Fate/Hijacked

Chapter 19

The battle at Ryuudouji Temple drew a chaotic climax as the oppressive malice of Caster's ritual warped the air itself. The foul stench of corrupted mana filled the temple grounds, invasive and suffocating, clawing at Shirou Emiya's mind. The sensation dragged him into the depths of his memories, unearthing the horrific remnants of the Fuyuki fire from years ago. Flames devoured everything in sight, painting the night sky a hellish orange as screams echoed endlessly. The all-encompassing sense of loss and despair from that fateful night surged forward, nearly overwhelming him. He grit his teeth, forcing himself back into the present, his knuckles white as he gripped Kanshou and Bakuya tightly.

Caster, in her desperation, was chanting furiously, her voice sharp and commanding as she wove her High-Speed Divine Words into torrents of violet energy. Beams of destructive magic lanced through the air toward Shirou and Rin. The dangerous violet light thrummed audibly as it rapidly approached, forcing them to dive out of the way. Shirou raised his twin swords in an attempt to defend himself, the black and white blades almost shattering against the magical onslaught. Recklessly taking the force of the blast like that sent him skidding backward, his legs straining to keep him upright. His entire body screamed in protest, but he held firm. He had to. Collapsing now was tantamount to signing off his death warrant.

Beside him, Rin Tohsaka's eyes were wide and focused as she anticipated every attack heading her way. She fired off bursts of Gandr, her spells intercepting Caster's strikes just long enough to grant her a precious few seconds and enough room to manoeuvre. Sweat beaded on her brow, but her expression remained determined. There was no room for error.

Before Caster could strike them down, Lady Avalon stepped forward, a rare seriousness overlaying the usual glimmer of mischief in her eyes. With a graceful flick of her wrist, vines and flowers burst forth, weaving into an intricate wall of verdant life. The living barrier absorbed the brunt of Caster's next volley, the magical energy dissipating against the densely packed vibrant blooms. The Pretender Servant's floral magecraft danced around the battlefield, creating a beautiful and deadly shield that protected her Master and his ally.

"Thank me later, darling," Lady Avalon chimed playfully, casting a wink in Shirou's direction as her flowers deflected the oncoming magic. Shirou could only offer a quick nod of thanks, his focus still on the battle.

However, Caster was no longer interested in playing with them. With her own Master now relatively safe, she turned her full attention back to her ritual. She chanted in rapid succession, her divine words weaving together the threads of mana that converged on Sakura, who was now unconscious at the centre of the magic circle. The air around the temple grounds grew thick with a twisted, malevolent energy, the sensation so dark and oppressive that it sent shivers down Shirou's spine.

"This isn't right," Caster muttered, her voice laced with unease. "This is—"

Before she could finish, a familiar, sardonic voice cut through the tension. "You're all as troublesome as ever."

Time seemed to freeze for a moment. Shirou's heart skipped a beat, his breath catching in his throat as he recognized the voice. He turned sharply, his eyes widening in disbelief. Rin's reaction mirrored his, her expression a mixture of shock and tentative relief. Lady Avalon, however, was merely grinning, as if she had been expecting this all along.

Above Caster and Kuzuki, swords began to materialize in the air—projected weapons that glinted in the moonlight before launching forward with deadly precision. In an instant, the swords impaled Caster, piercing her body in a flash of steel. She let out a strangled cry as the ritual she had been weaving crumbled around her, the twisted sensation in the air dissipating as her mana ebbed away.

Kuzuki, caught in the barrage, had his limbs pierced and twisted, but Archer had shown restraint—enough to leave the man alive without immediately killing him. He would still bleed out from his wounds, however he had some precious few moments before the end. Kuzuki staggered, his legs buckling as he slowly hobbled over to Caster's side. He reached out to her, his usually stoic eyes dark with longing pain as he watched her body begin to fade.

Caster, clutching at her wounds, turned her gaze toward Kuzuki. Her expression softened, if only for a brief moment. "So, this is the end…"

"I should've done better," Kuzuki muttered, his voice as cold and detached as ever, though a trace of regret lingered in his words.

Rin broke from her stunned reverie and rushed to Sakura's side. She dropped to her knees, cradling the younger girl gently in her arms. Sakura's face was pale, her breathing shallow, but she was alive. Relief flooded Rin's features.

Shirou, still processing what had just happened, turned to face Archer, his mind swirling with questions. "Archer… how are you still alive? I thought you—"

Archer, standing nonchalantly as if the battle hadn't just been decided by his timely intervention, gave a small shrug. "It's not that important," he started to say, but before he could brush it off, Lady Avalon cut in, her tone teasing.

