I do not own Fate/stay night or High School DxD.

"To see the world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wildflower, hold infinity in the palm of your hand, and eternity in an hour." – William Blake

The fat sickle of the moon hung low; its iridescence obscured by a congregation of lacy clouds edged with whites that would make quarry rock proud.

Their gathering in the darkened skies painted an obscure beauty; a beauty that reminded me so much of nights I wished to have never experienced yet treasured amongst my most memorable.

Specks of dust thinly spread out as several, if not a few dozen, wings flapped as they took to the air. I narrowed my eyes to protect my vision, however, I could sense the ones behind me experiencing trouble.

To my mildest surprise, a few of my intended targets had survived my initial assault.

"Hoh?"

With my truth declared to the world, I essentially revealed our stance. Unbound and unshackled, I regained my freedom to serve.

A face twisted with expressions between dissonant alarm and sickening intrigue, he watched my every move with the eyes of a hawk. The others behind him, his followers, scowled horrifically as they surveyed the ground below – what was supposed to be a battlefield.

It was anything but.

Caladbolg II had shaken my core the first I laid my eyes on it. It was beautiful, brilliant, yet so very vicious in its utilisation. I once nearly lost my life in the face of such immense power, but the intended enemy suffered so much more.

The battlefield, quiet and darkened, was now a grave for the unburied. Their corpses lay upon the once pristine courtyard, where students convened every morning. Burnt, charred and dismembered bodies laid on a field stained with red as though they were higanbana in full bloom.

The gouged earth served as a temporary tomb to these nameless men, with the lone, merged Excalibur acting as its stone.

I took another step forward and they flinched.

The Heavens were unknown, yet a single fact remained since time immemorial. Seraphim served as the emissaries of God, and whatsoever he willed, they followed.

Harbingers that brought flooding to the world for forty days and forty nights, or saviours that would lead the believers from the depths of despair to the promised land. They are restorers of balance whenever it is deemed necessary.

Kokabiel barked out a laugh. "Hah! Michael has the gall to send one of his dogs to settle this matter." He mocked. "You. I have never seen you before."

It was such a strange sensation, the one if my wings sinking into my back. Gainsborough, a colour so fitting, needn't be tainted by the blood of the Fallen. And as I continued to approach them, their trepidation forced them to act.

It was a useless effort.

My arms rested by my side, igniting. "Of course not." I responded, life coursing through my being. "I have no reason to explain myself to a dead man."

I dashed, Kanshō and Bakuya manifesting, and leapt towards the closest enemy. Dark haired and sturdily built, my white blade pierced through the man's chest, cutting through his heart. Wasting but a moment, I attacked the next man, smaller than his partner, and tore into his throat with my black blade.

I accepted the pull and fell, the earth drawing me towards itself. Though his eyes were trained on me, I could see the Fallen surrounding me watch with muted shock as their comrades crashed to their deaths, their essence marring the soil once more.

I flicked my blades, flecks of red splattering onto the yard, and silence whispered once more. Until a subtle command, of fury and excitement , was followed with an echo of battle cries.

"Kill him." Kokabiel all but grounded out. "Leave nothing behind."

The night sky was lit up by dozens of various Light Weapons as each Fallen Angel approached with their preferred method of attack. I parried one to the side, the spear grinding into my delicate creation. Another closed in, spear twirling in hand and I ducked beneath his assault.

With his guard broken, I cut into his arm as he sped past, before spinning around him and piercing his heart. I quickly kicked the man away and crossed my blades to block an overhead strike. Powerful, but as the man seethed through gnashing teeth, I realised this was the extent of his strength.

Pushing forward with a sudden force, I broke his stance and used my advantage to slash his throat. The man gurgled over his own blood as I grabbed onto his arm and flung him towards the nearing enemies. He crashed into his allies, breaking their ranks for a few moments.

But it was all that I needed.

Utilising the opportunity, I sped through the opening, cutting into any who stood in the way, before skidding to a halt with my new weapon forming in my hand. I nocked my bow, pulling at its string where several Light Arrows were created, and released them; a shower of arrows tearing through the air.

Finely crafted as I was taught, the arrows density shattered through any weapon that hoped to deflect my assault. Cries of agony rang as they were pierced by a starry barrage, yet their leader remained unmoved.

I sent a quick glance across the field and noticed a Cherub breathing haggardly with a visage marred with incomprehensible terror. As I approached him, my favoured blades replacing the bow, he roared viciously and, with a lance, he cut towards me with a vengeance.

Kanshō parried the lance and I twisted around him, flipping Bakuya and stabbing the man through his back. He choked, once, and his weapon fell to the ground, dissipating in tainted specks of light.

I narrowed my eyes as I counted the few enemies that remained. Scattered across the battlefield in varied states of injury, I noticed Kokabiel watching with a grim interest. But as I stared into his blackened eyes, I saw the truth.

He is terrified.

