I dropped into the nice comfortable armseat and let out a sigh, hearing the two girls I was accompanying do the same on the couch across the low table in front of me.
Cassandra and Daphne, looking around the room, their expressions hopeful and guarded, respectively.
What a mess.
And my patrols hadn't even started before I got into it.
Shakti Varma wasn't happy with the events that had transpired, not one bit. Luckily, her anger wasn't caused by my actions.
As she explained to me, while interfering with the recruitment of members was seen in a poor light -to my surprise, Hyakinthos Clio hadn't been lying-, harassing two civilians for over a week wasn't considered recruitment.
So, Shakti told me to accompany the girls and wait in one room of the Ganesha Familia home, while she would see if there was something she could work out with her god. The Guild wouldn't be happy with a Familia targeting civilians, but she needed to at least gather some information about the Apollo Familia and their actions before we could do something about it.
"I still can't believe one of your silly dreams ended up helping us," Daphne groused at her friend while sinking into her seat, "One week of those creeps pursuing us and it's when I follow your lead that we get help."
"A-ah! So does that mean you now believe what I say about my dreams?"
"No."
"Uuh~ Daphne~," Cassandra whined with a pout, "You could have taken a moment to think, at least…"
I smiled at the byplay, a little amused by Daphne's curt reply. "You get along well," I remarked with a grin. Daphne let out a huff, but her expression softened when she saw Cassandra nodding with a bright smile. "Have you known each other for long?"
Daphne shook her head. "Not really. We met in a carriage coming to Orario a couple of weeks ago." She shrugged, "I had little to distract myself on the trip so I started to talk with this one along the way, and she quickly grew on me."
"Yes! I-I was really worried because it was my first time away from home and I'm not really good at approaching people." Cassandra shrunk unto herself a little. "Meting Daphne in that carriage made coming here worth it," she finished with a bright smile, before adding in a grumble: "She likes to bully me too much sometimes, though."
Daphne huffed and turned her face around, but I could see the small smile she tried to hide.
"It was also thanks to Daphne that I could get away from Lord Apollo's Familia until you found us. S-she was the one that dragged me away from them when they first approached me… and every time since, too. She's my savior," she said, her smile turning wobbly.
I grimaced.
According to her, Apollo saw her only once -the moment she got down the carriage she rode into the city she crossed eyes with the god-, and that was enough for him to order his Familia to pursue her for days to get her to take his blessing.
Still, I did my best to smile at Daphne. "I see, that's impressive." I nodded. "Not many would risk themselves to protect someone they hardly know, especially against Adventurers."
Daphne shrugged, a small dusting of red on her cheeks. "I wasn't about to let those guys take her, it would've left a bad taste in my mouth," she deflected with a grimace. "Of course, that only made them interested in me. Luckily I'm good at running away, even with some baggage," she said with a self-deprecating smile, ignoring Cassandra's whining at being called 'baggage'. "Don't know what they saw in me, though. Cassandra is pretty, so I can see why her, but me? I'm just plain."
Cassandra gasped. "N-no, I'm not! I'm just frumpy, but you are beautiful, Daphne!"
"Psht, don't lie, I look like a boy."
I raised an eyebrow as each girl tried to get the other to admit that they were the prettier one.
I didn't know how to feel about the fact that they were most likely in the right about the reason Apollo chose to recruit Cassandra, and the reason his children thought Daphne would be a nice addition to the Familia as well.
He didn't talk to them or even saw them fight, so it was probably their looks.
They were younger than me, probably around the same age Sakura had been when she started coming around my house, but I could see them turning quite a few eyes in the future.
But would that be enough for a god to try and force them into their Familia?
I almost snorted. Of course it would.
Knowing what I know about gods, Greek gods in particular, it doesn't surprise me that one of them would ignore consent when it came to recruiting someone they found pretty.
And considering who the god in question was, I should have expected it, really.
Apollo was famous for a lot of things back in my world, but his pursuit of women was one of the more prominent of them. Of two women, in particular.
Cassandra, daughter of the last king of Troy, sister of the infamous Paris of Troy and of the hero Hector. A woman whose beauty was so great it gained the admiration of the god Apollo, who sought to gain her love by giving her a gift.
The power to see the future.
Whether she promised her love in exchange or not, depending on who tells the story, when she ultimately rejected his advances in spite of the gift, the slighted god cursed her by having no one believe her prophecies.
And thus the entire world believed her a liar and a madwoman.
And there was Daphne, the dryad that, after being relentlessly chased by Apollo, who fell in love with her because of one of Eros' arrows, turned herself into a laurel tree to escape his advances.
Her legend wasn't as well known, but the origin of the laurel wreath given in sporting events like the Olympics was a small tidbit of trivia that Fuji-nee told me time and time again when my skill with the bow became apparent. Or at least she did until I quit the club.
Keeping the thoughts out of my face, I tried to not get lost in the implications of what I remembered on the way to the Ganesha Familia home.
I had grown used to recognizing names of gods and goddesses, and thought it amusing that they were the ones that built the Babel Tower to protect humanity. Then I had thought it curious that the most labyrinthian portion of the city was named Daedalus, like the creator of the Labyrinth of Crete back home.
But now? Finding these two girls sharing the names of mythical women? Both being pursued by the god Apollo and one of them having prophetic dreams?
There was nothing amusing about that.
Was it a coincidence? Or was I seeing this world's version of those events unfold in front of my eyes?
Thinking about what that could mean brought a small shiver down my back.
Will I eventually find an alternate version of all the myths in my world? Of Heracles? Of Cu Chulainn? Of Gilgamesh? Blonde hair and pure green eyes flashed in my mind and I felt my heart lurch painfully. Of Artoria Pendragon?
I shook my head. Stupid. Even if I found another King Arthur here, it wouldn't be Saber.
I forced my thoughts away from the ghosts of my past and refocused on the girls in front of me, and on what I could do to help them for now. In the end, to take their mind away from the wait I asked them about themselves.
Both had come to the city to become Adventurers as it would seem.
Daphne had apprenticed under a hunter and tracker in her village and had an uncanny ability to traverse in the forests and plains around her home. When her family grew with the birth of her little brother, she decided to put that skill to use. She would become an Adventurer in order to explore the Dungeon and earn money for her parents.
"If I do well enough I can help them, and if I don't, then it's still a mouth less to feed. It seemed like a no-brainer." Daphne had shrugged when telling her story.
I grimaced. Not doing well in Orario could mean a lot more than just not making money.
She probably hadn't considered the morbid way her words could be taken, but I wondered how many had come to the city with such aspirations and had never returned, much less sent money back.
In Cassandra's case, her family had been the healers of her hometown for generations, and so she learned how to treat wounds and maladies, and even how to create potions and antidotes. Instead of money, what she wanted was to use that knowledge to help the ones braving the Dungeon.
"Father was not… happy I decided to leave the village," she muttered, her eyes lowering in sadness. "And it was a little hard, I was content there… but I always felt I could do more. Helping the heroes who fight to protect the world, healing their wounds after their adventures… it felt like the proper thing to do."
She then winced, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment. "A-and also… my dreams." Daphne groaned. "Whenever I dreamt of Orario… it always felt right. Like I wouldn't be just content here, I would be happy."
Daphne sighed resignedly. "Always with those dreams, huh? Just look at how much trouble you ended up in because you followed it."
