Morning was here, and while here in Fuyuki, the classes of Homurahara Academy didn't start soon, that didn't stop one young woman to try and head early. With her books and notebooks in a bag, Rin Tohsaka was already making way to her school to get ready for today's classes. Though by no means was she alone.
'Are you certain going to classes during this war is advised?'
Invisible to the naked eye, the Servant Archer was with Rin as she walked. Keeping an eye out for the other five Masters and Servants. Not having to worry about the last one seeing as that idiot Emiya has yet to summon one. Honestly, to think he was a Master in this war. That was a bit of a surprise.
'Though not as surprising as that magus.' The old man from last night, still fresh in Rin's mind.
Quick. Strong. Fast-acting.
Logically, Rin knew Lancer was holding back against that old-timer. She didn't know why, but the Servant did so. After all, no human alive can ever face such a powerful familiar, and win. But, that didn't mean it was impossible to face them, even if only for a bit in a fight. Something that Rin saw as the old man faced Lancer and actually survived and matching him blow to blow. Even hurting him.
'Just what Rank is her?' The old man must come from a good lineage and trained well. Again, Servants will trump against humans. But if the two were to face against one another, then while a Servant will win even in a battle, that was only due to both power and experience. But if the human had an adequate amount of battle experience, and the Servant decided not to get serious...then it is possible for a mere mortal to face off against such a Servant.
Oddly enough, Archer thought the same thing. Though he was more concerned over something else, than just the fight.
'I don't recall ever seeing him the last time.' Archer's memories may have been rather blurred here and there, with a few missing details, but ultimately Archer couldn't recall ever once seeing that man. Shirou Emiya should have summoned Saber to save him. Not having the aid of an old man who faces against Lancer. Was it possible that he wasn't in his Holy Grail War?
Before both could continue their respective line of thought, suddenly they felt it. Normal humans couldn't sense it, but as a Magus and Servant, they could. It was quick, but the type of magecraft used was recognizable to both of them.
"Archer-"
"I know." Archer materialized, already having insured no normal humans were nearby. Not that it would matter soon, as both knew that where they were going, there will be no people. "A bounded field."
"Shit." Thank goodness none of her classmates were here. Otherwise she'd have to wipe their memories of the crude language she used. Regardless, what she said was true. A Master was acting. 'But here in broad daylight. Then again, that explains the bounded field. But for what purpose? Me?'
No, she couldn't be the target. Rin was far away from the bounded field, so it had to be someone else inside. The question was, which Master is doing this and who is their target? Matou? The Einzbern? Or a Master she didn't know? To many questions and not enough clues to help deduce their identities.
Not to mention the location was off. The only place that was there was-
"Damn it!" Rin growls as that idiot comes into her mind. "Come on Archer, let's move."
"Are you sure?" The Servant says cooly. "You do realize that even if he hasn't summoned a Servant, he's still a Master. Would it not be best to let whatever Master attacking him deal with him?"
"Archer." Rin glared at her Servant. "Move. Now."
"As you wish." Archer says as he then picks up Rin and starts jumping toward the bounded field. Though he did have a small sense of hope in him.
That the one trapped would be finished off.
Shirou has only been in a few amatur fights. While he didn't think himself weak, in the face of this dude, he was considering it. I mean, not even wrestlers in the U.S. had muscles that big or were that tall. Is this guy doping?
"You're thinking something dumb, aren't you Oni-Chan?" Oh crap, a mind-reader! Did that mean Shinji's theory of tinfoil to protect the mind was true after all!? "No. Your face is just easy to read. Idiot."
"Oh." Shirou says while also feeling slightly offended for the insult. But a bruise to his ego was the least of his problems right now. He didn't know who this girl was, why she was here, nor cared at the moment for those reasons. Instead, he's more worried about the man who had hands bigger than his head. Shirou especially worried on how those eyes were staring at him. Like a single move he made would end him.
'But...it's okay…' Shirou thought as he gripped himself and stopped shaking. 'Because I have a power now.' Aura to be more precise. Not to mention his Reinforcement magecraft was also stronger. So he had two skills to rely on against this monster. Might last him a while.
The man huffed.
'I hope.' Shirou then breathed, and looked at the girl who was no Japanese and stared her right in the eye. "So...who are you?" He finally asked.
"Finally, done chatting to yourself." The girl giggled. "About time Oni-Chan. Nice to see you. And look." The man next to her gave a slight growl. "And I see you met Berserker."
