Hi! Lugal kug-ga here! I am a long time reader but a first time writer.
Damn, I I've finally come up with a suitable name...at least suitable.XD
Imma say this now, I own nothing of the originals portrayed in this fic, I'm merely making an iteration.
And should you see some similarities with other fanfic Authors, it might be because I've…. copied it. Or took some parts of their works and incorporated it in mine. So, credits to them.
Enough of the boring A/N and onwards to the story.
I've committed to finishing this work, should it stop updating for a year, I've probably self deleted. So, sit back, enjoy, and review!
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Chapter 6
——Beginning of TWUB chapter ——
Archer(Emiya) has nothing to do except watching the dragon and some of the iterations of his soul. One iteration he saw was another of his saint graph being summoned into another holy grail…but when Rin uttered the word 'murder death kill.' he felt like that iteration was full of madness, so he immediately changed his 'gaze'.
Another summoning, except this was as a counter guardian, which is him from a point in time. But, Thanks to the merging of his existence, he now possessed a diverse range of methods to neutralize threats to humanity without resorting to killing, if necessary. Essentially, the him that was summoned would encapsulate everything within his Reality Marble (still a reality marble, unlike Emiya's. You could say the summoned him is a him from a point in time.) and then, he from the World of Unlimited Blades would Alter or erase their memories. However, if killing became the only option even after altering memories, Then using himself as a relay, he transferred the threat towards a suitable timeline of the world, or if that still isn't possible, he dropped them into another world entirely.
You could say he finally found a loophole that wasn't available for him from when before the merging.
His musings were interrupted by the materialization of three beings—the first visitors to this realm besides the dragon... though it seems there's two dragons now.
"...so? I didn't think that as soon as They started gaining sentience you proceeded to sleep with them. I thought you were better than that." Was his snarky words to the now Dragon Lord.
"...it was out of my control!" The dragon lord replied, clearly anguished by what happened. " I tried my best to stop myself! I didn't think that she would just offer herself like that!"
" So you think that justifies your actions? Pathetic, you could have simply just killed yourself." He said with a scoff.
"...you!" The dragon lord, unable to control his rage, was about to pounce on Archer with claws and fangs bared. But before he could, came a guttural voice, which calmed the dragon lord like a bucket of cold water.
"Calm yourself, hatchling. Or you'll succumb to your darkness." it spoke. The dragon lord felt a pressure heavy as a mountain.
"...so you've awakened, Veldaruin." Archer said to the now, awakened Red Dragon.
"... Indeed, though I wonder. How do you know of my name? Only my elder brother and younger siblings know of it." the Red Dragon questioned. Archer just showed a smile, and held up a hand urging for him to touch.
The Red Dragon, sensing he does not have any malice, extended a claw and touched Archer's outstretched palm.
"...so it was like that. So this hatchling is me from another world?" Taking back its claw, the Red Dragon turned to the Dragon lord.
"Well, he was human before, but it seems he became a dragon due to Kaleidoscope's meddling," Archer explained casually.
Hearing the word "Kaleidoscope" snapped the Dragon Lord back to reality, prompting him to question his situation and the motives behind his sudden transformation.
"T–that's right! What the hell happened to me?! Why did that old man send me to that different world!"
"Calm your dick. If it's the old man of the jewels really the one who sent you, it's for a reason. As for what reason? I don't know." Archer replied, with a tone of condescension.
"..fuck! I said it was out of my control!" Shouted the dragon lord, hearing what Archer said. Which Archer merely scoffed at.
"Stop venting on the hatchling, Red Bowman. He's a dragon now; it's in our nature. Especially considering he only recently transformed. It's understandable that he couldn't control it," Veldaruin defended, seeking to diffuse the tension.
"It seems like you're doing well controlling yours to me, though," Archer remarked, observing Veldaruin's composed demeanor.
"...and here I thought, you've already seen all my memories." Veldaruin spoke with a sigh and a shake of his head.
" I can't always be sifting through any and every memory that enters my head. If I did, I might become the same a the Kaleidoscope." Archer replied with a shrug.
"...Good point." Then Veldaruin turned to the Dragon lord and extended a claw towards him. " Here, my experience might be of help."
As he touched the extended claw with a hopeful expression, the dragon lord reeled back from the headache. Veldaruins memory enters his mind.
" Kuh! …Huh!.. you, you're a dragon God of Destruction?!" Veldaruin expressed what seemed to be a grin on his scally face, showing his razor sharp teeth as long as a human arm.
