'The Fuyuki fire, how should I describe it?'

'Well, it was my first memory and I will be honest with you, hell is the only thing I would describe it as.'

'I'm not religious, but when I think back to the fire of Fuyuki I can't think of anything else that would describe it.'

Im exhausted, after trying to get away from the constant heat combined with smoke and ash I collapsed wheezing and trying to catch some air but it was futile, the sky was filled with smoke.

My whole body was filled with second and third degree burns and I can't even feel my left hand because the nerves have been burned off.

"Agh! My leg!" it's broken and it's bent at a weird angle too!' I tried to move but I was too exhausted after running and trying to get burned in the fire. 'I'm losing blood'

I can't move my body and it won't listen to me, 'is this it?' after escaping and pushing through I get stuck here! 'NO I have to escape, I won't accept this!' I yelled into my mind as I started to push my body with all my might.

'AGHHHHH, MOVE!' as I get up and lean on a pillar of stone, 'Damn it, this hurts so much!' I thought as I started to limp. But every time I move I feel like being stabbed everywhere with sharp needles.

"AGH"

"Why d-did this have to happen!"

But I keep moving forward. I can't give up, not when I have gotten so far! I chanted in my head. As I painfully and slowly limped through The Fiery blaze of Fuyuki.

But as I limp closer to some houses I start to hear wood creaking. I look up and all I see is..

Darkness

Silence

I wake up with a sharp intake of breath, I try to crawl forward but I quickly realize I am trapped beneath a pile of rubble. I can't feel my lower body at this point its more of a blessing as I don't have to deal with as much pain.

I rest my head on the ground and start to think of any way I can get out of this situation, but nothing comes to mind.

"So this is it, I can't escape now." I say out loud, my voice hoarse and dry.

'Is this my fate? Am I doomed to die in a place like this? After everything I went through to escape I die here now'

Although I am already on the brink of death, I only have one regret

There was someone I left behind right? I can't really remember now. So there's only one thing I can say to you.

'Im sorry'

.

.

"It's sad isn't it? How cruel fate can be"

"When I was young, It was one of the reasons I wished to forge the ultimate blade"

I heard a voice, someone strong, a voice that was rough and old but still held so much conviction.

Someone who has a goal.

"When one crafts a blade, one must set out to finish it. When crafting a blade you must pour your soul and very being into it. Use half hearted measures and the blade may bend, crack and fail."

"When you set out to do a task you must follow through with it or all your goals and ambitions will not be achieved"

"I was given a task and I will follow through with it"

There was a bright light and when it was over I looked down to see a katana. It was a beautiful blade with glowing kanji on the tsuba with a wave-like pattern, a Mystic code?

"Boy, you must not give up, help will arrive soon just hold on to my blade and you will stay alive I promise"

I look toward the blade and grab the handle. As soon as I grab the handle I start to feel a lot of energy rush through me. 'What is this?' I ask myself before it all turns black.

(Kiritsugu pov)

I run around looking at all the destruction and carnage that I have caused. 'Damn it all! This was not supposed to happen. Please, I need to save someone!"

I suddenly feel a spike of magical energy. I run over and look to see a kid holding onto some type of mystic code, as I get closer I realize he's trapped under some rubble.

No, please, I have to save him!

I push the rubble off of him and take a sharp inhale at the damage, his legs are crushed and he's losing a lot of blood. But there's still a pulse, I can only infer that the mystic code he's holding onto is keeping him alive, it was transferring magical energy akin to a magic crest, thoughts for later I need to focus on the boy.

With Avalon in hand I start to guide its remaining energy into the kids body. The mystic code seemed to know what I was doing as it also started to help the assimilation of avalon into the kid.

This is definitely not a normal mystic code, my instincts are screaming for me to be cautious as if I was dealing with a guardian. And one wrong move and I would die, but I had no intention to hurt the child and the mystic code definitely sensed that. A type of emotional sensory? Or maybe it reacts to intent? Thoughts for later.

As Avalon finished assimilating into the kid, he started to heal at a rapid pace, In Fact the mud around the area was also pushed back as if it was wary of the legendary sheath of the fairies.

After the boy was done healing It finally dawned on me that I had managed to save someone. After all of the carnage and death I had caused I finally managed to save someone. I smiled, I did it, he's alive and he's going to be safe as I hugged him and started to sob.

(Timeskip Hospital)

After all of the world's evil consumed fuguki I only managed to save one person, only one. I see now, it was a hopeless dream from the start, everything I have done, all the death's my hands have caused was all useless. After all, my whole life was a fake fantasy.

