Extended Summary: When the Fourth Holy Grail War reached its conclusion, something unforeseen happened. Something that would change the fate of the world. The War of 2004 never happened, and instead was pushed to 2010... but why? Is something wrong with the Holy Grail or is someone involved? Whatever the case may be, this is no ordinary war, and new heroes will have to figure out why that is. Follow Eiji Itsuka, a young man who was chosen by the Grail, discover the secrets behind this war, battle against other Masters and come to terms with the death of his best friend. He, along with the other Masters, will learn what it truly means to take part in a Grail War, as well as realize that their greatest desires sometime deserve to be just that, desires. The journey is just beginning, and it is going to be the greatest one of their young lives.
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Fate/Unlimited:
Prologue 1: Master of Archer
A tired groan escaped his lips, as the sun struck his face. He tried to bury his face in his pillow, but he knew once he was awake, he wasn't going to get much sleep. Just as he turned over in his bed, his alarm clock started ringing. He reached for the device, throwing it at the wall with all of his strength. The poor clock didn't stand a chance, it exploded into pieces the moment it made contact, pieces of metal and other mechanical parts raining all over the floor. He glanced at the wall where the object had made an impact, frowning.
"That's the fifth one this month… this is a really bad habit." he thought to himself, as he rubbed his eyes. He shook his head a bit, feeling a few strands of his hair falling down from the wild mess that was his hair.
Stretching his arms, he finally got out of bed, keen on getting ready for the day. He grabbed a change of clothes and headed to the bathroom for a shower. Once he was done, he got dressed. He was a rather normal looking young man, with fair colored skin, with dark brown hair. Most of it was smooth, with a few spikes at the top. He had piercing blue eyes, and a boyish looking face. He definitely didn't look his age, despite being seventeen, he looked more like a fourteen year old. He had a medium build, with a slightly defined musculature. Currently, he was dressed in his school uniform, a formal white shirt, with a brown blazer and matching brown slacks. It was the uniform of Homurahara Academy, the school he and his friend were currently enrolled in.
He let out another yawn as he entered his bedroom, looking around for a moment. His bed was still a mess, and there were pieces of the broken clock everywhere. He frowned, deciding to take care of the clock first. Once the pieces had been picked up, he made his bed, leaving the sheets nice and neat, ready for when he arrived home later that day. He grabbed his school bag, heading toward the kitchen area. Since his parents were out of the country, they had bought him this small home, for him to stay at while he was in school. He had grown used to the silence by now. He had been living on his own since he was fourteen after all, so this was nothing new to him. He opened the fridge, realizing he was running low on food. Sighing, he closed the door.
"I'll have to head to the grocery store after school. I don't think that should be too much of an issue. That is, if she doesn't decide to come with me and eat my food again." he mused, as he grabbed a few slices of bread.
Once he was done eating his meager breakfast, the young man grabbed his school bag, donned his shoes and stepped outside. Eiji Itsuka was ready for another boring day of school. It was early autumn, but the sun was still shining brightly, and it felt like they were in the middle of summer. He continued walking down the street, mentally preparing for another sweltering day at school. He was dreaming of the school day's end, where he would be free to get some ice cream, or whatever icy treat he desired. He continued walking forward, a spring in his step.
"Hey! Where the hell do you think you're going, Itsuka?"
Eiji jumped a bit at the sound of her voice. He held back the urge to run, as he slowly turned to face the one who had called out to him. A raven haired beauty, with striking blue eyes, and soft facial features. She was wearing a crimson, long sleeved shirt, with a matching pleated black skirt, black stockings and brown heeled boots. She had a rather annoyed look on her face, arms crossed as her forefinger tapped the inside of her arm. He swallowed the lump in his throat as he turned to face her.
"Hey Tohsaka! Lovely day were having huh?" he asked, giving her a sheepish smile. She quirked a brow, exhaling through her nose. He sighed, frowning. "Alright, what did I do now?"
"We agreed on skipping school today, remember? There is a lot of stuff we must prepare for and we cannot keep wasting time at school. At least for now. You do know how important the next few weeks are going to be, right?" she asked firmly. He closed his eyes for a moment, giving her a nod.
"Yeah… I know how important the next few weeks are going to be. But… we shouldn't just focus on magic all the time. We need to prepare for the real world too, having knowledge of the world around us is just as important."
"Knowledge of the world isn't going to stop Assassin from driving a sword through your guts is it?" she snapped, shaking her head. "Whatever, I thought when I chose you to be my apprentice, that you would take this seriously. But if you wanna toil away on the playground, then feel free to. I'll handle this Holy Grail War all on my own."
"Now you're just putting words in my mouth." Eiji said with a sigh, shaking his head. He walked past the girl, heading in the direction of her house. He glanced over his shoulder. "Come on then, it's not like I'm gonna pass that test anyway."
A ghost of a smile appeared on Rin's face as she followed along. She wouldn't admit it to him, but Eiji was definitely her best friend.
She remembered the first time they met. She had been about 6 years old, in elementary school, when she saw a boy sitting on the swing set all by himself. She felt extremely annoyed, only because he was sitting in her favorite swing. When she approached him, ready to scream at him and stake her claim on that swing, she saw the look on his face. It was so empty, so lost. Even as a child, she knew something was wrong with him. What started off as a mission to drive the boy away from her swing, became her learning his name and becoming his friend.
Eiji Itsuka was an only child, rather, he was an adopted child. His parents couldn't have children of their own, so they had adopted him. He never knew his real parents, and as she got to know him, he never really cared about them. His current parents, the Itsukas, were more than enough for him. They had been the kindest people he had met, and he loved them dearly. Rin wanted to learn more about him. It was at the age of 9 that the two discovered his latent magical circuits. He had a knack for magic, something that surprised Rin's guardian, Kirei Kotomine. It was decided by him that Eiji would start to train this talent. Though he lacked a magical crest, he had shown quite a lot of control over his element, being water. Rin had grown a tiny bit of respect for him.
As the two continued growing, she showed him the fundamentals of magic, down to the finest detail, and had trained him to put his magic into special jewels. Due to the vast wealth of the Tohsaka family, she had been able to procure some extra gems for him to store his own magic. She had even convinced her master to teach him how to fight using his magic to strengthen his body. He had never defeated her in a fist fight, but had closed the gap rather quickly. To this day, she still reigned supreme in the ring, and he doubted he could ever beat her. Eiji had become Rin's best friend, one of the only escapes she had in this world, after losing her father and mother.
It didn't take long to reach the Tohsaka Residence. In fact, she lived rather close to Eiji, though that was because she convinced his parents to get him a house nearby. That way, they could not only walk to school together, but also continue practicing their magic. His parents weren't even aware of his training, and they intended to keep it that way. The Tohsaka Residence was something that always stunned Eiji. It was such a beautiful home, that looked like it had been ripped straight out of 18th Century England. It always looked so mysterious and foreign. Even as a child, he was nervous to step inside. Now that he was older, he could admire the construction of the place just a little more.
"Something the matter?" Rin asked, tilting her head a bit. He shook his head, giving her a small smile.
"I just can't help but admire your home. It feels like I'm in England." he said happily. Rin flushed, but decided not to reply. She reached inside her pocket for the gate key, slipping it into the lock.
"Well, it's alright to admire beautiful things, but don't let that consume you. Now come on, we need to complete your training before this War begins. As of now, it's slated to start soon, and we need to ensure your spot as a Master." she said. He nodded, entering the dwelling after her.
He placed his school bag down by the entrance, slipping out of his shoes. Rin didn't bother removing her boots, and continued walking into the house. He had been here countless times, so he knew exactly where she was going. It was still odd that Rin lived in such a big house all by herself. He recalled the story she had told him, how her father, Tokiomi Tohsaka, had perished in the last War. She had been far too young to understand, but now realized what it meant to take part in such a brutal battle. He followed her downstairs to the basement, where all of their magecraft was kept.
"Heh… can't believe I've been studying here for eight years now, and I still get that creepy vibe."
