He Who Protects the Living

AN: It seems that I have once again been stunned into silence at how many people like this story of mine. I did not think this would be this popular until it was finished. Shows how much I know, huh? Thank you to everyone who has read this story of mine. Really, thank you so much.

A few notes: Power levels

In this story at least, most Servants are Captain Class. Weaker servants are Lieutenant Class, but no lower than that. Got it memorized?

Some people have asked, so yes, there will be a sequel that will cover Bleach. The canon, the filler arcs, original arcs I have planned, and the movies. It's going to be a ridiculously long ride.

Once again, if anyone can figure out the nature of Shirou's Tracing, I will answer any question you have about this story.

I believe that's it. Feel free to PM me, or review if you have any questions. I will try my hardest to answer. Notes on Chapter progress are on my profile.

Jermillion – You'll just have to wait and see if Gil tries to take his sword.

I just realized, I don't have any disclaimers. So here is one:

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not Fate/Stay Night, not Bleach, nor anything else. Now I can't get sued. Hoorah!

Last Time: "GETSUGA-" he began, pulling his sword back.

"TENSHO!" he yelled out, a huge slash coming out of his sword, hitting Berserker, and this time sending him flying into a graveyard.

Everyone looked at him with pure shock on their faces.

Saber looked at him, shock on her face. 'My master.' she decided, looking at his completely serious face. 'Has much steel in him.'

Chapter 3: Zangetsu

Shirou stared the place where he had blown Berserker down. He could see some spirits that had been there trying to get away from the beast.

There were not many spirits in Fuyuki city. There were always some, most commonly in places like that graveyard, but they always seemed to pass on quickly. That little boy he had defended what seemed like a life time ago was probably already gone. Some lasted longer than others, but they always left in the end. He had tried to find Kiritsugu's ghost after he had died, but could not for some reason.

Shirou simply thought he had no regrets, and so did not need to linger in this world. It had made Shirou sad at first, but he had accepted it and was happy for him.

They always left completely without warning. He had never actually seen a spirit disappear, but many spirits had told him they were consumed in some sort of black mud, then they were gone.

He assumed the black mud was something akin to their souls breaking down as they left this life.

"Alright Ilya, your servant is dead. It's time for us to talk." he told her, as he and Saber turned around to face her.

T.T

Rin stared at Shirou, trying to comprehend what she had just seen. A master capable of killing a Servant? That was impossible!

Shirou was supposed to be some third rate magus who only really knew two useless spells. Rin felt anger enter her body. Had Shirou been tricking her from the very start. She also felt a little bit of hurt.

A flash of Shirou giving her one of his rare smiles. 'I like people like you.'

For some reason that no one knew, Shirou almost always had a scowl on his face. Many girls thought he would be a good person to date, but he seemed unapproachable.

Was he just trying to get her guard down so he could win. 'So that was it.' Rin thought bitterly. 'He was just trying to get my guard down so that he could get the grail by beating me easily.'

She looked at his sword. He had said projection, but she didn't believe it. That sword, must be a mystic code, or perhaps even a Noble Phantasm.

She turned to where she could feel Archer getting ready for something big. 'Archer, you'd better get him for this.'

She felt him tell her to go, and she decided to go. Shirou was obviously an enemy, so there was no reason to cooperate with him any longer.

T.T

Ilya was shocked. 'Everyone always said that Onii-san was a worthless magus. That he was trash, trash that Kiritsugu had left me for.'

Ilya quickly recovered though, feeling anger coursing through her body. He wasn't supposed to fight back. He was supposed to just suffer and die for all the pain and loneliness that Ilya had felt when Kiritsugu had abandoned her.

She also felt a sense of conflict arise inside of her. She remembered how he tried to be kind to her, only for her to pay him back a little unkindly.

Flashback

"Hey, what's a little girl like you doing out here all along?" he asked the girl, who turned to him with a surprised look on her face. "It's dangerous to be out alone at night these days, where are your parents? Never mind, come on I'll walk you home."