And what came of it? Part of the city has been destroyed, Iri and Maiya are dead and hundreds gone because of my choices.

I have nothing.

But in the end at least the kid survived. I could feel that the katana was wary of me but not as aggressive as before. After some observation I could tell the mystic code was a masterpiece.

I'm no expert in mystic codes but I do have experience making them and the one right in front of me was one of if not the best crafted mystic code I have ever seen.

It feels ancient, like older than some of the more prominent of the clock tower families. Usually I would not get too close to a magus mystic code. But so far the mystic code is letting me stay near the kid and I made sure to put the sword as far away from me as possible.

I can also guess that the mystic code was made specifically for the kid because the sword was able to transfer Od to him. Transferring Od to a human usually takes rituals or a mana transfer but the sword was able to do it by just holding on to it.

"Humph, you realize I have no intention of hurting you right"

I hear an old voice and I turn stunned to look towards the katana, a sentient mystic code? Those are rare and incredibly difficult to make. But before I could say anything the mystic code interrupted me.

"You don't have to look so surprised, this sword was one of my final works after all"

My final work? Does that mean that the person talking to me is the one who created the sword?

But I turn toward the boy and notice that he is starting to wake up I then turn to the sword and say "you and I will talk later"

As the boy started to open his eyes I walked up to him. When he opened his eyes and looked at me I felt strange, could it be? I knew he had to be a descendant of a magus family because of the sword mystic code but for him to have mystic eyes… sigh he's not going to be able to live a normal life.

"You are at Miyama Hospital" I say as the boy looks up, "I saved you, do you remember?" the boy nods with a sad look in his eyes. He then starts to search the room and notices the katana on the table. "I am a magus, you were holding this mystic code when I found you. Do you know what that means?" The boy hesidently shakes his head. It looks like he does not know about the moonlit world.

"You haven't spoken yet. May I know your name?" The boy looks at me for a few seconds, then looks at the katana. "M-my name?" I handed him a glass of water. He seems to think very hard and with some difficulty he answers "M-my name is S-shirou?. Yes I think my name is Shirou"

"Do you remember your last name?" I ask but before the kid could answer we were interrupted by the mystic code.

"He's last name is Muramasa, or at least he is one of my descendants" The mystic code states with finality

Muramasa? As in the famous Japanese swordsmith? I look towards the katana 'could it be? The sword did say one of my descendants' but my thoughts were interrupted by Shirou as he asked "what's your name mister?" I smile, I should not worry about things like that for now, I take a glance towards the katana before turning back towards Shirou. The kid takes priority

"Call me Kiritsugu, Kiritsugu Emiya"

(Shirou Pov)

I followed Kiritsugu as we walked through Fuguki. He had asked if I wanted to be adopted by him and I said yes of course, the only other option was to go to an orphanage, which I did not find appealing.

After signing the papers which was surprisingly quick we left to go find a place to stay. Only a select part of the city had been destroyed by the fire and yet the level of destruction was staggering. Kiritsugu mentioned that he wanted to buy a house and to cover his tracks, I listened and followed him. But for now we slept in a hotel.

I could not sleep much as I laid in bed next to Kiritsugu but as I finally fell asleep I started to dream of the fire.

It is horrifying to see someone get burned alive, and worse to see their eyes as they slowly burn away.

Pain

Fear

Despair

Hatred

But worse of all was their voices. They kept saying the same thing over and over and all I could do was sit there and take it all.

'It hurts!'

'Save me! Please someone save me!'

'Damn it! Don't leave me here you bastard!'

'AGHHH!'

I woke up sweaty and started to cry. "I-I c-couldn't d-do a-anything" I continue crying but then Kiritsugu wraps his arms around me and quietly says "Don't worry I'm here, you're going to be okay" And after a long pause from him he makes a promise "If you want I will teach you magecraft and you will never be defenseless again"

I sob even harder at that statement, was it joy, relief or something else? I don't know but eventually I closed my eyes and let darkness consume me.

(Kiritsugu Pov)

"The road to recovery is a long path" I hear the old man say

I answer back "I don't think he will ever forget about this incident"

In a tone with much experience the katana says "He will never truly forget about this, but that doesn't mean he may never move on. People are shaped by past experiences, especially tragedies like this, they can be the motivation to become better or be people's downfall."

I listen silently and turn to look at little shirou, the mystic code continues "He may also never truly move on it all depends on what happens in the future. Let us hope that he can move on and gain motivation from this"

After a long pause I turn towards the sword and finally ask the question I have been meaning to ask "What are you? I can make some guesses but I don't have any good evidence"

I hear him sigh and answer, "I am Senji Muramasa. And the boy in front of you is my one and only descent"

After he said that I had a thought, if the boy was truly his descendant that would mean he should have a very strong lineage of blacksmiths in his blood. It was strange why would the old man tell me who he was related to shirou?

