Kapitel 21: Night of Prelude

"Shirou's late."

Few hours ago, Ayumi was brought by Taiga to stay at her place for a while until her situation calmed down. Taiga would ask her grandpa for helping to find Kanade. For now, it seemed like the Hayakawa sister's situation was cleared.

'But, she still needs to be monitored.'

Whether Ayumi would provide more clues for that strange mystery happening in her house, or to protect her, Ryan left his doppelganger by her side, looking out for her in secret.

As he was looking at the night stars, Ryan felt like this night was almost similar to that night few years ago, when Kiritsugu, Shirou and him were gazing at the starry sky together.

Ting!

At that moment, a clear and mild sound ringing on his mind.

'The spell I put on Shirou's activated? This direction– it's the school! …is it finally the time?'

Ryan's sight turned in the direction of Homurahara Academy, then he looked at the old garage beside the house. He felt a certain expectation rising inside his heart.

This morning, he might have promised Sakura to return early after school, but the fact now proved he was unable to fulfill that promise. At this moment, Shirou was still at the school, cleaning the Archery club field until evening.

Last morning, Shirou felt that that day was going to be good like usual after he was energized by seeing Sakura's smile. However, due to a certain circumstance, he was then asked to clean the Archery club field after the school hour ended.

"That Shinji... He really hasn't matured after all these years."

Actually, the one who was supposed to clean the archery field this time was Matou Shinji. He was Shirou's friend; more or less. Well, their relationship was not that good to begin with, but they had known each other since they were in middle school. There was some degree of familiarity and understanding between them.

Furthermore, Shinji was Sakura's older brother. In the end, whether Shirou liked it or not, he would need to acquaint himself with Shinji, one way or another. Though, most of the time, it would be Shinji who seemed to be pissed off for no reason toward Shirou.

Even if it was not for himself, at least for Sakura's sake, Shirou decided not to bicker with Shinji over trivial matters. It was not the first time Shinji was like that anyway.

Since Shirou himself also had nothing important to do this afternoon, he agreed to Shinji's 'ask for help'. And that was what led Shirou to clean the Archery field until this late.

"Phew... It's done."

When Shirou finished cleaning the field, the sky outside had already gone dark.

Previously, he was in deep concentration when he was cleaning the Archery field, now that he was relaxing, Shirou could her faint sounds of metal clashing with each other. Cries of anger and curses could be heard faintly among the night breeze. It seemed there was a fierce fight nearby. From the sound, their direction seemed like coming from the school ground.

This...!

When Shirou looked at the clock, it was already around 8 PM. There should be no one at school right now, except himself. After all, the school also had announced that students should go home early in the upcoming days.

Shirou was then reminded about the recent news he saw last morning; about the report of series of murder and missing person.

His heart throbbed wildly.

He felt fear. Yet there was also a sense of urgency within telling him to go there.

If there really was any injustice happening in front of him...

He did not know if he could really stop the situation from happening, but he would definitely not stay still about it!

Shirou took a step outside. He ran, heading toward the source of the clashing sound. When he arrived at the battle site, Shirou held his breath as he hid in nearby bush beside the school ground. He faintly felt someone's gaze on him but that feeling quickly disappeared like a fleeting wind, making him shudder for no reason. There, what he saw was truly an eye-opener to him.

A man in blue battle suit was chopping 'people' like they were vegetables with his halberd. His strikes were simple, fast and ruthless. One strike to kill two or three enemies around him, and when those 'people' fell, they turned into grey clay which dissolved on the ground.

That man's eyes were cold and emotionless, as though he was merely looking at some insignificant bugs.

The woman who seemed like the leader of the group was clenching her whip tightly as she saw the situation.

"…unforgivable. All men in the world are mine, and you're no exception, Archer! What's with those eyes?!"

A certain memory surfaced on her mind as she was agitated, she thought of another person who also had similar gaze as Archer's. Although they were different people, the utter disregard Archer had on her right now was the same.

"Haven't I told you? We can reminisce about this later at the Throne. For now, how about you just– die?"

