Einzbern Castle, Germany
-8 Years Ago-
Emiya Kiritsugu was quietly contemplating his folded hands within the confines of the ancestral castle to the Einzbern family when he caught the faint sound of hurried footsteps. He minutely tensed as one of the many maids burst into the room in which he had been forced to wait as his wife gave birth to his first child.
"Kiritsugu-sama!"
The maid sounded slightly out of breath as though she had hurried here as fast as she could just so that he would be able to know the outcome.
Kiritsugu made sure to bring his attention fully onto the maid. She was wearing a white dress and had the features that many of the other homunculi within the castle also shared.
"Your child has been born!"
Kiritsugu felt an involuntary clenching of his hands as he took in the words. So, he was finally a father. He was happy, but he also had never felt more terrified in his life. Nodding to the maid, he got to his feet and followed her to the room that his wife, Irisviel von Einzbern, had just given birth to his daughter, as the maid had informed him on the way to the room.
For a moment he took in his wife as she lay exhausted in an elegant four post bed. Though she was exhausted and disheveled she had a brilliant smile that lit up the entire room. Kiritsugu felt a twinge within his chest at the sight of her holding his firstborn child. He knew, within his heart of hearts, that he was one of the most undeserving of that smile and the gift which Iri had given him.
His wife's red eyes shown with amusement as he took in her state, messy white hair falling in tangles around her and the linens on the bed a mess. Kiritsugu found himself unable to stand the sight and moved to the window just beside his wife's bed.
As he contemplated the falling snow outside the castle, Iri began to speak.
"She's so adorable, so small and delicate. Look Kiritsugu, her eyes are exactly like yours I'm so glad she was born."
Out of the corner of his eye he could see his wife staring at their child adoringly. He felt agony over the course that he had chosen. He truly did love his wife and she had given him something that he never thought that he could have. However, that didn't change the fact that he would be participating in a ritual that would be the direct cause of her death. He found he couldn't keep quiet.
"Iri."
He felt the gaze that his wife leveled at him, one of acceptance.
"I will cause your death."
He saw once more from the corner of his eye that she seemed to accept these words as something that was unavoidable. Her next words only enforcing that thought.
"I know. It's the earnest wish of the Einzberns and the very reason for which I exist. I am who I am now because I learned of your ideals and took them to heart. You've guided me. You've given me a life a mere puppet couldn't have had. You need not pity me. I'm already a part of you. So-"
Kiritsugu couldn't take any more of what Iri was saying, he needed to interrupt.
"I… I have no right to hold that child."
He clenched his right hand in regret. He could still feel the Command Spells that were even now etched into his hand, making a red cross. Apparently his wife thought he needed guidance.
"Kiritsugu, don't forget. A world where no one needs to cry that way, isn't that your ideal, your dream? Eight more years and your fight will come to an end and our ideal will become a reality. I'm sure the Holy Grail will save you."
Kiritsugu felt something begin to stir at his wife's words.
"So take this child, Illyasviel, and hold her. And be proud. Just like any father would."
Kiritsugu turned to Iri and looked at both her and his newborn child. He felt the pang of longing and found that he was unable to resist. He walked to the bed and amidst the Einzbern castle during a furious snowstorm, he held his child for the first time. Now he had a true reason to fight.
Torino, Italy
-3 Years Ago-
Kotomine Kirei felt nothing but confusion as he looked up at the head of the Tohsaka family dressed in a tailored maroon suit his blue eyes glinting underneath dark black hair and distinct Japanese features. His father standing to his right at attention as Tohsaka Tokiomi took it upon himself to explain the marks that had appeared on Kirei's hand. He had already asked about them and Tokiomi was in the middle of explaining.
"Yes, the marks that appeared upon your right hand. It is proof that you have been chosen by the Holy Grail, a stigmata bestowing you the power to command a Servant."
Tokiomi raised his own right hand to show the Spells that had been etched into it.
Kirei contemplated his own Command Spells as he thought out loud.
"The Holy Grail War, the battle for a device that can perform miracles, and I've been chosen?"
Tokiomi smirked as he continued the explanation.
"Normally, the Grail chooses seven Magi as Masters to the Servants. It's highly unusual for you, with no connection to magic, to be chosen so early."
Kotomine still felt a little dazed at the explanation.
"Servants, I still think it strange to summon and command Heroic Spirits to fight for you."
Tokiomi indulged in his disbelief with a slight tilt of the head.
"I know it's hard to believe. Heroes from every age and nation are resurrected to kill each other and prove their supremacy. That is the Holy Grail War."
Kirei felt his father shift and he turned his gaze to his right.
"Naturally there is an unspoken agreement that the battles are to be fought in secret. To ensure this, we of the Holy Church send a regulator over."
Kirei felt some disbelief at this statement.
"Can a member of the Church really act as a judge in a battle between Magi?"
Tokiomi was the one that answered as he poured himself a glass of wine.
"A member of the Mage's Association would favor one party too much to be fair and so, like sixty years ago, your father will watch over our battle."
This actually caught Kirei somewhat off guard.