Ilya looked at him with a stunned face. She didn't know what to do, she hadn't expected him to do anything like this. Conflicted, she quickly kicked him in between the legs and ran away.

Flashback End

Shirou was surprised when instead of surrendering or something similar, Ilya started to giggle at him, rather coldly at that.

"Onii-san, did you really think it would be that easy?" she asked him, the same cold smile on her face. "I am impressed at that sword though. What is it, a Noble Phantasm? A mystic code?"

Shirou simply looked at her, confused. "Oh well." Ilya sighed.

"I made sure I would have the best servant for this grail war. The greatest hero of Greece, Hercules!" she proclaimed to him.

What!?

Rin startled, asked her, "You can't mean-"

"That's right!" Ilya replied. "It doesn't matter if you take one or two lives, because my servant is the strongest! No matter how hard you try, he's beyond your level!"

Shirou narrowed his eyes at that and looked back to where he could see Berserker standing up, his wounds healing.

He readied himself as he tried to remember what he could about Hercules. 'The twelve labors!' he realized. He must have twelve lives in that case. He scowled however when he could not remember any weaknesses.

Deciding that waiting for Berserker to come to him would be pointless, he looked at Saber and told her, "I'm fighting too now. You got a problem with that, you can save it for after we win."

Saber looked at him with frown on her face. "That is unacceptable Shirou. Although you have somewhat proven your strength, this fight is still beyond you." A loud roar interrupted her.

"It looks like you've got other things to worry about then whether or not I'm fighting." Shirou stated to her, a smirk on his face.

Saber scowled, but nodded her head reluctantly. There were more important thing going on at the moment.

Together, they blurred out of existence and appeared in front of Hercules. Without giving him any time to react, together they reinforced their swords and swung towards him, sending him flying backwards.

"We just have to kill him nine more times!" Shirou yelled at Saber. She nodded in the affirmative, and they once again blurred and appeared behind Berserker, giving him simultaneous slashes that sent him into the ground.

Shirou blocked an overhead strike, gritting his teeth as he felt his feet sink into the ground. Although he could now almost keep pace with Berserker, he was getting weaker fast. His prana levels were dropping.

That Getsuga Tensho had taken a lot out of him.

He was steadily growing weaker. He could feel his muscles straining every time he blocked, every time he hit Berserker's body.

Berserker was upon him like a beast, making mad slashes so fast they almost seemed to come simultaneously. Shirou dodged, weaving in and out desperately.

He felt cuts begin to litter his body as debris hit him. As Berserker came so close to taking his arm off a gash went up and down it.

Saber thrusted her sword forward towards Berserker's heart, only for his sword to come up and block. She was doing much better than Shirou. Whereas Shirou could barely keep up, Saber was almost on Berserker's own level.

It seemed however, that Saber was tiring with him. She hid it well, but he could tell when he saw that she was that little bit slower, just that little bit more out of breath.

Berserker was desperately swinging his 'sword' around. He could sense the danger the two posed to him.

His mad slashes, attacks without thought pelted the two constantly. There was no strategy behind his attacks, just pure thoughtless brute strength.

Shirou threw himself behind a gravestone, one of the many that were in the graveyard, Berserker smashing through it but giving Saber enough time to attack his head. Berserker ignored it, the attack did nothing.

Saber cursed as she realized what that meant.

Saber jumped back, as Berserker tried to swat her away. "Shirou, it appears only attacks of a certain level will harm him."

Nodding in acknowledgment, Shirou enveloped himself in black prana to get behind him and shouted, "Getsuga Tensho!"

The same blue slash that had taken three of its lives came out, hitting his head. He was quickly pulled back by Saber however, when Berserker turned around and obliterated the ground where he had been a moment before.

"It appears that Berserker gains a resistance to whatever it is that kills it." Saber told him, a grimace on her face.

Shirou scowled, looking back at Berserker. This fight had just gotten much harder.

