AN: Sorry for the very very late update. I had several projects and case studies two months ago so I hadn't had the time to work on this. Since everything to be busy about was over, I can now resume this project. I hope you enjoy this story's return from hiatus.

Act 1- "Death of Beginning"

Chapter VII- "Tragedy's Hour"

It was futile.

This world was indeed enveloped by such darkness.

Nothing had changed. Even after nearly 4 decades, everything was still the same.

People still lust for greed and power.

People still linger for tainted desires.

People were still in love with evil.

Yes, this world was truly and undeniably ugly. . .so much that the beauty of roses were overshadowed by the bite of its thorns.

It was. . .inevitable.

That's why—for her, this was truly most satisfying.

"Kuroha."

A heavy voice awakened her senses.

She was meditating for 2 hours and had dazed off due to fatigue.

"You must tighten your concentration," the man before her instructed.

"I apologize, dear Father."

He is the head of her family, the once great, Kurayami who once a prodigious clan in the Northwest.

She clenched her fist, concentrated all her circuits to a focal point in her body, and induced it all with prana.

Maximizing her efforts, she had achieved her aim, and proceeded with the incantation.

Five runes brightened around her.

These are runes developed by the family during the time of the First Head, which was a combination of the Scandinavian, Norse and Irish runology. It was a taboo; a hybrid that shouldn't have happened. However, their family attained such heresy, which later on became their undoing.

"Yes, that's it. Proceed as I had taught you. With this. . ."

Across the dojo they were in, lights of small runes brightened, even in the old Japanese mansion they reside in glowed with such brightness.

This was the large-scale bounded field prepared by the family for this upcoming conflict.

"We are the magus family of this neighborhood and this city. Everyone. . .is ours."

Their father claimed with fearsome eyes filled with vigor.

The seriousness in the tone of his voice can never be shaken.

He would never hesitate to sacrifice the lives of millions for the sake of victory.

With the runes spread across town, the neighborhood, and the urban area in the city, this was the ultimate sacrifice of the family. Such a tactic was developed for 10 years. . . all for this. . . and was supposed to be for the benefit of their first born, Kurayami Shiho.

Unfortunately, due to his insolence, the plan had to be revised, and was then passed on to the management of their daughter, Kuroha, who had shown greater potential than her insolent brother.

"Father, it's ready."

She mumbled with harrowed eyes.

She knew what she was doing. . .and if ever her brother found out about this. . .

"No, brother would never hate me."

She said to herself.

She hoped for that miracle but she understood completely that her brother truly loved the commodity.

"Perfect. I'll give you the catalyst for the summoning tonight. Considering that we have the greatest stock of prana amongst participants, we will summon the card with the most ferocious tenacity."

It was settled. She would formally enter the banquet of death tonight, and would forfeit her life to hell for the sake of their family's future.

Only if this had come to fruition.

Only. . .

"I wonder if she is alright," Shiho mumbled as he walked beside the street of his University together with his friends.

"What are you mumbling about, Shiho-kun?" His friend, Ryu, asked while a girl beside him peeped over his shoulder with interest.

He shook his head and shrugged, "Nothing. Just a fleeting thought."

"I see," Ryu said before blurting out, "Oh, by the way, have you heard the news?"

"What news?" The girl beside him asked with a curious voice.

"What?! You are a woman and you don't know?"

"Hey!" The girl complained, stomping her feet to Ryu's foot.

Shiho interrupted the two as he raised his hand, "You mean that infamous burglar?"

"Yes! Yes! I heard that he murdered everyone in all the houses he went in and what's worse he raped the women inside."

"Scary. . ." The girl whispered while shaking.

"Don't worry Sakura-chan, I doubt that guy would have interest in scary-."

Before Ryu could finish, he was slapped so hard that he was knocked to the side.

"I heard they can't catch this guy," Shiho said as he glanced to his fallen friend.

"All you can do is tighten security, Shiho-san," the sweet girl reassured as she puffed her chest,

"This girl is strong."

"Oh. . ." Shiho, lost in thought, can't help but stare at her chest.

"By the way," as Sakura was turning to face him, Shiho averted his eyes away, "You have a younger sister, right?"

"I do," Shiho nodded while instantly recalling what happened a two nights ago.

"Maybe you should check them out at your home while you are at it, I heard you are living alone."

