An Archer's Promise

Beta read by Shigiya and Fluffy Slayer

.

.

.

-Feoh-

(Levantine Estate, A few minutes earlier)

"Is that where she lives?" 

Archer's voice was barely a whisper as he stood before the imposing manor, his eyes tracing the ornate details adorning its façade. While not quite as big as the castle at the center of the kingdom, the sprawling estate did cover a considerable portion of the land, with a contingent of guards and knights standing watch at the entrance.

"I think so. She told me I could come over here anytime, just through the back door. Mentioned something about the staff letting me pass or something." the little tiefling said from beneath her large hooded cloak, that concealed her horns and wings from the outside world.

He shook his head, troubled by the thought. If she made a habit of this, her identity wouldn't stay a secret for long. It was only a matter of time before those with greedy desires or malicious intent caught wind of her existence. Perhaps that's why Claudia insisted she used another entrance operated by those she trusted.

Still far too risky and reckless in his opinion.

And given how Claudia knew Radomira could fly, she should have arranged for an easier access point. "I won't even bother asking them to let me in. I can already imagine the trouble we'd face with those stubborn fools. Let's take the back route, as you mentioned before," he said, turning to the girl beside him. She nodded in agreement, and together they made their way around the manor to reach the back entrance and found a small gate.

"The gate is locked." Archer's voice was tinged with frustration as he spoke up. He had already tried to open the gate, but it remained stubbornly shut. Though he possessed the strength to break it down, the loud noise would undoubtedly alert the nearby guards. And that was a risk they couldn't afford in their current situation. 

"Maybe she forgot? We could just jump over the wall. She won't mind."

"Unlikely. but this is important. So let's not waste time."

With that, he jumped over the wall. The little girl, for some reason, decided to have him carry her during the jump, despite having wings — Something Archer took into account a few seconds later. "Perhaps I'm spoiling you far too much. You have wings, there shouldn't be any need to carry you." 

"But it feels nice to be carried." Radomira gave him a cheeky smile, snuggling closer into his chest.

He gave the grinning girl under his grasp a deadpan stare. "I'm not your personal butler or caretaker, you brat." 

"I know you're not," she answered with a smile. 

Soon, both found themselves standing within the manor grounds, specifically inside a large garden filled with various types of flowers and statues of Celestine herself. The tiefling girl was awestruck, "Wow, she looks so beautiful even as a statue." 

"You think so? Personally, I find it a bit conceited to have an almost naked statue of yourself displayed in a garden." 

She stuck out her tongue, "It's beautiful! Although, I think that it would look even more beautiful if it had less clothing…" 

Archer gave her a puzzled look, baffled that such words came from a young kid with no hint of jest. 'Is her Tiefling side influencing her personality?' 

Not that it mattered at the moment, there were more pressing matters to attend to.

As they headed towards the manor, he noticed something odd; there were no servants around. Considering the heavily guarded entrance and the dozens of armed guards patrolling the vicinity, Archer felt that something was off.

"Locked doors and windows, quite peculiar." he mused, his eyes narrowing as another anomaly caught his eye, "A bounded field... a sound canceling bounded field?" 

Standing near the door, every sound, down to the chirping of birds, vanished. Only when he stepped away did the ambient noise return. It didn't seem like the field was alerting anyone to his presence.

Though magic in this world differed significantly from that of his own, certain principles and practices remained consistent. Simple spells and the creation and usage of bounded fields were still mostly common.

"Is Claudia in trouble?" asked the little girl, noticing the way Archer was acting and the expression on his face. He didn't answer her, as he wasn't sure what exactly was happening yet. "I can fly up and see if there are any open windows. Maybe we can enter through one of those."

He shook his head. "I'd rather you didn't. Someone might spot you. Stay here. We don't know what could be going on inside or who might be in there. Wait for me to come back and stay out of sight. If I don't return in five minutes, head back to the castle and wait for me there. If I'm not back within a few hours, inform Maia, Brynn or Olga. Serafina and Celestine might be able to help, though I wouldn't put too much trust in either of them."

In the absolute worst-case scenario, if there were multiple mages inside or even worse, Draco, then having Radomira along would hinder him far too much. Though he doubted it would be the Beast, the latter was unlikely to even consider imprisonment after assessing her personality.

"Serafina?" she questioned, looking confusedly at Archer, having not heard this name before.

He didn't provide her with any further explanation. Instead, he patted her head a couple of times before disappearing — Jumped up the building till he reached the rooftop.

.

.

.

(Present)

Was it fear that gripped his heart? Grave felt a sensation so familiar yet foreign at the same time. His hands were sweating and his sword, firmly in its scabbard, refused to budge an inch. No matter how much strength he put behind his pull, his sheathed sword remained stubbornly in place.

