chapter 2

Liliana had finally picked up on the trail of the one she was searching for. It had taken awhile, but rumors of miracles and and a a holy man were enough to tell her that she was likely on the right track. She was curious, as she would have expected the campione to make himself a larger presence. Yet, these rumors were only heard in small towns and such.

Rather than choose to be in a big city, it seemed this campione was choosing to keep himself away from populated areas. She admitted to being surprised that his presence in each of the towns was largely positive. Though, she wondered what kind of king he was.

There were people whose physical maladies were healed, who had a sickness that was cured, and other things like that. These rumors all had one thing in common. There were two people, rather than just one. So, she was looking for a king and a saint. So, she decided to stop at a nearby church to ask for information.

She admitted that it was quite strange that the campione and his companion appeared to be related to the church, the rumors stating they were a priest and a nun. It was a bit odd, as she couldn't remember the last time such a person became a campione. Though, there was one thing bugging her.

'If the rumors are true, then how did such a person manage even kill a heretic god?' She silently thought to herself. she shook her head. it wasn't important at the moment. All that mattered was contacting said person. it had been a week and she was beginning to lose hope of finding them before someone else.

Just as that thought crossed her mind, her breathing hitched and her body stilled. She couldn't help the shiver that ran through her body when she saw him. The one she reacted to had just exited from a church, flanked by a girl dressed like a nun.

He appeared to be the same age as her, dressed in jeans, black shoes, a red shirt, and what appeared to be a priest's jacket, though it was unbuttoned and he had no collar, along with a red shroud hanging around his neck.

He also had some sort of cylindrical case that he was wearing on his back. His short hair was deep red in color, with lightly tanned skin, and had golden brown eyes that seemed to shine brightly.

After a moment, she gathered herself enough to take note of his companion. Her long hair was similarly white, with golden eyes, and pearl colored skin. As noticed before, she was dressed like a nun, though her robes were blue in color, with a matching beret. She noticed the two wore matching crosses around their necks.

The two seemed to pause as they took notice of her, with the priest's eyes narrowing slightly. "Oh, is she one of the maidens you've seduced with your new powers?" The nun asked, looking up towards him. Liliana's face then reddened, though she now knew that he was the king.

He let out a sigh, "Caren, must you say things that are so misleading?" He asked while rubbing the back of his head. The reply was a silent chuckle, that caused him to shake his head. He returned his attention to her, flashing her a small smile that caught her off guard.

"Sorry about that, is there anything I can help you with miss?" Liliana's eyes widened, before she remembered what she was supposed to do.

"I apologize for approaching you so suddenly and informally, but I, Liliana Kranjcar, would like to offer to you, the seventh campione, my services as a knight of the order of the Bronze-Black Cross." She replied while kneeling down to him.

Shirou was surprised. Though that wasn't saying much. The whole week had been full of surprises. It all started after he awoke from his battle with the two "heretic gods". He didn't know why they were called that, or why Martha was one, but he did have some information in his head about them.

His body was changed. He couldn't even really call himself a normal human anymore. He was stronger than ever, with his mana reserves being ridiculously high compared to what they were before. His magic circuits had improved so much, that he nearly fainted. He felt more like a heroic spirit than a human.

On top of that, he had an innate understanding over the new abilities he gained. Abilities he gained from Saint Martha and Mannanan Mac Lir. They were similar to noble phantasms, but different as well. Then there was the fact that Martha's shroud was responding to him in a similar manner to Caren's

Not only did he feel more of it's effects, but the shroud seemed to move according to his will like Caren's. It had fully accepted him. Then, there was the change to his reality marble, certain swords, dragon slaying swords, were upgraded in a way that they didn't suffer from a rank down anymore, this included both versions of Martha's staff.

On top of that, he now had access to his world's Fragarach. He had complete authority to trace it, as well as access to a few techniques that he didn't know it possessed. He was thankful for that, as just having it reminded him of Bazett.

Then there was the changes to his body, as in his body was healed of all scars. This included the mental and emotional ones, though aftereffects remained, as trauma wasn't easily healed. Though, he wouldn't deny that he felt much lighter than he used to.

