that makes him better than us?" Shirou asked, the 'us' slipping out of his tongue. He didn't know why. Sigurd and he were not the same. He was a world renowned hero, who had brought down dragons and monsters while managing to court a goddess. Meanwhile Shirou was simply… a Master. A sword to be used.
Though he wished he could be more.
"So you have doubts?" Shirou asked.
Sigurd chuckled a bit, though there seemed to be no amusement in his expression. "Of course. My objective may be clear, but doubts always come into my mind. It's the inevitability of being human, to compare ourselves to others, to put our emotions and desires over our duties."
Shirou looked down at the ground, then at the boy, and then back at Sigurd.
"I seem to have a hard time doing that," he admitted. He looked back at the people he saved, and those he did not manage to save. He didn't remember their faces, he knew they existed but he never forged that connection. Saving them made him happy, but it was a fleeting feeling.
He didn't know if they were still alive, or even happy. Not like it mattered anyways.
"I did too. Then I met Brynhildr," Sigurd said, a smile forming on his face. It was a sorrowful one, however. "Sometimes a single person is all that it takes to stop you from being a machine. To show you what you can be, or remind you what your path is."
Shirou looked back at his time in Fuyuki. When he first met the Valkyries, when he fought Archer, when Rin criticized his way of life as unhealthy and damaging.
The Valkyries… their entire being was put into jeopardy by the Emperor, by the Lostbelt itself. He feared they would double down on their nature in order to reject those claims.
He didn't have words of comfort, but he still wanted to be there for them. He wanted to watch them become human, to save them from the fate of Heroic Spirit EMIYA. Or at the very least, he wanted to make sure that whatever path they chose, he would be there for them.
"I have to see the Valkyries."
He left the cave with a steady step.
However, after just a few metres of walking, he found Ortlinde floating a bit above the ground, looking into the visible sky that peeked out from the forest's, hood falling slightly and revealing her dark hair. Her eyes betrayed grief.
His chest constricted, his mission flaring back to his memories of the Scandinavian Lostbelt, of his horrible betrayal, but he shook his head. This was not about him, not right now.
He approached her.
"Ortlinde?" He asked her. She turned to him, no longer looking at the sky.
"Emiya," she muttered, turning to him.
He didn't know what to say. Her gaze seemed to not be on him at all, it looked empty.
"My wound is fine now," he said, blurting out the first thing that came to mind. However, this seemed to bring Ortlinde back to the present. "So don't worry about that."
She looked down into the ground, eyelids falling. "Your regeneration is amazing. But we still injured you."
"And you healed me,"
"Still…"
Silence.
"May I ask you something?"
Where had this much individuality come from, Shirou wondered.
"Go ahead," Shirou said. Ortlinde looked all around, mouth wavering.
"I… did I really have a choice? To not obey a command of my father, to not be a Valkyrie," she asked. Shirou knew this was an obvious answer.
"Yes. You are no less Valkyrie for disobeying orders," he said, sternly.
"But… what if I fall?"
"Why would you fall?"
"Because… sister Brynhildr disobeyed. You know what became of her. And after that, Sister Sigrún went mad and turned against all of us once she disobeyed. So… if I obey my orders… I hurt you. And if I don't… I may hurt you too. That makes me a liability. Makes being a Valkyrie a liability," ortlinde hid under her hood, voice quivering. Seeing her like this hurt, he couldn't stand it. He had to make amends somehow.
But more than that, he needed to remind her, and remind himself of something.
"It's not wrong…" he said, grabbing one of her hands.
"Qin liangyu disagrees," Ortlinde said, not reacting to his touch.
"Who cares? It's not a mistake!" He repeated, voice rising.
"How do you know?" Ortlinde replied, turning to look at him with glassy eyes.
"Because… you saved me. You, Hildr, Thrúd. You three saved my life, you gave me a reason to not simply die for others. You showed me that the path to being a hero, to reaching Valhalla… was a long path. A path that I would need to live for, a path that made me happy because at the end, wether I succeeded or I failed in saving everyone, I would still see you. So… if you being a valkyrie is wrong… then me living is wrong as well."
