Night 2

Rin passed through the gate to her western-influenced house. It was large, comparatively speaking, but nothing compared to what her family was entitled to. Kirei Kotomine, Rin's official guardian, had done away with most of her fortune. Being a man of the cloth, and Rin's late father's friend as well as pupil, he had seen the fortune as little more than a taint upon Rin's responsibilities. Kirei had also participated in the fourth Holy Grail War; the same one Rin's father had died in and her mother driven insane.

Rin didn't like thinking about it if she could help it. A loss of focus was a loss of power. She didn't have time for dwelling on the past. She was here now. She was alive. She would avenge her father and place the Tohsaka's name upon the pedestal once again within the magi realm to which it belonged.

Rin felt the coolness of her own magic as she entered into the force field erected just that morning. Nothing dangerous had passed through it to her knowledge. She would have to reapply the runes' circuits before bed. Rin unlocked the front door and heard its familiar creak as she entered the Tohsaka manor.

'I'm home.' She murmured quietly. There was no response. There never was. Kirei had long since left the moment Rin entered high school. He was a busy man. Despite the fact Kirei had given her the Azoth Dagger, a Tohsaka heirloom, Rin could never fully trust such an obviously deceptive man. There was just something about him that instinctively put Rin on edge, and she wasn't one to doubt her gut.

Rin went to her room and allowed her school bag to flop to the floor. She would eat to ensure her energy was maximised, and then the ritual she had rehearsed hundreds of times would be put into play. Rin undressed and then put on a better functioning outfit that bore a little more leg than she would normally prefer, but allowed for the most comfort when moving aggressively. The red turtle-neck and black skirt with thigh-highs seemed a little silly in appearance, and she knew this, but something about it also made Rin feel like a different person. Not quite a super hero, but along those lines. She wasn't a high school girl; she was a mage. This was her other persona; her true self.

Rin strapped the Azoth Dagger to her leg, packed some of her magic-infused crystals into a hip pouch, and made her way downstairs for a quick dinner. She felt odd, being battle-ready in her own house, but she supposed it was something to get used to. Until she had a servant she could fully trust for night watch, this was life now. Rin swallowed deep and steadied her breathing. Her father wouldn't be impressed. She needed to calm every magical circuit in her body. Every single one.

It took longer than ever. She would never manage to summon Saber in this state.

Rin went to the old record player in her father's study and placed what she knew to be his favourite collection of music upon the relic. The scratchy sounds implied that all was well with this device, at least, and Rin closed her eyes as a classical tune filled her empty halls. She allowed her mind to meld with the pure musical chords and to distance everything superficial from a thought. It was a method her father had bestowed upon her. She could feel her magic circuits opening up and absorbing her focus as well as the natural energy all around her. Fuyuki City was ripe full of mana, and she had no problem obtaining the necessary amount for the ritual ahead.

A simple but effective supper was had. It was traditional in every sense, the steaming white rice and various vegetables and meats fusing with a tried and true sauce she had prepared that morning. Rin didn't consider herself the best of cooks, but she certainly could get by when needed. To her embarrassment, Rin found she simply purchased microwave-able meals and breads to tie her over most nights.

This evening wouldn't be like most nights, however.

Rin allowed the music to continue playing as she descended into the basement of her house. She could just barely make out the strings and wind instruments dazzling their imaginary audience. She allowed a small smile, but continued to maintain all focus upon a true mage's dwelling. The basement had been her father's true and very secret study. It had been where he taught Rin her first spell, and it would be where Rin cast her most important chant.

Rin took a moment to calm her breathing. In and out. In and out. Inhale and exhale. Inhale and exhale. Remember what her father had taught. Remember the vast knowledge he managed to pass on before he lost the fourth war and paid with his life. Eject all emotion. Focus on the craft. Remember the chant. Recall all the verses and every perfect syllable.

Rin closed her eyes and dipped her fingers into a reddish powder upon the ancient table with a quill, parchments, ink stains, and a history beyond understanding. She felt the powder respond to her energy and merge into almost a liquid.

One final exhale.

And then she began.

Rin knelt and drew, uttering words from a golden time of wonder and discovery. Her voice echoed within the confines of a room pulsating with magic dating back thousands of years. She spun and formed a circle, crafting glyphs within smaller circles until a design brought itself forth and only grew more intricate with every passing second.

The score upstairs heightened alongside Rin's focus. She was in a trance, another language passing through her lips and attaching itself to the vocal point of her spell. This was a ten line spell, and one of the most powerful to modern mages. One mistake and she would risk her place in the fifth Holy Grail War. She would risk it all.

No. Focus.

And it continued without another pause. Rin's magical circuits warmed her body in an almost pleasurable way, her cheeks flushing and her movements becoming more rapid. A violin screeched above, and Rin stood outside her perfect circle, eyes still closed so that no distractions would cause falter. She drew her Azoth Dagger and began the final line of her chant. She couldn't see the room quivering at the spell she was casting. She couldn't know that nature itself trembled at the unnatural process at work. She would summon a hero, and that hero would serve her in an attempt to win the Holy Grail and obtain a wish of any kind. It was the opportunity of a life time. It would change everything.

Rin breathed out the final word, and the moment she felt the syllable enter into the blanket of power she had created, just as her father had shown her, everything went silent. It was a silence so deep and raw that Rin thought she was deaf for a moment. The music had stopped somehow. Nothing moved. Time had been frozen.

And then…

A golden ray of light pierced through all matter and exploded upon impact within the magic circle Rin had created. Paper flew everywhere, and cracks erupted all throughout the floor as though an earthquake was beginning.

'Hng!' Rin lost her footing and fell to the floor, her butt bearing the brunt of the impact and seeming to bruise instantly. The smoke and golden light didn't dissipate immediately, and Rin's heart hammered against her chest as she covered her eyes, trying to squint through the dust flying everywhere.

This was the moment of truth. In seconds, she would learn precisely how she would be fighting this war in her family's name. This was what she had worked toward for so long. This was what she had given up her life for. This was her calling.

So, then, why did her eyes burn so?

Finally, something clanked, and movement could be heard within the smoke and angelic light. A step and another step. The servant sounded as though they were clad in armour, and soon enough, Rin discovered that this was, indeed, the case.

A woman with green eyes full of nothing but resolve and dedication passed through the gate of energy, her blonde hair pulled back into a tight bun and her brilliant blue battle dress covered in the most awe-inspired of silver equipment. She was at once utterly beautiful yet terrifying. She looked as though she were some sort of knight from another era nearly long forgotten.

Rin found she couldn't move. She could only stare as her servant's own gaze bore into her soul.

'I am Saber.' The young woman spoke as proudly as expected. 'Am I to presume you are my master?'