Visibly stressed, he glanced at Claudia and managed to release a small sigh of relief. The girl was still completely immersed in her trance, the effects of the aphrodisiac having already taken its effect on her. 

Her eyes were foggy and her breathing more labored as she stared at the ceiling.

"GUARDS! GET IN HERE NOW!" 

His voice reverberated within the room, hoping that it was loud enough for those fools to intervene quickly. 

"No one's coming, old man,". Grave felt those words. It came down upon him like a bucket of cold water. The realization that he, a battle hardened general with countless victories on his belt, was not in control of the situation.

"Don't look down upon me!" he growled in frustration.

'No matter', he thought. If those useless guards had been subjugated by the stranger in front of him, then he was going to handle the situation personally. Discarding his sword, he rushed towards the enemy.

'He is probably an assassin or one of Claudia's newly recruited soldiers. I'll have to dispose of him as quickly as possible before she regains consciousness,' he thought, steeling himself for the confrontation.

It was a decision he made with little hesitation, confident that he would be able to hide this man's death and disappearance without breaking a sweat. After all, he had quite a few experiences dealing with such annoyances. Having known Claudia for many years, he was certain this man must have been a new recruit, as such he shouldn't be too much to handle.

"Raaaaagh!" 

Using his shoulders as a full on battering ram, he had planned to tackle the man to the ground and slit his throat. But much to his dismay, a dull ache spread across his shoulders as the impact barely made a difference. It felt like running into a solid pillar of concrete.

'Not yet,' he smirked, reaching for the hidden dagger in his clothes and thrusting at his opponent's thighs with all his strength — only for the blade to fail at even piercing through the soft material. "What the f—oof!" 

His breath was forced from his lungs as a knee dug into his stomach, the impact lifting him off the ground momentarily before his opponent struck his face with a powerful right cross.

Then came the sensation of his ribs breaking, a mind numbing pain consuming his consciousness.

Grave wheezed, gasping for air as blood started filling his mouth, leaking even through his broken nose.

"Humph," the man scoffed, his sneer dripping with distaste as he stood his ground. "I am going to ask you for the last time, who are you? Don't tell me you're one of the lingering remnants of the Black Dogs who are still clinging to Vault's goals…"

Grave felt his heart shudder… its thumping echoing loudly in his ears like a drum. He raised his swollen face, looking up at the man with wide eyes. 

"W-Who… who are you!?" he screamed at the oppressive giant, but the void offered no reply. "D-Don't you know who I am!? If you so much as harm a hair on my head, then the full weight of the Eostian army will descend upon you! You won't find refuge even in the neighboring kingdoms!" 

Glancing at his sword lying nearby, he reached for it. 

The white haired man made no move to stop him, a fact that only fueled the rage in his heart. To be underestimated, especially after everything he had accomplished, felt like a direct insult. A former general who had once fought the Dark Queen, now looked down upon by a nobody… How preposterous! 

With the unsheathed blade finally in his hands — his confidence surged. "Don't underestimate me you little shit!" Not even Claudia could match his skill and technique with a sword. 

He doubted this person possessed any significant skill to put up a decent fight without the element of surprise. One that he had wasted.

"Haah!" he shouted as he thrust his weapon towards his opponent's heart, a bloodthirsty grin on his face. His opponent hadn't even bothered to take a defensive stance, leaving his vital areas exposed. Heck, he wasn't even wielding a sword, dagger, spear or any kind of bladed tool, not even a staff if he were a mage.

HIs calculations were correct, that is, until the man sidestepped his attack at the very last second, and to add salt to injury, effortlessly. Grave, with gravity betraying him in the end, was unable to stop his momentum. It was almost as if this recruit had already predicted his move in advance. 

Yet, instead of recovering his posture or even bringing up his sword for defense, his gaze was captured by a peculiar detail.

A strange energy emanating from the man's grasp. 

"A sword?" He whispered in disbelief. 'Where did that come from!?'

The blade was unlike any he had seen before. Its design reminded him of the far eastern kingdoms, but the red hexagonal-shaped grooves gave it an almost otherworldly feeling. 

"—!" 

Panic settled in, followed by a swift yet horrifying sensation spreading through his right arm. Similar to someone ramming a large slab of ice against the skin under his arm, before he immediately lost any and all sensation. The grasp on his blade became loose, the weapon falling to the ground, and his arm went limp. A waterfall of blood gushed from his armpits, staining his clothes in an instant.

"Hnnnn!" He bit his lips to muffle his screeching pain, as if thousands of fire ants had descended upon him and were gnawing on his flesh. His face went pale upon hearing the armored boots step ever so closer whilst he struggled to stop the bleeding. 'Just who is this person!? He can't be a novice soldier, not with how easily he disarmed him and he certainly doesn't look like someone from either Feoh nor anyone from the other six kingdoms!'

