Chapter 6: Reincarnation

"Fine then. Let's make some swords."


"Oh, what a surprise! You missed us already, Dragonfly Cutter?"

"So you have followed us to start a fight, even without your Master?" Rin instinctively took her battle stance, with her finger pointed at Lancer, preparing to shoot Gandr without restraints. Shirou did not look happy about her readiness to attack, though. They'd just crossed the gate to the residence, so there was still risk of damaging the house. "Or maybe she was the one who sent you?"

"I don't think Lancer came here looking for a fight, Miss Tohsaka," Saber said, totally relaxed. He and Tsurumaru materialized behind their Masters' backs, but rather to participate in the chatter, not because they were expecting an attack.

"Ah, forgive me the intrusion, there's just... Something was calling me to this place." Tonbokiri looked at Shirou with a mixture of bewilderment and warmness. "Now I know, what it was."

Rin glanced at Emiya, but he seemed as surprised and oblivious as her. Mikazuki knew something, for sure, just had no intention of sharing his knowledge for whatever reason, smirking old bastard. And Tsurumaru just kept observing everything with his usual curiosity, as if it was just a movie or another similar source of amusement. Rin could bet he would bring the popcorn, if he only could.

"Having such talented yet misunderstood ancestor must be a heavy burden." Tonbokiri smiled, and it was a gentle, almost caring expression. "But if your mind is as sharp as your blades can be, you will be fine. Ah, you can still..."

Lancer stopped suddenly and shook his head. Whatever was truly on his mind, remained unspoken.

"Forgive me, I did not want to impose." He reached out his hand to Shirou. "And I would like to ask you to not get involved into my affairs either. Anyway, I wish you good luck in whatever your plans may be, young Master."

Emiya had no idea, what the Sword Warrior was talking about, but accepted his kind words without hesitation. He could recognize an honorable and trustworthy warrior, if he saw one.

"Same to you, Lancer."

With the firm handshake, a strange impulse, like a jolt of electricity, flashed through Shirou's nerves. No, not nerves, the boy realized, rather magic circuits. Although he barely ever used them, they still reacted to Tonbokiri with a strange feeling of... nostalgia? For a brief moment, Shirou could tell how this magnificent spear had been made, knew every detail about its blade, from structure to exact time and materials consumed while forging it. It felt like a memory, that belonged to someone's else.

Body made of steel, fire in the blood.

Lancer either did not notice those struggles or just chose to ignore them. He bid them all farewell, nodding politely.

"My loyalty, my destiny... I put everything at the tip of my spear," he whispered, more to himself than anyone else, then slowly walked away towards the eastern part of the city.

"Oh-ho, that sounded like a beginning of some good piece of death poetry," Mikazuki said, when Lancer was far enough to not feel interrupted or insulted. "I would not expect it from someone like him."

"Naaah, I would say he looks like someone, who likes flowers and sweets, but thinks it doesn't suit him," Tsurumaru commented with a smile.

But Shirou only narrowed his eyes, thinking. Did it mean that Tonbokiri expected he would not survive his next fight? Was the spearman's opponent this powerful? Could it be...?

"Death poetry?" Rin seemed genuinly curious about it. "Never heard about it."

"Warriors of old used to write a poem before going to battle." Shirou did not expect such ignorance from Rin, of all people. "And they say that you are the perfect student, Tohsaka..."

The girl's face color turned to hot, angry red, when she stepped back with an utterly offended expression.

"I was learning much more important things, you know? How do you think I became this skilled in magic?! By reading poetry?"

"Shouldn't we follow him?" Tsurumaru interrupted her rants, totally unimpressed. He looked at Lancer for the last time. The muscular warrior was already far enough to remind only a vanishing point in the dark.

"He made himself clear that he will fight us, if we do." Rin crossed her arms. "Don't worry, I sent a familiar after him. We will know, if something important happens."

Rider only nodded, not able to hide a smile at the mention of his Master's familiars. Tohsaka for many years used jewel birds as her spies and messengers, but now they resembled cranes more than any other species. Even if she only subconsciously shaped them like that, her Servant felt flattered.

"We need to go, Master." Mikazuki reminded them of the most important task for tonight.

