Chapter 4

Irie and party exited the mirror world and made their way towards the central building of the complex, the white walls and traditional japanese roofs stood proudly in the gentle late afternoon breeze.

"Those three are incredible!" Kuro stated as she hopped on the spot turning around to see the trio walk out behind them, the only one not limping was Eleonore, while Isander was using his spear Andromelack for support and Maiya was limping to the side her right leg barely able to withstand her own body weight.

"Incredible and now very tired!" Eleonore teased as she turn to look at the other two.

"Should I continue with the story?" Irie asked as she open a slide door allowing Luvia, Rin, Miyu and her daughters to enter while the other three went of to get changed.

"Well all three of them have had upsetting past's let's say, but Isander's is the worst." Irie stated sadly looking to the bedrooms where the trio headed.

"What do you mean Isander's was the worst mama?" Kuro asked as they all sat down in a open room, on traditional japanese cushions around a small table.

"Maiya and Eleonore both lost their parents when they were both too young to really understand what was going on but Isander… Isander watched his own father murder his mother before he attempted to kill him. " Irie said with a small tears forming in her eyes. "If Kiritsugu and I were a minute earlier we could've saved both of them." Irie said as tears began to drip down her face. Illya looked at both Miyu and Kuro with a face full of fear.

Four years ago.

A small country cottage in west germany. It had grey rocky walls and a small dark oak roof, with a chimney protruding at the top. The cottage was located in a small forest area, with oak trees surrounding it, and with a halo of autumn leaves covered the cottage.

"We need to leave the Einzberns, they will hurt our baby!" A white woman with crimson eyes and a kind face said as she stood in a small part of the cottage with a fabric sofa in front her where an older man in his late 30's sat, his body tensing at the words.

"How can you even say such heresy. BETRAY THE FAMILY, WHAT OVER A FLAWED CHILD. HE'S NOTHING MORE THAN A FAILURE. How can you feel such pity for a pathetic excuse for a holy grail vessel, it's body would fail at even holding a sliver of the holy grail's power. We were given the duty, the honour, the responsibility to create a perfect vessel. And what did we get for our efforts a failure...a weak sniveling child which can't even cope to use it's own prana reserves without having a restrainer on! They gave us Andromelack, for the purpose of breeding a perfect master, a perfect vessel. I LOATHE EVERYTHING ABOUT THAT RUNT!" A grown man said with blonde hair and blue eyes wearing an elegant full white suit with red trimmings reaching down to the bottom of the coat which cut short of his ankle.

"He is our son! How can you be so eager to throw his life away!" The white haired women with red eyes wearing a purple dress with light blue trimmings screamed back in response.

"I am a magus before a father and besides he is still nothing more than a failure, I would of been happier with a bastard than a failure!" He roared back in reply. Hiding under light birch stairs was a small eight year old boy with blonde hair and purple eyes clutching a thin light blue blanket, as his parents screamed their hearts out.

"I CAN NOT BELIEVE YOU! When we were younger all you cared about was having a son to teach your magecraft too!" The women replied.

"Yes a son whom is not a failure, a son who would win us the grail!" He said again. "I have had it with your treasonous tongue, I am going to lock you up for the rest of your life, you will give me a son whom will not be a failure and will earn us the grail, while I am going to remove the pathetic excuse for a son!" He said as he pulled up his sleeve revealing a long red tattoo etched into his skin. A black and orange energy wrapped themselves around his hand.

"I WILL NOT LET YOU HARM HIM!" She replied in kind as light blue energy encircled around her open left hand palm. Isander closed his eyes in fear as he heard the sounds of screams and anger as his parents unleashed magics upon one and other. Within seconds the left one of the stone walls was obliterated throwing Isander from his perch. He landed hard onto the cold stone floor surrounded by the orange and yellow leaves, he turned his head to see his mother and father casting various spells at one and other, his father smiled aggressively before a slice of dark orange energy struck the mother in the chest she was launched backwards, screaming in pain, yet before she hit the ground she casted a curse unto the father, light blue chains wrapped themselves around the magic crest, bringing searing pain to the father as he howled balefully. "You think just because you have sealed my magic for a time that I will spare him? I will kill him with this!" The father said deliriously as he grabbed a golden cylinder it was the size of a small can, it had a golden arrow point, he held it like a knife staring at Isander with baleful eyes and fear locked Isander in place as his own father marched towards him a killing intent in his eye. The father raised Andromelack planning on driving it through his son's skull but Andromelack awoke, it could sense the fear and desperation in Isander creating a blinding light causing the father to let go of it, as he took steps back shielding his eyes. When he opened them the spear had grown to it's full length and blue sparks of energy wrapped themselves around Isander. "NOOO!" The father roared as he ran to Isander, panning to throttle the frightened child. However, Andromelack had other ideas, two of the blue sparks of energy wrapping themselves around Isander launched themselves to his father one hitting the dad in the forehead and the other in his heart. His died instantly, falling backwards onto the cold stone floor. Isander dropped the spear running to his mother as she laid on the ground struggling to take her last breaths.