"G-Guards! GUAAAAARDS!!!" 

In a final, desperate attempt, he cried for backup, but his pleas went unanswered. With each passing second, his desperation grew ever more dire. He knew full well the implications of his fate, if this man doesn't end him now, then the bleeding will. That is, unless he managed to close his wounds, but that is a tough order.

'Breathe… he must definitely want something!'

Pressing against the open wound, he pleaded. "What is it that you want? Is it gold? I can offer you an endless mountain of gold that would make even the Pantielles weep. Or…. Or is it fame? I can make you respected and feared by all those who walk these very lands? How about powerful artifacts of a bygone era? I-I can offer you anything you would want and more!" 

Though not as ancient as some noble families who predated Celestine's rise to power, the Levantine dynasty had still amassed a considerable fortune. Enough to tempt even the most jaded, like Luu-Luu, into avarice. 

Ignoring his pathetic pleas, the white-haired man turned his attention to Claudia, pressing his fingers against her neck to check her vitals. His eyes narrowed dangerously as he caught a familiar scent on his fingers. Startled by his sudden touch, Claudia's eyes widened with a moment of clarity before she looked at Emiya, seemingly entranced. "A-Ar… er…?" 

She called his name for a brief moment, but was unable to keep her head clear as another moan escaped her lips. 

But Grave did not care about that. 

The fact that this stranger turned his back against him without so much as a second thought, as if dismissing his very existence. He didn't even see the older man as a threat. It was a realization that angered him to no end.

"R-ragh!" With his left arm still functional, he grabbed the sword once more, clenching his blood-stained teeth and glaring hatefully at the person before him. Ignoring the pain shooting through his side, he pushed against the floor with all his might, rushing forward to deliver punishment to this fool who had underestimated him. 

But then, a thought struck him: 'No, I can't!'

Thankfully, years of fighting on the battlefield allowed him to overcome his emotions. Grave realized that staying to confront his attacker in his current state was pure madness. The priority was to escape this place and heal. Like the pompous coward he was, that's what he did. He ran towards the open windows, knowing that his old bones would be able to withstand the fall from this height in the buildin—"Keorgh!" 

Yet his plan was abruptly cut short as the space before him blurred. Like the grim reaper himself, the man reappeared with superhuman speed, moving faster than Grave could react. Once again, the stranger struck him deep in the guts, the force sending his body flying towards the bookshelves behind.

Blood sprayed on the ground as his wound festered, the impact causing some of his ribs to fracture, puncturing his lungs in the process.

"Wait, cough… wait!" He pleaded once again, coughing out globs of blood and shivering as he focused on the blood stained sword being raised in the air, to sever him from this world. "N-No. You can't do this! NOOOOOO—!"

His entire life flashed before his eyes as he braced himself for the final blow. 

"—Don't!" 

Strangely enough, death did not take him. Instead, the high pitched sound of metal scraping against metal was followed by a low thud. Opening his eyes, he saw the upper piece of a great sword blade resting near his feet — cleanly cut. Then he noticed a second shadow standing right before him, 

"What are you doing, Archer!?" 

Yet to his surprise, the one who came to his aid was Claudia, the young woman had returned to her senses. She held up a great sword, now cut in half. The assailant's black blade hovered a hairbreadth away from his nape, barely even touching his skin. Another life was spared by mere inches.

"Don't you dare lay your weapon on my father-in-law!"

{Break}

Truth be told, as soon as Archer managed to find his way inside and was met by the sight of Grave trying to put his hands on Claudia, part of him immediately thought about the Kuroinu

He knew that even if he killed Vault, Kin, and the other members, there still must be lingering remnants living in the kingdoms, like roaches skulking around with the same kind of goal as many did when their leader was alive. 

Individuals who held high positions of power or were unable to be present during the main siege at Olga's Castle.

More alarms went off in his head as he noticed something very unnatural about Claudia's behavior. Her expression mirrored Alicia's during that incident. 'She's been drugged!' 

Acting swifty, he wrenched the old man's grasp away from her exposed chest and looked him dead in the eyes, demanding an explanation. The old man offered no response, and Archer moved in with lethal intent.

'He may be old, but he's still an experienced swordsman.'

A skilled one, to say the least. 

Even in his delicate age, Archer immediately discerned numerous differences between him and the other combatants he fought in this world. This was a swordsman, a skilled one with years of experience. Even in a single move, his attempt to lunge at him with the blade displayed more technique than most of the Kuroinu grunts he slayed. The old man maintained a proper stance, a firm grip and kept his composure even when wounded.

