Chapter 4

The seventh campione, Shirou Hortensia, has no real information regarding his origins or even who he really is. The same could be said for his companion, Caren Hortensia, who has been revealed to be a hime-miko, or at least, the equivalent of one. From the limited interactions he has had, as well as the limited information given by Liliana Kranjcar, it can be assumed that he is a righteous individual who wishes to help others.

He has slain four heretic gods within a week, a record that will likely be unmatched by anyone. As of now, the information on his authorities is still unknown. From those who have witnessed him, the bronze-black cross, have stayed silent on what they have seen. It can be assumed that Liliana Kranjcar's association with the king has allied them with him. As such, no further information was gathered.

However, his appearance is that of a red haired young man, with lightly tanned skin, and golden-brown eyes. Lately, he has taken to wearing a black jacket, a red shroud around his neck, some sort of black sleeveless armor, jeans, boots, he wears a cylindrical case on his back, and possesses a gold and red sword.

All in all, it is advised to approach him respectfully. From the information that has been gathered, he is approachable and rather kind, as opposed to other campione. The Bronze-Black Cross has noted that they felt a kind and relaxing aura emanating around the king, making approaching him more comfortable and less stressful.

His current whereabouts are unknown, as he wished to be left to his own devices, though he stated a desire to return home. Despite his features, it appears he calls Japan his home country. He has stated that should anyone need his help, they need only contact his knight, Liliana Kranjcar. Last known sighting was when he was in Greece, assisting in relief efforts after a natural disaster.

It has been theorized that he is a pious believer of the Abrahamic religion, and that he possesses the authority of a saint. It appears that he is visiting different religious sites that are valued by the christian belief. It is likely that he will be traveling to Japan after completing whatever journey he is on.


"This is the end of the the report. So far, this is all we know of the seventh Campione. The fact that there is more information on the eighth is rather surprising." The man reporting said aloud to four others. They all looked amongst each other, taking in the information.

"So, we now have two kings who call Japan home. Both of whom will likely return here and try to settle down." An elderly man called out, holding a hand to his chin.

"Yes, which makes this a rather troublesome case. Godou Kusanagi has already been here for some time, and has already integrated well with Yuri Mariya. This other king could cause problems, as it would be safe to assume he is stronger than Godou. The question is, what do we do?" An elderly woman asked, looking to the others.

"From what we can tell, Shirou Hortensia is kind and has already went out of his way numerous times to help others, in big ways or small ways. During the battle in Milan, it was said that he went out of his way to ensure the safety of the people and surroundings, even allowing assistance from his two companions when fighting. He appears to go where he's needed, so he wanders about. Perhaps, he will continue to do the same when he arrives here."

"Meaning, we won't have to worry about the two kings fighting each other over the land. However, I believe it is prudent that we send someone to remain at his side, just like Yuri Mariya and Godou Kusanagi, just in case. Besides, it wouldn't hurt to have two kings tied to Japan, and us, should things go south. The only question is, who should it be?" A younger woman pointed out and asked, wondering about the man's personality.

"I think I may have an idea. However, it is risky, and should be done when he has settled into Japan. We will have to prepare her with whatever information we can manage to dig up in the meantime." The last member of the group of four said, getting the rest to listen intently to what he was going to say. He took a deep breath, knowing that this was a risky proposition.


After the Battle in Milan

"So, what is it that we're supposed to be doing exactly?" Liliana asked, a bit wary of Caren, whom she hadn't known that long. Caren just sat on the bed facing her, Shirou's head laying in her lap.

"Oh, we're just waiting for Shirou to wake up, but I thought I could take this time to get to know you a bit better. Though, I feel like I have a pretty good read on you, all things considered." She said with a smile, absentmindedly running her hands through Shirou's red hair. "Though, I wouldn't mind hearing about the other campione while we wait."

She still found it great that Shirou's hair was back to its original state. While she enjoyed his white hair, she was always curious about what his original hair color was. The fact it was red, rather than black or brown was rather amusing to her. She looked down at Shirou, closely inspecting where his wounds had been.

They hadn't known a lot about what happened to them, but Shirou gave her what information he had. Campione, it was such an odd concept to her. Godslayers who usurped authorities from beings who called themselves heretic gods. Well, if that was his job, she couldn't imagine a better person to make use of that power.