I tried to keep any skepticism out of my face as I nodded- Daphne already seemed to give Cassandra a hard time about her dreams, no need to add to it-. "Well, I guess we should do our best to resolve this mess so we don't make a liar out of you and your dreams, Cassandra." I smiled as kindly as I could.
"S-sir Shirou! Thank you, truly! You really are-!" I raised a hand and she cut herself off.
"You don't need to thank me, I haven't really done anything yet." I shrugged. She seemed to be about to complain, probably say something about stopping Hyakinthos Clio, but I continued, my tone hardening. "Besides, what kind of hero would I be if I couldn't promise one girl happiness?"
Yes, I couldn't see this girl becoming happy under that god. I haven't met him yet, but I remembered that girl from Apollo's Familia that I saved in the Dungeon. Chryseis had almost killed herself to please him once he got bored of her.
Fickle, selfish, uncaring. That's the impression I got so far.
I might be wrong, but from what I saw so far, Cassandra seemed… brittle. Being in the clutches of someone like Apollo would probably break her.
So I had to help her.
I glanced at the window, trying to guess how much time had passed since we came here -an hour? Two?- , and wondering if there had been any updates, but the cloudy sky had no answers to offer.
Waiting was all I could do now, anything else comes after that.
There was a beat of silence that made me glance back, and I blinked when I found Cassandra hiding her face in her hands, so flushed that it might as well be steaming, and Daphne looking at me with something resembling admiration in her eyes.
"Whoa. Dad did say city boys were dangerous…" she whispered, probably expecting me not to hear.
"Uh. Are you okay?" I asked, and only received an incredulous look from Daphne. Cassandra shook her head weakly, not lifting her face at all.
…was it something I said?
After Cassandra returned to something that could be called normal, aside from the small blotches of red still on her face and her inability to look at mine, I tried to reassure them, mentioning that many Familias would probably be very interested in their skillset. It was just unlucky that they had caught the wrong kind of attention from the wrong kind of god.
"I mean, I did come here to join a Familia if I could, but not like that," Daphne complained as Cassandra curled into herself.
"S-Sorry, Daphne." She grimaced.
Daphne groaned. "Stop that. I already told you it's not your fault."
Cassandra just nodded morosely. "I know, but considering what Sir Shirou said, I can't help but think that if it wasn't for me-if you hadn't decided to help me-, you'd probably be in a nice familia by now."
"And you'd be stuck with the creeps." Daphne sighed, before squaring her shoulders and setting her face in a determined frown. "I don't regret what I did, Cassandra. I don't regret helping you, so don't regret it either."
I felt a smile come to my face. She may be blunt and a little too… harsh on her friend's oddities but it seemed that when push came to shove, she couldn't hide the fact that she was kind.
An idea slowly formed in my mind.
Even if we helped them now, there was no certainty that Apollo would stop his advances. They were good girls, but they were truly unfortunate to have met a god that so easily justified how wary I was of deities before I met Astraea.
A selfish, uncaring being, so focused on his own wants that he ignored the suffering his actions, and the actions of his Familia, had caused on the mortals under them.
So selfish I was unsure he could be convinced of the error of his actions.
And in a city, in a world, where might made right, there might be a possibility that his actions could go unpunished, and that the girls would end up in his clutches. But what if they were a part of a Familia? Of Astraea's Familia? If they joined, then no one would be able to complain if I needed to interject again.
Forcefully, at that.
"Are all Familias like that? So… pushy?" Cassandra asked, shuffling in her seat.
I hummed, shelving the train of thought for now. It was not the moment to launch into some sort of recruitment pitch. And who knows? Maybe I'm being a pessimist, maybe Apollo would prove to be a better man than I suspect him to be.
"I guess it depends on the god. I have some friends in the Hephaestus Familia and they are quite happy with her. And you saw how Shakti reacted to your situation. I'm sure they are not the exception to the rule here."
"And yours?" Daphne asked, looking at me with a glimmer of interest that made me wonder if she was having the same idea I had. "Astraea Familia, right? You guys were famous even in the countryside, I used to hear all sorts of stories about you."
I raised an eyebrow. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you know them." With this and the whispers and looks I kept attracting due to the symbol on my cloak, famous was starting to seem not enough to describe Astraea Familia.
Daphne nodded, looking at me strangely. "I mean, fighting against injustice, protecting the weak; is it any wonder the girls of the Astraea Familia were popular?" She smiled. "I think every little girl born after the Familia formed wanted to be part of it. They still want to, probably."
"I see. I'm glad," I smiled softly. "That even now, a year after their passing, they are still remembered fondly." I should tell Astraea later, she'll enjoy knowing this.
"I never heard about you, though." She said, her dark yellow eyes watching me with a mixture of curiosity and suspiciousness. "I heard they disbanded after most of the members passed away, but here you are, the Vice Captain, and a guy at that."
"D-Daphne! Don't be rude, Sir Shirou is our savior!" Cassandra reproached, almost jumping on her seat in her rush to come to my defense.
"Hey, I am grateful about that. I'm not trying to be rude." She shrugged. "Aren't you also a little curious about him? Also, didn't you tell me your mom used to tell you bedtime stories about Astraea's Familia?"
"Daphne! I-I told you that in confidence!" Cassandra squeaked, her face red as a lobster. "And yes, I might be a little curious, but that's not a reason to pry! H-he probably just joined recently. He's so kind and you are acting like he is a liar!"
"Hey, hey, it's fine. I don't mind her questions. If the Familia is as popular as you say, it's natural you're curious or suspicious." I interjected, trying to smile comfortingly. I looked at Daphne and nodded. "Cassandra is right, I just joined the Astraea Familia a little less than a month ago. That's probably why I'm not part of any bedtime stories." I grinned when Cassandra squeaked once again.
Daphne chuckled, but quickly sobered.
"So you're the first to join after that?" She asked, a little uncomfortable about the tragedy of my predecessors.
I nodded.
"That's right. I met Astraea by chance in a small village and, well, while she wasn't looking for new members, I was fortunate enough to be able to convince her to take me," I shrugged, a fond smile on my face. "I was probably going to do the same thing you did- climb on a carriage and come here to look for a Familia to join- but once I met her there wasn't a chance I would consider another god."
"Lucky…" Daphne mumbled under her breath. "So, it's just you? Or is there a captain? I actually haven't heard of anyone taking the mantle after Scarlet Harnel." she leaned forward, and Cassandra did the same.
"Ah, yes and no?" I winced, my voice coming out weak. "There is a captain, yes, but there's some stuff we need to arrange before she can take the… mantle, as you put it. Ah, but that's not really my story to tell, sorry."
Cassandra and Daphne looked like they wished very much to ask, but in the end managed to hold back their questions, thankfully. It's not like I could explain that we still needed to bribe the Guild so the Familia captain could come back full-time.
And that's when another voice interrupted us.
"Mm~? I don't agree with that, Shirou." I turned and saw Astraea, a troubled smile on her face, entering through the open doorway into the room. "You are part of my Familia, if there's anyone that has the right to speak about it besides Ryuu and me, it's you."
"Astraea," I breathed out, some tension I didn't know I was feeling fading from my shoulders. Of course she would be called as well. Things seemed to be proceeding, then. I grinned. "It might be so, but it's not the best conversation topic to have with someone you just met."