"I had not wanted to do this, because my Noble Phantasm's attack destroys much of the environment, but it seems we don't have a choice here." Saber stated, wind starting to come out of her sword like a hurricane. Berserker roared, sensing something that could kill him, and almost instantly appeared in front of them.

Shirou immediately blocked, groaning as his muscles strained under the great blow. Shirou unleashed his prana, pressure filling the air, as he jumped up into the air. He charged his legs with prana, planning to use it to land safely behind him.

It did not quite work out that way however, when Shirou found himself standing in the air. Bewildered, Shirou stood on the air, hesitating for a split second. That however, was enough.

Berserker immediately took advantage, swatting Shirou aside with his piece of concrete, and charging towards Saber. He stopped however, sensing something off, turning his attention to the sky.

Saber took advantage of this, stopping her Invisible Air and blurring toward her master. Shirou laid half way buried in dirt. Saber decided her masters safety to be more important, and picked him up to take him to Rin, as Berserker stayed distracted.

She hesitated however, when she also felt something off. Turning to where Berserker was looking, her eyes widened, and she sped out, as Berserker held his sword at the ready, roaring as a loud boom tore through the area.

And the world burned.

T.T

Archer was running through the city, trying to get to a good vantage point. He finally stopped about a mile from the battle, looking at the place with a scowl on his face.

What was with that sword? Archer could not remember having ever having had a sword like that. He suddenly saw a large flash of blue coming from the battlefield.

'That wasn't Rin. She doesn't have magecraft like that. It wasn't Saber either, Excalibur is gold. That only leaves one person.' Archer thought.

He had been elated when he had seen that he had been summoned for the Holy Grail War. Finally, he could kill himself and save himself the pain of being a Counter Guardian. The pain of his ideals being shattered.

But what was going on? Saber was summoned hours early in the school, that cleaver, this flash of blue light.

This wasn't the grail war he remembered. Remembering Shirou, he wondered, why were things different? Archer had not done anything to change what had happened.

He entertained the thought that this was not his past, and killing Shirou would do nothing, but shook his head of it. No, it had to work. Killing his younger more naive self was the only way. It just had to work. But still.

His younger self was more skilled. He could seemingly already Trace. Actually, wasn't his hair a slightly different color... Archer suddenly felt a surge of pain go through his head.

He gasped, holding it. Various things flew through his mind, everything to fast to see or recall, except for the image of a woman. Feeling a connection, he tried to reach out to her, but was suddenly brought back.

Gasping and shaking his head, he saw the same blue light flash once again. He decided he could wonder what that was later, and quickly Traced his bow. Tracing a sword, he quickly altered it into a screw shape and knocked it on his bow.

Archer began to chant a line of aria that seemed to reverberate throughout the area. "I am the bone of my sword."

Staring down where he would fire, he quickly called out to Rin in his mind, telling her to get her ass out of there. Drawing back, he charged the sword with prana, more than it could handle.

The sword became unstable, dangerous. Broken. Archer so invoked, "Caladbolg!" the screw shaped sword traveling the mile in nearly an instant.

T.T

Saber, and Shirou, whom the loud boom had awakened, looked back as a miniature sun tore apart the area they were previously in. Saber counted her lucky stars that her burst seemingly made her so fast, as if she had been just a few seconds slower, who knew what would have happened.

They stood on the vacant street, moonlight streaming down, watching as the light died down and the presence of Berserker disappeared. They also could not feel Rin or Archer, which they took as them having left.

Relaxing as no more threats seemed to be in the area, they looked at each other. Saber took in her master's haggard appearance, cuts and gashes littering his body. He had once again used the bandages on his swords hilt to wrap his wounds, but blood stained his clothing.

Her master was still breathing hard, his sword stabbed onto the ground and holding him up. Saber decided to start.

"That definitely took at least one of Berserker's lives." Saber told Shirou.

"It appears so." Shirou agreed. "It also seems that Tohsaka wasn't kidding when she said that we were enemies. That must have been Archer who shot that. She tried to kill us."

