DISCLAIMER: I do not take credit from the Fate universe and its characters. The rights and credits go to the original authors.
Read the notes in the first chapter if you haven't done it already.
English is not my native language, so please bear with me. I'm confident in my grammar, but if there are any mistakes, then let me know and I'll try to figure out how to fix them as soon as I have time.
Hope you enjoy.
FATE/Break Dawn
-Chapter Three-
Back to Zero
Planet: Earth
Timeline: [?]
Date: [?]
Location: Fuyuki City (Japan)
Kurokizaka District – Semina Apartments
(======)
He was back in Fuyuki City.
Coming back to this place held no emotion for Heroic Spirit Emiya. He had been here too often, in too many summonings, and in too many Holy Grail Wars. Even without a clear recollection of them, it didn't feel like any sort of long-awaited homecoming. It was just the place where he had once lived, and that was all.
Nothing more, nothing less.
It was for this reason that since he had landed at the airport two hours earlier, Archer had completely ignored the city and had only focused on the task at hand: getting to the place where he and his young Master were supposed to stay for the duration of the War: the tall building known as Semina Apartments.
It was an apartment building located in the northern side of Shinto, in block four of the Kurokizaka district. An L-shaped building that contained two apartments per floor, occupying the entire horizontal part of the L and entire vertical part of the L respectively. The entrance to the building was located in the center of it, containing a door leading to an elevator and the emergency stairwell of the building. Each apartment featured a four-meter-long hallway between the living room and the front door, with an unusual design without any utility rooms for storage or a bathroom. Each apartment hallway had lights with the exception of room two of the eleventh floor due to a structural flaw allowing for no space for their installation.
Fortunately for him, however, their room seemed to have no such problems. The apartment that Artoria's family had rented for them was the number one on the fifteenth floor – the top floor of the building – and it was a four-bedroom residence which had been recently refurbished. And, much to Archer's shock, the apartment was nothing short of elegant. Hell, some people would have called it a very luxurious and grand suite. It boasted a suite with four rooms with king beds, a kitchen flanked by a small living room, a large bath with a rain shower, and even a small library for some light reading. There was also a private balcony with a breathtaking view of the city's plaza and Shinto district, a dining room that could accommodate at least seven people, and even a grand piano. The size of it was clearly more than enough for two people to live in, and it was extremely over the top for a headquarter or even a base of operations during a War.
Sure, it had no Workshop nor a Bounded Field to protect it like the Tohsaka residence, but that was a trivial matter for now. Not that Emiya cared that much either. He had never been one for luxury, and he would simply do with what he'd got. But he was certainly not one to complain about this kind of things.
Hm. So even in this world, Artoria comes from a rich family. It's no wonder, given who she is, Archer inwardly mused.
He couldn't help but smirk as soon as they set foot into the apartment. "A room fit for a King… don't you agree, Master?" he asked with a sly tone, glancing at his young Master.
Artoria shot him an annoyed stare, but then shrugged, completely unimpressed. Apparently, she was already used to this kind of lifestyle. Archer supposed it was no surprise. Her family was extremely famous and renowned in Britain, especially in the Association's eyes, and the Pendragon name was also extremely respected even by the other Magi families. Therefore, it was no wonder that her family could afford this kind of place. Yes, the flat they had used during the past few weeks in Bristol was small and rustic, but that had been a necessity due to Artoria's unscheduled escape from her house. This was definitely different. He really should have seen it coming.
"This lodging shall do," the blonde girl commented, placing her luggage inside one of the bedrooms. "But it will certainly be more useful after I've erected a Bounded Field to protect it. Will you assist me with that, Archer?"
"Of course."
Once they were finished marking the walls and erecting a detection barrier across the entire perimeter of the suite, Artoria made herself comfortable on the large couch situated in the living room while Emiya brewed tea, gathering the necessary supplies from their places in the cabinets with deft muscle memory. It was a small gesture he often used to do with Rin in the past, and during these recent weeks it had become a habit with Artoria as well. Emiya inwardly smiled as he returned to his young Master's side after five minutes, holding the tea and some biscuits on a silver tray.
"Thank you, Archer," she said. A moment of calm could make all the difference before a War. Emiya knew that better than most. Her smile widened as she began to sip the warm liquid. "It's delicious, as always."
He smirked. "I'm glad you like it."
Artoria's hands moved to rest calmly on her lap. Her eyes lit up and she looked at her Servant. She pressed her lips together. "I know I always tell you this, but I still can't get over the fact that a Servant like you can be so good at cooking," she said with a little pink on her cheeks, her smile becoming dreamy at the memory of the meals Emiya had started to prepare for her during the previous days. "Your culinary skills are something to be envied."
He turned his back to her as he took the tray and carried it back to the kitchen. "Well, things have changed quite a lot since the Dark Ages, and cooking technology is one of them," Emiya defended himself. Then, he snorted a little. "Not that I had much of a choice, actually. If I hadn't offered to prepare meals every day, you would have survived only with takeaway food and those cheap fish and chips of yours. That wouldn't have been healthy for a young lady such as yourself."
