I am the bone of my sword.
Steel is my body and fire is my blood.
I have created over a thousand blades.
Unaware of Loss.
Nor aware of Gain.
Have withstood pain to create many weapons, to become a superhero.
To redeem my sins, This is my only path.
This life is dedicated to… UNLIMITED BLADE WORKS!
There are those who in life become heroes. They live in a manner that sets a gallant example of integrity and sacrifice for others. And thus after their passing, we keep their tombstones as reminders of who they were and pray that we can learn to become as great.
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ஜ۩۞۩ஜ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Kiritsugu Emiya
Beloved Friend and Father.
安らかに眠る
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ஜ۩۞۩ஜ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Upon the neatly kept grass, upon the stretching green, sat one tombstone identical to its peers. Yet this one brought upon Shirou's soul the greatest floods of sadness, for the name etched upon it spoke straight to his heart.
But yet for all the sadness that has laid in his heart, soul, and mind, he could not shed any tears. He could only stare impassively at this gravestone as he laid down his flowers he brought with him and knelt down. He took a deep breath before he began…
"Hey old man… It's been years since I last spoke to you wasn't it huh?"
The only response to his words was the slight breeze of wind, coming from the forest nearby.
But even so, he continued on.
"So… I have made recent progress on my magecraft. I have learned the ability to use [Alteration] on my swords now so I can now shoot swords whenever I projected them… It took a few tries to get it down but I was able to get the hang of it I guess…"
…
…
…
If Shirou wanted to be honest with himself, he feels very stupid talking about something that should be kept in secret. But for some reason, the weight in his chest was lifted and he liked that feeling even though he knew it was wrong…
So he kept going.
"So… I have been doing fine in school… I just have to graduate next year and I should be able to go back to the Clock Tower to begin my dream of becoming a hero… just like you wanted…"
…
…
…
"I hope you are proud of me… wherever you are… dad. I hope I can visit you more often when I start my journey."
With those parting words… Shirou Emiya lifted himself up and began his Sunday routine.
"Hey Shirou! Can you help me with something?"
Shirou turned around to see a teenager with short black hair and possessing a vertical scar in the middle of his forehead. He is wearing the Homurahara School Uniform, the same one Shirou is currently wearing.
His name is Kanata Akagi and he is a magus just like him but due to his disinterest in magecraft and his declining bloodline, he decided to pursue a normal life which Shirou could respect, considering the lines that Magi would cross to pursue the Root. He could never imagine his friend becoming a cold-blooded magus and he doubts he ever wanted to in the first place.
It was by complete accident on how Shirou discovered Kanata as a magus and was probably unintentional. Shirou was minding his own business when someone was doing an interesting trick that made his lunch box float in the air in front of his friends.
Naturally, the spectators were in awe of his trick while Shirou narrowed his eyes as he sensed the usage of magecraft. So he decided to confront him face to face.
At the time, Kanata was actually unaware that it was magecraft and thought it was just a cool trick he could do for some reason. Shirou just smiled and told him the intricacies of magecraft, magus, the moon-lit world and everything his old man taught him.
This encounter was when they were both at the age of 7.
But ever since that encounter, they both became fast friends due to their awareness of the moon-lit world and because Kanata wanted someone to talk to when he had secrets he needed to keep. He didn't mind though…
He likes helping people after all.
"Hey Kanata, need something?"
Kanata nodded but he whispered to his ear; "It's about magecraft stuff, can we meet by the rooftops at lunch?"
Shirou was concerned about his friend's requests. Kanata was never the one to really ask anything related to the moon-lit world unless he is in danger, but even if he is one, he will do his best to help him, no questions asked.
Just as long as he doesn't become evil or anything like that.
"Sure, we can talk by lunch."
"Great! Thank you Shirou! You're a lifesaver!"
With the time and meeting place set in stone, the two friends went their separate ways to their different classes as they were assigned in different classes but same year. Shirou is still worried about Kanata but he would do his best to solve any problem that stands in his way.
After all, that's what a superhero would do, isn't it?
"So Kanata, what is it you need help with?"