"Right, I'll tell you what I can." Liliana replied, sitting up straight in her chair. 'I wonder if the other knights are like her?' "There are six others, however, yesterday, we were informed that another campione was born here in Italy." Caren was surprised by that. 'I bet it was an idiot like Shirou. Only an idiot would willingly face a god.'

"There isn't much info on him, but the others have been around for a long time. The eldest is Marquis Voban, and he is rather solitary, but enjoys fighting and hunting heretic gods, by any means necessary." Caren didn't miss the shudder that passed through Liliana after that. "The second is Lu Hao, a martial artist from China, considered to be the physically strongest campione. She considers just about everyone to be beneath her."

"Then there is Madame Aisha, however, she is sort of a recluse. She disappears for long periods of time, but other campione consider her 'troublesome'. Then, there is Black Prince Alec, from England. He has a tendency to steal things that interest him, but he is someone who does a lot of research before fighting his opponent. He tends to outsmart his opponents rather than overpower them."

"The next would be John Pluto Smith from America. He is sort of eccentric, acting like a superhero and what not, but is rather mysterious." When Caren heard that, she couldn't help but look at Shirou. 'I have a feeling Shirou would get along well with him.' "The next is Lord Salvatore Doni, considered to be the best swordsman, defeating a heretic god with pure swordsmanship, but many think he's an idiot."

Caren couldn't help but let out an amused huff at that. "Then there's King Shirou, followed by the newest campione, Godou Kusanagi. We don't have much information on him currently, but I'll be sure to let you know when we do." She quickly added. Caren was interested. From what she could tell, each campione was indeed eccentric.

"Can you get me some files containing their information? Just in case." She asked, with Liliana nodding her head to the question. Caren wanted to know a bit more, plus, she wanted to prepare in case Shirou had to go against any of them. Admittedly, she wanted to know more about Smith and Aisha. She had a feeling the two of them would be the best choices to make contact with at some time.

"What is your opinion on what we should do next, Lili?" Caren asked, wondering what her answer would be. Liliana stiffened for a moment, before she began to think to herself.

"At the moment, I'd say to find somewhere to set up a base of operations. Most campione set up territories, usually in the country where they're from. This would help Shirou stake his claim as a king and provide him resources from whatever country he chooses. At the moment, my order is willing to ally with King Shirou, to provide him our services whenever he requires it." She replied in an orderly fashion.

Caren hummed to herself. She had a feeling that was the case. Setting up a home was something they wanted to do, but were unsure of what to do considering their status. However, it seemed that wouldn't be a problem anymore. However, it seemed the church wasn't as big of a faction in this world, which was a bit disconcerting.

'Perhaps, Shirou and I could start our own organization? With Lili's order allied with us, it wouldn't be hard to get the necessary resources.' She wondered for a moment, "Lili, is there an organization that keeps the campione in check? Or monitors heretic gods?" She asked, getting a bad feeling the moment she asked.

Liliana shook her head. "The campione are supreme rulers. Their existence places them above what any ordinary person could hope to do. Because we couldn't even hope to contend with them, everyone simply does damage control. If King Shirou decided to kill everyone in Milan, there wouldn't be a thing anyone could do to stop him, aside from another campione or heretic god." That brought a chill down Caren's spine.

'So, there are now seven beings out there, whose power is left unchecked, who can do whatever they please without repercussion?' She thought with a slight frown. She looked down towards Shirou. 'Shirou won't like that, but neither do I. Could we fill that role? That was our role before, to watch over and guide God's children. I'll think about it.'

She let out a tired sigh. "Thank you, that's valuable information. Though, I'm surprised that you know so much, Lili. I'd have expected it from a mage, but not a knight." She said with a slight teasing tone. Liliana's face did slightly redden, but she must have been used to it.

"I've trained and studied since I was very young to be a great knight, but I will say that your words aren't entirely incorrect. I am a knight, but I am also a witch, who has also been trained to use spells." She replied calmly. Caren was a bit surprised. She had thought she had enchantments or something, but it seemed that she was a real magic user.

However, Caren felt that Liliana was more like Shirou, in a certain sense. She could use magic, witnessed her using it even, but she also heard the incantation used to summon her bow. Her chant was like a song of King David, in fact, the power it radiated reminded her of Shirou's holy weapons. 'She would have made for a great exorcist, if not an executor.'

