C19: Magnus Crest (2)

A/N: Sorry for the delay, I mixed up the day. More Perks on the way.

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Heart pounding in my chest, I arrive at the door of the Emiya Residence and look around suspiciously. Kiritsugu had chosen this relatively secluded plot of land to build his mansion, but today, the area is quiet—one might stay too still and lifeless compared to usual.

Instantly, the strings of my mind begin to tense once more.

Fingers curling around the shaft of my Mystic Code, I silently enter the Emiya Residence, forgoing the formal greetings.

The traditional Japanese architecture typically features ample open spaces to enjoy nature, making it a sunny, and lively place every time I visit; filled with the sounds of the Tigress' antics and the daily life of its owners.

However, the house I now walk through feels like it's haunted, cloaked in a dreary, oppressive atmosphere.

Worse yet, I can't shake the sensation of unseen eyes upon me—a feeling I've gotten intimately familiar with the week after my first meeting with Angra Mainyu.

The Daemon has been eerily quiet lately… Is this some sort of ploy on its part?

Has it done something?

As much as it pains me to admit, the Emiya family has wormed their way into my heart, albeit barely.

Kiritsugu, the teacher who's utterly exhausted with life;

Rin, the class's perfection-obsessed queen bee who projects a tough exterior but possesses a bleeding heart;

Taiga, the annoying older sibling who knows only how to goof around;

Last but not least, Shirou, the bewildered girl who always seems content to be part of it all.

They are far from flawless, but I need not flawless friends, just genuine ones.

If Angra Mainyu has done anything to harm them, 'I'll fucking kill it.' It's only fair.

I know not how I can possibly defeat the literal embodiment of every wronged human and every human who has ever done wrong all mashed together like potatoes, but I am most definitely not above trying the more unsavory method.

Worst case scenario, I will ask for Gilgamesh's assistance or manipulate the Church into sending one of their Executioner squads to town.

Although the latter could end with the Grail System dismantled and Baeber even further out of reach, I'm sure Artoria will understand. As Tony Stark said, if I can't protect my people, I will be damn sure they are avenged.

"Kiritsugu? Shirou?" Whispering, I sift through the entire building, before catching a faint heartbeat I can't quite pinpoint. Composing myself, I hiss, "If this is a joke, it ain't funny." I turn to storm out of the room and stumble into the redhead, who looks just as confused as I am.

Startled, I materialize Senza Esitazione, nearly 'Cu Chulainn' the protagonist in the process.

Thankfully, with a quick application of my newest Spell, its trajectory instantly veers to the side, obliterating a wooden pillar next to the heroine instead. My face pales as I hurl the Mystic Code into the nearest bush.

Even though deep down I know there's no hiding Magecraft from her, this isn't how I wanted to introduce the girl to Magecraft. 'Should I… No.' For a brief moment, I consider erasing her memory with [Hypnosis], but that's a slippery slope I prefer to avoid in my personal life.

"…I knew it." The corners of her lips lift into a brilliant and enthusiastic smile. "I knew Magic was real!"

I quickly clamp a hand over the girl's mouth, shushing her. "Keep it down! Kiritsugu and I kept this from you for a reason."

"Alright, you can let go now."

Shiro murmurs against my palm, her eyes still locked onto my hand before meeting mine with an understanding gaze.

"Fuck, what am I supposed to tell your pa?" I mutter, releasing the girl and roughly tussling my own hair, more frustrated at myself than the redhead.

Kiritsugu is not going to be pleased, and I can't even blame him.

The Magus Killer never wanted this kind of life for her.

"I won't tell if you don't! We can keep this our little secret." Shirou eagerly offers.

Call me paranoid, but I'm sensing a 'but' coming.

"But you have to teach me magic."

'Fucking called it.' I'm not sure whether to be upset or proud.

Gaze boring holes in her face, lips twitching, I click my tongue and pinch the bridge of my nose. "Shiro, are you trying to blackmail me?"

"No,"

The girl pouts, as though she's the one wronged.

"I'm just… Negotiating favorable terms for myself, like you and Rin taught me to."

"Har-har-har," I laugh sarcastically. "Very amusing, but that doesn't change the fact you are trying to coerce me through information. Aka. Blackmail."

Gods, I want to be proud so badly, but I have to set an example, at least in front of them.

"Details." She waves my argument off half-heartedly, her mind probably already filled with thoughts of Magecraft.

"Ask your old man."

When in doubt, make it somebody else's problem. Works 90% of the time. "If he agrees and only if he agrees, I will tutor you for a few sessions."

