Beta read by Shigiya and Paragon of Awesomeness.
Happy early Valentine's day! I hope y'all will have a wonderful day with someone special, I will be busy writing and playing FGO by myself... T-T
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-The Capital-
(Two years ago)
The towering walls of the Imperial Capital gleamed in the fading light of the afternoon sun, casting long shadows over the cobbled streets below. The grandeur of the palace looming over the city, with its sweeping spires and gilded towers, seemed to contrast sharply with the suffocating tension that lingered beneath its polished surface.
The market square bustled with life as merchants haggled and citizens went about their daily routines, but the undercurrent of unease was impossible to ignore. The people moved quickly, their voices hushed, as if they feared even the walls might listen in on their conversations. Soldiers clad in dark armor patrolled the streets, their presence a constant reminder that the people were always in the shadow of the Empire's control.
High above the commoners, within the areas reserved only for those of the aristocracy, the world operated under its own set of rules for them. Instead of the endless bustling of crowds, the scene there was one of comfortable silence around the manor belonging to general Nagumo. With the sound of veteran soldiers and new recruits alike practicing their swordsmanship or conversing with one another.
A certain red-headed boy observed them from above with a detached gaze, his focus somewhere else entirely.
The recent incident at the grand party had shaken more than a few of the city's key players. To the unsuspecting eye, the event had passed without a hitch, filled with laughter, music, and the usual obscene displays of wealth. But beneath the surface, people already started to gossip in whispered tones about rumors concerning the Prime Minister's son being struck by some assassin and sustaining grave injuries.
Syura, the socialite who practically lived for lavish soirées and seedy brothels, was suddenly nowhere to be seen. His absence raised eyebrows, but the whispers didn't last long. As quickly as they spread, the rumors evaporated, snuffed out by an unseen hand. Those who dared keep talking found themselves abruptly silenced, their loose tongues tied permanently.
Even if only a few days had passed since then, it felt like weeks.
After that, anyone who attended that party behaved as if they hadn't the slightest idea what happened with Syura that he was no longer in the spotlight. With the nobility now firmly keeping their mouths shut about the matter and people's short attention spans, if anything more people seemed to think Syura actually was dead, and had merely moved on from the event with little fanfare.
With the unofficial gag order about Syura, and the man himself unable to correct the record due to being in hiding while traumatized, people were left to form their own opinions and then just as quickly forget them.
Emiya also remained quiet for now, not eager to put on a noticeable presence and kept his head down for the meantime. He'd been anticipating retaliation from both Honest and his son, preparing to be met by a wave of soldiers knocking at their door at any moment.
Or for some shadow figure to appear in his room, a dagger poised to slice his throat open.
But as the days passed, both he and Najenda were surprised to find that no such thing came, and in fact there was an unusual presence of peace descending upon them for the next few days. Not that it mattered or made him feel relieved in the slightest. Emiya still remained cautious for what he saw as an inevitability rather than a possibility, simply taking the moment in between to enjoy some peace and quiet while it lasted.
"Ah, there you are. Now you can finally do something about my boredom."
Hearing that voice, Emiya smothered a sigh and turned to see a certain blue haired General wearing nothing but a white tank top and a pair of skimpy, lacy white underwear.
Unfortunately for him, this little moment of peace had come to a screeching end, and not for the reason he'd anticipated. The person who was hell-bent on making any relaxation an impossible task had been bugging him for the past hour by practically chasing him throughout the manor, continuously stretching her limbs like a cat and rummaging through his belongings without reservation.
She'd even gone so far as burrowing into his bed to take a nap on multiple occasions.
Doing all of this while he was busy going over and signing requests for military aid for the people of nearby villages against threats of Danger Beasts and bandits. Paperwork that was meant for a General to handle, and not some random person who could expertly mimic the signature of both his father and sister. Since Nagumo was unable to help Najenda due to his deteriorating state aside from giving her command of his forces, she had to manage his work on top of her own duties as a General. So Emiya took it upon himself to help her where he could.
"How about you just go on a one-woman war to eradicate one of the rebel cells on the Capital's outskirts."
"I already did. In the past month, I've hunted down thousands of rebels, to the point that even all their spies have gone to ground. They are not even worth sending my own soldiers out to hunt. Yet another reason I am bored."
"It's probably because no one wants to face the deranged general known for capturing people and killing them on the spot without taking any prisoners, or worse, torturing them just for fun." His tone came out more harsher than he wanted to, playing right into what she wanted.
"Hoh~?" As soon as those words left his mouth, the woman who'd just been behind him was sitting on the table in front of him, her legs on either side of his waist to block any attempts of him escaping and also making it impossible for him to continue his work as she looked down at him with an amused grin. "Oh my~! Is someone angry about the rumors of me continuing to build my own little amusement chamber?"
"It's distasteful. But I know it's a waste of time to tell you to stop doing anything once you've made up your mind."
"You know, I've been thinking about hanging up my chains and rusty, blood-stained nails for good," she mused with a playful smirk. "Turning over a new leaf, becoming a refined and respectable lady of society. But I just can't seem to make up my mind." Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she leaned in closer. "Perhaps someone with a talent for persuasion could help sway my decision. What do you say, Emiya? Think you're up to the challenge?"
"…"
She was goading him to use violence, employing every tactic and excuse in the book to provoke him into stopping her by force. Normally, this wouldn't be an unfamiliar sight, but recently she had grown far more frequent with her attempts, especially after the party.
There had to be a reason for that.
"Why are you here, Esdeath? You're a general now and should have as much paperwork to handle as Najenda. Yet, I never see you working on such things once, and you spend your entire day lazing here."
"I got invited to another banquet," the woman said, completely avoiding his question. "The Minister of Finance or… something or other, had one of his servants drop off an invitation yesterday for a banquet that will take place today. Heard that since the Emperor will be attending, even Grand General Budo will be there."
That drew Emiya's attention. It wasn't the fact that someone had decided to invite her of all people, or even that the famously reclusive Grand General would be leaving the Palace training grounds — even if it was just to protect the Emperor — but rather that she received an invitation while his sister did not.
'So it has already begun. Everyone is starting to distance themselves from us, making it clear that they understand how things have changed and showing their stance on the matter. It's only a matter of time before signs of hostility, suspicion, and accusations start to arise.'
Despite Honest's status and position, he couldn't blatantly destroy a prominent family that had served the Empire since its foundation, producing dozens of generals who fought on the front lines for generations. So, he had to plant seeds of discord between them, and the rest of the Empire.
"You are running out of time."
From the looks of it, even Esdeath had figured this out. Not that he was surprised whatsoever, given how cunning the woman was despite her usual disposition when it came to all forms of fighting and bloodshed — she could easily take on a political role in the Empire and crush everyone without resorting to violence, yet she chose not to because it didn't suit her tastes. A person who could outsmart perhaps even the most brilliant minds in the Empire, and she just craved more blood.
"It looks like it. Things have been a bit too quiet lately."
"Just a bunch of cowards quaking in their boots over a fat old man and a naive child. It will only take a single day for us to turn the tide against them and have everyone bowing before us by simply showcasing who really has the power here."
"I am not in the mood to start a rebellion right in the middle of the Capital, nor stage a coup. Especially when either one could potentially result in half the populace shedding their blood."
"It hardly counts as either if it will only last an hour or two at most. We could start right now and be done with them before dinner time," she said with a charming smile, not even bothering to correct the second part of his response. "So, want to start a quick war to pass the time? You will be done with this annoying bit of drama and establish this 'utopia' where everyone lives in a fairy tale, and I get to kill my boredom."
"That is Najenda's wish, not mine."
"You certainly aren't against it."
"I just don't like senseless killing."
"But it is not senseless," her left foot pushed against his chest while she rested her chin on her right knee. "Any kind of major upheaval to an empire is always accompanied by the deaths of many. Soldiers, nobles or civilians — it doesn't discriminate. Danger Beasts don't fight one another for territory while worrying about crushing a few bugs or trees."
