In a house not far from a snow-covered forest in Germany, Kiritsugu was preparing his weapons. Before him lay a table adorned with an array of firearms, ranging from a simple handgun to a formidable rocket launcher. Scattered among the weapons were various types of grenades, ready for use.
Today was the day. He was determined to save Illya, no matter the cost.
As he meticulously readied his arsenal, a knock at the door interrupted his concentration. He walked over, peered through the peephole, and then opened the door. There stood Irisviel, her face slightly annoyed and covered in snow.
"I never realized how treacherous the snow was until today. It was a struggle to even find a taxi willing to bring me here," Irisviel grumbled.
She opened her arms and looked at him with demanding eyes. "Hug," she commanded.
He chuckled, appreciating these small moments. He wrapped his arms around his wife. "I've missed you," she whispered.
"...me too," he replied softly.
Reluctantly, they broke their embrace. Irisviel huffed, her frustration evident. "It was your idea to go separately, you and your paranoid mind."
He teased her, "But you said you loved me just the way I am."
Irisviel pinched his nose, her face flushed. "Don't try to act clever with me, mister," she scolded.
Indeed, it had been Kiritsugu's idea to go to such great lengths and travel separately, all in an effort to avoid possible detection. Prior to Irisviel's departure, he equipped with false identification had flown to France days in advance. From there, he utilized various means of inland transportation, carefully hopping from one mode to another, leaving minimal traces behind.
This particular house served as one of his many safe houses scattered across the world. This one, in particular, was the closest to the Einzbern Castle, a mere one-hour drive away. Its strategic proximity would help him in his mission to save Illya.
Irisviel brushed off the snowflakes from her attire before gracefully sinking onto a nearby couch. he offered her a cup of hot chocolate, which she gratefully accepted.
After sipping her hot chocolate slowly, Irisviel proceeded to share with Kiritsugu the reports she received from their servants in Fuyuki. They described a series of murders characterized by the draining of victims' blood, committed by formless and beast-like shadows. One humanoid shadow had the ability to mimic the appearance and abilities of servant. Additionally, an Assassin servant had provided a report on two children from the Matou family, a very concerning report.
Apart from the last one, it was clear that the corrupted Grail was behind these atrocities. The shadows exuded a reek of corruption.
"Normally, I would suspect a Dead Apostle to be responsible for the murders," Kiritsugu murmured. "But given our current situation, the corrupted Grail is the clear suspect."
Irisviel bit her lower lip, a sign of worry. "The situation has worsened too quickly. Some servants have even reported sightings of the shadow entities in the neighboring city. This problem is no longer contained within Fuyuki alone."
"What's your plan, Iri?" Kiritsugu asked, his gaze fixed on his wife.
"I have already ordered the servants to watch and patrol the city. They are instructed to engage the shadow entities on sight," Irisviel stated.
She continued, "Some servants have also been tasked with locating and destroying the greater Grail. Given its weakened state, it's best if we can destroy it as soon as possible."
"...Locating? What happened to the greater Grail, Iri? Wasn't it placed in the cave beneath Ryuudou Temple?" Kiritsugu inquired, concerned.
Irisviel shook her head. "It's gone from there. We are currently searching the entire city for its whereabouts." Her expression turned grim. "And then there's the matter of Matou—no, Makiri Zouken."
Pure rage, anger, and disgust emanated from Irisviel. Kiritsugu was familiar with this feeling, having dealt with individuals like Zouken in the past. Those who had committed unforgivable acts against children. He fervently hoped they would receive their just punishment in the depths of hell.
He grasped his wife's shoulder firmly. "Let's set aside the shadow, the missing greater Grail, and Zouken for now. Our focus must be solely on Illya. After all, we've crossed the world for her. We need to concentrate on this rescue mission."
Irisviel lowered her gaze. "You're right, Kiri. We'll deal with them after we secure Illya's safety."
Kiritsugu nodded decisively. "We'll leave in one hour."
Irisviel laughed softly. "Ah, I sat down for just a moment, and you're already switching gears."
He paused for a moment. "Do you need some time to rest first, Iri?" he asked, showing concern.
"Nope, my body is essentially like a servant now. It would take more than this to tire me out," Irisviel reassured him.
"Then we'll stick to the plan," Kiritsugu affirmed, resuming his preparations. He packed his equipment and carried it to the garage. With nothing else to do, Irisviel followed him and her eyes widened in awe. There stood a large 4x4 off-road Land Rover SUV.
With a hopeful look, she turned to her husband. "Can I drive that?"
Kiritsugu loves his wife, he truly does. He would give her anything she wanted as long as he could do it.
"No, Iri."
But letting Irisviel drive a car was a mistake he wouldn't want to make again.
...
The Einzbern Castle was constructed with the possibility of sieges in mind. The building boasted formidable sturdiness, and its location posed a significant challenge for any assault. Not to mention the numerous layers of bounded fields that shielded the castle, making it practically impenetrable without alerting its inhabitants.
Stealth was not an option; a direct assault with overwhelming firepower was the only approach.
Kiritsugu took a deep breath, steadying his aim.
Through his earpiece, Irisviel's voice echoed, "3...2...1, Now!"
He pulled the trigger.
BOOOOMMM!
The front gate exploded, sending a massive chunk of steel flying several meters away from its original position. Without wasting a moment, Kiritsugu tossed the rocket launcher to the back of the SUV. He hurriedly moved to the driver's seat and slammed his foot down on the gas pedal. The engine roared to life, accompanied by the screeching of tires as the car accelerated at a high speed.
