The Sword Saint (FateRoute!Shirou in Danmachi)

In the depths of the forest, under the waning rays of the sun, a feast was taking place after a hard-won battle. Food was plentiful and invigorating, but there was no celebratory mood.

Because the ones partaking on it were beasts.

There was no remembrance of the many lost in the battle, there was no pride in the deed they had accomplished, there was no worry of a retaliatory strike. There was only hunger for the flesh and blood in front of them.

The Red One, however, looked at its herd consuming the bodies of their latest prey and their fallen brethren, and felt different.

In its simple, animalistic mind, under layers and layers of hatred and hunger, there was a sliver of worry.

Danger was coming, and the herd was weakened.

The Red One was weakened. Hurt.

It had been years since it had been wounded.

The herd had grown to its size after years and years of careful hunting. Limiting the hunt to when it was necessary, and even so, only to acceptable prey. Not them, never them. Losses were inevitable, their weak nature being hard to overcome as it was -especially when they had to face them-, but as long as the Red One lived the herd knew that it would continue to thrive. It would continue to expand and grow.

The brown ones, the ones that had been with the Red One the longest, knew how to fight, how to kill. How to hunt without bringing undue attention. They had learnt about the things the Red One knew by following its lead, and had lived time and time again to grow stronger.

And, wanting that strength for themselves, others began to follow it as well. The Red One had accepted it, of course, it was natural for the weak to flock to the strong.

However, that growth, beneficial to the herd as it was, also brought problems.

The bigger herd meant that they needed to hunt more frequently, and search for bigger prey. The bigger herd meant that there was a bigger chance of attracting their attention. The bigger the herd, the more green goblins joined it, and the greater the chance of something going wrong.

And, finally, when the advent of cold days and the need for new prowling grounds with more prey had them move to somewhere else, something had gone wrong.

Somewhere, somehow, the Red One had made a mistake.

Was it the place it had chosen to migrate its herd? It had realized that a gathering of them lived close, but it hadn't cared. They wouldn't know, after all, it knew how to be careful. Was it the fact that it let the younger -the more reckless- green ones run free in this forest? They had started to bring more food to its clearing than what it was necessary but, again, it hadn't cared to stop them. More food was always welcomed, even if the smell attracted carrion.

But they took its permission to hunt as permission to attack them.

The Red One had seethed when it found the bodies of those that had followed it. Not because of a sense of care for its brethren, but because it knew that now they knew of their existence.

It had pursued those responsible but it was too late, by the time it found them, they had already left its territory. It was too much risk to follow them further.

The Red One hadn't lived for so long for it to ignore that an attack had been on its way after that. And so the herd prepared. And fought.

They had survived, overcame those that came to hunt them, but the victory had been costly. Even with the advantage in numbers, even after taking them by surprise, its once thriving herd had been decimated.

The dead ones would serve as sustenance to the remaining ones, their cores add to the strenght of those that survived, but there was an advantage that numbers brought that had been lost.

A growl resonated from its throat when it remembered the man who did most of the damage, the one who had hurt it.

It had been fortunate that the man had been just as the battle began, otherwise the result would have been different.

It would have died, instead of just getting a cut on its shoulder. Even so, it hurt like nothing had for the last few years.

It raised the blade it had claimed from the strong one, admiring the shiny silver surface. Nothing like the dull gray of the weapon it had used for years.

It was a good weapon, but it wouldn't be enough. More would come, in fear, in revenge, and they wouldn't stop until its herd was destroyed.

That's what they always did.

The growl deepened, making the feasting goblins raise their heads in alarm. The Red One ignored them.

They had to leave.

The Red One looked to the side where the old structure they had found in the forest stood. It's where all the food they had gathered in the last few days was piled up, and where the survivors of those who had attacked them were confined in.

The strong one should be dead already after the wound he got, but the other two were captured relatively unhurt.

They were meant to be their food later when the cold days approached and their prey became scarce, but that wasn't necessary now.

The herd was smaller, and gorged as they were with both the hunters and their fallen, there wasn't a need for more food now.

They would have to die before they left.

The Red One stood, intent on finishing the living enemies, when a green one, one of the remaining lookouts, bursted into their clearing.

There were lights coming from the forest. More enemies were approaching.

The bellow that came out of its mouth sent the feeding goblins into a frenzy.

They grabbed whatever weapon was near them and started to rush out into the forest. The green ones, their numbers not even close to what they were when the herd first came here, went out first.

The brown ones were next. Fewer than the fingers the Red One had in one hand, but better armed with the weapons they had pilfered from their latest prey, they followed.

The Red One left last, gripping its new blade tightly, dismissing the defeated enemies it had intended to cull out of its mind. It would observe the situation first. Depending on the number of enemies, it would fight… or it would run.

That's how it had always survived.

-Line Break-

"It was here…" I muttered, kneeling on the grassy ground of the forest, the glow of my reinforcement illuminating the area around me until I let it fade away.

It hadn't been long after I entered the forest when I found the place the ambush had taken place in. It wasn't exactly easy to miss, after all.

The grass that had been flattened to the ground by countless feet, the broken branches hanging off the nearby trees… the blood that, once again, guided me to the aftermath of a goblin attack with its cloying scent.

But there was no one in sight. Not even bodies.

I was late.

I shook my head, dispelling those thoughts. I hadn't expected to come here and find the fight still going. I knew first hand how quickly a battle can end.

It probably hadn't lasted much after Ashe had left, if there had been enough free goblins to chase after her.

My fists tightened in frustration. In the best case scenario, the guards had managed to get away from the fight and had hid somewhere in the forest, but life probably wasn't that kind. If the goblins were feeling merciful they may have been captured but I had to be prepared for the worst.

Either way, I wouldn't know until I found them.

"An ambush… We found their tracks easily, and killed some goblins in the way… but it was all a trap."

Or maybe…

I considered what I knew of the monsters. Considering the Adventurers and the guards had been ambushed here, I knew their hideout had to be close. That's what we had determined yesterday, it had to be close enough to hear the commotion from Ann being attacked the other day, or to have patrols nearby…

I remembered the image of the hobgoblin glaring at us from the forest entrance.

…Close enough for the whole group to pursue us when we left.

Maybe it would be easier to let them find me first. Turning their ambush around would let me control the battlefield, and avoid being surrounded.

