Anomaly Ch. 67 (Patreon)

“Emiya, know that we shall be speaking more of this matter once that vermin has been dealt with.”

Lady Barthomeloi’s already cold tone had dropped several degrees more. Very rarely had Shirou heard her this quietly furious before, and frankly, he knew that it was a long shot that she wouldn’t be angered once his - and by extension Waver’s - obfuscations became known.

“Reeaallly?” The source of that anger was, by comparison, practically beaming. Only practically though, as she was closer to ‘predatory’ than ‘happy’, “Are you that angry over them hiding little ol’ me?”

“Be quiet, Apostle.” The whipping of winds could be heard as Lorelei barely contained her instincts.

Of all the people that could have joined the JSDF when they arrived, it had to be Rory Mercury. This maybe would have been a good thing, as the Apostle had proven herself to be powerful enough that she could have been a good combatant against the Imperials. Except Lorelei was here, and had already wiped the army off the face of the planet.

Never mind that he had been explicitly trying to avoid Rory from ever meeting Lady Barthomeloi at any point.

Shirou really wanted to rub his temples. He kept his hands resting near his sides instead. The air between the two women felt heavy, like the pressure drop right before a thunderstorm. Lorelei’s Circuits were practically humming beneath her skin. He could smell the sharp, metallic tang of ozone bleeding from her silver gauntlet.

Rory just tilted her head. Her massive halberd rested casually against her shoulder, but her eyes tracked every tiny movement the Vice Director made, "Apostle of Emroy, if you want to be specific." The demigoddess corrected. Her voice dripped with amusement, "God of darkness, war, and death. We don't really do the whole 'hiding in the shadows' thing your world's mages seem so fond of."

"A leech by any other name." Lorelei stated. She didn't even blink, "You sustain yourself on the slaughter of others and claim a false eternity. You are an affront to what the human order stands for."

Shirou watched the exchange, acutely aware of just how quiet the rest of the room had gotten. They were back around the heavy wooden table in Italica's manor. Just a short time ago, the room had been packed with every local leader they could find. But now, it was mostly empty.

Most of the demi-human refugee leaders had quietly tapped out of the meeting. You couldn't really blame them. They were just trying to survive. But after seeing Lorelei turn an entire Imperial vanguard into a fifty-meter crater, they realized this wasn't their fight anymore. It was way above their paygrade.

Countess Myui had been pale the whole time. She eventually just cracked, saying she wouldn't march her people into the capital to die for a war between mages from another world. The other local leaders quickly agreed with her and made excuses to leave.

Shirou honestly preferred it that way. Fewer people at the table meant fewer people to worry about when things inevitably went wrong.

There was only one exception. Anatoly stayed right where he was. The Yaga leader just sat near the end of the table, his coarse hair still bristling as he kept a wary eye on Lady Barthomeloi. He didn't say much, but he didn't run. The Yaga respected strength, and they hated the Empire. So Anatoly was staying in the fight, even if the rest of the locals washed their hands of it.

But that just meant the people left in the room were the ones most likely to kill each other.

"And you just flattened a whole army." Rory shot back, her smile stretching into a wide, predatory grin, "Honestly, I think we'd get along great if you'd just pull that stick out of your-"

"Enough." Shirou stepped directly between them.

It was a stupid tactical move. If Lorelei actually decided to swing, Shirou would be cut in half before he could even project a shield. But they just didn't have the time for this.

He looked right at the Clock Tower Lord, "We didn't hide her to insult you. We hid her because the second you heard the word 'Apostle,' we knew this exact thing would happen."

Lorelei's eyes shifted to him. They were cold, flat, and judging.

As much as she was stronger than him, Lorelei Barthomeloi was also prone to outbursts when it came to what offended her. Actually, that was true for most of the Clock Tower Lords, with a few exceptions. It likely came from the instilled pride that being part of an already established lineage came with.

This was only exacerbated since they had been discussing a magus like Zouken, who already displayed traits that a Dead Apostle would usually have. Place in front of her an inhumanly powerful, immortal, blood-drinking demigoddess? It was a miracle that Lady Barthomeloi had not decided to plunge the entire area into a ball of compressed atmosphere.

"Zouken is the target." Shirou said, keeping his voice totally level, "He's building a Holy Grail out of the casualties we just handed him. If he finishes that ritual in the capital, it doesn't matter what she is. We all die."

For a long, agonizing second, nobody moved. The wind just howled across the empty, cratered plains.

Finally, Lorelei lowered her hand. The crushing atmospheric pressure dialed back.

"Do not mistake pragmatism for tolerance, Emiya." Lorelei said quietly, "When Makiri is ash, she is next."

Rory just laughed. It was a bright, ringing sound that felt completely wrong inside the tense, quiet walls of Italica's manor. "I'll hold you to that, lady," she purred. She leaned her massive halberd against the back of a wooden chair, completely unbothered by the death threat.

Shirou let out a slow breath and stepped back. The air in the room was still thick, pressing against his lungs like water. He kept his hands flat on the scarred wood of the table just to ground himself.

"Right." Itami sighed. He dragged a hand down his face, the exhaustion clear in every line of his posture, "So we're actually doing this. A direct assault on the Imperial Capital. Just checking, but JSDF rules of engagement usually don't cover ancient immortal worm people."