Annoyingly, there was also the change to his hair. His hair had returned to its original red, despite Shirou preferring his white hair. Though, it wasn't too bad, as Caren actually liked his hair, as she had never seen his original hair color.

Now, he had a young lady wishing to serve him as a knight. He knew it was because he was a campione, as they held the title of king, but the fact she had searched him out caused him to wonder what role campiones played in this world. Caren and him were still in the dark, admittedly.

Shirou shook his head, before walking up and offering his hand. "Please stand, Liliana Kranjcar, for I have done nothing to prove myself a worthy king just yet." He said with a gentle smile, getting a surprised expression from her when she looked up at him. She then took his hand, rising to her feet with a troubled expression.

Shirou then quickly added, "So, instead, why don't we do a trial run, Liliana?" Liliana looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"A trial run? I'm afraid that I don't fully understand." She replied while looking at him. When she did, Shirou couldn't help but notice how beautiful the lady knight was. She had long silver hair that was tied in a ponytail, along with blue eyes that reminded Shirou of sapphires.

She had a slender and athletic body, with flawless marble skin. Honestly, Shirou couldn't help but think she was fairy-like. Her black shirt and dress, along with the blue and black striped cloak that covered her shoulders, made him think of the contrast between his red and black clothes.

Honestly, the similarities in appearance to Caren caused Shirou to wonder if he had a type. However, he shook his head. While he was physically attracted to her, he wasn't someone who judged others by appearance. Which led to the point he was about to make.

"Yes, a trial run. You can travel with us and you, yourself, will decide if I am a worthy king to pledge your sword to. A king should not allow just anyone to be his friend, knight or subordinate, likewise, a knight should only swear their oath to a worthy king." He said, remembering the words of Gilgamesh and the recalling the memories of kings present within the blades in Unlimited Blade Works.

"A king leads the path in pursuit of his ideal kingdom and dreams, and a knight is one who aspires to make those dreams come true, while protecting the kingdom and being a representative. The two are interlinked. Do not join me because someone forced you, I will not allow it. You join of your own free will, when I have proven myself worthy of being a king."

Liliana's eyes widened at him, causing him to wonder if his words came out wrong. Honestly, he was trying to blend his personality with that of a king. At heart, Shirou was a executor and priest, someone who lived by the word of god.

Though, if the campione were treated as kings, then he would act the part of a king. No matter his title, he was an executor of God's will, which meant he would still live by the words of God. Really, there was no change, other than maybe needing to act formally from time to time.

Plus, if Liliana wished to serve him, then he would do his best to answer her resolve. 'Perhaps, it'd be best to take after Saber's example, I'm sure Charlie, or rather, Charlemagne would have thought my speech was pretty good.' He thought while chuckling internally.

"I see, then I shall take you up on that offer." She finally replied, with a small smile. Shirou could see some relief in her eyes, but also, he saw something else present within them. She seemed to surprised by his demeanor, as if she was expecting something different.

He figured it made sense. She addressed him as the seventh, meaning there were six others. Considering normal humans wouldn't even attempt to face beings of such power, he figured they must have had some eccentric personalities. He was an executor, so he had faced beings of great power before, but normal people, well, he didn't want to think about it.

"I just realized that I haven't introduced myself. My name is Shirou Hortensia, this is my sister Caren." He said, with Caren offering a bow of her head in response, before a smile appeared on her face.

"It is nice to meet you, Liliana Kranjcar. I look forward to us servicing…Oh, I mean serving my brother together in the future." Shirou sighed as Liliana's face slightly reddened at her words.

"Um, yes, likewise. If you don't mind me saying, you two don't look like your related, is there a reason behind that?" Shirou quickly tried to answer, but Caren, unfortunately, beat him to the punch.

"That's because my brother dyed his hair, wishing to claim me as his own, despite despite brutishly using my body as he wishes." Shirou could already see Liliana reacting to Caren's words. "Despite the taboo nature of our bond going against the church, I still love him quite dearly, despite his nature."

