Fate: Beyond Journey's End

Summary: Summary: With the era meteor shower coming soon, Frieren supposed it was time to return as promised. After all, Himmel was holding onto an important item in the summoning spell she was going to attempt. However, none of them had ever expected her to summon someone quite like him. A journey of rediscovery, letting go, learning to love again and reconciliation begins at the end of an era.

Chapter 2: The First Encounters

After another month of travel, Shirou and Frieren finally reached the major town of Vorberg, nestled into the rolling foothills of the mountains that separated the Royal Capital from Morgenrot further to the south. It was a prosperous merchant city, mostly untouched by the major threat of monsters and demons from the north and south. Hidden in the middle of the continent with access to the seas, it had accumulated wealth for many years as the gateway between the Northern and Southern Continents. Hence, its walls and towers were relatively minimal despite its opulence.

There was an abundance of little hamlets dotted around the main city, and the duo had stopped at a few just to browse. Frieren apparently made it a habit now since her famous adventurer days, having found little bits of folklore magic here and there along the way. Shirou didn't really understand what good an acorn shelling spell would do or how to apply a flower pressing spell into something proper, but at least his Master was having fun collecting them.

"Frieren," Shirou said as they walked along the main road, "You really love magic don't you?" The elf smiled softly, and a memory triggered in her mind at the question. Her troublesome master had asked that once as well.

"Sort of," she easily replied, humming happily to herself as she read the small scroll containing a spell to process hay into haybales.

"What about you, Shirou? Do you like magic?"

"Heh. I can't say one way or another. To me, magic was a tool. I have no pride in my own spells because all I can do is copy something someone made. All I'll ever be is third-rate."

"Is that so?" the white-haired elf asked, stowing away the scroll, "From what I've seen so far, I think you'd make an excellent mage. Your mana may not be the highest, but your control and technique is impressive. Clearly experience is not your limiting factor either."

"I can only really use three spells. Anything outside my expertise is beyond me," Shirou replied with a frown, thinking back to when he had tried to learn basic elemental magic. It had been hopeless. The best he had ever accomplished was a flame no bigger than a matchstick for the equivalent manner of summoning twenty copies of Bakuya.

"You speak as if specialization is a bad thing," Frieren continued with a hum, "It's quite a new trend nowadays to specialize in a particular magic."

"Not necessarily. As I said, it's not that I don't want to branch out, it's just that I am incapable. My affinity for magic outside my own is essentially zero. Your beams of concentrated mana you use in combat are likely the closest thing I could achieve considering they lack an element. I'm much more suited to tackle a problem head-on with swords in hand."

"I see," the elf stated with a smile, "Remind me to lend you a book on the history of magic of this world. I think you'd find it interesting." Shirou shrugged noncommittally. "Regardless, I think your Projection magic is quite a marvelous bit of spell work. The speed at which you are able to create your constructs far outstrips my ability to do so."

"I imagine with enough practice you could easily surpass me," the Servant replied, mentally noting that he hadn't yet revealed anything beyond simple swords yet in their short time together. It was by nature that he held his closest cards to his chest.

"Perhaps. It'd likely take me about 100 years though. Your magic is tailored to your experiences and how you process the world. It's not something so easily replicated, but it is fascinating."

"I'm glad I can at least give some sort of entertainment," the white-haired man replied dryly. Frieren hummed in satisfaction.

"On another note, your mana suppression has improved a bit. I find it strange that a spirit can seemingly grow and learn, but perhaps that is a mystery better left to the clergy."

"That I can agree with," Shirou replied with a small chuckle.

As the two neared the gates connecting the city, they were greeted with warm applause and reverence. Frieren did her best to bear it, but the adoring crowds and faces were never her forte. That was more Himmel's thing. People had been reminded of her face once again due to the recent passing of the hero, but in another year, she would likely fade from memory once again.

"We are honored Ms. Frieren," the city's governor greeted them as they walked down the road. After a bit of fuss, they were ushered into the large mansion overseeing the city. The elf mage simply nodded as she drank her tea, already having an inkling as to where this was going. "May I inquire as to who your new companion is?"

"Archer," Shirou simply replied with a raised brow, "We just met recently on the road."

"I've hired him as my vanguard for the time being," Frieren supplied, having finished her tea and cakes. They were excellent, as expected for a rich trading town. "You have a request."

