I don't own the Fate series

Chapter 1

A meteor streaked through the night sky. A rare sight, many would burn it into their memory, but something else happened, something no astronomer had seen before. A large piece of the meteor broke off and fell to the Earth. As if the meteor was dropping it from the sky.

From that piece came death incarnate. A white titan began to roam the land, leaving nothing alive in it's wake. So big it could be seen on the horizon. As long as it exists nothing else will exist… Nothing.

"Master."

Nothing.

"Master."

Nothing!

"Hakuno! Wake up!"

Hakuno's eyes shot open. Standing over her with concern on his face was Archer. She took in a breath and sat up in her bed.

"Are you alright?"

"Just a bad dream," she explained. Archer frowned.

"Was it the war again?"

"No," she shook her head, "There was this comet… then a titan that ravaged the earth."

Archer's expression softened. He placed a food tray carrying her breakfast in front of her, "Clearly your imagination was active last night."

Hakuno took a sip from the tea, Archer watched her as she did, "I have a few more things to take care of, I'll be back shortly." Then Archer vanished from her sight. Sometimes she couldn't help but wonder if he was her servant, lover, or butler.

Archer made his way towards the throne room, using the regalia he created the castle, basing it off of Illyaviel's castle. The throne room was an addition though. He needed to send a message to the other four servants to report to Hakuno. As her first and main servant it was his job.

It had been two months since the end of the war. But Archer could still remember it clearly.

Two months prior

Archer had snuck into the grail, hoping that somehow it would stop Hakuno's deletion. He knew it was impossible. Even with the new knowledge about her data being based off of a person who was still alive wouldn't help. It was slowing it down, but it didn't help. Archer knew Hakuno's end could not be stopped… But that didn't make it less painful. He wouldn't admit but he had grown fond of his hopeless master. Her compassion despite being in a game of death, her strength to live, her comebacks to his insults… he didn't want to lose them, but he couldn't save her.

"Archer," her voice called out.

"Yes, master?" He wanted her to know she wasn't alone. He could do that much.

"I have one final order for you." Order? When this was over he'd be gone too.

"Even now you wish to give me orders? Good to know that deletion has not hindered your immaturity," maybe if he could rile her up, she'd feel less afraid. She didn't make a comeback like he thought she would. Instead she kept talking.

"Archer, my last order: Live your life the way you want," he fell silence, "with my wish you will be free, and I'm sure the other servants will be free as well. SE. RA. PH will be changed, hopefully for the better. Live your life without guilt and regrets, the way you couldn't in you first life, that is my order."

She was a fool, a kind lovable fool. How else could she show compassion to a man like him? "Are you positive that is what you want me to do?" Archer asked, he had his usual sarcastic tone, trying to not show his gratitude, "You think me a jerk, but are you sure you want a monster to-…"

"You're not a monster," Hakuno screamed, shock forced the bowman to stop speaking, "I know you. You can act mean and sarcastic and try to hide it all you want, but I know the real you," no she didn't, she couldn't, "You're kind, you care about others even if you try to hide it," Archer felt something in him stir, something he believed died a long time ago, "You had to make choices in terrible situations, ones where someone got hurt no matter what you chose," he couldn't save her, she couldn't be saved, the rational side was shouting that, but something was awaking from within, something his master was awaking, "No one told you this, but I'm telling you this now! That doesn't make you a villain, it doesn't make you a monster, you killed to save others, just like you killed to save me," and he failed like he always did, "I'm the one who deserves to be punished not you, so I'm setting you free! If you continue to have survivors guilt after this, the only thing you can do to make up for it, up to me; is to live your life the way you want," it wasn't, it wasn't; how could he live his life if… if she wasn't in it? "I love you Archer, please live… for both of us."

She passed into unconsciousness, her words petrified him. She loved him? That foolish, kind, and strong girl loved him? When he asked himself what he thought, the part of him that was awoken had shouted, 'I love you too. I'll save you no matter what!' He took physical form and swam to his master, as fast as he could. The rational side of him told him to stop, that it was pointless, but he ignored it. He reached her, wrapped an arm around her and swam up. As fast as he could carrying Hakuno. He needed to leave the grail, maybe… Just maybe, he could pull her out before she could deleted.

Finally, after an eternity he reached the surface of the digital water and was back at the top of the staircase. He didn't stop to rest, he gathered the rest of his master in his arms and ran. Rin was gone, returned to the real world. That made his escape path easier. He ran through the digital passage, through the supply closet, through the halls of the artificial school then stopping in the court yard. There was nothing past the school gate, only a black void. He collapsed to his knees, Hakuno in his arms. Where did he think he could go? This fake school was all there was… Hakuno began to glow.

"No." Was it too late, did the grail input the deletion code before he pulled her away? He closed his eyes and held her closer. Trying to implant the feel of her against him in his memory, he tried and failed again. This was why he hated being a hero. Fairy tales were nothing but lies, because the hero would make a sacrifice to save the world, their loved ones or their very life's… They themselves never got to live happily ever after.