Kiritsugu drove the car past the now-destroyed front gate, immediately encountering Einzbern homunculi attempting to stop him. Without a hint of hesitation, Kiritsugu maintained his speed and plowed through them, refusing to let anything slow him down. With skillful application of the brakes, he executed a sharp turn, causing the car to skid until it came to a halt a few meters away from the front door, with the driver's side facing it.
Stepping out of the car, Kiritsugu was fully equipped with an array of firearms he brought. In his hands, he wielded two handguns, their barrels pointed with deadly precision. With lightning-fast reflexes, he swiftly spun around, sensing the presence of a homunculus attempting to leap upon him. His fingers tightened on the triggers, and in a split second, bullets erupted from the handguns, finding their mark in the homunculus mid-air. The threat neutralized, he advanced toward the imposing front door, his mind focused and determined.
As he rushed through the dimly lit halls of the castle, an ominous chorus of monotone voices filled the air. "Intruder! Intruder! Intruder! Intruder! Intruder! Intruder!"
The haunting sound reverberated, magnified by the echoes that bounced off the walls. Unfazed by the cacophony, Kiritsugu pressed on, his resolve unyielding.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
The gunfire punctuated the air as Kiritsugu unleashed a relentless barrage of shots. Homunculi emerged from everywhere, their lifeless eyes fixed upon him, driven by their programmed mind to protect the castle. But Kiritsugu's hands moved with unwavering coordination, firing his handguns with unparalleled efficiency. Each bullet found its mark, dispatching the homunculi with lethal precision.
Amid the chaos, a lone homunculus managed to close the distance, reaching out with grasping hands in an attempt to seize Kiritsugu. Swiftly, Kiritsugu's right hand swatted away the homunculus's grasp, diverting its momentum. With a fluid motion, he swiftly swept their legs out from under them. The homunculus crashed to the ground, their body writhing with the intent to rise once more.
BANG!
A single, well-placed shot pierced through the homunculus's head, bringing an abrupt end to their struggle. Kiritsugu hummed, deep in thought. So far, all the homunculi he had encountered were of the non-combatant type. That could only mean the combat homunculi were likely stationed elsewhere, most likely at the upper floors. He needed to exercise caution.
Not long after, Kiritsugu found himself in the main hall, the central hub of the castle. The grand staircase leading to the second floor loomed before him. Just as he was about to approach the stairway, a surge of instinct urged him to halt. Reacting swiftly, he leaped back as a homunculus crashed their warhammer down where he had stood moments before.
The warhammer-wielding homunculus stared silently at Kiritsugu. From the second floor, two more homunculi appeared—one brandishing a rapier, the other wielding a two-handed bastard sword. A single glance was all it took for Kiritsugu to deduce that these three homunculi were of a different breed—the combat type.
With lightning-fast speed, the warhammer homunculus lunged forward, their hammer raised high. Kiritsugu swiftly evaded the attack, leaping backward and unleashing a barrage of bullets. However, the warhammer-wielding homunculus effortlessly swirled their hammer, expertly deflecting every bullet with ease.
Meanwhile, the rapier and sword-wielding homunculi rushed in, one attacking from the right, the other from the left. The sword-wielding homunculus aimed for a downward slash, but Kiritsugu deftly spun his body, narrowly avoiding the strike. Seizing the opportunity, he aimed his right handgun at the sword-wielding homunculus, firing at almost point-blank range.
BANG!
The shot grazed the sword-wielding homunculus's head as they managed to move it slightly to the side. Without missing a beat, the rapier-wielding homunculus swiftly thrust their weapon toward Kiritsugu. His reflexes honed, Kiritsugu sidestepped the thrust, narrowly evading the attack. However, the warhammer-wielding homunculus swung their massive hammer at him with immense force.
Gritting his teeth, Kiritsugu activated his magecraft.
"Time Alter: Double Accel!"
Instantly, everything seemed to slow down in Kiritsugu's perspective, and he felt a surge of heightened speed. Taking advantage of this, he leaped backward, maintaining distance from the three homunculi. With his handguns trained on them, he pulled the triggers.
CLICK! CLICK!
To his dismay, he had run out of bullets. Sensing the opportunity, the homunculi swiftly closed in on him. Thinking quickly, he promptly hurled both handguns at the approaching homunculi. The sword and rapier-wielding homunculi slashed at the thrown weapons, momentarily distracted.
Capitalizing on the distraction, Kiritsugu reached for a stun grenade and tossed it into their midst. A blinding flash of light and a deafening blast ensued. In one swift motion, he reached behind him, retrieving the shotgun he had stowed, and pumped it.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
The shotgun roared to life as Kiritsugu unleashed a hail of bullets upon the homunculi. The rapier and sword-wielding homunculi were immediately riddled with bullets, their bodies dropping to the floor. However, the warhammer-wielding homunculus, though injured, continued to press forward.
Undeterred by the shotgun's depletion, Kiritsugu decided to employ it as a makeshift bat. Hastily reinforcing the shotgun with a rush job of reinforcement magecraft, he skillfully parried the incoming hammer strike, he didn't care that the weapon was now irreparably damaged. Seizing the opportunity, he closed the distance between them, swiftly disarming the homunculus of their hammer.
With precision and speed, Kiritsugu launched an open-palm strike to their jaw, followed by a knee to their solar plexus. The homunculus attempted to defend against Kiritsugu's close-quarters assault, but it was evident that Kiritsugu held the advantage. Their every attempt to break free from his relentless flurry of attacks failed, rendering them nothing more than a mere punching bag.