Power governs the world, regardless of which plane you belong to. Even the Heavens, the standalone realm that Man sought to reach, was led by such a system. Though fair to all peoples, the lower ranks of Angels knew that they could not contest the authority of the Seraphim.

It was an innate realisation. Of one's own wariness towards those they saw as superior; even though they meant them no harm.

Instinct.

And it was that fear that I utilised to my fullest advantage.

It was a bloodbath. No. A slaughter.

My heart raced, beating against my chest as I witnessed my friend thin out the ranks of the Fallen Angels with a terrifying ease.

I... I didn't know.

He switched again. From blade, to bow, and to blade again. An open stance then something vicious. Every move seemed like a beautiful yet nameless dance.

A rational part of my mind warned that this was what he feared; being seen as a peerless warrior even in the face of insurmountable odds. It mattered not whether he used Holy Power to summon Light Weapons belying of the aura that clung to him like a second skin.

It was the skill with the swords he wielded as though they were an extension of himself.

"Is that... Is that Emiya-senpai?"

A voice croaked and I glanced to my side to find Gasper, bloodied and bruised, yet still very much alive. His crimson eyes were widened as he witnessed the battle before our eyes.

He wasn't unaccustomed to the horrors of war nor the sight of blood – they merely reminded him of a time he wished to forget. It was why he took to suffocating himself with anything sweet and had a penchant for cross-dressing because it was cute.

Yet, now, he was shaking.

I returned my gaze back to the Angel, my eyes focusing solely on his figure. Those blades, so magnificent even from this distance, dripped with crimson as he stalked the battlefield like a predator, his once colourless robes stained with crimson as his enemies fell in scores.

His presence resembled that of a monster of wrath instead of the purity of an angel.

I raced through the yard with my peerage following closely behind, our intended location being where a variety of powers were gathered.

Our vantage from maintaining the barrier gave us a clear view of our allies battling across the school yard against numerous foes, even those who exuded the nature of Hell itself. But for a single, unexpected moment, nothing existed. And the next, lives had vanished along with the Barrier.

I felt it.

A single shot, the size of a needle, tearing through our barrier as though it were a balloon, and striking the battlefield. What terrified me the most, however, was its power eclipsing that of the newly made, yet incomplete, Excalibur.

Now, as we cut through the courtyard on foot, obscured by the dissipating cloud of dust, a dove appeared before me. It cooed as it flapped its wings majestically, causing an innate response in my being . And I would have reacted, were it not for the absurdity of it all; but its obsidian eyes belied its strange intelligence.

And so, it flew, directing us towards where I could vaguely sense our allies were gathered.

Once we broke through the foliage and walked into the clear, my nose twitched and my eyes widened as I attempted to make sense of what I was witnessing. I shivered as Light rained down on what could aptly be known as a battlefield and, I paused, as a lone figure danced through it, beckoning a memory that I treasured dearly.

It was the first that I met her, Tsubaki, under the moonlit sky in a secluded household. Her eyes flashing a myriad of colours, she had danced something that treaded between innocence, purity, horror and maliciousness. With her favoured naginata in hand, one passed down her family line for generations, she slew a stray devil on those padded grounds.

And as I watched him retaliate, I was once again enchanted by such violent beauty.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I found her. "Rias!"

She was struck with awe as she witnessed the beautiful dance but quickly snapped out of her reverie as I approached. I studied her; a horror-stricken visage with blood-stained hands that shook from her fear. Worrying, I quickly shot a curious glance over the state of our allies.

Their injuries told of their solemn experience.

Asia was tending to Yūto with Tsubaki appearing by her side to assist. He was bleeding, slowly, the stump that remained being staunched by the Maiden. Akeno breathed haggardly; her real wings unveiled to the world in a show of the severity of the situation.

Our temporary allies were on their knees, exhausted and their spirits seemingly spent. The ginger-haired girl, Shidō Irina, muttered absently, while the once dauntless sword-wielder, Xenovia Quarta, watched the battle with manic reverie.

The only one who seemed to be of good health was Koneko, yet even she had a gaping hole torn into both sides of her uniform as though her small body had been pierced through.

Rias pulled at me. "Did you know...?" She whispered conspiratorially; her eyes unfocused. "Sōna, did you know of his true nature?"

I returned my gaze to whom she was referring to.

Though I wore them with confidence, I knew that these flimsy spectacles did little to hide my insatiable curiosity. Mother once warned me of it, and as I felt them widen with the desire to know, I understood what she meant.

I counted them; the dead or dying bodies of Fallen Angels, Stray Exorcists and creatures of Hell, strewn across the battlefield as though a tempest swept through this once comfortable area. Of the handful that were still alive, they flew about with varied forms of injury, attempting to avoid death.

Yet it was the serenity within that chaos that drew my intrigue.

I had come to know its form well, as did many others. It was unyielding, unwavering, free, and often times, I once complained about his stature being too tall or built like a jock in jest. But now, as I watched him from behind, with blades that dripped of essence and a body stained by the filthy, I choked back a cry.