"Call it a rescue op." Komakado said. The intelligence officer leaned over the heavy oak table, tapping a spot on the laminated map they had laid out, "The Diet approved a mission to find enslaved Japanese citizens. The capital is the most likely holding area. That's our legal cover."

Kuribayashi snorted from her spot against the stone wall of the manor, "Legal cover. That'll definitely stop the wyverns from biting our heads off."

"It gets us the choppers." Itami countered. He pointed to the red line cutting across the map, "We have seven attack helos and three transports. If we drive, we're looking at days of travel. We don't have days, so we'll have to fly."

"Flying means we're in the open," Shirou said. He traced the route with his eyes, "Zouken isn't stupid. If he's using the leylines, he'll know we're coming a mile away. He'll throw everything he has at the sky."

Lorelei finally looked away from her target. Her eyes locked onto the map with clinical detachment, "Let him. If he focuses his familiar swarm on the air, it leaves the ground vulnerable."

"Wait!" Kurata spoke up from the doorway, sounding panicked, "You want us to act as bait?" Itami made a shushing motion to the younger man, though didn't berate him more than that. He probably had the same concern, all things considered.

"I want you to deliver the Enforcer to the target." Lorelei corrected. Her voice was much calmer, "I will handle the anti-air."

Rory leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands. Her massive halberd scraped against the floorboards, "And me? What do I get to do? I'm getting kind of bored just standing around here."

Shirou looked at her. "You're with me on the ground."

He didn't like it. But she was immortal and hit like a tank. When you're dropping in to fight an ancient magus who treats human bodies like loose change, you need all the heavy hitters you can get.

Tyuule uncrossed her arms from the dark corner of the room. She wore a cold, calculating look. "If you are dropping directly into the Imperial Palace, you will need someone who knows the layout. It is a fortress designed to confuse attackers."

"You're volunteering?" Itami asked.

"I am ensuring Zorzal's Empire is gutted." Tyuule said. Her voice was completely flat. She didn't care about the Diet's orders or stopping a magical ritual. She just wanted revenge. Shirou could work with that. It was honest, and it meant she wouldn't hesitate, "That, and that worm tried to stuff himself inside me, if you've forgotten?"

Lelei tapped the base of her staff against the floorboards. She had been staring at the laminated map the whole time, "Grand Leyline, under palace." She said, her voice steady, "Zouken there."

Tuka stood right beside her. The elf looked visibly uncomfortable. She kept glancing at Lorelei, practically shrinking under the Vice Director's lingering aura, "The lesser spirits are getting more and more scared." Tuka muttered. She rubbed her arms like she was freezing, "The wind coming from the east...it smells like dead things. The earth feels sick."

Shirou knew exactly what that sickness was. He had seen it in his dreams for his entire life.

Anatoly slammed a heavy hand on the table. The thick wood groaned under the weight. "My hunters will not wait here." The Yaga growled, "Zorzal’s Empire is an enemy, yes. But this rotting magus is worse - I know it in my bones."

Shirou looked at the massive wolf-man. The Yaga respected strength, and they hated the Imperials. They needed that kind of raw, physical brutality on the ground. "You're with the vanguard, then. We drop fast, hit the central node, and crack his anchor before he can finish the ritual."

"We have three transport helicopters." Itami said. He pointed at the map with a tired finger, "Third Recon takes one. Emiya, your strike team takes the second. Anatoly, your pack will have to squeeze in with the Apostle and the bunny queen. The third chopper carries our extra fuel and ammo."

Komakado stood up and straightened his jacket. He slipped right back into his calm, professional shell, "The JSDF will handle the search and rescue for the Japanese citizens. Emiya, you handle the worm. Do what you have to do, but keep the collateral damage contained. If you wipe the capital off the map, Tokyo will hang us all."

Shirou just nodded. He didn't bother telling the intelligence officer that he had already made up his mind about that. He wasn't going to authorize mass murder just to make the job easier. He would have to do this the hard, bloody way. 

Up close.

"Gear up," Itami said to his team. He sounded exhausted but relieved to finally have a solid plan.

Kuribayashi didn't argue. She just racked the bolt of her Type 89 rifle. The sharp, metallic clack cut right through the heavy tension in the room.

They filed out of the manor. The night air was freezing. It hit Shirou like a physical wall, but it didn't wash away the harsh, metallic taste of pulverized rock at the back of his throat. Out in the courtyard, the JSDF was already moving. Portable generators hummed loudly in the dark. Soldiers were sprinting between the transport trucks, shouting orders over the noise.

Further out, the helicopters were waking up. The massive rotors started to spin. The low, rhythmic chopping sound rattled right against Shirou's ribs. It felt like a heavy, mechanical heartbeat.

He stopped walking for a second and looked down at his hands. They were still covered in dirt and dried blood.

He wasn't going to drop a bomb on a city. He wasn't going to sacrifice thousands of innocent people just because it was the most efficient way to win. That was Archer's way. That was the Clock Tower's way.

But that meant doing this the hard way. He'd have to carve his way through whatever nightmare Zouken had built in that palace, one sword at a time.

"Hey, Emiya," Itami called out from the open door of a transport helicopter. He had a crushed, unlit cigarette hanging out of his mouth. "You getting on or what?"

"I'm coming." Shirou said.

Soon. It’ll be over soon.

He hoped, at least.

…

A/N: My leg actually just hurts like all hell. I think the cold weather is giving me cramps. I hate it.