But how could I do that…?

Something flashy enough to catch their attention and bring them to me.

My eyes widened when a memory came to me, and I smiled sharply. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply, focusing the magic energy rushing inside my circuits.

"Trace…On."

It was time to show those monsters how to truly hunt.

-Line Break-

I sighed and removed my right hand from the now glowing t-shirt, the air I exhaled misting in the cold night.

Truly, reinforcement was not subtle at all, especially now that night was falling. The green glow of my magic illuminated the area around me, almost like a beacon lit in the middle of the dark forest.

Just what I wanted.

I'm ready, there's no turning back.

I turned around and rushed to hide at the place I had placed my traced weapons -Sir Kay's longsword, my bow and some arrows- a few minutes before, knowing that it wouldn't take long for them to notice.

My first clue that the beginning of my plan had worked at all was the loud, deep scream coming from deeper into the woods. Then the other shrill yells followed and grew closer and closer, the rushing of bare feet as a background.

It wasn't long until three snarling green goblins came into view, each holding a crude weapon, making a beeline to the glow of my t-shirt.

The t-shirt I was not wearing, of course.

I didn't see the faces the goblins made when they found the white and blue shirt hanging from a tree, like the world's most bizarre Christmas light, as I was too busy lifting my bow from my crouched position in the bushes to the side, an arrow ready to shoot.

The first arrow pierced through the throat of the goblin nearest to my position. It let out a gurgle of pain as it fell to its knees, letting go of its club to cover the damage with its bony hands, still alive but incapacitated.

I nocked another arrow as the other two goblins turned in shock at the sudden attack and, meeting the outraged eyes of the monsters, I let go of my bowstring.

THUMP

The arrow flew true and pierced through the glowing yellow eye of the goblin. Instant death, better than the first one that was still agonizing on the floor.

The last goblin tried to rush me, letting out a shrill warcry, its spear raised threateningly… before my arrow pierced through its open maw and out of the base of its skull, more than likely severing the spinal cord as it fell to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.

I exhaled, not letting the small victory distract me. Three down, who knows how many more to come.

I laid the bow back on the ground and picked up the longsword. Focusing on my magic energy I rushed out of my hiding place, going in the opposite direction the goblins came from.

I would have taken the bow as well, but I had only so many hands and unfortunately my projections didn't come with sheaths or quivers.

I felt much more comfortable fighting with a blade than a bow, and if my suspicions were correct then the others should be…

"The green goblins… they were sent to distract us, while the others…surrounded our group."

Once again I heard them before I saw them, the racket they were making made it easy for me to find where they were coming from, like they were guiding me right to them despite the darkness of the forest.

Careful as I could despite my rush, I had my magic energy flow from my circuits to my body, leaving a burning trail as it coursed through, reinforcing my physical abilities until I broke into the realm of the supernatural.

Just in time too, as just as the spell settled and my whole body was lit in lines of green magical energy, I weaved around a tree and saw them.

Four of them this time, two green and two brown.

They noticed as soon as I did, maybe sooner considering how bright I was shining. They skidded to a halt, their eyes widening in shock as they were more than likely expecting their allies to be distracting me.

The second it took them to realize that their barebones plan had not worked was enough for me to, in a burst of magical enhanced speed, cover the distance between us, Sir Kay's sword ready.

"HAH!" I swung my sword horizontally in a cleaving slash that cut cleanly through one of the goblins, bisecting it with ease. Aided by my reinforced strength, my blade continued unimpeded through the second before the attack was finally stopped by the weapon one of the brown ones held.

My eyes narrowed. It was Rath's warhammer.

I saw movement from the corner of my eye and leaped back, avoiding the sword slash from the other brown goblin.

"GRAAH!" The warhammer goblin followed with a jump of its own, its weapon raised over his head and a ferocious snarl on its face.

I took a step to the side and the goblin, not used to the weight of the weapon, couldn't stop in time to avoid hitting the floor with all its strength.

Sloppy.

I moved even as earth erupted, clouding my vision of the monster for a second. Sir Kay's longsword whistled through the air, parting the dust cloud, and I struck down the goblin with a meaty thump.

I didn't relish on that strike, as the last goblin showed its opportunistic nature by continuing its attack. It let out its best attempt of a warcry and rushed forward, seeking to attack me as I was distracted.

I tried to move, only for my eyes to widen when my blade refused to move from its place. I clicked my tongue as I was forced to leave Sir Kay's longsword behind to evade the goblin's frenzied attack.

Luckily, it was… predictable. There was not truly any technique behind the goblin's slashes, just an animal pretending to be more by wielding a weapon.

Still, animal or not, it was dangerous to face it unarmed.

I weaved through its flurry of slashes while walking backwards, waiting for the moment to strike back. Which came when it began to wind back its arms for a stronger downward blow. I stopped and focused my magic.

Usually it would take me a moment to concentrate on a blueprint in my collection and go through the steps to Trace it, but when the weapon I intended to copy was just in front of me? It was much easier.

Even if I was tracing two of them.

Seven steps done in an instant in two of my circuits, the space in my right and left hands glowed as I settled on a low stance to counter the goblin.

My right hand surged upwards, a short sword appearing in its grasp.

"HAAH!" "GRAAH!"

Clang!

Twin swords met in the middle, and the metal cried as it tried its best to handle the strength of our strikes. The goblin's eyes widened in shock as its sword was repelled by my one-handed slash, the monster having not expected to meet resistance at all.

It was left open.

Time to finish this, then.

My left hand blurred as it moved forward, the silver sheen of the other traced sword reflecting the light from my body's reinforcement as it stabbed deeply into the brown goblin's chest… Thwack-Clink. …and destroyed the magic stone. I let out a breath as the last monster exploded in a burst of black ash.

That's the sixth- No, the seventh down. I looked at the goblin that used Rath's warhammer and confirmed it was dead. It wasn't the beheading strike I had intended, I found out now that the dust had settled. It seemed that aside from having tougher hide, the brown goblin's bones were stronger, as Sir Kay struck the spine but did not manage to cut through entirely.

I approached the almost-decapitated body and let the two shortswords I was holding dissolve back into magic energy before, with a grunt of effort, I dislodged the longsword from the dead monster.

Dual wielding may have worked well just now, but I preferred using only one sword.

