DISCLAIMER: I do not take credit from the Fate universe and its characters. The rights and credits go to the original authors.
Read the notes in the first chapter if you haven't done it already.
This is my very first story. I'm confident in my grammar, but if there are any mistakes, then let me know and I'll try to figure out how to fix them as soon as I have time.
Hope you enjoy.
FATE/Oppression
-Arc I-
Chapter 4
Planet: Earth
Date: May 14 2020
Location: Columbia Center's rooftop – Seattle (Washington - U.S.A.)
(======)
The blowing of the wind was the only sound that could be heard in the midst of that tense situation.
Shirou remained silent, watching their opponent closely from across the roof. Beside him, Iskandar and Mordred did the same, their gazes serious and – for once – their boastful behavior completely forgotten. The newly arrived Servant did the same, studying all three of them with unnerving intensity and an expression that was cold and calm as ice. Not a shred of emotion could be seen in his impassive face. It was like staring at a statue, inflexible and immovable in its stillness.
Mordred was the first to break the silence. "An Archer, huh?" she mused. Her horned helmet tilted from side to side as she watched him with a hidden smile. "And a pretty strong one too."
Iskandar grinned, crossing his arms in a slow, firm motion. "Indeed. He has a pretty powerful aura around him. Almost reminds me of our boy here," he admitted, without noticing the subtle way Shirou's body stiffened at that comment. The King of Conquerors looked at their opponent with an expectant gaze. "Come on, tell us your name, Archer. No honorable warrior should fight in this War without exchanging introductions first."
The dark-skinned Archer narrowed his eyes, almost imperceptibly. "I'm afraid that's impossible," he spoke after a couple of seconds of sheer silence. His voice was monotone, tinged with a bit of cold and silent decision. "Revealing our name is a death sentence for Servants like us. Enemies could exploit that information during a battle. No one would commit such a mistake. As unbecoming as it is to admit, honor and glory are not concepts that can be conciled with this War."
"Hmm. Do not overthink about such matters, Archer. We may be Servants, but we're still Heroes renowned in the whole world. Honor and pride is what runs in our veins," Iskandar retorted with a mighty laugh. His arms lifted towards the sky, his cloak flapping in the wind. "I'll go first. I am Iskandar, the great King of Conquerors, and I was summoned into this war as a Rider class Servant!" he declared, not at all intimidated or moved by the fact that he had just revealed his identity to an enemy who, most likely, had come here with the sole intention of killing them.
The slightest widening of his eyes revealed the man's internal surprise after that statement. His eyebrows raised slightly.
"You really can't stop boasting your ego, huh, Rider?" Mordred shook her head resignedly. Then, she summoned her broadsword with a burst of prana and red flames, driving its tip into the roof of the skyscraper with a solemn attitude. "But as a Knight, I shall honor my code as well. I am Mordred, the one and only heir of Arthur Pendragon!" she declared in turn. Shirou could literally feel the proud smile beneath her helmet. "I'm the strongest Saber of this Holy Grail War. Guess this is your lucky day, Archer."
The man lowered his golden longbow slightly. His face was a silent mask of indifference and calm as he stared at them. He wasn't expecting this turn of events, but he supposed he could play along. "I see. The King of Coquerors and the Knight of Treachery. A top Servant and a renowned legend. This is quite surprising. You guys formed a strange alliance, truly."
"Hey! I'm a top Servant too!" the Saber protested, growling in irritation.
The Archer ignored her. His black eyes rested on the only member of the group who still had to say a word up to that point. "...I suppose you want to introduce yourself too?" he questioned, waiting for his words.
Shirou merely sighed a little. Honestly, his companions were quite embarrassing at times. "...I'm a simple observer," he decided to say. "I have no interest in this War, nor in the quest for the Grail, I assure you. I have no intention of fighting you, unlike these two."
The other man's eyes narrowed at his response. "That is impossible. To say that you do not desire the Grail is to deny your own nature," he countered, sincerely convinced of his words. "We may be Heroes, but the fact that we were summoned in this War is the very proof of this: we wish for the Grail. We have a goal, a desire that we must make true at all costs. So, we must fight for it. No Servant would ever be summoned to fight if he had no interest in the Grail."
Mordred dismissed his words with a wave of her hand. "Spare us the details, Archer. He's not a normal Servant," she casually replied with a snort, almost yawning.
The enemy Servant hesitated. "...what?"
"She's right," Shirou admitted, trying to ignore Mordred's irritating behaviour. "I'm not a Servant like you or them. My name is Shirou Emiya, and I am a Ruler class Servant. My one and only purpose is to ensure that humanity is safe, and that this War doesn't spread too much damage to the world," he explained, looking at him straight into the eyes. "I have no interest in the fighting and the Grail. I promise."
The Archer stared at him for a long, long time after those words. Then, slowly, his bow lowered more and his back straightened. "I see. I wasn't expecting this. A Ruler sent to oversee the War... this is surprising," he admitted in the end with a blank face.
The red-haired God nodded. "That's the gist of it. Now, given that we already revealed our identities, why don't you introduce yourself as well? It doesn't happen every day that we get to meet a Demi-God in the flesh, after all."
His words had the desired effect. The Archer stiffened all of a sudden, his face instantly growing more cold and suspicious than before. Even his grip on the bow tightened slightly in silent stupor. The Ruler smiked at his reaction.
Mordred and Iskandar looked at Shirou in confusion and wonder. "What? A Demi-God? What do you mean?" Mordred asked him.
Iskandar narrowed his eyes. "Boy, are you sure of what you're saying?"
He simply smiled. "Of course. That aura and his Divine Presence are quite impossible to mistake. He is a Demi-God, no doubt," he replied, as if it was obvious. There was no way he could be mistaken about this. He was certain of it.
But, of course, he couldn't exactly say that he was able to discern Divine Spirits because he himself was the very first one that ever lived on the world... right?
Silence reigned again for some time after his statement. The Archer looked at Shirou with narrowed eyes, his gaze cold and suspicious and calculating. Then, after what seemed like an eternity and a long staring contest, he relented with a slight sigh and a shake of his head.
