Disclaimer: I would like to think that, by nature of the format with which I am spinning this yarn, I would not have to say this. On the other hand, best to err on the side of caution. Therefore, I am stating here that I do not own any of the properties that this story is based on, such as Type-Moon and nitroplus's Fate/Zero light novels and ATLUS's Shin Megami Tensei video game series.

One year later...

"Magic is defined by legacy. A magus strives to achieve the impossible, and passes down their knowledge to the next generation in order for their progeny to continue that journey. Therefore, it is a simple matter to infer that the oldest magus families that persist today have vast amounts of knowledge, and thus vast amounts of power, at their disposal."

The stern voice of Professor Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald echoed in a particular classroom auditorium of the Clock Tower. Though nobody would say it out loud, all of the students present were confused as to why today's lecture began on something that they all knew since birth and took as read anyway. All of the students except for one, that is.

Waver Velvet was wide awake, perhaps for the first time since he had arrived in the halls of the Clock Tower. His gaze was focused on Professor Archibald, and he was hanging on every word, waiting for the other shoe to drop. He'd expected to talk with the Professor privately about his theory, but to have it be the main topic of the class? His essay must have had a greater impact than he thought!

"Yes, I can see it on your faces. Why am I tell you something that is as plainly obvious as the fact that we need air to breathe?" Professor Archibald gave a moment's pause to look at the students before picking up a sheaf of papers from his podium. "Yesterday, a student submitted an essay to me entitled 'How Magecraft Should Be in the Next Century,' which dared to challenge those facts that define who we are as magi."

"According to the theories posited in this writing, a wide-eyed idealist who has meager control of their mana and a deep understanding of the mechanics behind a Magecraft could perform just as well as a magus with 9 generations of learning. In short, this essay refutes centuries of established practices in favor of an approach to Magecraft where one simply believes that what they are doing is correct."

Now the classroom really was buzzing. However, Waver didn't open his mouth just yet. He didn't quite like how Professor Archibald was spinning the theories that he had presented in his essay. He wanted to get the write-up sent to the Clock Tower because nobody had come out with authority and addressed his ideas, so he figured sending the essay to his professor, a 9th generation magus from a prestiged family, would get the ball rolling!

...A student in the Clock Tower with three generations of Magi behind him tries to address an entire hidden society about how what they've been doing for centuries has essentially been a waste of time. Ohh, right...

"Quiet, everybody," Professor Archibald called out to silence the class before casting one more look at the sheaf of paper in his hand. "I will be blunt. This bundle of theories is nothing but childish fantasy. Magic is defined by one's bloodline legacy, as it has ever been, and so it shall ever be. I shall end it here and hope that the student who wrote this gets the message." With an air of finality, the man threw the sheaf of papers into the dustbin beside his podium.

Waver was stunned. Was Professor Archibald really going to let his theories stop here? He didn't even think to consider that what he wrote was possible, did he? He got up from his seat as he piped up, "Professor, I only wanted-"

"Mr. Waver Velvet!" Professor Archibald's interruption came without preamble. "I see you have not learned your lesson? Very well then, I shall drive the final nail in the proverbial coffin of your beliefs." He raised his left hand over the dustbin and a portion of the essay came out. "In truth, I did learn one thing from this essay: Those who have no power will scramble to find any way to assert themselves among giants."

"Consider, class, what Mr. Waver Velvet says in this section: 'Though traditional elements of Magecraft have not been learned or mastered to sufficient level in one to three generations' time, the art of demon summoning has been readily accessible to anybody with a willing mind and able magic circuits.'" The professor certainly got the reaction he wanted. Dead silence, all at the utterance of those two words: Demon summoning.

"Yes, class. Demon summoning, the same foolish attempt at a new Magic Art that plays with fairy tales. We know of demon summoning, don't we? 60 years ago, three once-prestigious families of Magi called the Makiri, the Tohsaka and the Einzbern all dabbled in the 'demon summoning arts,' and what has become of them now?" Professor Archibald's talk seemed to be laced with far more contempt as he didn't even pretend to wait for a student to speak.

"The Tohsaka clan has had to mingle with outside Magi clans and seek assistance from the Church's exiles known as the Messians to barely stay afloat. The Einzbern's offensive capabilities have been blunted to nothing, so much that they must hire gunmen who play at being Magi. And the Makiri? Their stubborn fossil of a family head finally crumbled into dust just the last year, and his legacy was a basement cellar full of summoning failures. But of course, demon summoning must be the answer that a weak, unlearned Magus is looking for!"

