'No way. I refuse to die! Not like this!'
Shirou Emiya shouted this at the blue clad spearman. Even as the red spear that had definitely killed him once already was racing to tear a hole in his chest a second time. He would not die, not when someone had saved him. Not when he had yet to achieve his dream.
There was a burning in his hand, a flash of light, the clash of steel, and curses as his would be killer retreated from the shed.
He looked up to his new savior. His features aristocratic and handsome, though pale. His hair as white as snow, brushed back. His eyes, the color of blue ice. Dressed in Victorian fashion, in a purple coat. A gold monocle rested over his right eye. And in his hand he held a claymore, though it's blade was wider than what was normal.
'Upon your summoning, Servant Saber has come.' Said the well dressed Stranger. 'I ask of you, are you my Master?'
Illya wouldn't admit it but she was surprised.
She thought she could come to Japan, wait until the boy who her father abandoned her for had summoned his servant, then humiliate him before she killed him over the time span of several days, bulldozing over all other competition with Berserker at her side.
How could any other Servant match the might of Greece's greatest hero?
Yet somehow, Shirou's servant had not only survived, but had matched Berserker blow for blow.
It was unreal. There was a servant who was equal in power to Heracles, who was further boosted by the power of Mad Enhancement.
It should be impossible. Berserker was the strongest!
And yet before her eyes, that purple clad Saber matched her Servant with equal strength.
A well timed strike sent the hewn rock her Berserker wielded into the air. Saber went in for the kill, his sword aimed at Berserker's head. Then the onyx giant twisted and caught the blade in one hand, blood dripping down the blade, his other hand reaching for Saber's skull.
Saber against all logic, didn't fall back. No instead he went up. Leaving behind his sword and spring boarding off Berserker, grabbing the falling axe sword out of the air and crashing down back onto Illya's rage monster.
Berserker, seeing the new threat, did something equally unexpected. He twirled the claymore in his hands, grabbing the hilt and blocking the swordsman.
Their clash fractured the ground around the two, sinking Berserker up to his knees in the dirt.
Saber smiled, and suddenly Illya wasn't sure which of the two was the real monster.
Angra Mainyu roared it's triumph. The great shadow would rise and cover all the world in his evils. Humanity would be burned away. The only thing that stood in his way were the ants before it. The last two Masters of the War, and Servant Saber.
The Tohsaka girl kneeled, trembling before the magnitude of all the world's evils.
The other one, the Emiya boy, stood bruised and bloodied, but still with a glint of steel in his eye and a sword in hand, ready to fight to the death.
Saber was ramrod straight, glaring at the monster before him. He drew his sword and stepped forth. 'Master, take Tohsaka and return home. I will finish this.'
'Saber, even you can't hope to take that thing on your own. Let us help you.'
'No. I think you've both done enough.'
'You're mad Saber.' Said Tohsaka. 'That thing….No human could stand against it. All you'd do is buy us time.'
Saber looked back at them, a smirk on his lips. 'I suppose then, it is fortunate I was never human to begin with.' He returned his glare to Angra Mainyu. 'This beast will fall like all the others.'
He continued his pace, and the darkness wrapped around his form, before exploding outwards. What stood in Sabers place wasn't human. Far from it.
The demon stood proud and regal, every inch covered by black, chitinous armor. Insectile wings hung from his back like a cloak. His horns were massive, curving downward. His mouth, the only bit of skin visible, was a corpse like blue, and twisted into a thin line. Two red eye's glared from his helmet and a gem of matching colour shined from the centre of his forehead.
And the sword had changed as well. The once simple claymore, now twisted. A massive core of flesh, holding a curved blade. The hilt still resembled the old sword somewhat, but that was the only similarity. A crimson jewel glowed just above the guard
The air grew stifling and cold. A pressure exerted itself on the world and the darkness retreated from the Demon.
But Rin and Shirou felt none of that. Even as they stared at the back of the demon, they could only feel their hearts lift. They watched and they knew that nothing would come to harm them, that this Devil would chase of the darkest shadows, shielding them from the greatest evil.
'This world' Saber intoned, voice echoing with power and something otherworldly, 'will not fall to the likes of you!' His wings hummed to life, carrying him into battle.
Angra Mainyu knew fear.
They sat and watched the sunrise. Rin and Shirou had watched the clash of titans tear apart the mountain. They had watched Saber strike down Angra Mainyu, and then they had watched him fade, a smile on his face.
They both sat and quietly and enjoyed the warmth of the sunlight, and the hope for the future that was almost stolen.
But one question still remained on Shirou's mind.
'Hey Rin, do you know Saber was?'
She was shocked out of her stupor, looking at Emiya. She took a minute to process the question before she burst out laughing.
Shirou looked at her with indignation. 'What's so funny?'
She waved of his look as she got her outburst under control. 'Honestly Shirou, I'm just surprised is all. I thought with all your talk of being a "Hero of Justice" you would've known him.'
She sat in silence a moment longer, considering her words. 'Have you heard of it? The legend of Sparda?'