Shirou scowled, lost in thought. Though he had never admired Tohsaka, like most did at his school, he had thought that she was warming up to him when she had taken her time to explain things to him.

He had thought that perhaps she was different. Someone he would be able to count on. But she had attacked him, tried to kill him.

It seemed that she was a typical magus after all.

"We can't count on her for help if we need it." Shirou reluctantly admitted.

Saber also had a small frown on her face that, despite the situation, Shirou couldn't help but find cute.

"I had also thought that although Tohsaka-san said we would be enemies that she would ally with us after seeing this threat. The great Hercules indeed." Saber told Shirou.

"Well," Shirou began. "Although Hercules wasn't known to have any weaknesses, I think he won't be much of a threat because he seemed mindless. Although I found my second wind," here Saber looked at him strangely for calling his taking three of Berserker's lives him getting a second wind.

"And it allowed me to fight him, I would have been killed almost immediately if he could think and plan out his attacks." Shirou admitted with a scowl.

"That is why I don't want you to fight Shirou!" Saber insisted at him, a glare on her face. A shiver ran down Shirou's spine.

"We are extremely lucky that a servant as strong as Hercules was summoned under the Berserker class. If he could think, with that Noble Phantasm, he could have easily killed us both!" Saber tried to knock sense into Shirou.

Shirou was not about to back down though. "And if I had not stepped in, he could have killed you!" he retorted. "I'm not about to be such a jackass as to let a girl fight on her own! I can fight, so to protect all of my friends, to protect Fuji-nee, Sakura, Issei, Saber, all the innocents, I will fight with my own two hands!"

Saber was taken aback when she was listed as one of his people to protect, but quickly fought back.

"Shirou I have told you many times already tonight to not treat me as a woman!" Saber shot back at him. "It matters not what gender I am, I am a tool to be used! I am a servant, a tool of war. It is my place to fight, and your place to support from behind."

"I can't support you from behind!" Shirou told her. "My place is fighting on the front lines. I accepted to be a master so that I could prevent what happened ten years ago from happening again." At this Saber winced a bit, remembering her participation in that event.

"I'm going to fight so that never happens again!" Shirou finished, panting. Saber looked at him, somewhat conflicted.

"Fine." Saber acquiesced. "However, if you're going to fight, I'm going to make sure that you won't die. On the morrow, I will begin to train you. I will try my hardest to make you see reason."

Shirou blinked, but accepted this compromise. "Fine. I will train hard enough that even you won't be able to keep up at the end."

They stood for a while, glaring at each other, before they were interrupted by Shirou suddenly yawning. Saber blinked, watching as an embarrassed red ran up Shirou's face before she told him, "We've spent enough time here."

"Exhaustion is the enemy here Shirou. If you are to fight, then you must rest." Saber told him.

"Yeah. That at least I can agree with. Come on, lets go to my house." Shirou told her, as they went down the path to Shirou's home.

T.T

Ilya saw Rin start to run away, but thought nothing of it. She was more concerned with Shirou's death. She could hear the furious sounds of battle. She saw the blue attack's flash once again and smirked.

'You're not going to beat my Berserker with the same attack over and over again, Onii-san.' she thought.

Suddenly, wind tore through the night. Trees started to blow back, and Ilya held her hat as the wind pushed her back. It died down as soon as it started however, leaving Ilya wondering what that had been, until a loud boom tore through the area.

This time, Ilya did fall on her butt, catching a faint glimpse of one of the arrows Archer had been shooting going so fast she barely saw it for a fraction of a second before it was gone.

Ilya had wondered where Archer had gone, but had been unconcerned with it as all his attempts to injure Berserker had borne no fruit.

She looked to where the arrow had been going, only to suddenly have to look away because of a miniature sun forming in the graveyard.

Blinking away stars, ears ringing, she stood and cursed as she felt one of Berserker's lives get taken. She strained her senses, but could not feel the prana of either Shirou or Saber.

