Howdy all! I'm still not dead, though I do bring some normal news, good news and bad news.

The normal news is: I'm working on 4 projects right now. I've got Fate:US, Fate:EoE (Which is very slowly being worked on) and I'm starting two new projects. One is a romance/SoL fic featuring a pairing I think could work really well but is unexplored. It's almost done the first chapter, so keep an eye out for it.

The other project I have on the go is a collab between myself and another writer but this one is going to be ORIGINAL fiction. I'll shoot you guys a link to that when it's done for those who might be interested there as well.

With the normal news over, we'll move to the bad news.

No, the bad news is not: "I'm abandoning this project blah-blah-blah." I'm not going to abandon this fic until it's done, you can rest assured with that fact. Will some chapters take much longer than others to come out? Absolutely, 100% and that's more or less what the bad news is. I'm having a real hard time writing over the past few weeks. It's actively becoming a struggle for some reason to think of ideas and write properly and I've noticed it myself in my own writing. Some parts just do not flow and I have to rewrite them 4-5 times before they do. If you've noticed stuff like that, let me know and I'll try to resort myself out. Until I get over whatever is causing my work to be so poor in quality, expect things to slow down even more than they already have been. It's unfortunate and you can hate me if you want, but it's not really something I can help, sorry.

On to the good news: Talndir has made a return! It's true what they say, you never know what you have until it's gone and he is not an exception. Supreme beta is back, hopefully to stay!

The last thing I have to talk about is your great reviews! Some of you have pointed out a problem with Archer and Shirou and I can absolutely understand where you're coming from, but the fight wasn't over in the last chapter, so you might have jumped the gun on your outlook of it, heh-heh. Either way, I've done some additional tweaking to satiate your complaints and I hope this chapter helps out!


Marvelling at the still-burning training target, Shirou looked down at his own adolescent hands and flexed his fingers. Every other magus he knew could cast so many different spells, why was he different? It made him jealous, it made him feel inadequate and it made him wonder if he was less of a magus because of it. Was that why Rin always called him a third rate magus? "Why can't I use magic like you can, Rin?"

With a soft pat on the nose, the Tohsaka held one accusing finger in front of Shirou's face. "Magecraft," she corrected. "Using magecraft isn't just saying some fancy words, it's about entering a trance and believing the spell you're attempting to cast. Such a thing is one of the components which separates magi from normal people."

Shirou scratched the back of his head. "So I just have to believe in what I'm casting and it will work?"

Rin scrunched up her face. "Not entirely. Sometimes, even if you believe in the magecraft and make the correct incantation, certain people just lack the history to cast the same spells. It's another barrier that separates novices and masters like you and I."

Shirou nodded, glazing over the insult entirely. "So I need to believe, say the right incantation and have the history to cast magecraft?" The girl nodded with a soft smirk. "What do you mean by history?"

"Your life has to be reflected in the magecraft you cast. Without a foundation of experience to build upon, it won't work. Your magecraft is defined by who you are as a person and it will change and grow with you."

… … …

"Of course," Shirou murmured. "The incantation doesn't mean anything to me."

"Precisely." A cold voice from ahead yanked him back into reality and a foot impacted his chest, sending the boy sprawling onto the ground. "Your ability is running out. Despite having greater potential, you are unable to defeat raw experience." Rather than Kanshou or Bakuya, Archer raised a sword with far longer reach to skewer his skull. "Insult to injury, you've completely missed the point of this conflict."

Rolling to the side as Archer's muscles flexed, Shirou nearly caught his ear as the blade pierced the clay where his head had been. Shooting his legs up and over his own chest, the boy rolled backwards so that he could stand.

On his feet, two more emerald blades appeared within his grasp and a dozen more formed in his mind. "Stop talking and focus on the figh-" Shirou cut himself off by crying out in pain.

Something had pierced the back of his thigh and lodged itself within his body. Collapsing forward to alleviate the weight, he looked back to find a blade; a familiar blade in fact. It was one of the nameless weapons he'd deflected by hand during the last barrage.

It hadn't shattered on impact like some of the others. Instead, it had been skewed off course and he had assumed it would fly off wildly without consequence. There was only one conclusion; Archer was able to manipulate his projections beyond their initial points. It was just another point where Archer surpassed his younger self.

Gripping the handle, Shirou unceremoniously yanked the blade free and used it to deflect an incoming strike before he could stand upright again. Chest heaving as the boy struggled to gather breath, Shirou could only listen to Archer's berating words in the still air between bouts of combat. "If you aim to hold onto your sanity, you must fight each of your battles in total understanding of both sides." Blades appeared over Archer's shoulders, looming ominously in the air ready to fire at a moment's notice. "If you fight without ever understanding the opponent before you, you will never retain the part of yourself that is most important."

Shirou tightened his eyes and flexed his fingers tentatively. What was Archer planning with the sudden mentor-like speech? Was it some sort of mental manipulation to make him drop his guard? Recalling Archer's memories, his every aspiration across thousands of Grail Wars streamed through into one single point. "Your goal is to kill every Shirou Emiya to prevent yourself from ever becoming a counter guardian."

"And are you included in that?"

Shirou grit his teeth. What sort of a foolish question was that? "I'm a Shirou Emiya, it's the only explanation!"

Archer closed his eyes and shook his head. The weapons over his body exploded from their place like a torrential downpour and Shirou stressed his circuits and body just to survive it. Lacerated with several more blood-trickling wounds, Archer held firm on his barrage. "You're far more short-sighted than I could have ever thought. If you cannot see the reason for this battle, you will never be able to succeed in the path you've chosen!" It wasn't anger in his voice, but bitter disappointment.

The words were confusing and Shirou could only think about them in bursts between raining swords. Struggling to keep up with Archer's instantaneous projections, Shirou was brought to the point of exhaustion each time before Archer abated purely to taunt him further.

It felt as if the servant was stress testing him, gauging just how far he could be pushed before he would break like a flimsy branch. Was that all it was? Had Archer's goal in the fight changed along the way into something so trivial? To succeed in the path he chose meant to protect his friends and family no matter what it took, but how did that relate to Archer's goal? If Archer wanted to kill him merely to prevent the creation of another Counter Guardian, then why was he still attacking? Shirou had no intention of ever letting himself become such an existence.

A sword larger than Shirou's entire body soared past, producing a blast of air pressure that sent the boy skittering off-balanced to one side. Struggling to even stand on his feet, another sword collided with his guard and sent his already unbalanced body toppling over backwards. Panting raggedly, Shirou formed two more blades and prepared to defend himself but Archer's torrent of weaponry had faded.

Archer's memories continually replayed in his head. To fight battles without understanding both sides meant he would lose something important? Was that what had happened to him? A counter guardian condemned to kill nameless people without real orders beyond senseless slaughter; had Archer lost the exact thing he was trying to teach him to preserve?

His sanity.

It had been like a lightbulb in a dark room. That which had been most important to preserving Archer's original goal, being a Hero of Justice, had been lost in the senseless slaughter of those he never really understood.

Would Shirou find himself in the same place? Humouring the thought for a moment, Shirou considered his own goal in the current battle. "I fight," he began, pausing to lift himself off the ground and stand upright. "I fight this battle to survive so that I can protect Illya. I fight to kill you so I can protect Rin from someone who never really cared about her the same way I do." Shirou could see Archer's subtle flinch at the comment. They both knew each others' secrets, nothing could be hidden anymore. "I fight to put an end to the Holy Grail War so nobody has to go through the same pain we have, all for some stupid wish granter that kills as many people as possible." Breath levelled and courage bubbling in his throat, Shirou gripped his blades tightly and formed a new volley of projectiles over his own head. "And I'll crush every instance of the Hero of Justice that remains within me, so long as it means I can keep my family safe."

Archer stood motionless in the soft sun-warmed breeze of the reality marble. Releasing a soft sigh, he formed a set of his own blades. "I fight not to eliminate a potential progenitor following my mistakes, but to test the resolve and capabilities of one so prepared to take on the world for his family." Lifting one hand to point the tip of the white blade in his direction, Archer narrowed his eyes. "If you cannot defeat a minor roadblock upon that path like myself, then you will be incapable of surviving what is to come."

Shirou blinked in comprehension. So his goal had changed, but it had been for a reason Shirou would have never guessed. Before the boy could fully digest anything, the servant spawned another wave. The newest onslaught of weapons was a total monsoon; each of Shirou's counter-projections were destroyed before he could realize it and most of the volley had to go deflected entirely by hand. Just as Shirou finished the first, Archer moved in to strike physically, driving Shirou further and further back along the clay as the strength behind each strike rattled his arms to his core. The two were fighting at their absolute limit but still neither yielded to the other, at least not fully.

Amidst the seemingly innumerable attacks and swords, Shirou sustained almost as many minor injuries. What remained of his clothes were soaked in a mix of sweat and blood, his eyes were being covered and blurred with crimson fluid and his entire body burned in pain as if he had been whipped. Still, the boy fought with as much fervour as he could possibly muster and it was enough to keep the battle from being too one-sided at least.

Following a clash, Archer pressed onward to lock their blades, bleeding pressure and forcing him backwards. Shirou struggled to keep his arms away from his face and his feet from sliding on the clay.

