Sorry for the long release! I'm trying to find a good beta to proofread this fanfic and it's very hard to find one who's books and other beta'd works could help me write better!
Also, lots of assignments. Been busy with college and stuff.
I've also been looking through Youtube for videos about building stories…at least I hope I can manage to learn a thing or two and put it into writing.
**BGM: Piano Eightysix-One - Hiroyuki Sawano**
A quiet breeze blew through the fields. Plains of grass dancing in the silver moonlight. An ethereal realm submerged in peace.
The opposite of what was going through Shirou's mind.
He trudged along the road, slumped forward. The blood from his wounds, dried from the cool night wind. The adrenaline long gone, allowing the pain from his wounds to reach his addled mind. But it did not stop the emotions wrecking havoc inside him.
The tears on his face had dried long ago. But the heavy feeling inside him threatened to burst another wave of tears again.
He could still remember everything clearly. The events earlier, repeatedly playing in his mind. Sakura's desperate screams and the beating he received, carved into his memories forever.
Then Shirou heard the sound of flowing water, reminding his body of a thirst forgotten. He slowly shuffled along the road side, looking for the source of water that could finally quench the fire in his throat.
In the distance, he saw the road bending to the right following a small stream. Necessity urged him forward, to move faster, but his body couldn't answer the call.
Bruises covered his arms and legs, and perhaps a broken rib or two. Shirou didn't know it, but his body was critically injured. Reinforcing himself to chase the carriage for an hour intensified the damage his body received from the beating. It may have strengthened his organs and capabilities for a while, but the downside was that it sustained the injuries, resulting in his own body tearing itself apart within.
Now that the Reinforcement wore off, the durability of his organs had dropped off completely. Internal bleeding and burst blood vessels were the least of his problems, not that he even knew of it.
Shirou reached the bend and agonizingly forced his crying body to lean forward to reach the water using his hands. Then completely tumbled and dropped into the water, causing him to cough out blood from the pain.
There he lay, resting on the streambed, trying to drink what little amount of water he could. Swallowing was a struggle, his throat crying out with pain from each gulp of liquid he forced.
At least the water felt cool against his body…was his last thought before slipping into unconsciousness.
Unknown to him that there was one person watching his struggles. An observer, drawn in because of an event that transpired years prior.
Blue prana appeared in the air, signalling that a spell or magecraft had been enacted on the space. A flicker, the threads of reality, being rewoven in reply to the caster's whims. An invisible spatial tear followed.
Then a shimmer, followed by the appearance of a tall aged man dressed in black clothing from a different age. His wooden cane lightly tapped on the ground as the old wizard approached.
"The source of that dimensional anomaly nine years ago…how interesting…" The Third of the Twenty-Seven Dead Apostle Ancestors, Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg hummed to himself.
It had taken the Wizard of the Second Magic nine years to locate the source of the anomaly. Solely due to the fact that Unlimited Blade Works had been inactive until Shirou's prana circuits awakened. Tracking a specific child like Shirou down would've been impossible without having any clue. Common sense dictated that it would be easier to detect an anomaly the stronger it was. A reality marble as powerful as Unlimited Blade Works would stand out far more than a random child amongst billions. Zelretch simply predicted that the same anomaly had a chance to repeat itself in the world later on, and he was right.
But now that he could trace and observe the origin, it appeared far more interesting than he had previously assumed.
Invisible to the world, but quite clear to the eyes of the Clock Tower's founder. Zelretch watched as the incorporeal form of Unlimited Blade Works gathered what little energy it could pull from Shirou in an attempt to protect the boy from a perceived threat.
A tiny amount really. But the real threat was the possible projections it could manifest in a blink of an eye. As long as Zelretch didn't appear to attack, then he should be fine.
His piercing eyes observed the soul and found two more interesting things of note. One, the dangerous curse carried over from another world. The second, the answer to the entire anomaly.
"To think your Holy Grail was still this powerful to grant your wish even at such a weakened state…"
Zelretch frowned. This artifact was designed as a method to reach Akasha by the Einzbern, Tohsaka, and Matou families. While it never completed its task of opening the gates to Akasha for them, it was still powerful enough to grant the Third True Magic. He deduced that should probably allocate some time to studying the Grail. It was hitting two birds with one stone after all. Observing two interests in the same world.