Now everybody was looking at Waver, either waiting for a rebuttal or watching to see what the prey could do before the predator made the killing blow. "This is what you wanted, isn't it Mr. Waver Velvet? To be regarded by your peers for such a groundbreakingtheory?" Waver could practically taste the poison in his professor's voice, and his eyes were starting to well up with tears. He couldn't even stop his voice from stuttering as he tried to defend himself. "I... I..."

With a snap of his fingers, the portion of the essay that had been levitated was cut up into countless pieces as if by an invisible razor, and Professor Archibald pretended to sigh. "It truly pains me to do this, but it would be irresponsible as a professor of Magecraft to allow you to continue attending class." A collective gasp from the classroom, none higher than from Waver himself. "Do not bother coming here tomorrow or any day from now on, Mr. Waver Velvet. You are hereby expelled from the Clock Tower."

It was as if the world around the boy shattered. The classmates next to him or around him poked, prodded, threw balls of paper, did anything to try to get a reaction from him. Waver simply stared into the space in front of him, still frozen in his standing position over his seat and not even sure if he was breathing. Expulsion, it was as good as a death sentence.

Nobody tried to wake him from his stupor when class was over. Even the student that left a whoopie cushion on his seat simply retrieved it as he filed out with the others. Professor Archibald was the last to leave, and he didn't give Waver another glance the whole way. Of course, why would he? Waver was beneath a worm compared to the magus with the prestigious title of Lord El-Melloi. Only when he heard the door close did Waver Velvet finally break down in tears.

For good or ill, Waver Velvet lived by himself in the dorms. Nobody could get into his little room, but the young adults who he called his classmates and compatriots until this past afternoon made their mark on his door. Graffiti decrying him as a heretic, a loon, even low-level curses were placed on the door handle or the mail slot. Waver banished all the curses (and the counter-curses to his counter-curses) before going in and packing up his possessions.

As he collected the stray papers that he had written, Waver couldn't help but picture elaborate scenarios in his head where by some miracle, whether it be a long-lost Magus relative of high stature that he never knew existed or a sudden heart attack that afflicted Professor Archibald, Waver's expulsion was nullified and he was allowed to continue attending classes at the Clock Tower. At the same time, his mind detested these flights of fancy. He wasn't here on any family prestige, and he didn't want to be in that clique if people like Professor Archibald were included among them.

Besides, people like Professor Archibald weren't permitted by cosmic law to die of heart attacks or any kind of disease, no matter how hellish they were to their students.

It was late night when Waver clicked his massive suitcase shut. Good timing, he thought. Nobody could possibly be around to heckle him if he left at this late hour. The weird folk who did stay up this late would be so wrapped up in their work that they wouldn't care about him, just like his folks back home. The Velvet family never did take kindly to his theories. They merely saw him as another stepping stone on their path to Akasha, just like any other Magus family resigned to this inane cycle that nobody ever saw an end to...

Tears started to fall from Waver's eyes again as memories from his childhood flooded back unbidden to his mind. All that delightful wonderment, when he learned that magic was real! And not only was magic real, he was part of a family that could practice it, and he was going to learn it too! Through trials and tribulation, even as he battled with his wits against the complexity of magecraft and was cast out for trying to think outside of the box, he never lost his love of the world of magic. And now... because of who he was, he would have to leave.

"For Heaven's sake, get it together Waver!" said the loud voice in his head that tried to motivate him through hard times. Funny that he would only come back now, when he was marching on death row back home to getting a legendary dressing down by his family. He was so swept up in his thoughts, and trying to wipe the tears and snot from his face with his sleeve, that before he knew what was happening he fell backwards onto the floor. In front of him was a mailman that he accidentally walked into, packages that were in his arms now scattered all around on the floor.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry, just wrapped up in my own thoughts. It's been a rough day, you see..." Waver apologized over and over as he helped the mailman gather up the packages. He found the last parcel and was about to hand it over to the mailman when he noticed this particular labelled recipient:

Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald

With something between a yelp and a shriek, Waver threw the package away as if to banish it from his sight. Curse Professor Archibald, was he going to torment him for the rest of his days?! "I'll get that, then!" said the mailman as he walked over to the last package and scooped it up. He looked over the mail label and had a laugh at Waver's expense. "Not a fan of Macedonia, huh?"

Waver sighed and replied, "No, it's Profess- I mean Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald. Because of that close-minded asshole, my life as a Magus is all over!" For the next couple minutes, Waver aired out all the dirty laundry, let out all of the frustration that he had built up from the day's events, and the mailman was an attentive audience that took in every word.