"Honestly, I think I'm liking you more and more Lili. With you here, I won't have to worry about Shirou as much as I usually do." She said with a small smile. She had already shown how invaluable she was when she distracted Abaddon by shooting him with her bow. All in all, Caren was glad that Liliana was going to be Shirou's knight.

Then again, with her around, she probably won't see Shirou in those dire straits as much. It was a conundrum. However, considering what she learned, it's highly likely that she didn't have to worry about that. Chances were, with Liliana there, along with anyone else who may come to his side, that Shirou would become far more serious and protective. He was supposed to be a king after all.

Considering the one who taught him about kingship, Caren knew that the future would become interesting. She knew it would be amusing to see what the fusion of the beliefs Shirou grew up with would bring. Then again, she was determined to enjoy this second chance at life that Shirou and her were blessed with. All she had to do, was make sure Shirou didn't fall back into bad habits.


A few days later, Shirou was sitting at a table outside of a café. He took a sip from the tea, before humming to himself. "Hmm, that is definitely an interesting taste. Not bad, though maybe they could have added something to it." He brought a hand up to his chin, before looking up and seeing Liliana finishing up a pastry she had brought.

"Is it not to your liking?" She asked, tilting her head a bit. Shirou shook his head with a small smile.

"No, it's fine. I enjoy trying new things after all. I just like to think about what could be done to improve certain qualities of the things I partake in. I suppose that's the part of me that enjoys cooking food." Which was true. It was one of the things he enjoyed doing the most. Seeing people smile upon trying his food was always great to see.

Liliana smiled, before looking down at her own cup of tea. "Um, if you don't mind me asking, what kind of tea do you prefer?" Shirou raised a brow, before thinking to his self.

"During certain assignments to Russia, there were many times where I had the opportunity to try out the local cuisine. In some places, they would often add jams or fruits to the tea they served. Personally, I find that type of tea to be my favorite. Though, for some reason, when I make it, I never get it quite right." He admitted with a shrug.

Liliana let out a small giggle, before stopping herself. Though, Shirou could still see the faint smile on her face. "Apologies. It's hard to imagine you having trouble with something so...mundane, I suppose." She replied, though he could see the irony. To her, he was someone who killed a god and was the most powerful being other than other campiones and heretic gods.

For someone like that to have trouble, as well as be bothered by, making a certain type of tea in a certain type of way must have been an amusing image to conjure up in one's mind. He wondered if there were any heretic gods tied to food? Not that he'd go after such an authority, after all, the process of getting better is half the fun of cooking.

Shirou couldn't help his thoughts from wandering, hoping that he'll soon have access to a nice kitchen so that he can begin cooking again. The last chance he had was in the church, cooking for the kind nuns that had taken them in. 'I wonder if the Magdala Castle authority will include a nice kitchen?'

"Um, King Shirou, not that I'm questioning your judgement or anything, but are you absolutely sure that it was alright for Caren handle the affairs with the Bronze-Black Cross?" Liliana asked him with a genuinely curious tone of voice. Shirou raised a brow at her question, before letting out an amused huff.

"I can understand your worries, but don't worry. Caren's been handling such things for me since before I became a campione. She's much better at handling such things than I could ever be." He hummed for a moment, thinking on how best to explain. "She knows how I do things, as we've been together for a long time. She is adept at dealing with associations like them. Chances are, she's securing us some land, travel rights, and a bunch of other things I would have overlooked."

Liliana hummed to herself, likely thinking about what he had said. "I see. I shall do my best not to fall behind then." She said with resolve evident in her eyes. Shirou couldn't help but slightly smile at the sight. Liliana was truly born in the wrong time. He could definitely believe that she was a great knight. She reminded him of some of the knights he had met, especially a certain honorable knight.

A thought flashed through his mind, 'Could I give her Gamaliel? Such a weapon would give her an edge against heretic gods.' Then again, any scripture would do, but some of the scriptures were unable to be traced. Ciel's scripture was one such weapon, as it contained a spirit. Any reproduction of that weapon would be hollow. The Holy Burial Artillery Scripture was one such weapon he could trace, but he doubted anyone but him could use it.