Zelretch's frown turned into a smile as the sounds of galloping horses reached his ears. "I think I'll keep an eye on you. The future looks very interesting, Grail Killer Shirou…"
Zelretch chuckled as he disintegrated into the wind, eagerly awaiting what the future would provide.
And he was gone, like a ghost in the night.
Minutes later, the Fujimaru clan search party would find Shirou's broken body on the streambed beside the road.
In his dreams, Shirou lived another life.
Japan, 2015.
The rain poured lightly, mirroring the mood of the two friends attending the funeral. The parting rites had been finished a few minutes ago and the coffin was being lowered into its final resting place.
Rin leaned her head into Shirou's shoulder, crying at the loss of her sister. Tears also streamed down his face while hugging her for support. The ceremony had been a silent affair, only attended by Rin, Shirou, and the few friends Sakura made from highschool.
They slowly left one by one after speaking their parting messages, until only the two remained.
"I had hoped that we could cure her curse…so that she could live freely…"Rin shook as she wiped her tears.
Shirou said nothing. This was the fourth time he had lost someone important to him. Memories of Saber, Illyasviel, and Kiritsugu playing across his mind like an old movie.
"A-after this funeral…I'll be accepting Zelretch's invitation to become his student…how about you?"
During the past seven years, Rin had proven herself to be one of the leading new magi on the block. Enough to gather the interest of the Master of the Second Magic, Zelretch. But news of his previous students reached her ears. Stories about the Clock Tower's best protegés reduced to insanity.
Yet she still wanted to go.
"I don't know." It was true. Shirou didn't plan for the future, he lived his life one step at a time. He had spent the past few years taking care of Sakura, and now that she was gone, he didn't know what to do.
"If you need any help…I'll be here. Zelretch's invitation can wait." Rin assured Shirou. She knew that he needed help now more than ever before. Running off to become a counter guardian for humanity would be the worst case scenario.
She didn't want him to turn into someone like Archer. Nobody deserved to reach such a fate.
Morning peeked through the bedroom curtains, shining on Shirou and waking him from his slumber. The dream, once again wiped from his mind.
Eyes fluttering from exhaustion and sunlight, they beheld a different ceiling from the usual red pine boards that he had come to associate with the orphanage.
A snore sounded to his side, coming from the sleeping form of Taiga, curled up on a futon some distance away from him. She looked haggard, it seemed as if she hadn't slept in days.
The door slid open and a man walked in carrying a tray of fruit and porridge. Steam wafted from the hot meal, giving Shirou a clue that it had been cooked recently.
His empty stomach grumbled and Shirou tried to rise from the futon, only for crippling pain to erupt from within his body. He cried out as he fell back on the soft padding below him.
The noise abruptly woke Taiga. Her eyes jerked open, looking at Shirou breathing heavily from his injuries. Then she rushed over to him, tears beginning to burst from her eyes.
"Please don't move Shirou! Just rest, I'll feed you breakfast!"
Shirou understood why Taiga was urgently telling him to relax. His body was swimming in pain and he could barely endure it at all.
The man hurriedly placed the tray of food on the side and knelt next to Shirou. His hands glowed green as he hovered them over the wounds. Shirou exhaled heavily as the pain subsided by a small amount.
A healer? The village didn't have a healer as far as he remembered, and why was he being treated?
Then the memories crashed upon him. Ignoring the pain, he jerked forward and grabbed Taiga's hands in panic. "Sakura! Where is she?! Did you catch them?!"
Taiga sniffled. She shook her head silently while nudging him back down. "We couldn't find her…we asked the other villages but the kidnappers just kept travelling at full speed. We didn't have enough horses to chase them down." Taiga tearfully whispered.
Overwhelmed from pain, realization, and exhaustion, Shirou fainted.
The next time he awoke, it was afternoon.
Taiga was gone, same for the healer that brought breakfast that morning. At least they had left behind a small tray of snacks beside him should he feel hungry.
But hunger was the least of his problems. Shirou remembered Taiga's words from earlier. Sakura had been kidnapped, and they couldn't chase after her.
The events replayed in his mind. The assailants used a spell to avoid being seen until they ambushed the both of them. To think magic was capable of such feats…Shirou couldn't believe that they would go so far to kidnap Sakura. Even the Fujimura trackers didn't know and the abductors managed to avoid them.