By Atlas, Emiya Shirō seemed to carry the very weight of the world on his shoulders.

I stifled what loomed at the back of my throat. "N -No." I whispered to myself. "I did not know."

From when I first laid my eyes on him, or during the times we interacted, or when I sought to recruit him into the ranks of my Student Council, I had learned of his true nature.

He lives to help people; and that boggled my mind to its extremities.

Once, in a moment of curiosity, I proposed the question asking why he did so. He did not owe it to them nor was he bound to helping others due to a strange sense of duty. Rather, he answered as though it were as simple as the instinct of knowing how to breathe.

He had been saved, so he did the same.

It was at that moment that I truly believed him to be of divinity; the sun itself shining upon him as he leaned beside the office window, as though it was claiming that, with his bright smile, he indeed is a child of purity.

An emissary that shouldered all the world's evils, a true nature of good. That, even as a spell of darkness enshrouded him, his light shone so effervescent.

His are hands that should never kill.

When the last of the Fallen succumbed, his bloodied blades forming anew; he glanced over to us intently. And even with the chasm between us, I could sense his benevolence as he smiled.

Once again, I was reassured .

He descended from his pedestal to the battlefield, taking his place as the last of them, my final opponent.

I didn't anguish over the deaths of my enemies nor my own hand in the act. They had chosen to abandon their stations and tossed aside the purest of ideals so that they could blacken themselves with sin.

It never mattered to me that God was dead. I wasn't a believer in my old life anyway, but I had never mocked those who did. Yet once I was reborn, I was told the truth of this world.

As someone who never experienced divine providence, only the works of my hands and the machinations of the World, I hadn't been disturbed by this truth.

However, it was the ideal of Heaven that moved me.

They told of miracles, painted the wonders of the world, allowed me to touch the stars that illuminated the skies at this moment. How could I not believe that God had lived?

That with his creations, these wonders I gazed upon from Sixth Heaven, the very essence that flows through my being; how could I not believe that miracles do exist in this world?

I believe.

Heaven has gained my trust and loyalty. And for that, I would even blacken myself if it meant realising the future they strived for; a world reunited in peace and harmony.

"I will not ask why you did what you did, Kokabiel, but heed my words." I announced. "You have broken the Cardinal Laws of Heaven, those that allow us to remain pure. Purgatory is too good for you. You will return to the nothingness that you once were."

He chortled; his laughter echoing as if to mock the decree, unbelieving of the judgement placed upon him.

Suddenly, he stopped, pointing a slim finger towards the sky. "I held the skies, boy. I have commanded the stars at his digression. And even thousands of years after his pitiful death, you believe his words law?" Kokabiel laughed bitterly. "Do you believe yourself God that you would return me to nothingness?"

I shook my head. "Of course not." He faltered. "I am only a servant to his ideals. And for the sake of the world, you must die.

Kokabiel snarled and reached for the skies, a Light Spear, unlike the ones the Fallen Angels conjured, manifested and he spun it in a show of absolute excellence. My eyes saw and found it marvellous. Beautiful and structured with such perfection that it made me frown.

I had to wonder; why?

He was born amongst the first of his kind, the Cadre. An existence of purity, perfection before it was named, and a gifted warrior with a few his peer. He was heralded as the Angel of the Stars, regarded a hero for his ceaseless efforts of purging the world of evil and saving the lives of the Early Man.

And that violence was the cause of his fall.

Kokabiel gestured gleefully. "Come, boy."

And so, I answered.

I am the Bone of my Sword.

When those words reached me, I shivered from an inexplicable terror. I sensed the invocation of magic; those words being uttered as though they were passages of the holiest of scripture.

Steel is my body and Fire is my blood.

I called to Tsubaki fearfully, my throat parching as the air grew thin. I didn't know what I was feeling, but instinct told me to flee as Shirō touched the source.

I have created over a thousand blades.

I gritted my teeth. I won't flee. I would remain and protect everyone that he's fighting to save, treasure his sacrifices, and with absolute certainty, live to see its conclusion.

Unaware of loss nor aware of gain,

I was known to eternity yet unknown to its end.

I trembled as I heard those words. I glanced up, terrified yet worried, and found Sōna and Tsubaki gathering their powers. An intricate crest of the Sitri Clan, one of waters raging forth, formed protectively before my eyes.

Yet it was Light that acknowledged my being,

and it is Light that has become my path.

A multi-layered barrier, the kind which Sōna specialised in from a very young age, formed around us. It was similar to the one they had formed around the school earlier, but much smaller, denser, its purpose to withstand a mighty force I could only dream of expelling.

And for this endless eternity, I will bask in its glory from my hill of Swords.

I felt parched and my skin dry, my fears growing as a stream of white-hot flames spread from where he stood. Faster than I, or even Sōna and Tsubaki could react, the flames encompassed us before a white light forced me to shield and clench my eyes shut.

Such is my only prayer, Unlimited Blade Works.

I still have no words.