"Mama?..Mama?!" Isander screamed as he knelt next to her.

"My beautiful baby boy...mama loves you so much…..mama...loves you so…..mu…." She tailed of as she tried to stroke his her, as she took her last breath.

"Mama?...MAMA!" Isander screamed loudly, as he hunched over her tears pouring down his face and onto his mother still face.

P.O.V change.

Irie and Kiritsugu was on their way to Saleana, her younger sister and mother of Isander. "Have you heard anything Irie?" Kiritsugu asked calmly as he lit a cigarette in his mouth.

"No, I haven't heard a thing, all I know is that they are holding up in their country cottage. We need to hurry as well for Illya's sake, we managed to smuggle her with Sella and Liz, we should hurry back soon to see how she is and how young Shirou is as well." Irie said as she sat in a black two door corvette wearing her crimson dress. While Kiritsugu drove the car calmly wearing a black leather jacket and trousers with a plain grey tie wrapped around a white shirt. When they arrived at the cottage they found the living room destroyed, littered with burnt furniture and rubble from where one of the walls had been destroyed, Kiritsugu grabbed his submachine gun in instinct, when they heard the sobbing sounds of a child. Irie ran through the hole in the wall to see, her younger sister lay in the dirt with Isander crying his heart out on her lifeless body. Irie put her hands to her lips shaking in dismay at what she saw.

"Isander are you alright!" She screamed as she ran towards him wrapping her arms around him. Isander could not reply, his entire world had been destroyed right in front of him, he struggled to breathe. Irie nodded fearfully as she turned to her dead sister, tears pouring down her face, she grabs a blue inhaler from her sister's pocket, and then helping Isander breathe, as she administered it.

"Irie we need to go!" Kiritsugu said calmly. Irie nodded sadly as she grabbed Isander's hand and marched off, only looking once at her Sister's body before moving onward as they moved away Andromelack launched itself at Isander retracting to its normal size and gluing itself to his hip. Irie looked to Kiritsugu in shock but he waved his gun telling her they don't have the time to learn about what happened.

A few awkward seconds passed as Irie dried her tears, Eleonore and Maiya walked in. Maiya was wearing a short cut black skirt with a plain white t-shirt on, while Eleonore was wearing a full length purple dress, with her hair pulled into a beautiful knot and make up freshly done.

"I still don't get it, why did you pretty yourself all up? It's late!" Maiya asked as she run her hands through her long silver hair. As her hair regained it's perfect straightness.

"Well some of us have to work to keep our hair in such perfect condition….hmph!" Eleonore said with a huff it brought a few smiles onto the faces of the once depressed group, each member grateful for their childness to change the subject.

"Where's Isander?" Irie asked grateful for their interruption.

"Oh he went to the baths, I am guessing using that weapon hurt him more than he had expected." Maiya said casually.

"Well that would allow me to also tell everyone about Isander's first solo mission." Irie pondered aloud.

"Oh his infamous first mission?" Maiya asked fearfully.

"Hmm you never asked him about it?" Irie asked.

"We did once but he snapped at us saying never to bring it up!" Eleonore stated.

"Was it really that bad? What happened? Luvia asked.

"We were in northern Germany, We had discovered an entire town had been reduced to nothing more than an Einzbern production facility, you see the Einzbern's greatest skill was the creation of Homunculus." Iries stated calmly.

"What is an Homunculus Mama?" Illya asked.