Although I'm really no good with [Projection], I can give her a few pointers, the only problem is Kiritsugu—he's her guardian, I can't undermine his authority in his own house.

We can't keep it from him either.

Shiro's too shitty a liar to pull it off.

The heroine-wannabe will cave like wet toilet paper the instant the Magus Killer sets his eyes on her, I'm calling that now.

Eyes scanning the empty room, I ask, "Speaking of which, where's your old man? Guy invited me over earlier and then just dipped."

Shiro replies with a dispirited hum, her hands clasped behind her as she kicks the floor glumly. "I don't know… Father also told me to come home early today."

My expression hardens as I quickly consider all possible scenarios, from bad to worse.

If I didn't know any better, I'd suspect he's strategically gathering us in one place to eliminate us. 'But that can't be. He may want to kill me, but Shiro?'

Despite his inability to show it properly, Kiritsugu holds deep affection for the girl. It was she who 'saved' his life and helped preserve what little remained of his Soul following the events of the Fourth Holy Grail War. Kiritsugu could never hurt her. 'But the Magus Killer…'

Magi are considered mad for a reason. To unleash any form of Mysteries, they must first hypnotize themselves, creating a separation between the individual and the Magus, like the Hindu Gods and their Incarnations—distinct aspects of a single entity that take on a life of their own. Kiritsugu Emiya would never harm the people he loves, but if the Magus Killer's taking the wheel…

I'm almost certain his alter-ego is gone though. Keyword: Almost.

"I've checked every room… If he's in the building, I'd know." Maybe I'm jumping to conclusions… I do have a tendency to think of the worst and fret over it.

"He hasn't gone to the shed recently." Shiro mentions faintly.

"The dojo it is then."

Positioning myself in front of the girl, together we make our way to the dojo.

The closer we draw to the building, the more audible they are—heartbeats; chaotic, racing heartbeats, "Three of them…" Mumbling under my breath, I finally allow my muscles to uncoil as I breath a sigh of relief.

Looks like a surprise party, but I've been wrong before.

Kiritsugu's probably chosen to increase the element of surprise… Who'd suspect the sullen and sour-faced Magus Killer to entertain such silly, childish things?

For what reason are they hosting a celebration? It's not Shiro's birthday, which Kiritsugu had discovered three months earlier—it's already the end of January, and sure as Hell isn't mine. 

Skeptically, I push open the door, only to be met with a shower of colorful confetti and a beaming Tigress who glides across the shiny wooden floor eagerly. "There they are!"

"What's the occasion?" Putting up the fakest smile, I question.

"Well, you both seem like you need a break. You've been working hard on your tasks, and Shiro on her studies," The tsundere chimes in from the side—cautious, as if she's afraid she'll set either of us off.

'Ah, I see…' They must've mistaken my behavior for recurring PTSD.

Might be true for Shiro though.

She's been jittery as well, but I've thought it's because of me, hence why I decided to stay off grids.

Silently, Shiro looks to me for guidance, waiting for me to lead the conversation.

She shouldn't have…

I'm just as unsure of how to respond.

"It's also been a while since everyone has been together, you're always traveling or focused on your career."

The Tohsaka Heiress mentions uneasily, her eyes flitting between my face and the ground, fidgeting with nervous energy.

Such unusual behavior for someone who is typically so outspoken.

Some things are too much for even Rin Tohsaka to handle with confidence it seems.

"We thought we could gather on this day each year and simply enjoy each other's company."

'Commemorating a great tragedy… Is she insane?' The Id within me protests, and I must admit, it has a solid argument.

For me, that day marked the pinnacle of joy in my lives, but for Shiro?

It's a recurring nightmare—the night that stripped her of everything, leaving behind a blank canvas waiting to be molded anew.

The superego intervenes with logic and empathy. 'It might be a little insensitive, but their intentions are good. Just enjoy the party and don't be an insufferable arse.'

The ego—myself—reacts by pursing my lips and quipping, "Well, as long as there's no alcohol this time, because if I get puked on again, I swear—"

Flustered and red-faced, the tsundere snaps, her hair bristling like a cat's with its tail stepped on. "It was one time!"

"And it was one time too many."

I retort, my tone deliberately melodramatic, chuckling while the tsundere puffs her cheeks. Despite the banter, I'd genuinely rather not be covered in her vomit again, or this will be the last of these gatherings I attend.

The night whizzes by as we delve into conversations about our lives—mainly the girls with school matters.

I contribute with a few stories at work myself.

Around 8 PM, I notice Kiritsugu slipping out of the room.

Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the trio, I decide to follow, stumbling upon the Magus Killer in a corner, wheezing blood in a handkerchief—the gift Taiga gave him last Christmas.

In the original works, Kiritsugu would pass away 5 years after adopting Shirou…

His condition has been deteriorating for some time now. Many of his bodily functions and organs are undergoing catastrophic failures, forcing him to rely on [Reinforcement] and his Crest like a life support system.

Yet, the damage to his Circuits will only worsen.

When his Circuits finally give out, his body will follow soon after. "The time to fulfill your end of the bargain is approaching… How confident are you, Leonis?"

"I'm about 60% sure I can retrieve your daughter from the Einzbern safely." I respond. It's a pretty generous estimation, but Gil was right. I can't go to war with only defeat in mind.

The Magus Killer hums in appreciation. "Those are better odds than I expected."

"What will you do afterwards?"

I ask, my gaze fixed on a distant star, seeking its cold, unfeeling light.

Kiritsugu replies in a worn-out tone, "Finish my end, and rest, I suppose…"

The primary source generating Od for him is his Crest. If it were removed, Kiritsugu's withered, cursed Circuits wouldn't sustain him for more than a few weeks—days even, if the degeneration continues at the pace I have observed.

The way he's wording it; the lightness to his voice while he talks about his death, this is someone who has resigned himself to fate—a ghost of a man, too exhausted to even put up a half-hearted attempt at struggle. Then again, his situation's pretty bleak. If I were in the guy's shoes, I wouldn't dare harbor hope either, for there are very few types of agony as great as the pain of disappointment—to finally kindle a spark, and be helpless to stop the encroaching rainstorm from snuffing it out before it even has the chance to grow.

"When will you depart?"

I steal a glance at the side of his face. "Three weeks after the day of the Great Fire."

This is usually where people would share a cigarette in silence, but neither of us smokes anymore, for better or worse.

The awkwardness grows as we stare into the garden, before I manage to muster the courage to confess what happened.

"Shiro knows. I mistook her for a hostile and used Magecraft in front of her."

His response, contrary to expectations, is half-hearted—a mix of chuckles and words almost. "It was bound to happen eventually… She's quite persistent, that one."

"You're not upset?"

"If it was an accident, why'd I be?"

I open my mouth, then close it.

How do I even respond to that? I've prepared myself for anger, blame, but not indifference.

After putting the kids—the Tigress included—to bed, I head home.

Kiritsugu did offer me a place to stay the night, but I turned it down.

There's too much at stake; I need to cram as many Spells as possible and focus on a build that will give me the best shot against the Einzbern like an Asian kid about to take his college exam. Three weeks is not a long time.

Days blend into weeks as the deadline draws near.

Meanwhile, I'm brainstorming ideas for my new Spells.

My mentality will disgust most Magi, but I don't necessarily need to know all the ins-'n-outs of my Spells, so long as they work.

Kiritsugu and I are similar in that sense, we're both Spellcasters.

After three days, I finally devise a solution for [Kinetic Shield].

Sometimes, the answers to complex problems are surprisingly simple. Instead of diffusing Mana into the environment to create an eye-drawing yet wasteful sensor, I instead develop a half-Spell to detect any and all disturbance in my electromagnetic field.

By calibrating it to recognize sudden motions, the sensor can detect any object—organic or otherwise—exceeding a certain speed.

This leads to the second part: The actual shield.

I call it a shield, but it's essentially Mana transformed into an energy wave, ejected from various points in my Circuits.

The third component involves a mental Spell comprised of four algorithms. One calculates the kinetic force required to deflect an incoming projectile, taking into account the object's mass (m), velocity (v), and the angle of deflection (a).

The second algorithm equates the energy from enemy Spells into the energy required to cancel the attack; the third a set of rules which—by determining the amount of Od I need to keep myself from 'Mind Down', my regeneration rate and total reserve when executing [Kinetic Shield]—will lower the output to cut down on the cost.

The fourth and last algorithm directs my Od and executes the order based on earlier criteria.

Of course, there is a number of smaller algorithms under these four, but these are the core mental calculations that must be done subconsciously in a tiny, teeny fraction of a nanosecond, hence the need for a whole Spell dedicated to them.

With all the details out of the way, I can at last start the actual test trials, which involve me getting Spell-blasted by Rin's, and rocks tossed at Mach 2 in my direction by the priest, the latter of whom couldn't look any happier when he heard the news.

After further calibration and the addition of another factor to the calculations—the shape of the projectile—I finally manage to fine-tune [Kinetic Shield] to fit my combat style.