"That, I am. But the destruction I impose is merely when the current world of Man needs to be set in balance. That was what my elder brother intended and what it shall be. that is I the dragon of Destruction and Ruin." Veldaruin answered. " Now, go and rest. Your mate is waiting for you."
Even if Veldaruin didn't say it, the dragon lord was already disappearing into motes of light. but not stopping the dragon lord from showing a scowl at Veldaruins words.
….
"...heh." scoffed Archer. Which made Veldaruin give him a side eye.
"... I do not know, nor wish to know why you acted that way with that hatchling, but this I say to you. She might still be waiting." that gave Archer pause as Veldaruin left, approaching the High elf and the boy.
Sighing, he went after him.
Arriving near the two, Veldaruin spoke to the High elf who seemed to be looking at the spaced out boy in worry.
"I didn't think I'd meet one of the extinct high elves. My name is Veldaruin, the dragon of balance, nice to meet you, Aesir." Archer gave Veldaruin a stink eye, at the different title, but didn't comment on it. because the dragon was technically the keeper of balance.
"... nice to meet you, and we're not extinct." Aesir replied as he turned to Archer and Veldaruin.
" Maybe in your world. But in mine, they've all become spirits already. Using their body in order to restore the ruined world brought upon by humanity." Aesir became silent upon hearing Veldaruins melancholic tone.
Turning to Archer, Aesir spoke.
"... by the way, how come, even after two years of me not coming here, only a day has passed for him." He gestured towards the boy.
"...Time here does not necessarily correlate to yours, you might spend a thousand years in yours, but return a few seconds after you've left here." Answered archer.
" And it seemed like you've already looked at the boy's memory huh."
"Hmm, does it also work the other way around? Should I spend a second here, I could wake up a thousand years later?" Inquired Veldaruin
"Pretty much." Shrugging, Archer continued. " Though, that's only if you wanted to. If you desire it, you could wake up a second before you went here, or a year later. Or return a few hours before you left here, after a year outside."
"Hmmm, fascinating."
As the conversation came to a close, they turned towards the remaining member who seemed to be staring into space and ignoring everything.
"Oi, snap out it already boy." Archer said towards Shirou. Who still ignored his call. which also made Aesir glare at Archer. Sighing, he ignored the long ears. looking the boy like that, he spoke the words that seemed to finally illicit a reaction from the him.
"You're not dead yet."
"... Is that true?" Shirou asked after a drawn out silence.
" Though, you will be, if you don't do anything about it."
"... then.. what am I supposed to do!" Punching the ground with his fist, He asked with a frustrated tone.
"I'm weak! I don't have any overpowered skills! I am only good with a bow! What use is that when my arrows don't even scratch my enemies!..I..I'm useless." He said, gritting his teeth in frustration.
But the one who answered was not Archer.
"...Boy, look at me, and see for yourself. You and I are the same Existence, do you call me useless." Veldaruin said with a strong and cold tone. And Shirou, hearing that cold tone, like a being splashed with cold water, became flustered.
"...I—I didn't mean it like that! I mean, you are a dragon and I am just a human, how can I compare myself to you!"
"So you're saying that, this red bowman is useless. He might be a heroic spirit, but because of his actions as a human he is what he is now." But Veldaruins tone became even colder. Shirou, hearing that, turned to look at Archer, who's expression likened to someone who have bitten something bitter, while looking at him.
"I—, I—!"
"Enough." came the voice of Aesir, with a strong and admonishing tone. " Maybe you have forgotten, so let me remind you. We might be the same Existence, but that doesn't mean we all share the same experiences nor mentality, Right now, you are merely ganging up on someone who's age does not even equal a fraction of your own. If you don't have anything useful to say, then stay quiet."
"... you are right. It was immature of me, I apologize" Veldaruin apologized, while Archer scoffed but remained silent. Turning towards Shirou, Veldaruin spoke.
"I apologize about my uncouth words and behavior earlier, Aesir is right, I should have taken into account our difference in experiences and mentality." Then he bowed.
"N–no! It's fine really! Your words have truth to them. And I shouldn't have said what I said earlier." Answered Shirou.
"... what I'm saying is, if you needed power, then you already have it right in front of you. All you need to do is ask and accept them and it shall be granted." spoke the Dragon.
"Though, your current body might not be able to handle such power…for now."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Shirou asked.
"Should you try to use my power or the red bowman's. Your body would crumble from the inside out, being unable to contain such power, it would be safer for you to use Aesirs own, albeit you could barely use half of it, your body would be able to handle it. Still, I advise you not to rely on it too much, or you'll pay with your mortal body turning into a sacred tree." Veldaruin explained.
