Chapter 20 – Albion 2

A fairy and a human stood in a dark forest. A thick canopy of leaves and branches obscured the night sky, hiding the moon and the stars, yet the darkness fled around them. Streams of brilliant golden-red flames danced around the pair, illuminating the woods with a warm glow that shifted and bent the shadows into strange shapes. The flames flowed like water, unbound by the laws of man. They parted and swirled, clumping into spheres like miniature stars, only to separate and dart into the distance, tracing mesmerizing patterns. Some winked out after a moment, and others lingered and grew, showing a glimpse of a world of fire. The flames' searing heat didn't burn, even when a fragile human hand reached out to touch them.

Smiling, Shirou watched as Morgan hesitantly reached towards his flames, her eyes wide open with wonder even as tears still lingered in their corners. He kept the heat away from her; a simple trick of fairy magic. He wasn't planning on putting on a show like this, but after he noticed the way she looked at the display, he didn't have it inside him to use a simple orb as a torch. This was nothing a human magus couldn't accomplish, and yet she seemed fascinated. Was it because of her Fairy Eyes? Merlin was a skilled magus, but mostly used illusions, so maybe Morgan simply knew his magecraft wasn't real even if she couldn't see through it. It was just a guess, but it would explain why she was so taken with his flames.

It was adorable and sad at the same time that something so small was enough to enrapture her so. He waited silently, content to let her have this moment, but before she touched his flames, she noticed his gaze. She froze momentarily before blushing and quickly retracting her hand, then turned away when she noticed his smile, franticly rubbing away the last of her tears.

Ah, well, he supposed a princess had an image to uphold.

Still, it was a shame.

"You can touch them, you know? Those flames are a part of me, so don't worry. They won't hurt you."

Shirou made the flames swirl closer to Morgan, but despite his encouragement, she straightened her back and schooled her expression.

"I-It's fine, don't mind me. I was just caught in a moment." She said cooly, even when her gaze kept wandering away and a small blush still colored her cheeks. "So, um, you weren't lying back then, after all. You truly are the Fairy of Fire and Iron."

He nodded, noting the spark of wonder in her eyes.

"Yes. That's one of my titles."

"Then let me apologize for my earlier words. It was rude and unbecoming of me." She said with a curtsy. "Once again, I'm Morgan Pendragon. It's an honor to meet you, my lord."

"Whoa, stop right there. I'm not some fancy noble. You don't have to bow and all. It's weird when people treat me like that."

She raised an eyebrow and tilted her head slightly. "Truly? Are you not an ancient fae of great renown? A smith beyond compare and a teacher of heroes and gods? I'd think that merited some due respect, no?"

Shirou rubbed the back of his head to stop himself from cringing. That was one of the reasons he rarely interacted with humans in his fairy form anymore. When he was younger, the humans he interacted with were apprehensive of a fairy, their preconceptions, correct as they usually were, made them fearful and cautious. It wasn't much of a problem and he accepted it as a matter of fact, but nowadays it was so much worse. As his fame spread and tales of his exploits grew, that fear slowly turned into reverence and awe. Somewhere along the centuries, he stopped being viewed as just another fairy but as something more, and it was increasingly uncomfortable. He now understood why Scathach was so annoyed when people treated her like a goddess.

"Now you're just making me embarrassed. Besides, Scathach became what she is by her own efforts, not because I was there. I'm a fairy, Morgan. We do as we please and don't care about the consequences. I did what I did not for glory and fame, but because I simply wanted to, so don't read too much into the stories and just call me Avel."

She regarded him for a few seconds before nodding.

"If it makes you comfortable, then I will heed your word, Avel. You can call me Morgan in exchange, although you're already doing so, I suppose. Fairies do as they want, huh?" She said, but then her expression became more uncertain. "Ah... about that you said earlier…"

Right. Her soul.

"Before I explain that, you've said you always felt 'different'. Can you tell me what you mean by that?"

She gulped and lowered her head, clutching at the fabric of her dress, but soon her quiet voice filled the silent forest.

"… it's… since I could remember, I always felt the world was… too dull. Colorless. It wasn't that bad when I was a child, but as I got older, that feeling only grew. From a vague sensation I always brushed off, to an increasingly uncomfortable awareness that underpinned everything. Like the world was rubbing my skin raw by simply existing. Then I started noticing when someone was lying to me. I could always tell. Their mouths said one thing, but their eyes showed me the truth. And it was… unpleasant. When Merlin joined Father's court, he brought some color with him, but… it was hollow. I tried getting closer to him, despite his unpleasant nature, but his magic only made the feeling worse in time, so it wasn't that." She raised her head and her glistening blue eyes met his. "When I first saw you, you were different. From your hair to your eyes and even your clothes. Everything about you was full of color. More vibrant than I had ever seen. I knew you had something to do with my condition, or at least were connected to it in some form, and… I couldn't let that slip by me. I thought I'd never know the truth if I didn't follow you."

