Fate/ Distortion Chapter 8

A/N: All your views and reviews have been integral in the continuation of this story. Thank you. I know some of you are wondering about Sakura's change in personality. I think I can explain that. Firstly, in this timeline, she was never raped by Shinji. Zouken was actually intending her to be his heir, not his new body. Also, I have always been of the opinion that the worms inside Sakura affected her personality to an extent.

At least, that was the original idea. But, after some consideration, I have changed the dialogue to more accurately reflect how Sakura actually is, like in canon.

Finally, for this story, here are the Awakened origins of her and Shinji

Sakura: Strength

Shinji: Failure

Now then, enjoy the story!


Two weeks ago

Her first thought when it came to Fuyuki City was… that it was nothing out of the ordinary.

Seriously, this was the city that had the Association all up in a tizzy? It was almost difficult to believe that this was where the Holy Grail War was held.

Though, who was she to judge, after what happened ten years ago in Mifune city, a place that seemed equally ordinary, with Shiki, the girl from the moon, and the reincarnating Serpent?

"I am not surprised that you are here, participating in the upcoming contest, Aozaki," came a voice that was at once familiar, and yet not. "You have always been a rather bloodthirsty sort of person."

She turned around. "I see you have a new body."

The necklace of prayer beads rattled. "I suppose you could say that, in a manner of speaking, and I could say the same of you. Your latest work, I take it?"

Touko smirked, as she examined her hand, and the three crimson seals etched into it. "Yep. How long has it been, since we last met, Araya?"

"A good few decades, at the least. I do believe that the last time had been that little situation with your sister."

Yeah. The memory of Araya's hand impaled through Aoko's chest, and the look of shock on her little sister's face… that always brought a smile to Touko's face.

Then, her smile faded. "What are you doing here, Araya?"

"I could ask the same of you. Despite this being the sort of thing that you tend to enjoy, even one such as you would have absolutely no desire for a Wish, having already attainted all that you have ever wanted."

Touko had to admit that her old friend had a point. She took a long draw on her cigarette, and then shrugged. "Honestly? I can't really explain it, Araya…. It's like something in my circuits was pulling me here. All I do know is that it has something to do with you, Araya."

"I see."

"Yep… What is it that you have planned, old friend? Something big?"

"In a manner of speaking, I suppose. As such, I would ask that you leave this city, Touko, while you still can. You owe me a favor, after all."

"Are you seriously trying to get me to leave, with a favor?"

"If I recall correctly, Lady Blue, the only reason that you have possession of your birthright is because of my help. Your sister had you dead to rights. It was a very close thing, and without my assistance, you would dead, instead of here."

"Wow, are you just going to rub it in my face? Besides, I'm not blind. I can tell that you are no longer human, old friend. You positively reek of inhumanity. Plus, it has not escaped my notice that I'm the only one who can see you right now."

"I see… Truly, very little escapes your sight. If that is the case, then, have you come to stop me, Touko?"

"Not right now, but, since we used to be friends, you should know that, the moment you enact whatever it is that you have planned…. I won't have a choice but to stop you."

"I understand…. Goodbye, Touko. I wish you nothing but good fortune, in what is to come."

Then, in the next moment, Araya vanished.

The Lady of the Fifth stared for a long moment at where her old friend had just been standing, and then dropped the butt of her spent cancer stick to the spot and ground it out with her heel.

She looked out over the city, and her eyes glowed with the radiance of a noonday sky.

For a moment, she saw everything that has been, was, will be, and could be.

She chuckled at what she saw, and then strode away. "Let the games begin."


Now

Rin, Flat, and Shirou and the diminutive Einzbern talked and listened for what seemed like hours. Though, Rin and the German magus were the ones who did a great deal of the aforementioned talking. Shirou and Flat mostly just listened.

They had decided to split into two teams; Rin and Shirou would investigate the area where Flat said the Tall man was, while the blonde weirdo and the Einzbern would assault Ryuudo Temple.

After the little hellion and her entourage had left, Rin had sunk into her chair with a loud groan.

For a long moment, neither she, Flat, Shirou, or their Servants said anything.

Then, Flat spoke up. "So, what now?"

"First, tell us where you know the Tall Man is. You said that you have an idea, right?"