She blushed fiercely, her head lowering down in shame, but despite the inner embarrassment, she couldn't help but smile a little in glee. This was the first time that someone other than her family members had showed to care for her well-being, and she honestly hadn't expected that; especially from a Servant.
Artoria was used to being treated like a boy, and therefore like a person who could not be spoiled. She was the 'perfect' member of the Pendragon family, after all, and the most promising Magus of her bloodline. Everyone around her used to treat her like an idol... but this nameless red Archer had done the opposite ever since she had summoned him. Not only he was practically spoiling her every day with his culinary skills, but he was also the only one who – despite his constant teasing and occasional sly remarks – actually treated her as what she had never been even in her family's eyes: a simple girl. And that was something new for Artoria; something entirely new.
And despite her better judgment, the girl had soon discovered that… she liked that. She really like that, for some reason. Her Servant was a total mystery for her, but for some reason she couldn't quite fathom, she couldn't help but be happy to have him at her side. Sure, his personality was very contradicting, and he acted like a gruff jerk almost all the time… but it was blatantly obvious that he cared for her. Even Artoria had learned to read him after these two weeks, despite being no older than fifteen. Her Servant always tried to hide it behind his cynical behavior, but deep down he was devoted and protective, and even a little childish to the point that it made him hard to hate. The way he always indulged her in her childish whims and even cooked for her every day without complaining was just the ultimate proof of that.
Warmth swelled in her chest, only in part from the tea. "I imagine so," Artoria said in a soft voice as she fell quiet again. Her emerald eyes lowered on her hands as silence stretched for a while.
Emiya didn't miss the shift in her tone. He eyed her carefully. "What's wrong, Master? Are you feeling unwell?"
"No, I'm fine," she reassured him with a shake of the head. Her face fell a little. "It's just…"
Artoria Pendragon was very bad at lying, even by omission.
It didn't take long for Archer to guess what was troubling her. He sighed as he moved to stand closer to the girl. "Are you, perhaps, starting to feel anxious?" he questioned, already knowing the answer.
Her mouth opened and closed. She tried to answer several times. In the end, she settled for a tiny nod instead.
Emiya closed his eyes as he sat down on the couch next to her. He crossed his arms. "Good. As you should be," he grunted.
Her head snapped up, eyes wide and mouth agape. Artoria stared at him in complete shock. "W-What?! You think that's a good thing?!" she asked, incredulous. "Why?"
Because it proves that you're not that girl who tried to cast away her emotions, he wanted to say.
Instead, he opened one eye and fixed her with an impassive stare. "What kind of person would not be afraid of facing a War?" he asked back at her with sarcasm. "Your reaction is perfectly normal. There's no need to be ashamed because of it."
Artoria swallowed. Her eyes wavered a bit, then fixed on his face again. "But… Archer, you're not scared," she said. It was a statement, not a question.
He smirked. "I'm not. But I'm not someone― no, something you should compare yourself to. Servants are nothing but tools. Living weapons at best. We're already dead, and we don't technically exist anymore. Death is something we are already familiar with, so we wouldn't be scared of it," he explained, smiling in self-mockery.
And that goes especially for me, he thought with a rueful smile.
The girl's eyes hardened with a scowl. "You shouldn't think so badly about yourself, Archer."
Emiya said nothing, closing his eyes.
His parting words to Rin at the end of a certain Holy Grail War echoed inside his mind.
He scoffed, but a small smile curved his lips all the same.
"Perhaps you're right. I should try to be better," he admitted in a whisper, shaking his head in amusement. He opened his eyes again, and offered her a smirk. "But there's no need to be anxious, Master. As long as we stay focused, we should manage to face every eventuality. I may not show it, but I'm pretty confident in my abilities. Do you seriously think that I would allow my Master to suffer harm?"
Something sly flashed in her emerald eyes. She shot him a mischievous smile. "I wouldn't put it past you."
"Despite all I did for you? I'm wounded," Archer said with a shake of his head.
Artoria bit her lip to stop herself from smiling wider. Then, she nodded after a few seconds of hesitation. "You're right. This was my decision… and I won't back down after coming all this way. I will face this War no matter what. No, we will face it. Together," she stood up from the couch, offering a resolute expression to the Servant. "Are you with me, Archer?"
"Hmpf. You already know the answer to that," he replied with a slight smirk, standing up as well.
"Then get ready to go out," she ordered as she moved to grab her katana, staring at the world with a challenging glare. "The War won't begin until nightfall. We should take advantage of the day to take a tour and explore the city. I've already done my research about Japan and this city, but you must familiarize with the place if we are to make the most of your skills."
Archer suppressed an amused sigh. If only she knew exactly how familiar he was with this place...
"That won't be necessary," he reassured her, turning his back to the girl as she rounded on him in confusion. He moved towards the right, stepping on the private balcony of the suite and gazing upon the city below with eyes of steel. "I've already got a panoramic view of the city from here. But I admit that it would be better to find a higher place to get a better view. It never hurts to be careful."
Artoria stepped next to him, impressed. "Really? But we've barely started to explore this place. How were you able to see that far? It should be impossible to see the whole city just from here."