With the homunculus momentarily disoriented, Kiritsugu swiftly drew his combat knife and plunged it deep into their chest before twisting it. The sound of gurgling blood filled the air as the homunculus expelled a final gasp before collapsing lifelessly to the ground.
Kiritsugu paused for a moment, his gaze fixed on the looming staircase ahead.
He reached behind his back to retrieve his final firearm, a reliable M16 assault rifle. From this point onward, he knew that the second floor would be teeming with more stronger combatant homunculi. Taking a deep, steadying breath, he steeled himself for what lay ahead.
"Emiya..."
A cold voice sliced through the air, halting Kiritsugu in his tracks. He looked up, meeting the piercing gaze of a red-eyed old man. He knew all too well who stood before him. After all, he was technically his in-law.
"Acht..."
Jubstacheit von Einzbern, also known as Old Man Acht, had personally come to greet him. Kiritsugu's grip on the M16 tightened.
-TOH-
Irisviel stood at the back of the castle just outside the Einzbern bounded fields. A complex set of runes were scribed around a medium-sized magic circle. She took a slow, deep breath.
Irisviel then turned on her earpiece, then she said "3...2...1, Now!"
She pumped her energy into the arrays of runes and the magic circle. The arrays began to glow, and in an instant, the Einzbern Castle bounded fields were shut down.
BOOOOMMM!
A sound of explosion roared from the direction of the front gate. That was her signal. She immediately went into action. Her body glowed before slowly dissipating into motes of golden sparks.
Astral Form, a servant's innate ability to hide their presence from the world. Of course, this ability was only useful for deceiving humans. Unless the servant had the Presence Concealment skill, then it would be quite easy for another servant to find them in their astral form.
Astral form was also useful because it allowed her to become intangible and walk through solid objects. Bounded fields were the only things that would stop her in this form, but she just took it down.
Their plan was arguably simple. She would take down the bounded fields, then Kiritsugu would storm from the front gate. He would act as a diversion while she would get Illya out. At this moment, as far as Jubstacheit knew, she was gone. So they would use that knowledge to deceive him with the assumption that Kiritsugu was here by himself.
This whole plan needed to be carried out in under fifteen minutes or less.
Sounds of gunshots echoed throughout the hall as she rushed towards Illya's room on the third floor. She ignored the many other homunculi who ran towards Kiritsugu. She then saw the door to Illya's room and without hesitation, she entered.
There she was, her baby daughter. Illya was in her room surrounded by two homunculi maids who were clearly on guard.
"W-What happened?" Illya said, panicking.
One maid answered, "W-We're under attack, my lady. Please stay here, we will guard you."
"...Yes Illya, it's not safe outside," the other, more expressionless maid chimed in.
Irisviel knew that if she appeared now, the maids wouldn't hesitate to attack her. So she decided to deal with them first.
"Shape Ist Leben..." she whispered.
A long, thin steel wire appeared and slowly slithered its way towards the maids. Then, in one swoop, the steel wire entangled the maids, wrapping itself around their bodies, hands, and legs.
"W-Wha?!"
"Oh?"
The maids' bound bodies soon fell to the floor. Illya was shocked to see her maids being attacked out of nowhere, but then she noticed something.
"That magecraft..."
Irisviel wasted no more time before appearing in front of her daughter. She immediately threw herself around her daughter, embracing her tightly.
"...Illya, my baby. I'm back."
She couldn't stop the tears that fell from her eyes
"M-Mama?!" Irisviel still held her daughter tightly for a moment before reluctantly releasing her hug. She caressed her daughter's cheek and hair.
"I'm sorry it took us this long to come back to you."
"I-I, no—Welcome home, mama!" Illya hugged her back.
Irisviel smiled and hugged her again.
"Where's papa?" her daughter asked.
Irisviel smiled before patting her daughter's head. "Papa is on the first floor, acting as a diversion now."
Putting the two and two together—the explosion, the intruder, the gunshots—Illya was shocked. "That was papa?!"
The 'intruder' who boldly attacked this castle was her papa all along. Irisviel just sheepishly smiled.
She then stood up and said, "Listen, Illya, I will get you out of here. We will move to Japan and live there after this."
Illya nodded, clearly not minding the idea. "Sure, but..."
Illya looked at her maids, who were tied up on the floor. "Can we bring Sella and Liz with us?"
"M-My lady?"
"Oh!"
The two maids, Sella and Leysritt, were surprised by their mistress' words.
"B-But, my lady, what would Lord Jubstacheit think about this?" Sella asked, worried.
Her sister Leysritt on the other hand said."...Hmm, I don't mind."
Sella gasped at her sister. "Leysritt!"
Illya scowled. "I don't care about grandfather! But I care for you two. You are the ones who took care of me when papa and mama were gone, after all."
"Illya, sweetie. Are you sure about this?" Irisviel asked.
"Yes, mama. If you're worried that Sella or Liz would betray us, then don't worry. They're both devoted and loyal to me."
Sella, still tied up, couldn't help but puff out her chest. "Uh, yes, we were created solely to attend to Lady Illyasviel's needs. We would never go against her words."
Leysritt, beside her, simply nodded. "Illya is my friend."
"Please, mama..." Illya pleaded with Irisviel.
Irisviel sighed, "Alright, but we better be quick." She then undid her magecraft and released both Sella and Leysritt from their bindings.
