Chapter 6
Within the reality marble, the Final Villain faced off against the First Hero. A world in a constant blizzard, with embers and smokestacks rising in the distance, there fell Shirou Emiya. Ig-Alima and Sul Sugana were quickly approaching. 'No, I refuse to fall here!'
Reaching deeper into his self, within the knowledge he now stored, he traced them both. Ig-Alima was first, followed by Sul Sugana. The giant swords crashed into each other with great force, exploding and forcing Shirou into a hard landing. The land was consumed with the flames of Sul Sugana, yet, unknown to both, the world accepted them gladly.
Shirou pushed himself up off the ground. "Your very existence is flawed." He heard Angelica speak out. He was starting to get tired of hearing her speak so much. "To the last legend we have written and put into motion for humanity, you may prove to be a hindrance." Shirou groaned as he stood to face her again.
"Your irksome ability, your strange use of magecraft, and your abhorrent self-destructive conviction..." Another of her gates opened, this time, the sword she pulled was far mightier than all others. In fact, it could be said she possessed the mightiest sword in existence.
He couldn't trace it, nor did he even attempt to. Just looking at it gave him a migraine. However, he knew that it wasn't anywhere close to full power. She could mimic Gilgamesh all she wanted, but it was still a borrowed power that was too much for humans, only allowing them to possess a fraction of that power.
Shirou was not bound by that handicap. "They will all be torn to pieces." She hoisted the sword into the air, charging the noble phantasm. "Along with your world!" Shirou let out a sigh, as multiple swords began to stab themselves into the ground near him.
"I admit, there's no sword currently in this world that could stand equal to that sword." He said calmly, before he felt a familiar heat flow through his veins and heart. 'That's right, however, that doesn't mean I'll give up. I'll protect Miyu, even if it costs me my life!'
He held out his hand. He could feel his body beginning to crack under the pressure, but it didn't matter. The ground of Unlimited Blade Works then combusted, with flames rising up enough to catch Angelica off guard in the air, changing the world from a snowy blizzard, into the fiery inferno of a forge.
'This is my trump card. Muramasa's ideal sword that he left for me to create, as only I had the materials. I hope you're watching Muramasa, for I'm going to forge the ultimate katana.' He looked up at Angelica, before continuing. "That's why, I'll just have to use every sword I have stored, to forge one that can!"
"Upon one's arrival are countless tools. Carved over a thousand blades, forming a pile of swords." Angelica's eyes narrowed, before she began to activate her noble phantasm.
"It's time for judgment!" Shirou didn't waver, continuing as the all the blades shattered into snow crystals, before returning to his hands in trails of flames.
"This is the place where all paths cross. This is the place where all desires flow. This is the place where all deaths await. My whole life is within this single swing." The flames then condensed, before transforming into a red hot blade with Shirou's hands.
It was literally a sword pulled from the forge, with the flames still present upon the edge. "Return to the beginning..."
"The heart of the blade is right here!" Angelica then swung her sword forward, pointing the large blast towards Shirou. Shirou then took his sword in both hands, taking a stance. With all the power he had, he yelled out and delivered a powerful swing, as did Angelica, as this was the final attack either would make.
"Take this, my Tsumakari Muramasa!"/"Enuma Elish!" The moment the attack was delivered, Unlimited Blade Works exploded into flames alongside the clear cut made within it. The power of the two noble phantasms destroyed the world entirely, with both landing back within the cavern.
Shirou was laying on the ground in the cavern. He could feel himself dying. Every breathe he took, he could feel his life ebb away. A mere mortal couldn't wield such a blade and come out unscathed. With his final bits of consciousness, he turned to see Angelica, who was likewise laying on the ground, though, she no longer possessed the golden armor.
'I failed to be a hero who could save others.' He thought, his vision becoming darker. 'But, I managed to win and I saved what mattered the most.' He felt a smile appear on his face, before taking one last look at where Miyu was. The ritual had completed and his wish was being granted.
Before he could see it, Shirou closed his eyes and felt his heart stop beating. He had saved that which he loved and now, she would be happy. He was a villain. No one would celebrate his actions. But, he was fine with that. As long as Miyu was able to smile and live a happy life, he would play the villain as many times as needed.
