Chapter 12

"Man, my shoulder is killing me. When Saber decides to do something, she doesn't hold back. Even if it is just training." Shirou was inside his workshop on his family's land just behind the main house. And he was currently working on his certain type of magecraft. He took a small stick from off the floor and held it like he would a sword, and muttered something. "Trace on." The stick began to glow a bluish tint as what looked like circuits ran from Shirou's hand onto the stick, now lined completely in circuits. Until the stick imploded that is.

"Dammit, I have to concentrate more." This time he went to pick up a rock he had found outside.

"Shirou?"

He looked up to see Saber looking at him from behind the workshop's door.

"Oh, hey Saber. What's up?"

"Nothing. I just sensed mana coming from here. Are you training still?"

"Heh, yeah. I do this everyday."

"Would you mind if I entered?"

"Uh, sure."

"So, I heard that your magical specialty is strengthening."

"Well, I wouldn't really call it a specialty. It's more like the only thing I can do."

"How would one train in the art of strengthening?"

"Well for starters, strengthening isn't just about increasing a thing's toughness. It's also about increasing said thing's effectiveness as well. Take the rock in my hand for example, it would make it harder. For the light bulb over there…" He pointed to the lightbulb on the other side of the room "… it would make it brighter. And if I had to guess, it could probably make a sword sharper, or more durable. But first I have to visualize an object's component materials, and pass my mana through it to strengthen it."

"Hm, I see." Saber had gotten uncomfortably close to Shirou without realizing it. Once they both noticed, they both made a move to separate. Each blushing at the awkward situation.

"It-It's better to show than tell. I'll try this rock." Holding out his hand for Saber to see, Shirou started to work his magic. "Trace on." The rock began to glow just as the stick before it had. But this time, the circuits were changing colors. They went from the calm blue, to a milder orange, and lastly and aggressive red. As that happened, the rock had split in two from the mana running through it.

"Man, another bust huh? Despite my training, my success rate is actually pretty low."

"No, I sensed that your concentration was lacking just now. Is there a particular reason for that?"

"Well, I can think of a couple of things that would do that."

"Would you mind explaining. It is a servant's duty to help their master, no matter how small the task is."

"-Sigh- There is one thing that's been stuck in my mind lately. Ever since a couple of days ago, I've been having this weird dream. I'd wake up to see myself in a field of swords. All of them ranging from different types, like broadswords, short-swords, daggers, etc. I even saw a couple of bows as well. But the thing that really bothers me is, when I wake up, I can remember how each of those swords looked. And even weirder, I knew how heavy they were, what their components were, and how to use them properly. Almost as if I've used them all before."

Saber was eyeing him to see if he was lying, but she couldn't find any inkling of dishonesty from his words. "Was there anything else in this strange dream of yours? Anything worth noting?"

"Well, now that you mention, there are these big gears rotating in the sky above me. Kind of like a machine."

"Hm. I can't think of any sort of magecraft that could be giving you these dreams. So for now, I suggest dismissing them." Saber began to get up from her seat. "I also suggest we get some rest. We'll want to be ready for whatever happens."

"Agreed, goodnight Saber."

"Good night, Shirou."

Tohsaka Manor

Goku was meditating in the garden at the back of the Tohsaka Manor, until he felt something. He had sensed that Shirou was moving, but he could tell that he was still unconscious.

"That doesn't feel right. Even worse, Saber is still inside the house. There's no way she would let Shirou wander around town at this time of night without her by his side."

Shirou being Goku's student, he went over to Shirou's place to do a quick check up. If anything else, his presence would be enough to get Saber into action.

Emiya Household

It hadn't taken Goku long to get here, he could fly after all. But on his way over, he noticed what appeared to be strings going to Shirou's place. As he made landfall, Saber had come out from the house wearing her armor.

"What is it that you want, Goku?"

"You're telling me you haven't noticed it yet?"

"Noticed what?" She began looking around until she also saw the strange strings going straight into her master's workshop. She ran past Goku and opened the workshop doors, to find that Shirou was no longer in there. "What? What are these strings?"