After finishing their meals at the rooftop, Shirou decided to cut to the chase and asked Kanata the question he has been worrying about for a while.
Kanata scratched his head as he explained his problem. "Well, my dad wants me to move out a bunch of magecraft stuff from my old mansion into his car and he would give it to the Clock Tower for… something I don't really know. The thing is… it was supposed to be my dad and I moving the stuff but my dad suddenly got ill and told me to find a friend to just move the stuff and he will be the one to bring it to the Clock Tower when he gets better.
And with my sub-par magecraft skills, I can't tell which item will explode in my face or not so I'm asking you since you are a better magus then I am anyway… So can you help me?"
Shirou let out a sigh of relief. He was glad it was something mundane but his concerns are valid. After all, `To walk the path of a Magus is to walk with death.` They would never know when they will die due to their own experiments going wrong, be hunted by other families, and other moon-lit related stuff that Shirou may have forgotten. Still though, it's a simple task that shouldn't be too much of a problem to handle.
"Sure, what time will I come by then?"
"Oh! Tomorrow after school if you can since it will be Saturday the day after."
Shirou frowned, it's not like he had anything important to do after school but well, he does have a part-time job he needs to do since he won't rely on Kiritsugu's money to pay for the house, he would use that funding instead for his tuition at the Clock Tower for his magecraft training.
But…
"Ok then, see you tomorrow after school then Kanata."
"Great! I'll see you later then Shirou! You're the best!"
Shirou's goal is to help anyone that needs it, even if it would be detrimental to himself. So as long as he can keep helping other people…
Then that's all that matters to him in the end.
The way to the mansion was… a longer drive than he had expected to be honest.
Actually Kanata failed to mention the fact that the mansion in question was located in the outskirts of Tokyo of all places. Shirou was annoyed but he decided to wave it off with a smile and contacted his boss to tell her that he will be taking the day off to help someone move out of their place.
With that call finished, they began their long trip to the mansion. Which took up a lot of time due to traffic and by the time they arrived at said place, night had fallen down already.
They were driving the moving van that would store all the mystic codes that are located in the estate.
As they got out of the van and looked at the overgrown vegetation that surrounded this estate, Shirou took a deep breath and expanded his senses to see if there was a Boundary Field he needed to be aware of. Judging by the lack of magical energy that would have normally been woven into one, he concluded that this place has been abandoned for quite some time now.
But he can't let his guard down though. Abandoned mansion or not, a magua wouldn't leave their place undefended and most likely have traps within them so they would still need to be careful.
While Shirou was still thoroughly inspecting the estate, he decided to throw his friend a question. "So who used to own this place? Your father? Mother?"
Kanata scratched his head in irritation. "No… it belonged to my grandmother who used to research magecraft here apparently. My dad made it really clear that we should be very careful about touching stuff here."
Shirou nodded in silence before concluding that this place is safe enough to enter it. "Alright, I sense no traps in this house, we should be able to enter it safely."
They both entered the mansion to find the place completely trashed. Papers were scattered on the floor, the desk was a mess with a bunch of pens and inks just laying there unorderly, and the huge amounts of dust that had gathered here.
"Should we clean up the place first?
"No, my dad said this place was put in a mortgage so it's best we just grab the mystic codes and leave."
Shirou nodded. "Right then, I'll take the downstairs, u do the ones on the second floor."
With that plan made, the two of them split off to clean up the place of mystic codes. Shirou Emiya had to analyze each object that had traces of Magical Energy to see its purpose before placing it in the box that they had carried with them.
Though what the box was filled with more than the mystic codes were notes of recreating… something, Shirou wasn't sure as the papers themselves were ineligible to read, probably to prevent other magi from duplicating this magus's research.
As he continued to store more and more objects, he noticed a peculiar object in between two books. Shirou picked up the object to find himself baffled with it.
It is an hourglass.
Though calling it one doesn't really fit as while the first half of it is filled with sand, the second half of it was… filled with strange crystals that had a strange glow to it. He doesn't seem to be detecting any magical energy from it like the other mystic codes he has gathered but Shirou had the strangest feeling that this one is a mystic code and should probably analyze it at least to see it's properties.
