An Archer's Promise

Beta read by Shigiya, Fluffy Slayer and DOOMRAIDER.

Warning: Lemon Scene.

Possibly longest chapter...or second longest. almost 9k words.

Anyways, enjoy!

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-Luu-Luu's castle-

One thing Archer realized about the halfling's castle was that she kept it in surprisingly excellent condition. For someone who dallied around quasi-nude while covered in black smudge from working the forge all day, everything was spotless—including the roof he was currently using to gaze over the city.

Why was he here? 

"Where are you!? I just want to borrow Kanshou for a bit! It'll only be a few centuries, I swear! I'm even letting you keep Bakuya!" Luu-Luu's desperate pleas resounded all over the place as she and her reluctant servants scoured the city for him. 

Suffice it to say, he would remain hidden until that persistent halfling gave up her pointless pursuit in trying to take his blades. Has she forgotten that humans have short lifespans? Not like he could live that long even if he wasn't a human. His fate had been sealed long ago. 

The girl was fixated on his creations to the point of obsession… probably beyond that.

It still shocked him that Luu-Luu hadn't mentioned anything about the destruction of the valley yet, as it was her forces who brought them back. By this point, he had dismissed all blades, including the fake Ig-Alima. So there was no proof anymore that he used thousands of swords to kill the demonic army.

'Knowing her, she probably hasn't read any of the reports yet.' He hoped that they would be gone long before Luu-Luu ever got the chance to know of his true abilities or even get a clue. His memories flashed back to the scene he'd seen before losing consciousness, a blonde elf who was present somewhere that she shouldn't be present in.

"..."

He did hear rumors about people staying that Celestine herself intervened. So it was likely that many believed that it was the goddess who did that. But given some of the fearful and strange stares he kept getting from both Maia's surviving group and a few Knights inside the castle — it was clear that there were many who knew the truth but stayed quiet out of fear.

"Ah, there you are!" Archer turns as he hears Maia's voice from behind. She had a massive grin on her face from being the first to find him.

"How did you know?" 

"Well, you're the kind of wallflower who prefers peace and quiet above all else. So I asked myself where he would hide if he wanted to be alone." She explained, cozying up next to him, as she could feel the heat from the man when sitting next to him. "So here I am." 

"For a moment there, I thought you were a detective. You seem to have it all figured out, haven't you?" He joked, not minding the redhead being close to him.

"Well, I always see you deep in thought. You don't talk much, but when you do, it makes sense. Granted, you come off sounding like a snarky asshat most of the time but still... It's like you've got this mind palace where all your answers are stored. I'm not sure how to put it... But I found it fascinating, so I came here to listen."

Archer nodded along. "Yeah, I guess you could say that... But I won't indulge that idea further."

"I think you've got plenty to tell," she said, leaning forward, their faces inches apart. Her hair dangled over her shoulders as she did, enhancing her beauty more than ever. 

It was kinda pleasant.

"Hicks's dead, isn't he?"

His eyes almost widened a bit at that sudden statement, but was able to stop himself before he gave himself away. Just as he was about to deny it, she continued.

"Don't try to hide it or anything. I suspected this when the others told me that you came to save them all on your own without Kin and Hicks by your side. I doubt Kin died. That man can even survive being thrown into an erupting volcano with his magic." 

There wasn't a trace of anger or anguish on her face. Instead, she gazed forward with a calm and collected demeanor. Which, after everything that has happened so far, was the last thing Archer expected from her. The man was anticipating a rage-filled Maia to lash out at him with her blades while signaling for Luu-Luu to bring in reinforcements. 

"I had this feeling… ever since he joined us for the journey that things would end badly in some way or another, which unsurprisingly, my gut wasn't wrong. We grew up together, but I always knew his anger would be the death of him. Things got weird between us when we joined the Kuroinu, and I guess you could say we grew somewhat distant from that point on. His personality worsened since then, with rumors about his debauchery reaching my ears nearly every week. Along with the Blueborn scandal, I refused to believe it was true, but now…."

Maia still kept the dagger and leather armor Hicks bought for her during their childhood together. The weapon was a derelict forged from pig iron, barely able to resist a couple of hits before turning brittle, yet Hicks was the one who paid for it with what pocket money he had. And to this day, it is one of her most cherished possessions. 

"People change, Maia. Sometimes, not for the better." Archer said, finally speaking up. "You must always presume that those closest to you, those who you've placed trust in, will stab you in the back. Because no matter how well you may think you know someone, they can always turn out to be a wolf in sheepskin. Infatuation is one factor that will blind you from seeing these monsters."

"Are we even talking about Hicks here… Or are you implying something else?" 

He shrugged, "That is up to you to decide. My words will not matter much when I do not have any concrete proof, nor do I plan on gathering any to prove it." 

Archer didn't need permission from any of the seven Shields to reach his goal. Going on a wild goose chase to reveal the heinous crimes of Vult and his gang would be fruitless. Not to mention, it would endanger not only the innocent but Maia as well. He dealt with stubborn leaders in the past, and having Maia be the only one convinced of his words would isolate her from the other Shields. 

"Hicks didn't die because of a demon." She stated, believing that she figured it out.

