Fate: Humanity's Blade Works

Shiro/Arturia

Ritsuka/

III

The best way to describe Olga Marie Asmleit Animusphere, at the experience she was in, was mind-blown. As a member of the Top Ten families in the Clocktower; she knew of the Holy Grail Wars and that it was a Battle Royale with the last pair standing being the victor. This singularity was already causing her to freakout from how underprepared she was; the fact that Caster-was-now-a-Lancer and fighting the designated Lancer was beginning to make her feel absolutely helpless.

She needed clear succinct answers and the only ones who had them; brought their own avalanche of questions "Emiya, Saber…please, explain. And explain clearly."

Shirou smirked, he closed one eye before concentrating momentarily. Cu Chulainn found his spear; although a projected copy had been reinforced by it being wielded by him, improved its durability; but the fact remained it was a fragmented copy and a copy was and is still a copy. "Thanks Boyo...now Lancer you wish for the cursed crimson spear? I'll have your heart! GAE BOLG!"

"It appears he's using it the same way he killed me…or attempted to kill me." Shirou stated off-handedly.

"You were killed...yet…"

Shirou sighed "Director, it all started when I was seven. The Fourth Fuyuki Holy Grail War was rendered incomplete with my father, Emiya Kiritsugu; The Magus Killer, destroyed the Holy Grail with Saber. He found me as the only survivor and used the Catalyst that summoned Saber to save my life. He adopted me and that was that; he died when I was twelve and then when I was Seventeen the Fifth Fuyuki Holy Grail War Started. That in itself was irregular as it started ten years later as opposed to sixty. I oversaw Archer and Lancer fighting in my school; Lancer spotted me and killed me, however the catalyst kicked in and saved me. Took me half-a-day to recover although; then he tried to kill me again only this time at my house…"

Olga nodded "You somehow summoned Saber, coincidentally the same Saber from the Fourth Holy Grail War, King Arthur…King Arthur was summoned in the Fourth Grail War that my father participated in. Any...other differences?"

"Gilgamesh was an aboriginal summon. Somehow, he became a familiar or human. Anyway, I killed him."

Olga looked at the red head "A human magus killed the King of Heroes? No matter what their state, no one should be able to do that!"

As Shirou gathered himself, he activated his clairvoyance-skill. Something that he found from interacting and fighting his Counterforce self and Zelretch's trademark meddling he was able to scan and sense upto four kilometres away. "We have incoming, the target is Mash or Fujimaru."

There was an eerie silence as Lancer dissolved into particles of light. Cu Chulainn twirled his lance around "So…Arturia, Your Highness, who won? Your war I mean?"

Arturia blushed slightly "Shirou and I were the last pair standing…but events repeated themselves like the Fourth War."

Cu stopped "I'm sorry…what do you mean by that exactly? I thought the Fourth War was resolved…Wait, BOYO, pogue ma thoin; your masters gonna get himself killed."

Before Olga could demand a better explanation, there was the unmistakable feeling of a Noble Phantasm being released. "The sword is a Broken Phantasm: Hound of the Red Plains: Hrunting."

Quick as anything, a black iron bow appeared in Shirou's hands, he drew the string and a sword appeared. There was the unmistakable and unmissable feeling of the sword cracking and forming a spiralling sword/arrow "Broken Phantasm: Spiralling Rainbow Sword: Caladbolg!" With a burst of light the arrow streaked away colliding violently with the oncoming projectile colliding in a cacophony of noise, sound and colours. The pressure of the excessive mana and prana leveling a building that Shirou belatedly realised He and Arturia had fought Medusa on.

"Shirou…" Began Arturia.

"Yes, I know."

"You're sure you want to fight him?"

"Probably gonna find me anyway...so I'll find him first. In fact…" Saber turned to his colleagues "Any of you got a pen and paper? I've got a message to send to the Archer."

"Emiya, what do you plan to do?" Demanded Olga.

"Kill a servant. Arturia, Cu take Mash and Fujimaru and end this singularity. The Director and I will tie up this loose end; we'll meet you at the Ryudou Temple, the source of the Singularity."

"You know where it is? Why haven't we headed there straight away?"

"Director, please, think things through. We've given you all the information and more. Now, Director, what do you plan we do?"

Olga stared at her subordinate "We shall split into two teams. Emiya Shirou and I will deal with the remaining servant; whilst the other team shall consist of Fujimaru Ritsuka, Mash, Saber and Lancer…We shall rendezvous at the source of the singularity."

