Chapter 1: Void

Disclaimer: I own neither properties

A/N: I have to admit that this story is an odd one. I only thought it up because the game was 13 dollars on steam a while back. That, and one of the male MC/companion voices is Archer.

- X o X -

I probably played things a bit too fast and loose for a set-up chapter, so please let me know what I need to change and improve on. Thank you for taking a chance with my story!

- X o X -

Edit: Huge thanks to nexTime and casserole2.0 for beta-reading this chapter. I appreciate all their help in editing and providing tips for me to improve as a writer going forward!

Discord: nexTime #5956

Discord: casserole2.0 #1209

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( I screamed. )

The unimaginable pain of the poison surging through his veins was like a parasite running rampant across his body, bursting open muscles to reveal vines of vicious thorns.

( I suffered through it! All of it! )

When his mask tore from his face, the red miasma that barreled into his lung was enough to drive him to near-maddening starvation alone.

With the infernal blood seizing his heart, the cry to frenzy was reaching a fever pitch. It was as if an ardent iron rod had plunged into his spine and set fire to every nerve in his body.

( To all who could hear, )

Incoherent whispers swarmed his mind as they steadily grew into a roaring cacophony of animalistic voices. All were screaming for him to kill... ( REND! ) Kill... ( CONSUME! ) KILL... ( AWAKEN! )

The only thing that remained clear through the haze of bloodlust was the woman lifted above him. Her vibrant blue eyes had gazed back at him in relief beneath her mess of long, white hair. If he were of a more coherent mind, he would've thought her youthful face and tanned complexion to have an almost ethereal beauty to it under the setting sun.

Yet, it was all marred by the sight of his arm piercing through her torso. Her blue surgical gown now barely held together by the belt-like straps that his bladed fingers shredded.

Despite that, she reached down with one of her gloved hands to caress his cheek. Even though it had pushed her deeper into his arm, she leaned down to meet his shocked face and whispered, "Thank you."

In that brief second, his world went silent from her words... before he was dragged back into the screaming abyss.

( I cried, and I begged! )

He ripped a massive chunk out of her side in a single stroke, exposing the gristle viscera that soon sloughed her feet.

As the inevitable waterfall of blue ichor splashed over him, his mouth unwillingly shifted into a twisted grin. Yet, he still desperately tried to resist his maw from reveling in every greedy drop. But the puppeteer pulling at his strings would not concede so readily.

It was starving... and so was he.

Now standing full from a blood-drunken stupor, he focused back on the woman lying dead on the cratered battlefield. Her lifeless eyes honed only on him before they slowly petrified, along with the rest of her body.

Furthermore, a monstrous presence began to crawl up his face and amass in his left eye as an azure star.

( Someone! Anyone! )

He slumped to the ground as two men came into his view, their faces obscured by a blurry haze.

The younger of the two had gelled back, white hair that partially covered the right side of his face. He also wore a coat cape over his camouflage-patterned military fatigues.

"...c-cap...tain..."

"Well done." Despite the congratulations, he said it with such a low, regretful tone.

"H-he...h-help..."

This time, the older man on the left stepped forward. He was a massive beast in stature with a white, braided mane and feral aura. Coating his tanned arms were many tribal tattoos, further emphasized by his tight clothes and fur-collared jacket.

Yet, the man spoke his next words with only a pained gentleness in contrast to his appearance. "Your resolve... was truly admirable."

"P-pl...ease..."

His gaze then refocused on the younger man when he outstretched his trembling arm towards him. "Sleep well, friend."

In an unperceivable instant, a crimson bullet punched a hole through his heart. It was only then that he realized that the sheer force of the blow had launched him into the massive ravine behind him.

( Save me! )

As he fell into the black void below, he managed to roar out a single word with the last of his strength.

"JA-!"

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"URK!" He immediately jumped awake and slammed the back of his head against a wooden column in the process. It didn't help that he was blinded by a bright light either.