He took a deep breath, imagined a gun loading in his head, then he fired it.
"Trace on."
Turquoise lines filled up his hand before moving to the object in question and right about now he should be expecting some information about it.
…
…
...but it was blank.
Shirou was baffled. He never had problems analyzing objects before unless he was fatigued but as far as he is aware, he is completely awake and healthy.
He frowned at this devlopment. It did absorb his magical energy but no information about it though…
"Trace on."
Again the same results. Maybe he should flip the hourglass instead?
"Trace on."
No changes either after that.
Shirou was frustrated but decided to let it go. Maybe this object was designed to absorb magical energy?
Possible but he won't ever know.
He placed the hourglass in the box… but he notices it's emptier than usuall…
Did he not places a bunch of stuff in there?
Shrugging to himself, he continued searching through the place and found…
Wait… did he not just put those papers in the box? Why are there out there?
Narrowing his eyes Shirou was about to pick those papers again before the door to his left opened, revealing Kanata with him carrying his box.
"Oh hey Kanata, listen-!"
But something was off.
The door swung backwards and Kanata was walking backwards as well. He could hear him talking but it was as if he was speaking in reverse. He walked all the way to the main front door before it also opened backwards for him, then closed it afterwards.
…
…
...ok this is getting weird.
Did they accidentally activated a hidden boundary field or trap of sorts in this house? If so, then why wasn't he affected?
Then his phone started to buzz. Shirou looked at his phone and his eyes widened even further.
Issei: Hey Shirou, can you please fix the heater again? I think there is some faulty wiring in it that needs fixing. Thanks.
It was from Issei…
But the message he sent now was the same message yesterday.
Why is he getting messages from yesterday?
Wait a minute…
When did the sun rose back up?
He looked at the window to see the sun rising and setting…
No…
That was wrong…
The sun is setting in the east…which is wrong. It should be setting in the west.
It seemed time is getting reverse at a very alarming rate.
He looked around for the cultprot to see the damn hourglass, glowing and sucking everything in. Shirou could only do one thing!
"Trace on!"
He projected a nameless dagger and threw at the hourglass. But the dagger couldn't reach it as it faded into blue motes.
Damn it! It reversed his dagger as well out of existence!
Everything is getting sucked in to the hourglass. Books, wood, glass, even grass is getting sucked in. And he is along for the ride as well.
He doesn't know what's happening but he will try and stop it! He covered the mystic code with both of his hands to no avail as he tried to think of every spell he learned in order to stop this catastrophe.
As he tried numerous spells, images were being laid out in front of him, or perhaps were these events of the past?
A young child with a very old grandma.
A huge explosion.
A tsunami, engulfing him.
As he is about to black out from overexertion, he could only think of one thing…
I'm sorry old man… I couldn't be a hero for you…
Screams…
He can hear screams in his sleep.
His head is fuzzy, he can feel his sweat pouring out of him and is getting dizzy from all this moving around…
Wait… is that train noises he is hearing? Is he in a train?
It doesn't matter right now, he needs to-!
"Get up already!"
Shirou's head jolted as he looked up to see a black hair girl, wearing a sailor uniform and holding up a huge briefcase behind her back.
Standing in front of her is a giant suit of armor. The metal figure has a lance on his right arm, in position to poise and strike.
A mystic code, created to shoot lasers from its lance. Wielded by the homunculus of the ▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅ family.
His head was filled with static as he tried to glimpse the creator of the homunculus, but that didn't matter to him right now.
He didn't care about his dizziness or the strange situation anymore, one thing is very clear…
Someone in front of him is in danger. And he needs to save her.
"Hurry up and evacuate to the rear car. I'm gonna need to ask you some questions later."
Shirou finally noticed an old man, wearing a general's outfit at the side of this metal armor.
"Lancer… kill them both!"
Crap!
Trace on!
CLANG!