Archer swung his halberd at his right before he cleaved the warriors who were trying a sneak attack from his back. Four more clay warriors were severed up at their waist and had their head separated from their neck. At this moment, Rider's warriors were only left with around ten men, they were gathering around her trying to protect her from Archer's advance.

"You are weak, Medb. Just return. No need to concern yourself with this War anymore."

Crack!

Archer stomped hard as he leaped at Rider's group. His halberd was glowing with icy blue light and ten replicas of frost halberd appeared around him. His eyes met Rider's.

Swish! Swish! Swish!!

At that split second, the frost halberds were shot at the remaining warriors guarding Rider.

They resisted. Along with their battle cry, each warrior roused their spirit as they attempted to defend themselves and Rider from incoming attack.

BAM!

…as the dust settled, Shirou saw that the warriors had disappeared, leaving only that man in blue who had put his halberd on the woman's neck.

"This is it, Rider. I don't hate you, but you are an unnecessary element."

"Wait– don't you want to save your Master first? Looks like she's not going to last long either, hehe~ Kugh! Kugh!"

Rider felt a warm and salty sensation on her throat as she coughed some blood. The impact of Archer's attack just now had also injured her spirit origin slightly.

Archer stopped his halberd just before he cut her neck. His pupil constricted. He felt a bad premonition when he heard her words, thus he quickly turned around to see Tohsaka Rin who was supposedly fighting Kanade on the school rooftop.

At that moment, Rider could feel an unimaginable amount of mana suddenly burst out from Archer!

Heavy pressure weighed down on the area, cracking the ground underneath them. As if saying like it was an illusion, that heavy pressure disappeared in an instant.

However, Rider felt that it was just like a calm before the storm. His face... Rider only caught a glimpse of Archer's look at that moment, but even then, she knew she'd be dead in the next second if she even moved slightly, not to mention provoking him.

Archer swung his halberd at Rider with half-hearted effort, as though he was merely swatting a fly. He didn't care whether she survived the blow or not as he immediately leaped toward the school rooftop with so much force.

"Kuahk..!! *Cough* huff... huff..."

Rider could feel her spirit origin was full of cracks. The ether particles which made up her body was rapidly disappearing, returning to the world. If nothing unexpected happened, she was definitely going to die soon!

"This is the end, heh. I'm really not fit for fighting in the frontline... And that Archer! I will definitely 'punish' him later! How dare he be so ruthless to me...!"

As she laid weakly on the ground, Rider saw the clear night sky was filled with the stars. They shone weakly whenever her gaze passed by, as though they were quietly watching her final moment.

"Kuh... If only Cu were here... How wonderful it'd be..?"

As she closed her eyes. She seemed to hear the sound of footsteps coming toward her. With her blurry consciousness, she faintly heard that person's voice traveled over.

"...really, unexpected. Just who is that heroic spirit, I felt like facing an ancient Phantasmal species for a moment..."

An aged voice seemed to be trembling in fear and awe. Despite that, one could also sense a sheer determination bordering on craziness within his voice.

"Now, you can swallow her."

With the last bit clarity on her mind, Rider could feel that she was gradually enveloped by something, and that thing was also pulling her into a deep and dark swamp where no light existed.

"...oh, looks like there is a fish missing." With a harsh, creaking laugh, that person looked at certain direction where Shirou hid himself.

On the rooftop, Rin was tormented within a blood mist as several whips were entangling and trying to catch her. It did not help her that her mana was also sucked bit by bit by the blood mist, which in turn increased the lethality and strength of the blood mist as time went on.

At first, when Rin saw that Kanade was trapped within the bounded field, she was confident that Kanade's movement would be restricted, and she could finish their battle early.

But Kanade's blood mist suddenly expanded at shocking rate which engulfed half of the school rooftop along with Rin inside it. Within the blood mist, her mana and stamina would be slowly depleted and absorbed by the blood mist, which also undid her restriction on Kanade.

Rin had been trying to escape at the first instance she was trapped within the blood mist, but each time she almost escaped, Kanade would appear out of nowhere and prevented her from going out, she continued to harass her.

"...this sucks." Rin wiped the sweat and blood from her pale face. Her injuries were not light. She had been cut in many places, her clothes were in tatter and her blood from those wounds was slowly drained by the blood mist.

