Beta read by Opal and FabledLife
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-London-
Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg.
Shirou had heard that name more times than he could count. Among mages, it was practically impossible not to. Whether they belonged to the Clocktower, came from old families, or were independent practitioners scattered across the world, almost everyone involved with magecraft knew who the old man was or at some point heard the name. Even those who had never met him spoke of him with a mixture of awe, respect, and caution.
'Is this... really him?'
He, just like many others, was part of those who never saw the Wizard Marshal in person. Having at most seen portraits of his scattered across certain rooms in the Clocktower, or just physical descriptions given to him by other Magi.
The most common trait one would bring up when talking about him would be the sheer sense of dread and awe. 'Strange, aside from his clothing, he really just feels like an ordinary person.'
The elderly man looked completely ordinary as he enjoyed his drink, occasionally glancing around the cafe with the relaxed demeanor of someone passing the time on a quiet afternoon. Nothing about him suggested the absurd reputation attached to his name. It was difficult to reconcile the image before him with the countless stories he had heard over the years. This was a man whose achievements bordered on mythological, someone so far removed from normal magi that most never even considered the possibility of opposing him. Not because they lacked courage, but because the idea itself seemed ridiculous.
Facing a Servant made more sense than going against a practitioner of True Magic, according to Rin.
Over the years, Shirou had heard countless descriptions. Some painted the Wizard Marshal as a benevolent figure who occasionally nudged the world in the right direction from the shadows. Others spoke of him almost like a natural disaster wearing a human face, an existence so ancient and incomprehensible that trying to understand his motives was a fool's errand. There were even those who described him in terms normally reserved for monsters and things that should not exist.
Naturally, he had been curious.
Part of that curiosity came from simple interest. The other part came from Rin.
After all, she was his student; he would be lying if he said that fact had never concerned him. Anyone would worry when someone important to them ended up under the tutelage of a figure surrounded by so many stories and rumors. More than once, he had quietly asked former students, professors like Waver, and other magi what kind of person Zelretch actually was.
The answers had never been consistent. Despite all that, several months had passed since Rin began studying under him, and Shirou had never once met the man personally. Looking back, that was hardly surprising. Why would someone who stood at the absolute peak of the magical world have any reason to meet a third-rate mage like himself? Their lives existed on entirely different levels.
Yet here he was.
Looking at the old man seated only a short distance away, the redhead found himself feeling several emotions at once. There was admiration, certainly. A bit of nervousness, too. Some curiosity. And underneath it all lingered a sense of dread for reasons he could not explain. It was not because Zelretch appeared threatening. If anything, he seemed remarkably approachable.
That was precisely what made him difficult to read. Trying to guess the intentions of someone like that felt about as realistic as trying to predict the weather a year in advance.
'We have no animosity, so it makes no sense for me to fear him.' Zelretch was an old man with short grey hair wearing an old-fashioned formal suit that looked like a robe, a bit ancient and worn, along with white gloves and a cane resting beside his chair. One of those pocket watches was attached to his waist as he picked up a glass and sipped some tea without a care in the world.
"Are you just going to stand there all day and stare at me? Come, have a seat, the tea is certainly pleasant, though not as good as the ones made by my student. You have no reason to fear me."
Zelretch gestured for Shirou to take a seat. His words made sense, and Shirou had no reason to believe the man would even bother to lie to him. Thus, he joined him and took a seat without saying a word, not touching his tea, and instead just looking at the old man with a lost expression.
He most definitely picked up on this but said nothing.
"This world is an interesting one," the old man said, looking in the distance. "With all the parallels it has to our own, yet it differs so much in more ways than one, whether it be how far humanity has advanced and how much different a path magic took in this world. So different in fact that it would be a mistake to even call it an alternative world, but instead a completely separate reality where our influences are practically nonexistent."
Shirou nodded. "I agree. On the surface, a lot of things look similar, but once you start paying attention, the differences become impossible to ignore. Some things are completely different, while others simply don't exist at all." He glanced down at his drink for a moment before continuing. "If this were just another version of my own world, I should have run into someone familiar by now. Yet I haven't seen a single face I recognize - at least, I don't think I have. Then again, I haven't exactly had much opportunity to return to Japan and look."
"It is quite a difficult situation, to say the least," Zelretch remarked, swirling his drink lazily. "I imagine you must have felt rather lost at first."
A quiet laugh escaped Shirou, though there was little humor behind it.
"You're not wrong." His gaze drifted toward the Lutecia in the far distance. "I honestly can't remember the last time I felt that I was lost. When I first arrived here, I kept trying to contact people I knew. Every lead went nowhere. Places I remembered either didn't exist or had become something completely different. I didn't want to admit it at the time, and I definitely didn't want to be brought to my knees that easily, but..." He paused briefly. "That period came close. Closer than I'd like to admit."
For a few seconds, neither spoke.
Eventually, Shirou looked back at the old magus. "How's Rin doing?"
The answer came immediately.
"You already know the answer."
A small wince crossed his face. Unfortunately, he should have suspected as much.
Tohsaka Rin was many things: stubborn, competitive, proud, and incredibly hardworking. Sitting around and accepting a situation like this was not one of them. There was no doubt in his mind that she had thrown herself into finding a solution from the moment he disappeared, followed by countless sleepless nights. If anything, the real problem was that she would push herself too hard.
He could practically picture it.
Late nights. Endless research. Refusing to rest. Refusing to stop. And knowing her, she had probably blamed herself as well.