It's what I learned from Saber, after all.

Letting the magic energy I was using for Reinforcement fade from my body, I let out a sigh of relief, a cloud of mist forming from my breath.

I was burning.

Magi's body temperature always rises whenever we use our magic circuits, so I was somewhat used to the sensation of heat coursing through my body as I use my magecraft. However, this was the first time I used so many spells one after the other since I came to this world. Even if I was mitigating it a little by using my Od to fuel my reinforcement, the amount of Mana I used for my projections was taking a toll on my body.

My shirt was soaked in sweat and I could see steam wafting off my body as the heat of my skin met the cold night air.

My heart beat like a drum in my chest, trying to keep up with my efforts, and my muscles twitched here and there after being forced to operate far above their limits.

I was going to be sore tomorrow.

I shook my head, there was no time for me to complain. I had to find the hobgoblin. I turned around, intent on going back to the place I had left my t-shirt hanging at, when a thought crossed my mind.

Rath was from Hephaestus' Familia, right? I didn't know the state the dwarf's body would be in, or if I would be able to bring it back to town, but I could give Ashe back something from her companion so she could deliver it to their goddess. Something he crafted himself.

-Line Break-

Jogging back to the place I fought the first goblins, a longsword in one hand and a warhammer in the other, I thought about my next steps.

The goblins that rushed first were the ones that took the most direct path from their hideout to my bait, so if I traced their steps, I would find the others.

Easy.

Of course, the moment I thought that was the moment I was proven wrong.

It was only because it was so silent in the forest that I heard the familiar twang of a bowstring being released.

Instantly I jumped to the side, just in time to hear the arrow cutting through the air and embedding itself in a tree behind where I was standing before I moved.

A familiar arrow, in fact, now that I got to look at it. It was one of mine.

My eyes narrowed.

Either they took it from one of the goblins I killed…

I looked up, a small figure was standing near the place I was heading to, shadowed by the light my reinforced t-shirt gave out, trying to nock an arrow on a bow that looked comically big for the creature holding it.

My bow.

…Or they found the place I hid my bow and leftover arrows after the ambush.

Things like that reminded me that in spite of their humanoid appearance and their basic planning, they were not smart at all.

Really, grabbing equipment an enemy left behind not expecting sabotage?

I waited until the brown goblin was finishing setting its shot and made the bow disappear with a thought. The goblin almost stumbled, the strength it was using to draw the bow suddenly finding no resistance. It looked at its hands with shock and then at me, who was beginning to glow with my reinforcement… and ran away.

My eyes widened. "Like I'd let you get away…!" I grumbled and made to chase it down before Ashe's voice in my memories stopped me.

"...but Rath didn't listen. He rushed ahead on his own. He's dead, I think. The hob got him with its axe."

…Fucking goblins. They really repeat their plans to the letter every time, huh?

Distracting the attackers with the weak ones, then surround them and box them in or lure them to another ambush by running away.

"Not this time." I muttered while hefting the weighty warhammer in my left hand over my shoulder. Letting out a grunt of effort, I threw the weapon with all my enhanced strength.

Rath's warhammer spun a few times in the air before it hit the goblin squarely in its back. Crack! I could swear I could hear its ribs breaking with the impact, mostly overshadowed by the scream of pain it let out.

It was still alive, even as it fell to the ground, unmoving.

Damn resilience these monsters had. I approached with a burst of speed, my blade raised in the air and finished it off.

"Nice hit, Rath," I muttered. I didn't know the dwarf well, and didn't really like him, but I'm sure he would have appreciated me using his hammer to help me kill one of the monsters that killed him.

That much, I could offer in his memory.

Now, to finish this, once and for all. I looked forward into the dark forest, and waited.

If I was right…

I wasn't shocked by the beastly bellow that came from some distance ahead, in the exact same direction the goblin was running towards.

The hob was here.

Standing at almost two meters tall, with broad shoulders, thick arms and strong legs, the red creature seemed to share little other than its name with its weaker counterparts.

Shining yellow eyes glared at me under the black shaggy hair crowning its head.

It hated me, I realized once again, and I wouldn't blame it. In the last two days I killed over ten of its herd, so I'd say I deserve some hatred, but I had the feeling it hated all humans the same.

It just had a reason for hating me.

It was also wounded, to my surprise. A fairly deep cut on its left shoulder, probably made by the blade it held in its right hand. Atticus' greatsword, wielded like it weighed nothing in its grasp.

Adrenaline rushed through me, and I felt my heart rate rise again in preparation for the battle ahead. Only one would leave this forest alive, and I didn't survive the mess that the Holy Grail War had been to die here.

I held Sir Kay's longsword in my two hands and settled into my stance, feeling the memory of Saber's touch guiding my body.

In spite of the fury it emanated from its posture, the red creature walked almost slowly in my direction before stopping. It started to growl, deeper and deeper the more it stood still.

Like it was forcing itself to do it.

I clicked my tongue. Another ambush waiting, probably.

If you won't approach, I'll do it myself, even if it's a trap.

I took a step forward, then another. On the third, I bursted into movement, raising my sword for a downward strike. I moved at a speed that would normally be impossible for a human to achieve from a stopped start, but the hobgoblin reacted just as quickly.

Clang!

The sound of steel meeting steel resonated in the dark forest as our blades met. The hobgoblin snarled, its arms trembling in effort as it tried to match my reinforced strength but my momentum was too much and it was forced to take a step back.

I took a step forward and slashed again. Clang! Again. Clang! And again. Clang!

It was after our blades clashed a couple of times that I realized what was happening. It blocked every one of my attacks not because it was skilled. Not because it knew how to fight with a sword.

If anything, I knew I was better than it.

It was just instincts. Animalistic, basic survival instincts that allowed it to use its supernatural speed and strength to react to my attacks and block them just before they connected.

The very few that managed to get through its guard, slided uselessly against its tough hide, their strength sapped by the block.

Still, I didn't stop pressing the advantage I possessed. I took it by surprise with my speed but it would be a matter of time before it recovered and went on the offensive. I had to end it fast before…

Clang!

It happened just as the blades clashed once again. I don't truly know if either I saw the edge of a shadow moving, or maybe I noticed a look of satisfaction appear on the hobgoblin…

"Kiiha!"

