Well that was a bit of a let-down.
I spent the next couple of hours trying to find traces of the priest and Raynare, and once again they managed to slip from my grasp. Seriously it was getting annoying trying to track them down. Still, as least I now got a break in my deadlock.
From what I gathered, the demented priest was working with Raynare's faction to go around killing off people that had some connections to the Devils via connections of summons or other deals. It seemed to be more of his personal issue when it came to cutting them or the Devils down with extreme glee.
I was however more worried for the girl. Judging from Ise's behaviour and the gestures made by the nun, she was one of the more innocent parties who had the misfortune of tangling with the wrong group of people, but at the same time she was apparently a key personnel that Raynare did not want anything to happen to her. I recognize her actions as one trying to procure an object of great power and importance from Asia, and the worst part was when Asia's role was complete, she would be considered 'expandable'. I would need to find them soon.
It won't be long now though, that much I was certain as I looked at the magic circle in front of me. The feathers and blood I had obtained from our fight was placed neatly in the center of the rune circle I had made with stones encircling them. On another table, a similar circle with the arm I obtained from the demented priest was glowing slightly as it try to find the boy.
Originally this spell was only meant to track targets using stones, but after extensive research and Rin's modifications, this spell could now detect any targets within 15 miles, even further if I had a sample of the target. I was very thankful that it was the weekend, so I should be able to find both Raynare and the boy with the spare time I had. Considering the information I got, either one would lead me to both of them.
Granted, the tracking spell was still a trial run since me and Rin did not get many chances to test this spell, and I could only make do with whatever I had, but it was more than enough to narrow down the possible spots. I even placed detection runes and Boundary Fields to restrict her movements and they helped significantly. The problem was trying to get an exact location; it would seem that Raynare got a place that was able to hide her presence and that interfered with my tracking spells. I needed something more concrete, I needed a secondary source of information, I needed…
I paused as I took a whiff of the air around me. There was a hint of feathers similar to that Raynare girl, but this was a different one altogether, and if I was not reading it wrongly, there were two of them.
Well, I think I know where to get that source of information.
...
Well, the process took more days than required, but I had done it. I was able to locate the area where Raynare was apparently hiding, and in hindsight I should have considered the possibility earlier.
I was currently at a relatively remote location where the only way to get this place was through a small path alongside the main road. In front of me a few metres was the only church in the town, and it was in some serious need of repairs. The tiles were falling off, the paint was peeling off the walls, and the vegetation around it was growing out of control.
It was also the location where that Raynare was hiding all this time. I guess the reason I did not associate this location with the fallen angel early on was because she was… well 'fallen'. One would think that an angel thrown out of the service of the Almighty would not be allowed to be in any of the metaphorical houses. Maybe it only works when the church was still active? From what I read up, this church has been abandoned for quite a few years now.
Nevertheless, I had finally found this place, no thanks to my location spell, the scents coming off this area, and a reliable source of information.
"Hey, did you not hear me?! I said let me go, you damn pervert! I have rights you know!"
… Make that a reliable and particularly loud-mouthed source of information.
I let out a sigh of slight irritation as I turned around to face a pair of angry blue eyes glaring at me with such intensity that if glares could kill, this one would most certainly do. The little spitfire who was defiant despite being tied up was the fourth Fallen Angel I had met so far, and she was also the youngest one. Short blonde hair tied in two ponytails, she was dressed in a Gothic Lolita costume with a large bow in front, a jewel at her collar, complete with thigh-high socks and black shoes. She was undoubtedly a beautiful girl in her own right, and quite possibly could grow up into a beautiful woman, but let's just say that her vocabulary for cursing was enough to make some of the fouled-mouth magus back home weep in shame.
After I had detected the scent, I went to investigate the area and stumbled onto her and another one of her associates. After a short struggle I was able to capture her relatively unharmed and asked her 'politely' to tell me the location where I could find Raynare. After confirming with my tracking spell, I brought her along to ensure she does not try anything funny. I have been holding her since and I was able to get more info out of her.
That said, I have been sorely tempted to clamp her mouth shut if not kill her on the spot. For one thing, I overheard her describing Ise's date with Raynare and his eventual death with particular relish and gloating how he bled out so slowly. Then to rub more salt into the wound, she was saying something about some new recruit that came into their area was to be sacrificed for some ritual. And considering what had happened thus far, I could make a guess to the identity of the new recruit.
That prompted me to leave my covering and attacked her and her companion on the spot. I managed to injure the other one deeply, given the amount of blood spouting from her arm, and used that as a complementary object to confirm my bearings.
"As much as I would love to let you go, considering the track record you guys have for stabbing people, I would have to hold off on that." I remarked dryly as I looked back at her with a cool gaze. "Also, considering your circumstances, I would say it would be more preferable for you to stay alongside me."
"Oh, and how may I ask?" The girl narrowed her eyes as she asked.
"Hmm, let's see. You got caught by the enemy, interrogated by the enemy, and then lead said enemy to your stronghold of sorts." I raised a finger for every point I made. "Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised that they would consider you a liability and just cut you down where you stand." The sight of her going pale made me feel a little guilty at the slight pleasure derived from that expression.
I seriously blamed Archer for this.
"Shirou?" I stopped for a moment before turning around to see Ise coming up along the path followed by Kiba and Koneko close behind. He stopped in front of me and grabbed his knees as he panted hard while sweating. It seemed that he came here running at full sprint and in great urgency.
"Shirou Emiya." Kiba greeted me as he came within speaking range. "Unusual to see you here." He asked while looking at my prisoner with an expression of curiosity and interestingly enough, a fair amount of hatred. It seemed that he and the girl did not hold much of a grudge against me for the other meeting, considering their stances.
"I was trying to find the bird lady that attacked Ise, and I tracked her to this location." I tugged at the rope holding the girl. "With a little bit of help from her."
"Great!" Ise seemed to have caught his breath enough to speak, as he stood up and looked at me with a somewhat agitated face. "It is a good thing that you are here, because we need your help to save Asia!"
"Asia?" I frowned as I recalled a little incident before scoping the area. "So it was the girl I saw when I arrived. She was being forced inside by that weird boy in the priest clothing."
"You have seen her?!" Ise grabbed my shoulders and stared with such intensity that I had to grab his arms and forced them off me to get some breathing room.