"Oh, right. Well, it's not really my idea, more like 'it's' idea. 'It' told me that he is in that weird spiral building in the Miyama District."

That seemed to get Shirou's attention. "The Semina-Ogawa Arpartment Complex? That's where I live."

Really? That was interesting. "Very well. Now that we know, I suggest that we stay here for the night."

That got his attention. "Huh? W-why?"

She jabbed a finger into his face. "I am not letting you out of my sight, blonde weirdo. You and your stupidly powerful servant are staying here tonight!"

"Oh, um… okay. Is that fine with you, Altera?"

The Saber, who, along with the other Ancient heroes, nodded. "It will be sufficient."


The Perfect Man seethed with anger.

It wasn't fair. The Pale Man was a nobody, from a lesser caste. He was the son of a charioteer!

So, why did he seem so perfect? Why was it that everything he did seemed so seamless?

Why did he seem like a true hero, and not the Perfect Man?

As the years went by, the Perfect Man would see more of the Pale Man, and they would fight and clash again and again.

Through it all, as the War began, The Perfect Man began to take interesting suggestions from a new subordinate of his, who went only by the name of 'Black.'

Were some of his suggestions… less then honorable and good? Perhaps, but it helped them to win against the Usurper and the Pale Man. Eventually, Black became the Perfect Man's charioteer and personal attendant throughout the war.

He saw the Pale man, bleeding from almost every space o his skin. His armor was gone, but in his hands… he held the spear of the Perfect Man's divine father.

The perfect man watched was the Pale Man used the divine spear to slay a terrible monster.

He saw the Pale Man, struggling to lift his chariot wheel form the ground, where it had fallen. His back was turned to the Perfect man.

It was a perfect, gods-given opportunity.

"Take the shot," Black whispered in his ear, his voice clear despite the calmor of battle all around them. "Do it. Prove once and for all who is the greater hero."

The Perfect Man drew back on the Bow of Agni, the arrow and string taunt against his cheek.

"Do it."

He released.

As the arrow soared through the air, straight and true, the Perfect Man's true enemy lifted his head and looked over his shoulder.

He did not try to run, or even dodge.

On his face was… a smile.

There was no anger, no fear, no sorrow.

There was just acceptance, and… pity.

The expression did not change, even as his head flew from his shoulders in a torrent of blood.

He watched as his rival and brother's body collapsed to the ground. He had done it…. He had done it!

He had won. He was the Perfect one, the Perfect Hero!

Even as the Imperfect man laughed, though more out of exhaustion then any actual humor, tears were streaming down his bloody and soot-covered face.

Why was he crying?

When he turned to look at Black, there was no one there…


Her first memory was waking up. All around her was naught but ruins and destruction.

Her first sensation was the feeling of her sword in her hand.

The second thing she saw were several strange humans, clothed in furs, and riding on strong horses.

They took her in, clothed and fed her.

In turn, she led them, united them, and razed to the ground all that stood in her way.

To the survivors of her attacks, they called her "the Scourge of God."

To her followers and adopted people, she was like the war god Mars come again, and they worshiped her as such.

In time, destroying cities became like a second nature to her. She recognized that she was good at it, to say the least, and accepted it, for the most part. It was all that she really knew how to do, after all.

But, sometimes, when she was left with the privacy of her own thoughts, she wished that she could do something else. Wasn't there more to life, then just the destruction of civilization?

There had to be more…. Right?


Rin woke up, a noise that was halfway between a gasp and a scream echoing in her lips.

It couldn't be. That had to have been a lie, right? That maniac… it couldn't have been her Archer, right?

"Is everything alright, Master?"

She flinched at the voice and looked up to see the concerned face of Arjuna, staring at her from the door.

A soot-and-blood-stained face, tears streaming down, while dark laughter bubbled forward from his lips.

"Master?"

"It… it's nothing. Just a bad dream. I'm fine."

That couldn't have been him.

Right?


The Awarded hero frowned as he closed the door to his Master's room.

He could feel that she was being less than forthright with him. The look on her face had spoken quite clearly.

She couldn't know…. Could she?

"She knows what you are. She has to disappear."

With some difficulty, Arjuna quashed the dark impulses. No, it would not come to that.

Not yet, at least.