She remembered Rin running away. Ilya's anger showed as she began yelling at the air, face red. The conflicted emotions she had felt toward Shirou disappeared, to be replaced by anger.

Being unable to sense Shirou or Saber, Rin running away, that arrow, it was clear to her that Shirou and Rin were allies. Now she knew the real reason that they had been together when she had come to kill Shirou.

Shirou and Rin had worked together to escape and plan, and now Berserker was four lives down.

Trying desperately to calm herself down, she yelled out, "Berserker, come, we're going back!"

Feeling Berserker go into spirit form, she stormed back to the Einzbern manor.

T.T

Shirou and Saber quickly arrived at his house. Saber took a look at it and was slightly impressed.

"Do you have any defenses here, Shirou?" she questioned him.

"Well, there's an alert boundary field for when strangers try to break in, that's it." Shirou stated as they walked in, taking his shoes off.

"Come on, choose whatever room you want to sleep in." he told her as they went deeper into the house.

"That is unnecessary Shirou." Saber stated. "You are providing enough prana through the contract. Although it appears that I cannot enter spirit form, perhaps because it wasn't a formal summon, I will stand guard as you rest."

"What?" Shirou questioned. "No, no, no, no, no." He denied, stopping in a hallway.

"You can't stay in the same room I will be sleeping in. It isn't proper for a boy and a girl to be in the same room at night. And besides that, it doesn't matter if you're getting enough prana, you're clearly tired, you need your rest." Shirou spoke to her.

"I cannot allow this Shirou." Saber disagreed. "I must stay in the same room as you so as to properly protect you. And I have told you time and time again that my gender should not be of any significance to you!

I am a tool who's soul purpose is to help you get the Grail. To protect you I must stay as close to you as possible." Saber finished, expecting her argument to convince Shirou.

"Denied." Shirou stated frankly.

"W-what!" Saber stuttered out.

"I'm not letting you stay in the same room as me. It's indecent. Besides that, I can protect myself. I fought perfectly fine against Berserker." Shirou stated, though he knew that without Saber's help he would have died.

Saber was conflicted, but decided to not argue further as her master had a point. A master that could fight on close terms with a servant was nothing to scoff at.

"Very well." Saber reluctantly agreed. "I do not however need rest, I can take watch on the roof."

Shirou sighed at her stubbornness. "You need your rest. You look tired, and sleep must help at least some with that. Here, there's a room right beside mine. You can rest in there, and that way protect me if something happens."

Saber once again reluctantly agreed to his compromise. Although she did not like it, it was better than the alternatives.

Leading her to her room and grabbing a futon for her to sleep on, Shirou went to his own room and laid down.

Staring at the ceiling he took in all that had happened that day. His 'fight' with Lancer. Saber's summoning. Meeting Rin. The church. Ilyasviel's attack. Rin's betrayal.

A lot had happened, and he felt that his life would never be the same again. He closed his eyes and almost instantly fell asleep.

T.T

Shirou's eyes opened and he stumbled as he saw himself in a desert with swords sticking into the ground as far as he could see.

Looking around, he remembered. 'This is where I met that old man Zangetsu. My soul he called it.'

Taking the time to really look around, he noticed for the first time, that in the distance in the sky, were skyscrapers. These skyscrapers however, seemed to be jutting out sideways out of darkness.

Suddenly, the old man appeared. He looked the same as he had last time, sunglasses, coat like flames and all.

"Welcome back, Ichigo. It seems you've gotten yourself involved in a dangerous situation." the figure stated.

"Why do you keep on calling me Ichigo when my name is Shirou?" Shirou questioned. He stared at the man. Why was this guy in his soul?

"Once upon a time, you were called Kurosaki Ichigo. Now you are called Emiya Shirou." responded the figure.

Shirou felt numb. After he had been adopted, he had never wondered at his origins. He was satisfied with what he had. He was happy. But this man...