In that darkness, in that place of death. A light pierced through, along with a gentle and kind voice. "Awaken and rise, my Guardian. There is someone waiting for you."
Shirou let out a disappointed sigh. "Haryo Tribe, they're becoming a problem for us. I'll need to let Yao know, so her people can look into it. What's their endgame?" They knew it was suicide to attack him, but Shirou figured they were meant to keep him busy. Thing was, the maids were all incredibly skilled, so he didn't need to worry about them.
'Are they trying to keep the demi-humans and humans from co-existing? No, there's something else. If only I was able to go out on my own, but I can't do that anymore. I'll need to entrust this to Yao and Tyuule's spies and trackers.' He let his swords dissipate, before the the door to the castle appeared.
"Sir Shirou, is everything alright?" Hamilton asked, standing before him with a few other nights and maids. The maids immediately moved to dispose of the bodies, with Shirou simply nodded to her question.
"I handled them, though I'm afraid I couldn't get any useful information from them. How's the Princess and Myui?" He asked, nodding his head at the maids, before walking up to the castle.
"Ah, yes. We successfully fended off and defeated the assassins. Princess Pina and Countess Myui suffered no injuries and are awaiting your arrival in the throne room." She said, straightening as he walked by, causing him to let out a small smile.
"Good, then I'll head there immediately. If you could, would it be possible for you to inform the Queen of the Warrior Bunnies about what had transpired? She'll know what to do once she knows." Hamilton was a bit puzzled, but nodded anyways. "Thanks, I appreciate the assistance, Hamilton." He smiled gently, before continuing inside.
"That concludes our findings in the special region so far." Itami then let out a sigh after giving a rather lengthy and detailed description of everything that they had witnessed since going out for recon. It honestly wasn't all that bad, at least not until it got to the part about Kowan Village.
That was the part that became rather lengthy and somewhat tricky to explain. Of course, this was just the report of the findings. He knew that he'd need to explain the arrival of refugees and the like. It was a huge pain, but thankfully, it was made easier because of the little witch, Lelei.
Itami hadn't thought much of taking in refugees at first, that was until he learned that Shirou and Miyu had actually been doing a lot of work in offering sanctuary to people whose homes and villages were destroyed by the Empire in their retreat. While the two did good work, it was still a lot of people.
Thankfully, Lelei, the wizard Kato, and a few of the people from Shirou's Village helped with translating for them. They were mainly hunters and trackers, but they were trusted everywhere they went for their association with Kowan. It was insane really, though it provided them with a bit more information.
"You're telling me that there is a group out there led by two people from Japan? Yet, they've been here far longer than the Gate has actually appeared?" He was asked, though he knew he didn't need to answer, as it was rhetorical. "Are they friendlies?"
"From what we learned, they act as more of police and relief force, particularly for the demi-human race. They represent one of the major powers, with warriors that are physically superior to us. While they may wield the usual weapons of the world, they give off a strange feeling that makes me think there is more to them."
"As for if they are friendly, I would say so. From what we have gathered, the main leader is referred to as Muramasa, though the man himself is named Shirou Emiya. He said it was more of a title, though he did say he was a descendant of Muramasa. He is revered as a king, chief, guardian, apostle, and hero." Itami revealed, waiting to reveal the other things they learned of him.
"Then there is the second one, a young girl about the age of thirteen, Miyu Emiya. She has a few titles, Fairy Princess being the common one. Healer, genius, miracle child, other things like that. Honestly, the two have many titles from the many tribes of demi-humans, some of which are unbelievable." General Hazara sighed in response.
"So, as long as the Demi-human races are treated fairly and we do nothing to harm them, they'll be friendly?" Of course, Itami could only nod to his words. "What is your personal opinion about the two of them?" Itami's eyes widened, but he understood.
"I believe that they could be great allies, but I also believe that they would be dangerous enemies." He thought about his own knowledge of the situation, as well as what he learned through manga and games. Everything Shirou and Miyu were doing, while it may seem disorganized, all had a purpose for the future.
"So far, rather than unite the demi-humans under one banner, they have allowed the tribes to remain separate, despite being able to. They have the respect of those around here, far from the Empire's capital. Shirou is renowned as a skilled blacksmith and creator, but also as a mighty warrior and mage."