"It seems that I underestimated you, Ruler," the man said, lifting his bow slightly. "Your senses and intuition are sharp. I only know one other being able to discern a Divine Spirit with a single glace."
Shirou widened his smile with a knowing look. "I try my best," he merely said.
The Servant nodded with a slight smile, straightening his back. "Very well, then. Since we've come to this, I guess I don't have a choice," he said, looking at the three of them with a solemn, adamant look. "I am Arjuna. The Endowed Hero of India, son of the King of Kuru and the Thunder God Indra; third of the five Pandava brothers. Servant Archer. And I challenge you for the right of obtaining the Holy Grail."
Shirou and the others mulled that information in silence for a while. Mordred narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "An Indian Demi-God? The heck are you doing here in America?" she questioned him, confused.
He merely raised a brow at her question. "I could ask you the same thing, Knight of Treachery. Weren't you supposed to be in Britain? And why isn't the King of Conquerors back in Macedonia as well?" he replied casually. Seeing that the Knight and her companions had no answer, the Archer shrugged. "I was summoned not far from this city two days ago. I have no idea why I ended up here. But I do wish to return to my homeland, if possible."
Shirou nodded. "I see. But there's one important thing I must ask you, Archer," he said again seriously, looking at fellow Demi-God with a slight frown. "Did you cause any death or destruction during your time here? Have you ever killed humans or innocent lives for no reason after being summoned?"
The man, Arjuna, shook his head with an impassive expression. "I have not," he swore. "Why do you ask?"
Shirou visibly relaxed. He could sense that the man was not lying. Luckily for him. "I am a Ruler. As I said before, my role is to ensure mankind's safety. Right now, a lot of accidents and deaths are occurring around the world because of some Servants's mad actions. I must find those responsible and put an end to their massacres. That's my one and only goal, and the current quest of my journey" he explained slowly, his face cold and solemn.
The Archer nodded. "A noble purpose, no doubt. But we are digressing. I came here not to chat, but to fight. That's what Servants like us are supposed to do."
Iskandar smirked, stroking his red beard. "We really are, aren't we?" he mused, glancing at his companions with a mighty grin. "So? What's the plan? How are we gonna deal with him?"
Shirou causally shrugged. "I am but a neutral entity in this War. I will not fight someone who doesn't go against the safety of the planet or humainity," he stated, sitting on the ground cross-legged and crossing his arms right under the fervent gazes of Mordred and Iskandar. "You two are free to deal with him as you wish. As long as you don't wreak havoc on the city, I won't interfere."
Mordred arched an eyebrow under her helmet. "Aren't you just afraid of losing, Ruler?" she asked him, her voice sly and mocking.
He simled wryly. "Do I need to remind you what happened during our fight?" he promptly replied.
She stiffened. Iskandar laughed. "...you're no fun. But don't blame me if I get all the glory while you sit here and bore yourself to death," she grumbled, looking ashamed even with that menacing armor on her body.
Iskandar glanced at their opponent. "But isn't a bit unfair to fight two against one?" he asked, looking at the Indian Hero with a raised brow.
"Worry not about me," Arjuna coldly replied. An arrow made entirely of light was summoned between his fingers, and the Archer positioned it on his bow with a casual and decisive movement. "I am more than capable of handling two Servants at the same time. I am a Demi-God, after all. Now, let's begin at once."
Mordred glared at him, a few bolts of red lightning darting around her armor. "Pretty confident, aren't you?" she hissed with mild irritation.
The smallest of quirk curled the mans's lips. "I like my odds."
Iskandar raised his blade, the Sword of the Kupriotes, with a mighty cry of euphoria and trepidation. "Very well, then! Let's join forces, Saber! We shall defeat our very first enemy together before advancing in our quest of conquest!" he roared.
"My words exac-"
She didn't have time to finish the sentence.
Faster than a bullet, an arrow of light hit Mordred straight in the chest while she was still speaking. Distracted as she was, the Knight couldn't do anything but widen her eyes, before a sudden explosion of light and prana sent her flying in the air like nothing. She flew through the air like an arrow, crashing right into the middle of the ocean, far away from her previous location and generating a huge explosion of water and a wave in the sea.
Shirou whistled in amazement as Iskandar sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "...honestly, that brat should learn to focus more during a battle," the gigantic Rider sighed, promptly summoning his chairot and flying off into the sky to reach his companion. Shirou didn't move, merely sitting on the roof and looking at the scene with an amused smile.
Arjuna moved to pursue his opponents.
"...be warned, Awarded Hero of India."
The Archer paused on the edge of the roof, glancing at the Ruler who was still sitting with his arms crossed. He was staring at him with one eye closed and a smug expression, looking almost disinterested.
"This War must remain secret. As long as you won't wreak havoc on the city, reveal your presence to humans, or involve innocent people in the fight, I won't interfere. But if you do..." his gaze became literal steel at that point, his eyes colder than any blade. Arjuna had to suppress a shiver under his gaze. "I will presonally crush you before you can even blink."
Two seconds of silence passed. The Archer swallowed, a trickle of sweat running down his chin. Without knowing why, his instincts were literally screaming at him to run away and hide from this man. He could not even suppress a shiver of tension from running on his back, despite his renowned calm and the fact that he was a powerful warrior like few others and a world-renowned Demi-God.
He forced himself to appear calm and collected, even if his plams were beginning to sweat for some unknown reason. "Worry not, Ruler. I won't," he reassured him, trying to ignore the Ruler's menacing gaze. "You should worry about your companions, instead. They're going to die very soon, and you don't even seem interested in giving them a hand."
Shirou snorted at his words, closing his eyes for a couple of seconds with a chuckle. "I'll tell you one thing, Arjuna..."
When his eyes opened again, there was a strange certainty in his golden-brown pupils that the Indian Demi-God could not decipher at all.
"...you'd better not underestimate them."
Arjuna said nothing. He simply frowned, before taking a leap and leaving the skyscraper's rooftop, moving towards his enemies.
Shirou closed his eyes with a knowing smile.