He managed to project two nameless Chinese falchions to block a direct thrust to the girl in front of him. Not wasting the opportunity, she throws two glass bottles at the being called Lancer, blinding it in the process. She grabs Shirou's hands and proceeds to retreat to the rear car.
"Thanks for the help! Come on!"
Shirou nodded as he was being dragged along with her. But he noticed something odd about the carts he was passing by.
"Where are the people?"
"Don't worry about them, they were evacuated out of the train before this battle started so there should be no civilians in the crossover."
Shirou mentally sighed out of relief. Despite the fact that it's Magi's job to prevent magecraft from being known to the public, he knows that if they must, they will kill bystanders if they were unlucky to be caught in the crossfire or if they have seen their experiments. At least he could rest easy that the girl before him cares about innocent lives, even if they do hinder her research or this battle that is taking place right now.
"I take it you're not with them, considering the fact that you saved me from that Servant. It also seems that you are also a Magus, judging by your spell that you used…"
Shirou nodded. "Yeah, though I'm a second-rate magus at best so apologies if I'm not as good as you were expecting me to be… The church sent me to aid you but he never told me about the details of the mission nor who would I be working with, just that I would know right away…"
It was a lie, a huge one on his part, but right now he needs information on what's going on and also being part of the church would allow him to not be asked too many questions at the moment.
Although, judging by the look on the girl's face, she may be on to him, but at least for the time being, she won't ask too many questions right now.
"Right… Well, thanks anyway. Listen, I need you to keep a lookout for me, I'm gonna be summoning my own servant to combat their Lancer. I will explain more about the clearer details but right now, just protect me!."
They both stop running as the girl magus rolls out a huge large paper to reveal a red magic circle of intricate patterns.
"Lancer, Archer, Rider, Caster, Assassin, Berserker, I'll summon the strongest of the seven classes! SABER!"
She brings out with her a very beautiful golden and blue sheath, filled with what looks to him like Faerie Language, but he isn't sure. Although… he could tell something is wrong with the sheath itself, he can't tell what it is.
But he has no time to ponder as suddenly the cart door bursts open, revealing the metal homunculus once again. Shirou prepares himself this time as he projects a katana this time around, rather than his two falchions due to the range difference.
"Hahaha you think a puny sword like that will stop my lance, I shall show you how foolish your endeavor is!" The metal knight boasts in a very strange voice, but Shirou did not heed it's words as he settled himself in a defensive position. He can hear the girl chanting behind him some sort of summoning spell. All he has to do is defend her so that she may finish casting her spell and summon… whatever she is summoning.
The homunculus closes the distance quickly as his lance was about to pierce Shirou's head, which was deflected by his katana. He quickly swings his katana but the metal figure quickly backs out, missing an entire arc. The enemy quickly closes in to a thrust in his chest, which is completely blocked. This dance continues on for a while. Shirou continuously blocks the enemy's attack while holding his ground while the enemy relentlessly charges in without care.
It is clear for Shirou that the enemy is getting quite frustrated and losing his patience as the homunculu's attacks are getting faster and faster but more openings are being revealed to him.
This time Shirou charges in, getting up in the guard of the homunculus, preventing him from using his lance at this range, He tried to thrust in the head, but the left arm of the enemy flashes, revealing his lance. It seemed that the enemy's lance teleported to his other hand and quickly charges up a magical blast. Shirou quickly drops his katana and projects a nameless shield to protect himself from the blast that knocks both him and the girl magus back.
"Damnit! I didn't make it-!" Her words were cut off as a flash of light blinded the entire room. The girl's eyes widened as she was still holding the sheath that should have been the catalyst for her summoning. She quickly grabs Shirou by the coat and shakes him.
"What have you done?!"
"Wh-what huh?" Shirou was quite dazed and confused from the explosion and thus, have no idea what she was talking about.
"A Catalyst! What did you throw in there?!" The girl clarified for him. They both looked at the circle to reveal the same nameless katana he used to fight off the homunculus…
No… that katana was not nameless, it belonged to…
"A katana from one of the Shinsengumi…"
The circle began absorbing the katana into the circle, making it disappear with golden light before exploding in a very bright light, blinding everyone, including the enemy.