A slight smirk emerged from Archer's face. 

"You're wrong. He got killed by a Lycan. I couldn't save him due to Kin creating a spell to lock me up." He wasn't lying. The monster known as Crusher dealt the final blow to Hicks while encased in a barrier ironically summoned by Kin to keep him in. While he did take control of it later, that was beside the point.

Maia scoffed lightly, "I don't know what to believe now. Whether it's you or anyone else, my duty as a Shield still stands, and I can't give you a free pass so easily… Can you at least tell me what happened?" 

The man waited for a few seconds before answering, "He tried to kill me, with Kin helping him and I did what any sane person would have done. I defended myself." Maia was no longer the same naive girl who was blinded by her adoration for Vult. 

"So, are you going to throw me inside a dungeon again?" 

Maia laughed, shaking her head, much to his surprise.

"I'm on break now. Luu-Luu and Claudia were already briefed that I was going to resume my duties after I recovered. So for now, I'll just lay back and hang out with you as just the ordinary Maia — a former naïve mercenary who's lovestruck over a man she'll probably never get. Though, I wouldn't mind locking you in my room for a while and giving you some… 'punishment'."

Her hands came to rest on his own. He could feel how warm her touch was. Her skin felt smooth and soft, almost like silk. Her fingers grazed him softly as if she were caressing the side of his cheek. She sat closer, enough for him to feel the warmth of her body .

"Are you going to stay with us until Feoh or leave as soon as this is over?" This was a question that had haunted her since she came here. The possibility that he might be gone the next day made it quite difficult for her to focus most of the time. 

"We'll see."

Maia sighed, expecting that answer "Guess there is a possibility that this might be the last time we get to hang out. My memory tends to fuck up at times, but I pray to Celestine that I'll never forget the moments we had, even the bad ones."

The man closed his eyes, pondering whether what he was about to do next would be the right thing. Archer couldn't push away certain things like he used to do in the past. He didn't want to go down the same path all over again. So, putting down all wayward thoughts... a single name came out of his mouth.

"EMIYA."

The woman looked up at him, startled, but his decision was made. He turned his hand, gripping hers gently, something which Maia wasn't expecting him to do. 

"That's my... name, true name at least, but I also accept Archer." EMIYA scratched the back of his head, "I'm not used to people using this name aside from a few others. Most of the time, I get called Archer, Faker, and other things I rather not mention." 

His talent, history, and versatility qualified him to be summoned as other classes, such as Assassin, Caster, Berserker, and Lancer, were one of his most common cases. But those rarely happened as far as he could remember. Most of the time, it would be Rin messing up somehow with the timing and calling him forth with the pendant as a catalyst — though there was one time someone else summoned him, but that was from a different timeline and has been a while ago. He wasn't going to tell her his full name, as he threw away his identity as Shirou Emiya after everything he did as Counter Guardian. Maybe one day, in a far off distant future, he wouldn't mind being called as such.

Unlike many Heroic Spirits summoned during the Grail War, where their classes were either determined by the summoner themselves or the hero's legend. The entity known as EMIYA didn't have such a requirement, he didn't have a legend to speak of, so it was only his merits acting as a major factor.

Maia's eyes widened, not failing to realize what Archer just gave her. 

"Emiya..." She called him. "I like it... No, I love it. I expected something more grandiose and complicated, but for some reason, this suits you. Reminds me of the names around Kaguya's territory. At least I won't forget your name. Decades from now, I hope you'll still remember someone like me. Never did make a good impression with ya when we first met."

Forget, huh...

Finally, he spoke again. 

"I'm not admitting it, but you aren't easy to forget about. The times we spent together were somewhat fun. But I won't lie. Taking care of you was no different from dealing with a spoiled brat. Nevertheless, what I'm trying to say is that... I guess..." 

Ugh, why was it so hard to say it?

"... You really left an unforgettable impression on me. You and Brynn.."

Maia's cheeks flushed bright red, her lips quivering in delight from his words. She took the initiative to close in on him before reaching around his neck…

And locking her lips with his. 

"—!"

The passion and longing behind that kiss gave Archer pause. He couldn't find it in him to deny her resolve nor explain how it had an affect on him in turn. As such, he conceded and accepted her kiss. 

For once, just letting it happen.

(Lemon start)

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Now within her bear hug, he could feel her breasts cushioning against his chest, which was able to get a reaction out of him, his body heating up. The warmth, the touch, and the kiss, it felt electrifying, a feeling that had been lost to him for so long.

It didn't feel the same with Grace and Anna, as he held no desire nor passion for them. Yet here it was the opposite, and this sensation was shared with the redheaded Princess Knight as her tongue slowly started to invade his mouth.

The kiss broke off once they pulled apart, leaving a strand of saliva between them. They both stood there, Maia breathing heavily. Archer didn't move, his eyes interlocking with hers as she started to make her move, pressing her body closer to his own, as one hand moved to cup his groin.

"I won't lie and say I didn't feel a bit hurt back then when you slept with those two smokin' hot elves…" Maia husked out, her hand moving faster in her massaging. Archer had to repress a groan from her actions, as his cock started to swell, "But I'm not going to hesitate anymore like some shy maiden waiting for a knight in a castle. Right now, I have you cornered, in my arms and I'm not gonna let this chance slip by."