"-and because I brought up demon summoning as a successful example for a magus to achieve great things without generations of inbreeding and rereading the same books over and over, I've been expelled!" That last line echoed throughout, but nobody seemed to notice outside of the two souls in that hallway. Waver finally took a deep breath and picked up his luggage. "Well, that's the end of my life story. Sorry for holding you up on your job, mailguy. I gotta say, thanks a bunch for hearing me out. This really got a big weight off of my chest. Though, I've still got the crowd back home to look forward to..."

Waver started to get a move on when the mailman spoke up. "That's strange... Why would the Lord El-Melloi condemn demon summoning and the three families when he's about to get involved in that skirmish himself?" Waver was about to lament that nothing but his words about the bastard El-Melloi got to the mailman, but something seemed off about what the mailman said. The mailman, noticing that he got Waver's attention, continued:

"Outside of the Makiri, who are well and truly extinct now, the Lord El-Melloi really exaggerated how badly the Tohsaka and Einzbern families have fared since the incident 60 years ago. If the rumors are true, and Lord El-Melloi is going to enter into that battle in Fuyuki City at Japan this year, then what went down today may have been part of a ploy on his end." The mailman turned to Waver, who was still trying to process what was coming out of this random guy's mouth, and concluded, "I'm sorry, kid. It looks like you were caught up in a power bid by Lord El-Melloi to throw his weight around as a combatant in the Holy Grail War."

Waver's mouth was agape as that last line hit him like a gut punch. There was no way that this was true. Waver Velvet, mild-mannered third-generation magus, just happened to stumble into THE decades-spanning civil war between magi for the Holy Grail? And his life was in pieces now because his professor had such a world-spanning ego that he had to compete, and used the incident in class as a power play?!

He could almost see the pieces coming together in his professor's mind:

A big bulletin that The Lord El-Melloi denounces demon-summoning to the point that he expels his own student for bringing it up in class, The Lord El-Melloi has had enough shit from the Einzbern and Tohsaka clans, and their heir enters the Holy Grail War as the bug exterminator and swats down the unworthy flies that are the other combatants! In one fell swoop, The Archibald Family proves itself one of the top families, if not THE strongest, amongst all Magi!

And Waver Velvet, mild-mannered third-generation magus, handed in his essay at the worst possible time. All he wanted was to open some minds and what he got was a boot on his ass! Waver's fury at this injustice was plain as day on his red face, and the mailman tried to calm him down. "But in the end of the day, this is just rumors and speculation. The Archibald family has more important matters to attend to than mere demon-summoning rituals, right?"

Something in him snapped, and Waver never felt more angry in his whole life. "The hell with rumors! Nobody, not even high society Magi with inflated egos, should get away with ruining other people's lives for their own selfish goals! I'm going to show that asshole Archibald what I can do! I'm entering this Holy Grail War, and I'm going to win this damn thing so hard that they'll force him to un-expel me and bring me back, or my name isn't Waver Velvet!"

Waver was huffing and panting to catch his breath, but the fire in his heart had never burned truer. He had to do this. He HAD to show them all that he wasn't misguided... A clapping sound woke him from his daze, and he saw the mailman was smiling at him as he lightly applauded. "Well said, well said indeed. You really aren't an ordinary magus, are you, Waver Velvet?" Waver couldn't help but bashfully smile at that.

"But talent alone won't be your ticket into this war, Mr. Velvet," said the mailman as he handed over the package that had Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald's name on it. "A Magus doesn't fight alone in the Holy Grail War. A Magus is called a Master in this war, and they summon Heroic Spirits from this world's history called Servants. In order to do that, they require a summoning relic related to a Heroic Spirit, like the one in that box."

Waver looked down at the mailing label, and like the mailman said before, this relic came from Macedonia. What kind of hero could have come from Macedonia? But then his eyes couldn't help but glance over to the name on the box, and a seed of doubt sprouted in his heart. "I... I've got nothing to lose now, so I might as well compete, right? Take my chances and all. But still... I can't help but be afraid of facing that bastard Archibald head on."

Waver felt the mailman put a hand on his shoulder, and when he looked up, his eyes were locked onto the mailman's gaze. "It's natural to feel fear, Waver Velvet. But your mind will never be at ease if you let the Lord El-Melloi get what he wants out of this war. Go to Fuyuki City and compete with all your strength, with all your willing heart." Every word that the mailman spoke made Waver feel more sure of himself. It was like the seed of doubt in his heart had been incinerated by that passionate fire once again.