Looking at her, he truly pitied Honest and the Emperor to a certain extent. It didn't escape him that they were trying to put a leash on her and turn the girl into one of their strongest weapons. After all, she had the perfect mentality required for a soldier — little to no moral compass, an innate lust for destruction and battle, and the viciousness needed to annihilate all their enemies by any means necessary. But they failed to realize that this monster was merely doing so for the sake of its own entertainment, and their "orders" simply happened to coincide with that. Were they to put her in a situation she genuinely disliked, the Empire as an institution would be gone.
"You must really not want to go to that banquet if you're willing to go this far." He said, getting a gist of what was going through that twisted mind of hers.
Which turned out to be the truth as the smile on her face grew bigger.
"You know me best, brat."
He rolled his eyes, fully expecting such a response from her. Truly, dealing with her was nothing short of a constant headache, and sometimes he felt like he had become her nanny. As he was contemplating what to do next, an idea popped into his mind.
"Let's go hunting."
That caught Esdeath by surprise. She even stopped with the buttons of his shirt with her foot.
"Hunting?"
"I've received reports from passing merchants and farmers about Danger Beasts prowling the area, ravaging the local fields and attacking incoming caravans carrying food and spices. A small squad was dispatched by Najenda before we went to the party a few days ago, and less than a handful returned yesterday with life-threatening injuries, some even requiring field amputations. I was hoping to question some of them about the details, but no one has spoken up yet on the issue. In any event, it sounds like this wouldn't be your average creature we've usually dealt with, or perhaps a large group. Best to take care of this issue ourselves."
"It's that time of the year," Esdeath mentioned without missing a beat, having already deduced the reason behind this string of attacks.
"Can you elaborate?"
"Mating season for Danger Beasts." Esdeath looked at the calendar on the wall and hummed. "They differ from the mating season of regular animals. It can vary with some Danger Beasts of course, but it usually occurs once every few years around this time. Some super class monsters have it only happen once a century."
That… was a reasonable deduction. Her assessment also had the added weight of coming from someone who had hunted these sorts of creatures since she was able to walk, and was raised and trained by a tribe of such people who'd been doing so for generations. His own research into Danger Beasts had failed to yield such results, with most Imperial scholars only cataloging Danger Beasts on their threat level, and their various ways of killing based on second-hand accounts. In the instances where there was anything more, it only applied to species that could be captured for safe study, then trained to aid the Empire in agriculture and transportation to have more detailed levels of information.
Esdeath continued her explanation, "Certain male Danger Beasts also become more aggressive and territorial, trying to impress the females and scare away the competition. This is also the period where their bodies grow bigger and stronger than usual."
Emiya nodded, setting his pen inside a cupboard and getting up from his chair, grabbing her ankle and pushing it away. He walked past the woman, taking off his usual clothing without any worries, having gotten used to her presence much to his dismay, before donning his black armor and a white cloak in place of the red shroud.
"So, are you coming or not?"
The only answer she gave was an eye roll as if the answer should have been obvious to him, which amused Emiya for a moment.
"Then get ready."
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"So that's it, huh? Just a small herd of Marg Dons. Tch, the Empire needs to increase the strength of its soldiers if most of them can get killed by these small fries!"
"Looks like it."
Marg Dons were oversized lizards with horns sticking out of their heads backward, having dark gray scales with amber eyes and black, oval-shaped gemstones embedded in their foreheads. Most of them stood at around two-thirds of his height. To Emiya, the creatures resembled something out of the late Triassic period from his world.
"Not exactly dangerous individually, but given that they move in herds, there's a reason they're ranked as class one Danger Beasts. No wonder so many soldiers were wounded and entire farms have been left trampled with their crops and livestock devoured. As for the merchants, the exotic foods they carry and heavy scent of their spices must have irritated the herd into attacking the caravans."
"That one should be the alpha," Esdeath pointed at the deep creature standing in the middle of the herd. Appearance-wise, its body was exactly the same as the rest of the herd, aside from it having a few extra muscles and a larger frame. Most importantly though, was its most striking trait, the gem embedded in its head was ruby red. That was what signified it as the herd's alpha.
It could also breathe fire, unlike its lesser kin.
"They must have chosen this place as their breeding ground whenever they aren't foraging for food. Perfectly hidden from some of the more dangerous monsters out there, while still being rather close to all the different kinds of food humans offer," Esdeath stated.
"As long as I take out the alpha first, it should be easier to deal with them all," he replied, to which Esdeath shook her head.
"You're correct, but I'll be the one to take out the herd's alpha."
She unsheathed a dagger made of bone from her waist, a weapon he had seen before. It had been resting within his Reality Marble for the better part of a few years. Made from the bone of a super class Danger Beast, it had the emblem of the Partas clan etched onto its handle. A weapon that once belonged to her father, which she took from his corpse after he died.
"You're going to ambush the creature?"
"It's been a while since I last went on a proper hunt. For the past few months, all I've done is order my men to kill traitors to the Empire or have a bit of fun dueling some of the more desperate ones with my saber. I don't want my hunting skills to become rusty. The treelines extend through the entire area; I'll approach the center from above and plunge my blade into its skull after dropping down."
"You could get trampled to death by the remaining Marg Dons around you," he pointed out with a quirked brow.
"Humph, as if. I'm more than nimble enough to kill them all by myself if I want."
"I thought the purpose of this was to test your skills as a hunter. Your talent when it comes to mass slaughter is practically common knowledge by this point," he reminded her.
Esdeath sighed, unable to refute that. "We can always lure them into a trap, though I doubt you have the time to dig a giant hole, fill it with spears, cover it in a way that won't draw any suspicion from these creatures, and then lure them all toward it."
She was right; that would take far too long. So instead, he Traced his bow, which immediately drew her attention.
"Fine, go ambush the alpha. I'll be ready to start trimming down their numbers and make sure none of them catch you in your blind spot."
"Wait, Let me try it."
"What?" For a moment, the man believed he heard wrong and looked at Esdeath for more clarification.
"I want to try using the bow as well."
"You already know how to use a bow," he remarked, remembering seeing her train with various ranged weapons in the past.
The blue haired woman scoffed. "Hardly. I've only used it a handful of times in my youth, and even back then, it was only to scare away creatures and then shoot a single arrow during class just to get my instructors off my back. I never used ranged combat to go for the kill since I prefer to be up close and personal. You on the other hand… I've seen you use the bow a handful of times, and I'm honestly impressed by your skill. Not once have you ever missed a single shot. So I'm curious and want to try it out as well."
That was unexpected.
The girl was a genius in all forms of violence and warfare, and a far more talented individual than Emiya himself, in his own opinion. She was already standing above the best swordsmen the Empire had to offer, second only to himself, with that gap slowly but surely growing smaller each year. Then again, such a result was to be expected, given that the woman thrived on the battlefield and regularly sparred against him, pushing herself to her limit as much as Najenda did on a daily basis.
Honestly, he saw no reason to decline. She was bored and probably just wanted to try out something new for once.
Rarely did he get to see her act like this.
So without saying anything else, he flicked his arm and tossed the bow at her. Surprised by his action, she hastily braced herself as if expecting the weapon's weight to slam into her.
Only to be startled at how light it turned out to be. Esdeath glared at him, knowing he did that deliberately to tease her.
Emiya couldn't help but smirk as Esdeath awkwardly tried to get a feel for his bow. "What, were you expecting some comically heavy weapon? Even you'd struggle lugging it around all day if that were the case. That kind of weight just wouldn't be practical, even for someone as strong as you."
Esdeath looked as though she wanted to rebuke him, but after a deep breath, she composed herself, her usual calm mask slipping back into place. "I can't shoot without an arrow," she said, extending her hand expectantly.
Emiya Traced and handed her one, suppressing another smile. "How much coaching do you want?"
"Treat me as if I've never picked up a bow before. Yours is of a unique make and material, after all."
He nodded. "Alright. Archery in itself isn't too complicated. There's posture, drawing, focus and release. As long as you can master these four aspects, then everything else is secondary and will improve with experience."