Archer's eyes beamed through him, though their entire emotion had changed. There was still resentment and regret, but now there was an odd sadness and sense of pity that made Shirou angry. A soft patch in the clay sunk his feet enough to give him traction and his body found the strength to force the servant off. Moving with the force, Archer extended his arms to make distance then launched himself high into the air. At the apex of his jump, a bow formed in his grasp and a sword notched in the string.

Forming a hasty set of weapons in front of the ones in his hands, Shirou couldn't even fully prepare his guard before the weapon struck. Piercing his first set of weapons, the projectile became fused to the sword in his hand and the sharpened tip jammed into his chest, painfully pressing hot metal through his skin. It had stopped, it hadn't punctured his organs, but it had been close.

Reeling from the attack and throwing the mangled amalgamation of hot steel away, Shirou replaced his weapons and stared at Archer hatefully. Was surviving the best he could do? Was he destined to fail time and time again just like he did within his dreams?

A wave of blades appeared over Archer and fired before Shirou could even prepare. Projecting what he could, batting away what remained, a sword punctured his recently healed shoulder, dragging his body back with the momentum as he fought to stand.

Using one arm, Shirou grunted in exertion to stand upright and deflect an axe directed at his chest. The barrage ended, but it had left him in rough shape. Gripping the handle of the impaled weapon, Shirou struggled to withdraw it from his body. How much longer could he fight? How much longer until he would be forced to use his incomplete reality marble?

He didn't want to use it. In fact, it was his least preferred option. Last time had changed him somehow, he wasn't willing to let it change him anymore. Though, was there any other way to defeat Archer without it?

With a sharp jarring motion, the blade was withdrawn and tossed to the hot clay below. Avalon began working on repairing the hole but the limb wouldn't be usable for some time yet. He wouldn't let himself be altered by his reality marble, he couldn't. He needed to protect Illya and he wouldn't be able to do that without his own sanity.

Archer's feet made muffled steps as he approached. "You're holding back, I can tell." Keeping his married blades down at his side, the servant continued. "What is it that you're so afraid to let go?" The pity in his eyes was infuriating. Where did he get off on pitying him? He was the idiot that decided to condemn his life as a servant to a merciless force. He was the one who slaughtered innocent people endlessly.

Shirou considered his options. There was still one attack that could kill Archer if it landed. Borrowing a weapon from the arrow modifications section of Archer's memories, a streamlined sword appeared within his mind. "I told you to shut up!" Making as many copies of his mentally chosen projectile as he could, ephemeral ghosts of their construction appeared overhead. As Shirou blinked and prepared to advance into the next stage of his plan, the sound of shattering glass sent fragments of partially-formed blades toward the ground. Gaping at the speed of Archer's counter, the boy raised his one good arm and blocked a ruthless barrage of strikes.

Being pushed back due to the power behind each swing, Shirou could only continue giving up ground to try and distance himself. There was no chance he could manage with only one arm. The rate of Avalon's healing was slowed due to how much damage he sustained and his shoulder still needed time to heal.

A new weapon appeared in Shirou's mind, one he knew Archer wouldn't have. Pre-loading a half dozen and biding his time, Shirou prepared to make his attack when the time was right.

But then the blade in his hand shattered. Projection too weak to handle the abuse, Archer's blade passed through and nearly claimed Shirou's hand as well. Throwing his body back, he wasn't able to get out of range before a black sword pierced the side of his leg to the handle. Screaming in pain as it scraped along his bone and exited the other side, Shirou shakily landed on his one good leg.

On the metaphorical ropes there was no better time to take action, Shirou let everything loose. Pre-ignited smoke grenades fell from the sky. The weapons borrowed from his father's trade began spinning wildly and filling the air with rapidly expanding yellowish smog. A staff appeared in his hand, barely formed before it was being manipulated. With a flicker of mana through his hands, the staff extended and collided with the clay, sending the boy flying from his former location.

With only one working leg, he couldn't control his landing. Instead, he practically collapsed on the ground and was forced to pick himself up using his staff as a support. He had little time, but the smoke grenades were doing their job if Archer's minor coughing and haphazard projection firing was any indication.

The smoke grenades were made of mana at their core, meaning everything within was a disturbance Shirou could detect and track. Seeing himself within his own creations would have been difficult, but thankfully enough their magical frequencies were vastly different, likely due to Shirou holding and using an actual magic crest.

The streamlined blade Shirou had first projected appeared ahead and his hand hovered over the hilt as it finalized. He was sorry for what it would do to him, sorrier still for what it would do to Illya, but it was his only chance of equalizing the fight.

"Time Alter: Square Stagnate!"

… … …

"I'm fine, don't touch me!" Swatting Lancer's gauntlet off her shoulder, Illya locked her legs and took a deep breath to remain standing. With a soft crackling noise, lines of crimson spread across her cheeks. Based on the soft crimson light peeking through the stitching of her clothes, even more lines covered her body.

Illya's magic crest, Rin had never seen it using mana at peak output before. Marvelling at its odd full-body coverage for a moment, she returned to focusing on how she could help. Moving to the kitchen, she collected a glass and filled it with cold water.

Understanding how uncomfortable it was to be excessively hot as a result of crest usage, she could sympathize with the girl. Returning and offering the beverage, Illya shot back a resentful glare. "Why are you trying to help me? Your servant is the reason I have to push myself like this."

Rin had never seen so much raw hate emanate from Illya before and if she were honest it was rather unnerving. Before her stood the perfect magical battery and the master of a servant that could end her in an instant. "I didn't tell my servant to do anything, he acted entirely in his own volition."

"Then why didn't you use a command seal to stop him?" she snapped back just as quickly. Sweat started to form on her forehead but as it touched the glowing crimson lines it instantly boiled into steam. Rin had no idea Shirou could draw that much mana for his magecraft. With his low number and poor quality circuits it was a wonder he could fight as well as he could.

With aggressive scorn, the girl snatched the glass of water from her hands and chugged the entire contents in a single gulp. Pursing her lips in annoyance, Rin planted both hands on her hips. "They aren't the same person, I knew that from the start. I thought letting them work out their differences together would be for the best." Seeing the glimmer of agitation in the homunculus' eyes, Rin continued. "I knew Shirou could hold his own against himself, so I wasn't worried when they started fighting, just like you shouldn't be."

Thrusting back the emptied glass in her direction, Illya looked prepared to kill whoever touched another one of her nerves. "You're not the one fueling him with mana," she growled. Suddenly, she clenched one eye and made a pained noise. Her legs buckled and her weight fell onto her knees.

Opening her mouth to ask what was wrong, Rin never got a chance to speak a syllable. As if lightning had struck outside the house, a bright but brief flash splashed through the house, though the only sound made was a quiet pop. Looking toward the back yard, something stood out immediately.

There was a hole clearly visible in the wall roughly the size of a coffee can pointed in her direction. It was unnatural, not because it was a hole - which was unnatural enough - but because the edges were too perfect. It was less as if a projectile had passed through and more as if the material within had been removed from existence. Not even a frayed edge was left behind.

Following the line made by the hole, Rin noticed a clump of her own hair sitting on the ground, sliced perfectly as if by a pair of scissors. Using her hands only confirmed the fact. Following the same line, she spotted a similar exit hole. "Shirou has returned," Saber intoned softly before sprinting toward the backyard.

Lancer watched her leave, but was more concerned with supporting his own master. Despite her audible protests, the servant lifted her up and transported her to sit on something softer where she wouldn't have to be on her feet.

Letting Lancer handle his own battle with an angry homunculus, Rin followed Saber's lead and entered the backyard where she witnessed two versions of Shirou panting in exhaustion. One was definitely in worse shape than the other with their clothes destroyed and innumerable lacerations across their body. The small bleeding wounds were nothing in comparison to the barely attached limb on their left side. Their arm was beyond any possible repair. Mangled, mashed and with a hole running through it from palm to elbow, it was mere dead weight.

She didn't know whether to feel happy or upset that it was her servant and not her boyfriend that was in such a condition, but she had to live with what was in front of her. Shirou - the boy she knew - was injured, but far from the worst she had ever seen him. Actually, considering how close she had seen him before, he was doing quite well, especially against a more experienced version of himself.

Saber stood at the outskirts of the battleground, clenching her fists tight in frustration as she watched the two recover their breath. Trying to gather something from their link, Rin determined that Archer wasn't drawing from her mana anymore, not even to heal his wounds.

There were so many questions in her mind but she couldn't gather any answers beyond what her eyes could see. Shirou had won the fight, but was that really the same as winning the battle against himself? "Despite not holding back, the conclusion remains the same." Huffing out a steaming breath, the servant remained standing defiantly. "Do you plan on finishing this?"

Panting in exhaustion, the two continued threateningly glaring at once another. It was clear that neither could act on their desires to kill the other. A pair of emerald coloured blades appeared in Shirou's hands. "Are you going to hurt my sister?"

"She really is all you care about," the servant chuckled emptily. "I wouldn't harm her regardless. If you're so cruel as to want a direct response then no."

Shirou nodded and the blades in his grasp disappeared. "Then I have no reason to kill you."

With a stumble forward, Shirou nearly planted his face on the ground. His second step actually sent him sprawling and Saber flew to his side for assistance. Helping the boy stand, she gave seething glances toward Archer who was dematerializing into spirit form. "To think a single attack from a mundane weapon could break the Aias and the marble."

Rin could only understand part of Archer's comment but it was enough to shock her entirely. It wasn't a weapon Shirou had that had defeated the servant, but a technique.