Beautiful, such a delicate and perfect word was one that could not begin to describe these pastured lands within my Reality Marble. My soul had blossomed in an inexplicable manner, and this realm was a mere aspect of it.

Once, it had been desolated; a world bathed in twilight and the screeching gears of a metalsmith's abode. But now, it resembled the indescribable lands of the Everdistant Utopia. Flowers bloomed in profusion as I treaded upon the realisation of my soul, the flora seemingly evergreen, that I believed that it could match the untouched Garden of Eden.

I crouched to touch one, a hilt of a blade whose name was at the tip of my tongue. And I felt them, the countless more that dug into the land, their origin, adding to its ethereal. It was a realm of acceptance and of dreams.

It is me.

They called to me; the flowers that bloom on from the ground. Yet as I reached out to them, my hand paused in trepidation – as if merely touching the flora would mar its beauty.

I looked around, confused as to where we were, and saw no end to the horizon. I stood to my feet – only realising now that I had fallen to my knees – and started to move around, surveying this strange land.

I gazed to the skies above and found a strange beauty to its perpetual state of twilight, one half marred with the looming darkness of dusk, and the other, a beautiful, but never-ending dawn. It was a world unlike any I had ever seen nor heard of. The stars shone the brightest in the impending void of dusk yet the sun beamed with a gossamer radiance, as though its master had returned, but it could not glimpse nor peek over the endless horizon.

It is a perfect world.

"Where are we?" Tsubaki asked.

Once we arrived in this world, our barrier simply vanished as though it had been naught but a breath. It weakened us, but I could feel my vitality return the more I roamed this land. Tsubaki remained stunned, her flashing eyes filled with wonder and unmitigated appreciation. I understood her feeling as I, too, stared with awe.

I gazed to the sky again and spotted an existence that was just an aberration to this world as we were. Kokabiel soared, seemingly confused, and came to a halt with a scowl marring his visage. His black eyes found us yet he made no move.

His battle is not with us anymore.

Our allies were gathering themselves with confusion prevalent in their midst. Koneko and Issei, the latter whose visage was stricken with absolute terror, glanced around worriedly. Saji and the rest of my peerage were helping the others while Akeno and Rias were leaning on each other. Strangely, Asia looked around with an innocent, but almost reverent, curiosity.

But it was the exorcists that surprised me the most, their eyes filled with incomprehensible reverie.

"Is this it?" Irina whispered wondrously. "Xenovia, is this the Holy Land?"

Xenovia did not utter a single word, her gaze entranced by the countless number of blades that were embedded into the earth; a sight that beckoned a strange sense of wonder.

As I began to gather my findings, a miracle happened before my eyes.

Yūto's arm, or rather what remained of it, had been staunched to prevent him from losing blood. It was with absolute certainty, a bitter realisation, that he would never regain the use of his arm. Despite Asia's relentless efforts with Twilight Healing, it was incapable of such feats.

Her Sacred Gear was already splendid in its capabilities yet it could not remedy the effects of Holy Power on a body of a Devil. Many who survived lived with such wounds as a reminder to fear that which dwelt in the Heavens. However, as he kneeled upon the pastured grounds of this boundless garden, agonising over his loss, it began to glow.

I dabbled in Healing Magic, and from time to time, I would remedy whatever wounds my servants gained during our patrols. It was morbidly fascinating, to watch a dismembered arm return to its other, floating as though it were a sprite in search of a friend, extending itself as it recognised where it belongs.

Like a seamstress at work, the invisible hands reattached both limbs to one, bones melding, then the musculature, and finally, the flesh stitching so effortlessly. And as though it had never been severed, his arm regained function.

I could not begin to comprehend the simple surrealism of the impossible occurring before my eyes. A voice gnawed, from the recesses of my mind, telling how that this was unnatural. That this is a power fitting for a god.

Yet I stood upon a Holy Land, uncharred and unscathed; very much alive.

It was then that he arrived.

His gait was strong, confident, perfect. The faith that I have in his ability confounded tenfold after this miracle. He exuded purity and sainthood, even as he was soiled by tainted blood. It did not abolish his compassion, rather, his smile told of a joy I could not understand.

Such purity cannot belong to Man.

Shirō gestured around him. "It has been called by many names . The World Egg, Alien Common Sense, Reality Marble and so forth." Words so common felt incomplete, impossible, as he uttered them. He smiled as he reached us. "Welcome to my soul given form, my Unlimited Blade Works."

His giddiness expressed an emotion I could not fathom nor claim to have experienced before. Yet as he spoke words of such magnitude, my heart raced with an inexplicable glee and utter disbelief as the phenomenon he invoked.

He breathed as he continued. "Every single thing you see is a part of my soul; the grass, the flora, even the very air that you breathe." He said. "And in my world, none of those whom I treasure will know death. Whether they be Man, Devil, Angel or God; this is a domain under my authority."