Planet: Earth
Date: May 14 2020
Location: Terminal 46, Port – Seattle (Washington - U.S.A.)
(======)
Shock and awe.
He had hit her hard, hit her fast, with overwhelming power and precision. So much so that, if it wasn't for her proud confidence and the countless battles she had already faced in life, she would almost feel a slight pang of fear at the thought of facing that man head-on in battle. Arjuna was good. But she wasn't feeling fear now. She was feeling excitement. A strong, endless wave of excitement that urged her to raise once again and kill him. And she was about to do that. She would leave nothing but ash in her trail and destroy that Archer once and for all.
Mordred narrowed her eyes as she shot out of the ocean, jumping away from the water, wind whipping at her face despite her armor. She could see Iskandar sitting atop his chariot, flying towards her with impressive speed. He was above the clouds, where the air was thin and cold and the moon visible with clear intensity.
Below, in front of her, she could see a few ships and the port at the border of the big city. A lot of buildings and structures had been built close to the sea, full of people and civilians intent on living their lives with no worries and no idea about the impending war that loomed on the planet. Poor, deluded fools. They had no idea that a group of superhuman Servants were fighting just above their heads right now. Mordred gave them no thought, but decided that it was best to not involve them and leave them unschated from the battle.
Ruler was right. They couldn't let innocent people die because of their egoistical war.
She almost scoffed at that thought. Why did she even care about what that annoying man thought? If it wasn't for his strength, she would have killed him a long time ago. Damned over-powered Ruler class.
As she ascended to the sky thanks to her previous burst of prana, a series of arrows suddenly shot towards her. Mordred gritted her teeth, deflecting them all mid-air with her faithful Clarent. Iskandar reached her after two seconds thanks to his speed-powered chariot, grabbing her hand and placing her on the chariot with a mocking grin.
"How was the water?"
She glared. "Shut up, Rider. I just got distracted for a second."
"Well, you'd better not get distracted from now on. We have a few arrows incoming," he replied.
"Tch. On it!"
Placing herself on the front part fo the chariot, right in front of the King of Conquerors, the Saber brandished her sword and deflected yet another series of arrows of light that would have impaled them if struck. Iskandar helped her as well, deflecting a couple of them with his own sword and urging the two bulls to run faster across the sky. Their chariot became a bolt of lightning and prana as it flew through the air, avoiding the enemy's arrows.
Still, the assault didn't end. Arjuna was there, two hundred yards away, on the roof of a tall building near the ocean. He was aiming his golden bow forward, firing yet another set of arrows at them with frightening accuracy and precision.
Mordred swerved them all with a snarl. "Tch. That annoying bastard is still firing at us!"
"His skills with a bow are flawless," the Rider mused, grinning to himself while he whipped the Divine Bulls with the reins to make them charge towards the enemy. "He would be a great addition to my army of warriors!"
"Not now, you overly-sized conquer maniac!" she yelled in irritation.
The chariot flew through the air, fast as lightning and quick as a bolt. It reached Arjuna's position in less than a second, and Iskandar raised his sword to the sky with a thunderous roar that shook the air. Immediately afterwards, a sudeen series of lightning and thunderbolts rained down from the sky, directed towards their opponent.
Arjuna narrowed his eyes, leaping away from the attack and leaving the rooftop of the skyscraper with ineffable speed. The thunderbolts crashed on the rooftop with an explosion, missing the target completely. But Mordred was already expecting this.
No, she actually wanted this.
Mordred jumped out of the chariot with a grin, her sword readied in position as she shot towards the opponent below her like a human missile. "Got you, Archer!" she screamed, grinning with a feral snarl.
But the enemy didn't panic. He simply fired two arrows at her, forcing her to deflect them with a hiss of annoyance but without stopping her descent. Seeing that it was useless, the Archer did the only thing he could: he lifted his bow, bent his legs on a defensive position, and readied himself with a solemn and determined look.
Mordred descended upon him like an angry beast. Her sword moved with surprising swiftness, and the Demi-God barely managed to block it with his own bow, gritting his teeth with a grimace of fatigue. The female Knight grinned, increasing the pressure of her sword and forcing him to resist with all his might. He may have the advantage when firing from a long distance, but on close range it was a different story entirely. His legs even began to shake in pain under the oppressive weight of the broadsword and the strength of its wielder.
"Is this all a Demi-God can do?" she mocked him with a wicked grin behind her helmet, delivering a sudden kick to the side that sent him flying in the air like a missile. "What a joke!"
Arjuna hissed in pain, landing gracefully on the vertical wall of a skyscraper and remaining in perfect balance on it thanks to a burst of prana. Then, from that strange position, he took aim with his longbow and fired yet another series of golden arrows that shot in the air, fast as the wind itself.
But Iskandar was already waiting for him. "Go, Children of Zeus! Deliver the wrath of Heavens!" he roared with a bellowing scream.
The bulls bellowed, their horns engulfed in electric, lightning flashes. Then, as Gordius Wheel soared in the air, a literal beam of lightning was fired from their horns, hitting the arrows and destroying them with an explosion that shook the sky for several seconds. Below, at the base of the gigantic buildings, a lot of passersby in the middle of the streets looked up to the sky when they heard the air thunder and the earth tremble slightly, unable to understand what was happening.
Mordred charged again with a cry and her sword raised above her head, running on the wall and ready to slice her enemy in half with a single slash. Arjuna promptly leaped away from her, avoiding a quick lunge aimed at his legs, and flew to escape from her wrath while firing a couple of explosive arrows, aming at the Saber and the Rider simultaneously. The King of Conquerors avoided them easily thanks to his chariot; and Mordred deflected one of them and leaped away from the others with a growl.
Arjuna narrowed his eyes. This was bad. He could deal with Mordred from a long-range, but in close-range she was clearly stronger. He had no way to resist and deflect her blows. He could have managed something if he was fighting her alone, but he had chosen to be careless and decided to fight both her and the King of Conquerors. A legendary figure and a top Servant. He had made a mistake. He had acted brashly. He had been too arrogant and eager to fight to prove himself worthy and get the Grail. His dream... his dream had blinded him.
