Concrete colossi towered over the earth, eclipsing the dark skies. Countless lights from artificial luminaries flickered and challenged the night. As if mocking hundreds of years of living in fear of the darkness descending after sunset. Monsters born of human fears and living in shadows recoiled like from flame, for now man could look them in the eye without shuddering. And with each year, this fact only strengthened.
But not all monsters were driven from hearts, for some were real. Somewhere in the city, one of them wandered and stole the breath of life from the innocent. Whatever its origin, ridding the world of such a being was the duty of those sworn to protect. Splitting into pairs, the bold ones sought their target for vengeance. Of the two masters, each had a hero companion. Shirou walked beside the head of the Phoenix Guard, both moving across rooftops—thankfully, the high-rises could bear the weight of the warrior's ceramite shell without alarming the citizens. Emiya used Reinforcement, so he kept up with the Astartes.
"Third sector. No traces of the target detected," Anusoran said over the vox. From the other end came the Primarch's voice confirming receipt of the information and ordering to continue the search. "Pick up the pace." These words were addressed to the youth, and then the ceramite statue made a sharp leap forward. Vergil marveled at how his abilities had changed; even a Space Marine couldn't move so nimbly in heavy armor. The influence of this world and the Grail in particular was quite pleasant.
"Sector seven. Clear," Tacitus rumbled, accompanying Rin. The Techmarine was armed with an assault shield and thunder hammer. In their duo, the magus played the role of fire support, for by Fulgrim's estimates, the new spell put her on par with a Terminator armed with plasma weaponry.
This pair's mobility was lower, but not critically so—the Guardsman was simultaneously monitoring surveillance cameras. Unfortunately, they alone wouldn't suffice, as the entity could move in unknown ways. Still, knowing this didn't diminish the girl's desire to smack Tacitus on his ceramite ass... rear plate to add speed.
Artoria moved alone and also found no traces of the enemy. The King was already tired of having no worthy battle. Only a short clash with Lancer after summoning, a fight with Heracles when she was in poor form, a couple of strikes at Rider, and another confrontation with the Spearman—this time three against one. And the longest battle was tag with Fulgrim! The warrior's nature couldn't tolerate this, so the girl prowled the alleys like a hungry lioness. Even she was caught up in the thrill of the hunt.
As for Medusa, she was scouting alone, like Saber. Only without much enthusiasm, which was unsurprising given her character and strange position. Meanwhile, her master, paired with the Phoenician, was at Fuyuki's highest point, vigilantly watching the streets. Though the Primarch's senses made him an excellent scout, Tsurukawa justified such positioning with the Archer-class Servant's sharp eyesight.
"No news. Hinako?" The man shifted his gaze to the girl sitting beside him with closed eyes, concentrating. Beneath her lay a seal emitting pale blue light, covered in barely comprehensible runes. Even with the Tohsaka family's set of inherited knowledge, the Primarch couldn't discern the purpose of these elements. The faint spatial distortions around the caster intensified, but faded in an instant. She opened her onyx eyes to turn them on Fulgrim.
"It's definitely activated, but pinpointing where is impossible. Looks like we'll have to wait until the... harvest begins," the maiden said with furrowed brows.
"It will be its last if we can't detect the entity sooner." The Archer's sharp gaze slid over the buildings but caught nothing. Nothing unusual was happening in the city—a couple of drunken brawls didn't count. Though two burly Europeans cursing filthily in a Slavic language was rare in the quiet Japanese town, they had no relation to the situation.
"Yes... one would hope." The still sullen girl showed by her whole demeanor that she worried for ordinary people's lives.
"Is it so important to you?" Caught under the Primarch's piercing eyes, Hinako couldn't find an answer for a couple of breaths but quickly recovered.
"O-of course! My clan has guarded the peace of the innocent for centuries; our very blood carries an eternal oath. I live only for that..."
"For service, then... I'm familiar with it." The resumed scan didn't prevent continuing the conversation. "I was born to gather the stars under humanity's banner." The response to these words didn't take long, but wasn't instant. As if the girl was trying to pick the right thoughts.
"Humanity's... or the Emperor's?" Tsurukawa said with some inexplicable expectation. But Fulgrim didn't attach importance to the oddities—who knew what reasons she had; after all, the magess's history was almost unknown.
"What's the difference?" Revelation had lifted humanity from the hopeless abyss of decline, and he had full right to dispose of its future as its creator. Any time needs a wise ruler to point the way.
"W-well, if all power belongs to one being, that's called tyranny. Your father didn't give the people themselves a voice, did he?"
"The people themselves, across thousands of worlds, nearly voluntarily pushed themselves into the abyss. Even if you call my father a tyrant, under his leadership, space became home to humanity again. Nothing else matters."