"My father will be going to Fuyuki City!? But isn't there a problem with the judge and a participant being related by blood?"
Risei sighed and prompted the Tohsaka heir to continue by stating his name.
Tokiomi frowned as he moved to begin circling Kirei.
"Let's get to the point."
However, it was Risei who began the explanation.
"Kirei, everything we've spoken of so far is already known to all the participants, but there is another reason why I've asked you and Tohsaka Tokiomi to come here today."
Kirei recognized that the pause was so that he could prompt the two to continue and so he played along.
"And what would that be?"
Out of the corner of his eye he realized that his father was joining Tokiomi in circling, the two directly across from each other. This time it was Tokiomi that answered.
"Actually, many years ago, proof was found that the Holy Grail which appears in Fuyuki City, does not belong to the Son of God."
Kirei gave a small nod of acknowledgement.
"Indeed. Otherwise, the order to retrieve it would have been given to us of the 8th Sacrament Assembly."
It was Risei who continued this time.
"However, the Holy Grail in Fuyuki is too powerful to ignore. It's an omnipotent wish granting device after all. Who knows what disasters it could cause should it fall into the wrong hands?"
It was here that Tokiomi took up the explanation.
"Thus, it is best if we ensure that the Grail falls into the right hands as plan B."
Once more his father spoke, this time from a position that was in front of Kirei.
"The Tohsaka family are indeed Magi, but they also have a long history of friendship with the Church. I can also vouch for Tokiomi-kun's character. Moreover, his intentions for the Grail are clear."
Tohsaka stated his intentions almost whimsically.
"To reach the Root, that is the sole desire of the Tohsaka family. However, both the Einzberns and the Matous have forgotten a wish we once shared."
Risei kept on the train of the conversation.
"I don't think I need to explain the case for the other Masters. Who knows what dark plans they have for the Grail?"
Kirei thought he now saw what he had been called here for.
"So I'll be participating in the coming Holy Grail War to ensure Tohsaka Tokiomi's victory, then."
Tokiomi acknowledged his answer, but expounded on it.
"Of course we'll act as enemies seemingly fighting over the Grail, but beneath the surface we'll work together to defeat the other five Masters and attain certain victory."
It seemed as if the conversation was coming to an end.
"And there you have it, Kirei-kun. You will be transferred from the Church to the Mage's Association, where you will become my student."
Risei spoke up from behind him.
"The official orders have already been issued."
Tokiomi took over from there.
"You will go to Japan and learn magic, and become a Magus strong enough to command a Servant in the Holy Grail War in three years."
Tokiomi completed this explanation with an elegant sip of wine.
"Now then…"
It seemed that the two who were explaining were truly on the same page as Risei finished Tokiomi's thought.
"…any questions, Kirei?"
Kirei had already been analyzing the conversation and so was ready as soon as he had been asked.
"Just one."
He looked towards Tokiomi as he seemed to be more knowledgeable of the Grail affairs.
"What exactly is the Grail's will in choosing its Masters?"
Tokiomi swirled his wine as he answered.
"The Grail prefers to choose Masters that need it the most."
Kirei thought he understood the answer, but needed to clarify.
"Does that mean that all the Masters have a reason to covet the Grail?"
Tokiomi's answer somewhat surprised Kirei.
"Not necessarily. There have been cases where Command Spells appeared on individuals you wouldn't expect to be chosen."
Tokiomi then seemed to have an epiphany.
"Ah, I see, Kirei-kun. Are you still baffled that you've been chosen?"
Kirei could only silently agree with the Tohsaka head.
Tokiomi enjoyed the sunshine of Italy as he and Risei watched the retreating back of Kotomine Kirei. He smirked as he made a comment.
"I didn't expect for him to agree so quickly."
Risei grunted in agreement, but offered an explanation.
"My son would leap into the burning flames if the Church willed it."
Tokiomi felt a small chill at that, something that he was beginning to associate with the son of his friend.
"To be honest it's almost unsettling. From his perspective, he's been dragged into a War that has nothing to do with him."
However, it seemed that Risei had other ideas.
"No, this just might be salvation to him."
Risei turned his back on his son and began to head back into the building.
"His wife passed away only a few days ago. A new place and a new mission might just be what Kirei needs to recover."
Tokiomi could only nod in agreement, though the old priest couldn't see it.
Fuyuki City, Japan
-1 Year Ago-
Matou Kariya enjoyed the crisp day as he walked through the park. There was a reason that he had come to this specific park on this day. He was looking for someone. He grinned as he caught sight of a beauty sitting, reading a book underneath an awning. She was wearing a nice dress with a light haori thrown over it, making her look like the pinnacle of the good wife.
"Aoi-san."
He grinned as he saw her jump a little at his greeting. He raised a hand as she had a small smile creep across her face.
"Kariya-kun, it's been awhile. Are you back from your business trip? It was quite a long one."
Kariya felt slightly uncomfortable with Aoi's tone.
"Yeah, I guess."
However, their conversation was interrupted by an excited shout.
"Kariya-ojisan!"
