Chapter 3

Green fields, vibrant and filled with the tranquility of nature sprawled on for as far as the eye could see. The skies were of a deep blue while rolling clouds flowed in the direction of wind that brought the scent of an ocean breeze as if on an island.

It was beautiful, idyllic, and in the midst of it all was a sole tree in which its rustling leaves from branches overhead provided shade for her who leaned her back against it.

The heart hurts, and the mind wavers.

Wind continued to blow, soft and welcoming in this simple paradise untouched by man, yet it all felt so disconcerting and she didn't know why.

The reeds swayed upon the grassy hills laden with flowers and roses in full bloom. It was all so captivating in splendor, and yet this ache would surely not fade.

Because you're not here.

The words she couldn't understand, and the sea of emotions within them, felt like a vice squeezing at her chest.

Was it longing, desire? Such answers were lost in the endless serenity of this garden in the middle of nowhere.

I miss you.

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Arturia eyes blinked open, a hand shifting up to catch a tear which trickled down her cheek. Had she been crying? She shuffled around in her bedsheets before sitting up and wiping her eyes dry. There was this strange sensation of loss within her that she couldn't explain, but all the same, it felt awful.

What an odd dream.

She shook her head, and did her best not to dwell on this strange feeling, but it simply wouldn't go away. Forget sleeping again, it just wasn't going to happen which might as well have been a good thing.

Today was the first day she would be attending Jounan Academy in the next city over and she'd have to take transit since it wasn't within walking distance. Student bus times were hectic in the morning hours when school began, so the only choice she had was to get up early and take an earlier bus to her temporary new school.

She sighed and reluctantly left the warmth of her bedsheets in order to get ready for the day.

Her hair was a tangled mess, and her movements were stiff and lethargic like all students forcing themselves to wake up rather than sleep in. The sight of this didn't mean much for her, but to Shirou it meant a lot.

Did the sight of her living an everyday life free of pressure and forced burdens really mean that much to him? He was acting like he couldn't even imagine it and was blatantly staring at her from where he stood next to her closet…well, his closest now.

Unable to sleep with him watching over her in her own room, she had negotiated with him to stay in her closet. She'd even dished out the spare futon her family owned by relocating her clothes into an unused drawer.

She'd thought that she'd gotten up early at six in the morning, but based on Shirou's folded blankets and fluffed pillows, he'd been awake far earlier than her.

"Are you alright?" He called to her, taking care not to startle her as her drowsiness slowly left her. "You were crying."

She blinked at his query before thinking about it, and instantly snapping to attention.

"I told you not to watch me sleep. Something just got in my eyes is all so forget about it please," she said. Her cheeks were flushed red in shame and indignation.

She turned her back on him, and spluttered while hurriedly grabbing her clothes to take to the shower. When she carelessly pulled her drawer open and grabbed a pair of white-laced panties in full view, she froze mortified and instantly buried them in the pile of clothes she was already holding.

Her face felt like it was going to explode with how hot it felt when she rounded stiffly on Shirou, her hands behind her back. She was feeling jittery, unable to stay in place the longer he stared at her as if he hadn't seen what he'd just seen.

[Didn't you know Arturia, the maturity of a woman starts from her underwear?] -Merlin™

Fuck you Merlin. Why did she even listen to him? Oh right, because he was the only one who treated her as a girl in her family.

"I didn't see anything," Shirou coughed into his hand and pointedly turned away, trying to sweep the issue under the rug.

What an angel.

Red faced and knees feeling weak, she ran for the safety of the bathroom without looking back. It was early in the morning so she was the only one awake at this hour. Her father was away on a business trip with Lancelot, while she and Kay were holding the fort at home.

With the way Kay sleeps, only a bucket of cold water would wake him up so Arturia had no problems when she saw Shirou blatantly walk out of her room after her quick shower. The cold shower had been enough to calm her down and rouse her from her state of drowsiness.

She was alert, and ready to go about her day.

"Shall I prepare you breakfast?" Shirou offered her when she rolled up her long stockings and buttoned the blouse of her new Jounan Academy uniform.

Food? A hint of drool nearly dripped from her mouth, but she quickly caught herself and cleared her throat.

Breakfast, what a fine idea. She was just about to nod her head when she realized a personal image sort of problem.