"Thank you for your kindness, uhh Lady Irisviel..." Sella said while bowing.
"Thanks, Illya's mama."
Irisviel smiled at those two. She was thankful that even when she was gone, there were others who stayed by her side.
"We will jump down. Can either of you do that?" She asked the maids.
"Yes, we can, Lady Irisviel."
"That's easy."
Illya, in surprise, blurted out, "Wait, jump?!"
Irisviel then opened the windows in the room. After that, she walked towards Illya and picked her up.
"Hang on tight, baby."
"W-Waii—Aaaaaaaaah!"
Illya screamed as Irisviel jumped out of the window. Behind them, Sella followed suit by reinforcing her body slightly. Leysritt, on the other hand, didn't need to do that; she simply jumped.
Dropping into the garden outside, Irisviel then rushed towards the front entrance. There she saw the SUV Kiritsugu had used earlier.
She looked back at the two maids following her. "Hurry!"
Then she put Illya down, who was still somewhat in a state of shock.
"Whaa?.."
"Illya, get in the back. Sella, Leysritt, you two sit beside her."
"Uhmm, okay, mama."
Illya got into the car, followed by Leysritt and Sella. The two maids sat near the windows, leaving her sandwiched in the middle.
"Oh, look..." Leysritt pulled something up—it was an unloaded rocket launcher. "…cool."
"Put it back!" Sella chastised.
The driver's door was then opened as Iri entered. She looked at her daughter and the maids.
"Hang on tight, okay?"
She then twisted the car key, igniting the engine with a loud roaring sound. She couldn't lie; she was a bit giddy about driving this beast.
In their original plan, Irisviel would just bring Illya out and hide in the forest. Then she would send a signal to Kiritsugu, and he would retreat and pick them up on his way out. But then Kiritsugu noticed that it would be safer if she drove Illya away with the car first, leaving him to act as bait. He revised the plan a bit and finally gave an okay for her to drive the car, albeit a bit hesitant.
Irisviel pointed out that he would need to somehow get out of the castle by himself on foot. Kiritsugu reassured her he would find a way. She trusted her husband.
Iri press her earpiece "Kiri, we're out"
The she slammed the gas pedal while applying some brake and spinning the steering wheel, the car turned sharply towards the front gate and accelerated out.
...
Illya's day was turned upside down. Just as she was about to collapse onto her bed for a much-needed nap after hours of grueling magecraft lessons, the sound of an explosion shattered the silence. Smoke rose from what used to be the front gate, and a speeding car rushed past it.
An intruder? She wondered.
Not long after, the door of her room was hastily opened, and Sella and Leysritt entered. They told her that there was indeed an intruder in the castle. Her two maids insisted that she stay here, which she agreed with.
But then, a steel wire slithered around her maids, tying them down. She was surprised, but she noticed something—it was an Einzbern magecraft. Then someone appeared before her and pulled her into an embrace. Her eyes widened, and her jaw dropped.
It was her mama, holding her tightly.
Now, she was in a car speeding away, leaving the castle behind. She understood quite well what was happening at this moment. Both her papa and mama were trying to take her away from her grandfather.
Well, she didn't mind. No, she was over the moon about this.
Grandfather? Screw him. If papa and mama needed to take this drastic measure to be with her, then clearly something was wrong with him. It made sense, really, when she thought about it. Every time papa was mentioned, grandfather would always show the nastiest scowl she had ever seen.
Mama mentioned something about living in Japan, well, that's okay for her. As long as they were together again as a family, she wouldn't mind moving there. Her future days had never been this bright before.
But there was only one problem at the moment.
"Awawawa, mama, slow down!"
Her mother's driving was crazy. The road leading away from the Einzbern Castle was also far from ideal, adding to her already terrible experience.
"...Lady Irisviel," beside her, Sella groaned.
"...!" Leysritt fared even worse; she was visibly green.
"Wah! Liz! Don't throw up here!" Illya shouted in panic.
"Window! Open the window!" Sella hurriedly told her sister.
"...I can't."
CRRAAACCKKKLE
Illya heard something, quickly turned her head, and saw a group of homunculi charging their magecraft.
"Mama! We've got some company, watch out!"
The homunculi released a dense blue energy towards them.
BOOOOMM!
Then, an explosion happened just beside the car. The car swayed a bit from the aftershock, but Illya saw that her mama managed to dodge it at the very last second.
"Are you girls okay back there?" her mama asked.
"Y-Yeah, somewhat..." Illya replied slowly.
"A bit disoriented, but we're fine, Lady Irisviel," Sella added.
"...ugghhh."
The homunculi gave chase, their bodies enhanced to the point where they started to get closer. Illya saw that the homunculi were charging their magecraft again.
"Uhh, mama?"
"Hold on tight, sweetie."
Her mama abruptly turned the steering wheel to the right, and Illya watched in horror as the forest came into view. What was her mama thinking?!
Their car careened sharply to the right, veering off the road and plunging into the dense forest.
"Mama, wait! We're gonna crash!"
"Lady Irisviel!"
"..."
Her mama smirked. "Not on my watch, girls."
Yet, she didn't slow down or swerve away. Instead, she shifted gears and pressed the gas pedal harder. Her hands maneuvered the steering wheel expertly, guiding the car through a wild zigzagging path amidst the trees.
The homunculi followed them into the forest, but it was clear that it was hard for them to utilize their magecraft in this environment.