It was as Shirou suspected. Fairy Eyes. Or at least a shadow of what they're supposed to be. They tried to show her the auras of emotions and the underlying truth of the world, but her human body prevented it, so all she saw was the lack of what was supposed to be there. A void where she subconsciously expected to see colors beyond human ability to comprehend. She probably saw him as 'colorful' because her Eyes never tried to show her anything different about him in the first place.

That she could spot when someone was lying to her was surprising, but if it only happened when she was older meant the influence of her soul grew as she aged and her Mystery accumulated as it did for any other fairy. He suspected her Fairy Eyes would awaken in full on their own in a few decades. Sooner if she learned magecraft and activated her Magic Circuits.

But those years would be full of misery as her soul slowly overpowered her human body, the dissonance growing until her flesh finally gave way.

That was if it wasn't Morgan who snapped first.

"I see. Thank you, Morgan." Shirou wasn't certain if revealing the truth about her soul could speed up the process or make her fairy nature influence her in an unfortunate way, but leaving her in this state 'in between' was too cruel. She was fine for now, but another twenty, thirty years of this building pressure and she may as well slip into insanity or take drastic measures in desperation. Better he tells her now and helps her deal with it. He smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring way. "What you described sounds like effects of Fairy Eyes. A type of 'sight', or rather an ability, that allows fairies to see the 'Truth' of the World. Or in your case, fail to do so. The world seems 'colorless' to you because you subconsciously expect to see certain colors, but can't. Fairy Eyes can also tell you when someone is lying, so you have that aspect as well. It would also fit what I saw when I inspected you."

Her eyes widened at his words.

"Fairy Eyes… So what you said in the castle…"

"From what I can see, you were born with the soul of a fairy, Morgan. Your body is completely human as far as I can tell, but it's only half of what you are."

"That's…"

Morgan's shoulders tensed and she looked down, her platinum hair shadowing her face.

"Ah, don't worry. It's not something terrible or anything. It won't hurt you anytime soon."

Shirou tried to reassure her, but he wasn't used to dealing with royalty. If this was Scathach, he would just hug her, pat her head, and tell her everything would be okay, but for all Morgan was also a princess, she wasn't his student. So he just kind of hovered around her, arms outstretched awkwardly, hesitant to touch the human girl.

"N-No. It's fine. I just…" She looked up again, and fortunately, there were no tears in her eyes. Shirou didn't do well with crying women. Instead, Morgan was smiling. A small smile, but one that looked gentle and light. "… so that's what it was all this time."

He took a step back and looked at her properly.

Here stood a princess. A young human girl with platinum blonde hair gleaming under the glow of his flames and pale blue eyes glimmering with golden reflexes. It wasn't the cold and distant princess he saw in the castle or the desperate girl following a fae into the dark woods, but a young woman with a warm smile that grew by the second. He couldn't see her emotions, but she looked happy. Giddy even.

It was a good look on her.

He feared revealing her nature would make her despondent. After all, he told her she was different from everyone else, incompatible with humanity on a fundamental level, doomed to always feel this divide. He knows what it's like to be a part of a group and yet forever separate from them. That nagging feeling of isolation.

But Morgan defied his expectation and simply accepted the truth of her nature, happy to finally have her answer. She'll most likely worry about it in the future, but here and now she simply enjoyed this moment.

Then again, he always had this habit of expecting others to share his preconceptions and views. A thousand years have passed, and he was still doing it sometimes.

He sighed and looked at the dark sky.

"We have about six hours, huh?"

Morgan blinked, focusing on him, a question written in her eyes.

"Eh?"

"I've said I'll show you the 'world of wonder', didn't I? There's still some time until dawn, and I'm sure nobody will notice you missing until then. So…" He once again offered his hand. "… do you want to see the realm of fairies, Morgan?"

She didn't hesitate for long. She firmly grabbed his hand and gave him a resolute nod.

"Yes!"

"Very well." Shirou concentrated, gathering his magical energy, and the streams of flames around them dispersed into a flurry of sparks, filling the air like countless fireflies. "The nearest Gateway is far away, so walking won't do. Now, don't be afraid of what happens next."

Shirou enveloped Morgan with his magical energy, causing the golden sparks to swirl around the girl. She watched in wonder at the display but soon yelped when her feet left the ground. Swaddled in his power, she floated in midair, her grip on his hand tightening.

