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CHP 16: Priests & Children
🕑 Added 2023-03-05 09:48:26 +0000 UTCShirou Emiya truthfully hadn’t had much contact with Rin Tohsaka aside from the eventual coincidental run-ins during the day at Homurahara Academy, other than that he only knew of her because of her popularity.
Upright, studious, well-mannered and so, the model student the teachers would tell the average student to strive to be like.
That said however, “What the hell are you doing here?!” This was NOT what Shirou expected her to talk like. It was even more surprising when she stomped up to him and pointed a hand at his face, demanding answers.
“I.. How’s your day?” He asked awkwardly, thinking that this ordeal was a little too out of place when there was a literal blue lightning storm raging on to their side, ripping open the soil and roads, leaving behind only charred black Earth.
“Fine thanks for as- Wait, no! Answer the question!” For her part, Rin was only so adamant about this because she didn’t want the one person her younger sister, Sakura, was infatuated with, “You need to go!”
“I can’t just leave.” If he did, Saber would fight FOR him, to bring him victory in this accursed conflict.
“Wh-..?!”
Bazett cut the two off with a vein popping out on her forehead, “I do believe you do not have the luxury of a lover’s quarrel amidst a battlefield.” She’d had an isolated upbringing and completely misread the situation.”
“L-Lov-..That’s not it!“ Rin stomped her foot, cheeks flushing from sudden embarrassment. She was only worried because of Sakura!
“Oh, it seems I misunderstood then.” Bazett didn’t even bother with glancing her way as she replied, “My apologies.” Her observant gaze was fully fixed on the battle even if she couldn’t make out anything other than blurs and lightning.
Artoria stood a small distance away from them, her hands resting on the hilt of her sword as she solemnly performed what was required of a King and watched over her knight as the man fought to bring them both victory.
Aston did his part, continually swerving his body to avoid contact with the massive cleaver Heracles ruthlessly swung at him, dead set on tearing him a new hole to breathe or eat out of, “I do realise we’re enemies but is this truly necessary? If I didn’t know better, I would think this was racially motivated.” Mostly because just like the British hated everyone, everyone hated them back.
“GRAAHHH!”
“’GRAAHHH!’ Indeed my honourable foe!” The Lancer shouted back, seemingly happy with his current situation. He appeared a blurry mess with a shining visor to the rampaging Demigod who continually dodged his counterattacks from sheer instinct, understanding that the vibrating blows and searing thunder could be fatal.
Aston ducked under a swing and delivered one of his own, tearing open Heracles’ arm by shoving his own right into the elbow. The damage was done solely because Aston’s speed could be said to be a by-product of his still unidentified noble phantasm, “Neat.” The Lancer whispered under his breath before appearing behind him and smashing his foot into his kneecap, completely shattering it.
It was at this moment that Archer decided to pitch in, firing off multitudes of arrows from a distant spot he’d taken up in the city. The glowing red projectiles lodged themselves into the roaring servant’s back except this only served to enrage him further, thereby boosting his physical capabilities to a level where he predicted the Lancer’s trajectory and aimed to cut his knees.
“You know, just you predicting where I’m going doesn’t exactly stop me from changing it.” Aston felt people really underestimated the power someone capable of moving incredibly fast had.
And of course, unlike those that couldn’t change trajectory because of the collateral damage, Aston was more than happy to blow another crater into the forest floor and stomp down on the cleaver to launch himself into the air before crashing down at the enemy like a veritable meteor enveloped with arching lightning.
Concurrently, “I am the bone of my sword.” Archer chanted with closed eyes, drawing a cork-like pointed sword with his bow that overflowed with magical energy alongside each word that left the grey haired man’s mouth.
And then, he released it.
The sword flew through the dark night sky, lighting it up momentarily as it left a trail behind it before eventually crashing right into Berserker’s back just as Aston crashed into his face.
What followed was an explosion of terrific proportions that shook the already ruined landscape. Trees burnt away, the ground underneath was vapourised and what remained was torn away by the torrents of wind it generated, uprooted by shockwaves.
“How astounding.” Bazett commented with a gloved hand over her mouth, eyes wide in astute shock. Was this what magi believed they could lord over only because they managed to summon them?
Three individuals had destroyed an entire section of the dense forest near Fuyuki to smithereens and were STILL standing.
Aston observed the Berserker in silence, standing a small distance away from the monster of a man with some sections of his armour destroyed, this was the first time in a long time that he’d employed his speed in a purely destructive manner and this was the result.
There was a reason he could slaughter an army of over a hundred thousand with nothing but a spear in his hand and armour on his body.