Once the light died down, a figure appears. She has pale blonde hair with silver eyes. She wears a pale blue haori with a black scarf and black ribbon on her back. She also wears long black socks and black leather boots. That wasn't what caught Shirou's attention though…
No… his attention was on her expression… the same expression…that Kiritsugu used to wear when they go on missions… The same expression that would kill anyone for the sake of the goal.
An expression… that Shirou hated. He hated that expression because that is someone who just… gave up on living and just focused on killing…
But he could not ponder on as the girl magus yelled at him. "YOU! SHOW ME YOUR HAND NOW!"
Shirou was quite confused but both of his hands to reveal on his left hand is a red marking that symbolises a sword.
"You…" It seemed that the girl was about to throw Shirou a new one. "Do you have any idea what you just did?! You stole the Saber that was supposed to be mine!"
Shirou could not say anything to respond, how could he? He has no clue what is happening right now, whether it was him being teleported on the train, defending this girl and now another girl spawning from a magic circle… Shirou has no words for this situation…
Still though-!
"Watch out!" Shirou had to warn the pale blonde haired girl in front of him as the homunculus was about to stab her in the head. She sees it and completely side-steps the attack.
"Nice reflexes, Saber! It wouldn't be fun otherwise!" The enemy continues on, slashing and weaving his big lance while the girl named Saber continues to dodge the attacks with ease, not being even affected by the slightest judging by the same expression on her face.
"With you, I'm sure I can have a very splendid battle!" The metal knight continues on before stopping his attacks, willing to introduce himself. "Ah where are my manners? I forgot to introduce myself. I am one of the great- guh!"
The metal knight coughs out blood in that instant. Saber stands there, unimpressed. "How lucky to fight a fool who would introduce himself in the middle of a duel."
Shirou was shocked at that moment. He himself was barely able to see it, but in that one moment where she dodged, she drew her sword and cut right into the openings of the enemy's armor. If his eyes weren't reinforced, he was pretty sure he wouldn't be able to see that cut at all.
"Splendid…" Those were his last words as Saber obliterated the enemy with many slashes and cuts from her katana in one moment. So much so that she cut a hole right into the previous cart. The enemy laid there, an unrecognizable bloodied corpse.
Saber walks up to Shirou, her face still ever unchanging from the moment she was summoned. "Forgive my delay. I ask you, are you my master?"
Strange… wasn't she familiar to him…!
The wind is strong today.
The clouds drift and the moon appears for a brief moment.
The silver light shines into the shed and lights up the girl in knightly form.
S̸̫̋h̸̬͘i̴̫̅r̵̈́ͅo̷̡͒ȕ̵͔ was speechless at that moment.
Not because he was confused by the sudden turn of events,
He was speechless because of this girl's overwhelming beauty.
The girl stares at Ŝ̷̤h̷̫̀ȋ̴̮r̸̳̀ò̴͍ů̶̮ emotionlessly with her emerald-like eyes.
"I ask of you, are you my master?"
His mind returns back to the present moment in front of him. He had no idea why he had that brief glimpse of… something.
He wasn't sure what was that at that moment, but as he stared at his left hand that holds… the command seals, he knew what to say at that moment.
Shirou clenches his fist with burning determination in his eyes, he holds out his left hand to Saber. "Yes, I am…"
The emotionless Saber slowly grabs his hand before kneeling down to Shirou's level. "Our contract is complete." then Saber did the one thing that actually shocked Shirou more than anything…
She smiled, a beautiful smile. That smile… reminded him of… his smile, a smile that he wanted to chase for more than anything in his life. A smile… that he would die for.
"It's a pleasure meeting you, Master!" Bonus points for her with that cute blush on her face, which was mirrored a bit by Shirou's own.
"A-a pleasure" He stammered a response out. But all good moments had to come to an end, a moment that was ruined by an irate magus.
"...sorry to ruin your moment but, Do you have any idea what this means?"
"An acquaintance?" Saber was very confused by this girl's purpose here. Shirou had to quickly make a response for that.