Maia worked in haste to position herself upon him, wrapping her arms and legs around Archer and pulling both of them closer. She felt Archer grab a hold of ass, feeling those strong hands grip plush ass cheeks. Her lips met his once more, this time more passionately and rigorously. Her lips were so soft and warm he could feel them pressed against his own, nearly bruising with how hard she was going at it. He held onto her tightly, kissing her back in the same manner.

Their tongues intertwined, mimicking each other's movements as if they were in a dance. He kissed her deeply, lips locked together as their tongues explored each other's mouths before connecting once again. Their hands groped each other's bodies, touching every inch of flesh they could find. He gripped her ass, before giving a hard slap and a squeeze, making her let out a sharp moan.

"Fuck!" She cursed loudly, sounding more pleased than in pain.

Archer chuckled as he held onto her thigh, feeling the heat coming from her body.

"Let's not talk about this anymore," Maia whispered, gyrating her hips on his stiff groin. "Don't hold yourself back. Fucking pin me down, and ravish me like one of your lovers."

"I don't have any."

"You get my point!" 

He smirked, "As you wish, Princess."

He pushed himself upwards, taking her by surprise as he placed himself above her. She rose as well, giving him the chance to pull off what was the only piece of clothing she wore, her red leotard, pants, boots and her large belt — showing her naked breasts. Maia blushed, covering herself with her arms, feeling uncharacteristically shy on having his eyes on her bare chest. His gaze fell on her and her covered cleavage.

"Really?" he asked, amused that she, of all people, would be the one turning shy all of a sudden.

She shook her head, her blush growing with a mix of annoyance "I-I can't control it! You make me feel weird!" 

It wasn't like this was the first time he saw her naked. They both spent time in the hot springs together and even once in Ken. But this was different.

Her large breasts were firm and shapely, the nipples being erect as if begging for his attention. He smiled, staring at them, and took in a deep breath before taking his armor and shroud off and setting them on the roof. He took his time removing them, enjoying the sight of the woman beneath him slowly being unclothed by his hands.

Maia watched in a daze, lust clouding her vision. A burning sensation that she had never felt before filled her body as she watched him remove his clothes. Her heart beat like never before, and his muscles tensed as he took each piece of his cloth off, revealing his well-toned body.

She marveled at the sight before her, almost drooling in anticipation at having this man close to her.

He was the epitome of what she always desired. Tall and vigorous yet possessing immense grace. Along with his white hair and dark tan skin gave him an exotic look. His V-shaped body was adorned with abs and muscles that were toned to perfection like a statue carved from marble. Combined with his magical and martial capabilities on the battlefield, he truly fit the label.  

"I've seen this many times in the past, but it doesn't get old," Maia said, her eyes running over his abs and pecs. 

Heat spread between her legs, the desire to be taken by him overwhelming her. She crawled towards him, her hands rubbing the protrusion that she had desired for weeks.

"You need to be punished for making me wait this long," Maia whispered before lowering his pants and finally seeing her prize once again. Filled with lust, she pounced on the treasure that filled her so, clutching it in her hand, and got to work on it, inducing a groan from Archer, surprised by her sudden action.

Maia let her hands wander, taking in the feel of his cock and balls. She stroked him slowly, feeling him twitch under her touch. She smiled, knowing that her actions were getting a reaction from him.

"Stop being so smug... did you really think you can make me fold so easily," Archer spoke, finally regaining his composure.

"Is that a challenge?"

Her hands worked their magic, one focused on massaging Archer's rod while the other rubbed her wet folds, coaxing her arousal to flow out as her moans increased in intensity. Archer's hips buckled as he felt the pleasure of her touch and sounds.

"You're good at this..." Archer breathed. "But I'm still far from losing this battle."

Maia chuckled, "And that's why I'll play with you the best I can."

"Oh really?" He crossed his hands. "Let's see that skill in action."

His words were met with Maia pushing her breasts upwards and wrapping his dick between her valleys. While giving his rod a marshmello smothering, watching his cock twitch from the new sensation, she gave it several kisses to the tip with her plump lips. She proceeded to run her tongue over the tip as she vigorously stroked the shaft with her soft globes. It was only a matter of minutes before she felt him reach his limit, feeling it twitch in chest.

"Haah!" Archer grunted as he grabbed onto her shoulders, his cock throbbing and pulsating between her cleavage before firing his load.

Maia moaned, moaning louder as she felt him throb inside her breasts. She wrapped her hands around his waist, keeping him trapped between her breasts. Her mouth opened wide, letting out a loud moan as she took in his seed in her mouth, chest and face.

"Ahh... ahh..." She breathed, finished swallowing the last of his first load.

She sucked him dry, licking the remnants of his cum from her lips. She looked up at him, her expression filled with ecstasy and want. 

She was going crazy, her pussy felt like it was on fire, and the need to have him inside her grew stronger by the second. She looked down, his cock was still hard, throbbing with anticipation, despite reaching his climax.

"I won," she said, her voice trembling. Trying to not show how much she is turned on from her boobjob, "Now it's your turn to show me what you got, big boy."