During this period, aside from my training, I do very little else and barely see anyone.

Even Kirei and the Golden Queen seldom catch sight of me, except when I exit my Workshop—basement, ehem—in a mad scramble for sustenance, or when the latter barges into my 'mancave' as if she owns the place.

From what I've heard from Rin, it seems that Kiritsugu has finally let Shiro into the fold.

The two are now taking turns teaching her Magecraft whenever they have the time.

Rin, in her usual tsundere manner, has subtly hinted that I should join them, but so far, I have avoided the responsibility.

I have legitimate reasons for focusing on my magical studies first, but Rin is unaware.

From her perspective, it just looks like I'm shirking responsibility, and naturally her discontent grows as a result.

I wonder if her outlook would change if she knew I'm about to fight an entire Magi House—an ancient one to boot.

However, the complications that would ensue if she did know would be exponentially worse. Moreover, this is a matter between Kiritsugu and I. Informing her would likely only strain her relationship with Kiritsugu, placing both Taiga and Shiro in a tough spot.

Being misunderstood is frustrating, but any justification I could offer right now would probably come off as an excuse, given the circumstances. If Rin continues to press the issue, it might not be worth the effort to maintain our friendship. I have repaid her for everything I've taken by tipping her off about several 'misplacements' of her inheritance Kirei has 'accidentally' made.

Anything I took afterwards was paid for up-front.

"Your Highness, dig in. There will be ample time for scheming later."

"No, there won't." I reply, chopsticks darting towards the plate of spicy, fried tofu at the center of the table.

Occasionally, I'd imagine Kirei and I are in a contest to see who can consume the most tofu, and so far he's in the lead.

"Later, I'm going to extract some Circuits to add to my Crest." Three should suffice... If my theory holds, I may reap substantial benefits from the 'bug'; if not, the procedure will at least minimize any harm.

"It saddens me to see you delve deeper into the heretical path of Magecraft, your Highness." Kirei says with exaggerated drama, clutching the dark, cursed thing he calls a heart.

"As opposed to what? Joining the faith that urges you to hasten the Apocalypse? Yeah, thought so." I retort with an eye roll and a snicker, while the Golden Queen chuckles, her wine glass poised before her face. "Relax, girls, you're both pretty."

Another dinner at the Fuyuki Church... 10/10, highly recommended, but only for those with a thick skin.

True to form, Kirei presses on. "I hardly think I should be the benchmark by which you judge my religion. I'm what you'd call an outlier, even by Humanity's standards."

This fucking bastard...

He just torpedoed the whole ship to get to me.

"I'm not judging, merely observing." I counter.

"So was I," the priest claims, though we both know he's twisting the truth, chewing on a piece of tofu. "Magecraft is a heretical path, and most Magi are atheistic."

"How about this: you don't criticize my practices, and I won't mention your religion?"

Gilgamesh laughs again, massaging her eyelids.

"Ah, but it is a shepherd's duty to guide lost sheep."

My lips twitch. "I see no shepherd here, only a bigger sheep."

"Then perhaps you should have your eyesight checked."

The Golden Queen bursts into laughter, spraying a bit of her wine. "I never understood why my advisors enjoyed the squabbles of housewives so much... Now I do. It's quite entertaining."

The atmosphere may be more hostile than the Emiya household, but I wouldn't trade it for anything—it keeps my tongue and wit razor-sharp.

"How 'bout this," I begin, opting for a logical argument over an insult, since it's painfully obvious I'm outmatched here. I can only crack so many priest and PDF jokes. I could aim below the belt, but the goal of this game is to keep things tense, not escalate unnecessarily.

"Just as God made you, well, you, He made me a Magus. So, is it my fault I'm heretical, or His?" I blink at him. "If He created me this way, and every person on Earth is made according to His plans, should you not want me to be a Magus? What if that's His intention?"

Kirei ponders this with a hum, his lips sealed as we conclude our meal.

'Scored!'

Later that night, I prepare my tools—or rather, Kirei's.

Operating on spiritual bodies is much like working on physical ones; the primary difference is that, well, one's spiritual and one's physical.

Unpacking the toolbox, I lick my lips nervously and start cutting away.

Thankfully, his tools were made to affect spiritual bodies alone.

There shouldn't be too big of a mess once I'm done.

Five hours of excruciating pain later, I've sacrificed three Circuits but gained a Magic Crest for my troubles—the Magnus Crest...

My Crest.

All that's left is to train, load the Crest up and wait for my AP to refill.

I can only hope this will be enough to handle the Einzbern.

"Three days left..."

— — —

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