Lancer returned five hours later...with a severely wounded woman who was missing an arm. She was very low on blood, and near death's door. Only a single, quickly fading rune was keeping her alive.

Shirou went to work, while his Servant watched on curiously. The girl had been openly insulted when he asked if she was King Arthur, stating she'd sooner gouge the King's eyes out than be reminded of her.

Which made Shirou suspect that this was Mordred, rather than Arturia.

If it was, then he was definitely happy with the Servant he summoned. He might have tried to kill Arturia if he had summoned her.

Saber tensed upon seeing Lancer, but the moment Shirou helped carry the injured woman into another room before having Lancer get the medical supplies to at least stop the bleeding, he or she relaxed.

(It was hard to tell gender with that armor.)

Shirou only relaxed when he was sure she wouldn't bleed out.

"Is she going to make it?" asked Lancer, concerned.

"It might be touch and go, but with the wound properly bandaged and with some rest, she might pull through. If you want you can share the room with her to keep an eye and make sure she doesn't bleed out anymore."

"What is going on here?" demanded Saber.

"Food first, then we'll talk," said Shirou.

Some time later...

"I see. You're a Devil raised as a Magus, and you were accidentally chosen. And your adopted father knew mine."

"When Fuji-nee gets here demanding food, tell her your father worked with mine a while back and that you decided to drop in since you knew he used to live in the area. It's more or less the truth without dragging her into this mess," sighed Shirou.

"And Lancer?"

"Once she sees that woman in the spare room, she won't ask too many questions. Now I have a question for you. Are you Mordred?"

He had explained about the Holy Sword Project earlier, mostly so that Saber wouldn't be surprised by his memories. About the only shock Saber had was that someone had been stupid enough to make copies using their fragments.

"I'm surprised you were able to ascertain my identity so quickly," said Saber.

"You fit the general description my dad gave of his Servant, but you were openly insulted when I asked if you were Arturia. So the only logical conclusion is that you're Mordred. Which actually makes me happy, since I was hoping I wouldn't summon that stuck up prude anyway," said Shirou.

Lancer choked after hearing Shirou openly call one of the most famous Celtic heroes a 'stuck-up prude'.

Mordred's smile was full of teeth.

"I think we'll get along perfectly, Master."

"Shirou is fine."

"Lord Shirou, then," said Mordred.

Somehow, he had the feeling this was a fight he wouldn't be winning, so he let it slide.

"So, Lord Shirou, what's your plan for the Holy Grail Wars?" asked Lancer, grinning. Shirou scowled at the name, but didn't bother to correct it.

"We're going to scout out the competition. If there are any Servants worth converting into Evil Pieces, or Masters for that matter, I'll offer them a place. If they don't want to, or they oppose us... we'll annihilate them. Kiritsugu attacked the Grail last time with Arturia when he found out the thing was corrupted to the point it would destroy everything if anyone used it, so there's no point fighting over it," said Shirou flatly.

Mordred smirked.

"I like it. It's a clear, concise plan and leaves plenty of ways for us to adjust. It also shows that you're not afraid to rid yourself of those who would oppose us," said Mordred in approval.

Shirou's only interest in this war was to add to his Peerage. He had no interest in the Grail itself.

The irony was that the whole Servant system left the Servants themselves wide open to being converted into Devils. Zelretch's notes on the Evil Piece system (which had been helpfully taped to the bottom of the chess board itself) were very clear.

He couldn't convert gods in pieces. However, Divine Servants (like say, Herakles or Tamamo-no-Mae) weren't actually gods. They were fragments of the originals shoved into a class and made to fight in the war. Which meant it was fully possible for him to convert them into Devils.

Just look at Lancer, the Irish Child of Light! He was half god himself, but he was easily turned into Shirou's first Knight.

"So, do you have any ideas who you want for your Peerage?" asked Lancer.

"I have my eyes on a possible Bishop. As for your former Master, I'd be willing to offer her a place as one of the Pawns. I had to use one already to save Kiritsugu," said Shirou.

"Isn't Pawn the weakest piece though?" asked Lancer.

"Idiot. Pawns have the ability to be promoted," said Mordred.

"Saber is right. A Pawn can be promoted into any piece save the King once inside enemy territory. In the case of an Evil Piece, that means it can feasibly take on the characteristics of any of the other Evil Pieces. Speed, Defense, Strength, Support, or in the case of the Queen, it can take on all of the characteristics of the other types."

"Eh, I don't get complicated crap like that. Just aim me at someone you want dead or is fun to fight and I'll be happy," said Lancer.

