Rising Dawn

Chapter I: Summoned

Karna heard his father calling his name as he ran across the street, proudly with arrows in hands. He was to celebrate the new king and queen wedding. He was going to tell them he was the one who shoot arrows of flowers that showered their entrance to the town, that he was happy for them and he wishes for their happiness too. The King Pandu and the Queen Kunti were the couple made for heaven, their dignity and elegance! He thought with bright, anticipating eyes, until his hand was pulled away by his father panicked ones, dragging him away from the surprised and delighted expressions of the King and Queens of the Hastinapur.

"You must not, Vasusena! You are not even a Kshatriya! You're just a son of a charioteer! Only God knows what they will do to you!"

Karna woke up with a slight jolt. It was another dream of his previous life. His father- his foster father- Adhiratha, was a kind and protective man, always seeking to protect him from any that he perceive as danger. He was not even his birth child- he was just an abandoned boy, found by the river. Yet the man was kind, and raised him as a son. That compassion- he respects. There were many in his previous life that he admires. He had no regret upon death, even by the hands of his own brother who must have been mostly clueless than knowing, like how his birth mother- Kunti- was mostly in guilt rather than in love when she called him her son in her arms as he passes, like how despite all- he may be deemed insignificant- but he regret and wishes no further. All things he ever wanted had been fulfilled, he had forgiven and had been forgiven. So why is he here again, instead of in the embrace of his father- Surya, or in heavens with his families?

Karna is in a place, a large space with swirling lights- distant stars. From time to time as he waited, he heard a voice- a large booming- gentle- voice, telling him that he had been given a chance to mend his regret- to fulfill his wish once and for all. Yet he does not see the meaning for such chance, he have no regrets, he have no wish, so why is he here? Again?

'You are to be summoned in the Holy Grail War, and is to fight with your master against other heroic spirits under different magus, and you shall obtain what you wished for'

'I do not wish for anything'

'If you do not, then you will not be here- Son of Surya'

Suddenly, a surge of bright light came rushing in, filling in the space, engulfing him. Karna, in his heart, wishes for the light to be that of his father- Surya, yet the coldness of it tells him otherwise. It is that being who conversed with him that causes this- and by the extent of his power- he might just be the Supreme God his father and his brothers had mentioned and worshipped. Perhaps his summon to this- "War" should be regarded as an assistance to the Supreme God. Well, he could put it that way, that is enough motivation as it is- helper of a supreme God- just like his father. No matter how many times he is to be summoned to this war.

A girl, bathed in the light of dawn, slowly crawled, in pain, clutching her bleeding stomach, gritting her teeth. Her long dress torn and her curly black hair in mess.

'I'm almost there'

Slowly chanting the summoning spells as the tip of her bloodied finger touched the summoning circle, she wishes that it would work- it does not matter which hero and what kind- she just needed to summon one and then she may have some hope to live. To live- her wish for now was just that, and when she does- she will think of a new one when it is time.

As she finished her spells, a bright light engulfed the area. The girl closed her eyes, shielding it from its magnificent- warm- brightness. With the last thought of herself succeeding, a smile was etched upon her face and she passed out, exhausted.

To be continued...

[DISCLAIMER]

Thank you for reading!

This is my first attempt on writing a fate/stay night fanfiction. Seeing the lack of Karna's fanfiction- I have decided to take up the pen myself and write. I do hope you enjoy it, and any constructive feedback will be welcomed. Thank you!

Some of the plot essence is taken from the original lore of Karna, the sun of Surya, and thus his personality may differ slightly from what is explained in the Fate's lore. I find the original lore more fitting and comfortable to write with than the fate's one, but I will still try my best to conserve Karna's personality- at least his recent one- according to the Fate's lore.