The following is a non-profit, fan work based off the work Type-Moon

All character, events, and ideas belong to their original creators

The Bluefire Phoenix Present…

Fate/Crossroads

Chapter 2: The Prodigal Gambit

A gentle summer breeze past through the woods. A dead dismembered man was lying on his back, his body still oozing blood. The last flickering of a sun like brightness was fading. The full moon shined down illumining the small clearing.

Diana Hume was huddled against a tree covered in her own blood. Her blue stared up at something she couldn't believe.

A man with golden hair and gilded plate armor like some kind of knight was standing before her. The crimson cloak on his back reached down to his hips. His green eyes shimmered in the moonlight.

The knight wielded an elegant long sword. It was made out of a type of bluish steel that Diana didn't recognize. Its hilt was a blend of ornate finery and battlefield practicality, bearing a lion motif.

Diana felt her head go light. The golden haired man knelt down. He examined her wound, carefully trying not to touch her.

While the man was easy to look at, Diana couldn't focus on him. Her thoughts were occupied with his question. Images of her father's dead body and Austin's warning surfaced the more she tried to come up with an answer. Her heart felt like it was going to eat itself. A kick in her stomach caused her to vomit. The bile further ruined her dress. The girl began to violently sob.

"Master please, you need to be silent. There might be others still looking for you," the man warned. He placed a hand on the girl. She was able to stop her crying. "Alright your wound isn't mortal but it needs to be properly bandaged." He started taking in their surroundings.

"I'm…I'm sorry," Diana whispered. "I'm so sorry."

The man cocked an eyebrow then shook his head. "It's alright," the man responded. He picked her up and cradled her in his arms. "I'll get you to the hospital."

The man leapt up meters over the trees and landed on the roof of a house in a nearby neighborhood. He quickly moved as fast as he could from roof to roof, barely leaving a dent on them. Eventually he reached a business district and jumped from mini-mall to mini-mall instead until a major highway junction between the two and their goal. Even at night there was ton of traffic flowing. He took Diana under a smaller overpass.

They reached a large hospital complex. The knightly man gently placed Diana in front of the emergency room and disappeared into several red wisps that faded as a couple of duty nurses came out to help the girl.

Diana was stitched up and in a rest area before long. Her mother was on her way. The strange man rematerialized next to her in the absence of other people. "Thank you," Diana said.

"Of course. You are my Master. If you die, I die," he said.

Diana blinked. "I thought you said it wasn't a mortal wound?"

"The sentiment is the same. Our fates our linked now, Master. My sword creates your destiny," the knight said.

Something shuffled outside. The Servant dissipated as a nurse entered the room. Her walk was mechanical and had a glowing red border around her eyes. She held out a walky-talky. The knight returned and grabbed the communicator. The nurse promptly left.

The knight examined the technology a moment then hit the talk button. "I take it you are one of those responsible in the attempted assassination of my Master?" he asked. He kept his voice below a growl.

Light mocking laughter seeped through the speaker. "And you must be the Servant that interfered in my assassination attempt. A pleasure to meet a fellow Servant and seeing as you're the last of us to be summoned, you must be our Saber," an arrogant aristocratic voice announced.

"Since you know so much about me, perhaps you can tell me whom I'm addressing" Saber asked.

"That is classified I'm afraid," the voice said.

"So what do you want? You've failed once already. I'd really hate to make it twice in the same night."

"I agree, and since the lovely Ms. Hume summoned you before she could die I have proposition for you: an alliance between our teams."

Saber turned to his Master. Diana weakly motioned for the radio. She gripped it as tight as she could. "You ordered the death of my daddy?" she asked.

"I meant to kill your whole family as you were leaving church, apparent revenge for one of your father's backroom dealings. But he's collateral damage at this point I'm afraid."

"Collateral damage? He was my father and you had him killed right in front of me!"

"Don't act like you're the only one who's had such tragedy thrown upon them. You're letting your feelings get in the way. You are in the weakest position of the seven Masters. This might very well be the only break you'll get in this war," the Servant suggested.

Diana started to quake. She remembered her father's end. Her mind focused on the only positive thought she could muster: consolation was in knowing that he had died ignorant of her faltering faith. It wasn't much but it calmed her down a bit. She sharply inhaled. "Mark my words, whoever you are. You will pay for what you took from my family," she coldly answered.

"Please be smart about this, Ms. Hume. We can provide safety while you train. You need us."

"No I don't! I have Saber and he will take me to victory!" Diana shouted.

The Servant let out another mocking laugh. "Very well. Should we ever come face to face, I will carry out my duty as a Servant and end you," the Servant warned. The radio went dead.

"Are you sure that was wise?" Saber asked.

Diana started to quake, letting the radio hit the ground and pop into several pieces. Her heart rate rose at an alarming rate. She ducked over side of her bed and threw up again. The girl finally got a grip and looked up at her servant. "Probably not. But I'm not going to work with that...monster," she gnashed.