With his vision enhanced thanks to his skills as an Archer, his eyes could clearly see a figure watching him from afar, on top of a steel tower, observing the fight with a keen eye and a calculating gaze. The red-haired warrior, Shirou Emiya, was keeping a watch on his allies and ensuring none would discover their fight and location. Arjuna glanced at him, narrowing his eyes when he saw him smirk at him from afar with a smug expression. He clenched a fist. No wonder that Ruler had chosen to not interfere in the fight. Those two together were way more dangerous than what he had previously expected.
'...alright, then,' he thought, nodding to himself.
Steeling his decision, he ran at top speed on another rooftop, infusing his longbow with a sudden flow on mana and energy. If he wanted to win, he had to get serious and use one of his strongest attacks. He couldn't hesitate any longer. It was time to put an end to this fight and win the battle once and for all. And there was only one thing he could do.
"Flame: Mana Burst!" he whispered, rounding on his opponent and taking aim with deadly precision. His bow pulsed with a golden-blue energy, while three arrows made of light suddenly appeared between his fingers, ready to be shot. Then, as soon as the Archer aimed at the Knight chasing him at full speed, a sudden series of jet-like burst of mana were released, not from his body, but from the bow. Then, he shot the arrows, powering them quite a bit and increasing their propulsion, allowing them to be more powerful and fast than ever. Their current speed could pierce an enemy faster than a rifle.
Just like the first time, Mordred couldn't do anything. She couldn't even see the arrows, actually. They were fast enough to be invisible. Arjuna smiled faintly. 'Sure enough, those arrows almost shot down the sun itself,' he mused to himself, immersing his mind in memories of times past for a split second before regaining his focus.
He watched with a growing sense of satisfaction as the arrows pierced the Knight, piercing her right shoulder and left forearm despite the full-body armor. Mordred grunted in pain, stopping abruptly, and then the arrows exploded in a burst of flames and light. Mordred flew into the sky a second time, her lips parted in a silent scream of pain. This time, however, Iskandar grabbed her mid-air and placed her in his chariot, flying away before the Archer could fire at them a second time.
"Are you ok, Saber?" the muscular Rider asked, glancing at Mordred with a serious gaze.
The female Knight growled, panting a little in pain and rage. A stream of blood was dripping from her shoulder where the arrow had broken through the armor. "D-Damn it. What happened? His arrows weren't that fast before!" she hissed in rage, ignoring the pain.
The King of Conquerors was silent for several seconds as he mulled over something. "...I have a plan," he said suddenly. Mordred turned to him, opening her helmet and watching him carefully. "I will charge head-on with Gordius Wheel and unleash my fastest Noble Phantasm. However, given his speed, Archer will be able to evade it; and in that case..." he turned to her, staring into her emeral green eyes. "…you will have to wait for the right moment and deliver the finishing blow. We have one shot, and we cannot afford to fail."
His lips parted in a smirk, red eyes sparkling with trepidation and decision. "Can you do it, Saber?"
She hesitated for a second, before breaking into a wide, confident grin as well. "Keh! Who do you take me for? Let's do it, Rider!" she exclaimed, tightening her grip on Clarent with unyielding determination.
From the roof of the building, Arjuna narrowed his eyes and readied his bow once again.
Iskandar grinned, lashing the reins with a mighty laugh and activating a large amount of prana with a mental command. "Very well! Let's go then! To the glory that lies beyond the horizon!" he roared with his powerful voice, drawing his sword and pointing it in direction of the enemy.
In less than a second later, the entire chariot was clothed in energy and lightning, and the bulls bellowed and hoisted themselves up on their hind legs, screaming their bestial fury to the skies. The air was ebbed with energy and prana, the sky thundered as if it was battered by a storm, and a series of electric flashes began to surround everything around Iskandar and Mordred.
Arjuna gritted his teeth in tension, strengthening his resolve. If his enemies were going to unleash a Noble Phantasm, then he would answer in kind as well. There was no time to lose. No reason to hesitate further.
Therefore, he acted in turn. With a mental command, his bow glowed with energy and prana, becoming as bright as the sun and illuminating the air around it with a soft yellow-white glow. Then, with a snap of his fingers, a special arrow was summoned in his hand. An arrow with the base divided into three parts and the tip wrapped in a piercing spiral. The Archer nocked the arrow in the bow, engulfing it in a bright red burning flame made of prana and energy. Then, with a deep breath and his face morphed in a cold, determined expression, he took the aim towards the chariot that was darting towards him at full speed.
The Rider charged. The Archer aimed. The Saber readied herself.
And far away, on the roof of the giant skyscaper, the Ruler smirked with a nod.
Iskandar roared on the darting chariot, his sword pointed at the target with a trepidant expression. "Here I come! Via-"
Arjuna closed one eye, his legs ready to evade the charge while his bow and arrow glowed with flames. "Agni-"
"-Expugnatio!"
"-Gandiva!"
What happened next was impossible to describe. The clash was so brutal and bright that it was almost impossible to stare at it with the naked eye. The air became pervaded with prana and energy, while a blue bolt and a golden missile collided with indescribable power right above the massive city, generating an explosion of light that almost illuminated Seattle as if there were daylight. The bulls bellowed furiously, their charge reaching the speed of over four hundred kilometers per hour, not slowing at all even when the enemy's arrow – it was more like a homing missile than an arrow by now – collided with them, their lightning barrier of prana defending them from the explosive attack. Then, with a mighty blast and a thunderous tremor of the air, one of the two attacks overwhelmed the other.
Arjuna's eyes widened in shock as he saw the enemy chariot dart towards him, destroying his flaming missile and continuing to charge towards him at frightening speed. Reacting purely on instinct, he accumulated prana in his legs and jumped to the side with a mighty speed and a honed skill worthy of the fastest Archer ever, leaping out of the enemy's trajectory just before the chariot could trample him with lightning and its scythes. Then, at the same time, he readied his bow once again and prepared to take aim and shoot at Iskandar's head while he still was mid-air.
And yet, even despite this, he did not realize the mistake he had just made.