She instantly grew flustered. As much as she acted as a boy, she was still a healthy girl and didn't want to embarrass herself by showing off her appetite. There was a reason Kay looked so terrified the other day when she threatened to use his credit card to splurge on food.

Let's just say, the Pendragon family would only ever go to 'all you can eat' restaurants that they weren't already banned from when they go for fast food...and it was all her fault.

"I'm not some rich girl that needs pampering," she skirted around the issue, anxiety causing her to twirl a lock of hair around a finger. "Besides, you're a Heroic Spirit, right?"

From what she read of the summary of Merlin's story, Heroic Spirits were heroes of old legends and myths; the best of the best and able to bring about miracles no ordinary man or woman could achieve. Since when were any of them chefs?

"What sort of Heroic Spirit knows how to cook anything decent?" There was no bite in her words or anything close to scorn or belittlement, but a second later and she felt as if she'd just made a mistake.

Shirou looked mildly offended at the statement, but she quickly diverted her gaze to the floor as soon as she noticed in order to hide her own shame. She didn't feel as if she'd said anything wrong, but something inside her was practically screaming at her as if she were a sinner of the highest order. It wouldn't have felt as bad if it didn't feel as if she took more offence to her statement than Shirou.

"I-In any case just leave it be." She played the matter off. "I'll just grab something on the way since I need to focus on getting ready for school."

She moved past Kay's room and towards the door where her shoes were left neatly placed facing forward. She stepped into them easily as they were the lace-less slip-on kind. A few minor adjustments to her uniform and she was practically ready to leave.

The sound of Kay's snoring echoed down the hallway where he'd fallen asleep on the living room recliner. The guy was out like a log, but he still had three hours or so before he actually had to get up, so it was expected.

What wasn't expected in her ordinary morning routine was the expression of concern on Shirou's face while regarding her getting ready to leave. The mildly offended look from earlier was gone which gave her a sense of relief, but it was replaced by a thoughtfulness that had her feeling self-conscious.

When was the last time a guy had ever looked at her like that? Like someone that needed to be protected and cherished, rather than a fierce lioness who could take care of herself?

"I still think it's too dangerous to be out right now." Shirou spoke, not noticing how fast she became self-conscious of herself now that he was scrutinizing her. "This summoning feels strange and there are many mysteries regarding it that elude me. More importantly, the presence of beings similar to myself have been increasing."

He truly was concerned for her. She could tell by the tone of his voice and the sincerity in his eyes that made her legs feel weak.

Still, she didn't know how to respond. At this point, everything was still difficult for her to believe especially when the thought that Shirou came from a story Merlin made up came to mind. It was entirely possible that everything he was sensing or feeling out of a sense of paranoia could just be harmless or non-existent to anyone but him. In fact, she didn't feel all that pressured at the moment.

She more or less believes that magic exists in her world at this point, but not to some absurd extent like secret agencies and hostile magic monsters in manga that she'd seen Kay read.

"Maybe you're just making a big deal out of nothing?" She offered, but to no result. He hardly even batted an eye if it meant he could keep her safe, and boy did that realization do wonders for her already crumbling resistance. She switched tactics before she could be seduced by her own thoughts. "I mean, you can't expect me to remain cooped up at home everyday?"

Why wasn't he answering?

Oh God, he looked serious.

Was he…treating her like a girl?

Her heart began to flutter unknowingly, her features turning strangely bashful. In truth, this was the first time she actually felt like someone was flirting with her because the regular response from boys was to point and scream; granted, it was her own fault for beating them up in the first place to teach them a lesson about morals and integrity.

If Shirou was already pleasing to her eyes before, he was now blinding to the point that she felt like she couldn't trust herself not to trip over her own feet if she stared too long.

"I'm pretty strong, you know?" She put on a wide grin just to mask the pleasant jitters she was feeling inside. "I-I think I could even teach you a thing or two, so it's not as if I need to be coddled."

She held up her sword strapped by her waist with a 'matter of fact' expression that inexplicably mirrored some memory Shirou seemed to hold dear because he just froze.

Her mouth opened and closed, not knowing what to say.

For a second, a fleeting bout of emotion flickered across Shirou's features when he stared at her holding her sword. Again, that feeling of loss she'd experienced in the morning assailed her, made her uncomfortable. Butterflies floated in her stomach, for once, causing her to lose her appetite. In any case, she decided that she didn't like it when Shirou looked sad.