Illya started to feel sick—her eyes were dizzy, and she wanted to empty her stomach. She looked at Sella and saw that she was trying her best to look composed but failing. Leysritt was paler than usual.
"L-Liz, are you okay?"
"...Illya, if I don't make it, then...I'm sorry," Leysritt murmured weakly.
"No! Liz! Don't die yet!"
"M-My lady..." Sella's voice quivered. "...why are we heading straight for a cliff?"
Illya's eyes widened in shock, and she turned her gaze forward. Sella was right—they were hurtling toward a cliff's edge.
"M-Mama, a cliff! There's a cliff!" she said in horror.
"I know, sweetie," her mama answered.
Rather than slowing down, she shifted gears once more and pressed the gas pedal even harder. The engine roared as the car accelerated. As the cliff edge approached, Illya's panic intensified.
Her mama then cast her magecraft.
"Shape Ist Leben!"
Steel wires burst forth from around Irisviel, shooting outward in a split second. They interlaced and swiftly wove a makeshift road in mid-air, descending at an angle that guided the car downward instead of hurtling into freefall.
"Kyaaaaaaaaaa!"
She and Sella screamed for their lives, with a silent Leysritt beside her completely giving up. Below them was another road that led to a bridge. The car roared and jumped from the makeshift road to the road below.
They were suspended in the air for a few seconds before slamming down onto the road below in a nasty drop. Her mama then drove the car towards the bridge.
"Hahaha, that's fun! Right, girls?"
Illya couldn't even muster the strength to respond. The car drove over the bridge shortly after.
BOOOOOM!
Then something hit the bridge.
CRRAAACKKK
And the bridge slowly fell apart behind them. The homunculi at the top of the cliff had shot the bridge in an attempt to stop them at all costs.
"No, not again!" she said in disbelief.
Her mama, on the other hand, just pouted. "They sure are persistent."
The car then accelerated fast, with the road behind them slowly falling away. Then, the bridge road tilted up.
"We're not going to make it!" She paled.
Her mama stomped on the gas pedal, using the inclined road as a ramp. The car shot into the air, propelling them across the gap to the road ahead. Illya glanced back and saw that the homunculi had given up the chase.
Finally, it was over.
...
Irisviel drove them over to Kiritsugu's safe house. She exited the car followed by Sella, who visibly looked sick, her trembling daughter, and...
THUD
A limp Leysritt that dropped to the ground as soon as she opened the door.
"...ground, I missed you so much," Leysritt muttered weakly.
"Le-Leysritt!"
"L-Liz, don't die!"
Irisviel tilted her head. What happened to them? she wondered.
-TOH-
"We sent you to win the war for us, to bring us the glory we used to have," Jubstacheit slowly walked forward. His red eyes glared at Kiritsugu, and tension filled the air.
"I just want my daughter back, Acht," Kiritsugu stated while readying his M16.
"Ah yes, 'your' daughter," sneered Jubstacheit. "You break into my castle, kill many of my creations, and now you're pointing your toy at me. Yet, you still have the nerve to say that?"
"Would you let me take her if I rang the doorbell and asked nicely then?" Kiritsugu retorted sarcastically.
"Hahaha, you've got a point," Jubstacheit chuckled darkly.
This Jubstacheit von Einzbern was the eighth incarnation of his homunculus model and the current head of the Einzbern family. He had lived long and many lives at this point, with only one goal to reach—the goal given to him by his creator, who sacrificed her life to make the Holy Grail.
Decade after decade, the Einzberns honed their craft, prepared their best, and invested as much as they could to reach their goal. They failed in the first and second wars, ruined their own chance in the third war, and were betrayed in the fourth.
Preposterous!
They had given Kiritsugu everything—his wife, his daughter, the best catalyst—and they had even intended to invite him as an honorary member of their family. Yet, after all of that, he threw everything away. He already held the Grail but refused its offer.
Jubstacheit narrowed his eyes. "Tell me, Emiya, why would you throw away the Grail?"
Jubstacheit knew what this man wanted. A childish dream, yes, but surely something the Grail could easily grant.
Kiritsugu was silent, his eyes trying to discern whether Jubstacheit knew about the corruption or not.
"It was corrupted, Acht," he replied.
Jubstacheit merely raised his brows. "Surely, you jest."
An epitome of the application of magecraft at the highest degree shouldn't be something that could be corrupted.
"I'm not," Kiritsugu said with clarity. "The corrupted Grail will twist any wish, Acht. It wasn't worth it. Check it yourself if you don't believe me."
Jubstacheit saw that Kiritsugu showed no signs of lying. He closed his eyes. "I see, this is indeed a problem."
"Then we're on the same page here. How about you let me take Illya, and we can discuss what we're going to do with the corrupted Grail?" Kiritsugu suggested.
Jubstacheit chuckled. "I'm afraid not."
So it was just a mere curse? Nothing significant that he couldn't handle. Stopping the Einzbern grand plan for a mere curse wouldn't even pass his mind. They had already invested too much to stop.
"A twisted wish? A curse? Nothing the Einzberns can't handle. As long as the wish-granting system of the Grail is still working, we will not stop," Jubstacheit declared.
Kiritsugu hissed, "People died, and probably many more will, Acht!"
"A sacrifice I am willing to make..." Jubstacheit countered.
"The Clocktower wouldn't approve of this. The vice director himself would send his enforcers to hunt you down."
Jubstacheit admitted Kiritsugu had a point, but he remained resolute. "When we achieve our dream, the Clocktower won't even be worth our attention."