"I won't be able to fight for some time." Archer's monotonous voice carried a slight tinge of defeat upon it but there was also something else as well.

Moving aside while Saber hauled the protesting Shirou inside, Rin could only shake her head. "Why do I have to deal with two idiots?"

… … …

… … …

"This wasn't really how I expected things to go." Pressing against the smaller woman and raising his staff, the last of the Assassin stragglers vanished into the night. Fighting off Assassin and working back-to-back with his most despised enemy certainly hadn't been in his itinerary.

"I can't make you mine if you're dead Cù, it makes sense to fight off anyone that threatens to take you from me."

Grumbling angrily, the man fired more than a dozen concentrated fireballs at a large blackened shape. Despite all of them landing on target, his opponent failed to die. For being Assassin they were remarkably resilient and even with Rider on his side they had only managed to kill one.

When Rider first appeared she had come on a chariot, bringing another Assassin with her. That one had been different from the others, almost more composed and refined. Rather than stay and fight, it had left immediately and covered its retreat with more iterations of itself. Were there levels to how strong they were too? "Could you stop calling me by name? You're throwing all my cards on the table before I even get a chance to look at them."

"What would you prefer I call you then? My dear, mo anam cara or maybe even stóirín?" Cringing inwardly at the use of Gaelic pet names, Caster pushed himself away and span on his heels to face a new opponent.

"Caster," he announced clearly. "No more, no less." With a flick of the hand, the head of the staff was pointed ominously at Rider's face. "And all you'll ever be is Rider, my enemy."

Pouting heavily, the girl tucked her elbows to her sides, forcing out her moderate bosom in a blatant attempt at seducing him. "Come on Cù-Caster, don't be mean to me. I helped you out and I wanted us to work together."

"Work together?" The man laughed in spite. "As if I'd ever try to work with the woman who slaughtered dozens of my clansmen in cold blood, the woman whose only goal was to destroy and seduce as many as she could to ruin Ulster."

Rider squeezed her legs together and shimmied on the spot as if unable to control herself. "You speak about me with such passion, it's almost as if you're an adoring fan."

Furrowing his brow and blinking in disbelief, Caster let his staff fall from its prepared position. "You've got real problems, you know that? Maybe you were dropped when you were younger but something ain't right up there."

Rider maintained her pout while twisting to shake her assets in his view. Being so repulsed by the woman's personality, her attempt at a show didn't affect him in the slightest. "My masters came out tonight to find you so we could work together, don't disappoint us all by declining."

"The story I hear from my master is the exact opposite. They're all trying to kill each other. Maybe we should follow their lead and skip the conversation too."

Rider's eyes sharpened into a venomous glare. "I'll be able to change that stubborn mind of yours and your master will have no excuse not to accept. Now come and take a drink of My Red Mead." With a flick of the wrist, a golden shower of sparks spawned forth from Rider's hand, revealing a gilded bottle of fluid that was otherwise nondescript.

The woman stood there, holding her bottle of booze as if expecting something extraordinary. When Caster merely blinked, cocked out his hip and maneuvered his staff to act as a resting pole, the woman looked bewildered. "So you've brought booze, am I supposed to be impressed that it's in a gold bottle?"

Blinking rapidly, the woman's eyes flickered between the bottle to the man who cared so little it hurt. "Why isn't it working? I had thought- it doesn't matter what I thought, why aren't you affected by it?" Anger had edged its way into Rider's voice and the edges of her perfect smile were beginning to droop.

Caster shrugged but a wicked grin spread across his face. "Don't know what to tell you, but I think you should focus on the important things."

A bright orange glow sent Rider spinning around to meet the disturbance. Eyes widened at runic sigils which were rapidly being written on the very sky. She didn't have the time to react, as Caster completed his spell and bombarded her with violent explosions.

Blackened smog concealed her location but Caster knew better than to believe she was dead. Stamping his staff upon the ground, a tablet of rock popped into the air before being stopped in mid-air with a touch of the staff's head. With honed dexterity, the man scrawled a rune upon its hardened surface with one finger. Completing it, he encircled the air around the stone in a ring of orange sigils before pressing his palm against the first rune.

A torrent of gale-force wind erupted and shot forward from the rock like a wind tunnel, blasting away the smog and revealing Rider in a defensive position. As the stone tablet crumbled away after being used, the sigils encircling the piece turned into fireballs which were sucked into the gale and shot forward like a makeshift rifle.

Caster could tell the first fireball had landed spot on but he wouldn't let up his offence until he was certain she was dead. When his 'ammunition' was expended, the man twirled the staff around to launch yet another volley. Before he could consider it, a flash of rainbow light spewed from within the smoke he had created and every fibre of his body told him to get out of the way while simultaneously informing him that he was far too late.

He recognized the light and the familiar tremble within the ground. It was that of an old friend, a man who guided him during his early life - someone he might have even called father. Doing his best to protect his face with his arms while what sigils he could muster with his eyes shut, the servant felt his body bathe in a sudden growing heat. Subconsciously, the man murmured to himself.

"You don't deserve to use that blade."

… … …

Breaks just didn't seem to exist for him. For what little amount of rest he could gather, it seemed that something always brought him back to the point of absolute exhaustion. It was a cycle of minor gains and extended losses and he was just starting to feel totally drained, even with Illya supporting his mana supply.

That was an entirely different issue he couldn't wrap his head around either. His life didn't feel as if it were on the line, couldn't Rin and Illya have done something else that wasn't so drastic and permanent?

Admittedly he was feeling better than he had when he first entered the Tohsaka manor; even after dealing with Archer. Illya's gift had given him the edge required to stand up against Archer and inevitably defeat him. There was no way he would have been able to perform that last attack on his own mana stores. He would have instantly killed himself merely attempting it.

He had walked away from a battle against himself, but he felt more confused than when he started. Peering down at one of his hands, the boy examined his skin and flexed his joints. He was the same person, but the memories in his head and the visions he periodically saw weren't his own.

He knew Archer's life from start to finish, he understood the man he became and his entire reasoning for hating his own existence. If he looked far enough, he could see the Fifth War being replayed a hundred different times, each with minor or major differences.

That being said, none of the Wars held similarities to this one. Comparing the faces of the servants in Archer's memories and the faces of the servants he had seen, he could only correlate two excluding Archer himself.

Saber as she was and Cú Chulainn, though he was always Lancer in the other Wars. None of the other servants - and the hidden powerful eighth - seemed to play a part this time around. If he looked even further back, deep within nearly forgotten memories of the servant, he could trace it back to the point of difference between them.

Kiritsugu Emiya, the father figure they shared, though each of them held vastly different thoughts on the man. He had been a different father for Archer. Caring, kind and secretive. Not to say that Shirou's father wasn't the same, but the assassin within was much, much closer to the surface than in Archer's life.

Gaining a headache from prying so far into the past, Shirou reeled his mind back to the present before he got lost. There were other parts that had been unlocked he could think upon without hurting his brain. One, but not the most pressing, was the versatile armoury he had gained from his battle with Archer.

He had lacked weapons with variance before but now he couldn't even begin to fathom how large his arsenal was. Thousands of basic, common weapons of every style imaginable and hundreds of noble phantasms, each unknown to Shirou himself. He would have to project and test each one to determine their possible uses and that would take quite a lot of time.

Still, that was not his primary concern. What really dominated his mind was the flood of information from all of the dreams he had somehow been repressing. Every battle, every contact and interaction with the world Archer inhabited was nestled between his normal memories.

There was a soft thunk of glass as he pressed his forehead against the cooled surface. Reflexively his hands gripped the edge of the window sill for comfort. How could he have forgotten what seemed so important? Why had his brain blocked out those memories?

If he knew what he was fighting, if he had seen his own downfall time and time again, maybe he could have changed something to prevent himself from falling so low. He had to protect Illya and his family though, didn't he? Was such a simple goal of keeping the ones he loved alive so selfish and wicked? Why did the cost seem so great at all times?

More importantly, how had Kiera Eliphas lodged herself in his brain, and why couldn't he detect or hear her when he was awake? She was known to invade the minds of her enemies, did that sort of magecraft transport an actual part of her into the target's mind somehow? He had no idea how such a thing would work, but more peculiar situations and outcomes existed in the magus world. Her scathing words echoed within his skull.

He would be able to defend his family if he became a monster, but doing so would hurt the very same people as he became lost. How was he supposed to protect and be there for them at the same time? Would he end up having to choose?

The wooden window sill within his hands splintered, dragging him from the hell that was his own inner conflict. Opening his hands and looking at the splintered, bloody mess he had made of them, Shirou took a deep breath and worked to pick the pieces out of his flesh one by one.

The pain was welcome, almost pleasant in a way. It drew his mind away from that which he would rather not think about.

Finishing and deciding to fix the damage he caused later, Shirou migrated to the en suite bathroom to wash the blood away. It was late and he was exhausted, but he didn't feel like sleeping. If he let himself slip away there was a chance he would return to that sun-baked clay nightmare that was somehow worse than the typical one within the Great Fuyuki Fire. All he wanted was a distraction, anything to keep his mind away from itself.

Where was the balance between protecting others and his own wellbeing?

… … …

… … …

Gray peered out from underneath the shade of her cloak at the small town that slowly rolled into view. It was too small to house its own airport, so Reines had chartered a driver to transport them from the nearby city, which did, into the town of interest.

