Chapter 17: Bounded fields
"On the path of saving the majority I have lost a lot of people close to me, so you have to decide if it is worth it for you," said Kirtsugu.
With a depressed look, he started explaining his past to shirou. He told shirou how he is the 5th generation heir of the emiya family, he never knew about his mother and was raised by his father.
He talked about how the clock tower enforcers caught on to them when one of his friends had an accident and became a dead apostle.
He had to kill her and then kill his father and had only his mentor Natalia left who also got him his magic crest after bargaining with the tower.
His actions of being forced to kill his mentor, no his foster mother.
And at last, the sacrifices of his partner and wife for the grail were meaningless. How he still cannot meet his daughter.
As he finished this shirou said nothing and just hugged his dad while he was reminded of the scenes that kiritsugu talked about.
How the priest whom he knows as Kirei killed his father`s partner while she was protecting his mother.
He remembers the silver-haired woman resting in their shed and then dying.
But when Kritsugu`s words sunk in shirou realised he had a sister. So he asked about her to kiritsugu.
Looking at the moon kiritsugu replied
"She is still with the Einzbern family. Now that the Grail War is done and she will most likely not live till the next Grail war, I will go to Germany and bring her here to live with us."
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So the holidays ended and the school opened again.
Shirou continued his training in all 4 subjects and achieved different levels of success.
Walking to school shirou pondered about his magecraft training last night. Crossing the gate he met Shinji walking up to Rin and her saying something harsh and turning around.
Shirou comforted Shinji and then moved on to class alongside him, while Shinji grumbled stuff like
"We are of similar status! How can she not even respect me."
"She should be honoured that Shinji Matou talked to her."
Hearing this the disgust shirou felt mixed with the initiate disgust making him wish to project a nail below Shinji`s foot.
During the lunch break, shirou met Rin and they greeted each other and ate in comfortable silence. While eating with his face down shirou missed the changing expression on Rin`s face.
Rin`s thoughts were struck with a dichotomy
The break ended before Rin`s turmoil could, hence they went back to their respective classes.
Before going home shirou waited at the gate, meeting up with Issei they chatted for a bit and then bid farewell.
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Reaching home shirou found Taiga waiting for him. In the lesson, he was taught about the importance of discipline through a thrashing.
As Taiga went to her lessons, he went to the kitchen and prepared a quick dinner.
After dinner shirou mediated with the mystic code while channelling structural grasp. After that, he practised mage craft and pushed himself to exhaustion.
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The month passed by in this rhythm.
Shirou practised his crafts, talked with his friends and family and occasionally Rin who for some reason seemed to avoid him.
Shirou rapidly improved in swordsmanship shocking Taiga and making her take him more seriously which resulted in a beating.
Shirou was now able to use guns at entry level and was able to move a little better with the desert eagle.
Kiritsygu has started training him in tactics as well as weapon knowledge. Kiritsugu has also begun contacting information brokers with whom he had left contact for 8 years.
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After having lunch the emiya residence was vacated by the pair of men. Kiritsugu took shirou to the clearing where they practise marksmanship.
Turing towards Shirou, Kiritsugu said
"Shirou today I will teach you about the basics of bounded field."
"Bounded field is a form of geography magecraft which is performed by knitting lines of magical energy to separate the outside from inside."
Opening the notebook kiritsugu showed shirou some diagrams and continued
"The inside of the field or the line itself is imposed with effects according to the caser`s desire."
"They are mostly used to protect one`s body or property. For example, the bounded field in our bedroom is an analysis as well as isolating type while the one across the whole house is a warning type that notifies of intruders."
Learning the use of the slight magical energy spread around emiya residence shirou nodded in understanding and asked
"So what are the symbols you pasted on the room and what is the difference between the circle drawn in the shed and them?"
Nodding his head at the questions kiritsugu said
"Those symbols are sigils which we will discuss later. Now the difference between the field in the shed and the one in the room is one is ward and the other is target bounded field."
"Wards are bounded fields encircling terrains, buildings and areas to separate the inside and outside. Normally wards are defensive formations or security measures."
Then kiritsugu explained that wards are normally deployed for the long term and pull mana from the leylines directly. The nature of wards covering large areas and being complex was also discussed by kiritsugu.
The nature of wards changing according to purpose was also introduced and kiritsugu said solemnly
"Shirou remember never face a magus inside his prepared wards as it will be like climbing uphill inside a waterfall."
Next, kiritsugu talked about the small-scale bounded fields
"Smal scale bounded fields are the most commonly used variations. They are made over specific areas with the help of magic circles, sigils, runes or any other mystery using language."
Then he talked about how these are specialised bounded fields. He explained how rituals and terrain-based magecraft are examples of this.
After listening to the description shirou started trying to establish a bounded field.
Opening his circuits he let prana flow through them and thought
Letting his mana flow freely from his body shirou began perceiving the man of the greater source as well as the interaction of mana from both greater and lesser sources.
In this step, he failed multiple times and it was already evening so they went home.
After his lesson in kendo, he had dinner and practised magecraft for an hour and stopped due to lack of od.
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Another 4 days passed and shirou added the training in bounded fields into his routine.
Sirou went to school as normal and sat beside Shinji. Shinji blabbered about how there is some competition in archery and the whole club depends on him to win it.
With Shinji gone and Issei absent shirou went to the roof and sat down for lunch. When he had half eaten his lunch he felt a disturbance in mana.
The mana suddenly changed direction and enveloped the area he was like a bounded field.
Looking around while opening his circuits and holding his mystic code, shirou found Rin placing green gems around them.
Decreasing his vigilance he asked
"Tohsaka what are you doing?"
Rin hearing this made a sign to wait and after placing 4 more gems she turned around and said
"Emiya I have an offer for you. Are you interested?"
Shirou cocking his head to the side asked
"What offer?"
"We are the only mages here and lack a peer to compare against, so I suggest that we discuss magecraft and spar on every alternate weekend."
Said Rin while she thought
"Ok I am interested" said shirou while thinking
< Dad said I lack combat skills and Taiga said that I lack the instincts generated by experience so sparing with Rin can compensate for that.>
Shirou and Rin discussed the details of their meeting and then the lunch break ended.
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Reaching home early before Taiga`s lessons shirou went to his father and said
"Dad I have something to talk to you about."
Hearing his son`s desire kiritsugu gave his attention to shirou, who explained about the plans he discussed with Rin and their discussion.