The King of the Grail's Fate (Fate/Nasuverse)

Chapter XCVI: Somber

"Neat..." the girl's words died on her lips as she looked on at Salter who was smiling innocently. both girls looked at each other as if something wasn't right. "Rebecca did you-," one girl said before being interrupted. "Yeah I think uhh we should get going," Rebecca responded as the two girls began to leave. "Oh okay have fun you two," Salter responded with a cute smile and wave as they walked away in a slight hurry. Immediately after they disappeared into the crowd, however, her face fell into her hands as she sighed heavily. "Flames of Dread huh," Harrison said as he took the seat across from Salter, somehow getting close without her noticing.

"What then did you," Salter protested as she shoot to attention. Though Harrison the smug master only smiled as he took a sip of his drink. Salter didn't want to ruin Harrison's mood as he seemed to be pretty happy at the moment, but she could also sense the pain in his smile, he knew about the flames and probably heard what those two girls had said in that simulation, he was always showing off new tricks. "Righter those girls do they give you a hard time," Salter asked the pretzel obscuring her face slightly. Harrison looked up and to the right of himself deep in thought it seemed. A small tear rolled down the sunglasses he wore as he spoke. "It's not their fault it's mine as well, when one fights with a sword of lies, the only defense is a sword of truth but I choose to hold my blade by my side," Harrison said as if he was some wise wizard at the top of a remote mountain.

Salter punched Harrison lightly in the arm, "Come on let us get out of this place please," she said with a smile Harrison couldn't fight. "Alright let's go then," Harrison said with an equally gentle smile. Salter made sure as they left to smile and wave at the two girls who had been so nice to her and Harrison earlier before they returned their skates properly. "So back home right," Harrison said reaching across Salter and attempting to take the keys back. She quickly twisted around and stepped away from him. "Nope it isn't over yet," she said keeping her hands behind her back as if she had some grandiose plan. Harrison checked the time on his phone and saw that it was 14:17 and shrugged his shoulders resigning himself to her plans. 

"Okay where to next," he said as he slipped his phone away. Salter smiled sweetly at him for a moment before they both awkwardly turned away blushing slightly. She silently started pulling him off towards the car where they both entered simultaneously. 

Harrison considered himself fairly knowledgable in the area he lived especially on where things were, but where Salter was taking him he had no idea. It wasn't even that he hadn't been down the roads before it was just every time he thought she would pull off and stop she didn't. "Salter you still haven't told me where we are going," Harrison mentioned as he watched the sky and buildings fly by outside his window. "somewhere I think you might recognize," she said with a sly smile. After about another hour of just driving Harrison gave up trying to figure out where they were going as he slowly drifted to sleep.

A few light taps were all it took to wake Harrison from his sleep. "Hmm what's up?" he asked as he stirred. "We are here Righter," Salter said as she looked over at Harrison from outside the car. Slowly Harrison got out of the vehicle infinitely confused about where they were. The car was parked off a random street before what looked like an old forest. However, on closer inspection, there was a sign that long looked overgrown. "Hairway Lookout," Harrison said aloud the name seeming familiar to him. "Come on let's go the sun is going to set soon," Salter said as she yanked him along with her. "Wait what," Harrison asked as he was pulled along. Quickly he checked the time realizing that it was 19:58. Salter quickly dashed through the very overgrown trail as she clearly had some destination in mind. That is until she suddenly stopped causing Harrison to run right into her back. It was similar to running straight into a steel beam, and he quickly fell to the ground because of it.

"We won't make it," Salter said finally. "We won't make what, Salter can you please tell me what you are talking about," Harrison protested as he brushed the dirt off him. "Do you trust me," Salter said holding a hand out to Harrison. A moment passed as Harrison looked into Salter's eyes, "Forever and always," was his response as he griped her hand. "Llamrei!" Salter called out as she swung Harrison into the air. It was as if watching a wildfire in the space of a box as flames twirled into sudden existence before exploding outward into a beautiful mare underneath Harrison. And all black stead with a bone mask and satin silk that seemed to glide on the very night itself. Before Harrison could ask any question Salter swung herself onto the horse in front of Harrison as she reared it into action. It took off like a bullet moving much faster than Harrison had ever been outside of a car.

After five minutes of riding at full speed, the horse started to skid to a halt. Harrison needed a moment for his brain to catch up to his body. Slowly the details came to him, he was at a clearing that overlooked a lake, the lake shinned goldenly, and there were two distinct oak trees on either side of the clearing, he had definitely seen the picturesque scene before. Salter came up next to him and noticed as she swung his arm over her shoulder resting her head against his shoulder. It wasn't until the sun collided with the horizon and color burst out around the scenery that it hit Harrison like a truck. One of his few pictures of his parents was the one photo from their wedding in which they stood before this exact place, the picture was deeply buried within his things so he didn't know how Salter knew about it or this place but Harrison couldn't stop the tears from flowing down his face.

At first, Salter thought something was wrong until he turned to her with a grin that stretched ear to ear. "Thank you," he said though his voice was horse (no offense Llamrei). She embraced Harrison tightly and he reciprocated the tight hug. "Righter I think-" Salter stopped herself midsentence and her mood immediately changed. "Salter what's up," Harrison asked as he moved away to see her face. She only feigned a smile as she tilted her head and responded, "Oh nothing I just misspoke." Harrison looked at her confused, but her smile dissuaded further questioning.