Ortlinde said nothing, simply staring at him with widened eyes. Shirou found it hard, but he held her gaze.
"Emiya… I don't want to… hurt you. Individual Unit Ortlinde doesn't want to hurt you, or the others. So what should I do?"
"I… don't know. I am not a perfect hero. I had to accept that at some point… no matter what I did… I would fail. Maybe the same is true for you as well. Maybe, one day, you'll fail because not to do so is impossible, or because to succeed would mean destroying yourself."
"So I'll stray from the path," she said, looking away.
"Yes. However," he took her hand. This was his promise, his atonement for his betrayal. "I will always be by your side, as long as I live, I'll support you."
Her ruby eyes stared into his. Her mouth hanged open, her breath seemed to still.
"I…"
"Emiya."
A voice interrupted them. Both of them looked to their left to find Ophelia and Mash standing on a cliff a few heads above them.
"Y-yes?" Ortlinde asked, blushing.
"I have a plan you two, let's go meet Sigurd."
Ophelia seemed determined, her body straight and her face calm.
Shirou smiled, thinking of that.
Akuta bit her lip. She was so close.
Actually, she stood at his side with a gap of two meters between them. But even so, that still counted as close. She had no one at her side for millennia, and she hated humans. Close contact and socializing were not her forte.
Xiang Yu, Akuta and her servant, Prince of Lan Ling stood side by side in front of the huge machine that was the Emperor Qin Shi Huang.
"So, they escaped," he stated. "How interesting. How did such insignificant and powerless humans hide?"
"They are like insects, your majesty," she said with a bow. Of course, he was as much an insect as them. He was human after all, but she'd say anything to stay in his good side.
"I see. You are absolutely right, Akuta. However, I do hope you are not referring to me as we," he said. She raised her head, her chest thumping.
"Of course not!" She replied.
"Your eyes tell a different story," the machine stated. She took a step back. He had nothing that could harm her, but even so she didn't like feeling pain.
"So what will you do?" She asked, tone biting.
"Your majesty," Saber stated, stepping in front of her. She relaxed, knowing Saber was at her side. Still, she feared for his life. "Allow us to make up for our mistakes."
"Hmm," the machine fell silent. "You already have. Mostly. I was just curious, really. She fears me so much for no reason. Why is it? My size? My knowledge? My empire?"
Akuta narrowed her eyes. Of course it was that.
"No reason. Please, allow me to capture Chaldea. They are an enemy that should not be ignored," she said.
"Really. And what about that other interloper? The one called Beryl?" Akuta's head shot upwards.
"I- he's not su–"
"–So you know him. Is he another of you? Or another of Koyanwhatever's kind?" Akuta felt her mouth go dry, while her arms felt ever so heavy.
Not because she was worried about Koyanskaya. She abhorred her. But rather, because of what she meant. Because of what the Emperor should never find out about.
She had to get her out, somehow.
"He's from my world, yes. But he is someone to be loathed. He could throw your nation into chaos," she lied. The machine went silent. A chill air ran through the chamber, with the only movement being her own breathing. Everyone else was managing to stand still, including the captain of the guard.
"I see. I wish to know what he is doing to my people. Capture him, kill Chaldea, Qin Liangyu," leather on metal from behind her. Akuta turned to see the warrior of the spear step into view from outside.
"Yes, your majesty. They will all be eliminated. They shall not pollute any more of your empire," she stated. She noted the phrase was somewhat forced at the end, as if Qin Liangyu did not believe those words.
Of course she didn't. She was human. Humans abandoned their beliefs, their desires, if it became too much to bear. Others simply followed them until self destruction.
"Lord Xiang Yu, go with her. Eliminate them all," Akuta's head turned faster than humanly possible, looking at Xiang Yu so that he could catch her pleading sight.
But he didn't even look at her.
"It will be done," was his resolute answer, reverberating through the dome shaped room.
"Excellent. Akuta, you will remain here."
"B-but–!"
