Fate: Bonds Beyond Humanity

Shirou stops out of nowhere making the devil also pause. "What is wrong?" Rias asked, turning towards him and seeing him place a hand on his nose.

"This smell… it is awful."

"Smell?" Rias wasn't smelling anything.

"It is how I detect mana." Shirou started to make a face of disgust. "And the air here… I never smelled something that bad in my life."

"How does that work?" Rias would admit that she was curious if asked.

"Everyone has their own way of using mana, their own smell. But the deeper we go to the cave…" He didn't need to finish.

"Out of curiosity, how do I smell?" That distracted Shirou who suddenly looked nervous.

"I don't know how you smell… I know how your power smells."

"Huh, nice dodge." Then Rias started to exude her energy, enough so that Shirou relaxed. "I think that my power 'smells' better right?" Even if Shirou couldn't see properly he knew she was smiling cheekily.

Two started walking again and in a few minutes Rias started to detect the energy that Shirou was talking about. It was from a devil she was sure but it was also corrupted, truly from a stray.

Looking at Shirou, Rias can tell he was having no troubles with her energy… was the corruption the source of the 'bad smell'? That was interesting. "We are getting closer to the stray, last chance to back out."

"Are you calling reinforcements?" His concern was cute at that point.

"In my peerage I am the strongest by far. About the other Kings in this town…" She could think of one that would for sure help but that would hurt her pride and give her friend bragging rights.

"Then I am not leaving. I may be a magus but I promise that I can take care of myself."

"If anything I can't call you a coward, Emiya-kun."

It didn't take long for them to find what they were looking for, its form was huge, the size of a house and it was sitting on the center of the cave. Looking around it was possible to see multiple paths, paths that could take a person to other entrances or even a labyrinth that this stray used to hunt.

That would explain why nothing happened in the area, this was not a hunting ground, it was a hideout and the owner was home.

It noticed them and opened its mouth showing its sharp teeth. "A devil and a human? How did you find my abode?" The voice was of a man and he turned to them, it was obvious that this stray had seen better days.

The uncontrolled devil magic of his piece had mutated him, the power that would replenish his youth keeping him young and strong had instead turned him into a huge and fat monstrosity with small hands and long arms.

"May I know who I am speaking to? And why do you decide to live beneath a school?" Rias didn't recognize this one, he was not one of the most dangerous strays wanted.

"No you may not." The stray tried to get up but found himself unable. "Tsk, ate too much." He glares at Rias. "You… you are a Gremory aren't you? I recognize the hair."

"My name is Rias Gremory and you are invading my territory." With this declaration Rias got ready to kill the stray only for him to laugh.

"HAHAHAHA! Your territory! HAHAHA!" Once he controlled his laugh the devil said. "Girl, you have no idea what is down here and you think you own this place?"

"What is down here?" It was Shirou who asked the question.

"And why would I tell that to you, human? You are the second one that dares to enter my home and this time there will be no escape!" A dark gray energy started to leave the stray.

"Second?" Rias wondered if it was the other magus.

"Doesn't matter! You both will be food for me and my FRIENDS!" The energy spread and much of it entered the tunnels.

"RIAS! THE SMELL IS STRONGER NOW!" Looking behind her the devil could see a barrier forming on their back.

"THERE IS NO ESCAPING NOW!" The power of the stray was rising but Rias was not concerned.

"Emiya-kun! Stay back!" Rias energy matched to answer, whatever the stray intended Rias planned to not give the giant a chance. Focusing her power she unleashed a blast of dark and red energy at the giant.

The two powers collide but Rias was obviously the superior one breaking through easily and disintegrating the head of the stray.

"That was easy." Rias said she felt like being smug at the moment but that only lasted when she noticed something.

"The barrier is not going down." Shirou commented.

"But that means-"

"IIIARRHG!" The body of the stray shakes while his head regenerates. It was slow and disgusting for the spectators, flesh moved up and transformed into bone to replace what had become dust."Ah! That was unpleasant! The Power of Destruction wasn't it?" He glares at Rias. "You may look like a Gremory but you have the ability of a Bael!"

"That is impossible." Shirou says. "Nothing should regenerate once the brain goes out."

"You really don't know much about us devils… but even I agree that was unusual." Rias got more energy ready to repeat the attack. "It doesn't matter, his regeneration has to have a limit. All I have to do is force him to that limit."

"Hehehe!" The monster-like stray started to gather his energy again. "Sorry but I have no intention of having my head blow up again!" The power rises but so does Rias'.

"YOU DON'T HAVE A CHOICE!" Once again she launches blasts of destruction and once again there is a contest but this time the result is different. There is another barrier in front of the stray with the same kind of energy. "WHAT?"

Rias was confused, nothing should be able to withstand the Power of Destruction but for some reason this time the barrier was holding. "You purebloods are always thinking themselves invencible! The power of the 'great' 72 pillars won't break my barrier!"

Soon the attack stops, Rias seeing no point in continuing that exercise. "This… how? I broke the other barrier easily up there."

"Yes you did!" The stray said with a laugh. "And by doing it YOU told ME who was coming!"

"Did he… adapt the barrier?" Shirou asked.

"Even then the Power of Destruction is not that easily countered." Rias commented. "This… he is not a common stray."

"THANK YOU FOR NOTICING!" There was no joy there, only contempt. "I AM MORE THAN JUST A STRAY AND I AM MORE THAN A DEVIL NOW! I AM THE KING OF THIS CAVE AND YOU TWO MY DINNER!" He licks his lips. "IT HAS BEEN LONG SINCE I HAD MEEEEEEEAT!" And he unleashes his power once again, but not at the invaders but the tunnels.

"Are you hearing this?" Shirou asks, getting closer to the devil.