…or maybe it was the shrill scream that a brown goblin gave out as it came out of hiding brandishing a spear, but my own survival instincts surfaced at that moment… and my leg lashed out almost without me thinking.

Crack!

The goblin's chest caved in as my reinforced kick destroyed its ribs, and it could do nothing but tumble to the ground, dying almost instantly. However, I cursed inwardly.

The ambush may have failed but…

"GRAHH!" The hobgoblin bellowed, pure fury etched on its face, and took advantage of my minimal distraction to go on the offensive.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Now it was me who needed to block the slashes of the monster. I gritted my teeth, my arms shuddering with the force of the frenzied strikes.

It took all my strength to block its attacks without my guard breaking. It was wounded but it didn't seem to affect it.

Attack after attack came and I blocked them all, a cacophony of metal hitting metal filled the dark forest. It was almost overwhelming, the ferocity, the anger, the hate I felt in every blow.

Almost.

In the midst of the rain of slashes, I just felt…

Infuriated.

It was… stronger than me. Faster than me. It had probably been fighting for more years than I've been alive.

So why is that the only word that came to me when I saw how it wielded its pilfered blade was, once again…

Sloppy.

I shouldn't have been able to block the attacks, I shouldn't have been able to even react to them. But here I was, still unhurt after so many blows.

Because, again, it was so predictable.

Maybe it was the fact that I've seen some of humanity's greatest warriors fight that now seeing that lack of technique almost offended me?

Even Berserker had wielded his stone sword-axe with more finesse than this.

Or it may be what I could read in the weapon.

It didn't deserve that blade.

The hours of dedication Atticus had put into practicing with that sword, even though his hands were more used to forging than fighting, stood out starkly in my mind.

By the way the hobgoblin was attacking with the greatsword, it may as well be a club in its hands in comparison.

The axe it had on it the first time I saw it would have been a better choice, considering for how many years it had used the weapon.

…But I'm guessing the thought process when choosing the better weapon didn't go beyond 'Shiny!'

Stupid, it might have won against me if not for that, wounded shoulder or not.

Instead, it was only those instincts that let ithe hobgoblin survive this far into the battle, its arms moving before…its mind caught up.

My eyes widened as an idea was born out of that thought.

A really stupid idea.

I waited until the next space of time between slashes -which there were a lot as its attacks didn't flow together at all- to lash out with my sword, none of the style Saber had beaten into me present in the attack, only focusing on speed.

And just like I thought, with its sword arm still recovering from its attack, the hobgoblin jumped back to dodge, not realizing that with its tough hide my sloppy slash wouldn't even nick it. It just reacted to movement.

"Trace On!" Once again my eyes followed the blade my enemy was wielding, reading deeper and deeper as I delved into its history in less than a moment.

A blade forged by hands that had spent a lifetime honing their skill in the craft, yet unused to the strength they now wielded.

Numerous mistakes had been made in its construction as the blacksmith misjudged his own strength, but they were expertly corrected one after the other.

And then those same hands that existed to create learned how to fight. Hour after hour, Atticus honed his skill, a fervent desire to prove himself worthy to her, the deity who saved him, accepted him, being the only thing occupying his mind.

It was devotion.

To the forge.

To his goddess.

And so, Devotion he named his creation.

The spell was finished at the same time the hobgoblin's feet touched the ground after its jump, and, like a mirage, the silver sheen of Atticus' Devotion shone just beside the monster's head.

And the hobgoblin moved.

It jumped to the side, an alarmed expression on its face, and its blade slashed in a blur, hitting its own copy floating uselessly in the air.

It's not like I can shoot them or something. I thought, smiling grimly, as my own burst of speed brought me to my enemy, Sir Kay's sword raised. The hobgoblin's eyes widened and I could see its muscles tensing, intent on dodging, blocking, whatever it could do to survive my incoming attack.

But it was too late.

It was open.

"HAAH!" My sword fell, a streak of silver parting the night air, and struck the hobgoblin on the left shoulder, in the exact same place it was already wounded. It may have an extremely tough hide, but with my enhanced strength my sword cut its way down through the monster's body unimpeded.

Crushing the clavicle and ribs, slicing through organs and muscle, it was finally stopped by the bones of its hip.

But the damage was done. Blood exploded from the hobgoblin as the left side of its body, shoulder to stomach, peeled away from the rest, only connected by a strip of flesh still attached to the waist.

Atticus' blade fell out of its hand, the hobgoblin not having the strength to lift it anymore.

It was my victory.

Covered in its blood, I kicked the swaying monster on the stomach, dislodging my sword from its bones, and it fell backwards to the ground with a loud and wet thud, unmoving.

It was still alive, though.

My chest heaved as I tried to supply my lungs the air they demanded. I felt a little lightheaded, a combination of the temperature I was running after overdoing it with my magic and the lack of oxygen.

My hands, arms and shoulders shook and twitched after taking that onslaught of attacks. I wouldn't be surprised if I ended up spraining something, even if their durability had been enhanced by my magic.

But that would be something for tomorrow's me to complain about, now there was stuff I still needed to do.

I sighed, looking at the monster as it bled out on the floor.

… I had to end it, just in case.

I took a couple of steps forward and brought my blade down once again, stabbing it deeply into the neck. The hobgoblin's eyes snapped open one last time, looking at me with loathing. It gurgled a wet growl and tried to raise its arm to the blade but it fell down uselessly.

Now, it was dead.

"Playing possum? Really?" I muttered, annoyance dripping from my tone. "Ugh, I hope it was the last of them. I'm exhausted."

I let out a deep sigh, letting my reinforcement fade, and continued on my way into the dark forest.

-Line Break-

It wasn't the last of them as I would soon realize.

Two more goblins tried to ambush me when I was following the path the others took to attack me. I didn't know if they were incredibly loyal or incredibly stupid, as my blade was still dripping the blood of their leader when they found me.

Either they were willing to die trying to take revenge for the hobgoblin or they didn't care that I killed the stronger beast in single combat, and just attacked me without thought.

...I was leaning towards the second option.

They were promptly dispatched even without reinforcement, my sword making short work of them, and I continued on my way, following the smell of rotting animals that was getting stronger and stronger the more I walked through the foliage.