Shirō cast a look at every single one of us, his gilded eyes seeming to peer into our souls – just as we did his. His eyes lingered on his juniors, tinged with sadness at their weakened spirits. Satisfied, he turned to the Fallen Angel who was descending from the skies.

Shirō reached an arm to the side. "God may be dead, Kokabiel." He spoke. "But as long as his miracles exist, then he still lives."

What?

I felt my strength flitter away as I heard those words. It made sense. It all makes sense. Yūto's sword, the one that laid beside him, was proof of it. His healed arm was but another impossibility because the scales of Light and Dark have been shattered.

But… is that truly the case for this world of countless swords?

It found me.

It whistled as it cut through the air, startling the group as it did so, before landing into my outstretched hand only a moment later. Hairs on my arms rose as it exuded an unholy essence, and though it was a Demonic Sword, it had the appearance of a Holy Sword.

A Greatsword, grey in its colouring, with a crystalline jewel embedded within its hilt.

It is beautiful.

I had learned of the life my past self led as a Counter Guardian. And I had touched it; the armoury that littered the mechanical lands of his Reality Marble, and learned it all. I knew what he knew, and now I knew more; I was capable of so much more.

With certainty, this blade would end the farce that the Fallen Angel attempted to ignite. I have neither the will nor the desire to elongate this battle.

O Sword, let thee be filled.

A strange, yet so very familiar, power burst out of the jewel and coated the blade with a twilight of True Ether. It swirled around the blade, causing it to glow brighter than a burning sun in preparation for its utilisation.

Dragon-slayer was a name that the Dragon-Blooded Knight, Siegfried, earned throughout his life. And it was with this sword that he slew the Dragon Fafnir, birthing a legend very few heroes could match. It was a thing of beauty and contempt, a sword that belonged to both Holy and Demonic, which had a single aim to destroy.

A Noble Phantasm that suits this duty well.

Kokabiel took a step backward and several chains manifested from the ground, binding him in place. They forced him to a knee, trapping him in that position regardless of how much he tried to struggle.

As I approached the man, I asked. "Have you any last words, Kokabiel?"

He spat curses, damning me to a life of endless suffering and promising to be the cause of such strife. His failed attempts at escaping the chains added to his rage, his struggle continuing ceaselessly.

Nodding, I raised the blade. " Fall, Balmung. "

My feet dug into the ground as I slashed the space between us, an arc of blue light tearing through the parted skies, and then through the Fallen Angel, his cries of utter contempt and loathing echoing into nothing as he met oblivion.

It is done.

I stepped back and found myself on the grounds of Kuoh Academy.

The others blinked, glancing around in confusion at the suddenness, until Sona fell to her knees. I looked back to the battlefield with narrowed eyes. With the veil of obscurity removed, they witnessed the bloodied corpses, a gruesome sight which many of them turned away from.

They may be Devils but they are still children.

I turned to approach them unarmed and took note of their trepidation, so I stopped. I released a sigh of relief and attempted to offer a disarming smile, but my senses tingled.

I looked towards the shadowed foliage. " Come out." I ordered, preparing to conjure my favoured blades.

Vaguely, I noticed the others startle when a silver-haired boy strolled out into the open. He was dressed casually, dark jeans and a darker jacket, but I could sense his lust for battle even as he raised his arms placating.

He smells of a Dragon.

He stopped some distance away. "Whoa there, I'm not here to fight." The boy smiled as he glanced at the corpses. "I was sent to fetch this one guy but it seems I arrived at the party a bit too late."

"He knew about this?" I frowned.

If the boy spoke the truth, he would have been sent by Azazel. The Grigori had remained dormant for many years, adhering to the truce, but Kokabiel had broken it. And this boy was his executor.

He shrugged. "The old man only found out today what the bastard was doing." He said. "You have my thanks, I guess. I wanted to do him in though; never really liked the guy."

I nodded at his words.

I'd expected him to leave but the boy turned his sharp gaze towards Issei, who had taken a protective stance in front of his friends, surprising them. His red gauntlet pulsated with power as Yūto, who had recovered, stood not too far behind.

"Well, what a coincidence. A very, very good coincidence." Whites peeked as his lips parted into a vicious grin. "To think I would run into my fated enemy here. Eh, Red Dragon Emperor?"

Boosted Gear edged up his arm in preparation for battle. "Who are you? What do you want from us?" Issei cried out.

I frowned at the realisation that Issei knew little of his powers, the truth of his Sacred Gear. And if the boy's word's rung true, they truly were destined to kill each other.

The boy ceased his placation. "Vali Lucifer, the White Dragon Emperor." He announced. "You do know we're supposed to fight to the death? And right now, Albion is screaming in my ear that I should kill you where you stand."

I'd heard of him, the wielder of the Divine Dividing being a member of the Grigori. He was said to be a ruthless individual with an insatiable lust for battle that would be satiated by his only peer in strength. And that was the boy who had just taken a fearful step backwards.

I prepared to retaliate as the tensions between them rose, Issei stammering in his state of shock. Rias had sweat marring her brow, while Sōna appeared every bit of terrified as her friend.

