Divine Dividing was such a terrifying thing that even an weakened White Dragon Emperor could still do too much damage for Shirou to feel safe on losing. Winning was the only path he could see to avoid unnecessary deaths.
To protect his loved ones' smiles.
'Faster! Faster! Faster faster faster faster faster faster faster faster fasterfasterfaster!' Was all Shirou could think as he let his mana and Ki run wildly on his body. His magic circuits screamed and he could practically hear the protests from his source of mana. 'Faster!'
It was nothing compared to taking the mana of a whole city, he wanted to tell her, it was nothing compared to surviving the Fire of Fuyuki. His resolve wasn't broken from any of these events and it wouldn't fail him now.
After a few seconds of pursuit Vali had approached enough to the ground while keeping a safe distance he felt Shirou couldn't counter attack. Bombarding his adversary may have been fun but his mana wasn't unlimited and he wanted to finish it soon to give the fight a satisfactory conclusion.
Also, because of all the damage he took before, the Vanishing Dragon knew he would need some energy to deal with the rest. Shirou had delivered in becoming a fight to remember but Vali still wanted more and was confident in dealing with anyone not ready to counter Divide.
For another few seconds the bombardment grew more intense as the White Dragon Emperors filled his wings with magic circles. So many lasers were unleashed in the constant rain that Shirou had to practically dance to evade them. That cost him speed and so Vali prepared his spear for the final blow.
Light grew more intense as the Vanishing Dragon threw the spear faster than all lasers he had shot so far. Because of his concentration some of the magic circles fizzled out but that didn't matter, he was sure his weapon was going to meet its target.
Time seemed to slow down for the White Dragon Emperor as he watched the Mage dodge left from a beam of mana only to get into the path of the spear, just as planned. There were too many attacks still around to stop any other maneuver and even flight couldn't change the outcome when the floor was close and the enemy was above.
The only place Shirou had to escape was the front and Vali was sure his spear was too fast for the magus to dodge.
It hit its mark and Vali was about to call his victory when the spear passed through Shirou without resistance, an explosion only happening when it made contact with the ground. For a moment everyone was blind but the Vanishing Dragon knew what he saw even if he was confused by it.
Confusion that still wasn't enough to stop him from noticing Shirou coming at him with Bakuya ready to cut his head. Vali turned as fast as he could but there was no way his evasion was perfect, Shirou was too fast and the hybrid screamed in pain when one of his flesh and bone wings was cut off.
At the moment Shirou was also moving too fast to properly react when his attack connected, his speed had reached levels he only saw Yoruichi archive, enough so to use an afterimage like her.
When he turned to reach Vali and had to slow down or kill himself on the collision but now, now his opponent was slower without one of his wings and Shirou could focus on a manageable speed.
Both combatants turned and Vali unleashed as many blasts of mana as he could, Albion shouting on his mind to get the silver haired man to retreat. He refused, his euphoria drowning out the pain of losing a wing.
Already Bakuya was moving to deflect some attacks as the magus charged on the White Dragon Emperor's direction, ignoring most of the blasts. He only protected his head and flew horizontally, like a missile, to reduce the area he could get hit on. Any other alternative would take too long.
It was still not fast enough for a decisive strike as Vali threw one of Divine Dividing's wings in his path, Bakuya cutting it in half like butter only for a fire to be revealed behind it as the dragon's flames were unleashed again.
Didn't stop Shirou this time as he shouted a wordless warcry and kept going to stab Vali's chest. The fire stopped as the sword pierced through heart and lung, the fight should be over.
But it wasn't for the descendant of Lucifer proved his mettle by punching Shirou hard even as the redhead kept his Noble Phantasm on the hybrid's heart and grabbed the arm.
Both warriors began to fly uncontrollably as they fought each other for supremacy, Shirou doing everything he could to keep a hold of Vali and take his power while Vali unleashed all his mana on Shirou's face to blow him away.
They had no idea what building they hit during the struggle but they were inside some facility before Albion's host managed a kick that forced Shirou away. Bakuya began to disappear from Vali's chest the second Shirou was repealed but that only left him with a bleeding wound that should be fatal.
Fatal to anyone without his lineage and as the blade began to reappear on Shirou's hand, glowing as vibrant as before, the grandchild of Lucifer knew the fight was coming to an end and that should make him happy.
However he felt that this would be an unsatisfactory one, one where he couldn't give his all and so there was some bitterness in his mouth and it wasn't the blood. For that reason alone he wouldn't stop, couldn't stop, until he gave everything he had for either a satisfying victory or a worthwhile defeat.
Things wouldn't be simple against Shirou as Bakuya had reformed on his hand and Bellerophon formed behind him again as he charged. Vali's heart was pumping harder despite the damage as he knew there was no time for magic circles or fancy maneuvers, the pain reminding him it was all or nothing.
'Win!' Vali shouted in his mind while his Light began to surround his body towards his hands. Two orbs of pure and Light, the Light of Lucifer, pulsed in the milliseconds he had before Shirou reached him.
Throwing both his arms forward the orbs channeled all his power in a gigantic beam of Light that slammed on Shirou and blew the side of the building they were in apart.
Such facilities were not alone in a single area and the buildings around it were demolished from Vali's desperate assault. The Light diminished little by little as plenty of Kuoh's structure was destroyed by the hybrid's desperate attack.
Nobody dared to get in his way as the White Dragon Emperor flew higher to get as much distance as he could from his opponent because he didn't believe it was over not by a long shot.
Vali also forgo any idea of fighting against anyone else today because his body took too much damage. Already he began some emergency treatment of his heart but there was just so much a devil could do for healing without some kind of tool. He also knew there was no way everyone else would just let him escape.
"I, who is about to awaken," Before these words were said in the name of fun but now they were in the name of survival. Vali wasn't afraid to die but not if it would be by anyone other than his opponent.
And even then he wanted to fight at full strength, something that Shirou denied him before even if Vali couldn't complain. Strategy was strategy and far from the Vanishing Dragon to complain about being denied his greatest asset.
"Am the White Dragon Emperor who will take the law down to the darkness." So he seized the opportunity to let it all out, the chant beginning once again as he hoped that Shirou would stay down for long enough so he could finish. "I walk the road of domination-"
Then the Light came back as Shirou exploded from some debris of one of the buildings. His Divine aura was weaker but it still shone bright. His armor was breaking apart and there was a lot of blood but he could still fly and was going at Vali with all he could muster.
Once again Vali abandoned the Chant and prepared to defend but it was too little too late, much of his remaining energy was already on the transformation.
Just as Shirou planned as Ddraig had told him, the deeper in the Chant a Heavenly Dragon Emperor went, the more he would have to fight against the souls inside the sacred gear. By letting the Chant go for a few more seconds he managed an opening and he just needed to capitalize on it.
Now all the Mage of Swords needed to do was reach his opponent before a recovery and for that he needed more speed. With how much damage his armor took it was starting to grow useless. So Shirou got rid of the extra weight, transforming it into fuel for his 'wings' that were still trying to take shape.
He forced them to blast the ground in an explosion that launched him higher for starters, Bakuya pulsing as all the energy of the armor was directed to it.
First it was his boots that returned to normal, his belt and in his back the Divine wings and the shroud followed him. His helmet followed next, revealing that his hair was no longer red but completely white like a cloud, it was even shining like the sun was behind him.
Last was his mask for the rest weren't called from Bellerophon's power.
The mask cracked in half before breaking fully and only Vali could see Shirou's eyes which were carrying a new blaze and shone brightly as the visor and mask fell for only the Vanishing Dragon to see.