That thought sat heavily in his chest.
The accident had happened during one of her experiments. Whether it was actually her fault or not hardly mattered. Rin had never needed a good reason to shoulder responsibility. Without any way to verify where he had gone, whether he was safe, or even whether he was still alive, she was likely left with nothing except assumptions and worst-case scenarios.
"Hah," He rubbed the side of his face and let out a slow breath. "Yes, that's about what I expected."
The fact that he had predicted it did not make it any easier to think about.
"If... if I can ask you for a favor," Shirou began, stumbling over his words slightly before forcing himself to continue. "I want Rin to know that I'm not in any danger. There were a few moments where things got rough, sure, but I was able to take care of myself. And..." He hesitated for a second. "I wasn't alone either. I've met people willing to help me along the way."
As he spoke, an unpleasant feeling settled in his chest.
It was faint at first, little more than a sense of unease. Yet the longer it lingered, the harder it became to ignore, and he found himself clenching his hands beneath the table without realizing it. The sensation made no sense. Nothing around him felt threatening, and Zelretch had given him no reason to be afraid. Even so, a quiet sense of foreboding continued to grow somewhere in the back of his mind.
Pushing the feeling aside, he looked toward the old magus. "Are you here to bring me back?"
"..."
Rather than answer immediately, Zelretch calmly finished the remainder of his tea. Then rising from his seat, staff in hand, he lightly tapped its tip against the floor.
-!
The world changed right before his eyes.
There was no flash of light, no giant wave of magical energy, no sensation of movement or anything of that sort. One moment they were seated within a modest London café, and the next they found themselves surrounded by a vast field of flowers stretching as far as the eye could see. Beyond it lay a crystal-blue ocean reflecting the sunlight, while distant hills rolled across the horizon until they met towering mountains crowned with snow.
Birds chirping in the far distance, the sound of waves crashing against the shoreline rocks, and rays of sunshine peaking through a moderately clouded sky; a place basked in twilight.
The scenery was breathtaking, and the air itself felt different. Cleaner. Fresher. Every breath seemed to clear his mind.
Yet despite the dramatic change in surroundings, the table, chairs, and tea set remained exactly where they had been, sitting absurdly in the middle of the landscape as if nothing unusual had happened.
"Where..."
Shirou stiffened for a moment before forcing himself to remain calm. Sweat trickled down the side of his face as he carefully examined his surroundings. Nothing about this resembled an illusion, even if he was no expert in that department... something about this entire place just did not feel like an illusion. The scent of flowers, the movement of the wind, the distant sound of waves breaking against the shore, all of it felt completely real.
"Just tapping a cane..." he thought with a chuckle. What a monster.
The casual nature of it somehow made it even more absurd. Teleportation on such a scale would have definitely required immense preparation, powerful rituals, or magical energy beyond what most magi could even comprehend. Yet the Wizard Marshal had done it with the same level of effort a person might use to stand up from a chair.
Another reminder of why so many people referred to him as a monster wearing human skin. The old magus took several leisurely steps forward, stopping near the edge of the field as he gazed out toward the ocean. His cape and gray hair billowed in the wind.
"What do you know of the power I wield?" he asked calmly. The unusual question caught him off guard.
"Ah," After a brief pause, he answered honestly. "I know it is one of the Five True Magics. The ability to travel between different worlds and observe other realities. Kaleidoscope."
A thoughtful hum escaped the older man.
"A short answer, but you are not wrong," he replied while stroking his beard. "In fact, that is likely how most people within the Clocktower would describe it. It is a convenient explanation, simple enough for the average magus to understand." He lightly rested both hands atop his staff. "The problem is that such a description only covers a single aspect of what Kaleidoscope truly is. A glimpse of the surface of a tip of the iceberg, nothing more."
Well, he figured as much. But he never really went out of his way to learn the details; unlike Rin, it served him no purpose. Back then, he was always just more focused on his duties when working as a freelancer, helping either enforcers or the Church when hunting down apostles.
"The operation of parallel worlds manifests in many forms. In my own theory, the authority itself can be interpreted differently depending on one's understanding and mastery of it. Imagine a clear crystal with countless faces. Each surface reflects a similar image, yet the slightest shift in angle changes what appears on the other side. The worlds are much the same."
Zelretch then glanced back at him.
"It is both infinite and restrictive. The more one uncovers the truth behind the fabric of reality, the more one begins to notice the boundaries that govern it. Every answer reveals another question, an endless journey where every freedom exposes another limitation."
A faint smile crossed his face.
"But I digress. I did not bring you here to deliver a lecture on the fundamentals of Kaleidoscope. If you truly wish to study its theory, you may do what generations of magi have done before you and pursue that knowledge yourself." The old magus turned his attention back toward the ocean, leaving those words hanging in the air between them.
Shirou chuckled at that notion, "With my aptitude, why bother? There is no point taking my attention to such things, let alone True Magic. At that point, it would be beyond a foolish mistake and would embarrass Rin to death."
Zelretch smirked. "Indeed, you're not wrong. An Origin and Element aligned with the sword cuts off many paths before you even begin walking them. Then again, you call the pursuit of True Magic a fool's errand, yet here you stand with a Reality Marble, something that places you closer to that summit than the overwhelming majority of magi. Unlimited Blade Works is powerful, versatile, and absurdly useful, but power is rarely given without limitations. The same thing that grants it strength also binds it."