At the same time, Shirou wondered about himself. He had used magic, and it gave him a chance to save Sakura. But he was too weak, too inexperienced, to protect her.
Shirou gritted his teeth in despair. He was too weak, and now…Sakura was gone. His best friend, lost and alone, somewhere out in the wide world. All because he couldn't use magic properly.
The words of the mage back during appraisal returned to his mind. "You mana pathways number at 27…half of what everyone else has…"
Not only was he weak in magic…but weaker than even the average person. Tears pooled at the edges of his eyes. Shirou silently cried himself to sleep, his mind plagued by his lack of ability.
Shirou underestimated how critical his injuries were. Even with magic, the following month was spent in recovery. While he was allowed to start moving around after the second week, Taiga forbade him from doing any chores for an entire month.
Shirou could only watch in horror as he was pulled away by Taiga from the kitchen.
Truly, it was the worst punishment he had received in life.
But on the other hand, Shirou had lots of time to think to himself. He remembered seeing a different Sakura. Older, but the way she spoke screamed at him that it was the same girl.
He didn't recognize the place, or the memory. But Shirou never stopped crying whenever he tried to remember. Late at night and alone, he would recall the memory of seeing Sakura's peaceful passing.
It scared him. Night after night, he would be plagued with the horrible reenactments of Sakura being kidnapped. Or worse, a replay of that peaceful afternoon before her passing.
Shirou would wake up either screaming or crying. Followed by Taiga bursting into the room, trying to comfort him.
At the month's end, the healer had announced that Shirou was allowed to go.
Shirou sat on a chair. Taiga stood across from him, waiting for the healer to announce his condition.
"Everything seems fine now. I don't see how I could continue to heal him." The healer stood and faced Taiga while stating his findings.
"What do you mean exactly? Is he perfectly healed?" Taiga questioned hopefully
"Not exactly, he's still healing. Except that I cannot continue assisting him. The rest will be continued by his body."
Shirou looked confused. Wasn't magic capable of doing everything? So far magic had done what he previously thought impossible.
The strange ability of the kidnappers to disappear from plain sight, the enhanced strength of his body, and the miraculous healing skill that he had undergone…all of it was magic right?
"Let me explain, Shirou's body has recovered enough that his mana is actively fighting my healing mana each time I try to push it into him. All bodies naturally try to purge any energies that don't belong to them. Since my mana is an exterior source, his body will try to push my mana out."
Shirou didn't understand the explanation, but Taiga surely did. "Shirou, he means that you are healthy enough to recover alone."
Shirou turned to the healer, who nodded in agreement at Taiga's words. "You are allowed to go outside now, even cook and do chores…as long as you don't overdo it, you should be fine."
That was the best news Shirou had heard all month long.
The gates of the clan compound opened. To Shirou, it was akin to achieving freedom, finally released from the month-long recovery. But at the same time, it was a new world for him.
A world without Sakura.
The walk back to the orphanage was a silent affair. Some villagers came to greet Shirou and congratulate him on his recovery. Shirou smiled at them, but Taiga knew it was a facade to keep the villagers happy. Taiga kept looking at Shirou, wanting to comfort him. She had seen him break down in the night, how many more times would it happen?
When they arrived at the orphanage, Shirou smiled slightly. It may have been one month, but it had felt like a lifetime since. The place felt familiar, but the memories of Sakura ached in his heart. This used to be their home. Now, it was only his.
"Shirou…why don't you take a bath inside? I'll cook dinner tonight." Taiga offered. She really didn't want Shirou to start on the chores on his first day back.
"I want to cook Taiga…at least it helps keep my mind busy…" That was the main reason Shirou suffered during his stay at the Fujimura clan compound. He was banned from doing anything to distract his mind from Sakura, and it showed. His eyes were always puffy from crying, his mouth always locked in a sad expression.
"Fine, but only if you promise not to do any other chores afterwards." Taiga relented. At least this way, she could strike an agreement to keep him from working too much.
Shirou sat on the roof, his red longbow sitting on his lap. This had become his favourite place to come to when he pondered about his problems.
Back when he discovered his unusual skill with the bow, he would climb to this spot and spend hours observing the weapon.