But his sudden movement did have the effect of startling the person sent to find him. They nearly jumped a few feet in the air before frantically checking him for injuries.

"Senpai!" He heard them squeak out before feeling their fingers run through his white and auburn hair, combing for any cuts or wounds possibly made from that embarrassing accident.

"Nngh..." After blinking away the final bits of grogginess plaguing his vision, he got a face full of purple tresses. "Is... is that you, Sakura?"

For a brief second, Shirou could have sworn she was wearing a field medic uniform — but with a blink of his eyes, it was replaced with her usual academy outfit.

The strange hallucination only got worse when he saw her open her mouth. As another woman's voice suddenly overlapped with hers to freeze him in place.

"No signs of frenzy or major dysfunction... the damage to your heart had me worried." Her gentle eyes gave him a once over before following it up with a humored giggle. "But you're surprisingly resilient, hm?"

Finally breaking free, he snatched her wrist into a vice-grip and glared up at her with a crimson heat burning behind his eyes. A deep, inquisitive growl that sounded near incomprehensible followed it.

"Eep!" She then recoiled back from him ( with fear across her face ).

Realizing what he'd done, the roles became switched as he hurriedly checked her arm for any bruising that he may have caused (the last thing he wanted was to add to the worrying amount of them that she's concealed since they first met).

Thankfully, he just counted his blessings that there didn't seem to be any marks from his sudden shift into madness.

He knew it wasn't a valid excuse, but the sense of déjà vu had overwhelmed him, muddling his mind between reality and... whatever that was. "...I'm sorry. I-... I don't know what came over me."

"I-it's okay, senpai! I know you would never do something like that intentionally. ( You're a good person at heart. )"

He slightly flinched back from her touch when she brought a comforting hand to his cheek. '...A good person at heart, huh?'

He shook his head before giving her a lopsided grin. "Well, thanks for believing in me then, and for still coming over to check on me too."

"I-it's no problem at all! ( I'm glad to have the purpose of keeping you happy, healthy, and attended. )"

"Wha-?"

"Speaking of which, senpai..." She leveled a disappointed frown at him before opening her hand to reveal nine red medicine capsules — three to each day he had avoided taking them.

"Oh." He should've known not to leave the pills out in the open for her to find. Although, it's not like the physical symptoms wouldn't have ratted him out, eventually.

She thumbed over the dark bags beneath his eyes and gave him a surprisingly stern stare. "Is that all you have to say? You promised me that you wouldn't risk your health to experiment here anymore. Or at the very least, remember take these capsules."

It pained him to see her so hurt in front of him, the sheer worry for him palpable on her face. "Please... the signs of your illness are resurfacing again."

"...I know." He then abruptly stood up from her and quietly moved to his worktable. With a sigh, he covered a faintly glowing object under a cloth sheet.

"But just give me till the end of the day without them, okay? Please... my mind hasn't been this clear in a long while."

"Senpai..."

'And I need it to be. The recurring dream I've been having keeps leading back to this... thing for some reason. It has to be the key to the rest of my lost memories!'

He didn't dare voice this part of his thoughts, though. Whether the dreams hinted at his past or not, they were often borderline supernatural and rife for getting himself institutionalized. And he won't dare drag her into any more of his "issues" than she already has.

Or, more truthfully... he's just afraid of it possibly ruining the pure normalcy/image he keeps clinging to. No matter how much that constantly feuds with the already fragile reality.

Instead, he puts an end to the conversation with a lie that even he could pull off. "Hey Sakura, do you smell smoke? You didn't leave the toaster on, did you? Or worse, leave Fuji-nee to watch the kitchen?"

Seeing her freak out and immediately book it out of the shed was admittedly cute. Although he knew the conversation was only temporarily shelved for later by the look on her face when she rushed past him.

Before following after her, though, he stopped at the entrance to peer into the dingy interior. He then sighed at the nearly split column that gave the roof some worrying creaks. "...I'll have to call Raiga-jii to send over his men to fix this. How am I going to explain things to him this time?"