"-!?"
For a brief moment, Shirou stiffened. The mention of his Reality Marble almost made him panic before common sense caught up with him. He was speaking to Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg. If there was anyone who could identify Unlimited Blade Works after a single glance, it was the man standing before him. Letting out a quiet breath, he shook his head. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that you know about it."
"I always found it amusing that Rin tried to keep it from me," the old magus replied, a faint grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Despite understanding my abilities far better than most, she still attempted it anyway. For all her brilliance, she's occasionally blinded by emotion when it comes to you - more times than she cares to admit. It causes her to overlook things she would normally consider obvious."
"That sounds like Rin, all right," Shirou admitted, unable to stop a small smile from appearing.
The Wizard Marshal sighed, the breeze stirring his coat as he rested both hands atop his staff. "Over the years, I came to understand a simple truth. The greater one's authority over reality becomes, the greater the responsibility attached to it... ignoring those responsibilities is not merely reckless. It invites consequences beyond one's imagination. Some powers can be lost, others can destabilize events far beyond the individual involved, and there were many occasions when I possessed the ability to intervene and chose not to. Not because I lacked the means, but because doing so would have awakened sleeping threats or drawn the attention of beings better left undisturbed. My younger self learned that lesson under my mentor's guidance, though learning it and accepting it were two very different matters."
"..."
A dry chuckle escaped him. "I made more mistakes than I'd care to admit. Some were minor. Others left scars that lasted centuries. Even now, there are decisions I can recall with perfect clarity. Time has a habit of dulling many things, but regret is rarely one of them."
"I don't understand," Shirou said, "why tell me this?"
"Now I find myself in a similar position to my teacher, where I have a duty to impart my knowledge onto the newer generation," Zelretch continued. "Unfortunately, I may be able to impart the knowledge, but the wisdom and the experience cannot be transferred so easily. Eventually, I knew that the stakes would be on Rin's side."
Shirou got worried, "I don't blame Rin. She did not do anything wrong, nor did she try to harm me. It was just a simple mistake that went awry when she was practicing her spell. That happens for anyone practicing magecraft; no one is that perfect."
"Exactly that." He did not argue against the point. "A simple mistake means very different things to someone seeking the path that Rin wishes to walk. One careless decision can cost lives. Thousands. Millions. Billions, under the wrong circumstances. These are the burdens one carries when granted such authority and what they must understand before it's too late."
The old magus was silent for a moment, as if recalling a distant memory of the past. "That is why I am doing this. Not to punish her, but to teach her, as is my role. Whether this happened because of bad luck, poor judgment, or circumstances beyond her control is ultimately irrelevant. At the end of the day, a mistake occurred; what matters now is how she responds to it."
So he said, but Shirou still felt that this was too much to push onto Rin.
"You do not agree with me." A statement more than a question, which he did not bother denying.
"I understand what you're trying to accomplish. But... I still believe this is too much pressure on Rin. I don't want her to be put in that situation, even if she does it to herself. I-I... I don't want her to get hurt over me or suffer, it's not worth it."
"..."
Was he going too far? Standing up against a person like him, he started to understand why some called him suicidal. But his next move confused Shirou, for instead, a similar motion from earlier occurred. As right before his eyes, the cane moved and tapped the group.
'Again?'
Instinctively, he tensed and raised his arms up. Not sure if he said too much or if they were just going to be brought back to London. Yet the next moment, what appeared was not the busy road where they first met or any other places he recognised.
The moment his surroundings changed, awe lasted for only a fraction of a second before it was replaced by something far less pleasant.
What stretched before him was not a world, nor even a sky, but an endless expanse of darkness littered with distant lights. At first glance, they resembled stars, but the longer he looked, the more he realized they were far too large and far too numerous. Vast stellar clusters drifted through the void alongside colossal nebulae that spanned distances beyond comprehension. Rivers of pale cosmic dust wound between them like glowing currents, while immense celestial bodies hung motionless in the darkness. Entire systems appeared no larger than grains of sand from where he stood. The scale was so absurd that his mind struggled to properly process what he was seeing.
'Beautiful...'
It reminded him of the sight he caught when he traveled inside the spaceship across the galaxy. This... just felt like it encapsulated a much larger area than anything. "Hm?" But the moment of observation led him to spot something rather unsettling and out of place. Far away, suspended above a world unlike Earth, unlike Midchilda, unlike anything he had ever seen, was another presence hovering in complete silence.
Calling it a creature felt wrong. Calling it a person felt even worse.
His eyes could not properly focus on it. Every attempt to define its shape failed. One moment it seemed impossibly distant, the next it felt close enough to reach out and touch. Its outline shifted constantly, refusing to settle into anything his mind could understand. Yet despite that, one terrible certainty settled over him.
"-!?"
It had noticed him.
"Ugh!"
The reaction was immediate. A pair of slitted crimson eyes opened somewhere within that impossible form. The pressure that followed was indescribable. Not just the immense amount of magical energy that dwarfed even Caster's, making hers resemble nothing more than a drop in a vast ocean. It was not killing intent, nor was it hostility.
Simply awareness.
The knowledge that something unimaginably dangerous had turned its attention toward him. Only then did his lungs lock, his heart stumble, and every instinct he possessed scream at him to flee.
'Wrong.'
Everything about it felt wrong.
'Wrong.'