'Thoughts for another time, but giving her Gamaliel is something I'll definitely consider.' He'd need to instruct her how to use it, but he had a feeling that she'd be able to handle it. Plus, should there be an emergency, he'd feel better if she had access to such a weapon so that she may act in his stead.

"Well, when Caren returns, I suppose we'll plan out our next course of action." He noticed Liliana's face was brighten a bit, before she decided to speak again.

"Um, if we need a place to go to, we can head to my mansion. I'm not sure if it'll be up to the standards of a king like yourself, but..." Shirou was shocked to learn she had something like that, however, he wouldn't deny being interested.

"Don't worry about that Liliana. Despite my title, I always lived quite modestly, so I'm sure your home will definitely be grand to someone like me." He said with a small smile. Before anything else could be said, he felt the new phone he bought begin to ring. He checked and saw that it was a message from Caren. "Seems Caren's all done. Shall we?"


"So, what would you like to discuss first, Shirou?" Caren asked, sitting at a small table as Shirou placed a cup of tea in front of her. Liliana was sitting across from her, looking like she was a bit unsure of whether or not to help Shirou. "Don't worry, Lili, Shirou enjoys doing things like this. When it's just us, it should be fine to just relax with us." She said, taking the tea.

"Besides, Shirou can't go very long without helping someone or being courteous before he begins to lose it. Best to leave him to it for now." She continued with a small smirk. Shirou let out a small grunt, but didn't refute any of her words. Liliana gave a reluctant nod, before looking at some of the papers on the table.

"I suppose, we should begin with what they would like for us to do." He replied, with Liliana looking up at him with a tilt of the head. She was pretty sure that Caren had told him about their conversation, so she didn't fully understand why he would ask that.

"Hmm, well, they didn't really ask, it was more like they were heavily implying and begging that you become an ally. Though, since it's Lili's order, I didn't really find any problems with saying we'd do what we can. I figured with your fortress authority, we could make a small base here until we find somewhere in Japan to create our castle." She replied to him, with Liliana being surprised by her words.

'A fortress authority? What does that entail?' Shirou hummed, before looking over towards her. She couldn't help but grow a bit nervous. She didn't want them to feel like they had to help out here just because she was a part of their organization. Besides, she had already decided that she would be Shirou's knight, so he didn't have any obligation to do so.

"Well, I see no problem with helping out should they need me. With my authority, it should be feasible. I noticed a small number of houses on the way up here. Um, Liliana?" He asked, looking at her with a nervous expression.

"Um, yes, King Shirou?" Honestly, she was a bit worried about what he was going to say. While Shirou seemed to be a good person, Campione were known for being unpredictable. Her home was built on a small mountainside, near the top. It had a good view of the nearby city and was decently sized, but she wasn't sure if it would be of any use to him. Plus, it was a family manor, so she didn't want anything to happen to it.

"Well, I was going to ask if you wouldn't mind me marking your manor as a part of my authority? Nothing will happen to it, but a boundary will be set up around a certain radius. It's one of the functions of the authority I gained from Saint Martha. I can mark two locations and create a castle at a third, allowing me to travel to and from these places. There's some boons to it, but I'm leaving the final option up to you, as this is your home."

'Wait? Marking it? He wants to use the manor as part of his authority? Marking it as a central part of his territory?' Most Campione only held one location as their territory. However, from Shirou's words, he could effectively mark three locations and they'd each function as part of his domain. Not only that, but it sounded like there were obvious benefits to this.

"I can only do this once, so it'll be permanent, but even though we haven't been around each other for that long, I trust you. While I said previously that I should prove myself to you, well, to be honest, I'm not all that ready for the position I find myself in. I was just thrust into it and I'm still figuring it out. All I've ever wanted to do was help people. You have been a great help, and you even saved me once."

"From what I've seen, you're a good person. To be upfront, I would like to keep relying on you to help us, Liliana. While I want you as a knight, I also want you as a person, because a king doesn't stand alone. I want you to be the first one who stands besides me in this new world I find myself in." It was a shock to hear such words from a Campione, and she couldn't help it if her cheeks were blushing from his words either.

What was standing in front of her now wasn't a god slayer, a king, or a campione. He was simply standing there asking her this as a man, as Shirou. He wasn't asking the knight Liliana, but asking Liliana the girl, to be the one to help and stand by him as he began his start as a campione. He was a king, but yet, he also wasn't that. She already knew what kind of kingdom he wanted to make.