Later, Rin woke up, and did her best not to look at her Servant for too long, the dream still fresh in her mind.

Though, she then had more pressing concerns as the smell of smoke began to fill the house.

She did not know whether to be annoyed or amazed at the blonde weirdo, who had apparently been trying to make breakfast.

Seriously, how does a person burn water?

Then, a moment later, the sprinklers turned on.

Shirou had to stop her from attempting to strangle Flat.

Later, as the trio all dried off and changed, Shirou then posed a question. "So, what now?"

As Rin toweled off her hair, she sighed, the discussion from yesterday, and the memory from last night still as clear of crystal. "In all honesty…. I just think that what we need is a day of fuckingnormalcy. No explosions, no serial killers, no psychopathic little snow gnomes, no scary red-headed bitches, no Servants…"

"Okay, okay, we get it."

Rin nodded to the two boys. "Good, so, since it is the weekend, I declare that we have a fun day of normalcy." She then briefly glanced at where Archer was standing.

That laughter… She shook her head. "That includes no Servants, until tonight."

That garnered her some odd looks. She had to think up a reason, and fast. "Look, it's daytime, and none of the other participants would be stupid enough to disregard the rules by attacking us in broad daylight, in front of countless witnesses. Besides, if there is an emergency, we can always just summon our Servants with a command Seal.

The two boys seemed to mull her explanation over for a minute, and then nodded, albeit hesitantly. Flat then looked up. "So, in that case, what are we going to do today?"


They had breakfast out (and Rin made sure that they were seated at a table that was as far from the kitchen as possible, she was taking no chances with Flat!) and then they just walked about, with no clear destination in mind. They just wandered from place to place. It was still over cast, but a bit warmer than it had been for a while, so they felt no discomfort being outside.

They toured the Miyama district, walked down by the River. The gawked at all the shops in Verde. At one point, she and SHirou had to pull away the entranced Flat from the window of the toy store.

Seriously, what was he, twelve?

They acted like normal teenagers (though Rin was unsure if Flat was a teenager, despite having the mentality of what she could only describe as a hyper active child).

They even went to that fancy water park, Exciting Splash, for a few hours. That had been fun.

Through it all, they kept their minds not on the War, or on the battles to come, but on silly, strange, normal, and everyday things.

For the entirety of the day, they were not participants in a secret and ancient deathmatch over a Wish-granting Device, nor were they magi of the moonlit world.

They were simply ordinary teenagers having a fun Saturday.

Nothing more, and nothing less.


They had decided to head to one of the fancier restaurants in Shinto for dinner. In a few hours, they would have to meet up with the albino psycho fairy, and begin their plan, but, for the moment, they wanted one last good meal.

Besides, none were sure if they would be coming back.

As they walked down the street, Rin glance about, and saw someone that made her stop cold.

It was Sakura.

Her brown hair was now neatly combed, and she was dressed in warm and simple clothing.

Their eyes met.

Rin gestured to her two companions to carry on. She would join them later at the restaurant. She then strode forward until she was about a foot from the other girl.

For a good moment, the two sisters did not move, and just looked at another. "We should talk."

For a good while, seated on a nearby bench, that was what they did. Sakura told her everything. Rin found herself alternating between cursing their father and Zouken and Shinji, weeping for her sister and Uncle Kariya, or just being dumbfounded with pure shock.

Ten years… ten years that Sakura had suffered through pure hell.

Why? Because their father had thought it would be best? This it was the only way to not squander her talent?

How could Rin have been so blind, so stupid to Sakura's suffering?

How could she have just done nothing?

Rin cradled her head in hands, and it was taking all her willpower not to burst into tears. "I'm so sorry, Sakura. I should have seen it. I'm so sorry. I should have understood."

She felt Sakura lightly pat her on the shoulder.

"It's like I told you, Rin. I don't blame you for not understanding. I've been doing a great deal of thinking over the past day, and the sad truth is that we were just children. What could you have possibly done that would have changed anything?"

"I could have reached out to you, or something, but all I did was not even acknowledge your existence."

"I know. That, I may never be able to forgive you for, but, maybe now, we have a chance to move on."

Sakura then took Rin's hand. "Whatever you and Shirou and the others have planned…. I would like to help you."