"Yeah, maybe I will. . ."

Shiho answered as he raised his head and gazed at the afternoon sky.

"Lancer!"

Elizabeth roared as she kicked the large head of a sleeping man lying on the couch.

"MAS-TER? WHY DID-. . ."

"Shut up, lazy head. You have been asleep for 15 hours already! I was sure I gave you enough prana to replenish your strength!"

Lancer nodded while scratching his head, but then reasoned, "BUT MASTER, A WARRIOR NEEDS HIS SLEEP BEFORE THE DAWN OF-."

"Dawn your ass!"

Elizabeth angrily threw a flowerless vase on his head.

"MASTER SHOULD KNOW THAT NOTHING HURTS LANCER."

Irritated, Elizabeth was already about to use one of her spells against him, even though they wouldn't work.

Composing herself with a sigh, she faced Lancer with a calmer expression than before.

"Okay, listen up. We have something to do tonight."

"A FIGHT? HA! LANCER IS ITCHING FOR A BRAWL! AFTER THAT CLASH WITH ARCHER, LANCER-."

"Don't shout! And, stop with that attitude! Didn't you feel bad after being beaten to a pulp by Archer?"

Lancer shook his head and as if confused, replied, "BUT MASTER IS THE ONE SHOUTING?"

"You big pile of-."

"And Lancer must admit, Archer is indeed a formidable foe. Ignoring the Servant Rank given to us, he may probably be strong enough to take down two of us at once."

Elizabeth stopped and was at lost with Lancer's straightforward tone. Indeed, Lancer was as bright as a baboon. But, this was a side of him she had seldom seen. No, it could be said that this Lancer's side is his persona as a Heroic Spirit, not as a familiar, not as a man, not as simply someone named Aias. There was pride in it.

"He had the calmness of Hector, yet in possession of the ferociousness of Diomedes. If Lancer's teacher, Chiron, was like a forest, Archer was like a volcano. Needless to say, it is beyond doubt, he was one of the greatest Archers who have ever lived."

"Then, do you have any idea on who he is?"

Elizabeth asked out of curiosity. True, that Archer was indeed powerful. But, this hero in front of her was Ajax the Great, who was considered to be a walking fort among the Achaeans. And, out of all the Greek warriors in his time, only Heracles could surpass him in physical strength and body. However, his opponent on that evening was truly terrifying. She had not seen the actual battle but she glimpsed on it using the memory on Lancer's eyes-like a recorder, that was possible if you had established proper connection with any familiar.

Lancer shook his head and shrugged, "Lancer has none, but his armor may be a clue and that innate ability of his to control Helios' flames."

"Helios flames?" Elizabeth asked as the term piqued her interest.

"Yes, Master. His arrows were like the flames of the Sun while in possession of Apollo's skill in Archery."

"So, are you saying he may have some sort of connection with a Sun God?"

Lancer nodded to his Master's question.

He was no Greek so the probability of him being born in the same land as his, to worship the same god as his, was out of the picture.

But, across the world, other similar deities were worshipped. So, it is possible that a hero with such peerless skill with the bow may have been born with the blood of the divine. . .like his father.

"A skill in archery that rivals the Sage of the Centaurs, flames that are as hot as the Sun, a possibility of divine birth, and a golden armor that resists your attacks?"

Elizabeth was lost in thought before she snapped out of it with sharpened eyes.

"This. . .is troublesome."

"What is it, Master?"

Elizabeth has an idea on who Archer might be.

She, who had travelled around the world as an Enforcer, had mingled to different cultures during this time. And she, might have heard of a tale of a certain hero who was as noble as the Sun.

"Let's set aside this for now. First, we have a problem, Lancer. This was the topic I introduced to you before we strayed out of it."

Lancer raised his right eyebrow after hearing this as he folded his arms and legs while sitting on the couch.

"I have sensed a disturbance in the city and the nearby town. . .probably the work of some magi clan affiliated with the war. They have set up a 'blood-sucking' bounded field that could endanger the people around here."

"THAT IS INDEED A PROBLEM BUT, SHOULD MASTER CONCERN HERSELF?"

"Normally, I wouldn't but, they seemed to not have done precautionary measures to at least lessen the effect of the field to avoid being noticed. If this continues, there will be wide-spread irregularities and-this will be a hindrance to our future battles."