Astraea hummed and approached my seat. "That's true, I suppose." And then she glanced at the two girls in the room, her expression softening in care and concern. "Ganesha told me a little bit of what happened. Tell me, Shirou, why I was not surprised when I heard about you picking a fight with a Level Two?" She turned to me with narrowed eyes, and pinched my cheek.
I winced, not enjoying the fact that I seemed to have worried her once again. Still, I wasn't about to regret my actions. "Sorry, but I wasn't going to let him and his cronies get away with something like that when I was there to stop it, even if he was stronger than me." I smiled guiltily. "You already know me and my recklessness, Astraea."
Astraea sighed and stopped assaulting my cheek, her pinch turning into a caress. "Yes. Yes, I do. That's why I worry about your safety in your stead, even if your actions fill me with pride." She smiled, her eyes warm with affection.
I returned her look for a moment, basking in her warmth… before I remembered we had an audience.
I glanced at the two girls watching the scene with undisguised interest- Daphne tilting her head, and Cassandra peeking through her fingers- and I cleared my throat, feeling a little embarrassed at the affection my goddess was showing in front of other people.
Astraea followed my eyes and her own widened a smidgen. Sending me a look that seemed to say that we would continue this conversation later, Astraea turned with a kind smile.
Ah.
I stood up.
"Right, let me introduce you. Astraea, these are Cassandra Ilion and Daphne Lauros, they came to Orario to become Adventurers, and I helped them out of a tight spot." Cassandra gave a small wave, and Daphne nodded. "Girls, this is Astraea, the Goddess of Justice and Purity." I smiled warmly at her. "My goddess."
"A goddess you seem keen on worrying, it seems," she complained one more time, before taking a step forward. "Even if it's not in the best of circumstances, It's nice to meet you, Cassandra, Daphne. I am, as my child just said, Astraea," she introduced herself with a small curtsy. "Despite my words just now, I'm glad Shirou was able to get both of you out of that dreadful situation."
"I-it's an honor, Lady Astraea!" Cassandra stood up like she was in a spring and gave a deep curtsy herself. "I heard so much about you, once I knew Sir Shirou was in your Familia, I knew we would be alright!"
Daphne followed suit and greeted Astraea with her own bow, her previous reticence having been evaporated by Astraea's presence.
"Then it stands to me to follow through that trust you have put on me and my Familia," Astraea declared, her voice turning hard even as she kept her placid smile on her face.
Daphne's eyes widened. "Does that mean you'll actually…?" She trailed off.
"Help you? Of course," Astraea answered matter-of-factly. "What these people have been doing to you, this… harassment in the guise of recruitment, won't be allowed anymore. It ends now. That, I swear as the Goddess of Justice and Purity."
Both Cassandra and Daphne were looking at my goddess with shining eyes. I wasn't surprised, I was intimately familiar with the effect her words had on people.
On me, particularly.
"T-thank you so m-much, Lady Astraea!" Cassandra was seemingly the first one to break out of her spell. "I knew that my dreams wouldn't lead me astray!" she gushed, stars in her eyes.
Astraea blinked. "Dreams?"
"Ah, you idiot, don't say that! She'll think you're weird, that we are weird, if you say stuff like that!" Daphne complained, covering Cassandra's mouth with her hands. "Ignore that, please, my Lady! She's just saying nonsense."
I shrugged, ignoring the altercation. "Cassandra seems to have prophetic dreams," I explained, ignoring the way said girl gasped in shock and how Daphne groaned. "She said that she had a dream last night, one about meeting a sword that would protect her."
Then Cassandra managed to get out of her friend's hold. "T-that's right! I dreamt that if we went out that day I would find a nice sword that would protect us! I-I first thought it meant an actual weapon I could give to Daphne but it p-probably was about your symbol, Lady Astraea! About us meeting Sir Shirou!" she exclaimed, her words meant to my goddess, but her eyes were focused on me like a laser. "A nice sword, a Sword of Justice!"
Astraea's eyes widened. She probably was thinking the same thing I thought when I first heard the description of her vision.
It wasn't about the Familia symbol.
If there was a way to describe me, considering my magic and my element, Sword would be apt.
Astraea looked at her with some shock, before turning to me. "Shirou, did you…?" she trailed off, and I shook my head. I didn't tell her anything, nor did she see me cast my spells.
"Don't know much about divination and prophecies, especially not around here, but I've seen and heard of crazier things." I shrugged, then I got closer to Astraea, placing my mouth near her ear. "I also heard stories of someone like her before I came here," I whispered, putting some emphasis in the 'here', meaning this world. "Don't dismiss it out of hand, we can talk later," I finished, raising an eyebrow at the small shudder that went through my goddess' back.
Astraea took a deep breath, and then nodded, avoiding my eyes.
"Whatever the reason may be, I assure you we will help you. That's what our Familia does," I said to the two girls when my goddess kept silent.
Cassandra nodded thankfully, a bright smile on her face, while Daphne inspected me for a little longer, before the suspicion on her eyes fully faded. "Thank you, really," she said, taking a step forward. "And sorry for doubting you. I… didn't really expect to be helped out of that, and was about to give up. I'm glad I didn't."
I smiled and nodded, before turning to Astraea. "So, any plans on how we're going to proceed with this?" I asked, feeling a little out of my depth here.
Politics were not my forte, much less politics in an alternate world I was still not really familiar with. On this occasion I would need to depend on Astraea's experience.
"Right, that is why I came here," Astraea replied, a grimace on her face. "Apollo has sent word to Ganesha, he is requesting a meeting between our three Familias."
I raised an eyebrow. "Apollo is requesting a meeting?"
Astraea sighed and nodded.
"That's not only it. I… can't even begin to guess what is going through his mind, but he has threatened to raise a complaint with the Guild. It seems he intends to accuse us and the Ganesha Familia of interfering with Familia business unless we have the prospective recruits returned to him, unblessed," she finished, frustration in her tone.
Daphne sucked in a breath and Cassandra gasped.
"What?" I asked in disbelief. Nevermind me -Apollo could have some ground to stand on regarding that accusation-, he wanted to accuse Ganesha? The god who has been fighting to protect the peace of the city for decades? "Is he insane? Why would he do that?"
"I don't know. He has always been prideful, but he is not foolish." Astraea shrugged, and massaged her temple like she was staving off a headache. "Maybe he believes the Guild will stand with him. According to Ganesha, Apollo's Familia has been one of the fastest rising stars in the city since I left, so he may be overestimating his influence."
"D-does that mean that we will have to go with him, after all? Join his Familia?" Cassandra asked, curling into herself. My eyes narrowed at the fear and resignation in her voice.
Daphne, for her part, stood silent and seemingly confident, but I couldn't ignore the slight shaking in her hands.
They were terrified.
I clenched my fists, feeling my Falna burn in my back, strength filling my muscles, and magic energy rushing into my Magic Circuits almost unbidden. There was someone to protect, and my Skill- my soul- recognized it.
Astraea remained calm, however, and took a step forward to place a hand on Cassandra's shoulder comfortingly. "No, don't worry, Cassandra. This is probably just a banal attempt to cow us into not going to the Guild ourselves. Whatever happens, you won't go with him, I promise you."
"If you are sure, my lady…" Daphne's shoulders relaxed as she felt the confidence in my goddess' voice.