"Of course."

So, Rin explained to Sakura what the plan was. Sakura then agreed to join her and Shirou in investigating the Apartment complex.

After Sakura left, Rin rejoined Flat and Shirou at the resturant.

They had a nice, rich, and filling meal. Before they knew it, however, they were already on the way back to the Tohsaka residence.

As they walked Shioru looked towards Rin and smiled. "This was a fun day, today, Tohsaka."

Flat then nodded his head. "Yeah, it was just super fun. Very cool!"

Yeah… it had been a fun day.

Rin was not sure when she could ever experience another such day.


At first, the judge had been hesitant to grant Daisuke a search warrant for the Semina-Ogawa Apartment complex, but then, Daisuke had done a bit more digging and reaching out to other areas that had a Semina-Okgawa Apartment complex.

Since they had been put up, each area had also been experiencing strange deaths.

The total number of bodies was a disturbing 108.

How had no one made this connection before now?

Finally, the judge had acquiesced.

Daisuke then called up all the SAT teams that were available in the area. If these killings were connected to something bigger, then it only stood to reason that they were going to need all the help they could get.

It would end tonight. These killings would finally be stopped.

At least, he hoped so.


After meeting with the Einzbern, who had accepted Sakura's addition without much fanfare, the two teams parted.

In the back of their minds, they all hoped it would work out, but could not help but feel that something would still go wrong.


This was a bit of an insult to his great and prodigious talent, this current task, but that did not mean he couldn't still enjoy himself a bit.

The two maids had managed to put up a decent fight he supposed, but they still fell like stupid little fake flies to his brilliance and power.

Gleefly singing his favorite Beethoven symphony, he casually walked on and over the burnt corpse of the maid with the giant halberd and searched the rest of the house.

After a bit of searching, he located what he had been tasked with finding.

So, this was it, the great Mystic Code of the Einzbern family.

It was admittedly pretty, and the power radiating from it was nothing to sneeze at. At any other time, he would have pilfered it, and taken its power for himself.

As of now, though?

A moment later, he let the ashes fall through his fingers.

His task done, he strode out of the mansion. Then, however, he stopped, turned around, and looked over the great mansion.

He smirked.

Again!

Again!

Again!

Soon, there was nothing but ash, flames, and laughter, before he let the darkness close around him again.


Rin had not been sure what to expect when she, Shirou, Sakura, and their servants neared the Apartment complex. Certainly, none of them had been expecting the sight of a small fleet of police vehicles, and heavily armed police and SAT officers.

What the hell was going on?

"How are we going to get in now," Rin mused aloud, still doing her best not to look Arjuna in the eye.

Archer looked all around them, and then looked up, towards the building's roof.

He then looked to Assassin and Rider. "There might be a way…"


Rin had decided that, if she were to ever fly again, it would be in an airplane, and not being carried under the arm of an ancient hero who may or not be a psychopath.

Seriously, it felt like there was a bug in her teeth!

Meanwhile, Sakura got to ride of a freaking winged horse! Sure, it was made of paper, but still!

Despite her complaint, she had to admit that, so far, the plan was going on without a hitch. The trio and their servants had gotten to the roof of the Apartment complex without any trouble, having leapt/ taken off from a nearby building.

She wondered how Shirou could stand to live in a place like this. It just felt creepy.

The hallways had creepy colors and art, the doors were creepy, and seriously, who made an apartment building circular?

They had traversed a few floors down, when they heard loud and clear footsteps coming around the corner.

It was a large group of SAT officers.

Before the three Masters could hide, they were spotted, though, the Servants did manage to shift into Astral form.

"What are you doing here?" the lead Officer demanded of the teens.

Shirou was the first to speak. "We live here. What's going on?"

"Official SAT business. We have reason to believe that the serial killer is in this building. Please, return to your apartment, and lock the door."

Serial killer?

Before anyone could do anything else, the lights suddenly began to flicker.

Suddenly, over the shoulder radios of the SAT officers, loud screams could be and the shooting of bullets heard, as well as an accented woman's voice, who was screaming out the same thing over and over again. "What color are the walls?!"

Then, the lights flickered off. The SAT officers each switched on an assortment of lights.