The woman changed her stance, trying to get better footing on the thick tree branch, "This bow is very strange." She said calmly, "I've never seen one with a handguard like you'd typically see for a sword. The more I think about it the less sense it makes. Why even have it in the first place since you aren't going to be using it in close quarters combat?"
She was partially right; the hand guard served little to no purpose against enemy attacks. Rather it was made to protect his grip from his own modified arrows when drawn. Plenty of the arrows had sharp edges, even a slight mistake would result in the projectile cutting through his flesh like butter. And it also served to help with keeping the projectile steady even when actively moving around during combat.
"It's just there as a precaution, amongst other things. Nock the arrow at the top, it will make it easier. Feel free to use any kind of method you want to hold the end of the arrow, I prefer using the thumb, index and middle finger to have a better grip."
"Then I'll just copy your method."
"When holding the bow in your left hand," Emiya continued, "your back needs to be straight, and your hips and shoulders should feel aligned with your target. When you draw the string, don't rush. Focus on your target as you pull back, and only release the arrow when you're completely sure you'll hit. It's about precision and timing, not just brute strength."
The arrow he gave her was a regular one with a reinforced tip, more than enough to pierce these creatures all the way through their bones.
"While strength is of course important for a bow with a heavy draw weight like this one, stability is even more crucial," Emiya continued, turning slightly to demonstrate the correct posture. "You need to have strong muscles not so much in your arms as in your back to support your shot, though I don't think that'll be a problem for you," he added with a hint of amusement, glancing at her well-toned frame, evident even under her uniform. "But no matter how strong you are, you won't hit anything if you can't keep your body steady. A shaky hand won't land a killing shot from any distance."
Unlike their previous conversation, Esdeath didn't make any kind of smart comments or backtalk as she listened to his instructions. Fully immersed in the moment, her eyes focused like a hawk — looking at nothing else but the alpha Marg Don. Carefully bringing the end of the arrow to the bowstring, she held it firmly and pulled it back.
"Hn!"
Or at least she tried to.
"What the hell is wrong with this bow!?"
Esdeath barely managed to draw the weapon back a handful of inches before she began to struggle, her arms shaking whilst exerting a lot of strength to even pull it back that much but still not nearly enough for a true shot.
Ah, in his confusion about Esdeath wanting to learn how to use a bow, he completely forgot about how this weapon was created to fire Broken Phantasms across the distance of an entire city at great speed if required. Without Reinforcement, no normal person would be able to use it and Esdeath definitely didn't know Magecraft.
"Wait, that bow is not suitable for you. I'll give you another one-?" As soon as he tried to take it back, Esdeath slapped his hands away and sent him an angered glare.
"Are you telling me I'm too weak to use your weapon? Don't you dare, I'll figure it out."
A frown appeared on his face when she tightened her grip on the bow and changed the way she held the arrow. This time using all five fingers firmly holding onto the end of the projectile.
"Stop being unnecessarily stubborn over such a little thing. This isn't a competition about strength, you idiot."
"What kind of hunter and General will I be if I can't even use a bow of all things!"
She clenched her teeth, veins bulging from the back of her hands and highly tense muscles on her forearm. Her back was under even greater exertion, putting as much strength into this task as possible to the point he found her effort to be absurd.
"Oi, I'm trying to help you here. You don't need to go this fa—!" Emiya's last word got stuck in his throat when his ears picked up the ever so soft sound of the frame of his bow creaking. The entire frame was shaking due to Esdeath's own body trembling under her actions, it was small and barely noticeable. But the fact she was able to move that much at all shocked him. That was entirely the result of Esdeath's natural strength, and he couldn't help but be impressed.
His eyes were attracted to the string, being pulled hard enough to draw blood as the material dug into her fingers. A red trail was now streaming down her forearm till it dripped onto the branch.
"K-kuh!"
Bit by bit the bowstring was pulled farther, he could hear the groans she tried to keep behind clenched teeth. Right as it was halfway drawn, Esdeath visibly reached her limit and for a moment, everything was silent as she forced her body to become still as a statue. And then, with a sharp twang, she released the arrow.
Snap!
With a crack in the air to signify the sound barrier being broken, the projectile cut through the air, traversing through the middle of the green forest, soaring past the herd of Marg Dons until it struck the alpha's hind leg. Completely shooting through it and leaving behind a bloody hole and shards of its thigh bone.
"▅ ▃▃▅▅!!"
The beast let out a painful roar, its prior peaceful behavior while grazing on the grass now turning completely hostile as it glared at its surroundings, trying to find its attacker. Somehow able to not collapse onto the group and begin squirming in agony.
The rest of the herd was startled by its behavior, closely observing their surroundings and some even retreating. Another sound of a bow creaking came from another direction, and this time the arrow went past the alpha and struck one of the creatures trying to escape, killing it instantly with a headshot, startling the herd into huddling up, ready to lash out collectively at any perceived threat.
"Tch… show off. Don't kill the alpha, that one… that one is mine." She whispered harshly, barely able to keep herself from panting after using his bow once. His eyes narrowed when she extended her hands over to ask for another arrow. "It's still alive, give me another one. I won't miss this time."
"We need to tend to your wounds first." The bowstring had cut through multiple layers of her skin, leaving behind a bloody line that was bleeding rather profusely. "Or just let me give you another bow that won't risk amputating your fingers if you're not careful."
Of course, she didn't back down. Esdeath just intensified her glare, irritation clear in her eyes. Too bad for her, he wasn't going to back down either.
"Your form was perfect despite your struggle pulling the string. You had a perfect stance and steady hands. All you lack is accuracy and… a more convenient weapon that suits you better. So let me handle the rest, you've already proven yourself. That was an excellent shot for your first time using this, especially at this distance"
"Tch, you think I can't use that thing properly, do you?"
Him glancing down at her bloody hand was all the answer she needed.
What happened in the next second stilled his heart as a sudden chill became present. He looked down again to find–
"Ice?"
A thin layer of frost formed around her hand, like a gauntlet completely covering the wound. He stood there, wide eyes watching this display of power she never showed before in astonishment.
"My own Imperial Arm, Demon's Extract. Got it yesterday after I returned from my previous mission. Honest gave it to me earlier than promised." Her grin grew when she noticed his wariness. "Now the gap between us isn't wide at all. Or if it is, it's in my favor. I wanted to surprise you tomorrow during our spar, it's unfortunate it had to be spoiled like this."
Concentration returned to her face, focusing on her hand where the next second an item started to form which made Emiya's brow shoot up. "An arrow… ice manipulation."
That foolish Prime Minister… he just created a monster. One more dangerous than he could have imagined, giving her of all people a Teigu like this.
And right before his eyes, her now fully formed arrow of solid ice was held against the string of his bow. Once more Esdeath put all her strength into pulling the weapon back, the very line itself digging its way through the ice and making the wound worse. But she didn't care, rather Esdeath just showed a maniac smirk and she fired again.
This shot was weaker than the previous, yet still held enough strength to pierce the strigger's neck and force it to the ground, squirming for its life and roaring in their direction, with small plumes of fire becoming visible.
This time, others in the herd managed to catch sight of them.
"Hah, looks like we'll need to use a different approach now." She said, finally letting go of the bow which he dematerialized and retrieved her dagger. "Want to see who kills the most?"
He shrugged, already jumping downwards with Kanshou in hand. Slicing through the charging horde of Danger Beasts that tried to topple the trees in one clear motion while Tracing Bakuya to cut off the top half of another's head.
"Do whatever you want." And so began the slaughter, the two of them hacking away at the Marg Dons' numbers with terrifying efficiency. The whole bunch were completely unorganized with the leader gone. Their natural though scaly hide tough for regular weapons but nothing against Noble Phantasms as the latter tore through them.
The entire time, as the stench of blood in the area became greater and the herd's numbers started to dwindle, Esdeath would occasionally sneak glances at him, her eyes would lock onto his face and clothes, untouched by blood despite him cleaving through their necks with a focused look to him.
His ruthlessness in combat stood in fierce contrast to their friendly spars like night and day.
The sight made Esdeath unconsciously smile, even as more blood from another of her kills splattered across her face.