She got on all fours while facing away from him, spreading her lips apart to show her wet pussy. He gulped, staring at her pink pussy and seeing how aroused she was, as her essences spilled between her legs.

"Come here," Maia said, her eyes glued to his eyes, her desires telling him what she wanted. "Give me my prize, Emiya."

Archer reached out and grabbed her hips, guiding his cock toward her. He rubbed the head along her slit, teasing her as he felt her smooth skin. Finally, he pressed forward, entering her with ease, thanks to the lubricant.

"Nn!" Maia groaned, her eyes widening as he entered her, and spread her walls further than she could imagine.

He pulled out briefly before thrusting back into her immediately. He slid deeper inside, plunging into her tight tunnel, filling her inch by inch. She moaned, arching her back as she felt his member buried inside her. 

"Yeah..." She breathed out, her mind becoming a bit hazy. "Fuck… More..."

 Seeing it as a sign, he proceeded to fill her completely with his girth, making her howl in ecstasy as she felt every inch of him finally inside. Her walls contracted to squeeze his shaft tightly, locking him in place.

"Ahh~!" She cried out, pressing her ass on his waist, eager to get him closer. "Fuuuuck~!"

The pleasure of their fucking was amplified as they start to move their hips, driving them both crazy. The sensation of his cock was unlike anything she ever knew. Every movement made her wetter and tighter. It felt like there was a furnace in their connection. She clenched her teeth, her nails digging into the roof tiles and even breaking them as she unconsciously harnessed more of her strength to handle the pleasure. Archer groaned, pushing himself deep within her, grabbing onto her hips, and pounding her hard with Maia returning the pace.

"Mm! Ah~ Nn!" Maia cried out. "Aaah~! More~! Please~! Don't stop~!"

She shivered as he hit her deepest parts, his cock penetrating her core and hitting her innermost regions. The pleasure was overwhelming. Her mind was clouded by lust and pleasure. 

"Maia..." Archer spoke, his intentions clear.

"Just cum in me. If you stop for even a second, then I'm going to kill you!" 

Her body shook from her pussy milking his seed. He groaned, his member throbbing as he felt her walls clamp down on him.

"Ahh~!"

She came, her tongue hanging out as she arched her neck back and her eyes rolling up from the euphoria.

"Ah~!"

Her orgasm sent shockwaves through her body, her entire frame shaking as she gasped for air.

"Haah... haah... oooh~" Maia huffed, coming down from her high, feeling sparks of pleasure from the cum.

Archer stopped thrusting, his cock throbbing as he felt his seed flowing out before he pulled out of her. Maia let out a weak moan from his action, feeling his cum escape her snatch like a thick white river and on to the tile roof.

"Haa," he sighed, feeling a bit conflicted at what happened but not regretting his actions. He wasn't a machine devoid of emotions, after all. He had just merely repressed them. 

'I haven't felt this in a long time.'

He couldn't even remember the last person he slept with. That was before he died. A memory period lost in the annals of time.

But before he could figure this out, a sudden weight on his waist brought his attention back to Maia, who was now sitting on top of him. Her front was all wet from sweat glistening down her skin, and with the sun shining behind her, the woman certainly looked quite beautiful from his position. 

But the thing that caught his attention was the still present lust in her eyes. A carnal desire that she still gave off while looking at him.

'This isn't good...'

"You think a single round will satisfy me?" Maia said loudly, panting as she grabbed his dick and rubbed it again, bringing it back to life. "Want me to tell you a little secret? I can use my blessing for other things other than battles."

"..."

"I can amplify my stamina as well!"

Her body lowered as she thrust his member right back inside. She leaned forward, kissing his lips as she kept riding him, her moans muffled by their kiss as she slammed her hips down with a loud clap. 

"Mm! Mmm!"

Maia moved swiftly, a sharp cry escaping her lips as her pussy squeezed down on his member as she continued to kiss Archer. He groaned as she started riding him hard, slamming herself on his shaft. The pleasure of her tight tunnel was overwhelming. The sensation of her insides squeezing him with each fall left him gasping for air.

The muscles within her body shifted, moving to sit on his lap. Her tits jiggled in a hypnotizing manner as she kept slamming herself onto him at a brutally fast pace. 

"Haah... haa~" Maia cried out, her face flushed a light red as she was already lost in her world of pleasure. No longer trying to hide her voice and moaning loudly.

If Archer didn't have other things to think about, he would've been surprised at how they haven't broken through the roof from how hard Maia was slamming into him. 

"Ahhh! Ahh~!"

Archer gritted his teeth, his own cock throbbing as he watched her ride his cock. He could feel his seed rising within him, waiting for another release.

"Mmaa!!" Maia screamed as her orgasm slammed down on her, making her tighten down on his dick. 

"Urgh!" 

Just as he was about to cum for a second time, Maia sensed it and got off his member. Her pussy still pressed against his groin as it started shooting out ropes of his seed.

His load shot out like a geyser, splashing her front and coating her belly and breasts with his cum. 

"Mm~!" Maia moaned, enjoying the warm cum on her skin and watching the cum drip down her body. "Amazing..."

