King of Heroes - Chapter 9/Fear and Mystery

=9=

Ayako panted. She had just finished running and still couldn't catch her breath. Life just wasn't fair for her. It's been less than two months since she met that man. She shivered at the memory. Despite how long had passed, she rubbed her wrist as phantom pain resurfaced.

"Shirou is not the golden man. Shirou is not the golden man." She whispered to herself as she leaned over the wall. Her breathing began to even out.

It was supposed to be a simple shopping trip. She only brought her bow with her because she wanted to match a new set of bowstrings to it for the upcoming tournament. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and she took safety in the fact that all that magical madness only happened at night.

And yet she almost got killed by a rampaging beast in the middle of the day. And then she barely escaped that weirdo with a shield that probably weighed more than Ayako herself.

"I… I fought back." With the adrenaline leaving her, she began to look back at her actions. "I fought back…" She looked at her bow and the arrows that were in the quiver tied to the weapon. "I failed to even scratch her." She collapsed to the floor and pulled her knees to her chest. "What is even the point of trying to fight back if I can't so much as hurt them…"

She didn't know how long she spent in that alley. No people came. No one so much as looked into the alley. Everyone was too focused on their issues to care about others.

When the cold ground finally made her stand up, Ayako shook her head. "No. I refuse to just roll over for them. There has to be something…" She pulled out her phone. For a few moments, her finger only hovered over the green button before she pressed it.

"Mitsuzuri? Good afternoon." The voice came from the other side.

"Ryuudou. Listen, are you staying at the temple today?" She practically demanded.

"Yes. I plan on staying here for the entire duration of the break."

"I'm coming over. Be there in half an hour." She ended the call without any chance to hear protests. She needed help and arguing with him would take too long.

The entire way to the temple, she kept looking over her shoulder. The bow stood out even during the day. Now that the sun was slowly setting, it was even more out of place. And it wasn't like she could have used it for self-defense anyway unless she was willing to smack someone with it like a stick. She was, but it would be a great loss.

As the stair leading to Ryuudou temple appeared, she slowed down just a bit. She should be safe here. No one in Fuyuki wanted to mess with the monks. Not after Issei's older brother beat several wannabe Yakuza back in high school. It signaled to all criminals that the temple was not for their idle games. At least according to how Issei told it.

Her schoolmate was waiting at the top of the stairs. His hands were crossed in front of his chest. He tapped his foot impatiently to the rhythm of Ayako's steps.

"What brought you here at this hour?" He began. Then, he stiffened. "Forgive me. Welcome." He stepped to the side to let her pass.

"You aren't that good at this monk schtick yet." The girl couldn't help but comment.

"My education is progressing." Issei remained unmoved. "Now, what got you so worried Mitsuzuri? I would've expected since Shinji moved away to his mother's family you would have fewer headaches already."

"It's about Emiya-san." She revealed. "I… you're his friend, right?"

"I believe so. I can't claim to know everything, but we hang out sometimes."

Ayako took a deep breath. Her hand gripped the bow just a tad tighter. "Then… you know he's a wizard?"

"What!?" Issei shouted. The girl jumped back. Before he got over the shock, she was already knocking an arrow. The bow remained pointed at the ground and not drawn yet. "Mitsuzuri! What in heaven's name are you talking about?"

"I've seen him. I've seen him magic up light. And… I know he is Kingsblade."

"Outrageous. Emiya would never practice foul witchcraft. And he is not Kingsblade. I think I'd have recognized him."

"Yeah. But think about it. Kingsblade was seen using magical powers to summon all those swords. And he doesn't wear a mask. Yet no one can figure out who he is?"

"You're speaking nonsense. Where did you even get such an asinine idea?" He sent her an unimpressed glare.

"I've heard him talk with Tohsaka. She mentioned magic and removing people's memories. Then Shirou said that he knew a guy. They also discussed Shirou blowing up Shinji's grandfather."

"Matou-sama? Why would Emiya kill him?"