"Hey, uhm I was joking and didn't mean anything by it." She shifted her weight from foot to foot, feeling uncomfortable. "Are you mad because you think I'll just find trouble? Based on what I've seen, if I really did get in trouble, you'd be there with me. You'll protect me, won't you?"

She was fumbling for words, an excuse to get that look off of his face, but was herself rendered speechless.

"On my life," he answered in all seriousness.

She blushed, feigning a cough to cover her face, and the shudder that went down her back as Shirou's rugged yet smooth voice entered her ears. He was cheating. He had to be. How many women has he ensnared with that voice already? Worse, he didn't even seem to be aware of his own charm, or it could just be that he matched her own preferences to a T.

In any case, she quickly composed herself, blanking her expression in a manor that once again drew reminiscence from Shirou who begun to smile wryly.

"T-That's a promise alright?"

Shirou nodded.

Her brain felt fuzzy when she looked at him, so she didn't dare continue and retreated towards her front door. There was a small smile plastered over her face, and a warmth she couldn't quite describe at the moment bubbling from within her. Unable to help herself, she kept peaking at him when she thought he wasn't looking.

A Heroic Spirit, huh? She laughed lightly, for once in her life grateful that Merlin had ever been born in this world.

She stepped outside her house and began to make her way towards the bus station by the curb a kilometre away. "See, we're outside and still safe? With you around, what's there to worry about?"

Shirou who was gradually dematerializing behind her in order to accompany her without any stares, shook his head with a sense of helplessness.

"My luck," he muttered lowly.

"Did you say something?" She perked her head towards where she thought he was.

"No." He replied in her mind.

------------------------

Jounan Academy was exactly what Arturia expected of a prestigious school: The campus was huge, and the student body all radiated various forms of rich and sheltered to the point she felt stifled. Of course, this was just her own bias since she was aware that a majority of Jounan's students lived nearby in the neighborhood by the markets which all cost fortunes. It also didn't help that she was blacklisted from a few 'all you can eat' restaurants owned by families of students in the school.

It just wasn't fair.

Her shoulders slumped minutely as she sulked, but she followed the instructions on the paper she was given at the front gate which displayed her new homeroom.

Her blond hair and teal-coloured eyes drew attention from her peers like they always did, but she was used to it by now after having lived in Japan for almost all her life. Blond hair wasn't exactly common here.

She fiddled with the paper in her right hand, and once again stared at the three red Command Seals out in the open, exposed.

"You should really keep that hidden."

Shirou spoke up again as if to remind her of her folly.

He was such a worrywart. Even if magic really existed, it wasn't as if practitioners or beings well versed in the arts were common. Look at her for example. Everything happened through a series of odd coincidences the chances of which were unlikely to happen again for anyone else. The chances were even less than the lottery.

It was a miracle, plain and simple.

'Are you still on about this? You want me to wear a glove in the middle of spring? It would only bring more attention to the fact that I'm hiding my hand.'

"Better to be safe then sorry."

She snickered after soon realizing a fairly obvious point.

'Say, do you really think a piece of cloth would be able to mask whatever uhm, magic or whatever, these seals give off?'

Shirou didn't answer, and that was more than enough for Arturia to stifle a smile at such an obvious loophole.

One thing she still had to get used to was communicating with Shirou without looking like a complete loon talking to air. As it was, it looked like she was smiling to herself for no reason at all. Fortunately, there was no one else around since the homeroom bell had already rang.

She was late, not because she didn't arrive on time, but because this was how it was intended by her new teacher.

A moment later, and she found herself standing by the sliding door of her new homeroom class after finding the right place. She was a transfer student, so it was arranged for the teacher to call her in after settling the class down for introductions.

A hint of nervousness took root inside her. It was a familiar sensation for anyone who had to move or transfer schools during their school lives.

No friends, no allies, and everything back to square one with first impressions needing to be good.

Tidying her appearance at the last minute, she noticed her new teacher signal her to walk in, and she did so with an aloof air despite the apprehension inside her.

"This is Arturia Pendragon from Homurahara Academy." The teacher began on a tirade while she stood in front of the black board and podium of the room. "She opted to transfer here for the rest of the year instead of a closer school on recommendation from her teachers due to her academic excellence and kendo scholarship."

A round of applause greeted her, but she was more focused on finding anyone she could get along with. Everyone looked with varying degrees of interest at her, and seemed friendly enough, but the boys appeared overly eager for some reason.