"You're an insatiable woman," Archer said, feeling his heart beat quickly from what just happened before it gradually slowed down, "I wonder if I should expect next time."

"Who told you that we were done?" 

"..."

The man felt like he heard wrong, his head slowly turning towards the redhead. His left eye twitched when he saw her still filled with energy and eagerness.

"Ara? Are you perhaps tired? Is the mighty Archer, slayer of demon armies, and great mage of unknown magic about to admit defeat and run away from little old me?" 

"Are you even human?" He asked, watching the girl continue to tease him. "And don't challenge me. You'll regret it. I promise you that."

"Ha! I just think you're too tired and embarrassed to admit—kyah!" 

Maia's words were cut off as Archer pulled her arm and pressed her back against the cold floor of the tiles of the castle. His hands reached for her thigh and lifted it.

"Let's see how much stamina you have after sleeping for a day, hm?" He smirked, shoving his dick inside her once again.

"Wha--?! Ahh~!"

Maia's eyes went wide, her mouth opening wide as she cried out in pleasure at the sudden intrusion.

They didn't stop until the sky turned a deep orange color. At that point, even the Princess Knight's Magical Energy reserves ran completely dry.

Both returned back inside with different ideas in mind. Archer wanted to take a long bath, while Maia decided it was perfect for cuddling. Maia didn't bother covering herself along the way, far too proud of her body to hide, and mostly because she was lost in a happy bliss, causing the female maids to blush furiously from seeing her fluid-stained body.

"I nearly died today," Archer said as he relaxed in his bath with Maia on his lap, as she rested on his chest.

Maia let out a laugh at that statement, as she was thinking the same thing. Not the best way to die, but she considered it better than most if she was being honest.

She felt happy. No, she felt overjoyed, feeling like she was finally fulfilled after a long time. 

'Is this what it feels like to be in love?' thought Maia, feeling herself getting lost in these great sensations. Being this close to Archer, left her in a state of calm and content, as she continued to hold his large hand with his much smaller one. 'Emiya….'

She let out a pleased hum when she felt him wrapped an arm around her waist, being pulled closer. Maia knew without a doubt that she would remember this day for the rest of her life. Feeling her eyes grow heavy from exhaustion of the sex competition, combined with the comfortable warmth and his heartbeat, made it a losing battle for her to stay awake. 

The redhead had fallen asleep from the warm water and the pleasure that Archer had given her. A smile plastered on her face as she snuggled into his chest. 

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(Lemon end)

{Break}

Back inside the castle, Brynn was glaring at both her master and Maia, suspicion evident in her eyes. Something felt off between these two, especially with the latter wearing that goofy pleased smile for the last hour. It was almost as if she was intoxicated, and the random fit of giggling whenever she looked at Archer didn't help from drawing some attention to the Princess Knight.

"Just what happened?" Brynn couldn't help but ask inquisitively.

"Hehehehe~!" Maia just continued laughing while twirling a strand of her red locks like a love sick maiden. Maia was still on a high when she thought about recent events, and nearly let out another giggle, thanking Celestine that what happened was not a lewd dream.

"Nothing." Archer answered quickly, but calmly, trying his best to act normal with his arms locked and focusing on the task at hand — Luu-Luu's request. 

He clapped his hands, getting both girls' attention. "Okay, before we get derailed any further over the topic of the conversation, let's get everything done now while we still have time."

Both women nodded their heads, their attention focusing on Archer and waiting for him to continue speaking.

Making sure that they were paying attention, he continued.

"Alright, from Luu-Luu's reports, there have been multiple murders around her territory, targetting officials and members responsible for running and managing important aspects of the city. Such as Han Hilt, captain of the guards responsible for the Princess Knight's safety as well as organizing the guards. Kalle, bishop of the only cathedral in the city, responsible for taking care of the poor and injured since Luu-Luu came to power. Not to mention a few others as well, a member of the merchant guild, several nobles and a few high positioned black smiths that helped with production, all the targeted individuals had a hand in keeping this place stable. And the cause of death had been poisoning or a dagger to the heart. This has been happening for a few months now and needs to end before things get out of control." 

Brynn frowned, "Someone is obviously trying to usurp the Princess Knight's power over the kingdom." She said, worried about what kind of chaos could occur if such things weren't stopped immediately.

Archer nodded his head, "Yes, that seems to be the case. That is why we will make our move today. There seems to be a pattern with this killer, striking every two weeks or so, and we just happen to be near the date of the next strike."

"This is worrisome," Maia spoke, having broken out of her daze and focusing on the current predicament. "I never had to deal with such issues in my own territory."

Rolling his eyes, Archer remarked internally how it wasn't necessary for anyone to use tricks against her when she had barely any control over Ken to begin with. Not to mention, she didn't delegate her duties to other members of her circle and instead chose to manage everything by herself, failing horribly in the process. 

'One could even say that the true ruler was none other than Hicks, who just died recently...'

"I understand how dire it is," Brynn spoke, looking uneasy. "But shouldn't we wait till she wakes up?" She pointed to her left, where at the corner was none other than Luu-Luu, dead asleep on the wooden table with drool on her face

"Hmm... Kansh... ou..." And, of course, Archer wasn't surprised at what she was dreaming about.