"Hard to argue with that, but... will it always be so..." Now a slight interest appeared on the Primarch's face. The young maiden's thoughts might seem like slander against the Lord of Mankind, and at the same time, an outside view. "If the Emperor is human, he's subject to human vices. Pride, for example."
"You don't know him. Human, and yet—something more. That's who he is."
"More than human? Isn't that... a god?" Now Fulgrim's gaze lingered on the girl's face, frozen under his intense attention. The son of the discussed couldn't understand why she was so interested in his father. Had she seen something alarming in those sparse tales? Though what was there to fear for an inhabitant of this world, when the Emperor was infinitely distant.
"That I'm standing here before you already refutes your hypothesis. Gods don't make mistakes... for they are omniscient and omnipotent." Here the man meant idols created according to the concept of ideal, not those merely reflecting human essence, like the Greek Pantheon.
"Gods—yes, but what if a man imagines himself as such?"
"Enough. This debate is pointless." The Primarch spoke in a slightly chilled voice, cutting off the conversation. And yet, his developed mind couldn't let the topic go so easily.
A mortal beginning to consider himself above his fellows. And in such a man's hands is concentrated power surpassing that of any rulers before. Viewing the situation from such an angle... And in the later years of the Crusade, the cult of the Emperor's divinity called "Divine Revelation" had begun to spread. That was one of Horus's arguments during the conversation on the Vengeful Spirit. The Warmaster accused his father of pride and wanting to be worshiped as a god. Now, recalling that three-day talk, Fulgrim marveled at the obvious lies in Lupercal's and Erebus's words, but... What if the Ruinous Powers had hidden the lies with strokes of truth, to prevent seeing the full picture of the Imperium.
Fulgrim, though wholly loyal to his father, didn't know his plans. No one knew what the Emperor desired, his grand design. Any Primarch could imagine himself a deity, even a Space Marine, for both were above mere mortals. But many factors prevented this, the Emperor's Truths in particular. "No, such thoughts won't bring anything good; Father desires humanity's good, and that's an unshakable fact. Even if hard to understand, even if his thoughts are hidden from our eyes, he built the Imperium not to indulge his vices. His goal was much higher... higher..." Here a realization pierced the Primarch's mind.
The Master of Mankind, immeasurably ancient and wise, couldn't not know about Chaos. It was simply impossible, for his power as a psyker exceeded all conceivable limits. The Immaterium was like home to him—how could he not know of the Warp's darkest forces over unknown years of life. The Age of Strife itself began with the birth of the fourth god! The Empyrean's influence on reality couldn't hide from the Emperor, so why hadn't he... told his sons about it? Unpleasant doubts began to grip Fulgrim's mind, but in the end, he simply exhaled hot air. "There was a reason. There had to be. Sadly, I can only trust Father and his strength." No inhabitant of this world could give answers to his questions—except perhaps his recent guest, but they certainly wouldn't be truth. Even without deceit, Slaanesh could shift emphases so the Emperor appeared a pitiful bastard unworthy of loyalty. Speaking of Slaanesh and other parasites...
All the Warp Lords, in unison, wove intrigues against humanity, starting almost simultaneously. This couldn't be coincidence; everything had aligned too timely. Understandably they wanted to expand their power, but... it seemed to the Primarch their actions were somewhat more targeted, more focused. They instilled in Horus just one thought. The thought that turned his pride and desire to protect humanity against the Warmaster's father. Precisely against him. As if... the Emperor was a threat to them, an opponent who could ruin their lives, if one could say so. "Not sure, but... maybe Father not only knew of the Immaterium's horrors but fought them. The Sisters of Silence, that host of soulless beings, were called to counter psyker threats." Considering the existence of myriad Warp entities seeking to devour human souls, and that they were even more vulnerable to pariahs, the picture gained a new piece.
If true, and the Emperor fought the galaxy's greatest horror, it became clear why Chaos clung so to the Imperium. If allowed to grow, to let its Lord fulfill his plans, they'd at least be choked off. Faith and worship were food for the Ruinous Powers. Deprived of it, they'd weaken, which they didn't want to allow—not with their insatiable appetites. "I hope Father and brothers managed to save the Imperium from destruction... Argh, how sickening the ignorance is!" Fulgrim so wanted to know what his betrayal had led to, even if the consequences were humanity's civilization's death—he wanted to know. He had to know, however painful, that was his responsibility. His duty to the family.
The Phoenician exhaled long again, drawing Tsurukawa's attention. Standing behind the man, she smiled smugly at the barely noticeable confusion in his body language. She stepped closer and placed her slender hand on Fulgrim's shoulder. With a subtle motion, she ran through his platinum hair and began gently stroking the pensive Primarch.