The sound of slow and ponderous footsteps caught their attention, and all the lights swerved over th greet this new arrival.

It was the tall man from school!

There was fresh blood dripping from his hands, and one loosely gripped a strange Chinese sword, its blade black with odd red lines crisscrossing over it. Blood fell off its edge.

Despite themselves, the officers and the three Master's all felt a shiver of fear race down their spine as the tall man looked over them all with his shadowy eyes.

The SAT members all trained their firearms at the man. Their commander then spoke. "Sir! Please drop your weapon, get down on your knees and interlock your hands behind your head."

He simply looked at them all, and then took a step forward.

"Sir, I repeat! Drop your weapon and get down. On. The. Ground!"

Another step.

"If you do not comply, we will open fire!"

He kept walking. Then, one of the heads of the officers suddenly exploded in a burst of gore.

"Open fire!"

The bullets rang out, but none hit him. Some he lazily blocked, sliced, and deflected with his sword, or what looked like five glowing flower petals, and the others just…. Stopped and floated around him, like tiny moons orbiting about a celestial body.

The officers kept firing, and he kept walking forward. Then, he gestured, and the front group were all shredded by their returning bullets.

Another gesture had an invisible force rip away their firearms.

A few pulled out their batons and tried to rush him. The first lost his head. The second was crushed into a wall. The third was bisected from head to groin.

He did not even pause in his stride.

He was tearing through them all as if they were wet tissue paper.

One of the SAT officers at the very rear began to scream into his radio, all the while still firing his weapon. "We need back up on floor 8 immediately! Officers down, I repeat, officers…"

The rest of his sentence was cut off with a wet gurgle when the tall man's hand impaled itself through the officer's chest.

As the officers all died, Rin, Sakura, Shirou, and their Servants all turned and fled.

Behind them, the sound of footsteps remained strong, as the screams faded.

In the next moment, they found themsevels trapped in a dead end. Where had that come from.

The sound of footsteps grew louder.

Then, Rin saw a door, and all but lunged at it's handle.

It was unlocked.

The footsteps drew closer.

"Here, through this door!"

Shirou glanced about. At first it seemed like he saw it too. But then, he looked at her. "What door?"

What the hell was wrong with him? With a groan, she pushed him through it, followed by her and Sakura.


Meanwhile

Mount Enzou was soon filled with the sounds of laughter, thunder, and roaring.

A moment later, what looked like a fireball of thunder and roaring collided right into the surrounding forest, devastating it for a good few miles.

The comet soon split, to reveal the gargantuan form of Velvet's Rider Servant, and the slightly less gargantuan form of Heracles.

This time, despite the swirling torrent of madness that caged his mind, the Greatest Hero of Greece was more prepared, as well as having been bolstered by a few of his master's command seals.

Through it all, Rider just laughed.

They jumped at the other, fists flying and punching and slamming. Up they went once again, back towards the temple.

Back at the temple, an equally grand and destructive battle was taking place. A Pacific demigod and a living book fought against the Slayer of Grendel, and the Scourge of God, while their Masters battled in the ways of Magi.

At least, that was how Touko Aozaki and Illyasviel von Einzbern were fighting. Flat Escardos mostly just ran away from Alice whenever he could.


Illya had always been very confident in her abilities, both as a Master, and as a magus.

It was what she had been designed for, after all.

Fighting the legendary Lady Blue, Touko Aozaki, though? It made her start to rethink her self-estimation a bit.

She absorbed and shrugged off all shots from Zelle, and even took a Storch Ritter to the face without injury or flinching.

Wait… that wasn't right.

It was almost like the energy was being… consumed the moment it came into contact with her.

That was going to make things a bit more difficult, it seemed, even as she sent another strafing of Zelle towards the Lady Blue.

Meanwhile, she saw Lugh fighting the two large wolves that had once been Waver Velvet's legs.

How very weird.

Aozaki laughed. "You know, for an Einzbern, and a homunculus, you're not too shabby. I can't wait to take you apart, and see how you're made, little girl!"

Illya managed to keep her face schooled in an expression of haughty disdain. "You shouldn't have such bravado before the battle is over Lady Blue!"


Flat wasn't;t sure how much more of this he could take.

Seriously, who fought with floating cutlery?! It was just so weird, and yet so cool.

