Well, the reaction to the prologue is likely as best as I could hope. Not that I am complaining, far from it I am thankful for everyone who decided to follow and favor this after one prologue. Thank you all.

Disclaimer: Typemoon owns everything. I just wrote this.


A snow storm raged outside like it always had. Not even a sign of her father could be seen. Illyasviel von Einzbern was starting to lose hope that he would come back to her. 'Perhaps grandfather was correct after all…'

He told her that her father had betrayed them. That he had abandoned her. That he had betrayed the family and her mother. At first she didn't want to believe it. Her papa loved her and her mama. He promised he would be back. Yet, he hadn't returned for her.

"Tomorrow we'll begin." An operation that the young girl was to take part in what her grandfather called it. With her defiance fading away the golem had figured it was time to begin preparing her for her role as the Lesser Grail. A role her parents had hoped wouldn't come to pass.

Far outside the castle walls and past much of the storm, at the very edge of the bounded field, two figures looked on. One Kiritsugu Emiya and the other the Dead Apostle that he had met. The one who was now looking at the field that had blocked him already. "Judging by the strength and the like it would have likely taken someone years to find a means to break it," The Dead Apostle turned to Kiritsugu. "Just what did the Einzberns have of yours I wonder?"

Kiritsugu didn't reply immediately at all as he looked on in the direction of where the Einzbern Castle would be. His mind recalling the events that lead to this. All of it centered around one boy who he had adopted. The boy the Dead Apostle was looking for and with confirmation of his safety revealed that he was owed a debt. 'What have I gotten myself into?'

In six months since he had left the castle he had lost his wife to a lie, accidentally destroyed and killed so many innocents, adopted a boy, who turned out to be one those things, and failed to get to see his daughter who was likely to suffer a similar fate to her mother the longer he failed to retrieve her. To top it all off the curse that he was given was starting to put him on edge as it literally had begun to eat away at his abilities.

'Here I am entrusting the future of my family to something that has only taken from me,' whether it was irony or a sign of declining mental health he couldn't say. Whatever the reason he was now trapped within this and he might as well see if anything good could come out of it. "Do you think you can break it?"

"I can not," Kiritsugu sighed as he knew that this was likely to happen. He did have an idea of how to get past the field but the problem lay on if the Einzberns would be willing to open it. Furthermore, its getting Illya out of there that was an issue.

Not unless he had a distraction. Something to keep them busy while he got Illya out. Which is what he had hoped the Dead Apostle could create for him. "If the field is opened could you keep it open?"

"I can."

Kiritsugu walked to the case he had on hand and opened it. The only thing within it was a scabbard, the only thing that Kiritsugu had that they might want, and the only way back into the field. Truth is he had thought about getting Avalon out of Shirou after the first attempt had failed. However, given how his magic circuits had started to degrade he didn't want to risk it. Now that wasn't a problem thanks to recent events.

Though Kiritsugu hadn't really done much with the implications of Shirou not being fully human. He had become distant from the child as he couldn't not see past the fact that he was a Dead Apostle. The Ratonal part of his mind pointed out that he didn't know for six months and Shirou hadn't shown any signs of typical behavior of one. Hell, he knew that Church did employee Dead Apostles in one of their more radical orders, and there was talk about one who went out hunting his own kind. It wasn't a complete problem. Yet, each time he thought about it his mind returned to two points in his life.

"Just what is that?"

"The only thing I have that could get them to open the field for me."

The opportunity to get the King of Knights to be summoned a second time would likely be worth it to let him through. Assuming that the Einzberns would do so again. So far not a single of the three families had tried to summon the same servant though the obvious reason had to do with failure. Saber, Artoria Pendragon, had not failed and indeed she might have been able to beat Gilgamesh had circumstances been different. It was unlikely that the King of Heroes would be summoned again. If nothing else the scabbard had other uses for any mage family.

"So, how are you going to do this when the Einzberns open up the field?" Kiritsugu looked at the Dead Apostle for a second before looking over at him. There was an obvious plan that could be used.

The Magus Killer just needed confirmation of one thing. "How many did you bring with you?"


A pair of Einzbern Homunculi maids stood in the courtyard awaiting the guest. The term was used loosely as really he was only let in to return Avalon and nothing else. Illyasviel was to remain inside her room while this took place. On the off chance he decided to try anything patrols had been posted within the castle halls on high alert.