Because his enemies were expecting this.
"Where are you looking at, Archer?"
The Indian Demi-God widened his eyes, his head snapping up with swift speed and a stunned face.
Mordred was darting at him from the sky, having jumped out from the chariot during the clash of the two Noble Phantasms, hidden by the explosion. Now, she was raining down from above at an impressive speed, too fast to be avoided in mid-air, with a victorious grin on her face and her sword raised, ready to strike.
He couldn't do anything.
Mordred came upon him like a beast jumping on its prey. With a roar of victory and a vertical lunge, Clarent slashed him right across the chest. However, thanks to his skills and his inhuman abilities, Arjuna still managed to block the attack for a split second with his bow, diverting its trajectory at the last second. Instead of severing him in two, Clarent left a medium-deep cut in his chest, and Arjuna could only grit his teeth as blood gushed out of the wound and his mind momentarily blanked in pain.
Mordred hissed in frustration and rage, but then reacted swiftly and kicked him from the side. The Archer was hurled onto the rooftop of another building, crashing into a jet fan box with an explosion of smoke and debris. Mordred landed on the opposite building, grinning fiercely and cracking her neck with a satisfied expression.
Then, sheer and absolute silence fell on the metropolis once again.
Iskandar caught up with her with his chariot just as soon as she leapt onto the building where the enemy had crashed, dissolving Gordius Wheel with a large grin and a bellowing laugh. "Magnificent. Truly magnificent! That was a nice attack, Saber!" he complimented her, laughing in satisfaction and patting her with a strong slap on the back. "I knew my strategy would bring us to victory in the end! Bwahahah!"
Mordred smirked. "Do not claim victory just yet, King of Conquerors. It's not over," she replied, staring with serious and solemn eyes at the dark-skinned Archer bent to the ground amid the debris and smoke, holding a hand over his blood-spilling wound. He was panting and wounded, but still alive and kicking.
"Actually, I believe it is."
Shirou appeared behind them all of a sudden, without a single sound, his expression calm and his eyes full of mirth as he looked at Mordred's shocked face and Iskandar's confused one.
"T-The heck!? You just gave me an heart attack!" the Knight almost screamed in surprise, glaring at him after a moment and a deep breath. "Say something sooner next time you appear out of the blue, will ya!"
The God of War ignored her complaints, smiling at them with a decisive nod. "That was a good battle. I knew you guys would win with no problems," he complimented them, a sincere expression on his face. "Jood job, guys. I'm almost proud of you."
"Of course! There's nothing the King of Conquerors cannot conquer with his companions at his side!" Iskandar delcared, laughing with his trademark grin and boastful voice.
Mordred grinned as well, patting Shirou on his back a few times in a 'give me attention' gesture. "Hey, hey! More importantly, what did you think of my moves?" she asked him, staring expectantly at his face with a prideful and excited face.
The red-haired warrior nodded with a smile. "They were pretty good. Almost flawless," he answered with an amused expression. "You really are a strong Saber, kid."
She smirked wider. "You bet I am!"
"But you can still work on some of them. And you lack focus and techinque. You could have easily avoided damage if you hadn't acted brashly with those reckless attacks," he immediately added, pointing at the wounds on her shoulder and forearm.
She glared at him with a slight pout, crossing her arms with a twitch of her brow. "Tch. I just got distracted for a second. There's no need to make a fuss over this..." she grumbled.
"Distraction can be the key to defeat, kid," he said with a condescending tone, before turning his attention back to the Servant kneeling on the ground a couple of feet away. He was holding one hand on his bleeding wound with a grimance of pain on his face, sweating profusely and panting a little. "See? I told you to not underestimate them," he casually said with a smirk.
Arjuna smiled a little in a self-reprimanding gesture. "...I guess I was too overconfident," he admitted with a hiss of pain and a wince. "I've paid the price of my mistake." He snorted with a shake of his head. "How sad. How terribly sad. I should have used my strongest Noble Phantasm instead of my bow. Now I've lost the fight because of my arrogance."
"That you did," Iskandar agreed, staring at him with a solemn gaze and arms crossed. "What now, Archer? Do you still wish to fight us for the right of obtaining the Grail?"
"...I've lost the fight. I have no right to reclaim anything," he stated in the end. Despite his pitiful condition, his face was a mask of resolve and cold decision as he spoke. "I won't be able to defeat you in this state. The victory is yours."
Shirou studied him for a few seconds with a solemn face. "What are your intentions now, Endowed Hero?" he asked then. "What do you want us to do?"
"...I have no right to decide. But if I may... I wish for an honorable death," was all he said.
"Then what if I say that I can help you?" he promptly replied. Arjuna's head snapped up after that question, visiby caught by surprise, and even Mordred and Iskandar stared at Shirou with questioning eyes. "What if I say that I can cure you, and make you survive after today?"
The Indian Demi-God stared at his gloden-brown eyes for a second. "...what do you want from me?" he asked, narrowing his gaze with suspicion.
He shook his head. "I want nothing from you, Arjuna. My friends have already defeated you, and I have no interest in this war whatsoever. You've already lost the war. But I can see that you're not a threat to humanity, and that you carry your honor with pride. I can respect that. It would sadden me to see you die so soon, and for such a useless cause."
"...useless cause?" he repeated, confused.
Shirou took a few steps forwards, kneeling right in front of him. "There's something wrong with this Holy Grail War, Arjuna. Something that I cannot grasp yet. All I know is that there's no such thing as a wish-granting machine. Whatever that voice told you about the Grail and your wish coming true thanks to it, I sincerely think it's nothing more than a foolish trick. Chasing the Grail is something that I do not honestly understand."
Arjuna widened his eyes slightly, his mind filled with thoughts.
"But whatever the truth behind this matter is, the world is falling to danger because of the War," Shirou continued, his face a mask of decision. "I cannot allow humanity to suffer because of it. Iskandar and sir Mordred have already agreed to help me with this cause. And I could make good use of your help too, if you're willing," he explained slowly, looking at him straight into the eyes.