She didn't know how she knew, but she did. She had to remind herself to breathe for a moment, simply because this went against everything she was taught about campione. They were beings who were the pinnacle of mankind. They were above everyone. Shirou was standing there, flying against that, looking at her as an equal.

"I...will stay with you, Shirou. You can rely on me, Liliana Kranjcar, for anything. I'll do whatever I can to assist you in your journey to become a great king, as both a knight and as a lady." She replied quickly, standing to her feet and bowing his head to him. "As such, what is mine is yours. If you feel my home is worthy of the honor of your authority's blessing, then I have no arguments against it."

For a moment, nothing was said, but then she felt Shirou take a hold of her hand, causing her face to heat up. She looked up and saw Shirou looking at her with a faint smile. "Thank you, Liliana. I'll do my best to be a king and man worthy of your allegiance. For now..." She noticed Shirou's shadow move and bind itself to hers. For a moment, she felt like something had linked itself to her, before she also felt a change to herself.

Her eyes widened, as she felt stronger and lighter than before. Her magic even felt more...pure, she supposed would be the right word. "This is the most I can do with what authorities I have. A blessing for my knight, as well as binding our shadows, so should you ever need me, I'll be able to get to you." A blessing, she could only guess that it was Martha's authority, but the shadow authority, it must have been from the he had slain a few days earlier.

As she was thinking this, she also noticed the change to plants within her home. They all seemed healthier and bloomed brighter than before. If she looked outside, she would have seen something similar. The Golden Rule authority was unlike others. It operated on faith and belief. As long as Shirou continued to do good, the domain around the manor would flourish.

Of course, while it provided a blessing to those within it, as well as the land, it was tied to Shirou. If Shirou was troubled, the land would grow troubled, if the land was troubled, then that would effect him also. While he could gain strength from these domains, the burden they placed on him wasn't anything to scoff at. Already, Shirou could feel the burden of the domain. Of course, it was a mental strain and only affecting him because he wasn't used to it yet.

He was also linked to Liliana, who was now the caretaker of the domain. Already, he could tell that he'd need to be careful should he wish to place another somewhere. He was beginning to understand the drawbacks that came with using authorities. He partially blamed himself, as he hadn't actually trained his authorities all that much, instead relying on his magecraft and sacraments.

The two then heard Caren clear her throat, causing them both to look towards her. She motioned towards them, causing them both to realize that Shirou was still holding onto her hand. Shirou quickly let go, though Liliana would admit to feeling a bit disappointed about that. She wouldn't deny finding the feeling of his rather strong hands pleasant.

Quicker than Liliana could react, Shirou was wrapped in Caren's red shroud and pulled over next to her. "Unintentionally seducing maidens when we're going over our plans isn't acceptable Shirou. Especially with me sitting right here, truly your depravity knows no bounds. To think one maiden isn't enough to satiate you anymore. I pity the other maidens who will fall to your whims, but have no fear Shirou, even if God can't love or forgive you, I'll always be here to do so."

Liliana's couldn't help her blush from growing even more red at Caren's words. Though, she did notice Shirou's eye twitch, before they narrowed at her. "First, God loves us all despite our imperfections. Two, he'll also forgive us of our sins should we repent for them. Three, to call yourself a maiden is a little much isn't it?" Liliana noticed the shroud tighten around Shirou, with him squeezing out the last bit, "Four, quit making me sound like some kind of lust filled beast!"

"Ah, I see. You're right, Shirou. I apologize. I mustn't refer to myself as a maiden, I'm more like a saint. Handling those repressed urges of yours does truly require the patience of one. Don't be saddened Shirou, I'm sure you'll be able to find forgiveness soon." Liliana felt like she was missing something here. It was like they weren't talking about something else entirely.

"Am I not already on my way there, you twisted vixen." Caren looked at Shirou in the eyes, before tilting her head to the side a bit. "What do you think I'm doing? It takes time, I'll have you know." She noticed Caren's eyes soften considerably, as if she saw something that took a weight off her shoulders. The shroud even slightly loosened, though she kept a hold of Shirou.