As it turned out it seemed that the Magus Killer wasn't trying any tricks. The gate to the courtyard was opened and the cloaked Magus Killer walked on in. Not a word was said as he stood in front of the two homunculi his hood over his downward cast head. "Avalon if you please."

He took a few steps closer to the two homunculi. No emotion was present as he did as the two of them just waited for the missing treasure to be given back and him to leave. A sudden surge of pain registered into their minds from something having cut into their stomachs. "You know," An unfamiliar voice spoke as red eyes met red eyes. "It's a good thing I am of a similar height and build to the Magus Killer."

The Dead Apostle with a swing of a pair of daggers slashed opened their throats as blood poured from both the torn necks and the gashes in their stomachs. Either these two were just born yesterday, likely given how homunculi were made, or the Einzberns were actually that full of themselves that deception hadn't registered as a possibility to them. Either way it didn't matter as the foolishness was a boon.

Licking the blood off his blades a hint of surprise was evident under the hood. "It tastes just like the real thing."

Coming into the courtyard under the cover of the snowstorm The Dead, and a few beast familiars, raced forward at the mental order of their leader. The doorway into the castle was torn apart as the small horde raced through the halls. To say that Einzbern Castle was caught off guard was an understatement. Immediately all patrols were commanded to stop the horde of the dead.

Watching as one of the homunculus maids fell before the teeth and claws was a sight. Screams left the homunculus mouth as teeth bit into her skin and claws ripped into clothes and her flesh. With her struggles ceasing the dead left the body which remained on the ground for a few moments. Finally it started raising back up, joining the dead in the attack.

"I guess the rumors about Einzbern Homunculi being almost identical human are true," A devious smile formed as an idea of taking the secrets of this family formed. To say that having the means of creating a stable food supply was a dream for most of his kind was an understatement. 'Thinking too far ahead there is already a reward to be gained after all.'

A swing of a helbert came through several of the dead. The splatter of guts falling to the ground as bodies fell. Guts hung out some falling through as a more battle ready homunculus maid curved into her fallen brethren. Not a look of emotion from the death or rather return to death. "Not even a care of familiarity the Einzberns really do make you heartless."

Taunting the albino had no visible effect. Instead the response was to attempt to slice at the Dead Apostle. He dodged to the side and attempted to slash at the homunculus with his daggers raised only to be blocked by the staff of the weapon knocking into his chest and pushing him back. A few words were spoken under breath and with those commands a leopard raced up from behind the Dead Apostle. The beast long enchanted by its master's magecraft to serve raced forward to attack. Mouth open baring the beasts canines it jumped, eyes fixated at the homunculi's neck. Immediately, its jump to strike was met with a block by the homunculus who knocked the beast down attempting to cut it apart.

Using the connection a surge of enforcement was cast on the impact area to help the beast survive the cut as the blade on the weapon came down. Out the corner of the homunculus eyes a hand reached out and grabbed the handle of the helbert. "You have power but seem to lack proper skill…"

He immediately let go as another helbert pierced through him from behind coming out of the chest. Any normal human would call such a wound life threatening. Even some Magus would find it a detriment. For beings such as himself, however, it was just painful but not that big of a deal. 'This may take a while.'


Sneaking around the castle was something that Kiritsugu had to be careful of. Even with the distraction caused by the dead attacking, there was still the possibility of familiars overhead. Though it seemed that issue was being taken care of by the birds unleashed by the Dead Apostle. Regardless of whether or not they were a thing the moment the carnage began Kiritsugu was in and raced as he could to Illya's room.

After so long living here he had the layout edged into his mind. Memories of how the patrols moved within the walls came flooding to the front of his mind. With a sudden attack on the Castle, Jubstacheit would immediately try to pull whatever patrols existed to deal with the issue. 'Best case scenario I have about…'

Kiritsugu's thoughts were broken as he saw an Einzbern maid turn the corner. The albino stopped and turned around as out of the corner of her eye she registered something. A curse left Kiritsugu's lips as the maid turned around and saw him. "What are you…"

A gunshot sounded as Kiritsugu quickly removed the Thompson Contender and fired into the homunculi's head. Internally he yelled at himself for having to do so. The sound of a gun going off was echoing through the halls and it would likely alert any maids, familiars, or other sort within any of the rooms. Panic on what this would do with his rescue attempt did creep up in the back of his mind but Kiritsugu pushed it aside.