"Now, now, Archer, be honest with your allies! After all, even Rin is giving you that look. Don't you think they deserve to know the truth?" Lady Avalon grinned, clearly enjoying the situation. Shirou glanced at Rin, who was indeed glaring pointedly at Archer while still holding up Sakura.

With a resigned sigh, Archer explained, "After Heracles was killed by Gilgamesh, I knew I had no chance of surviving a direct confrontation with him as I was. So, I traced a copy of Rule Breaker, Caster's magical dagger that can destroy magical contracts, and used it on myself, thus severing my connection to Rin." He gestured vaguely toward Rin, who was listening intently. "When Gilgamesh attacked, I entered my astral form, making it seem like I had been killed. One of my skills is Independent Action, which allows me to operate without a Master for a limited time, provided I conserve my mana."

Shirou blinked, processing the explanation. "So you tricked Gilgamesh?"

Archer smirked, his tone dripping with irony. "It really wasn't all that difficult."

Lancer, who had been leaning casually on his spear, perked up at the mention of Rule Breaker. "Oi, Archer," he called out, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "How about using that little trick on me? I'm not exactly fond of my current Master, and I'd love to turn the tables on him. The twisted bastard drives me up the wall."

Archer raised an eyebrow. "And how exactly do you plan to maintain yourself without a Master? Not all of us have Independent Action, Lancer."

Lancer smirked, glancing over at Rin. "Well, that's simple. The lass here seems like she'd be a fine Master. I wouldn't mind switching allegiances." He grinned, clearly enjoying the opportunity to stir the pot through this entirely unexpected turn of events.

Rin, caught off guard for a moment, blinked in surprise. But before she could fully process the situation, Archer chimed in, "It's not a bad idea. Lancer's versatile. Having him on your side would be beneficial."

Rin, recovering from her initial surprise, smirked in satisfaction. "I suppose you have a point. It's good to see Lancer knows how to pick a Master," she remarked, her tone laced with smugness. With a flash of light, the magical contract for Lancer's current pact were nullified by Archer's traced copy of Rule Breaker. Moments later, a fresh set of seals formed on Rin's hand as she forged a new contract with the Irish spearman.

Lady Avalon, clearly delighted by the turn of events, suddenly grabbed Shirou in a tight hug, her arms wrapped around him as she nuzzled her cheek against his. "Yay! We're all done here!" she exclaimed with a cheerful tone. "Now we can head back home to celebrate!" She playfully rubbed her face against Shirou's, her warmth and affection nearly suffocating him as she pressed herself close.

"And you too, Archer!" she called out, flashing a teasing grin at the brooding Servant. "You don't have the right to refuse, you know."

Archer sighed, looking both mildly exasperated and somewhat amused. "I wasn't going to refuse."

Omake

Throne of Heroes: Artoria's Wrath, Part 19

From her perch in the ethereal realm of the Throne of Heroes, Artoria Pendragon's eye twitched violently as she watched the scene play out below. Lady Avalon had once again latched onto Shirou, nuzzling him with shameless affection, her face buried in his shoulder like some lovesick puppy. Worse, she was behaving as though the Emiya household was her personal estate—brazenly speaking as though Shirou's home belonged to her!

"What… what is she doing?!" Artoria's voice shook with barely contained fury as she watched the half-succubus carry on. Her fists clenched tightly, knuckles turning white as she glared at the spectacle before her.

"Still," Gawain interjected, steering the conversation back to safer ground. Namely, the return of a certain red bowman. "Archer's timing was impeccable. He's certainly proven himself more resourceful than I would have given him credit for."

Artoria sighed, forcing herself to set aside her indignation at Proto-Merlin's antics. Her gaze softened as she nodded in reluctant agreement. "You are correct. Archer's intervention was critical. He may be... unorthodox, but his actions spared many lives today. For that, he deserves praise."

Bedivere decided to chime in with his own thoughts on Archer's survival. "The manner in which he escaped and survived also merits discussion. It was rather ingenious, was it not? The use of Rule Breaker to sever his contract and trick Gilgamesh"

"I will admit," agreed Lancelot, with admiration and approval in is voice, "it was a masterful plan. To think he managed to deceive someone as arrogant and perceptive as the King of Heroes. Quite brilliant, really."

"Brilliant? More like devious!" boomed Gawain, a wide grin on his face. "The man doesn't fight like a knight, but there's no denying his cleverness. Honestly, I didn't think he had it in him."

Mordred was leaning back with an impressed smirk. "It was definitely ballsy, I'll give him that."

Tristan strummed his harp softly, nodding in agreement. "It is a tale of cunning and survival. Truly, his Independent Action skill proves to be a great boon. I would compose a ballad in his honour were it not for his generally sour disposition."

Thus, Artoria's latest bout of jealous wrath was abated by her knights eagerly discussing Archer's unexpected but very welcome return.