Even at this moment, the Einzbern family didn't have a high opinion for the Clocktower. They had practically isolated themselves from it and only sent representatives every now and then.
"Nothing I say would change your mind, then?" grunted Kiritsugu.
"Most likely, no."
"Not even the threat of the Counter Force?"
Jubstacheit was taken aback by that statement, but he steeled his will. "...Yes."
"...You will doom the world, Acht!"
"And we will build a new one from the ashes."
Kiritsugu gritted his teeth. "So we've reached the point of no return, huh?" His circuits hummed as they started to activate. "...What a shame."
"One day, Emiya. You will come to me, begging and apologizing for how wrong you are," Jubstacheit said with certainty.
Kiritsugu smirked. "In your dreams." He aimed his M16 at Jubstacheit.
Jubstacheit only scoffed at the man in front of him. "Leave, Emiya, and I might show you some mercy."
"Not without my daughter."
"...So be it then."
In an instant, Kiritsugu pulled the trigger, unleashing a torrent of bullets charging towards Jubstacheit with blinding velocity, as if seeking to bring an end to the old man's reign.
Jubstacheit's expression remained unamused as he barked, "...Form, Werde Lebendig!"
In response, tendrils of rhenium wires surged forth, their metallic form lashing out with incredible speed. They became an impenetrable shield, tanking the onslaught of bullets with remarkable resilience and deflecting each projectile away from their intended target.
Realizing the futility of his attack, Kiritsugu ceased his relentless assault. The ground around him was littered with spent bullet casings, a testament to his failed attempt to penetrate Jubstacheit's defenses.
Jubstacheit sneered with smug confidence. "Is that all? A mere toy like that wouldn't even make a scratch on me."
Kiritsugu's eyes burned with determination as he activated his next move. "We'll see. Time Alter: Double Accel!"
The air around Kiritsugu seemed to ripple as his magecraft took effect, doubling his speed and altering his perception of time. He swiftly ran to the side while continuing to shoot at Jubstacheit, trying to break through his defense.
"I once thought of you as a respectable man, Emiya!" Jubstacheit sneered.
Tendrils rushed towards Kiritsugu, threatening to crush him. He rolled forward, narrowly dodging the attack.
"You are a heretic in the eyes of magi everywhere, but your accomplishments were nothing to scoff at!" Jubstacheit taunted.
More tendrils came his way. Jubstacheit wielded them like whips, lashing out and destroying everything that came into contact. Debris and dust flew everywhere.
"And you spit on my good grace," Jubstacheit accused.
Kiritsugu's breath was uneven, the burden on his body reaching unprecedented levels. The curse rotting his body, coupled with his relentless use of magecraft, led him to this state.
He reloaded his weapon. "I just want to take my daughter with me, Acht..."
"You lost that privilege after you betrayed us!" Jubstacheit scorned.
Tendrils lunged forward. Kiritsugu did the same, ducking, bending, and twisting his body to evade the incoming tendrils. The sound of gunshots reverberated non-stop as Kiritsugu didn't cease pulling the trigger of his weapon.
So far, none of Kiritsugu's relentless assault had hit Jubstacheit, but he frowned as Kiritsugu drew closer. He had had enough and mentally commanded one of his tendrils to grab Kiritsugu's leg.
Kiritsugu's eyes widened as he felt something grab his leg. Then, he was violently pulled up from the stairs he was standing on and thrown across the room. The air was forced out of Kiritsugu's body as he hit the ground, feeling pain from every part of his body. However, he had achieved his objective. He opened his hand, revealing a grenade pin.
TING.
Jubstacheit widened his eyes in shock as a grenade dropped near his feet.
"Go to hell, Acht!"
"You—"
BOOOOM!
Jubstacheit was engulfed in the explosion. Kiritsugu pulled himself back up, panting as he assessed his situation. He still had some grenades left, a combat knife, and his trump card—the Thompson Contender and its origin bullets.
He retrieved the Thompson Contender, which had been modified to withstand the power needed to fire origin bullets. It was now considered a mystic code, one that he always brought in life or death situations.
He loaded an origin bullet into the Thompson Contender.
One shot. That's all he needed to end the magus's entire career and life. The bullet severed any magecraft it struck, forcefully tying the broken parts together, resulting in malfunction and short-circuiting. He aimed at the smoking crater where Jubstacheit once stood.
He had a limited number of origin bullets. He needed to make every shot count.
As the smoke slowly faded, a cocoon-like structure unraveled, revealing Jubstacheit with half of his body and face burned.
"Again and again, Emiya. You manage to earn my ire," Jubstacheit said.
"Hah, you're welcome..." Kiritsugu replied.
Despite his current condition, Jubstacheit regained his composure. Ominous, heavy magical energy spiked around him. More tendrils swayed menacingly. No more playing around.
Kiritsugu was visibly worried. A direct head-on fight with an experienced first-rate magus was not his specialty, especially if said magus was enraged and taking him seriously.
But then, "Kiri, we're out."
He heard his wife's voice through the earpiece. She had succeeded; she was already on her way to leave with Illya. Their plan had been successful. Kiritsugu quietly sighed in relief.
Jubstacheit seemed to notice the change in Kiritsugu's body language. He stared at him, his expression turning into a frown. "I see, you have an accomplice. This whole thing is a sham."
Kiritsugu couldn't help but chuckle. "Yes, an accomplice—the very best one."
"Then that means your daughter has already left the castle. A shame, really," Jubstacheit waved his hand, mentally ordering some homunculi to chase after his granddaughter.