Like looking at something that had no place existing within reality itself. A thing so vast and alien that merely perceiving it felt dangerous. He could no longer hear anything. His vision narrowed. Cold sweat poured down his body as panic took hold.
'I'll die...' The thought surfaced before he could stop it. 'I need to get away.'
The crimson eyes remained fixed on him.
"I need to get away."
The distance between them meant nothing.
Danger.
Death.
Run. Run! RUN!
His thoughts began collapsing into a frantic jumble.
'I'lldieneedtoleavenownownowIneedtomoveIhavetogetaw-!'
Before the thing could do anything, before it could even make the slightest motion, the world abruptly vanished. "Ah!" In an instant, the endless void disappeared, the stars vanished, and the oppressive gaze was gone.
He found himself back within the peaceful landscape from before.
"Cough! Cough!" The gentle breeze brushed against his skin. The scent of flowers filled the air. Sunlight illuminated the rolling fields stretching toward the horizon. The contrast was so extreme that it almost felt unreal.
Yet the fear did not leave with it. Not completely. With that lingering sensation, his knees eventually gave out.
"Hah... hah... hah..."
He dropped to one knee, barely catching himself before collapsing entirely. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he fought for air. Both hands trembled despite enormous efforts to steady them, and a cold chill lingered beneath his skin. Even now, part of him felt as though those crimson eyes were still watching from somewhere far beyond his sight.
"What... Cough! What," he managed between breaths, his voice strained. Swallowed hard, forcing down the nausea threatening to rise. "W-What was that!?"
"Someone amongst another one that managed to sense what you believe to be a small mistake," Zeltrech answered calmly, speaking so casually about whatever that was as if it weren't anything highly dangerous. Making even the likes of Berserker or Gilgamesh feel insignificant in terms of pure danger. "Fortunately, her attention is locked onto another world for now and the foreseeable future. So rest assured, I already took the proper necessary steps to avoid a disaster from crossing upon this world as well."
Truth be told, Shirou did not even take the effort to consider that he, along with the entirety of Midchilda, could even muster the proper power and strength to defend against that thing, let alone defeat it. Just thinking about the past few seconds was more than enough to make him sick to his stomach, the lingering stench of highly concentrated blood and the sheer amount of energy it exuded.
How could such a thing even be allowed to exist? And worse, it sensed what Rin did? How? Why?
"Hopefully, this gives you a better understanding of what I am conveying to you. For why I want her to acknowledge that mistake and learn how to resolve it with her own hands." Mentioned Zeltrech with a somber tone. "I want her to find a solution without relying on me to step in and fix everything for her in the future. If she wishes to stand amongst the greatest magi, then this is a lesson she must learn sooner or later." A faint smile crossed his aged features. "Personally, I am quite glad the consequences were not far worse. For she has shown great progress in little time."
The explanation drew a long breath from Shirou as he still tried to get himself back together after seeing... that. Some of the tension he had been carrying since this conversation began finally eased from his shoulders.
"Thank you," he said sincerely. Whatever he did, it saved not just his life but also the ones in this world. Also, thanking him for looking after Rin. "I was worried something would happen to her."
"It would take far more than this for me to give up on one of my students. Everyone makes mistakes, but only a few learn from them and move on with a better grasp and understanding."
"Ha... haha..." He chuckled, perhaps his mind trying to make sense of what happened, or just a natural response to his shock. "I still can't wrap my head around what that was."
"Hoh, compared to the giant spider, that little one is quite manageable."
Little one. His eyes and lips twitched, hearing the old man refer to it as such. Just how powerful was he!?
Also, the giant spider? He had no idea of what he was referring to. But if it was more dangerous than that, however impossible it seemed, he preferred to keep his distance in every way possible! Sometimes being ignorant was more of a blessing than a curse. As his heart stabilized, a small smile appeared on the redhead's face. "Going back to Rin, I'm sure she'll figure it out. I know she will."
The old magician raised an eyebrow.
"You sound rather certain."
"I am." There was no hesitation in his answer. "I trust her."
That earned a quiet chuckle.
"Yes, you do." The amusement in his voice was unmistakable. "In fact, I know you trust her with your life. It is a rare trait, especially amongst those who walk along the path of the supernatural."
Shirou could not really deny that. Zelretch simply nodded before gesturing forward with his staff.
"Come along. Walk with me."
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.
The two left the table behind and began following a narrow path winding through the landscape. The scenery stretched endlessly in every direction. Vast fields of flowers swayed beneath the breeze, countless shades of red, white, blue, and gold covering the hills like a living tapestry. Roses bloomed amongst species Shirou did not recognize, while butterflies drifted lazily through the air in small clusters. The wind carried a pleasant fragrance and brushed against his skin with a temperature that felt almost unnaturally perfect. It was neither warm nor cool. Just comfortable enough that one could easily lie down in the grass and fall asleep beneath the open sky.
Far ahead, the ocean shimmered beneath the sunlight. He got a better view of the snow-capped mountains in the distance, their peaks gleaming above the clouds. 'I can't tell where we are.' The entire place felt untouched by civilization, as though the world itself had been preserved exactly as nature intended.
After several minutes of walking, curiosity finally got the better of him. "Where exactly are we?"
The ancient magus glanced toward the horizon.
"A small paradise of sorts." His voice carried a rare note of contentment. "I visit this place from time to time. Even an old man like me appreciates a little peace every now and then - to move away from the lovely den of snakes and vultures. They can be amusing to play with and watching them over is technically my duty as one of the founders, but I trust the Vice Director to take on those responsibilities. A place where I can sit without someone demanding answers, requesting favors, or having me watch over another crisis."