"In the meantime, we should start preparing for those who aren't interested in joining us," said Shirou. "Though something tells me Berserker and his Mistress will be difficult until things are cleared up. Which reminds me, I should probably make a call to get things rolling."

"What things?" asked Saber.

"He didn't want to get caught up a second time, so he asked me to call once the last Servant was summoned. Mostly because he suspected that the von Einzbern representative would be someone he has been trying very hard to retrieve for some time, before he faked his death."

Shirou retrieved his cell, which Kiritsugu insisted he get once he had enough money saved up. It wasn't one of the newer ones, but it was fairly modern in comparison.

There were only a few numbers saved on it, as he didn't really have many people to talk to, and those he did he generally spoke with using the land line.

Within a few moments, the line connected.

"Has the last one been summoned?"

Kiritsugu was never one to waste time.

"I have summoned Mordred. Also, it looks like our theory that Servants could be converted into Pieces was correct. I've turned the Lancer that was summoned into a Knight," said Shirou.

"Mordred? I suppose your disdain for Arturia coupled with your heritage might have caused the divergence. Considering you have that, you would have summoned someone from the Arthurian legends regardless."

"That?" asked Shirou suspiciously.

"Its not important. But you'll have to register at the Church to officially be recognized as a Master. Or you could just call and inform them. Considering who runs the Church, I'd go with a phone call."

Kiritsugu long suspected Kirei Kotomine to be the one behind Shirou's forced participation in that project. He was empty enough that he wouldn't think twice about abducting a child, especially considering he had adopted Shirou. However he had yet to find any proof that Kotomine knew of his relationship with Shirou, or if it had been purely random.

"I'll call later, once Taiga leaves. Be sure to pick up when I call again, because I'll try to contact the von Einzbern Master. If it is Illya, I'll stall long enough to call you."

Kiritsugu said nothing, but rather hung up. There was nothing he needed to say about his estranged daughter, who would have been poisoned against him and Shirou by her grandfather.

All he could hope was that she didn't kill him before he had a chance to call Kiritsugu. The sound of his voice might be shock enough to get her to listen to reason.

One quick phone call and he was registered as a participant. He hated Churches anyway after the project, and the one in town gave him a foul feeling to begin with.

Sakura didn't come over, which worried him. Taiga did, but she was easy enough to handle. She bought the story about "Morgan" (which had Mordred scowl at the name) and didn't ask questions about Lancer when she found his former Master Bazette unconscious in one of the rooms. Obviously Shirou took them in when he found out about Bazette.

Bazette woke to a Japanese-style room, with her wounds freshly bandaged and under a warm blanket. But the thing that caught her attention was the man beside her.

"Lancer?"

"Oh good, you're finally awake. Don't try to sit up just yet. He doesn't really have proper chairs for you to lean against, and you lost a lot of blood."

"...He?"

"Is she awake?" asked a voice. In walked in a boy with amber eyes and red hair the color of fire.

Bazette tried and failed to sit up.

"Easy. You were on death's door when Lancer found you."

Her eyes narrowed on his right hand. He noticed where she was looking and sighed.

"Before you freak out, I have no intention of bothering to go after a corrupt Grail. Consider this neutral territory, since I took in Lancer knowing who he was. And I don't poison my food either, so you should eat something."

Bazette cautiously tried the stew in his hand. It was difficult to eat with only one hand. But once she realized it really wasn't poisoned, she ate neatly and quickly. She could already feel her strength coming back.

Shirou allowed her to finish in peace. With renewed strength (and the help of Lancer) she was able to hobble to the dining room. There she saw a Servant, but it paid her no attention.

Clearly he wasn't kidding about the house being neutral territory. Normal Servants would have killed her by now.

Once she was semi-comfortably seated at the table and had a glass of hot tea in front of her, the red head spoke again.

"Lancer told us what happened at the Church. Odds are it will be difficult to defend yourself against the less scrupulous Masters with only one arm, and being weakened by your near-death experience. Which was why I'm going to offer you a chance to get even with him."

"What chance is that?" asked Bazette.

The boy set a single red-colored chess piece in front of her. It was a pawn.

"You... You're a devil aren't you?" said Bazette.

He released his wings briefly, before folding them back again.

"What's in it for you?"

"Having a second traditionally trained Magus in my peerage. Having one arm is troublesome, but I'm sure I could suffer dealing with Zelretch for a month or two in exchange for his help."

Bazette nearly choked at the name.

"Zelretch?! As in the Master of the Second Magic, the Kaleidoscope?!" she said, trying to gain some air.

"Let's just say I have his phone number for reasons I'll not go into. He's helped me out before, and the idea of screwing over the Heaven's Feel ritual until it can no longer be used should amuse him enough," said Shirou.