"Hmm. Yes," the governor said with a small sigh, "I hate to press this upon you Ms. Frieren, but I fear that only a mage of at least first-class caliber could handle this issue."

"Surely there are some in the city?"

"No. No longer anyway. There have been rumblings in the North. News of Himmel's passing has made it to the demons. Already, they have begun to encroach on the territory you helped humanity gain 50 years ago. All first-class mages have been called northward to reinforce the region for the time being."

"Are there not demons in the south?" Archer asked, curious as to why they would be none stationed there.

"Nothing of major strength any longer. The Hero of the South ensured that no stronghold of demons would ever return here. He wiped them all out long ago as they lacked the strength of those under the Demon King whose stronghold provided a blanket of safety," the governor replied, and then with a long sigh, he passed over the request, "Hence why this matter is quite serious. A troupe of demons have been wreaking havoc on the mountain pass. Already their work has handicapped all travel between the two regions."

"How many?" Frieren asked, her eyes sharp and cold as she read the request.

"Three demons have been spotted so far."

"Very well. We'll handle it," the elf declared, her expression never changing. Shirou hadn't ever seen his Master act so cold but wisely decided not to comment on it. "Is there any information regarding their magic?"

"Unfortunately, no," the governor said as he sagged in his chair, "The best we can deduce is a magic that causes travelers to fall to their death. We were lucky to have a report of it. If only the circumstances weren't so out of the ordinary, I wouldn't have pressed for your assistance."

The duo nodded. The reward was rather sizable given the shortage of mages at least. After a pleasant dinner, the pair headed off to the inn to rest for the night. Shirou could feel that something was bothering Frieren as her pace of eating had slowed a bit.

"Is something the matter, Frieren?" Archer asked as he began to clean the plates. A soft silence settled as he patiently waited for the elf to manage her thoughts.

"Did it matter?" she asked softly.

"What matter?"

"Killing the Demon King," the elf mage continued, her voice uncertain, "It's only been two months since Himmel's death, and already, the demons are active again." Shirou paused, looking over his shoulder, and smiled.

"It did. To the humans, you've bought them an era of peace and dealt a fatal blow to their enemies. 50 years may seem like a blink of an eye for you, but to a human…it's a time frame that encompasses their whole lives. A generation has been born that does not intimately know the danger humanity once faced."

"But maybe it didn't change anything."

"Maybe," Archer said with a nod, "Neither of us can see the future after all. But you ended the reign of the creature who lorded over not only humanity but elves and dwarfs for thousands of years. That counts for something. Even if pretenders rise to the throne, they'll never inspire the fear of the Demon King ever again."

"Why?"

"Because you showed the world that the demons are beatable. The Hero's Party is a tale that will inspire generations of humans to come, and that is enough to ensure their survival. Hope is a powerful motivator."

Frieren quieted, remembering a time when Himmel had said something similar. Heiter and Eisen weren't much for flowery talk after all. She had hardly understood it at the time, simply chalking it up to his grandiose speech patterns again. But perhaps, Shirou could provide her with some insight.

After all, they were both heroes right?

"Thank you."

The path towards the mountain pass was deceptively calm. Frieren was stoic as they approached, her eyes, ears and senses already on full alert. Underestimating the enemy was a fatal mistake after all. However, just by the sheer fact they paraded around their mana spoke volumes of their hubris.

"Tell me about demons, Frieren," Archer said as they walked, "What are they like?"

"Monsters in human flesh," she responded simply, "Nothing more than beasts that learned to speak to deceive humans. They descend from ancient monsters that lurked in the dark that mimicked the voices of lost children to lure in prey."

"How lovely," Shirou drawled, "Can they be reasoned with?" Frieren shook her head, her staff already alight as she sensed movement up ahead.

"Just as if you had the ability to fully speak with a dog or cat...you could never understand their worldview. Words to them are tools used to hunt and kill humans." Archer nodded, mentally noting that demons in this world were less like the traditional counterparts he had been raised on. While they looked human, they may as well be aliens, of the Lovecraftian variety, in human flesh.

The fog had already begun rolling in, no doubt via some form of magic, signalling the start of their encounter. Frieren was composed as always, sending her mana detection outward into the fog, learning that it was simply mundane. It only served the purpose of obscuring them and their surroundings from view.