Why does wielding a bow feel so natural? Was the question he asked a long time ago. He had long since accepted that it would be a mystery he would never find the answer to.
Now, he was back in the same position. This time, trying to find an answer for the memory in his mind.
Many questions floated about the memory that appeared one month ago.
Why did he remember a different Sakura? What happened for her to die? What was that place he saw and why did it feel so familiar? Confusion ran rampant within his mind.
Shirou stared at the pale moon floating in the sky. The same peaceful scenery, just like everything else the past week had been. More people came to cheer Shirou up, but it only made him feel worse.
Each greeting, a reminder that Sakura was gone.
But everything else around him remained the same. The same routine, the same village, as if the world was content to move on without her.
This...was not his world. He would suffer here.
It felt flat…like a picture he was looking at from a distance. Nothing felt real, everything seemed to be a facade. To him, everything had changed and nothing felt the same.
It made sense. If life was like a painting, losing Sakura felt the equivalent of losing a color. Except his life had been the countryside, then Sakura had been the color green that brought life to it. While other hues remained, it wasn't enough to save the painting.
Now everything was marred in grays. Even Taiga, who represented the blue of the sky in his painting of life, had slightly deteriorated from Sakura's disappearance.
Shirou's thoughts wandered to the beginning. That day when the caravan appraised the magical capabilities of the children.
Would everything remained the same had they not been appraised? The mages wouldn't discover Sakura's potential. They would simply pack up and leave, and the village would return to its humble country life. Sakura would still be here, cooking with him and Taiga.
All because of magic.
Shirou tightened a fist. The anger and sadness he felt, it all came from magic. The strength he felt back then, and the spell those mages used. They had all been connected to magic.
Magic was supposed to make the impossible a possibility. It didn't make any sense but it somehow worked. Shirou's lack of knowledge trying to find a reason.
Would it be possible? He might be weaker than everyone else, but he could still use mana. If he managed to learn about magic. Could he find her?
…find her?
The thought repeated itself in his mind.
Magic. It was all about magic. If there was a way, then magic would give him a chance to find her.
Highly improbable, but there was a chance.
Shirou's eyes widened in realization. The heavy feeling was pushed back, in its place, a spark of hope bloomed. It was like a candle light had appeared in the dark. Invisible hands reached out to cup the little flame of hope. They held it desperately, like a lifeline.
Then it clicked. He needed to get stronger, strong enough to travel the world, to find her.
Shirou slowly stood on the roof, staring into the distance. The sky was beginning to light up from the darkness, changing from black to purple as the sun crept closer to the horizon.
It was like a reflection of his mind. Slowly crawling from the darkness of despair, clinging on to the tiny spark of hope it found.
Shirou made a promise to the approaching dawn. He would find Sakura, or die trying.
Shirou sat on the porch, staring up into the night sky. The stars brightly adorning the massive expanse of the sky above.
Just a few hours ago, Saber had been stolen away by Caster. The Command Seals on Shirou's hand disappeared along with her. Which meant that he lost his status as her Master.
It was a pretty big blow to him. Saber had become akin to a close friend to him during the short span of time they had fought together.
The door opened behind him, followed by a few soft steps. Shirou looked to his left as Rider sat on the other side of the porch.
For a long time, the both of them kept to themselves. Silently watching the night go by.
Then Rider asked a question. "What do you plan to do now?" She was obviously asking about his decision. He was no longer a Master. It was safe for him to escape the war now that he was no longer an official participant.
"Save her."
Then for the first time, Shirou glimpsed Rider smiling. It was beautiful, yet sad. What kind of life did Rider have to live for such sadness?
"When everything is against you…look to your loved ones…and never give up. Don't make the same mistake I did."
Rider believed that she didn't fight hard enough. That was why she carried a sin that lasted her entire life. One that still remained even after death.
She would never have the strength to face her sisters should she meet them in the afterlife.
Then Rider spoke no more.
Shirou looked back to the sky. Rider's words weighing heavily on his mind.
To him, the sky appeared brighter than it did a few minutes ago. Inside him, a piece of hope remained.
Hope to save Saber.
Author's Note:
Ladies and Gentlemen…we've officially reached the start of Shirou in Another World.
What a shitty name. I'll try to fix that later.