Shirou could only agree with him. There was no more time to waste. If Caster was, indeed, masterless, who knew how long he could keep his material form.


Tonbokiri knew he'd been expected, even before he entered the church. Berserker was standing not so far from the door, in a relaxed pose, with his arms crossed. Only his red eyes were shining in the moonlight, like those of a wild beast, observing the intruder with curiosity and a dose of sadness.

"I can understand you don't like all those legends about you," Lancer said, approaching the other Servant in slow but firm steps. He still tried to talk it over, it seemed. "But an attempt to change the past, history or legend, is the exact opposite of what we, Touken Danshi, should do."

"I don't care about the past, it's just a story. An error that needs to be fixed for the sake of the future."

"But that story continues, whether you like it or not. You will see it with your own eyes." Lancer shook his head, like if he tried to convince himself about it. "You have no right to interfere. Humans are to create their future, not us."

"Humans made me what I am. They wanted a monster, so they will get one." Berserker narrowed his eyes, thinking, then asked suddenly: "And you? Why are you participating in this war, Tonbokiri? What are you fighting for?"

Lancer sighed. He was a warrior, not a speech-maker; talking some sense into this stubborn fool seemed beyond his abilities so far. Yet he needed to try, although putting his feelings into words turned out to be much harder than he had expected.

"A wish of a human gave me life, so now, in return, I can shape my own legend by battling honorably for my Master."

Muramasa snorted openly at such silly, childish beliefs. They did not suit an experienced individual like Tonbokiri. How could he trust a mere mortal woman this much?

"No matter how honorably you try to act, people will say what they want in the end and blame you – a simple tool – for their failures. You will forever be a prisoner of their stories, because you can't even exist without them." Bitterness in his voice gradually changed into anger. Suddenly, Berserker unsheathed his blade, already purple from the awakened demonic powers. "Besides, Grail Wars are not honorable. I'll show you."

"Can you act civilized for a moment longer and move outside?" - said Kotomine, who looked like he had just emerged from the shadows twirling around Berserker, not concerned or frightened at all, with his hands clasped behind his back and an utterly bored expression. "You can duel there freely without the risk of demolishing the building."

Surprisingly, both Servants listened to his kind advice and just left the church together. Kirei smiled faintly behind their backs. It seemed that a sword, even possessed or with a body and mind of a mortal, remained just a tool, that needed a human to give it purpose and order it around...

The false priest was about to return to his room - although curious about the upcoming duel, he'd already seen too much destruction surrounding Berserker to just recklessly hang around during a fight - but a flash of steel appeared dangerously close to his neck. Assassin's attack was so fast and precise, that Kotomine couldn't really tell, from where it was coming. Had the small Servant kept observing his target from the bars under the ceiling or had just emerged from under the pews?

"Oh? You're stronger than the last one," Kotomine said with sincere admiration in his voice. He used up two Command Seals to defend himself from Assassin's sneaky blow. Even now only a barrier of pure magical energy around his strengthened arms separated him from certain death. "If you were a bit longer than a mere tantou, you would make a fine warrior."

"If anyone comments on my size again, I swear..." Yagen twirled several times in the air, like an angry tornado, gaining speed and strength, then fell at the false priest from above. Blocked and pushed back, he bounced off the nearest column and attacked again, like a flash of cold steel. And again, from another angle. And again, this time spilling his victim's blood.

Yagen smirked under his nose, already sure that breaking through Kotomine's desperate defence was only a matter of time. Even a trained Executor could not block him like this for long.

Kirei knew it as well, so he did the only right thing at the moment - ran away.

Rushing through the narrow space between the rows of benches, Kotomine called his Servant for help, but was spectacularly ignored. He smiled bitterly to himself. So it was not a sword anymore. By combining the power and unpredictability of a Berserker with battle potential and magic resistance of a Saber, Tokiomi, indeed, created a monster that couldn't be controlled.

A blinding, purple light filled the chapel. So Noble Phantasms had been in use? The fight was serious then, as expected from two blades of the Muramasa 'family'.

Having no time for complaints and distracting thoughts, Kotomine just kept running, hoping that Berserker won't be fooling around for too long.