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"...Huh."

Ironically, it seemed his lie had some truth after all. The instant he had walked into the main house's tatami room, his senses were bombarded by the tell-tale sign of burnt eggs and toast.

Further greeting him was the sight of Fuji-nee prostrating on the floor to a blank-eyed Sakura. In her hands was the extinguisher that was used to blot out most of the kitchen's blackened wall tiles behind her.

"I'm sorry! But my stomach got too grumbly to wait…"

He crouched down to pat her shoulder and prepared himself for the inevitable outrage following his next comment. "Hah, you never change, do you? Eh, Taiga?"

"HEY, WHO SAID THAT!? I'M GONNA-!" Her fury immediately died upon seeing him.

"Pancake me? No thanks, I can see how that'll turn out." He then grinned wryly at her still shocked stupor. "Oh, and good morning, by the way."

"W-w-woah, hold on! You're coherent again, Shirou?!" Her head then spun between him and Sakura before finally settling on him. "...Er, are you feelin-?"

He knew it would be rude to cut her off, but she wasn't like Sakura. She'd take the aggressive initiative to drug him again if she had even an inkling that something was wrong.

"I'm fine, Sakura already talked to me." With Sakura being too occupied by the smoky kitchen, he knew his half-lie couldn't be refuted.

"Although... I have to say that I'm a bit miffed about my ruined kitchen and the waste of food. I might even have to tell Sakura to stop preparing Bentos for you." He purposely dragged out his faux anger before letting her off easyily with a half-flippant wave. "But, it's nothing but a bit of hard work and IOUs can't solve. You will make up for this, won't you?"

With a salute, she jumped to her feet and nearly bear-hugged the life out of him. "Of course! So, please don't take away my meal privileges! I'll die!"

"Nngh! Okay, okay, I believe you! Now, could you please let me go already? Otherwise, I'll be the one dying."

"Hehe, sorry." She let him down before she began scratching her cheek in her embarrassment. Leave it to his Fuji-nee to be the only one to break through his abnormal damage resistance somehow.

"Hah... just start clearing away the mess you made on my stovetop. Please." Leaning over her shoulder, he broke Sakura out of her still mortified state by calling her over.

"Y-yes?"

Man, he really ought to buy her something nice while he still has his wits. She already had enough to deal with from just his troubles alone.

"Thanks for putting out the flames." He got a little joy from seeing some pink bloom on her cheeks. "But could you leave the extinguisher over there for the time being? I have a task that only the both of us can do."

"Hm?" With the head tilt she gave him in confusion, he couldn't help but chuckle.

"Well, we've still got time before you and Fuji-nee have to head out. So, while she gets to cleaning, we can start prepping some ingredients in the meantime. Just like old times, yeah?"

"Mhm!"

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Ahhh... it was honestly a bit nostalgic and comforting to be cooking alongside her again. The instant the first vegetable had hit the cutting board, they somehow fell right back into that synchronous rhythm they had shared since he first started teaching her.

Yet, it's here that he also noticed how much things have changed since then. While he could just chalk up to the lingering effects of the capsules, he was steadily falling behind her in pace. How she dexterously handled and diced with the knife was beyond his previous skill.

Although, it really should have been evident considering how gradually more refined her cooking has become, even in his less lucid moments.

It was truly awe-inspiring... and had only reignited his drive to polish up and improve on his own skills again! As her former senpai, it's embarrassing to be caught so lacking behind her after all, especially if there's a possibility of losing his prided specialization of Japanese dishes.

"Ah!"

Crap! He didn't realize how intensely he'd been accidentally gazing at her. It seemed to have distracted her just enough to loosen her grip on the blade.

"Sakura, are you okay?! Let me see-!"

- X o X -

As soon as he'd peered over her finger, a dribble of red teasingly peaked out from below the wound.

THUMP.

His throat suddenly clenched up and convulsed in pain as his tongue ached from thirst. Tears welled up in his eyes as he desperately attempted to tighten his jaw shut. But it couldn't stop the low grunts and feral-like growls from escaping his mouth.