Kariya turned and saw a young girl of no more than seven jogging over to greet him. He felt his smile widen as he took her in. Her black hair was pulled into a twin pigtail style and she was wearing a white blouse and red skirt. Her blue eyes were alive with happiness at seeing him once again.
"Welcome back."
Kariya felt himself soften at her greeting.
"Rin-chan."
Before he could say anything else, Rin was already talking.
"Did you buy me something again?"
Kariya felt somewhat surprised at the abrupt question, and Rin's mother immediately scolded her.
"Now, Rin! That was rude!"
Kariya just shook his head in amusement and walked forward, opening his hand to deliver the gift that was already prepared there.
"Here."
Rin let out a sigh of joy as she saw that it was a bracelet that had red beads upon it. Her laughter made buying the trinket worth it.
"Ojisan, thank you!"
Kariya reached out and patted Rin on the head.
"I'm glad you liked it."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out another bracelet, before turning back to Rin.
"Where's Sakura-chan?"
However, Rin's countenance took on a depressed air and her answer somewhat worried Kariya.
"Sakura's not here anymore."
Kariya felt himself begin to get a cold feeling in his gut. He turned to Aoi, a question on his lips.
"Aoi-san?"
Aoi's answer chilled Kariya.
"Well, Sakura is no longer my daughter, nor is she Rin's little sister."
Kariya felt confusion at that line, but Aoi's next statement was like a punch to the gut.
"She's gone to the Matou family."
Kariya stood up in anger, he couldn't truly raise his voice against Aoi, but he could definitely elevate the volume.
"Why!?"
Aoi held no mercy for him.
"You know exactly why the Matou family would want children with Mage blood."
Kariya couldn't speak as Aoi continued.
"The Tohsaka family head decided to give our ancient allies, the Matous, what they requested. It wasn't my place to voice my opinion."
Kariya couldn't accept that.
"So you're okay with that?"
Aoi strained her expression as she explained.
"When I married into the Tohsaka family, when I decided to become a Mage's wife, I was ready for something like this to happen."
Kariya felt himself becoming angrier the longer Aoi spoke, and raised his voice once more.
"And you're fine with that!?"
Aoi's answer truly annoyed him.
"It's wrong for a family bearing Mage blood to expect the happiness of a normal family."
Kariya couldn't take that answer.
"That's not true! You wanted happiness when you chose him-"
Aoi's interruption was frigid in its intensity.
"This is a matter between the Tohsakas and the Matous. You turned your back to the Magi world. It doesn't concern you."
Aoi's accusing tone was like a stab to his heart, because he knew it was the truth. Thankfully Aoi's expression softened.
"If you ever see Sakura, be nice to her. She was always fond of you, Kariya-kun."
Kariya felt his hand clench around the bracelet in determination at Aoi's tone. He had a vampire to meet.
Kariya burst into his grandfather's study without any fanfare, mouth set into a thin line of grim determination. He was greeted by a voice that oozed confidence and malice. It belonged to the Matou patriarch, Matou Zouken.
Zouken looked like a frail old man with his green robes and walking stick, but Kariya knew better. His eyes were as sharp as ever, the black sclera piercing Kariya as soon as he entered.
"I'm surprised that a failure like you would show his face here."
Zouken leaned forward on his cane.
"I believe I told you to never let me see you again, Kariya."
Kariya stood at attention, taking the insult without any reaction. If he reacted the damn vampire had already won.
"I hear you adopted Tohsaka's younger daughter."
Zouken let out a small chuckle at that.
"News reaches you quickly."
Kariya continued on, still emotionless.
"Are you really that desperate to preserve magical affinity within the Matou lineage?"
Zouken looked vaguely annoyed at that.
"You of all people, are telling me that's wrong? Whose fault do you think it is that the Matou family has fallen so low?"
A clock in the background was ticking as Zouken kept his explanation going.
"Kariya, had you agreed to carry on the family name and learn the Matou secrets, this wouldn't have happened. Yet you…"
Kariya had enough of this.
"Enough of your nonsense, vampire. You just want the Grail to gain immortality."
Zouken once more chuckled at Kariya's impertinence.
"By next year, the sixty years will have elapsed, but the Matou have no pawns to offer for the 4th Holy Grail War. Unlike you, your brother Byakuya lacks the mana to control a Servant. Yet, even if we let this round pass, we can win the next one sixty years from now."
Zouken began to pace forward toward Kariya, his cane thumping ominously with every step.
"The Tohsaka girl's womb will produce a talented Mage. She has quite the potential as a vessel, she does."
As Zouken walked past Kariya he felt the need to speak.
"So basically, you'll have no use for Tohsaka Sakura once you obtain the Holy Grail?"
He knew that his statement had intrigued the Matou head as he had stopped walking.
"What do you have in mind?"
Kariya steeled his will, this was for Sakura.
"A trade, Zouken, I will bring back the Grail in this coming war. In return, you will release Tohsaka Sakura."
Zouken merely chuckled at his offer and began to walk back toward his chair.
"You're a fool. You're a failure who hasn't trained a single day in your life. You're saying you'll become a Master in the span of a single year?"
