Chapter Text
The battle was over.
Finally after years and years, eons on eons, it was over. Finally, he could rest. Finally he could sleep.
And as he turned to dust the solitary warrior, still standing on this battlefield of untold scale, he heard the voice of the world in his mind “You have done well Emiya Shirou, far beyond our expectations, but we have one final mission for you.”
His eyes widen in despair. It was supposed to be over! He had done his part of the bargain in protecting humanity! He had earned his rest! But as he he faded and the world went black, he heard one lone word: “Live”
And he knew no more.
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“Múscailte” A melodic voice spoke from his left, causing Archer to startle awake suddenly and summon his twin blades in automatic reflex. It had been to long since he knew peace and it was instinct at this point,thereby causing him to throwing them at the voice before his eyes had even finished opening.
The next thing he heard was a crash and a scream as the young woman dropped whatever she had been holding and fell to her knees just barely missing being skewered. “Ní rún dúinn aon dochar a dhéanamh duit!” the young woman babbled over and over, clearly more shaken then Archer was to find himself in some random room rather then on the battlefield that he last recalled himself being on.
Sitting up Archer took in the young woman before him She truly was a petite little thing, hardly more then a child; and likely the same age as Rin had been when she had summoned him so many ages ago, With a wealth of strawberry blonde curls and the brightest green eyes Archer had seen in his many years. She was dressed in some kind of foreign brown and white dress which looked to be compiled of several layers which made her look even younger.
Placing her firmly in the child and harmless category Archer lowered his guard if only a little, he had met several child servants in his time and knew they could be just as deadly as any adult servant, until he knew exactly where he was it wouldn’t do to be completely unguarded. First thing first figuring out where he was and why he was here
“Where am I Girl?” He asked firmly yet to those that knew him well not unkindly, which unfortunately this child did not as she continued to babble away in that same unknown language. “Well this is a problem” he muttered more to himself then the scared women. Moving to get up the young girl shrieked and scrambled to get away bolting out the door as if hellhounds were on her heals leaving the dropped tray of what looked like food and drink scattered on the floor.
Shaking his head at the sight the fleeing woman made Archer made no move to follow her, at least for the moment, he had more important things to do for one taking stalk of his spirit origin. Closing his eyes Archer let his mind go blank as he focused inward making sure the core that made up his spiritual body was still functioning and he wasn’t on the brink of disappearing, even if he could survive for longer then most without a Master due to his class, it was still a grave concern.
After a few moments of cataloging he let his shoulders slump with surprised relief And maybe a little dread as it turned out that his spirit core was not only stable but thriving and producing mana as if he had a powerful master with him. “Looks like the World was serious. How unfortunate.” Archer muttered to himself with disdain “No rest for the wicked is right.”
With a sigh he quickly turned and cleaned up the mess that the poor girl had left in her mad dash for escape. He never could stand clutter or messy living quarters a habit he’d never been able to break in all his eons of life before turning and walking to the window. He might as well figure out where the world had dumped him for his new ‘life’, opening the shutters was a little tricky, the lock mechanism one he wasn’t familiar with. Eventually he decided to forgo the lock entirely and just slice the window open as he could always repair it later. It was one of the things he was good at after all.
The village was beautiful, in an old world kind of way, thatch roof houses lined what appeared to be a main central street filled with people of all ages coming and going with their daily business. The village itself seemed to be settled in a forest plateau. Trees taller then Archer had ever seen guarded the perimeter of the town like ancient sentinels, Protecting it from a direct attack though if there were archers or assassins it wouldn’t stop them Archer noted with concern; as while it seemed peaceful enough there were always those who wished to do someone or a village harm.
‘Well better figure out if anyone speaks English around here as I very much doubt anyone speaks Japanese.’ Archer thought to himself before turning and heading out the door that they young lady had vacated, pulling Bakuya from the wall as he left.