"She's been mentioning those words for quite a while… Like, I know those swords of yours are quite powerful, but I didn't expect her to react like that." Maia said, wondering what the hell the halfling was dreaming about with those swords.

Brynn remained silent. The scene of Archer using a single morphed blade to destroy an army of Orcs back in Grünes was still fresh in her mind. She shivered at the thought of what  Luu-Luu might do to Archer if or when she were to find out about it. 

'She'll probably try to kidnap him or worse.' 

Unfortunately for the halfling, she didn't get to sleep for another second when Maia's fists knocked her awake.

"Argh! My head! You brute!" She shouted, making the redhead roll her eyes at her whining.

"Oh, stop being dramatic. I didn't even use half my strength, so I doubt that you felt it. We're here trying to save your kingdom from the brink of ruin, and you're here sleeping like a log."

"How can I focus?" She moaned, grabbing hold of her temples and wincing in pain. "I've been having headaches for the last few days! I'm not used to this kind of lifestyle anymore, you know! On top of that, you realize how many times I scourged the castle to find this man?" The halfling pointed at Archer. "Where were you this entire time!?

A giant goofy grin grew on Maia's face, "In heaven~."

"Eh?"

"What?"

Clap

Archer quickly diverted their attention back to him to avoid Maia revealing anything about their escapade. Eyeing Brynn squinting at him, he could tell that she had become suspicious about their behavior. 

"Now, brat, you told me that you have an idea who will be the next victim, right?" He spoke, sighing in annoyance.

"Well, yes..."

"And?"

The halfling frowned, a serious expression on her face for once, "It's probably going to be Gaius."

{Break}

Later on, everyone found themselves standing in the main throne room.

"Unacceptable!" Anger and disbelief spread across the hall as Gaius couldn't believe what he had just heard. "Me? As the next target? And out of everyone, this foreigner is given the responsibility of protecting me? I can't accept that!"

Tension was thick in the air as everyone considered the situation before them. 

Getting the attention of those around him, Archer calmly rebuked Gaius, "Trust me, I find staying anywhere near you just as troublesome." 

"Gaius, I am aware that you don't trust him, but I assure you that he won't let anything happen to you." Luu-Luu stood firm, giving no room for argument.

Getting on his knees with his head pressed against the floor, he begged the Princess Knight. "I am more likely to die by this man's hand first before the assassin could ever get to me. We do not know of his origins. He could be a spy for all we know!" 

'If he was Vult's ally, he wouldn't be wrong. Though I probably would've let the killer get him. Save me the trouble.'

"Careful there, bud. I think you're being a bit of an ass right now. So calm down. He ain't no secret spy out here to kill us all." Maia spoke, though her voice was serene— This pompous ass was getting on her nerves. She didn't like his tone one bit, especially with how he was talking about Archer.

"With all due respect, Maia-sama. I find it hard to believe that you have gained so much trust in such a man so quickly. Don't you find it strange that no matter where he goes, trouble follows? His first appearance in Kin led to an Orc invasion, then when he crossed the border, another demonic army popping out of nowhere ambushed them. For centuries, not once has Olga ever breached that territory, that is, until he stepped foot there!" 

To be fair, the man was stating valid points in Archer's opinion. The Counter Guardian knew he had terrible luck, but it couldn't be so bad as to attract an entire horde of enemies every so often, right? 

Maybe this was a sign that Olga was aware of him from the beginning and was plotting to kill him at every turn to keep her advantage over Celestine. It was a big maybe, but a possibility he couldn't deny. 

'Hm, it would be best to get the answer directly from her mouth.' 

But in all honesty, after everything he had to deal with, before and after coming here, he was pretty sure that it was because of his shitty E-rank luck, and everyone here turned out to be unfortunate to have gotten caught in it.

"You're calling him a spy for the Dark Queen?" Luu-Luu asked, giving her assistant a stern stare.

"I suspect him being the Dark Queen's lapdog, sent here to destroy us from the inside."

His words were not well received.

"You dare insult, my master!" Brynn was furious, stomping her feet in anger. "At least have the courage to face the enemy while people like you continue to hide behind like rats!"

"What did you say—"

"ENOUGH!" The red bowman had enough of this argument. It was clear that the man absolutely refused to have him as his bodyguard. "You know what? I have an idea, Brynn. As your master, I'm giving you your first mission." 

"Eh?" 

{Break}

Night had fallen, the moon glowing brightly against the darkness, its light illuminating the surrounding areas. The streets had been relatively quiet despite it being the perfect mood to enjoy the cool breeze and moonlight.

However, standing in front of the gates of the castle stood a lone figure staring blankly at the entrance to the castle grounds. The shady individual donned black robes and hoods over their head. The only way anyone could see their face was from the reflection of the moonlight on their pale white skin.

This hooded figure reached into his robe to pull out a short sword, gripping it tightly as a buzzing noise could be heard from him. Looking up to the sky momentarily before returning his gaze to the ground below. A dark aura surrounded him, the buzzing becoming intensifying and becoming stronger as he drew closer to the main gate.

The guards stationed nearby noticed the cloaked individual approaching.