Saber nodded. "Are you alright?" he inquired.

"No. But I want to know why did that man attack instead of the Servant?"

Her own Servant shrugged. "I suspect that it was one of his Noble Phantasm. Probably something to do with mind control or domination. If so, we should be wary until we know its limits."

"Noble what?"

"Phantasm. Each Servant is allowed three based on their history, class, and the summoning spell used."

Diana's head slunk down. "I'm just not cut out for this. These Servants and Masters and Noble whatsits, they all go right over my head," she admitted.

"Don't discount yourself, Master. The Grail picked you because it thought you are worthy of it, but perhaps the Overseer could help us. If you think it would help," Saber suggested.

"The Over…"

The girl was cut off by the approach of footsteps, Saber dissipating. Helena Hume staggered into the room. Her makeup was completely ruined, beautiful red hair frazzled and frayed. The dress she wore was crumpled and wrinkled.

Helena collapsed into a nearby chair, throwing her head into her daughters and began to weep profusely. Diana gently weaved her fingers through her mother's hair. She gently shushed, whispering how everything would be okay. Her mother begged forgiveness from…whoever would give it.

A police officer from the Colleyville entered after Helena. "I'm sorry to disturb you Ms. Hume, but I'd like to get your testimony," he said. Diana took a deep breath.

"I don't know his face, he didn't say anything, and I don't know why he attacked," she recited off the top of her head.

"And how did you get to this hospital?"

"I'm not sure. I just woke up here."

"Are you sure you want this to be your official testimony, Ms. Hume?" the officer asked.

"Yes. Now please let me and my mother be," Diana requested. The officer nodded and left. Diana felt her Servant relax just a bit. His focus was on Helena now.

All throughout the night her mother told her how everything was going to be fine and that she scheduled a meeting with their pastor. Helena's quasi-rammbling went on until she finally fell asleep at Diana's side.

The next afternoon found Diana home in her bed, dressed in a clean nightgown. Her mother was out making arrangements for her father's funeral. She wanted to be there with her mother, but alas her stitching didn't need to be exerted so much. So she sat on her bed looking at Austin's business card.

Saber was patrolling the perimeter of the house. With a deep breath after a long throat clearing, she dialed the number. The call went out for what must have been an eternity.

"Ah, Ms. Hume. What can I help you with today?" Austin asked.

"Did you order my death?" Diana asked. She kept her voice steady.

"Ms. Hume, that action would violate my role as Overseer and I would be dismissed," Austin said.

"So you had nothing to do with my father's death?"

"I warned you Ms. Hume. If you wish, I'd happily help you summon a Servant for your protection."

"No thank you, I have my Servant already."

"What?"

"You heard me. I command the Saber Servant, whatever that means; and be aware that if I find you were complicit…"

Diana stopped mid-sentence. She heard a thud followed by the patter of feet against stone.

The phone was sitting on its back atop an impressive hand carved wooden desk, still on the call. The desk was in a small office that overlooked a massive chamber. Austin was tearing through a labyrinthine stone hallway lit only by torches that gave off no smoke. She was bare foot, wearing only a white undershirt and her black dress pants, the silver key bouncing every which way on her chest. Without all her usual garb, about a dozen Command Seals were visible running down hear arms, with on in particular on her right hand. Said right hand had to keep the pants up she was missing her belt as well. Even hampered so, she was able to move at an incredible pace.

Austin stopped at a great wooden door. She placed a hand on a metal plate with a similar indent on it. The plate glowed along with the silver key, the door cracked.

The door creaked open enough for the woman to sneak through the opening. She entered a large study. Tomes filled with slightly yellowed pages were piled high, blocking several of the filled bookshelves. A large computer set up on the only clear desk in the chamber and it was the only object not covered in dust. Behind the desk was an elaborate circle made of embedded precious stones and

Austin braced herself against her knees a moment, taking several deep breaths. She yanked her pants up before standing up. The stones in the circle lit up when she stepped into the center of them. A portal opened up underneath her and she sunk into it.

The woman rose out of a similar portal in a dull grey room. Once she was all the way through the portal receded beneath her. It revealed an identical circle of stones. Austin continued her awkward run through several corridors of bulkheads. She stopped at an ominous set of stairs that descended deep into a small abyss.

She didn't let it slow her down. Her bare feet barely made a sound as she delved into what could only be described as a crypt. It was bathed in a deep blue light. Austin walked past three onyx sarcophagi before stopping behind her mistress who was standing in front of a fourth sarcophagus.

Her mistress wasn't particularly tall. Actually she was rather short, standing a few extra centimeters above a meter and a half. Her head was encased in fresh bandages and a half empty wine glass was elegantly gripped in her right hand. She was still wearing a red robe that gathered into velvety pools behind her feet.

Austin chewed her lip as her master took a sip of her drink. The woman took a quick glance at Austin before returning her gaze to the stone coffin. "Have you forgotten where the baths are already?" she asked.