Even Shirou could feel the protective barrier raised at the entrance to the Ryuudou Temple tonight - or rather the exact moment, when it disappeared, inviting their little group inside.

"Welcome to these sacred grounds, young Master Swordsmith," said Caster, who was sitting near the entrance, with his eyes closed and long hair covering his back like a silk veil. "Forgive me for not greeting you properly, but I would rather conserve as much energy as I still can. Can you, please, come closer?"

Emiya hesitated, but only for a second. The Sword Warrior did not look dangerous at all, in bloodstained clothes and with streams of magical energy, that formed his Servant body, steaming slowly into the air. Shirou nodded and did what Caster had asked for. Mikazuki followed his Master like an elegant shadow, just in case.

"Thank you for answering my calls." Caster smiled, rejoiced by Emiya's very presence for some unknown reason. "Please, accept this blade as a token of trust."

With those words, he gifted to Shirou his sword, his only weapon and source of power. Actually, for a Touken Danshi it was much more than that. He'd just gave Emiya his Servant core.

"The rosary... Juzumaru Tsunetsugu?" The boy's fingers ran carefully over the silver surface of the simple, fine tachi. Just by touching it, he could catch a glimpse of the blade's true power... or at least he felt like this. "You are the sword that belonged to Nichiren?"

It wasn't truly a question. Mikazuki smiled, again proud of his Master. Tsurumaru reacted with even wider smirk, amused, how useful Shirou's unusual hobby turned out to be during this Grail War.

"My, my, so we have three among Five Greatest Swords under Heaven in this war!" - he said, crossing his arms. "Now I'm even more motivated to win."

"Good to know you were motivated in the first place," Rin mocked, rolling her eyes.

Caster, too, reacted to Emiya's words with a gentle, quite charming expression.

"How strange for a Buddhist to carry a sword, isn't it? I was wondering about it as well. For my master I was merely a symbol of destroying of inquinity and establishing righteousness. Thanks to humans, even a mere piece of metal can become a symbol of something great. But you understand that well enough, young Master Swordsmith."

"Why do you keep calling me like that?" Not only him, Shirou realized. Why almost every Sword Warrior he met so far insisted on speaking in riddles? "And thank you for such precious gift... but I'm not sure I can accept it. Do you want me to become your Master?"

"No. As I said, it's a token of trust."

"How did I deserve such honor?"

"You will, soon enough."

"How do you know?"

"Best among Casters use various versions of Clairvoyance skill," Rin explained. Her eyes of a powerful mage were carefully examining the Servant since the moment their team had crossed the temple gate. "Just like Archers, they can see much more than other classes. Some of them possess even limited future sight."

"Thank you for this clarification, Miss Tohsaka. I would have problems, trying to explain it myself. Modern magecraft is... not very appealing to me." A shadow of undefined worry crossed his ideal face. "Now, answering the first question... There's someone, who may help you, Master of Saber. For every task, even the smallest one, time is needed to achieve perfection on the way to enlightenment. Sadly, time is the only thing you don't have."

Shirou took a deep breath. He was a rather patient, accepting person, yet Caster's unique way of speaking started to be too confusing to bear with it any longer. Emiya suspected, that, just like Saber, Juzumaru had simply become weird with passing years. It couldn't be helped, in case of creatures connected this much with humans, right?

"What task do you have in mind?" - he asked politely, handling the received sword to Mikazuki. If there was a work to do, he would rather face it prepared and with his hands free.

"To forge a blade, young Master Swordsmith," Caster replied simply this time. "None of the magnificent swords gathered here is powerful enough to defeat the enemy you're about to face. Even if you decide to work together, the chances of victory are slim."

"The enemy... you mean that rogue Servant from the previous Grail War?"

Tohsaka almost shivered at the mention of Berserker, visibly worried. She probably felt responsible, at least partially, for the mess her father had started.

"That Servant was an abomination from the beginning," Mikazuki spoke up suddenly, strangely serious and tensed. If he wasn't holding the other tachi, he would probably instinctively reach for the hilt of his own weapon. Who would have thought that memories of his last defeat were still so fresh? It made everyone wonder, what had exactly happened years ago. "So this is what I was afraid of... And he'll come to us, whether you like it or not, Master."