Turning all the Servants, or enough of them that the Grail could no longer form, would definitely amuse Zelretch. If enough Servants became "Pieces", then there was no way for the war to continue and it would be held off indefinitely. No one would have to die, and he would be able to fill his peerage with powerful fighters.

From there he could enter the Underworld's Ranking matches and hopefully find his birth family. If not, he could make enough of a name for himself to find some way of fulfilling Kiritsugu's dream.

Shirou took out his cell, and dialed a number he hoped to avoid if possible.

"Interesting you should call me now of all times...Emiya-kun," said the amused vampire.

"Yeah, yeah. I have an idea that might pique your interest, fang-face. A way to stall the Fifth war permanently long enough for a way to be found to dismantle it. If nothing else it'll piss off the fairies and the worms, never mind what the jewels will say when they find out what I've done," said Shirou.

"Do tell," said Zelretch, interested now.

"I have someone missing an arm. I've already acquired the Lance, but I might need some help convincing the mad dog and his master to join up later."

Zelretch laughed.

"I see! I see! How amusing! I shall come personally to watch the fireworks when that tsundere realizes what you've done! To say nothing of the...upgrade I could give your soon-to-be Bishop!" said Zelretch.

"I thought this might catch your interest."

Shirou hung up.

"Hey Saber, you up for a walk?"

"What sort of walk?"

"The kind that leaves us exposed enough to lure a mad dog and his red-eyed Master," said Shirou.

"You're trying to lure Berserker into a trap?!" said Bazette, incredulous.

"It'll give you time to think over my offer, and gives me a chance to snag a powerful Rook. Saber's already agreed to take the Queen later," said Shirou. "Besides, if this works then it'll get under the skin of the von Einzberns and save my adopted sister in the same move."

Shirou winced.

"If the worst happens, I can always teleport Saber and myself out of there," said Shirou.

It was one of the spells Zelretch had left taped to the bottom of the chess board. Only the most basic of devil spells, but ones he would have learned anyway once he went to the Underworld.

Shirou's trick was simple. He went for a walk, circumventing the Matou mansion (he could tell that Sakura was likely summoning her own Servant) and keeping himself well exposed for Illyasviel to find him.

It took two hours, but she eventually lost patience and came to him. He wasn't stupid enough to barge into her strong hold. That was just rude.

"Hello, Onii-san," said Illya in a cute manner. If he wasn't aware she had Herakles as Berserker waiting for her command, he might have bought it.

Instead of saying anything, he calmly took out a cell phone.

"You do know how to use one of these, right?" he asked, holding it out.

Illya blinked.

"Of course I do! You type the numbers and hit the green button!"

"What about speed dial?" asked Shirou patiently.

"Hit a number and send," she said, as if explaining to an idiot. She was a video-game addict, enough said.

"Hit 2 and press send. Someone's been waiting a very long time to speak to you," said Shirou, handing it over.

Illya took it cautiously. When she found no spells on it, she humored him. It wasn't like he would live if he was trying something. One word from her and he'd be paste.

A few moments later, and the call connected. What happened next would shatter everything around her.

"Hello, Illya."

She nearly dropped the phone.

"...Daddy?"

"It's me. I had to avoid Fuyuki just in case the Grail thought it would be funny to rope me in as a Master again, but I left Shirou in charge of making contact with you."

"How do I know this isn't a trick?" asked Illya to Shirou.

"What do you know of Devils?" asked Shirou.

"They like to turn humans with special powers into pieces, and they can't enter holy grounds without feeling some pain," said Illya flatly.

Her jaw dropped when Shirou flashed his wings. Suddenly it all clicked into place.

"He's an Evil Piece now isn't he?" she asked.

"Yes. And I promised him I'd give you a chance to live past this farce of a war, free of the von Einzbern's plans for you," said Shirou.

"What about Berserker?" asked Illya, eyes narrowing.

"I still have most of my Evil Pieces, save for one of the Pawns and a Knight. I was thinking of turning him into a Rook," admitted Shirou. "Can you imagine how pissed off your grandfather would be if he found out the war was permanently put into a stalemate because of me?"

Illya smirked.

"And what in it for you?"

"I save my sister, I piss off a lot of idiots, and I put an end to a farce of a war without nearly as many casualties as the last one. Besides, this is the perfect way to fill up my Peerage," said Shirou shrugging.

Illya looked at the phone.

"Can I borrow this?" she asked.

"Feel free. I still have a Bishop position open if you're interested," said Shirou.

"I'll contact you soon," said Illya. She wanted to have a long overdue talk with her father.