"Ber-Berserker." The feeling he got from him. This man...monster. It felt like...like that spearman from last night, Lancer as Ozpin told him. As such, that meant it was likely this guy could just as easily kill him like Lancer from last night. Great. Not even twenty-four hours, and already impending doom was here. Classes haven't even started yet. Talk about bad luck.
"As for me," The girl then gave a small little bow. "I am Illya. Illyasviel Von Einzbern." She then looked up at him, with eyes that seemed to gaze at his soul. "Interesting." She looked at his tattoos. "You're a Master. But...where is your Servant?"
"Servant?" Shirou says confused. Unsure what this girl Illya meant. The child blinked as if wondering he was joking. He really wasn't. Especially since that dangerous man Berserker was so close to him.
"You...don't know what a Servant is?"
"Uh. Am I supposed to?"
"..." The girl then looked down, and for a moment silence was all that can be heard. "Berserker." Then she looked back up to him. "Hit him." With eyes that lacked any sort of empathy.
Then, in a single instant, Berserker was in front of him. Death.
'Shi-' Shirou didn't even have time to finish his thought. Instead, he just raised his arms to defend himself. In an act of self-preservation, his own Aura actually activated not because of his own effort or discipline, but because even his own soul sensed the absolute danger he's in.
SMACK!
In a single punch that didn't even have Berserker's full strength in it, Shirou's aura shattered and while it stopped a bit of the force attacking him, Shirou felt some bones crack and a massive bruise formed on his chest. His body launched until it slammed into a brick wall. Oh yeah, he was going to feel that tomorrow.
"Berserker." Unless the girl Illya told him to step on him like a bug. Already feeling too weak to even stand up, a sense of dread filled Shirou as the shadow of Berserker engulfed him. The beast of the man looking down on him, as he laid powerless to even move.
'Damn it.' Shirou thought. 'Of course I wouldn't be able to use aura, let aside my magecraft properly.' Hasn't even been a full day since he got both. It was only natural he'd fall, especially to someone this tough. Now Shirou's life hanged in the balance whether this girl will have her monster friend spare him, or kill him.
"Get rid of him." EWith the latter being chosen, as Berserker raised the hand which held the axe. While the night would be considered more horrific, like a horror film, Berserker raising his axe in the morning still frightened Shirou. As he saw the sharp weapon gleam in the sunlight, ready to chop him in two.
'I'm sorry…Ozpin.' So much for repaying him, is what Shirou thought as the axe then went straight down.
"You truly are helpless." When suddenly, an arrow stabbed itself into Berserker's own soft eye making the beast's aim be thrown off while. The axe, instead of cleaving him, cleaved the sidewalk just a few feet away from him while Berserker roared in pain. Shirou was amazed by whatever miracle had saved him. "Honestly. You truly are an idiot." Then pondered if it was too much to ask God if he could have been saved by someone else.
White hair. Tanned brown skin. A hawk-like look with a red mantle and strong muscles. In his youth, this would be someone that could be considered a cool hero. For some reason, Shirou just felt annoyed when staring at this dude whom he never met.
The same could be said for Archer, as he wished he arrived a bit slower. Landing next to him was his Master, Rin, who then looked at Shirou and moaned a bit. Placing a hand on her hip and said, "Really Emiya. Already nearly about to die."
"T-tohsaka?!" Shirou says in shock. While he was surprised to see her, he then remembered what Ozpin told him just a bit ago. Of the two people from last night, along with their appearance. 'So it really was her.' The man in red might have been one thing, but he wanted to have some benefit of doubt when Ozpin described what he believed might have been Rin's appearance.
As for Illya, she narrowed her eyes.
Here she was, about to finally get her rightful revenge. While her 'dear' father was gone, his son was a good replacement to vent her anger on. Especially seeing as how he seemed to not know much of the Grail War, making her believe that her dad treated him much better than her. But now that was ruined by this jerk who came in along with that plebeian Tohsaka. What tactless individuals.
"Tohsaka." Illya says in a false sweet voice. "What are you doing here? Going to greet me and say hello."
"As if." Rin pushed aside her hair while giving a good look at her, and then Berserker. Looking a bit troubled, with Illya understanding. After all, even if she has yet to reveal Berserker's name, he is the strongest Servant in this war. Like he'd lose to some Servant who used an underhanded tactic to distract him. Already her Servant pulled out the arrow, with the eye nice and healed.
"Well then," Illya then leans forward then back. "Can you explain why your here then. This has nothing to do with you after all. Plus," She then looks at her beloved Oni-Chan, who slightly flinches. "I'm a bit interested in what Oni-Chan did just a bit ago."