Liliana then looked at him with an expression that usually followed Caren's antics. Shirou released a sigh. "I'm adopted, though I changed my name from Kotomine, our father's name, to Hortensia, our mother's name, so that we'd share a family name."

"As for her body, Caren has an innate ability that is used as a radar for possessions and, now, characteristics of magical energy. We were paired together despite certain…issues and some protests from certain members of the church."

"As for my hair, this is the original color, but it used to be white because of trauma." It was best he explained it that way, rather than go into specifics. "When I became a campione, my hair returned to its original color because of the process healing my body."

"As for my nature, well, it's complicated but you'll understand with time. Hang around us long enough, and you'll realize Caren enjoys saying troublesome things that can be entirely misleading." He finished explaining, with Caren simply looking at them with a small smile.

"I see, I'll be sure to remember that." She replied, though he could tell she was still thrown off. "Well, Lord Shirou, is there anything that you would wish to know about? As the newest campione, I assume you are not too knowledgeable about the magic societies and such."

Shirou was very interested in learning about what she knew. Knowledge was the one thing that Caren and him definitely required. However, just before he was about to reply, both Liliana and Shirou were surprised to see Caren's golden eyes begin to shimmer with light.

Shirou then noticed her shadow distort, before some kind of black energy seeped down her arms, followed by Caren dropping to her knees and clutching her right arms with a pained groan and expression.

Shirou quickly kneeled down and pulled out some medicine and gauze from the pouch on his belt. "Show me where you're hurt." He said in a gentle tone. Caren then lifted up the sleeve on her right arm, revealing what appeared to be burns. Shirou frowned, before applying the medicine and wrapping her arm in the bandages. "Anywhere else?"

Caren shook her head, before grabbing Shirou's hand. "Two of those heretic gods are about to meet in the nearest city. If we don't stop them, the entire city will be swallowed in flames and shadow, not unlike our home once was." She spoke in a shaky voice, with Shirou placing his other hand on top of hers. Despite her fortitude, he knew the grail war left a mark on her.

"We'll stop them, Caren. Nothing like that will ever happen again. We'll head out as soon as you recover." He said with a gentle and reassuring smile.

Liliana was shocked, to say the least. Shirou told her she was like a radar, but didn't know what that meant. Then there was what had just happened, along with her words. 'It wasn't just one, they are both special. No one could have foreseen this. A campione and a hime-miko with spirit vision and another unknown ability that senses the characteristics of the heretic god?'

So far, she would admit that she was pleasantly surprised by the pair. The seventh campione, or rather Shirou, seemed to be different from the other campione. Though, she assumed it had to do with his beliefs in the Abrahamic religion. He was gentle, well-spoken, kind, and possessed wisdom above his age.

However, while she had not seen it, she had a feeling that he was dangerous. It was subtle things, like the way he moved, his eyes, and even the way he breathed. She had been trained as knight at an early age, so she could tell that Shirou was similar. However, she had a feeling that his training was different.

If she didn't know any better, she would have assumed he was trained to be a weapon, 'No, more like he was trained to be a sword.' After speaking to and observing him, she found it more believable that he could kill a heretic god. Though, there was one thing that bothered her. 'If he was a part of the church, being a priest, what was the purpose of training in such a way? A secret order perhaps?'

She found that line of thought believable, as well as them either escaping, or killing the ones who did this. She could tell that he cared about Caren. So, it was believable that he would do so for her, especially if they were using her body in such a way. Continually using the ability could kill her.

'Which means they are likely the last remaining two of their order.' She thought to herself. 'Still, for a hime-miko to be concealed this long is unthinkable. Especially one as exceptional as her.' She then realized something. 'Shirou could become a campione unlike the others, especially with Caren and myself assisting him.'

So far, she was leaning towards pledging herself to him again. However, Shirou was correct in what he said. She wished to serve a king whom she respected, rather than being foisted upon someone. If he was to show her if he was worthy, then that time was about to come.

"Liliana, if I could ask you to help Caren protect the civilians, it'd allow me to focus on removing the threats. I'll trust you'll be able to assist her greatly." Shirou said to her, before looking at her for a moment. "Do you require a weapon?"