Shirou, imagining such a situation, shuddered. But he didn't seem to be discouraged anymore. Turning towards Aesir who stood there looking deep in thought, Shirou spoke.
".. Aesir-san! Please let me use your powers!"
Aesir now out of his musings and turned to look at Shirou with a smile.
"No need for honorifics, we are one existence after all. And yes you can use them. Though, I don't think there's much, except for my magical energy and it's been a long time since I was able to fight."
"Thank you! And that's more than enough!" Shirou said excitedly, and looked at Aesir expectantly.
But then they stood there, in silence, which started to become awkward. Then came the voice of Veldaruin.
" If I may, it is about time you Bestow it upon Young Shirou by touching him, no?" His tone with a tinge of mirth.
"Ah, y–yeah. Ah–ahaha." scratching the back of his head and Embarrassed at forgetting what he was supposed to do, he immediately approached him and touched Shirou's shoulder.
"kuh!..so..so this is The right way to use.. projection." Shirou said, now on his knees, a hand to his forehead because of the pain. But unlike his previous gloomy demeanor, now he has an expression of hope.
"Yeah, good luck. Now that you've taken mine, you also have the blessings of nature. Oh, one more thing, I advise not using my Marble phantasm with your current body or it might have unwanted effects on the development of your reality marble." Shirou nodded at Aesirs words with difficulty, then , he disappeared.
….
"Well, I'm done here. See you later, then. it was nice finally meeting you, Vedaruin." turning his back towards them, Aesir waved goodbye as he also disappeared.
Only Archer and Veldaruin remained in this world of blades.
...
...
...
"... you're not leaving yet?" Archer asked.
Veldaruin only shook his head. "No. ...Even if I returned, there would be nothing for me to do except return to sleep, then wait for the time when the world would need correction…and even if I could go outside, my brother Advised me not to for another five millenia."
"Heh, and you obeyed such a prophecy?" Archer scoffed as he questioned.
"...No. I do not obey because of his Prophecy. But because it was his last words to me." He said with sadness in his tone.
Archer also understood, having seen the dragon's record. Because it was the last words of his older brother before he perished. Heh, even a being with a power such as him still perished, Ironic. Because he understood he didn't pursue the matter anymore.
" …why did you tell that to the boy?" Archer asked as a change in topic. What he meant was, why did Veldaruin lied to the boy about not being able to use their power.
"... it's too early." Veldaruin answered after a moment of silence. " Our memories, our experiences, he's still too young for it...And its not like the words I've spoken was a lie, his body would dissolve if he used it as of now."
"..hmm, you're right." Archer merely nodded at that, and again became quiet.
After another long silence, Veldaruin spoke, reminiscing about the past. His past.
"..A~ah. I couldn't wait. Elder brother always had a fascination towards humanity, one of his creations, that he even married one, to be honest, until now I didn't understand why." Veldaruin now sounds more a bit cheerful as he recounts the past.
" Velzard and Velgrind has always been a brat, always bickering, and fighting over something stupid, only when elder brother intervene are the only time they listen. And that Crimson Demon has been a pain in the ass, always hovering like an annoying mosquito." Taking a deep breath and exhaling a whiff of flame, as he looked at the horizon of perpetual twilight. "and it seems like another sibling has been born. a shame I couldn't meet him yet."
"Hey, Red bowman. Do you think what my elder brother did was the right thing to do?" Veldaruin asked, his tone now somber.
"...to you it might not seem like it. But, he certainly did what I think a father would do, deeming it as something that he would not hesitate laying his own life for... Veldanava doesn't want you to grieve over something as him doing what he would not regret…. That's what I saw." Archer replied.
"...Heh, you're right. That's the kind of man he is."
Silence descended and the two beings both looked over the perpetual twilight of the world of unlimited blades, and looked at something not there. It might be the past, future or nothing at all.
— end of chapter——
Whoo~! I was torn between tensura and Death mage, but I found tensura to be more suitable for Veldaruin. BTW , Veldaruin is a mix of tensura dragon names considering all of them all starts with Vel, and Alduins' the world eater from Skyrim, and the word Ruin. originally I was gonna give him the name Vazdruin, but it's tensura so, meh. if you've got issue with the name, come at me!
Oh, and to those who were concerned about my suicidal implications, thank you. and no need to worry, I'll manage somehow, it's my way of getting in the zone or when I'm just high from lack of sleep. And it's quite reassuring to have a plan B when shit finally hit the fan.
so, there you have it. see you again till next time...if I'm still alive that is! XD
next chap: Overlord world. ciao~.