He then yelped and dived behind one of the temple buildings, narrowly avoiding getting skewered.

Then, a slight whooshing noise alerted him to the fact that more were coming towards him.

With no where left to run, she threw up his hands and then randomly flooded his circuits.

The cutlery suddenly stopped in midair, and then... turned around and began attacking itself!

With some confusion, the blonde boy looked down at his hands.

How had he done that?


Alice raised an eyebrow in surprise as Hey Diddle, Diddle began to attack itself.

... unexpected.


With a loud clang, Maui's fishhook clanged against the blades of Hrunting and Naegling.

The demigod grinned. This second Berserker was truly a joy to fight.

He jumped forward, knocked aside the red sword in the Berserker's right hand, and then bit him, hard on the neck, having shifted his teeth into those of a shark's.

In the next moment, he tore.

Despite the ghastly wound, the brawny Berserker laughed, and radied his weapons for another go.

Maui retunred the grin.

How he had missed this feeling, and the roar of combat!


Nearby the Scourge of God clashed aganst a ghastly and massive thing with no mouth, and flesh of red, black, spikes, and jagged edges.

As she parried a blow, Altera readied the Photon Ray, and jumped up and around the monster's next blow.

The blade arced down towards the creature's neck.


Suddnely, down from the sky came what could only be described as a great and firey comet, which exploded upon the pavement.

In the next moment, there came a great burst of air from all around, and, indeed, it felt as if the battle itself had been cut.

"Enough!" Came a powerful and husky voice. It soucres seeon emaerged from the smoke and debris.

It was a beautiful woman, with hair the reached her ankles. She was dressed in a flowing kimono covered and embroidered with flowers. In the hand of the kimono-wearing woman was a katana, simple, but well made that seemed to radiate a decent aura of age and power. All about her was a strange, dark blue miasma that practically radiated the idea of Death itself.

By her side was a wolfish-looking individual with a burning spear and grey skin.

Touko and Wver looked upon a face that they had not seen for almost ten years. "Shiki?!" they both exclaimed in slight confusion.

The woman and her servant ingnored them, and yet addressed them all. "This is not the battle that thou should be fighting, magi and ancient heroes. The true enemy has been mving beneath thine feet. Cease thy idiocy at once!"

Before they could all clash once again, and before Shiki could say any more, the sound of haughty and confident laughter drew all their attention.

It was a man, seemingly standing upon thin air.

He was confidence and arrogance and gold given flesh. He wore armor that seemed crafted from pure gold, and it was as magnificent as its wearer. His single good eye swept across all the combatants with a sneer, before he clasped his eye upon the second Rider of the Fifth Holy Grail War.

When he spoke, it was if he spoke with the authority of the heavnes themselves. "It gladdens me most greatly that you are here among this selection of mongrels, Rider. Alas, you have been taking too long in cleaning the board of the rabble, Son of Thor, and so, I have come! Please make this battle as grand as our previous bout, Magni!"

As he spoke, a golden portal phased into existence above him. He reached up, and withdrew from it, a strange and terrible thing, that both was, and was not, a sword.

Magni, son of Thor, looked upon the floating gold man, and his bearded face lost any and all joviality.

The sound of thunder then filled every last inch of the night air.

Then, in his massive hand, the Rider held a weapon of unparalleled power. It was beautiful, in the way that only a well-crafted hammer could possibly be. Its head was engraved with runes and lighting and gold and goats. Though it looked quite weighty, the giant hefted it easily in one hand as if it weighed nothing. The King of Heroes' smirk deepend to an almost psychotic depth, and he raised high his impossible and terrible weapon.

The stormy sky then filled with Gold.


Rin could not see a thing. Whatever room they had stumbled into, it was pitch black

The lights then flickered on, and what greeted them was a horrific sight.

They were within a large chamber. In the center were several large tanks. Within each was a floating body.

Each had a placard attached to it.

L. Shirazumi. Assimilated; 1998

K. Fujou. Assimilated; 1998

F. Asagami. Assimilated; 1998

All of these, and more, with the latest being only last year.

Surrounding it, however, were piles upon piles of… brains, in tanks.

It looked like something out of a horror movie, or perhaps the mind of a psychotic mad man.