'No... no, no, no! Not now!'

It has begun. After days without any true sustenance, his body was calling its due. The tantalizing sight of crimson engrossed him so deeply that he didn't realize that he'd glided her dainty finger between his lips until it was already too late.

THUMP. THUMP.

Yet... The scent! The taste! It was all so intoxicating... addicting even from that single drop alone!

"Mn~!"

Her quiet squeaks and moans went ignored as his tongue rolled over every inch of her digit to savor the fresh nectar. The bitter yet contrasting ( Void ) hollow-like quality of her blood simply... sung to him.

THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.

Before his sharpened fangs could tear into her supple flesh, a blistering flame pulsed down his chest and spine. It stopped him in his tracks as the waves of heat threatened to incinerate him to ashes.

Moreover, when he'd shut his eyes from the pain, he was once again met with an illusory image. This time, it was of Sakura holding a knife to her bruised and scarred throat. Her face and voice filled with nothing but fear and sheer disgust.

"Stay back!" The gentle gems that once looked at him with kindness now only exuded a palpable hatred for ( your kind ). For him. ( For you. )

"I'm sick and tired of it! Day after day, having my blood sucked by every passing revenant!"

'Please...! Please don't look at me like that, I'm sorry!'

He tried to pull away, but the vision kept him firmly glued to her. As if it wanted him to take in every bit of guilt and shame for the near crime. Her blood had become like ash and mud to his recoiling tongue.

"I'm not an animal!"

'I-I didn't mean to! I swear! I... I-I just...'

The image then plunged itself into darkness before being replaced with soft whines that pierced his ears to a near maddening degree. All until small digits choked them into silence by curling tighter around its collar of pure white fur.

Yet, the cocking of a trigger broke through the hurt as cold steel pressed against his forehead. There, looming over him like the reaper, had stood the shadow of a hero whose frigid eyes contained murderous intent.

When they finally spoke, they said it without an ounce of human empathy. "I want you to make a promise to me."

But before the memory could finish, the image of Sakura returned; who suddenly plunged the blade deep into her throat in a splattering shower of crimson.

- X o X -

"PAH!" Finally able to pull away, the only evidence of the cut on her finger was now lathered and healed by his warm saliva.

He soon choked on air, though, when a pair of hands gripped his shirt collar and he was suddenly brained upside the head by a serving ladle. It wasn't helped by the screeching, "S-SHIROU!", that followed and nearly deafened his ears. "W-what was that?!"

Whatever those visions were, the experience was still having a noticeable effect on him. His eyes constantly darted around his surroundings, as his clammy hands twitched in turn.

He knew what the consequences would be if he continued to show any other abnormal behavior, though. So, he forcibly buried all these feelings by gritting his teeth until he could calm himself down with a few quick breaths.

"...F-fuji-." Dammit, he still sounded off. Time to enact Plan B then. "...you dented it."

Of course, it wasn't perfect, but he still needed a bit more time before fully recovering from the twitches and stuttering. So, what better way to play off his near breakdown than by using his naturally dry humor to act as a momentary distraction?

"Huh? Dented wha-...oh."

Her brief confusion was enough for him to clench his fists and hold his breath until they stopped shaking.

"F-forget this stupid ladle! You better hurry up and start explaining yourself, mister!" She lectured back, red-faced and fuming. In addition, she now threatingly held the dented ladle in lieu of her usual *shiver* weapon of choice. So much for forgetting it.

"I-." While he did feel confident enough now to prepare a somewhat believable excuse, she cut him off from doing so by then deciding to rant and... swoon to herself?

"I mean, you were so adorable when you used to pull at my skirt and ask for piggy-back rides all the time. Now, I find that you've become a... a... sex deviant! What happened to ky sweet, innocent Shirou who cutely begged his nee-san for huggy-wuggies?!"