Kariya steadied himself, and then went forward with his plan.
"You have the ability to make that happen with your bug wielding skills."
It seemed he caught the bastard's attention, because he paused and made a questioning sound.
"Implant your Crest Worms inside me."
It seemed he had actually surprised the old vampire.
"Kariya, do you want to die?"
"The Matou's can fulfill their own desires by themselves. I won't let bystanders get involved. Don't tell me you're worried for me, Father?"
Zouken merely chuckled at his statement, something that chilled Kariya to the bone.
"If you're trying to keep her out of this, Kariya…"
Zouken's tone finally made Kariya react. He felt the fear as though he had been punched in the gut.
"…you're a little late."
"You old bastard, you can't have…!"
Kariya spun around and practically sprinted to the basement. What he found there made his stomach churn. Thousands upon thousands of bugs covered the room and in the center of it all, stripped of her clothes and with no expression upon her face was a small purple haired figure the size of a child.
He heard Zouken come up beside him, and the old bastard began to comment on her state as though commenting on the weather. Kariya couldn't take this.
"She screamed pretty loudly the first three days. She stopped screaming on the fourth day, though. I threw her into the bug room this morning to see how long she'd last. She's been ravaged for half a day and she's still breathing. The Tohsaka's aren't bad at all."
Kariya made to run down the stairs, he needed to get her out of that.
"Sakura!"
However, the old vampire's voice stopped him dead, he knew he couldn't go agains the old man at this time.
"Well then, what will you do? A single broken girl, violated by bugs from head to toe, if you still wish to save her, I'll consider it."
Kariya didn't even have to think for the answer to flow from his lips.
"I'll do it."
Zouken's laugh was chilling within this room.
"I'll continue educating Sakura until you show me some results. I'm still expecting victory to come in the Grail War after this one. However, if you do somehow manage to retrieve the Grail, then I'll have no further use for the little girl. In that case, her education will end after just one year."
Kariya clenched his fists in rage as he heard Zouken walking away.
"You won't go back on your word, will you, Matou Zouken?"
Zouken ignored his question.
"Start by serving as the bugs' breeding ground for a week. If you don't die of madness then I'll recognize that you're serious about this. Kariya simply stared into space. There was no room for failure.
Einzbern Castle, Germany
Kiritsugu was typing away at a computer as Iri looked out on the snowing grounds.
"It's finally here."
Iri turned from her vigil and asked the relevant question right away.
"What kind of information?"
Kiritsugu kept on typing, but answered Iri anyway.
"It's a report from the spies I sent to the London Clock Tower. It says the Grail chose a Master from within the highest authority of the Mage's Association, the Clock Tower."
Iri prompted who it was, and Kiritsugu was happy to oblige.
"A troublesome man, he's the eldest son of the famed Archibald family which has produced nine generations of Magi, Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald."
Clock Tower, London
-Present Day-
Waver had only been paying half attention to Professor Archibald's class today that was until the current topic had come up. It was a dreary overcast day outside the classroom, but Waver had hoped that it would be a good day regardless. The professor's voice echoed throughout the room, his blonde, slicked back hair, and green attire immediately caught the attention of the students, and years of lecturing on Thaumaturgy had honed his projection of voice.
"In the Magi world, bloodline largely determines one's ability. This is because the secrets of magic cannot be discovered in a single generation. A parent passes on the result of a lifetime of training to their child. Therefore, the older the magi family, the greater their authority, if you're wondering why I'm covering something so elementary, it's because a student submitted this paper to me a few days ago."
As he finished this he held up the paper in question, displaying it to the class, who seemed somewhat interested in the lecture. With a flourish he hit the title page.
Waver sat up a little straighter as he recognized the paper that Archibald held.
"The paper is titled How Wizards Should be in the New Century. It completely rejects the standard model I just talked about. It states that a deeper understanding of spells and more delicate control over mana would allow one to overcome this handicap. In other words, someone with thin blood could become a master mage. To be honest I've learned something from reading this."
Murmurs were beginning to break out among the students, and Waver felt a bit of pride at the attention his paper was receiving.
"Quiet."
The murmurs died down at the professor's demand.
"Let me be as plain as I can. This paper contains nothing but juvenile fantasies."
At the end of that explanation he threw down the paper onto hi podium and Waver felt that pride that he had recently been feeling shatter.
"Bloodline determines a Mage's power. This is a hard, unchanging truth."
Waver stood up abruptly a protest on his lips that died as Archibald addressed him directly.
"Waver Velvet. I'm very disappointed that one of my students would indulge in this nonsense."
Waver tried to state his case.
"Sir, I was only trying to address a question that the Mage's Association is reluctant to-"
Unfortunately he was interrupted by the professor.
"Waver. Your family has only produced three generations of Magi, correct? Listen to me. Your family is but a newborn baby compared to the history of the Mage's Association. Shouldn't a baby learn to talk before questioning his parents?"
Waver felt humiliated as the classroom erupted into laughter and stormed out of the class muttering to himself as he went.
"How dare he make fun of me!"