"I see. Very well, Shirou. I shall concede for today. However, don't fail to forget what'll happen should you begin to fall into the ways of debauchery and self indulgence." Shirou sighed, but only nodded his head. However, Liliana was a bit stunned when she saw the small smile on his face. It seemed warm and genuine. Compared to the other smiles she saw, this one was beautiful in comparison.

"And remember..." Caren then pulled him until he was only inches from her face, she then placed a delicate hand onto his chest. "I'm here, always." She then followed up by shooting him a small smile, which brightened up her usual emotionless demeanor. She then retracted her shroud so fast that Shirou practically spun out of the cloth and ended up stopping himself a few feet away.

"Now, I have an idea I would love to discuss with you both. It has a lot to do with something Lili told me about the campione." She said, maintaining the small smile. Liliana raised a brow, as she didn't understand what she was talking about. She mentioned quite a few things about campione. "Did you know that the campione have free reign to do whatever they want, Shirou? And I mean anything." She threw a folder onto the table in front of him.

Shirou frowned as he picked up the folder. Liliana then made her way over towards him and looked down at the folder from beside him. Needless to say, she wasn't that surprised by some of it. However, she paled when she noticed a certain report about Voban. A report from when she was younger. She was surprised when she noticed shadows circling Shirou's feet. The more he read, the more the shadows danced around his figure.


Unknown to Liliana, but Caren was watching Shirou. Shirou always had a very steel-like presence. He was firm and unbending. Now? The shadows dancing around him, yet, his cross shining bright in their midst, Caren couldn't help but shiver a bit. The primordial god was right, Shirou was surrounded and embraced by darkness, his whole life was.

He would have turned out differently. Probably being a machine who lived only for being an Executor. However, he didn't fall, just like the cross around his neck refused to dull in the shadows. The cross made and given to him by her, when she decided to love him. She was the same after all. She likely would've ended up dying due to her body for the church, trying to save others, but she didn't, because of him.

What Erebus failed to understand, was that it was Shirou and her together who were each others curse and blessing. It was due to this, that she understood him so well and what he'd want to do. Just like him, she hated what was in that folder. She hated what happened to Lili. It was dark and horrible. However, Shirou was there. He was an executor. She was a bit worried, but the moment she saw his cross was untouched by his shadows, she knew there was nothing to worry about.

She had a feeling that things were going to get very interesting soon. Especially if Shirou agreed with some of the plans she had. Shirou and her were servants of God, but she had to believe they were in this world for a reason. There was only reason she could imagine. She looked towards her Shirou. She smiled to herself. She would help make Shirou into the greatest king in the world. His kingdom would be one of second chances, of peace, and love.

In such a place, she felt like Shirou and her could be happy. It was a long road, but Caren was patient. As long as she was with Shirou, she could endure anything. Yes, she would do everything she could to make sure they made the most of this second chance granted to them through a miracle.


Elsewhere, a young, blonde girl was praying on her bedside. As she did so, a vision came to her. A divine revelation brought about by the descent two people. She saw a red headed angel with dark wings and a young girl wearing all red, beside another girl brandishing a sword. She saw a beautiful castle, one that gave off a holy aura. She didn't know what it was, but something was telling her to find these people and this place.

She had always lived her life following her faith. For some reason, she felt like she would regret it if she didn't follow her intuition. At present, she knew the three were in Italy. A trip from France to Italy wouldn't take too long, she thought. She was from a small town, so she was a bit nervous, but she had always dreamed of adventure and helping others and making a difference. She would prepare and head out as soon as she could.


At the same time, there was another who was currently on the run. She had felt a connection coming from Italy. She was sure that there was someone there that could help her. However, she needed to survive long enough to get there. Divine Ancestors were powerful, and she was among the more powerful of them, but dealing with god-slayers was another matter.

No, she refused to fall here. She needed to make it to the one whom she felt a connection to. She had no desire to fight, nor did she desire to hurt others. She simply wanted to live and watch life grow, as she did so long ago. She didn't hate humanity, they didn't kill her. Gods killed her. 'So, why? Why must a child of man hunt me like this?' She didn't understand.

She pulled up her hood to cover her bluish silver hair, though they did little to cover the curved horns on her head. She hated it, but she'd just use magic to hide them. She groaned a bit. As much as she hated her small body, it did help her maneuver around better. With some luck, she'd make it to her destination with no further problems. It was rare to feel someone with a connection to her, as her time was so long ago, so she was going to make it there, one way or another.