"I kind of like it." Rin admitted, a small smile on her face. She turned the lamps on, throwing the room into a pale firelight. This was how they always studied. It made him feel like he was a wizard in the old ages, searching for a legendary spell that would save the world from the evil warlock. She grabbed one of the dusty tomes from the shelf and opened it, clearing her throat.
"Alright then, I'm going to give you a pop quiz. I need to know how your memory retention is doing."
"Goddamn it." he thought to himself, as he gave her a nod.
"Question one, what is mana and what are magical circuits?"
"Wait what? Those are two questions!" the boy cried, earning a glare from the ravenette.
"Just answer it! Or I'll hit you with this book!"
"Alright, jeez." he mumbled, fixing his tie. "Mana is an unexplainable energy that courses through all living beings. It is something that has been a part of our world since its inception. It is a force that a lot of people, often have trouble understanding. Everyone is born with magical circuits. Circuits like these, act as a pseudo-nervous system, capable of transferring mana through the human body. Their purpose, to convert the users life force into magical energy. They that which connects to the material world to the astral plane, the cause of the world's magic. If magical energy is the force that actualizes the rules of a thaumaturgical foundation's system, then the magical circuits are the pipelines that transmits magical energy through the magus to the system. Furthermore…"
"Okay, now you are just quoting stuff from a book." Rin said, sighing. "But you got the answer right. I suppose your memory retention is good if you were able to pull that passage out of thin air. Moving on, question number two, what is the Holy Grail War?"
"The Holy Grail War is an event that happens in the magical world. In which, seven masters and seven servants, who are summoned by the Grail itself, are to battle one another. The Holy Grail is an artefact of unimaginable magical potential. It has the power to grant a single wish to the Master who lays claim to it. Due to its power, the founders of the current Fuyuki System, established the rules governing this coveted artefact. The three founding families are the Matou House, the Einzbern House and the Tohsaka House. Currently, Four Holy Grail Wars have happened, and the 5th is slated to start this year."
"Name the Seven Servant Classes."
"Saber, Archer, Lancer, Berserker, Assassin, Caster, Rider. These classes are the foundation for which each summoned Heroic Spirit are classified under. Is the Holy Grail happens to be a Greater Grail, than an additional Seven servants and Masters are summoned. Alongside them, an eighth and impartial servant, Class Ruler, oversees the battles between servants for the Grail. Furthermore, there is another class, the Avenger that is…" he paused when Rin snapped her book closed, glaring right into his eyes. She set it down beside her, leaning back against the desk, arms crossed.
"Who taught you about those that other class?" she asked curiously. He cleared his throat, pointing to one of the books on the shelf above her.
"I found a passage in that red book up there. I know those three classes don't apply to the Fuyuki System, but I felt the need to brush up on them. You know, the War here isn't the only one that's been held in our world after all." he said. Rin nodded, brushing a stray strand of hair out of her face.
"You are correct there. Countless Holy Grail Wars have been held. However, only 2 Greater Grail Wars have been held during the entire existence of our current world. I don't believe we will have one anytime soon. The war here is simple. The servants will fight for the lesser grail, and once it is obtained, the greater grail will be summoned. Only one Master and Servant are able to attain the Grail, always remember that." she said firmly, turning away from him. She started looking around for something, making Eiji frown.
"Rin… I have a question for you." he said, grabbing her attention. She didn't look at him, but gestured for him to continue. "If only one master and one servant can reach the Grail… why is it that you want me to participate?"
"To secure victory of course. It's likely that the other Masters will try to team up, and eliminate the competition. If I have a partner in this, then the two of us can fight for the Grail." she said firmly. Having found what she was looking for, she turned back to her friend, setting the box in front of him. She noticed the look he had on his face, it was the same vacant look she had seen on him all of those years ago. She bowed her head, allowing her hair to cover her face.
"I know I'm asking a lot of you, Eiji. But I can't turn anywhere else. You're my closest friend… I know that I'm essentially asking you to walk to your potential death. But someone has to protect that Grail. You never know what kind of person is going to get at it. It would be very bad to let that happened, it could spell the end of the world."
"Yeah, I get that but-" he paused, looking at the far wall, resting his chin in his left hand. His cerulean colored eyes glanced back at the girl, seeing the sadness on her face. He ran a hand through his hair, rubbing his scalp a bit. "-What am I supposed to do? Ask whatever servant I get to kill themselves just so you can get it?"
"No! Of course not! They may be brought here by the Holy Grail but they are people! They have dreams and desires and we can't take that away from them. You being in this war, ensures at least one of us makes it. If it isn't destined to be me, then at least it'll be you." she said firmly, opening the box, revealing a myriad of special gems inside. She grabbed one of the blue ones, smiling a bit. "Besides, I know you of all people have a noble and pure wish. So even if I fail, and you make it, I know you'll use that wish for the betterment of society."
"Pfft… I just want the Infinity Stones man. Imagine all the crazy shit I could do if I had them, that would be sick." the boy said. He felt something strike his forehead full force, making him fall back to the ground. He hissed in pain, rubbing the welt that had formed, heating the small clatter of a gem hitting the ground.
"Idiot! Why the hell did I even choose you to become my apprentice? You are such an unbearable ass!" she shouted angrily. He grabbed the gem, forcing himself to stand up.
"I might be an unbearable ass, but at least I can do this." he said, holding the gem out in his palm. He closed his eyes, concentrating on his mana. His magical circuits sparked to life, as a swirl of blue energy surrounded the gemstone. It floated off the palm of his hand, as the energy slowly started flowing into it. Rin watched as he continued channeling magic into the stone, until it started to glow faintly. Once he had reached its limit, he stopped, placing it down on the wooden table.
"See? I still got it."
"Heh… it isn't that impressive. I could do that when I was seven." she boasted, pacing four different colored stones on the table. Red, Blue, Yellow and Silver. "Fire, Wind, Earth and Water, the four basic elements. I happen to be one of the few that has mastery over them. This is something you can't achieve."
"Hmm… true, but there is something I can achieve that you can't." he said playfully. He held his finger out, a few light crackles of electricity forming on his fingertip. With a flick of his wrist, he sent a weak bolt racing across the table, zapping Rin's hand, making her scream in pain. She rubbed the back of her hand, a look of sheer anger on her face.
"Yes, right. But you better not go around zapping me like that again, or I'll freeze you solid, understood?" she asked, causing him to roll his eyes.
"Indeed! I shall do just as you ask." he said, giving her a salute. He sat up a bit in his chair, grabbing some of the silver gems, looking at them closely. "Still… don't you think it's a bit weird that I was gifted with the element of Water and Electricity as a side effect? There aren't that many mages capable of wielding lightning, yet here I am."
"Who knows? Perhaps your true family was hiding some sort of special crest from you. The only thing I can say, is that they might have wanted to spare you." she said, sounding dejected. "A mage family's responsibility is to nurture their child, and present them with their family crest. It is such a humble and beautiful thing. To work on a piece of magic that's been handed down through the generations. For someone to just… toss you away without giving you the chance, it feels awful."
"Well when you put it like that." he paused, setting the gems down on the table. He stood up from his seat, looking away from his friend. "It makes it sound like I was just a piece of trash, to be discarded alongside the recycling. It kind of pisses me off."
Realizing what she had done, the girl was quickly at his side. She took a hold of his hand, squeezing it tightly. "Forgive me, I didn't mean for it to sound like you were trash. On the contrary, your true parents are the ones that are trash. For giving you up instead of taking care of you. You are a wonderful person, far too good for the likes of them."
"Heh… glad you think so sweetheart, it makes me happy to hear that." he said, rubbing the underside of his nose. Rin's eyes widened a bit, cheeks flushing at what he had said. She slapped his arm, making him cringe in pain.
"Don't you dare call me that again. Now come on, we have to channel some energy into these gems. We don't have many that we can use during this war, and we must be prepared for everything!" she said, handing him a small bag filled with turquoise gemstones.
"Fine, fine. We'll play jewelers and get ready for the war, honestly, you are such an easy target. How you haven't found a boyfriend is beyond me, you're a cutie after all." he said, giving her a wink. Rin shrugged his statement off, setting the jewels in front of her. She examined them all with a careful eye, trying to see if they were imperfect.