Waver grinned and said, "Yeah. I can do this! Thanks again for everything, mailguy! I'll see you when I get back from Fuyuki City, huh?" Waver waved goodbye with the packaged relic in his right hand and his luggage rolling along in his left. The mailman tipped his hat in response and walked onward in the opposite direction. Waver was fired up, he was going to compete in the Holy Grail War and- Wait, he forgot something! He turned around and asked:

"Geez, I'm an idiot. What's your name, anyway?"

And he didn't get an answer, for the mailman had vanished.

Well, step one complete. There goes the unlucky sod with the relic for the King of Conquerors. Poor kid doesn't know what he's getting into. I venture he'll survive a week at the most, if the Servant doesn't kill him first.

Bah, sentiment. The boy actually asked for my name. No, you fool, we won't be meeting again, not in this form at least. This mask is all that I can manage for now, and when we meet once again, I will be utterly unrecognizable. But just imagine, a flicker of the smallest recognition in the eyes of my enemy as the life leaves their body...

It'll require some time to think up a good line to stir such a reaction, but for now I continue onward to step two. If the Archibald Magus really is anything to write home about, then his use as a Master in the Holy Grail War would be wasted on a Servant such as the King of Conquerors. No, he will suffice plenty for my plan. Two more lefts, and... here we are. The Archibald Magus' housing complex.

"What ails you tonight, Sola-Ui, my dear? You aren't imparting any of the recent gossip like usual."

Yes, that voice that drips with pride and overconfidence, the voice of the Archibald Magus. Who might he be addressing?

"I've heard plenty myself already, Kayneth... Specifically, I heard about what you did today during your teaching session."

Ah, a domestic dispute? Well, I haven't got anything else to do tonight, a little entertainment might be in order...

"Ah, my dear Sola-Ui. If you're referring to the incident with that delusional student, I was doing what any Magus in their right mind would do. Such thoughts of shortcuts and magic tricks to reach Akasha within a single lifetime, we nip these in the bud at childhood to instill a diligent work ethic. If they persist, then they were a lost cause from the start, and thus we exterminate that delusion and purify the pool-"

"Please, enough of your excuses."

Well, that shut him up right away.

"As a matter of fact, I remember watching you last night as you pored over the essay that boy wrote. Watching you wring your hands and gnash your teeth as you delved deeper and deeper into his theories... Even you understood what he was talking about, didn't you? The system is a fossil in sore need of innovation, and you had it right in your fingertips. Instead, you bent to the will of those far stronger than you and you snuffed out that boy for fear of reprisal from your superiors."

"Didn't you stop to think about why you were the one to receive this writing instead of those in higher standing than you within the Clock Tower? Of course you didn't. You parroted what those old fools would have done instead, rather than taking any risks and breaking new ground in this world! I'm ashamed to be betrothed with such a close-minded fool as you."

And what does the Great Lord El-Melloi have to say in response?

"I... I didn't... I'm sorry, Sola-Ui."

...What do they call this phenomenon again? Ah yes, the "Whipped Husband."

Well, I suppose I should throw a lifeline of sorts for the pathetic soul. A spineless fool can only endure so much ridicule before they melt into slime. Two knocks on the door and...

"Who on this good Earth could possibly have business at this late hour?! Yes, who is it, what do you want?!"

Of course, when it's not to do with his wife, all the bravado and pride comes rushing back. Time for step two...

"Delivery for Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald?"

"... It's awfully late for a mail delivery. Come back tomorrow!"

"My apologies, sir. It's just, this is a next-day delivery from Norway and-"

And the door finally opens. Bingo.

"Norway?! Who the hell is this package from?!"

Let's have a look at the place as far as I can see from the doorway while the fool's distracted by my package. Hmm, expensive furniture, family heirlooms here and there, and-

Good lord, is THAT his fiancée? You wouldn't think such an avatar of Cute could whip a male human into submission. What a fascinating realm.

"Excuse me, young man. I could have sworn that they said my summoning relic would be coming in from Macedonia."

"Ah, that old thing? It turns out we were able to unearth a far greater relic for you, as a favor to the Archibald family. You won't be getting a mere Human legend, but you shall wield a veritable God in the Holy Grail War!"

"... Very well."

Aaaaand he slams the door in my face. Well, thank you very much! That's step two completed, now to bide my time before step three.

Yes, thank you indeed... Master.

Rin was carrying her own luggage.