"No! You are a poor commander and even poorer warrior. Unless you want to make a further fool of yourself, then stay here," he sounded caring. Her face heated up. He was trying to get her away from him, to put him in danger, while pretending to care for her.
Such a thing, she would not allow it.
She opened her mouth. However, a firm hand on her shoulder made her body go still.
"Master," Saber whispered. "Later."
She raised an eyebrow. Saber's eyes were hard, unmoving. She was impervious to his powers, for he was just a human. Even so, she couldn't help but listen to him, because Saber cared.
"A-alright," she said to both him and the emperor.
Being back to the village where they fought Beryl so soon made him shudder, even if it was something different, as if being watched. He could spot nothing, but he could smell something stale and old, like aged wine.
He followed Mash and Ophelia. Both women seemed to be holding steady, even if they looked all around like him.
They had left Sigurd and the Valkyries behind in the cave, alongside the boy.
"So you think Beryl is here?" Shirou asked.
"There is a disturbance here, the spirits seem to be attracted to a source of mystery. And it's a big one, large enough that it dwarfs anything in this Lostbelt," Ophelia said. Her voice was airy, as if she were nervous.
"And you think Beryl is to blame?" Mash asked.
"He's the only extra factor here. He came with Koyanskaya and a Servant capable of making Valkyries submit to her. Something is off," Ophelia stated. Shirou narrowed his eyes.
"And that's why we left them behind," Ophelia turned to him, eyes widened in alarm.
"N-no. Of course not. We just need Beryl to think we aren't a threat," she stated.
"I agree with you," Shirou stated, as much as it pained him. "They are safer that way. Although I'll admit, now that I'm with them again, being separated is kind of off putting."
He looked at his companions, who stared at him with unreadable expressions. He was going to ask what was wrong, but he realized soon enough that he may have said something out of place.
"S-sorry," he said. Even after all these years he still couldn't help but be brutally honest with some things.
"It's al–" A cold sensation hit his head, like an icicle and a blowtorch being shoved into his temples from opposite sides. He stood at attention, and so did Mash and Ophelia.
"Behind me!" Mash said, lowering her visor and rising her shield.
The sensations grew in intensity. Shirou's eyes felt like shutting. He hadn't felt a sensation like this since witnessing the corrupted grail, the curses of All Evils of the World. Although this was different, he was sure this came from something cursed.
And sure enough, from streets and houses and alleyways out came figures bathed in darkness, blobs whose only features were their blank, white eyes.
"T-those are…" Mash asked, voice wavering. The blobs all turned to them, and one in particular lit up with energy. Shirou felt cold, his breath turning into vapour as it charged some sort of energy.
It screamed, and a ball of energy flew out like a rocket at them. It reminded him of Tohsaka's Gandr curse. It impacted her shield with a hollow ring, Mash barely being pushed back. However, the shielder still grunted heavily.
"T-that hurt!" She said.
"Hurt?" Shirou wondered, tracing his black bow. More of those shadows popped up around them, slowly slinking their way towards them, as if they were too lazy to properly move.
"Yes, it feels like–" More creatures moaned. More shots came at them from Ophelia's direction.
"Geister! Beschütze und segne!" Her circuits flared up, and something resembling wisps formed a blue barrier in front of her. The magical energy was enormous, it was sure to keep their flank safe.
However, as soon as the energy impacted it, another hollow ring reverberated, and the shield began turning black, as if eaten by rust and darkness.
"N-no way! These things… they corrupt mystery?" Ophelia asked, voice alarmed. Shirou clicked his tongue. There were too many, and others coming out from the woodworks. Ophelia turned to him. "Don't allow them to touch you! Or your Mystic Code!"
One projection would not do.
Another shot came at him, and he tried to block it with his Divine Iron Shield. He didn't know what would happen, but it was better than them touching him.
Luckily, Mash was fast enough to stop him. "Emiya! Get your projections ready!" Did she read his mind? Regardless, her suit flared up, as if charging with magical energy. "Amalgam Goad, activate!"
