flightworks | [Fate/ninth heaven] Forgotten Wings; mirror image

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mirror image

—This is a story.
This is an old story from days when the world was much younger than it is now.

He was born, and he was chosen.
He became a Grim Angel, the being that is closest to a Heroic Spirit during its natural lifetime, and he fought countless battles, only ever awakening into hell.

…And then, at last.
That day arrived.

It was during a war, of course.
It was during another war the likes of which Asgard had not seen since the true Ragnarok, and the heavens trembled.
Before they knew it, the armies of demons were waiting right at the gates of heaven itself.
There were whispers that someone must have betrayed them.
That only a traitor could have led the demons this far and avoided detection.

The knight cared nothing for traitors or rumors.
He was a weapon, one that had been aimed.
There were very few of his kind awakened for that battle, and they were set to hold the pass.
The world was barren, and filled with only sky and rock.
The only colors were the pale blue, the bright gold, and the deep red of spilled blood.
One by one, the other angels all died, and the scarlet knight was the only one left.
Still, he did not falter; he had known that this day would come for a long time.

He did not fear, or feel relief, or simply lie down and accept his death. Nor did he struggle against dying.
He was a weapon that had been told to fight, and so he fought.
Wedged into the pass, he was able to reach many enemies at once, even as few of his enemies could reach him.
And so he was able to stand there for a long time, fighting with everything he had.
He was wounded many times.
Slowly, the pain became so intense that his body became numb.
Still, his gaze never faltered, the agony did not show on his face, and his arms continued to swing his lance, even when they became slippery with his own blood, even when his eyes could no longer see.
…His form could no longer be called beautiful or magnificent.
He was drenched in blood, ragged, and haggard after fighting nonstop for what could have been days with no rest.
Even so.
There was no such thing as a boundary that he could not overcome.
When pushed down into the mud, he would simply stand up again.
…It wasn’t that his determination would send him striving towards his goal even if he suffered, or even if he cried.
There just was no longer enough of his heart left that was the scholar Ledah Rozwelli for him to do something so fragile and mortal.
Ledah the Grim Angel was a heartless machine.
But even machines are able to grant miracles.

…In the end, when his body could no longer work, when his arms could no longer swing his lance, and the enemy was about to surge past him and trample him…
The horn calls of his own army sounded in the distance.
The reinforcements were coming.
Even if he fell, he had held the pass for long enough, and the enemy would not reach the heavens even if he died.
His task was fulfilled.

…And so, he closed his eyes and died.
He was just another dead soldier, just another broken sword.
It wasn’t until the war ended that he became recognized, that his name truly worked its way into legends.
His life ended as emptily as he had lived…

…I wake up.
I wake up with an aching body and a clear head.

…I feel sluggish, and I get the feeling that I probably overslept.
I hastily wash my face and change my clothes, then head downstairs.

Rose, Vienya, and Saber are in the living room in front of the television.
Lancer is sitting at the table in his usual spot.
…Oh.
He turns and nods to greet me.
“Good morning, Ein.”
Calm words and the sound of my name.
After having such a dream, seeing the scarlet knight sitting in this tranquil scenery…
…makes me want to cry really badly.

“…Master?”
Lancer stands up and walks over to me, and my heart jumps painfully.
“You are making a strange expression. Do you feel unwell?”
I shake my head.
I shake my head and answer Lancer’s concerned face with a smile.
“No. Good morning, Lancer.
“Are you sure you’re feeling all right? Maybe you should spend a little longer in spirit form.”

Lancer touches his chest.
“No, I am quite all right as you can see. Having spent the entirety of the night in spirit form along with yesterday means that I have healed completely.”
Using part of his magical reserves and staying incorporeal really does seem to have repaired the injury that Avenger gave him in battle yesterday.

“—Rose, how about you? Are you okay?”
Rose looks over her shoulder at me.
“Huh?
“Oh, yeah, I’m fine. Roswell finished patching me up after you crashed. I don’t even have a scratch on me anymore.”