Shirou flinched, unlike his inexperience dealing with Zeltrech, the same could not be said for the vice director. Barthomeloi Lorelei, a woman he also technically never met, but definitely had seen from a distance. For she regularly tagged along on hunts against apostles, and he also would walk upon the aftermath of battles where she was involved.
'She is like a walking natural disaster. That's the best way I can describe her powers, not a single mission she joined ever ended in failure or with the target escaping. All of them met a brutal end.'
Another monster in the Clocktower. One that even made Waver, Rin, and Luvia tremble, which was a feat in itself. And he knew for a fact that no soul with a brain would so much as dare to break a rule with her keeping an eye on basically everything. Whether they be from an ancient family or not, no one was exempt from her wrath.
Unless they had a death wish.
"A place isolated from worldly affairs, where I can be left alone with my thoughts." A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth."At least, this is one of several such places."
Shirou gave him a strange look as it was clear that the old man was not saying or answering his question and was keeping it vague. Whether or not it was intentional, he could not say, and he started to doubt if they were even on Earth at this point. But then again, keeping a place like this hidden from the rest of the world was just a minor task for a grand magician like Zelretch.
"I have noticed that you have been getting along quite well with the people of this world," Zelretch said.
"Yes," Shirou replied. "I was lucky to find good people who did a lot for me."
"Is that the reason why you are not asking me to take you back immediately? Because you want to help the people here?" Zelretch asked even though he already knew the answer. But who was he to question the intentions of an ancient being like him?
"It would be a lie to say that this did not play a factor in my decision," Shirou admitted. "I just can't see myself going back and just leaving all of this behind and not resolving the unresolved matters. I made a promise, and I intend to keep it."
"It is a commendable attitude and in line with the kind of person you are," Zelretch said. "This world is quite different, as you must have noticed. Despite mysteries and magic also existing here, it does not possess the same kind of danger as our own world, and humanity itself has advanced to such a degree that our own world could only accomplish after a century or two. These people managed to become a space-faring civilization, conquering worlds and also protecting them. If such people exist and they possess more capabilities than the average mage from the Clocktower, what difference do you hope to accomplish then?"
Even though the question sounded almost malicious or mocking, Shirou could tell that it wasn't that and was just a genuine question from the Wizard Marshall.
He scratched the back of his head. "Truthfully, I asked myself that question several times in the past. I don't think that my presence has that much weight or the capabilities to change the future that much if I weren't here. But as long as I could make the smallest of differences, as long as I could put their pain at ease, or even save a single life, then I felt like it was worth it. And I have a responsibility to look after Lutecia. I will never abandon her."
"You have done a good job so far," Zelretch complimented. "But what is your end goal? From the very nature of this world and every other in all planes of existence, conflicts will always arise one after the other. Even if you try to fight against it and resolve it, it will never reach an end, and there will always be something else to replace it. In your case, another evil will come and simply replace Jail Scaglietti. What then?"
Shirou looked uncertain as he tried to ponder that question. "I know the truth," he said, "but I feel that at that point, my friends will be able to deal with whatever issue that comes up on their own. For now, I have the goal to deal with Jail and give back to Lutecia the life she once had. After that... well, I suppose I'll be done with my responsibilities. And I suppose you can't tell me where he is currently hiding or even just teleport me to his lair?"
A cheeky question, he knew that. But it wouldn't hurt to try. That earned him a sidelong glance, with the older man just humming audibly. "I know you are jesting. But I will admit that would be quite entertaining to say the least. Your last confrontation against him and the Numbers was quite commendable; you did well to use Caladbolg. Are you going to try that again?"
"I'll use everything." Shirou did not hesitate to give him his answer. "Everything I have, not just one weapon. I will make sure he won't be able to escape in any way, no matter how many Numbers he may still have working for him."
"Hahaha," Zeltrech laughed with glee, looking like a grandfather who heard his grandchildren utter a funny joke. "Interesting, very interesting indeed. Boy, either my disciple's tendency has rubbed off on you or vice versa. But either way, I'll excuse myself for a bit. Someone wants to talk to you."
"Eh?" Before he could understand what he meant by that or even ask who wanted to meet him, if not the old man himself. A painful impact struck the back of his skull.
Bam!
"Oof!"
Instantly, his figure went flying across the field of flowers, rolling under the ground several times until he struck a conveniently grown tree that halted his body. The impact nearly cracked his ribs, but rather than moan about the pain, his focus immediately went on something else. "A Gandr?"
"So you haven't completely forgotten about me after all, huh?"
The shadow of a person soon loomed over him, blocking the sunlight. Wearing the same red long-sleeved sweater and a short skirt that barely hid anything, she hadn't changed a bit. Seeing her, a bright smile immediately grew on his face.
She hasn't changed a bit.
"I should be saying that, Tohsaka."
He always knew that he would get emotional if he were to see her again after so long. But knowing it and feeling it were two different things, and he had not anticipated just how powerful the emotions that surged within him would be at this moment; it drowned every single other part of his mind.
Getting up, he gazed at the dark-haired girl before him, her hair fully let down, unlike the twin-tail style she had had a year ago. The same dark circles around her eyes which came from studying all day, and with him always trying to urge her to rest with little success. The same frown and irritated look that would greet him every time he woke up.