"There's no need, Lord Shirou. I have a weapon, and I'll assist you and Caren to the best of my abilities. If I may, are you sure you can take on two heretic gods alone? While I may not be a god-slayer, my weapon is a relic capable of harming, and maybe killing a heretic god."

Shirou looked at her for a moment, before shaking his head with a small smile. "I appreciate the concern, but I want you to focus on the civilians first and foremost. Should there be an opportunity after, I'll gladly accept any help." He replied, before seeing Caren stand up again.

"Shirou, I think it'd be best if we leave soon. If we're lucky, we may be able to take them on one at a time." She informed him. "I'll do my best to set up a boundary. Though, I'm still learning how to do it"

"What city is being attacked? I can make a call and get people to help evacuate the city." Liliana added, as she wanted to try and do what she could to help, plus showing that she was valuable could help with Shirou accepting her as a knight.

"Milan." The moment Caren answered, Liliana was a bit worried, as her order was based there. However, that wasn't what bothered her. It was that the Copper-Black Cross was also based there. Which meant that Erica could also be there, and she didn't wish for her to try and steal her campione.

"I'll make a call on the way, my order is based there. They should be able to prepare suitable protections for the city." She replied, deciding that it didn't matter. She was determined to prove herself, and if Erica showed up, Liliana would just prove that she was the better choice.

'Besides, I don't think Lord Shirou would be someone who is easily seduced.' She thought to herself. "Let's head outside the town, I'll use one of my new abilities to get us there quickly." Shirou stated.

That interested Liliana greatly, as she wondered what authorities he possessed. When they were outside of the town, away from prying eyes, Shirou stood and held out his hand. "Gift of the Blessed Isles, once received by Lugh, heed my words and appear now, Sweeper of the Waves, Sguaba Tuinne."

After his command, a ship appeared in front of the three. It wasn't too large, but looked to seat, at most, seven people. It was a golden ship that looked like it could sail through anything. She also recognized the names, meaning it was a celtic authority. She wondered what else there was to it.

"Hop on, this'll get us there quick." Shirou said, with Caren already climbing aboard. Liliana would admit, she was actually nervous to be accompanying a campione on a heretic god hunt.

Shirou would admit to being a bit apprehensive about what he was doing. The ship would get them there, but it was facing two unknown beings of power that bothered him. He realized that these heretic gods were like rogue servants, though the power they wielded was different. He realized that after practicing with his own abilities.

He couldn't be careless with her powers, as they possessed downsides. However, he wouldn't use anything unless he needed to. 'A shadow and flames. Two abilities that I'll have to find counters for. Luckily, I have access to a large amount of mana reserves now.'

Shirou then imagined his trigger, activating his circuits. "Trace on." He called forth a weapon fit for a king. 'Judging by Liliana, it'd be best that I look the part of a king. And according to Gil, there's only one weapon worthy of it.' A beautiful golden handled sword, with a red jewel in the pommel appeared.

It had a simple design, yet, the beauty was undeniable. It was a weapon made to choose the king, yet, one that was not meant to be simply admired, but to be used. Shirou sheathed it inside of a gold and red scabbard, before strapping it to his hip. He was not Gil, so he wouldn't act like him.

However, he would heed his words. Liliana wished to serve a king, so he would make it clear by looking the part. He willed Martha's shroud around his waist, before making it alter itself in a cloak like Archer's and Gil's. It would do for now. As they grew closer, Shirou rolled his sleeves up to his elbow, before putting on his black gloves from Bazett.

Liliana pointed to the roof of a building, where some of her people were waiting for them. The ship quickly landed onto the roof, before disappearing. Shirou could already feel the heretic gods growing closer. He used his reinforced vision to focus out, seeing a figure cloaked in shadows making it's way towards Milan.

Facing the other way, Shirou noticed a being with numerous white wings and armor that shined white and silver. The being had a feminine face, though Shirou felt something off about it. 'An angel? No, I'd be able to tell if it was. What are you?'

"Greetings, Lord Hortensia, I am the the temporary leader of the Bronze-Black Cross, and I am to offer any and all aid necessary on behalf of the Commander-in-Chief." A young man, probably in his twenties, said to him confidently. Shirou then nodded.