Then, at the very back, floated that of a small child.

S. Emiya. Found; 1996

What the hell was all of this?

The confused teen put up a hand on the tank that held his doppelganger. Rin looked at it, something having caught her eye. "Shirou… why do you have only one command Seal?"

The boy paused, and then looked at his hand, which clearly showed only the bottom of the lotus design.

He then slowly turned to look at the two sisters, a confused expression on his face. "I… I don't know."

Then, next to him, Assassin sighed through his mask. "I really wish that you had not noticed that, Master of Archer."

A moment later, with a terrible and strange speed, Assassin severed Shirou's arm at the elbow, and then leapt away into the shadows, the limb securely in hand.

Rin and Sakura rushed to the now screaming boy, who gripped his bleeding stump with a hand that was swiftly turning red, while Archer and Assassin scanned the area for any sight of the Servant of the Shadows.

Then, they all heard a voice, and it was as deep and as slow as the ocean's floor. "I applaud you two for finding this place."

It was him. He was standing on the other side of the room. Where had he come from?

Before Arjuna could even loose his arrow, or Rider could spring forward, the Tall Man spoke a single word. "Saver."

A moment later, the same titanic pressure from before slammed down on them all, save for the tall man, and Assassin, who emerged at his side like a dutiful dog. Then, behind the tall man manifested a strange figure.

This figure was male, though he was thin almost to the point of being gaunt. Rin could clearly see each of his ribs poking through his pale skin. It looked like he was sitting upon a pillar made of green vines and leaves and branches. A living throne, as it were. Though, oddly enough, it was as if his green hair was one with the strange throne.

He was dressed in simple crimson robes, and on his face was an expression of infinite compassion and resigned sorrow.

For some reason, he seemed familiar to the struggling Rin, and then she saw his elongated earlobes, and the way that he was sitting...

The moment it clicked in her mind, the Servant's True Name, Skills, and stats were all laid bare before her.

"That's not possible," she whispered through the pain. How can that be a Servant?

She then strained to look up at the impassive face of the tall man, hard as it was, with her face being all but shoved into the cold floor. "What are you, monster," she screamed. "How the fuck did you summon the fucking Buddhaas a Servant?!"

The tall man and his impossible Servant studied her, Sakura, and the now weeping Shirou for a long and silent bit. "You desire to know who I am, Rin Tohsaka? What I am?"

The tall man raised his hand up to his face.

"I am a monk, and I will remember all those who have died."

He then gripped his face and… began to tear at his flesh. As he did, a new face and body appeared.

It was a man in bright red clothing and long blonde hair, with a deranged look in his eye. "I am a magus, and I deserve to be acknowledged."

A man in glasses, with an eerie and empty smile on his face. "I am a teacher, and I will speak the True Words, and yet, I will remember nothing."

A girl, holding her abdomen. "I am a girl, and I just want to feel."

A cadaverous woman, with long hair that reached her ankles. "I am a dying woman, and I just want to fly."

A weary man, with messy black hair, and a dark suit. "I am a killer, and I killed them all, so that I could try to save the world."

A tall man in a red cloak, with bronze skin, white hair, and angry gray eyes. "I am a hero, and I wish that I never became one."

A blonde boy covered in blood licked his lips. "I am a Beast, and I will hunt and devour them all."

A small boy with glowing eyes, standing next to a portly woman in a veil. "We are seers, and I will always know what comes next."

The thing tore at its face again, and again, and then, to Rin and Sakura and Shirou's shock and horror, a very familiar face was staring back at them.

It was Shirou, and its… his? Eyes were as blank as a canvas.

"I am a boy, who will never exist, and never did."

There was then one final flash and flicker.

Thethingstanding in front of the sisters and now one-armed boy was tall, and its skin and hair were as white as bone. It seemed to be a muscular, lean, and androgynous mixture of all the people Rin had just seen, plus a few that she did not. Its eyes were a head-ache inducing collage and mixture of swirling colors and symbols. Its form was garbed in rags and bandages and other things.

Around its neck was a string of prayer beads.

It looked at them, and then spoke, in a voice was that was at once a mixture of many, and yet also uniquely singular in pitch and tone. "I am nothing, and nobody, and yet we are something, and everybody. I am Legion, and yet we are One. I am a Creator, and a Destroyer. I am Nothingness, and yet I am its Denial and Reflection."