"What? Speechless to see me again, Emiya-ku-ah!"
Without missing a beat, he walked towards her. And embraced the woman right then and there. Enveloping his arms around her in a tight hug, holding back nothing and just enjoying the warmth of someone he had not seen for so long. Someone he believed he had nearly lost and began to miss quite a bit.
"W-What are you d-doing!? W-We're not a-alone!" So she said with a heavy stutter, come up, trying to push him away, but doing it so weakly that it was evident that she was not doing it seriously. Her actions soon ended upon realising that he was not going to let go so easily, leading her to just give up and relax. "Hah, seriously."
"I missed you, Tohsaka."
In the end, she returned the gesture and hugged him back, slowly putting more strength in her hug just like he did. "I missed you, too, you big dummy." She said gently come up, no longer stuttering, and just accepting her fate. "Since when did you become so touchy?"
"You don't like it?"
"... I-I didn't say that."
As always, she had a hard time just being honest with her feelings. Soon, seconds passed, and they stayed like that for nearly a minute. As much as he wanted to continue embracing her for another minute, pushing it any further could lead the girl to shoot another Gandr at him if he wasn't careful.
As they separated, Rin brought her hand up to his face. Tracing the contour and brushing her fingers gently against his hair, and looking down at his forearm where she touched a small dark spot, a saddened smile crossed her expression. "You say that I haven't changed, but unfortunately, the same cannot be said for you. You have been abusing your magecraft, haven't you? I told you not to do that."
"I haven't been abusing it... I am taking proper care of my body and resting as much as I can. This is just, um, it just happens, haha..."
She just gave him a stern glare, clearly not believing him, even though he was telling the truth, aside from less than a handful of instances. He had never really been pushed to his absolute limits when using Projection in this world. Of course, there were moments where his life was genuinely in danger, but he still managed in the end without going all out necessarily.
"Overusing and abusing one's magecraft doesn't necessarily have to be during a life and death battle. Knowing you, it definitely occurred when you're practising either by yourself or with another person."
"..."
Damn, it was like she could read him like a book. Worst of all, he could not deny that completely, for she was right. There were moments when practising with Subaru and Teana, he found himself going back to old habits. But still! It wasn't as bad.
"Hah, honestly, Emiya, I lost sight of you for a week, and this happens. At this point, I'm starting to consider putting a collar around you and sending a shock whenever you do something stupid."
"Oi, I'm not a dog. Wait... a week?"
He nearly missed that part of her words but managed to process it at the last second. Confusion appeared on his face as to what she meant by that. Seeing his reaction, Rin's eyes widened before she shook her head. "Oh, right, you wouldn't know about that. Basically, time passes differently from the looks of it in this world, in parallel to ours. It's nothing new and is commonly seen through most realities. Not all time flow is the same, and thankfully enough, yours is close enough to ours that the passage of time somewhat aligns. The worst case scenario would have a conversion ratio of years equaling a day."
"A week!?" Despite her giving him a brief explanation, the redhead remains stuck on that part and exclaimed with pure shock. "I spent months in this world and only a week went by this entire time!?"
"Well, duh," she said while crossing her arms, as if the most obvious thing in the world. "Don't you think that I would have already fixed this problem in that time frame and dragged you back home by now?"
"Ah," now that she mentioned it, it made sense. A part of him was always curious as to why she hadn't arrived yet or done something after so much time had passed. If you figured that due to the complexity of what she was learning, it would take a lot of time. But Rin was not exactly a newbie and had already begun experimenting, so it wasn't like she was starting from the beginning. "It makes sense."
"Of course it does! Who do you take me for? That experiment of mine ended in a disaster in more ways than one. Not only were you sent to God knows where, but the uncontrolled energy also caused an explosion that destroyed my workshop and half of the building. I woke up two days later after being drained of all my reserves."
"What!?"
"Exactly!" She sighed exasperatedly, "Just the cleanup alone took days as well, and I lost more than half of my precious resources! On top of that, I have that damned Luvia on my ass hounding me for getting you back, and an enforcer on top of that came to look for you! Tell me how the hell you get on friendly terms with someone like Bazett Fraga!? I haven't felt that terrified in ages when she came knocking at my door! Uuuuuh! I genuinely thought I was getting slapped with a sealing designation!"
There was so much being revealed that he was getting lost in the conversation. But the few major points that she brought up did catch his attention.
"Oh, her, I mostly worked with her a handful of times, and we just got along well. I don't think you could even call us friends, but she does consider me useful. Her own words."
Rin's eyes twitched, with her giving him the driest of stares. "Sure, useful. It definitely explains why she took the time and effort to come search for you and reacted rather weirdly when she learned that we used to live together. Not friends, my ass."
Bazett came to visit, which definitely surprised him. They really did not have that close of a relationship and rarely spoke to each other outside of work. Though he had a good impression of her, she was different from most enforcers. And the only one who had a punch more painful than both Luvia and Rin combined.
That woman could punch bullets from a sniper and turn them into dust! If he were to emulate Shinji, she could only be described as a walking tank despite her appearance.
"Are you hurt?" Shirou asked, observing Rin closely. Since that experiment caused such a big explosion, it must have wounded her as well. No amount of reinforcement could save her from all harm.
A blush crept up to her face as he got closer again and observed the girl. Weakly taking a step back, she looked away with a shy demeanor. "I-I'm fine, I had a few burns and a broken femur, but both thankfully healed up rather quickly. Nothing permanent."