She met his eyes, a tinge of panic and a question in her gaze, so he smiled to reassure her.

"Don't worry. I need a bit of space for a second. You'll be fine."

"A-Alright. I trust you, Avel."

She let go of his hand and floated higher. Shirou then concentrated on his physical form, a clear image forming in his mind. The nearest Gateway really was far away, and while he could carry Morgan there using his fairy magic alone, it would be a slow and inefficient process. Besides, he wanted to show her more amazing things. He promised to show her 'wonders' after all.

His body blurred, silver swords shifting and multiplying rapidly as his form grew. In mere seconds, a silver tide of blades covered the forest floor, churning like a raging river, but quickly coalescing into a proper shape.

Four limbs touched the ground, a long neck and tail curling around the main body to avoid breaking the trees, while two enormous wings unfolded from his back as golden eyes ignited on a reptilian head.

In a blink of an eye, where once stood a simple fairy, now a silver dragon filled the space. A small one. Not a giant like the one that once attacked Nibelung, but not a simple wyvern, either. Maybe half the size of that black beast. But even at half that size, he could still swallow Morgan whole, his head alone dwarfing the girl. He didn't even need to look up to meet her eyes even when she was floating near the treetops, as the forest was barely tall enough to cover him.

"Well then," he said, his voice low in this shape. "Hop on."

"Eh!? Wha- " Shirou floated her onto his head, taking advantage of her befuddled state. She gripped the small protruding horns growing there, still staring at his new form. Did he go too fast? Maybe pranking her like this was too soon, but he couldn't help himself. Morgan's reactions were just too funny. "You're a dragon, Avel?" She asked, shocked.

"No. I just look like one." He said, spreading his wings and crouching low. "Now try not to fall off."

With a jump and a mighty beat of his wings, he lifted off the ground. The howl of displaced air and splintering branches drowned out Morgan's scream, the girl sitting down and holding on for dear life as he ascended, despite the cocoon of his power protecting her from the cold and wind. The first few seconds were rough, but with the help of Eternal Forge, he soon found himself high above the forest.

Dragon form was something he played with in the past. It wasn't a perfect shape for flight, especially because his physical body was always made of metal, but it looked impressive and, well, it was fun to turn into a dragon. Eternal Forge provided much of the initial lift, with the rest provided by his magic, but once he got up to speed, his wings were doing most of the work. His flight in this form was more akin to a plane than that of a true dragon, his wings mostly motionless and letting the wind keep him in the air, his Domain working as propulsion.

He soon leveled out and let the wind keep him afloat without as much as moving a muscle, much to Morgan's relief. She stopped screaming then, and dared to open her eyes, taking in the vast moonlit landscape. It was quite the view, even during nighttime. The moon illuminated the forests and mountains in the distance, the winding rivers and lakes reflecting the silver light. Pockets of warmer light dotted the land, marking the locations of nearby villages and towns, a vast constellation of human life, like a reflection of the heavens above.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Morgan nodded dumbly. "It is."

Her head swiveled from side to side, taking in the view few humans of this age could enjoy. She glanced behind them, towards her home, the castle and accompanying town quickly disappearing in the distance. Her eyebrows scrunched in worry, but she soon shook her head and faced forward again.

Well, at least she wasn't completely hopeless.

"Don't worry, Miss Dragon Rider. We'll be back before dawn." Shirou said, startling Morgan.

"Dragon Rider…" she said dreamily before blushing, shaking her head. "I-It's Morgan. Morgan Pendragon. Don't give me strange names, Avel."

"Really? You don't want to be 'Morgan the Dragon Rider'? Shame. Few humans could boast of ever riding a dragon, you know? There's not many left in the human world and they aren't known for their indulgent nature."

She opened her mouth to retort but stopped before uttering a single word, her expression growing wistful.

"… dragons are almost gone, aren't they? "

Shirou's slitted golden eye moved to focus on his passenger, a beat of silence passing between them. She had no aura, but he wasn't blind.

"The Age of Gods is almost over, Morgan. It's long gone on the mainland, and the Isles are soon to follow. Dragons are resilient, their bodies naturally generate massive amounts of mana, but even they can't sustain themselves here anymore. I don't know if any remain on the Isles, and those that do are fools or in denial. It's not only the quantity of mana in the atmosphere that'll change with the turning of the age."

"… how was it? When gods still walked the land and magic was everywhere?"

"I'm not that old, you know? By the time I first visited the human world, the Age of Gods was near its end. The gods I met weren't the nicest, and I'm glad they're gone. Sure, it's… quieter now, but it's not like Mystery is gone from the surface. The world will still be beautiful, even when monsters prey on man no more. Besides, fairies are still here in force. We are spirits of nature, so the thinning mana doesn't impact us as much."

