Chapter 1: Fateful Night

Cover image: Saber fighting Lancer in the school courtyard.

A land of endless blades stretched over the infinite horizon. Some were monuments of a hero's past feats and accomplishments in life. The rest were were nameless, trivial weapons with no epic tale that was carried with them. However, in this realm, there was no discrimination, as legend stood side by side with the mundane, together to serve one purpose: Sword. Flames wreathed the edge of this land, heating and forging the steel that was contained within. Continuously creating, copy, reinforcing, as these flames continued to burn throughout the edges of this realm. The swords were finished but this land remained incomplete. A dream. A dream that only Emiya Shirou has known since the fateful day he lost everything including his own parents in the blaze that claimed the lives of hundreds ten years ago. The flames he had felt that day had imprinted themselves on the boy's soul, his very being. He did not understand why he dreamed of swords, but it was only a matter of course. They embodied him, representing his life being erased but forged anew, but this dream seemed different. It was a minor shift in the blades and their purpose. A revision that was hardened as steel. Before he could find out what that purpose was, he heard the voice of someone familiar.

"Senpai? Are you awake?" Shirou had awoken from his slumber with a start. The pipe in his hand, fell and landed on the concrete base of the shed. The auburn haired youth then sat up and looked around the room. "Huh?" A giggle sounded from right in front of him and Shirou had turned his weary eyes towards it. A beautiful girl with violet hair and a pink ribbon tied on the left side, leaned over him with an amused smile. Her eyes matched the color that framed them, and at this moment, they seemed to sparkle with mirth. Her name is Sakura Matou, Shirou's underclassman who comes over to help prepare and share breakfast in the household.

"Sorry Sakura." He said. "I didn't think I would be this tired..."

Sakura shook her head. "Don't worry about it. I know how Senpai works hard everyday, so it's nice to sleep in every once in a while."

Shirou frowned. "But, it's already been the second time you've had to wake me up this week. Geez, and a day apart too..." He sighed. "I'm not a very good Senpai if I can't even get up early enough to help you prepare breakfast, Sakura."

"That's not true at all!"

Shirou raised his eyebrows. The violet haired girl flushed and continued. "I like having Senpai depend on me too. You're always trying to do everything yourself, so I like times like these when I can help you."

"...Eh?"

Sakura blushed, then turned around. "U-Um...don't forget to change before you come in. I'll...I'll set up the table." She rushed off before Shirou could give a reply.

"Geez..." Shirou sighed and placed his hand over his hair. "This is gonna be one of those days isn't it?" The auburn-haired youth shook his head and changed into his spare uniform before leaving the shed and heading to his house to start his day.

And so, breakfast ended as usual at the Emiya residence. Shirou's guardian and self appointed big sister, Taiga Fujimura had just sped off and left Shirou and Sakura behind to secure the house. He and Sakura started down the road which leads to their school together and as they walked, the younger classman, sidelong glances, at Shirou even when she thought he wasn't looking and occasionally, she would look downwards and mutter something to herself.

"Hey Sakura, are you alright? Shinji hasn't been bothering you again, has he?" Sakura stopped to give the Auburn-haired youth a surprised look, but that then eased into a pleased smile and she shook her head.

"Ah, it's not that senpai. I'm glad you're worried for me, but my brother hasn't been a problem. It's just- She then dropped her smile as it turned into a searching expression. "Senpai, I want you to promise me that you'll stay home this weekend."

Shirou had given her a surprised look. "Huh? Why do you want that?"

"Well um..." The violet haired-girl frowned and bit her lip.

Shirou saw that, then shook his head. "Don't worry about it, Sakura. If you want me to stay home, I'll stay home." Shirou smiled at her. "It's not very often that you ask me such things, so I was just a little surprised you know?"

A small grin appeared on Sakura's face then she gave a meek nod in return. "Thanks Senpai."

The two stopped walking as they reached the school gates. "Well, I'll see you monday then, Sakura. Have fun at the Archery club today."

"See you senpai... Um...be careful alright?" With that said, Sakura left and gave a small wave in departure, then headed towards the Archery dojo. As Shirou headed off to the building, he was greeted by a familiar voice.