While the fool did try to aim for his legs, he was unaware that his armor, even without reinforcement, was designed to resist both slashing and piercing attacks. Something a mere dagger could do little to overcome.

Suffice to say, despite his efforts, the old man's knowledge and experience in battle still fell short compared to Archer's. Coupled with his sluggish speed, it was easy for Archer to dodge the first attack. In response, he swiftly swung his blade upwards, effectively disarming the man and rendering his dominant arm useless.

If it were any other day, Archer might have stopped there and detained the man for questioning to extract details about his schemes and his conspirators . However, the risk of letting him live was far too great. Trustworthy and competent people in this kingdom were few and far between, and the probability of Grave escaping was fairly high.

As his blade came down for the final strike, the last person he expected to intervene stepped between them, blocking him with a greatsword. Nevertheless, Kanshou cut through the steel as if it were butter, nearly piercing Claudia's flesh — though he managed to halt his movement before it was too late.

"Step away, Claudia," he warned, seeing her still struggling to stand as the effects of the drug continued to ravage her body. The symptoms looked eerily familiar to what he had witnessed with Alicia. 

"I can't do that! You are raising your sword against my father-in-law, a former general who served the Seven Kingdoms and protected us from Olga's onslaughts! Why are you trying to kill him!?" she exclaimed, her voice filled with disbelief and confusion.

"Are you an idiot? Don't you remember what was about to happen before I arrived? Last I checked, father-in-law's aren't supposed to attempt raping their daughters. He is not your ally, that much is clear. I am not interested in who he is, nor do I care. He needs to go," Archer retorted dryly. 

The chances of this individual working under the Beast were high. He did not display the reinforcement spells she had given to those who attacked Claudia, but there was still a chance he was working for her.

"That... that can't be true! There must be some kind of misunderstanding here. He wouldn't do such a thing. He can't!" Mumbling incoherently, she struggled to come up with a logical answer, but still wantonly denied the facts. "Let me talk to him! I can have the guards bring him to a dungeon, and we can discuss what happened. Perhaps he's under a spell casted by our enemies!"

'Blind as a bat. A shame indeed.'

Seeing her expression made it clear that agreeing to whatever she suggested wouldn't end well for him later on. However, killing this man right here and now would only trigger another crisis with the Princess Knights and potentially cause a lot of internal strife. Such chaos would only serve to strengthen the beast instead of him. 

"Move aside. I want to ask him something."

The woman hesitated, but relented in the end. Her mind was clouded, to such a point that heretical thoughts started burrowing into her head. "What is going on with me…" she murmured to herself.

"Don't let him near me, Claudia!" Grave shouted, using shreds of his own clothes as a makeshift tourniquet around his shoulders and arms to stem the bleeding. His face had gone slightly pale from the blood loss, and his breathing was more haggard. 

"He is a traitor, an ally to the dark forces that were sent here to kill us all. I do not know what relation you may have with this man, nor why he is here, but he made his intentions very clear. Don't fall to his dark magic. You have known me for years; you know I wouldn't do such a thing to you. He'll go after Klaus next if I die here!"

Archer raised an eyebrow, unimpressed in the least by the man's attempt to turn Claudia against him. But he was very surprised that Claudia actually hesitated. Despite the accusation, she didn't treat him as a hostile entity, and maintained some doubt towards Grave's words. 

'Interesting, even though we've only just met, she seems more inclined to believe me than the others.'

He waited for her answer, and with great difficulty, she mumbled, "One… one question, just ask him one question. Then I'll take him to seek help. If he stays like this any longer, he'll die. But if you dare impede me…"

He shrugged at her answer, then turned to the old man, who cursed his daughter as she reluctantly stepped away, allowing him to approach Grave. "You asked me to spare you in exchange for anything you could offer. So I'll ask you one question, and if you give me the answer I want, then we'll see."

In no position to argue against him, Grave nodded his head.

As Archer got closer, he noticed a faint smell other than the stench of blood wafting from Grave. It was subtle, almost unnoticeable, but upon closer inspection, he uncovered his purple-stained hands. Almost instantly, a memory resurfaced of the time he first met Radomira, when he was trying to save the girl and got hit by her mist.

"Where is she hiding? The girl with blonde hair and red scales, tell me right now where she's hiding, and I'll spare you."

"Wh-What? I have no idea what you are talking about! Red scales? That doesn't make sense!" Grave vehemently denied, unable to comprehend the thoughts racing through Archer's mind. Growing weaker from blood loss, his speech became slightly slurred and incoherent. 

Realizing he could gain nothing more, he dismissedKanshou and crossed his arms, Prompting both Claudia and Grave to sigh in relief. "You better wake the guards outside now. Old fools like him don't tend to last long from blood loss."

Remaining in the room, Archer kept his gaze locked on Grave who had fallen unconscious at this point.