He was walking through the hall with all the stained glass not really paying attention to where he was going.
"Is that how a lecturer should act!? He read my paper and got jealous! He's afraid of my talent! That's why he shamed me in front of everyone!"
As he finished his small rant, he suddenly tripped over something. A delivery man was walking down the hall with a cart and some boxes. He seemed somewhat concerned for Waver, who had gone down and clasped the part of his leg that had hit the hand cart.
"Sorry about that. Are you okay?"
Waver looked up to assure him that he was fine, but the man seemed to recognize him.
"Oh are you a student in the Necromancer's Circle? Why aren't you in class?"
Waver had to think quickly to explain his storming out of class.
"Well, Professor Archibald asked me to run an errand for him."
The delivery man seemed to think it over for a moment, but seemed to buy Waver's excuse.
"I see. That's great. Could you give this to Professor Archibald?"
The man handed him a package that was wrapped in paper and twine and had writing on top of it. Waver took it with a curious expression.
"Thanks, it's apparently something important."
His piece said the delivery man kept on going, probably to deliver whatever else was on his cart.
Waver kept on looking at the package and realized that it was sent from Macedonia. He gazed at it for a moment before making up his mind and heading to the library. He picked out a variety of books from the Clock Tower's extensive library and began pouring over the tomes, searching for an answer.
After searching for hours he finally found what he was looking for. Apparently the rumors that Kayneth was going to be fighting in some Far East magic tournament were true. Waver glanced at the package that was safe next to him. The Holy Grail War.
Two hundred years ago, the families known as the Founding Three, Einzbern, Makiri, and Tohsaka, worked together to successfully summon the Holy Grail, said to have the power to grant any wish. However, the Holy Grail would only answer one prayer. Their cooperation turned into a bloody battle. That was how the Holy Grail War began. Ever since then, once every sixty years, the Holy Grail appears in the city of Fuyuki. It selects seven Magi with the right to hold it and grants them the power to summon the powerful Heroic Spirits known as Servants.
Archer, Saber, Lancer, Rider, Assassin, Caster, Berserker. Divided into these classes, the Servants fight to the death to determine who is worthy to win the Holy Grail.
Waver leaned back as he finished his research, his pile of books much greater than when he began. Finally he murmured to himself.
"So the Holy Grail War is a battle of pure ability, where titles and influence mean nothing. It's the perfect stage for me!"
He felt more excited about this than when he had first discovered magic. With this he would be able to prove Kayneth wrong! He then caught sight of something else. It seemed he needed a catalyst to summon the Servant that he wanted. Waver looked over at the package and finally decided to open it. What he found in there brought a smile to his face. Yes, with this he would be able to compete. He returned the books and got ready for a trip to Japan.
Fuyuki City, Japan
Kirei walked in on his so called "Master" as he pored over the documents that were feeding him information. It seemed that he had become a man obsessed now that the War was drawing ever closer. He felt somewhat amused as he saw Tokiomi use a knife to slice the parchment. He decided to comment on it as he walked into the basement.
"That device still strikes me as unseemly to this day."
Tokiomi chose to ignore his comment.
"I have another report from the Clock Tower. Lord El-Melloi has acquired another relic, apparently. His participation is certain now."
Kirei had a bad feeling as he thought of the information that they had gathered.
"It troubles me that there are still two spaces that are unaccounted for."
Tokiomi turned to his student and tried to assure him.
"Don't worry. The Grail will select seven individuals when the time comes, regardless of skill. The ones it completes the group with are nearly always weak."
Tokiomi walked around the table that was placed in the center of the room.
"More importantly, no one saw you enter the mansion, correct?"
Kirei felt a flash of irritation at Tokiomi doubting his skills, but decided to reassure him anyway.
"Don't worry. There are no familiars or magical devices, visible or invisible that are watching the mansion. I…"
Before he could continue his report, he was interrupted as a Servant materialized.
"I guarantee it."
The Servant had materialized, but still stuck to the shadows, hidden from both his Master's and Tokiomi's view, just as a true Assassin should be.
"No one is able to hide from me. There is no trace of anyone following my Master."
With that the Servant gave a short bow to Kirei and then dissolved into particles once more.
"With my father knowing if a Servant is summoned and Assassin's own abilities, it would be almost impossible for a Master to be aware of us without us being aware of them."
Tokiomi nodded in agreement, though he still apparently had something to say.
"It is only a matter of time before the grounds of the mansion become rife with familiars of other Masters."
Once more the machine in the corner began to move, giving Tokiomi more information. Kirei found his interest slightly peaked.
"What is that?"
Tokiomi reached down and once more sliced away at the parchment.
"I was gathering information on the Einzbern Master. Nine years ago, the Einzberns, known for their pride in their pure blood, welcomed in a mage from outside the family out of the blue."
Kirei began to feel a stirring of something other than a passing interest as Tokiomi kept talking.
"The Einzbern Magi specialized solely in alchemy, making them unfit for combat. That was why they lost in the previous Holy Grail Wars. They must have run out of patience. The Mage they chose was perfect for the role. Emiya Kiritsugu, the man known as the Magus Killer."