"Something catch your eye?" A voice that was far too close to her ear forced the girl to turn away and shield her face. "Come now, you can't hide such a cute face away forever."

Tugging on the back of her hood, Gray snatched the edges and tugged it tight against her face. "I can and will," the girl defied, tightening her grip to ensure her hood wouldn't be removed. With a dejected sigh, Reines collapsed back into her seat.

"You're far less fun to tease than my big brother. Here I thought we would have a great time alone on a trip in a foreign land." Catching sight of her own reflection in the window as the light of dawn struck its surface, Gray quickly shifted her whole body to move her own visage out of sight.

"I thought we came here in search of Blade." As far as she knew, she was only there as backup protection for Reines in the case that Trimmau or the mage herself wouldn't be enough. She was supposed to watch from the sidelines as she always did at Sir's side.

"We did, though that doesn't mean we are incapable of enjoying ourselves amidst our search." Sighing softly, Gray leaned her head against the car door and closed her eyes.

There was a question she had been wanting to ask but couldn't muster the courage to commit. A thousand miles away from home and with nothing better to do, it seemed like a good enough time. "What do you plan on doing once you find him?"

"I'll kill him." The response was so sudden, jarring and full of icy conviction that Gray's eyes reflexively opened. "Lying to all of the lords and deceiving the entire Clock Tower with a forged identity. Excluding the fact that he may very well be the Magus Killer's son, those two offences are punishable by death already."

The information about the man came as no surprise, but Reines' statement on what his punishment was certainly had. "Is death really-"

"Gray, is there something you're not telling me?"

The accusation cut deep. Partly because it was on point and partly because it had come out of nowhere. Had her face appeared that guilty? "You and I have the same knowledge, I know all that you do."

Reines' eyes sharpened into a penetrating gaze. "You're uncomfortable, you've yet to sit still since we left the Clock Tower and you've been looking out of windows as if searching for something." The glare was disturbing enough to force Gray to look away. "I believe I know what is disturbing you as well."

Biting her lip, Gray could see that the information was going to be torn out of her whether she came clean or not. "I-"

"You can't stop thinking about my big brother, can you?"

In even greater bewilderment, Gray gaped at Reines before coming to her senses. If she denied her attraction, Reines' would dig deeper. If she admitted it, there was no telling what sort of trouble she would be in with Sir when she returned. "Yes, that is the problem," she lied, peering out the window again. She could handle Sir when she returned, protecting Shirou was of higher priority.

"My, my, to think the adorable servant has fallen for her master. I wouldn't say I don't condone it, but I have the feeling he will be far harder to convince than I will." Sparing a short glance in her direction, Gray only needed to note the malicious ear-to-ear smile on Reines' face to know she was purposely trying to make her squirm. Taking a deep breath, Gray tried to calm the blush that tried making its way onto her face.

Gray had to listen and evade Reines' attempts at conversing with her until they could get to their destination. Befitting someone like Reines, it was a fancy-looking hotel surrounded by bright lights and other large buildings in the middle of a bustling modern cityscape. For a town seemingly so small the infrastructure was quite large, though the sidewalks lacked the population density she would have expected. Perhaps that was for other reasons she wasn't aware of, but it was rather odd regardless.

Gray wondered why they were at a hotel and not a private manor. "We're not staying with Lady Edelfelt?"

"Mrs. Edelfelt is a mercenary by trade. I have no desire to operate with someone of her status. Besides, I would prefer to handle Blade's punishment personally. Perhaps I can even retrieve his crest and sell it off for a considerable sum."

Gray said nothing but wondered just how sadistic the woman could really be. Not only did she want him dead, she wanted to kill him herself. How such a small unassuming woman could be so ominous was frightening in and of itself.

Opening the door and stepping out of the car, Gray immediately felt strange. For some inexplicable reason, she felt as if she were being drawn in one specific direction. Following that direction with her eyes only led her to the corner of another building across the street. Nothing out of the ordinary stood out, was the source further away?

A muffled voice spoke from within her cloak but Gray heard it perfectly. "This place is interesting."

"What do you sense?" she murmured, trying not to alert Reines' to the conversation.

Add hummed while sniffing audibly. "It smells familiar."

Turning as the door on Reines' door slammed shut, Gray softly tapped where Add was hanging to quiet him down. With a deep inhale, the girl looked around in interest. "The air here is saturated with mana. Gray, are my eyes red?"

Examining her face, all Gray could see was piercing blue. Relaying as much, the shorter woman only hummed in thought. "So it's inactive. Could it really all be natural?"

Gray tried to see what Reines' was talking about but nothing beyond the directional tugging really stood out. No, that wasn't entirely accurate. If she concentrated hard enough, she could catch a whiff of death and curses a short distance away. Something was off about the entire city, but she couldn't quite determine what exactly.

She had felt a similar, albeit weaker tug on her mind before, but when and with who had it been? "Are you hungry, Gray?" Turning on her heels, she found Reines peering down the street as if transfixed by something. Opening her mouth to speak, a soft gurgle from her stomach voiced her opinion on her behalf. "Splendid, why don't we try the local cuisine?"

There was nothing better to do. She wouldn't be able to determine what that slight tugging of her mind was leading towards while escorting Reines. Though, she could subtly lead her in that direction with a bit of convincing.

Maybe such diversions were best suited to morning, when she would be able to enact her plan.

… … …

… … …

Shirou hadn't slept a wink. Not only did he not want to, Archer had given him a lot to work through in both memories and weapons. He was already going through excessive personal conflict so he kept his mind busy by analyzing and categorizing Archer's noble phantasms; unpacking the servant's memories could wait for another day.

It wasn't too difficult to determine each weapon's use, considering he could just examine the weapon's history and determine previous applications either by the owner or the servant itself. Shirou ended his studies around five in the morning with Gram, though it wasn't the same as the one he had recalled from Berserker. Instead of being a demonic blade of translucent crimson, the blade was simple and no-nonsense. It was visually indiscernible from any of the countless other steel blades in his possession, though there was a large amount of mystery associated with it due to age.

Comparing the blades returned similar results but with entirely different history. The only conclusion was that the blade had been broken and reforged into the demonic weapon that had nearly killed him and his servants. Repressing a shudder as the man who wielded such a powerful thing entered his mind, Shirou hoped that he wouldn't have to battle him again.

From what he could decipher, Gram and Excalibur were diametrically opposed blades. Demonic and holy, both converted mana into a heat that could be released in a concentrated blast. What concerned Shirou was Gram's inherent increase in power due to its age - its mystery. Could Saber really defeat Berserker if he went all out against her? Would Shirou even have the mana to support the servant if she tried to match him?

Remembering the crest Illya gifted him, the question became moot; though he did wonder about the efficiency losses of going from her reserves, to his, to Saber. Running a hand through his hair and feeling the slight crispiness, he decided to have a quick shower before going downstairs and making breakfast. He was mobile enough and cooking would help to relax his mind a touch more.

Stepping out of the shower, he investigated his body in the mirror as he typically did. Because of Avalon, the injuries from his confrontation with Archer had healed without a sign that they had ever even happened. The only scar which remained was the one contracted by reattaching his severed arm. An obvious line of darkened flesh showing visible signs of necrosis. Oddly enough, a deeper inspection using his own fingers and tracing revealed the flesh to be living tissue despite its appearance. Considering it a permanent scar he would just have to live with, Shirou activated his circuits to examine his progress there.

The soft blue of his crest began at the base of his neck and rapidly grew up to form a collar and down along his spine where angular wings sprouted off onto his shoulder blades. The tips of each wing split and continued on over his shoulders onto his front, while the bottom of the central column on his spine had split many times into thin, patternless horizontal lines. The progress of his crest had lept greatly since the last time he examined himself. Was that an additional effect of his reality marble or something else?

Turning to face the mirror, the boy shocked himself. The last he'd checked, only a single line ran along his pectorals from his shoulder blades. The former ends of each ribbon had exploded to imitate fractures upon glass, though the two sides were connected by an odd sigil on the center of his chest. Reminded of what he witnessed last night, it was some sort of magecraft which allowed him to share Illya's mana reserves. Seeing as it linked the two sides of his chest, had it caused the ribbons to fractalize like they had?

Tracing one line with his finger, he contemplated asking Rin but decided against it. She wouldn't believe him if he told her his crest was expanding, let alone if he told her there was some sort of interference between his expanding crest and whatever she had given him that allowed a connection.

Finishing up with cleaning himself, he redressed in clean, projected clothing and navigated out of his room and down the stairs. After moving around and using his circuits, he could honestly say he felt better than he had in the past week. Despite fighting to near death just a few hours ago and staying up all night, his body moved without pain and his senses were clear. Maybe it had been a combination of Avalon and a jumpstart to his magical circuits, but he could easily take on Archer again if the servant had any wise ideas.

Hitting the main floor, he walked across the hardwood into the kitchen. Knowing Rin wouldn't mind if he borrowed some supplies, the boy prepared his working area and conjured up a meal he could make with what was on hand.

After consulting the fridge and the catalogue of recipes in his mind, Shirou decided to pull some foreign influence into making a savoury start to the day. Shakshuka: Eggs poached in tomato sauce with complimenting bulb vegetables like garlic and onion tied together with warm, fragrant spices. He didn't have the amount to make enough to fill everyone who would eat, but he could make at least one portion for each person.