"T-Thank you… Archer. My father-in-law has practically raised me like his own blood. H-he wouldn't do such a thing, I know it!" 

"We can talk another time, hopefully when you're dressed properly." 

That prompted Claudia to look down, only to realize that her armor and clothes were gone, leaving her standing there bare chested. Her massive, soft tits jiggled enticingly in the air, while the hardened bright pink nipples betrayed the mixture of arousal and the icy chill that bit at her skin. Her bare, glistening slit, that was fully exposed, revealed the delicate folds of her smooth pussy. A clear liquid seeped between her thick, luscious thighs and pooled onto the hardwood floor. A fiery blush washed over her face as she covered her ample chest with her shaking arms, pleading, "Don't look!"

"... Hah, seriously…"

{Break}

"What's taking him so long?" 

Sitting on a bench in the garden, Radomira muttered with a pout as she grew more and more impatient with how long Archer was taking to return. 

"Maybe I should go inside as well and see if I can help him?" Radomira contemplated aloud. Holding no doubt that Archer could hold his own against pretty much anyone. She had heard countless stories from Brynn about his past victories, as well as the time he managed to subdue an army of a hundred thousand monsters with just a single sword. It was a story she couldn't help but be in awe every time she heard it. Despite being outnumbered and pushed against a corner, he still managed to save nearly everyone.

Still, the young girl couldn't stop worrying about him as her memories replayed the scene of his battle against that strange being. From that point on, nightmares would plague her sleep and cause her to wake up all stressed out in the morning.

"Maybe I can just sneak a peek inside, just to make sure that they are okay". Restless from the constant waiting, Radomira hopped off the bench and began pacing around the garden, chewing on her bottom lip as each second felt like a minute. Worrisome thoughts plagued her mind, and a nauseating amount of stress began to brew within her mind. "He wouldn't be mad. I can just smile and give him a hug if he does get angry."

It worked with Olga whenever she accidentally broke those vials and flasks in her room. Every time the dark elf would tell her to leave the place, she would hug the woman, and the latter would just go quiet and return to her task without saying a word.

"That's quite the long face you have there, Tiefling," an amused voice arose from nearby.

"Ah!" 

Startled, Radomira panicked and put her hood back on, thinking she had been discovered by the guards. Preparing to flee, she halted in her steps the next second. Her eyes widened as she spotted a familiar blonde girl with ruby red eyes, casually reclining on the bench next to the wall. Occasionally taking a sip of what seemed to be red wine from a golden goblet adorned with a myriad of jewels. 

The same crimson scales, dragon-like tail and claws as before. 

Radomira felt her blood turn to ice at the sight, a dreadful sensation of fear and horror encroaching across her face. "Y-You… It's you!" 

At this moment, she would have much preferred to face a swarm of guards and knights rather than this individual. Especially when she was the one who had hurt Archer and nearly taken him away from her, just like how her parents had disappeared. 

"Humu, it is me, the one and only Emperor, gracing you with her presence. Humph. The least you can do is bow on your knees or address me in a more acceptable manner." She said, taking another sip of her wine. Her tail swung lazily, thumping the ground each time it was lowered. 

Radomira initially lacked the strength to speak or move. Fear paralyzed her, and she desperately wished for his return. 'If he comes back, he will try to fight this awful person again. I can't lose him or let him get hurt!' 

"To be frank, I was initially quite surprised…" Draco began, her tone dripping with amusement, "This Emperor had honestly believed the Guardian was on his way here to strike me down. Yet, from the grace of your presence, this Emperor seems to have misjudged his capabilities." Draco got on her bare feet, lazily making her way towards the frozen raven haired girl. "Now, I will give you the courtesy to choose your next move. Fight, flee or beg for your life. I am, after all, magnificent enough to let a child make its own choice. You could also cry out for help if you so desire. The question would then be, whether they hear you in the first place." 

She felt the urge to flee, every instinct within her screaming to take flight and escape the impending danger. Yet, despite the overwhelming temptation, she stood her ground. With determination etched into every fiber of her being, she refused to yield to fear. Instead, she met Draco's menacing gaze with unwavering resolve.

"I won't run from you! I won't let you hurt Archer any more, and I will not allow you to carry out whatever nefarious plans you have in mind!" Her voice, though laced with apprehension, rang out clear and resolute as she stood, arms outstretched in a defiant stance, blocking Draco's path.

The Beast's lips curled into an amused smirk at her display of courage. "Ah, how funny," she chuckled out loud. "I was originally planning to confront the Guardian here. But after much consideration, I would rather not risk weakening my shard any more further. My powers have yet to recover after all. Regardless, he is bound to die by my hands sooner or later, a future this Emperor promises."