Morgan stayed silent for a few minutes, staring at the slowly moving landscape. They were moving quite fast, but it didn't seem like it from this altitude. He could fly faster, but there was no need to. This was more for Morgan's enjoyment, after all. And his too. This form of flight wasn't something he often did, and he somehow always forgot how fun it was. The freedom of completely unconstrained flight was exhilarating, and it resonated with both his human and fairy aspects.

"You don't miss it, then? At all?" Morgan asked.

Shirou sighed, a single beat of silver wings flexing his body, making his passenger grip his horns tighter.

"What is there to miss? Gods? I've already said my piece about those. The magic of old? It didn't really change. Magic or magecraft, it's all the same. Magi say it's weaker, that they lost their 'power', but it's simply different. What today they call 'magecraft' will turn into something else in the future, and it won't be lesser for it, in my opinion. Mystery? It does deteriorate, I'll give you that, but it's not like it's simply disappearing. It just turns into human progress. Phantasmals? We're still around. Fewer in number, but again, humans are better off for it.

"Those things come and pass. Age of Gods makes way for the Age of Man, and I'm glad for it. Wait a thousand years more and the world will change again, as it always does."

But his answer didn't seem to satisfy Morgan, judging by her creased eyebrows.

"That's easy to say for an immortal. Especially one that lived through it all."

Shirou paused for a moment, his perspectives focusing on his passenger.

"… do you wish for it, Morgan? For immortality?"

She pursed her lips, her fingers fiddling with the fabric of her dress.

"You've said I have the soul of a fairy, but what good does it do when I'm still just a human? I'll die, my lifespan a fraction of yours, and all the wondrous things in the world are in the past. I… I was happy when you told me the truth, but now I can't help but think that maybe I'd have been better off not knowing." She closed her eyes, her hands balling into fists, clutching at her dress. "It feels like I was born wrong. In the wrong body. In the wrong time. That I was supposed to be a normal fairy, far in the past, and not… not this… half thing!" Her voice rose into a shout as tears gathered at the corners of her closed eyes, her breathing growing labored from suppressed emotions. "What cruel joke is this!? A fairy? Ha! Even that is denied to me. First my kingdom and now this… I… I…"

She didn't finish; the words dying in her lips as tears spilled down her cheeks.

This wasn't how Shirou imagined this trip to go.

He understood Morgan somewhat. He told her she was special, and yet it changed nothing, only easing her suffering for a moment. Once this night passed, she would be back in her castle, back to her mundane life, playing the role of a princess. Her fairy soul would push on her still, the uncomfortable feeling of wrongness she described intensifying in the future.

All for seemingly nothing.

This wouldn't do.

"… I know of one similar case to yours, Morgan." He said, jerking her out of her gloom. "He wasn't exactly like you, but there was once a fairy that had the soul of a human."

She sniffled and rubbed away her tears, focusing on Shirou, pale blue eyes boring into a large golden eye.

"Like a changeling?"

"No. Even changelings raised in Faery are still human, no matter how the realm of fairies influences them. No. That fairy was 'born' with the soul of a human, but the body of a fae. Much like you, but inverted."

"… what happened to him?"

"Nothing." Shirou simply said. "He's still alive and well. The two sides of his nature eventually merged into a cohesive whole. For all appearances, he's a regular fairy now, if with a somewhat unique soul."

She processed that for a few seconds, idly smoothing out her wrinkled dress. Red still rimmed her eyes, but thankfully, her tears stopped. She stared straight ahead, towards the dark, distant horizon, her hair swaying in the little wind he let touch her.

"Do you think… the same will happen to me?"

The odds of that happening were slim to none. Shirou wasn't an expert despite arguably having the most experience when it came to half-human, half-fairy beings, but he doubted Morgan's human body would spontaneously turn into that of a fairy. After all, his soul didn't turn his body human.

Still…

"… I can't be sure. It may sound like you're almost the same as him, but his case was… easier to resolve itself. Fairies are nature spirits, beings closer to 'ghosts' for all our bodies are physical. His human soul was slowly 'corrupted' by his fairy body over the years. Fairies are also more aware of their souls. Fairy Eyes don't work on other fairies, but it does help a little with introspection. Well, there was also his Domain and what happened later, but… that's unimportant for now." Shirou said, almost shaking his head before he remembered he had a passenger sitting there. "You, Morgan, have it easier and not. I doubt your body will turn into that of a fairy on its own, but it's not completely hopeless. Unlike him, your soul is immortal. It cannot rot."

"Really? What does it mean?"