Einzbern Castle, Germany
Kiritsugu felt slightly uncomfortable as he knelt in front of the Einzbern head within the confines of the church that was in the castle. The old man was dressed in resplendent robes of white and Iri was a constant presence next to Kiritsugu.
"The relic we've long been searching for in Cornwall has finally been found. If you can use it as a catalyst, you can summon a sword wielding Heroic Spirit that is perhaps the strongest of Servants. This is the greatest aid the Einzberns can give you."
Kiritsugu made sure to go through the motions.
"I am honored, Elder."
The elder continued own, barely acknowledging that Kiritsugu had spoken.
"There will be no survivors this time. Slay the other six Servants and complete the third true magic, Heaven's Feel."
Kiritsugu once more acknowledged that he had heard.
"Understood."
Kiritsugu began to mentally prepare for the summoning that would change everything as the elder dismissed them.
Fuyuki City, Japan
Kirei was shocked. It seemed that Emiya Kiritsugu was still alive after all. Interesting, he could not contain his interest and blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
"I know that name."
It seemed Tokiomi was slightly amused by his reaction, if the smirk he was sporting was anything to go by.
"So even the Church has heard of him?"
Kirei moved forward and took the paper from Tokiomi and began to peruse it.
"The Magus Killer had quite the reputation in his time. On the surface, he was a heretic who didn't belong to the Association. However, the higher ups found him quite useful for their own purposes."
That sounded somewhat familiar to Kirei.
"Similar to us Executors of the Church?"
Tokiomi smirked in response to that.
"Worse. He's essentially a freelance assassin who specializes in the killing of Magi. He understands Magi very well so he hunts them down in very non-magelike ways."
Kirei kept on reading the file. Sniping, poisoning, bombing of public places. He even brought down an entire jetliner just because his target was on it.
Tokiomi continued to speak.
"He is a man who will use underhanded methods without thinking twice. The world's laws do not apply for Magi so we must carefully obey the laws we set for ourselves. However, he lacks any trace of a Mage's pride. His methods are unforgivable."
Kirei was feeling somewhat confused by this, but his interest was finally growing.
"What does he hope to gain by all this killing?"
Tokiomi put his theory on the board, though it felt flat to Kirei.
"Money, I would imagine. As you can read in the report Mage assassinations weren't the only thing he was involved in. He's appeared in war zones throughout the planet offering his services as a mercenary."
Kirei felt a connection to this man. Why did he fight, money was not the reason as Tokiomi seemed to think, but if not money, then what? He would find out.
"May I borrow this report?"
Einzbern Castle, Germany
Kiritsugu and Iri once more returned to the office that they had been using to gather the information for the Grail War. Iri watched in fascination as the paper printed out.
"Let's go over the information we've gathered so far."
Kiritsugu pinned all the pictures of the four Masters that they knew to their corresponding file.
"Tohsaka Tokiomi, the head of the Tohsaka family. A fire mage who uses jewel magic."
Kiritsugu studied the man. His black hair, sharp Japanese features, and blue eyes made him stand out far more than a Magus should. He then went on to the next picture and file. It depicted a young man in a dark blue sweatshirt that had dark grey hair and eyes.
"Matou Kariya, they took the kid who left the family and made a Master, huh? That old man must be desperate."
His next profile depicted a man with green eyes, slicked back blonde hair, and high cheekbones.
"Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, he has the double affinity of wind and water and is an expert in Necromancy, Summoning, and Alchemy."
He then moved onto the final Master, other than himself.
"The last Master, Kotomine Kirei, and agent of the Church, he studied under Tohsaka Tokiomi for three years before splitting with him after the Command Spells appeared."
However something was wrong with this last Master.
"Iri, read this file."
As Iri read it, Kiritsugu tried to decide how best to deal with the priest. Every time Kirei had almost mastered something he immediately switched to something else, almost as if he had not found any sort of purpose. It mad Kiritsugu uneasy to think that a man like that was out there hiding in the shadows. There was also the fact that he was another Mage Killer, by the name of Executor. What a terrifying man. Why would he risk his life for the Grail? It made no sense. He would need to prepare very carefully for the other Magus Killer in the coming War.
Matou Estate, Fuyuki City, Japan
All Kariya could feel at the moment was pain. He had been subject to the worms for so long that he could feel them crawling under his skin, but was able to ignore it. Bathed in moonlight he stared at his right hand, which finally bore the mark of a Master. The voice of the devil rang out in his barren room as he lay on the floor. His hair had turned white and he was blind in one eye, but it was finally time.
"You almost didn't make it."
He scrambled to his knees as the echo of a cane rang throughout his Spartan room.
"The Grail's chosen you, which means it recognizes you as a Mage to some degree. I'll give you that much. But you know… you look terrible."
Kariya looked away in shame. He hadn't been a vain man, but even he knew his body was breaking down and looked horrible.
"Does your left leg still work?"
