Disclaimer: Fate/Stay Night and all of it's characters are the property of Type-Moon and do not belong to me in any way whatsoever.

Author note: Thanks for the positive feedback so far guys! Anyways, I hope everyone enjoys this chapter.

Chapter 5: The Great Deceiver

The room seemed to be something not of this world. It was a wretched place filled with nothing but the air of death and decay. The walls themselves appeared to be rotting and patches of it looked like old, tattered flesh. In the center could be seen millions upon millions of disgusting creatures. They were worms. Horrible beasts that fed on the flesh thrown to them daily. In the center appeared to be a lump of decay and the worms surrounded and swarmed it as if it were a meal. However, it wasn't. If a normal man were to step into this room he would find himself driven to the brink of madness by the horror of what he is witness to.

Another war had begun. Indeed it was something that was not foreseen. However an opportunity like this should not be allowed to slip away. Leniency was what caused the last war to end in complete failure. This one, however, was going to run a very different course. A great many tools were prepared. Success was assured.

From the darkness emerged a figure dressed in rags of black. The features of his body were entirely hidden from view and all that could truly be seen was his skull white mask. It did not so much as move, as if he were a statue.

"What would you have me do?" echoed the mask's voice.

"Have you obtained enough information about the Emiya boy?"

"Yes. Nowhere will be safe for him now."

"Excellent, eliminate him. He must be rid of as soon as possible, along with his so called Servant."

"It will be done. What are we to do about the traitor?"

"Let him be, he will not get far. He is powerless and on the run. Even with that tool's protection he will not be able to power her for long."

"Very well."

The white mask then disappeared into the shadows, as if it were never there at all.

Hisashi had arrived at school thirty minutes late, something that did not go unnoticed by Fujimura-sensei. She was a good friend of his family's and she usually visited every once in a while to cause his father great annoyance. After receiving a firm scolding from her he was allowed to continue about his day. As predicted his perfect attendance was what saved him this time.

The rest of the day was as uneventful as always. He did not really have that many friends as his reputation as a slacker also branched into one of a delinquent. What can he say? He did already look like one. His dark brown hair was always messy and all over the place, and his uniform seemed to be constantly out of order. Just giving someone a glance with his dark brown eyes seemed to draw grunts of disgust or squeaks of fear.

It was his sister, Natsumi, that got most of the positive attention. A beautiful straight A student. Her shoulder length auburn hair always straightened to the point of ridiculousness and a uniform that was always orderly and clean. Her emerald green eyes commanded attention from everyone in the student body along with her slim, almost perfect figure drawing the gaze of every boy in the school. Not to mention she was one hell of an athlete.

Just thinking about it made Hisashi sigh with grief. If only he hadn't jumped for that book. Then it would be Natsumi worrying about this Holy Grail War junk and he would be free to go look around for Imizviel. Hopefully he wasn't killed before being able take her on that promised tour.

"Emiya!" Hisashi's thoughts were interrupted by the bellowing roar of his history teacher, Hideo.

"I'm sorry Hideo-sensei," apologized Hisashi.

"Sorry doesn't cut it Emiya! See me after class! We have to discuss your behavior."

"Uhm...okay," replied Hisashi, slowly. Something was wrong. Hideo-sensei was a boring teacher but he was never one to get angry. In fact Hideo-sensei was the calmest and most lenient teacher at the school. Something must have happened that caused him to be so furious.

By the end of Hideo-sensei's lecture the lunch period had finally begun. Hisashi slung his bag onto his desk and opened it. To his horror he realized that he did not pack himself a boxed lunch like he usually did. He must have been too caught up in the excitement of the Grail War that it must have slipped his mind. He slapped himself on the forehead and laid his head down onto his desk.

He turned to look out the window and found that his eyes were slowly closing. He shook his head, trying to shake the drowsiness off of him. Now was not the time to fall asleep. However in the end, due to a combination of fatigue, stress and boredom, Hisashi gave in and let slumber take him away.