"I am. Now, Ganesha and Shakti wanted to talk to you two before the actual meeting, and know everything about the situation before Apollo arrives. They are waiting for us in his office, so let us go." Astraea then turned to me and smiled softly. "And you too, worrywart. Everything's going to be fine, so turn that frown upside down, will you?" she giggled.
I let out a breath and tried to relax. Is it going to be fine? I probably should not have any doubts regarding this if Astraea was so sure, but I wasn't about to underestimate the greed of a deity. I should go into this prepared for anything.
I wondered, would this whole situation end up in a peaceful resolution?
Or was I about to meet my first enemy in the Familias of this world?
-Line Break-
In spite of the extravagant exterior of the Familia Home -really, was there any need to shape the whole thing like a statue of Ganesha himself? Or to put the entrance in his crotch?- the rooms inside I-Am-Ganesha were beautifully designed.
I suppose it shouldn't surprise me that a god that acted so larger than life like Ganesha wouldn't cut on expenses when it came to his home.
I had imagined the meeting room where we would receive Apollo to be lavish and extravagant, and in some ways, it was—but not entirely as I expected. The walls, crafted from the purest marble, were accentuated by gleaming gold lines that stretched up to the domed ceiling. Crystal glass windows, softened by draped silks in vibrant hues, let the sunlight enter unimpeded, bathing the room in soft lights. Yet, much of the furniture had been cleared beforehand, leaving the space open and uncluttered save for a single thing.
At the room's center, stood a round table.
It was as beautiful as the rest of the room was, if not even more, and calling it a table was like calling the Palace of Versailles a building.
All around the sides of the table, and crawling onto the top of it, were carvings of what I could only describe as a menagerie of monsters and creatures, some familiar, but most of them I had only heard about in my sessions with my advisor: Goblins, ogres, silverbacks, dragons, minotaurs, skeletons, flaming birds and so on and so forth, so detailed and realistic that I almost expected them to leap out of the wood living and breathing.
Yet, as intricate as these carvings were, they paled in comparison to the figure that dominated the center of the table: a resplendent depiction of an elephant-headed man. His muscular form was carved with such precision that veins and tendons seemed to ripple beneath the surface of his wooden skin, and his clothing seemed to flutter in an eternal wind.
The gold inlaid, jewel-encrusted representation of Ganesha was probably the greatest piece of art I had ever seen in my life.
I had let my curiosity get the best of me and had casted a quick Structural Analysis on the table while we were waiting. Aside from the jewels and the gold, the whole thing had been made from a single piece of mahogany, and it took months for a single person to painstakingly engrave every little detail on it.
I couldn't even fathom how much it had cost the elephant god or his Familia to have such a masterpiece made in his honor.
Of course, every thought I was putting in examining the table was probably a way for me to ignore the -pardon the pun- elephant in the room, the meeting of literal gods sitting around the table.
Astraea and Ganesha were sitting across the door of the room, showing an united front. Both gods looked more serious than I had ever seen them. After hearing Daphne and Cassandra's retelling of the week since they had arrived in Orario, my own testimony of the situation before I intervened, and then Farna's, both were determined to put an end to Apollo's crimes.
They weren't taking any chances, Astraea and Ganesha were as ready as they could be.
Daphne and Cassandra were sitting in between them, and Shakti and I were standing behind them, acting like their bodyguards.
There shouldn't be any need for that, but we figured that, since Hyakinthos had already tried to strike Daphne, it wasn't outside the realm of possibility that he would try to do so again in a pique of anger.
Of course, that was when we assumed Hyakinthos would come accompanying his god. He didn't.
Standing right across us stood not Phoebus Apollo, but a long haired blonde elf, his lower face covered by a cloth mask. Lissos, as his weapon had revealed to me, had declined a seat at the table and was now watching the room's occupants with a frown of irritation on his face, like this situation was beneath him. Curiously, from the moment he had come into the room, his hand had been placed on his dagger.
Is he expecting an ambush? Did he seriously think we were that stupid? Or is he that reckless? That thing in his hand might as well be a bomb waiting to go off.
Well, it isn't like it's any different from any other magic sword.
It wasn't my first time seeing a so-called magic sword and, once again, I was amazed at the almost impossible sight in front of me.
In a mish-mash that only kept some semblance of integrity- but only barely- due to the bullshit that was the Blacksmith Development Ability, the material made out of a normal mineral and a magic crystal was as volatile as it was fragile. Only a drop of magic energy- of mind- was needed to activate the blade's properties and enact a mystery that would put what Tohsaka used from her gems to shame… but in exchange for all that power, the material was brittle.
So brittle that the dagger in front of me would most likely break in two more attacks.
A disappointment, really.
Almost as an afterthought, ways of bettering the forging process, taken from swords of similar properties, like the Azoth Blade, leapt to my mind, and were succinctly ignored -I would have to ask Hephaestus about the feasibility of the processes anyway- in favor of keeping my attention on the other occupant of the room.
Soft looking golden hair that looked like it was spun gold, a face so beautiful that put any other man I've met to shame. The light of the sun entering from the window seemed to gently caress and light up his features, giving him an ethereal glow and his hair a shine that made it look like it was made of sunlight.
Apollo sat in one of the chairs like it was a throne and he was king.
Or a tyrant. I thought uncharitably, as I breathed in deeply, trying to maintain my calm.
This man -this god- was the one responsible for causing so much pain to a pair of innocent girls, and who knows how many more? For him to come here so brazenly, demanding them to be given to him like they were objects he had claimed…
He disgusted me.
Even now it was a struggle to keep my eyes upfront and my teeth from grinding after noticing the way the god was looking at Astraea. His smile was bright and cheerful, but I could see the lust in his eyes when he looked at my goddess.
The godly visage, the overwhelming pride he seemed to ooze, and the sliminess hiding beneath…
It was almost like he was a cursed combination of Gilgamesh and Shinji.
It made me want to punch him.
"Oh, Astraea! Beautiful, lovely Astraea! This dreary city has been lesser without your presence! Such is your magnificence that the moment I heard you might have returned, it felt like the sun had come out for the first time in months!"
Even more so when he opened his mouth.
My eye twitched.
"And this must be your new child! My, oh my! I admit I was surprised when I heard about him but I love the change. There's nothing wrong about a garden of pure lilies, but sometimes you need a tall, firm oak to tower over you."
…And then there was the way he was looking at me.
I had no problem whatsoever with people being attracted to the same sex, but the way Apollo was looking at me made my stomach curl in disgust. The lust, the greed, the hunger. There was something inhumane about his look.
I guess I shouldn't be surprised about it, considering his fame. I breathed trhough my nose, forcing my shoulders to relax. I won't mess this up.
"My, so quiet and stoic. Is he shy? I didn't know that was your type, Astraea. Now I see why you never wanted to join my bed, even back in Heaven."
I felt one knuckle pop as my fist tightened even more. I couldn't imagine what my goddess must be going through, having to speak with this worm while being ogled like that.
Just grit your teeth and ignore it. It's just one meeting.
I wasn't foolish enough to think I had the political acumen or even the eloquence to sit at the same table as these deities, I knew that the politicking was better left to someone with experience in the matter and, more importantly, a cooler head.
Someone like Astraea.
However I couldn't help but feel like I was back at the Holy Grail War, where I had to stay back and let the woman I liked do everything for me.