Apparently, Roswell is good at healing magic.
After we got back, he treated all the wounds that we had received from shrapnel and such.
I went to sleep soon after to conserve my magical energy for Lancer’s sake, but…

“You should eat.”
I turn towards the kitchen to see Roswell standing there.
…Now that I think about it, someone had to have made breakfast, as I appear to have missed it entirely.
“We just finished with lunch. You’ll be tired out completely if you don’t have something already, you know?”
With a slightly teasing smile, he comes over and places a plate in front of me.

“And hey, we should probably talk about what we’re doing now. We’re already on the second week, and only three Servants have been taken down.”

I continue to eat as everyone explains.
Lancer and Saber are obviously on our side, so that leaves four enemies left.
The two Riders,
Berserker,
and Caster, who still has not appeared.
“We still don’t really know where Berserker and Nessiah are hiding, but we think we’ve located the Riders.”
Rose says so casually as she comes to sit at the table.
By comparing notes and sending Vienya’s bird out to check, it appears that the two girls Primea and Nana, along with their Servants, are living in a ruin in the middle of the forest.
“—That’s the old Einzbern castle. It was supposed to have been half-destroyed in the last Grail War, but I guess it’s still big enough that they can live in it.
“We should deal with them as fast as we can.”
I think for a moment.
Lancer has recovered, and it looks like magical energy isn’t a problem for Saber, who has Roswell as her Master after all.
“…Will we be able to find them and fight them equally?”
“Probably, although you know we can’t say anything for certain. If nothing else, we know that Lancer and Saber can work together now, and with two powerful Servants, we should be a match for them.
“As for finding them, we know where they are, but getting there is definitely going to take several hours. Still, it’s doable.”

I hesitate.
“…Ein.”
Roswell’s cheer has disappeared, and he folds his arms with a grave expression.
“There was a report on television this morning that a woman’s body was discovered in the park in Miyama late last night.
“We can’t confirm anything, but the description they gave out sounds like Yellma.”
Meaning that one of the other Masters or Servants found her and finished her.
“They were describing it as a gruesome murder.
“I can’t say it’s any great loss, but all the same, someone out there is more than happy to target a defenseless Master.”
And even though the victim herself was a terrible person, this isn’t something we should overlook, is what Roswell is saying.

“—Anyway, we’re working together, so that’s an advantage over all the remaining Masters.
“Even if it’s just nullifying the enemy’s advantage in the Riders’ case.
“With that said, we have even more reason to attack than before. The Riders will be the most evenly matched battle, so we should do it right away before they have a chance to gather any more strength.”
Rose nods.

“How about you guys? Are you ready to take the fight to them?”

Saber smiles and looks to Roswell.
The proud magus nods his head.
The two of them look as suited to each other as always.
—I wonder.
Do Lancer and I look out of place when we stand next to each other, or do we look like a team the way that they do?

“—Lancer.
“You just got hurt, so I can understand if you don’t want to be forced into battle again. Still, this is the strategically best option. Do you want to go?”
Lancer closes his eyes.
“—Ein. You have no need to question me, as I am your lance.
“And I am proud to serve you as such.”

…When he says something like that… there’s no way I can correct him not to think of himself like that.
Because my Servant, the man who went through so much pain in his life, is looking at me with confidence and something like a smile.

“…All right then, so it’s settled.
“The only remaining matter is…”

…I thought it would be a problem, but somehow it was resolved very easily.
When we asked her to look after the house, Vienya smiled and her familiar said for her that of course she would.
She’s a good girl, and level-headed, so I think she understands the situation.
…Besides, now that Avenger and Yellma are gone, her grudge for Archer is resolved.
Vienya is only a magus now, not a Master and contender for the Holy Grail.