He remained focused. "That's not quite true. My Class isn't called 'Archer' for nothing. Without excellent eyesight, bowmen aren't much use," he turned his eyes to the west, pointing a finger in direction of a certain red bridge that could be barely seen in the distance. "Let's see. For example: I can make out how many tiles are on that bridge even from here."
Artoria widened her eyes in amazement. "R-Really? I'm amazed! As expected from an Archer!" she exclaimed in wonder.
Emiya's lips parted into a sly grin. "Of course. Could it be that you were underestimating me, Master?" he asked with sarcasm.
"O-Of course not!" she replied indignantly, her nostrils flaring as her face flushed a deep red. "I-I was just… I mean… we can't get a feel for how a city is laid out unless we go see places in person. A-And besides… this is the first time I've been out of my Country." Her head lowered a bit, her hands grasping together as she glued her gaze to the ground with an embarrassed face. "S-So, you know… I was l-looking forward to it a little…"
The red Archer stared at her flustered face with a veiled smile. He already knew that, of course. All that speech had been just to tease her a bit. Good grief, this girl never learned.
He exhaled a sigh. "In that case, we should head out," he spoke in the end, nearly snorting in amusement when his Master's face snapped up at him with glowing eyes. "After all, there's still one thing we need to do before the fight officially begins."
Artoria nodded, fixing her gaze towards the east side of the city and the wooded hill that towered in the distance.
.
/+/+/+/+/+/+/
.
Rin is walking, her pace becoming slower and slower. Behind her, I can see the boy and his Servant follow her closely. Every now and then, Saber glances in my direction. She knows I'm here in spirit form, and she's threatening me with her gaze alone. Good grief, as expected of the King of Knights.
After a while, Rin stops all of a sudden. "No offense, Emiya-kun, but can you go home on your own from here?"
The boy blinks in confusion. "Huh? Tohsaka?"
"I brought you here because you weren't officially my enemy yet. But now you're a fellow Master, Emiya-kun. That makes us enemies," she explains.
Somehow, I already know what he is about to say. My mind is whispering those words just as his mouth moves to say them.
"I have no intention of fighting you, Tohsaka."
After a small pause, Rin runs a hand over her face in exasperation. "I should have known," she sighs. "Jeez, why did I even bother bringing you here?"
"Rin."
I materialize once again, and everyone turns towards me. Saber is openly glaring. "If an easily slain enemy presents itself, then we ought to do what we must," I say with my arms crossed.
She narrows her eyes on me. "You don't have to tell me that."
"If you know that then act," I reply with a frown. "Or what? Will you take pity on that boy again? Don't tell me that you actually like―"
"O-OF COURSE NOT!"
Her blushing face is almost too amusing to watch.
.
/+/+/+/+/+/+/
.
Location: Fuyuki City (Japan)
Hilltop – Fuyuki Church
(======)
Artoria walked through the streets of Fuyuki city with a slow pace, looking around with curious and eager eyes as they slowly began to leave the Shinto District and head over the distant hill where their final destination was. Her smile never left her face as she watched the place around her. A place that looked so similar and yet so different compared to what she was used to see in Britain.
"Fascinating… everything here is so different compared to my homeland," she muttered in wonder. "Don't you agree, Archer?"
"Hmph. Of course. This city is a sleepy suburb compared to Bristol or even London," Archer admitted while he followed her in spirit form. "But don't lower your guard, Master. We don't know if an enemy is spying on us."
The girl pouted with a huff. Her right eyebrow twitched slightly. "You're even more pedantic than Kay, you know that?"
"One of us must remain focused."
"I am focused!"
As Emiya smirked and Artoria kept fuming in irritation, the two continued their walk. But it was only after twenty minutes that the two of them reached their destination: a certain church that Archer had seen so many times before. It was a church modestly standing not far from Shinto, at the east side of the Mion river, built atop a hill near the city. It had been built shortly before the World War II, and over time it became the main base and headquarter of the character with the role of supervisor of the Holy Grail War.
A character who – if things hadn't changed too much from the events of his world – Emiya knew well, extremely well. And for that reason, one that he didn't trust at all.
The girl observed the church with wary eyes. "…I don't know why, but this place is giving me the creeps," she whispered, watching the building with a serious frown as her fists clenched. "Archer, will you follow me inside? I have a bad feeling about this."
"Of course. I won't leave you."
There was no need to ponder that question. Emiya had already made his choice ever since he had learned that his Master needed to come here to officially register as a participant of the Holy Grail War. And there was absolutely no way in hell he could allow Artoria to meet that man without him. He was simply too dangerous and suspicious to be ignored. Hence, he would remain hidden, but he would follow her nonetheless. It was the best and safest move, and an inevitable choice for him seeing that he still needed more information about this world and the war he was about to face.
With a silent nod, Artoria stepped forward and opened the large, creaking church doors. The young Master and her invisible Servant entered the holy building and looked around the empty church, the room already one that was seared into Archer's memory. Their ears picked up a sound of movement and their attention turned to a doorway further back in the church. There, under the light of sun coming from a stained glass window, a figure appeared with a silent step; and Archer immediately felt his eyes narrow as he observed from the shadows.
It wasn't Kirei Kotomine.