"Words of wisdom, Saber." Juzumaru was speaking fast, in a strange trance, like if he was trying to keep up with a stream of images or thoughts. Maybe he was experiencing a prophetic vision right now. "To prevent great evil from happening, a new blade must be forged, for creation and destruction are the two sides of the same force. It's only natural for an heir to continue his ancestor's work. But there's no time left to learn, so we must call for the legend itself. The one, who had started this story, will show the young Master how to end it."

"Ancestor?" Shirou frowned, not sure, if he understood. Had Caster just claimed that he was a distant relative of some legendary swordsmith? "But who? And how? You mean, like a ghost or something?"

"Wait. You want to summon a Heroic Spirit, so he could possess this guy over here?" When Juzumaru did not deny it, Rin's jaw literally dropped. "No. No, no, no, no! Forget about it! I won't allow this madness. It will kill Shirou."

"Not necessarily, Miss Tohsaka." Caster smiled, back to his usual self, like a celestial being that knows much more than mortals and remains unimpressed by their fears or struggles. "Our young Master Swordsmith is highly compatible with this particular spirit. And my most powerful Noble Phantasm is... unusual. The amount of magical energy I'm about to give the young Master should be enough to manage a Servant for a limited time."

"Transferring magical energy in your current state? Sounds like suicide to me," Tsurumaru interrupted, not as cheerful as usual.

"This artificial body is vanishing anyway. Such a meaningless occurrence in the endless cycle of reincarnations... yet it still can help with establishing righteousness." There was something different, a kind of fiery determination, in Juzumaru's voice, when he added: "When the time comes, I will gladly answer the call of the true Saniwa. But this decision is not really mine to make. What say you, young Master?"

Shirou was looking at Caster for a while, deep in thoughts. He wanted to be useful, to wield a weapon that could help others, just like Kiritsugu wished him to become. Mikazuki, too, had answered Emiya's call, when the boy desired a powerful sword. If this was really his path, his future...

Body made of steel, fire in the blood.

Still, he asked his important companion and helper for advice first. How could he not? Saber had the most to lose in case of Shirou's failure.

"Mikazuki?"

"I will respect my Master's choice, like a Servant should," Saber replied simply and so casually, like if he was choosing sweets to the afternoon tea, not discussing their uncertain future. Emiya was grateful for such heartwarming display of trust.

"Fine then. Let's make some swords."

"Are you sure you can handle it?" - Rin asked, clenching her fists. She did not try to stop him, rather to make sure that Shirou did not plan to just recklessly throw his life away.

"Not really." Emiya nervously rubbed his chin, in a failed attempt to hide embarrassment. He had not yet gotten used to the thought that Rin could be worried about him. "But it's something that must be done. And I won't ever know, if I don't try. Right, Tohsaka?"


To reduce the distance while fighting a spearman, the swordsman must step forward, when he parries. It's always a risk, though, but Muramasa took it with a wild, insane smile. He was boldly pushing forward, performing wide slashes with every step, like if nothing could realy hurt him.

Tonbokiri did not intend to step back either. Clothes were burning on him, consumed by dark, demonic fires the other Sword Warrior was scattering around with every attack, but he ignored it completely. Just like he had said before, all his power, focus and determination, his entire being, was placed at the tip of the spear.

Berseker answered in kind, repelling Lancer's blunt force with his own, not less impressive. Parry, slash, parry, slash, methodical and effecive, as expected from a Muramasa blade, that believes in its own sharpness.

It was not a battle of speed or technique, although both warriors lacked none. It was a clash of strength and resolve.

This was Bazett's first thought, when she arrived to the church, panting after a long run. The noise of their violent fight reached even to the main road. From afar it looked like the grounds around the church were burning.

"Huhuhuhuhu, aren't you worried about your Master?" - Muramasa teased, answering the thrusts of the spear with waves of shadow and flame. "I hope she's wise enough to not come any closer or she may get hurt. I'm easily gotten carried away, when undressed, you know? Huhuhuhuhu..."