I finally found their hideout soon after, a clearing not unlike the one I found Ann a couple of days ago. The only difference being a dilapidated log cabin in the middle of it… and the countless corpses of animals, monsters and… people covering the grass.

My stomach churned in disgust and I had to cover my nose as the sweet sour smell of decay hit me in the face like a sledgehammer.

"How could they live like this?" I muttered as I entered the clearing.

I looked around, trying to see if there was any movement… but nothing. No guards, no Aaron, no Atticus.

Or if they were around, they were not in a state I would recognize them in.

Everything and everyone here was dead, and I could see the remains of armor and weapons strewn around the place.

I grimaced, was I too late?

Should I have accompanied them?

Or would I have suffered the same fate had I faced the numbers the herd had before it was culled by the group that came before? Ashe telling me of the way they fought let me prepare for them beforehand, would I have done as well if not for that?

I'd never know.

But I just… hoped I could find a silver lining in this terrible situation.

The cabin. It was the only place left to check.

Maybe it had once belonged to a hunter or a logger? Whatever the case, it had seen better days.

I approached the lone building, trying to ignore how my shoes squelched when I stepped over the decaying remains of multiple creatures, my sword ready for more ambushes.

The door of the cabin was blocked from the outside, pieces of wooden furniture piled up in front of it, barring it.

Like the goblins wanted to lock something, or someone, inside.

"Aaron! Atticus! Are you inside?!" I asked, hoping beyond hope that a miracle would happen.

And my hopes were answered.

"That voice… brat, Shirou, is that you?!" Aaron's voice called from the inside, and I felt a heavy weight lift from my shoulders.

"Wait, are you serious? There's someone here?!" I heard another man's voice ask, disbelief in his tone.

"Yes, it's me! Are you okay? Wait just a second! I'm going to open the door!"

I started to remove the stuff covering the door as fast as I could. "How many are there aside from you? Are you hurt?" The relief I felt was staggering. I made it. I kept my word to Ann, her brother was alright.

"Ah, just Marco and that adventurer guy. Marco's fine other than his busted leg but the other guy… The adventurer lost a fuckton of blood, we managed to stop the bleeding but he's pale as a ghost."

My pace increased at those words. Atticus was still alive, but in danger. I cursed my rush to get here, I should have asked the healer for a potion or something. "And you? You alright, Aaron?"

"'m fine, just got the shit beaten out of me. Fucking goblins, they were fucking everywhere."

I almost snorted at the levity, he truly was Ann's brother.

"C'mon man, hurry up. Don't know how you got here but you were lucky the hobgoblin wasn't around." Just a little more, the door was almost unblocked… There! "We need to leave before it…comes back." Aaron's voice trailed off when I opened the door and he got a good look at my blood covered appearance. His green eyes widened- or rather his eye, as one of them was so swollen it was almost shut- and he looked at me up and down, his focus ending up in my battered, bloody sword.

"Holy shit," another voice said- Marco, I assumed- and I followed it to find a man in his twenties, brown hair and eyes, pretty unremarkable aside from his guard's armor. He was sitting against a wall, his left left extended, and bruises covered his face. He, too, was looking at me in shock.

Looking back at Aaron, I smiled and tried to reassure him. "Ah, that's fine. I killed the hobgoblin and I think I got most of the other goblins. Although, I wouldn't be surprised if some got away after hiding," I grumbled the last part, while looking Aaron over. Aside from the face he looked healthy enough, though he seemed to be holding his left arm gingerly with his right. A fracture, maybe?

Aaron barked out an hysterical laugh at my words. "You serious, man?" I nodded. "Those… are the best news I've heard today. But, fucking hell, brat. You bathed in its blood or something?"

"Not by choice," I muttered, my nose wrinkling due of the stench coming from the inside of the cabin.

...I guess I know where all those animals I couldn't find the other day went to.

What a waste of life.

I looked around, ignoring the animal carcasses piled up in the otherwise empty room, and finally found Atticus laid on the ground, unconscious.

I already knew about the right arm from Ashe's story, missing from a little above the elbow– luckily, and incredibly, the bleeding had been stopped by a makeshift tourniquet– but adding to that, his face was a mess of blood and bruises, swollen almost beyond recognition. I couldn't really tell if he had any broken bones in his body without a closer look, but the fingers on his left hand were an ugly purple color, mangled and twisted.

He was still breathing shallowly, but I didn't know for much longer. We had to leave now if there was to be any hope of him living.

"Come on, we have to go back to the town. I… left in a rush so I don't know if there is any help coming."

"Wait, wait! Did you just say you killed all the goblins? And the hob?! How?" the other man asked, but I didn't really have time to answer questions. I kneeled in front of Atticus and, with a grunt, lifted the taller man over my shoulders on a fireman's carry. 

I was unsure how safe it would be to carry him like this while wounded, but I trusted the resilience his blessing granted him to see him through. Ashe had survived a crippling blow to the leg, and multiple arrow wounds thanks to it.

"C'mon, man, leave the questions for later. He's the one that saved Annie, I trust his word," Aaron said, approaching his companion.

"Huh, so that's the guy she keeps talking about… I expected him to be taller, the way Little Red described him," Marco muttered.

"Here, grab my shoulde- the other shoulder, you fuck! That arm's broken!"

We hobbled out of the cabin and followed the path back to the entrance of the forest, retracing my steps while trying to keep a fast pace. Or as much as we could, as the weight on my shoulders and the wounds the guards had accrued slowed us considerably.

In the meantime, I tried to ignore the path of literal death I had left in my wake.

I could feel the scrutiny of the other two as we found the dead monsters on our way and the shock when we found the bisected hobgoblin.

"...Marco, remind me of this if the brat ever decides to get together with my Annie. In my anger I'd probably forget and try to scare him off or something and I don't want to fucking die," Aaron muttered, his face pale.

"Ha! Of course that girl would get the hots for a man stronger than you! That's what you get for intimidating all the kids from town."

"Shut it, if they get scared by some threats then they don't deserve her," the overprotective brother replied and I tried to ignore the byplay.

Nothing would happen with Ann, anyway. I would leave this town soon, hopefully with Astraea's blessing on me.

I needed to get stronger. It was only thanks to a series of coincidences that I survived today unscathed. If something like this were to happen again, I would not be able to do anything without assistance.

I needed to go to Orario.