To be fair, it wasn't a man at all, but a girl instead. A young girl who couldn't have been older than seventeen or eighteen with light grey hair and golden eyes. She was petite and short, her stature similar to Artoria's, and her skin was pale, much paler than normal. She was wearing church robes of dark blue fabric with a white pattern on the shoulders; brown boots on her feet and a blue hat on her head. She looked like a priestess, with a solemn and aloof air that swayed around her.
Artoria narrowed her eyes on her as soon as she saw her approaching. Emiya did the same, for he knew who this girl was. He had already met her briefly during his life, when he was nothing more than a boy chasing a misguided dream after the end of the Grail War.
"Welcome, visitors to the House of God," Caren Hortensia spoke. Her golden eyes fixed to stare at Artoria, but there was no doubt in Archer's mind that she had noticed his presence too. Her cold, lifeless eyes kept flickering towards his invisible frame as well, after all. And her following words didn't leave room for doubts. "Hoh? Interesting... you look no older than fifteen. Awfully young for a Master, aren't you?"
Artoria frowned at the sarcastic tone, but said nothing. The priestess didn't seem to care about her silence and continued. "I take it this means you are the seventh, aren't you? I was actually wondering if you'd ever show up today. Hmm… it seems that my assumptions were correct."
Swallowing, Artoria finally took a step forward. "Answer me: are you the one who is meant to oversee the conflict?" she demanded with a strong voice.
The girl didn't react to her tone; she just stared with her arms behind her back and an emotionless gaze. "My name is Caren Hortensia, and I am indeed the one who has been tasked to supervise the Holy Grail War," was her cold reply. "I've been assigned to this church ever since my father died in the previous War, ten years ago; but I've been in charge of it only for the last two years."
Emiya widened his eyes. Kirei was dead? Valuable information. He almost felt relieved at the news. And just like in his time, the previous War happened ten years prior in this world. This was also something that he wasn't expecting.
"Tell me, what is your name, seventh Master?" the priestess inquired further.
Artoria returned her stare with a resolute glare. "I am Artoria Pendragon."
"Pendragon?" Caren raised a brow, pronouncing that surname with an intrigued tone, as if she was familiar with it. Then, her lips curved into an imperceptible smile. And from his point of view, Emiya couldn't help but notice how that cold smile of hers was similar – extremely similar – to the one that Kirei used to show every now and then. "Then I assume that you are the Master of the Archer class, correct?"
She nodded. "I am," was her swift reply. "And I came here for the sole reason of being officially registered as a participant in the War."
The white-haired priestess nodded seriously. "Sure you did. It's going to be a pain, but it shall be done," she said with a slightly sarcastic tone. Then, her emotionless smile returned and Caren turned her back to them to stare at the ceiling. "Then with this, all the pieces have finally taken their place. I can officially declare, without a doubt… that the Fifth Holy Grail War begins now."
Fifth Holy Grail War, huh? Archer mused. Why is it always the Fifth?
Clad in his spirit form, Emiya turned to his Master and spoke through their mental bond. "Master. Ask the priestess about the previous War. There's something I want to know."
Artoria narrowed her eyes, glancing at his invisible frame. "What is it?"
"It's nothing major. I simply wish to know how it concluded," he answered – lying – his tone neutral in order not to let anything slip away. "It could be valuable information for the upcoming battles, and it's always better to be prepared for every eventuality. That is why I want to know what happened at the end of the previous conflict. Please indulge me on this whim, will you?"
The girl seemed to hesitate for a while with a questioning face. However, after a few moments of pondering, her shoulders squared and she steeled her resolve with a silent breath.
"Before I leave, there's something I want to ask," she stated at that point, staring at the weird priestess in all seriousness.
Caren turned to her once again, looking as disinterested and cold as ever. "By all means," was all she said.
Artoria glanced at her invisible Servant, then focused her eyes on the other girl. "The previous Holy Grail War… you said it took place here ten years ago, right?" Seeing that the only answer she received was a nod, she ventured to ask. "Then, please tell me everything about its end. I wish to know how it concluded."
For a few seconds, Caren Hortensia seemed taken aback by her question. However, her lips soon curved into a smile. "Now that's an interesting question," she mused as she took a few steps to the left, sounding slightly amused for some reason. "Is that something you want to know of your own will? Or is it because of your 'peculiar' companion?" she asked, eying Emiya's invisible frame with a sly grin.
Artoria clenched her fists and frowned, and Archer narrowed his eyes.
The priestess walked amid the pews and laughed. A sound that didn't quite match her emotionless face. "Ufufufu~ I like that expression, Artoria Pendragon. You look like a little lamb starved for attention," she giggled, her golden eyes never leaving the young Master's face even as she kept walking on the opposite side of the church. Artoria visibly bristled but kept silent. "Very well, since it is my duty to propagate God's Love, I suppose I'll have to indulge you. However, I know very little about the events of the Fourth Holy Grail War, so be warned: I may not have the answers you seek."
She stopped in front of the main door, turning to face Artoria fully.
"Now, what is it that you want to know, exactly?" the priestess inquired, staring at her with intrigued eyes.
The blonde girl shared a silent glance with her Servant. Then, she asked the fateful question.
"Who won the War ten years ago?"
Caren's expression was devoid of emotions.
