In the burning ruins a child was found.
The one who found him had only been passing through when he heard of the disaster that had occurred here. He came not out of any sense of pity or duty. He came because "she" wished to see this vision of hell on earth. He had not refused, because "she" was the one who held all his dark emotions. The one who took all his anger and frustration and turned it into joy. His other half who was his only true companion in the world.
When he found the boy, collapsed upon the street "she" had decided she wanted to stay there for a while. For long minutes they stood their as the child turned vacant eyes towards them, but strangely he did not mutter a word. "She" had been ready to laugh in his face. Prepared to take pleasure from watching another human realise that the one in front of him would do nothing to save him from death. Ready to find rapture in the anger and despair that would come over him. But the boy said nothing, and finally the man found himself asking a question.
"Why don't you ask me for help boy?"
The boy lifted his head, an effort that stretched him to his limits. Their eyes met, and two kindred souls saw each other reflected in the other's gaze.
"Because I am nothing." Said the boy.
Exhausted by the effort required to squeeze out those words the boy fainted. Watching him the man realised that here was one who represented the ideal his family had been reaching for. It would be a shame to lose some 'thing' like this here.
"I will take this boy and I will raise him as my child." The man said to his female companion. She gave no answer, not that any had been expected in the first place.
Reaching down he picked the child up in his arms. Surprised by the lightness of this frail body. Lifeless and limp, the boy was just like a doll. Perfect.
As the man walked away he muttered only one more line. A comment made to himself, which meant it was addressed at his companion as well.
"He will be a good mirror to my grand-daughter."
In the midst of the darkest experience of his short but troubled life, the youth finally realised the extent of his abilities. He was nothing, never had been anything, never would be anything. So instead.
He would become everything.
If we were to see the beginning.
The emptiness from which all came.
There would be nothing.
No light.
No darkness.
No distinction between good and evil.
Echoing everything, rejecting nothing.
That is mirror of creation.
So let there be, "Unbounded Reflections".
"What the hell are you boy?"
That was the samurai's last question as his existence ended. Destroyed by the one technique he had believed irrefutably to be his own.
"..."
Silence meets his words. There is no light of personality in his opponent's eyes, no spirit to answer his. The youth's gaze is as empty as the unadorned katana he carries loosely in his hands.
The samurai chuckles. All that is left of him is his head and neck, which are even now fading away into the light of pale moon. He had known all along that there hadn't been any point in asking the question. The being facing him was nothing that could be called 'human', for humans had the will to live for themselves.
"I hope that you will wake up one day kiddo. For your own sake if for no oth-"
High in the sky the full moon shone its silvered face upon the earth, and into its light disappeared the last glittering motes that had been the servant Assassin.
Left behind was the red haired youth, staring straight into the moon to make sure the last traces of his 'target' had disappeared. His eyes were wide open, a mismatched set of brown and black-spotted red that glowed in the half-light. Slowly, the red faded from his left eye and awareness returned to that vacant stare.
"Rider," he called.
His servant comes down at once from the trees she had observed the battle from. Battle? No, it couldn't called that. Rather say it was a dismantling of a swordsman's pride and achievements. If she said as much to any of the other servants they would ridicule her, saying it was impossible for a mere human to defeat a servant in one-on-one battle. They had no idea of her master's true horror, the power of the Mystic Eyes of Unbounded Reflection, also known as Sharingan.
"Are you listening to me Rider?" came the emotionless query.
"Yes, master. I will take care of Saber and her master. Will you require my help with Caster?" Although the servant's eyes were covered there was a feeling of curiosity in the 'stare' she directed at her master.
Ryougi Shirou shook his head and began walking into the temple. His servant sighed at the abrupt dismissal and made her way down the stone steps. Somewhere below was Saber, rushing up in what she believed was an attack on Assassin and Caster, not knowing that someone had beaten her to the punch. It was Rider's job to make sure they never reached the top.
Inside the temple grounds Shirou looked over the buildings. All was quiet and the inhabitants seemed to be sleeping soundly, but it was inevitable that at least some of them would be woken by the sounds of battle. No great matter, either he or his next opponent could easily make sure they saw and heard nothing of what was to come. There would be no distractions from the outside world either. His servant would make sure of that with her own mystic eyes.
As for him. He had a servant to kill.
Shirou's left eye began turning red again, specks appearing and expanding until there were three black whorls arranged around the central lens. There was no more reason for thought, no more thought of failure. There was only SHIROU.