A mixture of gold and red that created a color that Humanity never had or was able to have naturally, born from Bellerophon's presence. Eyes that looked like blazing suns.
Not that Vali had time to study Shirou's eyes, all he needed to know from them was Shirou's intent and all they told him was that the Mage of Swords was going for the kill. That was real killing intent and everything that Vali and Albion had left was thrown in the defense.
"Last," softly, just above a whisper, a new Aria was born from the combined efforts of Mage and Mythical mount, their senses became one as Divinity ran freely on Shirou's body, "Stardust."
Time didn't slow down but Shirou's mind, senses and body were so energized by Bellerophon that he had surpassed time or began to perceive things so quickly that even someone like Vali appeared frozen before his eyes.
Before they were moving and fighting down to the millisecond but Shirou went beyond and reached the realm of nanoseconds. He wasn't the first to do it, any that could be called truly strong could even go beyond that, but with Medusa's Gift and Bellerophon's Divinity he had reached a new realm.
And he could move on this elevated state, Bakuya still firm on his hand as he threw the first cut towards the Vanishing Dragon's chest. While the armor was still damaged it managed to resist way more than it should.
Still in his higher state of mind Shirou could make deductions in nanoseconds as well, the limits of the human mind already irrelevant to him thanks to the pegasus' help. Concluding, based on all Ddraig had told him, that it was because of the process of transforming, the Mage shifted gears.
If one single strike wasn't going to give him the victory, what about a thousand?
So the Divine empowered magus began to move again, Bakuya dancing and hitting Vali at speeds that even the hybrid could barely react or perceive. All that the silver haired man could do was try and survive.
Bakuya clashed and collided with many parts of the Scale Mail many times, dozens of them before the first cracks began to appear. Shirou wasn't focusing on a single area but everywhere all at once because even in his new state there was no time to get used to it. Already he could feel his new power slipping through his fingers.
The result was a chaotic mesh of attacks, with no clear direction, Shirou just began to try and cut Vali to pieces with everything he had as fast as he could. It spoke loudly of Albion's natural resistance if an interrupted transformation was capable of even surviving the onslaught for as long as it did.
However surviving was all it could do as while the Original White Dragon Emperor would have already reacted, the current one couldn't. He could only take the hits.
And the hits just kept coming; on his chest, hands, arms, shoulders, legs, head, wings. The last one was important since unlike the rest of his body those 8 bat-like wings had no armor or shields.
Bakuya made quick work of them with every pass, a cut to Vali's stomach also took his lowest left side wing before the white blade pushed up and began to cut another off. Shirou didn't stop there and returned to attack the white armor's left side, the shoulder pad had a huge gash as a scratch appeared on the arm.
Then he moved back to the chest for four slashes in succession before moving forward to the right side and cutting another wing into pieces. They failed to move from his vision with how fast Shirou was. Instead he moved down and got rid of another wing, 6 more remained, including Divine Dividing itself.
The next point of focus was Vali's leg as Shirou hit it on his passing before trying to cut the Vanishing Dragon's waist. There were no sparks, no sound, nothing but the movement and the person moving as the Mage was too fast for anything else.
Nothing but the designs of the Mage of Swords clashing against a dragon.
'How long since I started this?' Shirou managed to wonder as Bakuya moved from waist to head to cut the side of Scale Mail's helmet. He could see gashes and holes but not a single speck of blood. 'It is like…' He failed to find a description.
Higher levels of thought and deliberation seemed to escape him as his body only obeyed his whims for movement and allowed his eyes greater perception; thinking was hard, talking was impossible, breathing was difficult and were not for Bellerophon's Divinity his body would be ripped apart.
So that was all he did, he kept moving, kept attacking, slashing and cutting.
By the time Shirou felt his power waver and began to leave him, he had hit Vali everywhere he could reach. Despite everything he could still see no blood in any point of his armor but he also managed to direct himself enough to cut his devil wings completely.
Time began to run normally for the magus and he knew he had to finish this quickly and win the fight. After calling Bellerophon this completely Shirou knew his body would be screaming once the Divinity was gone and he returned to normal. Already vertigo threatened his perception and he needed to finish Vali off.
Forcing his left arm to move again he grasped Bakuya with both hands for a final overhead slash before his senses returned to normal. He wanted to puke but was too distracted by the Vanishing Dragon suddenly flying to the ground at high speeds. Except he wasn't flying, Vali had been hit too much in a short space of time and the momentum finally became visible.
All witnessed how the White Dragon Emperor went from preparing to unleash his full power to suddenly crashing on the ground so hard that after a small tremor he kept dragging the earth with him until he slowed down naturally.
All Old Satan Faction's army felt horror at the defeat of their champion as they saw how his bright white armor, something that invoked the Original Lucifer on their minds, broke in thousands of pieces during his descent, the Divine Dividing's wings were last remained pieces and even those were cut down and broken on the fall.
But that wasn't the worst of it as they saw how wounded Vali was; his body was completely covered in cuts and every single one of them was bleeding. There was enough blood that a trail marked the ground he had skid on almost as much as the track from his collision itself.
Contrary to his opponent Shirou descended from the sky far more slowly with the last of Bellerophon's power calmly delivering him back to the ground. Clear proof his powers had diminished was that the aura was flickering and that the color of his clothes began to return, the black and red taking over once again.
Gracefully, mostly because the once again redhead wasn't in control, Shirou landed with his feet, taking a second to recover his balance. That lasted until he suddenly crouched with a hand and began to vomit on the side.
'Does the old man feel the same thing when he messes with time?' Technically Shirou knew he was messing with speed and his father's magecraft was another thing but he saw enough parallels to wonder. 'Need to-' Couldn't even finish his train of thought before vomiting again.
Once asked to describe the sensation of immersing himself in Bellerophon's power, Shirou told his friends that it was like exiting the fastest roller coaster on the planet, all fine during the ride but once it was done his stomach began to catch up.
Part of it was because he was not used to working with Bellerophon that much, the cost being too great for him to train much with Last Stardust, another part of it was that the only other two times he reached that level of speed was on training conditions with no anxiety or stress other than trying to save mana.
Comparing it to a real battle, one where Shirou began to use that state in a rush when Vali began the Chant again, was far much harder than in a training environment. Already he could feel his stomach settle down but that didn't change the fact he could only use Bellerophon at full throttle for a few minutes at most.
Slowly the Mage of Swords got up, no one daring to approach as some of Bellerophon's Divinity still remained, giving him a god-like presence. Even weaker he was still intimidating to the average devils, especially after he defeated a hybrid descendant of Lucifer.
As his hair returned to its natural red a small tuft of white remained, the very same that had been created after he saved Fuyuki from its ley line. He took a deep breath and began to walk towards Vali, Bakuya by his side.
However, after a couple of steps, Shirou stopped to look at the fallen Vanishing Dragon. 'It is over.' He thought with certainty upon seeing the rivers of blood leaving Vali. 'I won.' That didn't fill him with any satisfaction but gave him some relief. 'I stopped the war-'
"Rias Gremory… That is how-" Vali opened one of his eyes, the other swallow shut, and coughed some blood much to everyone's surprise. Shirou wasn't the only one that thought he was dead. "That is how you did… that is why you have.. that much mana… Far more than your body-" He coughed more blood that went mixed with how much already was on the ground. "More than your body could ever support. A mana transfer ritual." A bloody grin revealed itself as the magus looked more nervous. "By blood or… Ah, now I remember that you two are in a relationship. Practically married if you are sharing your reserves like that."