"I don't have time for such trivialities. The time will come when I will find a man to be wed to, but I shall seek one who is compatible with my charms. After all, he will be marrying into the Tohsaka Family, not the other way around. I must ensure only the best for my future children." she said, finally selecting one of her gems. "Someone must carry on the Tohsaka Crest, it has been handed down for over 500 years now."
"Oh jeez, that long? Must be some special power." he mumbled, having selected his own gem. He started channeling his mana into it, something he had been doing for close to seven years now. It had become so easy for him that he could do it with his eyes closed.
"Of course, for mage families, magic means everything. These circuits have been held by so many of my ancestors, people who devoted their entire lives to building them and strengthening them. My father always told me this was the sole purpose of our family, to keep this special magic going, until we achieved our goal of reaching the Root."
"Right… the Root, the one true magic that supposedly existed during the Age of Gods… do you truly think such a thing exists?" the young man asked, earning a nod from Rin, who set aside the gem she had been working on.
"Yes, it does exist. However, it is unreachable to us the way we are, it is why the Einzberns, Matous and Tohsakas founded this Holy Grail War, so we could achieve our dream of getting the one true magic. However, things have become much more complicated in the resulting years. The Matous have been losing their legitimacy, and the Einzberns don't have capable mages anymore." she said, setting aside the second gem, reaching for a third. "Do you see now why it's so important that we practice our magic? So that we may get this wish granted."
"I understand that but… don't you think this is all a little crazy?" Eiji asked curiously. He grabbed another gem, following the same routine Rin had going. "Fighting each other for a magical cup, all so that you can bring real magic to the world… sounds a little dangerous don't you think?"
"I thought the same when I was a child, but the more I trained, the more I realized this was my destiny. There is no use in fighting against it. My fate was decided the day I was born, besides… I could be much worse off." she admitted, looking at the other end of the room.
"I suppose you are right in that regard." Eiji said softly. He set down the last gem he had been given, having a set of ten. It was all that Rin could afford for him. She herself only had ten gems. Crafting these was far too hard for them, especially with how expensive it was to procure them.
"Have you been gathering lightning energy in those sapphires? They were hard to buy you know, I had to use every single avenue I had to get them." Rin said, earning a nod from the boy. He reached into his pocket, pulling out another pouch, letting seven small sapphires fall onto the table top. They had an electric blue glow, and shone much brighter than the water gems he had just created.
"I know that, and I'm forever grateful. When I strike it rich, I'll pay you back for all of the gems you've bought for me." he said, giving her a smile.
"I really hope you do." she said, a small smile on her face. "Now, let's focus on this small task, after we're done, we can take a walk. It's a beautiful day and I wanna get some sun."
"O-okay." Eiji said, not having expecting his friend to suggest that. He shrugged, and grabbed the first sapphire, beginning the slow process of channeling lightning mana into it.
Eiji had to admit, Rin was right. It was a very beautiful day. The two had stopped at his home so he could change out of his school uniform. It hadn't been the first time they had skipped school, in fact it was rather common for them to skip out. He valued these days a lot when he was away from his peers and the school setting, away from magecraft. He just liked being a normal teenager, hanging out with his best friend.
The wind was blowing softly, carrying with it the scent of the nearby ocean. The young man stretched his arms above his head, resting them behind his head. He was wearing a plain black tee shirt, with a light jacket over it, which he left unzipped. He wore a pair of blue jeans, stuffed into high top sneakers. He didn't care much for fashion, unlike his best friend who always made sure she was wearing the finest clothes she could afford.
The streets of Fuyuki were quiet, a few people were out and about, enjoying the nice balmy weather. He was following Rin's lead, not knowing where he was going. Whenever Rin wanted to hang out, she always picked sentimental places. Today however, he sensed something different about her. Ever since they had finished their magecraft for the day, she had been acting rather weird. She kept looking over her shoulder every so often, an odd look on her face, but whenever he asked what was wrong, she just smiled and changed the conversation. He had decided to stop asking, not wanting to worry himself over nothing.
"Hey Eiji… I have a question for you."
"I may have an answer." the boy said, inwardly smirking. He had been expecting her to snap at him, but instead, he got a rather somber reply.
"Have you ever thought about the future? I don't mean as a mage… I mean the future, as a person."
"H-huh…. I wasn't expecting this." the boy said, audibly sighing. "I haven't really. I was thinking about continuing with my mage training. I'm not on the level of a Tohsaka Magus, but I know I have what it takes to become stronger. I was thinking of going to the Clock Tower when we graduate high school. After that, I'm on God's good humor."
"You ever think of settling down? Getting married?" she asked curiously. He shrugged his shoulders, giving her a curious look.
"Not really, but why all these questions? What's up Rin? Is something bothering you?" he asked, becoming concerned for his friend. "You never ask these sorts of questions. Hell, anything revolving around sex in general is a topic you'd rather avoid. Why so sentimental?"
"I dunno, been thinking about my parents a lot lately." she replied, looking up at the sky. "My mother told me how she met my father. For him it was love at first sight, but she made him work for it. Despite him being busy with mage work, father enjoyed spending time with the two of us. I remember him carrying me on his shoulders a lot when I was a little girl."
"My dad used to do that too… It always made me feel so tall, like I was a superhero." Eiji said, a soft smile on his face. "Mom realized she couldn't have kids when she was twenty one. She was devastated, one of the things she wanted to do most in life was to have kids. So it tore her apart being unable to conceive. Heh… I remember the day they picked me, I was sitting on that rusty old swing set, wondering why no one liked me."
"Rusty swing set… wait, you mean the one where I met you?" Rin asked curiously, earning a nod from the boy. "You left the orphanage on your own and went to the park? Are you insane? You could have been kidnapped!"
"I was five, Rin. I didn't exactly make the best choices. Besides, if I hadn't gone to that park, I wouldn't have met my best friend in the whole world. Then I wouldn't have come on this crazy wild ride of magic and alchemy." he said, giving her a wink. She rolled her eyes.
"So, what you are telling me is that you were an idiot from an early age, that makes a lot of sense. You are the only one who would charge in head first when fighting a highly trained martial artist." the ravenette said, remembering the time he had tried to fight Kirei.
"Hey, he pissed me off. He was being a douchebag and I wanted to wipe that smirk off his face. I've always hated that asshole."
"Well get used to him, not only is he our true master for the time being, but he's going to oversee the Holy Grail War. Behave yourself and he might grant you some extra command seals." Rin said matter-of-factly.
"Sure… I'll make sure not to hit him in the jaw this time." he said, brushing her off. "Anyway, what brought on the talk about our futures and kids? You aren't dying are you?"
"Of course not!" she cried, anger flashing on her face. "I just wanted to ask you if you had decided your future, dumbass!"
"I can't really decide my future yet. I mean… I haven't met the right girl, and every time I get close to one, an annoying little hornet injects herself between us until she's driven away." he said firmly. Rin's eye twitched in annoyance. "Then again, she's not a hornet anymore, she's more like a yellow jacket, piss her off and she'll keep stinging repeatedly."
He cried in pain as the girl punched him in the back of the head. He rubbed the goose egg on his head, glaring at the girl. "What the hell was that for?"
"For referring to me as a yellow jacket! The only reason I intervene with that girl is because she was bad news. She was a snooty little bitch and you didn't deserve to even give her the time of day."
"Okay, I agree there, Kyoka was a bitch. But what about Hana? She's trained in the art of the katana her entire life. She's cute, kind and takes her training seriously. She even offered to train me in Kendo, but you drove her off." he snapped. Rin looked away, crossing her arms.
"She wasn't right for you either. She's short tempered, has a short fuse, has an annoying face, a whiny voice, did I mention she was short?"
"Yes, you mentioned she was short. But she was sweet, and she helped me out with my exams. Now she won't even talk to me!" Eiji cried, rubbing his face. "At this rate, I'm probably going to remain single by the age of thirty. You drive off any and all females who I am attracted to."
