IBHJ 1126

"Since both Apostles are here, you might as well come out," Kama said, standing guard at the bridge with Goetia. Her smile was calm. "These little tricks won't work on us."

"As expected of Beasts who could destroy the Foundation of Human Order - even the Imperial Armor's concealment can't fool your eyes."

Ector stepped out into view. This time he wore white armor, with a chalice-shaped rune carved into the center of his chest plate.

Kama and Goetia's faces hardened at the sight. "Imperial Armor..."

A silver blur shot from the mist as Morgan charged at Goetia like lightning, her Invisible Sword glowing blood-red as she brought it down toward his head.

Goetia raised his hand to meet her attack, the five rings on his palm clashing with her blade. The impact rang out with a thunderous boom, sending Morgan flying backward.

"Those five rings - they're such a pain!" Morgan glared at the rings glinting on Goetia's hands.

"Then let's avoid his ring attacks for now. We'll use the Imperial Armor to figure out what they can do."

"Right!" Morgan gripped her Invisible Sword tighter, eyes locked on Kama and Goetia.

Behind Ector, thousands of imperial soldiers came out from the mist, each holding a Crown. They quickly moved to surround Goetia and Kama.

Goetia stepped in front of Kama, his massive form shielding her. "You should go, Kama. Solomon's rings will protect me from them, but you're different."

Kama looked at the wall of soldiers with their Crowns, then at the Imperial Armor that Ector and Morgan wore. "You're right. I'll leave this to you, Goetia. But watch out for those Crowns - once they get one on you, it's over."

"I know. Having to rely on Solomon's rings makes my blood boil, but..." Goetia's eyes swept over the soldiers closing in around them. "Being hunted like some animal is even more infuriating!"

"Bear with it for now. The area has probably already been sealed with barriers. Be careful." Kama glanced at Goetia before turning away, her body blurring as she ran across the bridge.

"You're not going anywhere!" Morgan launched herself after Kama, but Goetia appeared in front of her like a golden wall, his fist already swinging. "ORA—!"

The impact thundered against Morgan's Imperial Armor. Space itself seemed to warp and burn around the point of contact. She skidded back, her boots scraping against the bridge.

Goetia narrowed his eyes. "So the armor channels all that magical energy into the surrounding space to disperse the impact." He flexed his hand. "That Emperor did well, incorporating Greek divine mechanism into his design."

"Goetia—!" Morgan roared and charged at him, her holy sword flashing in wide, deadly arcs. The blade left trails of bloody light as she swung it in a figure-eight pattern, each strike flowing into the next. She drove forward step by step, forcing Goetia to give ground.

At the same time, the Imperial soldiers launched their Crowns. The air filled with streaking metal as hundreds of Crowns flew toward Goetia like a meteor shower, defying physics and passing through causal laws toward Goetia's head. The Crowns moved in complex patterns, some speeding up while others slowed down, creating layers of attacks from all angles.

"Your Crowns won't work on me!" Goetia raised both hands as the projectiles closed in. "Solomon, you bastard - at least your blessing is good for something!"

The rings on his fingers blazed with light.

"ORA!"

…

Artoria trailed behind Shirou, her shoulders slumped.

He glanced back at her. "Something's bothering you."

"Even if you take me to Avalon, I won't help you." She met his eyes briefly before looking away.

Now he understood why Artoria had run away from home. Like Morgan forcing her toward the throne, her teacher must have given her an equally difficult choice.

And if her teacher sided with the Council and Pan Human History...

"Your teacher is Merlin, isn't it?"

Artoria didn't answer. She just stared at the ground, defeat written in every line of her body.

Shirou stopped walking. He looked at her for a long moment, then sighed and reached for the Golden Kasaya binding her. "You can go."

Hearing this, she looked up at him with disbelief.

"Father, wait-" Mordred started to protest, but Shirou held her back. He tossed the staff to Artoria.

"We all have our own path and aspirations. Do what you need to do."

Artoria stared at him with a complicated expression. "You're going to regret this."

She gripped her staff and took to the sky.

"She's right - you will regret this," Mordred muttered.

He responded by flicking her forehead.