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After the swift and brutal slaughter of their beastly enemies, it barely took a few moments for both Emiya and Esdeath to find themselves standing in a lake's worth of blood. Esdeath's skin and clothes were positively drenched in the foul smelling crimson, and even Emiya had been unable to avoid his cloak and arms getting saturated, which quickly spread to the rest of his person. Feeling unusually content, the latter turned to him, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Come," she said with a teasing grin, "there's a spring nearby where we can wash up."
He was about to decline, but before he could voice his refusal she had already grabbed him by the arm and was dragging him along, saying nothing more. He sighed in resignation. This wasn't the first time she had bulldozed over his decisions, and he had grown used to her ways.
Before long, they found themselves fully submerged in the crystal-clear waters of the natural spring. Esdeath, unabashed and completely nude, seemed perfectly at ease in her own skin while Emiya, much more modest, had opted to wear the bare minimum, feeling a bit more self-conscious about the situation.
Despite the tranquil setting, his mind buzzed with thoughts about her Imperial Arm.
"Congratulations on subduing the Demon's Extract," Emiya remarked, his voice steady but curious. "It must not have been easy."
Esdeath's eyes flickered with amusement as she turned to him. "You know its story?" she asked, though it was more of a statement than a question. She wasn't surprised anymore by his extensive knowledge of Imperial Arms, even the more dangerous ones.
"It's quite infamous, even among the list of Imperial Arms," he said, meeting her gaze. "Many have tried to conquer it, but until you, all of them went mad, becoming violent psychopaths after a single sip. They would hear voices, supposedly of the devil according to the few who managed to stay sane for a brief moment before getting consumed by the Teigu."
Esdeath's lips curled into a smirk. "Then they were all of weak wills and weak minds," she replied, her tone dismissive, as if their failures weren't even worth an afterthought from her.
Emiya didn't flinch at her response; it was exactly what he expected from her. "How much did you…" he started to ask, wondering how much of the extract she had consumed, knowing even a small dosage could have a drastic effect on one's psyche, turning the user into a bloodthirsty maniac. His concern for her was real, though he masked it well.
"The whole thing," she said nonchalantly.
His head snapped toward her, his eyes widening in disbelief. "The entire thing?! Are you crazy!?"
The blue haired woman merely shrugged, as if it were of no consequence. "Did you really expect me to be intimidated by something like that? It's not a question of whether I'm worthy of it. It's whether the Demon's Extract was worthy of me. The creature it came from is long dead, slain in its failure. How could something so weak ever proclaim itself as the strongest? It didn't deserve the title. That's why I conquered it and made it part of myself. I would say it should be honored, but it's dead so who cares."
The former Counter Guardian found himself at a loss for words. He had faced many unpredictable opponents throughout his time, but Esdeath's sheer willpower and confidence were something else entirely.
Perhaps it was better to call it pure recklessness bordering on insanity, one of the main reasons for which she often found herself in situations of extreme danger, throughout the Empire and even beyond.
"Does Najenda know about this?"
"She doesn't, I wanted to surprise both of you after mastering it a bit more." Esdeath whispered, her face slipping into a rare contemplative look as she submerged herself further into the water, only her nose and eyes visible above the surface. He noticed something odd about her; she seemed quieter than usual, as if something was on her mind. Though curious, he decided not to press her. If Esdeath wanted to share something, she would — on her terms.
Then, without warning, she broke the silence. "Emiya, have you ever thought about finding true love?"
Eh?
The question hit Emiya like a bolt of lightning, so unexpected that it left him momentarily speechless. "Excuse me?" he asked, blinking in confusion. He even wondered for a moment if the Demon's Extract had affected her after all. For Esdeath to suddenly ask something so personal seemed utterly out of character for her.
"I won't repeat myself," she said, her voice steady and serious. Throwing the idea that she was teasing him straight out of the window. "It's not like I asked you a difficult question. Just think of it as plain curiosity. So… Do you have anyone you love?"
He hesitated, thinking over her words carefully before responding. "No… I don't." He answered honestly. Perhaps the answer would have been different long ago, before he became a Counter Guardian, but those days were long gone. He had cast aside his attachments in the pursuit of his ideals, including the desire to find true love.
"Have you ever had a crush on someone?" She pressed, her curiosity piqued.
His gaze flickered.
"I think I did," he admitted, though it was distant — an old memory from a different life.
"Have Najenda or myself met this person?"
"No."
Her next question, however, caught him completely off guard. "So, does that mean you've already made love with this person?"
His eyes twitched in irritation. This was going a bit too far. He wasn't keen on answering such personal questions, especially when Esdeath was the one asking, since she would more than likely pass this information along to Najenda in some manner intended to further tease him. He could already imagine the chaos that would ensue if the wrong person found out.
"What's with these questions?" he asked, deflecting slightly. "It's not like you to show interest in love. I'm starting to worry that the Demon's Extract has influenced you after all."
"Who told you I'm not interested in this kind of thing?" She shot back, giving him an incredulous look, as if offended by the assumption. "I don't know what you think of me, brat, but despite my ambitions, I have other desires too. I'm still a healthy young woman, after all."
More like a Danger Beast disguised as a human. The new cryomancy powers didn't help with dissuading him from that image either.
"That's… strange to hear," Emiya replied, his voice softening. "I always thought you were focused on spreading bloodshed and violence above all else."
She smiled at that, not the least bit offended, and continued on. "Lately, another thought has been on my mind. Someone came to confess to me recently. Asked for my hand in marriage."
"Again?"
These people were even more suicidal than Emiya Shirou, and far more idiotic. Which was in itself a hard feat to accomplish in his humble opinion.
Esdeath chuckled. "It would seem so. Word has spread about me gaining an Imperial Arm, as well as my having the favor of both the Emperor and the Prime Minister. People are eager to establish connections. Not that it matters. None of the suitors so far have come close to meeting my standards."
It made sense, a General of her caliber who managed to subdue a Teigu who no one so far managed to control was far too valuable. Already more than a few people were whispering she was even stronger than Grand General Budo.
"Guess you'll have to busy yourself with turning down a lot of suitors. Just try to not kill everyone, I doubt Honest will turn a blind eye to you butchering young bachelors of the nobility, especially after what happened to his son."
"…"
She suddenly turned silent.
"Esdeath?"
"…Stay still for a second. I want to test something."
Before he could react, Emiya felt the water ripple next to him. Confused, he turned just in time to see a strange sight. Hands had reached out to grab the sides of his face and in the next moment, luscious lips were pressing firmly against his.
"—!"
The world seemed to come to a standstill. His wide eyes met Esdeath's calm, unwavering gaze, her blue irises reflecting none of the fluster he expected before she closed her eyes. A few seconds passed before she deepened the kiss and just as he was about to push her away, she pulled back her head with a string of saliva connecting their mouths, then broke as she retreated to her previous place at the opposite edge of the spring.
The lingering sensation stayed for a couple of seconds longer.
"…Why?"
Many questions were at the edge of his tongue, but he only asked the one.
"I wanted to see if kissing someone I liked would make me feel 'lovesick,' or like I was floating in the clouds as described in the books. A sensation only reserved when you meet someone you love," she mused, touching her lips thoughtfully. "But… I feel calm. I just wanted to sort out my feelings. Sorry to say this, Emiya — you're not the one."
There were plenty of things he wanted to point out with that flawed explanation but held back in fear she might do it again out of spite.
"…That's honestly a relief," he muttered, finally regaining his composure. "But don't go kissing people just to satisfy your curiosity."
She ignored his remark, smiling slyly. "Now that I think about it, by my standards you check only three boxes out of five. So I should have known the answer beforehand."
"And what are those, if you don't mind me asking?"
He couldn't help but wonder if her 'standards' were even humanly achievable.
Esdeath raised five fingers. "First: Must possess a well of untapped potential such that he is able to become an Imperial general. Second: Must be fearless, willing to face the deadliest of Danger Beasts or any other opponent that he may be faced with without hesitation. Third: Must have grown up far from the Capital. Fourth: Must be younger than me, since he'll be easier to dominate that way. And fifth… must have a pure, innocent smile."