Subconsciously, a hand fell to rest by the pommel of her sword.

She wasn't the Lion of Fuyuki, the spiritual successor of the Tiger of Fuyuki, for nothing. If they dared have any ideas about her that she considered untoward, then they will learn that she wasn't some weak damsel in distress.

Still, it may have just been intuition speaking here, but she sensed that there may have been a different reason for the enthusiasm of the boys.

She frowned inwardly, but let the matter drop. The boys didn't equal even a foot of Shirou's manliness anyway so she wasn't exactly too affected by them. What she was looking for was a suitable friend who she could get along with through a process of elimination.

Immediately, she decided that the long-haired bland skank who'd rather throw herself on an unseeming and abashed boy wasn't someone she could connect with. Such overt displays of affection were beyond Arturia's league, let alone the fact that her fellow blond didn't seem to know the word 'shame' in her dictionary.

From the angle Arturia stood, she could see the other blond playing footsies with the thoroughly mortified boy who sat beside her. A closer look would reveal that this boy had numerous jealous glares from his cohort of fellow boys.

"That man…I don't know how to describe it, but he feels like a fellow sufferer. There's also this strange aura about him."

Arturia ignored Shirou's incomprehensible words, and after the homeroom teacher's introduction, she took a seat near the back row.

Classes began and like any diligent student, she sat upright and took her notes in earnest. The overall impression she gave the teacher though her actions made her increasingly favourable to her teacher's eyes.

There was an air of noble regality around her that caused boys to give her a double take and girls to imitate her. In truth, the reason she was treated more as a boy than a girl wasn't only because of the violent nature of her reputation, but because her natural beauty made it difficult for well intentioned suitors to approach her. This left only the not so well-intentioned boys to approach her, and she swiftly dealt with them, further fueling her reputation and creating a vicious cycle.

Lost in her musings, it wasn't until the homeroom teacher called for lunch break that put her pencil down and stored her notes away.

Just when she was decided to visit the school's cafeteria for lunch, she was immediately accosted by curious, yet well intentioned classmates.

"Are you a foreigner?" Someone asked.

She nodded her head. "My family comes from Britain, but I grew up here since young after my family made a contract with Mr. Kiritsugu who's now away living with his family overseas."

The boys fell into a heated murmur that ended in relative cheer and satisfaction.

"I knew it, this class is the best," one of them surmised. "We've got recent transfer students from Italy and Britain, now if only Kusanagi could just go and die."

What? Arturia found herself thrown off by the sudden animosity in the conversation.

"Kusanagi?" She echoed.

"Nanami you fool!"

The boys and including a few girls looked appalled that she'd even mentioned Kusanagi's name.

"He's a womanizer. You shouldn't get involved with him." They were quick to dissuade her. "Worse, he's the type who doesn't even know he's a womanizer so he can't be forgiven by the council of single men!"

Council of single men?

Bewilderment gave way to a sense of disbelief. Arturia could only open and close her mouth.

Not knowing how to respond, she waits and hopes that no one picks up on her confusion, but fortunately, attention is quickly diverted from her by an unlikely ally.

"I didn't think my Godou's charms would be so well known." A sonorous voice echoed over the din of the room.

"Erica! Get off the desk! Y-Your skirt! I can see up your skirt! What are you doing?!"

Oh, it was the shameless blond and her unfortunate victim, now with a name attached to her image.

Erica was standing over a desk, hands over her waist and chest puffed up imperiously. She wore the brown and white sleeved uniform of Jounan Academy like a fashion model walking down an isle. She even ran a hand through her hair, the scent of her perfume wafting outwards. Admittedly, Erica was beautiful; however, she showed no regard for restraint.

In a sense, Arturia knew she could never pull of such a show of appearance in public.

"Worry not Godou, their smear campaign means nothing against our love," Erica crossed her arms and smirked with her chin tilted upward.

The victim; no, Godou Kusanagi, an unseemly boy with swept hair and long bangs nearly smacked his forehead over his desk. "Kill me. Just kill me now," he said exasperatedly.

It was a mistake.

"Gladly! Get em!"

Godou shot his head up in alarm to see half the class ready to string up onto a pyre and execute him.

"N-No guys wait! This is a misunderstanding!" Godou hopped to his feet and ran, followed by a mob, and several others who wished to watch a show.