Preparing to plate the dish, he paused to head back upstairs and wake Illya. He also projected a set of fresh clothes for her as well, assuming that she wouldn't want to wear the same attire so many days in a row.

When he returned downstairs, a decidedly depressed-looking Rin in pyjamas sat leaned entirely over the table. Shirou wondered if she had woken up, stumbled down to the kitchen to the scent of food and then subsequently passed out. Moving closer, he reached out to wake her up but noticed something off. Her hair was cut short and she wasn't wearing the bows which formed her usual pigtails.

He knew something he had done had cut off one of her pigtails, but was such a drastic change really necessary? With closed eyes the girl murmured, "It's rude to stare."

Straightening as he was discovered, Shirou averted his eyes and moved to plate breakfast only to bump into Saber. Like a ghost, she had snuck up alongside him while he was focused on Rin and her petite stature had made her practically invisible.

Looking up along his entire body, she nodded once their eyes met. "You seem to be doing much better, I'm glad."

He examined his own hands as if personally unsure on how he was feeling. He wasn't in pain anymore and he lacked any injury, but something still wasn't quite right. Articulating the fingers of the arm that had been severed, he realized that his fingertips still lacked prominent feeling. He supposed that was just a cost associated with the reattachment which wasn't all that much, considering.

"Shirou?" His name was enough to pull him from his own thoughts. "Perhaps you're not doing as well as I thought."

"No, no I'm fine I just had a thought was all."

Her eyes sharpened partly, but they weren't quite to the point of accusing. "Was it about breakfast?"

Shirou couldn't help but snort. "You must be hungry," he rightfully assumed if her nod was any indication. "I couldn't make as much as you're probably used to, but you can eat some of it alright?"

Saber seated herself beside Rin with barely contained energy. For someone so reserved and dignified, she had a way of acting so childish at the same time and that was enough to amuse him. To ensure Rin was listening, he softly tapped against the side of her head which elicited a soft noise of comprehension. "Did you want coffee?"

"Tea," was the only word he got back.

Soft footfalls sent his head turning to find a dressed Illya stumbling into the kitchen. She was well timed if nothing else. "I'll have everything ready in a minute, did you want to call Lancer in, Saber?"

Shaking her head, the servant planted both hands on the table ahead of her. "Keeping one's senses open to gain an advantage is key to finding success as a knight." Saber's words were one of a wise mentor but Shirou knew her real goal. If Lancer wasn't there, she could claim his portion as her own. If he complained, she would likely claim it as a king's conquest or something of the sort.

Because of Rin's aversion to modern technology, she didn't have an electric kettle which meant he had to boil water on the stove. While not a problem exactly, it took longer and was less convenient. After setting it up, he dished out the meal for Illya, Saber, Rin and finally, himself.

While eating, he informed those present of his plan to leave, but didn't let Rin know exactly why they were leaving. Illya had to be back at the house for Missy to collect her at eight sharp. Being just shy of six and with a half-hour or more of travel between the two locations, they had plenty of time.

Still somewhere between being asleep and awake, Rin managed to eat her meal and ask, "Are you going to come back?"

Shirou considered the question for a long while. "Is Archer going to try and kill me again?"

She paused, but it was likely because she was listening to his response. While Shirou couldn't see the servant with his eyes, he knew by Saber's glances around the room that he was indeed nearby. "He says it would be foolish for him to try again. Something about you already beating him and recovering so quickly," the girl flapped her hand as if not entirely interested.

Finished with her meal, Rin slid the plate forward and wrapped both hands around an offered cup of tea as if it were the sole salvation of her life. With the last person finished eating, Shirou gathered up the discarded dishes and migrated them to the sink to wash.

It had been quite a few days since he was able to cook. Between the War and recovering from injuries, he had been unable to even stand inside a kitchen. It was comforting to make a return to something he knew and understood. "Then I might. Let's not confirm anything right now."

Making a small huff as she drank her tea, Rin agreed that it would be best not to set anything in stone and left the matter at that.

"I believe it would be a wise idea to have Lancer remain while we are away, Shirou." Saber's suggestion had come out of nowhere.

"Why is that?"

"If you cannot recall, you injured Rin's servant and have rendered him incapable of defending against an enemy. If we are truly working together, ensuring she has some defence would be appropriate."

Finishing up with cleaning, he couldn't deny his oversight. He hadn't considered that Rin was practically servantless. Such a thought did raise other questions though. If Shirou's own recovery was so quick, why hadn't Archer's been the same?

Shirou couldn't repair or regenerate his body with mana and he was reliant on Avalon to fix what was broken. If Archer really was a future version of himself, why wasn't he able to heal rapidly like he was? Perhaps it had something to do with his contract with Saber. He had thought that Rin's status as a first-rate magus and even a residual healing factor with proximity to Saber would have been enough to heal the servant but obviously he had been wrong.

"That's fine, Lancer can remain here and if we don't come back to stay he'll have to keep protecting Rin until Archer is back in shape." Nodding with the plan, Shirou grew concerned over a particularly tired-looking Illya. Landing a hand on her head to run through her hair, he asked if she was feeling alright.

Humming in agreement, she blinked as if to clear the sleep from her eyes. "You used a lot of my mana last night, I'm just a little tired from trying to regenerate it." Shirou started to apologize but the girl lifted her hand to stop him prematurely. "It will restore itself in time. So long as it helps you stay alive I'm willing to give as much as you want."

Uncertain of how to feel about such a sentiment, Shirou awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. "Well as long as you're alright with it. My magecraft can get pretty expensive so your help makes it much easier."

"I think I know first hand how expensive it can be after last night," the girl claimed dryly. "Whatever that last attack was used more than half of my total reserves."

"What?" The outburst had originated from a suddenly awakened Rin who was staring at the two with shock. "But your reserves are ridiculous, how could one of his spells be that expensive?"

Three sets of eyes looked toward him for an answer. The best he could offer was a soft shrug, so that was precisely what he did. "You idiot!" Rin shouted, face shaking off its tiredness as her anger rose. "If you used that sort of attack without Illya supporting you it would have instantly killed you." Taking in Shirou's absent stare, the woman gripped the sides of her head in frustration. "God and it's like you don't even care. The two of you are so stubborn it actually hurts."

Growling to herself, Shirou didn't know how to respond. He knew he was stubborn, but he also knew what he needed to accomplish. If something important required his own death, he'd likely be willing to make that sacrifice.

While Rin steamed over his stubborn selflessness, Shirou felt a tugging on his shirt sleeve. Turning his head, he spotted Saber who motioned for him to accompany her. Following her lead into another room, the servant stared up into his eyes with deadly seriousness. "I apologize for doubting your ability in the past. The fact that you exist as a servant proves that I misjudged you." Blinking, Shirou's mind hit a wall as he comprehended Saber's words. He was so distracted by her that he couldn't speak or stop her from bowing forward in apology.

Mind and tongue connected simultaneously and Shirou reached out to exclaim that an apology wasn't necessary. "You were just being protective. You don't have to worry, really." While he was thankful she would start to recognize his ability, there was no need for her to be so apologetic.

Continuing to keep her head down, the servant continued. "That may be so, however it is foolish for me to think of you as lesser when you obviously have the strength to handle yourself against a servant."

Shirou wondered what the entire point of him battling Lancer was some time ago if not to prove he was capable of fighting a servant. It was probably best to pick and choose his battles though. "Fine, I accept your apology, thank you." Saber was a stubborn woman, and her conviction toward her own ideology was absolute; accepting was just easier overall.

So long as she wouldn't keep holding him back as she had been, he was more than happy to let her believe whatever she wanted. Scratching the back of his neck as Saber offered a short smile, Shirou decided that they should leave early before Rin tried berating him further.

… … …

… … …

The docks were in ruins. Warehouses and businesses were destroyed beyond recognition, turning into scraps of brick, mortar and wood all charred and covered in soot. Some of the damage was still smouldering, requiring the fire department to quash the flames. It was as if a war had hit Fuyuki and massive shells had bombarded the area.

Examining the severe damage as she walked by, Rin couldn't help but speak aloud. "It's very strange. Why hasn't the Overseer done anything? None of the incidents across town have been covered up for the non-magus, they're trying to explain it without any help. They aren't even being supplied with additional support for repairs."

After sealing the holes bored straight through her manor, Rin had followed the line Shirou's attack had made to find others in her situation. Without magic, they were far less fortunate in the repair side of things. Even worse, one of the houses had been sectioned off by the Fuyuki police department as a crime scene. Judging by the ambulance present, someone had been hurt or killed.

She wasn't going to let Shirou know about something like that. Rin could tell that he had more than enough on his mind. Killing an innocent might just be too much for him. "Perhaps they have been killed?" The voice of Lancer brought her back to her walk. Due to Archer's condition, Lancer was acting as her servant for the time being.

"Why would someone try to kill the Overseer? Besides, if she had been killed, the Church would have stepped up and investigated. During the Grail War, the Overseer has to check in with the main body of the Holy Church specifically to prevent a dead Overseer going unnoticed."

"So because we haven't heard anything, we can rest assured she is alive," Lancer concluded.

Archer's voice echoed in her mind. "If the Overseer in this War is Kirei Kotomine's daughter, perhaps she is too inexperienced to know what is needed of her."

"That might be a good explanation, Archer, but all Overseers are instructed of their obligations prior to their placement. Before taking over Fuyuki church, Caren would have been instructed and trained." Rin squinted her eyes and deliberated over possibilities as she walked on autopilot toward the Church.