"I was told that, in the battle ten years ago, my father faced a man who kept standing before him," she began to explain. "Even after suffering fatal wounds and major injuries, he kept coming back, forcing my father to face him directly. That man was the last one whom my father fought before he died, and the man who became the winner of the previous Holy Grail War."
Emiya narrowed his eyes. Through their shared bond, Artoria could feel his interest. "Did he obtain the Grail?" she asked for him.
Caren nodded. "That man indeed managed to touch the Grail at the end of the conflict. I know not what he wished, but the aftermath of his contact with the Grail was witnessed by many who stood there back then."
Artoria could feel the emotions of her Servant flowing through her mind like a river. His pain troubled her.
"W-What happened to him?" she demanded.
It troubled her greatly.
"He died."
Artoria physically flinched after hearing that answer, widening her eyes. She shot a quick glance at Emiya, but the man's invisible frame was as still as a statue. She couldn't even feel anything from him anymore.
The priestess didn't seem to care. "That man died right after touching the artifact. No one knows why, but many believe that the reason behind that event was because the Grail did not achieve completion," she explained, her eyes looking distant. "Simply causing the Grail to appear is trivial. Once the seven Masters are gathered, the Grail will appear in time. But unless all the Servants are dead, it will never be truly complete. That is why it only chooses the Master and Servant who manage to prevail against the others. Because only one can be worthy of its power. So, if that previous Master died after making contact with the Grail… perhaps he was not worthy of it."
Artoria's brow furrowed. "In other words… obtaining the Grail is meaningless without killing all the other Servants?" she questioned.
"Indeed, you're catching on pretty fast," Caren complimented with fake courtesy. "In the last War, the Master who was the first to get his hands on the Grail was weak. His Servant did not manage to kill the others. Thus, the Grail did not reach completion and killed the Master. We do not know if he died before or after making his wish… but that is all I have to say."
Emiya remained in a cryptic silence. He could see Artoria glancing at him from the side, but for once he paid her no mind. His mind was furiously running through every memory, every hypothesis, every scenario. Because what he had just heard right now was different compared to his timeline. Too different. And there was still something missing. An important detail that Caren hadn't mentioned at all. One that was intrinsically linked to the Fourth Holy Grail War… and Emiya's very own existence.
"Then, what happened when the Grail disappeared?" Artoria questioned for him, again.
Caren just tilted her head to the side.
"Nothing."
Heroic Spirit Emiya felt the blood turning to ice inside his veins.
His entire body pulsed. His bowels twisted as if he had to puke.
"The Fourth Holy Grail War ended without generating anything," Kirei's daughter concluded with her empty voice. "There was no real winner, and only one Master managed to survive and return to his life again. Apparently, there were a few causalities in the middle of the conflict due to a rogue Caster, but apart from that… everything went smoothly. Exactly as it should have."
Archer wanted to laugh and curse at the same time. A chill descended upon his spine as he stared at the world with disbelief.
He felt it in his body. In his bones. In his soul.
But his mind raced all the more. He went through every hypothesis. Every timeline he remembered, every reality he had witnessed. Every version of Artoria he knew. Her past, her views, her Wars. Each individual personality. Each battle he'd had with her and against her. Everything.
"So, as you can see, what happened after the previous War was: nothing."
"…Impossible."
One word. One, single word was uttered from Emiya's lips.
Impossible.
As impossible for him as breathing beneath the sea or walking upon the moon.
But at the same time, the answer was as clear as day.
Because, despite his Master's confusion, despite the odds, despite what his mind logically wanted to deny; there was one, single truth that he had completely overlooked until now.
This one truth, this one realization.
That is: as crazy and absurd as it seemed: he had finally found a world without him.
Yes, he had finally found it. The one world where the Great Fuyuki Fire didn't occur. The one world where Artoria wasn't a King. The one timeline in which Shirou Emiya did not exi—
Shirou Emiya did not exist in this world.
Shirou Emiya did not exist.
He did not exist.
He didn't exist in this reality because the Great Fuyuki Fire didn't occur. A singular reality in which it did not happen. Somehow, someway, if Artoria was not King Arthur, there was no fire in Fuyuki city. And consequently, there was no Shirou Emiya. And even if he was alive somewhere, he never became Kiritsugu Emiya's adopted son. He never became a broken survivor. He never became an ally of justice.
He never became a Counter Guardian.
Because the fire didn't occur, and Shirou Emiya, son of Kiritsugu Emiya, did not exist as well.
Heroic Spirit Emiya felt like crying and laughing at the same time.
"A-Archer…?"
His Master's voice snapped him out of his inner turmoil.
Emiya blinked once. Twice. He blinked thrice and then turned towards the young girl. Artoria was glancing in his direction with a worried gaze, looking quite pale for some reason.
"Are you… ok?" she asked him, her emerald eyes wide and worried as she searched for his invisible frame. "I felt something… weird, coming from you just now. Is something wrong?"
The red Archer shook his head and forced his mind to steel.
"…everything's fine, Master," he reassured her eventually, trying to sound convincing despite the overwhelming emotions flowing through his mind. "I just have one last question for the priestess. Please."
Artoria hesitated for a while. Then, she turned towards Caren Hortensia again.