Left behind, Arturia couldn't wrap her mind about the eccentricity of a rich people school. Something like this would never have happened in Homurahara, and she'd just spent over half-an-hour playing twenty questions.

Still, after everyone left, Arturia became clearly aware that she wasn't the only one to have remained in the classroom.

Erica gracefully stepped down from the desk she'd climbed and grinned. All the while, Arturia couldn't help but feel that there was something off about this situation. She chanced a glance around her and came to a startling conclusion.

"Did you do that on purpose?" She asked, an ill premonition taking root in her mind.

The classroom was practically empty now.

The way she looked at Erica suddenly grew somewhat guarded.

"It looked like you needed a hand, and how could someone as courteous as myself leave you to your peril?" Erica shrugged, before a glimmer flickered across her features.

Erica pulled a chair out from a desk, and took a seat beside her.

"I've been meaning to ask, but that's quite a peculiar tattoo you've got there. I couldn't help but notice it while you were taking notes in class today. Interesting design and all."

Erica stared, and Arturia was suddenly feeling pressured.

"Should have worn the glove."

'Shut up.'

Arturia nervously covered the seals on her right hand and laughed awkwardly before bringing her hands onto her lap and out of view. Erica's already suspicious gaze narrowed. What an ill omen.

"You shouldn't have done that. If you were going to keep it out, it would have been better to play ignorant."

'Would you please just-'

"You seem quite evasive." Erica smiled disarmingly, though there was a hint of pondering to the tilt in her brow.

"I think you have the wrong idea," Arturia said coolly. "I just got this tattoo so it still stings a bit. Oh, and I also designed it."

Erica considered Arturia's words, but Arturia's poker face was practically unable to be seen through. Erica raised her hands in surrender.

The bell rang signaling the end of lunch break.

As the rest of the students began to trickle back into class from an unsuccessful manhunt, Erica decided to take her leave back to her own desk.

"No need to be alarmed, I was just interested is all," Erica explained disarmingly as she gathered her things. "Your tattoo reminded me of old runic sigils I'd seen from ancient civilizations. You see, I'm something of a fan for old tales and the like. I suppose curiosity got the better of me and I just couldn't help myself from asking."

Erica smiled, and Arturia politely returned the gesture.

As classes resumed, only Shirou in spiritual form seemed to realize that Erica would glance in Arturia's direction every so often with a furrowed expression. Still, this didn't mean anything much. Erica could very well just be curious like she'd said.

…or it could be something more. Shirou sighed.

"You should have worn the glove."

Arturia snapped her pencil led.

'Oh, rub it in.'

--------------------------------

The day ended faster than expected for Arturia since there were many new things to occupy her attention. Between paying attention to class, getting to know new people, and pondering over Erica Blandeli's occasional stare, there was a lot to occupy her mind.

Perhaps the biggest reason why she didn't feel as bored with school today was Shirou himself. While the teacher reviewed materials that she'd already taken notes for, she found the ability to talk to Shirou in her mind a boon.

There was never a time for her to feel bored since Shirou was always around to talk to. He was growing on her. He was always attentive, mindful, and overly cautious when it came to anything he perceived as dangerous, and it was all too endearing.

This new feeling of being protected was practically making her tingle in places she didn't know could tingle with feel good emotions. Pleasant shivers traveled down the back of her neck each time he spoke.

There was no doubt that she was having a splendid day, and then reality had to rear its ugly head to ruin it.

Packing her things to leave, she couldn't help but slow down when she noticed Erica waiting for her at the door of the classroom even after everyone left. It felt like she was being accosted if not for the affable smile on Erica's face that she couldn't help but feel was fake, but looked to genuine to dismiss.

"Do you have a minute?" Erica called out to her in a pleasant tone.

From what Arturia had learned of Erica from other classmates, she transferred in from Italy and was all over Godou Kusanagi from there, constantly professing her love much to Godou's chagrin.

Frivolous was the only way Arturia felt like she could describe Erica, but now that Godou wasn't around, Erica's character suddenly became a lot more serious.

Was this what Merlin meant when he said love changes people?

She'd always been of the impression that love makes people into idiots because Merlin was her only role model in relationships. The rest of her family was hopeless because they constantly argued that 'married women' were best.

It always drives her insane just thinking about it.

For a moment, her features became glazed.

Erica coughed patiently into her hand. "Well, are you free?"

'No,' "Sure."

Arturia's mind said one thing, her mouth said another.