"That isn't true and you know it! As if you haven't driven any guys away from me before!" she snapped back. He let out a chuckle, shaking his head.
"You mean Hanamura? That guy is a fuckass. He just wanted to be with you because you're a peach, and because your Rin fucking Tohsaka. The whole school sees you as some sort of goddess. Shinji certainly thinks so, with all the shit he talks."
"I'm a what?" she cried, cheeks flushed pink. Her fist shook a bit in anger and embarrassment, but she said nothing as she drove her finger into Eiji's chest. "Listen here, Mr. Man. You are seventeen years old. We might be on the cusp of a Holy Grail War, but after its over, you seriously need to think things through. You have a lineage ahead of you now. You are the first leaf on the branch of the Itsuka Household. That means you can leave your crest for your family. You need to start thinking about finding a woman."
"Wouldn't finding a kid be more important?" he asked curiously. She just looked at him with an incredulous look on her face. He rose his hand. "Let me explain. You know I'm adopted, my parents don't even know that I'm a mage. Wouldn't it be fitting if I look for a child like me? An orphan with high magical aptitude? I think that would be much better."
"It doesn't work that way, I'm afraid. Magical Circuits, and in turn, Magical Crests, can only be transferred between compatible hosts. Usually, it's people who are blood related. If you have a child, they are most likely the best candidate. When you receive a crest, you get it in parts, so that the new host can get used to the circuits, and they don't die of magical overload. It's the same training that I went through as a child." she said, rubbing her left arm. "That's why I'm stressing this point so much Eiji… you've started a lineage, it's your duty to uphold it."
Eiji nodded silently. He didn't exactly know how to respond. He knew Rin was very particular when it came to magic. He knew how important this lifestyle was for her. He wasn't born into a magical family, he sort of fell into one. Kirei Kotomine had been nice enough to train him and teach him everything, and Rin had picked up the slack when she had gotten a solid grasp of it all. It meant a lot to Rin, and since he was technically her apprentice, it made sense for her to be worried about his well being. He hadn't given his future much thought, aside from studying at the Clock Tower, something that both of them had been thinking about doing anyway. He stuffed his hands in his pockets as he walked, the pair reaching a street corner.
"Eiji, I'm sorry."
"Huh? What are you sorry for? You haven't done anything." the boy said, giving Rin a soft look. He placed a hand on her shoulder, flashing her a grin. "You're worried about me, and that's normal. I worry about you too. I know how much magecraft means to you, it means more to you than anything else. That's why I'll make sure you win the Holy Grail, even if I have to use all my Command Seals at the end of it. I know you'll get your wish."
"You'll do no such thing. If the two of us make it to the end, alive, then we will have a proper duel. Only the winner shall have the Grail, understood?" she asked, holding her hand out. He rolled his eyes, giving it a firm shake.
"Understood."
She was about to speak when she felt a shudder go through her spine. She looked over her shoulder again, focusing on a spot behind a light post. Eiji followed her gaze, trying to seeing what she was looking for. But he didn't find anything. Before he could even ask, Rin took hold of his wrist, pulling him along.
"There's an arcade nearby, let's go play some Pac-Man. I'll buy you some tokens."
"Alright…" he mumbled under his breath. "Rin… are you alright? You seem a bit spooked."
"I'm fine, just some pre-war nerves. You never know when this thing is gonna start, after all. Which is why I want to have a bit of fun." she said with a smile. She loosened her grip on his wrist as they walked. He smiled a bit, slipping his hand through hers. He had been hoping to get a reaction from her, but he instead got something different. With a spring in her step, Rin continued to lead.
xxx
Eiji and Rin stood on a hill that overlooked Fuyuki City. it was rather pretty, the sun had gone down, and the city had come alive. All of the city lights looked like twinkling stars, in the vast sea of space. It was home. And it would be the battlefield for the Holy Grail War. The two mages knew that once it started, things were going to get rough. The last thing they wanted was to involve civilians. One of the many rules of the Holy Grail War was to leave civilians out of the fight. He leaned back against the large tree behind them, arms crossed in front of him.
"You know… I've lived my entire life here, but I haven't seen the city from up here before. It's really pretty."
"Mhmm." the girl mumbled softly, brushing some hair over her ear. "I used to come here a lot when I was younger. It's one of my favorite places in the entire city. Fuyuki has already faced tragedy before. 10 years ago, the new part of the city burned down, and a lot of people lost their lives."
"I think I remember that, the orphanage I was in originally was on the old side of town. I remember this huge explosion, a glimmering cross high in the sky. Then, the fires started. The skies looked orange that entire night. I remember it clearly, two days later, I met you." the boy said softly. Rin shifted her gaze, looking at his face. He had a serene look on his face, pure and relaxed, something she almost never saw these days. She couldn't help but smile.
"We should go there tomorrow. Have ourselves a little swing off, whoever gets the highest buys the loser ice cream, deal?" Rin asked, earning a chuckle from Eiji.
"Sure, you're on."
"Excellent, victory shall be a lot sweeter than you think, especially when it's you that ends up paying the bill." she said with a giggle. "Hey Eiji, about our conversation earlier today… about having kids."
"This again?" he asked with a sigh. He turned to face her, frowning. "What's up this time?"
"Well… I was going to say… if you don't find someone by the time your twenty-five… I wouldn't mind marrying you."
"I'm sorry, what?" he cried, eyes widening a bit. Rin broke into laughs, clutching her sides tightly.
"Oh, the look on your face. It was precious."
"Ugh… this was just one of your sick jokes wasn't it? Whatever, who the heck wants to marry you of all people?" he snapped angrily. Rin brushed away a stray tear, standing up firmly.
"I wasn't joking." she said, her voice becoming serious. "You are my best friend, and my apprentice, I want what's best for you. I wouldn't mind becoming your wife, in fact I think it's the best outcome. That way our child will get two crests. But that's only if you don't fall in love with some other girl. You're still my best friend, it'll probably take me years to see you romantically, but I wouldn't want anyone else."
Eiji remained silent, pondering her words. He held back the urge to laugh, this was definitely the most Rin thing she had ever done. He couldn't help but smile, giving her a nod.
"Fine. If I haven't found a girlfriend or a wife by the time I turn twenty-five, I'll marry you." he said firmly, standing up as straight as possible. "I'll make you the happiest woman in the world, and I'll give you a couple of kids too. That we'll love and nurture until it's our time to go."
"Good! We should go home, we still have a few more preparations." she said, glancing at her right hand. "Won't be long now, any day now we might wake up to our Command Seals."
"I'll make sure your on speed dial then, since you're the first one I'll call." he said, giving her a wink. She sighed, shaking her head. Eiji could be an idiot sometimes, but he was her idiot.
He remembered that day fondly. The last time he had seen his best friend alive. He had split up from her that night, after walking back from the overlook. She had been looking over her shoulder the entire time. He had asked her if she was okay but she always said she was. He should have gone home with her… he should have stayed the night in her home.
The rain felt cold that day. As if the skies were crying over the loss of someone so young. Kirei Kotomine had told him to come to the church, after two days of zero contact with Rin. He had been waiting at the swingset for her to show up, but she never did. He had been tempted to check on her, and he was glad he didn't. She had been found dead in her home, someone had followed her and someone had killed her. Kirei's guess was simple, since she was the head of the Tohsaka Family, she would be guaranteed a spot in the Holy Grail War, they took out a Master before she had been officially chosen.
Not a lot of people showed up for the funeral. Kirei had officiated it, and held the ceremony. Aoi Tohsaka had been there, but she was completely out of it. He had met Rin's mother a few times when they visited her in the hospital. She had been a sweet woman, but after a life threatening injury, she had lost all sense of reality. She had been asking people where her little girl was, and no one had the heart to tell her.
He hated this day… he hated it. Every year, he would remember this day as the day the life of his best friend was robbed from her, and from him. Whenever he blinked, he could see the freshly laid dirt, the name on that tombstone. Fellow students who claimed to know her, people who said they were her friends, all telling him empty words… saying she wasn't really gone, that she would always be there watching over him.