He immediately shivered in disgust after hearing that sentence. 'Thankfully, living rent-free in only your awful imaginations. C'mon, Fuji-nee, you're too old to be describing it that way...' After an exasperated inner huff, he continued, 'Besides, I only did stuff like that because I still had trouble handling my thirst back then!'

- X o X -

Of course, it didn't help that his old man hadn't yet perfected the capsules at that point either. So, they often had to ration the blood packs between them. After all, Raiga-jii could only supply so much to them before it started invoking investigations from hospital staff or police officers.

Even if Kiritsugu wanted to offer his blood, that option was unfortunately off the table too. It tasted damn near septic from the only time he'd accidentally bit into the man as a kid. Nngh... His face must've been glued to the toilet for days after that.

- X o X -

His knowing the truth hadn't stopped the crimson flush that still rose to his cheeks, though. 'I don't know how someone like you can smell so fiery yet surprisingly sweet, somehow. Mmm, kinda like a Tamato Berry Ice Cream Bar...'

Yet, a foreboding danger filled the air when a look of calm strangely fell over her face. "I get it now; it's my fault. I've been so worried about making sure you're caught up with normal schoolwork that I've forgotten that you missed your most important education!"

'Oh dear god. Please don't tell me...' Once she had fist bopped her open palm, his fight-or-flight instincts practically screamed bloody murder at that point.

With a matter-of-fact voice, she then patted him on the head. "Let me tell you about the wonderful world of the birds and the bees. Lesson one, dos and don'ts."

Sakura must've recovered at the worst timing possible too, because she was now doing her best to hide her soft giggles off to the side.

He's never felt more humiliated.

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Thankfully, he got to avoid any further embarrassment by reminding her of their limited time before her staff meeting.

And so, things had settled into a relatively quiet peace after they finished cooking a rather simple meal of Omurice and black tea. This good mood continued into the breakfast as he poked fun at Fuji-nee, stuffing her cheeks and engaged in small talk with Sakura. It was all to keep them both too occupied to notice that while he picked at the food... He never took a single bite. From that illusion earlier, a single words was haunting him more than the thirst that remained unabated.

( Revenant. )

The more he focused on it, the more his blood inexplicably boiled with rage. Even the dull heat that pulsed through his heart and spine resonantly spiked to its familiarity. 'Just who is-'

"Hah! Thanks again for the meal, Shirou! Sakura has been a good replacement, but there's always something special about getting to eat your cooking!"

He rapidly blinked in confusion after finding himself now standing at the front door with Fuji-nee jovially patting her full stomach in satisfaction.

Shaking away the cobwebs, he quickly responded, "Er... sure, thanks? But aren't you being kinda rude?"

Surprisingly, Sakura simply shook her head before giving him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about it, senpai. While I've still been striving to compete with you as equals one day, I wouldn't have that goal without you. You have such a gifted touch that it's a pleasure just to stand beside you."

That was the perfect material for Fuji-nee, as she instantly started teasing her about it. "Ohhhhh? Here I was worried about Shirou's deviancy! Is it you that actually needs some remedial education, Sakura?"

"Eep!"

"Kekeke! Oh, and speaking of which; come over here for a sec, Shirou." He didn't even have a chance to groan before she yanked out the doors for a private chat.

"Fuji-nee, I don't need-" He was interrupted by her taking something out of her purse, before silently handing it to him. Yet, as he pensively stared at the package in his scarred hands, its branded insignia only made the weight of it grow.

Any excitable jest faded from her face as she leaned down to whisper in his ear; only loud enough for him to hear. "I'm not completely oblivious, your symptoms were plain to see. While I don't know the full extent of the conversation you've had with Sakura, it's likely that you haven't told her the entire truth either."

"..."

"I understand why you don't want to take them. This morning has truly been a great reminder of the past again. But, it's precisely the reason why I want to keep taking them so you can get better."

Wrapping her arms around his waist, she gave him a firm hug. "I can't lose you too."