"Shut up and get sliced in half!" Although it seemed impossible, Tonbokiri attacked with even more force and fervour than before. His entire silhouette emitted warm, purple light, in contrast to Berserker's cold, demonic one. Lancer's bursting flames symbolized the wish to protect someone, not an impartial, destroying energy, that cared not for what it was cutting to pieces.

If Lancer was holding back before for whatever reason, he clearly became serious now, as if his Master's very presence filled him with additional strength. He jumped high, readying his Noble Phantasm. Such frightening force, falling at the enemy from above, was simply unstoppable.

"I am one of the Three Great Spears, Tonbokiri! If I can touch it, I definitely can cut it!"

Bazett needed to protect herself with runes from the shock wave, that carried scraps of the stone path and other, undefined rubble. Tonbokiri's attack was so strong it caused the nearest tree to collapse and left a steaming hole in the ground.

But Berserker was still standing, smirking as usual, covered in a thick veil of moving shadows.

"You..." The barrier vanished soon with a weird, painful hissing. So it was made of the souls of corrupted swords? At least some of them had been put out of their misery then. "I will not fall to your fiendish tricks."

Indeed, even blinded by outblasts of energy from Berserker's Noble Phantasm and surrounded by shadows, Lancer still managed to parry the last blow, that should have been fatal.

"Hm." Muramasa wasn't smiling anymore; a genuine admiration ringed in his voice. He stepped back, for the first time since the beggining of their duel, with his knees bent so much Bazett could hear the screeching of his long, leather boots. She even started to believe that there was still a chance to win this fight...

Another splash of violet energy, so blinding and overwhelming, that Tonbokiri's Master stopped breathing for a moment.

What's happened? She failed to notice any movement, but Berserker was suddenly close to Lancer again, his sword rubbing against the spear shaft with an unpleasant sound. How could he change position this fast? Was it some kind of a demonic trick? Or the rogue Servant had been just fooling around, not showing his full power until now?

There was a burst of light and a ringing sound of something being cut through. It felt like if another, completely different, yet equally strong Noble Phantasm had been unleashed.

Impossible! How this Servant could change all his abilities and special attacks in a blink? - Bazett wondered. Almost as if Muramasa had just switched from Berserker to Saber on a whim!

The spear broke in two. At the same moment, a bloody line appeared on Tonbokiri's chest, crossing his body, from the armpit to the opposite hip. The tall Lancer reached out his hand, looking like a damaged tower a second before a fall...

"I'm not done yet!" - he cried out, grasping the part with the blade and charging forward with the last bits of strength that left in him.

He did not reach the target. The fine uchigatana pierced through his heart and core, accurately and smoothly, as expected of this particular blade.

"See? We cannot really escape our own legends. And even if we try to create new ones, they all look the same. So boring. So repetitive." Berserker withdrew the sword, spilling blood, and let the defeated Lancer lean on his shoulder. "The only way to break this cycle is to cut your way through it."

"Stop it. I know you've been constantly misunderstood, but… the path of hatred… leads…"

"You know nothing, my silly Brother. I cannot turn back anymore. It's far too late for that."

Lancer smiled, then slowly closed his eyes.

"It's never too l..."

And he dissolved into golden dust and rain of cherry petals. Only the broken spear hit the floor where he stood.

Berserker shook the non-existent blood off his blade, then sheathed it with a wide, a bit too melodramatic movement. His glowing eyes focused on Bazett for a while, when he slowly turned around.

"For the respect for my naïve little Brother I will let you go," he said in that creepy voice, this time colored with sadness. "Go away before I change my mind."

"I won't let you corrupt him and turn into a shadow monster," Bazett replied, taking few steps forward. Despite the fact of being now, nearly defenseless, within the range of Berserker's deadly blade, she leaned down to reclaim Lancer's material core.

So fearless, so straightforward, Muramasa thought. A tiny smile danced on his lips, like a wayward shadow. Now I see why Tonbokiri became so fond of her. But it seems there's another pressing matter...

Bazett curiously tilted her head, watching how a Command Seal transported the rogue Servant somewhere. The not so distant sounds of a fight, of steel hitting some solid surface, told her, where exactly.

She stood there for a moment, pressing both parts of the broken spear tightly to her chest. Luckily, the blade wasn't damaged, just scratched, so the priceless weapon could be fixed. Still...