"Thank goodness, I'm glad."
"Humph, I should be the one worrying here. Not the other way around." She said silently. "Sorry. I shouldn't have tried to experiment with that spell without my teacher's supervision, no matter how small it may have been. Because I was impatient, you ended up paying the price and got stranded without anything."
"Hey, don't beat yourself up with that. I don't blame you at all." He quickly tried to comfort the girl, placing his hands on her shoulders and looking her right in the eyes. "Besides, I didn't get stranded without anything. Look."
Digging into his pockets, you soon felt the warmth sensation of the gym and brought it out for her to see. Recognition flashed across her eyes as she looked at it with shock. "So you had it this entire time! I thought it got destroyed in the explosion, no wonder I couldn't even find any traces of it!"
Placing it on her palm, he watched as she began inspecting it closely and soon saw disappointment reach her face. "Less than a tenth left, all of that effort and energy now gone for good. No, I shouldn't be disappointed. The mere fact that it survived and did not shatter into millions of shards is almost a miracle. I see, I get it now."
"Get what?" He asked curiously, watching her go into what he liked to call her 'researcher' mode.
"The spell did not fail; in fact, it succeeded even. The target ended up being this gem. I was aiming for that apple to be sent away, but most likely messed up the coordinates and ended up causing the gem to be chosen instead. It must have ripped open a portal and dragged you along since you were also quite close. The barrier was not strong enough to protect you, and I had another layer of protection on me that I forgot to take into consideration." She mumbled more about other aspects that he could not understand, but he got the basic gist of it.
"I found it a bit later. It caused some ghouls to mutate and made them more dangerous. It might be because the energy got depleted on top of the original spell."
Rin shook her head, "No, even if it were to power up hundreds of monsters like that, it wouldn't even use up a hundredth of its capacity. You have to understand, I also had both of the Edelfelt sisters help me power this thing for a year. It makes the pendant I used on you back in Fuyuki seem like a cheap knock-off. Shit, even after all that work, that was barely enough for a single spell? There has to be a better way. Thought for another time."
That powerful? No wonder why she treasured it so much. "I see. Well, good thing I found it. At least now you don't have to start again from zero."
Weirdly enough, rather than take it back, she placed the gem back on his palm, much to his dismay. "No, you keep it."
"Eh? Are you sure? You just lost your workshop, having this in your collection will help, but turn to build back what you lost."
"You idiot, I'm asking you to keep it because it will serve as a beacon!" She exclaimed with frustration. "And right now, the last thing on my mind is trying to remake my workshop or gather the resources I lost. Those things can be retrieved at any point in the future, but if I lose any sort of link to you, then no amount of begging to my teacher will work to get you back, and you'll be lost for good. Just try to fill it up from time to time; if it gets depleted entirely, then it will be no different from a regular gem. I already showed you the steps on how to do it in the past, so it shouldn't be difficult for you. I know your reserves aren't really the best, but it's better than nothing."
At that moment, an idea crossed his mind. "Since this gem does not necessarily require a specific type of magical energy or mana, I can have someone else chip in as well. She possesses far more mana than I ever will and is on the same level as you and Luvia, if not higher."
Her lips twitched. "Someone else? She?"
Not noticing her change, he continued with a bright smile on his face. "Yup, her name is Nanoha. She's the one who ended up finding me and helping me find a place when I first arrived in that world. She's actually pretty powerful; a single beam attack from her is more than enough to flatten a huge chunk of a city! Oh, there is also Fate and Hayate as well. I heard Hayate has bigger reserves than anyone, so I can definitely ask her. There is also Subaru and Teana, they aren't on the same level, but still have a higher energy output than me. I suppose Lutecia also counts, but it might be a bit too taxing for her."
With every name he brought out, the smile on Rin's face would become more and more strained, with the twitches growing in frequency. By the end of it, the girl was massaging her forehead as if experiencing the worst case of a migraine in her life.
"Tohsaka?"
"Six names, all of them women, and I bet they are really friendly with you, aren't they?" She asked with an irritated tone. "I was expecting one or two of them, but six? You can't be serious. If I didn't know you better, I would have suspected that you were doing this intentionally. Can't believe Luvia was right, tch, now I have to pay her for that bet."
Bet? Was this... the right time to mention his relationship to Nanoha and the complicated dynamic with Fate that he had yet to fully grasp himself? "Um, I actually have something going with one-uh, t-two of them. Their names are Nanoha... and Fate. I'm staying with Lutecia, she's just a kid, and I'm like her guardian. She looks like a spitting image of Rider, but not as deadly. Though she does end up behaving like her at times."
He ended up saying it; keeping it a secret from her would be very wrong. He did not want to give Rin the impression that he was intentionally keeping it a secret from her for some reason.
"..."
No outburst. That was a plus, or was she pondering on which spell to use?
Yet what came out of Rin's mouth ended up throwing him completely off. "Huh, I thought there'd be more of them. Then again, there are probably more of them, but you are just too much of a blockhead to notice as usual."
"Excuse me?"
Ignoring his incredulous expression, she shook her head, "Nothing. In any case, just keep it and fill it up from time to time. Don't overdo it! While it is one of my finest creations, it is not unbreakable and a careless mistake will shatter it! I've already gotten a place to stay at Luvia's mansion, and I'm halfway done with my new workshop. So it shouldn't take that long, hopefully. For you... I won't lie, it will take time."