That was more than he guessed and not nearly as ridiculous as what her personality led him to believe.
"I can understand the third point, since I can easily count the number of good things to be found in that city on my hands with fingers to spare. And while I was born in the north I did most of my growing up in the Capital. But a person with an innocent smile?" He raised an eyebrow, finding her last requirement odd, though not the strangest thing he'd heard from her. "That's a unique one."
"Do you think it's impossible?"
"No, it's possible. I'm sure you'll find some poor soul that'll meet all your standards. Assuming they don't run away screaming or have a heart attack when they realize you're interested in them," Emiya added dryly, then grimaced as he felt his cheek getting pulled on by an irritated Esdeath before she released it just as quickly.
"Cheeky brat. And what about you?"
"Me? I don't have anyone in particular," he said thoughtfully, briefly, faces from his past flashing before his mind until one stood out. Someone he had met recently before reincarnating. 'Someone who can put up with me, keep me grounded… someone stubborn with a strong will,' he thought silently, recalling the last person who had to put up with him, dealing with a troublesome Servant and a suicidal idiot at the same time.
As he became lost in his thoughts, he failed to notice Esdeath's subtle blush as she touched her lips once more. Her heartbeat quickened as a single thought crossed her mind whenever she kept recalling the sensation of the kiss. A delayed reaction she hadn't anticipated whatsoever.
'It felt… nice.'
{Break}
-Unidentified South-Eastern Island-
(Present Day)
"Hey, wake up."
Emiya's eyes fluttered open slowly, meeting Esdeath's face, which was far too close for comfort. Her icy blue eyes stared down at him with an amused glint, lips curled into a slight smile. "It's morning. Time to start the day unless you want to continue our battle from before. Though I guarantee the outcome will be different this time."
Her words were meant as a challenge, but Emiya only responded with a small groan, blinking away the fog of exhaustion. The entire night, he hadn't slept for even a second, choosing instead to stay on guard. Being near someone like Esdeath, he knew better than to lower his defenses. While she wasn't the type to sneak attack him in his most vulnerable state, best to not take any chances and leave her to find another angle with which to come at him.
And someone had to stay awake to keep watch for any possible dangers on the island. A roaring fire would only suffice in scaring away regular animals, not Danger Beasts, and he couldn't be sure they'd killed all the ones Syura had put here for them or that he wouldn't drop in more.
So to pass time, he had spent the night lost in thought, memories of the past resurfacing.
Back then, things were simpler.
Rivalry had been the best way to describe the relationship between him and Esdeath. Perhaps going as far as to call her the only individual with whom he established a twisted form of friendship during this life. The General herself didn't have anyone else by her side willing to treat her like this other than himself and Najenda.
"Here," Esdeath interrupted his thoughts, tossing something toward him. Emiya caught it instinctively, and saw that it was a coconut, sliced open, yet her throw had been so well controlled that barely any of it had spilled.
He raised an eyebrow and couldn't help but chuckle sarcastically. "It must truly be the end of the world for you to offer me something to drink."
Esdeath shot him a dry look. "You don't have to be such an ass about it. A couple of them fell during our battle, and I didn't want to waste precious resources."
He believed her. It made far more sense that she would offer him a drink out of practicality rather than goodwill. Still, a part of him appreciated the small gesture.
"…Thanks."
"…"
Looking her over, he noticed something odd. "What happened to your clothes?"
Rather than sitting next to him naked from the waist up like she did last night, she now wore a bikini top of all things. No, it was best to call it pieces of cloth wrapped around her chest in a manner reminiscent of a bikini, though it still served to accentuate her already massive bust.
"You ripped them to shreds," Esdeath said, her tone deadpan.
Emiya pinched the bridge of his nose. "You really need to stop explaining things in such misleading ways."
"But it's the truth." She motioned toward the pile of rags near the campfire that she left to dry — her once pristine uniform now nothing more than torn fabric. The woman took a lot of hits during their skirmish, and while her clothes had been destroyed, her skin remained flawless, lacking so much as a single scar, and the faint lines from yesterday's few scratches were already gone. It was something that no longer shocked Emiya; though whether Esdeath naturally healed fast or it was some form of regeneration granted by the Demon's Extract, he couldn't say for sure.
"I can give you a new set of clothes."
"Don't, it's more comfortable this way." Her arms crossed under her breast, pushing them upwards to the point that her nipples were nearly peeking past the cloth. "I still don't understand why you are so stiff about such things, you've already seen everything."
"…"
"So… what should we do now?" she asked, her casual demeanor a stark contrast to the deadliness she had displayed the night before.
Emiya sat up, thinking for a moment. "Knowing Syura, there's no way he'll leave us alone. This is personal for him, so he'll come back to exact his revenge. Our best option is to wait for him. We'll use him to teleport back to the Empire."
Esdeath nodded thoughtfully, her fingers tapping her chin. "With the amount of Danger Beasts he had waiting on this island, there's a chance he might believe we've been killed. For all he knows, we could be resting in the belly of one of those beasts by now."
"That's possible," Emiya admitted. "But don't underestimate his arrogance. He'll come here in person, if only to find a trophy to show off to Honest or keep it for himself. And as much of an idiot as he is, Honest isn't. He won't abandon you here."
"True," Esdeath said, smirking. "We can agree on that. But who is to say Najenda and her Night Raid don't end up launching a full-on attack on the Capital just to capture Syura and his Teigu?"
He shook his head at that idea, "Najenda is not so reckless that she'd even allow such a foolish plan, let alone undertake it herself."
"You never know, people like her tend to be ruled by their emotions in moments like these, and you are her baby brother. Remember, she was willing to fight me all by herself just to give you and the others time to escape."
As much as he hated to admit it, Esdeath was right. Najenda, despite having the air of a trustworthy commander, still felt short when it came to all matters related to him, funnily enough. Ever so protective over someone who didn't need or deserve her protection to begin with.
"Then I'll just hope those around her will be able to keep her in check."
Leone, Akame, Lubbock, Mine, Sheele, Bulat, and Tatsumi. Of that group, he was confident there were at least a few who he believed could reign in that woman. Pull her back to reality and get her to think rationally.
"I say all of this, but the truth is that if it's not Night Raid that comes after Syura, then my men will do so instead."
"Right, Liver is part of your little group." Perhaps the only person with a somewhat sane mind compared to the rest, a former General as well as Esdeath's strongest and most loyal subordinate. "He also won't pass this up if he sees it as a chance to come for my head."
She chuckled, "Yes, he still holds a grudge over your previous assassination attempts against me, and for your killing Nyau. It hurt his pride."
"Then he is wasting his time, that pride will get him nowhere other than an early grave."
"But of course. He's weaker than you after all."
It felt strange, having a calm conversation with her without them immediately being at each other's throats. For a brief moment, it brought back memories of the past, a time when things were less complicated between them.
He would be lying to say that those moments weren't enjoyable in some way. A small period where he was no Servant fighting in a war, nor a Counter Guardian forced to massacre countless victims, and not even a mercenary going around playing hero.
It had just been the three of them going about their days. And with just that, they were happy.
Not that he was going to confess his true thoughts to anyone, least of all Esdeath.
"For now, since the sun's up, let's check something," Esdeath said, cutting into his musing and placing her hand on the ground.
Woosh!
In an instant, the temperature around them plummeted. A massive pillar of ice shot up from the earth, lifting them high into the air, granting them a clear view of their surroundings. Closer to the clouds than the ground, where all there was before them aside from the island they were on was the sight of the ocean stretching past the horizon.
Emiya stood at the edge of the pillar, scanning their surroundings. He frowned, eyes narrowing as he searched for any sign of land or even a ship.
"Nothing," he muttered. "This place is completely surrounded by water. We're truly in the middle of nowhere."
Esdeath sighed, her eyes softening for a moment. "A shame, really. At least the view is beautiful."
They sat side by side at the edge of the icy pillar, gazing out at the endless ocean. Neither of them had any particular hope of spotting a passing ship or a sign of life; they were simply taking in the moment, enjoying the quiet. For once, neither of them was looking to fight.