Of course she was! After surviving an attack by a Fiend and relearning the basics of Magecraft for the better part of a year where most of the time was wasted in recovery, Rin wasn't going to leave her luggage to be carried by an adult! She would have done it even if it was just a suitcase with a bowling ball! Heck, ten bowling balls! Rin was the daughter of Tokiomi Tohsaka, and she wasn't a weakling!

She wasn't a weakling... so why was her Papa still sending her away with Mama?

"Hello, Rin."

The distinctive voice of Kirei Kotomine brought Rin out of her thoughts. She never liked that voice, full of strength yet always finding a way to sound like he was stating the obvious to a simpleton that couldn't get the memo. She threw a half-hearted "Hello, Kirei" at him in response and tried to move on with dragging the luggage behind her before he asked, "That's quite a large suitcase. Are you going somewhere?"

Geez, he was doing this on purpose, wasn't he? Rin turned right around and impatiently replied, "Of course I am! Mama and I are going away for our safety while you and Papa fight! Didn't Papa tell you?" The look on Kirei's face didn't change as he answered, "No. Despite being my teacher, Tohsaka-san doesn't necessarily tell me everything. For instance, matters regarding the Messian Order with which I have no clearance."

Oops.

That's right, Kirei always cleared out whenever Mr. Thorman visited to talk to Papa about stuff. Mr. Thorman was tall but also big, with black hair and a white suit and scary blue eyes. A long time ago, he taught her Papa everything that he knew about fighting demons while he learned his Magecraft. Kirei came from the Church, while Mr. Thorman was from another church, so they probably didn't get along. It was probably like how a family of magi might make enemies with another family.

"Do not worry, Rin. As you seem to be departing today, I'm certain that Tohsaka-san would be telling me regardless, so you are doing a small favor for your father." Kirei's face was as stoic as always, which was a complete mismatch to whatever reassurance he was trying to provide her. Rin's complete non-reaction showed on her face, so Kirei asked, "Shall I help with your luggage, Rin?"

Rin shook her head vehemently in refusal and carted it along behind her. "I'm fine here, Kirei. If you want to help... Could you promise to look out for my Papa, and make sure that he's safe during the Holy Grail War?"

Kirei stopped the luggage with his foot (which it turned out was no small feat, whatever Rin was lugging around in that case was packed quite tightly) and shook his head as he replied, "Were it so simple as to dispatch some of my Assassins to be his eyes and ears where he has none, we would not have to send you off with your mother, hmm? Furthermore, to suggest that a student to Tohsaka-san could do a better job of protecting him than he himself is foolish."

Kirei's face and voice were the same as ever, but something seemed to change as he continued to talk. "This Holy Grail War is a sort of Cold War, Rin. It is not an epic battle of explosions as you may have seen on television. It is fought with information and espionage, as well as the inherent talents of the competing Masters and Servants. They and they alone must fight to the death, and as Supervisor to Fuyuki City, Tohsaka-san will not allow innocent casualties, especially not of his wife and only daughter."

The sounds of jovial clapping emanated from the nearby hallway, and Rin jumped up in shock while Kirei merely turned his head. Mr. Thorman came into the room with his hands clasped together and an amused expression, while Tokiomi Tohsaka followed behind in his elegant calm. "Well said, Kirei! Well said, indeed. You certainly taught him well, Tokiomi."

"It is true. As repentance for the events of last year, the Messian Order has taken on a delicate operation regarding the safety of Aoi and little Rin here," Thorman spoke as he bowed his head to Rin. "We will have a Messian outpost with around-the-clock security, and a special bodyguard for each of you two as you go about your daily lives. Is that favorable?" Rin nodded, wondering what kind of bodyguard she would be getting. Would they be like a Servant?

"As for your Papa, worry not your dear heart, Rin," Mr. Thorman said as he slapped her Papa on his back, almost knocking him over. "I have spoken with the overseer of the Holy Grail War, Kirei's own father Risei Kotomine, and I have been granted permission to intercept any attacks on Tokiomi's person that do not lie outside of the Grail War's happenings!" He looked over to Kirei as he finished, "I originally asked to fight alongside him, but your father said that would be a violation of the Grail War's proceedings! Something about 'preserving the sanctity of the ritual...'"

Rin looked at her Papa as Mr. Thorman went on and on. She felt a little better now, knowing that Papa would have his demon-fighting teacher watching over him as well as the protection and power of his own Servant. For the first time in a while, she felt like the end of her world wasn't just around the corner. Rin's Papa looked back at her and seemed to think about something, then he spoke up, "Lord Thorman, Kirei-kun, please excuse me. I wish to speak to Rin about something before she departs."