"Miyu is smart, kind, and compassionate, giving the people a saint they can rely on from the goddess Viviane, which gives them a religious base which improves morale with the kinder and more gentle demi-humans. They have both fronts covered. Miyu seems to be the brains, but Shirou has plenty of knowledge as a ruler."
"Honestly, the two are a bit frightening for their young age. They have plenty of knowledge of the lands, which tells me they have a way to communicate quickly over long distances. I'd expect a big maneuver in the future, but I don't think it will be hostile." He then let out a sigh. 'Long winded speeches aren't my thing.'
"Would it be in our best interest to pursue an alliance with these two? Would they even be willing to ally with us? This is much more complicated than I thought it would be." Hazama sighed while massaging his forehead.
"Actually, Sir, I believe that we could set something up. Taking in the refugees, as well as the demi-humans, I'm sure that will show our goodwill towards them. The two, despite everything, seem to strive for peace and happiness. Perhaps, it would be best to meet them personally, as well as his generals. They will surely answer." Itami replied, as Miyu did seem to be interested.
As they were talking, a knock on the door interrupted them. After getting the okay to enter, one of the beautiful elf hunters from Shirou's village entered. She bowed to Itami, then towards General Hazama. 'So, they were also taught Japanese customs as well?'
"Um..." The girl paused, before taking a deep breath. Itami remembered that her name was Yuno. Miyu said that she basically worshipped Shirou after he saved her from a dragon attack. She was a captain of an archery unit, but Miyu put her in charge of the hunters that accompanied them around the territory.
She seemed to psyche herself up, putting on a determined face. "I-I...have a m-message from Lord Shirou and Princess Miyu." She said, before looking a bit depressed that she stuttered. Itami had to hold himself back from laughing, but managed to hold it in. The General also let out a small smile at her words.
Yuno pulled out a scroll, before holding out towards the general while bowing. "Ah, yes, thank you miss. I'll read the contents immediately." Yuno then stood up, before quickly making her way out of the room. Itami was amused, though he wondered what the letter said, as they usually wouldn't allow anyone that wasn't military to enter without it being important.
Itami turned towards the general, seeing the man smirk at its contents. "It seems these two are beginning their big move soon, Lieutenant Itami." He said, holding out the letter to him. Itami raised a brow, before taking and reading the letter, written in Japanese.
"To the commanding officer of Alnus Hill, I have sent this letter with much urgency to cordially invite Lieutenant Itami, and any subordinates he wishes to bring, to the grand congratulatory banquet being held in honor of Lord Shirou Emiya and Princess Pina Co Lada's engagement being held in the city of Italica." 'No way, seriously?'
"This celebration will be held in three days after you receive this letter. There will many in attendance who you may be interested in speaking with, including my brother and the Princess. We would be honored if you were to attend, though, we also know how busy the JSDF must be, so we understand completely."
"Should you wish to speak at a later date, you may find us at Italica for some time. Yours truly, Miyu Emiya. P.S please ask your soldiers to stop using our messenger birds as target practice. They're getting tired of dodging bullets." Itami could only let out a nervous laugh, as he realized what the General meant.
"Well Lieutenant Itami, it seems that you and your men will be attending a celebration in a few days. We will see what we can do to accommodate the refugees, though this will be overseen by you, that can wait until after celebration. More instructions will be given when you leave." The General said with an amused expression.
'Normally, I'd be bummed about getting more work, but if this is what I think it is, then I'll get to see many more demi-human races.' He thought, a bit excited. 'Not to mention, there will likely be great food and drinks like at his village.'
Princess Pina Co Lada let out another moan that filled the room. If not for the bounded field that Shirou said he placed beforehand, she was sure that her moans would be heard throughout the castle, if not outside it.
"You must have been really stressed if I'm having this big of an effect on you." Shirou said to her, before he moved his hands again, causing her to let out another moan. "I think I'll get Hamilton to draw you a hot bath after this, it should help relax you. There's only so much a massage can do." He said with a small chuckle.
She let out a small groan. "You can rely on me you know. While it may be hypocritical of me to say this, you need to take a break. Overworking yourself like this isn't good for you. Besides, your knights should be arriving soon. I'm sure they wouldn't want to see you exhausted like this."