Admittedly, he’d never been able to go THIS fast in his lifetime but he attributed that to his contract with the world. The same contract that let him be without the world pruning him so long as he didn’t go as fast as possible and crash into the planet or interfere with other timelines by tampering with the space time continuum. It was born of a threat he made when it came after him, even if it was a threat he would never follow through with even if he could.
“Sir Aston! It pleases me to see you the victor.” Artoria joined her knight, a small smile on her exceptionally beautiful face that made the knight stumble, suddenly alarmed.
Aston put a hand over his beating heart, “M-My King, that is dangerous.”
“What is the matter?” Artoria tilted her head in genuine confusion, wondering if he’d been injured during the battle. Of course when in reponse Aston told her she was too pretty to throw around such expressions casually, the King’s face heated up and she looked down at the ground embarassed, “Y-You can not simply say such things so shamelessly!” She admonished his actions with half a heart.
“My words are the plain truth, I refuse to change my way of speaking. Hail the King’s eternal beauty.” With his smirk masked by his helmet, Aston made his declaration in an exaggerated manner prompting Artoria to hide behind him in shame when everyone started looking at them.
Archer grumbled, appearing next to Rin with his arms crossed, “Get a room or something.” He was happy for the Saber and finally understood why he’d failed, why there had been a meagre to nonexistent chance of changing the heart of the self-hating but stubborn British King of Legend.
“Amazing, to think you could damage Berserker so much.”
The atmosphere was ruined by a small girl that looked to be no older than 12, with long pale colourless hair several shades brighter than Aston’s and scarlet eyes that seemed to softly glow in the dark night. She wore a collared, purple long-sleeved shirt with a match small scarf, a white skirt and purple boots.
(A/N: Guess who just discovered you can put pictures between text.)
Illyasviel von Einzbern, the Einzbern Grail War representative and the Master of Berserker, Heracles. She recognized Shirou Emiya instantly, along with the Tohsaka Master but failed to ascertain the identity of Bazett and wrote her off as some no name magus from the Association.
A tinge of hatred crossed her mind looking at the auburn haired teen, he was her adopted sibling was he not? The one her father abandoned her for, leaving her to be modified and experimented upon before being left to the wolves.
“Berserker! We’re leaving. Come on.” This small battle was proof enough of her servant’s extraordinary prowess, it took two if not three servants to barely hold him off. This war would be easy with him under her, she would leave the other Masters to despair about their inevitable defeat.
“Young miss, I do believe he’s de-“ Aston stopped when the stationary but standing Heracles roared again, waves of magical energy rolling off his figure as his flesh sewed itself back together, “Oh how amazing, he has multiple lives. Or perhaps he’s a cockroach.” Aston put a hand to his chin, thinking.
“Be careful, the Greeks are weird about children.” He warned her, waving her goodbye as his armour disappeared, “My Master, I do believe we had an objective in mind. Let the two lovebirds catch up as we depart for the other children.”
He barely seemed to pay any mind to the Berserker following after the departing Einzbern, instead staring at the Church some distance away from them.
“What children?” Bazett asked, confused with his statement. He’d said it a number of times before but she never could understand what he meant when he said it.
“I thought I made it quite clear.” Few things could disgust Aston as much as the priest, “The priest has malnourished husks of former children in his basement.” If not for him prioritizing his Master, he’d have blasted the whole place to kingdom come.
“””What?”””
“HAH! Knew it! Never trusted that priest!” Rin seemed to have a very different reaction as compared to her peers but then became serious, “We’ll help, that’s too far, even for magi.” She couldn’t just stand by as such a thing transpired in her domain.
* * *
On local news, Berserker who has a noble phantasm called Nine Lives that gives him Twelve Lives just lost two of those Twelve Lives.
On an unrelated note, does anyone know what Aston being capable of going fast enough to see only darkness translates to scientifically? More specifically, a collision at such an impossible speed?
This is theoretically thought impossible because if a body ever reached light speed, it's mass would become infinite. The energy needed for it's movement will then also be infinite.
I hope that expands on why Aston is under contract to NOT utilise his top speed and just why he's allowed to remain by both Alaya and Gaia aside from his compassionate nature.
If it doesn't, don't worry. This'll be explained in the story somewhere down the line.
We have our first Master-Servant memory share coming up so that's something to look forward to.
P.S: Very excited to introduce Sakura Matou.
Feedback please?
Comments
on another note, as a Turk I love imagining greek reactions while reading hhahahah.
Amazing, just a small question as a acursed fate fan. Huhhh.... When will Aston enjoy the thigh highs.
Thanks for the chapter. Really well written and enjoyable to read :)