"Did?" Tohsaka asks.
"I saw him glowing for a moment. Isn't that right Oni-Chan." While he doesn't say anything, she knew her brother understood what she meant. When Berserker attacked him, it didn't escape her sight of the strange glow that surrounded his body. Some kind of Magecraft. Something her dad taught him but not her. Oh my. Since he's still alive, maybe she should ask him what he did, to see what kind of Magecraft her dad showed him. That'd be nice.
Then she can have Berserker cut off his head, where she can play with it later.
"That idiot, glowing." Tohsaka's Servant then chuckled. "The day he glows, is the day life leaves from his eyes."
"Hey!" Oni-Chan yelled out at him.
"It doesn't matter what you think." Illya says before she looks behind her, and sees the sun has risen just a bit higher. "For now, things are a bit boring. So I think I'll take my leave." Not to mention more and more people will wake up. Sure her bounded field will keep the commoners away, but that might garner suspicion with the people wondering why they couldn't enter one area. She had plenty of chances to play with Oni-Chan later after all.
"Leaving so soon." Tohsaka says to her. "I thought you wanted to continue on."
"Later, perhaps." Illya turns and begins walking away. "I can easily deal with your Servant and Oni-Chan later on. After all," She then skipped a bit. "Berserker is the greatest hero of them all. Heracles." Illya didn't even have to turn around to know the Tohsaka had a cringe on her face. Made sense. Heracles was one of the greatest heroes of them all. Naturally he'd be a force to be reckoned with. "So until next time."
Then like so, she left. Awaiting the next time she met her brother. While also hoping she'd be rid of the pain in her chest, when she met him.
"You met a young girl with a man on steroids?" Rin severely wanted to punch that old man, even when knowing he was a powerful magus.
"Yeah. He was huge. Those muscles can't be normal." But not as much as Emiya, who just blabbed and completely misunderstood that Berserker wasn't a person on steroids. Damn what an idiot.
"Okay, that's enough." Rin says to both the men in front of her, as she sits down on the couch. Archer in spiritual form, while she and Emiya walked back to the house having decided to skip school for the day. It sucked she'll lose a bit of her good attendance record, but she can live with that. Right now, she needed to have a talk with Emiya. Eyes staring at her classmate while the old guy leaned back on a wall. "Okay then. Let's talk."
"...talk about what?" Hold back fist. Do not punch that idiot so soon. A Tohsaka is a calm, well-mannered, and kind girl. That's what she was raised to be.
"Perhaps she means to explain this man on steroids." No matter how hard it was.
Controlling herself, Rin sighed and said, "I imagine you and the old man are unaware what is going on right now. The spearman, the girl and her pet brute. Those types of things."
"I can say yes on all those fronts." The old man nods with Shirou doing the same. Funny. She expected the old man to know, but then again, not like every magus knew of the Holy Grail War. Just most.
"Good. Then allow me to explain about the Holy Grail War." And explain she did, of just what kind of war Emiya had entered and the dangers the old man might risk himself if he stayed in this city. Of the battle that was known as the Heaven's Feel, and the power it granted of the ritual.
Where three hundred years ago, three families of magi came together to create a powerful device. One that could grant the wish of whomever they wanted. Money. Fame. Power. Anything they desired. However, to do this, it is composed of seven beings known as Servants.
"Servants?" Emiya then spoke up on that part. "You mean, like that spearman and the giant man with Illya?"
"Indeed." Rin says. "They are Servants, and are the most powerful force to ever walk this earth." Now Ozpin was interested in that concept, more so than the Grail itself. Thankfully, Rin wenton to explain just what Servants are. Or more like, what they were.
Historical figures of confirmed history and myths. Beings known as heroes, who have left a mark upon humankind itself and their minds. Impacting them to the point of making history itself. Changing the fate of mankind, and as such, gained the reward and honor of entering a place known as the Throne of Heroes. A place outside of space and time where the true bodies of the Servants remained.
It was there where the ritual of the Holy Grail began. To get the wish, seven magi are chosen by the Grail as Masters-what Shirou was- and with support from the Grail, allowed to summon seven Servants to do battle. The winning pair is supposed to be able to claim the Holy Grail and utilize it to grant a wish for each of them. Sadly, as Ozpin and Shirou learned from Rin, nothing in life was ever free. Particularly when she reached the part how apparently, only the winning pair get the wish, and everyone else was just the stepping stone.