Up a flight of stairs and he was finally on the level which housed the wing that he and his family used to live on. A part of him wanted to see about getting his things but knew that they had most likely been destroyed. That probably included the store of the Origin Bullets he had. A chilling thought came over Kiritsugu as he knew that replicating them was probably something that the Einzberns could possibly be able to do. 'Hopefully he just had them destroyed.'

While some magi would see that as stupid or wasteful the golem was to far set on his objective. Upgrades needed for him to function beyond just managing the castle as the Einzberns head did well to make the golem appear human but Kiritsugu was able to know that at the core he would probably default to removing his things thanks to his perceived betrayal. A comforting thought that was what he told himself.

As he neared the last hallway he was stopped as standing there with the commonly wielded helbert in hand was one of the patrolling maids of the Einzbern Castle. Immediately Kiritsugu moved to take out his gun but Homunculus beat him to the attack, swinging the weapon at him. It was more a statement of skill and reflex that he was able to dodge as it was clear that the strike was added by reinforcement. 'I won't be able to dodge the next one without using Magecraft.'

Kiritsugu cursed his luck of all things. Using his circuits was extremely painful as he came to learn. They were decaying, likely a side effect of the curse, and the act of just using them made his whole body feel worse. But as he looked into the eyes of the homunculus he knew he wouldn't have much of a choice. Activating his circuits a surge of what was best understood as boiling water passed through his body, pain causing his very nerves to flare up as something within the circuits tore into his body as he reinforced himself.

Pushing back the pain was all he could do as he tried to get distance to do something about the maid in front of him. Dodging the next swing was all he could do as he reached into his pockets as he tried to pull out a flashbang hoping to use it as a means to disorient her. Before he could pull the pen the maid knocked it out of his hand cutting into his palm in the process.

Kiritsugu cursed as he knew he was going to have to do. Racing with a burst of reinforcement he reached into his pocket and tried to pull out the Thompson Contender and another round but the Homunculus was faster. The long staff of the weapon knocked into his side taking out the wind from him as she brought herself back in for another swing.

"Time Alter: Double Accel."

Under his breath Kiritsugu's body moved faster as he used this to roll out of the way. Immediately he felt his body shudder in recoil from the effects. Pulling out a combat knife he knew he had only one shot. Already he could feel his vision starting to graze over as if whatever he had let out from his circuits was getting too much. He hadn't even begun to fight and already his body was feeling over taxed.

Time seemed to slow down for Kiritsugu, and not because of what of his family crest he still had, but because of what he knew would happen if he failed. The weapon came down on his head as he reinforced the knife. At the right moment he used his crest again for just a second and trusted his body forward. He tackled down the Einzbern Homunculi and plunged the knife into her chest. He pushed with all his strength as the blade pieced into her heart. Using her fading strength the homunculus tried to claw into his face. Finally, as he had expected her to dig his eyes out, her arms went limp.

Kiritsugu looked at the downed homunculus who stared at him as life left her eyes. For the Magus Killer though the strain of using his family's crest and dying magic circuits was threatening to knock him unconscious. His blood boiled and his lungs felt like they had been on fire. The curse wasn't just making him weaker it was literally poisoning his magic circuits in such a way that merely using them was harmful.

At least he knew that whatever curse he was suffering from had spared it. Likely because it wasn't technically truly a part of him. Ignoring the feeling in his body he pulled his weapon out of the homunculus. 'Focus Illya's room is just to the left hallway.'

Getting back up he made his way down the hallway as he crushed his feelings to focus on his objective. The pain and numbness was pushed out of his focus. He didn't even react as he saw no guards in front of Illya's room. As much as he wanted to feel panic he couldn't. Kiritsugu needed to know if this was all for nothing or not. Opening the door he was greeted with the young homunculus girl that was his daughter staring back at him.

Silence filled the air for only a split second but to both people staring at each other it felt like an eternity. In many ways it had been for them both. A father who was desperate and the daughter who had almost given up on hope. "Papa…" Illya had tears in her eyes as she raced to him with a hug. "You came back!"

Kiritsugu returned the hug as he had a hard time thinking that this was actually happening. On some level he had accepted that there would be a possibility that Illya would never be saved. That he would never hold her. If it wasn't the bounded field, then it would be the curse that had begun to try to eat away at him. All his worries, all the nightmares that had been inflicted on him by his subconscious, and even his own self induced doubts were gone at this moment.