Vali shrugged. "But it won't happen tonight." He kicked a pebble on the ground, disappointed. "What fun would it be to kill you right now at your weakest? That would be pitiful."

Vali took to the skies, a pair of light blue wings with a tinge of metal appearing from his back. He maintained his gaze on Issei for some passing moments before taking off into the distance, his presence vanishing entirely.

That's another crisis averted.

As they regained their bearings, I found Xenovia and Irina approaching. I softened my gaze as I took in their state of helplessness, the fervour they exuded earlier seeming a lifetime away. It ached my heart that, for all the miracles I could perform, I was incapable of soothing a broken spirit.

I felt a tug on my shawl. " Senpai..." Irina whispered. "It's true, isn't it?"

I reached out to her, patting her head comfortingly as she shed her tears of anguish. Despite her open personality, she was a staunch believer at heart. Xenovia was shaken as well, preferring to remain silent with a gaze that had forgone all emotion, causing me to worry.

I couldn't imagine what she could be going through. She was raised a believer, indoctrinated in the ways of a spirited Christian. But now, her master, the one she served so fiercely, was gone and her beliefs were withering away.

It must be terrible.

I raised Irina's head. "You did a fine job tonight and I apologise for not being able to protect you from this." I tried. "But I'm afraid that it is the truth; God is dead. It has been so for over a thousand years."

Xenovia shook with unbridled fury. "What are we supposed to do?! You can't just expect us to go about our lives after discovering the truth." She cried. "If our lives have no meaning, it's better to side with Devils!"

I watched her shed tears down her sorrow-stricken visage and felt Irina shaking as well, her silent tears flowing onto the stained ground. It was disheartening to see them like this, so I stepped toward Xenovia who had her head down.

"Xenovia." I raised her face to look into her eyes. Despite not knowing how to help them, I have to do what I can. "What do you think I believe in? Do you think that I didn't know the truth?"

Her eyes widened as she tried to speak but no words came from her. She remained speechless, incomprehension flooding in her brown eyes.

I have to let her know.

"You know, after I met your mother, I learnt a great deal about people, especially those in the Church. Do you know what she said to me when she learned the truth? She told me that she would move forward and that she believe that others can do the same too." I confessed. "It's not as if you or the countless other believers have seen God in person; very few have. But its his teaching that garnered your faith and loyalty. Does his death make the scripture invalid? The lessons of doing right by people, to love thy neighbour and not covet what they have?"

Griselda Quarta had taught me many disciplines for those few months after my reincarnation. She was a force of nature hailed as The Strongest Female Exorcist of the Church. But for a few moments, she faltered. Then, she chose to walk tall despite knowing the truth.

I smiled when realisation dawned onto them, their eyes widening at the imparted words of their caretaker. Acceptance is a beautiful thing, because no matter what comes, the truth is unchanging. It is human nature to adapt around such circumstances and acceptance is the very first step towards that goal.

Irina shuffled beside me. "N-No!" She squeaked. "We are his children, meant to bring light to the world and its people." She confessed; her face brightening once more. Xenovia nodded in agreement.

" Even without the shepherd, the sheep will have to live another day." I paraphrased and they nodded in unison.

I returned to the Devils, finding their expressions varying from confusion to awe. Marching towards them, unperturbed by their trepidation, I bowed towards the overseers of this territory.

"Please." I started. "For the sake of the Biblical Pantheon, this secret must not be revealed to anyone else. Not a single soul."

I sensed Rias' hesitance, but Sōna gathered herself and took the lead, her sharp gaze peering into my own. Her firm disposition reminded me of the days when she would order me around the office before offloading her work on my desk so that she could study a subject or the other.

Surprisingly, she bowed as well.

I was stunned by the act, so much so that I felt my eyes widen and almost rose to stop her from doing that. But my rational and formality, gained from painstaking hours, regarded her kindness and spared me from making a fool of myself and my kin.

"Emissary of Heaven, Seraph Emiya Shirō-dono." She greeted formally. "I, Sōna Sitri, heiress to the Sitri Clan of the 72 Pillars of the Underworld, thank you for saving me, my kin, and this territory of Humans which we govern." She bowed again; her voice filled with gratitude. "If not for your intervention, I fear we would have been defiled and this town desecrated before the reinforcements would have arrived."

I didn't expect this.

Considering that I betrayed their trust, I didn't expect such heartfelt words. I had broken the rules, invaded their territory, studied and befriended them, even joining their scholarly ranks before revealing my true intentions once the time came.

"Have faith in others, Emiya."

Yet she thanked me.

"You have no need to thank me, Sitri-dono." I bowed again. "If you allow it, I will take my leave and vacate your territory within the week. I understand that I have infringed upon Territorial Laws, so it is I who must apologise, not be thanked."

Sōna released her bow, while I maintained my own, and gazed upon me intently. It was a reaction I often garnered from her whenever she tried to search for any inkling of dishonesty from me. But I had not been dishonest with her nor any one of them.

