Fate/Prisma Emilya

Just Like Looking in the Mirror

* Illya's Pov *

I take a deep breath, once again, we're back under the bridge. It feels weird somehow, I usually am nervous and scared of what might happen to me but now, I just keep glancing to my sister every two seconds, I guess I'm still nervous but for a different reason. It took a lot of effort to make Rin and Luvia agree to our plans but after a long conversation and persuasion, they finally gave in. It's probably because I was siding with Miyu and Emilya-nee as well, which they look at me, surprised that I supported these plans. Technically we're a bit earlier than the meeting time that we had planned on to take action, it's still school time but somehow my sister took advantage of my sleeping form at school and told the teacher that I had a headache and isn't feeling too well. Apparently, Fujimura-sensei, being an overreactive teacher as she is, immediately excuses us to go home and take a rest, including Miyu too. She probably was panicking so much and thought Miyu was also sick as well.
" Ahem, since Illya will be going in close combat as well, I will teach you a nifty trick ", Rin starts explaining to me on how to control and compact mana into the tip of my Kaleido-Stick and weave itself into a blade made out of dense energy, which it somehow automatically transmute itself into a nice looking sliver blade. 
" This blade should be able to bypass the mana barrier with ease, but still, be careful. It's still a servant you're going against, and not to mention, she's a master when it comes to swordsmanship ", I nod in understanding. I have to constantly keep my guard up or else I will be cut in half by Saber's blade.
" As for you, Emilya, do you have any weapon that can go pass her dense mana barrier? ", Luvia asks Emilya-nee curiously, I'm sure my sister has something up on her sleeve. She could use that silver sword again... but again, that sword almost costs her, her lives. I rather not see or want to see her using that sword again if it's possible.
" I could think of one, but I'm not too sure if it will be effective against that barrier of hers in its sword form ", sword form? Sounds like it's a type of weapon that used to be a different object. I wonder what it is.
" Than again, I could always switch with another Noble Phantasm if it didn't work ", Rin and Luvia look at each other before nodding. 
" Alright, why don't you show us about the weapon you're talking about ", I'm also curious, as much as I hate for Emilya-nee to use her dangerous magecraft, I can't help but get a little excited to see what other weapons of legends she will pull out next.
" I am the bone of my sword ", Emilya starts to chant, or, more like an aria of some kind. I wonder if it's necessary for her to say her aria or is it some kind of boost to her confidence or even power maybe?
" Trace On ", a sword with a very long thin blade starting to form inside of her hand. It has a yellow guard with a beautiful design, a green handle and possesses a white gemstone in its pommel. The design for the blade looks more like a spear than a sword now that I look more closely into it. But one thing is for sure, this blade shines brightly as a symbol of power in Emilya's hand. Rin and Luvia look quite surprised to see the Noble Phantasm, maybe they know something about it?
" Is that... "
" Durandal? The peerless sword? ", Rin completed Luvia's sentence as Emilya-nee nods in respond.
" Yes, compare to Durindana, the ultimate unbroken spear, it is weaker, especially since it got downgraded by one rank due to my projection. But even in its sword form, it didn't lose its sharpness and can get even sharper if you pump mana into it ", never lose its sharpness? Sounds like every swordsman and swordswoman dream weapon. I'm sure that every warrior that ever existed will be happy if they get this sword for a birthday present.
" I see, I guess it's worth a try. Alright, Miyu, Illya. Prepare the mirror world jump once again! ", Rin orders both me and Miyu as we both activate the magic circles. I just hope everything will go well and ends well.