"Forgive me if I offended you." The meek and guilty tone was sincere, as much as possible. "These are just thoughts that came to mind; if they insulted you, I'm ready to apologize."
"It's unnecessary; I've heard worse words." From one of his closest brothers... yeah. "Father is a contradictory figure; I won't argue there, but my loyalty belongs to him." The Primarch's dark eyes scanned the girl's face; in their depths gleamed a core of certainty. So firm and unshakable, as he had never been, even in the Crusade's best years. "In my Absolute..."
Abruptly turning away and shrugging his shoulder, the Phoenician flung a wave of silver hair. For a moment, it glowed lilac, then faded, suppressed by its owner's will.
"Fine... I understand you." And she said no more words.
The moment had come. The target revealed itself. In one of the dark alleys no sane person would enter at night, two men were found. Cameras caught them walking, dazed by an unknown influence. The hunters rushed to the spot at once, but Rin and Tacitus were closest. Even at the second's speed, they'd arrive first.
Jumping from the roof, the girl landed softly on the asphalt. Her magical power granted superhuman abilities, so she didn't shatter—unlike the pavement. When the poor road met yet another new pedestrian, it shattered in all directions, crushed by the weight of the Dreadnought's tactical armor. The Techmarine scanned the area with auspexes and detected three lifeforms. Raising his shield, he headed into the alley, priming all secondary weapon systems—for even with the assault kit, his firepower rivaled a tank.
Tohsaka suppressed a slight tremor from the impending encounter with the unknown entity and followed, already weaving her new magic. She restrained the stellar flame's fury straining to break free. The girl hadn't yet grown accustomed to the sun's power in her hands, so she had to convince herself it wouldn't harm. Finally turning the corner, she saw the long path between two buildings of just under ten stories. Silence permeated the inner space, as if some nocturnal predator's lair welcomed guests before its master did. The Terminator's echoing steps shattered the walls' silence, and his purple armor with golden ornaments gleamed from the distant streetlight.
Rin's intuition screamed that something horrific awaited. Especially thoughts of Sakura wouldn't leave her—after all, Fulgrim had said she smelled of human blood. That boded nothing good. Coincidence? A man-eating entity and the smell of blood from Matou's mouth. The sister could only hope for the best. But as bright as hope is, so great is the despair from its fading. At the sight before the pair of the Emperor's Children's Legionaries, the younger felt nausea surge. And rising tears.
With a bright smile, the fragile girl with lavender hair and eyes devoured chunks of fresh flesh. Bloodied bodies lay at her feet, crimson liquid flowing from horrific wounds. The iron smell pierced her nose, intensifying the retching urges. Sakura shifted her glazed gaze to the witnesses of her feast and smiled even brighter. The arrival of new faces didn't stop her from swallowing a ball of meat like it was a sweet candy. Crimson streamed in multiple rivulets down her arms and mouth, but this didn't bother the young lady. On the contrary, the blood-red makeup seemed to please her.
"S-Saku…ra…" Rin's trembling voice made the named girl tilt her head slightly, as if lost in thought. She was trying to understand what this stranger was saying. The wizardess's attention shifted to the sparks of the thunder hammer gleaming in the darkness. She knew exactly what that meant. A lunge carried the Terminator toward the one whose tracks he had found first, and the raised weapon threatened to crush the little human who was only slightly smaller than him. "No, stop!"
The giant didn't react, one step away from completing the mission, but he was interrupted. The shadows around him came alive, surging into the air like whips slicing through space. From the strike of the deceptively thin lashes, Tacitus's massive body halted mid-step, unable to continue from the push. The attacker lost her smile, staring at the unexpected enemy with empty eyes. There was no malice or intent to kill in them, only the silence of thoughts. Sakura's mind was not here, unlike whatever had possessed her.
Shielding himself from new strikes, the Techmarine didn't dare activate his shoulder-mounted launchers, worried about a possible collapse. Instead, he lunged again, becoming a charging monolith. From the size difference, it seemed the Astartes would crush the human before him, but it didn't happen. Like a dark wall, ribbons of shadow wove together and shielded their mistress from view. The Guardsman crashed into them and felt himself sinking, unable to break free. Somehow bonded to the shield, the shadows began pulling him into their web like a trapped fly. In moments, some turned into sticky slime and started enveloping the metal, threatening to reach the owner.