Iskandar nodded with a smile. "Hmm. That's a good idea. You could also join my army that way. I'm always interested in expanding my army with capable warriors who swear loyalty to me!" he declared blodly, grinning to himself with a pleased expression.
Shirou sighed at his antics, sweat-dropping at Arjuna's confused face with a shake of the head. "Don't mind him. You'll get used to it. But the offer stands. I could really use a skilled Archer like you to stop the madness that's invading the world," he stated again, waiting for his response.
Seconds passed, followed by minutes.
The Archer was silent for a long, long time after that offer. His gaze studied the other Demi-God's face for several seconds, searching for even the smallest hint of deceit and trickery. He found none.
He sighed, resigning himself to the fact that he was not going to die that day.
"Very well," he finally conceded after a few minutes of pondering. "Since I've lost the fight and I'm about to die anyway, I shall assist you guys in your quest and help you discover what's happening to the world. Even if I prefer to be alone and usually enjoy solitude... I suppose I can tag along for a while." His eyes glued to the ground at that point, his left hand clenching into a fist. "It could also allow me to reach my goal, one way or another."
Shirou stared at his face intently. "What is it? You goal?" he questioned him, serious.
Arjuna swallowed, his gaze downcast. "I wish to find my older brother, Karna," he answered slowly. "And... reconcile with him."
Mordred raised a brow after his confession. "You do know that there's no guarantee of finding him, right? We don't even know if this brother of yours was summoned at all."
"He was," came his immediate answer. The Archer's face was a mask of decision and certainty as he spoke those words. "I just know it. I can feel it."
Shirou smiled. "Well, whatever the case, if you tag along in our journey maybe we'll learn something," he merely said, shrugging a little. He didn't really care about his goal as long as he helped them. And this was also a chance to keep an eye on him and prevent another Servant from roaming free into the world. It was a win-win situation.
The God of War offered him a hand, staring into his eyes. "So, do we have an agreement?"
Arjuna nodded, grasping the Ruler's hand with his own.
Planet: Earth
Date: May 14 2020
Location: Bristol Cathedral (Bristol - England)
(======)
"My friends, please stop bowing to me."
Artoria watched with a soft and amused expression as her faithful Knights, her long-time companions, her most loyal and trusted friends kept bowing respectfully as soon as they saw her approach. Honestly, they had been reunited for more than five hours now, and had traveled together to the Cathedral here in central Bristol. There was no need for all this formality. And yet, as she watched them behave like this again after all this time, the female King felt a strange pang of familiarity and relief began to fill her chest more and more by the second. Even if she wasn't able to admit it, she had missed them. She had missed them dearly.
Sir Bedivere and Sir Gawain, two of her most loyal and faithful Knights among the Round Table.
Bedivere was a tall man with long platinum-white hair, green eyes and soft and graceful features. He wore a light armor that covered his entire body, made of metal and steel, along with a long greenish cloak. His right arm, the 'silver arm' as he used to call it, was nothing more than a prosthetic limb made entirely of silver and prana-strengthened metal. A gift given to him by Merlin in times past, after losing his arm in a terrible battle. Even now, after all this time, it had remained attached to him as always, even if he was a Servant. The Knight didn't seem to mind, though.
Sir Gawain was another story entirely. Tall, muscular and imposing; he had wavy dishwater blond hair and aqua eyes with long eyelashes. He wore a silver armor with floral patterns over his black and dark blue overall, along with a bluish cape with an intricate design. His appearance was imposing and slightly intimidating, just like in the past, and he wore an expression of solemn fidelity and determination as he watched her and bowed respectfully. The blonde King looked at him with a smile. Of all the Knights under her command, he was definitely one of the strongest, second only to Lancelot.
Artoria almost sighed at their antics. Honestly, for how much longer did they intend to bow and remain formal with her? There was no longer need to show this kind of respect to her. They weren't in Camelot anymore. They weren't Knights in the service of the King. She wasn't even a King anymore. They were simply Servants now. Servants summoned to fight in the War and win the Holy Grail. All this formality was unnecessary. And quite embarrassing to see, honestly.
But those two didn't seem to care at all.
"I'm sorry, my liege. We still have to get used to our new... situation," Bedivere admitted with an apologetic smile, his graceful features almost making him look like a woman. "It's just... we're happy to be reunited with you once again. Truly."
"Indeed," Gawain agreed, still bowing to her with his own smile.
The blonde woman simply shook her head, her lips curled into the faintest of smiles. She knew how stubborn her Knights were. When they made a decision – especially in regards to her – it was impossible to change their mind. She was used to it. And besides, if she had to be honest, it was kind of heartwarming to see their unwavering loyalty to her. It made her feel... happy, especially now.
Despite all her mistakes, depite all her failures and the pathetic way her reign had ended because of her incompetence, they still remained loyal to their King even now. And she would always be grateful for that. She would never discard their loyalty, no matter what.
Artoria smiled, motioning them to raise their heads as she stepped inside the bid, empty Cathedral. After reuniting with them a few hours ago, Lord-El Melloi II had led them here to the great and spacious Cathedral in the middle of the city, stating that they had matters to discuss as soon as possible. Still, he'd had the decency to give her and the Knights some privacy and a bit of time for themselves so they could talk after all this time.
Her emerald green eyes became softer as she observed her friends with affection. "...I'm glad. I'm happy to be reunited with you guys; Bedivere, Gawain," she said sincerely, smiling for the first time in... in a very long time. "I missed you."
Gawain smiled, nodding in appreciation. "We... We knew we would find you, my King. As soon as we were summoned back to the world, we simply knew that you were sent back here as well. That's why we decided to join the Mages to find you," he simply said.
Artoria nodded, he face turning more serious. "What about the others?" she asked. "Tristan? Gareth? Gaheris? Lancelot? All the other Knights? Do you know if they were summoned back as well?"
Bedivere shook his head. "Unfortunately, we don't. We were the only ones among the Knights of the Round who ended up being summoned close to where we died in life; just like you, my King. But even if they were summoned back to the world, the Clock Tower does not know their location yet."
Artoria raised a royal brow. "By the way, how did you come in contact with them, anyway?" she asked them in total seriousness.
