Fate/Heroes - Chapter 46

The aftermath of the Invasion of Themiscyra left the biggest beach on the island completely unusable in the wake of Gray’s wanton destruction. The blood of both men and Amazons soaked the sandy white beaches of the paradise, turning the sands red with blood.

The bodies of the deceased members of the Church of Areopagus were burned while the bodies of the fallen Amazons were given a proper burial.

Gray wanted to ȧssist with the digging of the graves, but Diana put a hand on his shoulder and shook her head silently.

“You may mean well Gray, but this is something that they have to do”.

All the Heroic Spirits within his Class Card agreed. Even Saver who was normally silent told Gray that for the Amazons, it would be a sign of disrespect to help bury their family. The only way they could overcome this connection to their mortal lives, is if they gave them up willingly.

Such is the path to becoming a Buddha.

The pair of heroes left the sight of the burial ground, opting to head to another part of the island, going through the city on their way there. Gray, being a man attracted the attention of everyone they passed, earning both looks of admiration and suspicion in the eyes of the Amazons.

Diana gave a wry smile at their actions and whispered to the man standing beside her,

“Don’t worry about them. Most haven’t seen a man in over a thousand years. It’s only natural that they are a little bit wary of you”.

Gray didn’t give the whispers that he heard from Diana’s fellow Amazons much thought, only following the demigod as she guided him to a cliff overlooking the beach which was invaded by the metahumans and demigods.

The scent of gunpowder and iron filled the pairs lungs. A massive fire still burned strong on the beach, with several Amazons guarding the prisoners who had metal chains wrapped around them. The Anti-Divine trait within said chains restricted the movement of the four demigods.

Diana spoke once more.

“I have to thank you for letting them borrow your chains. I don’t know how you got them, nor what they are, but they are perfect for restricting those with Divinity”.

Gray nodded his face expressionless as always.

“You would not be familiar with their origins. They do not possess a Greek origin”.

“But they are of another mythology? Is that what you mean?”, Wonder Woman couldn’t help but ask, but seeing the lack of answers from Gray, she dropped the line of questioning.

“Why did you help us? How did you even know about the attack on Themiscyra?”.

Gray turned his head, and sent a glance over to the most beautiful woman in the world. His eyes turned back to the deep, black irises her normally had, and his hair no longer the waist length that it was on the battlefield.

“I attacked a base of the Church of Areopagus. It was disguised as a gang hideout yet I found copies of Greek weapons like Zeus’ thunderbolt and Poseidon’s trident. There I found plans for an invasion from all the branches of the Church on Themiscyra. Although the Amazons probably don’t want to see a man on their shores, I came anyway to help defend against Ares. Unfortunately he himself didn’t come to Themiscyra…..”.

Diana nodded, understanding just how Gray had come to Themiscyra, but not “why” he chose to defend the paradise of women.

“By why did “you” come to save this place. You should know that the League already knows who you are…. Achilles”.

The Rider Class Servant wanted to leap out of his Class Card and flirt with the Princess of Themiscyra but Gray suppressed the feeling of attraction building up inside of him, not helping that some of the other Class Cards were feeling the same way.

He gave a small smile and the pair’s gazes never left the other. The Pseudo-Servant and the daughter of Zeus tried to break the other by unleashing their Divinity on each other, but to no avail.

“….. Do you believe that I’m Achilles?”.

Diana frowned under Gray’s small smile, not understanding the question.

“I do not understand. How could you be anyone other than the near-immortal warrior? You have a speed that matches even metahuman speedsters and a skill with the spear which no-one in this era could match. You yourself used pankration on Superboy and even proudly called yourself a member of the Archean Army! If not Achilles, than who are you!?”.

Gray’s smile seemed to become a little bit faker as a self-depreciating chuckle left his lips.

“Me? I’m just a man”.

The Greek hero stamped her feet on the ground, causing the earth beneath them to shake violently. Her temper had been pushed by the actions of the man in front of her, whose continuous smile continued to annoy her to no end.

“I have a question for you daughter of Zeus. Why are you on Themiscyra? I suspected you would be here, but didn’t think that you would make it in time for the battle”, Gray took several steps forward, getting closer towards Diana before standing directly in front of the only female member of the Trinity.

She seemed almost outraged at the question.

“Why? This is my home! Did you just expect me to run away as the the followers of Ares burn and enslave my fellow Amazons? Do you think that I wouldn’t give my life to protect my sisters?!”.

“Why are you so angry?”, Gray asked.

“I don’t know!”. She exclaimed.

The most beautiful woman in the world punched a nearby tree dozens of meters back. She let out a deep and profound sigh as she looked up at Gray whose smiling face vanished, and a look of concern marred his face.

“Perhaps this isn’t the best time. You also just lost many people, maybe even more so than some of the other Amazons”.

Diana clutched the Pelt of the Divine Beast that was wrapped around her body, before looking up at Gray with a confused look on her face.

“Where did you get the Pelt of the Nemean Lion? As well as the catalysts to summon the Stymphalian Birds and the Guard God of the Underworld? And what about those black sword and those guns? How do such weapons exist this this world?”.

Gray put a hand to his chin before shrugging his shoulders.

“Would you believe me if I said a magical time travelling vampire gave them to me?”.

Wonder Woman shook her head in disagreement.

“Then that’s the answer you’re going to get”.

The twitch on Diana’s left eye was more cute than irritated in the mind of the Pseudo-Servant. A hand extended towards hers, and her eyebrows raised a fraction of a centimeter, before looking at Gray with a confused look.

She took the hand readily, if only for a courtesy before seeing a much more real smile on Gray’s lips. The tension filled conversation seemed to get just a little bit less stressful, and the daughter of Zeus steadied her breathing.

Gray spoke,

“If you want to know more than meet me at the New York Museum in three days. Bring something formal, I plan on going to dinner afterwards as well”.

Diana showed a bewildered expression.

“Are you asking me out on a date?”.

The smile on Gray’s face seemed to both irritate her and cause an unknown curiosity to spark within her.

“Yes. Yes I am”.