And finished! Got another one out, been trying to release these chapters at a decent rate, but you know how it goes. I'll be doing Vanadis or Gate next, but it could also be Zero and her Forge. But, those three will be coming out soon, since I've been working on them too. Lost Hero of Chaldea is also being worked on, because of course it is. As well as the Reading I promised of that story. Sorry, I've been busy, but its coming. Anyways, this was an aftermath type chapter, one that focused more on Caren and Liliana, but don't worry, next chapter will include some action, obviously. Shirou will meet Godou and another campione, along with a few other characters that I hinted at. The last two are ones I'm most interested in. Also, Shirou and Caren's talk did have double meaning, because of course they did. Hollow Ataraxia is a bunch of fun, btw, you should check it out. If not, check out some videos on youtube. My Caren isn't the exact same, since I have to change things since they've been together for so long, but I'm trying my best to keep her aspects intact, since she's super fun. Personally, I love Caren. Her Prisma Illya appearances always made me laugh. She worked as a nurse for a school just so she could see kids hurt themselves and she's super transparent about it. Also, I've been trying to make Shirou work towards recovering his mentality a bit, since Pandora cleansed that stain from him, as well as healed him by turning him into a campione. I want him to still be kind of messed up, but trying to be better, because he knows that Caren doesn't want him to die and that she cares for him, even if he doesn't understand why she would. I also want to hint that they are both a bit messed up, but slowly getting better, sorta. Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed and thanks for reading. I also appreciate the feedback and reviews, as well as the support. It helps with the writing and makes it fun. Thanks again for everything, I hope you all enjoyed and, as always, until next time.


Aspects of the Guardian of the Abyss: Apollyon/Abadddon.

One authority separated into two forms.

Aspect of Apollyon- Grants Shirou access to an angel's wings and armor, the design would be based of Riesbyfe's armor, considering she's a knight that Shirou interacted with and a knight of the church. Armor that resists darkness and curses, while also inspiring others who gaze upon it. Increases effectiveness of sacraments. Cannot use cursed or demonic weapons while wearing it, but also long term exposure can have adverse effects on bystanders. Much like Aisha, people may begin to become fanatical, or fight harder when they are near death, resulting in a person who could be saved ultimately dying. Also, it can create an empathic link to those who are suffering, allowing Shirou to better help others, however, too much could overload his senses and be detrimental.

Aspect of Abaddon- Allows use of the flames of Sheol, a type of fire that targets the soul and can torture the target with all of the regrets and sins that person has committed. Can also conjure up mental tortures that the target fears. These flames can be manipulated to coat weapons or arrows, or even create balls of flames. Cannot use holy weapons and all buffs from holy authorities and equipment is rendered null. Prolonged use will heat up the user, making it possible to be effected by his own flames or injure himself. Because of Shirou's faith and survivors guilt, he experiences pain while using it, and will begin to change his personality while in use gradually until he stops it. Demonic weapons will be less effective against this form, and certain weapons will be buffed in use.

Lord of Shadows: Erebus

This grants Shirou the authority of shadows, able to manipulate and use them as he sees fit. Of course, full access to this authority will take time to master, dropping it from its Anti-Army effect. As of now, Shirou can use the shadows in conjunction with black keys to bind targets. He can also grant himself presence concealment, though this does take concentration and effort to maintain for long periods of times. He can also shroud himself in shadows, making whips and other constructs that can physically interact with the world, which extends to taking blows and protecting others with shields and shrouds. This also allows him to conceal his identity if he so wishes. More effective at night, as it ties into Nyx's authority, but can function during day, but at a lower output. Does take a large physical toll on the user in prolonged uses, and when traveling between shadows, can become disoriented and lose his perception of time, sight, and other sensations if used too much. Shadow travel can be used unlimited amount of times in a short radius, though it is a conscious ability, meaning he has to think on it. Farther travel can only be used twice a day, with a one day recharge. The power of this authority is limited only by Shirou himself, as Erebus was a primordial. His emotions do effect the authority, becoming stronger but harder to control with strong emotions. It has a very steep learning curve, but with training and time, could become a power that is nearly unrivaled. While the pros outweigh the cons, the cons can be detrimental enough to warrant a close eye on its usage.