"I trust you began the preparations that I had Liliana relay to you?" The man nodded. "Very good. For now, I'll have to ask you to stall the shadow to the north. If that is impossible, then find a way to send a signal into the air and I'll engage him once he reaches the city."

"Next, have any remaining men listen to Caren and Liliana on the plan. To the south, the heretic god is approaching fast, so I must be on my way. Liliana, Caren…" Shirou said as he turned towards them. "I'm counting on you girls." He said with a confident smile, before turning. "Come to me, Enbarr!"

The ground in front of Shirou began to seep water, before it began to bubble up into foam, where a bright flash appeared. After the flash, a beautiful white horse had appeared, complete with a saddle. He quickly hopped on and raced off, jumping from rooftop to rooftop across the city.

Elsewhere, in the city of Naples, two heretic gods had begun to clash again. Liliana's rival was nowhere to be seen, because she was currently there, being assisted by a Japanese teen. The two knight rivals were both about to begin a battle against gods, however, their focus wasn't on the gods, but rather their companions, who each ran forward despite the danger.

For Liliana, the image of Shirou upon his horse was something she wouldn't forget. She had decided already, what her course of action would be, however, she would prove herself before offering herself once again. Her face slightly reddened, as she realized her thoughts could have been misconstrued, missing the mischievous glint in Caren's eyes.

Shirou raced forward, stopping quickly, as he was now face to face with the heretic god. Shirou was no fool, he knew that an angel causing destruction like the one in Caren's vision was highly unlikely. Plus, there was the property of the burns on Caren. They were weren't just destructive, but also contained the scent of death, as well as darkness.

There was only one being that came to mind, one that had the guise of an angel. Shirou viewed the weapons of the heretic god, a charred staff and a greek style longsword. The name immediately entered his mind. "Apollyon, the Destroyer, angel of the abyss. But I know your true name faker."

A holy aura surrounded Shirou as his eyes glowed slightly, his authority, Golden Legend: Dragon Slaying Saint, activated. "Trace on." Martha's staff appeared in one hand, followed by three black keys manifesting in the other.

"I see, you are a servant of God. Very well, Campione, come at me with your meager weapons!" Shirou whispered a prayer, before launching his black keys forth, striking Martha's staff on the ground, causing a blast of light to explode at the heretic god's feet.

"O' Tragic Drake Who Knew Naught of Love, Tarasque!" With a loud roar, a dragon emerged from a dark mist behind Shirou. Shirou refused to lose to a mere aspect, yet, his identity called for him to go all out. For Abaddon was no ordinary heretic god.

Done with this one. Sorry for some who wanted me to update Moon and Sun Arcana's Akashic Records, and A Sword Amongst the Roses. Those are on my computer, and I'm currently on a trip. I'll be returning tomorrow so yeah. Anyways, I'm glad I got this out, there's also my two other stories chapter 2 which are close to being done too, so look forward to it. Wanted to show some of whats going on, while hinting at a few things for next chapter. Shirou's downsides will appear next chapter, but for now, I'll list Caren's new abilities. While she counts as a Hime-Miko, she's a bit different. Others will be popping up, with some original characters. They'll be called Saintesses, rather than Hime-Miko, but they function the same but with a different base for their abilities. Faith in God being one of them, and they derive power from other saints and angels. Caren is like the starting domino, that caused others to awaken. There won't be a bunch of them, but yeah. Anyways, thanks for reading, I hope you all enjoyed it. Thanks for the reviews and feedback, it really helps. If you have questions, feel free to ask, I usually answer them. anyways, it's been fun, hope you enjoyed again and, as usual, until next time.

Caren's abilities: Spirit Vision or Prophecy- A type of clairvoyance that can predict events, and find places and events. Caren's is More closely linked with the Revelation skill of Jeanne D'Arc ruler.

Aspect of the Angels: allows Caren to take on certain aspects of angels, allowing her to use abilities associated with them. This requires her to reach a certain wavelength, as well as faith, to use. Does require training, currently, has access to Raphael, Chamuel, and Zadkiel.