We put on our shoes and head for the door.
Vienya stays inside and waves to us.
Her eyes are shining through the curtain of her hair, and in her slippers she really looks as though she’s a little sister who belongs to this household.
Maybe she’ll be leaving Japan after this battle is over.
That’s a sad thought to have, as it already feels like she belongs here…
But still, she’s a member of this household now, and that feels good.
Not wanting to irritate Rose or offend Lancer, I keep my thoughts to myself as we leave.

Lancer changes into spirit form and Rose calls a taxi to take us to the edge of the forest.
We depart, and the driver tells us to be careful on our hiking trip.

From the moment we pass the trees, an intense cold flows through my body.
…What is it?
It feels as though this place is full of death, even though everything is growing well.
…I know that I can sense the presence of enemy Masters, but this is somehow different.

“Something very evil has been here.”
Saber says so in a quiet voice.
I don’t know what I’m sensing, but the fact that Saber feels it too makes me uneasy.
“It’s not here any longer.
“It feels like it’s been gone for a long time, but…”
It was an evil so strong that it left a permanent mark on the forest.
In a way, this place is the same as the burned field in Shinto…

After walking for about an hour, we arrive at a ridiculous place.
It really is a castle, hidden away in a clearing in the forest.
…Or at least, it’s the remains of one.
It feels creepy, like something out of a horror movie.
A lot of the stone has crumbled, and the same unhealthy pall is settled over it.

But.
From within those ruins, I definitely can feel the presence of other Masters.
“They’re here.
“I think that at their skill level, they probably know that we’re here, also.”

Rose nods.
We may as well do the thing properly as we have come this far.
So the five of us head straight into the main entrance.

…It’s even worse inside.
This wide entrance hall with its proud pillars and crimson carpet looks as though it has been torn apart from the inside.
It’s probable that this was the site of a huge battle during the last war.

…Atop the stairs are the two girls.
They are no longer wearing matching outfits, but something more like street clothes.
Still, they look as though they could be sisters.

To either side of them are the two Riders.
Both of them are wearing dark suits and look like hired bodyguards that some princess or president’s daughter might be escorted by.

Primea smiles.
“Onii-chan, Onee-chan, welcome to our castle!
“We were starting to get bored waiting for other Masters to show up, so we’ve had to go wandering around a lot, but somebody finally actually came.
“—So? Are we going to fight now?”

…An intense murderous intent.
That girl is smiling beatifically, like a picture of a Christian saint.
This is the kind of child that doesn’t fully understand right and wrong.
It’s that kind of casual cruelty, like a two-year-old innocently burning ants with a magnifying glass for fun.

Without us having to say anything, Lancer and Saber step forward, both armed with their Noble Phantasms.
Primea claps her hands with a delighted expression.
Nana still has not moved.
“Nana-chan, Nana-chan! Look, it’s a rematch, we’re gonna have a rematch!”
She points.
“Go get ‘em, Rider!”
Silently.
Nana nods her head.

—In an instant.
The suits are gone, and both female knights are clad in armor, holding their lances.
I hear Rose draw her breath beside me.

…The sound of a cavalry charging.
In perfect tandem, the two Riders thunder down the stairs and leap.
I feel a hand grasp my arm as if in warning.
The next moment, both Riders give a shout at the same time.
Quickly and expertly.
Immense power crashes down upon Lancer and Saber.

—I realize.
The two Riders have just activated their Noble Phantasms.
On one side, a rain of ice, and on the other, holy light.
They spoke at exactly the same time, and so I couldn’t distinguish what they were saying.
…These Servants can disguise the name of their trump card and preserve their advantage as long as they are together.

Terrible pain seizes my left arm.
I don’t know why, but somehow we seem to be in extreme danger…
Lancer is in danger.
But I don’t have the time to consider it.
Because those girls are walking down the stairs.

Stopping at the bottom stair, Nana holds out her hands and begins to chant.
I can feel power gathering to her in a harsh motion.

Primea holds out her hand and a look of stubborn concentration crosses her face.
It’s strange to see her look so serious after all her childishness.