"Huh?" she echoed, her confusion evident as she tried to make sense of Draco's somewhat weirdly cryptic words. She couldn't fathom the sinister intentions behind her enigmatic demeanor, and she knew she couldn't afford to drop her guard! "Y-You're lying! You just want to try and hurt Archer using tricks!" 

Unperturbed by her lack of understanding, Draco's gaze narrowed as she took a step closer, her presence looming ominously in Radomira's point of view. "While I do admit that my immense desire to destroy the Guardian had provoked me to use 'unsavory' tricks last time — I'm in no way desperate to hunt him down right now. Unless, of course, he insults me again."

"..."

"You may think you're protecting him, but you know nothing of the truth behind that guardian's history." 

"What do you want then…" she asked, hoping to learn something she could share with Archer that could help him out. That is, if she managed to get out of this situation in the first place. 

"Your scent," the blonde answered immediately. "There is a fragrance coming off you, a perfume I haven't encountered much in the past, and it's quite pleasant. So be honored, for you have garnered this Emperor's attention like no one else in this kingdom, humu!" 

"My… scent? Perfume?"

"Indeed." 

"You mean my powers that make people act weird?" She said while tilting her head sideways. 

"It is an interesting ability but not really, it does not affect my body unlike everyone else." 

"So… you attacked and hurt Archer just because you wanted my power's scent as a… perfume?" 

"Humu!" Draco nodded, a pleased smile on her child-like face, "for a child you aren't as slow witted as I expected you to be. Though I must add, it was also to teach that Guardian a lesson for insulting someone beyond his standing. At least I was able to find the origin of this sc—oof!" 

She was cut short right as Radomira let out an enraged shout and lunged at her with a strong tackle. The sudden force caused her tail to slip and both girls tumbled onto the grassy ground. Taking the initiative, Radomira furiously got her in a headlock, "That was it this entire time!? My scent!? You hurt Archer and scared me to death just because of that!?!?"

Her screech echoed across the area, yet no one came to investigate. 

"If you do not get off me right this instant then I will turn your body inside o—h-hey! Do not grab my crown like that!"

Unfortunately for her, Radomira was a rebellious spirit, ripping off her crown and giving a noogie to the petite blonde, "If you'd just approached me peacefully, I could have given it to you for free! With Olga's help, I've even been experimenting with my powers to make it stronger and weaker!" 

"Hey! Cut it out! You're ruining my hair!" Draco did a double take, especially at that last part. "Wait what? What do you mean by… experimenting?" 

"I won't tell you! You'll use it to hurt Archer!" 

"Grr! Let go you brat! I told you I can't in my current state!" 

"Who're you calling a brat, you brat! I'm taller than you!"

"Like that even matters!"

As the two continued to bicker and struggle with one another, a strange deep violet fog encroached upon them, followed by another light blue mist. 

{Break}

(A few hours later)

-???-

"Hnnn… curse this… " 

Within the dark underground dungeons beneath the capital, an exhausted Grave opened his eyes and found himself facing an unfamiliar ceiling. 

His entire body ached, not enough to black out from the pain, but just enough so that even the slightest movement elicited a groan of discomfort. There were bandages covering his entire body, the result of the castle's healers dutifully tending to his injuries, applying salves or casting healing spells with their green glowing staffs. 

"..."

Remaining quiet, he let them continue their work until another hour passed. When they finally left, not one said a word, Nor did they bother closing the door to his rather opulent cell. With the scent of incense aerating the room and the silky mattress he laid on, he knew it was the calm before the storm. Gazing at the entrance, a low growl escaped his mouth. 

"You've been standing there for quite a while," he lamented. Not long after, a shadow emerged, revealing an elderly man around his age, dressed in expensive clothing. The man walked inside with a cane in hand, the crest on his clothes proudly displaying the insignia of the merchant guild.

His eyes narrowed at the man's presence, "Humph, what a pleasure to have the head of the dark elf slave ring pay me a visit. Here I thought you'd be far too occupied feeding your customers with more exotic products. State your business, I have no time for you." 

"Still as direct as ever, Grave. Yet you should watch your tone. Imagine the commotion if the other families were to discover that the great Levantine patriarch himself was residing inside a 'dungeon'." Leaving a sly remark, he gestured at the cell, which in all cases, resembled a room of the palace quarters more than anything else. "An assassination attempt I take it, who was it this time? The Archbishop? Pantielle? Or was it some lesser noble that you wronged in the past?" 

"Pantielle? Don't make me laugh! That fool has been far too focused on fattening his pig of a son to be interested in grudges from years ago. Though I should be questioning your presence here as well. I heard your offspring is accompanying the former Dark Queen — pathetic excuse of a ruler she was… no wonder Vault was undeterred during the campaign. No, it wasn't any of them… but a nobody acquainted with Claudia. Archer… that's his name, I think. Ever heard of this person?" 