She had told herself she would investigate the oddity if nothing was handled by morning. The outcome had been preordained in a sense. Because it would have made her life easier if the Overseer had started doing her job, they just had to do absolutely nothing. As if her life wasn't difficult enough handling a boyfriend on the verge of self-destruction and a servant who had already gone past that point only to decide his own former life wasn't worth existing.

Even the thought of Archer's rationale was enough to get her steamed. She knew Shirou was an idiot, but Archer really took it to the furthest extreme. His entire goal was futile and he was too thick-headed to even see or understand such a fact. Maybe it wasn't the possibility of being removed that drove him, but the pure enjoyment from killing a younger version of himself?

Rin couldn't say either way without knowing just how twisted Archer was. Hopefully Shirou's victory last night would be enough to dissuade him somehow, or show him that Shirou was different.

She supposed she could ask. "Are you still going to kill Shirou Emiya?"

There was silence. Rin wondered if he would answer the question at all though that hardly came as a surprise. Archer had misinformed her upon their first meeting, so why would he stop now? "There is no need for me to continue pressing this Shirou. We are fundamentally different and our lives end in opposing directions. Your Shirou Emiya is already far more broken than I ever was."

Rin couldn't stop the jolt of shock that coursed through her body. "What do you mean he's more broken?"

The silence within her mind was more concerning than she cared to admit. Not only because Archer seemingly knew far more than she did, but because his voice had been so hollow and serious. What did he mean by broken? If Archer thought of someone else as being more broken than himself, it was anything but good.

She knew they were different, but it was a matter of how different they were and where the differences lay. Trying to piece together both things, Rin didn't realize how much time had passed before she was standing outside of the Church doors getting an odd look from Lancer. "Are we going inside?"

Returning to the matter at hand and affirming the question, Rin pressed open the church doors and entered a dimly lit, but otherwise normal main hall.

A small woman's head peaked out from behind a podium and a saddened-looking set of golden eyes peered through the darkness. The first time Rin had entered, she had been sleeping behind the podium. Oddly enough, she was wide awake now. "Greetings, master of Archer. I see you've also brought Lancer along with you; how interesting."

Rin narrowed her eyes, trying to peer at the girl's finer details. It was difficult with the darkened environment but Rin was certain she was wearing additional clothing. Something was wrapped tight around her neck and she kept gloved hands tucked purposefully into the flowing sleeves of her robes.

With a soft noise of feigned surprise, Rin held short at the first line of pews and ran her finger along its surface. "So you're alive then, I was beginning to have my doubts." Rin purposefully ignored the priestess' attempt at getting a rise out of her. It wasn't her business who escorted her anyway.

The girl's head tilted to one side. "What does that mean?"

"There hasn't been any sort of response to all the destruction and disturbance for days now, I was beginning to think some sort of foul play had killed off the Overseer." Examining her fingers and rubbing them together as if inspecting for dust, Rin continued speaking while staring at her fingers. "After all, if what I hear is correct, something of a similar sort happened in the previous war." Without moving her head, the girl glanced toward the priestess to gauge her response.

Caren didn't even blink and her emotionless voice chimed in immediately. "You are correct in a limited sense. Though your information is lacking and the true circumstances surrounding the outcome far exceed you."

The cold response was striking but Rin maintained her composure. Her goal of setting the priestess on edge to try and glean information wasn't working as intended. In fact, it seemed to be on the edge of blowing up in her face. Facing her directly, Rin narrowed her eyes and tried to determine what her senses were telling her. "You still have yet to explain the lack of intervention on damages throughout Fuyuki. Last night, the docks were totally destroyed. Today reporters are all over it trying to determine the cause."

Caren carefully tucked both hands beneath the podium at her front. "I understand your concern as Second Owner but are you really in a place to be questioning the jobs of others?" Rin felt a twitching urge within her face but repressed it enough to remain neutral. "There is no risk I can see of magecraft being discovered by the normal people. Should masters keep servant battles to the late hours of the night, exposure will be limited."

Rin clenched her hands. "The Overseer is supposed to provide manpower and monetary support to accelerate the speed of repairs."

"What need would there be to repair that which might be broken again in the near future? I feel as if it is better to wait until all risk of damage is gone before organizing anything, don't you agree?"

Rin grit her teeth but still held back any indication of her anger. "You don't care about any possible casualties that might be a result of a servant's actions? What will you do when they start asking questions?"

"If or when it happens, I will handle the situation and defuse it accordingly." Caren's responses were clipped and concise but there was obvious truth to them at the same time. Before she could respond, Caren continued. "With so many questions, it would only be polite for you to answer one of mine: What are you doing with Lancer at your side?"

There was no way Rin could spin a story that would lead Caren into believing she and Shirou weren't working together. Seeing no way out of it, Rin admitted as much and added, "There was a complication between my servant and Shirou which meant I had to use Lancer as protection for the time being."

"Interesting, so the three great knight classes are all working together. Combined they make an almost unbeatable set regardless of quality. Even so, everything thought to be unbreakable has a weak point." The golden eyes in the darkness sharpened to accusing pinpoints.

"Is that a threat?" Lancer spoke from behind her and based on his tone of voice the question was anything but friendly.

The priestess softly closed her eyes and shook her head. "Not at all, just an observation. Master of Archer, I doubt you came here solely to question my decision-making ability so what is your real question?"

Rin had many questions of course but only one really concerned her. Her father had offered guidance in magecraft but he had done little to educate her in the operation of the overall Grail War. The Tohsaka family records also lacked any definite detail of other family magecraft and something didn't quite add up.

"How exactly is the Grail given physical form?"

… … …

The car was almost out of view already. As they had planned, Missy arrived to pick up Illya at eight sharp and it had been sharp. Like clockwork, Illya had entered the car and drove off to some unspecified safehouse. Kiritsugu had given him the general address but the actual location was a mystery. At least he could try to find some comfort in knowing she was out of Fuyuki, free from danger and risk of absorbing servant souls. In the new unknown location, she would be safe, especially under the guard of Missy and Kiritsugu.

Touching his chest, he could still feel a residual heat from the crest he was borrowing. Was it just a permanent feature of his body now? Would he be able to draw from her reserves forever?

Closing his eyes and looking inward, the circuitry of his body came alive. He didn't really have the chance the night prior to investigate any changes in any capacity. He was more or less tossed in a fire and expected to survive. Either way, his concern was misplaced as his circuitry appeared perfectly fine. In fact, it appeared better than ever. It was as if something had refined their flow, increased their efficiency and let their full potential shine. Had his contact with Archer done more than just increase the size of his arsenal?

Something did stand out to him though. Beyond the circuitry, there was a gleaming golden light that pulsed in a soft rhythm like a heartbeat. The last time it had reacted in such a way, it had been trying to direct him toward Gray. What was it trying to tell him now?

Something poked at his shoulder and brought him to reality. Turning his head, he spotted Saber staring at him with concern. "You continue going into deep thought. If what I had to say was not that important, I would have left you to it."

Saber was always serious but her tone was especially so in the moment. "What is it?"

He wasn't entirely sure, but she seemed tense. "I do not know how much your father spoke of the Fourth War, but after last night I have all the pieces necessary to fully understand that War's Caster." She paused as if struggling to word what was in her mind. "I had my suspicions, but Archer confirmed that he was another iteration of you."

Shirou blinked, reran her words through his ears and furrowed his brow. "What do you mean Caster was another version of me? Kiritsugu never told me about anything like that."

Saber shrugged subtly. "I cannot say for certain, but it was likely kept secret to protect you until this point. I doubt hearing about your servant status would have done you very well in earlier years."

Sighing, Shirou ran a hand through his hair. "At this point I don't know if it was the right decision or not, but I don't like the fact that he held back the information."

"If he was willing to hold back something so important, what else is Kiritsugu keeping secret?" Saber's comment struck hard and made the boy question what he really knew.

"I trust Kiritsugu Emiya enough to do everything in his power to protect Illya, however, I cannot say the same for his overall decisions or tactics. If I am to be blunt, he is a deceitful man that will do whatever is necessary to achieve his own personal goal."

Making another soft noise, Shirou began walking toward the house. He needed a fresh, real set of clothes before he could do anything and with his proximity to the house, no better time existed. "He's always tried to do what was best for me, so you'll have to excuse me if I say I don't believe you."

Coupled with Saber's following footsteps came a soft aggravated huff. "I cannot understand how you have missed such clear evidence. The man has trained you from such a young age to become what is essentially a living weapon. He's groomed you specifically to follow his guidance solely so that you would not be disbelieving of his word." Shifting behind him he could tell she was desperate to get him to change his mind. "Consider the night at the Einzbern Castle. Had you not followed your father in an attempt at ambushing Rider and her master, you may have never been put under her control and Illya would not have been harmed."

Opening the door, Shirou abruptly stopped within the frame at the mention of his sister. Closing his eyes tight and squeezing the edge of the door in his hand, Shirou felt weightless. Keeping his voice low, he murmured out a question. "Then what do you want me to do? Do you want me to disregard everything he's ever told me and try to be everything he isn't?" The boy slowly twisted his head to look at his servant over his own shoulder.

Taking a soft breath, Saber seemed conflicted. "I believe the best decision is to forge your own path. Take control of your life and prevent outside influence from guiding you."