'And naturally,' Ozpin thought sadly. 'Things likely took a nasty turn from there.'
Which they did. As bloodshed happened soon after when everyone realized only one would get a wish. Where from there on, here in Fuyuki, these Holy Grail Wars took place and ended with more than a few bodies dropping. Even worse though, despite the loss of life, nobody has even won the Holy Grail. Making all the losses not only for nothing, but pointless too.
"What...what a waste." Something Shirou agreed with, as he couldn't believe that so many died and with nothing to even show for it. Though clearly, he was more horrified that these death battles took place in the first place. I mean, what the hell! Wasting one's life for some stupid golden cup.
'Even if it was tough, I'd wager it was easier asking the Gods for something with little to no life lost.' Ozpin bitterly thought. Recalling the days where the Gods lived among Remnant, and granted blessing and wishes so long as they were reasonable. This Holy Grail sounded like a knock-off.
"Well, it is what it is." Rin tells them both. Then pointing at the mark on Shirou's hands. "And those Command Seals are proof you are a Master of this war. Where with them, you have three chances to give you absolute authority of your Servant...that is, if you had one."
"Wait." Shirou then realized. "If I have this, and what you just told us earlier, then that means-"
"You should have summoned these Servants." Ozpin finished. "But, you didn't"
"Honestly, you'll probably have to talk to that guy for more information. Though you'll have to be quick on it. After all," Rin then gazes at Shirou seriously. "You were nearly killed twice."
Shirou gulped. Because it was true. Lancer from stabbing him, then following back to finish the job. Berserker with that girl Illya. Who actually hurt him so badly that it was only thanks to his aura he had no broken bones, and even then it still hurt like hell. Not to mention nearly getting cut in half. In the end, he really has almost died. Shirou could refuse to be part of this war, and he'd just be targeted later.
"So," Ozpin then looks at Rin. "This is what you meant when you told me to leave. Because this war, despite composing of only fourteen, can get many innocents killed." Rin said nothing, but her silence was all that was needed. People were going to die. Most of them will be innocent. Civilians who would die without knowing why they died.
The members of the Circle, all laying dead before him as the woman along with her men working for her slaughter the people.
"No." Ozpin then snapped out of his thoughts, with Rin looking at the boy in front of him. "This...this isn't right. To kill people. For some wish. That can't be good. Who would do such a thing?"
"Well, me for starters." Rin then says, once more confirming and reminding the two that she had a Servant. Thus, a Master and participant of this war. "Besides, this is a real problem for you. You don't even have a Servant, and those watching will take their chance to get at you. Servant or no Servant." She then looks at Ozpin. "And it doesn't matter how tough of a Magus you are. No human can defeat a Servant when they get serious. You're lucky Lancer was just fooling around."
Both Ozpin and Shirou stayed silent for a bit, as they took the news they just learned. Clearly, their eyes have been opened to this new deadly death game that was about to begin, even now. Yet as Shirou contemplated on such a horrible thing, Ozpin had other thoughts.
'A wish, huh.' This wasn't his home, nor his world. Effectively, he was trapped here, with no way out. Not a hint or guide to tell him how to save himself and escape this unknown realm before him. While possible to live in, the urgent part of Ozpin...of Ozma told him that he was needed back home. To help his friends and allies to stop her, from destroying their world. But how could he do it? He didn't know of any method to go back home.
Until now that is, as Ozpin looked at Shirou's Command Seals momentarily. As just the briefest of hope and a wish entered his mind. Unaware that Archer was watching him with suspicion as he stayed silent.
"Alright then." A young teen with blue hair says, as he holds a book with Command Seals and grins as the book began glowing. Looking at the wonderful work of the field he made in this school. "Just a bit longer, and everything will go my way."
Beside him, an alluring woman with long hair and a blindfold stood beside him, looking none to pleased. People were going to die.
Anybody who thought Shirou would take on Berserker and give a good fight, yeah, don't even consider it. That fight passed so quickly because even with Aura, Shirou stands no chance. Reason? Because he's only been given Aura less than ten hours ago, and has had no real training. Heck, he was just lucky his aura protected him from broken bones and still got hurt.
Ozpin will train our ally of justice, but that actually takes time. So nobody better go thinking in just one hour, he'll become a master of aura and fighting like most other fanfictions where he becomes a badass instantly. In this story, it'll take time.
Time that Shinji will run out of, as our heroes will slowly learn more of this war, and meet their next opponent where an actual fight will finally happen. Rider!