"The man who won the previous Holy Grail War, who was he?" she asked one last time.
Seconds passed, followed by silence.
Artoria stared with an expectant gaze.
Emiya waited with an unreadable face.
And the priestess of Fuyuki Church smiled an emotionless smile.
"His name was… Kiritsugu Emiya."
.
/+/+/+/+/+/+/
.
"Emiya-kun, why don't we fight together?"
"Huh?"
The boy is dumbfounded by her proposal. Even I feel my brows furrow in irritation.
The smile on Rin's face is both sincere and mischievous as she explains her intentions. "It seems this time around, things are a lot different from what I'd heard from my father. The War is not supposed to be this way. So first, I want to make it clear as to what is going on. And I can't do it alone."
The boy nods slowly. "Fighting together for a limited time, huh."
"Yes, that's what it means."
I can't stand it anymore.
"Rin."
They both turn towards me as I reveal my presence. Despite my best attempts, I cannot fully contain the glare as I gaze upon the boy. "I feel that fighting together with a powerless Master is meaningless," I say in a serious tone.
As expected, the boy gets annoyed pretty easily. "What was that again?" he growls.
I merely smirk with a shrug. "Did I say something that was incorrect?"
He has no comeback. We both know that what I said is true. My smirk grows as the boy glares at me.
"Archer," Rin's tone is stern, her face as serious as it can be. "I'll have you follow your Master's morals. We have no time to waste debating. Are we clear?"
I close my eyes and cross my arms with a weary sigh.
.
/+/+/+/+/+/+/
.
"Archer… what was that about?"
Emiya sighed. His Master had made that question as soon as they stepped foot outside the church's gates, rounding on him with a frown and an expression that was hungry for answers. Emiya sighed as she glared at him with her arms crossed, and he was almost tempted to just shrug it off and keep quiet as usual.
However, he knew he couldn't just remain silent and avoid that topic. And at the same time, even if he was already expecting this kind of outcome after what he had asked her to do before, he still didn't know exactly what to say to bring himself out of this situation. But one thing he knew: he couldn't keep quiet as he usually would. Not anymore. Artoria was not going to let him off the hook right now, and she also deserved an answer, in his opinion.
Therefore, after a weary sigh, he decided to answer with a half-truth. He was a master at telling half-truths, after all.
"I just wanted, no― I needed information, Master," he admitted in the end, materializing once more in front of her and staring straight into her eyes with a serious face. "Information wins war, and the more we have, the less will be the likelihood of being caught off guard in future battles. We needed to assess the situation and gather intel about the War before deciding what to do, and the Church was the only place we could receive that intel. That's all there is to it."
Still nothing he had said was a lie.
Artoria narrowed her eyes on him. "But why were you so interested about the previous winner of the Holy Grail War?" she pressed.
This time, Archer knew how to reply. And he didn't need to lie.
"As a neutral faction, the Church is forbidden from sharing any kind of information about the other Masters during the War," he explained in a pedantic tone, crossing his arms and closing his eyes. "If we can't get intel about our enemies, the best course of action to prepare ourselves is to gather information about the War itself. That's why I wanted to know how the previous conflict ended. Preparation is the key to every battle, and lacking a clear picture of what's going on is a recipe for disaster." His experiences during his countless deployments had taught him a thing or two, after all. "That's why we need to know more about the War, even the previous one. We are fighting to win, after all. Am I right?"
The blonde girl frowned, his words sinking in as she began to falter. "W-Well, yeah… I can't deny that," she agreed, lowering her head and looking lost in deep thought.
Emiya placed a hand on his hip. "At any rate, we've learned something useful from that chat," he spoke out loud again, shooting a glance at the Church behind them and at the sky nearing sunset above them. Artoria raised her head again to look at him. "The previous War ended without a real winner, and the Grail did not achieve completion."
"Yeah, and the man who obtained it – that so-called Kiritsugu Emiya – died once making contact with it," his Master mused as well, missing the way Archer flinched slightly at his father's name and the news of his different demise. "What do you think this means?"
I have no idea. All of that wasn't supposed to happen. This is way too different compared to what I've experienced so far, he wanted to say. "Who knows. But if the Grail did not achieve completion last time… then we must be extremely careful during this conflict. Even more so than before," he answered instead, his face a mask of steel.
Artoria blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?" she asked.
Emiya let out a shallow breath from between his teeth, considering every words carefully and trying to separate the foolish Shirou's emotions from the cold-blooded Archer's analysis.
In the end, his answer was direct and strong. "If the Grail did not achieve completion, we must consider the hypothesis that something was wrong with it," he said, turning to stare at his young Master straight into the eyes. "Perhaps something went wrong during the previous War, and somehow that fact ended up having some kind of consequence on the Grail itself. Why did the winner die upon making contact with it, otherwise? Unless he wished for his own death, that's not something that was supposed to happen. It just doesn't make sense."
The girl widened her eyes. Her breath caught as realization began to dawn upon her features. Artoria Pendragon had always been a little naïve and gullible, no matter what form, but she wasn't stupid. "You think… you think the Grail was corrupted?"