"The creation of humanoid beings from magic, slave like beings, whose only purpose was to serve the Einzberns." Irie stated sadly. "Isander begged to sneak into a factory at the southernmost point of the town, as we had seen several high ranking members of the family go in and out of that factory. I was unsure of what to do, while Kiritsugu was indecisive. So Isander took it upon himself to investigate the building, he left at sun down leaving a note for us to find. I was furious at him but it was too late he had already gone. So all Kiritsugu and I could do was wait."

Three years ago

Isander moved quickly through the streets sticking to the shadows and alleyways, he knew that no one here was without a purpose and everyone was little more than a security camera, ready to alert the rest of the mages inside to his presence, he couldn't deal with them as that would cause suspicion so his only option was stealth, move in quickly and not be detected at all costs.

"Ha these guys are idiots." Isander muttered to himself as he moved across streets into alleyways in a burst of speed. "A year of using you, and I have gotten so much stronger uh Andromelack." Isander said as his left hand was clenched tightly around Andromelack as he neared the factory, though that word was a gross misuse, the building was no better than an abandoned shack with holes in the roof, shattered windows allowing the howling wind through and a plank of wood acting as a door. However though it was guarded, two large men stood in front of the doorway, they were both bald and at least 5'9ft tall, each one looked like a mirror of the other. "Hmm they are too similar to be twins, ahh those must be security Homunculuses….Best to sneak past them." Isander muttered to himself as he circled around the building seeing a broken window on the second floor of the warehouse. "Right well let's test the teleport ability I supposedly have.." Isander said as he clutched Andromelack. Blue sparks danced around him as he felt his prana nerves power up, in a flash of blue light he was gone, and reappeared five feet from where he was standing.

"Ahh come on… " He muttered as he looked at the window and jumped towards it, forcing the tip of Andromelack into the wall and propelling himself upwards into the open window.

"Right infiltration success now time to…...Aww come on!" Isander roared in annoyance as he saw magi wards placed in the room he had broken into, as soon as he saw it an alarm screamed into existence alerting everyone in the warehouse.

"Aww need to act fast find some info and then run the hell away!" Isander said in a panic as he ran, he turned a corner, hearing the sounds of hurried boot steps towards him, he jumped into a large double doorway, which led to a poorly lit room. Isander knelt just under the glass panel of the thick wooden door. The room was very dark with a boarded up window and little to no furniture, there were blood stains on the floor next to Isander, it had dried into the wooden floor.

"*Sigh* That was close." Isander said as he inhaled deeply.

"No more pain please…" A soft female voice pleaded from a dark corner of the room. The sounds of chain rattling as the sounds of shuffled movements hung in the air.

"Ugh..Is someone there?" Isander asked as he readied his spear, blue sparks dancing along the arrow head illuminating the corner to reveal a little bundle of silver hair and stained white robes, stained with crimson patches. Isander looked at the frightened little girl in complete horror, the child looked no older than six but she was blinded, her legs were scared horrendously and she was shivering, from the cold. She also look as if she had malnutrition. She reminded Isander of his mother and lady Irie but that couldn't be, He thought to himself.

"No more pain please…" She pleaded again, the fear in her voice broke Isander's heart he attached Andromelack to his side.

"I am not here to hurt you…" Isander replied softly as he moved towards her she flinches at the sound of his voice and the sounds of him moving closer.

"Honestly…" The desperation in her voice, the begging to believe he is telling the truth made Isander weep.

"I am not here to hurt you.." Isander said as he knelt down in front of her gently grasping her hand. Her finger were ice cold, at first she flinched again but calms down as Isander carefully holds her delicate fingers.

"Warm…" She muttered.

"Come one let's get you out of here." Isander said as he heard the footsteps again, the girl flinched again… chanting over and over again.."No more pain. No more pain. No more pain." As she rocked backwards and forwards.

"What if they're in here." A male voice asked near the doorway. The little girl froze, shaking in fear. "They come again nooo."

Isander glared at the door with baleful eyes, sparks of electricity surges up his free hand, as the door is burst open, a wave of lightning electrocutes everyone in the doorway and adjacent hallways. Six men fell to the floor not moving. "Did I just kill them?" Isander asked himself in fear and disgust.

"You pro..protected me?" She asked as her grip on Isander's free hand tightened.

"Yes I did." Isander replied still shocked at what he had done.

"No fair…" She muttered, as drops of blood begun to drip down her nose.

"What's wrong?" Isander asked as his other hand grabbed her right hand shoulder.