"I don't know!" Ayako screamed. "Nothing has been making sense since that… that thing destroyed half of Shinto…"

"What are you talking about?" Despite his confusion, Issei walked closer and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Take a deep breath." He brought his other hand in front of him and tried to guide her.

"I… I was there. During the Shinto fire, I mean. He… that monster was the one who caused it. He tried to grab me but I ran away. Then he began killing everyone. I just… I kept running. Luckily he must've gotten distracted because he didn't catch up to me."

"I… Let's get inside. I think we should have a longer conversation."

"No! You don't believe me. Why can't you just see!? You always call Tohsaka a witch and you're right! Maybe she corrupted Shirou or maybe they were always in league together. I don't know. Why can't you just accept that Shirou practices that… that… magecraft or something? He is Kingsblade! Believe me!" She screamed. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

As she said the words, Issei froze. His eyes widened and the hand that was previously only gently lying on her shoulder now squeezed her to the point of pain.

"W-What… What have… How did I not see it before…?"

"Magic." The girl growled. "I bet they are doing something to Sakura too. Messing with her mind…"

"Shirou would never-"

"He did! Or Tohsaka. Why would she want to stay with her grandfather's killer otherwise!?"

Issei led Ayako into the temple. Neither of them noticed the glimmer of red eyes between the foliage.

=9=

Raiga watched through the window of his car as they drove through Fuyuki. The people on the streets were hurrying home and avoiding any stops. Whereas the kids used to pause at every other storefront, now they just rushed home without delays. Same applied to adults. And there were no little kids in strollers on a walk.

"What did those bastards do to my city…" He shook his head.

"Well, at least we're fixing this now, right boss?" Amakasu spoke from the driver's seat.

"Yeah. Too bloody late." The old yakuza leader snapped. "You know what's the worst part? If it hadn't been for Emiya-kun and his magical girlfriend, we would've lost by now. As much as I hate to admit it, our code was hurting our revenue stream." Seeing that his driver was about to protest, Raiga waved him off. "Oh, sure. We had our honor and in the long term perhaps we would have gained more from the reputation we built, but we were being pushed out now. Damned brats. Things worked as they did for a reason. Now even the Police refuse to play ball with us like they used to."

"It's probably the guns," Touma noted. "The laws are pretty strict and they are playing it like it's some… gaijin action movie."

"Yeah. And they show no signs of stopping." Raiga snarled. "Why if I get my hands on those two…"

"Sir, calm down. The meeting is supposed to resolve it. They are the ones who requested it. Maybe they realized it's only hurting everyone. And the people of Fuyuki."

"I don't think Shirou-kun will just accept things going to status quo. Nor should he." Raiga's hand drifted to his cane and he gripped it tight. "One shouldn't have to compromise on their morals. Especially when the cause is a bunch of spoilt brats."

"As you say, boss," Touma said.

"Tell me, how are your studies progressing?" Raiga shifted the subject to a lighter tone. "I heard little Tohsaka has some good things to say about you."

"Eh… mostly that I'm not likely to burn away my soul any time soon." The driver kept his eyes on the road. "Then again, she is quite a good instructor. All of us are progressing at what Miss Edelfelt called 'astonishing rate… for a bunch of backwater philistines'."

"Ah. Don't pay her much mind." Raiga chuckled. "She is no worse than a military instructor."

Or a ninja trainer. The old man added in the safety of his mind. There was a reason he kept Touma as his personal aide and it wasn't the man's skill with tea ceremonies that's for sure.

"As you say, boss."

The car drove on toward the Fuyuki docks. As they stopped in front of one of the warehouses, Amakasu got out and opened the doors for Raiga. The old man walked confidently into the building.

"W-what… oh! Sir! Help! Help me! Someone call the police!" A man was tied to a chair, with two Fujimura men standing to his left and right.

"That's enough of you." Touma snarled. As the old man stepped into the light the prisoner's shouts ended and hope left his visage.

One of the men brought a second chair for Raiga and placed it in front of the man.