John's eyes twitched before he began to hum, stroking his beard thoughtfully as he delved into his memory. "I wouldn't be so quick to label Olga Discordia a pathetic ruler. She has governed the northern region with an iron fist for centuries, after all. As for Archer, I know of none by that name. Archer… Archer… what a ridiculous moniker I must admit. Who in their right mind calls themselves an archer? Judging by your wounds, it appears you were slashed by a swordsman. Saber would suit him far better as an alias." 

A glass cup shattered against the wall next to John, thrown by an agitated Grave whose eyes burned with murderous intent. "I'm in no mood for your jests! Either tell me what you know or leave, before I decide to show you why most of the nobles in this kingdom dare not cross me!" 

Tension simmered in the room until one side finally relented. "Fine, fine." John sighed. "Rumors have been circulating recently about an unknown stranger taking residence up in the castle. I suspect it's a mage in the service of the Dark Queen, obeying her every command like a loyal dog despite being human. This is most likely the Archer you are talking about." 

"Celestine not only granted asylum to our biggest enemy but her cronies as well? How ridiculous! How far we have fallen under her accursed rule. Vault was right, these people are not fit to rule a Kingdom, let alone an alliance." Grave fumed , shoveling food from the tray beside his bed into his mouth. 

"What even happened for you to end up in such a state?" John asked, prompting a wave of anger to rise from the wounded former general's soul. 

"Claudia was right there, so close. I almost had her." He snarled, glancing at his clenched fists. "One more push and she would have been lying against the table begging to be fucked. The perfect opportunity to have her become the mother of my children, all ruined by that damn Archer!"

"You… wanted her to bear your children? I guess I can understand. Your son is an impotent vegetable and well… you are without any proper heir. But still, without any ways to restrain her limbs and her monstrous strength, you'd just end up with your bones turned to dust. I'm still wondering how she even let you live until now." 

Grave rose from the bed, grabbing the sword lying on the table, and gazed at his reflection on the blade. "Most of the male servants, guards, and even some knights are loyal to me or are blissfully ignorant of the true situation. I'm merely lending them to Claudia for now. Rest assured they will never go against me. And as for how I was able to hypnotize Claudia, humph, a small gift from Beardsley himself." 

The cane-holding old man frowned, running his fingers through his mustache "Beardsley huh… should have known that man was involved." 

"Indeed, then again, I doubt you'll find this information to be of any use. Given your corpse won't be leaving this place in the end." 

"—!"

John's eyes widened as he raised his cane just in time to summon an energy shield, blocking a sudden slash attack. Holding the weapon in his left hand, Grave smirked at the befuddled 'John'. "Last I remembered, the greedy old Mandeville was no mage. Not to mention, there is no way a shrew old fox like him would be unaware about the drug and its origin, nor would he wander around without bodyguards. Who are you, impostor?" 

The shocked expression on 'John's' face shifted to one of boredom. He taped his 'cane', which transformed into an impressive dark staff with a glowing purple orb at the end. "Impressive. To think that I hadI underestimated a disgusting human such as yourself." 

His voice started metamorphing, turning more feminine, cold and calculated. Pieces of his face dissolved into a purple mist, revealing beautiful dark skin and piercing amber eyes.

"Illusory magic," Grave muttered, raising his sword against the figure whose true identity was gradually revealed. "You!?"

Where the hunched old man once stood, a tall dark elf woman now emerged, adorned in purple armor that both accentuated her assets and highlighted her regal beauty. Her yellow eyes glared down at him as if he were a piece of filth daring to stain her presence. Olga tapped her staff once more, dispelling the remnants of the illusion entirely, and faced Grave without a hint of fear. 

"Levantine Grave. At one point, I envisioned seeing you broken and soulless on the battlefield, with my demons laying waste to the kingdom you've so desperately defended, before mercifully ending your pathetic existence. You were an impressive general, but still a disgusting human in the end… pieces of trash, all of you." She turned away, casually walking out of the cell, no longer acknowledging his existence. "A shame, I don't want to dirty my hands with your filthy blood."

"What?" 

Before he could even take a step forward, an impending sense of doom washed over him.

Sqwelp 

Everything turned deadly quiet, with only a single thought coursing through his mind.

"H-How…" 

Grave gazed at his chest with both confusion and despair evident on his face. His trembling hands reached out to touch the black blade protruding from his chest, blood dripping onto the floor. 

The blade was swiftly removed, causing him to stagger forward, leaning against the table and trying to take a breath but failing. "W-Why… you let… let me go…" he wheezed, the question weighing heavily on his mind as Archer, who had somehow appeared in the room unnoticed, stood before him. 