That was a lie… a filthy sick little lie. He felt anger flowing through him, and wanted nothing more than to punch the nearest person in the face. He got close to it, when Shinji Matou decided to poke the bear too much. Kirei held him back, saying it was unbecoming of Tohsaka's Apprentice to strike a future Master. He remembered that word… it triggered even more hatred in him.
"Master, Master, MASTER! That's all that fucking matters to mages these days. You are all gonna go on, business as usual, preparing for this fucking pointless war. My best friend is dead, the only person who was fully there for me, the one person who treated me like a normal person… she's gone… and all you bastards can think about is the war? I hate you… I hate all of you."
It had been a statement said in anger, and though he didn't regret his words, he did regret blowing up on them that day. Rin wouldn't have wanted people to argue on such an important day.
He left the cemetery without a word, walking through the barren streets of Fuyuki. He didn't care about the rain. He was soaked to the bone, the world reflecting his emotions. He thought he was walking around aimlessly, but had ended up at her house. He remained outside, looking at the property from the street. He reached into his pocket for a keyring, drawing a bronze one from it. He slipped it into the gate, slowly opening it. It wasn't long before he had entered the house, water dripping all around him.
Eiji took his shoes off, leaving them by the door, as he always had. He tried not to drip more water as he walked, but it was inevitable. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves, only to catch the hint of perfume, along with the scent of iron. Tears threatened to spill, as he headed for the stairs. He climbed them to the top, slowly heading toward the guest room.
Rin had essentially given him that room, whenever she needed him to stay over for training, he would stay there. As such, he had multiple pairs of clothes. He took a shower and got dressed, not bothering to change into anything that matched. He moved his guest room, walking across the hall into Rin's room. He looked around the room, seeing the bedsheets were still out of place, remains of a broken clock on the nightstand. He noticed her hair dryer was still on her dresser, along with her hair brush. This place was a time capsule… it had remained this way since he had last seen Rin.
In that moment, everything clicked for him. She wasn't going to come back. His legs fell from under him, making him fall to his knees. His shoulders shook, and tears fell from his cheeks. He cried. He cried harder than any other time in his life. He didn't know what to say, what to do, the anguish and pain he felt in his heart was gut wrenching. It felt like a piece of his soul had been ripped out of him. His best friend was gone, that little girl he met back when he was five was never coming back. All of her dreams had ended before they began. But most of all, she would never get to live her biggest dream, of passing her crest to her child. And that was what angered him the most.
Anger flowed through him as he sat up, his heart beating fast under his rib cage. He grit his teeth, slamming his fist into the ground. "I'm going to find him Rin… I'm going to find the mother fucker that did this to you, and I'm going to kill him."
xxx
He didn't know how long it had been since he had fallen asleep. He hadn't eaten anything and hadn't drank anything at all. He sat up from the ground, groaning in pain as he forced himself to sit up. He grabbed the edge of the table, forcing himself to his feet. His eyes fell on the small box that had been placed there. A wooden box that he recognized. It was Rin's jewelry box, the one that she stored her gems in. He shakily reached for the box, slowly opening it. Inside it, sat every single gem she had made. Sixteen gems, four of each element.
There was something else inside this box. A necklace, a ruby red pendant, with a silver chain. It was shaped, almost like a heart, and had a faint red glow to it. He grabbed a hold of it, seeing his reflection on its smooth surface. He clutched it tightly in his hand, bowing his head a bit.
"Tokiomi Tohsaka… you were the one who gave this to her weren't you? This gem… she cherished this trinket so much. Heh… I remember when I was 12 and I found it in the bathroom, she chewed me out for even touching it." he said, sniffling a bit as he wiped his nose with his sleeve. "I'll make sure to take good care of it. For the both of you."
He placed it back in the box, closing it tightly. He grabbed a hold of it, keen on heading to the basement, where he and Rin continuously trained. Kirei had told him she had been found there. He needed to examine the place thoroughly. The police didn't find any evidence, but that doesn't mean there wasn't anything left. Perhaps magic had been used. He made it down to the main floor, finding the door to the basement with ease, heading down into its depths.
Though the scent of iron lingered in the air, the scent of strawberries seemed to overpower it. He reached for the light switch, cringing a bit when the lights turned on. Seeing actual lights in this room felt rather odd to him, as it was always lit by firelight. He looked around for a moment, not seeing anything out of the ordinary. He set the box down where Rin would have sat, his eyes scanning every single area of the room. He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat when he reached the other side of the room, seeing a bit of blood on the ground.
His heart almost skipped a bit, as he knelt down before it. The area smelled of bleach and ammonia, and he could sense high level magic lingering in the air. He concluded it must have been Kirei who had cleaned up after the police had left. After all, only a high-level magi could have gotten rid of so much blood so quickly.
"This was where…" he felt his words getting caught in his throat. He felt his anger begin to flow through him again. He held his hand out, focusing on his mana. His fingers crackled a bit as the energy started spreading throughout the area. He would see a bit of mana hanging out in the air, a mixture of various elements. He felt his shoulders shaking a bit, but he kept looking, hoping to find something.
As he waved his hand around, he spotted something on the ground. A seal, with the crest of the Tohsaka House. He scrambled toward it, placing his hand on the ground next to it. The mana flowed from his hand into the ground, making the crest glow a bright red. It fully manifested, the crimson glow disappearing a second later.
"A magic crest… she left behind a magic crest." he mumbled to himself, touching it with his finger. "She wrote it in her blood… defiant to the very end huh? Who murdered you Rin, please point me to the right place."
He placed his hand over the crest, channeling his own mana into the seal. It started cracking, a bright blue glow appearing around it. His hand stuck in place, as it started glowing into him. The magical circuits in his body began reacting, as the new magic, no, the new circuits, flowed into him.
"What… what is this? Is this her… no… this can't…" he let out a scream, as the magic continued flowing into him. The magical circuits continued burying themselves deeper into his body, his head remained transfixed on the ceiling, his eyes widening a bit.
He felt almost weightless, as he swam through the vast emptiness of space. He could see thousands of tiny little stars glowing all around him. As he moved his head, he felt as if he was in a pool of warm green water. He looked at his right hand, seeing the glowing circuits slowly becoming a part of his being. A small, little green butterfly flew around him, immediately grabbing his attention. He reached for it with his hand, allowing it to land on his palm. The butterfly fluttered its wings for a bit, radiating a bit of energy as he watched it. As he closed his eyes, he saw a vision of himself, sitting on a swing, but it wasn't from his point of view, it was from the point of view of another person. He felt a tear flow from the corner of his eye, rolling down his cheek.
"Rin."
The image shifted to another one. He could hear ragged pants for breath, along with whimpers of pain. He felt the tears slowly dry away, and he saw nothing but darkness, a single lamp shedding light to the room. He recognized it, it was the basement of the Tohsaka Residence. He felt himself fall over, a single hand reaching outward.
"I can't believe… this is the end. I knew I should have told him… that we were being followed."
"What… followed?" he softly asked.
"I failed… I failed you father… I trained so hard, practiced so much, and I was taken out before the War even started. I feel so stupid…"
"You aren't stupid Rin! Don't ever call yourself that!"
"But most of all… I feel like a horrible master. Leaving my apprentice all alone… this is all I can do." she mumbled, dipping her finger in her own blood. She hastily drew a magic circle, placing her right hand over the seal, gritting her teeth. She started placing the last of mana in the seal she had drawn. "Eiji… I know you'll find this… you aren't one to give up. I know you'll become a strong mage. The Holy Grail War is set to begin soon, now we don't have to fight over the Grail at the end."
"Rin you dumbass!" he cried, feeling the tears running down his cheeks again. "I would have let you win. You deserve more than me!"
She coughed loudly, a glob of blood hitting the ground. "I'm sure you'll find this… think it's your fault… but it isn't. It never was. Eiji… you are my best friend. I wasn't kidding when I said I would marry you. I want you to be happy with your life, be free… we'll meet again one day soon… I promise."