The Terminator's senses screamed, warning of the danger of contact with this foul slime. As if his very essence told him not to touch the cursed liquid. The amethyst giant recoiled, breaking the distance and losing his burden. The massive shield, adorned with the legion and Imperium heraldry, was already sinking into the dark lake. The golden metal lost its shine, covered in impenetrable darkness and vanishing into the monster's maw. For a moment, its former owner thought the eagle began to distort, taking on new, repulsive outlines. Once the task was finished, the tendrils of darkness retreated to their home, which had become the shadow of a Matou family member. But even that was no longer the same, no longer a canvas repeating its mistress's figure, but a horrific, writhing mass of ribbons with her at the center.
"Sakura, please, snap out of it!" Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes; Rin couldn't look at what her sister had become without them. "We won't hurt you."
Once again, the uncomprehending gaze was the response. As if unable to understand what this girl was shouting about. And then, a smile played on the motionless face, like from a fun idea that had come to mind. Dark mist, thick and viscous, began emanating from the girl's pores, instantly turning her into a shadow in human form. Wide ribbons cascaded from her head, resembling a dress. And the unnatural presence intensified, now causing physical discomfort.
The true form of the monster that had defiled the Holy Grail appeared before the son and daughter of the Third. Living darkness, its intentions as clear as the noonday sun and yet as black as interstellar void. Dozens, even hundreds, of ribbons surged furiously almost to the heavens, to crash down on the offenders. This was the last straw for Rin's quaking heart. Torrents of raging prana raced through her magical circuits and manifested in a new form. Blinding solar flame, in a fleeting flash, eradicated all shadows. It was a variation of the azure fire mystery, akin to melta. The gray walls, despite the distance, melted like wax. And a cry of agony echoed from everywhere. The entity felt pain.
Scanning the space, the girl saw the huddled shadow. Its all-encompassing nature had faded, but only temporarily. New tendrils were already visible, slowly flowing across the ground. And the final confirmation was the crimson light beginning to pierce through the veil of darkness. The Tohsaka heiress sensed a horrific intent directed squarely at her, and that's how Rin understood. The shadow was enraged. The vines' speed was too high, so showing her back meant dooming herself to death. The only sure way to survive was to hold the enemy until reinforcements arrived, and they were close. The wizardess felt her Servant approaching, her Primarch. Fulgrim was racing at incredible speed and would be in this cursed alley any minute. And others would come with him.
A new surge of energy coursed through her body, igniting a reaction like a star's core. Already after the second use, the complexity of such magic made itself known. Holding the gained understanding of the phenomenon in her mind was a task of the highest difficulty for Rin. And yet, a massive droplet of liquid fire flew at the enemy. The ongoing restoration process was interrupted, and the damage became more painful than before. A new cry of agony—more like a screech—deafened the girl, briefly disrupting her focus. But it brought no consequences, as the shadow thrashed in a frenzied fit too. Or rather, no critical ones, because Tohsaka lost her balance from the sonic strike and the unusually energy-hungry spell. Staggering, she feared falling, but strong hands steadied her.
"Reckless, Rin." Fulgrim's reproving voice reached her ears. "And you, Tacitus. You both risked too much." Regaining her composure, the girl felt familiar warmth on her right side. Glancing over, she saw Firebrand, whose flares evoked a strange association with agitatedly raised arms. What wouldn't one imagine—the sword scolding a human.
"Perhaps…" Exhaling forcefully, the Space Marine regained self-control in every sense. "We need to lure this thing farther away; people could get hurt here." Her eye caught the mangled walls. The smooth surface had turned into some parody of a twisting landscape. "And I have an idea—how…"
"Hm?"
"I think it… slightly dislikes me." As if to confirm her words, the few tendrils reached straight for Rin. A sluggish strike was cut short by the flaming blade, which gleefully burned every unnatural limb of the enemy.
"You're right…" From the Primarch's gaze, the girl felt slightly uneasy. "So we need to carry you." The next deflected strike was even faster, significantly so. Quick calculations of the speed-to-restoration ratio yielded worrisome results. This entity would outpace Fulgrim in his current form. "And I know how."
"No…"
"Yes."
"…I'll remember this." The girl spoke to the giant who had emerged from the vortex of silver flame, now in armored form. He smirked fleetingly and scooped up the petite Rin with one hand, pressing her to the adamantium breastplate.
From the jolt accompanying the giant's run, Tohsaka pressed even harder into the Primarch's chest. And before her eyes was the Palatine Aquila. Even in the night darkness, it shone gold, reminiscent of the majestic light emitted by the Master of Mankind's figure. Though Rin was in the midst of battle, she felt no fear, for she was with the son of the one to whom she had sworn loyalty. Her oath might seem unserious, but in truth… Rin was already a faithful servant of the Emperor. Faith in His truth and in the future she carried warmed her heart.
***
Read the story months ahead of the public release — early chapters are available on my Patreon: Granulan