Fate/Magus Path

142 Seventh Seat!

Misaki Town Outskirts.

In Kuonji estate.

Suddenly, flames erupted, consuming the surrounding forest. Trees, animals, and even passing travelers were reduced to charred remains in an instant.

The wildfire seemed to descend from nowhere, suffocating the air with its searing heat and choking black smoke. Explosions echoed, turning the serene forest into chaos.

In mere minutes, the place was transformed into a blazing inferno... no, perhaps "purgatory" would be a more fitting term.

Climbing out from beneath the bridge where she had sought refuge in the river, Shiki Ryougi's disoriented thoughts were disrupted as she stared at the fiery canopy above. The sight of the forest, now engulfed in a roaring blaze, left her momentarily stunned.

Her last clear memory was of a casual stroll with Touko through Misaki Town, searching for signs of Dead Apostles as they often did. With Roy off dealing with Dead Apostles on his own, accompanied by Arcueid, whose swiftness made her an ideal partner, Shiki, and Touko had taken a more relaxed approach to their hunt.

The day had been uneventful until Aoko contacted them, reporting Dead Apostle activity near Alice's manor. Concerned that something might happen, Aoko had headed over to investigate.

Initially, both Shiki and Touko were unconcerned. They were confident in Aoko's and Alice's abilities... no ordinary Dead Apostle would stand a chance against the combined force of those two.

Still, Shiki had insisted on going to check. Wandering aimlessly through the city had grown tedious, and the prospect of encountering a Dead Apostle excited her. She relished the thought of cutting down those disgusting creatures with her blade.

Touko had not objected and drove her to the witch's estate.

That's when everything went awry.

As they entered the forest, charred corpses... Dead Apostles in various stages of combustion... suddenly swarmed their vehicle. Though none of them posed much of a threat, Shiki and Touko dispatched them with ease. But then, two strange figures appeared.

Before they could make sense of the situation, an overwhelming wave of heat assaulted them. The fire unleashed by one of the figures was no ordinary blaze; its intensity melted rocks and ignited the entire forest. Unprepared for such an attack, Shiki and Touko were forced into a hasty retreat.

They managed to escape... briefly. The two mysterious figures did not pursue them, but as Touko sped across a bridge, an explosion ripped through the vehicle.

The memory came rushing back. Touko had been obliterated, her body blown to pieces before Shiki's eyes. Only Avalon's protection had spared Shiki from the same fate.

Reaching for the faint golden glow emanating from her chest, Shiki clenched her teeth against the searing pain. Avalon had saved her life, but the fire and explosion had left her gravely injured.

Severe burns marred her skin, and she could feel the sharp agony of broken bones beneath. Yet Avalon was already working to heal her.

How careless.

Anger and self-recrimination bubbled within her. How could she have been ambushed so easily? Her previous self would never have let her guard down.

Had she grown complacent, relying too much on Roy and Touko's presence to shield her? Was it the praise she received after defeating a few Dead Apostles? Or the thrill of joining the fight against the Twenty-Seven Dead Apostle Ancestors that had dulled her instincts?