"Halt! Identify yourself!" One guard cried out, drawing his weapon and marching towards the cloaked figure, to see what they were doing, "You're not allowed to be her—Argh!" The man felt a sharp pain in his foot and looked down only to find a horrifying sight.

"W-What in the name of Celestine!?" The second guard exclaimed, suddenly finding themselves surrounded by thousands of grotesque giant blood worms that were eating away at the other guard's foot. 

"Eep!" The man screamed, as the blood worms continued to eat through his flesh.

"Get away!" The second guard cried, unsheathing his sword. Ready to slash at the crawling hoard. 

"Ha!" 

He swung his blade, cutting off one of the worms. Yet another one appeared in its place, continuing to devour the first guard's leg. "Nngg!" Another worm bit into his shoulder, and he fell to the ground screaming before he was swarmed by more of the worms. His comrade tried to run to his aid, only to meet the same fate.

The guards collapsed on the ground, writhing in agony as dozens more different types of giant insects attacked him. Their screams were silenced by the sounds of crunching bones and wet slurping sounds.

The hooded figure walked past the bodies, having watched the entire ordeal with a passive look as he left behind a trail of dark crimson blood. Which soon got devoured by the critters under his command — leaving not a trace behind.

"Those who cannot see the will of the Insect God will serve as food for his children." He whispered as he made his way inside the castle. "I shall not fail you, Shamuhaza-sama." 

After a few minutes, he encountered some minor inconveniences.

"Halt!" One of the men's shouts warned the individual. "Only people with the proper permits may enter the castle grounds! You are trespassing!"

The cloaked individual ignored in return, entering the castle without a shred of fear. The guard tried to hinder him but found their path blocked by a swarm of giant insect creatures that emerged from the shadows.

"Aaaah!" The man screamed, trying to escape, only to find himself swallowed whole by the swarm of grotesque creatures.

The guard started to panic, only to be stabbed by the hooded figure, as he suddenly appeared behind him.

It wasn't long before he arrived at his target's room, having quickly disposed of the guards at the front door. He needed to hurry. Others would discover the corpses and signal the guards. He had to act fast and return to the temple to prepare for their invasion of Kaguya's domain.

The cloaked figure put his hand over the doorknob where a tiny red worm exited his flesh and squeezed through the keyhole, and it didn't take long before the door opened with a click.

Inside was the figure of someone lying on the bed with their body covered by a red blanket. 

"Humph, even with death looming, this fool still manages to find time to sleep." He mocked, brandishing his sword inches from his target. He would be taking the final kill himself, not his insect subordinates. Whether out of pride or tradition from his life before joining the Insect God house — he couldn't tell. But he had always found it satisfying to see the life in their eyes slowly extinguish, and the last person that they see is the one responsible for ending them.

The man swiftly plunged the blade, cutting through the sheets deep into the body. 

"Hm?" 

To his surprise, there was no blood, nor did he feel the pressure from stabbed flesh.

"It can't be..." Removing the covers, his eyes widened in frustration as he realized it was just a  bundle of pillows!

"I got you, criminal scum!" A pair of muscular arms grabbed onto him with such force that he dropped his sword. 

It was Gaius, jumping out of the closet with full-plated armor. He grabbed the hooded figure, slamming him against the wall, and pinned him down. "Who sent you!?" He shouted in anger.

"Get devoured, you pig!" The hooded figure shouted in anger. The room was suddenly flooded by thousands of insects, squirming through every crevice, and heading straight for Gaius.

"I always hated bugs. Time to burn all of them." 

"Don't—!"

He never finished his sentence as Gaius, still holding on to the assassin, jumped straight out of the window, igniting the fire torch connected to a large oil barrel.

Boom!

The flames engulfed everything in sight, and the insects, unable to escape the blast, were incinerated into ash.

"Noooo!" The assassin shouted, pained by the loss of his faithful insects. "Argh!"

Both men fell into a large pond, water splashing everywhere. The assassin struggled to free himself from Gaius's grip but was unable too, as the large man held him tightly. It was only thanks to his sword that he was able to dislodge the man's grip on him as he was able to stab Gaius arm.

"I'll make you pay for this!" Swearing as he swam to the shoreline, the assassin started coughing up water as he gathered his bearings. He looked upwards at the burning room where he could hear the cries of his insects.

"Shit!" Gaius reached the surface, having a hard time getting up with his bleeding limb. He tried to get up but was incapable of doing it, watching as his assailant came closer with another swing, aiming for his head.

Clang!

Fortunately for him, Brynn showed up at the last second.

"You sure took your time." He scolded her, applying some pressure on his wounds, as he got out of the fountain.

"The outside was swarmed with mutated insects! I couldn't reach you in time." She answered, trying to keep her balance steady, while she continued to block the blade.

"What about my master? Is she safe!?" 

"Don't worry, Maia-sama is with her. Worry about yourself first!" 

Having to fight with one arm was more difficult than she expected. Even now, as she held this person back, her hand shook from the standstill. Even with Celestine's blessing, she was only half as effective.

"A cripple thinks she can beat me? How laughable!" 

She kicked him away, but he recovered with ease as he was back up in less than a second.