"Hey, Shirou." A student, with white hair and grey eyes approached the auburn-haired teen wearing the same uniform he was wearing.

"Hey, Soma, what's up?" Shirou greeted his friend in return. As they walked inside the building, Shirou and his best friend Soma, chatted about the usual mundane stuff that normal teens would talk about. As they entered the classroom, a girl with long brown hair, tied in pigtails, approached the white haired teen with an annoyed look on her face.

"Um...hey Rin. Is there something wrong?" Soma smiled nervously at the angry girl.

"You haven't called me all week now." Rin Tohsaka said, as she glared daggers at him. "So, who is she?"

"H-Huh?" Soma said, surprised at the brown-haired girl's question. "W-Where'd that come from all of a sudden?" He stepped back and blushed slightly. "Well, you know, I've been busy this week!"

"Oh?" Rin said as she continued to glare at him. "Even though we've been friends, since we were kids, I won't forgive you if I see you hanging out with another girl." Rin exclaimed as she kept here gaze on the white-haired teen. "Don't forget it you hear?!"

Shirou sighed as he listened in on their conversation. "Man, I don't get Tohsaka... usually, she's so calm and collected, but when she's around you, she really loses it." Shirou said, surprised at Rin's change in attitude. "You two dating or something?"

Soma's face became bright red after hearing his question. "W-What?! No way! Me and Rin are just childhood friends after all..." Soma was completely embarrassed by the idea of Him and Rin, dating each other. "B-Besides, I'd never go out with a girl like her!"

"Oh really?" Rin, said, who was still close enough to hear their conversation, went from annoyed to pissed.

"Oh, brother..." Soma sighed, at the fact that his morning was not going well.

"Well, I gotta go help Issei. I'll see you guys later." With that said, Shirou left the classroom, while Soma had to sit through the fury of Rin Tohsaka.

Time had passed. It had been a normal day for Shirou as he assisted his friend, Issei in repairing the school's equipment. Later on at the end of the day, he bumped into another friend of his, Shinji Matou, who then gave Shirou the task of cleaning the Archery Club dojo. By the time, Shirou had finished, it was already night fall, as he wiped his forehead. Then, as he walked out the door and locked it, he heard what sounded like blades clashing. "Huh? No way, that can't be possible... I mean who would be out this late?"

It was no doubt. The sounds were as clear as day as if someone were shouting his name. Shirou took a few steps towards the clashing metal and was absolutely astonished at what he saw.

Two figures, were in the courtyard, moving faster than what the human eye can perceive, and attacking each other with long weapons.

"Who the hell are they...?" He had saw an epic battle between a man and a woman. The man was a foreigner dressed in blue runic tights, wielding what appears to be a long red spear. The other combatant was a younger woman, with soft blond hair, green eyes, wearing a blue dress covered in silver clad armor. What seemed strange to the auburn-haired teen was that the female combatant had no weapon in her hands, yet it looked like she was holding something. Shirou assumed she was holding a sword or something of that nature.

"Her sword's invisible?" The two combatants distanced themselves from each other and observed each other. Surprised by what he had just seen, Shirou took a deep breath and stepped back. But as he did- "Who's there?!" The man in blue had immediately noticed the auburn-haired teen who then began to run as fast as he could.

Shirou ran inside the school building and up to the second floor in a matter of seconds, as he felt he was being pursued. He then fell onto the floor as he was running in the hallways. He tried to catch his breath as he looked behind him only to see that no one was there. "Who...Who were those guys?" Then as Shirou sighed in relief, he heard a voice call out to him. "Yo." A piercing sound was made. Shirou felt a burning pain in his chest as he looked to see the blade of a red spear impale his chest. The auburn haired-teen, fell to the floor and bled out from the wound he received.

"Well, today wasn't your lucky day kid. You saw us, so now have to die." A man's voice spoke with displeasure.

"It's a sick joke for a hero to act like this... but these are the rules we gotta follow." The voice let out a sigh then vanished into the night. Shirou, laid there, wincing in pain, frustrated that he will never become a hero if he is dead. How will he be able to save anyone if he is no longer alive?

"Damn it...We were too late Saber."