Licking his lips to calm himself, Shirou took a couple more steps. "Yes, you are right. I have been sharing mana with Rias for a while now. Without her… I couldn't use Bellerophon and Bakuya to their full potential."
"And in a spar… you wouldn't use her power… only your own. A handicap." Vali was satisfied, too satisfied in Shirou's opinion. "Looks like I was right." He sounded stronger than he should with how wounded he was. "Only in a real fight… a fight where lives are on the line… we can show our real power."
"Except that power wasn't just my own. I wasn't fighting alone."
"Neither was I. Albion saved my life." Vali moved his finger to point at a vein on his neck. "Without his direction most of the power… you would have killed me one hundred times." He leaned forward. "I was right."
That was something Shirou couldn't agree with. "You may have been right but you weren't correct. Look around you!" He waved Bakuya to show the battlefield, the many bodies spread in a once peaceful school. "Was this all worth it? Was everyone that died because you wanted to fight like in a war! Well, there is your war! Dead everywhere!"
Vali lost his smile. "They chose to fight. Picked weapons and laid their lives for their leaders."
"And you think a war is just about those who 'chose to fight'? That not a single innocent won't be in the crossfire?" Shirou scoffed. "So much for not picking on the weak." He glared at the fallen silver haired man who glared right back. "Destruction of their homes, their fields, the starvation, the fear-"
"I would stop all that!"
"-death of family members, their fathers, mothers, sons, daughters." The redhead's glare grew more intense. "Look around you, Vali Lucifer. Every dead here had someone who cared about them, be them a lover, a parent, a child waiting for them at home. Even a friend who just waited for the next day they would drink together." Veins were visible in the scowl on Shirou's face. "What can your power do for them? Can you bring back the dead? Or perhaps you thought only your enemies would die? Only the strong, right?"
"That is how it should be."
"But it isn't! Stop being naive!" Fury, that was an emotion not many saw Shirou present but today he was showing it in spades. "Maybe you think that you could convince your men to not fight, but what about the other side? What if they cared for their leader so much that they were willing to lay their lives for them?"
"Then their leader shouldn't let them." Vali tried to get up but the damage to his heart paralyzed him while the rest of his body fought to not shut down from blood loss. Only the fact he was a True Hybrid kept him conscious. "If they are so beloved then they have to make a stand before their people die."
"And you believe they would abandon someone so loved just because they were told so?"
"That is what they should do! That is how we move forward!" Fury seeped in Vali's voice. "Hiding behind a desk is for cowards and a coward has no place in a position of power!" Dark blue mana surrounded the hybrid as he slowly got up, it managed to stop the blood from leaking but Shirou didn't react, judging it temporary. "And power, power is the only way the world can move! Better to weed down the weak and let the powerful prove they deserve to remain where they are."
Shirou shook his head with disappointment. "Power… Yes, power makes the world move. But even the weak, given enough time, can take down the powerful if they see themselves facing a tyrant." And there were many ways for the weak to stop being such. "But war to show power? You are ignoring everyone that doesn't want it, just to push your selfishness."
"You don't know what you are talking about!" Clearly Vali was offended.
So was Shirou. "That is the truth. You don't even know what a real war is. You have no idea of the darkest impulses that manifest during it." For the Mage of Swords did as his weapons told the tale.
Or tales for even the most glorious Caliburn lost its path sometimes due to bloodlust, for Hrunting hunted those that undeserving of its bite, Caladbolg was lucky since few used it. The Muramasa Shirou saw more than its fair share of conflicts.
All of Humanity's History had plenty of conflicts for a reason or another and as an excellent sword, the Muramasa saw plenty since its creation. Sometimes it was for justice, other times it was for survival, more than once it was just to kill someone else and the reason didn't matter. From its creation to the Meiji to the modern day, a Muramasa was a piece of work that demanded to be used.
If just to fulfill the obsessions of the owner.
"You don't know anything about war. Perhaps you are a genius at fighting but you also know nothing about a real fight." Those words stung Vali's chest more than his wound but Shirou wasn't done. "Without understanding anyone else, you try to force your beliefs on them. I won't have it, not from something as stupid as war for fun."
"Don't you dare to deny my existence!" Vali finally stood but his power was flickering and his stance compromised. He was too wounded and only his will kept him on his feet. "You think this is just for fun? Yes, it is fun! But there is more! It is the only way of finding the truth!"
"What truth?"
"About everything." He said with gritted teeth. A smile came after. "Besides, you can't deny you were having fun too."
After a second, Shirou raised Bakuya and looked at his reflection, gave it a deadpan stare then directed it towards Vali. "You are an idiot."
"Hey, I call how I see them. You like fighting."
"Perhaps if the stakes were not so high, like a war." Shirou didn't mind competition and he couldn't deny he had fun sparing with his friends. However Vali was demanding too much.
"Sure, keep telling yourself that." Vali gave off the most satisfied sigh he could as his body gave out and he fell on his back, struggling to even look at the magus. "But you are also someone looking for a purpose."
Those exact words struck a chord that erased Shirou's scowl. "I take it back, you aren't an idiot."
"Oho." Despite having a foot on the grave, Vali was amused. "Good to know-"
"Instead you are a fool." Shirou shocked any that were making an effort to hear their talk. "A fool instead of an idiot. That is a more fitting title."
"Is there a difference?"
"In my opinion there are many." He looked at Bakuya and approached a few more steps. "Mostly an idiot is an idiot while a fool can be described in one of two ways; someone incapable of learning or someone who refuses to learn." The magus pointed his sword at Vali's eyes. "You are the second, just like Bellerophon."
Chucking, the hybrid asked. "The horse or the man?"
"Cheeky." Yet there was no bite on the Mage's tone, just a deep sadness. "Have you ever heard of his legend? About the man?"
"He tried to become a god, right? Then Zeus crippled him, I think."
"That is the short of it and not incorrect." Shirou felt an immense pity because he started to understand Vali more yet it didn't change what he would have to do. Still he would try and it wasn't like anyone had the guts to interfere. "Bellerophon was born a prince, or at least a noble, legends vary. However everyone agrees that he had everything he could have; prestige, a family, power. No reason to go out on an adventure at all."
Shirou stopped to make sure Vali was paying attention, fully convinced that even bathed in his own blood the hybrid wasn't going to die so easily. Instinctively Vali's magic was stopping most of the bleeding if not all of it. Not that he could fight either way with how much blood he had lost but looking closer Shirou was sure he should be dead.
But he was a True Hybrid so the magus had time for a story. "Yet he was ambitious, not the same ambition of a normal man, oh no. Someone that already had everything and had ambition could only aim to go up. And what is greater than a king? A god."
"Not the first." Vali was engaged and a little more than curious where this conversation was going. "Wasn't the Greek Pantheon famous for collecting mortals and ascending them to godhood? Or turning them into flowers and such."
"Every Pantheon did that now and then but yes, even in that time mortals ascended to gods, Heracles is the most famous exemple but there was also a cupbearer whose name escapes me. He was one of Zeus' lovers." That didn't narrow it down at all and Shirou was too concerned to think of others. "There was also Psyche, wife of Eros, Diomides, one of the many, many, heroes of the Trojan War and so on and on. As you can see, this was a common practice."
Which wasn't uncommon in most Pantheons; sacrifices from the Aztecs became gods themselves to serve their Divinities, the Norse Pantheon raised brave warriors as Einherjars which were recorded as smaller gods even if called just spirits waiting to fight on Ragnarok.