"Perfect!" Erica wasted no time intruding upon Arturia's personal space and started urging her out the door and on a sudden tour of Jounan Academy's school grounds.

Erica wasn't being overly familiar with her, nor was she being too talkative. Erica would just point at different facilities and name them before moving on to the next place.

Arturia just couldn't wrap her mind around Erica's game. What was she trying to pull here?

Arturia's first thought was that maybe Erica had something to do with magic. After all, there was no other way to explain why Erica would be so interested in her Command Seals. That, or she was actually truthful in the beginning and was just curious.

After walking past Jounan Academy's gymnasium, Arturia knit her brows and spoke up.

"What is this about?" She asked.

"Oh, it's nothing much really." Erica remained nonchalant. "I was just kind of interested in getting to know a new classmate. Is it wrong of me?"

Well, no, but when Erica said it with a face that was too deceptively cheerful, doubts couldn't help but brew in Arturia's mind. She frowned inwardly, and just kept following along.

Eventually, the two left Jounan Academy's interior facilities and began touring the large outdoor fields.

"This should be far enough," Erica mumbled to herself, however, Arturia managed to catch wind of her statement.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Arturia's senses were all going off at once.

Erica said nothing, and only stared while fiddling for something in the small pocket of the blazer of Jounan Academy's uniform.

Arturia tensed. There's never been a time where she hadn't trusted her own instincts.

"Tada!" Erica was all smiles.

In the face of the tension Arturia was feeling, Erica had pulled out a greeting card with the caption 'Foreigners forever!'

What? Arturia felt bewildered and then embarrassed that she'd misinterpreted someone's kind intentions for malicious ones.

"Since we're both transfers, I just wanted us to get along with each other." Erica clasped Arturia's hands enthusiastically. It could have just been Arturia, but she felt a small itch on her right hand when Erica did so. She scratched it when Erica let go, and the feeling faded. "I'm sorry. I was a bit nervous that you wouldn't agree to a tour of the school, so I kept myself vague to lead you along. Now you shouldn't get lost when class rotations start."

Wow. Looks really can be deceiving. Erica was being quite thoughtful.

"Thank you," Arturia smiled in earnest after Erica handed her the card.

Unbeknownst to her, there was a sudden change in the wind. It was almost subtle in the way it blew against the skin, but it was there nonetheless.

In the location where Arturia and Erica were standing, the large gymnasium could be seen a distance behind them.

A chill travelled down Arturia's back.

[May his spine be crushed; may his bones be broken, his tendons torn, his hair ripped from his skull; may his blood, spilled over the earth, be churned into a bloody froth.]

A pressure she had no idea how to describe abruptly weighed on her shoulders all at once. It was suffocating, her knees wobbling, her vision growing dim.

"Danger."

Shirou's warning hardly registered in her mind.

She broke out into shivers, looking so weak and feeble at the sudden onset of magical energy that Erica looked stunned as if she'd made some sort of terrible mistake.

Ordinary humans generally didn't have the endurance, both mentally and physically, to withstand something beyond their own station without adequate training or experience.

What did this mean for her who had yet to come to terms with magic and the supernatural in general?

It hurts.

Her heart was palpitating rapidly in her chest, the gravity of what she'd dived head-first into only now gaining weight and recognition. She shivered; hands gripped around her.

[I shall become one who buries fangs into the sinner's flesh, that the will of the Lord be followed: Thou shalt be purged!]

A mighty boar stood across from her. Massive in size and shape, it towered over even the school building, a fiery mane of fire flickering from the tufts of its fur and towering tusks.

An oppressive aura was unleashed.

A feeling that crushed any notion of resistance and vain struggle.

It all just felt so overwhelming that a gasp escaped her mouth, her lips quivering.

When did it all shift from simple make-believe to reality?

She swallowed and backed away on shaky knees. One step, then two before tripping on her own feet.

"H-Help," she quivered, tears welling up in her eyes.

The flash of guilt over Erica's features could not have been anymore apparent in this moment, but there was no time for pity or remorse as the boar began preparations to charge. Looking resigned, a trace of decisiveness appeared over Erica's features, yet it wasn't meant to be.

Grains of shimmering gold sand converged as one, and a solemn figure emerged protectively in front of Arturia.

A hand tussled her hair.

Bronze-coloured eyes narrowed sharply followed by a deluge of smothering Authority.

"Trace. On."