They had no other choice but to wait.
"Guess we should set up some form of shelter and gather more food," Esdeath said, breaking the silence. She glanced down at the series of strewn out corpses below them — Danger Beasts slain during their battle the previous afternoon. "Most of the carcasses are already starting to spoil because of the heat."
Emiya followed her gaze. She was right. Danger Beast meat, much like any other animal, would spoil quickly in the open air, and a tropical environment such as this only made the problem worse. Only those from the higher classes with special properties that allowed their flesh to last longer without spoiling would have any chance of still being safe to eat.
"Looks like it," he agreed. "There should be more life on the opposite end of the island, we'll have more luck finding additional food and fresh water there I reckon."
They descended from the pillar of ice, preparing to gather what little they could salvage. Emiya couldn't shake the strange sense of normalcy that had settled between them. It wasn't so long ago that he had seen Esdeath purely as an enemy, someone to be defeated. Yet here they were, working together, stranded on some uninhabited island.
And for the briefest moment, it almost felt… peaceful.
Both made their way past the area of their battle. A significant portion of the sand had even turned red from soaking up the blood while the Danger Beast corpses were already being swarmed by bugs and birds that had come to scavenge them. It took another half hour before they reached an entirely new area untouched by what happened yesterday. "I don't know what to expect from this area's local wildlife, so best be careful to not risk getting bitten by anything venomous."
"I doubt there is anything like that, but look what I've found." Esdeath turned around to show him two giant crabs she caught from… somewhere. One of which was snapping their claws angrily at Esdeath. "Little guy is trying to pinch my face, how cute. The other one is strangely docile—ah!"
Her prior words were immediately proven wrong when the second crustacean followed suit and immediately became aggressive following with a sneak attack with its pincers snapping with lightning speed at the also surprised Esdeath. In an instant, her bikini top was sliced clean off, fluttering to the ground as the crab scuttled away.
Only for it to get immediately impaled by an icicle before it even reached the water.
Esdeath stood there, momentarily stunned, her large pale breasts, peaked with bright pink nipples, were now fully exposed to the tropical morning sun. The soft mounds bounced and swayed at finally being freed from their confines, before settling down. But she made no move to cover herself, instead placing a hand on her hip and smirking at his dumbfounded expression at seeing her exposed.
"Well, well, looks like the little guy was just acting weak and actually managed to lower my guard — I'm impressed," she purred, her voice dripping with amusement, acting more nonchalant than usual. "Guess I underestimated its ferocity."
Emiya just rolled his eyes, grabbing the now dead crab before projecting Esdeath as a replacement for her missing top.
"Nice work. I can get to work building a fire and cook them up right away if you want."
"Hmmm, I don't know. I might keep them as pets. The feisty one reminds me of a younger Emiya~!" she grinned cheekily, enjoying the struggle of the red crab still trying to pinch her.
He looked at the crab with its two elongated eyes with a deadpan expression, "I don't see any resemblance."
"It's also red, just like your hair used to be. Well, bits of it still is at least."
"…Let's just find something else to eat."
From spotting signs of wildlife native to the island, finding trees bearing unknown fruits, and even wild boars who appeared just in time for their hunger to settle in. Emiya didn't even have time to Trace a sword to swiftly kill it before a blue streak of light flew past him and struck the animal squarely in the center of its head.
Upon closer examination, he saw it was an arrow made of ice.
He turned his attention to Esdeath, holding a bow made of ice that eerily resembled his own longbow — down to the handguard and tremendous size. The smile on her face grew when she noticed his reaction, twirling the construct in her hand. "Surprised?"
"You could say that. How can you even create a string that bends from ice?" The more he learned about her powers the less sense it made overall.
"I can make an army of walking soldiers that can fight nimbly out of ice as well as convincing replicas of myself, and you are focusing on a bowstring?"
"…Touché."
She had a point, her powers just didn't make sense if it were purely based around ice after everything she'd shown so far. "You've gotten better."
"I've been practicing, though I'm far from being as proficient with it in battle as you."
Hitting a target dead on at that far as quick as she did already put her leagues above the standard Imperial archer. Not proficient? How ridiculous.
At the end of the day, he couldn't do much about this situation and watched as Esdeath started to expertly skin and gut the boar. Her technique with such things still remained better than anyone, even himself. In a handful of minutes the pelt was already cleanly off without any mistakes. "I'll deal with the rest, you can go and fetch us some water."
"I'll leave it to you then," he trusted her ability and went deeper into the woods, venturing for another few minutes till he found a stream of water. With two gourds he projected, Emiya filled them up and then proceeded to return to where Esdeath was.
"Welcome back~!"
Only to be surprised once more by another one of her actions. That being a small hut of sorts made entirely of ice, with a fireplace off to the side where Esdeath already had the boar slowly rotating over a makeshift spit.
"I was only gone for less than five minutes."
"And that's all the time I needed."
She truly was an unpredictable woman.
If only she was willing to let go of her twisted ideals.
{Break}
(A few hours later)
After Esdeath managed to fasten a new top for herself out of some leaves and the two of them enjoyed a rather filling breakfast, Emiya found himself relaxing on a makeshift hammock he made. He was content with resting his eyes whilst listening to the general next to him hum a song he recognized, until she stopped.
"I must admit, for all his glaring faults and the inconveniences he's caused us both, Syura actually did us a favor. Sending us to a place like this, it's almost like a vacation," Esdeath said.
"Circumstances that brought us here aside, I can't complain about our situation. Though I will say that a small log cabin would have been nice to add to the experience. The ice hut you made is helpful, but I can't say I want to spend the night in it," He noted, thinking that it would be too cold to use as a genuine shelter for the night, and any attempts to warm it up enough would turn it into a safety hazard.
But more importantly, as his gaze drifted once more to his companion, a subject he'd been trying to avoid thinking too much about reared its ugly head, and Emiya found himself forced to address it.
"You're still not going to give up, are you…" he said, looking over at Esdeath.
"Nope," she answered with a smile. "Nice as this is, it's ultimately just a temporary truce between us. After we return to the Capital, I won't be holding back anymore. Even now my skin is itching to challenge you again, and I'm having to keep myself from jumping at you."
"…"
There was still some venom in her voice, safe to say she still held a grudge despite how she behaved.
"I hesitated back then."
He whispered the words, but forced himself to say them. If nothing else, he wanted to clear up at least one thing between them. "Back then, I was worried about Najenda's safety and the others. My goal was to bring them to safety and get away from the Capital because I feared the aftermath of us fighting one another."
"Tch, of course you did." She replied with disgust. "Every single soul seems to be under your protection for some incomprehensible reason. It's always the same with you, alway—"
"—But more than that, I didn't want to kill you." His words cut through hers, silencing her. "Even if I said before that I didn't find any reason to go that far and kill you back then, that wasn't the entire truth. I just… didn't want to do it. I didn't want you to die."
"…"
Hearing her silence, he continued. "Had I solely operated based on pure logic, then ending your life would have been the ideal outcome. Without your presence the Empire would have been severely weakened, the North wouldn't have been subjugated and your army wouldn't have slaughtered so many lives." He didn't feel any sorrow or even regret for his actions. What happened in the past could not be changed and he knew it was best to just live with the outcome.
He was no hero.
"Would you have killed me, had Syura not interrupted us?" Esdeath asked, neither sounding angered or frustrated by his words. Just strangely calm, which didn't sit right with him.
But he chose to answer her regardless.
"With how far you were taking things once more, yes. I fear even if I tried to stop you without taking your life, then the consequences would be much more dire than before, for myself and so many others." He was sure that if Emiya Shirou were here instead of him, that he would try everything, including sacrificing his life, just to try and save Esdeath.
But could he do so as well?
Unlikely.
Maybe.
It could be possible.
But perhaps, she was just too far gone to change anything about her.
"So after we get off this island, I'll continue right where I left off, Esdeath." He said calmly, "I wasn't able to change you before, I don't think I'll be able to do it now even if I wanted to more than anything."