"Regardless of those laws, it is my belief that you had the best of intentions at heart, so I will offer gratitude where it is due." Sōna confessed, causing me to release my bow. "After all, that is the kind of person you are."

I found her gaze fixed on my own, hesitation flittering through those violet eyes as though she had more to say but could not. So, I offered a smile at her words and nodded respectfully to them, before returning to my juniors.

"Thank you." I nodded to Sōna. "We will take our leave then."

Yona fluttered and perched herself upon my shoulder. She nuzzled her head into the crook of my neck, a gesture I appreciated and reciprocated by massaging hers.

"Take a rest, Yona. You've worked hard tonight." I complimented my familiar. "Thank you."

She transformed into a stream of light that merged with my being, completing us, and I appreciated her thoughtfulness in taking Excalibur into our soul. Caladbolg II was powerful enough to shatter the blade, however, it hadn't been at the centre of the assault, so it remained relatively intact.

It's surprisingly resilient.

"Emiya-kun."

I found Sōna having taken a few steps to follow after me. She seemed lost between words and actions, as though she wanted to run and smack my shoulder for helping too much as she usually did. But she didn't. And looking past her, I noticed Rias turning away, her confusion and hesitance prevalent in her actions.

I mustered up my act.

Sōna offered a soft smile. "You best not be late tomorrow." She said. "We have much to prepare for the coming week as the Student Council."

A golden magic circle of intrinsic runes, flora and steel appeared beneath our feet. It is personal, one gifted to me by my King, and something I had lacked as a Magus and a Heroic Spirit.

I returned a kind smile. "Of course, Kaichō."

In a flash of golden light, we vanished.

I approached the school gates with my mind flittering through the events of the previous evening.

I wasn't wrong in placing my trust in Xenovia and Irina; despite their age, they were capable exorcist, and Holy Sword wielders of Excalibur fragments. But I had severely underestimated the capabilities of our foes.

I did not expect Kokabiel to be the leader of this conspiracy.

It had happened too quickly, the appearance of the numerous Fallen Angels and Stray Exorcists, as their group attacked Freed and Valper. Still, I had supported them from afar. An arrow here and there, and every time they were about to be overwhelmed, I would cut down some of the enemy forces as discreetly as I could.

It worked for a while and I hadn't alerted them of my existence. They needed to weather their own battles and gain experiences from fighting foes who were weaker or somewhat stronger than themselves. War is ever looming in the world of the supernatural, and no matter how much I desired to, I wouldn't always be by their sides to help them.

It is for their sakes, not mine.

Yet that was where I failed the most.

Kokabiel had suddenly appeared with more forces, immediately throwing caution to the wind and forcing me to act. Yūto and Koneko were mortally wounded within the blink of an eye, and he had the gall to reveal the truth to them. But it remained my fault.

If I had acted much earlier, my underclassmen wouldn't have faced death more than once, my juniors wouldn't have had to suffer that revelation, and the truth wouldn't have been revealed.

I saved them, but at what cost?

"You are bound to walk directly into a wall if you're not careful, Emiya-kun." A familiar voice whispered from my side.

Sōna matched my strides, joining me as we walked towards the campus. Though she appeared as stoic as every day, humour danced in her violet eyes. There were no signs of exhaustion on her figure, something I couldn't claim was not apparent on me.

She smirked lightly. "You look as though you have been through hell."

Somehow, I cracked a tired smile. "That was terrible, Kaichō." I said and she shrugged. "I do look like it, huh?"

Sōna, for as much as I knew her, had given her best attempt at a joke. It wouldn't have worked on someone else because of how glaringly obvious the pun was to one such as myself.

She shook her head. "Somewhat." She said. "Anyway, the Devil Contractors managed to fix the damaged parts of the Academy in time for the new day. That is half of our work solved for us."

I shot her sceptical expression. "Do I really have to know all that?" I asked.

Sōna tilted her head, confused. "You would have been curious but eventually chosen to keep your mouth shut, no?" She said. She really has been watching me. "Besides, you are a part of my Student Council and that also makes you privy to this information. It doesn't matter to me what you are. You're still the same person that I can lob off most of my work to."

I paused for a fleeting moment as I registered her words.

I'd developed a particular fear recently. Much like what Archer experienced in his life, I had too. That feeling of terrifying those that you meant to protect churned and wrenched at my heart.

"It's quite amazing how you know me so well." I smirked and she looked away. "But you're right. It's my last week here, so I better make it count."

Sōna frowned but nodded, nonetheless. "Good. Classroom Observation Day is tomorrow, so we have much to do today." She said as she read through her notepad. "Oh, are you aware of the meeting at the end of the week?"

Between the Three Factions.

An event of monumental importance, so I'd known of it ahead of time. It was to be held at Kuoh Academy in two days, a representative from each faction being in attendance. It remained uninterrupted despite Kokabiel's recent actions.