Examples never would be lacking on that topic. "Now Bellerophon wasn't going to demand something like that from his gods, he was a believer and the kind of man that, even if born with everything, wanted to earn something." Shirou tried to find the right words. "He was proud because of his upbringing and smart enough to understand that something like this needed to be earned either by being loved by a god or by doing something great. He had no illusions of the first so he decided to go for the second."
There were no real twists on the beginning of that particular story, no tragedy or any kind. Just ambition and a man that decided to pursue it in the right way.
Most Greek myths were still tragedies. "Credit where credit is due, calling Bellerophon just smart may be underselling it, he wasn't harsh and didn't rush to try and pick a fight with the biggest thing he could find, the First Chimera, that was assaulting the region."
The glare he was giving Vali was enough for the silver haired man to know part of the statement was a dig at him. He wouldn't complain, as the loser of the fight it felt wrong to try, and it didn't bother him that much. Instead the Vanishing Dragon gave Shirou a small grin.
"Without hiding his intentions at all he parted to the closest temple of Athena bearing gifts and a request."
"To tame the pegasus."
A nod showed he was correct. "Yes, he was smart and knew where the pegasus territory was and heard of his power. Who didn't hear of Perseus' mount that was faster than the wind in those days?" For people who lived them it was both an attraction and a chance for fame as many tried to ride the pegasus, both for the novelty and power. "He was quite honest too, telling the goddess word for word of his plan to become a god. His choice of Athena also was well thought out; she is Goddess of Heroes, Wisdom, Knowledge, Strategy and had a reputation for favoring heroes like Odysseus, Achilles and Heracles."
Far and wide those tales spread and all knew who was the goddess who always helped figures as those. Bellerophon didn't need Zeus, King of Gods, but his daughter.
"That was probably his first mistake but we are getting ahead of ourselves." For a moment Shirou wanted somewhere to sit but considering Vali's personality he felt it would be disrespectful. "She gave him reins, golden reins, capable of holding even a creature like a pegasus. Push comes to shove, maybe it could even hold Albion."
Part of him expected the Divide Dividing to return with a furious dragon trying to talk him down or insult him. It didn't happen, couldn't happen. Vali was too weak and Albion cared about his host so the original Vanishing Dragon wasn't going to consume whatever meager reserves they had left.
Shirou just looked at his opponent with more pity. "Anyway, he managed to attract the pegasus, rein him in and went immediately to fight against the First Chimera. They won." Some legends said there was a struggle, others say that he just threw concrete on the lion's mouth of the creature and it suffocated. It wasn't important. "Sounds good enough already, right? Saved a country, killed one of the few great monsters not even Heracles had to deal with. Certainly enough to earn godhood? Perhaps not but Bellerophon didn't ask for it, no instead he went on to live many adventures, defeat armies and even kill more monsters, all with the pegasus by his side." Shirou held Bakuya's blade in his hand to stare at his reflex again. "Sure he made some mistakes along the way, made powerful enemies, but not even once he insulted the gods he wanted to be part of and the only time he killed someone innocent, his own kin, it was an accident."
As far as Greek heroes went, that was an impressive record since some literally had legends that began with said 'accidents' or they didn't care about who they killed. It was a different time and none of that diminished what those heroes did later in life or the penalty that came when deserved.
The Furies chased many wannabe heroes and tyrants, tormenting and crushing them before their stories could begin so only a few, a very selective few compared to how many they took to Hades, were made into Legends.
Yet they didn't chase Bellerophon, either because of the pegasus or because it was a real accident. "So for years and years, with the pegasus by his side, the hero went on dozens of adventures, never being defeated. His mount was the most powerful and he was very cunning." For the man knew how to use the pegasus' full potential. "There was none in Greece and the neighboring lands that could be compared to him. His feats and accomplishments were so many that a king who disliked him saw no other choice but to offer his daughter and kingdom."
Sometimes Shirou wondered how Bellerophon must have felt at that moment. He who rejected simply inheriting the position, had finally earned it even if in another kingdom altogether. The boost on his ego had to be enormous, like he finally had achieved what he set out to do even if he didn't know it.
That was Bellerophon's ruin. "He rejected the crown and the woman, the praise and the pomp. Not because the woman was ugly or the kingdom was poor…"
"Because he wanted to be a god." Vali had relaxed a little even as his wounds burned. He was intrigued by the point of the tale.
"Good, you are still alive and paying attention." To the redhead's lament as his eyes showed sadness. He knew where this was going. "At that point there were no more foes to fight unless he wanted to conquer all of Greece. Hell, unless the gods interfered he could have conquered the whole world." Was Shirou's honest opinion.
As a Divine Beast, only another or gods could compete with the pegasus and at the time most of them were in their Pantheons or hidden from the world. Sure most gods would fight the moment that an invasion properly began but the damage would already have been done and a war would start.
"But Bellerophon didn't want that either, not conquest or at least not war, he wanted godhood and believed that after all he did, he had earned it." His eyes looked even sadder. "Of course Athena didn't warn him, he didn't bother to ask. In the end he grew arrogant and decided to fly to Olympus and claim his 'rightful' place." His sarcasm was dry and it was more depressing than anything. "Instead of sending Hermes to give a proper warning, have Athena stop one of her champions or go himself, Zeus sent a small bee, the tiniest creature possible." He chuckled with some irritation. "Or impossible. Such a small little thing that had no place in the altitudes of a mountain or at the speed Bellerophon was moving yet it was there all the same. Divine intervention at its finest."
After his travel to Greece, meeting Medusa more specifically, he took his time to study as much as he could about the Greek Pantheon and the shenanigans Zeus was capable of. Taking everything in he would judge them worthy of a comedy if it didn't end with people suffering most of the time.
It was hard for Shirou to describe how he felt about the Chief God of the Greek Pantheon but he was sure of one thing; if he ever had the opportunity he was going to punch Zeus in the face, repeatedly, with gusto.
"So to recap. Bellerophon, after receiving the endorsement of Athena, faced many challenges and saved many people, tried to ascend to Olympus. Zeus didn't like that and sent a bee, or a wasp depending on the version you read but someone told me it was definitely a bee, to sting the pegasus and send his ride to an early demise." Shirou shrugged dramatically. "In the end, the pegasus kept going up, while his ride went down. Funnily enough, despite the speed and the altitude, Bellerophon survived. How? Divine intervention again? Or maybe that is the only part that is really a legend. Funny thing is, I like this part."
"The part where a man was crippled for life and went looking for his horse until he died in poverty? That part?" Vali was shocked and rightfully so, pain forgotten. "If you haven't been calling your pegasus' name… the whole fight I would say you are trying to teach me a lesson." While he wouldn't complain about it, Vali couldn't help but be offended.
"Yes, that part. You want to know why?" Shirou waited for a nod. "Because he was a fool." The surprise just couldn't leave Vali's face. "Think about it this way, why was he still looking for the pegasus at the end of his life? Remember that Bellerophon defeated every challenge of his time, could have been crowned king, married, lived a happy life. Sure the pegasus was gone but he earned all that already and many of his allies wouldn't have forgotten about his help. If he wanted, what was stopping him from retiring then? To stop his search and settle somewhere, maybe not as a king or a god but as a hero?" During his tirade Shirou looked a little excited but soon the sadness and pity returned to his eyes. "Because he wanted to try again."
"What?" Confused but intrigued, that was all Vali could utter.