Mr. Thorman broke out of his rambling state and gave his O.K. while Kirei went, "Very well. I will bring her luggage outside in the meantime." Rin almost protested that she'd do it herself later still, but her Papa nodded as he hurried her along with him. They walked back from where Papa had come, towards the kitchen and... Why were they going back down to the cellar? Rin couldn't help herself as it seemed like ice was building up in her stomach, she started to panic and lose her breath-

"Rin, it's okay. I'm here."

She looked up at her Papa, and he scooped her up into his arms and hugged her tight. Rin hugged him back in response, and she immediately calmed down in his reassuring aura. Tokiomi kept one arm around her as he used his free arm to open the cellar door and hold onto the stairway railing. "You'll have to help Papa here, Rin. I can't hold you as well with one arm," he said as he carefully walked down the stairs to the workshop. Rin tried to shift her weight off of his arm around her by pulling herself closer, and she shut her eyes tight until her Papa said, "You can open your eyes now, Rin. We're here."

When Rin opened her eyes, she took in the sight of the workshop. This was gonna be her last time here for a long time, so she made sure to memorize every detail. It wasn't much like it was last year, both before and after the incident. Lots of new equipment and storage cabinets were there to replace what was damaged. At Mama's insistence, the candelabrum sets were replaced with electronic light installations to combat the darkness that used to be a characteristic part of the workshop. Any signs that last year had happened were otherwise gone.

Rin leapt down from her Papa's arms and turned around to face him as he started off, "Rin, first I want to say how proud I am as your father that you chose to continue practicing Magecraft after what happened." There was a smile on his face, one full of love and pride, that Rin had never seen before. "Your mother and I tried to reassure you that there was no need to do this, but then you said back to us:"

"Papa, I won't run away from this! To be a Magus is to walk with death! You told me that, and I-"

"I won't stop, Mama! I have to do this, for all of us, and for Sakura!"

Rin's face turned bright red and her Papa hummed in amusement for a bit. "We feared that we would lose you again if you came back to this path, but before our eyes you had changed. Rin, you became stronger and braver than you were before, rather than shut yourself out from the world. We could not have stopped you, even if we had tried our hardest." Then her Papa looked aside and- Was that a sheepish look on Papa's face? "Still, your mother had quite a bone to pick with me when she found out what I had told you back when I started training you."

He walked over to a desk in the room and beckoned Rin over to follow him. "The past year's training has been far greater than I would have taught you on normal circumstances. I will not deny that part of it was from a mindset brought on as a father acting to protect one's daughter. But as one Magus to his apprentice, you have far exceeded my expectations of your abilities over this short regiment, and for that I am also proud of you, Rin." The smile that Rin saw this time was back to being Professional and Elegant Papa, but it was no less genuine in his joy.

Rin bowed and started to say her thanks before her Papa interrupted her. "Don't thank me yet, Rin. Not before you receive... this." He opened up a secret compartment of the desk and pulled out a glorious golden object on a chain. It resembled a pocket watch, and on one side it was indeed a mechanical watch. On the flipside of the device, however, there was what looked like the face of a compass but without the four cardinal directions. The single hand on the compass-like side ended with a jewel, and it constantly shivered as if in reaction to something. In all her rummaging through the family archives, Rin never saw this before.

"This is a unique pocket watch, one of the prized heirlooms of our family that miraculously survived last year's incident," her Papa's voice had a nostalgic fondness to it as he described the watch. "The compass on the flipside is a Mana locator. Should it detect any challenge to your being, the compass' jewel hand will point towards it." To demonstrate, he held a tiny jewel in his left hand and charged it, and with a loud "CLANK," the pocket watch's compass point dramatically shifted from pointing at Rin to the small jewel.

"When my own father still lived, he took me on missions to protect this great city called Fuyuki, with this compass as our guide. I pass this on to you, my dear daughter, as a promise that we shall do the same," Rin's Papa said as he slowly handed the pocket watch over to Rin's trembling hands. "I will emerge from the Holy Grail War as the lone victor, and no longer shall demons and curses plague the Tohsaka family name. We will be cleansed, and the world shall remember the Great Magi that we once were, that we still are... and that we have yet to become."

With tears in her eyes, Rin hastily pocketed the watch before she leapt up and hugged her Papa. "Thank you so much, Papa! I swear I'll take care of this watch and keep studying my Magecraft and keep Mama safe and-" Her Papa laughed as he hugged her back and basked in her pure happiness. "You're welcome, Rin. Now, let's head on out, shall we? We shouldn't keep your mother waiting." Hand in hand, father and daughter both full of happiness and hope for the days to come, Rin and Tokiomi Tohsaka left the family workshop.