His vision returned to normal, as he found himself back in Tohsaka's Basement. He glanced at the ground, the magic seal was gone. His arm however, was aglow with something new. He looked at it, seeing all of the magical circuits that had been transferred onto him. He looked at the back of his hand, seeing the shape of the crest, a butterfly. He traced the outer edges of the crest with his fingertip, feeling the urge to cry. He bowed his head, closing his fist in anger.
"You left me your crest… you left me this magic, that you were strengthening, the one that belonged to your father and his father before him. The one you wanted to give to your child. You didn't deserve this Rin. You didn't… you want me to be free… but I can't. I'm going to avenge you… and this Holy Grail War is going to help me. I'll summon a servant, find the bastard that did it and I'll make him pay. Only then will you rest in peace. It's my solemn promise to you…"
"Ah… I knew I would find you here, Eiji Itsuka."
He jumped a bit, quickly shooting to his feet. He grabbed a hold of his arm, forming a ball of darkness at his finger. "Gandr!" he shouted, blasting it at the intruder. The man held his hand out, using his own magic to dismantle the attack. A thick, reddish black smoke filled the room, slowly clearing until it revealed the stern face of Kirei Kotomine.
"Master Kotomine, I apologize." Eiji said, lowering his arm. He bowed his head in shame. The man said nothing, taking a deep breath.
"Pick up your head, Itsuka. We have much to discuss, beginning with that crest you bear now." he said, gesturing to the glowing magical circuits in his arm. "That is the Tohsaka Family's lineage. I honestly believe it is wasted on you. But Rin Tohsaka chose you, and that is something I can do nothing about."
"Wasted… on me?" he mumbled under his breath. He grit his teeth in anger, but bit his tongue. "I assure you, sir… I am not going to put this crest to waste. I will do what Rin should have done. I will strengthen it, and I will pass it onto the future." he said firmly.
"Oh, you will, will you? If that is what you wish to do, then I will not stop you. I'm certain Tokiomi Tohsaka would be alright that. You've been training hard after all. I come bearing some more important news. Since Miss Tohsaka is no longer with us, and her mother is in a poor mental state, no one will be able to be the head of this household. As you now hold her crest, you have inadvertently become the head of the Tohsaka Estate. As such, you are now entitled to everything that once belonged to Miss Tohsaka."
"E-everything?" he asked softly. The man gave him a nod.
"Indeed, her properties, her vast wealth, even this very home, if you wish to take it. You will be responsible for maintaining this name. As such, you will take her spot in the upcoming Holy Grail War."
"Alright… and when will that begin exactly?" he asked curiously.
"We had the war slated to start in the coming month. However, something has happened to the Holy Grail. It seems some of its stored magic power has been siphoned away. As such, the Holy Grail War has been postponed. This should give you a bit of extra time to prepare, and get truly acquainted with the world of magic." Kirei said, earning a nod from the young man.
"I assure you, I will take my training seriously. May I make a request?" he asked. The future overseer for the Holy Grail War nodded. "Would it be too much trouble to ask for a letter of recommendation? For the Clock Tower I mean. If I wish to become a strong mage for the Tohsaka Household, then I wish to be trained by the best of the best. Not to impugn on your training or anything… sir."
"Heh… think of me what you wish, Itsuka. I know you aren't a particular fan of me nor my teachings. If you wish to study abroad, then that is fine by me. However, you will return when the time comes. Is that understood? As the overseer of the Holy Grail War, I will assure your placement in this event. I'm certain recent turn of events have spurred your… need of the Grail?" the man asked, causing the young man to narrow his eyes. "Whatever the case, I will recommend you to the Clock Tower. We will continue your lessons here until the time of your departure."
"Of course, nothing would please me more… Master." he said in a low hiss, holding back the urge to shout. He swore he saw a smirk on Kirei's face, if only for a moment.
Present Day:
Four long years had passed. Things had gotten better, but they were never really the same. Eiji Itsuka had graduated from high school and transferred to the Clock Tower as soon as he was done. He had spent the last few years honing his magical and physical skills. But most of all, he had gotten a better grasp of magic. Thanks to Rin's crest, he had grown a lot stronger. His few remaining circuits had become open, and he had been able to fight at full magical strength. It had been a long time coming, but he was finally ready. He briefly stopped what he was going, looking at the Command Seal on the back of his left hand, a frown on his face.
It was a simple mark, a frontward facing half circle, with an inward half circle facing away from the first, and a small line at the bottom. It almost resembled a bow, signifying his Servant Class would be an Archer. He slowly reached for the necklace that hung around his neck, the same one that had belonged to Rin. He smiled a bit, closing his eyes.
"We've made it Rin… after such a long time, I finally got my Command Seals… then again, these belong to you. I don't think I was meant to be a Master, but I'll do a goddamn good job at it. I'll get my hands on that cup… and I will get my wish granted, I promise." he thought. He jolted a bit, almost yanking the chain off. He sighed, setting the box in front of him down on the table. He rose to his feet, walking toward the door. He slowly opened it, being greeted by someone he would rather not speak to.
"Ello dear, I was hoping you were in today." the woman said, flashing him a smile. Eiji took a deep breath through his nose, before closing the door. He turned around, walking back toward his table. "Hey, what the hell is wrong with you? You open this door right away Eiji!"
"Go away, can't you see I'm busy?" he cried back. The door opened with a bang, as the woman had used her leg to open it. She strode haughtly into his dorm, standing firmly in front of him.
She was a beautiful young woman, with long blonde hair styled in several drills, the tips dyed a light blue. She was wearing a sleeveless, royal blue dress, that reached down past her knees. It had white frills and accents, along with golden buttons. She wore a pair of matching white heeled boots, along with a pair of gloves on her hands. She also wore matching, royal blue hair ribbons on her head. Her brilliant hazel eyes were full of anger. In a way, this woman reminded him of Rin, but this one was much much worse than her.
"How dare you slam your door in my face Itsuka? Do you know who I am?"
"Luviagelita Edelfelt, the Ohohoho haughty heiress of the Edelfelt House, you've drilled this in my head so many fucking times by now. I don't care." Eiji said, sitting down in front of his coffee table.
"Indeed! And never forget it!" she exclaimed, pointing her finger at the young man in anger. "And never slam that door in my face again. Remember, it is because of me that you even live in this dorm."
"Sure, right." he said, brushing her off. Luvia sighed, sitting down on the corner of Eiji's bed, resting her face in her hand. She noticed what he was doing, magically enhancing bullets. She reached for one, looking it over.
It looked like a regular bullet, however, it was actually made out of a quartz crystal. The shell casing was pure bronze, but the bullet itself was what was magic. The crystal bullet was glowing faintly with elemental magic, this one being Earth. She heard a grunt, looking away from the bullet, meeting the piercing glare Eiji was giving her. She shuddered a bit, almost dropping the bullet.
"I would appreciate it if you put that where you found it, Luvia." he said sternly. She nodded, placing the bullet back in the plastic casing. She noticed the other cases beside them, totalling well over two hundred rounds. She sighed, pursing her lips.
"Is this what you've been using the school's funding for?" she asked softly, voice filled with concern. "Eiji, how long have you been doing this."
"Three and a half years." he replied, setting the bullet down, as he grabbed another one, repeating the process. "This is something that Rin taught me… taking gems and channeling magic into them. Only this is a smaller scale. By crafting bullets from gemstones, I can destroy my target from afar, without putting myself at risk."
"What exactly do you think you'll be fighting?" she asked curiously.
"Kings, Warriors, Gods? Who knows really… I would just like to be prepared for anything. I don't know what I'll be facing out there after all." he replied. Luvia frowned, standing up from the bed causing him to look up from his work.
"Eiji dear, I don't think this is right. You shouldn't risk your life like this, I thought you were sitting out of his Holy Grail War." she said firmly. "I knew Tohsaka as well, I don't think she would want you to risk your life like this, not for her."
"You don't know her the way I do." he replied, glaring at the woman. "The one who killed her is still free, and I have reason to believe he's going to be a part of this War. it's the perfect time to kill him." he continued, reaching down beside him. He grabbed an empty magazine and a handful of bullets, slipping them into it.