We continued our walk, and I was broken out of my thoughts a few minutes later by the stirring of the man on my shoulders. I looked to the side and met the barely open eyes of Atticus.

"Where…? What's goin' on?" he muttered, his words slurring. Recognition filled his eyes after a second. "You… Shirou?"

"Hey, how are you feeling- Sorry, stupid question. Don't worry, we're on our way back to town. The healer will get you back on your feet," I babbled, not slowing my pace. We were about to reach the forest entrance, then it was just a straight path to town.

He looked around as best as he could, his eyes cloudy with exhaustion. "...Ashe?" he asked.

"She's fine. Managed to get away and reach town for help. She was being treated when I left."

Atticus slumped, relief clear on his body language, before stiffening up in alarm. "The hob… dangerous," He gritted out just as we passed the tree line and stepped into the grassy fields. Finally out of the damn forest.

"I finished it off, the wound you gave it helped a lot." I smiled, before letting a grimace appear on my face. "Sorry, had to leave your weapon behind. Devotion's a nice sword, but it's kind of heavy."

"Heh… that's fine…" he muttered, his eyes closing, a small smile on his face. "So… you've killed it… Ashe was right, should've brought you in the first place…" Atticus said, before his breath deepened and he fell back into unconsciousness.

The first thing on his mind after waking up was the safety of his companion and then a warning for our safety…

I liked this guy.

-Line Break-

"Well, isn't that a nice welcoming party?"

Aaron's words mirrored my thoughts when, upon arriving back to town, we were met by what seemed to be the whole town getting ready for war.

Men and women of all ages wielding axes, pickaxes, hoes and scythes and all sorts of makeshift weapons were standing in front of the gates behind the fully armored guards.

They were either expecting the herd to attack them or they were about to go kill them themselves.

My shoulders slumped a bit, a defeated smile on my face. Had I waited, I would have a lot more assistance in cleaning up the monsters in the forest.

Eh, well, it's not like I regret it. Maybe more would have died if so many people tried to join me.

Better to have wasted their time getting ready for a fight that would never happen.

The group seemed to have noticed at the same time because a cacophony of voices raised up.

"They're back!" "Amazing, they got away!" "Marco, you fuck, you almost died without paying your tab!" Was that the nice innkeeper? "Open up! We need a healer!" "Ann! Hurry up! Your man brought your brother back!" "Shut it, old man, and get out of the way, I wanna see them!" "Oi, fucking open up already! Let them pass!"

With that colorful commentary, the group of people parted like the red seas and some individuals stepped out of the mass of people.

The guard captain walked forward, the serious expression he was wearing could not hide the relief shining from his eyes, followed by the silent healer carrying a satchel, her placid smile not present as she hurried forward, two men with a stretcher with her.

Just after them, her speed nothing to scoff at –even if she was still hobbling with a crutch–, Ann rushed, a bright grin on her face.

But my attention was stuck on the woman walking behind all of them, her immaculate white dress seemingly shining in the moonlight. I met the indigo blue eyes of -hopefully- my goddess and felt warmth fill my chest at the pride in them.

I did it. I saved them, just like I said I would.

I didn't do it just for that, but I hoped I proved myself to her.

My strength. My determination. My justice.

I wanted Astraea to see them.

I lowered myself to my knees and let Atticus down gently to my side so he could be treated by the healer.

The silent woman arrived and started to inspect the unconscious blond man, retrieving stuff from her satchel. The men accompanying her set the stretcher on the ground and faced me. "Anything we should know before we take him? Has he been unconscious the whole time?"

"Ah, he woke up for a bit while we were walking here and he seemed to recognize what was happening. Don't know if that helps any." The man nodded, and I hesitated, trying to think of anything else. "The place he was placed after he was captured was filled with rotten animals. There were a lot of flies flying around."

The three grimaced and finished placing Atticus on the stretcher. "And you? Are you wounded?"

"Ah, no. I wasn't hurt at all… I feel a little tender, but that's on me. Went a little overboard." The silent healer raised her face from her treatment and narrowed her eyes at me. "A-ah. I'll be sure to go by the guard station for a check-up later, just in case." She nodded, satisfied and the three -four if Atticus counted- left just as fast as they came.

I did all that I could, but the rest would be on their hands.

"You're back! I was so worried!" I looked up, happy for Ann's relief at seeing her brother. Aaron smiled brightly letting go of Marco - "Careful, you asshole!"- , leaving him to the care of other guards, and stepped forward, opening his arms widely–even the broken one– to receive his little sister's hug… only for her to pass by his side, ignoring him completely.

And run straight to me.

"Wha..? Whoa, Ann!" I tried to stand up and brace myself, but it seemed like my legs decided it was time for a rest and refused to move. "Oof." Ann… glomped me, for a lack of a better word -and I blame Fuji-nee for having that word in my vocabulary- forcing the air out of my lungs.

"Haha! You're amazing! You saved them, Shirou!" Ann laughed happily, lifting her face from my chest after her attack. "Did you get it? You killed it, right?" she asked, looking up with stars in her eyes.

I looked away, a little flustered at her closeness. We were both on the ground, I was on my butt after being pushed by the redhead who was almost sitting on me, her hands on my shoulders.

"A-ah, the hobgoblin?" I asked, and felt her nod. "Yeah, it was already wounded, so I just finished it off." I scratched my cheek a little, feeling a little awkward about the attention.

"Heh, I knew you would. Really, it's like you came out of a damn story." She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and hugged me tightly, burying her face on the crook on my neck. Once more I felt hot all over and my heart started to beat like crazy.

This time it wasn't because of my magic, though.

"Thank you so, so much. You saved me the other day and then went on and saved my brother… You're really my hero…"

My eyes widened, and a shuddering breath escaped me. My hands were shaking a little as they raised and enveloped the girl hugging the stuffing out of me.

"I told you before, don't mention it." I smiled softly, warmth suffusing my being. "I was just at the right place to do something."

Ann giggled. "Dude, you were here and ran all the way to the forest to save Aaron. Don't try to downplay it. Take the damn praise, hero." She looked up smirking before lowering her voice to a whisper. "Hey, is that idiot still frozen there?".

I looked up and grinned at seeing the still frozen Aaron with his arms opened. "In the exact same position… You're cruel. I'm beginning to feel bad for him, you know."

