Fate/Zero: A Different Path

Chapter 48

The door is kicked down as light flooded the room. Gunfire blazed through the air as bullets mow down the stationsry defense guards. A blur of red hair dash forward, slicing through the two Magecraft golem with immaculate efficiency

"Gray. Check corners"

The gray haired girl grabbed her weapon and switched it into a shield before rushing forward. A rain of magic projectiles slammed against her defense, but she hold steadfast as her sister drew a bow behind her

Three arrows were let loose, piercing through the guards and explode inside them, sending chunks of flesh through the air. Gray snapped Add back to scythe form and slash through the third one before they could attack Shirou, while the latter vault over her and drove ber blade against the fourth one

The two targets were dispatched, leaving the two of them standing amidst numerous corpses of the same quality. Shirou look over the workshop around them

There was a sense of quietness in the air. Dust linger at the edge of her vision

"So this is what Chaldea used to be..."

Her sister walked past her

"Lord Father said the previous Animusphere started this operation before passing it onto his son"

"How did it come to this?"

"The current lord Animusphere have dropped all interest in the project when our father grant him authority for the new organization, effectively abandoning this place in 2008"

Gray step forward and inspect the fallen guards. There is one common properties. All have dull eyes and similar facial expression, as if a person has clone themselves repeatedly, resulting in different flawed versions of themselves

She narrowed her eyes

"These are all Homunculus. Looks like we're not far from our objective"

"Then that means she's hiding here" Shirou remark "Let's check inside"

Weapons in hand, the two entered the final sector.

The light around them dimmed to the point of visibility being non-existence. There was a soft clicking sound in rhe darkness courtesy of their equipments, but along that there is the sound of breathing

Thump. Thump. The heartbeat goes steady and strong. The sign that they are not alone in this facility

"Mash Kyrielight?" Gray called out to the darkness "We have came to retrieve you from the compound. By the order of the Clock Tower's director, you are granted protection and sanctuary to be free on the outside world. Please come out if you can hear us"

There is a rustling in the corner of her eyes. Shirou reverse her grip on her weapon while Gray's hand tightened around her scythe. An undeniable pressure has descended on the room.

Her eyes roaming around, Gray caught sight of a silhouette standing at the edge of the room

"Who's there?"

Its head snapped up

The next moment, an ungodly scream tore through the silence

Someone rush forward from darkness. Reacting quickly, Shirou blocked their attack and bash them on the head with the sword's handle. She spun around to their back and caught them as the body crumpled

The elder Emiya raise the still body up for inspection

"Is this Mash?"

Gray took a look, and shake her head. Shirou unceremoniously stabbed it in the neck.