Kanshou shattered into motes of blue light, leaving no trace behind.

"..." 

Archer offered no answers, ignoring Grave completely, much like Olga had earlier,walking away from the cell without uttering a single word to him. Even in his final moments, the humiliation from both of these people stoked his anger enough to momentarily ignore the pain.

"Don't… ign…ignore… me!" 

His knees buckled, and he collapsed onto the floor, blood pooling around his body — all traces of life disappearing from his being. 

.

.

.

"Why are you smiling like that?" 

Emiya asked as they walked through the tunnels beneath the manor, his concern evident in his tone Olga, the Dark Queen wore a smirk that unsettled him slightly. 

"Who would have thought that someone like you would come crawling to me, desperate for help with something so cunning. Working behind the Princess Knights and eliminating Claudia's father-in-law … someone is vying for the position of Dark King.Celestine's eagerness to align herself with you and the other Princess Knights lends credence to that." 

"You're delusional. I never crawled to you or begged for anything. I simply called in a favor." He retorted, dismissing the far-fetched notion without further comment.

"What would Radomira say if she saw this?" 

"Something about cooking her a new dish for witnessing such a traumatic sight." 

She actually chuckled genuinely, another sound he never thought he'd hear from the woman. 

"That sounds like her, let's just hope she doesn't take after you too much. It's already bad enough that a magically gifted Tiefling like her is being cared for by a creature pretending to be a hum—ah!" She nearly stumbled, the staff within her grasp disappearing on command. The former Dark elf queen just gave him withering glare before fixing her posture, "I truly hope she does not end up being anything remotely like you." 

"I'm not her father, I'm just… making sure she doesn't end up in the wrong hands." 

They passed more corpses, all guards and soldiers who had served under Grave's command. Remnants of Kuroinu mercenaries lingered amongst them, though they posed little threat now. 

"You owe me," Olga stated flatly. "Taking on the guise of the humans I despise the most just to extract information from that man. It better have been worth it." 

"It was crucial to root out anyone involved in the distribution of the aphrodisiac." The specifics of the information were secondary to him, rather, his primary concern was preventing further strife with the Shields. He was already set on killing Grave, letting the man live would only invite future complications. Not to mention, his actions involving Claudia and the drug had already painted the kind of person he was in Emiya's mind. 

There was also the issue of the aphrodisiac being used on the other Shields. 

"Who was the man you turned into?" 

"Amongst the worst humanity has to offer, a man admired and respected for his successful trade that enriched parts of the kingdom we're currently stationed in, all while concealing one of the largest slave rings in Eostia; John Mandeville." 

"Who happens to be Chloe's father," he overheard in their conversation Learning that the other Dark Elf had human blood came as an unexpected revelation to him. 

"He is not her father!" Olga growled,her voice dripping with hatred, her fists clenched so tightly they dug into her skin. "He simply used a poor dark elf woman as his plaything, forcing her to give birth to Chloe just so he could have another toy to break!" 

"He's been searching for her from the sounds of it."

"Then I will kill him, and ensure he doesn't escape this time," she exhaled, shaking her head. "But that is a matter for another time. You know, even if I had Radomira and Brynn take our place with the help of illusions, some will still suspect you… especially Claudia since you tried to kill him this morning."

Archer shrugged, "Had he been allowed to live for another day, he could have easily left the Kingdom and brew more trouble for me. Dealing with suspicion is preferable to dealing with his potential chaos. Alicia will be a problem, but then again, when has she not been one?" 

"The last incident made her uncharacteristically quiet. Now she has more of a reason to use it against you. Celestine may defend you, but I can't say much about Serafina; she differs a lot from her sister for me to predict her actions."

That was true, there was no way she wouldn't use this opportunity to come after him. 

"But perhaps you can use this to your advantage." She suggested, earning a confused stare from Archer. 

"How so?"

"Beardsley," she reminded him of the name uttered by Grave. "He's her advisor as far as I know. He's always hidden, making sure to never show his face much in public for many years. You can use Alicia to find him and eliminate that human." 

"I'm not your personal assassin, Olga." 

"But you will kill him, I refuse to believe he was not behind Alicia's action last time."

They continued in silence through the darkness of the night, making their way back to the castle, both lost in thought about their next moves.

----------------

The next 5 chapters of Snafu, and my other Fate fics (Fate Coiling Sword with 3 chapters, A Fake Familiar Reborn with 3 chapters, Steel Eyed Faker soon to be 3 chapters, Hound having 3 and To love a sword having 4 chapters) are already available on my P@treon. With 4 more Broly chapters at /NimtheWriter. Also, I post commissioned arts on each story, already posted a few on an Archer's Promise, Broly and Snafu.