"Right!" Shirou's circuits flared up, being filled to the limit. "Tracing, start! Fabricating multiple projections!" The energy crackled, multiple swords forming above him. Noble Phantasms stolen from Gilgamesh's Gate of Babylon.
"That's impressive!" All three turned forward, where the voice had come from. Standing on a rooftop, was Beryl Gut. "But it's not still time to play," he cracked something in his fingers, and a shockwave rang out. The blobs screeched and moaned, and then they faded into black ash.
Ophelia stepped forward. "Beryl!" She shouted.
"I can hear you just fine, thank you!" He replied, scratching his hear. With that, he jumped down to their level.
"Great," Shirou hummed.
"What?" Mash whispered back.
"He's too confident. That only means trouble," he replied. He reminded him of Gilgamesh, easygoing and arrogant with enough power to boot. But even Gilgamesh had some principles. Beryl had nonce, Shirou was sure of it.
"Shut up you two," Ophelia said, turning her head to them while Beryl approached. "Let me concentrate."
Mash looked at Shirou. "Did she just–?"
Shirou smiled. "Yep."
"So… came here to fight?" Beryl asked, stopping a dozen meters ahead of Ophelia. "Because honestly, you'd be making my life a lot easier that way."
"And mine," A voice replied. Beside Beryl, the Archer Servant materialized with her red dress, grey skin and haughty eyes.
Shirou felt his face strain. That woman had hurt the Valkyries a ton, and while he wished to do something about that, harming the woman right now would not get any results.
"I don't see those dolls anywhere. Shame, they are so much fun. And their boots… so delectable," she said, grabbing her face.
"Enough of that now," Beryl said, face growing impatient.
"You can't tell a princess what to do!" She replied, hands falling to her side.
"Well, you are not a princess. You are my Servant," before they could continue bickering, Ophelia cleared her throat.
"Are you done?" She asked, voice harsh. Beryl smirked, and turned back to her.
"For now. So, what is it that you want? If you wanted to fight, you'd have done so by now," Beryl stated. Ophelia took a deep breath before speaking.
Shirou looked at the enemy Servant, ready to react to anything she did. However, he couldn't help but glare at her. And she only smiled back.
"I– We need your help," she stated. Beryl's eyes widened, but his smirk didn't subside.
"Oh? My help? I'm kinda busy here," he said, gesticulating with his hand.
"Yes. Because otherwise we are not getting out of here," Ophelia stated. Beryl's smirk faded, replaced by narrowed eyebrows.
"What do you mean?" He asked. Ophelia then, for the first time, smiled with pride.
"He has Koyanskaya. And I know very well, from the time we worked together, that you cannot cross Lostbelts on your own. So you are trapped here until you save her," she stated. Shirou could tell she was partly bluffing. He scanned Beryl's impassive face for a hint of wether he bought it or not.
In the end, Beryl sighed as if it were only a minor concern. "Probably. But you know that I could also lop your head off and then rescue Koyanskaya myself."
"Are you sure you can do that?" Ophelia asked, serious again. Beryl frowned. His Servant simply looked at him as if extremely displeased, and he met her look.
"So what are you offering then?" He asked, seemingly tired.
"We get Koyanskaya out, you help us do it. We just need a distraction. And you have quite an appetite for chaos," Ophelia said.
Beryl scratched his chin, meanwhile, his Servant leaned on his shoulder as if leaning on a table.
"Just do it, I'm bored," she said.
Beryl thought hard for a moment, and then to Shirou's surprise he smiled.
"You know Ophelia," he said, pacing about. "I gotta say, I really really like this new you. Sure, you have no fucking idea what you're doing, your words are weak and you look downright pathetic."
Shirou narrowed his eyes. He didn't like those insults. He could see things going to hell soon, thus, he started his inner factory up.
"You don't know what you're talking about," mash said, interjecting. "Ophelia's stronger than ever. She's helped us make it this far!"
Beryl looked at Mash with a smile on his face. "How cute. You even made a friend."
Ophelia pursed her lips, fists balling. "Where are you going with this?"
