While he was having a nightmare the bandages came loose.
Unconsciously he created a normal, nameless long sword.
*Huff, huff,* sweating bullets as the unimaginable pain woke him up.
"Shirou Emiya correct? My Lord mage like a word," a shadow looming over the door.
Shirou didn't need to know who that is as the only people who had a servant were no other than Matou Zouken, or the shadow.
Taking a deep breath to tighten the bandages Shirou quickly dressed up to meet Zouken.
It really didn't take a long time as Sakura's house was a forty minute walk.
The gates to the old European style mansion were open. Following the Servant he met with Zouken.
"Ah... Young child of Emiya. You've come in surprisingly early than I thought," Zouken turned around to look at him.
"Zouken, I don't have anything to say to you except for Sakura to be released!" Shirou didn't even release the bandage, yet a sword was created.
"Release?... That's one way to say it. I have called you here to ask you to kill that shadow for me,"
Taken back by the request. "What do you mean? Weren't you controlling 'her'?"
"Don't be silly boy of Emiya. I don't have any means to communicate with it but it seems like you already know who it is, no?"
Shirou's pupils shrink at that. 'Why did I say 'her'?, they aren't working together? Then who?'
"Oh it's prudent of me to not explain what that shadow is...for you to understand it's a grails manifestation through a gate."
"I don't get it, Gate?" Shirou gripped the sword harder.
"Isn't that unknown magi also the same? You probably knew it no?" Zouken slightly smiled towards Shirou.
Shirou unknowingly called out his name. "Ryouma!"
"Ah yes Ryouma who would have known that boy to be a gate for Ayala."
"..." Shirou was confused because something about this whole situation felt wrong.
Yet Zouken continued. "Killing the shadow is impossible but the gate? You can do it. If I get close it would know my presence or that of Tohsaka girl it would go rampant."
"No, don't!" Shirou held his head refusing to acknowledge the fact.
"The resemblance of that shadow and Sakura. Only you can kill the Mato,"
"SHUT UP!" his body wavering his eyes losing focus. Shirou refused the reality. Clenching his chest with one hand and a sword on the other.
Before Zouken could say anything else Shirou charged with the sword.
Instantly the Assassin holds a knife in front of the neck. Stopping him from moving any closer.
Zouken's smile gave an eerie sensation. "The girl is nothing more than a doll designed to die by the man she loves."
Shirou swung the sword redirecting the direction dagger on his neck, but the assassin stopped his movements again.
"If she doesn't die the ten year calamity will resurface. But if you truly wish to same her then you'll have to hold on for 4 more days. But you truly think she can hold on that longer?"
Shirou threw the sword towards Zouken. Creating another one to deflect the assassin strike.
Zouken turning into an insect continued to talk. "Do you think the citizens will hold for that long? How many do you think will survive because of your selfishness? Time is running out!" With that both Assassin and Zouken disappeared.
Shirou didn't know what to think of everything. Become a hero of justice or be the reason the Fuyuki fire repeats.
In his mind the nightmare visualizes once again but this time the figure of Sakura turns to the shadow.
Instead of being show by an arrow the shadow pierced his body by the veils.
"She can't hold on... She'll devour everyone first!" His mind playing the scene on repeat.
He slowly started to walk towards the exit, when a lifeless body fell face first in the middle of the room.
Shirou getting out of the trance quickly checked on the body. It was still breathing, clear sign of vitality was there.
Turning around it was Ryouma.
Shirou carried the body back to his home.
Opening the door He met face to face with Illya.
"Took you long enough," behind Illya Rin arms crossed showed up.
Rin glaring at Shirou suddenly realized Ryouma behind his back.
"Quickly get him in!" Rin ordered Shirou while she was about to run for first-aid.
"No need for first-aid he is breathing," Shirou calmly entered and placed Ryouma on the ground for Rin to inspect.
Rin inspecting. "This is weird his body without any magical energy is devouring Zouken's magi! But why doesn't he wake up?, His body has no reason to be unconscious?'
Shirou picked up Ryouma and placed him in a bedroom.
And come back to the main hall.
"Why did you go alone?" Rin angrily started attacking Shirou. "You moron what would have happened if you got yourself killed?"
Even Illya who barely talked joined. "If Rider didn't inform us we would only know you're gone in the morning!"
Shirou only looked at them not even saying a single word. "I can't do it,"
Both of them instantly got silence.
"I can't kill the shadow," Shirou looked down at himself. 'I'm sorry Kiritsugu but I can't become a hero of justice.'
Rin never saw this side of Shirou before. A man who refused to back down, always optimistic was gone.
She didn't know what exactly happened. "Everyone let's sleep and make a plan in the morning."
Everyone slowly left leaving only Illya in the main hall.
Illya instead entered the room Ryouma is, "When will you stop pretending?, Shirou has already given up, and that thing is roaming."
Ryouma smiles, "Hoho...truly splendid Illyasviel von Einzbern. Oh my bad it should be Illyasviel von Emiya right?, or should I call you by Einzbern holy grail?"
Illya prepared her magic just in case.
"Hoho...This shadow isn't easy but it's manageable but the 'corrupted Alaya' that's a much more serious problem," Ryouma was laughing freely yet his eyes were cold.
"Who are you exactly!, what's your goal!" Illya's eyes narrowed.
"Hoho...me?, I'm just a child from an unknown, small magi family. Who would've known 'Alaya' would possess the most promising talent of that family. As for my goals?, it's pretty normal, I want to destroy 'it'!"