Ann snorted. "That's what he gets for going off and almost getting killed like an idiot," she grumbled. "And then he got you in danger as well, because you can't seem to fucking help yourself when it comes to saving people."

"Hey, that's a little rude." It was true as well, but I didn't say it. "Besides, it's not like it was his fault, he just was accompanying the adventurers."

"Pft, he volunteered because he was angry that I got hurt. Stuupid."

"Come on, look at him, he looks pitiful. Weren't you the one that was crying because he was in danger?" I grinned when Ann flushed at my words but then she slapped my back a couple times in response. "Ow! Don't do that, I'm tender all over!" The hits were weak, but now that I relaxed I felt like I pulled every muscle in my body.

"Shut it, hero. You better not tell him I cried like a little girl. He would be insufferable." She then sighed. "Ugh, but you're right. I better go with him before he starts to cry himself or something." She unwrapped herself from me and started to stand up, before she seemed to get an idea. Ann grinned and looked at me with a glint in her eye.

Before I could react she quickly kissed me on the cheek, "Mmwah, hehe, yuck. I shouldn't have done that when you were covered in blood." She giggled, a cheeky smile on her flushed face. "See ya later, hero." She quickly stood up and left, leaving me dumbfounded.

I pressed a hand to my cheek, and felt heat rush to my cheeks.

She was just thanking you, Shirou. Don't read too much into it…

I tried to convince myself, but I wasn't so gullible, unfortunately. I then felt a stab of guilt. Did I even tell her I plan to leave? Was I… leading her on?

"Oh my, that's such a complicated expression after receiving a maiden's favor. Are you alright, Shirou?" Astraea said, approaching me with an amused smile.

"Ah, Astraea... You saw that, huh?" I asked, looking up at her figure framed by the moon.

"You could say that. Enjoying your reward from your adventure?" She asked mischievously. "Yet you seem troubled…is she not the kind of girl you like?"

"Please, Astraea, don't tease me." I groaned and the goddess just giggled at my suffering. "It's just that… I don't want to end up hurting her later if she's serious about this. I'm planning to leave, after all."

"Ah, right. Fufu, you're a kind boy, aren't you Shirou? Most would have taken advantage of her feelings," She mused warmly. "But, as interested in it as I am, how about we leave your love life for later? I think there are other things we need to talk about now…Don't you agree, my hero of Justice?"

I felt my cheeks heat up by the way she called me. God, how embarrassing, I just said it in the spur of the moment, I want to be a hero of justice, and did it with a straight face, but now I realize how childish I must have sounded.

But in Astraea's lips the words didn't seem mocking. She said the words warmly, lovingly, and I couldn't say I disliked it.

"...Yeah, I think I do." I agreed after a moment. "Maybe we should go back to the inn? I need a bath and some food before anything else can happen." I smiled tiredly.

Astraea giggled again. "Mm~! Yes, you do. What did that girl say? Yuck?" I groaned again. "Come on, I'll lend you my shoulder. Let's go back."

I stood up with Astraea's help and started my long way back to the inn. Well, it wasn't that long, but my legs started to feel like noodles once I relaxed, so it felt that way.

"Ah." Astraea perked up a moment later and I looked at her curiously. "I forgot to say it…How rude of me." She turned around and placed a hand on my cheek, her blue eyes shining with care. "Welcome back, Shirou. I'm glad you're safe."

My eyes widened, before a soft smile bloomed on my face. "I'm back, Astraea."

-Line Break-

Of course, it wasn't until almost an hour later when we finally managed to reach the inn.

It seemed that all the people gathered were feeling far from offended at having missed the fight. I was showered with praise and kind words, and more slaps on the back than I've received in my whole life before.

I would more than likely have a hand shaped bruise there tomorrow.

And questions, lots and lots of questions. Everyone wanted to know what transpired in the forest, and had to tell the story multiple times until they were satisfied, and then I had to tell it again to the guard captain who wanted to know what to expect when his men went to the forest for cleanup.

I, for my part, asked him if he could bring back the adventurer's weapons I left near the hobgoblin, and he agreed to have some of the men look for them.

Luckily, Astraea didn't seem to mind the wait, as she just stood at my side, lending me her shoulder and observing everything proudly.

But eventually, the group started to disperse and we were allowed to continue our way to the inn.

Of course, many of those that dispersed did so to go get a drink at the inn, so when we arrived we found a party going on.

Declining the few invitations we got to join the merriment, and ignoring the few wolf-whistles when we left together, Astraea and I retired to the second floor for our talk. Well, I first went to my room to get cleaned up and change my clothes.

And so, I found myself standing in front of Astraea's door, freshly traced clothes on me, and my heart hammering in my chest.

I knocked. "Astraea, it's me."

"Ah, it's open, Shirou."

I entered the room and found Astraea sitting at the small table near the window, a cup of steaming tea in her hand. There was a teapot and another cup on the table and a small plate with toasted bread on it.

"The owner's wife was kind enough to procure this for us when I asked for a refreshment." She then giggled. "The innkeeper was too much focused on the bar and I felt that alcohol would not be conducive to our… business, as it were." Astraea waved her hand to the other chair. "Have a seat, and help yourself. It'll warm you up."

I took a seat and filled my cup with the steaming tea. I lifted the cup and inhaled the sweet herbal scent with closed eyes, then I took a sip and let out a groan when the hot liquid traveled down to my stomach, warmth spreading inside my now cold body.

Astraea smiled at me, amused by my over the top reaction. "You like it?" she asked after a second.

"It's good, I'm more partial to green tea, but sometimes it's nice to taste new flavors. It's quite sweet, did you add something to it?"

"Ah, just a dash of honey. I… don't particularly enjoy bitterness," she added, seeming a little embarrassed. "Quite childish for a goddess, don't you think?"

Something to remember for later.

"Not really?" I said, shrugging. "It fits you, I think. Aren't you the goddess of Purity?" I joked, grinning when my words brought a pout to her face.

"You're teasing me."

"Maybe a little."

We enjoyed a little more of our late night tea in comfortable silence, ignoring the elephant in the room for just a little more.

But soon enough, the clink of my teacup being placed on the table brought an end to our distractions.

I took a deep breath and looked at the goddess.

"So…" I began, looking for my words and coming out empty.