He smiled, "I know. Don't worry, not even once did I ever doubt that you wouldn't succeed or come for me. You're too stubborn for that, Tohsaka."
She shared the same smile, "and you are too stubborn to let go. I know through some miracle or some ridiculous method you would have found your way back. But unfortunately for you, I don't intend on sharing an apartment with an old man who came back after a few decades, so just wait for me."
"Don't push yourself, I doubt it's possible to master the Kaleidoscope to such a degree in a short amount of time without a miracle."
"Humph," she scoffed instead of heeding his advice. "As if that will stop me. If a miracle is required, then I will achieve it one way or another."
As absurd a statement sounded, the mere fact that it was Rin of all people who said it, Shirou fully believed it. To him, it was not even a question of 'if', but rather a when.
"I trust you, Tohsaka."
Seeing her look at Zeltrech, who remained quiet in the background, he figured that it was time for them to split ways again.
{Break}
(A few minutes later)
Standing in the same spot where the chair and table awaited him. Shirou looked at Rin and at the back, making sure to pay close attention to her face, for it could be the last time for a long while before he got to see her again. He figured she was doing the same as well.
"Unfortunately, I cannot stretch the meeting indefinitely, as I have already interfered enough on this matter. Doing so any more will bring unwanted attention and consequences that I'm sure you know what I mean by." Zeltrech said, awaiting him patiently while he made his way back slowly.
"Yes, I understand. I'm grateful for what you have done already. I owe you a lot of favors and am in your debt. However or whatever situation it may be where my presence can help, you can count on me."
Pa!
The sound of slapping came from behind as he saw Rin facepalm herself for some reason. Did he say something wrong? He knew that it was the right thing to say to someone who went out of his way to reunite them briefly as it was.
The old man smirked while touching his chin, "I'll be sure to keep that in mind. I don't forget, and I take such words seriously, boy. I hope you don't regret it."
Shirou waved his hand, "It's fine, I fully meant everything I said. That is, as long as it doesn't involve me dealing with that thing from earlier. I won't be of much help."
To that statement, which was supposed to be mostly a joke, Zeltrech took it seriously and gave him an answer he wished he had never heard. "Oh, that, don't worry about it. You technically already are dealing with her."
"...Eh?"
What...
What did he say?
Shirou froze on the spot, goosebumps spreading across his entire being along with an avalanche of dread washing over his body at the meaning of what he'd just heard.
"Alright then," unfortunately, the ancient wizard did not give him an opportunity to ask further questions. With a tap of his cane, the space in front of the redhead shifted, taking the form of a transparent glass-like image that shifted and turned. Almost like a wall of crystal spinning in and out of reality itself, showcasing a myriad of scenes on the other side. Barren wastelands, a bustling city, a lush forest, a cosy home, railway tracks, and mountains covered in layers of heavy snow.
All of which condensed into, as the name implied, a Kaleidoscope effect. A view that made Shirou become transfixed by its continuous display of beauty and mystery.
It spun until the familiar streets of London reappeared, along with Lutecia actually being accompanied by Hayate, Nanoha, and even Fate for some reason. With all four looking around the streets, and each of them looking extremely worried. Strangely enough, even the sky had become dark, much to his confusion.
'Time really does pass by differently.'
As the crystal wall grew bigger, something must have happened on the other side, for their attention immediately zeroed in on him. He waved at them from the other side, wondering just how much they were able to see and already trying to figure out how the hell he could explain this situation.
An old man who could travel to other worlds took me for a chat. It sounded good enough.
As he prepared to take a step forward and make his way back. Sounds of hurried footsteps came from behind, "Wait!" Turning around, he barely managed to catch Rin, who surprisingly jumped for an embrace willingly. Catching him by surprise, though, he welcomed it and accepted the gesture without any resistance.
"Who's Nanoha again?" She whispered near his ear. That did make him involuntarily shiver a bit.
"Um, the brunette with the twintail?" He answered awkwardly, realising that there were a few similarities that she would notice.
"... You have a type, I see. So the blonde is Fate? Or is it the other one with the short hair?"
"B-Blonde."
Her embrace tightened for some reason, and he felt like things were heading in a not-so-preferable direction. Soon, Rin let go of him, with a satisfied smile on her face as she patted his shoulder, "Tell them I said hi. And that I'm happy they are taking care of you for the short amount of time you'll be there."
Yup, she was doing this deliberately.
"I'll keep that in mind."
Giving her one last goodbye, Shirou faced the crystal wall and walked right through it, reaching the other side in an instant. The pleasant sensation of that relaxing area disappeared almost instantly, and everything reverted to normal. Looking behind, he saw the empty streets with neither Rin nor Zeltrech anywhere in sight.
"Sorry, it's a long story, but I ended up meeting someone from my world who is a teach-hm?"
In the middle of his speech, he stopped upon noticing all three girls giving him a rather intense glare. More accurately, Nanoha and Fate were doing it while Hayate seemed to be pondering something. A strange sense of deja vu came to mind; he definitely was in a similar situation like this before.
"Lutecia?" He turned to look at the purple-haired girl, hoping she would help in clarifying the overall situation and hear him out. But all he got was a dry stare from the latter while she stood behind.
"I look away for a minute, and you disappear and then reappear with another cheeky girl. I'm not sure if I should be impressed or worried, Shirou."
Just what did Rin do for them to become like this? It was a simple hug...
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