"Just leave managing the rest of the city to Myui and me." He said, causing Pina to look up at him. He looked down at her, before offering a small smile. She really wanted to just say yes, but she wasn't sure yet. Despite the current circumstances between her and Shirou, she couldn't just give up control of the city to him.
Then again, because of the current circumstances, it should be fine for her to trust Shirou with the city. The nobles in the capital may try to kick up a fuss, but what they think doesn't really matter. There was nothing they could do about it. Plus, Shirou did say that they arrived to assist Italica as allies of the Formal Clan.
Unlike the men in green, Shirou and his Demi-human forces were neutral for the most part. They could be allies, which is what Pina wanted from the start. It was the whole reason she began to exchange letters with Shirou in the first place. She was encouraged to do so, but she was going to do it anyways.
Unlike everyone else, Shirou seemed to believe in her and never belittled her efforts. She could also see how powerful Shirou's forces were, even before seeing them in person. He was able to repel the Empire's armies with Elves and warrior bunnies, and that was before his forces grew to what they were now.
If the men in green were really a big threat like she believed they were, then it would be in everyone's best interest to trust Shirou and his forces. She couldn't change her current status, so she would simply use it to her benefit as best she could.
"Alright, I'll take you up on that offer. I'll let Hamilton know to inform my knights upon their arrival." She answered, with Shirou nodding, before he continued again, causing her to let out more noises. After a few moments, she remembered something important.
"I forgot to thank you." She said, causing Shirou to pause for a moment. She noticed that he seemed slightly puzzled. "If it wasn't for you and your troops, I'm afraid that we might not have been able to survive long enough for my knights to arrive."
"I would normally say that thanking me isn't necessary, but I understand that the city was in a bad spot. I'm just glad that I was able to make it in time to save the city. Though, I regret not getting here sooner." Pina could hear the sadness in his voice, as well as anger.
She could hear pain in his voice. She had always imagined Shirou as a strong and encouraging figure, someone who always knew how to make her feel better. Yet, she was realizing that even someone as powerful as him was still human, if only a bit. She was technically betrothed to him, so she figured she'd try and cheer him up. "Shirou, I..."
Before she could finish, there was a knock on the door, causing her to flinch from the suddenness of it. Shirou also seemed to be caught a bit off guard, though he recovered quickly. "You may enter." He said with a sigh. Hamilton then opened the door with a nervous expression on her face.
"Um, I apologize for interrupting, but the rest of the Rose Order has arrived, milady." Pina's eyes widened, as she wasn't expecting them to arrive for another day. 'That's good, we'll have more people to assist the city in case something else happens, though Hamilton didn't seem finished.
"What else is there? You seem a bit worried." She asked, with Shirou raising a brow. However, the moment Hamilton looked at him, he seemed to understand.
"Sir Shirou's sister, Princess Miyu, has arrived with the rest of Sir Shirou's forces as well." That was a surprise to her. She knew about the banquet, as Shirou had informed her of it. However, she didn't expect for his sister to arrive so soon.
"They aren't fighting each other are they?" Shirou asked, catching Pina's attention. "Some of my people can get a bit...rowdy." Hamilton shook her head, causing him to let out a sigh of relief. He looked at Pina with a lazy smile. "I should probably take care of them before anything bad happens. I'll leave the Rose Order to you, milady." He said with a playful smile.
As he was walking out he stopped by Hamilton. "Oh, I almost forgot. Could you get the maids to draw the princess a hot bath and make sure that she gets some proper rest after seeing to her subordinates?" Because of the close proximity, Pina noticed Hamilton's face slightly redden, before she nodded. "Thanks, I appreciate it." He then gave her gentle smile, before walking out.
Shirou let out a small sigh. He was looking forward to getting to talk to the princess a little bit more. After talking to her and Myui about the current state of affairs, he was only able to get Pina to talk to him through getting her to take a break. 'It's almost like my luck's just getting in the way.'
He rubbed the back of his head, before finally walking all the way to the middle of city square. The moment he laid eyes on it, he knew that he'd be dealing with a few headaches.
In the city square, where there was once a large fountain, was now a large crater filled with water. In the middle of said crater, was a small island where a tree was placed. It wasn't large, but he knew that it took a decent sized cart to transport. that wasn't really that big of a deal, it was the tree that was a big deal.