Demons, born of the wishes and thoughts of humanity, and given form when a strong will with the right affinity for it called them forth. Sakura Matou had it easy, as a child without bitter years of life bearing down on her perception of the world, and with an innate nature that Cypher once called "Imaginary Numbers." It was as simple as clapping her hands (She would have snapped her fingers if she could) and a demon was formed before her eyes.

Kariya Matou would supervise Sakura as much as he could while she homeschooled alongside Thoth or played hide-and-seek with the Jack Brothers. For the sake of her safety and keeping their lessons a secret, Sakura never summoned too many demons at once. However, it was during this year's Bon Festival when they were preparing to discreetly visit the Matou family burial grounds that Cypher had a seemingly random idea.

"Sakura-chan, your learning has been coming along marvelously. If you may indulge your dear uncle and your teacher with a demonstration?"

Kariya almost objected to this excessive display, but in his mind he reasoned that given the atmosphere of the season, it wouldn't be abnormal for supernatural activity to spike, would it? Besides, who could say no to her shining smile and that adorable pink yukata that she was wearing? Beaming at the two of them, she ran to the empty middle spot of their suite's living room and clapped as she shouted:

"I-ZA-NA-GI NO O-O-KA-MI TSU-KU-RE!"

With each syllable, a different demon was summoned by her command. First a man in ancient Japanese garb with a pike in his arms (though at the end it looked more like a knife blade), next a small red man with a crescent moon for a head, then a Chinese-looking youth with lotus petals around his neck, a cycloptic elephant with a massive belly, angelic statues around a clock, and so on and so forth until twelve demons surrounded Sakura. Cypher led the applause, and Kariya noticed that each one of the twelve demons were also clapping for her (for the demons without hands like Orthrus and Legion, they roared in celebration). "Excellent," Cypher congratulated Sakura, "twelve demons in succession! A full roster! Well done!"

Kariya, on the other hand, could barely count the amount of demons that he had managed to summon on one hand. Of course, he didn't let his own deficiencies get him down while he watched his ward shyly smile at her job well done.

The Matou family grave was almost entirely for appearances. Zouken had a habit of devouring the bodies of ailing family members in order to preserve his own, so not even ashes of the many doomed members of the Matou family occupied the family grave. Still, Kariya paid his respects as much as he could. He hoped that the souls of his ancestors and parents were at peace, now that the old patriarch had finally left this world. Sakura also wanted to visit the grave, now that she was identifying as a Matou rather than a Tohsaka. Kariya didn't know what she could possibly learn from a bunch of names on a stone, but who knew? Maybe with her power, she could resurrect one of his old, favorite aunts and-

"Well well well. Fancy seeing you here, brother!"

Kariya snapped out of his fantasy and turned to the source of the familiar voice. Clad in a Japanese Self-Defense Force uniform, and with wavy blue hair and mischievous gray-blue eyes, Byakuya Matou walked up to his younger brother and enveloped him in a hug before Kariya could stop him. Awkwardly chuckling, he patted his older brother's back as he hugged him back and said, "Byakuya... long time no see... Is that Shinji?"

Byakuya nodded as he beckoned his only son (and thus Kariya's only nephew) to them. Shinji looked just like Byakuya, with the same hairstyle and eyes, but just pint-sized. Kariya noticed that Shinji was utterly dazed at the sight of Sakura, as if this was the first time that he had seen a girl in his life. The little boy stumbled over his own name during introductions, and the group went to a playground some distance away. Sakura and Shinji went off to play while the two brothers caught up on the events since Zouken's death.

"Well, Byakuya? Did you finally dump the booze?"

The older Matou nodded, quite proud of himself. "Of course. I gave myself another month after the fossil kicked the bucket, but I've been cold turkey since. I've gotta set a good example for my son, you know." Kariya was happy to hear it. Being forced into the Matou family figurehead for Zouken was poison for Byakuya's health back in the day, so he had turned to the bottle for sympathy. The worst of it was when he was forced to send his own wife to be food for the accursed Crest Worms. As for the Byakuya that Kariya was looking at now, there were no bags under his eyes or a horrible stench of alcohol to notice, and he was healthier and happier than he had ever seen him. It was truly like he had been cured of a horrible curse.