"Illya…" As much as he wanted this to last they had to move. The distraction was likely almost over and if they failed Kiritsuguknew the outcome. His own death was assured and Illya… an image flashed in his mind of what he had seen when the Einzberns had dealt with what they deemed as a failure of a Homunculus. "Let's go, I'm taking you away from this place."


A gasp of pain escaped the mouth of the Dead Apostle as he was pinned to the wall by the helbert sticking out of his chest. His arms and legs were soon restrained by wires of prana as the head of the Einzbern family, Jubstacheit von Einzbern glared at the creature. "The Einzberns haven't been attacked in almost two hundred years."

Under the hood the Dead Apostle gave a painful laugh as he knew just what Jubstacheit was talking about. Two hundred years ago the Einzberns had a falling out with one of their long time allies, the Ainsworths. After their failure of an attack the Ainsworths seemed to have secluded themselves from the rest of the Moonlit World. It was an event worth note if it wasn't soon drown out by the first Holy Grail War. "And it has happened again two hundred years later."

With but a nod another helbert was impaled into the Dead Apostle. This time just below the rib cage. The gesture held with it a silent demand. For the Apostle to know the position that it was in. "How is it that the Magus Killer was able to get you to go along with this?"

"A debt, of course," Jubstacheit found that a little surprising given the Magus Killer history. Through his contacts within the Clocktower it wasn't hard to find out what the Magus Killer father had done. Though perhaps the life of a mercenary he had earned a favor or something from the Dead Apostle.

"A debt is hardly a reason to throw ones life away."

A low chuckle came from the Dead Apostle at this. It seems that the head of one of the more well known, and in some cases feared, families in the Moonlit world was not wise enough to get that he wasn't doing this for his own ends. "I don't say I was the one to whom the debt is owed."

For a a split second Jubstacheit questioned what this creature meant and then it hit the golem. A cold look formed on his features as the golem glared at the pinned Dead Apostle. Somehow the Magus Killer was owed a debt to one of them. The third major faction that made up the Moonlit World. "How?"

Just then one of the remaining homunculus maids came running up to Jubstacheit. A panic look was on her face. "Sir, Lady Illyasviel is missing!"

Jubstacheit cursed the recent turn of events. It seemed that the Magus Killer had gotten everything in the end. In hindsight allowing him to return Avalon, which he didn't even do now that Jubstacheit realized, to them was a foolish mistake. "Send a search party immed-"

"You do that and this castle will be raised to the ground," A threat from the pinned Dead Apostle cut off the golems orders. Looking into the eyes of the pinned creature Jubstacheit saw a hardened glare. "He's under our protection, any move you make will be seen as an attack on us."

Unknown to anyone but the Dead Apostle this was more of a bluff. The orders he was given was to retrieve the boy after helping the Magus Killer with his task. With the boys location confirmed and a plan in place as soon as the dealing was done he would send word to an agent to get him. Unfortunately, it seemed that plan was dead as the only outcome right now was death followed by the boy staying with the Magus Killer. Jubstacheit looked into the eyes of the Dead Apostle for a moment trying to read if this was genuine.

"If that is the case then it does not matter."

A few minutes later Jubstacheit walked back into Illya's room looking around it with annoyance. Knowing the Magus Killer he would probably try to save his daughter from her destiny as the Lesser Grail. Given how little had been done to prepare her it wouldn't be hard if he had contact with the skills needed to ensure her continued existence. The list was admittedly small but if even one of them could do it then there was a chance of the girl being forever disconnected from the system. 'You think you stopped all our plans have you?'

The golem wasn't a fool. There was always a contingency plan on the off chance Illyasviel had died. Blood samples, hair, and even her baby teeth that had fallen out. It was just enough too, if the need arose, recreate a substitute. Such things were never undertaken but desperate times called for desperate measures. The Fifth Grail War after all was if his understanding of the system was to be believed, was going to happen in ten years. Without having Illyasviel prepared the whole system could break down as she was deemed the next Lesser Grail. With the system breaking down it was possible that the Third Magic would never be in reach.

'No, the Heavens Feel will happen and the Third Magic will be realized!'

Worst case of all they will have to risk it and get Illyasviel back. Perhaps call in a favor or two from an old associate if it got to that. As distasteful as it was he did have some degree of association with the court of the Dead Apostles if old reports were to be believed. Of course, the payment for such a favor would be something that the golem would loathe to deal with. 'That nest of worms must not become our only option.'