The old man lifted his cane and stabbed down right into the aforementioned leg. Kariya grunted in pain, but he wouldn't give the bastard the satisfaction of hearing him scream. However, when he glared at the old vampire, he felt the Crest Worms move within his body in reaction to his anger. It only caused Zouken to chuckle in satisfaction.
"Don't get mad. The Crest Worms in your body will devour you if you excite them. I'd say you'll only be living another month at best."
Kariya focused on the timeframe. He knew it would be enough.
"I've found the perfect relic for you to reward you for lasting the entire year. Don't let my kindness go to waste."
Waver stared up at his right hand and felt jubilant at seeing the Command Spells there. It seemed he was worthy after all. Take that Archibald. Now was the time to go and prepare for summoning his Servant.
The next morning he had a slight altercation with the two people that he was essentially hypnotizing into letting him stay for free. However, by the end of tonight, he would be done and a Servant would be summoned.
Einzbern Castle, Germany
Kiritsugu was staring at the scabbard in disbelief. It was a beautiful thing, as something that was crafted by the Fae should be. To think that the Einzberns had actually been able to find this relic, there wasn't even a scratch on it, able to heal a person's wounds and stop them from aging as long as the original owner's mana flowed through it.
It was a perfect catalyst to be used in tandem with the Servant that would hopefully be summoned as it had the ability to protect the Master. Kiritsugu closed his eyes imagining what he was about to summon and the best way to use it to win this War and obtain the coveted Holy Grail. He would make his dreams come true, even if he had to sit upon a throne of corpses to make it happen. His hands were already stained with so much blood.
Matou Estate, Fuyuki City, Japan
Kariya felt as if he would die at any moment. All of his nerves were set alight from the intense training that he had undergone through this past year. However, it wouldn't do to show any kind of weakness in this house. He needed to keep on going, not for any wish that that bastard vampire wanted to make, but for Sakura.
Speaking of Sakura he spotted her as he was walking down a well lit hall within the Estate. It felt strange to be out of the room he had been training in for the past year, but it would all be worth it in the end. He put on the best smile he could as he approached the former Tohsaka.
"Hey, Sakura-chan."
He felt only anguish as she looked up at him with deadened eyes, eyes that had endured far too much for one so young. Every day he felt filled with guilt: guilt at having left, guilt at not being fast enough to stop Zouken, and guilt for so much more.
For a moment it seemed as though Sakura didn't recognize him, not surprising considering the horrible state he was in, but he felt a little relief as some recognition bled into those dead eyes.
"Ah, Kariya-ojisan!"
Kariya felt his lips twitch into a ghost of a smile as he knelt down to Sakura's level.
"I must look pretty scary right now, huh?"
It seemed that Sakura was going to choose not to acknowledge how horrible he looked, it seemed she realized, at least on a subconscious level, that Kariya's state wasn't something he truly wanted to talk about.
"Grandpa has said that there's no training tonight, I wonder what's happening."
Kariya felt his heart clench at the mention of Sakura's "training." He would definitely be able to obtain the Grail, it would be the only way to save Sakura from this hell.
"That's right, it's because I need to us the room tonight."
Sakura merely continued to look at him with those dead eyes and Kariya realized he needed to reassure both himself and Sakura.
"Hey, Sakura-chan. Once this is all over, let's all go somewhere together. You, me, Aoi, and Rin. It'll be just like it used to be."
It looked as though Sakura was thinking over his suggestion, but she eventually nodded her agreement and when she spoke it was in a very soft voice.
"I'd like that quite a bit."
Kariya let his lips curl up into a smile at Sakura's agreement and pulled the girl into a hug. For a second it seemed as though she had forgotten what she was supposed to do in a situation like this, but then she tentatively wrapped her arms around Kariya, returning his hug. It made Kariya feel hope. Sakura was still somewhere within the broken shell that the Matou had turned her into. It strengthened his resolve.
With a sigh, Kariya ended the hug and stood up. He patted Sakura on the head and began to walk toward the end of all this madness. As he was walking he heard a very small voice call out.
"Kariya-ojisan, bye-bye."
Kariya merely waved back over his shoulder. It was time.
Kariya stood in the Worm room with the damn vampire, it was fast approaching the optimal time when he would be able to summon a Servant. As the two stood waiting awash in the ethereal green glow of the room, Kariya tried not to think of what Sakura had already had to endure here. The Matou's were a curse family indeed.
Kariya had been content to wait the period out in silence, but apparently Zouken had other ideas. He clicked his cane on the floor, making it echo throughout the room to get his attention.
"You've done well to make it this far, but you are still too weak as a Master. That's why I added an extra line to the aria. Make sure to put in the Berserker condition to raise your Servants bade stats."
Kariya felt like punching the old man. A Berserker was always a wild card in the previous Wars. True it was probably one of the strongest Servants, but it was going to be a bitch to control. No matter, the time to summon had come.
"Tch. Whatever, I'll make sure to put it in, you vampire bastard."
With his agreement spoken, Kariya closed his eyes and reached into his mind to activate his trigger. He felt the worms inside him react as his circuits began to fill with prana.