It strode past the sisters and their Servants, and then stopped and knelt in front of the dumbfounded boy. "What we are, what I am, is the Rejection of nothing, and the Assimilation of everything. We are all Named and Known, and yet… I am Nameless, and Unknown."

It reached down and seemed to caress Shirou's head with its long and powerful fingers, as if it were saddened by what it had to do.

Then, it pulled his head from his neck with a sharp tug, and its form was bathed in blood.

As Rin and Sakura both began to scream in shock and horror and rage at the act, the thing stood up and turned towards them, the decapitated head of their friend held loosely in its hand. Even as they kept screaming, they watched in horrid fascination was what looked like gears and other metal bits dripped and dropped down from the giant hole where his neck had once been.

A moment later, the thing tossed aside the head, and it landed and rolled right next to Rin's face with a wet splat.

All she and Skaura could do was just scream.

"Do not weep over this thing, for it was nothing more than a puppet that has just completed its purpose. Soon, it will be over."

The look in its strange eyes was beyond ghastly as it looked upon the restrained sisters. "And I will free you all."

It then nodded to the impossible Servant.

The crosslegged Servant slowly opened his green eyes, and then spoke a single, powerful word.

Chakravatin

There was suddenly a flash of gold, and then… there was nothing but darkness….


Over the skies of Japan, the night sky was filled with gold….


A/N: Well, a whole of things have just gone down, and things have really gone from bad to worse.

Read, Review, and Enjoy. Your enjoyment makes the task of writing this all the more bearable and enjoyable.

Also, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, everyone!

Class: Saver

True Name: Buddha

Master: The Nameless

STATS

STR: A

END: A
AGI: C

MAN: B

LCK: B

NP: EX

Class Skills

Charisma: A+

Counter Hero: A+

Personal Skills

Enlightenment of the Sacred Fig: EX

Kalaripayattu: EX

Noble Phantasms

Chakravatin: ?

Amita Amitabha: EX


Rider: Magni

Master: Waver Velvet

STATS

STR EX

END A++

AGI A

MAN EX

LCK B

Class Skills

Riding: A++

Due to his nature as a god and a giant, as well as inheriting the aspects of his father, Magni is able to ride anything, like lightning bolts. Dragons are exempt, though.

Magic Resistance: A+

Modern Magi cannot touch him.

Berserk: EX.

Never retreat, never surrender, and never take a conscious step back. Always keep moving forward, ready to kill and fight until death, and even after. Once Thor's Divine core is destroyed, this skill will be replaced with Pure Mad Enhancement.

Person Skills

Divinity: A (E). As the son of a god and a giant, Magni should have the highest divinity possible. However, after Ragnarok, his divinity steadily decreased. However, as long as Thor's divine core within him remains intact, his divinity is A ranked.

Resemblance of the Father: -

Until his true name is revealed, even if he uses Mjolnir, Magni's true name will be registered as Thor. This skill is also from the fact that he is not a well-known figure in Norse sagas.

Monstrous Strength A++

Due to his nature, it is said that Magni was even stronger than his father.

Double Summon: A

Magni qualifies as both Rider and Berserker, due to inheriting Thor's Divine Core. Once it is destroyed, he will revert to a pure Berserker class.

Twilight Survivor: EX

Due to surviving the very end of the Gods and the world itself, Magni will continue fighting until the very end. A combination of Battle continuation, Poison resistance, and Independent action.

Thunder: A

Natural Body: A

Noble Phantasms

Gulfaxi: A+. The horse of Magni.

Megingjord: A+

Mjolnir: A++

The legendary hammer of his father Thor, which Magni is said to have inherited after surviving Ragnarok.

Mjolnir Ragnarok: EX

Preview of the Next chapter.

He strode through a field, and it was filled with naught but death.

On the ground, there seemed an endless of supply of dead and dying, blood and viscera.

"Such a sad sight. It's amazing how these little creatures.
Overhead, the full moon was the color of blood.

"Do we have a bargain, sorrowful man?"

He looked once more upon the body of the small child. He looked once more upon the endless corpses, and the carion birds.

He then looked at her.

"We do."