She had spoken confidently to Archer that she would finish up Kanade and Rider at their next meeting, but she was instead suppressed by Kanade now.

Dammit! Did I really have to use it?

Swoosh! Swoosh!

Tentacle whips passed her head by a hair's breadth as Rin evaded them with difficulty.

Rin still had the treasured heart-shaped red jewel which could be used to replenish her mana and stamina by large margin at once. But it's her trump card which could save her life at near death situation. Although her current condition was bad, it was far from life-threatening to her.

Besides, she still had her command seal.

Just when she was about to call for Archer, a flash of blue light hit the blood mist with strong impact.

Boom!

Like the fog swept by the gale, the blood mist burst open, disappearing in all directions after Archer swung his halberd.

The sky was clear, the stars were shining brightly. But if anything, the Homurahara Academy was engulfed within a thick, chilling murderous aura.

"...I didn't expect this. You have awakened her power too early, Kanade."

His face was ice-cold. It looked like he would erupt at any moment as he looked at Kanade.

"Archer?"

Rin could only see his figure through her blurred vision before she collapsed on his arm. That towering figure... his presence brought her a strange, yet also familiar sense of security.

She had not feel he was so dependable before this. After all, he usually behaved like a lazy, lecherous guy in normal days.

Kanade looked at Archer with intrigued eyes. Hearing him calling her name felt strangely... nostalgic.

But, the next moment, she felt her connection with Rider was cut off. When Kanade looked at her hand, her command seal had become dim and incomplete.

"You defeated Rider?" She couldn't hide the shock within her eyes. Her face sank.

"..." Archer was still quiet. But his silence also meant he was admitting to it.

In this situation, Kanade felt strongly compelled to retreat first. If she insisted to fight, she had higher chance to perish in his hand like Rider.

"You seem to know my power well, hmm, Archer?"

Archer sneered, "I have even destroyed your Outer God patron before, what's more a mere fragment like you. A free piece of advice; you better kill yourself before 'her' descent, or you will regret it later."

Looking at his mannerism and his seemingly unfounded grudge to her, Kanade had a bold thought about Archer's identity.

If that person was slightly older, and wore that same set of clothing...

She trembled slightly, looking at a loss as she stared at Archer... She was scared if her guess was proven to be correct.

'...is it really you?'

In front of Archer and Rin, Kanade gradually turned into bloody mist as she left after giving Archer a deep look.

Archer only stared at her coldly when he saw her leaving. When he could not feel her presence anymore, he sighed slightly as he carried the exhausted Rin on his arm.

"You did well, Rin."

His murderous aura dissipated as Archer revealed a gentle smile, he caressed her face softly. At that instant, he seemed to see her face overlapping with another Rin– one who was slightly older and more mature than the current Rin...

With a bang, Archer leaped as he went full speed to Tohsaka mansion.

At an underground basement. A group of blood mist condensed into one as Kanade slowly appeared from inside it.

...Her Servant had been defeated.

That fact was quite a big blow to her.

But, the matter that gave her the most impact was her wild guess about Archer's identity. If Archer was truly that man...

Just what did he experience that caused him to harbor that deep-seated grudge to her? No– to be exact, what did 'she' do to him that caused him to be like that...?

Unknowingly, a drop of tear had quietly flowed from her eyes, dripping slowly to the floor.

As she looked at her hand, she could see how much blood she had shed to reach her current height.

Is the she now still herself?

Amidst her confusion, the sound of footsteps arrived behind her, attracting her attention.

"Your Servant has been defeated, young girl. But don't be disheartened, there is still a class who haven't been summoned. Would you still wish to participate in this sacred War, and try to realize your wish?"

Kanade turned to her side, at the dark corner of underground basement. There, she could see the figure of a man clad in the shadow.

Vaguely, Kanade seemed to feel that that man was smiling strangely as he extended his hand to her.

It was already quite late when Shirou returned home. He had some bruises on his body, but he appeared mostly unharmed as Ryan's spell had warded off most of the danger.

And, contrary to Ryan's expectation, Artoria (Saber) was never summoned by Shirou that night.