Right as he said that, he felt a pair of hands descend onto his chest and an additional weight settle onto his waist. He opened his eyes to find Esdeath looming over him with a carefully guarded expression, despite them being in such an intimate position.
Despite the real danger that she posed, he didn't panic and just waited to hear whatever she had to say.
Esdeath carefully studied his face, searching intently for something. Then… she smiled.
"I'm disappointed to hear that you won't be joining my side, but at the same time… I'm very happy that you are now willing to come at me with everything you have. Let the Empire become our playground and let's enjoy each other's company one last time."
Her smile was beautiful, genuine, and heartfelt. Even he had to admit, had he been his younger self then this sight would have left him enthralled.
"What you said is the truth. If you don't finish what you started, then I'll keep chasing you forever. Whether it takes years, decades or even an entire century. From one corner of the world to the other, I'll keep tracking you down till the very end. Not even the whole of the Empire or the Revolutionary Army will be able to stop me. So grant me my wish, Emiya. Let's find out once and for all which of us is superior."
"…"
He kept staring back, and so did she. Both sides had their own opinions on the matter, but here and now they came to this one agreement. Esdeath lowered her head, what her action meant he stopped thinking about it.
Her lips pressed softly against his.
For a brief moment, time seemed to come to a halt. The world around them — the ocean breeze, the distant sound of waves washing onto the shore — faded into nothingness. There was only the two of them, locked together in this unexpected moment of intimacy. Esdeath's hands slid further up his chest, her fingers gently curling around the nape of his neck, pulling him closer in an intense display of emotion she rarely allowed herself to feel, much less show.
Emiya didn't move at first, letting her take the lead. He had been prepared for many things — another battle, her usual cold remarks — but this was something he hadn't anticipated. He could feel the warmth of her body against his, the cool touch of her fingertips contrasting with the heat building between them. Despite her usual frosty demeanor, her kiss was passionate, full of fire and intensity, like she was pouring all her emotions into it.
Esdeath's lips parted slightly with a string of saliva connecting them, and he could feel her breath against his skin, heavy and warm.
"I remember you once saying I've not met your criteria for a love interest."
"You've not. That hasn't changed. You're still only three for five." Her usual composure melted away as she deepened the kiss, pressing harder into his, her body shifting closer to his. The weight of her pressed into him, her determination showing itself in every touch, in every movement. It was as if she was trying to claim him, to make him hers in this fleeting moment.
Once more their lips parted, but this time there was more hesitation behind her action as she separated herself from him. "This is just to seal the deal between us. A final goodbye before one of us claims the other's head."
She said that, but her actions were very contradictory. Especially when he felt her hands start to travel down his shoulders, past his waist and to his thighs.
Did she even realize what this meant?
"You are a very confusing person."
"So are you."
"No plans to continue your search for true love in case you come out alive?"
"Maybe one day. For now, reclaiming my place at the top takes priority."
She resumed the kiss, pressing harder against him, and he even felt her tongue trying to explore whatever was in reach.
Against his better judgment, Emiya reciprocated. His hands found their way to her waist, gripping her firmly as he kissed her back. There was a mutual heat between them now, something neither of them could ignore. And for just a moment, he allowed himself to be pulled into it. The rational part of his mind screamed at him to stop, to pull away, but in this moment his heart betrayed him.
"—!"
Instantly, all of the prior sensation vanished and was replaced with high alertness when his eyes saw the sky behind Esdeath.
"Ah!"
Emiya tightened his hold on Esdeath just in time, leaping out of the hammock with her held in his arms a second before a massive boulder crashed down from the sky, obliterating the spot they had just been lying in. He landed several meters away in a small clearing, both of them instinctively looking up. The sky was filled with dozens — no, hundreds — of rotating yin and yang symbols, swirling ominously above them like a storm about to descend.
"So, he finally came," she whispered, still in Emiya's hold, her previous flushed expression completely gone, replaced by a chilling frostiness that made even Emiya pause. This was a different kind of cold — more lethal than what she'd shown even during their battle.
"You sure took your time," she said, her voice laced with scorn as she summoned a rapier of ice into her hand. "Did Honest have to force you to show up?"
He stood beside her, his own weapons ready, though rather than Kanshou and Bakuya, Emiya held his bow and an arrow at the ready. Narrowing his eyes, he focused on the figure above them. Standing atop one of the emblems floating in midair was a young man, his tanned, scarred face twisted into a mask of fury.
"You had… one, job," the man spat, venom dripping from every word. "To kill that fucking bastard behind you, until he's nothing but a corpse riddled with holes. Yet here you are, about to fuck each other!? I should have expected nothing less from a DERANGED WHORE LIKE YOU! Why does my father even keep you around!? You're better off dead than risking a future where you'd turn your back on us!"
Without warning, his body flickered, and in the next instant, he reappeared a few meters behind them, narrowly dodging an arrow that shot past his ear. Emiya's eyes narrowed. He had missed, and that alone told him this fight wouldn't be easy with the man's free usage of Shambhala in such a vast space.
Syura let out a manic laugh, his rage spilling over. "Hahahahaha! You think it'll be easy to kill me? You're a fucking fool! I don't give a damn what my father or Stylish have to say. Both of them can beg me on their knees to bring you back, but that won't change the fact that I'm here to dig your graves!"
With a snap of his fingers, the yin and yang patterns in the sky began glowing, bright white light pouring from them. From the heavens, a fresh horde of Danger Beasts of various sizes and species rained down, like a twisted monster stampede. Their eyes were bloodshot, their snarls filled with bloodlust as they charged en masse toward Emiya and Esdeath.
"You clearly haven't learned your lesson," Esdeath said coldly, her voice cutting through the noise of the monsters like a blade. "I should have carved a few extra scars into the rest of your body, just to make sure the lesson stuck. Maybe tearing out one of your eyes will finally do the trick."
The man trembled for a brief second at the threat, old memories of how this woman had once utterly terrified him resurfaced, but his rage quickly overwhelmed him. "SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" he screamed, his voice cracking as he lost control. Fueled by his fury, the lights created from his Teigu shined ever brighter, and the beasts they brought forth continued to rush toward the two humans on the beach.
Esdeath didn't waste a moment. With a flick of her wrist, a towering iceberg formed out of thin air, freezing dozens of the incoming monsters in an instant before it split apart into fragments which came crashing down and crushed even more beneath its immense weight. Her figure flashed as she dashed forward, cutting through the horde like a specter of death. Her once-pristine hair was soon drenched in blood, her swimsuit and skin stained crimson as she slaughtered beast after beast with cold, efficient precision.
Meanwhile, Emiya took care of the other half. His bow thrummed as he fired a seemingly endless volley of devastatingly powerful arrows, each one striking its mark with deadly accuracy, piercing the skulls of the Danger Beasts with pinpoint precision. Occasionally, he shot an arrow toward the young man responsible for unleashing these creatures, but each time the target would teleport away just in the nick of time, laughing maniacally all the while.
"Hahaha! Keep dancing for me, keep dancing like the animals you are!" Syura taunted from above, his eyes gleaming with madness. "I can do this all day! I've prepared thousands more of these creatures, ready to teleport here at any moment. I've been waiting for years to slit your throats myself, to fuck that icy bitch right in front of your eyes while you were completely helpless, but unfortunately I'll have to settle for this. So DIE!"
Syura was beyond any semblance of reason now, completely consumed by the traumatic shadows of his past and the twisted rage that had taken over. His obsession with proving himself, along with the pressure from Honest and Stylish, had driven him past the brink of madness.
Emiya's concentration wavered for a moment as the man's words shifted to something more sinister. "And when I'm done with you two," the young man sneered, "I'll pay a visit to Night Raid. I'll find that sister of yours, Emiya. I'll break her, piece by piece. She'll be chained up in the dungeons, get her hooked on all kinds of drugs to keep her obedient, and I'll fuck that body of hers in every hole she's over and over until she craves my dick more than life itself. I'll even have fun fucking her on top of your grave just for fun. Then after she's had a few rounds with every soldier in the Empire, I'll hang that bitch up i—"
Zzzzz!