"I planned to turn her into the perfect Einzbern, mold her, shape her to suit the Einzbern's needs," he continued.
Kiritsugu scoffed, "I wouldn't allow that."
"You may have been able to take her from me for now, but what about yourself?" Jubstacheit glared. "You don't actually think I would just let you walk out with your life, right?"
"No, but I will, regardless."
"Fool..." Jubstacheit lunged his tendrils at Kiritsugu from every direction.
Kiritsugu stood his ground, looking at the incoming tendrils without even flinching. He aimed the Thompson Contender, took a deep breath, and glared back.
"Stay away from my family!"
He pulled the trigger.
-TOH-
It had been two days since Illya's escape from the Einzbern castle. The little snow-white princess was currently staying in her papa's safe house, eagerly awaiting his arrival. The house was small, significantly smaller than the castle she once called home. However, it was cozy, and her mama was with her.
So, in her book, it was a win, not to mention what she discovered during her time here - comic books, movies, and a whole lot of her favorite snacks that papa used to bring for her.
As she looked at all of these things, it was evident to her that papa had prepared them all just for her. Even her beloved chocolate chestnut snacks were there. She truly loved her papa.
So here she was, comfortably seated on a warm couch, munching on snacks while watching an old television show called Twilight Zone. Beside her, Leysritt lounged with a bag of chips, enjoying the show as well.
Leysritt had abandoned her former maid uniform in favor of a more casual shirt and shorts combo. Despite the heater working as intended, Illya could still feel the chill in the air. It was a testament to how cold this part of Germany could be. So how on earth Leysritt could be comfortable enough to sport those clothes in this weather dumbfounded her
She just chalked it up to Leysritt being built differently from her, literally.
Illya smiled and hummed happily. There were no magecraft lessons, no tedious and repetitive days, and no grandfather to deal with. It was pure bliss.
"My lady..."
Illya turned to see Sella huffing and looking at her. Like Leysritt, she too had opted for more casual attire—a long-sleeved button-up shirt paired with a knee-length skirt, covered by a dark reddish-brown apron.
"Yes..?" "llya replied, raising her brow as she saw Sella's disapproving gaze.
Unlike her sister, Sella still took her job as Illya's maid seriously. She diligently performed chores, cooked their food, and she even once found her shoveling snow outside. Illya honestly believed that Sella didn't need to do most of those tasks, considering they would soon be leaving for Japan once Papa arrived.
When she asked Sella about that, Sella began lecturing her about the duties of a maid, Illya would then tune her out after that.
Sella pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. "Please try to act more lady-like, my lady..."
Sella observed Illya's current state—sinking into the couch with her legs raised up and covered by a warm blanket. Crumbs from snacks were scattered on the blanket, and some were still visible on her cheeks. A stack of unopened snacks sat within arm's reach.
To put it simply, the current Illya was the complete opposite of what would be expected from a supposed proper lady and heiress of an old noble magus family.
"Just relax, Sella," Illya said nonchalantly. "Look at Liz here, she knows when to just enjoy stuff."
Leysritt raised her thumbs up, which was met with a glare from her sister.
Sella sighed. "We may not be in the castle anymore." She placed her hands on her hips. "But that doesn't mean you can just ignore your magecraft lessons, my lady."
"Oh, come on," Illya rolled her eyes. "It's not like I've abandoned my pursuit of magecraft altogether. I just took a break. Right, Liz?"
"Yup," Leysritt nodded her head, her eyes still fixed on the TV.
"...Leysritt, you!" Sella started to fume.
Then someone walked over—it was Irisviel.
"There, there..." Irisviel tapped Sella's back. "Don't be too strict on her, Sella. Let her enjoy her...vacation for now." She smiled.
"But Lady Irisviel—"
"Hush, girl." Irisviel placed her finger in front of Sella's mouth. "She will continue her studies later, but for now, let her be."
"Yes, Lady Irisviel," Sella conceded.
Irisviel giggled. "Now, how about all of us watch something together?" She then took Sella's arm and led her to the couch. Sitting beside the now-seated Leysritt, Sella grumbled under her breath.
"Hm? You already done with your works, mama?"
Not long after they arrived at the safe house, Illya discovered that her mama apparently had a job now. However, she didn't actually know what her job entailed. Her mama would simply sit on her bed, close her eyes for quite some time, and that would be it. Sometimes, her mama would frown, scowl, and giggle while performing her "job".
If Illya had come from a mundane background, she would have honestly thought her mama had finally lost it and gone cray-cray. However, being born into a magus family shaped her way of thinking differently. Illya believed that her mama was most likely communicating with someone from afar using telepathy.
"Yes, there were some problems at home. Your brother did something reckless too," her mama said, frowning slightly.
Ah yes, home. Not the Einzbern castle, but a home in Fuyuki where they would soon live with her papa, mama, and apparently her brother too.
Illya was actually a bit shocked to find out that she was now a big sister to a little brother. Mama said that papa had saved him and later adopted him. Illya didn't have any expectations for this supposed brother at first. But then mama told her how sweet her little brother was and shared some other stories, and now she was intrigued to get to know him better.
She imagined a mini version of papa with a more innocent outlook on the world. She giggled to herself at the thought.
"What did onii-chan do?" Illya asked.
She refused to call herself the big sister here. It made her feel strangely old. Besides, she still wanted to be the baby of the family, the one who was pampered by everyone. So, she called her brother "onii-chan" despite being older than him, much to her mama's amusement.
