It was too late…
Shirou could say nothing by the time he'd arrived on scene and recognized Reines and Bram issuing out Clock Tower protocol on the JSDF.
Dozens of JSDF operatives were either dead or severely injured with the rest in a panicked retreat in their vehicles.
The cause was evident as curses and magecraft rained down on the armored hauls of their metal mounts.
Despite their reclusiveness, Magi were not fools but were arguably the most intelligent of mankind's scholars. They who work through magic theory in order to reach the Root are both driven and fanatical for their research.
The scorn of modern magi for mankind's technological advances did not mean ignorance.
Logically, recognition of modern objects, uniforms, and nationality could never be mistaken.
The JSDF had Japan's flag stitched onto the shoulders of their military uniforms, marking their allegiance, and ties with modern society.
Although magi spend too many hours in their workshops free of outside influence, Reines and Bram were both magi at their core who possessed intuitive minds.
Neither Reines or Bram knew how or why, but they picked up on the chance that the JSDF could come from the same world as them, and acted on it. Rather than speculation, nothing was better than certainty. Hence, the two opted for a silencing operation.
The dead do not speak.
Such was the fate of an ordinary person who unknowingly trespassed into the moonlit world.
Protocol, as it were.
Bram was aiming a particularly potent curse at the fleeing members of the JSDF that had been reduced to nothing more than a scant few that fit themselves inside their last vehicle. A land rover- a jeep.
An accurate shot would end the encounter, but Bram frowned when a black blade intercepted and severed the curse he'd just launched.
Following the trajectory of the one who threw the sword, Reines sighed while Bram hummed in thought.
Both stared hard at Shirou as the other magi who were uninjured from the gunfire followed up behind their respective factions.
"Ah, if it isn't the Designate," Bram said, frowning as the JSDF's jeep disappeared into the distance. It wasn't too late to chase it, but Bram could see that it wouldn't be easy.
Shirou was not giving ground.
"Emiya," Reines muttered, grunting. "What do you think you're doing?"
Reines was pensive, glancing towards the other magi behind her and the general consensus of dissatisfaction pervading the air. If the JSDF really were from the same world, then it was a matter that concerned all magi as it would leak the existence of magecraft. Thereby, weakening the already declining state of magic in the modern world.
"Shall I take this as a violation?" Bram mused while observing Shirou's demeanor. "This isn't a matter to be taken lightly, but I must commend you for your composure. Most magi would have fled on word of a Sealing Designate, but you were different. Even now, you remain unblinking despite this growing tension."
"What he means is that you better have a good reason for this." Reines cut in with a scoff.
In a way, Reines was trying to deflect heat off of Shirou, but Bram and the others were too intently focused on him.
"Well?" Bram crossed his arms, eyes growing stern.
"Your actions were unnecessary," Shirou said. "They aren't people of the same world."
"And you would know?" Bram pointed out sharply.
Not even Reines could say anything to contradict as she was thinking the same.
"Yes." Shirou answered, expression stoic.
"Their attire, language, and technology point otherwise," Reines interjected, hoping Shirou could just admit fault to prevent larger implications but Shirou damn stubborn when he wanted to be.
"They aren't from the same world," Shirou insisted without much credibility.
"Our actions were based on chance, Emiya," Bram said with thinning patience. "No matter how small a probability, reducing the odds to zero makes the risk non-existential."
And would kill all manner of future cooperation.
Those already killed were going to be a headache.
As everyone waited for further elaboration, Shirou's mouth opened then closed as he quickly understood that he wasn't going to win this game of reasoning.
Explanations were not his forte, let alone how he was going to go about construing the situation into his favor.
Fortunately, the greatest con Britain has ever known was on Shirou's side of the playing field.
A distinct pink flower flamboyantly bloomed from over Shirou's head, the design rather tacky and irking Shirou to no end.
There was no doubt that it must have been intended that way.
"Greetings. I am the Elven God-"
('You mean Scammer.')
Arturia's voice echoed in Shirou's head, but it was only Merlin's voice that was being transmitted out.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, how would you like to make a deal?"
Both Bram and Reines knit their brows with intrigue, bringing a start to Merlin's machinations as the group's strategist and court wizard.
"...We lost contact?"
An old man dressed with numerous military medals frowned as he received various reports back in a Japanese military bureau room.
By rank, the man was a general.
His name was General Iwatani, a local of Chiba prefecture bordering Saitama, Shibuya, and Yokohama who was called in to help oversee operations through a mysterious Gate that had appeared in Akihabara.
While other generals were sent into the world beyond the Gate, old Iwatani was left behind to oversee the situation in Japan due to his age and experience.