His artifact had been placed within the runic circle, courtesy of Zouken and now it was beginning to become aglow with a green light, throwing the ethereal room into both light and shadow. With one more exhale, Kariya began.
"Silver and iron to the origin. Gem and the archduke of contracts to the cornerstone. The ancestor is my great master Schweinorg.
The alighted wind becomes a wall. The gates in the four directions close, coming from the crown, the three-forked road that leads to the kingdom circulate."
He flinched as he felt the beginnings of the magic, it was already setting his nerves alight. He would have to finish this as quickly as possible, otherwise he might really die before he could even finish the summoning.
"Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill).
Repeat every five times.
Simply, shatter once filled.
――――I announce. "
The circle was aglow with prana now, and he was only feeding more into it, this was his first true test toward his goal, the test that would let him save Sakura. He felt the worms begin to react erratically within his body.
"Your self is under me, my fate(doom) is in your sword.
In accordance with the resort of the Holy Grail, if you abide by this feeling, this reason, then answer.
Here is my oath. I am the one who becomes all the good of the world of the dead, I am the one who lays out all the evil of the world of the dead.
You, seven heavens clad in three words of power, arrive from the ring of deterrence, O keeper of the balance ―――!"
It felt as though all of his veins were close to bursting. He didn't know how much longer he would be able to take this. It was more than he had expected. He felt the crest worms crawling across his face, seeking to devour him. However, he wasn't finished yet, it was time to add the last line so that he could ensure his victory, even if he did not enjoy it for himself.
" Yet, thou serves with thine eyes clouded in chaos.
Thou, bound in the cage of madness. I am he who command those chains."
His circuits were aflame, it was enough that he might die and the crest worms were moving throughout his body. He fed more prana into the circle to bring a Heroic Spirit back to the Impure World and felt some satisfaction as he saw the explosion of prana that erupted from the center of the circle.
For a moment there was only energy and smoke, but soon the energy coalesced into a vague human shape. It stayed that way for a second more before solidifying and revealing the Servant that he had summoned.
As the smoke cleared Kariya could only stare in shock. Standing within the circle was a man with red hair and teal eyes with no eyebrows. He was dressed in something that looked as though it would not be out of place in a dessert area and the kanji for love was carved onto his forehead. Adorning his back was a giant cracked gourd, what it was used for Kariya was unsure of, but all those weren't what shocked him. No, what shocked him was the intelligence reflected in his Servants eyes. Mad Enhancement seemed to have not taken, he had failed to summon a Berserker, and this was not how he imagined Lancelot would look.
With a start he realized that his Servant was scrutinizing him just as much, but with a cool gaze, one that was calculating. Kariya was jolted out of his thoughts as his Servant finally spoke.
"You who have summoned me, I ask of you, are you my Master?"
Hell yes. Finally got this completed. For those of you who have been following Lucid Berserker, welcome to this new story. I've hinted at a Fate/Zero and Naruto crossover with Gaara pretty much since I started Lucid and now, over six months later, it has finally begun. I will say straight up that this story is going to be very fitting to the M rating. This is mostly because of all the crazy stuff that happens within Fate/Zero, and I don't plan to edit Caster's Master like the anime did, that's right, the Master of Caster was so batshit crazy that he was edited for the anime in Fate/Zero for violence. That shit is fucking scary, Fate/Zero was already aimed at an adult audience and this dude was edited so that it could be aired. I don't even think the uncut bluray has all the stuff that he did do his victims, but I always felt that it's actually necessary to show how deranged this guy really is. That said, this fic is not for the faint of heart.
Like Naruto in Lucid Berserker, I thought long and hard about which class of Servant he would actually be summoned under, but in the end, I decided to stay with Berserker. This was actually a very difficult choice for me because Lancelot was my second favorite Servant within the Fate/Zero story, with good old Broskander being the first. I actually quite enjoy Gilgamesh in Fate/Zero as well, mostly because he's not as much of a douchebag as he is in Night. Anyway, I felt that Gaara encompasses the class of a Lucid Berserker the best, but in a different way than Naruto. I also couldn't think of a way to make the feast of kings really work without Alexander, so I couldn't axe Rider and have Gaara instead.
If you were paying attention, this chapter was pretty much an exposition of the first episode of the anime, this will probably be the only episode that is damn near word for word like the anime episode, but the chapters themselves will be named after the episodes in the anime, mostly because I enjoy those names. There are actually a couple of reasons for this. One is because I actually quite enjoy the first episode of Fate/Zero, I must've watched it twenty times now, and each time I can't help but get chills when the summoning of the Servants arrives at the end. Another reason is that there were actually a great many people who read Lucid Berserker and had no idea about the Fate series. This first episode is a good intro into the types of classes and a few of the families and Mages that are involved in the War.
Well, I think that's pretty much it for my end of chapter rant. This won't actually happen as often in this fic as I think Zero has a bigger sense of gravitas than Night, but that might just be me. Not to say that Night doesn't have that sense, just that Zero's is bigger. Right then onto the disclaimer!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Fate/Stay Night. They belong to Kishimoto Masashi and Type-Moon respectively. Please support the official release!