"Worthless little cripple. You think you can beat me! I should cut off the rest of your limbs, bring you as a breeding sow for our god!"

Brynn gritted her teeth, preparing herself for another round of attacks.

The hooded figure charged forward, swinging his sword viciously at her. However, she managed to dodge most of it, only suffering minor cuts. She nearly tripped on multiple occasions.

"Hmm, but I thought I'd have much more fun killing you after you killed our precious insects." He grinned evilly, holding back his speed to give her an opportunity to counterattack. "Even now, you're not worth the time after all. Haha! Just die already!"

Brynn dodged another attack, taking a moment to catch her breath. She was still tired from having to deal with the insects, having to use more strength without her other arm to help in . That moment only lasted for so long before the man, faster than she had expected, struck her ribs with a kick, sending her tumbling to the ground.

She grunted, feeling the pain throbbing inside her body. As if sensing her weakness, the hooded man rushed forth and hacked at her.

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

Brynn growled and huffed as she desperately tried to defend herself, managing to block his strikes but barely surviving each hit as he was going too fast for her. Her arm was growing numb with each hit, her muscles starting to feel heavier as he continued to hack at her with unbridled rage and fanaticism.

This was humiliating. She shouldn't be having this much trouble if she had both of her arms. This kind of enemy would have taken a few seconds to take down, yet here she was, struggling for life while being on the defensive. She recalled Archer's story, how someone who he considered superior to himself only had one arm as well.

'And to think he has such expectations from me...' Brynn thought with shame as she watched her opponent continue his assault. 

'Why am I so weak?' She wondered, knowing only one answer.

Her doubts.

"Enough!" Brynn yelled in order to snap herself out of her trance.

No matter how fast she swung, her attacks would never hit. Even with twice his strength, she didn't have a good grip with her single hand, not having a chance to get used to fighting with one arm. So a single strike was all she needed to end this man once and for all and to get that hit... she needed to take a risk.

In a move that would have labeled her as a fool, she opened her guard, showing her unprotected front body to the assassin. 

"So you decided to give up, good! I would have preferred to use your body as a breeding tool to give birth to more of the Insect God's children, but I'll just find someone else before I leave."

He fell for it, swinging his sword towards her. The blade came closer while she stayed still, watching everything happen in slow motion. Her heart beat rapidly in dread, facing what could easily be her death. But just as he was about to cut her neck, she swung around and faced her stump towards the blade.

Clang!

The weapon cut through some layer of the hardened plaster and leather, even reaching her bone. She bit her lip, blood leaking from the action, as she felt as if molten lava seared her skin. 

"What!?" His sword was stuck. It would take only a few seconds to pry it out, but that small window was all she needed to strike him down!

Swish!

Brynn pushed through the pain and decapitated the man's head. Blood sprayed everywhere, his head rolling next to Gaius, who grew a little sick from the sight.

"Ew, disgusting."

Bam!

The headless corpse crumbled to the ground. Gaius nearly threw up on what happened next, and if Brynn wasn't in so much pain, she would have followed his lead. The black robes wiggled and chittered, as if moving on their own, before hundreds of insects crawled out from every corner of his body, including from his severed head, before disappearing into the darkness. 

"Haa... Haa... Ha..."

Brynn stood there, the assassin's sword still stuck to her stump as droplets of blood trickled off the hilt. Her head felt light, vision got blurry as she tried to recover from her ordeal.

"I... I'm still alive?" It was almost impossible to believe it. Everything seemed so surreal to her. She won, and that was despite only having one arm.

Brynn tried to walk, but her knees gave out. 

"I got you." A gruff voice came from her side as someone caught her before she could hit the ground. 

She looked around and saw those familiar silver eyes looking at her proudly.

"Master?" She asked, confused. She didn't realize that Archer had picked her up in a bridal style, if she did, she would've been blushing up a storm.

"You did well. I got worried there for a second... Never thought you would use such a move. Nevertheless, you won, so congratulations, Brynn." A suicidal move that would have resulted in her death if she had made the slightest mistake, a suitable technique against foes far stronger and more skilled. 

She tried to smile but felt a wave of exhaustion hit as the adrenaline left her body.

"Go to sleep, Maia will be leaving tomorrow for Feoh, and Luu-Luu will have a gift for you as well." He said gently, his soothing voice relaxing her body as she knew that she was in safe hands.

The girl nodded, closing her eyes as her head rested gently on his chest, as the steady rhythm of his heart helped lull her to sleep in Archer's embrace.

Meanwhile, Archer's gaze went down towards the large blood worm trying to escape into the forest, being the last one to exit the corpse of the assassin. A rather unpleasant memory of the past resurfaced in his mind, filling him with a sudden burst of rage and his face contorted into disgust for a bit before returning to normal.

The worm in question shrieked as a single dagger formed in the air before killing it.

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

The next 5 chapters of Snafu, Harry Potter and my 3 other Fate fics (Fate Coiling Sword and To love a sword having 3 chapters) are already available on my P@treon. With 4 more Broly chapters at /NimtheWriter. Also, I post monthly commissioned arts on each story, already posted a few on an Archer's Promise, Broly and Snafu.