But when we finally arrive in the mirror world, Saber immediately takes action and dashes toward Emilya-nee, attempting to slay her in a single swing. Thankfully, my sister has a very quick reaction time as she immediately brings up Durandal to block Saber's full power swing. Rin and Luvia acted quickly out of instinct and shot mana powered gems, gemstones, and jewels at Saber from the sideline. I notice some of them hit Saber, I see, so she can't focus on her barrier properly if she's engaged in close combat. That makes our job slightly easier.
 I rush into action and aid my sister. I swing my bladed mystic code in a wide arc, which Saber successfully parried it away, leaving me open for her to thrust her blade into my body. But thankfully she canceled her action as Emilya-nee went for her neck with Durandal and jump away from the fearsome blade. Saber swings her blade and slices the air multiple times as crescent wave of mana were sent toward us at incredible speed. The gemstone in the pommel of Durandal starts glowing an intense amount of white light, that must be her putting some of her mana into Durandal to make it sharper beyond human understanding. I was right, as I see my sister cut every single of Saber's attacks, destroying the crescent waves of magic. I can't help but be in awe, I barely saw her hand move, it was so fast that I can barely process on what had happened. I snap myself out of it, getting distracted will be the death of me and probably everyone else as well. Just when I'm finally able to keep myself from distraction, I saw
Emilya-nee got launch away due to Saber's strength, the attack was blocked but her body couldn't handle the impact and got sent away.
" Emilya-nee! ", I fly as fast as possible to catch my sister in mid-air, thankfully I manage to reach in time.
" Th-thanks Illya, I seem to have forgotten that she has the strength to compliment her swordsmanship, even my reinforced body couldn't handle the full blow ", there's a light bruise on my sister's wrist, it couldn't handle the full brunt of Saber's blow but it doesn't seem too serious.
" Can you still continue on? Please be honest and no lies ", Emilya just give a pained grin.
" Of course, a bruise like this won't hinder me too much. I can still continue on fighting! ", after confirming that my sister's telling the truth, I fly back to the battlefield with my sister in my hand. I just notice on how soft and squishy her body is yet this same body able to endure powerful attacks while dealing more damage than what the body seems capable of, is this because of that reinforcement magecraft? I need to learn them from Emilya-nee if it will help me with my endurance. Then again, I could just ask Ruby to put up a defensive barrier around me.
Meanwhile, Luvia and Rin were bobbing and weaving around Saber's sword, trying to find an opening where they can attack. Luvia jumps into the air, spinning before attempting to give saber a big axe kick. With her holy sword, she able to block it, the kick was strong enough to put a giant crack beneath Saber's feet, is she also using reinforcement?
Rin swiftly gets close and let out a left hook while Saber's distracted, which manage to connect due to Luvia who was still pinning Saber down with her kick.
" Now's the perfect chance, Illya! ", I don't need her to explain to me, I have a feeling I know what she wanted me to do. I fly toward Saber as fast as possible before I twist my body, grab my sister by her hand and launch her away toward Saber like an approaching rocket.
" Steel is my body, fire is my blood ", I always admire my sister, she's cool, smart and pretty much everything I can ever want to be, but what I admire the most, is surprisingly, her self-sacrifice and the ability to face everything head on instead of running away. I am the complete opposite of that, I always run away from danger instead of facing it head on, I guess that makes me a hypocrite huh? I hate to see her putting herself in danger and yet that's the part I love about her the most.
" Pierce her shadow and immobilize her, Black Keys! ", six slender-rapier like swords with blades measuring over one meter and extremely short blood red hilts materialize between her fingers, three on each hand. She throws them toward Saber but every single one of them was deflected by Saber out of quick reflex with only one of them piercing her shadow. It seems that was what Emilya was hoping to happen if her menacing grin says anything, my sister can be scary sometimes. Saber tries to jump away from the approaching scary grinning sister of mine but found herself to be unable to move.
" Now! ", Rin seems to recognize the swords and give Miyu the order to proceed with the next step, using Gae Bolg to deal the finishing blow. Saber seems to realize that the sword is the main object that's stopping her movement, she tries to gather a whirlwind of mana to blow it away. This makes Emilya-nee's smile falter as she has more serious looks on her face this time.
" I won't let you! ", she retraced Durandal in attempts cut down the dense wind of mana, at the same time Miyu dashes forward at the with Gae Bolg ready to seek the opponent's heart. It would have have been successful if it wasn't for the cracked floor, it couldn't keep a good grip on the black key as it lodges loosely on the ground. The amount of mana that Saber had gathered up was enough to blow it away, returning her ability to move back to her.