"You would actually go back there and risk your life for revenge?" Luvia asked, eyes widening in surprise. She slammed her fist on the table, rattling the bullets on the table, a few of them falling onto the ground. "I won't allow it, you are my friend first and foremost, I will not let you go into that battle. You will not walk to your death, is that understood?"
Eiji said nothing as he slipped the magazine into his Smith and Wesson 1911. He pulled the slide back loading a round into the chamber. He stood up from his seat, placing the barrel of the gun to Luvia's forehead. She didn't even blink as he pressed the firearm onto her skin. His finger was on the trigger, twitching slightly as he stared at the woman.
"I consider you a friend too, Luvia. But you won't stop me, I've made a promise. Besides, you and I both know even if I wanted to sit out, I can't. I've been called." he said, showing off his left hand. She narrowed her eyes, taking in the sight of the Command Seal he possessed.
"Then if you won't quit, I shall just join you." she said matter of factly. Eiji quirked a brow, a look of curiosity on his face.
"Oh? And you think you have what it takes to join the Holy Grail War?" he asked rather smugly. Luvia swept her hand, grabbing a hold of his gun. She drove her hand into his stomach, making him groan in pain. In a fragment of a second, he was staring down the barrel of his gun, which was now in the hand of a beautiful blonde woman.
"I have been trained in mixed martial arts for the entirety of my life. Not only that, dear, but I am also quite an adept mage. Offering my services to you is but one way to repay for your friendship. Never you forget, you owe me a favor for getting you this dorm room, this is how you repay me."
Eiji gave the woman a languid blink, pondering her offer. After a second, he gave her a nod. She lowered the gun, spinning it around so that Eiji could take it. He pressed the decocker, bringing the hammer down safety. He ejected both the magazine and the bullet in the chamber, placing both in the black suitcase beside him.
"You may tag along, but I will let you know right now, I am in charge, I make the rules. If you even think about getting in my way, I will destroy you. Understood?"
"Why of course dear, I would never get between you and your wish. I don't want you to die on me, I wasn't kidding when I said you were a close friend. Rather, you are the most honest one I've got." she said, giving him a smirk.
"I see." he said, uttering a sigh. "You know Luvia, you are a pain in my ass, just like someone else I know."
"Ohohohoho! I'll take that as a compliment! Am I to assume you are leaving without telling anyone?"
"As the Head of the Tohsaka Household, the Headmaster has allowed me to leave the moment I received my Command Seals. They believe I'm going to secure the Holy Grail for the Mage's Association, I am grateful for everything they've done for me. But I have my own agenda, fuck em." Eiji said, as he continued packing his bullets. "So it should be obvious, if you betray me for the Association, I will kill you, got it?"
"Understood, I shall go pack my bags, I can have a jet ready for us within an hours time. I look forward to working with you." she said, a grin on her face. Eiji closed his eyes for a moment, as the woman walked away. He cleared his throat, causing her to stop.
"Is this why you came here today? Did you come here with the intent to ask me if you could tag along?" he asked curiously. She flicked one of her drills over her shoulder, a smirk on her face.
"Now what's the fun in me answering that?"
She walked away, causing the young man to sigh. "I am in way over my head. She probably smelled the bullshit. Maybe the whole bad guy schtick is a bad idea. I sound like an edgy loser."
He shook his head, continuing to pack up his weapons. He grabbed a hold of his necklace, squeezing it tightly. He slowly made his way toward the window, looking up at the sky. The clouds slowly moved across it, the sun was shining brightly, and the birds chirped their happy songs. He smiled a bit as he focused on a plane, flying high in the sky.
"I'm coming home Rin. I'm coming home."
"So… this is the Tohsaka residence huh?" Luvia asked, as the taxi left them outside of the mansion. It had been four years since he had set foot inside. He had asked Kirei to oversee the affairs of the Tohsaka's while he was gone, including the upkeep of the mansion. The taxi drove off, leaving the two young adults standing outside the house.
"Mhmm… Rin used to live here, back in the day. She allowed me to stay here at times, when we were still training. Now that my training is complete, it was time to return. Come, I'll prepare a room for you." he said, leading the woman into the house.
Eiji felt awkward, returning to this place. It held so many memories, so many feelings and emotions. So much pain. The contents of his stomach were sloshing around as he continued walking forward. He slipped the key into the lock, stepping into the house for the first time in nearly five years. He flicked the lights on, bathing the hallway in light. It was dark outside, as the sun had long set over Fuyuki. He set his suitcase down by the living room entrance, turning back to face Luvia, who was struggling to drag her four suitcases inside the house.
"Oh my, perhaps I brought a bit too much stuff with me. Eiji, would you be a dear and assist me?" she asked. He rolled his eyes, taking hold of two of the suitcases.
"Guess I'll find that room first, follow me. We'll have to order in for tonight, the kitchen isn't stocked." he said, earning a nod from the young woman.
He walked up the stairs to the second floor, passing by a few of the guest rooms. He stopped in front of Rin's room, frowning a bit at the closed door. He shook his head, walking a few paces down the hall, entering the room furthest down the hall.
"Here we go. I'm sure this will suffice." he said, setting Luvia's bags down. She looked around, despite the size of the room, it was quite modest. Nothing she wasn't used to seeing, in fact it was a lot fancier than she had expected. She gave the young man a nod, a smile on her face.
"It will do for now, but once I give it the personal touch, It'll be ready."
"Then I suppose I'll leave you to it." he said, turning around. "Listen, Luvia… I'm going to be unavailable for the next few hours. After we have dinner, I'd like for some privacy. I've spoken with the overseer, and it seems two Masters have been confirmed. That means there are servants already running around Fuyuki. I need to summon my own Servant if I want to stand a chance."
"And in order to summon your servant, you need privacy, I understand." she said, smiling. "If that's the case, I shall take the time to prepare my own gems. I have a feeling my role as your partner will make me be a bit more… active."
"If you say so." the brown haired lad said, shrugging his shoulders. "I'll give you time to settle in, I'll order some food for us, is pizza alright?"
"Ugh… I cannot eat all of those carbs and fat. It'll ruin my perfect body," Luvia snapped, glaring at the boy. He glared back, shuddering a bit. "Though I suppose indulging in some junk food shall suffice, if only for a single night."
"Good. I'll see you soon."
Luvia watched him go, a deep frown on her face. She turned away from the door, grabbing one of her suitcases, placing it on the bed. "I feel sorry for you Eiji. You are such a strong person, the day we met, I knew you were destined for something big, but not this. Everyone knows the Holy Grail War is a bloodbath. Not many manage to survive. You were among the few that treated me nicely… I cannot let you partake in this war… not without some assistance… I only wish I was able to be of more help to you."
She felt a twinge of pain on the back of her hand. She noticed a soft red glow coming from underneath her glove. She hastily pulled it off, eyes widening in surprise when she saw an unfamiliar mark on her skin. It was a large seal, that took most of the back of her hand. It had various markings, almost resembling the points of a lance, the bottom of the mark resembled a polearm of sorts. It was a Command Seal, the seal that gave her dominion over the Lancer servant class.
Her breathing quickened, feeling her heart beating hard under her rib cage. She traced the mark with her finger, feeling the magic power contained in the three seals. This was it… this was how she would help Eiji. By summoning her own master and fighting alongside him, she would ensure that he got the Holy Grail. That was her wish… to help her friend grant his own desire.
"It might be weird… but I feel like this is my fate. The moment I met Eiji, I knew he was a troubled man. Even though he always rejected my friendship, I needed to extend my hand. He has lead such a painful life, being abandoned by his original parents, forced to train in magic, and losing his best friend. I need to lessen that burden, if only a little bit. Thank you, Holy Grail… I accept these Command Seals, and I'll use them to help my friend."
Finally finding her resolve, and her reason to fight, she would join her friend in this Holy Grail War. She couldn't wait to see his reaction when she showed him her seals.