"Remember, Archer. No matter how much they beg and plead, their words are lies. After all, it's only natural to wish that something that looks like a human can be like one. Many humans have died to their cunning acts."

"Well, how nice of you to say so," a smooth voice suddenly said as a man appeared before them, his two curved horns indicating his race clearly, "To hear praise from Frieren the Slayer, why, it's positively delightful."

The elf simply stared, her expression unchanging as she remained silent and observing their foe. Archer too followed his Master's example. While he always was a pacifist at heart, he knew better than to reject the wisdom of someone native to the land he traveled. Additionally, his instinct did not sense anything other than bloodlust from this creature despite his polite demeanor.

"So quiet? Are you perhaps…"

A beam of concentrated energy immediately shot out from Frieren. There was no pride required here, only tools to get the job done. The demon-killing magic sailed towards the demon with sandy-gray hair, only to suddenly dissipate about a meter away from his body. He smirked.

"How terrifying," the demon mocked, making a show of dusting himself off, "Yet not enough. I'm amazed that someone of your caliber defeated the Demon King. It must have been luck."

"Dispelling magic," Frieren murmured, having noticed the dim gleam of magic that had emanated a few moments before her spell had been disrupted.

"Correct! I have mastered the magic of dispelling magic long ago. For over a hundred years, I've tailored this magic. To think even the great Frieren's spells cannot penetrate it…"

Testing his defenses more, she began to rapid fire Zoltraaks towards the man, watching impassively as each one dissipated a mere meter from his body. It seemed his mana sensing was quite good to be able to fend off so many attacks.

"It was worth it studying this. To think it would even allow me to defeat the bane of demon kind." A few magic circles began to light up, indicating he was about to attack in earnest.

Frieren sighed, already tired of this demon.

"Young demons really are stupid. Archer, you're up. This too is a lesson. Demon's are naturally arrogant."

Deciding that it was enough time now, Archer summoned his trusty blades at his side, ignoring the look of intense interest from his elf master who eyed the black and white blades with barely restrained curiosity. Reinforcing his entire body, he shot forth.

"Useless, your magical constructs will not…"

The demon's eyes widened as the blades crossed the meter barrier, aimed directly at his torso.

"You speak too much," Shirou chastised as he sliced through the demon's body, killing him instantly. The cut was clean and thorough, meeting no resistance whatsoever. Bakuya and Kanshou were anti-monster blades, and the paired swords found the monster before them lacking.

"But…"

"Your magic dispels spells. Perhaps it is your nature as a beast, but you instinctively recognized Archer's weapons as blades. Magic is about imagination and intent, even if you knew his swords were summoned, you could not imagine yourself dispelling a sword," Frieren said with a shake of her head, watching as the unnamed demon dissipated into motes of mana.

It only took a few more minutes for the other two demons to appear. One had been proficient in illusion magic and supremely lazy, preferring to allow travelers to fall to their deaths rather than deal the final blow themselves. The other had made use of moving air currents in their magic to deal damage and catch opponents off guard. No doubt the fog was their work.

Both had died spectacularly to a simple condensed Zoltraak barrage after underestimating the elf before them. The quest was complete. Shirou silently approved of Frieren's methods. Deception was a skill in a fight. Honor didn't matter if you were the one returning home after a fight.

"Have you ever met a demon who tried to co-exist with humans, Frieren?" Shirou asked, slightly unsettled after watching his master ruthlessly annihilate one of the demons that had looked like a lost child. While he would have ultimately made the same choice, he had did not possess the same breadth of experience with demons that Frieren did that allowed her to coldly eliminate them.

"Once. And he killed more humans than any other demon in recorded history."

A/N

Demons are a really interesting topic on Frieren. They really play on the psychology of the viewer and reader into hoping that the human-shaped thing has to be somewhat human. In universe that has what allowed them to be such successful hunters of humans. The canon really digs into this, which is fascinating since there is no nuance there. Demons serve as a foil to Frieren. Creatures that superficially create bonds for power yet do not care for or understand them...and Frieren formed bonds unintentionally and wishes to understand them, albeit a bit late. Elves are funny that way it seems. Also remember she hasn't really deciphered a certain gold creature's memories yet for that last line if you're up to speed on the manga.