"He wanted to try again, to prove himself, to be a god. A real fool, not unable to learn but refusing to learn if the result wasn't the one he wanted." Shirou raised his sword. "You are like him. Like me, a stubborn fool. Usually that isn't a bad thing but what you want is literally leading you to death." Bakuya was close to Vali's eyes and with a single movement Shirou could either blind or kill him. "A hero that doesn't give up, that did the work and fell because the gods couldn't just send a messenger. Was it arrogance or pride that brought Bellerophon's fall? I don't know. All that I know was that he didn't quit and while he died crippled and poor I believe if he had found the pegasus again he would get right back to the saddle and try again until he either succeeded or died. A fool."
"Hehe. You don't like my way of living."
"I made that clear plenty of times."
"But it is my choice… like Bellerophon's was his." Vali chuckled, closing his eyes for a few seconds. When he opened them, Shirou saw the determination of his gaze. "So you better finish this fight properly or else I will make sure you live to regret it."
That was as bad a sign as any for the Mage. "And you are fine dying like this? In front of this many people? Defeated by a mere human?"
"Heh, don't try to sell yourself short… I fought … gave everything I had… and I lost. Sure you stopped me from using Juggernaut Drive-"
"That is more of a 'you' problem since you didn't put up a proper defense." Shirou shot back, hoping to break Vali's train of thought, to give him a reason to live.
Because while he was naive Vali was a good man. Extremely naive in Shirou's own opinion, that to be sure, but didn't change the fact he only wanted to fight to prove himself, to have himself seen.
Even if the kill was justified in the middle of combat, now it wasn't as simple as Vali was on his back, defeated despite not surrendering and Shirou knew he wouldn't, not if that meant living out of mercy.
He would hate Shirou forever if the Mage spared him. The hybrid would see it as the magus denying his existence by sparing it, an vile action which could earn him an eternal enemy who wouldn't stop until he was put down for good.
No, Shirou didn't want to kill Vali anymore, for they both were fools of a different lot..
The worst part was that Vali was already smiling at his own death. "Fair enough… Then again… I never expected anyone to throw themselves… at an increasingly powerful dragon or to be faster than I… could react." He tried to shrug but failed and his shoulder bled. Still he looked stronger for some reason. "But unusual tactics are supposed to be expected from the Magus Killer's Son…" The smile on the Vanishing Dragon's face was a happy one. "I came prepared… you came even more prepared… and I lost. I may never become the strongest but this… I am fine with this." He raised his head, showing his neck. "Do it. If you kill me now, that will only benefit the New Satan Faction so you have no reason to not to."
Vali was right since there were plenty of witnesses and the tale of a human beating the descendant of Lucifer would weaken any claim the Old Satan Faction had about their superiority.
Once he was known as Rias' lover, or even as just her magician, that would also increase the Gremory's Clan position which would in turn strengthen Sirzechs' position. All that combined may be enough to break any dissident in the Underworld, perhaps even nullify any threat the Old Satan Faction could impose.
"Didn't you want to be the strongest? Are you already giving up?" Shirou didn't want to kill Vali. He was a naive fool but not evil and so the redhead found himself hesitating. "You can't be the strongest if you are dead."
"Can't be the strongest if people let me be the 'strongest'." Vali spit some blood at the end of the sentence. "If I could escape, I would. If I could fight, I would. But I lost… Completely." His smile began to fill with malice. "Don't you dare to let me escape, Emiya. Do so and I will make your life a living hell."
A promise he would keep with all his strength, he would escape any trap, any prison, any castle or fortress or whatever place they put him in just to get revenge over the shame of living.
For a second Shirou could imagine a distant future where Vali didn't give any warnings or challenges, he just unleashed Albion's full power in the middle of Fuyuki and began to destroy everything just to get back at Shirou.
In the present Vali wouldn't do such a thing but if Shirou dared to stomp on what he considered a satisfactory outcome even if not ideal.
Steeling himself, Shirou knew sparing Vali's life would be a mistake. "Very well. If this is how you wish to validate your existence," Bakuya was raised above Shirou's head with a single arm, "then I shall reaffirm it with its end."
While Shirou was resolute there was a deep sadness in him.
While Vali was close to death all he felt was satisfaction.
Bakuya moved, gravity doing most of the work as Shirou was too weak. He had plenty of mana left thanks to Rias but the fact was that his body was on its limit.
Perhaps because of that he couldn't notice when another blade with tones of red appeared from nowhere and intercepted Bakuya. There was a pause that made Shirou think time had stopped as he examined the sword that was floating right in front of his face.
Except it wasn't as he could see a pair of hands holding it. 'A woman?' Shirou was so surprised by the sudden event that he didn't even fight when the mysterious sword pushed him back.
Really he couldn't fight back even if he wanted, he could barely feel his muscles and his movements were sluggish. Since his stamina was that low, Ki was also out so the new arrival had no issues sending him away.
And that was all she did and she was even delicatated about it, bashing Bakuya as gently as a flower when hit by a breeze and then using her weapon to force him take a few steps back just as kindly.
Shirou was surprised by the demonstration of skill as he didn't feel any hostile intent or forcefulness on the maneuver. It was so gentle in fact that the redhead felt that the person was trying to help him walk away instead of attacking in any way.
His world became a blur when someone flew and picked him up, depositing him a few meters away from Vali and his savior. "Sorry but I can't stand doing nothing anymore." Michael finally stepped on the battlefield, a calm but resolute expression on his face. "Besides, you neutralized the main threat. Good job, Mage of Swords."
The title snapped Shirou back to reality. "Please not you too."
Michael blinked in surprise and spared the redhead a glance. "Don't you magi like titles like that? I heard that your kind tends to kill for it."
"But I don't!" Shirou felt Bakuya go as he almost fell on his face only for the Seraph to help him.
"Don't worry. You fought for us, allow me to fight for you." There would be no protesting as the magus had to admit he was too tired to even try.
On the other side of the battlefield, someone voiced a particular protest. "What the hell, Ria?!"
The woman's form was revealed as her hood became visible with a dark purple color as she turned. "Vali, you lost the right to complaint with what you just tried to pull." Her voice was passionate and furious. "To threaten someone like that after losing a fight… That was cowardly."
"We were just finishing the fight properly-" When Vali tried to get up, ignoring his many wounds, he felt a small delicate hand hold him down. "What the-" He looked left to see a transparent form taking shape to reveal a girl glaring at him. "Le Fay?"
"You should stop moving or else you are going to make things worse." The girl's hood fell from her head revealing her blonde hair as she messed around until she retrieved a vial with a blue liquid. "This will hurt a bit."
"No, wait, the fight- aaaaaooooow!" The True Hybrid, Vanishing Dragon, Vali Lucifer, started to scream and cry as the potion spread on his chest and began to close some wounds. "You used one of those that hurt on purpose!"
Le Fay shook her head with an innocent smile. "Don't be silly. This is just one of those that works better." Then in a flawless motion she pulled another vial and shoved it on Vali's mouth before he could call off her lie. "Now drink, drink. You lost a lot of blood and we need to start getting it back."
"I am pretty sure you had one of the more harmless potions on you, Fay." A disembodied voice spoke from the side, clearly male. Vali looked at its direction with a frown and he chuckled before revealing itself. "After losing so completely, I don't think Vali needed to rub the magical equivalent of salt on his wounds."
A tall man revealed himself and the first woman, identified as Ria, scoffed under her hood. "He deserves it." She was more than upset and her younger sibling nodded in agreement.
Vali couldn't take it anymore and ripped the empty vial off his mouth. "Yeah, I lost, I accept that. But Emiya Shirou still needs to finish me off so it is official." He turned to look at the redhead who was being helped by the Seraph. "Get back here, Emiya! Our fight isn't over until you take my head!"