"It means that as long as you can keep your body alive, you won't die, unlike human magi who have to worry about dying despite possessing healthy, immortal bodies. Their souls have limited lifespans, and there's almost nothing that can change that. That's why there are so few truly ancient magi. "

Her brow scrunched in thought, a spark returning to her eyes.

"So... I just have to turn my body immortal…"

Shirou nodded. "And it's relatively easy to accomplish. Well, not easy, but much easier than preventing soul rot. You have an aptitude for magecraft, I can tell, so if you're dedicated enough, it shouldn't be impossible for you." Another beat of his wings jostled the girl, whipping a howl of wind and eliciting a small yelp as she scrambled to hold on to his head. "It's not hopeless, Morgan, so don't cry, please. Tears don't look good on you."

She blushed when she realized the state of her appearance. Her dress was rumpled, her face stained with tears; her sleeves wet from wiping them away. She quickly tried to fix it all, but there was only so much she could do while riding on a dragon's head, which only made her face color more. Still, she did her best. She straightened her back, placed her hands on her lap, and gave him a shallow bow, somehow managing to make herself look regal against all odds.

"I apologize for my unsightly display." She said. "Thank you for your help, Avel. I truly am. Now at least I know where to direct my efforts. If you say I have potential, then I'll try my best."

Shirou smiled, his reptilian maw showing off silver fangs.

"Good. I'll ask around, too. Now hold on, we're almost there."

They were flying for half an hour, and their destination was in sight. A small lake hidden in a forested valley. A lake Shirou was quite familiar with.

He decreased the force of Eternal Forge propelling him, letting the gravity bring him lower until the surface of the lake was just below him. Then he transformed again, the silver dragon disappearing with a brief screech of grinding metal. It sure surprised Morgan, but before she could panic and scream, he was beside her in his human form, grabbing her hand and reassuring her with his presence. It seemed she didn't enjoy the experience, however, one hand over her wildly beating heart and glaring at him as they gently floated down until they stood on the lake's surface.

"That was mean."

"It couldn't be helped." He lied. It totally could've been, but this way, it made her shake off the last of her sadness. And it was amusing. That too. "I had to transform somehow."

She tried to keep glaring, but the fact she was standing on water, something clearly magical, took priority. She took a step, marveling at the ripples her steps created, but Shirou's grip on her hand prevented her from wandering off.

"… so this is the Gateway? A lake?"

"Yes." Shirou nodded. "It's an entrance to Faery. One I make frequent use of. It's also an entrance to the home of a friend of mine, so we'll be visiting her on the way."

She turned to face him, her expression eager and hopeful.

"A lake… is your friend's name 'Vivian', perhaps?"

Shirou blinked.

"Huh. I guess she's more well-known than I thought."

"You are in a lot of stories, Avel. And so is Lady Vivian. 'The Fairy of the Lake' and 'The Fairy of Fire and Iron'. Two of the more friendly fae known for aiding heroes. Mystical beings of opposite elements, of fire and water, sometimes clashing, sometimes working together."

Now Shirou was curious. He didn't know that many of his own tales. He actually made an effort to avoid them as they often made him embarrassed, but he wondered how humans viewed his friend.

"How is she depicted in those stories?"

Morgan closed her eyes for a few seconds before responding, her eyes full of admiration.

"Lady of the Lake is said to be a wise and powerful fairy. A noble being, a 'Lady' who lives in a castle set on a remote island; a queen in all but name. She's a healer and sorceress who lends her aid to brave heroes, but for all her kindness, she was also stern when needed. I always admired her and loved the stories she was a part of, as she's an ideal 'Lady' I aimed to emulate."

Shirou's smile turned more awkward the longer he listened.

Noble and wise? That's… well, she could be when she wanted to, but… Shirou's image of his friend wasn't… that. Still, he couldn't bring himself to share his opinion in the face of Morgan's admiration.

"… ah, I…" Shirou tried to say something, but those shining blue eyes were too bright to lie to. "Let's go, Morgan! We don't have time to waste."

Forgive me, Morgan, for this fairy is a coward.

The girl just tilted her head at his sudden eagerness to continue their journey, but didn't question it, too busy marveling at the way the lake parted under them as they descended into the depths.

A Gateway into Faery wasn't a physical thing anyone could use. To a regular human, there would be nothing out of the ordinary about this lake. Just another unremarkable body of water deep in the wilds. If a human was to dive towards the lake's bottom, he would find only mud and silt, and no traces of fairy magic. Fairy Eyes revealed it for what it truly was, but it created a minor problem if he wanted to let Morgan pass through.