"Sleep day is today." She muttered, her breaths were getting shallower and shallower. Isander recognised the pattern, it was same as his mother. He felt the same emotions he did then, fear for the what is going to happen now, grief that this poor soul is dying and anger at his own powerlessness, he looked at her in anger and grief. He never wanted to feel like this after his mother was taken from him, it was one of the reasons why he joined up with Lady Irisviel's war but here he was experiencing that same feeling of powerlessness. He hated it. The child rested her head on Isander's chest as she took her last breathes, tears begun to form in Isander's eyes as they dripped onto the little silver hair's face.

"The blast came from here!" A voice broke the silence. As more boot steps echoed throughout the hallways. Isander hated all of them, they had done this, they had tortured this poor girl. They were going to pay.

Lightning smashed outside, a blinding light that eclipsed all other lights and roared throughout the town, as if a war herald had arrived proclaiming their doom. More and more bolts smashed into the surrounding area.

"What's happening?" a white haired man shouted near the doorway shielding his eyes from the blinding light, then the howling wind intensified greatly. The wall next to Isander was torn away. As rain and wind surged in blowing Isander's into the air. His eyes began to glow a bright white as he lifted of the ground still clutching the body, in his free hand Andromelack was in full spear mode, it's might was unleashed on this town. A storm had arrived, a hurricane was quickly approaching and all the mages present shuddered in fear as they knew there was no escape from this storm. It was coming for them and it would not abate until it had been satisfied.

P.O.V

Irie paced back and forth on top of snow covered hill near the town she was wearing a purple dress and had a large hat on to cover her ears, while Kiritsugu leaned against the door of black corvette smoking a cigarette calmly, he wore his usual black suit and trousers. "HOW ARE YOU CALM?" She asked staring at Kiritsugu.

"Because one of us needs to be." He replied calmly. "Besides there is nothing we can...mother of god!" He said in disbelief as he stared as a huge hurricane appeared out of thin air, there was no warning of such storm happening but it had appeared in a blink of an eye, as it tore through the town destroying everything in it's path, houses were ripped out of the ground, cars were launched into other buildings and trees were ripped from their rooted homes.

"That must be Isander!" Irie said in a panic as she turned to get into the car.

"Irie no, we can't go there now, we have to wait for the storm to pass if we go there now we will be killed." Kiritsugu said sternly as he held her arm. Irie looked at him angrily but gave in to his logic.

After an hour the storm had passed as quickly as it had come, Irie and Kiritsugu drove into the now destroyed town, looking at the buildings which were ripped to shreds, they drove to the southernmost part of the town where they saw the warehouse still standing, it had suffered the least amount of damage except for a torn wall. Irie made her way to where there was a hole in the wall. There she stood horrified to see Isander passed out but what scared her more was that Illya was laying in his arms.

"THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! Illya!" She screamed as she ran forward to the children. Kiritsugu followed closely behind her. When they arrived they saw subtle differences, this wasn't her daughter but a very close replica, it turned out the Heads of the Einzbern family had tried to recreate Illya in order to use her for the holy grail.

"Irie it's not our Illya!" Kiritsugu told her calming her down as he checked both if the kids pulses. He was alarmed at the state of the little girl.

"She is dead. Isander is alive but very weak, we need to leave now." He stated.

Everyone stared in disbelief at Irie, Kuro and Illya were horrified, Kuro looked towards Illya who had turned pale.

"Mama why is our family so obsessed with the grail?" Kuro asked sternly.

"I honestly don't know? I thought for a long time it was to reclaim the second magic but now I do not know." Irie said calmly, she had red puffy eyes from where she cried remembered the painful memories of the past.

"Mama why did you hide this from us?" Illya asked, tears still pouring down her face.

"To protect you.." Isander stated as he walked in startling everyone, he wore a plain white t shirt and black trousers, his hair was a mess and Andromelack was in his left hand. He emanated an aura of calmness while everyone else looked terrified.

"HOW ARE YOU CALM?" Rin asked staring at him.

"You guys are talking about past events, if I let them weigh me down, I will never move forward, so I will keep moving forward, looking to the future, protecting those who matter to me and I will honour those who have been taken but I promise...I will not lose anyone else." Isander said fiercely at the end, while static electricity fired built up around him. "...After all I am nothing more than a flawed existence, it is my duty to protect everyone else.." He thought to himself.