Gawain opened his lips to speak, but it was another person the one who answered.
"We found them wandering together near the city."
Artoria and the Knights turned to the entrance, where Lord-El Melloi II was standing with arms crossed and a narrowed gaze. Rin and Gray where standing next to him as well. The black-haired man's eyes betrayed no emotion or thoughts as he studied the ancient Heroes with a blank face.
"The Clock Tower is constantly monitoring the flow of prana here in England," he explained, seeing their inquisitive gaze. "The Mage's Association started to detect some strange energy signatures appearing out of nowhere about two days ago. They are extremely alert and vigilant in this country, considering that London and the Clock Tower are their most prominent base of operations. As soon as they detected the anomaly, they sent some Mages to investigate. We are simply the ones who came in contact with your Knights, King Arthur."
The King of Knights narrowed her eyes. "Before, when we first met, you said some Servants are causing death and destruction around the world. How do you know for sure?" she questioned him, deadly serious.
Lord El-Melloi II simply raised an eyebrow. "You just need to watch the news and connect the dots," he casually replied. "And besides, some of our associates have already confirmed the presence of numerous Servants in other countries as well. France, Italy, Japan, Africa… and so on. We have no idea what this Holy Grail War is... but it is undeniable that there's something big behind it. Something dangerous. That's why the Mage's Association decided to step in and ask some Servants for help."
"And I suppose you want to recruit me in your group," the golden-haired woman said, her face impassive.
The man nodded. "In a way," he admitted slowly, without missing a beat. "Surely you can understand what would happen if we'd leave hundreds of Servants alone, allowing them to act freely and undisturbed. Some of them have already started targeting human lives."
Artoria stiffened, clenching her fists in rage. "That is preposterous. We are meant to fight each other, not to target innocents," she stated, disgusted by that mere notion. Killing innocent human lives just because they were involved in the battle was wrong. It went against her very own nature, as well as her honor and ideals.
"Indeed," Gawain added, nodding with a solemn gaze. "That's why we decided to side with them, my liege. We cannot stand by and do nothing when other Servants are targeting the people. It's simply wrong. If we can help the people and fight this War at the same time, it's something we must do."
The King of Knights nodded after a few seconds of pondering. "Worry not, Gawain. I understand your motives," her eyes turned to stare at the tall, black-haired man. "And I agree. I cannot and will not stand this madness. My purpose is to win this War, but if some Servants are truly endangerig the safety of the world... I must stop them. It's simply the right thing to do," she declared solemnly, both her face and voice firm and filled with decision.
Lord El-Melloi II smirked. "Then we are in agreement," he said, putting one hand on his hip and staring at the King's face with a cold gaze. "So? What's your decision, King of Knights?"
Artoria didn't answer the question right away. Instead, she turned her back to the man, turning her attention to her faithful Knights with a fiery and determined gaze. For a moment, her green eyes filled with uncertainty, before steeling her resolve and return cold and determined once again.
"My friends... I know I no longer have the right to ask you this, but... will you help me stop this madness? Will you stand by my side again?"
Both Bedivere and Gawain nodded firmly, raising a fist on their chest. Her hesitation only made them more determined. "Yes, my liege," Bedivere nodded, smiling with a firm expression. "Please, allow us to fight by your side once again. We will help you stop this."
"We swore an oath," Gawain readily agreed. "Now and forever, we will always stand by your side and fight with you, my King. We shall never break our oath to you, not even in this War," he declared firmly, as if it was obvious.
Artoria smiled, feeling her lips quiver a little in emotions. Her chest filled with pride and gratitude to her friends for their loyalty to her. What had she ever done to deserve such friends and companions? How could they choose to side with her after all her failures?
Really, she didn't deserve them. She truly didn't.
But now, now it was not the time to hesitate.
Artoria Pendragon had a Grail to win.
And enemies to stop along the way.
She shared a nod with her Knights, before turning back to look at the black-haired man once again. "We shall assist you in your quest," she finally decided with a seroius gaze. "Lead us to the battle."
Lord-El Melloi smirked a little at her answer, turning to leave the Cathedral and taking a cigarette out of his pocket. "Then let's move. We don't have much time," he merely said. "We have received news that a Servant is causing a series of murders near our main base. It must be stopped immediately."
Artoria, Bedivere and Gawain followed them at a fast pace. "Where is it?" she demanded.
Rin Tohsaka glanced at her, her lips smirking a little in trepidation. "In London."
Planet: Earth
Date: May 15 2020
Location: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport – Seattle (Washington - U.S.A.)
(======)
"Come on! How long is he gonna make us wait?"
The female Knight grumbled, complaining loudly for the fourth time in three minutes, her face a mask of irritation and her right eyebrow twitching furiously as she remained seated with a bored expression.
Now, at that moment, she and her 'companions' were currently seated at a table in a large bar inside the airport of the city, dressed in their new modern clothes while they waited for a certain member of the group to return. The vision that surrounded them was quite a sight for all of them. The airport was gigantic, and full of shops, bars, and stores filled with suvenirs and accessories for departures. It was a constant coming and going of people of all ages and backgrounds. People eating at the bars, passengers waiting for their planes or luggage, and folks furiously searching for their terminal and gates. The air was filled with the constant sound of talking and the loud communications of the various departures to different destinations.
Truly, it was a rather unusual sight for Servants. So many people gathered in one place in order to leave for the most disparate destinations. Such a concept was foreign to Heroes like them. It was understandable, given that they came from the past, where traveling was a very long and, above all, dangerous undertaking. But here and now, however, it was almost a casual occurrence. A simple thing. Humanity had evolved so much that now it was possible to reach the other side of the globe in less than two days. Mordred was still struggling to digest that drastic change of mentality.
Iskandar and Arjuna were seated next to her at the table. The King of Conquerors was observing with curious eyes and a grin a black hat he had just bought from a store, while the Archer kept his eyes closed and his arms crossed, seemingly oblivious to everything and everyone around him.