After a few minutes, nothing happened. She didn't dissolve into nothing. She was still in his arms. So, he opened his eyes and looked at her. She was still there, but her clothes had changed. Her school uniform was gone, now replaced by a white dress with a red trim, on her left ring finger was a black ring with a red jewel. Then the ground shook, he steadied himself, and kept his hold on Hakuno. He looked up at the school gate, where once was nothing past the gate, a road and grassy field seemed to grow.

"What's going on?"

"Isn't fascinating?" Archer gritted his teeth he'd know that voice anywhere. Kirei Kotomine walked from behind him, "What was once a small place for battle is growing and expanding into a new world."

"What are you doing here? Why wasn't Hakuno deleted?"

"I thought this was what you wanted," Kotomine said in snide, "Do you actually want your master to die."

Archer starred daggers at the 'holy' man.

"Well, it seems I have neglected to explain this particular Holy Grail War, thoroughly," Kotomine began, "Perhaps if she'd knew she would have looked forward to winning and feel less guilty killing her competition."

"What are you talking about?" Archer asked, "The winner receives a wish. And her wish was for the war to end."

"You are correct, that was her wish, and during a normal war due to your master's nature she'd be deleted right after, however, this war was not normal."

"Servants killing other servants for the sake of their masters wish," Archer stated, "That sounds like a normal Holy Grail War to me."

"Indeed, but this war wasn't just for deciding who was worthy to receive a wish, it was to decide a champion for the moon."

"What?"

"Currently the Moon cell is going through its 14,000-yearly maintenance check." Archer blinked. The moon cell had a maintenance check? "During this time the SE. RA. PH is faced with a threat. Of course, the moon cell will take defensive measures to defend itself, but it is limited, so the winner of the most current Grail War is made champion, defender, as well as its sovereign."

Archer looked at Hakuno, "Sovereign?"

"Yes. That ring is called the regalia, it holds the royal authority. The winner is granted that artifact and is made the ruler of the moon cell. It can do anything for its user, create landscape, create attack programs, it can even give a servant unimaginable power, and now as winner, it is your masters prize."

"What about what Twice said, NPC's are seen as irregular data and are deleted by the moon cell?"

"In times of maintenance any and all issues with the winner is overlooked, the moon cell needs a champion and your master has proven herself worthy. Rejoice, after all that death she now, not only lives, but is queen of the moon cell," Archer scowled, if Hakuno were awake, she wouldn't be happy to hear that.

"So, what is this threat?" Archer asked. Kotomine began to glow.

"I'd would love to tell you, but it's a long story, and I'm being deleted, the war is over and my part is complete," Kotomine said. Archer growled, even as an NPC Kotomine vexed him.

"But I do have time to give you this warning. The servant in charge of the moon cell maintenance has defected forty-seven minutes ago. The Caster class servant Archimedes; is now a danger to the moon."

"Archimedes?" Archer had not encountered that spirit before, naturally he heard of the scholar in myth, but he had no idea what he was like.

"That is all the time I have," Kotomine began to fade, "Good luck, you'll need it."

Archer sighed, great, just one thing after another. He felt Hakuno move. He looked down to see his master was still asleep, she was just cuddling closer to the nearest source of heat; him. He smiled, he then picked her up and began walking out of the gates, finally leaving behind the arena of the Holy Grail War, "You are completely hopeless, master. But you're my hopeless master."

Present

Hakuno zipped up her dress. Then she went to her dresser and began to brush her long wavy brown hair. Two months had gone by and no sign of the rogue servant Archimedes. One of the first things she did was declare him a wanted criminal and asked for any information on his whereabouts. Nothing… She did manage to get four more servants to join her as sub-servants and generals. Archer was strong and was the only one she trusted the regalia to other than herself, but other servants have been restored; among them were kings, conquerors, and anarchists. Servants who would come after her for existing and had a better understanding of war. She needed more allies. Archer, thankfully, agreed. But he still didn't like the idea of sharing his master.

Speaking of which, Archer entered the room, "I called the others."

"Good, it will still take them about half an hour to get here," Hakuno reminded. Archer approached her. He took the brush from her hands and began to brush it himself. Hakuno tried to suppress a blush to no avail. Archer noticed and smirked. Damn him. One minute he's doting on her the next he's teasing her… And she loved it all.

"There's still no word on Archimedes?" She asked trying to take her mind off that.

"Not yet?"

"What about the rogue attack programs?"

"A new sector has been created. They have infested it."

"Already?"

"Yes."

Hakuno thought for a minute, "Do you think the threat is real, or was Kotomine just trying to make us squirm?"

"Normally I would say it was Kotomine's trick, but he was designed to serve the Moon Cell, even with his nature, he couldn't defy that programming. If there is a threat, then he wasn't lying." He finished brushing Hakuno's hair. He picked up her red choker. Hakuno moved her hair aside so Archer could put it on.

She turned to face him, "Well time to go be queen." Being a sovereign was harder than she originally thought. Archer lifted her chin and gave her a gentle kiss. She returned it.

"You know I don't tolerate whining," he said with a smile. She blushed harder. Damn him and his teasing.

We all know Archer is more of a butler than a king. So Hakuno is in charge. I've already chosen which servants are part of their faction. I hope you'll like them