"No mistress, it is about the War," Austin explained. Her cheeks reddened a bit and hiked her pants up a couple of centimeters.

"Have things derailed so soon? I don't think there's been a kill yet," the other woman commented.

"The seventh Servant has been summoned."

The red robed woman slowly nodded. "While I like to be updated, you could've put your clothes back on first."

"In any other circumstance I would have waited for tomorrow."

Austin's mistress's head curiously twitched. "And what circumstances have you running to me half dressed?" the woman in bandages asked. She began to swirl her wine glass a bit before taking another drink.

Austin took a deep breath. "The last Master, Diana Hume, she summoned a Servant without a Circle," she said.

Her mistress's fingers strummed her glass. "Do you have proof of this claim?"

"No, but she hasn't had prior contact with any of the Masters and I didn't teach her the ritual."

"You're speculating. I don't care for speculation."

"I know mistress, but there doesn't seem to be another logical explanation."

"Then look into it and find out the truth."

Diana was getting antsy. Sweat began to form on her brow. Austin had been gone for almost a minute. The girl contemplated redialing and was about to when she heard panting from the other side. There was a final deep breath followed by a throat clearing.

"Ms. Hume?" Austin asked.

"I'm still here," Diana coldly responded.

"Apologies, something came up. Can I help you then?"

"I want to learn more about… well all of this," Diana admitted.

"Very well, when do you want to meet?"

"After my daddy's funeral, I'll linger for a bit after it's over."

"Very well. I'll keep an eye out," Austin said.

The phone went silent. Diana set it down and curled up. Her eyes went to her nightstand. On it was an old NIV Bible. The book was beat half to death with all years of use. Her heart raced as she picked it up.

She skimmed to a verse that was beaten in to the congregation over the years. "Do not allow a sorceress to live," she whispered. The girl looked at her Command Seals. She then looked back to the verse. The words were unchanged. Those were the immutable words of her god.

They seemed to stare up at her, mocking her very existence. Each letter in the verse laughed at her. The girl reached out and grabbed a pen from her nightstand. Her hand hovered over the page, ready to scribble out the words. Every time she got close her hand recoiled to the flash of a memory. It was usually a vision of her reading from the very book she was trying to deface to her father when she was just a little girl. She saw the proud look in his eyes as she struggled to pronounce some of the odder the names.

"I don't think those are wise words for you to live by, Master," Saber said as he materialized at the foot of her bed. Diana tossed aside the pen and slammed the book shut, bringing it close to her chest.

"My family has lived for generations by them. I've lived my entire life by them," Diana retorted. "Now look at me." Her right hand clenched.

Saber folded his arms over his chest. "Master, what exactly would you wish for should we win?" he asked.

Diana turned to the sky. "I'd wish that I never was a Mage. Then things can go back the way they were. Daddy will be alive and I can go back to being a good Christian girl."

"That's all, just restore the old order? Erasing our meeting and all our victories."

"Disappointed by the selfishness?"

Saber scoffed a laugh at the question. "Not particularly. I'm more surprised that you wouldn't simply wish for your father back."

Diana's right hand began to twitch. "How am I supposed to live with him, knowing what I am now?" she growled.

"He's your father, he should love you no matter what you turn out to be," Saber noted.

"I know, and he'd be ostracized by the whole church for it. It isn't fair that he suffer for what I am, this...this abomination in the eyes of the lord."

"Master..."

"Just go, Saber. I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"As you wish Master."

To be Continued...


A/N: If I may start, Exodus 22:18 (The verse Diana read) is by far the oddest placed verse I've ever come across. The writers put it smack dab in between a verse discussing how a man has to pay for taking the virginity of an unmarried girl and what to do with someone who commits bestiality. It honestly sounds like its the center of a skit that got cut from The Life of Brian.

Now onto the important stuff. Namely establishing the relationship between Diana and Saber. I'm interested to see how it goes, especially given that Masters and Servants can peak into each others minds. I'm not sure where their relationship should go exactly so at this point it'll be in a bit of flux.

As for Diana herself, I'm not sure how sympathetic she's going to get. On the one hand, her father was murdered in front of her and she's basically become something her religion hates. On the other hand, she's an upper middle class white girl from the suburbs of North Texas. I don't want to continually beat the crap out of her, because then the character becomes a useless punching bag for the other characters. But if things go right for her too much or too fast, then the tragedy and sympathy is lost.

The scene between Austin and her mistress looks as out of place as the earlier mentioned verse, but I think it works. One of the things I want to avoid having a situation where Character A tells Character B information we already know in the same manner over and over. I think it strips out the humanity of there interaction. So while yes the scene is funny, it also reminds us that the character isn't some Übermensch that is married to their job. We see that even they have vulnerable moments. I also want to avoid the "Impossible!" remark that sets in motion the destruction of so many characters. Especially when the person speaking of an incredible event didn't actually see it.

The next chapter will close out Diana's part of the story at the moment and chapter 4 will pick up with a new Master.