Facing forward, Shirou couldn't stop a comment from spewing out of his mouth. "Just like you did when you drew Caliburn." He didn't even have to look back to know she flinched. The comment was scathing solely because her own words contradicted her life.

After drawing that sword, she had been guided by everything but herself. He had seen it in the history of her sword and within the odd bouts of history taught to him through dreams. She had obviously forgotten the fact that as master and servant, they could see the other's past like an open book.

Though maybe such a thing explained why she was so concerned about him.

Firing out an apology as quickly as he had commented, Shirou took a step inside and removed his shoes. "I just wasn't thinking straight, I'll try to think for myself instead of following the old man's advice, alright?"

Responding with a silent, obviously hurt nod, Saber waited for him to step inside before following suit and removing her shoes prior to walking further inside. "Since we're here, did you want some more breakfast before we head back? I've got a bunch of food stocked up and I'd rather it not go to waste."

"I eagerly await," was Saber's only response. While she moved to the dining room, Shirou trailed through the halls to the bathroom first so he could wash himself of whatever grime and sweat he managed to accumulate so far. After conducting basic hygiene for the day, Shirou dressed in real clothing and migrated to the kitchen to cook another meal for his servant. If he were being honest, he hadn't really had enough to eat with the limited supplies at Rin's home.

Whipping together another meal that was inhaled by both Saber and himself, Shirou used the time when both mouths were filled to think about Saber's comments. Did his father really have his best interests in mind? Was Saber right in questioning Kiritsugu's motives?

There was doubt. Doubt not only in the fact that his father might not be leading him down the correct path, but doubt in Saber herself. Why would she try to distance the two if not to inject her own morality into his mind?

Did she know something Shirou didn't? Kiritsugu was never a perceptive man when it came to things that weren't concerned with combat or assassin work, but his skill in social activities was definitely lacking. On the other hand, Saber wasn't all that good socially either. She neglected her knights and the hearts of her people, ultimately leading to the ruin of her entire kingdom.

But, she had a window into the deepest part of his mind, a glimpse far more intrusive than any other person he knew. Not even Rin or Illya, two people he would admit anything to, could see as much as Saber could.

Finishing the meal and tidying his created mess, Saber made an odd noise as if confused. Asking what was wrong, the woman furtively tightened her eyes. "I don't know to be honest but my instincts tell me something is off." Peering down at her own hands, the servant examined them in close detail. "I've never felt anything like this before."

Finishing up with his cleaning, Shirou felt a sense of unease himself. Was Avalon feeling the same sensation she was? "What could be causing it?"

Shaking her head, the woman decided that her hands held no answers. "I have no idea, but I hope it reveals itself soon."

An awkward silence descended upon the room and Shirou elected to change the subject to do something productive. "I think I'm feeling good enough to head out tonight, but I'm not entirely sure what we should do. We've met all of the servants and their masters, though we haven't spoken directly to some of them. We could start there and see about getting everyone to start thinking."

"Shirou, if your goal is to put an end to the Grail War, would it not be easier to kill the other servants rather than try to convince their masters into cooperation?"

Shirou settled into a seated position across from his servant before shooting her an odd look. She would rather fight to the death than speak or try to convince someone. "I'd rather we try the way that results in the lowest possibility of death or murder before resorting to fighting."

The servant was pensive, he could see it clearly written on her face. She didn't believe that it was possible for the other masters to be convinced to cooperate even for a moment. "If that is the path you wish to take then I am obligated to follow you."

Shaking his head, Shirou closed his eyes softly. "That's now what I want to hear. You were once king of a country. You brought together land formerly thought to be irreconcilable. You've had experience with this sort of thing, so I'd like to hear your honest opinion on whether or not we can get this to work."

Opening his eyes, the boy extended an open hand. "I don't think working as master and servant is going to get us very far, so why don't we try to work together as partners - both on equal ground."

Saber eyed his hand and face cautiously before taking the time to remove one of the black gloves covering her hand. Reaching forward with skin bared, the servant held short. It was as if she was reconsidering the entire decision three times over. Eventually she clasped his hand and squeezed with unexpected strength. "I will treat you as an honorary member of the Round Table for now. You may thank Lancelot for aiding in the decision."

Saber offered a cordial smile and Shirou couldn't stop one from forming on his face. "I graciously accept the position. As partners, what do you think about finding Bazett and Caster?"

The servant paused to think, then nodded softly. "Eliminating those two would prove beneficial. Casters grow stronger and are more difficult to defeat the longer they have to prepare."

Shirou obstinately shook his head. "I don't want to kill them, I want to convince them."

Scowling at his comment, Saber pursed her lips. "Regardless of which route is taken, how do you propose we find them?"

"Well if I know Bazett as well as I think I do, it should be easy."

… … …

… … …

"Sometimes it pays to work at a bar." Peering up at the sign one more time, Shirou turned the doorknob and pushed the windowless door open. Immediately, thick fumes of potent alcohol struck his nose and the surprisingly loud noises of bustling patrons followed. The bar was absolutely packed with people all violently intoxicated. It was far more active than Shirou had ever seen it, making him wonder what the special occasion was. Peering above the heads of numerous people, he spotted Neko behind the bar and several familiar waitresses hurriedly tending to customers.

"Are you sure she is here?" Saber's uncertain voice chimed in from behind. "I do not sense any servants within."

Nodding, Shirou scanned the heads of every person. How difficult could it be to find a woman with burgundy hair? "Neko told me two foreigners started drumming up business the past few days. One, a woman with burgundy hair and the other, a man with long blue hair. Caster's probably concealing himself somehow"

"You aren't afraid of starting a fight?"

"The sun isn't even fully down and this place is full of people." True to his word, someone nearly spilled their beverage on him while trying to move through the crowd. "We'll be fine." His arm was caught by something at his side. Looking at the source, he discovered Himari, one of Neko's reserve waitresses. Obviously the owner had pulled all of her staff on shift except him; though he had requested time off for the War so it was to be expected.

She was of moderate height, five foot seven, and of slim build though it was especially top-heavy and clothes straining. With shoulder-length black hair and large glimmering, dark eyes she was rather attractive. Despite being a part-timer and only on call for busy nights, she was especially popular with the younger men.

With a bright grin the girl tugged him closer toward the bar. "Emiya, what are you doing here?" She spared a glance at Saber who was imitating a fish out of water. "And who's the blonde bombshell you brought with you? I'd ask if she was your mistress but that doesn't really explain the fancy suit she's wearing." It was difficult to hear with all the noise around them but Shirou was able to reinforce his ears to pick out the voices of specific people.

Raising his voice somewhat so she would hear, he began to explain a half-truth. "She's a friend of my father's. I really just came here-"

"To have a drink with your coworkers," she finished on his behalf. With a sharp tug, he was yanked through the crowd by the busty woman. "And before you start with your I don't drink stuff, you owe us all after you flaked on Neko's birthday." Sighing softly, the boy decided that he was going to be dragged along regardless of his own desires.

Ensuring Saber was staying somewhat close, Shirou found himself seated at the last open bar stool. "Oh Neko," she cooed. "Look who's decided to come in for a cold stiff drink!"

While Himari danced off to serve the other customers, Shirou was left under supervision of Neko and her wide beaming smile. "Of all the people I could have expected to walk through that door, you were the last one, Emiyan." Her eyes flickered off his face and her head quickly followed. "And you've brought a handsomely dressed woman with you no less." Offering him a look that was questioning, lecherous and condemning all at once, Neko let out a soft laugh. "Just what are you up to?"

Scratching one of his temples, Shirou considered how to explain it all. "I'm really just looking for those two foreigners we spoke about. I've got something important to discuss with them." A tugging at his sleeve turned him toward Saber who was staring toward the back of the room intently.

Following her eyes, he struggled to see what was so interesting. As he spotted the two unique hair colours, Neko's voice reached his ears. "I don't really know what they're made of, but the two have come here every night for the past few days to drink the place dry." Surely enough, Shirou could see Bazett seated at a table draining a bottle while squinting accusatively at one of the other patrons. He couldn't hear at a distance with all the noise swirling around his ears but he could tell the two were in an argument of sorts. "Stick around long enough and you can watch her beat the biggest boys in town at arm wrestling."

Bazett slammed her empty bottle on the table and stood upright before jabbing an accusative finger toward the man she had been speaking to. Saber's voice reached his mind rather than his ears. "Shirou, what is your plan?"

Narrowing his eyes as he watched the suit-clad woman and a large-armed man settle down with their arms propped up on the table, Shirou turned toward Neko. "Get them a round on me and let me carry it over."

Nodding softly, the bar owner went to work while Shirou returned to watching the development. Sure enough as Neko had predicted, Bazett and the strange man were locking hands in preparation for an arm wrestle. If he were judging on size of person alone, he would have expected the man to flip Bazett over but he knew better than to judge off appearances. If anything, Bazett would be the one to flip the man on his head.

With a soft clink, the drinks Shirou had ordered were placed behind him on the bar. Taking hold, the boy stood and started weaving through the crowd in Bazett's direction. "It's customary to offer a small gift before enemies try to work out a truce, isn't it?"

There was a soft "go" before the man's entire body tensed in futile struggle against Bazett's grip. The woman hadn't moved, no, that was incorrect. She hadn't even fully tightened her hand against his, yet he was struggling to displace her arm a millimetre.