"I find myself in a conundrum. You see, Kurusu, your boss wants a truce and a peace meeting. And I agreed. Only for you and a bunch of other boys to come and try to start something in one of our bars. I think you understand why it might reflect badly on you and the entire Kunimi clan, right?"

"What are you talking about?" Seeing Amakasu's glare, he quickly added "Sir?"

"You don't know about that? Most interesting." Raiga took a huff from his pipe.

"That coward, Minato, came to the boss a few days ago with some message from… someone. Not sure who but next thing anyone had seen him, the pretty boy was already on a train to Tokyo."

"And you don't know anything else?" Raiga raised an eyebrow. "Maybe how your leader asked for a truce?"

"Look man, my friends and I… we just wanted some fun."

"Did you know that Touma here had a training as a ninja?" Raiga's smile was downright creepy. "He was trained in the true art, not the hogwash the youngsters like to sprout these days."

"W-what does it have to do with me?"

"I found him. Abandoned, broken, alone. I took him in. And now, he works for me. Tell me, Kurusu-kun, what do you think a ninja interrogation technique looks like?"

The thug fainted.

"Sir?"

Raiga chuckled. "Gets them every time. Don't worry, Amakasu. I wouldn't ask you for that. I can always call that Tohsaka girl and have her hypnotize him if the need comes."

The man sighed in relief. "Thank you, Raiga-sama."

=9=

Professor West looked over the report. "It would seem that a new Campione had emerged in Japan. According to reports, he seems to be following in your footsteps."

"Wah?" Annie stopped her breakfast. "Wha da ya mea?"

"Miss, please don't eat with your mouth full." Dennis, her butler, scolded her.

She swallowed. "Sorry. What do you mean by that last bit?"

Joe chuckled. "Well, he seems to be fashioning himself into another superhero. I wonder if someone was his inspiration."

"No way. I've been doing this for like what? Two years? I doubt they heard of me all the way in Japan." She stretched.

"You'd be surprised. Recently, Jason, an old friend of mine, reached out to me to ask for some details about the goings-on in Los Angeles. He's been put in charge of the special task force in Fuyuki to resolve the situation. They've been dealing with a plague of monsters."

"What? Is my… younger brother… causing troubles?" Annie asked.

"I doubt it. He has been seen fighting those things. More likely it's a group of magi messing with something they shouldn't."

The girl shivered. The last two years had been rather wild ever since she had slain Tezcatlipoca and usurped his authority, it was as if she entered another world. She had those incredible powers, and she became a superhero during her quest to rid herself of the sorcerers who would try to summon the god again. Then she got a rather scary visit from her 'elder sister', Scathach.

And now someone was following in her footsteps. She checked the picture. And quite handsome at that.

"Do you think… he is dealing with the same issue I had?"

"I doubt it. At least not directly. A cult trying to summon a Heretic God is quite possible but he's the son of a Magus Killer. I doubt they could've forced him into the ritual. It's more likely that he's trying to clean up the mess in his backyard."

"I see… Say, shouldn't I pay him a visit? Maybe offer some word of advice to my senpai?"

"I do not believe that's the correct word…" Professor West tried, but she waved him off.

"Pfft. Of course, it's the right word. I've seen it used in anime a lot. It means a pretty boy a girl is interested in. Oh, all the dates he could take me out on."

"Be careful he doesn't take you out with a sniper rifle." Joe only half-joked. "It was one of his father's favorite tactics."

=9=

Waver walked through the damp forest. The leaves squeaked under his feet. High above the trees, the full moon shone at the path.

His apprentice chased after him.

"Teacher. Um… Why are were here?" The cage with her mystic code clackered at her belt.

"There is something I need to check." He passed another toppled tree. "Tell me, what is the most important part of the investigation."

"Whydunit," Gray answered almost immediately.

"Exactly. Now, why would a magus distribute a power-giving drug in the same city as a Campione?"

The girl thought for a moment. They passed a giant cracked rock. "They were already here before he appeared?"

"Maybe, but no magus would risk angering a Campione by covertly running an operation in direct opposition to the King. They would have moved out by now. No, there is another reason."