His magic still protected her, so when they sank under the surface, she found herself inside a giant bubble of air, protected from the pressure and lack of oxygen. It was dark, so made Morgan's bubble glow with soft blue light. When they approached the Gateway's threshold, he prepared more magical energy to force Morgan through, but to his surprise, he didn't have to in the end. The Gateway let his companion pass without trouble, as it did with any other fairy.

He looked at Morgan in surprise, his eyebrows rising on their own.

Huh, is she more of a fairy than he thought? Visiting Faery shouldn't be that dangerous, then.

She caught his gaze, tilting her head in a silent question, but he just smiled and guided them further.

Soon, the waters turned azure blue, filled with light without a clear source, so Shirou stopped the bubble's glow. They left the human realm behind and found themselves somewhere in between. It wasn't a physical place, not really. More of a shadow of a concept. An endless world of water, the source of all of earth's rivers, lakes, and oceans, stretching into infinity before them. It was a peaceful and beautiful place. It always soothed Shirou's heart, but he didn't want to expose Morgan to it for too long. What a fairy deemed beautiful could be terrifying to a human mind, and an expanse of water without visible end was one of those things, so he pushed onwards, towards Vivian's home.

They descended, and it didn't take long for Morgan's bubble of air to lose its definition. They pushed onwards, and the endless realm of water seamlessly transitioned into the territory of Vivian's lake, the water turning into the air without an obvious line of separation. His friend's island and tower appeared below them, growing bigger as they neared it, and they soon landed on the surface of her lake.

Morgan looked down, then up in confusion, staring at the distant surface of the lake in the human world, a still visible surface, despite the fact they were half a realm below it and countless miles away to boot. Not to mention the realm of water in between the two places that should logically occlude the human world by now.

But, well, logic often wasn't of much use in Faery.

"… how?"

Shirou chuckled, finally letting go of Morgan's hand to pat her on the back.

"It's better not to think about it too much."

It took her a few seconds to accept that, but she eventually let it go with a sigh. The lake they landed on was more important than some cracks in the World's 'logic'. She looked at their surroundings like a fascinated child, but Vivian's lake was… well, boring. His friend would certainly disagree, but besides her small island and an outwardly unremarkable tower, there was nothing here. The lake itself, while beautiful in its still, almost mirrorlike surface, wasn't something impossible to find in the human world, albeit maybe not on this scale. The island and the tower were unremarkable too, from Shirou's perspective. It didn't compare to Rhongomyniad, that's for sure.

"So this is Faery?"

"No," Shirou shook his head, hoping she wasn't too disappointed. "It's a place in between. Vivian's lake is both inside Faery and the human world. That's why it can function as a Gateway, but we aren't in Faery proper, yet." He set off towards the tower. "Now, let's go greet her, else she's going to sulk for years."

"… sulk?" Morgan whispered to herself, confused, but hurried after Shirou after a few seconds, when she noticed he left her behind.

There wasn't a fence circling the island this time, but the ground was overgrown with shrubbery, forming a dense, almost labyrinth-like structure. Shirou didn't recognize the plants. They looked like rose bushes, thorns and all, but the wide purple and pink flowers had too few petals and smelled nothing like roses. And they appeared to grow like vines, crawling up Vivian's tower in a spiderweb-like manner.

Strange, but Morgan seemed to like them.

She followed close behind him, not daring to touch the colorful plants, but clearly taken by their beauty. She would stop every few steps to admire the flowers, smiling widely, only to remember she was following him and hurrying to catch up to him, schooling her expression into her 'princess mode'. Shirou smiled under his nose, amused. It seemed like anything even remotely magical was enough to catch her attention, making her look like a curious kitten in his eyes.

When they reached the tower's entrance, the wide doors opened on their own with an ominous crack, and Shirou sighed when he noticed the dark hall and blue torches that barely gave any light.

"Great. This again."

He didn't have time to warn Morgan before Vivian's imperious voice cut through the air.

"Who dares to enter my domai– Oh, it's you, Avel."

Thankfully, his friend decided to make without her theatrics when she noticed him, the inside of the tower instantly changing into the usual bright and welcoming form. She was about to get up when he opened his mouth.

"Hi, Vivian. I'm just passing by, so don't get up," Shirou said, making Vivian pause mid-motion. "I just popped in to say 'hi'."

"Oh…" Vivian said with a small voice, slumping back on her throne, her shoulders sagging, and an uncomfortable lance of guilt stabbed Shirou's heart. "You have more important things to do than visit your friends, I guess. I understand," Vivian said, smiling wistfully and twisting the lance deeper.

Ugh, he should visit more often.