Lancer tilted his head as to show that he has no idea what his Master was talking about. Having noticed of this, Elizabeth sighed and went straight to the point, "They would use all these energy to strengthen their Servant and you wouldn't have a fair fight."

"THOSE COWARDS! HAVE THEY NOT POSSESSED ANY PRIDE!?"

"I see. I knew you would react like that. Is fighting the only thing in your head?"

"WHEN DOES LANCER DEPART?!"

"If you only have that kind of energy in thinking then maybe. . ."

Elizabeth let out a huge sigh and sweatdropped as she felt anxious to the upcoming operation.

They will be infiltrating a magi clan's territory. It is inevitable that it would be heavily protected. Furthermore, she has no information on that clan's summoned Servant—or maybe they have yet to summon their Servant? Nonetheless, this would be as dangerous as picking a fight with Jayendra. But—

Elizabeth glanced at Lancer, "Maybe we can pull it off. After all, he is that Ajax."

Beyond the outskirts of the Western Houses district, lies an old and rugged church. The church was established 60 years ago, but was left unused for a long time. Since the 'other church' had been beyond repair, the Holy Church decided to establish the old infrastructure as the base of operations for this war's actual mediator.

It has been a rule to put a judge as a middle-man between the class of Magi and also to preserve of what could be the actual Holy Grail. Although dark and full of malicious intent, the interest has a bright side: to ensure safety and proper conduct in the duration of the war. But, no one knows when this false smile would—

"This place smells like cow manure."

A man wearing a black coat complained as he fixed his hat that covered his head while resting his luggage to one of the church's pews.

"What a foul way to create false faith," the man continued as he casually strolled across the aisle.

"You shouldn't curse inside God's chamber," a humble and serene voice welcomed the intruder as a shadow appeared near the Altar.

"Heh, whatever, false priest."

"You must be—ah, I see." The priest, appearing out of the shadows, raised his eyebrow while fixing his round eyeglasses.

"I am Father Leone von Hoek, pleasure to meet you, Master of Rider."

The intruding man stopped on his tracks and let out a satisfied grin, "So you really are this war's so called 'judge'."

"I merely act as ordered but I must say, regardless of our similarities in faith, it is against the rules to visit the Church with your Servant still alive," the priest lectured as he stared at the man before him.

"Don't worry, Rider went somewhere."

"Hmp, but, make sure to stop such visits in the future. It would be troublesome especially when the war officially starts. As of the moment, Saber and Berserker have yet to enter the stage."

The man relaxingly sat on one of the church's pews while resting his right arm behind him. He showed a disinterested face as he listened to the church's lecture and gazed at the cross in front of him.

"Say, do you smell blood for this evening?"

The man in black whispered with a vicious smile in his face.

"Blood?"

"Yeah, I feel like something good may happen tonight."

"6 pm, huh?"

Shiho murmured as he checked his wristwatch.

He was hesitant to do this but he made up his mind that he would at least talk to his father and grandfather about the current situation.

In spite of their rage against him, as long as it is for Kuroha, he will offer his hand.

Of course, he would never dare to reenter the world of magi.

Only for his sister. . . that was what was on his mind.

He heard the thief and murderer would attack his targets at midnight to dawn. . . so this hour is still safe, he said to himself.

As he carried the small bag on his shoulders, he remembered that the book his sister gave to him was still there.

"Ouch. . ."

He squealed as he suddenly felt something burning on his hand.

"This again. . ."

He complained.

"I forgot to ask Kuroha . . .maybe I'll mention this later."

He told this to himself. His sister might be surprised to see him visit. . . or his father might use some sort of spell to block him at the entrance. If it comes to it, he might very well enter by force.

As he reached the small gate of their old Japanese mansion, he suddenly felt a slight chill—

a shiver on his spine.

"The bounded-field. . .it's. . .gone?"

That was weird. Father never laid the field down since he came to know of its existence. It was always there. And on top of that, several layers of rune seals were made to prevent deciphering the first layer of the field's defenses. . .so Shiho assumed that it would be impossible for someone to break in.

Yes, how foolish of him to forget. Why was he worrying about that thief?

There's no way for that guy to be able to barge in on their home protected by several layers of runes.

So . . .how?

As he pushed the wooden gate forward, he heard a scream that shook his body to the core.