Ritsuka gulped "Emiya-senpai, what makes you think you can beat this servant?"

Shirou grinned "Why, he's me afterall."

Mash's jaw dropped "You become a Hero, Emiya-senpai! That's amazing!"

Everyone watched as Shirou's hair momentarily turned silver "Sometimes it's a curse. But that's by the by, we have our orders."

As the group separated, they were observed from a distance. The observer smirked as he saw himself and the director rushing towards the Emiya household. "So, we meet again. This time we settle things at our childhood home."

The Emiya Household like the rest of the Fuyuki was utterly trashed. Thankfully, it hadn't caught fire but sitting there looking rather haggard was Tohsaka. "Tohsaka!"

Rin looked up "Emiya! I knew you'd arrive at some point." She stopped as she began to cough, a painful wracking cough that felt like a knife in Shirou's stomach.

"What happened, Tohsaka?"

"You summoned Saber. Then he appeared after the second day; He, Lev Lainur Flauros, destabilised the grail. Killed you, corrupted everyone. I didn't think you survived; but I fell back here in case you returned. Archer, he, projects…"

"Noble Phantasms. He used Rule Breaker on you, one of the Phantoms of Medea of Colchis. Fought and lost to Saber."

"Now I'm here, Emiya Shirou, Master."

Rin's eyes widened as did Olga's. Shirou turned to face his Alter-Ego "Counter Guardian Emiya."

"Emiya Shirou, looking good for a dead man."

"I seem to get that a lot. Let me guess you're here to kill me to erase yourself from the timestream or to stop me from reaching this timelines Arturia Pendragon."

The Corrupted Archer smirked thinly "You're definitely one of the smarter versions of us."

"You can blame Kaleidoscope for this."

Olga gulped, the Wizard Marshall was involved with Emiya Shirou, the Archer was also Emiya Shirou; evidently from a different timeline. "You know how this goes."

"The same way it always does and how it ends."

With that the Emiya Shirou's pulsed their powers and began to chant.

"I am the Bone of my sword.
Steel is my body and fire is my blood.
I have created over a thousand blades."

Then the chants changed slightly, different experiences meant different outcomes. Olga barely paid attention but the undulating shifting tones rang through the duo of observers.

"Unknown to death." "Unaware of loss."

"Nor known to life." "Nor aware of gain."
"Have withstood great pain to create many weapons." "Withstood great pain to create weapons, waiting for one's arrival."

"Yet, those hands will never hold anything." "I have no regrets. This is is the only path."

"So as I pray," "My whole life was,"

"Unlimited Blade Works." "Unlimited Blade Works."

Two sets of circles one a burning orange and the other an incandescent blue erupted from the duo overlapping, hitting the faded boundary field catapulting the dying Tohsaka, the Director and both Emiya Shirou's into another realm.

As Fujimaru headed to face the Saber, he stiffened "What IS THAT...That pressure?"

"That is the power of an Incarnation; one who's element and origin are the same; specifically a Sword Incarnation." Lancer-Caster explained.

"Will the director…"

"The Director will be fine; Shirou will protect her. In fact the Spirit that Shirou faces is one of two that he'll be able to defeat."

Rin and the Director's eyes widened as the world dissolved to be replaced by a desert landscape; the only semblance of greenery was a large oak tree that appeared yellow and blue. On the other side were 27 Gears hanging forlornly in the sky, the only constant were the continuous swords that began to appear.

"Everything here is a fake." Emiya stated.

"This Reality Marble is the only magic available to Emiya Shirou." Shirou retorted as two familiar blades appeared in his hands, the same appeared in the Counter-Guardians.

"They're the same person, Archer, was my servant during the war." Tohsaka stated as they watched the mirror images collide. They watched transfixed as swords levitated and chucked themselves to be collided by others; the twin black and white swords appeared, again and again.

"You failed them, you know. Rin, Sakura and Saber."

Shirou sighed "It seems that's what always happens with us then." As their blades locked, Shirou momentarily stilled. "You know, for a descendant of mine…your not half bad; We'll chat better later but for now, I need you to focus on a katana. Just let the feeling wash over you."