"Playing hero," her mama said exasperatedly. "Let's just say your brother did something very dangerous to save a girl and her brother."
Illya tilted her head. Wasn't that a good thing, though? It meant that her brother was a hero to them.
Her mama seemed to understand her thoughts and explained, "Your brother acted impulsively. He didn't have a plan, and with one wrong move, he could have lost his life."
"Thankfully, he has...many allies to back him up. When we get back, I'll pinch his cheeks hard," she added with a hint of annoyance.
"So it went well in the end?" Illya asked.
"Thankfully, yes," her mama smiled. "...For now, at least," she murmured the last part unheard by Illya.
DING DONG!
Someone rang the doorbell. The bounded field around the house, which detected malicious intent, wasn't triggered.
"I'll get it!" Illya exclaimed, jumping from her seat.
She ran towards the door and opened it. A haggard-looking Kiritsugu stood there, looking down at her with a smile.
"I'm back, Illya," he said.
Without hesitation, Illya lunged towards her papa, crashing into him and causing them both to fall to the ground. They embraced each other, finally relieving their longing after all this time.
...
He lay low for two days in the unforgiving cold of the German forest, enduring the harsh winter conditions. After delivering the decisive shot with an origin bullet to Jubstacheit's chest, he swiftly made his escape from the castle. Evading the relentless pursuit of the homunculi proved to be a daunting task.
He was forced to hide in the forest, camp for two nights, remain on guard most of the time, and make his way to the safe house on foot. It was challenging, and in hindsight, changing the plan at the last second wasn't his best idea. But was it worth the price of ensuring his daughter's safety?
As he glanced down at his daughter, who clung tightly to him,
Yes, it was worth it.
...
Deep inside the now-damaged castle of the Einzbern, a long-haired old man sat amidst a multitude of large tubes filled with glowing green liquid and what appeared to be human figures. The room was scattered with bottles of reagents and shelves lined with books and scrolls.
Humming to himself, the old man's eyes gleamed with animosity. He was Jubstacheit von Einzbern, the head of the Einzbern family.
This room was their magecraft workshop, a place where the works and crafts of the Einzbern were kept. Not many knew this, but Jubstacheit rarely left this room. If something required his attention, he would send a homunculus body double controlled from here. It was the most efficient way to handle matters without abandoning his experiments.
Emiya Kiritsugu had managed to destroy one of his body doubles, causing the recoil to almost reach his real body. Fortunately, Jubstacheit had managed to sever the connection before any harm could be done to his real body. He was far from amused by this.
Aside from that, his granddaughter had also been taken away from him. His plan to transform her into a Lesser Grail and the next master of the Einzbern family had been completely ruined. The scheme to turn her own family against her had been discarded as well.
Furthermore, the corruption of the Grail threw a metaphorical wrench into his grand plan. Emiya was undoubtedly serious about this matter, and Jubstacheit had an inkling of who was behind the corruption. It was the Einzbern family's greatest regret, the Avenger-class Servant from the Third Grail War.
Angra Mainyu.
He still remembered that war as if it were yesterday. In his honest opinion, it was the war with the most problems by far. The Edelfelts had somehow managed to split their Servant, resulting in the summoning of two versions of the same Servant. Then his own family meddled with the Grail and summoned Avenger. After that came the destruction of the original Lesser Grail.
It was a mess.
Emiya's words had some merit to them. The corruption might hinder his plan to achieve the Einzbern goal. It wasn't that he cared about the ramifications for others; rather, he was more concerned about the chance of it backfiring on him. He would keep this in mind.
He walked over to a tube in the workshop. As a magus, he was accustomed to planning things years in advance. Emiya's actions might have put his plan on hold, but they wouldn't stop it entirely.
What if someone took his granddaughter? What if she proved to be unreliable or incompatible with the ritual?
Born from these simple questions, a contingency plan had been devised years prior to the fourth war. If he didn't have his granddaughter, if she proved uncooperative or useless, the answer to all of these scenarios was simple.
He would simply create another one from scratch.
His gaze fixated on the tube that emanated an eerie green light before him. The liquid inside bubbled and shifted. At the core of the tube resided his contingency plan, designed to fulfill his granddaughter's role in the event that she couldn't.
A young girl, with her legs curled up, floated in the middle of the tube. Smaller tubes were inserted into her body to provide necessary nourishment. Glowing rune seals were embedded on her body, simulating her growth and incorporating his granddaughter's memories into her being.
He conducted a final check, ensuring there were no errors or mishaps in her parameters. Satisfied, he nodded to himself and pulled a lever down. The liquid in the tube began to slowly drain. The girl inside was supported by the many tubes attached to her body. Finally, he pulled another lever, and the girl opened her eyes.
With the hissing sound of steam, the tubes slowly detached from the girl's body. She gracefully landed on her feet, her naked form resembling that of any other newborn homunculus.
Her skin had a darker shade, her long hair was white with a reddish hue, and her eyes were a faded gold color. She looked up at him.
"Grandfather?" she spoke, questioning.
He nodded, pleased with the outcome. A high-spec homunculus, cloned from his granddaughter, with enhanced physical and magical abilities.
"From now on, your name will be Chloe. Chloe von Einzbern, and you will restore the Einzbern family to its former glory," he declared.
The girl, now known as Chloe, nodded in understanding.
AN: Yeah no Shirou for this chap, sorry. Also i might post shorter chapters but with more frequent updates in the future.