They waited for another minute. Then, Mordred growled again, ready to complain for the fifth time, but Arjuna glanced at her with an impassive gaze. "Worry not, sir Knight. He just finished," he casually spoke with a sigh, tilting his head to point at the direction of the booking office from where a certain red-haired person was coming with some piece of papers in his hands.
Mordred rounded on Shirou as soon as he reached them. "About damn time!" she said with an angry pout. "I was dying of boredom!"
He stared with a deadpan. "Tell that to those who made the rules of bureaucracy and security, kid," he replied without batting an eye. Then he exhaled a long sigh. "Honestly, projecting these passports and identity cards was a pain. I almost had to steal some of them to see the originals before copying them. You'd better not lose them. I'm not going to project them a second time. Ever," he stressed, showing his irritation on this matter.
Mordred muttered a few curses to herself as Shirou handed them their tickets, a passport for each of them, and a 'new' ID card. Iskandar looked at his 'fake' identity with a wide grin. "Hmm? Alexander Bazin? That's basically my original name," he noted, before bursting into a loud laugh.
"Yeah. Sorry, I don't have a great imagination," Shirou replied with a sheepish smile.
Arjuna merely shook his head. "It'll serve," he simply said in acceptance, sighing at the boastful behaviour of the King and the Knight's angry frown. Their constant bickering and chatting was already getting on his nerves at maximum speed. He stared at Shirou with a sympathetic look. "Is this what you have to deal with every day?"
The red-haired God smiled. "You get used to it, eventually," he shrugged without a care.
"I doubt it," the Archer countered with a shake of his head. "I know it's a sentiment unbefitting of a Hero, but I feel at ease when I'm alone. Company is not something I enjoy too much."
Iskandar looked at him. "You should be more relaxed, Archer. You lost an honorable duel, remember? Now you're our subordinate, and you have no right to complain," he joked with a sly grin, his face full of amusement. Even Mordred openly laughed at that joke.
The Indian Demi-God closed his eyes with a blank face, his eyebrow twitching. "...I suppose it's true," he admitted in the end.
Shirou's lips curled in a little smile full of mirth. "Come on. Don't mind them too much. They're simply trying to know you better," he reassured him, trying to calm him down and placate the tension.
"I don't like it very much when people try to intrude into my heart," Arjuna replied promptly, emotionless.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Mordred sighed with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Let's get a move on and depart already. I'm tired of waiting," she declared, raising from the table.
Shirou nodded as the others moved to follow her as well. "Alright. Let's move closer to the terminal and our gate. Our plane departs in two hours. We still have to do the check in," he readily agreed.
The four Servants moved at once, moving through the crowd of people and passengers and heading towards the terminals at a brisk pace. Mordred walked next to Shirou, putting on her sunglasses with a casual movement. "So? Where are we headed?"
Shirou smiled, his face a mask of decision. "To the first destination I wanted to check," he replied. "New York city."
"And how long it's gonna take to reach it, boy?" Iskandar asked after her, looking around the different gates with curious eyes and an excited smile.
Shirou checked his ticket with a raised brow. "I believe the flight lasts five hours," he answered.
"What!? We have to stay cooped up in one of those junk of metal for five hours?" Mordred exclaimed, groaning in displeasure. The other sighed at her antics. "What a bummer…"
"I hope we won't sit next to each other," Arjuna muttered sarcastically, causing the Knight to round on him with a full-fledged glare.
Shirou and Iskandar laughed, shaking their heads in amusement.
CODEX PLANETAE
[COUNTER FORCE] Database
Taken from the notes of Alaya
Subject: Tyr [-Shirou Emiya-], #1 among the Ancestral Heroes
Alias: God of War, Humanity's Liberator, Grand Hero, God-Slayer, First Hero of Humanity
Description:
I have often found myself wondering about Shirou's master after I learned of his childhood and his past. Brunestud of the Crimson Moon was a being that not even I, the collective Will of Humanity, am able to comprehend fully even to this day. For such an entity to exist yet have so little information about him, I can't help but wonder where he came from. Was he a Phantasm coughed up by the Planet before my own birth? A forerunner of the Gods? Or simply a being that existed when [ERROR - DATA CORRUPTED] gave shape and order to all things? All I know is that given his Divine Nature and his powers as a True Ancestor and an Ultimate one, when he died he should have fallen into the realm of the Gods. But unlike all the Gods who died and went to the Reverse Side of the World, he simply stopped to exist. That's something I cannot understand.
Shirou trained under him for eight years. For eight years his presence remained hidden from the world and the Gods, and even I wasn't able to find out what happened back then. His life during all those years remains a mystery even to this day. The [COUNTER FORCE] did not posses the means to monitor an entity like Brunestud. However, one thing is certain: when Shirou returned, when his presence on the planet became stable and recorded again after eight long years of silence, his master had already ceased to exist.
To this day, I have come up with only two hypotheses: either Brunestud of the Crimson Moon had successfully devised a way to escape the dimensional plane of existance... or Shirou had killed him.
And given by the angry tears on his face and the blood that covered all his body... I am inclined to believe in the second one.
For those who wanted to see Shirou fight: wait for the next chapter.
I'm not planning to make him a character who does not actively fight in the story. I just wanted to make him act like an 'original' Ruler and stay on the sidelines for this one chapter. I needed this so that both Mordred and Iskandar could have their own moment to shine before things start to get serious. It won't happen again.
Arjuna is not going to be a permanent addition to the group. His presence will only last until the end of the first Arc (two more chapters).
About the different Arcs, I'm planning on making them no more than three/four chapters long. My story won't be short, but it won't be extremely long either; because as I said in the last chapter: I already planned all of it. I'm not able to write a story without having in mind its clear progression and conclusion. When I write, I need to have a clear picture of what's happening and what's going to happen inside my head. That's just how I am.
I hope you enjoyed the battle. I couldn't show Iskandar's and Arjuna's main Noble Phantasm so soon, obviously. I didn't want to make the fight 'grand' or too 'excessive' simply because it's the first one; and also because (as it is written in the notes of the first chapter) this story is meant to be taken lightly. I don't want to create a thrilling story with compelling plots. It's simply meant to entertain, not to thrill.