"Tsk, why are you in such a rush to die? Especially after Ria saved you?" The man folded his arms and shook his head.
"Shove it, Arthur! I didn't ask to be saved! I lost, fair and square!" Vali complained and Michael, upon hearing the name, quickly placed Shirou on the ground and began to approach.
He was mostly ignored by the woman with the sword who planted her weapon on the ground. Even with her eyes covered, all knew she was glaring at the White Dragon Emperor.
"Since when can the loser demand anything from the winner?" She called him off and Vali turned to her with some shame. "And using such underhanded tactics too. I am disappointed in you, Vali. Really disappointed." Ria turned back, ignoring the angel who had stopped a few steps away from them and looking at Shirou. "Sorry about him. He was bluffing about tormenting you to have a 'perfect fight'."
"Hey, Ria-"
"Forget about killing him if you don't want to." All eyes turned to Shirou who was surprised but recovered quickly.
"Sure, thank you for saying… and for stopping me. Can't believe that I fell for a bluff." The redhead scratched his neck, his muscles were hurting. "I mean, damn it, tried so hard to kill him during the fight but when he just demanded to die like that…"
"You hesitated because despite being an idiot, Vali is a good person." Ria nodded in understanding, obviously used to similar situations happening.
"Oi!"
"Just a really big idiot." Le Fay added with a giggle and Shirou couldn't help but think her face was somehow familiar. "A dumb dumb."
"Yes, Fay, a dumb dumb." The taller woman nodded in constant agreement. "Forcing people to do things they don't like. And after losing like that."
"Can you all shut up? He won. Killing me is part of- Ow my lord stop it, Fay!"
After blue vial was poured on the wounds of his back. Some closed, most didn't. "Needs healing, healing~" Le Fay sang a little as Vali noticed she retrieved green potions, those which wouldn't burn him.
However they all knew those had its limitations and even big dosages wouldn't heal him completely, he needed special treatment for that.
They had to leave and it wouldn't be simple. "I believe we ignored the angel present for far too long, sisters." The man stepped forward, removing his hood to reveal a handsome face. "Greetings, Michael of Heaven, I am Arthur Pendragon. I suppose my family must have spoken of me."
"Yes, the heir of the family that left with priceless Artifacts with her siblings to chase his love." Usually those kinds of stories would make Michael smile. Their affiliation with Vali soured his mood. "The girls are your sisters?"
"Correct." Was the clear response as Ria retrieved her sword to step back and allow her brother to take over.
Michael turned his head to check on something in the distance. It was still there. "Did you come here for Caliburn?"
If the names weren't a good enough clue, mentioning Caliburn was and once again Shirou paid attention to the trio. Or better yet, the only sword visible.
He knew it, for how could he not? Intimately even as he was the one who restored the original sword even if incomplete or at least missing its true final piece.
Now it was before him. "Caliburn Ruler."
The woman with the sword tilted her head, revealing a beautiful smile. "I suppose that is the correct name, all things considered." Once again Shirou was hit by a sense of familiarity that disappeared once the girl bowed. "Thank you for fixing Caliburn." A moment of silence came and the girl grew conscious of her position, turning to her brother. "This is how you thank people in Japan, right?"
"I think you can rise now. The Mage certainly must think so with how he is blushing."
'I am?' At Arthur's words, Shirou found himself caught off guard as he tried to peek under the hood. 'Why is she so… familiar?'
With a nod Ria straightened her spine and turned to Michael. "I apologize for the inconvenience, Lord Michael. We just came here to see Caliburn but I didn't agree with what Vali was doing." She turned to give the silver haired hybrid a glare he shot right back.
Before the White Dragon Emperor could say anything else another red potion was shoved in his throat. "You made my sister mad." Le Fay wasn't even hiding her hostility anymore either.
Arthur chuckled before focusing on Michael again, he could read all over the angel's face that he wasn't in a good mood. "We came just to check Caliburn since none of us feel particularly worthy considering we left the main family." The two sisters nodded at their older brother's words. "Despite one Fragment being missing, I am glad to see the blade of our ancestor restored. You also have my thanks."
Mostly Shirou ignored Arthur, his eyes on Ria. "It was nothing but since we are talking about Fragments…"
The hooded girl played with her sword a little before resting it on her shoulder. "Sorry but until I find a better sword I can't give this one up. Hope you don't mind."
"It was just an idea-"
"An excellent one." Michael interrupted with a dry look. "While another sword can be found somewhere else, allowing Caliburn to remain in the hands of someone with the Khaos Brigade is… far from ideal."
Ria took a step forward with intent but Arthur raised an arm and stopped his sister. "Better in my hands than in some of the Church."
"I don't disagree." Michael's reply surprised the siblings but the Seraph wasn't joking. "Instead it should be combined with the other Fragments."
"I would need another sword." Because Ria wasn't exactly against the idea.
"No you wouldn't. Not after your crimes." Michael added suddenly. "While I won't say anything about your deeds to your family, former alliances or not, you are helping a confessed member of the Khaos Brigade, one that thwarted a peace meeting."
Vali nodded in agreement. "Hey, I don't mind if Shirou takes my head now, it would be fair and square." Then he smiled impishly. "Then again, if my allies spring me away, we can have another match in the future."
"He also won't be bothering your Factions anytime soon." Arthur added much to Vali's irritation. "Believe me when I say my sister took real offense to his actions and until Vali repents, she isn't going to let him do as he pleases."
"To shame a duel like that with such a cowardly demand."
"He won-"
"I won't have it!"
"Neither will I." Michael spoke loudly, his wings open and his power flowing. "Do you think I don't know the kinds of treasures you three stole? The Journals of Morgan, obviously Caliburn Ruler," his gaze grew dark with suspicion and caution, "the cube."
"We call him Add." Arthur commented offhandedly but respectfully. "Did you know he had a personality? That he was alive, in a sense?" A raised eyebrow was all the reply he received. "No? Then do you have any idea what they planned to do with him?"
"Hard to believe in the words of someone that joined a terrorist organization." Michael spoke coldly but didn't act.
Arthur took it as a sign he was willing to listen. "They planned to use us to bring our ancestor back by using the power of the spear." Michael grew pale. "Glady to see you didn't know about it."
"That is impossible. Bringing her back with… No, the spirit of the goddess would take over any vessel first-"
"Unless the vessel had the right blood, disposition and upbring." Arthur interrupted with disdain. "You have my word that whatever I will use Rhongomyniad for, it won't be for such an abominable thing to mold a soul into someone else's."
Both blondes stood there, staring at each other as the Acting God judged the merits of the young man's words. Despite being beneath a gaze that had seen the birth and death of stars Arthur didn't bend or flinch. He stared right back at the Seraph who he felt was looking directly at his soul.
In time Michael let out a sigh. "It seems all the Pendragon line lost their way." So sad was the angel, so mournful, that one would think he had lost his best friend. Then his gaze turned hard again. "However their intentions, as evil as they were, don't give your own merit. Return the Noble Phantasm, the sword, and the journals and I will allow you all to leave unmolested." His eyes turned to Vali. "My nephew will stay."
Ria shook her head. "Negotiations have broken down." She prepared her sword but her brother didn't react.
"Do you think you can face me, child?" Michael asked calmly with real curiosity. "Have you already reached the realm few can trend? Can you already extinguish a mountain with a swing of your blade?" His Light grew more intense as the pressure began to rise. "If so, come and face me. If not, know that I will try and spare your life regardless. I hate harming the young."