"Y-you know my origins? Just who are you?" Shirou managed to choke out.

"Why yes Ichigo. I do. I have been here, for all your life. I have followed you, heard you, seen you through everything. Your beginning, your life with Kiritsugu, now through this." Zangetsu started.

"Have you never wondered where your sword came from?" Zangetsu questioned.

Shirou scowled, sweat dropping down his brow. "I did, Kiritsugu and I both did. It just, came out when he started to train me."

"The truth is Ichigo, I am your sword. I am your power. And, in a way, I am you." Zangetsu stated.

Shirou looked at him, trembling. "Y-your ME!?" he half shouted.

"That's right Ichigo. You see, you call your sword, your abilities, magecraft. But what you are doing is not magecraft. I am not just some mere sword. I am what is called, a Zanapkutou." Zangetsu revealed to Ichigo.

"And you Ichigo, are a shinigami." Zangetsu told him, completely serious.

Shirou fainted.

A few minutes later

"Okay." said Shirou, now more calm. "You called me a shinigami, and yourself a zanpakutou." Zangetsu nodded.

"You also said that what I am actually doing is not magecraft. If so, what is it then?" Shirou asked him.

"Shinigami use power known as reiryoku." Zangetsu started. "Reiryoku is like prana in many ways. The substance that magi call 'mana' shinigami call reishi. The difference between shinigami and magi is that a shinigami's reiryoku comes from within them.

Magi absorb the mana from the air, and process it through their magic circuits. The result is called od, a magus's internal source of power. Shinigami's reiryouku is their life energy, used for things such as battle, and it is naturally much stronger because it is not processed by magic circuits.

Like magi, shinigami can absorb the reishi in the air, to a much more limited extent. It can be gathered to stand on the air, as you discovered in your battle with Berserker.

When reiryoku comes out of their bodies, it is in pressure. This pressure is called reiatsu. All living things have some form of reiatsu. Through reiatsu, one can be tracked, sense power levels, exert force on the world as pressure, etc.

Do you understand so far?" Zangetsu finished.

Shirou nodded. "Mana is called reishi by shinigami. A shinigami's power source is called reiryoku, which is similar to od, but stronger as it isn't processed by magic circuits. Reiatsu is the pressure exerted from a shinigami's power source. I just have a few questions." Shirou stated.

"If I have reiryoku isntead of prana, then why is it that I can use Structural Analysis?" Shirou asked.

"I'm not sure." Zangetsu answered. "It is a spell for magi, yet you can use it. When you use reinforcement, your really just loading yourself and me with reiryoku, which strengthens us. Structural Analysis however, is a mystery to me. There are some parts to your power which I don't uderstand myself."

Shirou frowned. The more questions that were answered, the more that opened up.

"If shinigami really are Soul Reapers, then why have I never seen one? Shouldn't they reap the spirits in Fuyuki?" Shirou asked.

Zangetsu frowned. "That is another good question. Another that I rather unfortunately, do not have the answer to. The main job of a shinigami is to be a keeper of balance. They take souls to the afterlife, the Soul Society, and kill beings known as hollows.

A hollow forms when the chain on a spirit eats away at it until a hole forms. From there a mask comes out and they change into beasts that devour souls in order to try and fill the void left behind. A zanpakutou does not kill them, but rather cleanses their spirit and sends them onwards to the cycle of reincarnation.

If the soul was evil in life, then they are sent to hell.

They also send spirits to the Soul Society by performing a ritual known as Konso, by butting the pommel of the zanpakutou onto the spirit's forehead. Other spirits have described the disappearing souls as consumed by a black mud. I'm not sure what this could be.

This is they neither turning into hollows, or going to the Soul Society. That you have never seen either with your amount of reiryoku is somewhat troubling." Zangetsu explained.

Shirou thought things over. All of this sounded surreal. Like he was dreaming. "You are dreaming Ichigo." Zangetsu reminded him.

"Shut up, you know what I mean." Shirou waved his hand at Zangetsu.