Getting closer, he could pick out the subtle Irish tones of Bazett's inebriated voice. "Those arms full of shite or are you trying to go easy on me?" The challenge made the man grit his teeth and double down in frustration but Bazett was unmoving. The woman drummed her fingers and tightened her grip to produce a noise of pain from her opponent. With an aggressive smirk, the woman slowly, but smoothly, turned the man's arm until his knuckles touched the table.

Snatching his hand away, the man grumbled something and rubbed at his arm before standing and backing away like a whipped dog. "Make sure to bulk up before coming back!" The taunt as he left precluded a pan of the head in search of a waitress.

When Bazett's eyes landed on Shirou, he could watch all of the drunkenness vanish from her face. Her jaw and fists tightened simultaneously and Caster behind her stiffened in tandem. Lifting his hand to flash the held drinks did little to calm them. Regardless, the boy sat across from his former mentor and waited until Saber seated herself across from the rival servant.

Settled in place, Shirou gathered a lengthy look at Caster. He was wearing a different outfit than the one Shirou had seen him in outside of Luvia's mansion. He still wore the flowing, oversized pants in cerulean but his top was clothed with a revealing black tank top.

To say Shirou was a little uncomfortable being stared at like prey by Caster's crimson eyes was an understatement. It was as if he had stumbled into a wolf den with his arms tied behind his back. "Master of Saber and Lancer," he greeted dryly. "Don't take offence if I examine the contents before either of us try to drink this."

Lifting up his hands, Shirou silently accepted. "I wanted to speak with you about the War."

"Here I thought you wanted to talk about women or other great life quandaries. In reality all you want to discuss is the Grail War." Caster took hold of both beverages and gently drew on the side of the glass in foreign script. After a moment, he took a small drink from one and slid the other in his master's direction. Caster leaned halfway over the table and rested his head upon one hand to appear even more disinterested. It was odd, but Shirou thought his movements were stiff as if the man was in pain. "You know, I wouldn't have really minded a conversation about the former."

"Caster, please allow our masters to speak." Saber's chilling retort was met with a soft snort from the man.

"Believe it or not, Saber, you and I are people too. We aren't just weapons to be used by our masters." Caster's eyes sharpened as he glared at the small blonde. Watching the servant's mannerisms, Shirou could practically guarantee he was in pain. Had he been injured in a fight recently?

Shirou felt the woman beside him tense up in frustration. Before she could speak, a hand landed on Caster's shoulder. "Quiet down, weapon. You've managed to track me down," Bazett paused and scratched at an itch on her neck. "Though it wasn't as if I was hiding all that much. Anyway, you've come for a reason so spit it out."

The enforcer was always blunt and Shirou was thankful for it - for once. "I'd like for us to stop fighting." The bemused expression on Bazett's face was anything but good. "It's complicated and there's no way for me to describe it all to you but this Grail War is a lie and it needs to be shut down - permanently."

Saber's head shifted in his direction so quickly that he wondered if it had flown off her shoulders. "Shirou-"

Caster laughed loudly once. "Do you really expect me to believe that?"

"I don't care if you do. All I care about is whether you'll work with me to put an end to it." Shirou shot back just as fast.

Caster laughed insultingly once again but as his mouth opened, Bazett interjected. "If I didn't know you as well as I did, I'd be laughing just like Caster. You aren't the sort of kid that lies for no reason."

Caster hoisted his head from his hand to give Bazett an incredulous look. "You're going to believe this shit?"

The woman shook her head. "I haven't bought into it fully, but he's captured my attention. Hey, kid, since you're here I might as well ask how you recovered after the last time we met. I knew you were hard to handle but I didn't expect you could handle Caster on your own so well."

Every pre-planned thought in Shirou's mind ground to a jarring halt. "Wait a minute, what are you talking about? The only time I saw you was outside the Edelfelt manor. Caster and I never fought against each other."

The servant in question made a sharp noise, narrowed his eyes and hummed thoughtfully. "Now that I look closer, you definitely aren't the same person I fought that night. It's subtle but you don't have the same aura."

Bazett's eyes widened in an instant. "Wait, you're not telling me that guy with the Tohsaka girl was just a look-alike? A servant look-alike? That'd mean you become a servant."

"I don't think that's very important right now; let's focus on the Grail War."

Shirou managed to drive the conversation back on track, though it wasn't steered in the direction he wanted. With an annoyed snort, Bazett took a swig of the gifted beverage before speaking. "I have no interest in talking about a truce or alliance. We're already taken." Taking note of Shirou's expression, she continued. "You've already got two servants on your side, so I had to make an alliance of my own to combat you." The woman's cold eyes narrowed challengingly. "It wasn't anything personal. The odds were against us and I thought it necessary to level things out."

As quickly as it had been brought up, his entire prospect was shut down. Scratching the side of his face, Caster made a loud hum to disrupt the conversation. "Master, this might not be the worst idea. You can't argue that this alliance would have better people to work with."

"I'm not renouncing my word. What we have is fine and it's not my fault you dislike your new partner."

Grumbling to himself, Caster appeared visibly upset. "Normally I wouldn't suggest it, but you know what I think about her."

Shirou quickly surmised that the entire conversation was a waste of time. Bazett wouldn't normally change her mind once it was set on something, but he could try once more. "There's no way I can convince you?" With a shake of the head Shirou's suspicions were confirmed. "Then there's no point staying here." Standing upright, he took the time to tuck in his chair. "Just remember what I said about the Grail War." As suddenly as he arrived, the boy left the table but his mind worked upon the conversation.

Both master and servant left the table together to weave their way back out through the crowd and the exit. Stopping only to offer a farewell wave to Neko, Shirou continued on outside and up the stairs to the street sidewalk.

Checking both directions to ensure they were alone, the boy cursed to himself and took a weighted huff of breath while staring at the sunset. His mind was racing on both the conversation that just transpired and what he would do from his current point. Bazett and Caster, Sakura and Assassin, Caren and Berserker, along with Luvia and Rider were all inaccessible. Every chance to settle things peacefully had been exhausted.

In a few short minutes the night would be upon them and another set of battles would take place in Fuyuki. He was out of pacifist choices and the only option left was to eliminate the other servants. His goal was to put an end to the Grail War to save his friends, but could he do that when one of them was his enemy?

How could he protect Sakura if she was being kept at arm's length by Zouken? Long ago he had made a plan with Caren to get past the old worm, but she was trapped behind the most powerful servant in the War. Why did life have to be so difficult? Couldn't one thing in his life be without struggle or sacrifice?

The voice of his father from years ago echoed in his mind. "Life is never fair. Count on something going wrong just when things finally start going right."

It wasn't something he had lived by, nor was it something he had understood when he was younger - but it fit his life in the moment. "Shirou, something is wrong."

His shoulder was gripped and squeezed painfully by his servant. Opening his mouth and turning his head to complain, he spotted the tense concern on her face and thought against it. She had reacted in a similar fashion the first night at the Edelfelt manor. It had been the dragon within her sensing something of dragon-slaying origin on the approach. "Is it Berserker again? He's getting an early start, we'll have to move away if we want to keep the people here safe."

Turning, he twisted out of Saber's grasp and began walking at a quick pace down the street. "This is not the same feeling as that night. It feels as if I remember all of this."

Shirou huffed. Feeling a sense of familiarity was all she was concerned about? "That's called deja vu, everyone gets it sometimes. We might as well leave anyway; we still need to pick up Lancer and staying here is just a waste of time."

"You don't understand," she defied, "this isn't the same."

"I've been here before." The comment had originated from two separate voices in unison. One, from Saber behind him, and the other from around the corner. To make matters stranger, they were similar but distinct in their own way. It was jarring to both parties as everyone silenced themselves in confusion.

Once again two voices spoke at the same time. "Did you hear that?" This time, they were quite obviously different. Shirou and his deeper voice contrasted a much softer woman's voice from around the corner.

Interested in getting to the bottom of things, Shirou peeked around the corner and felt every ounce of blood drain from his head. The yellowish eyes told him nothing, but the perfect platinum-blonde hair, angular face, short height and chilly demeanour told him everything. Reines Archisortie, the woman who toyed with him tirelessly when he was at the Clock Tower. As if her presence wasn't bad enough, Shirou also spotted the unmistakable face of Gray leading the shorter woman.

"Blade?"

"Gray?"

"What are you doing here?" He asked while her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. All at once, things started to make sense. The strange reaction from Avalon, Saber's sense of unease. Her spiritual successor was close enough that she could catch fragments of their life.

Shirou couldn't imagine a worse situation.

The exact person Gray's very soul resonated with was standing behind him, moving to get a view on the newcomers. He couldn't stop it and even if he could, what would be the point? The boy closed his eyes tight, hoping that he was in one of his twisted nightmares or that he would be transported away by some guardian angel.

Unfortunately, neither happened and instead all he received was a sudden inhale through Saber's nose and a gasp from Gray.

At least he wasn't the only one with a doppelganger any longer.


With this chapter over, you can leave your full harshest critique of the battle. It might not have been the best idea to split it up (based on the reviews) across chapters but the cliffhanger was too good to pass up!

Regardless, I appreciate your reviews and everything you all have said. If your complaints from the last chapter still exist, please let me know though I hope they've been quelled.

Finals and the end of my school are over at the end of this week as of posting which means I'm at home and with current circumstances it looks like that's going to be for the foreseeable future. No promises on getting any writing done because of both the problems with writing and the fact that I will be looking for a job and playing video games as you do.

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