Utterly useless.
-Line Break-
Astraea
Astraea had to keep her expression impassive when Apollo ignored everyone in the room, even the girls he had wronged, to focus his attention on her and, worst of all, on Shirou.
She truly did her best to not react to the way his eyes focused on her chest, like her magnificence was hidden in her cleavage, but she couldn't help the small shudder of revulsion traveling down her back.
Before, his advances only brought her exasperation -really, for thousands of years she had kept her chastity, did he think she would give it to him due to a shallow compliment?- but now…
If there was a man she wanted to look at her with desire in his eyes, it was the one standing behind her.
When someone other than her hero looked at her like that, it felt like she was being sullied.
All of that, while bothersome, she could ignore… but once Apollo started to look at Shirou the same way, she felt livid.
When Hephaestus had showed interest in Shirou, she hadn't been much bothered. She was a friend, after all. Oh, she played it up, of course- teasing her child was one of her favourite activities, after all- but it was never serious. Seeing Apollo doing the same? Roaming his dirty eyes over Shirou's body? Looking like he wanted nothing more than to claim him as his own?
Only then she realized how jealous of a woman she was.
"Such a shame we had to meet like this because I owe you much, young man," Apollo said. "You saved my Chryseis just a couple of weeks ago, and left her completely smitten!" he exclaimed with a laugh, and Astraea could see Shirou twitch at that. "I should be jealous, but who can blame her? Such a dashing and brave hero, rushing in her defense, glowing like the sun…" he took a shuddering breath, shivering. "Say, could I possible see-"
And that was that.
"Apollo, that's enough," Astraea interrupted, her tone frostier than it probably should be in a polite conversation.
No one could blame her, however, when one of her children was being questioned about his abilities.
He saw him fight, she realized, probably when he Updated this Chryseis' Status. She didn't know that name. One of the many people Shirou saved?
"I'm afraid that this situation doesn't lend itself to mindless chatter, could you please focus on what brought us here?" she continued, and Apollo's expression soured for a moment before his blinding -fake- smile came back. "And you are being rude to our host, this is neither my home nor yours."
"...Of course, you are right. My apologies, I just got so excited about finally meeting the savior of my child." Apollo nodded, and turned to Ganesha, his expression appropriately contrite. "And to you too, Ganesha, forgive me. Your home is as… beautiful as ever. I know this is an unfortunate situation, but it's always a pleasure to be here."
"HAHAHA! I don't mind a little rudeness! FOR I AM GANESHA!" Ganesha replied from his seat, his boisterous voice cutting through the tension that filled the room. "What I do mind is wasting my time! What's the meaning of this? This baseless accusation of yours!"
"Baseless, you say?" Apollo asked with an innocent smile. "Do you mean to say that Astraea's child didn't threaten my Hyakinthos just as he was trying to recruit new members to my Familia? With your vice-captain's assistance at that!"
Astraea's eyes narrowed.
"You know that that's not what really happened. It's unbecoming of you to pretend otherwise," she replied, wondering what his angle was. He must realize they know the truth, right? "Shirou had to intervene and do his duty to this city because your captain and your other children were harassing the two girls in front of you."
Apollo glanced at the girls for the first time since he entered, and Astraea felt her frown deepen when they both flinched at his regard.
However, strangely, he then just looked away, as if Cassandra and Daphne were just furniture placed in the room. Uncaring, like his Familia hadn't spent the last week pursuing them.
Strange. Apollo's stubbornness was nothing but legendary. Wasn't this meeting just to get the girls under his thumb?
"Duty? Harassment? Please, you act like my children were committing a crime." Apollo scoffed, turning back to her. "I know things are peaceful in this beautiful city, but don't start grasping at straws, my friends. Like I said, Hyakinthos was only inviting them to have a talk with me, it was only recruitment," he said, his tone dripping with disappointment. "It wouldn't have been an issue if your child didn't play hero and interrupt a conversation he had no part in. This is why the laws of Orario are clear! Don't interfere with another Familia's business."
"We know what the law says! Once again you insult me, Apollo!" Ganesha exclaimed, his anger palpable. "Do not presume to teach me their meaning when it was me, GANESHA, whom the Guild, Loki, and Freya came to ask for help when it came to rewriting them after the fall of Zeus and Hera!"
Apollo blanched, having not expected the usually flamboyant Ganesha to be so angry. Foolish. You come to his home, accusing him of breaking the laws he has been protecting for decades and expect him to be calm?
Ganesha's anger exuded from his form, the pressure of his divinity weighing heavily on the room.
Apollo's elf looked pale, the hand on the hilt of his dagger shaking. Hopefully he wouldn't do something stupid, like activating a magic sword in an enclosed room. She heard some shifting behind her, the sound of armor plates, and leather creaking, and she knew that Shirou was positioning himself to react should anything happen.
Apollo stuttered, "G-Ganesha, that's not what I-"
"And to use said laws to cover up your wrongdoing against the populace?! You-" It was when she was about to intervene that Ganesha trailed off. Shakti had placed a hand on his shoulder.
"My Lord, I understand your anger. Truly, I do," she said through gritted teeth, looking furious herself. "But you are scaring our guests."
And as she said, Cassandra and Daphne, the only mortals not blessed in the room, had been hit the worst. Cassandra was hugging herself, pale as a sheet of paper, her eyes closed tightly. Daphne was equally pale, her wide eyes looking all around her, looking almost ready to run away, only stopping herself due to the hand she kept on Cassandra's shoulder.
She was protecting her, even as she was falling apart herself.
Admirable.
Feeling her respect for the red-haired girl raise considerably, Astraea placed her own hand on top of Daphne's, offering some meager support as Ganesha calmed down.
Like a blanket being lifted, the pressure abated and Ganesha laughed boisterously. "Haha! Apologies! It seems that even Ganesha can get angry at foolishness!" Then he sobered, and lowered his head at the girls sitting beside him. "I'm sorry, civilians, it was not my intention to spook you."
Astraea cleared her throat, trying to keep the meeting from derailing even more.
"I can understand your anger, Ganesha. Apollo, you keep mentioning interference during recruitment and I don't think you truly know what that means, what the law actually says." She shook her head, her expression cold, and gestured at the girls sitting beside her with an open hand. "Cassandra and Daphne speak of harassment, of physical threats, of being manhandled by your Phoebus Apollo. That isn't recruitment." she said, letting her anger, her disgust, enter her tone.
Both at Apollo and at herself.
I used to believe this man as an ally.
Apollo's Familia hadn't been strong enough to be much involved in the more important operations during the years of conflict against Evillus, but they had participated in some conflicts and during the cleanup of the more damaging events, where any bit of help had been greatly appreciated.
Had he done this kind of thing to recruit his members even then? Or was this a unique situation?
Or was the fact that there was no greater evil to fight opening her eyes to the lesser ones?
Astraea didn't know that, and she hated that.
Since coming back, every moment had been an uphill fight to reacclimate herself to the overall situation of the city. Ganesha had been a lifesaver, but there was only so much he could tell her in so little time.
She'd need to change that. Get herself more involved so this kind of thing doesn't happen anymore.
"Shirou Emiya and my own Paluza also agree with their testimony. There is little doubt about the events that transpired!" Ganesha exclaimed, his arms crossed against his chest.