"She was someone I was sent to protect by the church so… acquaintance…" Shirou was quite unsure how to save this moment before the girl magus finally blew up.
"Acquaintance… ACQUAINTANCE?! You're nothing but a thief who waltz in here and stole my SABER! Heck where did you even come from?! What's with those strange clothes of yours?! Why was I just now aware of the church sending me an enforcer?! Who are you?!" She would have ranted on and on if it wasn't for Saber, covering her mouth to prevent her from talking anymore further.
There was a purpose to this also after all. Shirou felt himself shaking uncontrollably from the massive magical energy that something is emitting currently.
He looked over to the carnage that Saber had done and there, he felt chills on his back.
"Hm? Noticed me already?" A mocking voice cries out. And Shirou began to shake even more so than usual.
Saber returns back to her emotionless state as she warns her master. "Master, please stay back. Unlike the fake from before, this one's a real servant." Footsteps came closer and closer until the one who talked to Shirou finally revealed themself.
"That blade, so you're Saber…" Long ebony hair flows downwards from her head to her waist. She has red piercing eyes with fair skin. She wears a red coat and military uniform that Japanese generals would use. Her military cap has a golden like crown in front of it, but on closer inspection, it looked like the depiction of the rising sun from Japan. She also carries with her a rifle in her hand.
"You have good eyes. Those are the eyes of a killer who feels nothing when piling up corpses." The red coat girl grins madly. "Yes, this is how Heroic Spirits should be. It looks like this Holy Grail War will be enjoyable as well." She materializes a bunch of rifles up in the air waiting on command.
The girl magus reaches up to Shirou's arm to pull him out of the conflict. "Look we need to hurry-" But she notices that Shirou wasn't even focusing on her voice, she was focusing on the red-eyed girl from before.
No, it would be more correct to say that he was having a memory relapse of sorts.
A red eyed man, with golden blonde hair, wearing his golden armor, with a satisfied smirk on his face. He had just finished his ultimate attack on S̵̺̿a̴̖͂b̵͔̓e̵͔̓ȑ̴̙ and he laughs as he mocks the greatest sword in human history.
S̴͇̅ḫ̶͗í̸̞ŗ̸̈́o̶̭̾u̸̪͑ could only watch in horror as she laid upon the cold concrete, bloodied, her armor shattered and her eyes exhausted from the attack.
Ḥ̸̓ẽ̷̩ tried to call to her, to tell her that everything will be alright, but she was only concerned for his own safety and not her own.
H̶͚͝e̴͎͆ was pissed off, H̶͚͝e̴͎͆ was very livid at the fact that his servant now had to get hurt for his sake.
But no more… no more!
Ḥ̸̓ẽ̷̩ will not stand for it!
Ŝ̸̳h̵̦̀i̸̛̲r̷̻̊o̴̧̓u̵̞̍ ̵̥͒Ë̵̟́m̴̨͗í̶̘ẏ̸̟a̵͖̾ will protect the girl that he loves!
I̴̗͑ ̵̼̂a̵̓͜m̷͎͝ ̵̬̈́b̸͚͗o̶̩͝ṋ̵̈e̶̩͆ ̴̰̌ō̷͇f̶̠̏ ̶̦̋m̸̠̋y̸͔̎ ̵̮͗s̸̫͠w̴͙̋o̸͖͆r̴̩̒d̴̈ͅ
Shirou woke up from his relapse as he noticed the position he was in. He had his two falchions, struggling to go through the two floating rifles, being used as a parry. Saber and other magus's eyes widened though whether it was stupidity or shock remains to be seen. The red eyed girl's eyes though only had intrigued in them.
"I see… you have a grudge against me hm? Well then, I wanna see what my own people can do against me. I will let you fight me first… Master of Saber."
Date posted: August 16 2021
A/N:...yeah… another one shot like my last one…
IDK, just got this random idea in my head that sounded cool in paper so I wrote it…
Now i will probably continue this when the Redline manga is finish so that I can make necessary changes if I want to lol.
So anyway, Follow, Favorite and Review, it will really help me out. And Xian guys next time Chow!