Eiji hadn't realized how late it was until he looked at the clocks within the Tohsaka Mansion. All of them had been set an hour forward, a playful little prank Tokiomi had pulled on Rin when she was younger. It was currently two in the morning, thankfully there were places that were open late at night, so procuring some food for himself and Luvia had been rather easy. While she was upstairs enjoying her pizza, he was down in the basement, examining the summoning circle.
It had been the same one that Tokiomi had used to summon his Archer Class servant, back in 1994. It was the circle Rin was meant to use to summon her own servant, and now it was going to be used by him. He opened the box he had been given by the Mages Association before leaving. It was an artifact that was kept in a museum in England. A piece of the Round Table. With it, he was likely to summon a powerful knight, they had been hoping to summon King Arthur to the battlefield, or even Lancelot or Mordred. He had given it a bit of thought, but had decided not to use the catalyst provided. If he followed their instructions, then he wouldn't be able to make an impact early on in this War. Saber Servants may be good in battle, but he needed speed, and he needed stealth. Archers were the right choice for both.
"I don't have a catalyst for any Archer class servants. I don't think Rin had any either, so I suppose I'll have to summon a servant without one and hope for the best." he mumbled, wrapping his hand around his necklace. He bowed his head, a million thoughts racing across his mind.
"What would you do Rin? If you didn't have a catalyst, what would you do? Would you go for it without one? Or would you use a substitute?"
Suddenly, the answer hit him. He looked at the gem in the palm of his hand, staring at it blankly for a moment. He took it off of himself, holding it out in front of himself. The gem swung back and forth for a moment, a small glow appearing in the center of it. He nodded to himself, realizing what needed to be done.
"You would use this wouldn't you? Mementos work just as well as the real thing." he said softly, placing the necklace in the middle of the circle. He stood up, holding his hand out, taking a deep breath.
"Here goes nothing. Heed my words!"
His seals began to glow a deep crimson, the circle beneath his feet sparking to life. Sparks flew around him as his mana started flowing through his body into the magic seal. The necklace in the center of the circle began floating, glowing a deep crimson as mana swirled around it.
"My will creates your body and your sword creates my destiny.
If you heed the Grail's call, and obey my will and reason, then answer my summoning!"
Magic power flowed around the young man, making him cringe at the high level of energy that swirled around him. He grit his teeth, trying not to cry in pain, his magical circuits were on fire, as every ounce of magic left his body.
"I hereby swear that I shall be all the good in the world, and that I shall defeat all the evil in the world!
Seventh heaven clad, and the great words of power, come forth from the circle of bindings, Guardian of Scales!"
He let out a scream as his magic was sucked out of his body. A bright light swirled from the center of the magic circle, cracking the ground around him. The entire house rattled and shook from the intense power. Luvia, who was in the living room a floor above stopped mid bite as she felt the house start shaking. She stood up from her seat, just as an explosion rocked the entire dwelling. The sound of wood breaking and glass shattering echoed through the mansion. The high level magic she had suddenly felt cut off at that exact moment. She dropped her slice of pizza, racing toward the basement.
"Eiji!" she cried, throwing the door open. She raced down the stone steps, coming to a stop at the entrance to the large room, noticing the broken tables and bookshelves. Various texts and pieces of equipment lay in tatters. She looked around, finding her friend lying on his back, staring at the hole in the ceiling. She knelt down before him, shaking him a bit. "Eiji, are you alright?"
"Y-yeah… just got in way over my head. I wasn't expecting such a knockback of power."
"You imbecile!" the woman cried, slapping him across the face. She grabbed a hold of his jacket, shaking him roughly. "Why would you think summoning a servant here of all places would be a good idea?"
"Because the circle was already drawn?" he asked, pointing to the mark on the floor. He brushed her hands aside, forcing himself to stand up. "Besides, I promised Rin I would use this circle to summon my servant. Now come on, let's see who the hell shot out of the house."
Luvia sighed running after the young man. Rather than moving to the front door, he started heading toward the back courtyard. She simply followed, ready to fight if the need arose. Following Eiji into the backyard, they slowed to a stop, right in front of a woman.
She had long raven black hair, reaching down to past her waist. She was wearing a rather revealing outfit, the light glow of the moonlight making her ivory skin shine brilliantly in the pale light. She wore a single black stocking on her left leg, her feet were adorned with fancy, heeled boots, which were seemingly made of shimmering gold. She wore other golden embellishments, which glimmered in the light. Eiji panted a bit, a look of nervousness appearing on his face. This was the first time Luvia had seen something like this. Normally, Eiji was a confident person, but seeing him behave like this, it was rather odd. She settled into a fighting stance, in case she needed to get involved. He took a deep breath, standing up straight as he spoke.
"You there, are you the servant that heeded my call?"
"Tch… I wouldn't necessarily say heed perse. I only answered the call because I was forced to answer it." the woman replied, holding back the urge to laugh. Luvia grit her teeth, taking a step forward.
"Who the hell do you think you are? He is your master, and you have to show him some respect." she exclaimed. This time, the woman did laugh. Her shoulders shook as she clutched her sides. Eiji's eyes widened a bit as he recognized the laugh. It was one he hadn't heard in years.
"No… it isn't possible… It can't be!"
"Ha… how droll, a mere mortal thinking he can order me? A goddess? What a joke." the woman said, finally turning to face the two.
Eiji became pale when he saw her face. Her face was the same as hers, with light feminine features that were highlighted by her natural beauty, piercing red eyes had replaced the cerulean blue he had grown accustomed to seeing. Her body was showing off quite a lot of skin, a lot more skin than he had been wanting to see. He felt his feet fall from under him, a look of shock and defeat on his face. He felt sick, he felt angry… and he felt something he hadn't felt in a long time. Pure anguish and despair. The woman in front of him smirked, placing a hand on her hip. She floated off the ground, her legs crossed slightly as her smile kept growing.
"R-Rin?"
"Rin?" Luvia mumbled, tilting her head slightly. She looked at the servant, eyes widening a bit. Her jaw dropped as she took a step back. "No… it can't be, this has to be some sort of sick joke. Rin Tohsaka is dead!"
"Rin Tohsaka? That name is foreign to me. My Class is Archer. I am the Goddess of Venus, of Fertility, War and Destruction, as well as Love and Beauty. The people of Mesopotamia worshiped me and adored me for my beauty and power. You shall do the same. My name is Ishtar, it's nice to meet you, Master."
"Fate has an odd way of laughing in your face. I didn't know it yet, but this was the beginning. The beginning of an adventure that spanned the very confines of time itself. This War wasn't like any of the others held before. The 5th Holy Grail War had begun, and I was about to walk straight into the gates of hell…"
xxx(End of Prologue 1)xxx
Summoned Servants:
Goddess Ishtar (Archer) Master: Eiji Itsuka
Unknown (Saber)
Unknown (Lancer)Master: Luviagelita Edelfelt
Unknown (Caster)
Unknown (Assassin)
Unknown (Rider)
Unknown (Berserker)
Holy Grail War Overseer: Kirei Kotomine
A/N: Hello everyone and welcome to this... my first foray into the Fate series! I've been wanting to write one of these for a long time, but I never got around to it. However, thanks to a couple friends of mine, and FGO, I got really into the series so I decided to finally write something. So, to clear things up, this story is set in the Fate Stay/Night universe. However, things are a little different. After the Fourth Holy Grail War ended, something happened that postponed the next war until 2010. No one knows why, but some speculate it has to do with what happened at the end of the Fourth War. There are other things going on in the background, and the main characters will discover things as they progress in this war. It's not going to be a typical war either, but I'm not going to say much because that would spoil the fun! This was originally supposed to be an SYOC story, but I filled all the slots I needed to be filled, so I'm not marking it as such. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. It's a little rough around the edges, but I think it came out alright. This isn't the first one I've written, actually. I wrote a Christmas chapter with Ereshkigal, but I'm not gonna post that one yet, I might write another special soon but I have no plans at the moment. I've written 4 more chapters for this but I'm not going to post Chapter 2 for a little while, I want to get a little more acquainted with the series, though I know enough to at least write this haha.
Well until next time! Let me know what you all think, criticism is much appreciated! See ya!