"From personal experience, they seemed to be lined with Caster's energy. So that's what I'm going with. The strings lead up to Ryuudou Temple, I'm going to assume that's where Caster's hideout is. You want to come along right?"

His answer was Saber running past him and straight towards the temple, Goku could only smile as he chased after her.

Just Outside Ryuudou Temple

Goku and Saber could see the steps to the temple coming into view, and with them, Shirou.

"Shirou!" Saber managed to get to him just before he started walking up the stairs. "Shirou! Wake up Shirou!"

"H-Huh?"

"Are you hurt? You seem to be fine physically."

"Uh, Saber. What are we doing at Ryuudou Temple? I fell asleep in the workshop didn't I?"

"You did." A voice sounded behind him.

"Goku? You're here too?"

"Yeah. I sensed you moving while in a state of unconsciousness, so I went to check it out. But when I got there you were already gone. I soon met up with Saber and now, here we are. Oh, and let me get that off you." Goku swung at the back of Shirou's neck. Saber took it as a sign of aggression, until she saw the string sticking into Shirou's neck. "There, that should stop whatever was happening to you."

"Wow. Thanks a bunch Goku. So, I was basically dragged here by someone then?"

"Yup. It's my lucky day too. The one who attacked you is someone I have unfinished business with."

Shirou and Saber only looked at him confused as he began walking up the steps. They soon followed suit.

It took them a while, but they managed to get to the top of the steps. That's when something none of them could have expected happened.

"So, you're the one my master told me to look out for." A servant began materializing in front of them. He looked to be that of a samurai swordsman with long indigo hair tied into a ponytail and had indigo eyes. He wears a traditional light purple umanori hakama and kimono, light purple tabi and black zori with purple haori and tekkou with a katana on his back.

"You, the one in black. You may go forward. The other two however, shall taste my blade if they wish to pass."

"Don't worry Goku. Saber and I can handle this guy. You said you had unfinished business, right?"

Goku looked back to see his student, he had fire in his eyes and a look of pure determination.

"Ha, if you say so." With that, Goku made his way past the mysterious servant, eyeing him all the way until he was on the temple's grounds.

"Hm, I knew you would come if I brought the kid. But your senses are sharper than I thought." Her voice was echoing all around him, even so, he knew exactly where she was.

"I'm not going to play your games today, Caster. You see, I'm quite fond of my master. She treats me like a normal person, not some tool to be used for some silly cup." His energy suddenly had a massive spike. "She lets me be my own person, despite the war we're in." Another massive spike in energy. "And I don't appreciate the fact that you tried killing her last time we met. I believe the saying is, an eye for an eye."

[Flash]

The entire area had lit up in a beautiful golden light. And from within it, stood the legend of the Saiyan warrior race, the Super Saiyan.

"I believe it's my turn."

-The stairs-

Saber and the mysterious servant were duking it out with each other. Even though Shirou was the one to encourage Goku that everything would be fine, he himself couldn't actually fight.

The servant had revealed himself to be the Assassin class, his name was Sasaki Kojirou. After naming himself, Saber responded in kind, as in line with her knightly upbringing and chivalry.

As they were fighting, they were interrupted by a blinding flash of yellow light from the temple grounds. As they attempted to shield their eyes from the light, Assassin made his move. By a stroke of luck, his back was facing the temple, therefore the light was of no issue to him. To Saber however, it was a massive hindrance, and it left her open. And Assassin capitalized on it. He used his katana to swiftly and accurately slice at Saber, effectively wounding her.

"No, Saber!"

"Stay back Shirou! You're not fit to fight him!"

Shirou could only look on as Saber was on the back peddle against the assassin class servant.

"How is he an Assassin? His sword skills are clearly on par with Saber's. Still, there has to be something I can do. Think Shirou think! Then it hit him. The words Goku had told him echoed in his head repeatedly. 'Power comes in response to a need, not a desire. And you, Shirou, have to create that need.' That's right, he himself needed to create a need. He had always taken other things and strengthened them. Whether it be with his magic, or the dream of his late father. But he had never created something himself. And right now, what he needed to create… was a miracle. What he needed to do… is protect Saber!"

End of the twelfth chapter

Sasaki Kojirou description taken from the fandom wiki