While Shirou was suffering from emotional pain, Morgan peeked from behind his shoulder. She stayed close to his back, spooked by Vivian's initial demeanor, but now that the Elemental was acting like her usual self, she dared herself to look at the 'famous' fairy.

It didn't pass Vivian's notice. When she saw the human girl behind him, all traces of her apparent dejection disappeared, replaced by curiosity.

"Oh? And who's this? A guest?"

Morgan twitched at the attention but stepped out from Shirou's shadow and gave Vivian a royal bow.

"Greeting, Lady Vivian. It's an honor to meet you. I'm Morgan Pendragon, daughter of Uther Pendragon, King of Britain. Thank you for allowing me entry into your home."

For a few seconds, Vivian stayed silent and still like a statue, her blank expression carved from stone as she stared at the bowing girl. The silence caused Morgan to gulp in uncertainty, her hands trembling slightly under the gaze of the ancient fae. Shirou himself wasn't sure why his friend reacted like this, but before he could break the silence, Vivian turned back into her normal self.

Or not so normal after all, because the 'Lady of the Lake' shrieked something that sounded like 'kyaa' before rushing to hug Morgan, who, by virtue of being all but human, probably didn't even notice the Elemental move before she was embraced and spun around in circles like a small child.

"So cute!"

Amused and bewildered, Shirou watched as Vivian rubbed her cheek against Morgan's head, gushing about how 'cute' the girl was. While not inaccurate, it was still a bit abrupt of Vivian. To Morgan's visible relief, the spinning didn't last long, and they soon stopped, although Vivian didn't release the girl from her hug.

"Um, Lady Vivian? Can you… let me go?"

"Nope! You're too precious, Morgan." Vivian said, beaming at the girl.

As funny as this was, Shirou didn't miss the silent pleading for help in Morgan's eyes. Vivian could be as selfish as any fae, and she clearly took a liking to the girl, but they didn't have time to stay and play with her.

"We're just passing by, as I've said," Shirou said. "We have little time, so let her go."

Vivian, however, completely ignored him. She stopped hugging Morgan so tightly but didn't release her. Instead, she took hold of the girl's shoulders, forcing her to face the Elemental. With their gazes locked, Vivian's smile became more kind than happy, but Morgan still looked unnerved.

Shirou didn't like it either. This behavior wasn't like Vivian's. His friend usually wasn't this forceful, nor did she ignore him like this.

Not when it clearly made Morgan uncomfortable.

"There's something special about you, Morgan. Fate hangs thickly upon your shoulders and your soul glimmers in the World's eye. That you're here is no coincidence. You're destined for great things. Great and difficult things. But don't worry, Vivian will take care of you! You're one of my children, I can tell!"

"No," Shirou said and pulled Morgan out of Vivian's grip, embracing the girl protectively from behind while glaring at his friend. "She isn't."

The Elemental of the Lake froze for a moment, as if not comprehending his words, but soon her piercing blue eyes focused on him, and she took a step back, her good cheer slipping off her expression.

"Oh?"

It wasn't truly a word, nor a question, but a challenge nonetheless. Lady of the Lake stared down the Fairy of Fire and Iron, and a silent contest ensued. One that no mortal could perceive—a clash of wills beyond what was visible.

While red-faced Morgan squirmed slightly in Shirou's hold, a world of infinite flames and weapons glared down at a lake of infinite depth with a core of black ice. Outside the tower, a single ripple disturbed the ever-still surface of Vivian's lake, traveling in an expanding circle from the island shores, but the two fae didn't attack each other, for even when in opposition, they were still friends. The sky didn't burst into fire, nor did the lake come alive with wrath, but the air and the water were charged with repressed power.

Shirou didn't know who would win if they were to battle, but he was unwilling to let Vivian have her way.

Morgan wasn't one of her doomed heroes. Not when he had something to say about it.

"She's not one of yours, Vivian."

The staring contest lasted for a few seconds more, but eventually, Vivian relented.

The invisible pressure disappeared as if it had never existed, and Vivian turned back into the cheerful fairy he knew.

"If you say so." She said, before pouting at him. "Ah, so cruel. Even my friend denies me my affection. And after finally visiting me in such a long time, too."

He let out a silent sigh of relief. He doubted his friend would push it, but a fae was a fae.

"Um, Avel, can you…"

He looked down, golden eyes meeting gleaming pale blue, and he quickly let her go, only now noticing how red Morgan's face was.

"Ah. Sorry."

She took a few steps away from him, taking a few deep breaths and smoothing out her dress. Uh, perhaps he misjudged his strength.

"Morgan, was it?" Vivian asked. "I'm sorry. My instincts got the better of me."

Morgan composed herself and shook her head, giving the Elemental a polite smile.