Beryl shrugged. His Servant just rolled her eyes. "Simply put, you are fun. You're actually amusing to be with now. And most importantly, you got guts. Ever since I heard you had betrayed us, I've wanted to see this new you; where you go, how far you can get before you crumble and go back to your old ways. Definitely better than staying in that shithole British Lostbelt."
The Archer Servant narrowed her eyes.
"So, you want to watch me struggle for your own amusement," Ophelia stated, voice plain.
"Indeed. Works for us, right? I help you here, you drag your little feet to my Lostbelt, and there I finally break your spirit. Sounds pretty good, right?" He asked, a wicked smile on his face. Shirou felt disgust pool in his stomach, while Mash shuddered just a little bit that it was unnoticeable to anyone not close to her.
Ophelia took a split second to answer.
"Yes. It works," she said. Beryl smiled, and clapped his hands.
"Perfect then. I'll get to it. Do you know where Koyanskaya is?" He asked.
"There was a prison on the map, or at least a location with energy signatures. So either there or in the city. And I doubt the emperor would like her to sully his city," Ophelia replied. At this, Beryl looked as if he were about to burst into laughter.
"Astute. Very astute. I'll get to work then," he said, stepping away.
Shirou felt something bad was about to happen. Beryl had attacked a village before, and while he knew the villagers would die once the Lostbelt was pruned he still couldn't allow them to suffer.
"What are you going to do?" He asked him, stepping past his companions. Beryl turned to him, and uninterested look on his face.
"The usual stuff. Some killings, some atrocities, and those things you saw," Beryl said. A void formed in Shirou's stomach.
"Those things…? You made them?" Shirou asked. Mash gasped behind him.
"Indeed. Quite amusing aren't they? Spread upon touch, take over mass, corrode mystery. Quite deadly, especially now that I made it able to stick to humans," those last words were laced with wickedness. So much that it reminded him of Kotomine Kirei.
Beryl had made those horrible curses spread, and also spread to people no less. How many had he killed to reach the end result? How many had suffered?
"You…" Shirou said, gritting his teeth.
"You best hurry. Once I unleash them, the Lostbelt won't last long," Beryl said, walking away. Shirou had enough. He would chase after him and end him there, to protect others.
"Shirou," Ophelia said, gripping his shoulder. She held him in place. "We have no time."
He turned to her. Ophelia's face was melancholic, but resolute. "You… Did you know?"
"I figured as much," she said.
"O-Ophelia…" Mash muttered from behind her.
"Do you know what he will do to those people? We can't ignore it!" he said, raising his voice. Ophelia looked down to the ground, face strained as if holding back something painful.
"I know. But… if we don't hurry, there will be no Chaldea anymore. No Director, no Fujimaru, no Da Vinci. We'll be stuck here until the Alien God descends," Ophelia said, breathing heavily. "I hate it. It would be like sacrificing humanity once again but… I don't see any other way!"
Shirou stood, fists balled so hard he felt like he would start bleeding.
Once again, he couldn't save everyone. Either way someone would suffer.
But if he hurried, if he acted fast maybe… just maybe… things wouldn't get too bad.
He had to try. For his own sake. To keep the promise he had made EMIYA, and Rin, and Luvia, and the Valkyries so many years ago.
"Fine. So now what?"
A/N: Hey everyone! Today is a special day. Valkyrie Flavor is one year old now! I thought about doing something special but… life got in the way so I just decided to post a regular chapter.
I want to say thank you, to all of you. Both lurkers that only read and those reviewers that post every chapter, wether so simply praise, to gush or to criticise. I appreciate you all deeply!
Valkyrie Flavor is a project I'm kind of proud of, because I kept up with it and enjoy doing it, enjoy writing Shirou and the Valkyries even if, in my opinion, I sometimes fall short.
That's all! Once again, thank you to all those that stuck with this story. From the bottom of my heart. And a special mention to the Discord Server I'm in, which helped me inmensely with tips and encouragement, and just company in general.
See you next chapter. And have a happy new year!