'She brought a small fairy tree and planted it here?' He thought to himself, bringing his hands to his temples. 'How did she even accomplish this?' He saw her standing in front of the tree with her eyes closed. "Miyu, what is going on?"
Miyu's eyes opened. She turned towards Shirou with a happy smile on her face. "Shirou, look, we were able to plant a fairy tree here. It took a fair bit of magic, but we were able to successfully plant it without any trouble." She replied, obviously happy with what she did.
Shirou couldn't help but pat his sister on the head. "I can see that. I was just wondering why?" He asked, with Tuka appearing from the crowd that had gathered. The carriages and demi-humans had formed a perimeter, preventing anyone from getting closer, but it made getting through the crowd a chore.
Tuka quickly walked up with a sweet smile on her face, carrying Viviane's white and red katana in her arms. Shirou took it when she held it out, knowing that Viviane likely had something to do with it. "Goddess Viviane told us to bring one of her sacred trees from her grove. She told Miyu that she wished to offer her blessings to Italica."
"Viviane knows that you were hesitating and overthinking everything, so she decided to use this method to help you make up your mind." Miyu said to him, before concentrating on the tree again. "She also wants you to hurry up and complete the ritual." She finished, before looking at him.
He let out a sigh, before taking his place in front of the tree. He supposed that they would put up the barriers and bridge later, but this would be fine for now. He took the shroud Viviane gave him and placed it around his neck while handing his cloak to Tuka.
He noticed that Tyuule, Yao, and Rory had showed up with the rest of the troops that came with him. 'It seems Tuka sent a messenger to gather everyone.' He walked up to the pond and took one of the white blossoms that had fallen into the water.
He placed it on the ground in front of him, before unsheathing the sword Viviane had bestowed upon him. With practiced movements, he placed the sheathe to the side and placed a small cut upon his palm. He then placed the sword down in front of himself. He then took the white blossom into his hands, where the flower soaked up the blood and turned crimson.
"Goddess Viviane, may my blood flow so that thy roots grow strong. Bestow upon this land thy blessing, so that this land may be reunited with nature. May this red blooming symbolize the fate of those who harm thy domain, but also, symbolize those that have sacrificed in order to protect it. May it symbolize how your blood gave life to nature, as the earth mother."
"In life, we live through thy blessings, in death, we return thy blessings. From nature we were made whole, in death, to nature we shall return." He then placed the red blossom into the water. As it floated across the water, the blossoms on the tree began to turn crimson, before falling into the water with white flowers mixed in.
As the blossoms fell, Shirou could feel that Viviane was pleased. He then heard Miyu, the fairies, and the elves begin to sing the song that accompanied the ritual. Shirou then grabbed the sword and sheathed it, remaining in his seated position until the end of the song.
The crowds were silent, as such a ritual, no matter which god it was, was to be respected. Only some noticed, but the flowers, and even the crops outside the city, began to brighten and bloom. Pina, Myui, and the knights all looked down and observed said ceremony, each noticing the flowers blooming brightly.
Only the goddess herself, who was smiling down upon them from her tree, knew that this would be the turning point. 'Shirou and Miyu, you two will lead this world into a new age. Unite the people and face off against the coming calamities. Only then, will true happiness be bestowed upon us. You two are our only hope.'
And done, finished. Yeah, sorry for taking so long. Family things, by that, I mean I had to watch relatives play sports. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this, I finally showed the rest of Shirou's fight, I hope you enjoyed that. I'll show more of Shirou and Miyu's beginning journey next chapter. The rest of the demihuman tribes will be showing up and the JSDF will be making an appearance, obviously. In case you can't tell, I'm trying some new things with this story. Sword and Vanadis will be slightly similar, as it will focus more on everything else going on, rather than just Shirou and Miyu fighting people. The two are effectively rulers who are trying to get the best ending for their people. I can't wait until they return to Japan, since I have some things planned for that. Also, I think the General is a higher rank, but I forgot what it was. If anyone remembers it, let me know. I can't think of anything else I want to mention, so I guess that's all. I hope you all enjoyed, thanks for reading. Feel free to ask me questions, I usually answer them. I appreciate the support and, as always, until next time.
Next Chapter: Sword and Vanadis or The Zero and Her Forge (Haven't decided yet.)
After those two: Sword Amongst the Roses