"...Fuji-nee, I-"

"Stop. I don't want to hear any promises or excuses. The choice you choose to make will be apparent by the next time I'll see you. If not for my sake, then I hope you make the right one for Sakura's."

Sakura then broke the following silence by intruding upon the confrontation out of curiosity and worry. "Senpai? Is everything okay?"

Right, it must've looked strange with how long Fuji-nee was hugging him and whispering into his ear.

"Aww, no need to look so jelly! I was just telling Shi-chan about what I saw you doing in his room a few nights ago~!"

If they were still drinking tea, she'd be spraying it all over the floorboards. Instead, she just stammered over her words as her face went atomic; constantly switching focus on him and Fuji-nee.

"I-! W-well, I-it's not-!"

Bzzzt! Bzzzt! Bzzzt! *click*

"Oops, duty calls! Catch you two lovebirds later!"

In what seemed like a blur, she tussled his hair before cannoning her way through his front gates in a cloud of smoke. The revving of an engine and the following screams of pedestrians made it clear that she was blitzing her way to school this time.

God, she's terrifying.

He just hoped that most of those people were wise enough to stay out of her warpath. It's already a ridiculous scenario to fall into a well or computer, but it's another to be sent to another world by a tiger on a motorbike.

Oh, and on top of that, "...she could've at least tried using the door handles." Hah, just another thing to ask Raiga-jii to fix. Hopefully, the old man won't give him too much grief for more repairs this time.

"S-senpai, I was only-"

"I know. While she tries her best, Fuji-nee couldn't have stayed with me all those late nights nor taken care of this house's ridiculous upkeep. So, like I said before, thank you."

"O-oh, well, it's my pleasure to do whatever I can!"

"Hm! Now, you're going to be late if you don't head out soon, too." Looking her over, he then smoothed out any creases she made in her uniform. "But, before you go, I wanted to ask if you could come over tonight? I'm a bit short on ingredients after this morning, but I'm raring to make a Hamburg steak to test my chops! So, what do you say?"

"Senpai..." From her hesitance, a foreboding feeling returned. Except that this time, it made his stomach turn from a sickening unease. "...I can't. My grandfather needs me to stay in the household to perform family duties."

She must've seen his bitter silence and countenance, though, as she then immediately followed up her explanation with a reassurance. "B-but I'll try to ask him for permission if I could return earlier!"

Yet, that wasn't what his heart filled with malice at.

- X o X -

It's that man, Zouken Matou. While he'd only met her grandfather once, he saw through his amicable, senile personality and it'd be a grievous understatement to say that it did little to offer trustworthiness.

That... sick monster reeked of death and decay; the tell tales of its depravity practically clung to the creature like a second skin.

Of course, it made his blood boil that its scent always seemed to drip off Sakura as well, and in more recent months, her asshole of a brother too. He was just too late, weak, and had no solid evidence to do anything to protect her from them before.

'Now…'

- X o X -

"No... no, it's fine. If it's that important, then I can't stop you." He gave her a small half smile. "But..."

"Hm?"

"I'll retake my medicine starting tonight. I-... I promise. So, don't worry about me." He forced a reassuring smile before moving to pat her head. "And the next time you come visit, promise me we'll make our favorite dishes together, yeah?"

Both of them knew that he'd be far from the right state of mind if he kept his side of the deal. Yet, it was HIM making that promise which mattered. In all their time together, he's never broken a single one.

"I would like that." With a soft smile, she gave him a wave before then turning her heel towards the broken estate gates. "So, please keep that promise and I'll keep to mine. Stay safe until then, senpai!"

"Yeah... you too." As he watched her leave his sight, a thrum of static or whispers began to grow ever louder in his mind.

'So, please forgive me for what I'm about to do — because, I can't leave everything piled on your shoulders anymore or stand back as a helpless bystander.'

He bit his lip until it drew blood as a traitorous thought plagued his mind. The hunger, nightmares, and newfound clarity were all compounded to strengthen the persuasiveness behind it further. 'All I have to do to save you is...'