I nodded in agreement. "I am, though I doubt that I will attend." I smiled softly. "My sister probably wants me to return home as soon as possible."

If Gabriel attended the Classroom Observation Day, I was certain that she would make one excuse or another to take me back to Heaven immediately.

Sōna slapped her notepad shut. " I see." She whispered. "We best get to setting up the stations for tomorrow."

Sōna took the lead, marching through the gathering of students with intent and I followed closely behind her.

How I failed to notice it, I didn't know, but somehow the Student Council Office had more people now than what was usually accounted for. Rias and her peerage were here, too.

I noticed Sōna sending looks from the corner of her eyes, humoured yet tinged with a familiar curiosity. She tricked me.

She had distracted me with all kinds of topics, managing to bring up a new conversation the moment one ended. Though I appreciated her manner of conversing with me so freely, I realise now that it was intentional.

Gasper popped out from underneath the closest desk and tugged at my shirt, forcing me to look down. He was wearing a different mask today, a plastic Hello Kitty one with adjusted holes so his eyes could fit in and see through. I couldn't help but smile at that.

He tugged again. "Ne, Senpai?" He insisted.

I reached down to ruffle his hair. "What's up, kid?" I asked. "You look cute today. I didn't know you were a fan of Hello Kitty."

Gasper shook his head vigorously. "Neko-chan bought it for me the other day when we went to town." His ruby eyes brightened once more. "Did you bring us pastries today!?"

I chuckled as I let go of his mane and dug into my bag, passing off a small package into his waiting hands. I could see the disappointment in his eyes, but I knew that the quality of the contents would make up for it.

The little Dhampir ran off towards Koneko, who was seated on top of Ruruko's working station, humouring the girl's curiosity. I glanced around the room and noticed that everyone was doing their own thing.

Saji and Issei were arguing about one thing or the other, while Tsubasa and Tomoe were chatting to each other by the latter's station. Momo and Reya, who had joined their desks with a chart laid over them, were planning what seemed to be an activity for the next day. Asia was by Tsubaki's station, with Yūto leaning against the wall beside the two.

Rias was leaning against Sōna's desk, with Akeno attending to her. What unnerved me was how her gaze focused intently on me.

Sōna clapped her hands once and the effect was immediate. Everyone shuffled to their feet, even Saji and Issei broke off their heated argument. None of them had sensed my arrival, meaning that the seal I'd broken off was working effectively once more.

Momo reacted first. "Good morning, Emiya-senpai!" She greeted, approaching me as she did so. "You look exhausted. Did you not get any sleep? Are you not feeling well?" She asked frantically, placing a hand flat against my forehead.

I offered her an appreciative smile. She was a kindred spirit, often worrying for others before herself, and making it her duty to be the first to greet me whenever we had early mornings in the Office.

I patted her head amusedly. "I'll be fine, Momo." I said and she pouted cutely. "Are you guys okay?" I asked.

I glanced towards everyone else but they seemed hesitant. I noticed that Koneko and Yūto followed behind Momo, the small girl shooting through the crowd and attaching herself to my waist. I didn't need words because I understood what she meant to convey.

Thank you.

Yūto reached me and bowed deeply. I noticed his arm, where it had been severed, had a circular scar around it; a reminder of what was once lost.

His shoulders shook as he spoke. "You have my eternal gratitude, Emiya-senpai. If not for you, I do not know how I would have lived with myself." He said, the weight of his words surprising me. "I am a sword. It is my endless goal to protect with my entire being. Without that, I have nothing. So, thank you."

He gazed up to me, his brilliant smiled unmarred by the tears flowing down his visage.

"Thank you for saving my friends for me, and for giving me another chance at the life I have chosen to live." He bowed again deeply, as though his life depended on it.

Gratitude.

It wasn't unfamiliar, but it was an emotion I did not know how to react to, because I never sought gratitude whenever I helped people. I helped because it would better their lives and make living a little more bearable.

Just as mine did.

I placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "I made a promise to all of you, didn't I?" I glanced to everyone in the office. "I intend to keep it to the end of my days."

I helped Yūto up, offering him a kind smile. The others watched me with widened eyes that conveyed understanding – that there was a truth in my words that I maintained for as long as I have known them.

I focused on Rias. "I understand if you feel betrayed by me, Gremory-san. It really wasn't my intention to do so." Her frosty gaze piercing into my gilded ones. "For what it's worth, I have enjoyed having you as my friend; all of you."

Silence permeated for several moments before a patterned cacophony ended it, shaking us out of our reverie – especially Koneko who was attached to me. It was the school bell, ringing to signal the beginning of the first classes of the day.

I laughed lightly. "I'd love to stay and chat with you guys, but I wouldn't like my clean record to be marred with tardiness." I joked, waving to the group as I left.

Pacing down the hallways, my ever-present amiable smile slipped off of my face, only to be replaced with a soft thrumming of muted agony.

For I have won yet lost again.

Edit: 12/09/2022