The orange afternoon sunlight poured through the glass window. Hisashi's weary eyes opened to find out that the entire class was already gone. It appears that Natsumi didn't bother to wake him this time around. What was with her lately? First she slaps his hand when all he wanted to do was help her and then she gives him the silent treatment for all of last night.

He stood up from his desk as quickly as he could and decided to head back home. However, he remembered that Hideo-sensei requested that he see him after class. Hisashi sighed, more time to waste. His mother was not going to be happy. It was already pretty late in the day, though. Maybe Hideo-sensei already left. He decided to check the faculty room just in case, it was not far from where he was anyway. Better safe than sorry.

The hallway was quiet and completely empty, which was something rare for Hisashi. He had never slept this late into the day before, he expected clubs to still be going on and after school meetings being conducted. He shrugged the occurrence away. What did he know? He barely participated in anything at school let alone join a club.

Upon arriving at the faculty office Hisashi slowly opened the door careful not to make a sound. He was always extra polite when dealing with people of authority, he had his mother to thank for that.

The teacher's usual desks were empty and only a small number of papers could be seen here and there. In the corner was Hideo. He was a very unimposing man with a large belly and a thinning hair line. His glasses were off and Hisashi could not find them amongst the multitude of tables in the room. He straightened his usual formal wear and coughed in his hand upon seeing Hisashi.

"You wanted to see me Hideo-sensei?" asked Hisashi, wanting to get this over with.

"You're late Emiya!" Hideo-sensei replied, rubbing his head in irritation, "Sit right here!" Hideo pointed to a small chair close to him. Hisashi suddenly felt uneasy. What was Hideo-sensei doing? He never acted like this before. Hisashi himself should know, with his kind of behavior there were many times where he was called by Hideo-sensei into the faculty room. He obeyed however and proceeded to seat himself in the chair as was instructed.

"What did you want to talk to m-" Hisashi saw a glint of silver, a knife, and attempted to dodge it. A jolt of pain spread through his arm and looking down he noticed that Hideo had plunged a blurry silver blade into his left shoulder. He wanted to scream out but he was overtaken with surprise and horror.

A loud crash was heard from his right and he was quickly swept off his feet. It was none other than Archer. She had smashed through the glass and flew into the room. She had saved him again. She carried him in his arms as if he were a paper weight and kicked down the doors of the faculty room, breaking them off their hinges.

Hisashi looked down at his shoulder, the wound was large and blood smoothly flowed from it. Panicking, he tried to slow his breathing but to no avail. Archer swiftly ran down the hallway as quickly as she could, trying to get away from the assailant. However he was right on their tail.

On the walls Hisashi could see Hideo crawling on them like a spider, keeping pace with Archer. His arms and legs appeared elongated and stretched, a disgusting sight to behold. With a push of his legs he landed in front of Archer, blocking the path of escape. Archer placed Hisashi against the wall and took a position between her and Hideo.

Hisashi cursed himself under his breath. This entire situation was his fault. If only he hadn't fallen asleep. He would slap himself as hard as he could right now but the sensation in his fingertips were completely gone.

Hideo twitched slightly and his skin and clothing melted away like ice in a summer heat. In his place was a man cloaked with black rags. His body was completely hidden from view save for the white skull mask that lay underneath his hood. He was also unbelievably tall. From just a simple observation Hisashi could tell that he was easily seven and a half feet in height.

"Assassin," said Archer, drawing her sword. A whistling noise was heard, and from Assassin's cloak flew a multitude of daggers. In a single, smooth motion Archer blocked each of them with little effort, redirecting them into the walls around her. They were trapped. Hisashi was in no condition to run due to his blood loss and even if he could he would not get far with Assassin's daggers and speed.

"There is nowhere to run," said Assassin flatly. His voice greatly intimidated Hisashi. It sounded like the deep voice of a man, but at the same time he heard a woman speaking as if two voices were overlapping. From his cloak he drew two silver swords. However they did not look like swords at all. They looked like two constantly moving blurs that were attached to black hilts. Their exact length, shape and size could not be determined as the blurs themselves seemed to play tricks on Hisashi's eyes.

Archer stared at her opponent with great determination in her sapphire eyes. Her sword began to swirl into shadow like it did during her fight with Berserker, however it did not change shape and instead retained it's original form as a black sword. Archer's eyes widened in surprise.