"Maybe… they have something in this city that they can't leave?" Gray offered. It wouldn't be the first time something like this had happened.

"Close. They could most likely still make sure the elixir is distributed outside the city. I suspect that they are conducting the experiment here because, at least until they perfect it, it can only be conducted here." Lord El-Melloi summarized. "Something in this city is a crucial element of the formula."

"Do you suspect that it's…" She hesitated, recalling how much her guardian disliked any and all reminders of that event. She instinctively pulled her hood down to hide her face more.

"No. At least I hope it isn't. But all those years ago, I remember being dragged all around the city by a certain… irritating teenager."

"Weren't you also a teenager then?" asked a squeaky voice from under Gray's cape.

"That's beside the point." Lord El-Melloi snapped. "Regardless, there is something in this forest. Shortly before she and I got separated, we came close to this forest and I sensed a form of Bonded Field from somewhere around here."

"And you didn't investigate?" The mystic code accused.

"I did not have an opportunity or time. Given the sheer chaos of that night, I was not able to dedicate the time and effort needed."

"But now you want to investigate?" Gray asked.

"Yes. Given what I learned about Fuyuki, I have a suspicion about what is hidden in this forest."

"What do you mean, teacher?"

"The city is infamous among the broader magi community for two things: the ritual and the number of Heretic Gods that used to descend in the area. The Ryuudou temple was built on the site of the battle between a dragon god and a Campione. And I found an old passage that suggested there was some similar encounter in this forest."

"Then why not bring Shirou with us?" Gray asked.

"Because I suspect he might be observed. And while tracking a Campione with magecraft is all but impossible, our opponent has shown they are willing to employ mundane criminal elements in their schemes. Which would include spying on the Campione."

They passed through the trees and finally reached a massive stone in the middle of a clearing. A thick, sturdy rope was wrapped around it with Shide (zigzag-shaped pieces of paper) hanging at equal distances. A large symbol was scratched on the side.

"It looks… unfinished." Gray pointed at where the end of the symbol was sort of… empty.

"No. It's the only part that is correct." Lord El-Melloi lectured. "The original symbol looks to have been a form of sealing that keeps evil inside the rock. The harsh weather ruined it over the years, but someone scribbled over it. While the new symbol mostly matched the old, there are a lot of additions. Like someone tried to incorporate the old one into the new one without care for the purpose."

"Like the magus using it to power his ritual?"

"I'm not certain. But I believe we should call Lord Emiya here."

Gray was about to say something but she froze. In an instant, Add was out of the cage and transformed into a scythe. "Do you hear that, teacher?"

Lord El-Melloi paused. He focused for a moment and even lightly reinforced his ears.

"The hissing sound? A snake…"

"It's… wrong. It's… There is something more coming."

As the pair heard a rumble, Waver decided to retreat from the clearing. He and his apprentice took cover behind some bushes and watched as a giant serpent slithered into the clearing. The creature was big. The magus had never seen a reptile that big outside some long-lost phantasmal species.

Moments later, Shielder broke through the treeline and slammed her shield into the snake.

To Gray's surprise, the snake turned into a woman. She was wearing a loose purple dress with an open back, revealing a purple serpent tattoo presumably coiling around her chest.

"You bitch! Leave me alone!"

"My master has forbidden all who accept the elixir from leaving the city."

"Yeah?" The woman snarled. "Tough luck for him but I'm out. I didn't sign up to fight in a full-on war."

"Then you shall die here." Galahad threw the shield at the woman who once more turned into a snake and dodged. The Shielder appeared in a blink of an eye above the beast and, grabbing the shield mid-air slammed into her with all her might.

The serpent tried to fight back by slamming her tail into Galahad, but the girl dodged by doing a split while still holding the shield. With a backflip, the shielder then got off only to deliver another strike with the shield. This time, the force was enough to send the woman flying. She smashed into the stone.

Galahad stopped. "Why did you lead me here?"

"No idea," the serpent hissed. "I just… felt something call me here."