She felt guilty for a second, for not using her Command Spells, when there was still time to do so, but shook off such thoughts eventually. Lancer would never forgive her, if she had intervened.

Tonbokiri's attempt to stop his insane kin was, indeed, stupid. But also charmingly heroic and somewhat beautiful, at least for her.

Bazett stared blankly ahead, at the figure standing near the entrance to the church. The face of a woman was calm, her hands folded in prayer. It looked so weird in contrast to the mess around, of fire and destruction, holes in the ground and scattered fragments of stones.

"What should I do now?"

Following Berserker was like asking to be killed. As an experienced warrior, she knew already that she would never defeat this fiend in a one-on-one battle. Fragarach, an ace in her sleeve, remained nearly useless, if an opponent was holding back their ultimate attack against its wielder. And, from what she'd just witnessed, there was no way she would ever force this rogue Servant to treat her seriously.

A bitter pill to swallow, it was, to be reminded of your own weakness. If Bazett really intended to finish what Tonbokiri had started, she needed allies, at least as powerful - or crazy stubborn - as him.

And she supposed she knew, where to look for them.


"You were not in too much of a hurry," Kotomine commented, panting and sweating after a long, wild chase. He was bleeding from many wounds - truly, Yagen had almost got him.

Berseker's blade cut clean from behind, pierced through Assassin's spine and was now sticking through his ribcage. All had been done so effortlessly, as if the other Servant was made of paper.

"I knew this was going to be a troublesome night." Yagen smiled faintly, dropped the tantou to the floor and disappeared, like if he had never existed.

"Another one out," Muramasa said flatly, watching the vanishing mist that remained after Assassin. Even the blood of the defeated Sword Warrior turned into it, before melting with the cold air. "Caster is powerless outside the temple and will die anyway, so there's no need to be bothered about him anymore. Who's next, huh?"

"Master of Berserker is the Grail's vessel," Kotomine adviced in a tired voice, focused on treating the wounds Yagen managed to inflict, all dangerously close to important organs and veins.

The mad Servant tilted his head, thinking. A wild, purple light flickered in his eyes, when he sheathed his blade with a firm nod.

"Berserker it is, then." He smiled, thinking about the upcoming duel. He would gladly test another famous and powerful sword, who fitted into the same class as him. He defeated some of the Five Greatest Swords under Heaven before, so if there was another one to challenge... "It should be fun."


Rin covered her eyes from the blinding light, annoyed that she couldn't see the entire process. It was something closest to True Magic she could imagine.

Although Tohsaka did not understand the incantation or the details of the spell, she could keep up with the flow of magic. Words like summoning, spiritual possession and reincarnation crossed her mind, when she followed the intricately woven traces of energy in the air.

She blinked several times. Caster's body dissolved into small orbs of blue fire, that surrounded Shirou like a swarm of fireflies. For a moment they were gently touching his entire body, clothes and hair, flickered faintly, then vanished into the starry sky.

"How beautiful," Rin whispered, enchanted by this charming magical spectacle. Tsurumaru hummed something in agreement, enjoying this moment of his Master's happiness.

Emiya did not move, but was breathing steadily. Although Caster's aura was gone completely, even from the sword core, still held by Mikazuki like a treasure it was, Rin could sense the presence of another spiritual being.

How strange! So this is how the Servants of previous wars looked like? Not a wraith or ghost, not exactly a familiar, more like a shadow from the past. No, not a memory, rather a materialized wish or concept of a hero.

Well, technically, it was still Shirou, but...

The man himself stopped Rin's sudden brainstorm, slowly stretching up Emiya's body and looking around. A strange smirk appeared on his face, when he noticed Mikazuki and Tsurumaru. He smiled even wilder after taking a closer look at them, then said in a voice that certainly wasn't Shirou's:

"Oh-ho! These are some fine, sharp swords you have here!"


Yay, the new chapter is finally here (and it's a long one). Previous chapters have been fixed/polished a bit as well. It's nice to be back to this story, especially when we got a Touken Ranbu Warriors game this year.

Thank You for reading! Hope You enjoyed!