"I have seen your blade before Archer," said Assassin with a disturbing chuckle. "It sees what kind of weapon your opponent is using and then it changes into something that has an advantage against it. A very versatile blade indeed. But it will do no good against me. My blades cannot be classified by your sword and thus it cannot counter it."

"That remains to be seen," said Archer, who quickly lunged at her foe.

She appeared to fly across the hallway and toward Assassin like a living missile. Her black blade cut through the air, making a singing noise. Her technique was without flaw but it was still blocked by Assassin's blurry weapon. He was no slouch. He jumped backwards in a feline maneuver and quickly catapulted himself towards Archer, striking out with both of his blades in the pattern of an X.

Archer's black sword blocked it and a shower of sparks ignited from their weapons. Assassin then withdrew again, jumping a good distance of eight feet from Archer.

Archer readied herself, her stance was solid as she faced her cloaked opponent. Then without warning a spurt of blood erupted from the top of her right shoulder. She gasped in pain as she grasped the bleeding shoulder with her hand.

"How?" was all Hisashi could bring himself to say. His voice was growing weak and soft.

"His blades move like water," said Archer, grasping her wounded shoulder, "If I block the blow it will simply flow around my defense."

"Very observant," stated Assassin. In an instant he jumped forward and lashed out with one of his blades. The strike began from the ground and was aimed at Archer's midsection, a blow that would cleave her in two if it connected. Archer narrowly parried the strike, but another jet of blood launched out from her thigh. She attempted to counterattack with a slash aimed at Assassin's neck but the blade failed to connect, however, as Assassin leaped away from harm.

Hisashi noticed that Archer's movements were getting slow. Her wound was beginning to effect her ability to fight back. Archer was a great warrior but even the greatest of warriors can submit to pain. Even so she straightened herself and prepared for the next attack, her determination unbreakable.

Assassin continued his relentless assault. After every attack he made he simply leaped backwards out of the range of Archer's counterattack. Each time Archer blocked a blow another wound would form on her delicate body. Hisashi knew Assassin was the one who had the upper hand in this battle. Archer could easily dodge the attacks that he was throwing at her, but she was far too busy defending him from harm.

Assassin knew this, which is why he continued his vicious pattern of attack. If she were to dodge one of the lunges it would leave Hisashi open to an assault. He was wearing her down and it would only be a matter of time before she died from her wounds. It was a well thought out plan, allowing Assassin to expend a minimal amount of energy to slowly destroy his opponent.

The clashing of their blades echoed throughout the hallway and sent sparks flying after each strike. Their blows were heavy and Hisashi found himself flinching after every attack. Archer did not move from where she was and continued to defend from Assassin's assault. It did not matter how much pain she endured, how many attacks she had to fend off, she would protect her master to her very last breath.

Soon enough, Archer's body was completely drenched in her own blood and her soft skin was decorated with a multitude of deep cuts and wounds. Her breathing was heavy, Hisashi knew that she would not be able to last any longer. Falling to her knees Archer tried to keep herself standing by using her sword as a support. The wounds on her thigh and ankles ebbed blood and stained the floor of the hallway in crimson.

Assassin said nothing and braced his legs for another lunge. Hisashi wanted to help, but his vision was getting blurry, his loss of blood was getting to him. However, he couldn't help her even if he wanted. He felt useless. Assassin quickly jumped forward, his blades ready to cleave Archer apart.

However, he was sent flying backwards, grunting loudly. Hisashi could see a tall warrior, clad entirely in dull silver armor standing between the wounded Archer and the repelled Assassin. His eyes could not make out his full appearance however, as his vision was becoming more and more blurry. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see a man looking back at him.

"You're going to be okay kid," said the man. His face was right in front of Hisashi, but he could not see him. "Crap he's lost a lot of blood. Hold that bastard back! I'm gonna get the kid out of here!"

"Can do boss," replied the warrior.

"Can...ou...ill...mo..." the voices around him were becoming distorted and Hisashi's eyes became completely clouded by darkness.