“Trace—, on.”

…That incantation.
That is the rare ignition key for the skill of projection…!

…In Primea’s hands, there is an axe.

I can tell it is supposed to be an axe, despite the fact that it is flat, as though made up of abstract shapes, a glass cutout of ice blue and gray.

It seems,
impossibly,
similar to Lancer’s Diviner.

But it’s not the same.
I can tell by looking at it that it’s not the same.
If Lancer’s Lorelei is the original, then this axe in Primea’s hands is a cheap imitation.

It’s projection, after all.
We are human, and a Diviner is something that could only be made by the gods.
This fake born of human imagination might come close, but it cannot surpass the real thing.

…Stop it.
There’s no time to think right now.
Impossibly loud sounds of battle are crashing all around me, and an enemy with a weapon is advancing towards me.
I hold out my hand and call a sword.
Rather than the plain longsword I have been using, this time I try to call a heavier greatsword.
The blade is long and white, and I have to hold the hilt with two hands.
It is heavy, but balanced, and light enough for me to swing the way that I’ve swung my shinai in combat with Lancer.

—This should work.
Even as my left arm continues to protest to me that there is something very wrong, I hold myself steady and prepare to attack—

In the distance, I can hear Roswell’s voice blending in with Nana’s.
Sounds of exertion are coming from the battlefield, along with the clash of weapons.
Boundless prana is emanating from these girls.
The Riders’ Noble Phantasms might be like Avenger’s, ready to fire off at any time.
So we just have to push forward now, and win first—

And then.
“TIME OUT!!”
The battlefield freezes at the sound of Rose’s loud voice.

It’s almost laughable,
but such a childish sound makes every single one of us stop and turn.

“—Onee-chan?”
Primea is staring at her curiously.
“You’re here to fight, right? You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t want to fight, right?”

“—Yeah, we’re here to fight.
“But before that, I wanted to play a game.”
Rose says something absurd nonchalantly.

“A game?”
“Yeah, a game. You know how to play hide-and-seek, right? Don’t you think that this forest is a great place for it?”
“—Well, it is big.”
Primea seems dubious, but she’s listening to Rose’s words with interest.
She really is still a child.

Rose smiles.
“Right.
“So we wanted to challenge you to a game of hide-and-seek. The reward for finding us will be a battle.”
Primea is smiling excitedly now.
“So what if we don’t find you? What’s gonna happen then?”

“If you don’t find us, then we’ll just leave, and you don’t get to fight us at all.
“We’ll wait for Berserker or Caster to take care of you instead.”

Primea sulks.
“You don’t want that to happen, right? So we’ll leave, and hide in the forest. Give us three hours to find a good spot, and then come find us.”

“Three hours is enough to leave the forest, too. How do we know that you’re not just chickening out?”
Rose shakes her head.
“Seriously, how much do you think I’m underestimating you by? If we try to leave the forest, you won’t be able to sense us anymore, right?
“Besides, we’re not cowardly enough to run away from a fight that we’ve started.
“Still, if you can’t find us in your own forest by dawn, then we’ll leave anyway. If you can’t even do that, then you’re not worth fighting.”

“—Hmm. Three hours is a big head start.”
Primea seems to be considering it seriously.
“Still, they say that the one offering the challenge gets to set the terms.
“Okay. Nana-chan, what do you think?”
She turns to the red-haired girl with hopeful eyes.

Nana looks around as though she does not know what to do and wants someone to tell her.
“Um—I guess it wouldn’t be so bad.”

“Yaaaaaay~.”
Primea giggles.
“We’re gonna play hide-and-seek~”

Rose smiles.
“Fine then. Start counting as soon as we leave. We’ll see you when you find us.”

As calm as anything, she turns and begins to walk out of the massive, wrecked lobby.
All the rest of us can do is follow her, stunned.

(part two)

[Fate/ninth heaven] Forgotten Wings; mirror image - part 1 [route I, day 11]