" Crap/Oh no! ", both my sister and Miyu cries in horror as they couldn't stop themselves from approaching Saber, especially my sister since she's falling. In the last attempt to save themselves, Emilya-nee summons a black bow that's an exact copy of the same bow I had when I included Archer Class Card and quickly and rashly shoots Durandal at Saber without even powering it up. Miyu jumps high up in the air and activated her Noble Phantasm as an anti-army weapon and launch it immediately without letting it charge up to its full power. Saber crouch down and place her blade beside her as if she's sheathing her sword into her scabbard beside her hip. In one fluent movement, she draws her blade across and a giant sphere of dense mana, as dense as multiple layered concrete bursts out from where she stood, destroying everything in its path, including the ground she once had stood on. It deflected Gae Bolg away and even manage to shatters Durandal as the energy came crashing into both Miyu and Emilya-nee.
" Emilya/Emilya-nee! Miyu! ", both Luvia and Rin attempt to catch Miyu who flew toward them at an incredible speed, crashing both Rin and Luvia to the ground. Just as I was about to catch my sister who's soaring in the air again, I was interrupted by a black blur and in an instant, I came face to face with Saber herself.
" Watch out! A maximum full body physical barrier, activate! ", I heard Ruby shouts out and the next thing I felt, was Saber's blade struck down upon me which sent me away from the sky and onto the earth. It manages to cut me a little bit on my side despite the barrier protecting me. I didn't notice my Archer Class Card had slipped out of my cardholder when I was struck by Saber, its slowly falling down from the sky since its material is similar to that of a card. My body's hurting, it's so painful to even move a little, it will be better if I just sit here and not move at all, that way, I won't get hurt. Even though I told myself that I won't give up, that I will become someone like my sister, I just can't do it after all. I'm just too scared of everything. The thought of what might happen to my body if Ruby didn't manage to put up the barrier on time terrified, her blade is scary, everything is flashing before my eyes, I just want to run away and pretend that I had never been involved in this stupid job.
" Let go of Emilya, you bastard ", I hear Rin's panic and angry voice as the series of explosions was soon heard afterward. My body went cold, my instinct is yelling at me to get up, I feel my heartbeats beating rapidly.
" Stop Rin, you will hit Emilya by accident! ", the series of explosions stop, Rin must have stop shooting or maybe it was Luvia who is restraining Rin from shooting.
" Let go of me! I will get there and fight her with only my barehand if I have to! ", Rin angrily retorts back with frustration clearly shown in her voice.
" ... Me...too. I must...help "
" Especially you Miyu, you're too injured and can even barely move, I'm sorry but there's nothing we can do right now... ", I don't like it, I don't like the sounds of 'giving up' lace in her tone. I forced myself to look up, and to my horror, Emilya is being held up by her neck by Saber, suffocating her. I want to scream but my voice is too weak, I want to run and tackle her but I'm too injured. Anything, please, anything! Help my sister, please! And to my horror once again, the sound of the blade piercing through flesh can be heard, despite how far I am, I can hear the disgusting noise quite clearly. I hear the screams of worries and horror from the others but for me, I can't even scream as time feels like it has been slowed down. All I see is Emilya's back... with a familiar black sword poking out of her flesh. My blood is boiling, I'm angry. I'm angry at her. I'm angry at the others for not helping... but most of all... I'm angry at myself, for being so hopelessly useless. I can't even save my sister... and now because of that, she's going to die.

I need to defeat her...
-heartbeats-
How?
-heartbeats-
I need to defeat her...
-heartbeats-
But how?
-heartbeats-
I need to save my sister...
-heartbeats-
But it's over...

...
..
.

I place my hand forward, I don't know why but something tells me to just do it.
I'm still on my knee, ruined and tattered but a familiar warm feeling, no, it's not just warm, it's hot. My Archer Class Card gracefully landed between my palm, I just look at it with my already dead and lifeless eyes. My heart is beating fast, it's beating really fast.
" Hey... you're meant to be some sort of hero right? ", I must be going insane, I'm talking to a card of all things and in this situation none the less.
" If you are... then please ", my voice is barely understandable as if I'm choking onto my own words.
" Help me ", silents soon follow, what did I even expected from speaking to a card. As I have almost given hope, a voice that is similar to mine spoken up from within my head.
" You're just going to give up and asks for help? Pathetic, if you're going to be like this then I will take over from here, oh foolish sister of mine ", with that, the voice went silent, and I heard some kind of chain and lock broke from within myself. I wanted to ask on who's the voice belong to, but my vision turns dark, I can't feels or think of anything anymore. I'm... so sleepy.

...
..
.

" Install ", that was the last thing I heard before my mind completely shut down.