He thought back to what Zangetsu had first told him. 'My past...'

"Wait." Shirou suddenly thought. "If you know my past, then did my parents die in the fire?"

Zangetsu sighed. "I had hoped you would not realize for a while. After all of this had sunk in. Shirou, for the longest time, you have wondered who the woman in your dreams is. You have felt a connection to her that you cannot explain.

That woman, is your mother, Shirou." Zangetsu told him bluntly.

The world crashed around Shirou. 'My mother?' Shirou had stopped thinking about his past a long time ago. He had discarded it as unimportant after Kiritsugu had adopted him. Now his past was coming back to haunt him.

Rain started to fall. Cold, cold rain. Shirou looked up. He hated the rain.

"Then, the words she was saying.."Shirou recalled.

"She was telling you that she loved you, Shirou." Zangetsu told him softly. "To the best of my knowledge, your father is still alive. You also have two sisters, twins."

Shirou's mind reeled at this new information. "My father..." he muttered.

"I can only assume why he never looked for you. Perhaps they found another body and assumed it was yours. Perhaps when they could not find you, they labeled you for dead. Perhaps bodies were sent home and he never bothered to come her. Perhaps there just weren't any bodies and a funeral took place in your birth town." Zangetsu explained.

"Perhaps when this war is over, Ichigo, you can go and meet your family." Zangetsu suggested.

A few tears fell from Shirou's eyes before they hardened. His mother may be dead but he had other family.

Fuji-nee, Sakura, for some reason Saber also crossed into his mind. And, his father and sisters...

Resolve filled Shirou's being. The rain, just as quickly as it had come, receded, leaving behind a clear blue sky.

"Zangetsu. During this war, I will protect everyone close to me. And after, I will look for my family. I will become strong, strong enough that what happened to my mother never happens again." Shirou swore on his very being.

Zangetsu smiled. "That is good to hear my friend. For now though, you have a war to deal with. Saber has already shown her intention to train you. During the day you will train with her and gain experience. And at night, you will come here to train with me."

Shirou nodded seriously.

"For now though, Shirou, rest. You have had enough revelations tonight. Rest easy, for on the morning, perhaps nothing will be the same, ever again." Zangetsu told him, disappearing.

Shirou took another look around. Then he took another deep breath and closed his eyes.

T.T

That night, Shirou dreamt of a girl raised as a man. He saw her resolve to be a king and lead her people. He watched as she learned the ways of a knight. Of a man she called Merlin. He watched her pull a beautiful golden sword out of a stone, and being proclaimed king.

The Next Day

Shirou opened his eyes quickly. He took a look around, seeing his room and sighed.

That dream. That girl. Wasn't she Saber. He tried to remember what she was called. He couldn't remember any voices. Just images. Shaking his head, he stood. He frowned however, when something fell from his body. Looking down, he saw a mask. It looked like a skull, smiling, with three red stripes above the left eye, and one under it.

Wondering where the mask had come from, he put it on his night stand and dismissed it as unimportant.

Quickly working through his morning rituals, he dressed, and went to wake Saber up.

"Saber, it's morning." he called out to her. Receiving no reply, he scowled, opening to door to see no one in there.

Still Scowling, he walked out, wondering where she could have gone to. 'The dojo.' he thought. That seemed where a warrior like her would go.

Walking there, he opened the door, and stopped in his tracks as he walked in. Saber was in there, like he had thought, sitting in seiza postion. He was once again struck at just how beautiful the servant he had summoned is.

Sunlight streamed through a window, illuminating her face and blond hair. Her armor was gone, replaced by a blue dress.

He was knocked out of his thoughts when her eyes opened. She looked at him and smiled.

"Ah, Shirou. Good morning." she told him. Responding back, he asked her what she was doing in the dojo.

"Ah, I don't need much sleep as a servant, so I went looking around the house when I woke up and found this dojo. It is very nice, well kept." she responded.