"Ah, no. It's not your fault, Lady Vivian, I'm sure."

The fairy smiled kindly at the girl but didn't correct her. She looked between her and Shirou and her smile grew more mischievous, much to his annoyance. Vivian could be as bad as Dienu sometimes when it came to playing pranks on him, although she usually was less nasty about them.

"So Avel is taking you to Faery, huh? That's unexpected. And a princess, no less. I didn't though he would ever do something so… bold."

He rolled his eyes and cut her prank short, lest Morgan read into Vivian's words too much.

"I didn't kidnap her, Vivian. Look deeper."

The Elemental raised an eyebrow but did as he told. With him pointing out there was something unusual to find about the human girl, It didn't take long for the Great Mother to see Morgan's fairy soul.

"Ah. I see. So it's like that."

"Yes, so don't say weird things."

"Fine. A human with the soul of a fairy, hm?" Vivian said and looked at him with a knowing smile. "No wonder. But if it's Avel, then you have nothing to fear, Morgan. He can be stubborn and stupid at times, but he's a good sort. And of course, you're always welcome to my home. My friends are neglecting me, recently, so you won't be a burden. Please do visit whenever you pass by."

"I… see, Lady Vivian." She said, glancing at Shirou. "If I'll ever pass through here again, I'll remember that. Although I'm not sure if I'll ever have the occasion. My body is that of a human, so…" Morgan trailed off, fiddling with her thumbs. "I won't live that long compared to someone like you, Lady Vivian. I may be dead before we can meet again."

"No, now, don't say that," Vivian said, placing her hand on Morgan's shoulder. "I'm sure a brave child like you will find some way to fix that."

Morgan smiled wanly, clearly not so sure herself.

"I hope so, but I can't imagine it right now. Avel told me magecraft can help me become immortal, but… the one magus I know that could teach me…" she said with a grimace. "I'd rather not."

Vivian looked at him with wide eyes, her hand covering her mouth in an exaggerated expression of shock.

"Avel did? Really?"

Shirou narrowed his eyes. Why are you acting so surprised?

"Yes. And while we're on this topic, do you know magecraft, Vivian?"

"I do. I'm not a master or anything, but some of my children were magi, and I learned a thing or two from watching them. It's mostly water-related magecraft, as you can guess, and it's most likely magnitudes weaker than what that student of yours knows." She then turned to Morgan. "But I can teach you the little I know if you want."

The girl brightened at the offer, accepting without a second thought, much to Shirou's chagrin.

"I.. Yes! I'd be honored to learn from you, Lady Vivian!"

Morgan, please, don't be so quick to accept fairy deals.

"Then it's settled!" Vivian said and then pointed at Shirou "And I'm tasking you with bringing Morgan here for her lessons, Avel, since you're so adamant about not allowing her to become one of my children. Don't think you can wriggle out of your responsibilities."

"I'd do that, anyway." Shirou sighed. "Now let's go, Morgan. You'll have time to chat with Vivian some other time, but now we have to leave for Faery, lest I turn into a liar."

He prodded Morgan out of the tower, the girl glancing back all the way. Once they were outside, Morgan turned to bow to Vivian who was standing on the threshold of her home, waving them goodbye.

"Thank you again, Lady Vivian. I… you do not know how much this means to me, but I promise I'll repay your kindness one day. A Pendragon word on it."

"Think nothing of it, child. Your story will be enough of a reward."

Shirou tugged Morgan away, into the cold depths of Vivian's lake. The dangers of Faery were multitude, and while he was confident in his ability to protect her from harm, there were good reasons humans considered the 'fair folk' extremely dangerous.

He gave his old friend one last look, his golden eyes spelling a silent warning as the waters parted around them. He didn't gainsay Morgan when she accepted Vivian's offer. It wasn't his place.

But he made clear Morgan wasn't one of Vivian's 'heroes'.

Not now, and not in the future.

The Elemental watched from her tower as the red-haired fairy and the princess disappeared below the surface, slipping from her realm and deeper into the Reverse.

She couldn't see the future, that gift was not for her, nor did she want it. But she still saw a lot.

More than she usually let on.

She knew the world was changing despite rarely leaving her home. The Age of Gods was dying, and the final acts of that play would play out on the Isles above. And Morgan was a focal point of that tale, she could tell. She was important. Vivian didn't know what part of the play was for Morgan to bear or if her story would have a happy ending, but she was certain her life would be rife with curses and blessings alike.

And her friend tied himself to her, latching on to the child with surprising ferocity.

She looked up at the distant human world, at the shimmering surface of the lake high above and the night sky beyond it.

"I wonder…"