"That won't be necessary." Arthur looked at Shirou with a confidence that shouldn't be possible with someone like Michael in the vicinity. "Your sister is really a talented magus," from his robes a light brighter than Michael's was revealed to be resting on the man's hand, "nobody felt the mana when I began to open the seals."
With those words Michael opened his wings to protect Shirou and created a barrier around them. "You are bluffing." He hoped it was some kind of trick.
It wasn't. "3 are already open." When Michael began to gather Light in his hand, Arthur whispered. "Palamedes."
Despite being a whisper it was like all Kuoh had gone silent to hear it as the light on his hand grew brighter and a huge lance of golden light, the kind used in jousting, took shape on the young man's hand.
It pulsed and transformed into a lance of a metal that couldn't ever be reproduced by man. A giant weapon that towered over its owner at least twice over and had more power than anything anyone present had ever seen.
Just gazing on it had Shirou screaming and covering his eyes, much to everyone's shock. 'What was that?!' His mind struggled to process the existence as Michael, the Pendragon siblings and even Vali watched his reaction with worry. "What kind of weapon…" He managed to say, avoiding looking at it directly.
"Brother, pull back, he is bleeding." Ria noticed the bleeding nose that Shirou suddenly had and for a moment Arthur looked ready to do just that.
Only for Michael to step in front of the Mage. "This is a Divine Construct, a Noble Phantasm so powerful that it can reshape the world, Rhongomyniad. Originally a Tower, a Lance is easier to use." Arthur explained to the Mage before turning to his sister. "And while Michael is around, I can't put it down, not until I have secured our retreat." He looked back at the angel. "With the spear already unleashed, even your attacks will fail to reach us easily. If we fight, everyone here will die." It was his turn to offer a dark gaze to his opposition. "Your move, Seraph."
Just from that Michael knew he was beat. "Allowing you to leave with such a dangerous Noble Phantasm isn't something that I like but the fact you can break 4 Restrictions of the Round Table is concerning enough."
Yet the question remained if Arthur could really break more of the seals or not. If so then Arthur's words were not a bluff but a warning that Michael couldn't dismiss for one second. Sure many would die if too much power was unleashed but the thing was that depended on how much power Arthur could access at once.
But if he could access that much power, even if Rhongomyniad still had seals to be broken, then all of the three Factions army and the Old Satan Faction army, combined with most of Fuyuki would die.
Worse yet, Michael knew he could win in this situation because even if Arthur could open more seals he couldn't use Rhongomyniad's full potential. The Seraph could act but it would cost too many lives.
"Very well." Michael was cornered and they knew it. "You may go, but only the four of you." Slowly the Light in his hands began to take shape, his power rising to ridiculous proportions as he slowly turned to the Old Satan Faction army. "They are staying."
A sword of Light took shape and it was brighter than any weapon used that day, brighter than Rhongomyniad for certain despite how powerful the lance felt. Immeasurable power without a rival began to pour from Michael as the army of devils fell to the earth. It was like their spirits were being crushed by just the man showing what he had.
And they knew there was no more hope of winning as there were no commanders or leaders for the Old Satan Faction to step forward and even if they had they would have no chance of winning unless they had Ophis' power.
Because that power was greater than Katerea's, even greater than Azazel's. Despite being made of Light it was obviously a two handed sword that the man could easily hold in one hand and its Light was unlike any other.
Michael, the Seraph, Acting God, had absolute control of his power and he showed it since people around him were still breathing. Yet the Light around the sword wasn't material or uniform, it moved constantly in waves like a flame.
A flame of Holy Light so powerful that all devils, even Michael's allies, felt a sense of dread.
It was so strong that despair began to take root in the army of devils and they turned to Arthur, a human, for salvation.
"Deal." It would never come as Arthur didn't care about them.
And any hope of Vali interfering on their behalf died when the hybrid stood up casually and offered a smile. "Then we will get going." Such words made the army look at him in horror. "Shame we couldn't finish our fight properly, right Shirou?"
The redhead glared at the silver haired man but someone did him a favor by hitting his side. "If you accepted being captured like a man, the fight would have ended properly."
"Ria, don't do that. Healing him will be harder if he has more broken bones." Yet Le Fay just smiled, not even attempting to stop her sister.
Vali nursered the new wound. "If we consider that I own him one, will you drop it?" The woman tilted her head beneath the hood before nodding eagerly. "Right. Shirou, I promise on my defeat to not attack any leader of your Faction until I get a fair win." The redhead was too surprised to respond but the Vanishing Dragon wasn't looking at him. "Happy?"
"Very." Her tone was so amused and melodic that it caught Shirou's full attention. He really wanted to peek under that hood and he didn't know why.
"Then leave already." Michael didn't doubt the Pendragon siblings had some sort of escape route prepared.
"Altria, it is your turn." Arthur called and his sister nodded, Caliburn Ruler glowed with mana.
She held the sword with two hands and in front of her face vertically as teal mana began to cover it until it turned bright gold. "Distort the spell, Ruler!" With that call she took a swing and the boundary field shook.
It wasn't that she was aiming at but the area around Vali and her siblings as the effects of the boundary field became visible and then were cut down by the ability of the sword, an ability that Shirou's Reality Marble had already confirmed.
Caliburn Ruler, the Strongest Fragment, had the power to Rule anything at a cost of mana that varies depending on the target, be a person, objects or, like in this case, a spell even if bonded and sustained by a boundary field.
And its effects were really distorted as the area they were in lost any and all mana connected to the boundary field, its effects disappearing even if it wasn't affected.
But the cost wasn't small, especially against a boundary field of this kind that was sustained by a ley line and the girl stumbled a little before recovering her balance, suddenly tired. Didn't change the fact that Shirou and Michael were really impressed with how much mana she has to be successful at disrupting the boundary field and staying conscious.
Then she removed her hood and Shirou felt a punch on the gut upon seeing the face.
The hair color was wrong but it didn't matter because while the other two siblings looked like the person he admired, the girl was a perfect reflection down to the smile of satisfaction as her hand moved to clean up the sweat on her forehead.
"Arturia Pendragon." At Shirou's words Michael's eyes grew wide as he also recognized the face, the girl turning to the redhead with a curious look.
Arthur glared at both of them for how they were looking at his sister. "Le Fay-"
"Already on it." She moved her hands a few times and the area around the quartet began to glow in a bright light. "All aboard, the train is about to leave the station."
"This generation of Pendragons is really a dangerous one." Michael watched powerless as the escape began and Arthur kept Rhongomyniad ready for anything.
One devil lost his nerve at the opportunity of escaping and flew max speed towards the area of teleportation.
Before he couldn't even get close he was already ash as Michael took a swing with his sword. The combination of his Holy Light and the immense power in the weapon was enough that the devil felt no pain or even knew what happened.
He just died, his body erased with little to no trace left as the wind took him.
It was a warning to all devils that remained that Michael was furious even if it was not visible from his face. Instead it was blank, neutral, completely devoid of emotions as the Seraph's eyes never left Arthur's.
But while the two blondes' confronted each other a pair of emerald eyes met gold with curiosity and intrigue. "My name is Altria Pendragon." She introduced herself respectfully even if she didn't know why. Something was calling her in Shirou's eyes and for a moment she blushed before smiling. "I hope to see you again, Mage of Swords."
"Same." Was all he could say even if the shock had not worn off. Instead he wanted to protest at the name and call her Arturia as something in his soul demanded he acknowledge her as. 'Is that you, Avalon?'
Bellerophon replied in confusion but the redhead chose to stay silent as the girl left with her siblings, Le Fay also looking at him with curiosity as Vali just smiled.