He nodded. That had always been true in his previous timelines, even the one he had faced as a boy. It wouldn't be surprising if the same thing happened in this world as well, even if the lack of fire made that hypothesis seem more unlikely. But Archer knew better than being optimistic during a conflict. He was a cynical and analytical person, and there was no place for foolish hopes and childish dreams in his mind. He may as well start to expect the worse from now on.
"I never trusted something so dubious as a wish-granting cup from the beginning, but it seems that my suspicions were well founded," he admitted with a sigh.
Artoria grew a little panicked after considering his words. "B-But then what about my wish?!" she exclaimed with a trembling voice. "Surely, the Grail cannot be―"
"We have no proof, so let's not jump to conclusion yet, Master," Archer cut her off gently, raising one hand to stop her rambling before it could escalate. "I'm not saying that your wish will be impossible to grant… but I think you should keep that possibility in mind from now on. Things are rarely as easy as they seem."
And – oh boy – he knew that extremely well.
Her lips quivered. "D-Do you truly think so?" she asked.
She sounded so little, so fragile, that Archer couldn't help but flinch inwardly at her wounded tone. He sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"I don't know, Master," he admitted after a small pause. "But as an old saying goes… lower your expectations and you will never be disappointed. Do not lose hope yet; at least not entirely. But don't let your wish get over your head as well. Always expect the worse, and you'll be able to face everything in spite of the odds."
Unfortunate as it was, that was perhaps sincerest advice he could offer her right now. He didn't want to see this girl end up broken and twisted like Saber did. And he was going to make sure of it. That outcome was not going to happen here. Not again. Not on his watch.
That was a promise.
"A-Alright," she conceded after a long pause, nodding her head with a conflicted face. Emiya could clearly see that she was still bothered by that possible outcome, but he knew that she would need a lot of time to fully accept that possibility. Some things just weren't meant to be acknowledged immediately, and it had taken him a long time to understand that during his long existence. "I'll keep that in mind… but that doesn't mean that I won't give my all to win the Holy Grail War! I'm not going to give up just because of a plausibility!" she declared strongly, glaring at the world with her emerald eyes.
Emiya smirked. Her resolve was still the same. "Of course, I never said that," he agreed with a nod of approval. "We must discover the truth behind this conflict no matter what. Are we in agreement, Master?"
"You said it, Archer!" she beamed with a determined smile.
They shared a resolute nod without words.
Until, broad shoulders flexed as Archer began to stretch a little, fixing his gaze upon the city that was becoming more and more dark as the sun disappeared over the horizon. "Then, should we take a stroll around and search for enemy Servants?" he asked, shooting her a confident glance. "The night is near. The Holy Grail War has officially started."
Artoria Pendragon nodded with a serious face. "Yes, we shall."
With no further ado, Emiya returned to spirit form again, and the two of them moved and began their slow but resolute descent from the hill, leaving the Church behind and heading towards the Shinto District again. Master and Servant patrolled the city in silence, looking for any other Servants that could be roaming around, but since Archer was one of the three knight Servants, he could only sense others while in close proximity.
Fuyuki City could actually be considered to be two towns. Miyama Town, where older houses and more traditional buildings were located, and Shinto, where more modern development was progressing and where their current apartment was located on the northern side. Both towns were separated by the river Mion that ran through the center of the city.
The central area of downtown Shinto was a different story, however. Archer remembered it as a vast park – the very same park which was the aftermath of the Fourth Holy Grail War in his world. It was gray and filled with an oppressive feeling; one that was lingering with grief and fear, for the park was a memorial allowed to grow in the space that had once been occupied by the Citizens' Building. But here, however, the whole park and that oppressive feeling did not exist at all, since the Great Fire never happened during the previous conflict. Instead, a large residential neighborhood with modern houses and some small gardens along the streets stood proudly in its place, along with a few small streets teeming with grocery stores and various shops. Emiya watched it with wonder and a bit of sadness in his heart, since he had never had the chance to see this original part of the city before. And it was sad, truly.
If only someone could have averted that fate in his world as well…
Suddenly, he stopped.
They were in the middle of a wide, empty street amid an isolated neighborhood when it happened. Before he could even open his mouth and say something to Artoria, Emiya felt a sickening warning sensation in his stomach, along with a prickling of all the hairs up his back to his neck, like death looming behind him. It was unmistakable. There was no way he could mistake this feeling.
Archer reacted promptly. He quickly materialized again, dashing forward like a silent killer and grasping Artoria by the elbow, pulling her close to him. The girl widened her eyes and startled, confused, but there was no time for words.
He caught a faint flash in the dark sky above. Then, not even two seconds later, the tall, muscular Servant had picked her up in his arms, bridal style, leaping away from the street with a mighty dash as a sudden volley of arrows imbued with black and purple energy rained down from the sky. An impressive explosion of energy and prana shook the ground, and a shockwave was generated by the explosion.
Emiya landed above the rooftop of a tall building on the left, holding his Master in his arms as he stared in a specific direction: west. Below them, the ground shook for a few seconds, and some lights were turned on inside a few buildings, the tenants confused by the unexpected earthquake.
"A-Archer!" Artoria exclaimed, stunned and shocked as well. "What is happening?"