"Of course, there's always the possibility that even if they were not lying with their accounts, they could have misunderstood something," Astraea added, but her tone probably told everyone that heard it that she didn't believe that. "Your captain should have come with you, Apollo, so he could give his version of the events. Why isn't he here?"
Of course, everyone in the room knew why. If Hyakinthos Clio or anyone involved in the case talked, then the truth would come out. It was so obvious of a delaying tactic that Astraea felt insulted.
Apollo's expression twisted into a mockery of fear.
"I told him not to come because I was concerned for his safety," he answered, before he seemed to remember the start of the meeting. "Not about you, Ganesha, no. Your reputation certainly precedes you. However, if Astraea deemed my precious child evil, who knows what could have happened to him?"
Astraea blinked, confused for a moment, before she felt her blood go cold and her grip on the armrests tighten. Ryuu. He is talking about Ryuu. She sucked in a breath, her mind numb. Is he really insinuating that…
Apollo smirked at her shock, before schooling his expression.
"Can you blame me for my caution? The last time a Familia was Astraea's enemy, everyone remotely involved with them was killed. Innocent or not," he said, satisfaction in his eyes.
"Don't speak of things you don't understand, Apollo," Ganesha warned, being the one keeping his cool this time. "What happened with the Gale Wind was different. Shirou Emiya was justified in his actions and his response was moderate! That I guarantee! Because I am GANESHA!"
"Was it? You say that, but what will the Guild believe, what will Orario believe? Astraea's children have a reputation of overreacting, after all." Apollo shrugged. "You see why I didn't go to the Guild with this. Not only Astraea's reputation would be further questioned because of this, but yours would be dragged down as well, Ganesha. For the peace of the city, wouldn't it be smarter to come to an agreement between us?"
Ganesha gritted his teeth, and was about to respond when- "Ganesha," she interrupted, shaking her head. "He's correct in his assumptions. I am aware of the weight of the sins I carry, and I understand that this could worsen my own standing in this city." Apollo grinned, victorious, as it seemed everything was going his way.
So that was the angle.
Use her Familia's sins to muddle the waters, to cast doubt on the righteousness of their actions. He wanted the public to wonder: Was there truly harassment or were they once again overreacting?
Yes, her children and her had fought against evil. Yes, they had protected the city time and time again.
But she also knew that good deeds don't wash away the bad ones, especially not in the eyes of the population. Ryuu had done good for the city, but she also had sinned against it.
More than a year has passed since she left the city. The last thing people would remember of her was the actions Ryuu took in retaliation for the death of her other children.
And so people would wonder if Shirou's actions were truly justified… or if it was just him following his captain's example.
Apollo was banking on this risk to get her to desist on her pursuit of justice.
However, Apollo must think she was stupid.
"Now, if that is all there is to it, shall we go?"
"...what? Go?"
"To the Guild, of course." Astraea resisted the urge to smile at his dumbfounded stare. "I wish to make a formal complaint about your forced manner of recruitment. It will be faster if you come with me."
Apollo spluttered, caught by surprise. Ganesha for his part, looked at her surprised before huffing out a laugh.
"Wait, didn't you just say it? Y-your reputation-!"
Astraea giggled. "Why should I care about something silly like maintaining my reputation if it would mean leaving these two girls in your twisted hands?" She smirked as his face blanched even more. "Ah, you needn't worry about Ganesha's standing or the peace of the city. Rayman can be discreet, the public won't know the details." And with that, she stood.
Really, Apollo was truly underestimating her.
Hammering the risks to her reputation, to Ganesha's, and to the city to make her hesitate, when the only thing he cared about was his own hide.
He didn't want them to go to the Guild because, popular as he was, his standing didn't compare with Rayman Mardeel's obsession with keeping the city stable and, more importantly, profitable.
Civilians were needed in Orario- business owners, traveling merchants, guild employees, and so on and so forth-, and making them feel unsafe was a sure way to keep them all away, so it stood to reason that when one Familia was taking advantage of their power, the situation would be taken seriously.
Even if he was popular, his standing with the Guild would crumble against the weight of Vali.
And so, she called his bluff, and took a step towards the door.
"Wait! Stop, Astraea!" Apollo screamed, panic clear on his expression. Astraea stopped and looked at him inquiringly, an eyebrow raised.
Expecting.
Apollo gritted his teeth, glaring at her powerlessly, before -like his previous actions had been an act- he huffed and relaxed his shoulders, a resigned smile on his face. "I should have known it wouldn't work." He laughed weakly. "What do you want?"
Curious and curiouser. What's really going through your mind, God of Archery and Medicine?
Keeping her expression placid, Astraea sat back down primly, and then smiled sweetly. Or so she tried, but the way Apollo shivered made her wonder what he saw on her face.
"First of all, for you to leave these young ladies alone," she said, signaling at Cassandra and Daphne. "And apologize, of course. They didn't deserve what you put them through, no one does."
Apollo grimaced and turned to the two girls. "So you heard, beautiful Cassandra, fierce Daphne, it seems it's our fate to remain apart." Daphne gritted her teeth and put an arm around Cassandra. "I apologize for the zealousness my children showed in their quest to bring you to me. It wasn't my intention to bring you harm."
"Yet harm you brought," Ganesha added. "I don't know if this was the first time this happened, but it will be the last! I will keep my eye on you, Apollo! And if we learn you have already forced someone-"
"There's no one in our Familia that is being forced to stay with him! We all love him!" Apollo's elf exclaimed, offended by the implication.
He isn't lying. Astraea noted, but she also noticed he didn't say no one had been forced to join, just that they aren't forced now. I can see why he brought him. Even angered, he controls his words. A level two, she guessed, His vice-captain?
"Just because these two don't see-" "Lissos, enough," Apollo cut him off.
Lissos stuttered for a moment and then lowered his head.
"As you can see, my children are quick to try to please me, don't judge them for it," Apollo explained. "I'll tell them to be more conscious of their actions. Would that be enough, Ganesha, Astraea?"
"A monetary compensation to these two would not go amiss!" Ganesha added with a laugh, milking the situation for all that was worth. "Enough to pay for their accommodations until they get back on their feet and more."
"L-Lord Ganesha! That's-!" Cassandra began, but Apollo interrupted once more.
"Done." He sighed. "I'll open my coffers until they join a Familia." Then he stood gracefully, his expression solemn. "Now I've been accommodating with your demands so far, would you do the same with mine?"
Astraea glanced at Ganesha who just shrugged. "What is it, Apollo?"
"I want to ask them to join my Familia." He raised a hand, forestalling their complaints. "Just ask, that is all I want."
Astraea looked at the girls, a question in her eyes. Daphne squared her shoulders and nodded, fire in her eyes, and Cassandra followed after, seemingly borrowing courage from her friend.
Apollo bowed at the waist, surprising them. "Cassandra Ilios, Daphne Lauros, it's my wish for you to partake in my blood and join my Familia. You'll never want for nothing, and you'll have my love forevermore, until the day you leave this world and beyond. What do you say?"
There was a beat of silence.
"No."
"I-I'm sorry, but no."
To the surprise of no one, not even Apollo if his shrug said anything, they both rejected him.
Astraea's eyes narrowed, now really knowing there was something happening. Apollo wouldn't let go of them so easily.
What am I missing? And why do I feel that it will come to bite me later?