Until they left Arthur had Rhongomyniad prepared and with its departure only Michael's sword remained to give the world Light.
A Light full of fury and disappointment with himself as the Acting God felt the weight of his failure. "I have grown complacent in peace." He admitted for only Shirou to hear, chastising himself for letting Vali and Rhongomyniad slip from his fingers. Then he smiled. "Yet a part of me would have it no other way." For the alternative was war and unfortunately the warrior was needed once more as he turned to the devils of the Old Satan Faction. "Surrender or die."
It was so sudden of a shift that most people in Kuoh felt like they were hit by a train. Michael's glace at the enemy army looked dismissive, completely and utterly uninterested. Yet they knew very well that they had all of his attention, every single bit despite him not moving from his position as his sword arm lowered after the attack.
Once the Old Satan army was brave and ready to die for their beliefs yet the events of the day battered their morale into an unrecognizable pulp. Their leaders were defeated, one rather easily, the other after a hard fight, and had escaped, letting them fend for themselves.
Some still held the loyalty necessary to raise their weapons and stand against their enemy, their oldest enemy once his Father had perished.
But their courage was tested once again when Michael moved to stand between them, Shirou and the school building. He didn't teleport or move too fast for anyone to lose him from sight.
No, he just calmly repositioned himself with only his sword out to prove he was ready for a fight.
Some devils took it as a sign of weakness and prepared magic circles or their own weapons which made the fallen angels and devils on the other side react similarly. Michael may not be their leader but after all that happened they knew what it was at stake and were ready to reinforce the angel.
What they all forgot was that before them wasn't any angel and even if his posture was calm and he only had one weapon, they were ignoring the power around him because of his appealing appearance and usually subdued demeanor.
He always looked sad, even at this moment with a blade made with the strongest Light he still didn't look intimidating.
Except this time he wasn't sad, he was cold.
"Surrender or die." The Seraph repeated and the air shook with his voice.
There was no spike of power, opening of his wings, shift on his Light or even his face which still held no emotion. His usual sadness was gone, his kindness was gone, there was only apathy.
"Surrender or die." No magic or power was pushed and yet every single devil from the Old Satan Faction heard it clearly. It wasn't a threat, it was a promise. "Surrender or die."
A heartbeat passed and many of the devils began to shake and look around uncertainty. These were the zealots, the fanatics, those sent on a suicidal mission to guarantee at least one blow against their leaders enemies.
And they were afraid.
It was obvious that plenty of them were losing heart but none let go of their magic or weapons, some even began to fly high and position themselves for what could only be the last fight of their lives.
"Surrender or die." This time when Michael spoke, Shirou didn't see the gentle angel he grew used to in the last few hours.
What he saw was a much taller figure made of Light that could easily outshine the sun. After blinking once the image of the Seraph had returned even if a great power now surrounded him.
There was also a chime in the back of his mind, a type of compulsion born from Michael's words that reminded him of Medusa's Charm but on a far greater scale and of a completely different variety.
It reminded him when Vali was extending Albion's aura, a demand for submission but directed in another form. 'Devotion. This power demands absolute devotion.' Shirou blinked again and the sensation was gone, his soul refusing the call. Then he looked at the devils and couldn't stop from thinking sarcastically. 'That is plenty like God.'
Because plenty of the fanatics had lowered their heads, their weapons, extinguished their magic and bent the knee. Most of them had looks of despair and denial while a few showed relief and resignation.
For those were the ones that had doubts, fears and wished to live. They weren't fanatics any longer but men who didn't want to die and Michael presented them with an insurmountable wall, a perfect excuse to lower their weapons.
Many of those would never fully know if it was their fear or the Seraph's presence that made them surrender but surrender they did. Like Medusa's Charm, Michael's presence worked by imposing on the weak of mind or working with what was already there. Fear was easier to use but to the Acting God it could also have been devotion, faith or even hope.
Some of those emotions the devils had in spades, especially fear. Michael was the equivalent of the boogeyman or at least His right hand man and they all knew of him. Add that previous knowledge to the power the Seraph was showing and the fear just consumed most of the army.
Most, not all and by the sigh that escaped Michael's lips he wasn't surprised that there was still a fight to be had. "That is your choice?"
There were less than a hundred devils combat ready and still willing to fight, they had magic circles and not much. Willing but not powerful. Not a single one of them could be considered High Class, in fact any of Rias' Peerage was already stronger than any of these soldiers.
Comparing them to Michael wasn't just unfair, it was pointless. Even they knew there was no chance of winning this fight. Only a miracle could change such an outcome but these were devils.
Devils that believed that anything coming from God, or any god for that matter, was wrong or for the weak.
All they had was a dark hope that one of their attacks would make some sort of difference, just one, and not about the fight or at least this fight.
These were the men absolutely loyal to their leaders, their kings, their Maous. For them they were going to throw away their lives for the sake of weakening Michael with some sort of wound.
A dark hope that even if they couldn't win they could maim the angel enough that one day they would be avenged. Anything else was useless to consider because one way or another they were going to die.
Michael knew that and his sadness only grew as he raised his sword and moved it to his other shoulder, ready to cut anything. "So you have chosen."
Nothing else needed to be said as the devils charged as one with a wordless cry, not for victory but to inflict a wound, a debilitating wound that one day could help bring down the Greatest of Angels.
Magic exploded as demonic energy flew in Michael's direction as they threw their very lives on that final charge.
Until Michael took a swing with his flaming sword and they all died.
It happened fast both due to Michael's power and to his mercy as he didn't wish to extend their suffering. Flames of Light left the sword in a wave that consumed all the attackers and only them. For the devils that landed and surrendered there was no harm but the horror of watching their comrades be atomized.
After this act Michael looked down, his sword relaxed by his side but still existent. He waited to see if any of the devils would try and raise arms after their comrades demise. All the while he kept his weapon at ready and his power elevated with golden wings fully open in all their glory.
More emotions crossed the former Old Satan army, the fear was still prominent but there was another emotion taking over. An emotion that one shouldn't expect of a devil.
They knelt, their heads touching the ground to show total submission to a superior being, an existence far more powerful than them. Total and complete, they didn't dare to raise and wouldn't do so until ordered otherwise or dragged to their feet when they were thrown in a prison of some kind.
For they weren't just afraid of Michael, both Seraph and Mage could see clearly as they were the only ones close enough to tell the emotion of most of the devils' faces; Admiration.
Shirou couldn't believe what he was seeing and a part of him felt sick as those men had just witnessed their friends, colleagues, comrades deaths and instead of feeling anger or hatred of some kind they could only admire their destroyer.
Unlike Shirou who was surprised by the event, Michael knew it was coming and his sadness returned in full force. In reality it was even worse but the perfection of his face literally stopped people from noticing how much he was suffering.
Contrary to that his attitude remained the same as he let his sword vanish and waited for his allies to come and collect the defeated army who would be escorted to the Underworld for trials and rehabilitation if possible.
Despite the Seraph's power being contained once again by his fair form, not a single devil from the Old Satan Faction made eye contact. Even when collected and escorted they refused to meet his gaze or even direct words at him of either gratitude or hatred.
Instead they silently marched when they were told and as soon as they were completely disarmed. When it was considered safe the boundary field was brought down so they all could be teleported.
It was already night, the real night, in Fuyuki and it was clear that Michael would just sign whatever needed to be signed and depart because Shirou recognized a defeated man when he saw one.
'He really hates being acting as God.' Shirou realized as his friends rushed to him but he just watched the Seraph with pity.
Because while he wasn't God, he was god-like and hated himself for it.