Kiritsugu found himself standing in front of the traditional Japanese mansion that he had been living in with his adopted son. A dark feeling loomed over the building even if the sun still hung in the sky even just briefly with the orange sunset. Walking into the house the air felt cold. The tv wasn't on, the smells of cooking weren't going on, and if possible everything felt too quiet. "Shirou?!"

No response was heard from the adopted boy. Kiritsugu checked on his son's room to find nothing. Walking into the yard he continued to see no sign of anything. "Taiga?!"

A lack of a response from the Yakuza boss' granddaughter caused a chill to form down Kiritsugu's spine. She had started coming over more and more, he suspected it was because of a crush she had for him, and got along well with Shirou. At this point he found it surprising that she wasn't over. Something in his gut told him something was off. "The only place left…"

The storehouse that had served as the place for Irisviel to rest during the Fourth Grail War. It was, if Kiritsugu was honest, a good place for a mahe to set up a workshop within the property if only barely. Yet, looking at it something malicious just rolled out if it. Walking to the storehouse slowly he opened the door.

A dark hum of the magic circle greeted him. It had been somehow rendered active again. It was now a deep red with bits of blood having obviously been burned into it. Taiga laid on it her eyes void of emotion or life. Bite Mark's were clear as day on her neck from the fangs of a vampire. Standing over her was Shirou who turned his head slowly to him. His red eyes almost glowed with an unnatural frenzy. From his mouth he could see the fangs. Immediately as he turned to him Shirou lunged and knocked him to the ground. Kiritsugu felt the fangs bite into him.

His eyes opened as the sudden shock from the nightmare woke the former Magus Killer. Kiritsugu took a moment to adjust to his surroundings as the sudden dream still lingered. He was on a passenger jet heading back to Japan with the orange sunrise being seen out the window. Sleeping next to him was Illya.

Kiritsugu was thankful that getting Illya out was a lot easier than getting into Castle Einzbern. At the very least the bounded field around the place didn't cage any of the occupants in. Illya didn't even question it that much. As far as she was concerned her grandfather had lied to her about her father abandoning her and she didn't want to be kept in the castle. Especially as she had told her they were planning to do something with her.

Fear had gripped him but when he asked Illya about it he had almost broken down in tears of relief. He had made it just in time to avert what had happened to his wife from happening to his daughter. On that he remembered why Illya had fallen asleep. She had cried herself to sleep when she learned her mother was gone. 'I'm sorry Illya…'

He closed his eyes as he thought about his other kid. The nightmare he had felt so real and for a second he wondered if it was a warning, a reflection of his mind, or a result of the curse. Whatever was the reason it didn't matter as he knew that something had to be done. A small part of him wondered if he should give up on Shirou. He did get Illya back after all. Almost immediately Kiritsugu pushed that thought away. 'I adopted him because he had saved me.'

Kiritsugu didn't know at the time and it was clear neither did Shirou know what he was. Perhaps he would never know but the boy would want to learn Magecraft and Illya did know a few things and would likely realize something was up with her new brother. That thought about the chaos of his mind was what sealed it in his eyes. Despite the revelation of what the boy was, despite the implications of him being likely connected to, he had adopted him and for six months had seen him as his son.

'I have to tell him.'

There was no way around it. Shirou had to know what he was if only so he could not end up hurting anyone, or getting himself killed by anyone who wouldn't tolerate a Dead Apostle. "He's going to be a handful."

"Who's going to be a handful?"

Kiritsugu looked down to see that Illya had just woken up from her tear-induced sleep. She looked at him with a confused look as the former Magus Killer figured that it was better to tell her now. Especially after learning that her mother was gone. She was probably still thinking about that and Kiritsugu figured it was best to get her mind off of it. He knew that he had suffered himself thinking about the loss of his wife. If he recalled correctly they had estimated that Shirou was a year younger than Illya.

"Illya, how do you feel about being a big sister?"


I know I might be a bit nice to Kiritsugu and the like but I figure I should be given that I already have things planned out. How far? The basic outline mostly done to be honest. It's just about writing the thing. Anyway, I am surprised by the lack of questions in the reviews.

Though I do thank John Aiden Sullano, GrimRider, littlerecon28, OBSERVER01 nli, and animehelpsdepression for their support with the reviews. Yes, I do hope to continue this and thank you for enjoying it.

Anyway, cya all next chapter.