-Line Break-
Regardless of the strangeness of the situation, Astraea thought that that was it.
She knew Ganesha would probably check older reports of disturbances to see if there was any other instance of Apollo having done this before and, knowing him, he would have his Familia on high alert so this didn't happen again.
Astraea would do the same. She'd ask Shirou–and eventually Ryuu– to keep an eye on his Familia from now on because there was no way she would blindly trust his words, but for now she didn't believe they could do anything else without further evidence.
There were some arrangements made regarding the money Apollo would give the aggrieved party, but eventually, the meeting came to an end. Apollo had just turned to leave, before someone stopped him.
"Before you leave," Shirou began, making Apollo freeze in place. "I just wanted to have a word."
Astraea turned, and grew concerned.
Shirou…?
There was nothing in Shirou's expression. Not the tender smiles she loved so much, nor the anger he sometimes showed for her sake. It was cold and still, as if carved from granite, and his eyes were zeroed in Apollo with an intensity that surprised her.
"Oh? What is it, young man?" He glanced at her for a moment and then grinned, his eyes mocking. "Are you perhaps interested in a transfer? If so, I promise I'll take good care of you."
She rose from her seat, fury coursing through her veins. "Apollo! You-!"
"What? I'm just asking. Don't be so jealous, Astraea," Apollo said airily. "It's not like he is a thing, he has wants and desires too and he might have grown tired of you. Let him ask if he wishes."
"Every insult you have lain on me today I can ignore, but not this one," she hissed. "You know nothing of him and what he wants."
"I know he's a man, and he has a man's needs." He grinned when Astraea froze. "Your tender love might work with your usual fare of lilies, but men are different, more greedy. Your motherly affection will not be enough, not forever. Eventually, he will want more, and I know first hand that you will never give him that."
She was about to retort, to say that Shirou wasn't shallow like him, that he wouldn't demand anything more than what she was willing to give, but stopped when a gauntleted hand held her shoulder tenderly.
"Shirou?"
"Astraea, it's okay."
Astraea felt a shiver go down her spine. Seeing Shirou like this, hearing his voice just now… she didn't like it. It reminded her too much of the emptiness she had in seen in him during the fire that consumed his hometown.
"So? Are you interested, Shi-ro-u?" Apollo asked, saying Shirou's name like he was tasting every syllable.
Shirou said nothing, he just walked calmly around the table to approach Apollo, his bronze eyes as cold as the metal they resembled.
Ganesha remained silent, observing the situation curiously and, like her, probably wondering what was Shirou's intention for wanting to speak up. It wasn't like him to try and call attention to himself.
Although, if there was one thing she knew for sure, it was that Apollo was wrong.
She knew Shirou the best out of anyone in this world. His desires, his dreams, his heart. The depth of his devotion to Justice. Even if he wanted to transfer–and she knew he didn't–, Shirou wouldn't consider joining his Familia. Not after the suffering Apollo had caused to innocents.
His kind soul wouldn't allow him to consider that.
He stopped an arm's breadth away from Apollo, his expression unchanged save for a small crease in his brow.
"No, I'm not," Shirou answered honestly. "Nothing you can say will make me leave Astraea's side."
Astraea couldn't help but smile smugly at that.
"My, such loyalty, such… passion," Apollo breathed, his tone almost intoxicated. "You may try to hide it but, during the meeting, I could see it in your eyes, you know. Your desire for her." He then sighed. "And now I can see the fact that you refuse to believe me, to accept the truth—that she won't reciprocate your feelings."
Apollo's smile twisted, anger replacing his feigned warmth. "But I've known her far longer than you, boy. She is a Virgin Goddess. She won't ever take you. No man is good enough for her. No god is good enough for her." His voice dropped bitterly. "I am not good enough for her."
"For centuries," he continued, his voice tightening, "I tried to show her my love. And for centuries, she rejected me. What makes you think you are different?"
The only sound that followed his words was the faint clink of Shirou's armor as he shifted slightly.
Astraea kept her silence, grateful that most of the room's attention was on the two men and not her. Her cheeks burned, however, as she grasped the implications of Apollo's words—not what he was prattling about himself, of course.
But about Shirou.
Shirou… desires me… It wasn't something she wasn't truly unaware of, she had to be blind to ignore the way his eyes sometimes got lost in her figure... but to have someone else acknowledge it, even if it was Apollo... Astraea felt her heart lurch in her chest, and warmth envelop her.
"You don't need to say anything," Apollo continued. "The thought alone of holding such beauty must be irresistible, especially when it's so close… but then you realize it's like a mirage, like the reflection of the moon on a lake. It seems within reach, but when you grasp for it, you find it's not really there. It never was."
A moment passed, and Shirou didn't answer. He kept staring at Apollo, his expression unflinching.
"You don't deserve that, boy," he said softly, his voice almost tender as his gaze turned heated. "But I would cherish you. Your bravery, your light… it captivated me, just as it did Chryseis. I only held myself back for an old friend's sake. But if you want it… What she won't give you, I offer unconditionally - my passion, my body, my love."
Astraea nearly snorted. Her? An old friend? They'd been allies at best. If not for his lust, Apollo likely wouldn't have spared a thought for her.
Still, Shirou said nothing.
Apollo scoffed, finally losing his temper. "She will never open her heart to you, let alone her le—"
"What I want," Shirou interrupted sharply, his voice cutting through the air like a blade, "is for you to shut up, listen, and then leave my sight."
The room collectively drew a breath.
Even Astraea, who adored Shirou's ability to see gods as mere people, felt her eyes widen slightly at his words. At the threat.
"You! Who do you think you are, human!?" Lissos exclaimed, his face twisted in rage. "I should cut you where you stand!"
"Lissos," Apollo hissed. "Stand down."
"My Lord, but he-!" Apollo raised a hand, and Lissos stopped.
"My feelings won't be hurt by just words, Lissos." Apollo said. "But, even so, choose the next ones carefully, child. Because my patience is not endless."
"Don't worry. I'll make it short," Shirou said, ignoring the anger in both the god and the elf's eyes. "Besides, you said you were interested, right, Apollo? In the golden glow that Chryseis saw?"
Apollo's face shifted, the anger fading into tentative excitement.
"I think that it would be easier to show you. It's connected, after all, with what I wanted to say." Shirou raised an open hand, and looked at it. "That glow, it's a representation of the Skill my Blessing gave me. Trace On."
Starting from his raised hand, slowly, like he was making sure every nook and cranny of his existence was filled to the brim with his Mana -his magic energy, as he called it-, lines of pure molten gold started to appear on his skin, followed then by his armor, his cape, his sword.
His Skill is active, she realized dimly, is that why you're doing this? Do you still feel there is someone in need of protection?
Soon enough, his magic covered every part of him, contouring every part of his body and equipment in soft golden light.
Oh my…
It was probably the first time she had seen his skill truly in action. Before, she had only got glimpses when she updated his Status, but seeing it in person, knowing the significance of it? Astraea was entranced.
It was golden, but instead of looking tacky, or overwhelming, the glow was warm and inviting. It felt like a promise, a vow that anyone would be safe in its presence.
Heroic.
Apollo breathed in sharply, his whole body trembling. A rictus of a smile had parted his face, and a hand raised slowly but then stopped, as if he was afraid that if he touched Shirou he would disappear.