"So?" Astraea asked, mischief in her eyes.

She's going to make me say it again. Merciless woman. I grumbled internally. My eyes narrowed, but Astraea smiled innocently, waiting for my words.

And I didn't come this far by being a coward. Time to bite the bullet.

"Goddess Astraea, please grant me your Blessing and make me a member of your Familia," I said –begged– , my eyes not leaving hers.

A second passed, Astraea's smile widened. My hands began to shake a little.

"Okay."

My breath hitched, my eyes widened. "...Okay?" I asked.

"Yes, silly." She giggled. "Okay, I'll give you a Falna. You're going to be one of my children." She tilted her head, amused by my disbelieving expression. "What? You thought I would reject you? After what you've shown me today?"

"Ah, no! I'm just… in disbelief. I hoped, but I wasn't sure you'd agreed after… everything that happened to you." I slumped, relief filling me. She accepted me.

"I admit that it's a little hard to start anew without my girls by my side, but I'm willing to try…with you." she said, before smiling brightly. "And I think it's time I went back to Orario. I want to see Ryuu, and what better reason to have than to do it to introduce you two?" I smiled back and nodded, but Astraea then grew serious. "I might have a few more questions I'd like to ask you, but I think those can wait… so, shall we?"

I took a deep breath and stood up. "No better time than the present." I agreed. "What do I need to do?

"I need access to your back so…take off your shirt and lay face down on the bed. I'll do the rest."

I tried to not feel self-conscious as I removed my shirt and exposed myself to the beautiful goddess in front of me. Which was a little hard as I could feel her blue eyes roam my body with more than a little curiosity.

Might be because she only had girls joining her before. But still, even if she was the Goddess of Purity, it couldn't be the first time she saw a shirtless man, right?

I got goosebumps as my skin was exposed to the cold air, and I shook my head, ridding myself of stupid thoughts.

I turned around and laid on the white covers of her bed, a light floral scent -lavender, or something similar- invading my senses as my face met her pillow.

I almost jumped, the nice smell having relaxed me a little, when I felt a weight settle on the bed on one side of my waist. Then the other one.

She's straddling me…. I realized. Well, not quite, she wasn't sitting on me, just hovering over my waist, while carefully avoiding touching me with her legs.

But she was really close.

I turned my head, just as a warm touch on my lower back sent a shiver down my body. The touch -her hand- slided upwards, following the path of my spine until it stopped in the middle of my shoulder blades, leaving a trail of fire in its wake.

I swallowed, my throat dry. "A-Astraea?" I asked, my face burning.

"Ah, I'm sorry." She apologized but her touch didn't stop. She went one side, caressing my right shoulder, then the other. "Boys really do have wide backs, huh?" she wondered almost innocently, but there was an edge of mischief in her tone. She was enjoying this. "I was just imagining my wings on you."

"Your wings?" It wasn't the first time she had used that phrase, I noticed, but I never asked.

"It's my symbol, you could say. The Falna on your back is a… list of your characteristics. Everything from your basic abilities and your skills is written in there," she explained. "It's dangerous information to leave out in the open so we gods use a symbol to cover it. Mine is a sword with wings growing out of its guard. The Sword and the Wings of Justice, my girls called it."

A Sword of Justice, huh.

Seems fitting.

"Now, I know you are sensitive to this, but it will be just a moment." I was about to ask what she meant, when Astraea let loose the constraints on her Divinity, flooding the room with her essence.

"Shirou Emiya," she intoned, her voice sending not so pleasant shivers down my spine. "It is my wish that the strength given to you by my Blessing helps you achieve your dreams. Accept my ichor and become my child."

I looked back and saw Astraea prick her right index finger with a needle, only, instead of red, the blood coming out of her was a shiny golden color. Ichor she called it, the blood of the gods in Greek mythology.

The drop of divine essence swelled until it dropped by its own weight.

Only one drop.

The moment it touched my back I felt it down to my soul. I was…changed.

It was so subtle I was not sure I would've felt it if not by how thoroughly I knew my body due to my reinforcement.

Small, almost microscopic, changes occurred all over my body. Muscles swelled and then compressed, my bones became slightly denser, my skin became tougher. My eyes, my brain, my organs, my magic circuits.

All of that changed in indescribable ways. Everything was improved.

I was not fully human, not anymore. I became more.

I could feel it, deep in my soul, a drop of divinity.

Her drop, now mine. Ours.

But all of that was overshadowed by what I felt stirring deep in my body, like a dragon awakening from its deep slumber.

Avalon.

I could feel Avalon.

"Fufu, congratulations Shirou." Astraea's voice brought me back to reality. I felt her hands- both of them now- caressing my back. It felt like… she was writing something. "Amazing, you have two skills right from the start."

"Skills? What do you mean?"

"Well, some events in an Adventurer's life are so significant for them that they leave a mark on their soul. The Falna brings that to the surface and it uses them to empower the user. You, my hero, have two of them. I look forward to hearing their story, it seems you've been holding back on me."

I heard the rustling of paper from behind, before Astraea pressed something on my back.

"This is so you can read your status as well," she added, and then lifted herself off my back. "Here, take a look." I took the sheet of paper she offered and sat up, trying to ignore the way Astraea pressed herself against my back to read over my shoulder.

Name: Shirou Emiya.

Level 1

STR: I0

END:I0

DEX:I0

AGI:I0

MAG:I0

Magic:

Skills:

{Ashes of a Beautiful Dream}

Temporary status boost when defending or saving others. Can not be charmed to harm others.

{Pursuit of an Everdistant Utopia}

Can use own magic energy to activate Avalon's healing factor. Can use own magic energy to activate Avalon's Absolute Defense.

…Huh.

"Welcome to my Familia, Shirou," Astraea said, her soft voice a mixture of happiness and sadness. "Once again, I promise that I will do my best to support you so you can reach your dreams. Your Utopia."

I let out a shuddering breath, my mind a jumble of conflicting thoughts. To think that I would be able to use the memento Saber left behind for me. The only thing, besides my swordsmanship and my memories, that I have of Saber in this world.

If only for that, I would be forever indebted to Astraea.

I smiled, meeting the indigo blue eyes of - now, officially- my goddess. "Thank you for having me, Astraea, I'm not going to disappoint you. That, I swear by the Sword and the Wings of Justice."