A sudden beam of concentrated energy pierced through his shoulder, cutting off his rant mid-sentence. "What?!"
He spun around, clutching his bleeding arm, only to see a familiar figure descending from one of the diagrams in the sky. A woman with silver hair, her expression one of disgust and rage, holding a familiar Teigu aimed directly at him with smoke coming out of its barrel.
"This is my revenge," she said, her voice trembling with fury, most likely having just heard everything "for trying to rape me all those years ago, you sick bastard."
"Najenda!" Emiya shouted in shock as he saw her fall from the sky, completely surrounded by monsters who turned their attention to her. Without thinking, he sprang into action. Reinforcing his legs to their limits, he propelled himself up and forward, using the bodies of falling Danger Beasts as platforms. Kanshou appeared in his hand as he sliced through a beast's skull, and threw Bakuya forward just in time to save Najenda from being devoured mid-air.
"Go! He won't be distracted for much longer!" Najenda shouted, not willing to let this moment slip past them.
But he didn't stop there. Seizing the opening Najenda had created, Emiya continued his ascent, leaping from beast to beast, killing them as he went while he made his way toward the young man. Fast as he was though, Syura saw him coming and once again teleported out of harm's way. Instantly Emiya turned, searching for his target even as he once again opened the belly of another Danger beast with Kanshou.
Sure enough Syura appeared, sneering at him through his pain. "You dumbass, you actu— AAAAAH!" The scream of agony ripped from the young man's throat as a spinning Bakuya came back and cleaved through his arm, severing it completely.
The arm holding Shambhala.
The connection between him and his weapon was instantly broken, and as the arm fell to the ground, the yin and yang diagrams through which the Danger Beasts were being summoned all disappeared.
The remaining creatures were quickly being taken care of by both Najenda and Esdeath.
…
"It's been a long time, Najenda." Seeing the figure that landed next to her, using Pumpkin's power to soften her fall by shooting the ground with a powerful attack, Esdeath couldn't help but scoff.
"You haven't changed at all." Najenda said, facing the person she once called her friend. Her body was visibly tense and ready to attack at any moment. "While I want to ask why you're wearing a leaf bikini of all things, we have more important matters to deal with."
Said important matter of course being Syura, who unlike Najenda didn't manage to perform a controlled landing. His body struck the ground full force, the sand barely cushioning his fall. Both women approached the mangled man, his remaining limbs all bent in ways they were not meant to. Blood poured from an open gash on his head, yet despite the immense pain he was in he still somehow managed to remain conscious.
Barely able to move, he tried to crawl away.
"Now where do you think you're going~?"
The sound of a sharp object piercing soft flesh reached his ears along with a searing pain from his leg. "Ghhaaaah! AAAAHH!"
Esdeath's thrown rapier pinned Syura in place, and she approached him without paying any attention to his cry while she flipped him onto his back and planted a heel on chest while she leaned forward to make sure she had his attention.
"Tell me, brat, do you remember what I promised you?" And with that, she slowly dug two fingers into his left eye socket.
"AH—AAAAAA!"
Najenda shuddered off to the side as Syura screamed, watching with an uncomfortable expression at Esdeath casually performing such a brutal act. Her fingers, covered with blood and vitreous fluid, scooped out a half deflated bloody eyeball, the red string which was the optic nerve still attached to the end until she clipped it with her nails.
"It hurts, doesn't it? Not many people get to have the privilege of having me be their personal torturer."
Despite her usually partaking in torture as a form of entertainment, there was no smile to be found onEsdeath's face in this moment. She showed Syura his own eye staring back at him before she roughly shoved it inside his mouth. "Now, chew slowly and savor the taste. Grilled fish eyes taste amazing, so the human eye shouldn't be that far off. I want you to tell me all the details."
The man struggled but to no avail, having his jaws forcefully manipulated to chew by an iron grip. "You were just crying right now, so there should be enough salt for seasoning~!"
Syura's face turned from pale to green, and Esdeath ended up letting him go and the boy vomited everything from his stomach onto the ground. His now thoroughly mangled and half-chewed up eye falling near his hand, the remnants of his pupil staring back at him.
"Ah, you threw up. That's not good, that little snack was supposed to be your last meal."
Yet Esdeath refused to let him go and soon he saw her still bloody hands start to approach his right eye. "Well then, how fortunate for you that you still have another one~!"
Her voice was no different from that of a demon, no, worse even. It made him shudder violently, the trauma from that night where she gave him a scar to match the one from Emiya was nothing in comparison.
He was scared.
He was scared!
He was terrified!!
Demon!
Demon!!
Monster!!!
A true devil had him in their grasp!
He gathered what little strength he had and shouted desperately, "M-Mercy! I-I-I'll do what-whatever you want! P-please!"
Finally, she showed a smile and stopped her fingers just shy from touching his right eye.
"Good boy, I was hoping you'd say something like that. If you don't want to live in a dark world for whatever time you have left wherein we feed your own flesh, then teleport us back to the Capital at once. Best you do it quick, otherwise daddy dearest won't be able to do anything to help his only son."
"U-Urgh… Agh!"
He struggled once more, his attempts useless and only served to annoy her even more. Her fingers pressed with a bit more force to his eyeball, "I'm running out of patience."
With the looming threat of experiencing the horrifying trauma from a few seconds ago, he no longer cared if he even injured his own tongue and damaged his throat, Syura managed to let out a few words.
"I… don't… have it…"
"Eh?"
Just as she was about to ask what he meant, the ground beneath her and Najenda's feet lit up with a familiar yin and yang diagram. She nearly crushed Syura's throat out of reflex, but realized it wasn't his doing and her head snapped another direction.
"Emiya…"
Near the water, the former redhead who'd managed to land the critical blow on Syura now stood there with a device in his hand, one emitting a bright blue light with Syura's severed arm floating near his feet.
Shambhala.
A single look at his eyes was all that she needed to realize what he was about to do.
"No…No! NO!" Panic gripped her heart as she shoved Syura aside and grabbed her rapier, sprinting toward him with every ounce of strength she had available. "Don't you dare do this to me again! You promised! You promised me we'd return to the capital together and continue where we left off!"
She watched him show a complicated expression on his face before sighing. The distance between them shortened quickly but he didn't seem to be worried.
No… nonononono!
Not again.
NOT AGAIN!
"Maha—"
"It was fun while it lasted," he said with a smile on his face she'd never seen before. One that carried no trace of his usual frown or sarcastic demeanor. It was… innocent and genuine, with an undertone of sadness mixed in. Enough to make her momentarily halt in place, and her heart did the same upon seeing the look on his face.
Another seal appeared beneath her feet, one that had been placed there from the beginning by Syura, and now activated by Emiya.
"I'm sorry."
Everything turned white, and it was then she returned to her senses.
"—padma!"
But it was already too late.
For the next moment, the world turned into a gray state where time came to a standstill. But it wasn't the sight of a calm ocean that greeted her eyes, but that of a military barracks where she first confronted Emiya. One that now had plenty of military police officers around her frozen in time as they carried an assortment of building materials.
Esdeath's legs felt like jelly, and she collapsed onto her knees.
Blood trickled from her split lips once she unclenched her jaw, staining her chin as her breath came in ragged, furious gasps. Her body trembled, not from pain, but from the all-consuming rage that coursed through her veins like fire. Her hand curled into a tight fist, nails digging into her palm, drawing even more blood.
"RAAAHH!!"
BAM!
With a primal scream, she slammed her fist into the ground, the impact sending cracks spider-webbing through the cobblestone path beneath her. The force was so intense that she felt her bones splinter, but the pain barely registered — swallowed whole by the storm of fury raging inside her.
"EMIYA!!!"
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The next 5 chapters of Snafu, and my other Fate fics (Fate Coiling Sword with 3 chapters, A Fake Familiar Reborn with 3 chapters, Steel Eyed Faker soon to be 3 chapters, Hound having 3 and To love a sword having 4 chapters) are already available on my P@treon. With 4 more Broly chapters at /NimtheWriter. Also, I post commissioned arts on each story, already posted a few on an Archer's Promise, Broly and Snafu.