Nodding, Shirou said, "That it is, I use it quite often. Now though, I think we should talk about last night." Donning a serious face Saber nodded. Shirou took a seiza position in front of Saber and started.

"Both of the servants we fought last night survived. They'll be coming back for more. The threat however, is Berserker. Lancer was seriously wounded, so I don't think that he is much of a threat, but Berserker is." Shirou stated.

Saber nodded. "The Einzbern master is most likely staying at a castle inside the forest. It is heavily fortified with bounded fields, so I suggest waiting for them to come to us."

Shirou frowned. "How do you know that?" he questioned.

"I was summoned in the last grail war Shirou, under Emiya Kiritsugu, who worked for the Einzbern." Saber told him.

Shirou froze. "Emiya Kiritsugu, was my father." he stated bluntly.

Saber's eyes widened. "I assumed there was some relation due to the similar last name, but your father..."

"So my father fought in the grail war ten years ago." Shirou scowled, thinking.

"Well." Shirou decided. "There are more important things right now."

"What's our plan of action against the other masters?" Shirou questioned.

"I believe that our best course of action is for them to come to us. During the afternoons or evenings we can patrol around the city and wait for them to challenge us. You said you are not a strong magus correct? Although you do have that sword... Just what are your abilities Shirou?" She asked him.

Shirou sighed. "That's a rather complicated situation. It appears that I'm not actually a magus."

Saber looked at him confused. "But that attack that took three of Berserker's lives, and that sword that comes out of nowhere..."

Shirou gave Saber a condensed version of what Zangetsu told him last night.

"I see." Saber stated, a small but cute frown on her face. "The grail tells heroic spirits about the modern age, so that we are not bewildered and can keep up with the current time. I have never heard of anything like this however."

"Actually now that I think about it, I have never told you my name, Shirou." Saber refocused. "In life I was known by the name, Arturia Pendragon, the King of Knights.

Shirou stared at her blankly for a moment before his eyes widened to dinner plate proportions and he exclaimed, "EEEEHHHHHHHHHH!"

"B-bu-bu-b-but, your a girl!" he yelled out, falling on his backside and backing away. "Wasn't King Arthur supposed to be a guy!? I think I would have remembered if the story said he was a pretty girl!"

Saber turned red at his 'pretty' comment, but responded back. "My father thought I would be born a male, and sent me with a magus named Merlin to raise me as I could not be a successor to the throne as a female. I became a knight and hid my gender so people would think I was a man. After all, a woman could not be the king."

Calming down a little Shirou nodded. "You musn't tell anyone this Shirou. A servant's identity must be hidden so that our enemies can not find our weaknesses."

Shirou responded in the positive, just as he heard a loud growling sound. Startled, he leapt up, looking around to see where it had come from, as Saber turned crimson.

Looking at her, he came to a realization. "That was your stomach Saber?"

Crimson red, Saber nodded. "It appears that I require sustenance Shirou. Hunger is the enemy."

Shirou grinned, and nodded. She needed something to eat? That was right up his alley. "Alright, come on, I'll make breakfast." he stated as he stood up.

"You cook Shirou?" Saber questioned, also standing.

"Yup. I must say though, servants, exhaustion, hunger, we sure do have a lot of enemies don't we." he asked, walking to the door.

"That we do Shirou, that we do." Saber said with a completely serious face as her stomach growled again. Turning red once again, Shirou laughed and hurried up. He had someone to feed.

-Chapter 3 End-

AN: Well, that's that. This really fought itself tooth and nail actually. I wanted it out sooner, but life's a bitch. A bit shorter than the last chapter, but I will try to get longer chapters out. I want to get one more chapter out before Sep. 4, when school starts. That chapter will also probably have an omake of Shirou's childhood, so look forward to that.

PM me or review for questions, concerns, compliments, etc. Progress on the next chapter will be on my profile as it has been. Check out Gazzadcs stories, without that guy, this probably wouldn't be here. I'm looking forward to the next chapter. I think that's it.

Ja ne!