Shirou's blades broke as did Archer's. Archer reformed his blades but the ground of the reality marble shuddered as a black sheathed katana began to form "I'm not the invincible swordsman, Jubei, I'm not the one praised as a master of espionage, Hanzo, I'm not the renowned caster Abe no Seimei. Why, out of all people, I, a swordsmith, was summoned. For being unable to foresee that, this is your defeat…" The hilted katana effortlessly resisted the Archers' swords. EMIYA; snarled and began to trace the katana himself. "…Once seeking for the ultimate blade. A blade of steel cutting no flash, nor bones and neither life. What I seek for is the clearance of resentment. The cutting of bonds, fate and destiny." The blade began to be drawn as Shiro's clothing changed, his hair turned white and his body browned.

Olga and Rin couldn't avoid the connection between the two Emiya's. "That is, to free oneself from Karma. Upon one's arrival are countless tools. Carved over a thousand blades, forming a pile of swords. This is the place where all paths cross, where all desires flow, death awaits. My whole life for this single swing. The heart of the blade is right here! Take this, This is my TSUMUKARI MURAMASA!" The blades surrounding the fighters exploded as the katana was drawn; Archer paled as the single stroke ruptured the ground, shattering the reality marble as the explosion hit him.

"Shi...rou…save...her." Archer ordered as he dematerialised. Shirou sank to one knee, his mana levels extremely low.

"Shirou...what was that…" Rin rasped.

"Reality Marble, within a Reality Marble. Muramasa is my name. Muramasa Shirou. I think."

Rin looked at the director "Keep an eye on him; he's a good man…Unfortunately, Saber is the only person able to really keep him on the narrow." After a period of wracking coughs, Rin got to her feet and handed Olga a chained pendant and a dagger "...Give him these. Also tell him, I'm sorry."

With that the cursed and blackened Rin passed away.

(Fujimaru Group)

"Lancer, do you think Shirou-senpai and the Director will be okay?" Mash asked; as they'd headed towards the corrupted Saber, Lancer had been giving Mash lessons in using her Noble Phantasm.

Arturia had seen the shield and known instinctively who it belonged to. The son of the Peerless Knight, Lancelot, the one Knight aside from Gawain who could state they were her equals. Although, Gawains Blessing, boosted his strength something colossal. Galahad would not want his name and ability revealed unless he wanted it to. "Shirou is extremely durable, and is my scabbard. As long as his head remains attached there is no wound he cannot regenerate from. As he is my scabbard it means he cannot perform magic beyond the magic of blades."

Cu sighed "Fucking ridiculous power! Although that explains a lot; he could probably learn runes. My teacher would appreciate a dedicated apprentice; especially if he gives her a copy of this spear."

Ritsuka's eyes widened "How does this work? Lancer? You addressed yourself as a Caster but now you're a Lancer."

"The more documented moments of your travels, the older, as well make you more powerful. However, with all of these entries and recordings allows for a Hero to be summoned into additional classes. For example; I am most well known for my prowess with a Spear, thus a Lancer. I was also a student of Guardian of Skye, a scarily powerful rune user and spear master, through her training and a stint as a bandrui; Gaelic term for a Druid, I'm able to be classed as a Caster. Take Arturia here, she could be summoned as Saber or a Lancer, heck there's recordings of her having a dagger…with a bit of scamming the Grail; you could theoretically summon her as an Assassin. Now as for Shirou…"

As the dual role Servant took a breath the ground rocked violently "Well…I believe that's either both dead or Archer is. Plan C, we go in and tell Shirou's Alive. That might stave off our impending death."

Ritsuka nodded and the three servants along with the last master headed up to the corrupted temple.

Olga sighed, she strode over, reinforcing herself, pulling Shirou to his feet. "I'm sorry about this timelines Tohsaka."

"No matter where she is, she's always known and will always knows me better than me. I can't fail Saber, especially this Saber."

"Do you know where we need to go?"

Shirou nodded, picked up a black katana that somehow emerged from his Reality Marble. His skin darkened, he attached the sword and scooped Olga off her feet. Soon enough the duo were jumping across the city "Archer and I are the same person but with different choices. I've never known what I want to be but I think I know: I want to be with Arturia, how, I don't know but that's what I want."

Olga nodded "Shirou, I was distrusting of you when I first met you. But now, I will admit you and your Saber servant are monsters. Monsters of Chaldea, Animusphere monsters but monsters all the same. I will do what I can to help the pair of you get what you want."

Shirou nodded and the duo made with all speed to the corrupted Saber and the remaining Master of Chaldea.