He clicked his tongue, narrowing his eyes as he kept the girl in his arms. "Tsk. It seems we have met our first enemy," he spoke with a sarcastic smirk. "Good grief, they sure are belligerent. The night has just started and they're already coming at us."
"How can this be?! The War barely began a few hours ago!" the girl protested.
"They must have been aware of our presence. Perhaps they were following us from afar this whole time," he deduced seriously. The fact that not even he had been able to notice that they were being watched spoke volumes about the enemy. Whoever it was, it had to be a formidable opponent. Maybe a Presence Concealment skill. An Assassin?
Then, he scoffed a little. "Honestly... I told you that you should have been more alert during our walks."
"You were with me the whole time!"
A second volley of arrows rained down from above. Emiya leaped away, avoiding the attack with a swift jump and taking cover behind a gigantic antenna placed atop a building. The next second, he had his black bow already in hand, placing the girl on the ground with a gentle movement as his eyes searched for the enemy.
Upon being freed, Artoria narrowed her eyes as another explosion echoed in the distance due to the previous attack. "Those were long-ranged attacks," she reasoned quickly, her mind now turned to steel and focused even in spite of the sudden ambush. "They looked like arrows… is this the work of another Archer?" she asked, confused.
"It could be a Hero who uses a bow despite being ranked with another Class," Emiya mused out loud. "Maybe an Assassin, or a Caster―Ah!"
She turned to him. "Archer, have you spotted our enemy?"
He nodded, his lips parted into a smirk. "I have," he confirmed. "Four kilometers to the west, on the Central Building's rooftop. The enemy is firing at us from there."
"How thoughtful. They wish to decide on the battlefield," Artoria said with no small amount of sarcasm. She turned towards him over her shoulder, wearing a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Well, Archer? Shall we answer in kind to such a welcome gesture?"
Emiya's lips curled into a smirk in response. "It would be rude not to."
He aimed his bow, notching a few red arrow and taking aim in the enemy's direction. As soon as the third attack ended, he shot his arrows with disarming precision. The darts shot across the night sky like bolts of red light, reaching the distant target in less than a second and forcing them to stop the assault. The explosion far away could be heard even from this distance.
Taking advantage of the moment of respite, Archer dismissed his bow and kneeled.
"Be careful, Master. The enemy Servant is miles from here, and they won't hesitate to fire at us once we'll move to reach their location," he warned in a serious tone. He took the girl in his arms again, offering her a small grin. "Hold on tight and stick close to me. This won't be long."
Despite her blush, Artoria nodded and allowed her Servant to carry her again. "Archer," she said, sharing a resolute nod with him. "Grant me victory," she bid.
Heroic Spirit Emiya smirked.
"Of course."
Location: Fuyuki City (Japan)
Hilltop – Fuyuki Church
(======)
"Many voices and many desires confound you."
"Talk is cheap. Lies are the sin of man."
"Oh merciful God, allow us―"
"There's a sneer on your lips, holy woman."
Caren Hortensia halted her sermon. There was no joy on her face upon hearing the familiar voice echoing behind her. However, her golden eyes snapped open all the same.
A tall and imposing man dressed in ancient clothing sat on one of the pews of the church.
"It's not a good look on you," the man said again, smiling a little with a cold expression.
The priestess closed the sacred book in her hands, her back still turned to the man. "Oh my… is that the way it looked to you?" she asked with a distinct note of sarcasm, pursing her lips a little.
"Indeed. It was a smile befitting a shameless woman like you," the other confirmed, giving a little scoff of disdain at her amused tone. "Did you have a pleasant encounter, perhaps?"
She made a wide smirk. "I did. At long last, the Holy Grail War has officially started. How could I not be happy?" she replied with her flat tone devoid of emotions. "As its overseer, I can only pray that the miracle will be fulfilled, and that the Holy Grail will materialize fully this time."
The mysterious man lowered his head with a smirk. Golden bangs shadowed his eyes. "You wish to succeed where your father has failed, huh?" he mused to himself, sounding distinctly amused by her answer.
Caren turned to him fully.
"Of course. My wish is to shower the world with God's Love. And in order to do that, a miracle is needed. Ufufu~"
The man stared at her twisted grin.
Then, he grinned as well and closed his eyes.
"You really do amuse me a lot… Caren."
The priestess of Fuyuki Church stared at the moon outside with a smile that was anything but reassuring.
"But first… we must wait," she said to her Servant with a devious smirk. Her golden eyes stared outside the window with an excited glint.
"Let's see what the outcome of this first clash will be."
NOTES
Were you expecting to see Kirei in all his adorable gaiety? Well, sorry to disappoint XD. We will see a bit of him in the future, though. But his daughter is definitely one hell of a character, and I just find her fascinatingly... weird, if you know what I mean. She's like a mini-Kirei on her own, but a little less twisted about some things and a little more shameful on many others. She's just too funny, in my opinion. Kirei is still the best girl, though.
(Also, I want a Kirei route. Please Nasu, give me a Kirei route XD)
Any idea who the first enemy Servant is? I assure you it's not that hard.
As always, please forgive me for any eventual misspellings and grammar mistakes. If you point them out to me, I will gladly correct them as soon as I can.
See you next time.