Magical traits can be passed down so that would put Shirou at risk. "Why tell me this? I could be a greedy magus trying to use shirou for my own means."

I hear him chuckle "Well I am very certain you are not trying to take my descendant for your own means, after all. When a man is in the pit of despair you can see his true colors and feelings. I know you are not someone who will take advantage of Shirou"

"Even so" I hear Muramasa's voice turn serious. "This sword is not just for show, even without someone to wield this sword I can use it for its purpose."

I stare at the sword, at Muramasa "of course he was a legendary blacksmith he could probably curse me anytime when I consider his legend and what he did. Although legends can be different than what actually happened.

"Well I need my rest, tomorrow I'm going to go look for a place to stay.

(Shirou Pov)

After staying in the hotel for a week Kirisugu bought a house and we settled down. In the coming months I would learn that kiritsugu was not that good of a cook at all. Sure he could prepare an MRE but, that's it…

Every time he tried making something else he made a mess, sure it was a good sandwich, but I could not reach the tomato slices that were stuck to the ceiling and had to ask him for help. One time he even managed to set our kitchen on fire while boiling water, is this his magic?…

We just ate KFC after that incident.

I have also been talking to Muramasa-Ojisan, and he has been telling me some stories when he was alive and a bunch of history I did not know about. He has also been teaching me some blacksmithing and I actually successfully created a small forge in one of the rooms.

And after a few weeks of listening to Muramasa-jiji I successfully created a small knife.

"It is adequate for your first blade but you need to remember to keep the weight lower, this is just a kitchen knife after all."

And after living with Kiritsugu for a few months I finally gathered the courage to ask him about what he promised "You said that you would teach me magecraft" He looked at me with a bothered look and said "I did promise that but before I teach you you need to know something about being a magus"

"To be a magus is to walk with death. I myself have killed many people in pursuit of my dream." He looks at me with empty eyes and puts his hand on my shoulder.

"To be a Magus is to be selfish, to be a magus is to pursue a goal while sacrificing everything in return. This world is dark and full of unimaginable horrors, even if you have a great lineage and mystic eyes. There is still the option of staying normal, I have a lot of contacts, I could work something out for you."

I close my eyes and look away, I have never seen Kiritsugu like this before. What do I want? I wanted to learn magecraft because I never want to be defenseless ever again, but is this the right path for me?

His eyes soften and he says "You don't have to decide now, you just have to know that there are plenty of options in front of you"

I hopped in bed and pulled the sheets over myself as I thought of a single question. What do I want? I want to be happy to never be defenseless again, to help people so a tragedy like the fire never happens to anyone else.

But is this the right path for me?

I could become a blacksmith but will being a mundane black smith be enough.

After these past few months I have just been going through the motions just copying what Kiritsugu did. I am like a clock, just moving in a predetermined path.

So today I woke up and wanted to try cooking. I had watched some Tv and saw that cooking can cheer people up and Muramasa-jiji said that cooking is a very useful skill that is similar to forging.

So I woke up early and started cooking, I copied the recipe I saw in the show and It was easier than I imagined. Looking back to Kiritsugu's cooking, I thought it would be a lot harder. I got done setting all the food on our table when I heard Kiritsugu's footsteps and looked up to see him staring at me surprised.

"I'm going to try to cook" he raised an eyebrow then looked at our table with warm coffee, steamed rice and grilled fish.

"Itadakimasu." "Itadakimasu."

Breakfast was quiet and peaceful, we ate our food and enjoyed each other's company. After finishing his food, Kiritsugu said "It was a good breakfast. Definitely better than what I could make" Something clicked, what was this feeling? I felt warm, and tingly?I have never felt like this before. With a red face I looked away from Kiritsugu and heard him snicker, I turned around and saw a blank face.

With a smile and an embarrassed I said "I-I liked making it, maybe I can cook from now on?" Kiritsugu looked at me and patted my head and said "sure, it's definitely a better outcome than the miso incident" Remembering that particular incident I chuckled, and i got up to clean the dishes but before I did I could have sworn I saw a tug at the edge of his lips. "Huh gotcha"

This chapter was edited by ZinxcVonTomeil

Also in this chapter I wanted to show Shirou finding a goal in life.

You know, trying to recover from his trauma.

Not that it will all disappear in a day mind you.

I want to give this new Shirou some character development and make a wholesome scene with Kiritsugu.

Welp, See Yall next chap!