At present, Iwatani was silently listening to a report that had come in from one of the JSDF's exploration units.
The topic was not favorable in the least.
Public backlash could even arise if it was reported that the army suffered casualties.
What were they supposed to say when the bereaved families demanded answers and the international court scorned their poor handling after years of Japan's demilitarization of its standing forces?
"It's not that we lost contact, but the entire group was nearly wiped out." The secretary reading out the report answered professionally, keeping her sleek black hair tied up into a neat bun. A glint appeared in her glasses as she pushed the frame further up her nose bridge. "Those that made it back are comatose from some kind of 'curse magic' based on the words of the lone vehicle driver. Panicked, he shortly died after saying he got hit in the arm with one of the red magic blasts from the 'locals' of the other world."
Iwatani was now frowning heavily, wrinkled face setting into a scowl.
"Were there any follow up investigations? We know the general area the group disappeared at, and we can mount a rescue operation on the chance any of our soldiers are alive and captured."
The secretary appeared troubled, not knowing how she should explain. In the end, she decided to just say it as it was.
"They can't find the exact location." She said weakly. "It's like there's a barrier of some kind preventing us from finding it. Troops go in one way, and come out the same way like a bizarre formation."
"Hmm."
Silence stretched as Iwatani leaned his back into a leather office chair and let his thoughts wander.
The secretary was different and tried to propose a solution.
Instead of Japan's one-sided blunder, more of an image could be saved if the failure was shared.
"We may possess the advantage in arms and technology, but the other side's magic is a fearsome threat and variable that we cannot take lightly." Slowly, the secretary began to make her point. Her persuasion was driven by the various uncertainties the JSDF was constantly running into. "Perhaps we should consider appealing the government's decision to reject foreign aid in the exploration? God knows it would ease the pressure we're getting from the United Kingdom and facilitate better diplomatic relations on the world stage."
"That's not an option." Iwatani shot the secretary's suggestion down without a second thought, his features hardening.
"General, You're being stubborn."
"Do you have no honor, pride?" Iwatani sat up, recalling the vision of his youth. "What will the world think of us if we backed down? That we are incapable? Weak? We must disabuse that notion."
"This isn't Japan before the Second Great War…" the secretary pursed her lips, head bowing low as she cursed her senile superior officer under her breath.
Iwatani's old eyes wavered at the reminder, but a sigh soon escaped his lips. The times had indeed truly changed and-
"G-General!"
The door of the room burst open, and a man wearing a suit urgently called out to Iwatani.
"Report." Iwatani said, taking his attention away from his secretary who glowered back.
"The Third Recon Team has returned to Alnus Hill and is requesting a direct meeting with our side's representatives in Tokyo," the suited man said hurriedly.
From his attire and speech, he was a government dignitary.
"What for?" Iwatani scowled. That was the thing about government office positions. They didn't know the military half as well as they thought they did. "The Third Recon Team has a superior officer to report to."
"It's not them." The man said, finally gathering his breath and growing pensive at the political ramifications he'd been made aware of.
"Its…Code Name 'Arthur.'" the dignitary said firmly. "Only perhaps it's no mere title or designation."
The secretary swallowed as her mind blanked at the conclusion she drew from the dignitary's words.
Iwatani, in his old age, was slower to process the ramification.
"What?" He murmured.
The dignitary took a breath and recited an old passage long since considered unfactual in the modern age.
'To Constantine, Cador's son, Earl of Cornwall, and his near kin, Arthur committed the realm, commanding him to hold it as king until he returned to his own. The earl took the land to his keeping. He held it as bidden, but nevertheless Arthur came never again.'
The dignitary paused and stared right into Iwatani's eyes, stressing the reason why he had come in such a rush.
"The legend says his wounded body was brought to the land of Avalon while awaited by the Britons. For as they say and deem-"
Iwatani's eyes widened as he finally caught on to the reason Code Name 'Arthur' would be seeking a meeting.
"...he will return from when he went and live again."
Iwatani grimaced.
What a headache.
/-/
In the ever distant utopia, Merlin grinned from the daring plan he'd envisioned and set along. People are who move the world, but people have a tendency to follow their leaders.
So, what was stopping them from propping their own?
Hehehe.
It was time to play another game of Kingmaker.
Meanwhile the accomplice beside Merlin never felt so ashamed.
Trickery was Morgan and Merlin's things.
Never hers.
Never.
It's been a while since I've worked on this story so it took me longer than usual to get back to writing it, but I've drafted out the next arc and will be treating this chapter as the prologue.
Thanks for reading! And thanks to my newest patrons: Regis and Emprisk!
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