"Hey!" She rubbed the spot, scowling at him.

"Fujimaru Shirou!"

They looked up to see Artoria hovering above them. She pulled a sword from her staff and swept it in a wide arc. Flower petals showered down around them, their glittering glow settling into a protective shield.

"There. Now we're even."

With that, she turned and disappeared into the clouds.

"What just happened?" Mordred looked at the falling petals.

Xuanzang clasped her hands together. "Amitabha. This must be karma—when you plant seeds of compassion, they bloom into acts of kindness."

"This isn't about compassion or kindness." He shook his head. "An eye for an eye, she's settling a debt."

They continued walking until Shirou felt a familiar prickle of danger. Beside him, Mordred had already drawn her sword, her posture shifting to guard stance. With their powers sealed, Abigail and Xuanzang moved behind them for protection.

The mist parted, revealing thousands of imperial soldiers. Each carried a Crown and a sword.

"P-please surrender, Lord Shirou." A familiar voice quavered from among the soldiers. "You're surrounded."

Shirou spotted the speaker and felt his temples throb. There stood Guinevere, sword shaking in her grip as she faced them.

"Princess Guinevere?"

"Teacher Guinev-" Mordred's eyes widened in recognition, then narrowed. "No. You're the Empire's Guinevere!"

"How did you find us?" he asked.

"We c-came by the water route from Camelot." Guinevere's sword trembled slightly. "I wasn't even completely sure... I only thought there was a chance I'd find you here."

"We're here by chance. What made you so sure?"

"This passage to Ireland is the weakest point. And the Holy Apostle told me that beyond it, across the Atlantic, is where Chaldea lies."

Shirou fell silent. Guinevere had planned this well, even if running into them was pure chance.

But perhaps it wasn't coincidence after all. The Council and Hope choosing this place for their meeting might have some connection to Chaldea.

"Are you really going to fight us, Guinevere?" his voice hardened.

"I don't want to fight you, Lord Shirou, or Master Xuanzang. I don't want to stand in your way." Guinevere raised her sword, her hands shaking. "But you're enemies of the Empire..."

"I see." he sighed. "You already know me, Guinevere. I'm Fujimaru Shirou from Pan Human History, and I knew another version of you there. We were friends." He gripped Xuanzang's Nine-ringed Staff. "I never wanted to raise a weapon against you, but you've left me no choice. I'm sorry it had to be this way."

Shirou launched himself at Guinevere and the soldiers erupted in panic. "Protect the Princess!"

They rushed to form ranks, creating a wall of bodies between him and Guinevere. Without his powers, Shirou felt the familiar boundaries of human strength pressing against him. These thousands of soldiers would have meant nothing before the Crown sealed him, but now he had to face them as a mere mortal.

Yet they had already lost the moment they moved to protect Guinevere. They might have forgotten, but there was still one Heroic Spirit on the field.

As Shirou charged, Mordred's magical energy surged. Her sword came down just as the soldiers locked their formation.

The blast roared through the air, heat searing everything around them. But Shirou didn't slow down. While the soldiers struggled to reform their lines, he slipped through their ranks, running straight toward Guinevere.

"Guinevere!"

Shirou's charge made Guinevere's face go white. She squeezed her eyes shut and thrust her sword forward with trembling hands.

Instead of meeting flesh, she felt someone grip the blade.

When she opened her eyes, Shirou stood right in front of her, holding her sword without a scratch.

Then she realized why. The blade was still in its scabbard.

"How do you expect to hurt anyone with a sheathed sword?" Shirou shook his head.

The imperial soldiers had regrouped. When they saw their princess, they cried out in alarm: "Princess!"

Seeing this, Shirou stepped behind Guinevere. He pulled the scabbard free and guided her hands until her own blade rested against her throat.

Guinevere's knees buckled, and she found herself falling back against Shirou's chest. The warmth startled her, and she jerked upright, her whole body trembling.

The soldiers froze, their weapons half-raised as they watched their princess at sword-point.

Shirou kept his grip steady and leaned close to her ear. "You don't belong on a battlefield, princess. Go back to Camlann. You're clever enough to understand your situation by now. This is the second time I've caught you. There won't be a third."