( Unshackle the restraints. )

- X o X -

His knees immediately buckled as the world began to warp between dreams and reality before him. The package that had rested in his arms dropped to the ground and spilled its contents all across the entrance.

His peaceful home and surrounding neighborhood shifted to crumbled, burning infrastructure and cracked earth.

( You ) can't let it happen again. Not this time.

He imagined himself stumbling towards an illusory Sakura as her voice overlapped with another's again.

"...It seems everyone... everywhere... is thirsty." Her violet ( amber ) eyes then gazed lifelessly ( doe-eyed ) up at him. "There is a spring that will cure that thirst. One that weeps tears of blood."

The static reached deafening levels as he futilely covered his ears to silence the screeching noise.

( You ) won't fail her.

When his body crumpled to the hardwood planks, he heard her gentle voice attempt to soothe him by placing his head on her lap.

"It's alright. It's alright..."

Yet, his anger boiled when the crunching of foreign boots intruded upon them. A disgusting voice then piped up as they reached out their filthy hands towards her. "Get up. It's time for a bit of fun."

( You ) will not make her suffer for ( your ) mistakes again!

The scene changed, and he felt her pale hand reach out to interlock with his. In this exchange, she pressed a warm object in his hand.

"Here, this is for you."

( You ) know what ( you ) must do!

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

His heart drummed more explosively with each beat as it rose towards its fated crescendo. And as their lips edged closer, he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Whatever happens... I will always be with you. Just as you will always be within my heart."

Yet, he could only mournfully gaze into her glistening eyes before she tenderly squeezed his shoulder.

( You ) promised.

"And now..."

He released a choked cry when she inevitably broke away from his embrace. Then, a ring of thorned seeds circled her until each plunged into her body, one by one. Only when the final piece had sunk into her stomach did a heavenly light, consume her until nothing remained.

The thrumming noise... the rushing of blood... the furious beating of his heart... It all came to a crashing halt at that moment.

"Goodbye."

- X o X -

The illusory dream lifted, and he returned to reality, with his body lying in a thick pool of crimson from the shattered vials and pills around him.

He hesitantly raised his blood-stained arms to reveal them, littered with glass and cuts. Yet, carefully crested and unblemished in the palm of his right hand, was a golden, tear-shaped bead.

After seeing this, he raised his face to the dawn sky... and splintered the door frame under the newfound pressure of a massive, clawed gauntlet. His once steel and amber-centric eyes now entirely burned with azure power and purpose — reflected within those mirrors of blue...

A towering tree wept endless tears of blood from her twisted branches.

( Save her, EMIYA. )

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Blood Code - ( Fractured )

Owner: Shirou Emiya

"The old feelings inside still speak to you. This time, you must ensure a lasting peace."

- Features high HP and Endurance

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Author's Note:

* IMPORTANT *

1. Shirou is a Revenant.

2. The medicine (blood capsules) are something that Kiritsugu had created to drug/suppress the queen's BOR parasites. Its primary purpose was to transform Shirou back into a human; I.e., how he could age and why he'll be a weak nugget in the beginning. It's to mimic the effects of his atrophied circuits from canon basically.

- I figured that because the origins of revenants are mainly scientifically-based, Kiritsugu or someone else would have been able to alchemize a solution to reverse the transformation.

3. He doesn't know about/can't use Magecraft because Kiritsugu never revealed it or trained him in this world. So, he'll only be able to use the gifts, blood codes/veils, and weapons that he gradually regains from restoring his memories.

- X o X -

- I wanted to draw as many parallels between Sakura/FSN events and Io/CV memories that seemed possible. The full context behind them is just warped or missing due to Shirou's amnesia.

- To have things make logical sense (cover up Kiritsugu's death and Shirou's supernatural status), Kiritsugu was believed to have died from Sickle Cell Disease, and Shirou was diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia. The diseases were the closest match-ups regarding symptoms, severity, and lethality.

- X o X -

Until next time, Peace Out.