Kariya clapped his older brother on his back and nodded, "Glad to hear it, brother. I noticed your new uniform too. Did you get a promotion?" At that, Byakuya stood up straight and replied, "Second lieutenant of the Japanese Self-Defense Force, and don't you forget it! General Gotou saw to it personally, might I add." Kariya whistled in mock-approval, not that his older brother could tell. He did recall various reports on this General Gotou though, and his controversial statements in the news about Japan's current climate.

Byakuya playfully nudged his brother in the shoulder and said, "Alright, enough about me! How about you, huh? What've you been up to lately? Who's the mom?" At Kariya's puzzled look, he continued, "Who's Sakura's mom? Who's the lucky lady that you were hiding from the old man?" Upon hearing that, Kariya quickly said "Oh, it's Aoi-" before realizing the implications, and was suddenly tackled-hugged by Byakuya. "Holy crap, you actually did it? You took her away from that Tohsaka prick? Way to go, bro!"

"Nononononono!" Kariya hastily tried to correct himself and his brother while he also tried to catch his breath. "No, it was- Zouken had gotten her through an old pact that he had with the Tohsaka family, to use as a future mother of the family or something." Byakuya let go of his brother, with a horrified look on his face. "She- She didn't- She wasn't- WAS SHE?!"

Kariya shook his head and said, "She was lucky. The old guy died right before she was forced into the chamber. At least, that's what she told me. I've been looking after her since" Byakuya sighed in relief at that, but the expression on his face was more of a puzzled one than anything else now. "Well, she certainly looks normal, though really cute too, of course. How did the old guy die, anyway?"

"A heart attack." Even Kariya noticed that he responded too quick, and Byakuya chuckled at that. "Kariya, even if Zouken had a heart, I still wouldn't believe you. Well? Do you know something about his cause of death?" Byakuya couldn't have been more than curious, but Kariya didn't know if he could be trusted with the knowledge of Cypher's existence. He was weighing the pros and cons in his head when-

"Ow!"

"I didn't do anything, I swear!"

"SHINJI!" Byakuya called to his son as the two of them walked over to the kids. Shinji was standing a couple feet away from Sakura, while Sakura was bent down on the ground. Kariya ran over to her while Byakuya kept his steady pace (and menacing father aura) on his walk over to Shinji. Kariya knelt down beside Sakura to inspect any damage, but outside of cradling her left hand in her right, she looked fine. "Are you okay, Sakura?"

"It hurts... It itches and it doesn't stop when I scratch it."

Kariya picked Sakura up in his arms and walked over to his older brother and nephew. "Sakura-chan looks fine. I've been homeschooling her and she hasn't been out much, so it's just an allergic reaction or something." Byakuya got the hint while Shinji still looked guilty, as if he was the reason she was hurt. "It was great seeing you again, brother. And you too Shinji, it's okay. It wasn't your fault, you two can play again next time, okay?" Shinji nodded back, though his expression didn't change much.

"Kariya, I know how hard it is to raise a kid on your own," Byakuya said. "If you ever need help, you know how to reach me, right?" Kariya nodded, and everybody said their goodbyes as Kariya took Sakura back home.

Some time later...

Kariya Matou was so tired.

All the comforts and amenities on offer couldn't do anything to help with his situation. He really regretted not even trying to get some basic non-rapeworm Magecraft training done under the old man's nose before he left way back when. Maybe it could have done some comfort in alleviating the stress he was going through at the moment. Then again, maybe not. Demon summoning wasn't like normal Magecraft, after all.

"Well then, Kariya. Let us see the fruits of your labor as of late. Hold out your right hand."

Kariya regained his composure and knelt down in front of Cypher, with his right arm outstretched to the other man. When Cypher inspected his right hand, Kariya could feel it jolt, burn and chill with every passing moment and touch. Suddenly, the pain spread out from his hand into the rest of his body, and he couldn't hold back a cry of agony. Cypher held onto his hand and kept looking it over, and when he let go, the pain immediately subsided.

"Fate has smiled upon you on this day, Kariya."

Kariya let his arm drop to the floor after Cypher let it go, and he fell over onto his sides. He moved his right arm the best that he could, which wasn't easy given that it felt like his arm had fallen asleep on him a moment after feeling like it was on fire, ice and lightning. Panting and sweating, he had enough cognizance left on him to watch as something peculiar happened to the back of his right hand.

Three lines were cutting into the back of his right hand, as if by invisible claws. He tensed in pain but the lines didn't react to him, continuing to cut three intricate lines in an ornate symbol. When they were finally done, it looked like three jagged lines emerging from a central point. With a dark thought in his head, Kariya couldn't help but think that they looked like spiky crest worms.

"Kariya... you are ready to fight in the Holy Grail War."