The knight seemed to pause her attack momentarily, only to then snarl. Her face was marred by a frown. "Then you can die here!" She dashed with a shield aimed at the snake's neck.

Waver noticed his student shudder. The hood made seeing her eyes impossible, but he saw her mouth move without sound escaping her.

"No!" Gray burst from behind the cover. Her scythe was aimed at the shielder who had to twist mid-air to block. The attacker bounced from the shield and landed a few feet from Galahad.

"What… You're one of Shirou's…" She realized as the moonlight fell on Gray's face. Her hood had dropped somewhere during her mad charge.

"You can't break the stone!" Add turned into a shield of its own. "It's gonna be a disaster if you do."

"Shirou!" The girl completely ignored the warning and attacked Gray who buckled under the force. The reckless strikes sent chunks of dirt and grass flying everywhere as the girl desperately dodged each attack afterward.

Lord El-Melloi began firing Gandr shots from the sideline but they did nothing to pierce Galahad's magic resistance. It failed even to slow her down. The furious girl ignored everything in favor of just whaling on Gray who could now only cower behind the shield.

Without other options, Waver pulled out his phone. As soon as he heard someone pick up, he spoke. "Emiya! No time. Forest west of your home! Hurry!" He disconnected before the young Campione could speak.

I will accept whatever punishment the king deems necessary, but this is too dangerous to ignore. Waver's thoughts were interrupted when he saw Galahad toss her shield to the side and grab at Add. She then heaved it and Gray off the ground and did an overhead toss.

His young apprentice crashed into the ground and rolled away, groaning in pain.

"You think that stone is so important? I was important too, once!" to Waver, the girl in no way resembled the calm and composed knight Shirou described. The battle brought out something entirely different in Galahad. Something unhinged. Like a second personality.

Original personality, Lord El-Melloi realized. It makes sense. Galahad was famously the most pure Knight of the Round Table. He had no descendants and no siblings. Whoever the magus used probably had no connection to him, meaning the process was imperfect.

It was of no help to him though. Gray tried to attack from a distance but Add in bow form couldn't pierce Galahad's shield. The knight slowly advanced, only to stop halfway to the girl.

"You know that you cannot defeat me. Why do you struggle."

"Because… because you're a bit like me." Gray frowned even as she gripped the bow tighter. "And you are about to make a big mistake."

"What? Wait… that face…" Galahad stopped. "I thought it strange you had my former liege's face…"

"That stone… it houses a heretic god. I've seen what he could do if released."

"So you're a witch. Fitting, to go with that scoundrel Shirou!" In the middle of the sentence, her entire stance changed. With a single furious leap, she was back by the stone. "If I can't beat him, maybe this one can!"

"No!" It was too late. The shield slammed into the stone. First cracks began to form.

"Gray! Use it!" Waver called.

The girl hesitated only for a moment before nodding. If she did nothing, the stone would be broken anyway.

"Gray. Rave." She began chanting. Her mystic code glowed yellow as it returned to its base form. "Crave. Deprave." A beam of light shot into the sky. A golden glow began enveloping Gray as she held onto Add.

Galahad smashed the stone two more times. The cracks now almost reached the bottom and the top. The seal painted on it began to let out faint silvery light.

"Grave, me. Grave for you." The chant continued.

"[Mana Yield exceeds regulations]" the box in her hand announced. "[Second stage, restrictions rescinded]"

Galahad paused her attempt at destroying the stone. She turned to the other girl and braced her shield.

"Sacred Lance. Removing Restraint!"

"[A place of heroes, a site of catastrophe. That, which elevates the noble and the brilliant. Manifest. Lord Camelot]!" White walls and shining light formed around Galahad as the shield expanded and reinforced itself.

"[Rhongomyniad]!" Golden light gathered around Gray's hand. The energy began to spiral out.

It was as if an unstoppable force met an immovable object.

For a moment, the forest was silent. Then, the shockwave blasted everyone and everything nearby.

When the dust settled, the Knight was gone. And the stone was cracked.