"Radiant, like the sun itself," he breathed out.
"Whenever I activate this Skill, every single one of my Basic Abilities rises considerably. I grow stronger, faster, tougher." His words were truthful, if slightly misleading and she could see how it made the other two gods in the room perk in interest.
They all knew how rare straight boosting Skills were, more so if they were all encompassing as Shirou's was. They were probably wondering what were the drawbacks, the limits. Shirou was smart to not let them know, even if most of the people in the room consisted of their allies.
"This Skill, this Blessing," Shirou continued, uncaring of the unspoken questions, of Apollo's shortening of breath, of the stars in Cassandra's eyes, of the sneer on Lissos' face. "From the moment Astraea granted it to me I swore to myself I would use it to protect innocents from all pain and suffering– from people like you," he spat the last word.
"Is that a threat, human?" Lissos took a threatening step forward, his hand on his dagger.
"It's not a threat, elf, it's a promise. And, by the Sword and the Wings of Justice, I will keep it." Astraea breathed sharply, her heart fluttering. My child, my hero. "If I ever see any of your Familia members harassing innocents again, I will stop them, by any means necessary," he finished, his tone hard as steel.
Astraea finally realized what Shirou's intention was.
A show of strength.
Even if her Familia had been strong and influential once, they were now weak. Ryuu was with them, she was her Captain, but they couldn't reveal that yet. They had good allies in Ganesha, she was experienced in diplomacy and had some connections to the Guild, but they were not an actual threat to those who wished to take advantage of others.
Shirou wished to change that perception of weakness. Position himself as the steel gauntlet to her silken glove.
He was turning himself into a deterrent
However, as it stood, it didn't seem as if he was succeeding. Apollo was just mystified by the glow, and didn't seem to register the words.
And his elf…
Lissos scoffed, his eyes slanted in a way that showed there was a mocking grin under his mask. "There are dozens in my Lord's Familia, some even Level Two. Do you think you can intimidate us, let alone defeat us? A single Level One rookie?"
His elf seemed more insulted than cowed.
So what are you going to do, my hero, to protect those you want to protect?
Shirou tilted his head. "That won't be enough, I'm afraid," he said, before taking a deep breath. "Because, while there may be dozens of you, my body is made out of blades."
There was a thrum of magic.
Like his words were a switch, the glow across his body intensified. She could feel his magic ballooning in quantity, intensity, like a dam that had been blocking its passage had opened.
Then, one sword appeared, floating in the air behind Shirou, held by invisible hands. There was nothing remarkable about it, only the fact that it had appeared from motes of golden light made it special.
Then a moment later another, different in appearance, but equally unremarkable, appeared in the same way, just beside it.
Then another, and another, and yet another. One after the other, not even a moment in between appearances, more and more weapons materialized behind her child.
Sometimes it wasn't a sword, but a dagger, a mace, or a spear.
A sharp breath of air was heard, Astraea didn't really know from who, when the first magical weapon appeared.
A copy of the dagger Lissos had on his waist.
More were heard when the second appeared, then the third. Eventually all watched in muted amazement as the magic swords rivalled the normal ones in number, each of them capable of leveling a room on their own.
Some caught the eye more than others, the air around them seemed heavier with danger, like the pair of daggers in the shape of nails, conjoined by a lengthy chain that rattled in the air, or the slab of rock that seemed to have been roughly hewn into something resembling an axe.
Others were pieces of art that attracted attention by their beauty, like the pair of beautiful curved blades that mirrored one another, one a pure white, the other pitch black, or the extremely long nodachi, its sharp silvery edge so perfectly crafted that seemed to cut the air itself.
Then, Ryuu's sword, Alf's Lumina, appeared just in front of her. A remarkably strong weapon, originally created by a high level blacksmith, recreated just as easily as the familiar longsword that manifested by its side.
The swords belonging to Alise and Ryuu joined together to guard her once more.
Every single person in the room was looking around, their eyes wide as they beheld the number of weapons continuing to grow. Eventually the space from wall to wall, from the floor to the ceiling was covered in a myriad of blades.
And every single one of them was pointed at Lissos.
"And I have hundreds of them."
And while everyone else was admiring the feat of magic her child had manifested, Astraea was looking at Shirou with shock.
Her heart was hammering, her mind was rushing, not because of the weapons, no. She already knew of that ability of his, even if not that he could create them in such quantities so quickly.
No, Astraea cared about something else. She was panicking because of something else.
My body is made out of blades.
The words.
Was she the only one that noticed, the feeling those words exuded?
It had been subtle. So subtle in fact that she might have only noticed due to the familiarity she had with his essence.
The words Shirou had said had… weight to them. It was slight, it was almost inexistent and unnoticeable–like the ripples a feather would cause when falling on the surface of a stormy sea–, but just the act of saying them brought change to the Mana around him.
It was a declaration of truth so undeniable that even the World acknowledged it.
Just as she was Astraea, the Goddess of Justice and Purity, Shirou's body was made out of blades.
It was… Authority.
"Lissos, was it?" Shirou said, and Lissos looked at him in shock and, if she wasn't mistaken, more than a little fear. "Tell Hyakinthos Clio that if I ever see him raising a hand to strike an innocent again, I will kill him."
Shirou's gaze shifted to Apollo, and all the blades in the room followed, their tips now aimed at the god. "And if you ever again speak about my goddess like that, or look at her with your twisted, lustful eyes..." The gold on his skin flickered green. "I will kill you, Apollo."
The air of menace behind his words, the determination that filled his eyes and the way his fists were positioned almost closed, like he was holding an invisible weapon in each of them, and was ready to use them.
Yes, she didn't need to be a goddess to know he meant every word.
There was a moment of shocked silence.
Deicide. Shirou had threatened the life of a god.
For her.
Reckless, foolish, stupid. Then why in the name of the Styx she felt like swooning?!
Apollo finally moved, one hand clasped the shoulder of his child, both as a crutch to himself and to stop Lissos from leaving his side. His voice was toneless, save for a minimal trembling he could not fully hide. Fear? Excitement? Both? "My dear child," he began, his smile brittle and strained. "If you think that this would diminish my interest for you, then you are sorely mistaken."
His hands were shaking, Astraea noted.
Astraea's child didn't reply, his eyes unwavering. He had said his part.
Apollo glanced at Astraea, before he tore his eyes from her with a forced chuckle. "But I understand when I'm not wanted. I do not wish for this day to end in violence." He sighed, almost forlornly. "Let us go, Lissos."
Without waiting for a response, he turned on his heel and strode toward the door, Lissos trailing behind him, his eyes watching the weapons around him in muted disbelief until he crossed the threshold.
Apollo turned one last time and left some parting words, "I will see you again, Shirou Emiya, my golden sun."
As soon as the door closed behind them, the tension in the room broke like a snapped string.
The glow around Shirou faded, and the blades dissolved into motes of light. He let out a deep sigh and turned around, and Astraea felt something in her chest melt when his eyes were back to the warm loving color they always were.
Shirou looked around the room, nervously meeting the widened eyes of everyone present. "I guess some of you might have some questions about what just happened?" The incredulous looks he got in answer seemed to be enough for him. He nodded, before smiling sheepishly. "Before that, does anyone want tea? I'm parched, to be honest."
Astraea couldn't help it. She burst into giggles. I love this silly man.